cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Transient Loss of Vision as the Presenting Symptom of Papillary Fibroelastoma of Aortic Valve

Cardiac papillary fibroelastomas are benign endocardial papillomas. They may arise from atrial or ventricular endocardium but most commonly are located in cardiac valves. Their papillary structure, with loose, friable projections, results in a high tendency for embolism. Tumor fragments often embolize to the coronary, systemic, or cerebral arterial systems. Thus, acute myocardial infarction, cerebrovascular accident, or peripheral arterial occlusion have resulted from these tumors. Retinal artery embolism is a rare complication of papillary fibroelastoma, and only five such patients have been reported in the English-language literature. We describe a 64-year-old woman who presented with transient painless loss of vision and was found to have a large papillary fibroelastoma on the right coronary cusp of the aortic valve by transesophageal echocardiography. The tumor was successfully removed at surgery.
Regional Assessment of Soil Compaction and Structural Properties under No-tillage Farming

No-tillage (NT) farming is a proven technology for soil and water conservation, but its impacts on soil compaction and structure development are soil- and site-specific. We conducted a regional assessment of long-term (>5-yr) NT farming impacts on soil compaction, structure, and aggregate-associated soil organic carbon (SOC) concentration across 13 contrasting but representative soils in the eastern USA, each within a Major Land Resource Area (MLRA: 111C, 98, 114B, and 122 in Indiana; 111A, 111B, 111B2, 99, 111D, 124, and 126 in Ohio; and 147 and 127 in Pennsylvania). Each MLRA comprised NT, chisel plow (CP), and woodlot (WL) land uses. Impacts of NT management were moderate on soil compaction, small on soil structural properties, and nonsignificant on aggregate-associated SOC concentration. No-tillage soils had higher cone index (CI) and shear strength than CP in nine out of the 13 MLRAs, and they had the highest CI (∼2 MPa) and shear strength (>180 kPa) within MLRAs 122 and 124. Bulk density (ρ b ) in NT was higher than in CP soils only in 111B (1.31 vs. 1.18 Mg m -3 ) and 127 (1.37 vs. 1.17 Mg m -3 ). No-tillage farming increased the mean weight diameter (MWD) of aggregates by a factor of 1.6 in MLRA 99, by 3.0 in 124, and by 5.3 in 111A, and reduced their tensile strength (TS) in 114B, 126, and 111B by a factor of ∼42.5. Macroaggregates (>1 mm) contained 15 to 100% more SOC than microaggregates. Woodlot soils had the lowest ρb and TS and the highest MWD and aggregate-associated SOC concentration. The MWD increased with increasing SOC concentration. Overall, the impacts of no-tillage farming on soil compaction and structure were small compared with plow tillage.
Activation energy asymptotics for methanol droplet extinction in microgravity

Abstract An activation energy asymptotic theory for methanol droplet combustion in microgravity is presented by extending earlier models to account for time-dependent water dissolution or evaporation from the liquid droplet. The model predictions for droplet extinction diameter as a function of its initial diameter are shown to compare favorably with experimental results for methanol burning in air.
SU‐GG‐J‐45: CBCT Based Quality Assurance for Optically Guided Patient Positioning and Monitoring

Purpose: To provide image based quality assurance procedure to evaluate and eliminate systematic discrepancies between an optical positioning system and Cone Beam CT(CBCT).Materials/Method: An optically‐guided positioning system (Varian MedicalSystems, Palo Alto, CA) is routinely used to setup and monitor patients undergoing fractionated and hypo‐fractionated head and neck treatments at Stanford University. We have typically assessed the accuracy of this positioning with matching of (CBCT)images acquired in treatment position to the patients planning CT scans. When the two positioning systems did not agree, the optical one was recalibrated via CBCT using a custom made imaging device consisting of the reference fiducial frame mounted to a cube phantom that is used for routine OBI QA. A CT scan of this system was acquired and exported to the Son Array workstation where the registration of the CT was performed. Phantom positioning was achieved using optical guidance. Setup was verified by volumetric matching of CBCTimages to the CT.Results: To date, three patients have been treated in our clinic using the combined frameless array/CBCT positioning systems. In two cases, the solutions of the frameless and CBCTsystems coincided within <1 mm and <1° rotations. In one case, differences of 3 mm were observed. The application of the above QA procedure ruled out systematic discrepancies related to system performance. It was concluded that for this patient the bite block positioning varied significantly between planning and setup. In this case positioning of the patient was based on volumetric anatomical matching via CBCT.Conclusion: The use of CBCT for both positioning and verification provides an ideal quality assurance procedure for frameless patient setup as it permits calibration of the frameless array and direct visualization of the proposed re‐positioning shifts.
Myocardial iron measurements by MRI: getting to the heart of the matter

Cardiac toxicity from transfusional iron overload is the most common cause of death in young adults with thalassemia major. Noninvasive assessment of the degree of cardiac iron deposition would be a great advance in the field. In a first for North American thalassemia patients, Wood and colleagues (
Chromatin occupancy of transcription factor 7-like 2 (TCF7L2) and its role in hepatic glucose metabolism

