cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Regression Models for Validating Cyclic Triaxial Test Results

Cyclic triaxial tests are commonly used to evaluate a soil’s potential for liquefaction during seismic events. Following testing, it is necessary to evaluate the validity of the test results. This can be a difficult task unless the engineer has previously acquired a reasonable amount of experience with this type of testing. In order to help evaluate the validity of the test results, a series of eight predictive models have been developed for sands and soils with non-plastic silts. These models predict a mean value of the number of cycles required to cause liquefaction as well as 50 and 95 % prediction intervals. The models were separated by the soil type (sands and soils with less than 30 % non-plastic fines versus soils with 30 % or more non-plastic fines), the definition of liquefaction used (initial liquefaction versus 5 % double-amplitude strain), and the method of specimen preparation (moist tamping, air-pluviation, or slurry-deposition). These models were developed using the data from over 1000 tests collected from the author’s files and the literature. Following development, the validity of each model was assessed by examining the statistical parameters of the model, analyzing each model’s residuals, and by predictions made using additional data obtained from the literature.
Concomitant endometrial and gallbladder metastasis in advanced multiple metastatic invasive lobular carcinoma of the breast: A rare case report

Abstract Introduction At time of presentation, fewer than 10% of patients have metastatic breast cancer. The most common sites of metastasis in order of frequency are bone, lung, pleura, soft tissue, and liver. Breast cancer metastasis to the uterus or gallbladder is rare and has infrequently been reported in the English literature. Presentation of case A 47 year old female with a recent history of thrombocytopenia presented with abnormal vaginal bleeding. Pelvic ultrasound revealed multiple uterine fibroids and endometrial curettings revealed cells consistent with lobular carcinoma of the breast. Breast examination revealed edema and induration of the lower half of the right breast. Biopsy of the right breast revealed invasive lobular carcinoma. Bone marrow aspiration obtained at a previous outpatient visit revealed extensive involvement by metastatic breast carcinoma. Shortly after discharge, the patient presented with acute cholecystitis and underwent cholecystectomy. Microscopic examination of the gallbladder revealed metastatic infiltrating lobular carcinoma. The final diagnosis was invasive lobular carcinoma of the right breast with metastasis to the bone marrow, endometrium, gallbladder, regional lymph nodes, and peritoneum. Discussion The growth pattern of invasive lobular carcinoma of the breast is unique and poses a challenge in diagnosing the cancer at an early stage. Unlike other types of breast cancer, it tends to metastasize more to the peritoneum, ovary, and gastrointestinal tract. Metastasis to the endometrium or gallbladder is rare. Conclusion Metastatic spread should be considered in the differential diagnosis of patients with invasive lobular breast carcinoma presenting with abnormal vaginal bleeding or acute cholecystitis.
Vectorial non-local total variation regularization for calibration-free parallel MRI reconstruction

In this work we present a calibration-free parallel magnetic resonance imaging (pMRI) reconstruction approach by exploiting the fact that image structures typically tend to repeat themselves in several locations in the image domain. We use this prior information along with the correlation that exists among the different MR images, which are acquired from multiple receiver coils, to improve reconstructions from under-sampled data with arbitrary k-space trajectories. To accomplish this, we follow a variational approach and cast the pMRI reconstruction problem as the minimization of an energy functional that involves a vectorial non-local total variation (NLTV) regularizer. Further, to solve the posed optimization problem we propose an iterative algorithm which is based on a variable splitting strategy. To assess the reconstruction quality of the proposed method, we provide comparisons with alternative techniques and show that our results can be very competitive.
Literature, Self-Consciousness, and Writing: The Example of Barth's Lost in the Funhouse

Self-consciousness in prose fiction—metafiction—was not invented yesterday.' John Barth, one of its champions in America, himself readily concedes its unoriginality, albeit hyperbolically and with tongue-in-cheek, as is his nature: "Self-conscious, vertiginously arch, fashionably solipsistic, unoriginal—in fact a convention of twentieth-century literature. Another story about a writer writing a story!" What such playful exaggeration does effectively point out is that, while the self-consciousness of much of today's prose fiction does not itself break new ground in the field of literature, in the history of man (which is nothing if not a history of consciousness), self-consciousness, specifically linguistic (and literary) self-consciousness, has never been so prevalent as in the present century: it has engulfed not only literature, but also history, philosophy, and the social or human sciences. The new focus is heralded by Jacques Derrida as follows: "However the topic is considered, the problem of language has never been simply one problem among others. But never as much as at present has it invaded, as such, the global horizon of the most diverse researches and the most heterogeneous discourses, diverse and heterogeneous in their intention, method, and ideology." John Barth's work in the field of prose fiction, from this perspective, does not stand alone, but can be tied to parallel developments in other fields, and can in effect be considered as one manifestation of a broader and more general problematic.
Enhancement of Histidine and One-Carbon Metabolism in Rats Fed High Levels of Retinol

