cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Effective theories of the fractional quantum Hall effect: Hierarchy construction

The effective theories for the hierarchical fractional quantum Hall effect (FQHE) are proposed. We obtain the quantum numbers of the quasiparticles and the structure of the edge excitations for the general hierarchical FQHE state. It is shown that at the filling fractions \ensuremath{\nu}=k/(2km\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}1) the Jain states and the hierarchical FQHE states give rise to the same quasiparticles and edge excitations and have the same effective theories (in the dual form). This suggests that these FQHE states are equivalent despite having been obtained from two different schemes.
Optimizing the visualization of projection images using a photometric, psychometric, and image-based calibration procedure

ABSTRACT We propose a method for improving the visualization of potential target regions in radiographic projectionimages. This is accomplished by modifying the intensity lookup tables (LUT) to compensate for, 1) cathoderay tube (CRT) dynamic range limitations and, 2) for contrast sensitivity characteristics of the human eye. Wematch the resulting LUT to selected regions of the image to optimize the use of the available intensity range.Keywords: contrast sensitivity, psychometric calibration, LUT optimization 1. INTRODUCTION Display technologies have evolved over recent years to yield improved resolution and dynamic displayintensity range, but they still fall short of achieving the resolution and dynamic range visible on standard x-rayfilm. CRT technologies are producing displays that can render images with a dynamic range of about 2.0-2.5orders of magnitude (100: 1 to 300: 1) whereas, film is capable of 3.0-3.5 orders of magnitude (1000: 1 to3000: 1). To partially compensate for the limited range of CRT displays, observers are required to vary thewindow width and window level. Details that fall outside of the windowed intensities are usually clipped anddetailed features can be lost.Subjective impressions of observers often favor high contrast representations1 as the best rendering of animage, even though details are lost due to intensity clipping. These images may appear more aestheticallypleasing, but may contain less useful information.Without knowledge of the location of potential lesion sites, the window width and level that will render asubtle lesion visible might only be found by laborious trial and error. Moving the window level and width tovisualize different regions of an image is a common cure for dynamic range limitations of CRT displays.It has been shown that the contrast sensitivity of the human eye is related to the adaption level of theobserver and the focal luminance surrounding the point of gaze2. Therefore, it may be advantageous to initiallydisplay an image with an intensity lookup table (LW') that adjusts the image appearance to compensate for thefactors limiting the contrast sensitivity of the human observer'4'5. In the contrast sensitivity curves shown in
Urinary polyamine levels in human cancer

Polyamine levels (putrescine, spermidine, spermine) were determined in 24-hour urine samples by a high voltage electrophoresis technique. Normal values were established in 42 normal volunteers. Thirty-eight of 56 patients with metastatic cancer had two or more levels elevated. Approximately two-thirds of patients with metastatic adenocarcinoma, metastatic squamous cell cancer or metastatic disease to the liver, lings, or bones had elevated levels. All 6 patients with localized malignant tumors had elevated urinary polyamine levels. Elevations were also seen in patients with benign prostatic hypertrophy and bronchial adenoma.
The carbamyl phosphate content of rabbit blood plasma

Abstract Rabbit blood plasma was analyzed for the presence of carbamyl phosphate by incubating freshly collected plasma with aspartate-C 14 and aspartate transcarbamylase. No measurable concentration of carbamyl phosphate was found. Control experiments showed good recovery of added carbamyl phosphate so that it can be concluded that rabbit plasma contains less than 5 × 10 −6 M carbamyl phosphate. The implications of this finding with regard to the de novo synthesis of pyrimidines in mammals is discussed.
A pattern-based object calculus

Several object-oriented database management systems have been implemented without an accompanying theoretical foundation for constraint, query specification, and processing. The pattern-based object calculus presented in this article provides such a theoretical foundation for describing and processing object-oriented databases. We view an object-oriented database as a network of interrelated classes (i.e., the intension) and a collection of time-varying object association patterns (i.e., the extension). The object calculus is based on first-order logic. It provides the formalism for interpreting precisely and uniformly the semantics of queries and integrity constraints in object-oriented databases. The power of the object calculus is shown in four aspects. First, associations among objects are expressed explicitly in an object-oriented database. Second, the "nonassociation" operator is included in the object calculus. Third, set-oriented operations can be performed on both homogeneous and heterogeneous object association patterns. Fourth, our approach does not assume a specific form of database schema. A proposed formalism is also applied to the design of high-level object-oriented query and constraint languages.
Hemolysis and deformability of erythrocytes exposed to butoxyacetic acid, a metabolite of 2-butoxyethanol: I. Sensitivity in rats and resistance in normal humans.

