cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Shopping plans, buying motivations, and return policies: impacts on product returns and purchase likelihoods

Product return behavior and factors that contribute to product returns are an under-researched area, despite significant importance to manufacturers and retailers. The current research attempts to fill the gap by focusing on two factors that shape consumer purchase behavior: (1) whether purchases are planned or unplanned, and (2) whether hedonic or utilitarian motivations drive purchases. The findings show that purchase plans and buying motivations have distinctive and interactive impacts on pre-purchase concerns, self-estimated likelihood of returning purchases, and purchase intentions with or without return policies. When hedonic motivation drives purchases, unplanned (vs. planned) purchases lead to higher return concerns, higher return likelihood, and lower buying intentions. When utilitarian motivation drives purchases, planned and unplanned purchases have comparable return concerns, return likelihood, and buying intentions. This interaction effect on buying intentions dissipates when a lenient return policy is offered.
Modeling and Control of a Copolymerization Reactor

A detailed mathematical model is presented for the solution copolymerization of methyl methacrylate and vinyl acetate in a continuous stirred tank reactor. Kinetic parameters and reactor operating conditions were obtained from the open literature. Input/output control pairings were investigated for this specific example in order to identify the fundamental structure of the solution copolymerization control problem. Specific controllers for production rate, composition, molecular weight and temperature control are discussed.
Mid-IR and Near-IR photoluminescence of Fe 2+ and Cr 2+ ions in ZnSe excited via ionization transitions

Spectroscopic characterization of Iron and Chromium doped ZnSe under visible excitation into the charge transfer bands of Transition Metal ions is reported. Energy transfer rates to the upper laser level are sufficient for population inversion.
Synbiotic-induced alterations in fecal microbiota are associated with increased ANGPTL4 levels in healthy overweight adults (647.46)

Gut bacteria may influence diet-related obesity, partly via ANGPTL4, a circulating lipoprotein lipase (LPL) inhibitor that regulates fat-storage in the adipose. Modulating gut flora for stimulatory...
Detailed look at aspects of optical pumping in sodium

Calculations and measurements are presented of the increase in F\ifmmode\bar\else\textasciimacron\fi{}=1 ground-state population as a function of incident laser intensity in optically pumped sodium. The calculations involve numerical integration of a multilevel version of the optical Bloch equations. Agreement between experiment and theory is good when proper account is taken of the residual Doppler width in the atomic beam, which causes a larger increase in the F\ifmmode\bar\else\textasciimacron\fi{}=1 population. The F\ifmmode\bar\else\textasciimacron\fi{}=1 population increases by 3.5% at 35 mW/${\mathrm{cm}}^{2}$, the highest laser intensity investigated.
Design of covalent organic frameworks for methane storage.

We designed 14 new covalent organic frameworks (COFs), which are expected to adsorb large amounts of methane (CH4) at 298 K and up to 300 bar. We have calculated their delivery uptake using grand canonical Monte Carlo (GCMC) simulations. We also report their thermodynamic stability based on 7.5 ns molecular dynamics simulations. Two new frameworks, COF-103-Eth-trans and COF-102-Ant, are found to exceed the DOE target of 180 v(STP)/v at 35 bar for methane storage. Their performance is comparable to the best previously reported materials: PCN-14 and Ni-MOF-74. Our results indicate that using thin vinyl bridging groups aid performance by minimizing the interaction methane-COF at low pressure. This is a new feature that can be used to enhance loading in addition to the common practice of adding extra fused benzene rings. Most importantly, this report shows that pure nonbonding interactions, van der Waals (vdW) and electrostatic forces in light elements (C, O, B, H, and Si), can rival the enhancement in uptake...
Long-term Evolutionary Change in Organizational Populations: Theory, Models and Empirical Findings in Industrial Demography

Organizational ecology is a theoretical perspective on organizations that attempts to explain long-term social evolution, especially the rise and fall of organizational populations. This artist review the most sustained demographic research program of the perspective, one based on the density-dependent model of legitimation and competition. It discusses the theoretical model and evidence from industrial demography that has been offered in its support as well as criticisms that have been registered. Unresolved research problems of the program are identified and three major models-in-progress attempting to address these open questions are discussed and compared. Copyright 1997 by Oxford University Press.
Tropospheric Rossby Wave Breaking and Variability of the Latitude of the Eddy-Driven Jet

A dry general circulation model is used to investigate the connections between Rossby wave breaking and the latitude of the midlatitude tropospheric eddy-driven jet. An ensemble of experiments is constructed in which the jet latitude is influenced by a midlatitude tropospheric temperature anomaly that resembles observed climate change and by the imposition of a stratospheric polar vortex, and the distribution of Rossby wave breaking frequency is examined for each experiment. The shift in wave breaking per degree latitude of jet shift is then compared for three different sources of jet movement: the tropospheric baroclinic forcing imposed in midlatitudes, the imposition of a stratospheric polar vortex, and the internal variability of the midlatitude eddy-driven jet. It is demonstrated that all three sources of jet movement produce a similar change in Rossby wave breaking frequency per degree of jet shift. Hence, it is difficult (if not impossible) to isolate the ultimate cause behind the shift in Rossby wave breaking in response to the two external forcings.
Harvesting cultural heritage metadata using the OAI protocol

