cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Novel Use of C7 Spinal Nerve for Moebius

Background: The purpose of this study was to introduce the use of selective ipsilateral C7 spinal nerve transfer to the armamentarium of the dynamic procedures used for facial reanimation in Moebius patients. Methods: Between 1991 and 2007, the selective ipsilateral C7 technique was used in four patients. In three patients with bilateral paralysis, both C7 spinal nerves were utilized as nerve donors. Thus, evaluation of outcomes was carried out in seven hemifaces. Results: Short-term paresthesia on the index pulp of the donor upper extremity was observed in four limbs, which recovered spontaneously. Motor deficits were never noticed. Neurotization of the free-muscle transfer for smile was performed in five hemifaces, with good results in three hemifaces (p < 0.01, z = 2.61). Eye closure neurotization was made in six hemifaces, with good results in four hemifaces (p < 0.01, z = 2.88). Depressor neurotization was made in one case and resulted in improved depressor complex function. In two cases of free muscle transfer for masseter substitution, electromyographic interpretations revealed full motor activity after bilateral latissimus dorsi transfer. Tongue neurotization was performed in two instances. Postoperatively, the patients' speech intelligibility improved as well as tongue motility and bulk. Conclusion: The use of the C7 as a motor donor in Moebius cases with multicranial nerve involvement supplies the typical mask-like face with an abundance of motor fibers for facial reanimation and, if there is a coexisting twelfth nerve palsy, for speech restoration.
Is the progression free survival advantage of concurrent gemcitabine plus cisplatin and radiation followed by adjuvant gemcitabine and cisplatin in patients with advanced cervical cancer worth the additional cost? A cost-effectiveness analysis

Abstract Objective The objective of this study is to determine whether concurrent and adjuvant chemoradiation with gemcitabine/cisplatin is cost-effective in patients with stage IIB to IVA cervical cancer. Methods A cost-effectiveness model compared two arms of the trial performed by Duenas-Gonzalez et al. [1]: concurrent and adjuvant chemoradiation with gemcitabine/cisplatin (RT/GC+GC) versus concurrent radiation with cisplatin (RT/C). Major adverse events (AEs) and progression free survival (PFS) rates of each arm were incorporated in the model. AEs were defined as any hospitalization including grade 4 anemia, grade 4 neutropenia, and death. Medicare data and literature review were used to estimate costs. Incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICERs) per progression-free life-year saved (PF-LYS) were calculated. Sensitivity analyses were performed for pertinent uncertainties. Results For 10,000 women with locally advanced cervical cancer, the cost of therapy and AEs was $173.9million (M) for RT/C versus $259.8M for RT/GC+GC. There were 879 additional 3-year progression-free survivors in the RT/GC+GC arm. The ICER for RT/GC+GC was $97,799 per PF-LYS. When the rate of hospitalization was equalized to 4.3%, the ICER for RT/GC+GC exceeded $80,000. The resultant ICER when increasing PFS in the RT/GC+GC arm by 5% was $62,605 per PF-LYS. When the cost of chemotherapy was decreased by 50%, the ICER was below $50,000 at $41,774 per PF-LYS. Conclusions Radiation and gemcitabine/cisplatin for patients with stage IIB to IVA cervical cancer are not cost-effective. The increased financial burden of radiation with gemcitabine/cisplatin and associated toxicities appears to outweigh the benefit of increased 3-year PFS and is primarily dependent on chemotherapy drug costs.
Irregular virtual optical phased array

The concept of irregular virtual phased-array overcomes some fundamental and practical obstacles in developing an optical phased-array with large scanning angle. In the irregular phased-array, array elements assume random positions; thus, an irregular phased-array can always produce only one beam, with no extra grating lobe, regardless the (average) center-to- center spacing between elements. Therefore, large size phase- modulator and large spacing can be used, which enhances the performance and simplify the structure of the phase-array. A virtual array is generated by an array of lenses that is coupled with an array of the phase-modulators such that the virtual array become the effective representation of the phased-array, and the physical size, shape and positions of the phase-modulators and lenses are no longer directly relevant. Thereby, the array of the phase-modulators and the array of the lenses can all be regular array, and only the virtual array needs to be an irregular array, which makes the structure of an irregular phased-array very simple. An irregular sub-array technique is also applied for further simplification. Computer simulation results are reported to illustrate some characteristics of the irregular phased-array.
Large-block transactions, the speed of response, and temporary and permanent stock-price effects

Abstract The paper investigates how quickly prices attain new equilibrium levels after large-block transactions, and measures the associated temporary and permanent price effects. We find that prices adjust within at most three trades, with most of the adjustment occurring in the first trade. The temporary price effect for seller-initiated transactions is related to block size, but the temporary price effect observed for buyer-initiated transactions is no larger than that observed in 100 share trades. Most of the price effect associated with block trades is permanent and is related to block size, regardless of the initiating party.
Characterization of Lane Departure Crashes Using Event Data Recorders Extracted from Real-World Collisions

