cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Treatment of myocarditis and cardiomyopathy in the USA

The most active issue in the treatment of myocarditis is the question of efficacy of immunosuppressive therapy. This has not been resolved, although many practitioners have adopted the view that such therapy is helpful, based on uncontrolled, anecdotal but encouraging reports. The incidence of myocarditis has been reported to be anywhere from 2% to 63%, and inflammatory myocardial disease is probably not as uncommon as previously thought. Part of the problem of diagnosis may involve the need for early detection, which will probably necessitate noninvasive screening due to the cost of biopsy. The most promising tool in this area appears to be radioisotope imaging, gallium 67 scanning heading the list. This technique has not been proven to be sufficiently specific, but does enhance the chance of obtaining a positive biopsy. A large multicenter trial has been conceived and organized, involving 20 institutions in the USA and abroad. This will employ three limbs of randomized therapy for biopsy-proven myocarditis: (a) conventional, nonimmunosuppressive treatment only, (b) prednisone and azathioprine, and (c) cyclosporine and low-dose prednisone. We hope this study will answer several questions regarding the appropriate therapy of myocarditis. Treatment of dilated cardiomyopathy now includes as standard the use of various vasodilators, which seem definitely to improve functional status and well-being, but not survival. Several new inotropic agents are under investigation, some of which may prove to be more than just vasodilators. Assessment of functional performance and mechanical reserve is of great interest with regard to therapy, and new invasive and noninvasive techniques are under continued development. Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, whose hemodynamic lesion appears to be diastolic rather than systolic function, is certainly of great interest, and most current research involves calcium-channel blockers. Arrhythmias are a well-recognized cause of morbidity and mortality in both hypertrophic and dilated cardiomyopathies. Research in the recognition and treatment of ventricular electric instability in cardiomyopathy is affecting treatment.
Tracheitis: The ‘other’ cause of upper airway obstruction

A 22-year-old woman presented to an ear, nose, and throat clinic with an upper respiratory infection and sudden stridorous respirations. Aerosolized isoethrane therapy was beneficial and fiber-optic nasolaryngoscopy revealed a normal supraglottis and purulent intratracheal secretions. Secretions were cultured and grew Staphylococcus aureus and alpha hemolytic Streptococcus. IV cefazolin was initiated and the patient recovered without sequelae. This case illustrates a rare cause of upper airway obstruction, tracheitis. Tracheitis has been found in the pediatric literature. This is the first adult case reported in the literature.
Roles of lead-binding proteins in mediating lead bioavailability.

The intracellular bioavailability of lead (Pb) at low dosage levels in major target organs such as the kidney and brain appears to be largely determined by complexation with a group of low molecula...
Elliptic Relaxation of a Tensor Representation of the Pressure-Strain and Dissipation Rate

A formulation to include the effects of wall-proximity in a second moment closure model is presented that utilizes a tensor representation for the redistribution term in the Reynolds stress equations. The wall-proximity effects are modeled through an elliptic relaxation process of the tensor expansion coefficients that properly accounts for both correlation length and time scales as the wall is approached. DNS data and Reynolds stress solutions using a full differential approach at channel Reynolds number of 590 are compared to the new model.
Effect of a Y265F mutant on the transamination-based cycloserine inactivation of alanine racemase.

The requirement for d-alanine in the peptidoglycan layer of bacterial cell walls is fulfilled in part by alanine racemase (EC 5.1.1.1), a pyridoxal 5‘-phosphate (PLP)-assisted enzyme. The enzyme utilizes two antiparallel bases focused at the Cα position and oriented perpendicular to the PLP ring to facilitate the equilibration of alanine enantiomers. Understanding how this two-base system is utilized and controlled to yield reaction specificity is therefore a potential means for designing antibiotics. Cycloserine is a known alanine racemase suicide substrate, although its mechanism of inactivation is based on transaminase chemistry. Here we characterize the effects of a Y265F mutant (Tyr265 acts as the catalytic base in the l-isomer case) of Bacillus stearothermophilus alanine racemase on cycloserine inactivation. The Y265F mutant reduces racemization activity 1600-fold [Watanabe, A., Yoshimura, T., Mikami, B., and Esaki, N. (1999) J. Biochem. 126, 781−786] and only leads to formation of the isoxazole end...
A corpus-based error typology: towards a more objective approach to measuring quality in localization

This paper examines current localization quality assessment through a product-based analysis of error typologies and the role they play in producing reliable and valid measurements. In order to provide a more objective foundation for localization quality, the methodology used is based on a monolingual comparable corpus of original and localized Spanish corporate websites. The contrastive analysis of this corpus highlighted recurrent inadequacies that are difficult to control with current evaluation metrics and, as a result, a comprehensive error categorization for localization is presented. It incorporates certain aspects, such as pragmatic errors, that are absent in current testing instruments used in the industry. In order to observe whether this typology can provide a more holistic and valid approach, it is applied to a case study that measures the errors in a localized Spanish website from one of the largest US companies. The results shed some light onto the shortcomings of current Quality Analysis pr...
Like technology from an advanced alien culture: Google apps for education at ASU

Last October, Arizona State University (ASU) partnered with technology giant Google to offer Google Apps for Education to ASU's 65,000 student community. In less than two weeks, ASU was able to transition away from its homegrown IMAP email client to Gmail for ASU, giving students two gigabytes of storage space as well as enhanced spam filtering, calendaring, instant messaging, and the ability to sort, search, and tag email. This paper describes ASU's ability to implement Google Apps for Education at a massive scale in a small timeframe as well as highlights ASU's vision of the future in higher education.
Multiple Causes of Difficulty in Insight: The Case of the Nine-Dot Problem.