In July of 2001, with funding from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, the University of Illinois at Urbana‐Champaign undertook a project to test the efficacy of using the Open Archives Initiative Protocol for Metadata Harvesting to construct a search and discovery service focused on information resources in the domain of cultural heritage. To date, the Illinois project has indexed over two million Dublin Core metadata records contributed by 39 metadata repositories in the museum, academic library, and digital library project communities. These records describe a mix of digital and analog primary content. Our analysis of these metadata records demonstrates wide divergence in descriptive metadata practices and the use and interpretation of Dublin Core metadata elements. Differences are particularly notable by community. This article provides an overview of the Illinois project, presents quantitative data about divergent metadata practices and element usage patterns, and details implications for metadata providers and harvesting services.
Population variation in migraine prevalence: a meta-analysis.

Abstract A meta-analysis of published studies was conducted to identify factors which explained variation in estimates of migraine prevalence. Twenty-four population based studies contributed a total of 168 gender and age specific estimates of migraine prevalence. In linear regression analysis, 70.6% of the variation in these prevalence estimates was explained by gender, age (AGE + AGE 2 ), a binary variable for case definition, and an interaction term between age and the case definition. Initially, we identified five groups of case definitions among the 24 studies. Only the definition of Waters (any 2 of warning, nausea, or unilateral pain) was associated with statistically significant differences in prevalence estimates among studies; accordingly the other 4 groups were combined. Several other factors were examined as predictors of migraine prevalence including the method of selecting the study population, the source of the population, the response rate and whether diagnoses were confirmed by a clinical assessment. None of these factors substantially increased explained variance. We conclude that after taking sociodemographic factors and case definition into account, estimates of migraine prevalence are remarkably stable among studies.
Fiber-Optic Temperature Sensor Using a Fabry–Pérot Cavity Filled With Gas of Variable Pressure

We report a high-temperature fiber-optic sensor based on measuring the spectral fringes of a Fabry-Perot (FP) cavity on a microstructure fiber (MF) when the gas pressure in the cavity is varied through the holes in the MF. Theoretical analysis shows that the absolute temperature can be deduced from the slope of the spectral shift versus pressure curve, which requires no calibration and is insensitive to the FP cavity length variations. For demonstration, we fabricated a miniature sensor whose FP cavity is formed by sandwiching a fuse-silica tube between a side-hole MF and a solid-core fiber. Using the holes in the MF as gas channels, the pressure in the FP cavity is controlled. The sensor was tested for operation above 1000°C. Strain-insensitive temperature measurement was demonstrated at ambient temperature for a strain range up to 3600 μe.
The possibility of vibrational lasing in CD3F

A new lasing mechanism is proposed as a result of the unusual performance characteristics of the 206 micron emission of the CD3F optically pumped molecular laser. The scheme presented is only meant to be suggestive. It is pointed out that most of the CD3F lines are pure rotational. However, the three lines at 206, 201.5, and 247.5 microns are seen as indicating the possibility of vibrational lasing. The 247.5 micron line is thought to be the most likely other candidate of the remaining two. This conclusion derives from the availability of pump power in the 9R10 CO2 laser line vis a vis the strong emission and 0.20 torr optimum operating pressure.
Launch of BBA Clinical: Translating molecular insights to clinical research