Histidine metabolism was studied in rats fed 10% casein diets supplemented with 1000 IU of retinol/g concurrent with or previous to exposure to high levels of dietary histidine (1% or 2%). When a retinol-supplemented 10% casein + 1% histidine diet was fed ad libitum for 21 days, urinary excretion of formiminoglutamic acid (FIGLU) was decreased by 50-70% over the entire period and plasma histidine was reduced by 30-70% for 16 days compared to rats receiving 10% casein + 1% histidine with normal levels of retinol. Rats pretreated for 10 days with a 10% casein diet supplemented with high levels of retinol oxidized 30% more L-[ring-2-14C]histidine to 14CO2 and excreted 76% less of the administered dose as urinary FIGLU compared to control rats not pretreated with high levels of retinol. Depression in growth due to supplementation of a 10% casein diet with 1% histidine were also partially alleviated in rats that were first pretreated with retinol. Activities of histidase, urocanase, and formiminoglutamic acid formiminotransferase (FIGLU transferase) were unaffected by retinol supplementation. The results suggest that retinol supplementation enhances histidine catabolism by exerting a change on one-carbon metabolism.
DYNAMIC DOOR COMPONENT TEST METHODOLOGY

This paper describes the development of a Dynamic Door Component Test Methodology (DDCTM) for side impact simulation. A feasibility study of the methodology was conducted using a MADYMO computer model by taking parameters such as pre-crush, door-to-SID (Side Impact Dummy) contact velocity and the decelaration profile into consideration. The prove-out tests of this methodology was carried out on a dynamic test facility. The DDCTM has been validated for various carlines. In addition, various existing dynamic component test methods are reviewed. The DDTCM significantly reduces the time and resources required for developing improved side impact protection systems, including new door/trim, side air bag systems and padding material evaluation. For the covering abstract of the conference see IRRD 875168.
CHANGES IN CONSERVED REGION 3 OF ESCHERICHIA COLI SIGMA 70 MEDIATE PPGPP-DEPENDENT FUNCTIONS IN VIVO

InEscherichia colideletion ofrelAandspoTresults in an inability to synthesize ppGpp, guanosine-3′, 5′-bis(pyrophosphate), and a loss in the ability to grow on amino acid-free minimal media. Two spontaneous missense suppressor alleles,rpoD(P505L)andrpoD(S506F)able to confer complete prototrophy without the reappearance of ppGpp, were localized to that portion ofrpoDcoding for conserved region 3.1 of σ70. Characterization of these mutants revealed distinct physiological effects. Both mutations cause growth rate defects exacerbated in the presence of ppGpp and paralleled by reductions inrrnBP1-lacZreporter gene expression, as if growth of these mutants is limited byrrnP1 promoter activity. Levels of ppGpp, as a function of growth rate, are lowered by a constant fraction (75%) in therpoD(P504L)strain and by a decreasing fraction at lower growth rates in therpoD(S506F)strain. Comparisons ofrrnBP1-lacZexpression at different ppGpp levels is interpreted for therpoD(P504L)mutant as resulting from a hypersensitivity to ppGpp. For therpoD(S506F)mutant there is a normal sensitivity to ppGpp but the action of ppGpp is functionally mimicked; that is, a low intrinsicrrnBP1 promoter activity is manifested even in the absence of ppGpp. In addition to effects onrrnBP1 promoters, the accumulation of the stationary phase-specific sigma factor (σs), which is normally ppGpp-dependent, was assayed in therpoDmutants and in one,rpoD(S506F)found to be restored in the absence of ppGpp. The behavior of these mutants thus seems consistent with a unitary effect of ppGpp on transcription resulting in both negative and positive regulation of gene expression. In addition, the cellular fraction of σ70associated with holoenzyme appears reduced by bothrpoDmutations as judged by comparison with wild-type and ppGpp-deficient strains. Interestingly, the amount of holo enzyme-associated σ70was higher in the ppGpp-deficient than in the wild-type strain, possibly indicating that σ70-core RNA polymerase interactions are decreased by ppGpp.
Long-term effects of radium exposure in female dial workers: Hematocrit and blood pressure☆

Abstract Hematocrit readings and systolic and diastolic blood pressure were analyzed in women first employed as radium dial workers in 1913–1929 and in 1930–1954. Internal comparisons on these variables were made by dose groups, using average skeletal dose estimated some years after exposure to radium, and external comparisons were made using normative data from the U. S. National Health Survey. In women exposed from 1913 to 1929, a possible long-term effect of high-dose radium exposure on hematocrit was evident. Statistically significant results were obtained using univariate and multivariate (multiple regression) analyses for women aged 65–84. This effect appeared to be greatest in the highest-dose groups (especially 1000+ rad), but did not involve a higher frequency of “low” hematocrit suggestive of anemia. No association between dose and blood pressure was evident in the women exposed in 1913–1929. In women exposed in 1930–1954, dose was a significant predictor of systolic blood pressure in those 45–54 years old but not in those 55–64 years old. Analysis of longitudinal data on these populations will be required.
Capture database semantics by rule induction