Theories of insight problems are often tested by formulating hypotheses about the particular difficulties of individual insight problems. Such evaluations often implicitly assume that there is a single difficulty. We argue that the quantitatively small effects of many studies arise because the difficulty of many insight problems is determined by multiple factors, so the removal of 1 factor has limited effect on the solution rate. Difficulties can reside either in problem perception, in prior knowledge, or in the processing of the problem information. We support this multiple factors perspective through 3 experiments on the 9-dot problem (N.R.F. Maier, 1930). Our results lead to a significant reformulation of the classical hypothesis as to why this problem is difficult. The results have general implications for our understanding of insight problem solving and for the interpretation of data from studies that aim to evaluate hypotheses about the sources of difficulty of particular insight problems.
The Causes and Consequences of U.S. Welfare Retrenchment

In this study, I examine the political forces behind the passage of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act (PRWORA) and its impacts on low-income families. I argue that welfare reform was actively promoted by a cross-class alliance of ideologically conservative and low-wage employers, politicians competing for the white vote, and conservative movement organizations (namely, the Christian right and anti-immigrant organizations). These groups gained public support for welfare reform policies through an emotionally powerful discourse appealing to racist stereotypes of the poor, public anxieties about single motherhood, and broadly held moral values and beliefs. PRWORA fails to address the structural bases of poverty among female-headed households and its implementation has created material hardships for many of them.
College counselors' perceptions and practices regarding anticipatory guidance on firearms.

Abstract Objectives: This study assessed college counselors’ anticipatory guidance on firearms for student clients. Participants: The membership of the Association for University and College Counseling Center Directors was used to identify a national random sample of counseling centers (n = 361). One counselor from each center was selected to survey. Methods: In the winter of 2008, a 3-wave mailing procedure was used to maximize the response rate. Completed surveys served as consent (as approved by the University Human Subjects Committee). Results: A total of 213 counselors (59%) responded. They were unlikely to provide anticipatory guidance (6%), chart/keep records on client ownership/access to firearms (17%), or to counsel the majority of clients from various diagnostic categories on firearms. Conclusions: University personnel are likely to refer students with suspected mental health problems to university counseling centers. The findings indicate that few counseling centers will address firearm issues ...
The Luneburg theory of binocular visual space.

A theoretical treatment of binocular space perception based on the methods of Rudolph K. Luneburg. A simplified axiomatics is employed. New experimental results are brought within the framework of the theory. The experimental evidence is seen to support Luneburg’s hypothesis as to the hyperbolic character of visual space. The relation between visual and physical coordinates proposed by Luneburg is found to hold only as a special case of a more general transformation.
Biodehalogenation and metabolism of [125I]‐4‐iodobiphenyl

[125I]-4-Iodobiphenyl has been used as a model compound to investigate the in vivo metabolism of iodinated aromatic compounds in the rat. Material balance studies showed that 57.6% of the injected dose was excreted via feces and 41.2% via urine. Distribution studies indicated uptake of inorganic iodide in the thyroid. In the feces, 2.2% of the dose was unmetabolized iodobiphenyl, 2.6% was 2-hydroxy-4′-iodobiphenyl, 21.9% was 4-hydroxy-4′-iodobiphenyl, and 20.9% was a polar fraction of which only 10.3% could be silylated. In urine, 1.6% of the dose was 2-hydroxy-4′-iodobiphenyl, 4.9% was 4-hydroxy-4′-iodobiphenyl, 1.9% was 2-hydroxy-4′-iodobiphenyl, 17.7% was 4-hydroxy-4′-iodobiphenyl glucuronide and sulfate conjugates, and 8.2% was inorganic iodide. About 3.0% of the dose in the urine polar fraction could be methylated.
Analog Circuit Design Using Tunnel-FETs

Tunnel-FET (TFET) is a major candidate for beyond-CMOS technologies. In this paper, the properties of the TFETs that affect analog circuit design are studied. To demonstrate how TFETs can enhance the performance or change the topology of the analog circuits, several building blocks such as operational transconductance amplifiers (OTAs), current mirrors, and track-and-hold circuits are examined. It is shown that TFETs are promising for low-power and low-voltage designs, wherein transistors are biased at low-to-moderate current densities. Comparing 14-nm III–V TFET-based OTAs with Si-MOSFET-based designs demonstrates up to 5 times reduction in the power dissipation of the amplifiers and more than an order of magnitude increase in their DC voltage gain. The challenges and opportunities that come with the special characteristics of TFETs, namely asymmetry, ambipolar behavior, negative differential resistance, and superlinear operation are discussed in detail.
A thermodynamic model of short-term cell adhesion in vitro