Lane Departure Warning (LDW) is a production active safety system that can warn drivers of an unintended departure. Critical in the design of LDW and other departure countermeasures is understanding pre-crash driver behavior in crashes. The objective of this study was to gain insight into pre-crash driver behavior in departure crashes using Event Data Recorders (EDRs). EDRs are units equipped on many passenger vehicles that are able to store vehicle data, including pre-crash data in many cases. This study used 256 EDRs that were downloaded from GM vehicles involved in real-world lane departure collisions. The crashes were investigated as part of the NHTSA's NASS/CDS database years 2000 to 2011. Nearly half of drivers (47%) made little or no change to their vehicle speed prior to the collision and slightly fewer decreased their speed (43%). Drivers who did not change speed were older (median age 41) compared to those who decreased speed (median age 27). Drivers in lane departure crashes were traveling above the posted speed limit in 65% of cases. Almost half (49%) of drivers did not apply the brakes during the pre-crash record, suggesting that drivers may be steering more often than braking to avoid crashes. The newest advanced EDRs record steering wheel angle in addition to the data collected by older EDRs most common in the current fleet. We also present a case study using advanced EDR data to simulate the vehicle's trajectory. This method could be invaluable in benefits estimates of safety systems. Language: en
Large‐scale edge waves generated by hurricane landfall

[1] Direct observations of the storm surge induced by Hurricane Wilma's landfall revealed a formation of a wave pulse propagating alongshore. The height of the wave pulse exceeded 1.5 m in the detided sea level. The duration of this wave pulse was ∼6 h and the propagation speed was of O(10) m s−1. This wave has been identified as an edge wave of large spatial and temporal scales. A set of numerical experiments has been conducted to delineate a generation of edge waves with large spatial and temporal scales by a fast-moving storm system. The model of the coastal ocean was set in a two-dimensional configuration with the continental shelf and slope topography reminiscent of the West Florida shelf. A moving cyclonic system in the gradient wind balance was prescribed analytically. In order to identify a long wave response in the model, a linear boundary problem was solved, yielding dispersion characteristics and a structure of the edge wave modes. A fast-moving storm system crossing the shelf at a right angle produces a nearly symmetrical response of two edge wave trains propagating both downstream (in the direction of a Kelvin wave) and upstream. Typically, zero-mode edge waves dominate the response. As the translation speed of the storm becomes lower, its Eulerian timescale becomes longer and the waves are more affected by the Earth's rotation. In that case, the wave energy propagates predominantly downstream. When the storm trajectory deviates from the normal approach, the edge wave response is not symmetric: most of the energy propagates in the direction of the alongshore component of the storm translation velocity.
Responses to chemical stimuli of prey in newly hatched snakes of the genus Elaphe

Abstract Naive, isolated, newly hatched Elaphe vulpina vulpina, tested on a variety of animal surface extracts, demonstrated a tongue-flick response rate significantly higher only to newborn mouse extract (representing a common prey class) than to a distilled water control. A second experiment with Elaphe guttata guttata concentrating on the comparison of mouse extract and distilled water accounted for the effect of novel stimulation and revealed a significant, stable difference between extract and control. A preliminary experiment with air-borne odours resulted in a clear instance of predatory behaviour, including constriction, in the presence of mouse odour. The results indicate that newborn Elaphe can differentiate potential prey on the basis of chemical cues alone.
Current therapy, present limitations and future goals for systemic hypertension.

Abstract During the past 2 decades, encouraging strides have been made in the recognition and treatment of patients with high blood pressure and in the development of antihypertensive therapy. Concerns surrounding the control of hypertension, however, continue to emerge. As many as two-thirds of hypertensive patients in the US remain inadequately controlled. Although overall cardiovascular mortality has declined since the mid-1960s, a significant impact of antihypertensive therapy on coronary artery disease morbidity and mortality has not been conclusively demonstrated. Unfavorable metabolic effects associated with traditional step-care antihypertensive therapy with diuretics and β blockers are increasingly implicated for failure to demonstrate a decrease in coronary artery disease. The availability of newer efficacious antihypertensive therapy that does not adversely affect metabolic parameters is resulting in a reappraisal of traditional step-care. Of particular interest are the calcium channel blockers, because they are efficacious, well tolerated and offer favorable metabolic and hemodynamic profiles. Nitrendipine is a new long-acting member of the 1,4 dihydropyridine class of calcium channel blockers that has shown encouraging results for treatment of hypertension.
The Wild Orchids of California