Biochimica et Biophysica Acta (BBA) began publication in 1947. It was the first international journal dedicated to the publication of new findings from the emerging and synergistic fields of biochemistry and biophysics. Since that time, the titles within the BBA series have expanded to meet the needs of scientists focused on understanding the physics, molecular mechanisms, and biochemical underpinnings in diverse fields, including bioenergetics, proteomics, and lipid biology. Today, we announce the newest title in the BBA collection, BBA Clinical, which is dedicated solely to human research studies. BBA Clinical will provide an important new forum for clinical researchers who use observational and clinical trial studies to understand the molecular and biochemical processes involved in human disease. The mission of BBA Clinical is to meet the needs of these researchers, as well as to provide a new resource for investigators who target biochemical pathways and processes in clinical trials and observational studies. Our new BBA title is designed to build upon the history and prominence of this journal. Articles published in BBA Clinical will provide new insights concerning the biochemical mechanisms related to the diagnosis, progression, and treatment of a wide range of human diseases. Studies in the areas of aging, cardiovascular disease, hepatic disease, kidney disease, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, immune disorders, and cancer are particularly encouraged. Studies that incorporate cutting-edge imaging studies or other mechanistic approaches in clinical research are also invited. BBA Clinical has several key features to help ensure the impact of its content. Among these are timely and constructive manuscript evaluation by highly qualified reviewers, and an Editorial Board that includes Chief Editors for Clinical Research (Dr. Russell Swerdlow) and for Statistics (Dr. Ralph D'Agostino Jr.). We live in the most exciting time in the history of clinical research. The scope and novelty of clinical research today, with new technological advances and intradisciplinary studies of human physiology and pathology, are unprecedented. Such efforts have provided numerous breakthroughs in the detection, management, treatment, and, most importantly, the prevention of many human diseases; and they have initiated starting points for the future of clinical research. BBA Clinical is intended to provide a new platform for the dissemination and furtherance of the novel and important clinical research that arises from each of these advances. Importantly, BBA Clinical will provide not just a useful forum for clinical research today: It is designed to be a prominent contributor to the larger overall body of clinical advancements far into the future, much as the original BBA journal has successfully done in the fields of biochemistry and biophysics over the past sixty-six years. November 2013
“Green codes with short wires at the decoder: Fundamental limits and constructions”

This talk intends to bring out the following ideas: • Understanding decoding power is important for design of relevant codes at short distances. • Just as we have models for channel to understand transmit power, we need models of decoding implementation to understand decoding power. • Node model: total power diverges to infinity as P e → 0. Optimal transmit power bounded away from Shannon limit. • Wire model: design codes for just the desired error-probability in order to avoid paying unnecessarily large wiring costs. Code designs can help reduce wire lengths by operating closer to the tradeoff between performance and wire-lengths.
Genome-wide association analysis of oxidative stress resistance in Drosophila melanogaster.

Background: Aerobic organisms are susceptible to damage by reactive oxygen species. Oxidative stress resistance is a quantitative trait with population variation attributable to the interplay between genetic and environmental factors. Drosophila melanogaster provides an ideal system to study the genetics of variation for resistance to oxidative stress. Methods and Findings: We used 167 wild-derived inbred lines of the Drosophila Genetic Reference Panel for a genomewide association study of acute oxidative stress resistance to two oxidizing agents, paraquat and menadione sodium bisulfite. We found significant genetic variation for both stressors. Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) associated with variation in oxidative stress resistance were often sex-specific and agent-dependent, with a small subset common for both sexes or treatments. Associated SNPs had moderately large effects, with an inverse relationship between effect size and allele frequency. Linear models with up to 12 SNPs explained 67–79% and 56–66% of the phenotypic variance for resistance to paraquat and menadione sodium bisulfite, respectively. Many genes implicated were novel with no known role in oxidative stress resistance. Bioinformatics analyses revealed a cellular network comprising DNA metabolism and neuronal development, consistent with targets of oxidative stress-inducing agents. We confirmed associations of seven candidate genes associated with natural variation in oxidative stress resistance through mutational analysis. Conclusions: We identified novel candidate genes associated with variation in resistance to oxidative stress that have context-dependent effects. These results form the basis for future translational studies to identify oxidative stress susceptibility/resistance genes that are evolutionary conserved and might play a role in human disease.
Physical, Behavioral, and Cognitive Effects of Prenatal Tobacco and Postnatal Secondhand Smoke Exposure

The purpose of this review is to examine the rapidly expanding literature regarding the effects of prenatal tobacco and postnatal secondhand smoke (SHS) exposure on child health and development. Mechanisms of SHS exposure are reviewed, including critical periods during which exposure to tobacco products appears to be particularly harmful to the developing fetus and child. The biological, biochemical, and neurologic effects of the small fraction of identified components of SHS are described. Research describing these adverse effects of both in utero and childhood exposure is reviewed, including findings from both animal models and humans. The following adverse physical outcomes are discussed: sudden infant death syndrome, low birth weight, decreased head circumference, respiratory infections, otitis media, asthma, childhood cancer, hearing loss, dental caries, and the metabolic syndrome. In addition, the association between the following adverse cognitive and behavioral outcomes and such exposures is described: conduct disorder, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, poor academic achievement, and cognitive impairment. The evidence supporting the adverse effects of SHS exposure is extensive yet rapidly expanding due to improving technology and increased awareness of this profound public health problem. The growing use of alternative tobacco products, such as hookahs (a.k.a. waterpipes), and the scant literature on possible effects from prenatal and secondhand smoke exposure from these products are also discussed. A review of the current knowledge of this important subject has implications for future research as well as public policy and clinical practice.
The critical role of relationship quality in small- and medium-sized enterprise internationalization