Aims/hypothesis The mechanisms by which transcription factor 7-like 2 (TCF7L2) regulates the pathways that are important in the pathogenesis of type 2 diabetes are unknown. We therefore examined the role of TCF7L2 in hepatic glucose production (HGP) in vitro and characterised the whole-genome chromatin occupancy of TCF7L2 in hepatocytes.
Zinc binding in proteins and solution: A simple but accurate nonbonded representation

Force field parameters that use a combination of Lennard-Jones and electrostatic interactions are developed for divalent zinc and tested in solution and protein simulations, It is shown that the parameter set gives free energies of solution in good agreement with experiment. Molecular dynamics simulations of carboxypeptidase A and carbonic anhydrase are performed with these zinc parameters and the CHARMM 22 beta all-atom parameter set, The structural results are as accurate as those obtained in published simulations that use specifically bonded models for the zinc ion and the AMBER force field, The inclusion of longer-range electrostatic interactions by use of the Extended Electrostatics model is found to improve the equilibrium conformation of the active site. It is concluded that the present parameter set, which permits different coordination geometries and ligand exchange for the zinc ion, can be employed effectively for both solution and protein simulations of zinc-containing systems. (C) 1995 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Targeted deletion of the TGF-beta 1 gene causes rapid progression to squamous cell carcinoma.

To study the contribution of autocrine and paracrine TGF-pi to tumor progression in a well-defined system of multistage carcinogenesis, keratinocytes with a targeted deletion of the TGF-pi gene were initiated in vitro with the v-ras"^^ oncogene and their in vivo tumorigenic properties were determined by skin grafting initiated cells onto athymic mice in combination with either wild-type or null dermal fibroblasts. Grafts of v-ras""-initiated null keratinocytes progressed rapidly to multifocal squamous cell carcinomas within dysplastic papillomas irrespective of the fibroblast genotype, whereas the initiated control genotypes formed well-differentiated papillomas. Malignant progression was not associated with mutations in the c-ras^' gene, alterations in p53 protein, or loss of responsivenes s to TGF-pi. The tumor cell labeling index was elevated in grafts of initiated null keratinocytes with wild-type fibroblasts compared to tumors of other genotypes. However, labeling index in all tumors was reduced when TGF-pi null fibroblasts formed the stroma. The null tumor cells could not accumulate TGF-pi from the host, but grafts of uninitiated null keratinocytes, which formed a normal epidermis, became TGF-pl positive even though they did not express TGF-pi mRNA. These results demonstrate that autocrine TGF-pl suppresses the frequency and rate of malignant progression, and that autocrine and paracrine TGF-pi can have opposing effects on tumor cell proliferation. The lack of paracrine inhibition of tumor cell progression appears to result from the inability of tumor cells to localize host-derived TGF-pi by a mechanism that operates in normal cells.
The infrared spectra of carbohydrates at sub-ambient temperatures

Abstract The infrared spectra of a large number of carbohydrates, and of several other compounds of biological interest, have been recorded, for the range 2000–250 cm −1 , at ∼ 110°K. In addition, the i.r. spectra of some selected sugars have been recorded over the range 4000–33 cm −1 at temperatures down to 20°K. The spectra of these compounds near 110°K, conveniently attained with boiling nitrogen, are shown to be of much better quality than those obtained at room temperature, and the spectral changes observed are much greater than those usually observed on cooling simpler compounds. Hence, the technique is useful for identification, characterization, and differentiation of complex compounds of biological interest. Several possible reasons for the results observed are considered. Although the effects of temperature cannot yet be quantitatively explained, they are apparently associated with hydrogne-bonding phenomena.
Event-based transmission line matrix method for simulating site-specific multipath propagation characteristics

Accurate radio channel modeling is essential for deploying advanced wireless sensors in harsh industrial and urban environments. Site-specific propagation modeling tools are required to understand the channel parameters with in these environments. Multipath delay spread determines the frequency-selective fading characteristics of the channel. This paper describes a novel, computationally inexpensive technique to determine multipath delay spread. Event-based transmission line matrix-based method is used to simulate the channel.
Complete Correction of Enzymatic Deficiency and Neurochemistry in the GM1-gangliosidosis Mouse Brain by Neonatal Adeno-associated Virus–mediated Gene Delivery

GM1-gangliosidosis is a glycosphingolipid (GSL) lysosomal storage disease caused by autosomal recessive deficiency of lysosomal acid β-galactosidase (βgal), and characterized by accumulation of GM1-ganglioside and GA1 in the brain. Here we examined the effect of neonatal intracerebroventricular (i.c.v.) injection of an adeno-associated virus (AAV) vector encoding mouse βgal on enzyme activity and brain GSL content in GM1-gangliosidosis (βgal−/−) mice. Histological analysis of βgal distribution in 3-month-old AAV-treated βgal−/− mice showed that enzyme was present at high levels throughout the brain. Biochemical quantification showed that βgal activity in AAV-treated brains was 7- to 65-fold higher than in wild-type controls and that brain GSL levels were normalized. Cerebrosides and sulfatides, which were reduced in untreated βgal−/− mice, were restored to normal levels by AAV treatment. In untreated βgal−/− brains, cholesterol was present at normal levels but showed abnormal cellular distribution consistent with endosomal/lysosomal localization. This feature was also corrected in AAV-treated mice. The biochemical and histological parameters analyzed in this study showed that normal brain neurochemistry was achieved in AAV-treated βgal−/− mice. Therefore we show for the first time that neonatal AAV-mediated gene delivery of lysosomal βgal to the brain may be an effective approach for treatment of GM1-gangliosidosis.
Quantitative analysis of water proton spectral lineshape: a novel source of contrast in MRI