Abstract A thermodynamic theory of short-term cell adhesion in vitro has been developed based on a physical model of the initial formation of a cell-substrate interface. The special role of material and cell membrane wetting properties in cell adhesion was elucidated and monitored as a function of surfactant concentration. Surfactant effects on adhesion of an ordinary non-ionic detergent (Tween-80) and a complex protein mixture (fetal bovine serum) were shown to be identical in this regard, illustrating the importance of proteins as biosurfactants and supporting the general applicability of the model. Theory provides a means of calculating reversible work of adhesion, estimation of a term proportional to cell-substrate contact area, and a method of determining a parameter related to cell wetting tension that does not require special manipulations which might desiccate or denature delicate cell membranes. Semiquantitative agreement between predicted and experimentally-measured cell adhesion obtained for three different cell types (MDCK, RBL-1, and HCT-15) in two different liquid phase compositions of surfactants (Tween-80 and fetal bovine serum) supports concepts and approximations utilized in development of theory. Cell-substrate contact areas were largest for wettable surfaces treated with ionizing corona or plasma discharges and smallest for hydrophobic materials for each cell type studied. Contact area for the continuous dog-kidney cell line MDCK was larger than that of either the leukemic blood cell RBL-1 or the anaplastic human colon cell HCT-15.
Kinetic theory for supernova explosions

Coupled kinetic equations for the time evolution of baryons and neutrinos are introduced in order to present a new solution approach for the problem of type II supernova core collapse and explosion. A test-particle method is introduced in order to cast these kinetic equations into numerically tractable form.
Histochemical studies on the yolk nucleus in the oogenesis of Indian reptiles.

The yolk nucleus of the young oocyte of reptiles is situated in the juxta-nuclear cytoplasm. It is a homogeneous spherical mass and histochemical tests indicate that it is rich in RNA and proteins. It constitutes a center of high synthetic activity. Lipid inclusions of diverse nature and mitochondria appear in abundance in association with the yolk nucleus. Eventually the yolk nucleus disintegrates and its RNA-containing substance as well as the other inclusions are distributed throughout the cytoplasm. During yolk formation, lipid inclusions and mitochondria are absorbed by the cytoplasm but the yolk nucleus substance continues to persist among the growing yolk bodies which arise de novo from the cytoplasm. This occurs possibly under the activity of RNA-containing substance of the yolk nucleus, mitochondria and lipid inclusions.
Soil biota accelerate decomposition in high‐elevation forests by specializing in the breakdown of litter produced by the plant species above them

Summary 1 There is mounting evidence that leaf litter typically decomposes more rapidly beneath the plant species it derived from than beneath the different plant species, which has been called home-field advantage (HFA). It has been suggested that this HFA results from the local adaptation of soil communities to decompose the litter that they encounter most often, which probably comes from the plant species above them. 2. To test this hypothesis and to investigate how HFA varies over time and in relation to litter quality, we performed the first detailed assessment of HFA in relation to litter decomposition. We monitored decomposition over time in two reciprocal litter transplant experiments involving three high-elevation tree species that differ in litter quality. The three tree species used were trembling aspen (Populus tremuloides), lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta) and Engelmann spruce (Picea engelmannii). 3. First, we incubated litter from each of these species with soil biota extracted from stands of each tree species in a laboratory experiment and observed greater cumulative respiration, a measure of decomposition, when litter was incubated with its home soil biota. Second, we performed a field experiment, which demonstrated that the decomposition HFA also occurred under field conditions. In addition, this experiment demonstrated that despite increased mass loss at home, litter also immobilized more nitrogen when in its home environment. In both experiments, the HFA was most pronounced for pine litter, which is consistent with the hypothesis that HFA increases with decreasing litter quality. 4.Synthesis. As well as demonstrating conclusively that soil communities specialize in decomposing the litter produced by the plant species above them, our data challenge the widely held view that soil organisms are largely functionally redundant.
Physician licensure legislation and the quality of medical care

To summarize, the empirical tests used in this study have found no support for the contention that physicians were initially regulated at the behest of the general population. Rather, empirical support was found for the theory that licensing legislation was the result of organized physicians employing the political system for limiting entry and the concomitant increaseing of returns to incumbent medical practitioners. Additionally, this study found no support for the contention that state licensing of physicians was associated with higher levels of health care quality as measured by mortality rates among various population age groups.
An Anatomy of Morningstar Ratings

Chicago-based Morningstar Inc. rates the investment performance of mutual funds using a rating system of one to five stars. This article first documents the method Morningstar uses in assigning these widely circulated ratings. It then establishes that (1) a fund with a long history is less likely to receive the top rating of five stars than a fund with a short history and (2) nearly half of the no-load, diversified, domestic equity funds receive an overall Morningstar rating of four or five stars whereas slightly more than a quarter of these funds receive one or two stars. The disproportionate number of high ratings for these funds is a result of the interaction between the broad comparison group Morningstar uses in its rankings and the handicaps it gives to load and specialized equity funds.
Hourly Dispatch Simulation for a Probabilistic Load