ABSTRACT Due to limited resources, small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) carefully develop and leverage relationships with foreign, independent intermediaries. This article investigates “relationship quality,” a collection of intangible organizational resources in the exporter–intermediary relationship that support the internationalization and foreign performance of SMEs. Four dimensions of relationship quality—communication, cooperation, trust, and commitment—are modeled and linked to intermediary performance. Findings highlight the significance of relationship quality, its dimensions, and how they support intermediary performance. Cooperation and commitment are significant performance antecedents. Trust is a significant antecedent of commitment, and communication drives cooperation, trust, and commitment. The study provides SMEs a way to enhance the quality of relationships with, and to help improve the performance of, their intermediaries in export markets.
Intertemporal‐spatial equilibrium, demand and substitution of electricity in the EEC from 1953 to 1986

Modelisation de la production, de la consommation et des prix de l'electricite dans neuf pays de la CEE de 1953 a 1986. Definition des conditions optimales permettant d'atteindre l'equilibre de l'offre et de la demande dans le marche de l'energie electrique
Effect of manufacturing method on dynamic performance of cams—An experimental study. Part II—double dwell cams

Abstract Six double dwell cams made to four different designs by six different manufacturing techniques have been tested on a specially designed cam dynamic test fixture. Acceleration waveforms have been measured on the follower system and transformed to the frequency domain. These frequency spectra have been averaged over selected bandwidths between zero and 3200 Hz and these data subjected to statistical analyses to determine significant differences between manufacturing methods, and cam designs. All of the manufacturing techniques listed show significant differences in at least some of the frequency bandwidths in terms of the total “noise” or r.m.s. error produced in the acceleration waveform. The results indicate that some common manufacturing methods for cams are significantly better than others with respect to fidelity to the theoretical acceleration waveform. The manufactufacture is also shown to interact significantly with the cam acceleration design chosen.
Supercritical CO2 extraction of soil-water slurries

Abstract The equilibrium partitioning and the extent of extraction of a phenolic mixture and a polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) mixture were determined for the three-phase system of soil, water, and supercritical CO 2 . The effects of temperature and pressure on the partitioning between the phases were investigated. A model was developed to predict the extraction results of mixtures in a three-phase system using two-phase partitioning data. Two-phase experiments (water-CO 2 and soil-water) were conducted with both the phenolic mixture and the pure components of the mixture to obtain two-phase partition coefficients used in the prediction model. The extraction results of the PAH mixture were predicted using existing two-phase data for the soil-CO 2 system and an octanol-water partitioning correlation for the soil-water partition coefficients. The predictions for both the phenolic mixture and the PAH mixture in the three-phase system of soil-water-CO 2 were fairly successful.
Socioeconomic Impacts of Water Farming on Rural Areas of Origin in Arizona

A land rush of sorts has occurred in parts of rural Arizona during the last six years. Municipalities, developers, speculators, and the federal government all have purchased or acquired leases to over one-half million acres of land, with half the acquisitions made by private parties, 30% by municipalities and 20% by the federal government (Woodard and McCarthy). Some of the land is irrigated agricultural land, some is rangeland, and some is raw desert. The purchasers have acquired the land not for the value of the land or its crops or any structures but for its associated water rights. This phenomenon, known as "water farming," has been occurring in other parts of the West for decades (Colby, this issue). Its emergence in Arizona was triggered by certain provisions of the state's 1980 Groundwater Management Act (Checchio, Woodard et al.). Municipal areas located in designated Active Management Areas that plan to grow beyond the year 2001 must convince the Arizona Department of Water Resources that they have a 100 years assured water supply for new development. Historically, Arizona municipalities have relied on a mix of surface and groundwater to meet growing urban demand. However, there is little or no unappropriated surface water in the state, and the Safe Yield provision of the Groundwater Management Act severely limits future groundwater pumpage from aquifers underlying urban lands (Woodard and Checchio). As a result, municipal water providers plan to transfer water to urban areas, eliminating much of the irrigated agriculture in the areas of origin. Arizona's water transfer "market" can be distinguished from that of Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, Nevada, and most other western states in the following ways: (a) Acquisitions are driven by legal requirements to secure "paper" water rights more than any perceived need for the water. If the quantity of water secured or being negotiated for transfer all was put to municipal and industrial uses at 140 gallons per capita per day (the targeted consumption rate of ADWR), then enough water for an additional 3.2 million persons is involved. Current state population is just under 3.7 million.
The synergistic upregulation of phase II detoxification enzymes by glucosinolate breakdown products in cruciferous vegetables.