Profusely illustrated with 129 detailed color photographs, this field guide covers the 32 species of orchids that grow wild in California. Coleman's species accounts describe the plants and flowers as well as their habitats, distribution, pollinators, and blooming season. Distribution maps document
Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS): Modifiable Risk Factor Practices in Organized Child Care in Chicago, IL 689

Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS): Modifiable Risk Factor Practices in Organized Child Care in Chicago, IL 689
A viscous vortex particle method for deforming bodies with application to biolocomotion

Bio-inspired mechanics of locomotion generally consist of the interaction of flexible structures with the surrounding fluid to generate propulsive forces. In this work, we extend, for the first time, the viscous vortex particle method (VVPM) to continuously deforming two-dimensional bodies. The VVPM is a high-fidelity Navier-Stokes computational method that captures the fluid motion through evolution of vorticity-bearing computational particles. The kinematics of the deforming body surface are accounted for via a surface integral in the Biot-Savart velocity. The spurious slip velocity in each time step is removed by computing an equivalent vortex sheet and allowing it to flux to adjacent particles; hence, no-slip boundary conditions are enforced. Particles of both uniform and variable size are utilized, and their relative merits are considered. The placement of this method in the larger class of immersed boundary methods is explored. Validation of the method is carried out on the problem of a periodically deforming circular cylinder immersed in a stagnant fluid, for which an analytical solution exists when the deformations are small. We show that the computed vorticity and velocity of this motion are both in excellent agreement with the analytical solution. Finally, we explore the fluid dynamics of a simple fish-like shape undergoing undulatory motion when immersed in a uniform free stream, to demonstrate the application of the method to investigations of biomorphic locomotion.
Real time monitoring of the shape evolution of branched gold nanostructure

In this Letter, we report synthesis protocol for the creation of multi shaped nanocrystals based on a seeded-growth approach. We report real time monitoring of the shape evaluation during synthesis for understanding the growth mechanisms. Our results show that by varying the concentration of cetyltrimethylammonium bromide, one can control the shape of branched gold nanomaterials. Growth mechanisms on how the shape control works for gold anisotropic nanocrystals have been discussed.
Concurrent performance of military and robotics tasks and effects of cueing in a simulated multi-tasking environment

We simulated a military mounted crewstation environment and conducted two experiments to examine the workload and performance of the combined position of gunner and robotics operator. The robotics tasks involved managing a semi-autonomous ground robot or teleoperating a ground robot to conduct reconnaissance tasks. We also evaluated whether aided target recognition (AiTR) capabilities (delivered either through tactile or tactile + visual cueing) for the gunnery task might benefit the concurrent robotics and communication tasks. Results showed that participants' gunnery task performance degraded significantly when they had to concurrently monitor, manage, or teleoperate an unmanned ground vehicle compared to the gunnery-single task condition. When there was AiTR to assist them with their gunnery task, operators' concurrent performance of robotics and communication tasks improved significantly. However, there was a tendency for participants to over-rely on automation when task load was heavy, and performance degradations were observed in instances where automation failed to be entirely reliable. Participants' spatial ability was found to be a reliable predictor of robotics task performance, although the performance gap between those with higher and lower spatial ability appeared to be narrower when the AiTR was available to assist the gunnery task. Participants' perceived workload increased consistently as the concurrent task conditions became more challenging and when their gunnery task was unassisted. Individual difference factors such as spatial ability and perceived attentional control were found to correlate significantly with some of the performance measures. Implications for military personnel selection were discussed.
Ascension Health’s Demonstration Of Full Disclosure Protocol For Unexpected Events During Labor And Delivery Shows Promise

Communicating openly and honestly with patients and families about unexpected medical events—a policy known as full disclosure—improves outcomes for patients and providers. Although many certification and licensing organizations have declared full disclosure to be imperative, the adoption of and adherence to a full disclosure protocol is not common practice in most clinical settings. We conducted a case study of Ascension Health’s implementation of a full disclosure protocol at five labor and delivery demonstration sites. Twenty-seven months after implementation, the rate of full disclosure had increased by 221 percent. Practitioners saw insurers’ acceptance of the full disclosure protocol, consistent and ongoing leadership by local practitioners and hospitals, the establishment of a well-trained local investigation and disclosure team, and disclosure training for practitioners as key catalysts for change. Lessons learned from this multisite initiative can inform liability insurers and guide providers who...
Quantum dots for high powers and efficiencies

Laser diodes based on planar quantum wells produce power conversion efficiencies that tend to saturate at room temperature at ∼ 70%. These planar quantum well laser diodes have been heavily researched and developed and the power conversion efficiencies appear close to the material limits for optimized devices. The power conversion efficiency can be treated as a product of separate efficiencies based on drive voltage, injection efficiency, threshold loss, and internal optical absorption. In fact though these separate efficiencies are interdependent and fundamentally limited by the threshold current density. Electron-hole charge must be injected into the active material to reach threshold gain, which in turn establishes waveguide loss due to free carrier absorption, and voltage loss due to electron and hole mobilities transporting through the cladding layers and waveguide regions.
Knowledge discovery for characterizing team success or failure in (A)RTS games