Previous work in this laboratory has demonstrated improved anatomic and functional images produced from high spectral and spatial resolution (HiSS) MRI of the water proton signal. The present work tests the hypothesis that different Fourier components of the water resonance represent anatomically and/or physiologically distinct populations of water molecules within each small image voxel. HiSS datasets were acquired from tomatoes and rodent tumors at 4.7 T using echo-planar spectroscopic imaging (spatial and spectral resolutions were 117–150 µm and 1.5–3.1 Hz, respectively). Images of each Fourier component of the water resonance (referred to as Fourier component images, or FCIs) were produced. FCIs at frequencies offset from the peak of the water resonance ('off-peak' FCIs) were compared to images of the Fourier component with largest amplitude, i.e. the water peak-height image. Results demonstrate that off-peak FCIs differ significantly from the water peak-height image and that water resonances are often asymmetric. These results show that water signal at various frequency offsets from the peak of the water resonance come from water molecules in different anatomic/physiologic environments. Off-peak FCIs are a new source of structural and functional information and may have clinical utility.
Computer modeling 3-D nucleation and growth

Abstract A mathematical model is proposed for 3-D nucleation and growth—an initial stage in the process of metal electrocrystallization. Expressions have been obtained which make it possible to calculate the current response for an arbitrary dependence of the applied potential on time, for any values of the charge-transfer and nucleation parameters. These calculations require solving convolution-type stiff integral equations. An algorithm, developed previously for solving those equations, has been adapted to solve the present problem, A FORTRAN program is given for computing the current transient with a correction for the overlap of the diffusion fields of growing nuclei.
Validation of surgical wound surveillance

Objective To determine the sensitivity and specificity of standard infection control surveillance techniques for the identification of surgical wound infections. Design Surveillance data collected by three infection control practitioners (ICPs) was compared to surveillance data collected simultaneously by a gold standard observer. Setting University-affiliated, tertiary care hospital. Methods Using standard infection control surveillance techniques (chart review and discussions with patients' nurses and physicians), ICPs collected surveillance data on patients on the General Surgery and Trauma Surgery Services on days 4 and 7 after surgery and then weekly for 30 days or until patients were discharged from the hospital. Simultaneously, a hospital epidemiologist collected surveillance data and examined each patient's wound daily. Results Nine hundred twenty-five surgical patients including 537 trauma cases and 388 elective general surgery cases were followed postoperatively. The ICPs identified 67 surgical wound infections, and the hospital epidemiologist identified 80 surgical wound infections for a sensitivity of 83.8% with a 95% confidence interval (CI95) of 75.7% to 91.9%. Specificity was 99.8% with a CI95 of 99% to 100%. The sensitivity was the same for trauma surgery and general surgery, but incisional wound infections were more difficult to identify than deep wound infections. During a second validation period, sensitivity was 92.3% with a CI95 of 62% to 100%. Conclusions Standard infection control surveillance techniques have the same sensitivity for detection of surgical wound infections as they do for identification of other nosocomial infections. Accurate data on surgical wound infections can be collected without direct examination of surgical wounds.
Development of concentration at the glass/salt interface in diffusing grin glass☆

Abstract Time-dependent boundary conditions are demonstrated by measuring index profiles in gradient index (GRIN) glass interferometrically as they evolve during ion exchange. The ion exchange is Ag/Na from a AgCl melt into a simple alumino silicate glass at 490°C. It is shown that the concentration at the glass/salt interface does not reach its equilibrium value instantaneously as is normally assumed, but instead increases at a finite rate as dopant is transported across the interface. The measured transport rate across the glass/salt interface is approximately 14 × 10 −9 cm s −1 . The surface reaction for this rate limitation is unknown.
Effects of redox agents on glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase isozymes and enzyme activity in sea urchin eggs and zygotes

Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) is present in different mixtures of interchangeable states of aggregation in each of the supernatant and pellet fractions of unfertilized and fertilized sea urchin eggs. These states are each altered differently by redox agents, as shown by changed electrophoretic isozyme patterns and altered filtration retention following treatment by diamide, oxidized glutathione, reduced glutathione, ascorbate, or dithiothreitol. Activity levels of G6PD are altered by redox agents, probably as a result of change in aggregation state or change in association with inhibitory associated molecules. This suggests that there are control mechanisms for G6PD that are in different conditions in unfertilized vs. fertilized stages and supernatant vs. pellet compartments, resulting in different states of G6PD in the isolates.
Association of broad icosahedral Raman bands with substitutional disorder in SiB 3 and boron carbide