Cruciferous vegetables contain secondary metabolites termed glucosinolates that break down to products that upregulate hepatic detoxification enzymes. We have previously shown that a mixture of four major glucosinolate breakdown products from Brussels sprouts interact to produce synergistic induction of phase II detoxification enzymes. Here we tested the hypothesis that this synergism is at the level of transcription and is due to the interaction between the oral bifunctional inducer, indole-3-carbinol (I3C), and monofunctional inducer, crambene (1-cyano 2-hydroxy 3-butene). Adult male rats were treated by gavage with either corn oil (vehicle); crambene (50 mg/kg), I3C (56 mg/kg), or a mix of crambene and I3C at the doses shown. Given orally, I3C alone and crambene with I3C caused significant induction of CYP1A activity and CYP1A1 mRNA levels, whereas crambene alone had no significant effect on CYP1A activity or mRNA levels. Crambene and I3C individually caused induction of glutathione S-transferase (GST) and quinone reductase (QR) activity. The mixture of crambene and I3C caused induction of GST and QR that was significantly greater than the sum of the induction by individual treatments. Upregulation of total GST activity was not as great as that of QR, possibly because some subunits did not show this effect. GST Ya2 mRNA showed a synergistic upregulation by crambene and I3C, while Yc1 and Yc2 showed only an additive response. We speculate that this different regulation is partly due to differences in gene sequences within the antioxidant response element and xenobiotic response element in the regulatory region of GST Ya2 compared to those within the regulatory region of the Yc1/Yc2 subunits.
Design for simultaneous equations

Let X be the explanatory variable matrix over which a designer exerts control, where rows of X correspond to observations and columns to explanatory variables. In the most common context, X is the regressor matrix of a standard regression model. There is a rich literature (see the papers and citations in this volume) on how to select X in order that regression coefficients be well estimated. Suppose, however, that X is the exogenous variable matrix of a simultaneous equations system, where the experimenter’s goal is to estimate some or all of the structural coefficients. How do the design issues change, relative to the simpler regression context? That is the subject here. Section 2 sets up the problem. Section 3 discusses the central issue in handling simultaneous equations, the need for prior information. Section 5 returns to this issue after a numerical illustration in section 4. Section 6 summarizes.
It's Okay to Be a Beginner

Abstract Teach a motor skill, and the skill may be learned. Teach how to learn a motor skill, and many skills can be learned—even after a student leaves school.
Mechanisms of Spontaneous Activity in the Developing Spinal Cord and Their Relevance to Locomotion

The isolated lumbosacral cord of the chick embryo generates spontaneous episodes of rhythmic activity. Muscle nerve recordings show that the discharge of sartorius (flexor) and femorotibialis (extensor) motoneurons alternates even though the motoneurons are depolarized simultaneously during each cycle. The alternation occurs because sartorius motoneuron firing is shunted or voltage-clamped by its synaptic drive at the time of peak femorotibialis discharge. Ablation experiments have identified a region dorsomedial to the lateral motor column that may be required for the alternation of sartorius and femorotibialis motoneurons. This region overlaps the location of interneurons activated by ventral root stimulation. Wholecell recordings from interneurons receiving short latency ventral root input indicate that they fire at an appropriate time to contribute to the cyclical pause in firing of sartorius motoneurons. Spontaneous activity was modeled by the interaction of three variables: network activity and two activity-dependent forms of network depression. A "slow" depression which regulates the occurrence of episodes and a "fast" depression that controls cycling during an episode. The model successfully predicts several aspects of spinal network behavior including spontaneous rhythmic activity and the recovery of network activity following blockade of excitatory synaptic transmission.
Warfarin and low-dose aspirin for stroke prevention from severe intracranial stenosis

Management of symptomatic, intracranial, large-arterial atherosclerosis is controversial. We assessed the safety and efficacy of combining warfarin and low-dose aspirin to prevent stroke from intracranial atherosclerotic stenosis failing prior treatment with either aspirin or warfarin. Patients with severe intracranial stenosis were prescribed combination therapy, warfarin (international normalized ratio [INR] 2 to 3) and aspirin 81 mg daily. Ten men and six women treated with combination therapy had one recurrent ischemic event during 382 months of therapy. No patient suffered a myocardial infarction or sudden vascular death. No serious hemorrhagic complication occurred. The combination of warfarin and low-dose aspirin seems safe and effective in preventing recurrent stroke from symptomatic, intracranial, large-arterial occlusive disease after failure with either aspirin or warfarin monotherapy.
Error analysis of the reproducing kernel particle method

Interest in meshfree (or meshless) methods has grown rapidly in recent years in solving boundary value problems (BVPs) arising in mechanics, especially in dealing with difficult problems involving large deformation, moving discontinuities, etc. In this paper, we provide a theoretical analysis of the reproducing kernel particle method (RKPM), which belongs to the family of meshfree methods. One goal of the paper is to set up a framework for error estimates of RKPM. We introduce the concept of a regular family of particle distributions and derive optimal order error estimates for RKP interpolants on a regular family of particle distributions. The interpolation error estimates can be used to yield error estimates for RKP solutions of BVPs.
A generalised model of feed intake and digestion in lactating cows