When doing post-competition analysis in team games, it can be hard to figure out if a team members' character attribute development has been successful directly from game logs. Additionally, it can also be hard to figure out how the performance of one team member affects the performance of another. In this paper, we present a data-driven method for automatically discovering patterns in successful team members' character attribute development in team games. We first represent team members' character attribute development using time series of informative attributes. We then find the thresholds to separate fast and slow attribute growth rates using clustering and linear regression. We create a set of categorical attribute growth rates by comparing against the thresholds. If the growth rate is greater than the threshold it is categorized as fast growth rate; if the growth rate is less than the threshold it is categorized as slow growth rate. After obtaining the set of categorical attribute growth rates, we build a decision tree on the set. Finally, we characterize the patterns of team success in terms of rules which describe team members' character attribute growth rates. We present an evaluation of our methodology on three real games: DotA,1 Warcraft III,2 and Starcraft II.3 A standard machine-learning-style evaluation of the experimental results shows the discovered patterns are highly related to successful team strategies and achieve an average 86% prediction accuracy when testing on new game logs.
Do picture archiving and communication systems improve report turnaround times

Radiology departments are beginning to embrace new technologies to decrease operating budgets and improve services. One of these technologies is the picture archiving and communication system (PACS). PACS, through immediate availability of images to the radiologist, promises to decrease turnaround times of reports to the clinician. The purpose of this study was to determine if this technology actually decreases the time for referring clinicians to receive reports generated by the radiologist. The time to provide a preliminary report by a resident and time to finalize this report by a board-certified radiologist was retrospectively obtained for 6,022 abdominal and pelvic computed tomography (CT) scans over two 1-year periods from March 1, 1997 to March 1, 1998 and from March 1, 1998 to March 1, 1999. During the first year, interpretation was conducted using hard-copy film and during the second using PACS. In both 1-year periods, Med-Speak voice recognition software (IBM, White Plains, NY) was employed for dictation. The average time for a preliminary report for a abdominal and pelvic CT, dictated by a resident or fellow, to be available in alphanumeric form on the hospital information system using hard-copy film was 3.73 days. The installation of a PACS system decreased this turnaround time to 0.56 days, representing an 85.0% improvement. The time to availability of final reports, ie, signed by board-certified staff radiologists, was 5.49 days in the hard-copy interpretation subset and 5.97 days in the PACS subset. The addition of PACS into an academic gastrointestinal radiology division improves availability of alphanumeric preliminary reports of abdominal and pelvic CTs on the hospital information system (HIS), dictated by a resident or fellow, by 85.0%. There was no impact with a PACS on the time to final sign reports by a staff board certified radiologist as signing patterns remained relatively constant over the two interpretation formats.
Anorectal malignant melanoma: report of a case.

A 74-year-old woman presented with anal bleeding and a protuberant mass. A biopsy of the mass revealed the proliferation of spindle-shaped cells with melanin pigments, and an abdominoperineal resection was performed, the histology of which confirmed malignant melanoma. Surgery was absolutely noncurative because massive metastases were encountered in the pelvic and paraaortic lymph nodes. However, postoperative chemotherapy, composed of dacarbazine (DTIC), vincristine (VCR), and nimustine hydrochloride (ACNU), achieved satisfactory results. The patient has been well without any evidence of recurrence for more than 3 years.
Petrarch and the Decoration of the Sala Virorum Illustrium in Padua

PETRARCH and the Arts is a topic which has often claimed the attention of scholars interested in the history of ideas current during the early Italian Renaissance.1 For throughout his life Petrarch took a great personal interest in the art of his own time, as well as in that of the classical era; he owned works of Giotto and Simone Martini and he concerned himself on many occasions with the archaeological and other remains of Roman antiquity. That the greatest poet then living in Italy distinguished himself also as a connoisseur and collector must have helped the “new” art considerably and increased the critical regard for it of the people of his generation. It is noteworthy that Petrarch remained faithful to his original love although, after the middle of the fourteenth century, there developed among his younger contemporaries “a certain kind of adverse criticism of the work of Giotto and his followers.?”2 Of Petrarch's “fervent, yet systematic and scientific labors devoted to antiquity,” it has justly b...
Engineering Perspective of the Collapse of WTC-I

The writers report on a simulation study of the performance of the North Tower (WTC-I) of the World Trade Center complex during the impact of American Airlines Flight 11 on September 11, 2001. We discuss impact damage that the structural core might have sustained and its possible behavior under structural and thermal loading. Our simulations indicate that the worst damage to the core structure was in stories 95 through 97 of the tower. We estimate that a core collapse mechanism could be initiated if the tower core column temperatures were elevated to about 700°C.
Design and Flight Testing of an H00 Controller for a Robotic Helicopter