The structure of silicon boride, SiB{sub 3}, is based on 12-atom, boron-rich icosahedra in which silicon atoms substitute for some boron atoms. Raman bands associated with vibrations of icosahedral atoms in SiB{sub 3} are quite broad, reflecting this substitutional disorder. Comparing the Raman spectra of other icosahedral borides with SiB{sub 3}, only boron carbides have similarly broad icosahedral Raman bands. The direct correlation of broad icosahedral Raman bands with substitutional disorder supports the proposition that carbon atoms replace icosahedral boron atoms in boron carbides of all compositions. {copyright} {ital 1998} {ital The American Physical Society}
Interaction of nerve growth factor with murine α‐macroglobulin

The murine nerve growth factor, when injected i.v. or, combined in vitro with plasma, was found largely associated with the mouse alpha-macroglobulin (a homologue of human alpha 2-macroglobulin). The nerve growth factor-alpha-macroglobulin complex produced is sufficiently stable to resist separation by gel filtration in 1.0 M sodium chloride, polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, and immunoprecipitation by antibodies against alpha-macroglobulin. As determined by equilibrium binding studies and computer generated Scatchard analysis, alpha-macroglobulin apparently possesses two types of binding sites with the apparent dissociation constants of 1.2 x 10(-6) and 2.9 x 10(-9) M, respectively, saturable by 3.7 and 0.03 moles of nerve growth factor. Hence, about one mole of nerve growth factor is bound to each of the four subunits of alpha-macroglobulin. Nerve growth factor can be readily dissociated from alpha-macroglobulin in sodium dodecyl sulfate gel electrophoresis in the absence of a reductant. Procedures that affect the proteinase-binding or methylamine- activities of alpha-macroglobulin do not affect the binding of nerve growth factor, and the binding is unaffected by the presence of zinc ions or EDTA. Hence, nerve growth factor is noncovalently associated with alpha-macroglobulin at a site separate from that of the proteinase-, methylamine-, and zinc-binding sites of alpha-macroglobulin. Mouse alpha-macroglobulin can protect the nerve growth factor from inactivation by trypsin. Even in the presence of trypsin, alpha-macroglobulin-nerve growth factor complexes still can stimulate the neurite outgrowth by dorsal root ganglia of 9-day-old chicken embryos. Since alpha-macroglobulin can specifically and noncovalently carry nerve growth factor, one important role of this alpha-macroglobulin in the circulation and extracellular spaces may be to protect the nerve growth factor from proteinase inactivation.
Definitive chromosomal location of the H-2 complex by in situ hybridization to pachytene chromosomes

Chromosome 17 of the mouse carries the H-2 complex and the T/t complex. An understanding of the organization of this region and an accurate genetic map of chromosome 17 would be of great value for both immunologists and developmental biologists. Until now the only maps available have been derived solely from recombinational studies using several translocations, an inherently inaccurate method. We have found the definitive location of the H-2 complex by the use of in situ hybridization. Our results show that both the T/t complex and the H-2 complex map to positions far more distal than the generally accepted map positions. This proves that recombination in Robertsonian chromosomes underestimates physical map distances on chromosome 17.
Prior immobilization and positioning for more efficient radiotherapy

Abstract Trials of the prior immobilization and positioning (PIP) system were carried out for pion patients at the Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory, Los Alamos, N.M., to demonstrate a more efficient method of beam utilization. In the trials patients entered the staging area, where they were placed in immobilizing casts in a treatment module. Localizing lasers identical to those in the treatment room defined the treatment portal and aligned bolus and collimator. Patients thus positioned and immobilized with necessary bolus and collimating devices in place were transported by stretcher into the treatment room and keyed by laser coordinates under the beam, which can be activated immediately. The PIP prototype at Los Alamos has reduced from 20 min to 4 min the interval required to position successive patients under the vertical fixed beam. Using the PIP system with current supervoltage generators and treatment couches, approximately 10 patients could be treated per hr as compared with 4 or 5 patients currently managed. This would reduce the cost per treatment by approximately half. PIP also makes feasible the use of computerized treatment. Any room of reasonable size near the treatment room could accommodate PIP procedures.
Modern sediment accumulation on the Po shelf, Adriatic Sea

Abstract Sediment accumulation over the past century on the continental shelf near the Po delta varies with distance from the most active distributary channels. Near the Pila and Goro distributaries, sediment accumulation is rapid (1–4 cm yr−1) and occurs in pulses. In these areas, the seabed is dominated by physical sedimentary structures that can be related to flood sedimentation. Between the two distributaries and in the southern portion of the dispersal system, sediment accumulation is slower (rates reach a minimum of 0.23 cm yr−1 at ∼50 km from the Pila mouth) and steady-state, reflecting more continuous dispersal of sediment during non-flood periods. Sedimentary strata in these locations are composed of finer (clayey silt), mottled sediment. The similarity in the spatial distribution of long-term (100-yr) sediment accumulation to deposition resulting from the 2000 flood event suggests that the Po shelf is flood-dominated. About half of the sediment delivered by the Po River on a 100-yr time scale can be accounted for in the seabed deposit within ∼50 km of the Pila mouth. The remaining sediment is likely transported southward by the prevailing circulation, and this sediment coalesces with inputs from the Apennine Rivers.
Obstetricians: Women's Advocates, Not Adversaries