To capture database characteristics, a knowledge-based entity-relationship (KER) model is proposed to extend the basic ER model by P.P.S. Chen (see ACM Trans. Database Syst., vol.1, no.1 (1976)) to provide knowledge specification capability. The knowledge specification capability allows database characteristics to be specified and maintained with each object definition. In the KER model, each entity or relationship has its specific characteristics. These characteristics can be classified into intraobject knowledge and interobject knowledge. Intraobject knowledge specifies how an object instance belongs to an entity type, and interobject knowledge describes how objects are correlated with each other when they are bounded by the same relationship. Instances of the database objects have to follow these rules since each database state is an instance of the application. Therefore, semantic knowledge can be induced from the database instances by machine learning based on the schema specified in the KER model. A knowledge acquisition methodology that is based upon the KER Model and machine learning techniques is developed to induce the database characteristics knowledge from the database. >
No VSX1 gene mutations associated with keratoconus.

RESULTS. Of the four previously identified presumed pathogenic mutations in the VSX1 gene (Leu17Pro, Asp144Glu, Leu159Met, and Arg166Trp), only Asp144Glu was identified in a single affected patient. Two novel single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), both resulting in synonymous substitutions, were identified: c.53GT (Ser6Ser) in four affected patients and c.209GT (Pro58Pro) in two affected patients. Two previously reported SNPs were also identified: c.426CA (Arg131Ser) in one affected patient and c.581AG (Ala182Ala) in 51 of the 100 affected patients. CONCLUSIONS. Only one of the presumed pathogenic mutations in the VSX1 gene, Asp144Glu, was identified in a single member of the cohort of affected patients. However, as previously demonstrated, Asp144Glu is a non‐disease-causing polymorphism. The absence of pathogenic mutations in the VSX1 gene in a large number of unrelated KTCN patients indicates that other genetic factors are involved in the development of this disorder. (Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 2006;47:2820‐2822)
Polymer Photovoltaics With Top Metal Electrode Deposited by Solution-Processing

In this paper, fully solution-processed organic solar cells were fabricated on prepurchased tin-doped indium oxide (ITO)-coated glass using the inverted architecture. Solution-processed electrodes consisting of ITO nanoparticle, silver (Ag) nanowire, or Ag nanoparticle films were used as the anode in the devices. Electrode deposition for solution-processed components was accomplished by using a commercially available airbrush with compressed dry nitrogen as the carrier gas. Morphologies of the deposited electrodes and the solution-processed electron blocking layer can be seen as topography images using atomic force microscopy. Cells fabricated with a solution-processed electrode show comparable device performances to that of an evaporated electrode using a similar structure.
Al-Sm-Eu-Sr systematics of eucrites and moon rocks Implications for planetary bulk compositions

Constraints are placed on the bulk compositions of the eucrite parent body (EPB) and the moon through analysis of the Eu and Sr 'anomalies' of eucrites and lunar rooks. It is noted that the elements Al, REE, and Sr are incompatible with the major minerals of these small, low-f(O2) bodies,except for plagioclase. Predictions can be derived about the concentrations of Al, REE, and Sr in samples affected by plagioclase fractionation, based on the hypothesis that these elements in the EPB and moon are all in proportions close to those in the bulk solar system. It is determined that the predictions are almost idealy fulfilled by eucrites and lunar samples. For the EPB, the ratios REE/Al, Sr/Al, and Sr/REE are found to be constrained probably within 10 percent of the chondritic ratios. For the moon, the constraints are found to be less precise: REE/Al is very probably within 25 percent of chondritic; Sr/Al and Sr/REE are probably within 35 percent of chondritic; Sr/Al and Sr/REE are probably within 35 percent of chondritic. It is concluded that there is a very strong similarity between the bulk compositions of the planets and the compositions of chondritic meteorites.
Cdk2-dependent Inhibition of p21 Stability via a C-terminal Cyclin-binding Motif

p21 is a member of the Cip/Kip family of cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK) inhibitors that includes p21, p27, and p57. Recent studies have suggested that Cdk2 activity may promote p21 degradation through a pathway similar to that for p27, although the mechanism by which this occurs has not been clarified. In the current report, co-expression with cyclin E and Cdk2 stabilized p21 in a manner that required the CDK-binding site of p21 and a cyclin-binding site (cy1) located in the p21 N terminus. Strikingly, however, a kinase-dead Cdk2 mutant stabilized p21 to a greater extent than did wild-type Cdk2, consistent with the notion that Cdk2 activity can destabilize p21. The ability of wild-type Cdk2 to destabilize p21 required a potential Cdk2 phosphorylation site in p21 at serine 130 and an intact cyclin-binding motif (cy2) in the p21 C terminus. Finally, p21 was phosphorylated by Cdk2 at Ser-130 in vitro, and this ability of Cdk2 to phosphorylate p21 was dependent, in large part, on the presence of cy2. These results support a model in which active Cdk2 destabilizes p21 via the cy2 cyclin-binding motif and p21 phosphorylation.
MRAD: Modified rodrigues vector attitude determination