Although robotic helicopters have received increasing interest from university, industry, and military research groups, their flight envelope in autonomous operations remains extremely limited. The absence of high-fidelity simulation models has prevented the use of well-established multivariable control techniques for the design of high-bandwidth control systems. Existing controllers are of low bandwidth and cover only small portions of the vehicle's flight envelope. The results of the synergic use of high-fidelity integrated modeling strategies and robust multivariable control techniques for the rapid and reliable design of a high-bandwidth controller for robotic helicopters are presented. The project implemented and flight tested an H ∞ loop shaping controller on the Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) Yamaha R-50 robotic helicopter. During the flight tests, the CMU R-50 flew moderate-speed coordinated maneuvers with a level of tracking performance that exceeds performance reported in the publicly available literature. The authors believe that the results open the road to the implementation on robotic helicopters of full-flight-envelope control systems for complex autonomous missions.
The Use of Red and Automatic Attention Capture in Visual Search

In many cultures, the color “red” is commonly associated with danger and has an established symbolic meaning that does not require explanation (i.e., a population stereotype). Because of the frequent mapping of red with situations requiring immediate attention, the proposed study employs a visual search task to examine whether the color red possesses automatic or involuntary attention-capturing qualities that other colors (e.g., blue) do not possess. Participants will search for red or blue targets in the presence of green distractors, and green targets in the presence of red or blue distractors. Also, participants will be cued in advance for the likely location of the target. If the frequent association of red with danger/warning makes the response to red an automatic or involuntary process, then search for green targets among red distractors will lead to the slowest response times despite the fact that target location is cued.
Electron drift and attachment in CHF3 and its mixtures with argon

Abstract Measurements are reported of the electron drift velocity, w , in CHF 3 gas and in its mixtures with argon. The E / N dependence of w in the mixtures exhibits regions of distinct negative differential conductivity. A small electron attachment rate constant (∼13×10 −14 cm 3 s −1 for density-reduced electric fields, E / N −17 V cm 2 ) has been measured, which may be due to impurities.
Use of glycosaminoglycans in the treatment of interstitial cystitis: a strategy to improve efficacy

Abstract Interstitial cystitis (IC) is a chronic and incurable disease with symptoms including urinary urgency, frequency, nocturia and bladder pain. A recent survey estimated between 130,000 and 170,000 cases of the disease in the United States. The most popular etiological theory on interstitial cystitis is that the glycocalyx of the bladder epithelium is deficient. Accordingly, some of the current treatments are aimed at replacing the missing glycoconjugates by the intravesical administration of heparin, hyaluronic acid, or pentosan polysulfate (PPS) (Elmiron). It is presumed that these anionic polysaccharides act by replacing the missing coat of endogenous glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) on the epithelium. However, biotinylated pentosan polysulfate and heparin showed either no or weak binding to paraffin sections of rabbit and human bladder. The binding of radiolabeled heparin and pentosan sulfate to fresh rabbit bladders was also negligible. In contrast, mucins showed strong staining of the epithelium, indicative of lectin-mediated interactions. In other studies, the binding of biotinylated neoglycoconjugates demonstrated the presence of galactose- and N-acetylglucosamine-binding lectins in bladder epithelium. The presence of galectin-3 and galectin-4 in bladder mucosa was confirmed by molecular biological techniques. Based on these findings, heparin and pentosan polysulfate were modified with galectin-specific saccharide ligands in order to improve their binding to the endogenous lectins in the bladder.
Hydrodynamics of Large Objects in the Sea Part II: Motion of Free-Floating Bodies

A numerical scheme was developed in Part I utilizing digital computer calculations to determine wave excitation forces as well as added mass and damping coefficients for large objects in the sea. The analysis was carried out within the framework of linear theory for bodies of arbitrary shape, either submerged or semisubmerged, in water of finite depth. In this Part II, an analysis is presented for the motion of large free-floating bodies. The results obtained by methods of Part I are utilized in conjunction with the equations of motion of the floating body to determine the response induced by wave excitation. Numerical results are presented for the response of a sphere and a short, vertical, circular cylinder floating in water of finite depth.
Plantation forestry in Brazil: the potential impacts of climatic change