Economic dispatch techniques are required as a part of unit commitment programs. However, the load at a future hour (e.g. 1 to 8 hours) is not known exactly. Only an estimate, which of course is uncertain, of the future load is available. Thus economic dispatch with a probabilistic load is investigated.
Atmospheric correction of ocean color imagery: test of the spectral optimization algorithm with the Sea-viewing Wide Field-of-View Sensor

We implemented the spectral optimization algorithm [SOA; Appl. Opt.37, 5560 (1998)] in an image-processing environment and tested it with Sea-viewing Wide Field-of-View Sensor (SeaWiFS) imagery from the Middle Atlantic Bight and the Sargasso Sea. We compared the SOA and the standard SeaWiFS algorithm on two days that had significantly different atmospheric turbidities but, because of the location and time of the year, nearly the same water properties. The SOA-derived pigment concentration showed excellent continuity over the two days, with the relative difference in pigments exceeding 10% only in regions that are characteristic of high advection. The continuity in the derived water-leaving radiances at 443 and 555 nm was also within ∼10%. There was no obvious correlation between the relative differences in pigments and the aerosol concentration. In contrast, standard processing showed poor continuity in derived pigments over the two days, with the relative differences correlating strongly with atmospheric turbidity. SOA-derived atmospheric parameters suggested that the retrieved ocean and atmospheric reflectances were decoupled on the more turbid day. On the clearer day, for which the aerosol concentration was so low that relatively large changes in aerosol properties resulted in only small changes in aerosol reflectance, water patterns were evident in the aerosol properties. This result implies that SOA-derived atmospheric parameters cannot be accurate in extremely clear atmospheres.
Abstract CN4-3: Factors that influence the regulation of ERCC1 in drug-resistant cells

ERCC1 is an excellent marker for nucleotide excision (NER) repair activity. ERCC1 expression in tumor tissues has been closely correlated with clinical resistance to platinum coordination complexes in lung cancer, ovarian cancer, gastric cancer, and other malignancies. We have previously demonstrated that up-regulation of ERCC1 is coordinated with up-regulation of other genes in the NER excision repair protein complex, such as XPA, XPD, XPB, etc (Reed and colleagues; Mut Res 1993, J Clin Invest 1994, Cancer Res 1995, Biochem Pharm 2000). The positive transcriptional regulator for ERCC1 is activator protein 1, or AP1, a heterodimer of c-jun and c-fos (Reed, JBC 1998). The negative transcriptional regulator for ERCC1 is the myeloid zinc finger gene MZF1 (Reed, Biochem Pharm 2006). Cancer stem cells are presumed to be highly resistant to chemotherapy. Activation of the Hedgehog pathway has been reported as necessary, for the cancer stem cell state. A key gene in the Hedgehog pathway is Gli1. Resistance to platinum compounds is due in part, to up-regulated nucleotide excision repair, NER. Upon treatment with cisplatin, cisplatin-resistant A2780-CP70 cells normally up-regulate c-jun and c-fos, which then up-regulate ERCC1 and other NER genes. More specifically, the c-jun Ser63/73 cascade is up-regulated, with up-regulation of activator protein 1 (Reed, JBC 1998). We therefore studied the relationships between Gli1 expression, c-jun expression, ERCC1 expression, and cisplatin resistance in the human ovarian cancer cell lines A2780 and A2780-CP70. A2780-CP70 cells are 10–15 fold more resistant to cisplatin than A2780 cells. We used two different probes to modulate the Hedgehog pathway: a) cyclopamine as a pharmacologic inhibitor of the Smoothened; and, b) an anti-Gli1 shRNA to specifically inhibit Gli1. At baseline, cisplatin-resistant cells, expressed >10-fold more Gli1 protein than cisplatin-sensitive cells. In cisplatin-resistant cells, Gli1 protein was down-regulated in response to cyclopamine, and to anti-Gli1 shRNA. When A2780-CP70 cisplatin-resistant cells are pretreated with cyclopamine, or anti-Gli1 shRNA, the following events occur. The c-jun Thr91/93 cascade is upregulated, which is associated with pro-apoptotic processes. The c-jun Ser63/73 cascade is suppressed. This cascade is associated with pro-growth processes. If cisplatin is given after cyclopamine or anti-Gli1 pretreatment; Gli1 protein is down-regulated; the c-jun Thr91/93 cascade is upregulated; the c-jun Ser63/73 cascade is suppressed; and cells do not up-regulate ERCC1, XPD, or XRCC1. Thus, the normal cisplatin-induced up-regulation of these three genes involved in NER (ERCC1, XPD) and in base excision repair (XRCC1), is suppressed by suppression of the Hedgehog pathway. We conclude that Gli1 and/or other genes involved in the Hedgehog pathway (which is critical for cancer stem cells), may play key roles in the up-regulation of DNA repair genes, specifically in response to DNA damaging agents such as cisplatin. Citation Information: Clin Cancer Res 2010;16(7 Suppl):CN4-3
A statistical model of brittle fracture by transgranular cleavage