The effects of butoxyacetic acid (BAA), a metabolite of the important solvent 2-butoxyethanol, on rat and human red blood cells (RBCs) were investigated. Rat RBCs demonstrated decreased deformability as assessed by a sensitive polycarbonate sieve filtration technique and an increased mean cellular volume after incubation with 0.2 and 2.0 mM BAA for 1-4 h. EvMuation of erythrocyte morphology showed that rat RBCs exposed to BAA became spherocytic and lysed to form erythrocyte membrane ghosts. Hemolysis of rat erythrocytes was rapid in 2.0 mM BAA. Changes in the deformability of rat erythrocytes appear to precede hemolysis. Treated rat erythrocytes also demonstrated a tendency to agglutinate and to release hemoglobin, which formed visible precipitates
Influence of Unsteady Vortex Structures on Noise Reduction of Windscreens

The effects of windscreens on low-frequency wind noise reduction were previously investigated using a steady-state computational fluid dynamics model. The current concentration is on higher frequencies where the wind noise reduction is no longer independent of frequencies, and unsteady fluid dynamics is required to provide pressure fluctuation information on the windscreen surface. Flow across an oscillating cylinder is studied as a model problem. An immersed boundary method has been developed to compute the fluid flow. Pressure fluctuations on the surface of a rigid, impermeable windscreen are obtained from the flow computation. Noise reduction effects inside of the windscreen are then calculated based on the integration of surface pressure distributions caused by unsteady vortex structures. The results show that for a cylinder oscillating at a frequency close to the natural vortex shedding frequency, the peak noise sensed at the center of the cylinder is at twice of the oscillation frequency and its second and third harmonics. For a non-oscillating cylinder, the peak noise sensed at the center is at the vortex shedding frequency itself and its second harmonic.Copyright © 2003 by ASME
Elastic properties of some Gd2O3-HfO2 compositions☆

Abstract Gadolinium has the highest neutron capture cross section of all the elements making it a potential material for nuclear reactor control. The elastic moduli and thermal expansion of Gd 2 O 3 doped with 0 to 20 mol% HfO 2 were determined. The moduli were determined by the sonic resonance technique over the temperature range from 25 to 1550 °C. Additions of HfO 2 have little effect on thermal expansion but significantly increased the elastic moduli. Additions of HfO 2 also increased the sinterability of Gd 2 O 3 by inhibiting grain growth. Undoped Gd 2 O 3 showed an anomalous elastic behavior that can be attributed to the formation of microcracks while HfO 2 doped Gd 2 O 3 did not show this behavior.
Effect of pump speed on injuries to channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus) during harvest with a turbine pump

Abstract External injuries and serum activities of two enzymes were determined for market-size channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus), moved from a pond to a hauling truck by a turbine pump operated at different speeds. Compared with fish that were not passed through the pump, all pump speeds caused an increase in the prevelance of split fins, but only the higher operating speeds of the pump caused hemorrhage or marked erosion of the skin. Slight abrasions of the skin were most common after fish were pumped at the slowest or faster speeds. Activity of serum lactate dehydrogenase increased in all fish harvested with the pump except for fish pumped at the slowest speed tested. Activity of serum aspartate aminotransferase increased only in fish harvested at one of the intermediate speeds. Because the pump speed affects the severity of injury to fish, the optimum speed should be determined before a pump is used for commercial harvests.
Therapeutic silencing of miR-10b inhibits metastasis in a mouse mammary tumor model

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are increasingly implicated in the regulation of metastasis. Despite their potential as targets for anti-metastatic therapy, miRNAs have only been silenced in normal tissues of rodents and nonhuman primates. Therefore, the development of effective approaches for sequence-specific inhibition of miRNAs in tumors remains a scientific and clinical challenge. Here we show that systemic treatment of tumor-bearing mice with miR-10b antagomirs-a class of chemically modified anti-miRNA oligonucleotide-suppresses breast cancer metastasis. Both in vitro and in vivo, silencing of miR-10b with antagomirs significantly decreases miR-10b levels and increases the levels of a functionally important miR-10b target, Hoxd10. Administration of miR-10b antagomirs to mice bearing highly metastatic cells does not reduce primary mammary tumor growth but markedly suppresses formation of lung metastases in a sequence-specific manner. The miR-10b antagomir, which is well tolerated by normal animals, appears to be a promising candidate for the development of new anti-metastasis agents.
Sum Frequency Vibrational Spectroscopy: The Molecular Origins of the Optical Second-Order Nonlinearity of Collagen

The molecular origins of second-order nonlinear effects in type I collagen fibrils have been identified with sum-frequency generation vibrational spectroscopy. The dominant contributing molecular groups are: 1), the methylene groups associated with a Fermi resonance between the fundamental symmetric stretch and the bending overtone of methylene; and 2), the carbonyl and peptide groups associated with the amide I band. The noncentrosymmetrically aligned methylene groups are characterized by a distinctive tilt relative to the axis perpendicular to the main axis of the collagen fiber, a conformation producing a strong achiral contribution to the second-order nonlinear effect. In contrast, the stretching vibration of the carbonyl groups associated with the amide I band results in a strong chiral contribution to the optical second-order nonlinear effect. The length scale of these chiral effects ranges from the molecular to the supramolecular.
Structure and Function Studies of Factor XIIIa by X-Ray Crystallography