Abstract Most climatic changes predicted to occur in Brazil would reduce yields of silvicultural plantations, mainly through increased frequency and severity of droughts brought on by global warming and by reduction of water vapor sources in Amazonia caused by deforestation. Some additional negative effects could result from changes in temperature, and positive effects could result from CO2 enrichment. The net effects would be negative, forcing the country to expand plantations onto less-productive land, requiring increased plantation area (and consequent economic losses) out of proportion to the climatic change itself. These impacts would affect carbon sequestration and storage consequences of any plans for subsidizing silviculture as a global warming mitigation option. Climate change can be expected to increase the area of plantations needed to supply projected internal demand for and exports of end products from Brazil. June–July–August (dry season) precipitation reductions indicated by simulations reported by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) correspond to rainfall declines in this critical season of approximately 34% in Amazonia, 39% in Southern Brazil and 61% in the Northeast. As an example, if rainfall in Brazilian plantation areas (most of which are now in Southern Brazil) were to decline by 50%, the area needed in 2050 would expand by an estimated 38% over the constant climate case, bringing the total plantation area to 4.5 times the 1991 area. These large areas of additional plantations imply substantial social and environmental impacts. Further addition of plantation area as a global warming response option would augment these impacts, indicating the need for caution in evaluating carbon sequestration proposals.
Thermodynamic and kinetic considerations of Q-cycle mechanisms and the oxidant-induced reduction of cytochromes b.

In coenzyme Q-cycles, it is proposed that one electron from the quinol reduces the Rieske iron sulfur center (E m∼280 mV) and the remaining electron on the semiquinone reduces cytochromeb T (E m∼−60 mV). TheE mfor the two-electron oxidation of the quinol is ∼60 mV and therefore the reduction of cytochromeb T by quinol is not favorable. As the stability constant for the dismutation of the semiquinone decreases, the calculatedE mfor the Q/QH• couple is lowered to values below theE mof cytochromeb T. Contemporary coenzyme Q-cycles are based on the belief that the lower value for theE mof the Q/QH• couple compared to theE mfor cytochromeb T means that the semiquinone is a spontaneous reducing agent for theb-cytochrome. The analysis in the paper shows that this is not necessarily so and that neither binding sites nor ionization of the semiquinoneper se alters this situation. For a Q-cycle mechanism to function,ad hoc provisions must be made to drive the otherwise unfavorable reduction of cytochromeb T by the semiquinone or for the simultaneous transfer of both electrons to cytochromeb T and cytochromec 1 (or the iron sulfur protein). Q-cycle mechanisms with these additional provisions can explain the observation thus far accumulated. A linear path which is functionally altered by conformational changes may also explain the data.
Endogenous biotin as a marker of adrenocortical cells with steroidogenic potential

Abstract Interpretation of adrenal cortex phenotypes is greatly facilitated by simultaneous examination of multiple markers at single cell resolution. However, the availability of multiple appropriate antibodies can be rate limiting, while their cognate antigens are often subject to variable accessibility. Specific markers not subject to these constraints thus have obvious utility. Here we report that endogenous biotin, when detected in fixed, frozen tissue sections using fluorescent streptavidin, is a specific marker of apparently all cells with steroidogenic potential in the murine adrenal cortex. While streptavidin stains presteroidogenic and mature cortical cells, it does not label the adrenal capsule, medulla or vascular endothelium. Developmental profiles reveal adrenal endogenous biotin labeling from E13.5 through adulthood. Comparisons with zonal markers, hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis-remodeled tissue, transgenic Shh-nLacZ or Gli1-nLacZ animals, and Shh mutant embryos further demonstrate the utility of this approach. Fluorescent streptavidin applied using a simple one-step staining protocol thus provides a potent counterstain for use in adrenal analyses.
Why Production Function Analysis is Irrelevant in Policy Deliberations Concerning Educational Funding Equity

Hanushek and Walberg use production function methodology to contend that there is no relationship between school expenditures and student achievement. Production function methodology uses correlational methods to demonstrate relationships between input and output in an economic system. These correlational methods may serve to hide rather than reveal these relationships. In this paper threats to the validity of these correlational methods for analysis of expenditure-achievement data are discussed and an alternative method of investigation is proposed. The proposed method is illustrated using data from two states (Ohio and Missouri). The method demonstrates relationships between expenditures and achievement that were overlooked by the production function method.
A quantitative study of the anatomy and distribution of coronary arteries in swine in comparison with other animals and man