This paper presents a novel single-point optimal attitude determination algorithm in terms of the Modified Rodrigues Vector. The proposed technique has been derived from the Second Estimator of the Optimal Quaternion algorithm replacing the quaternion with the Modified Rodrigues Vector. Simulation results illustrate that the proposed attitude determination algorithm can be an efficient alternative over the quaternion-based algorithms in terms of computational efficiency for optimal attitude representation since the Modified Rodrigues Vector is a minimal attitude representation. The use of the Modified Rodrigues Vector has proven useful in the development of Extended Kalman Filters for attitude estimation, because it reduces the length of the state vector and there is no need to enforce the unit length constraint as for the quaternion.
Preferential DNase I sensitivity of insert-free ribosomal RNA repeats of Drosophila melanogaster

Abstract The five predominant types of rDNA repeats in D. melanogaster were analyzed with respect to their DNase I sensitivity. Only the insert-free repeats showed a generalized DNase I sensitivity pattern whereas the major type I, both minor type I and type II repeats were not as extensively degraded by the nuclease. For XX and XY embryonic nuclei, where there is rapid cell division, the majority of the In- repeats were DNase I sensitive. This indicated that these In- repeats have the potential to be transcribed during this developmental stage. When compared to the In- repeats, the chromatin configuration of the In+ repeats is indicative of a higher order of chromatin folding. The paucity of In+ primary gene transcripts observed in vivo could result from In+ repeats being packaged into a more condensed form of chromatin.
Isolation and visualization of Met-72-positive, metastatic variants present in B16 melanoma tumor masses.

Metastatic variants of the B16 melanoma displaying high experimental metastatic potential have been shown to express high levels of a 72,000-dalton glycoprotein (Met-72) on their cell surface (Kimura AK, Xiang J: J Nat Can Inst 76:1247–1253, 1986). Monoclonal antibodies (MoAb) directed against the Met-72 determinant have been used in this study as immunohistochemical reagents on preparations of fresh B16 melanoma tumors and their metastases. These immunohistochemical analyses have utilized frozen sections, impression smears, and cytospin preparations of fresh tumors harvested at various time points during tumor growth, to view the presence and location of Met-72-positive metastatic variants within tumor masses. Biotinylated anti-Met-72 MoAbs were reacted with freshly dissociated tumor cells from a B16 melanoma ovarian metastasis. These cells were then reacted with fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC)-streptavidin and analyzed by flow cytometry. A discrete population of positively staining cells was detected and isolated by cell sorting techniques. Met-72-positivc cells were then cloned and reanalyzed after several weeks of in vitro expansion and found to have high experimental metastatic potential to ovaries. Frozen sections of subcutaneous tumors and their metastases were analyzed by immunoperoxidase techniques. A consistent finding in these studies has been that the few tumor cells which showed high intensity of Met-72 staining were positioned perivascularly and at the invading front of B16 melanoma tumors.
Unstable ring resonator with bidirectional propagation through the gain medium: analysis

Unique properties of unstable ring resonators are sometimes useful. A collimated beam in the gain medium may be desirable. Spatial hole burning is eliminated. Beam rotation may be helpful. There is a drawback, however. As usually constructed, a ring resonator has half as many passes through the gain medium as can be achieved with a standing-wave resonator. We have performed a geometrical and a wave-optics numerical simulation of a type of ring resonator that allows counter-propagating collinear passes through the gain medium, while there is also a section with a unidirectional beam. The resonator includes a polarizing beam splitter. The linear polarization is transformed to the orthogonal state by optical elements at the two ends of the region with counter-propagating beams. The wave-optics simulation treats a UR90, for which the output beam is unobscured.
Dynamic fatigue and strength characterization of three ceramic materials

Fracture strength and fatigue parameters of three ceramic materials submitted to dynamic fatigue were evaluated. A machinable leucite-reinforced dental ceramic, aluminum oxide, and yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) were tested. The inert strength of the materials was determined in air (25 °C) at stressing rates of 70, 250, 400 MPa/s for Porcelain, Alumina and YSZ respectively. The data was analyzed using a two-parameter Weibull distribution. The Weibull modulus (m) and the characteristic of fracture (σ0) parameters were determined for each material. Specimens were also tested in 3-point bending at different stressing rates in distilled/deionized water at 37 °C (dynamic fatigue) in order to calculate the fatigue parameters n and ln B. The strength for each material was characterized using Strength–Probability–Time (SPT) diagrams for 1 day, 1 year and 10 years. YSZ showed a high-fracture strength σ0 (1,459 MPa) at a failure probability of 63.2% and high resistance to subcritical crack growth. YSZ and alumina showed better resistance to slow crack growth than porcelain, indicating less susceptibility to strength degradation by stress corrosion. Lifetime predictions after 10 years indicate a reduction of 50%, 36% and 29% in strength for porcelain, alumina and YSZ respectively. YSZ seems to be a very promising material for long-term dental and biomedical applications.
The initial interaction between the solar wind and any large obstacle