Abstract A generalised dynamic model for estimating voluntary consumption and digestion of feed by lactating dairy cows is described. Feed intake is assumed to be regulated either by metabolic factors relating energy intake to energy expenditure, or by physical factors associated with the capacity of the rumen to hold feed cell wall components. A representation of rumen function defined on an hourly basis provides estimates of digestion and passage of cell wall, and of the quantity of residue remaining in the rumen prior to the next meal from which physical intake limitations are calculated. Changes in regulation of energy intake and in maximum rumen capacity in response to changes in energy expenditure are subject to adjustment delays and are recalculated daily. Both qualitatively and quantitatively the model behaves well with respect to interactions between rumen function and short-term regulatory mechanisms over a wide range of feedstuffs. However, the dynamics of model behaviour over the long term-one lactation-indicate a systematic error in estimating changes in feed intake which is particularly evident in early lactation. The main cause of this error is thought to involve inadequacies in the representation of adjustment delays in the regulatory system.
Expanding relevance of aortic valve repair-is earlier operation indicated?

Objectives To define the durability of aortic valve repair (AVR ep ) and the effect of surgical timing on late survival. Methods From June 1986 to June 2011, 331 patients underwent elective AVR ep for aortic regurgitation (mean age, 53 ± 17 years; 76% men). The repair methods included commissuroplasty (n = 270; 81%), triangular resection and plication (n = 106; 32%), resuspension or cusp shortening (n = 102; 31%), and perforation closure (n = 23; 7%). Results In-hospital mortality was 0.6% (2 of 332). Four patients (1%) experienced early repair failure; two underwent repeat repair. Overall survival was 91% and 81% at 5 and 10 years, respectively. After adjusting for age, greater left ventricular end-systolic dimension (per 5 mm; hazard ratio [HR], 1.49; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.23-1.79; P P ≤ .001) were significant predictors of long-term mortality. Patients with ejection fraction 50 mm had significantly greater odds of late death (HR, 3.46; 95% CI, 2.05-5.82; P P = .036, respectively). The risk of aortic valve reoperation was 10% and 21% at 5 and 10 years, respectively. The presence of severe aortic regurgitation (HR, 2.2; 95% CI, 1.1-5.06; P = .02) and more than mild regurgitation at discharge (HR, 5.87; 95% CI, 2.67-12.68; P ≤ .0001) were predictors of late reoperation. Freedom from other valve-related events was 94% and 91% at 5 and 10 years, respectively. Forty-seven patients (21%) with intact valve repair were using warfarin at the last follow-up visit. Conclusions AVR ep can be performed with excellent late survival and freedom from valve-related events. Awaiting the onset of ventricular dysfunction increases the risk of late mortality, warranting earlier consideration of AVR ep for patients with suitable anatomy.
Silent slopes: Environmental economics for the Nepalese hills

Environmental deterioration in the hill region is one of the main contributors to the increasing social and agricultural crisis in Nepal (Bailey, 1975; Eckholm, 1976; Blaikie et al., 1979). Four years of extension work and research in Nepal (Calkins, 1968-1975; Calkins and Sisler, 1979) have led this writer to conclude that six environmental problems face the human population of the Nepalese hills and that, without ignoring local social structures, the government of Nepal could employ a judicious combination of five economic policies to retard environmental degradation. The data presented here derive primarily from a study conducted under the auspices of the Social Science Research Council and Cornell University's Program in International Agriculture in Nuwakot District, Nepal in 1973-1975. The survey population included 300 respondents from three villages (Thansing, Ganeshthan, and Lower Kaule) below 1,230 meters (m) and 300 respondents from three villages (Kakani, Lachyang, and Upper Kaule) above 1230 m (Fig. 1).
Results of prolonged medical treatment of obesity with diet alone, diet and thyroid preparations, and diet and amphetamine.

THIS study presents the results of the treatment of obesity under controlled conditions1 in the Nutrition Clinic of a large general hospital during an observation period of five and one half years. It includes 299 patients—27 men, 272 women. Moderate uncomplicated hypertension without evidence of heart failure was present in about 25 per cent of the group; other forms of cardiovascular disease as well as diabetes were excluded. Each patient remained under regular observation by the same physician at intervals of one to four weeks throughout the entire period of treatment. The patients were classified according to age, sex and degree of overweight before treatment was initiated. Class I represented those with an overweight of 1 to 20 per cent; class II, 21 to 40 per cent; class III, 41 to 60 per cent; class IV, 61 to 80 per cent; and class V, over 80 per cent. The majority of the patients were in classes II and III. Ideal weight was estimated by the usual standards of sex, age, height and weight from table...
Soot Concentration and Absorption Coefficient in a Low-Pressure Flame.