A MODEL for brittle fracture by transgranular cleavage cracking is presented based on the application of weakest link statistics to the critical microstructural fracture mechanisms. The model permits prediction of the macroscopic fracture toughness, K,,, in single phase microstructures containing a known distribution of particles, and defines the critical distance from the crack tip at which the initial cracking event is most probable. The model is developed for unstable fracture ahead of a sharp crack considering both linear elastic and nonlinear elastic ~‘elastjc~plastic”) crack tip stress fields. Predictions are evaluated by comparison with experimental results on the low temperature flow and fracture behavior of a low carbon mild steel with a simple ferrite/grain boundary carbide microstructure.
Decision and Experience: A Phenomenological Analysis of Pregnancy and Childbirth*

This paper is concerned with childbirth as an experience, particularly of women who have made a deliberate choice to have a child. Today women are in a unique historical situation: they are in conflict about whether or not to have children. The availability of contraception, the legalization of abortion, the awareness of overpopulation, and the potentiality to assume control over their own lives are possible factors which are compelling women to deliberate and decide. Con? traception, for example, although not new, has been liberally made available to women, thereby allowing the choice to have or not to have children to be a more personal and conscious one. Thus, "for the first time in human society it is possible for women to choose when they become pregnant" (Rowbotham 1973, p. 113). While the range of free choice for a woman to decide whether or not to have a child has increased, the controls of the physician and the hospital environment have also increased, giving most pregnant women in the United States no choice but to submit graciously (Arms 1973, p. xii).
In the search for new anticancer drugs. XV. Various aliphatic and aromatic hydrazones containing the N,N;N',N'-bis(1,2-ethanediyl)phosphoric diamide moiety.

Abstract The scope of the structure-anticancer activity relationship among various aliphatic and aromatic hydrazones containing the N,N,N′,N′ -bis(1,2-ethanediyl)-phosphoric diamide moiety was studied. A total of 19 compounds were tested in vivo, using murine lymphocytic leukemia P388. At optimum dose all these compounds were active. The highest activity was exhibited by the N,N;N′,N′ -bis(1,2-ethanediyl)-[ N 2 -( p -chlorobenzylidene)- N 1 -hydrazin-1-yl]phosphoric triamide, N,N;N′,N′ -bis(1,2-ethanediyl)- N 2 -( p -chlorobenzylidene)- N 1 -methyl-hydrazin-1-yl]phosphoric triamide and N,N;N′,N′ -bis(1,2-ethanediyl)-[ N 2 -( p -chlorobenzylidene)- N 1 -phenylhydrazin-1-yl]phosphoric triamide as is evidenced by the percent T/C of 212, 194 and 192, respectively. An attempt was made to correlate the anticancer activities with the corresponding lipophilicities. On the basis of the activity-lipophilicity results, it is concluded that, in general, the activity scale follows the lipophilicity scale in the reverse order, i.e. the more active compounds possess lower lipophilicity than the less active compounds.
Radioresistance of mongolian gerbils. Fast neutrons.

SummarySeventy-six 8 week old Mongolian gerbils were exposed to acute, whole-body fast neutrons produced by The University of Michigan 83-in. cyclotron. Groups of seven or eight gerbils were given doses between 485 and 881 rad at 25 rad per minute. The LD50/30 determined by probit analysis was 750 rad, with 95 per cent fiducial limits of 733 and 776. For the 50 per cent mortality level, an r.b.e. of fast neutrons compared with cobalt-60 of 1·45 was determined. For the same end-point, the r.b.e. for fast neutrons compared with X-rays is 1·33. Mortality data, body-weight and microhaematocrit changes are discussed.
Using genetic algorithms to characterize ferrofluid topographies in externally applied magnetic fields

Both ferrofluidics and genetic algorithms are relatively new fields. Due to complex physical interactions, ferrofluidic topographies and assemblies have only been solved using finite time step, Lattice Boltzmann, and finite-element methods in very simple magnetic field configurations. In this paper, we show that it is possible (and highly advantageous) to employ genetic algorithms to solve for the fluid topographies, which can be extended to include more complex magnetic fields.
Transition temperature of coupled thin superconducting films

Abstract Thin high resistance films of superconductors have a reduced Tc. This reduction has been recently explained with the enhanced Coulomb interaction in disordered two dimensional metals. We investigate the superconductivity in a sandwich of two thin superconducting Bi films separated by an insulating Sb layer. The results do not confirm the “Coulomb interpretation”.
Surgical management of Ebstein's anomaly

Ebstein's malformation is a congenital anomaly of the tricuspid valve and right ventricle. Surgical repair of Ebstein's anomaly improves functional class and exercise tolerance, eliminates right-to-left intracardiac shunting (if present), and reduces the incidence of supraventricular tachyarrhythmias. As a result, quality of life and survival are improved. Because of the variable degree of malformation present, repair is predicated on favorable anatomic factors, most importantly the arrangement of the anterior leaflet of the tricuspid valve. When anatomic derangements threaten a durable tricuspid valve repair, valve replacement with protection of the conduction tissue and right coronary artery should be performed. The vast majority of patients can undergo a biventricular repair. The application of the bidirectional cavopulmonary anastomosis is reserved for patients with poor right ventricular function. Freedom from reoperation after tricuspid valve repair is similar when compared with valve replacement. In the current era, overall early mortality after surgical repair in children and adults has fallen to less than 3% in experienced centers. Surgical treatment of the symptomatic neonate remains a significant challenge, with approaches that include either a biventricular or single ventricle algorithm.
A reassessment of some restricted Hartree–Fock limit molecular energies and an investigation of the applicability of Ermler and Kern's procedure for their estimation