Abstract Particle trajectories are examined for the case where the solar wind containing a weak interplanetary magnetic field is incident on an obstacle whose radius of curvature is much larger than the proton gyroradius in the interplanetary field (∼500 km). It is shown that even in the absence of thermal and dissipative effects, a discontinuity in field and particle velocity will arise and that the electrons will share the solar wind energy in a scale length of a few kilometers. Further physical implications of Dungey's analysis of the solar wind-magnetic field boundary are obtained and the analysis is extended to the case where the charge separation electric field is absent as it might be in a steady state where the electric fields are shorted out by electrons travelling along the magnetic field, (e.g. to and from the ionosphere.) Thermal and dissipative effects are discussed briefly to illustrate how the co-ordinated behaviour of a smooth surface with a cold steady plasma disappears in the longer scale length in which a shock front of magnetohydrodynamic waves thermalizes the plasma.
Re electricity costs: How savvy building owners can SAVE (if they understand the restructuring power industry)

This article discusses the physical capabilities the building equipment must have in order to participate in real-time energy and reliability service markets. It also discusses the decision process the building operator will want to go through to minimize its energy costs, considering all of its options and costs. Since energy and contingency reserve prices are volatile, building owners and operators will want to move between these markets dynamically. It is likely that the decision process, while remaining under the building operators control, can be automated. Similarly, the requirements for price disclosure, communications, aggregation, monitoring, and certification on the bulk power system side are discussed. Finally, we discuss how the entire system could operate to the benefit of both the building owner and the power system. Restructuring of the electric power industry is presenting new opportunities that building owners and operators may wish to exploit. There are now more options than just average, seasonal, or time-of-use electricity prices. Bulk power markets now recognize that electricity prices change dramatically in real-time. Ancillary services (reliability services, such as short term contingency reserves) are also priced in real time. There are benefits to both the bulk power system and the individual customers when these markets are opened to participation by buildings. The bulk system benefits through the increased availability of reliability resources. Building owners and operators benefit through reduced energy costs, increased choice, and increased control over their own destiny. Les proprietaires ou exploitants de bâtiments peuvent reduire leur facture energetique, en utilisant les nouvelles possibilites du marche dereglemente. Ils peuvent concevoir et construire des systemes energetiques ayant une grande flexibilite, negocier des contrats tres flexibles pour leur approvisionnement energetique, gerer leur demande energetique en fonction de la variation en temps reel du prix de l'electricite, developper de petites capacites de production distribuee d'electricite ou d'accumulation de chaleur, qui peuvent etre revendues aux compagnies d'electricite lorsque le prix de l'electricite est eleve ou etre utilisees en cas de delestage.
Hemodynamics during liver transplantation the interactions between cardiac output and portal venous and hepatic arterial flows

Liver blood flow and systemic hemodynamics were measured intraoperatively in 34 patients after liver transplantation. Ultrasound transit-time flow probes measured hepatic arterial and portal venous flow over 10 to 75 min 1 to 3 hr after reperfusion. Cardiac output was measured by thermodilution. Mean cardiac output was 9.5 +/- 2.8 L/min; the mean total liver blood flow of 2,091 +/- 932 ml/min was 23% +/- 11% of cardiac output. Mean portal flow of 1,808 +/- 929 ml/min was disproportionately high at 85% +/- 10% of total liver blood flow. Correlation analysis showed a significant (p less than 0.01; r = 0.42) correlation between cardiac output and portal venous flow and a trend toward negative correlation (p = 0.087) between cardiac output and hepatic arterial flow. These data show that increased flow in the newly transplanted liver is predominantly portal venous flow and is associated with high cardiac output and reduced hepatic arterial flow. In the last 13 patients studied, portal flow was reduced by 50% and the hepatic artery response was measured. We saw a significant (p less than 0.05) increase in hepatic artery flow from 322 +/- 228 to 419 +/- 271 ml/min, indicating an intact hepatic arterial buffer response. The hepatic artery response also showed that it is a reversible rather than a fixed resistance that contributes to the low hepatic artery flow in these patients.
Application of analytic wavelet transform to analysis of highly impulsive noises

Abstract Time–frequency ( T – F ) domain analysis is necessary to characterize highly transient signals. The analytic wavelet transform (AWT), which has features of both the Fourier transform and the wavelet transform, is advocated as an ideal T – F signal analysis tool in this paper. Underlying theories and basic properties of the AWT are discussed in comparison with a commonly used short-time Fourier transform (STFT) method. The AWT is set up specifically for acoustics applications to describe T – F changes of the signal in sound pressure level, and applied to characterize two highly impulsive sound signals. Comparing the results from the AWT and the STFT clearly demonstrates the advantage of the AWT, which captures temporal and spectral characteristics of the signal in much more detail. A potential application of the AWT to risk assessment of impulsive noise-induced hearing loss is discussed.
Bioavailability in rabbits of formaldehyde from durable‐press textiles