Abstract Soot concentrations at different positions through the carbon formation zone of a premixed acetylene/oxygen flat flame at 20-mm Hg were evaluated by measuring the attenuation of a laser beam passed through the flame. The required soot absorption coefficients were measured in the same optical system by replacing the flame with standard soot samples deposited on glass slides in a molecular beam sampling instrument. The average spectral absorption coefficient of the young soot studied here (5160 cm−1) is substantially smaller than the value (76.000 cm−1) often used for full-grown soot clusters, which agrees qualitatively with the expected effect of graphitization and decreasing H C ratio in the aging of soot. In comparison with soot-particle concentrations measured previously under the same flame conditions using molecular beam sampling and electron microscope analysis of beam deposits, the concentrations observed here are substantially larger in the regions of particle nucleation and rapid surface growth, but in good agreement farther downstream in the region of predominant particle coagulation. The early difference is attributed to absorption by large hydrocarbon species whose sizes range up to that of the smallest soot particles observed under the electron microscope (about 15-A diam or 2130 atomic mass units). The lumped concentration profile of the large hydrocarbons, estimated by assuming the absorption coefficient of these species is the same as that of the young soot, exhibits a strong peak immediately after the onset of soot formation in the region of rapidly increasing surface growth rate. Decomposition of the large hydrocarbons is probably catalyzed by soot-particle surfaces, and some of these species may serve as soot nuclei or intermediates.
In-Vitro Clot Modeling for the Preclinical Assessment of Mechanical Thrombectomy in Acute Ischemic Stroke

Mechanical thrombectomy devices, such as retrievers or aspiration catheters, have recently received approval from the FDA for the treatment of acute ischemic stroke. There is growing interest in endovascular recanalization procedures due to mounting evidence of favorable clinical outcomes. Several attempts have been made to establish dedicated clot models for in-vitro or in-vivo simulation of thromboembolism [1,2]. However, little is known about the mechanical and structural similarities between experimental clots and human sources of emboli that cause stroke. The goal of this study is to compare the structure and compression behavior of the possible sources of the cerebral emboli extracted from patients and model clots produced in-vitro using human, porcine and bovine donors.© 2010 ASME
Societal Influences on a Thinner Body Size in Children

This study was designed to examine whether educational textbook illustrations portray children thinner since the turn of the century. 50 undergraduates each rated 54 third-grade text pictures (3 of boys and 3 of girls in each decade since 1900) on a thinness scale. Analysis indicated a significant trend in thinness for girls but not for boys. Concerns are raised about a connection between educational illustrations of children and eating disorders.
Gene response elements, genetic polymorphisms and epigenetics influence the human dietary requirement for choline

Recent progress in the understanding of the human dietary requirement for choline highlights the importance of genetic variation and epigenetics in human nutrient requirements. Choline is a major dietary source of methyl-groups (one of choline's metabolites, betaine, participates in the methylation of homocysteine to form methionine); also choline is needed for the biosynthesis of cell membranes, bioactive phospholipids and the neurotransmitter acetylcholine. A recommended dietary intake for choline in humans was set in 1998, and a portion of the choline requirement can be met via endogenous de novo synthesis of phosphatidylcholine catalyzed by phosphatidylethanolamine N-methyltransferase (PEMT) in the liver. Though many foods contain choline, many humans do not get enough in their diets. When deprived of dietary choline, most adult men and postmenopausal women developed signs of organ dysfunction (fatty liver, liver or muscle cell damage, and reduces the capacity to handle a methionine load, resulting in elevated homocysteine). However, only a portion of premenopausal women developed such problems. The difference in requirement occurs because estrogen induces expression of the PEMT gene and allows premenopausal women to make more of their needed choline endogenously. In addition, there is significant variation in the dietary requirement for choline that can be explained by common polymorphisms in genes of choline and folate metabolism. Choline is critical during fetal development, when it alters DNA methylation and thereby influences neural precursor cell proliferation and apoptosis. This results in long term alterations in brain structure and function, specifically memory function.
On hypoellipticity and solvability of linear partial differential operators with multiple characteristics

Abstract The concept of characteristic manifold is very important in PDE, but it takes into account only the principal symbol. This paper is one of several papers devoted to the following problem: how can we construct the “characteristic manifold” that takes into account lower order terms and at the same time describes the intrinsic properties of the operator (like hypoellipticity or solvability) in the same way as the classical characteristic manifold does.
Universal computation and physical dynamics

Abstract A dynamical system is said to be computationally universal if it can be programmed through its initial condition to perform and digital computation. Such systems include traditional abstract computers such as Turing machines and cellular automata, as well as more physical models such as hard sphere gases and even a single particle in an appropriately shaped box. Because of the ability of any two such systems to simulate one another, they are all equivalent in the range of computations they can perform; and the global dynamics of any one of them provides a microcosm of all cause/effect relations that can be expressed by deductive logic or numerical simulation. This allows universal computers to be used to define in an objective manner that sort of complexity which increases when a self-organizing system organizes itself.
What do mouse models teach us about human SLE