New estimates of Hartree–Fock limit energies (ERHF) for selected AH and AHn hydrides, diatomic and linear polyatomic molecules have been made utilizing ESCF values recently reported in the literature for HF, N2, CO, NH3, and CH4 which are very close to the respective limits. These new values have been used to investigate the applicability of Ermler and Kern's procedure for estimating ERHF: i.e., a factor f is first evaluated from data for reference molecules, where f = ERHF/ESCF, which is then used with ESCF values for other molecules to obtain their ERHF values. f has been evaluated for three groups of reference moleculesHF, H2O, NH3, CH4, N2, and CO; CH4, C2H2, C2H4, and C2H6; and C2H2, HCN, and N2utilizing ESCF data in the literature for many Gaussian-type orbital (GTO) basis sets together with some new values calculated at the (9,5,1) to (13,8,2) levels. Trends in the variation of f within each group of reference molecules from one basis set to another, and the trends in f from one group of reference molecules to another, are discussed in detail. To minimize the influence of these effects in an ERHF estimate it is recommended that the f value should be derived from reference molecules which possess a similar combination of structural features, i.e., bonded hydrogen, single, double, or triple bonds, and the number of lone-pair electrons. Further calculations show that an f value based on data for closed-shell molecules is not applicable to open-shell species.
Effect of reagent rotation on bimolecular collisions: H + H2(j)

Abstract Classical trajectory calculations on H + H2(j) reactions have been carried out. At low collision energies the reaction cross section decreases for small j, reaching a minimum at j = 4, then increases as j increases. It is also shown that the isotopic branching ratio is fairly sensitive to reagent rotation.
The Orientation of Puerto Rican Students in New York City

HE past year has witnessed a considerable influx of Puerto Ricans into the city of New York, which was made possible by the easing of wartime travel restrictions. Perhaps the chief reason for this modern hegira has been the upsetting of the Island's economic balance by the pressure of growing population. Puerto Rico has an area of 3,423 square miles and a population of 1,869,255 persons. Of these, 1,302,898 are living in rural areas.' Although the Jones Act of 1917 made Puerto Ricans citizens of the United States, the Puerto Rican migrant who arrives in New York City is faced with problems very similar to those that were encountered by our foreign immigrant forbears when they arrived in New York harbor. If he should arrive during the winter months, our Puerto Rican fellow American will undoubtedly be greeted by a chill wind that he never experienced in the benevolent tropical climate of his enchanted isle. He will also find himself compelled to express himself in a language which is not his normal vehicle of communication because, although Spanish customs have been modified considerably, Puerto Rico is still more Spanish than American. A rich culture of over four hundred years simply cannot be erased in thirty years through a legislative enactment. The Puerto Rican migrant generally has lived all his life in a rural area with a slower tempo of life and a friendly atmosphere. Upon his arrival in New York he is suddenly thrust into a highly industrialized community where competition is the byword. His lack of adequate previous vocational training for work in this type of community makes it difficult for him to meet this competition. In addition, he is forced to live in crowded quarters where housing conditions are inadequate and where an intolerant attitude is often displayed by other non-Puerto Rican residents. Another obstacle for the Puerto Rican migrant to overcome is his lack of adequate previous educational preparation. According to Rodriguez Bou,2 during the academic year 1944-1945, 46.69 per cent of the children of school age in Puerto Rico were not in school. That is, out of two hundred children of school age, approximately one hundred were not in school. Of the hundred children who entered school, fifty-two per cent left school from
Myocardial performance after graft preservation and subsequent cardiac transplantation from brain-dead donors.

Background. This study examined the effects of brain death and graft preservation on right and left ventricular function after subsequent cardiac transplantation. Methods. Seventy-eight dogs underwent 34 orthotopic complete atrioventricular transplantations using a validated brain-dead organ donor model, hypothermic cardiac preservation, and right and left ventricular function analysis (preload-independent recruitable stroke work). Four groups were studied: controls, transplantation from brain-dead organ donors, graft preservation without brain death, and donor brain death and graft preservation before transplantation. Results. Without brain death, cardiac arrest alone as well as the combination of cardiac arrest and preservation did not significantly decrease cardiac function after transplantation. After brain death alone, right ventricular and left ventricular function decreased significantly by 30% and 25%, respectively, but subsequent transplantation did not cause further cardiac dysfunction. Preservation after brain death led to a further significant decrease in right ventricular function after subsequent transplantation, and dopamine hydrochloride was required to wean 4 animals from cardiopulmonary bypass. Conclusions. Brain death causes a significant loss of right and left ventricular function. These injuries are greater in the right ventricle and may contribute to early right ventricular failure after transplantation. Brain death and cardiac preservation interact significantly to impair right ventricular function further. Future studies of graft preservation should use brain-dead organ donors.
Spectroscopy of individual quantum structures with low-temperature near field optical microscopy