Carbon-14-labeled formaldehyde was used per se, or was used in the synthesis of dimethyloldihydroxyethyleneurea (DMDHEU), which was incorporated into cotton or cotton/polyester blend fabric. Patches of the fabric containing known quantities of radioactive DMDHEU were applied to the backs of New Zealand White rabbits for periods up to 48 h. The rabbits were placed in specially constructed metabolism chambers designed to prevent either inhalation of volatile material emanating from the fabric or interference of any volatile material from the fabric with trapping of expired carbon dioxide. The results of the studies indicate that aqueous formaldehyde covered with a latex barrier is absorbed and retained in the layers of skin in direct contact with the formaldehyde. Approximately 65% of a dose of [14C] formaldehyde was recovered in skin 4 h after application. Skin samples from the backs of rabbits to which durable-press fabric prepared from radiolabeled DMDHEU had been applied were found to have 0.09-2.61% of the total 14C contained in the cloth patches. The levels of radioactivity recovered from the skin varied with degree of occlusion of the cloth, presence or absence of perspiration, type of synthesis used for the preparation of DMDHEU, and whether cotton or cotton/polyester blend fabric was used. Other tissues and organs had only low levels of radioactivity. Injected [14C] formaldehyde was rapidly expired as 14CO2 (28.6% of the dose within 4 h; 37.0% within 48 h). Metabolism and distribution of formaldehyde was found to be dependent on route of administration: i.e., topical application resulted in high skin levels, whereas intravenous injection led to rapid pulmonary and renal excretion and retention of radioactivity in liver, kidney, and blood.
Excited states of N - heterocyclic molecules: nitrogen containing analogs of stilbene

Abstract The photochemistry of stilbene and its N-analogs shows marked differences with respect to radiationless decay. CNDO/2 calculations on the lowest singlet and triplet states indicate the possibility of low lying n.π* states from which these radiationless processes occur.
Glint-induced false alarm reduction in signature adaptive target detection

The signal adaptive target detection algorithm developed by Crosby and Riley uses target geometry to discern anomalies in local backgrounds. Detection is not restricted based on specific target signatures. The robustness of the algorithm is limited by an increased false alarm potential. The base algorithm is extended to eliminate one common source of false alarms in a littoral environment. This common source is glint reflected on the surface of water. The spectral and spatial transience of glint prevent straightforward characterization and complicate exclusion. However, the statistical basis of the detection algorithm and its inherent computations allow for glint discernment and the removal of its influence.
A Suction Detection System for Rotary Blood Pumps Based on the Lagrangian Support Vector Machine Algorithm

The left ventricular assist device is a rotary mechanical pump that is implanted in patients with congestive heart failure to help the left ventricle in pumping blood in the circulatory system. However, using such a device may result in a very dangerous event, called ventricular suction, that can cause ventricular collapse due to overpumping of blood from the left ventricle when the rotational speed of the pump is high. Therefore, a reliable technique for detecting ventricular suction is crucial. This paper presents a new suction detection system that can precisely classify pump flow patterns, based on a Lagrangian support vector machine (LSVM) model that combines six suction indices extracted from the pump flow signal to make a decision about whether the pump is in suction, approaching suction, or not in suction. The proposed method has been tested using in vivo experimental data based on two different pumps. The simulation results show that the system can produce superior performance in terms of classification accuracy, stability, learning speed, and good robustness compared to three other existing suction detection methods and the original support vector machine (SVM) algorithm. The ability of the proposed algorithm to detect suction provides a reliable platform for the development of a feedback control system to control the speed of the pump while at the same time ensuring that suction is avoided.
Forces between surfaces across nanoparticle solutions : Role of size, shape, and concentration

Using a surface force apparatus, we have measured the normal forces between mica surfaces across various types of nanoparticles consisting of ZnS cores coated with a monolayer of physisorbed surfactant, dispersed in organic solvents. We focused on the effects of nanoparticle size, shape, and concentration on the force-distance profiles. Forces were exponentially repulsive when the surfactant layers were strongly bound to the nanoparticles and were roughly linear when there was adhesion between the nanoparticle cores, i.e., when the surfactant layers detached from the nanoparticles. In both cases, the range and magnitude of the forces were dependent upon the particle size, shape, and solution concentration. Fine details in the otherwise smooth force-distance profiles indicate specific effects due to particle chemistry and geometry and the existence of first-order disorder-order phase transitions upon confinement. Small amounts of water in the (hydrophobic) organic solvents had dramatic effects on the measured forces. Understanding and controlling the effects of particle shape, size, and concentration and the presence of water (or other surface-active solutes) on particle-particle and particle-surface interactions are important for the processing of nanoparticles into ordered superstructured materials.
Tensor force formalism for inelastic scattering, charge exchange and knock-out reactions

Abstract A representation of the two-body tensor force is presented that may easily be used in inelastic scattering, charge exchange and knock-out reactions as well as Slater-type structure calculations. The relevant formulae are cast into the general formalism given by Satchler. Explicit formulae are given for both the direct and knock-out form factors so that the tensor force may be incorporated directly into existing distorted-wave programs. A brief discussion is given regarding the influence of the tensor force on various transitions, and some sample DWBA calculations are presented. The effects of recoil are neglected.
The ergonomics of children in playground equipment safety.