As members of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists Committee on Ethics and College staff, we appreciate the opportunity to respond to the target article “Obstetricians and Violen...
MRI evaluation of right and left ventricular remodeling and surrogate markers of PH following acute pulmonary embolism

It is difficult to identify patients at risk for chronic-thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH) in the clinical course of pulmonary embolism (PE). We evaluated ventricular remodeling and markers of pulmonary hypertension (PH) using cardiac MRI in PE patients after 6 months treatment.
Proof of a New Area Law in General Relativity

A new relation between the area of a class of surfaces and the thermodynamic entropy has been proven, extending the results of Hawking's 1971 area theorem.
Zinc finger structures in the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 nucleocapsid protein facilitate efficient minus- and plus-strand transfer.

The nucleocapsid protein (NC) of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) has two zinc fingers, each containing the invariant metal ion binding residues CCHC. Recent reports indicate that mutations in the CCHC motifs are deleterious for reverse transcription in vivo. To identify reverse transcriptase (RT) reactions affected by such changes, we have probed zinc finger functions in NC-dependent RT-catalyzed HIV-1 minusand plus-strand transfer model systems. Our approach was to examine the activities of wild-type NC and a mutant in which all six cysteine residues were replaced by serine (SSHS NC); this mutation severely disrupts zinc coordination. We find that the zinc fingers contribute to the role of NC in complete tRNA primer removal from minus-strand DNA during plus-strand transfer. Annealing of the primer binding site sequences in plus-strand strong-stop DNA [(1) SSDNA] to its complement in minus-strand acceptor DNA is not dependent on NC zinc fingers. In contrast, the rate of annealing of the complementary R regions in (2) SSDNA and 3* viral RNA during minus-strand transfer is approximately eightfold lower when SSHS NC is used in place of wild-type NC. Moreover, unlike wild-type NC, SSHS NC has only a small stimulatory effect on minus-strand transfer and is essentially unable to block TAR-induced self-priming from (2) SSDNA. Our results strongly suggest that NC zinc finger structures are needed to unfold highly structured RNA and DNA strand transfer intermediates. Thus, it appears that in these cases, zinc finger interactions are important components of NC nucleic acid chaperone activity.
Surgery for Primary Intracerebral Hemorrhage: Meta-analysis of CT-Era Studies

To the Editor: I read with interest Hankey and Hon’s recent review of studies of surgery for primary intracerebral hemorrhage.1 Their systematic review of case series is a novel contribution to the literature. There is some precedent, however, for their meta-analysis of extant randomized controlled trials of surgical versus medical therapy. The authors may have been unaware of my brief meta-analysis of the same 4 trials, published 3 years earlier, as it appeared in a book chapter rather than a Medline article.2 Contrasts between the two meta-analyses are illuminating. My formal systematic overview examined the clinical end point of mortality rather than the combined clinical end point of death or dependency used by Hankey and Hon. Collating all 4 studies, I found no major effect of surgery, with an odds ratio of fatal outcome of 0.97 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.64 to 1.48). This finding is similar that of Hankey and Hon for the combined death or dependency …
The Resonance of “Culture”: Framing a Problem in Global Concept-History

In the course of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, “culture” achieved the status of a truly global concept. We find discourses of “culture” emerging to prominence in the German-speaking world during the second half of the eighteenth century (with the closely associated linguistic arenas of the Netherlands and Scandinavia rapidly following suit); in the English-speaking world starting in the first half of the nineteenth century; in Eastern Europe, East Asia, and South Asia starting in the second half of the nineteenth century; and just about everywhere else in the course of the twentieth century. “Culture” began to circulate far beyond the European sites of its modern genesis, sometimes through the direct transfer of lexical items from Western European languages (e.g., Russian kulءtura; the use of kalcar in various South Asian languages); and more often through the construction of new translative equivalencies with preexisting words or concepts most often signifying purification, refinement, or improvement (e.g., Japanese bun-ka; Chinese wen-hua; Bangla and Hindi sanskriti; Urdu tamaddun).
Systemic lupus erythematosus in three ethnic groups: XV. Prevalence and correlates of fibromyalgia.