A low temperature Near Field Scanning Optical Microscope (NSOM) has been built and operated to study the optical properties of individual quantum structures. Near field spectroscopy of modulation doped quantum dots is performed and spectra of a single dot is obtained. Spectral maps of 100nm quantum wires resolve a well defined region where emission from the n=2 quantum confined state is enhanced. This effect is attributed to local strain in the sample.
Damping of large-amplitude plasma waves propagating perpendicular to the magnetic field

Computer simulations of magnetosonic waves, velocity-shell instabilities, and upper-hybrid heating show evidence of a general damping mechanism for large-amplitude electrostatic waves propagating perpendicular to a magnetic field: Particles trapped by a wave of frequency $\ensuremath{\omega}$ and phase velocity ${V}_{\mathrm{ph}}$ see an electric field ${V}_{\mathrm{ph}}\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}B$, which accelerates them parallel to the wave front until the $v\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}B$ force is large enough for detrapping. For $\ensuremath{\omega}\ensuremath{\gg}{\ensuremath{\omega}}_{c}$, velocities as large as $(\frac{\ensuremath{\omega}}{4{\ensuremath{\omega}}_{c}}){V}_{\mathrm{ph}}$ can be attained, within a time ${\ensuremath{\omega}}_{c}t\ensuremath{\approx}\frac{\ensuremath{\omega}}{4{\ensuremath{\omega}}_{c}}$.
Spot Networks and Connected Building Systems

When spot networks are used to supply large commercial building loads, the utility system and the building wiring must be coordinated in order to provide a high degree of service continuity. The critical point is the service bus and the equipment immediately adjacent. The utility system and the building wiring are discussed and recommendations on how to achieve overall design coordination are made.
Stimulated Brillouin and Raman Scattering in Quartz at 2.1° to 293° Kelvin

Stimulated Brillouin shifts observed at 2.1°K in quartz are the same as those observed at 293°K. No extreme nonlinear behavior is observed. Recent anomalous results reported by Russian workers are shown to be due to the very strong stimulated Raman scattering that sets in at low temperatures.
Artificial recharge through a thick, heterogeneous unsaturated zone.

Thick, heterogeneous unsaturated zones away from large streams in desert areas have not previously been considered suitable for artificial recharge from ponds. To test the potential for recharge in these settings, 1.3 3 10 6 m 3 of water was infiltrated through a 0.36-ha pond along Oro Grande Wash near Victorville, California, between October 2002 and January 2006. The pond overlies a regional pumping depression 117 m below land surface and is located where thickness and permeability of unsaturated deposits allowed infiltration and saturated alluvial deposits were sufficiently permeable to allow recovery of water. Because large changes in water levels caused by nearby pumping would obscure arrival of water at the water table, downward movement of water was measured using sensors in the unsaturated zone. The downward rate of water movement was initially as high as 6 m/d and decreased with depth to 0.07 m/d; the initial time to reach the water table was 3 years. After the unsaturated zone was wetted, water reached the water table in 1 year. Soluble salts and nitrate moved readily with the infiltrated water, whereas arsenic and chromium were less mobile. Numerical simulations done using the computer program TOUGH2 duplicated the downward rate of water movement, accumulation of water on perched zones, and its arrival at the water table. Assuming 10 3 10 6 m 3 of recharge annually for 20 years, a regional ground water flow model predicted water level rises of 30 m beneath the ponds, and rises exceeding 3 m in most wells serving the nearby urban area.
The Evolving Nature of Prison Argot and Sexual Hierarchies

Prison argot and sexual hierarchies have consistently been found to be present in U.S. correctional facilities. However, recent years have seen very few studies that focus specifically on argot lab...
Engineering Case Studies: Bridging Micro and Macro Ethics

The literature leaves little doubt that case studies were central to the new discipline of engineering ethics when it was established in the 1970s. Early conferences and sourcebooks focused on hypothetical scenarios, and many of the cases from that decade came to comprise a litany of disasters in engineering ethics. These cases include the DC10 crashes in Paris and Chicago, the Ford Pinto gas-tank fires, and the nuclear accident at Three Mile Island. Cases of corporate corruption include the testing of Goodrich brakes for the Air Force and the firing of whistle-blowing engineers at the Bay Area Rapid Transit system in San Francisco.
Phylogenetic Analysis of Nuclear and Mitochondrial Genes Reveals Evolutionary Relationships and Mitochondrial Introgression in the Sertifer Species Group of the Genus Neodiprion (Hymenoptera: Diprionidae)