Abstract Introduction: Annually, some 200,000 U.S. children require hospital emergency room treatment from injuries suffered on playground equipment. Most of these injuries (70%) are the result of falls. While standards for protective surfacing within the play zone areas are very adequate, standards for the prevention of falls are very inadequate. “Climbers” are responsible for the greatest percentage of injuries with most of these injuries the result of falls. Current standards are woefully lacking in regard to these climbers. Method: This paper reviews the history of climber research and climber standards. Results: It then presents recommendations for improved standards in this area based on the ergonomics of the users, children.
Evaluating genetic markers and neurobiochemical analytes for fluoxetine response using a panel of mouse inbred strains

Rationale Identification of biomarkers that establish diagnosis or treatment response is critical to the advancement of research and management of patients with depression.
American English Social Dialect Variation and Gender

Research on gender and social dialect variation in American English has seen enormous changes since the formative years of quantitative sociolinguistics, in the early 1960s. These changes have not occurred in isolation, of course, but have influenced and been influenced by developments in gender-based language variation across the globe, as well as developments in the broader research areas of language and gender (which encompasses discourse analysis as well as variation study) and gender studies. In what follows, I trace the development of the study of gender and social dialect variation in the United States, beginning with early survey studies in which gender was seen as biological given and as secondary to social class in its effects on language variation and change. I then discuss later studies based on more localized groups - in particular, social networks (as outlined, for example, in Milroy 1980). These studies led to the realization that gender could no longer be treated as a dichotomous variable, equivalent to biological sex, but had to be reconceptualized as a complex social construct, one every bit as important as social class
Household characteristics and income inequality during inflationary periods: Recent evidence from Suriname

This paper examines the distributional consequences of a high inflation episode in Suriname during 1990–1994 using household survey data. We examine not only the apparent macroeconomic correlation between high inflation and income distribution, but also the micro-level characteristics of winning and losing households. We hypothesize that education significantly affects households' ability to recognize and respond to high inflation and thereby influences the evolution of income distribution. Our econometric analysis supports this conjecture. We also explore the role of economic sector and ethnicity on changes in a household's position within the income distribution under high inflation.
Burkholderia gladioli: Five year experience in a cystic fibrosis and lung transplantation center

Abstract Background The impact of infection with Burkholderia gladioli in cystic fibrosis, other chronic airway diseases and immunosuppressed patients is unknown. Methods A six-year retrospective review of all patients with B. gladioli infection was performed in a tertiary referral center with cystic fibrosis and lung transplantation programs. In addition, a targeted survey of all 251 lung transplant recipients was performed. Available B. gladioli isolates were analyzed via pulsed field gel electrophoresis. Results Thirty-five patients were culture positive for B. gladioli, including 33 CF patients. No bacteremia was identified. Isolates were available in 18 patients and all were genetically distinct. Two-thirds of these isolates were susceptible to usual anti-pseudomonal antibiotics. After acquisition, only 40% of CF patients were chronically infected (≥2 positive cultures separated by at least 6 months). Chronic infection was associated with resistance to ≥2 antibiotic groups on initial culture and failure of eradication after antibiotic therapy. The impact of acquisition of B. gladioli infection in chronic infection was variable. Three CF patients with chronic infection underwent lung transplantation. One post-transplant patient developed a B. gladioli mediastinal abscess, which was treated successfully. Conclusions The majority of patients' culture positive for B. gladioli at our center have CF. B. gladioli infection is often transient and is compatible with satisfactory post-lung transplantation outcomes.
Longitudinal Analysis of Health and Safety Behaviors among Preschool Children

The purpose of the Preschool Health Education Program (PHEP) was to assess the health and safety behavior of 4-yr.-old children and to evaluate the effect of a health education program on these children. An analysis of baseline data and educational and behavioral outcomes has been presented elsewhere (1, 2). This report presents findings from a longitudinal analysis of children's health and safety behav~or over four yeacs. This analysis involves two groups of children from rhe larger srudy. One group was taught a health education curriculum (n = 39) but not a comparison group (n = 47). The mothers of the children in the intervention group were interviewed yearly when the children were aged 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7 yr. of age, and the mothers of the comparison group of children were interviewed when children were 4, 5, 6, and 7 yc. One part of the questionnaire asked mothers to report their children's practice of 11 selected,
Party to inequality: Right party power and income inequality in affluent Western democracies