The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence and correlates of fibromyalgia (FM) in a prospective, multiethnic systemic lupus (SLE) cohort. A total of 266 SLE patients with disease duration of ≤5 years at study entry were evaluated longitudinallyfor the presence of FM (per ACR criteria). Sociodemographicfactors, behavioral=psychologicalvariables, clinical features, serologic factors (autoantibodies), and self-reportedfunctioning(MOS SF-36) were ascertainedin all patients. Subjects were evaluated at study entry and annually thereafter. The prevalence of FM was then calculated, as was the prevalence of FM-like manifestations (widespread pain with at least 6, but fewer than 11=18 tender points). Variables were evaluated for association with FM or FM-like manifestationsby univariate and stepwise logistic regressionanalyses.FM was present in 14 patients (5%; 9=92 Caucasians (C), 4=109 African Americans (AA), 1=65 Hispanics (H)) and FM=FM-like manifestationsin 35 (13%; 16 C, 9 AA, 10 H). There was ...
Optical and Electronic Spectra of Semiconductors

Optical studies of semiconductors have concentrated on reflectivity measurements as opposed to transmission or absorption measurements. It is possible to measure absorption spectra, but the penetration depth of optical radiation is fairly low in semiconductors. Thus, absorption measurements require the use of thin films which can be difficult to prepare and to calibrate. Reflectivity measurements do not require films, and these measurements are relatively easy to perform: the ratio of the incident photon flux to the reflected photon flux is measured as a function of photon energy. In principle, the only tools required for this procedure are the sample, a light source, a monochrometer, and a detector.
Rotary Heart Assist Devices

The left ventricular assist device (LVAD) is a mechanical device implanted in patients with congestive heart failure to assist the heart in pumping blood through the circulatory system. The latest generation of this device is comprised of a rotary pump which is generally much smaller, lighter, and quieter than the first-generation conventional pulsatile-type pump. The rotary pump is controlled by varying the rotor (or impeller) speed to adjust the amount of blood flow through the LVAD. If the patient is in a health care facility, the pump speed can be adjusted manually by a trained clinician to meet the patientʼs blood needs. However, an important challenge facing the increased use of these devices is the desire to allow the patient to return home. The development of an appropriate feedback controller that is capable of automatically adjusting the pump speed is therefore a crucial step in meeting this challenge. In addition to being able to adapt to changes in the patientʼs daily activities by automatically regulating the pump speed, the controller must also be able to prevent the occurrence of excessive pumping. This dangerous phenomenon, known as suction, may cause collapse of the ventricle and damage to the heart muscle. In order to be able to develop such a controller based on modern control theory an appropriate mathematical model of a combined cardiovascular system and LVAD must first be developed. In this chapter, we develop such a model. The model is dynamic, time-varying, and consists of six coupled nonlinear differential equations. The time variation occurs over four consecutive intervals representing the contraction, ejection, relaxation, and filling phases of the left ventricle. The LVAD in the model along with its inlet and outlet cannulae are represented by a nonlinear differential equation which relates the pump rotational speed and pump flow to the pressure difference across the pump. Suction is accounted for by adding a nonlinear resistance in the LVAD model when the pressure in the left ventricle drops below a specified threshold. Using this model we discuss some of the challenges faced in the development of: (1) an appropriate feedback controller for the LVAD, and (2) an effective algorithm for detection of suction in the left ventricle.
Corporate social performance, financial performance and institutional ownership in Canadian firms

Abstract This study examines the relationship of corporate social performance (CSP) to financial performance (FP) and institutional ownership. We perform our empirical analyses on a large-sample of publicly held Canadian firms and use a novel independent measure of CSP. Based on tests utilizing four years of panel data, we found no significant relationship between a composite measure of firms’ CSP and FP. However, we found significant relationships between individual measures of firms’ CSP regarding environmental and international activities and FP. Our findings indicate a significant relationship between firms’ composite CSP measure and the number of institutions investing in firms’ stock. In addition, we found significant relationships between firms’ CSP ratings regarding their international activities and product quality and the number of institutions investing in firms’ stock. These findings, while subject to the limitations inherent in the use of specific CSP measures, provide mixed support for the business case for CSP.
Stance, Navigation, and Reader Response in Expository Hypertext

This article reports on two studies investigating reader stance, navigation, and response in expository hypertext. Subjects in the studies included 69 and 147 adult readers prompted to adopt either an efferent or aesthetic stance when reading a 36node expository hypertext. Reading was followed by recall and essay writing tasks. Results of the studies indicate that prompts can be designed to induce readers to adopt more efferent or aesthetic stances. Main effects for stance on navigation and the essay response measures were found. Aesthetic readers were found to attain higher levels of understanding and tended to rely more heavily on a built-in reading path that was part of the hypertext interface. Graphic analyses revealed wide variability in the navigational strategies of readers, with distinctive visual patterns that appeared to be related to reader stance. Exploratory analyses examining data collapsed across both studies suggest node size may play a role in navigation and response and may interact with reader stance. The studies suggest that navigation has an important role in online literacy transactions and that usability of online materials may be enhanced by accounting for reader variables such as stance in the design of interface elements.
Efficient detection in the presence of angular spreading