The coronary circulation of swine was studied to establish adequate baseline information for using swine in cardiovascular research. Of 65 hearts from domestic and miniature pigs, 45 were injected with a methacrylate plastic and prepared as coronary artery casts whose branches were described and measured, and 20 were injected with different coloured dyes in the right, left anterior descending, and circumflex coronary arteries so that horizontal sections of the heart showed the distribution of each artery and the source of blood supply to particular areas or structures of the heart. Like man, the swine had a left coronary artery that was larger in diameter and longer than the right coronary artery. The right coronary artery was almost always dominant (78%), supplying the posterior septum and atrioventricular node via the posterior descending coronary artery. Eight (17%) of the hearts possessed a balanced blood supply. Two (5%) hearts had a left dominant supply. The intracoronary artery dye injections showed that 72.4% of the right ventricular mass was supplied by the right coronary artery and 27.6% by the left anterior descending coronary artery. In the left ventricle 49% of the mass was supplied by the left anterior descending coronary artery, 25.5% by the right coronary artery, and 25.5% by the circumflex coronary artery. The left anterior descending coronary artery supplied 58% of the interventricular septal mass, while the posterior descending coronary artery supplied 42%. The distribution of the left anterior descending coronary artery branches to the ventricular wall varied inversely in number and size of its diagonal branches (2-9) with the obtuse marginal branches of the circumflex coronary artery which were occasionally more numerous or extended to the apex. The blood supply to the sinoatrial node was always by a branch of the right coronary artery. This analysis shows that not only the coronary anatomy but also the distribution of blood supply to particular areas or structures of the swine heart are very similar to that of humans.
Hormonal control of fat cells adenylate cyclase.

Fat cells were preincubated for 2 h in the presence and absence of growth hormone (GH) and Dexamethasone (Dex) before the addition of increasing concentrations of either epinephrine, theophylline or glucagon and final incubation of the cells for an additional 5 minutes. GH and Dex increased by 85%, 28% and 72%, respectively, the cAMP levels reached in the sole presence of 10−5m epinephrine, 10−2m theophylline or 5 × 10−5m glucagon. An adenylate cyclase particulate preparation shows that epinephrine decreases Km from 2mm to 0.6mm and increases Vmax and the strength of interaction value (n) from 0.91 to 1.75.
Magnetic field line curvature induced pitch angle diffusion in the inner magnetosphere

[1] We study magnetic field line curvature (FLC) pitch angle scattering as a detrapping mechanism in the inner magnetosphere. In this region, changes in pitch angle from individual scattering events are usually small which allows us to use the diffusion approximation. Previous studies that have used the diffusion approximation simply calculated rough decay rates which were based either on inverse diffusion coefficients or the strong diffusion limit. Here we calculate FLC diffusion coefficients for a dipole field and use eigenfunction analysis to model the long-term behavior of particle distributions in a quiet time inner magnetosphere. The resulting pitch angle distributions are given and their decay periods are used to explore energy thresholds. Our calculations predict that the long-term pitch angle distributions are sharply peaked near 90° when the adiabaticity parameter e ≲ 1/3, but they broaden as e increases. This dependence is consistent with the expectation that at large e the pitch angle distribution will become isotropic. Because the change in pitch angle for individual particles depends strongly on e, a threshold in e is often used to demarcate the onset of nonadiabatic single particle motion. Although the distribution decay rates calculated here are also strongly dependent on e, we find that a realistic description of the division between static and diffusive regimes must account for the local bounce frequency.
Item Difficulty and Item Validity for the Children's Group Embedded Figures Test

The validity and reliability of the Children's Group Embedded Figures Test was reported for students in Grade 2 by Cromack and Stone in 1980; however, a search of the literature indicates no evidence for internal consistency or item analysis. Hence the purpose of this study was to examine the item difficulty and item validity of the test with children in Grades 1 and 2. Confusion in the literature over development and use of this test was seemingly resolved through analysis of these descriptions and through an interview with the test developer. One early-appearing item was unreasonably difficult. Two or three other items were quite difficult and made little contribution to the total score. Caution is recommended, however, in any reordering or elimination of items based on these findings, given the limited number of subjects (n = 84).
Prevalence of Guideline-Directed Medical Therapy Among Patients Receiving Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy Defibrillator Implantation in the National Cardiovascular Data Registry During the Years 2006 to 2008

Cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) reduces morbidity and mortality among selected patients with left ventricular systolic dysfunction and severe heart failure symptoms despite guideline-directed medical therapy (GDMT). Contemporaneous guidelines provided clear recommendations regarding selection of patients for CRT, including that all patients should first receive GDMT with β blockers and renin-angiotensin axis antagonists. Prevalence of GDMT among real-world patients receiving CRT defibrillators (CRT-D) has not been well studied. We identified 45,392 patients in the National Cardiovascular Data Registry Implantable Cardioverter-Defibrillator Registry who underwent first CRT-D implantation for primary prevention of sudden death from January 2006 to June 2008. We calculated the proportion of patients with contemporaneous class I guideline indications for CRT-D, the proportion receiving GDMT for heart failure, and the proportion receiving GDMT who had class I guideline indications for CRT-D. Among patients without contraindications, 87% were prescribed β blockers, 78% an angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor or an angiotensin II receptor inhibitor, and 70% both a β blocker and an angiotensin-converting enzyme or angiotensin II receptor inhibitor at discharge. Finally, 50% of patients met class I guideline indications and were prescribed GDMT at discharge; 9% neither met class I indications nor were prescribed GDMT at discharge. The major limitation of this study is the lack of dosage information in the Implantable Cardioverter-Defibrillator Registry and lack of prescribing information at times other than discharge. In conclusion, many patients receiving CRT-D are not receiving GDMT at discharge. Ensuring that all patients receiving CRT-D are also receiving GDMT appears to be a quality improvement target.
A prealigned process of integrating optical waveguides with microfluidic devices