Abstract Much social science suggests that income inequality is a product of economic and demographic factors and recent work highlights the influence of Leftist politics in affluent Western democracies. But, prior research has neglected rightist politics. We examine the impact of cumulative right party power on three measures of income inequality in an unbalanced panel of 16 affluent Western democracies from 1969 to 2000. We find that cumulative right party power significantly increases inequality with effects comparable to other established causes. Left party power has less influence than the right on the Gini coefficient and the 90/50 ratio but a larger influence on the 90/10 ratio. Union density is insignificant after controlling for right party power. Right party power partly channels through and partly combines with government expenditures to affect inequality. Temporal interactions show that right parties became more influential after 1989 while left parties became less effective. Supplementary analyses suggest that a component of right party power's effects occurs through labor market inequality prior to taxes and transfers. Sensitivity analyses reveal that the results are robust to a wide variety of alternative specifications and operationalizations and do not depend on the inclusion of the U.S. in the sample. Our results inform debates about the sources of inequality and related sociological theories regarding class, politics, the state and the economy.
Electrical and optical characteristics of a radio frequency glow discharge atomic emission source with dielectric sample atomization

Abstract A parametric study has been conducted on a radio frequency powered glow discharge atomic emission spectrometry (rf-GD-AES) source to evaluate its performance in the direct analysis of non-conducting solid materials. These experiments include both the emission and electrical characterization of this system with respect to discharge power, pressure, limiting anode orifice diameter, and sample size. The rf-GD-AES source has been demonstrated to operate interchangeably between conducting and non-conducting sample materials; however, the energy dissipated within the plasma appears to be reduced with the dielectric samples, resulting in lower emission intensities and sputtering rates. The power losses have also been found to be a function of the size, or thickness, of the sample materials. Despite these limitations of the system, preliminary emission data demonstrate that the rf-GD-AES system can be successfully employed in the direct, trace analysis of non-conducting sample materials.
Computed tomography in the initial evaluation of hemodynamically stable patients with blunt abdominal trauma: impact of severity of injury scale and technical factors on efficacy.

Background: Although computed tomography is used widely in evaluating injuries from blunt abdominal trauma, grading of injuries does not reliably predict the need for intervention. Objective reporting is essential to evaluate accuracy and facilitate patient triage. We established and tested a five-point grading system for overall severity of injury. Methods: A total of 392 computed tomographic trauma cases were objectively classified according to the type and severity of abdominal injuries, by two experienced radiologists. Interobserver variability between the original interpretation and the consensus of the film reviewers was evaluated. The computed tomographic grading system was measured against rate of admission, exploratory laparotomy, and further imaging. Results: Patients with higher grades of injury on computed tomography were increasingly likely to have surgical management (odds ratio, 3.99; 95% confidence interval, 1.86-8.58; p < 0.0006), with sensitivity 100%, specificity 89.5% for level 2 injuries and higher. Although there was almost perfect agreement between the official interpretation and the reviewers' blinded consensus interpretation (raw agreement 84%, weighted kappa 0.86), indeterminate studies were reduced from 23% (16 of 67) to 12% (8 of 67) on review: these were more likely to have metallic or motion artifacts (5 of 16 vs. 1 of 51 p < 0.002). Conclusions: Standardizing reporting of injuries enhances accuracy, and grading eliminates equivocation. Diagnostic certainty in computed tomography of blunt abdominal trauma is reduced by motion and metallic artifacts.
Relationship between prolactin responses to ECT and dopaminergic and serotonergic responsivity in depressed patients.

The prolactin (PRL) increases in plasma, induced by the electrical stimulus during electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), is a consistent finding that can be studied in order to obtain information about its actions on the brain neurotransmitter systems, the most probable candidates being the serotonergic and the dopaminergic system. Central serotonergic and dopaminergic responsivity may also be assessed using neuroendocrine challenge tests. In this study, we measured the PRL responses during the first ECT of a therapeutic course in 15 male depressive patients, of mean age 49.2 ± 14.5 (range 22 to 68 years), and score in the HDRS of 29 ± 8 (range 18 to 43 points). Before the ECT course, we assessed the central serotonergic and dopaminergic responsivities, by measuring the PRL responses to the administration of the serotonin uptake inhibitor clomipramine (CMI) intravenously, and, two days later, the PRL responses dopamine receptor blocker haloperidol (HAL), administered intramuscularly. The CMI and HAL tests were also performed in 15 healthy male subjects. The PRL responses to CMI of the patients were blunted compared to healthy controls, while the PRL responses to HAL were not significantly different from controls. Searching for correlations among the maximal PRL responses to the three stimuli in the patient's group, we found that the PRL responses to ECT were significantly correlated to the PRL responses to i. m. HAL (r = 0.8205, N = 15, p < 0.001) and not to the PRL responses to i. v. CMI (r = 0.1713, n. s.). It is suggested that the rises in PRL during ECT reflect the responsivity of the hypothalamus-pituitary dopaminergic system, and seem to be the result of a transient decrease in the inhibitory dopaminergic input of the hypothalamus to the pituitary lactotrophs, caused by the electrical stimulus and the subsequent seizure.