The spatial channel in applications such as radar, sonar, and wireless communications is typically characterized by complex signal scattering leading to multiple signal components arriving at the array from a spread of angles. This multipath angle spread is well known to lead to loss of spatial signal coherence across a receiving sensor array, requiring complicated combining schemes to achieve optimal performance, particularly when the signal is only partially coherent across the array. We show that the discrete Fourier transform serves as an efficient, robust, and asymptotically optimal spatial combiner for uniform linear arrays in multipath channels. In addition, the proposed spatial processing allows for convenient integration of conventional frequency-domain methods for angle-of-arrival searches. Simulation results show that the proposed combining scheme provides near-optimal performance at significantly less computation, even for arrays of modest size.
Historical and Contemporary Characteristics and Waterfowl Use of Illinois River Valley Wetlands

Understanding changes in characteristics of floodplain wetlands over time could provide valuable information to guide management and restoration efforts. We compared characteristics of 29 Illinois River valley (IRV) wetlands mapped during two time periods between 1938–1959 and 15 wetlands re-mapped in 2005–2006. Average proportions of wetlands classified as bottomland forest, scrub-shrub, nonpersistent emergent, and mud flat were generally greater during 2005–2006 than 1938–1942 or 1943–1959, but proportions of aquatic-bed and floating-leaved vegetation declined significantly by 2005–2006. We also modeled wetland use by mallards (Anas platyrhynchos) and diving ducks (Tribe Aythyini) during falls 1950–1959 in relation to wetland characteristics. Proportion of wetlands classified as nonpersistent emergent and an interspersion-juxtaposition index (IJI) positively associated with mallard use, whereas proportions of scrub-shrub and persistent emergent vegetation influenced diving duck use negatively. Use by both groups associated positively with wetland area and refuge. The loss of submersed and floating-leaved aquatic vegetation emphasizes the need to restore conditions that promote diverse plant communities in IRV wetlands. Composition and arrangement of wetland habitats (indicated by IJI) may be an important attractant to migrating mallards and perhaps a consideration when planning and evaluating wetland conservation efforts in mid-migration regions.
In vivo transthoracic measurements of acoustic radiation force induced displacements in the heart over the cardiac cycle

Myocardial elasticity is an important indicator of cardiac function and is affected in many disorders associated with heart failure. Ultrasound based interrogation of cardiac stiffness has been extensively studied in ex-vivo, open chest and intracardiac imaging environments. The ability to make these measurements robustly through non-invasive means such as transthoracic imaging would make them more clinically viable and widely applicable. However, transthoracic imaging is a challenging environment for displacement estimation due to poor SNR, acoustic clutter and complex cardiac motion. This work aims to address some of those challenges on a clinical ultrasound system. Sequences to make M-mode measurements of acoustic radiation force induced displacements in the heart over the entire cardiac cycle were implemented on the Siemens SC2000 and a cardiac phased array probe. Pulse inversion harmonic tracking was employed on the tracking beams to suppress the effect of stationary clutter on displacement estimation. Two families of motion filters, high pass filters and polynomial fit filters were analyzed for their performance in being able to remove the background cardiac motion and isolate the radiation force induced tissue response. Clinical data was acquired on 4 subjects and analyzed for repeatability of diastolic vs. systolic displacements. A high pass filter with a cutoff of 100 Hz and a 2nd order polynomial fit filter were found to be equally effective in suppressing intrinsic motion. Diastolic-to-systolic displacement ratios measured in the interventricular septum ranged from 1.3 to 2.2 across subjects but were found to be fairly consistent between the parasternal long axis and the parasternal short axis views for each subject.
Symposium review: International symposium on the implications of salmonid growth variation

In Aberdeen, Scotland, in July 2000, aninternational symposium was held to presentresearch concerning the consequences of growthvariation for the ecology, evolution, andmanagement of salmonid fish. Presentationscovered important topics including linksbetween growth and mortality, interactionsbetween growth and life history, tradeoffsbetween growth and other fitness aspects, andevolutionary implications of growth variation. In addition, the symposium served as a showcaseof new approaches and technologies in salmonidresearch. In this review, I provide anoverview of the presentations, and summarizesome of the major emergent themes of thesymposium.
Computational prediction of electrical and thermal conductivities of disklike particulate composites

The effective conductivities are determined for randomly oriented disklike particles using an efficient computational algorithm based on the finite element method. The pairwise intersection criteria of disks are developed using a set of vector operations. An element partition scheme has been implemented to connect the elements on different disks across the lines of intersection. The computed conductivity is expressed as a function of the disk density and size. It is further expressed in a power-law form with the key parameters determined from curve fitting. The particle number and the trial number of simulations vary with the disk size to minimize the computational effort in search of the percolation paths. The estimated percolation threshold agrees very well with the result reported in the literature. It has been confirmed that the statistical invariant for percolation is a cubic function of the characteristic size, and that the definition of percolation threshold is consistent with that of the equivalent system containing spherical particles. Binary dispersions of disks of different radii have also been investigated to study the effect of the size distribution. The approximate solutions in the power-law function have potential applications in advanced composites with embedded graphene nanoplatelets (GNPs).
Cation Exchange in Small ZnS and CdS Molecular Analogues.