Abstract Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a complex and heterogeneous autoimmune disease characterized by the presence of autoantibodies against several autoantigens, with the involvement of multiple organ systems. Over the last 50 years, research using various murine lupus models has allowed researchers to make a significant stride towards understanding the pathogenic mechanisms and treatment of human SLE. We have learned from studies in mouse models that multiple factors, including genetic susceptibility loci, various immune cells, molecular mediators, as well as environmental factors, contribute to the genesis and progression of lupus. In addition to a long list of mouse-to-human translational studies, an increasing number of human-to-mouse translational studies is also being performed in the field of lupus. The laboratory mouse continues to be a versatile tool for dissecting out the complexities enshrouding lupus pathogenesis.
Evidence for the Presence of Carbamino Compounds in Human Saliva

The bicarbonate concentrations of whole saliva and of protein-free filtrates of saliva were measured to test for the presence of carbamino compounds. If no acid-evolved CO2 were derived from the salivary proteins, then the two measured bicarbonate concentrations should be identical. Instead, the bicarbonate concentrations of the whole saliva samples were on the average 30% higher than that of their filtrates. The results are consistent with the conclusion that carbamino compounds account for the differences. Similar findings were obtained with samples of resting whole saliva and parotid saliva.
Early behavioral experience and adult social behavior in the paradise fish, Macropodus opercularis L.

Macropodus opercularis were reared in isolation, with conspecifics, or cross-reared with nonconspecifics. As young adults, cross-reared subjects presented with live conspecific and mirror image stimuli performed social displays less frequently than controls, while isolates did not differ from controls. In a spawning trial, no differences were found between groups. These results suggest that experience with an alien species may reduce the readiness to perform species-specific social displays. Investigations of imprinting and attachment behavior indicate that social stimulation is necessary for the ontogeny of species-typical social behavior in mammals (Cairns, 1972) and in birds (Bateson, 1966, 1971). Juvenile mice, sheep, and dogs which have previously been kept with members of an alien species may show attachment behavior toward the nonconspecific (Denenberg, Hudgens, and Zarrow, 1964; Nagy, 1965; Cairns and Johnson, 1965; Cairns and Werboff, 1967; Fox, 1969). The effect of cross-species rearing on adults social behavior has apparently not been extensively investigated. As adults, Mus reared with Baiomys show a social preference for Baimoys, though the Mus freely mate with conspecifics (Quadagno and Banks, 1970). Lagerspetz and Heino (1970) found that mice cross-reared with rats preferred rats in a social preference test as adults, and showed reduced sexual behavior toward mice. Adult male guinea pigs which are reared with chickens or rats court conspecifics and the cross-reared species as well (Beauchamp and Hess, 1971, 1973). Social isolation beginning early in development has marked effects on adult behavior. Rats isolated as early as 14 days show normal sexual behavior (Beach, 1958), although neonatal isolation disrupts adult mating behavior (Gruendel and Arnold, 1969). Isolated male guinea pigs, cats, and dogs exhibit poorly organized sexual behavior patterns (Valenstein, Riss, and Young, 1955; Rosenblatt, 1965; Beach, 1968; Coulon, 1971) and isolation-reared rhesus monkeys show profound disruption of adult social behavior (Harlow and Harlow, 1966). In some birds the development of a juvenile social attachment 343
Regeneration of lactic and succinic acid-laden basic sorbents by leaching with a volatile base in an organic solvent

Leaching with an organic solution of a volatile base was explored as a method of regenerating tertiary amine and pyridyl sorbents. Experimental data are presented that show that regeneration efficiency correlates with the nonaqueous basicity of the regenerant as measured by the Gutmann donicity scale. Essentially complete regeneration of lactic acid-laden Dowex MWA-1 was achieved when 8−10 mol of trimethylamine were present for every mole of adsorbed acid; adequate (>70%) regeneration was obtained at a 2:1 molar ratio. The resulting trimethylamine−lactic acid complex can be thermally decomposed fully when trimethylamine is employed in an organic solvent instead of in water. A likely cause of the incomplete thermal decomposition of trimethylammonium lactate in previous, water-based systems is the aqueous environment in which the decomposition was performed.
Reduction of psychological stress in surgical patients

This study assesses the effectiveness of two stress-reducing strategies in a field setting. The first strategy consists of a coping device which entails the cognitive reappraisal of anxiety-provoking events, calming self-talk, and cognitive control through selective attention. The second strategy consists of supplying information about the threatening event along with reassurances for the purpose of producing emotional inoculation. Patients about to undergo major surgery were exposed to either the coping device, the preparatory information, both strategies, or neither. The prediction that the coping device would effectively reduce both pre- and post-operative stress was confirmed. An analysis of the nurses' ratings of preoperative stress showed a significant main effect for the coping device. There was also a significant main effect for the coping device on postoperative measures (number of pain relievers requested and proportion of patients requesting sedatives). The preparatory information, however, did not produce any significant effects on these postoperative measures.