Abstract Neodiprion Rohwer (Hymenoptera: Diprionidae) is a Holarctic genus of conifer-feeding sawflies with a remarkable amount of inter- and intraspecific diversity in host use, behavior, and development. This variation is thought to play a central role in Neodiprion diversification, but speciation hypotheses remain untested due to a lack of a robust phylogenetic estimate. Here, we utilize sequence data from three nuclear genes (CAD, ANL43, EF1α) to obtain a phylogenetic estimate for the genus. These analyses suggest that: (1) North American and Eurasian Neodiprion are monophyletic sister clades, (2) the sertifer group is paraphyletic with respect to the monophyletic lecontei group, and (3) on at least two occasions, dispersal from eastern to western North America proceeded via southern host bridges. Based on these results and host biogeography, we revise a previous scenario for the evolution of Neodiprion and suggest maximum ages for the genus and for the lecontei group (25 My and 14 My, respectively). In addition, because a previous study reported rampant mitochondrial introgression in the lecontei group, we assess its prevalence in the sertifer group. Analysis of three mitochondrial genes (COI, tRNA-leucine, and COII) reveals that mito-nuclear discordance is prevalent in the sertifer group, and patterns of species monophyly are consistent with those expected under frequent mitochondrial introgression. As was the case for lecontei group species, we find that introgression appears to be most pronounced between species that occasionally share hosts, suggesting that divergent host use is an important barrier to gene flow in Neodiprion. Finally, we suggest that the lack of phylogenetic resolution and prevalence of species non-monophyly in the non-Pinus feeding Neodiprion may result from the rapid divergence (possibly with gene flow) of these species following their entry into a novel adaptive zone.
Lognormal and Pareto distributions in the Internet

Numerous studies have reported long-tailed distributions for various network metrics, including file sizes, transfer times, and burst lengths. We review techniques for identifying long-tailed distributions based on a sample, propose a new technique, and apply these methods to datasets used in previous reports. We find that the evidence for long tails is inconsistent, and that lognormal and other non-long-tailed models are usually sufficient to characterize network metrics. We discuss the implications of this result for current explanations of self-similarity in network traffic.
Some interesting observations for certain line codes with application to RFID

In this letter, we bring to the reader's attention some interesting properties of certain line codes that appear to not have been mentioned in the literature, that, in some cases, can be used to enhance their performance when used for digital communication with particular application to radio frequency identification. In addition, we correct a previously reported result pertaining to the performance of such codes.
Towards a Suite of Problems for Comparison of Product Platform Design Methods: A Proposed Classification

This paper presents the status of an ongoing project to develop a comprehensive suite of test problems suitable for comparing methods for scale-based product platform design. Despite a growing body of work in the area, there is no adequate set of testbed example problems for product platform design and benchmarking. A lack of consensus as to exactly what scale-based platform design entails has also hampered comparison of methods. In order to make a comprehensive test suite, we first need to define what different capabilities of platform design methods should be tested. To further this end, a classification scheme for example problems for scale-based platform design is presented. This simple taxonomy classifies example problems on the basis of two criteria: selection of platform architecture and incorporation of market demand. A brief review of examples from the literature shows that the existing examples are useful to test only a few of the capabilities of platform design methods. A new extension of an existing example, the design of a family of universal electric motors, is presented to test capabilities not covered by the existing set. This extended example is the first in our suite of examples.Copyright © 2006 by ASME
Medical Savings Accounts: Lessons From China

Dur ing thi s era of the triumph of free enterprise and the demise of big government, medical savings accounts (MSAs) have gained rapid popularity as a means for financing health care. The U.S. Congress recently passed a law to experiment with MSAs, and the United Kingdom is heatedly debating this approach.China has been a laboratory for testing health care financing models formany years. Confronted with rapid health cost inflation and a growing uninsured population, China experimented with an ingenious scheme patterned after the Singapore MSA, but with major modifications. These pilot experiments were designed in 1993 and implemented in December 1994. In this UpDate we describe these urban health care financing experiments and their early impacts and draw lessons for other countries contemplating implementation of anMSA scheme.
Successful treatment of nilotinib-induced pleural effusion with prednisone

Chronic myeloid leukemia is characterized by a unique reciprocal translocation between chromosomes 9 and 22 resulting in deregulated tyrosine kinase activity. Tyrosine kinase inhibitors, such as imatinib, dasatinib, and nilotinib have revolutionized treatment of Chronic myeloid leukemia. However, tyrosine kinase inhibitors' use has presented new challenges in managing both acute and chronic toxicities, particularly 'off-target' toxicities like pleural effusion. Pleural effusions are seen less often with imatinib and very rarely with nilotinib. A 66-year-old male presented to emergency department with complaints of mild chest pain and dyspnea of 3 days duration with progressive worsening, including dyspnea at rest. Patient was currently taking nilotinib after failing imatinib for chronic myeloid leukemia. Nilotinib was put on hold. After exclusion of cardiac and pulmonary etiologies patient was treated for community acquired pneumonia with minimal improvement. Despite the very low incidence of pleural effusion with nilotinib (<1%), he was started on 20 mg of prednisone PO for 3 days. Patient had a dramatic improvement within 48 h after beginning prednisone. This treatment approach suggests that pleural effusions associated with nilotinib can be successfully treated in the same way as pleural effusions associated with dasatinib.
Teaching technical communication to professional engineers and architects in the U.S.

Licensed professional engineers and architects in the U.S. must meet education and experience requirements and pass rigorous exams administered by state licensure boards before offering their services directly to the public. State licensure is also required if an engineer works as a consulting engineer, signs and seals documents for public agencies, or establishes their own firm. Individual state boards have different requirements for professional licensure, but most are similar.