The simplest means of altering the chemistry and electronic structure of any material, from molecular clusters to single crystals, is by the introduction of chemical impurities. We present a systematic study of the cation exchange reaction involving Co2+ ions with metal benzenethiolate clusters, [M4(SPh)10]2– (M = Zn, Cd), yielding diluted magnetic clusters having the general formula [(M1–xCox)4(SPh)10]2–. This method allows high concentrations of doping at the molecular level without forming concentrated magnetic clusters such as [Co4(SPh)10]2–. Changes in the electronic structure of the molecular species containing on average <1 Co2+ per cluster were observed and characterized by a variety of analytical (high-resolution electrospray mass spectrometry) and spectroscopic techniques (electronic absorption including stopped-flow kinetics, luminescence, and paramagnetic 1H NMR). The mass spectrometry results strongly suggest that the cation exchange reaction with Co2+ is thermodynamically favored for the [Zn...
Mucosal Surfaces: Immunological Protection

The mucosal surfaces of the body are protected against pathogens and other environmental antigens by the mucosal immune system. This is functionally separate from the circulatory immune system, and represents by far the largest part of the entire immune system. Components include innate and adaptive immune cells and molecules. Specific T and B cells induced by antigens in the major immune inductive sites located in the gastrointestinal and upper respiratory tract are programmed to relocate in remote mucosal effector sites where secretory IgA antibodies and effector T cells are generated. Regulatory mechanisms including regulatory T cells and cytokines maintain a hypo-responsive, non-inflammatory state that prevents over-reaction to the large mass of antigenic material consisting of food and other environmental antigens as well as the commensal microbiota. However, the mucosal immune system can respond vigorously with localised and disseminated responses when stimulated by aggressive pathogens. Key Concepts The mucosal immune system protects the large surface areas of the oro-gastrointestinal, respiratory and genital tracts, the conjunctivae, their associated glands and the mammary glands. The mucosal immune system discriminates between pathogens that elicit a vigorous response, commensals that are regulated but not eliminated and harmless antigens such as food components that are tolerated. Innate components of mucosal immunity include physicochemical barriers such as mucus and low pH, and an array of antimicrobial molecules and cells that defend the mucosae against pathogenic attack and initiate recognition by the adaptive immune system. Adaptive components of mucosal immunity include locally produced secretory IgA antibodies, and both effector and regulatory T cells. Mucosal immune inductive sites such as intestinal Peyer's patches and other mucosa-associated lymphoid tissues take up luminal antigens and disseminate induced, antigen-specific T and B cells to remote effector sites in the ‘common’ mucosal immune system. Dendritic cells and other antigen-presenting cells are located within the mucosal immune inductive sites and in the lamina propria underlying the epithelium. Mucosal trafficking of antigen-induced T and B cells is determined by a set of vascular addressins, mucosal chemokines and receptors imprinted on lymphocytes during their induction. Mucosal epithelial cells have an integral role in antigen recognition and uptake, interaction with the cells of the immune system and delivery of the cells and molecules involved in immune defence. Innate defence cells including mast cells, macrophages, neutrophils and eosinophils are recruited to the mucosae, and display phenotypic profiles distinct from equivalent cells in systemic locations or the circulation. Keywords: mucosal immunology; common mucosal immune system; tolerance; regulatory T cells; TH1/TH2/TH17
A probabilistic optimization model for allocating freeway sensors

Abstract This paper proposes a sensor location model to identify a sensor configuration that minimizes overall freeway performance monitoring errors while considering the consequences of probabilistic sensor failures. To date, existing sensor location models for freeway monitoring inherently assume that either deployed sensors never fail or the consequences of sensor failure are trivial matters. However, history has revealed that neither assumption is realistic, suggesting that ignoring failures in sensor allocation models may actually produce a significantly suboptimal configuration in the real world. Our work addresses this dilemma by developing a probabilistic optimization model that will minimize the error expectation by examining all possible failure scenarios, each with an occurrence probability. To ensure the scenario completeness and uniqueness, a sensor failure scenario is represented by using a binary string with 1 indicating an operational sensor at a given site and 0 for sensor failure or no sensor deployed. When applied to a case study network, it is shown that an optimal configuration that considers sensor failure is significantly different from an optimal configuration that ignores sensor failure, revealing that sensor failures pose non-trivial consequences on performance monitoring accuracy.
Sterically Crowded Anionic Polyelectrolytes with Tunable Charge Densities Based on Stilbene-Containing Copolymers

Anionic polyelectrolytes with various charge densities and a well-defined chain architecture have great industrial and fundamental importance. In this article, we describe the synthesis and characterization of new sterically crowded conformationally constrained anionic polyelectrolytes with tunable charge densities based on highly functionalized stilbene-maleic anhydride/maleimide comonomers. Polyelectrolyte precursors with tert-butyl carboxylate protecting groups are first prepared by radical polymerization and readily characterized by 1H NMR, SEC, TGA, and DSC without the complications normally arising with charged macromolecules. The precursors are converted into their corresponding deblocked forms by simply reacting with trifluoroacetic acid to deprotect the tert-butyl group and then neutralized in basic aqueous solutions to yield anionic polyelectrolytes.