We present a novel technology to monolithically integrate buried heterostructure waveguides with microfluidic channels in a prealigned manner. The fabrication process produced sealed microfluidic channels, low-loss waveguides, and excellent waveguide-channel alignment. The resultant device allows efficient optical coupling between the channels and the waveguides. Thus, the waveguides can both deliver the optical power and collect the emitted light.
Preparing for utility computing: The role of IT architecture and relationship management

In this paper we examine the likely impact of utility computing on information technology (IT) outsourcing. Drawing on a set of eleven outsourcing cases and on IT outsourcing literature, we identify four risks that lessen the potential benefits of IT outsourcing. We consider two approaches to outsourcing: selectively managing a network of outsourcing partners and managing large-scale exclusive partnerships. The firms in our sample introduced a number of popular relationship management practices in order to counter the risks of outsourcing. We describe their practices but then observe that, in addition to the capability of managing their vendor relationships, the firms' ability to generate value from outsourcing depends on the maturity of their IT architectures. We discuss the implications of both vendor relationship management and architecture design capabilities as firms seek the benefits of utility computing, and conclude that both continue to play key roles. We close with some recommendations as to how firms can use relationships to build effective architectures and how an effective architecture built around standards-based technologies and business process components can enable a firm to capitalize on the strategic agility that utility computing offers.
Influence of Future Energy Supplies on Processing Procedures and Costs

Abstract The availability, cost, and regulations controlling energy supplies undoubtedly will influence dairy processing operations to a significant degree during the 1980's. Imports of foreign oil have increased greatly in recent years (3) reaching nearly 50% of the oil consumed in the United States. A contraction of available domestic natural gas and oil supplies coupled with oil price increases by the exporting countries has raised significantly prices paid for energy. The immediate future promises little or no relief in the cost of all forms of energy.
Embedding Agamben's Critique of Foucault: The Theological and Pastoral Origins of Governmentality

This article tackles Giorgio Agamben's critique of Michel Foucault's genealogy of governmentality in two ways: first, by presenting an alternative model of the relations between pastoral and theological economy and, second, by conducting a genealogy of the former as revealed in the state of exception, when canon law is suspended. Following the author's genealogy of oikonomia in the state of exception, he argues that politics and economy are distinct from one another by virtue of the fact that the primary relation of the latter is one of inclusion while that of the former is one of exclusion. Finally, the author traces three of oikonomia's prolific qualities in the operation of governmentality in civil society and of market economy: (i) its inclusiveness; (ii) the constant representation of the irreconcilability of law and authority; and (iii) its operation by accommodating to the ways of the governed.
Non-indigenous bamboo along headwater streams of the Luquillo Mountains, Puerto Rico: leaf fall, aquatic leaf decay and patterns of invasion

The introduction of bamboo to montane rain forests of the Luquillo Mountains, Puerto Rico in the 1930s and 1940s has led to present-day bamboo monocultures in numerous riparian areas. When a non-native species invades a riparian ecosystem, in-stream detritivores can be affected. Bamboo dynamics expected to influence stream communities in the Luquillo Experimental Forest (LEF) were examined. Based on current distributions, bamboo has spread downstream at a rate of 8 m y −1 . Mean growth rate of bamboo culms was 15.3 cm d −1 . Leaf fall from bamboo stands exceeded that of native mixed-species forest by c. 30% over a 10-mo study. Bamboo leaves (k = −0.021), and leaves from another abundant riparian exotic, Syzygium jambos (Myrtaceae) (k = −0.018), decayed at relatively slow rates when submerged in streams in fine-mesh bags which excluded macro-invertebrate leaf processors. In a second study, with leaf processors present, bamboo decay rates remained unchanged (k = −0.021), while decay rates of S. jambos increased (k = −0.037). Elemental losses from bamboo leaves in streams were rapid, further suggesting a change in riparian zone / stream dynamics following bamboo invasion. As non-indigenous bamboos spread along Puerto Rico streams, they are likely to alter aquatic communities dependent on leaf input.
Quality of Life Input or Outcome

The focus of this column is to provide a brief overview of several conceptual analyses of quality of life along with their resulting definitions. A discussion of the more specific construct of health-related quality of life in terms of chronic illness is considered followed by an in-depth review of health-related quality of life measurement instruments. Finally, the idea of health-related quality of life considered as input to decision-making instead of designated as an outcome measure is proposed.