The three-dimensional structures of several forms of the factor XIII A subunit have been determined using single crystal x-ray diffraction methods. Our crystallographic studies have provided the first detailed structural view of the factor XIII A subunit and information that is useful for understanding transglutaminase function. We have identified a conserved Cys314-His373-Asp396 catalytic triad of residues in the active site of the molecule and a number of other conserved residues that may play important roles as well. The calcium and strontium structures have revealed several conserved acidic residues (Asp438, Glu485, and Glu490) involved in ion binding. We have also been able to use our crystal structures as scaffolds to model the possible structural effects of missense mutations that have been identified in factor XIII-deficient patients.
Rootletin Interacts with C-Nap1 and May Function as a Physical Linker between the Pair of Centrioles/Basal Bodies in Cells

Rootletin, a major structural component of the ciliary rootlet, is located at the basal bodies and centrosomes in ciliated and nonciliated cells, respectively. Here we investigated its potential role in the linkage of basal bodies/centrioles and the mechanism involved in such linkages. We show that rootletin interacts with C-Nap1, a protein restricted at the ends of centrioles and functioning in centrosome cohesion in interphase cells. Their interaction in vivo is supported by their colocalization at the basal bodies/centrioles and coordinated association with the centrioles during the cell cycle. Ultrastructural examinations demonstrate that rootletin fibers connect the basal bodies in ciliated cells and are present both at the ends of and in between the pair of centrioles in nonciliated cells. The latter finding stands in contrast with C-Nap1, which is present only at the ends of the centrioles. Transient expression of C-Nap1 fragments dissociated rootletin fibers from the centrioles, resulting in centrosome separation in interphase. Overexpression of rootletin in cells caused multinucleation, micronucleation, and irregularity of nuclear shape and size, indicative of defects in chromosome separation. These data suggest that rootletin may function as a physical linker between the pair of basal bodies/centrioles by binding to C-Nap1.
Brine shrimp (Artemia salina) nauplii as a teratogen test system.

Abstract Brine shrimp increase in length rapidly after hatching. A teratogen test system is based on disruption of elongation between 24 and 48 hr after wetting of the cysts. Teratogenicity of substances dissolved in the medium is assayed by comparison of average lengths of animals raised for the test period in suspect solution with average lengths of controls. The system is fast, inexpensive, and requires little skill. Brine shrimp are suited to testing industrial wastes, chemical formulations, drugs, and food additives that can be dissolved in water at 25°C. The method appears unsuited to testing the teratogenicity of gasses, particulates, very dilute wastes, or natural waters. Cadmium, mercury, lead, zinc, bromoform, n -butylphthalate, 1,2-dichloroethane, nitrobenzene, tetrachloroethylene, toluene, 1,2,4-trichlorobenzene, and 1,1,3-trichloroethane were found teratogenic. Chromium (III), chromium (VI), copper, chlorobenzene, chloroform, dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), and phenol were found not teratogenic. Other aquatic organism teratogen test systems are surveyed.
Deng Xiaoping And Modernization Of the Chinese Military

While China's military modernization program has brought improvements in the country's military preparedness, the rate of modernization has been slower than hoped for. The lack of consensus on certain crucial matters, combined with continued factionally based frictions and ongoing financial constraints, indicates that the outlook for significant near-term improvements in the People's Liberation Army's fighting capabilities relative to those of the United States and the Soviet Union is not encouraging. Nonetheless, even after major cuts in size, the PLA will remain the world's largest military, and it can draw on the world's largest pool of reservists. Hence China's military potential against other Asian states remains substantial, and may even increase somewhat.
Familiarization to robot motion

We study the effect of familiarization on the predictability of robot motion. Predictable motion is motion that matches the observer's expectation. Because of the difficulty robots have in learning motion from user demonstrations, we explore the idea of having users learn from robot demonstrations --- how accurate do users get at predicting how the robot will move? We find that although familiarization significantly increases predictability, its utility depends on how natural the motion is. Overall, familiarization shows great promise, but needs to be combined with other methods that generate appropriate motion with which to be familiarized.
Approximation of minimal maximal deflection of nonlinear beams

Abstract A geometrically nonlinear beam of fixed volume is subjected to both bending and stretching. A method is presented for approximating the distribution of mass of the beam so as to get the smallest maximum displacement for a given load. The method allows for easy error estimates.
Release and antilisterial properties of nisin from zein capsules spray-dried at different temperatures

Abstract Nisin is an effective antimicrobial against a broad spectrum of Gram-positive bacteria. It has been proposed that reduced efficacy of nisin in foods can be improved by technologies such as encapsulation to protect it from interferences by food matrix components. The potential of spray drying, a practical technology, was studied in this work for encapsulation of nisin in zein microcapsules at four inlet temperatures between 75 and 120 °C. At 95 °C and above, no apparent loss of nisin activity was observed after spray drying. At pH 6.0, burst release of nisin was impacted by spray drying temperature more than equilibrium release, possibly due to influences on capsule structures. At pH 2.0, complete release of nisin in 30 min was observed, contrasting to limited release over 8 d at pH 8.0. Capsules produced at an inlet temperature of 105 °C showed the most sustained release of nisin at pH 6.0. For these capsules, sustained release of nisin to >80% was observed at pH 6.0 and 8.0 when NaCl was used at 0.5 mol/L. Finally, at 400 IU/mL, the encapsulated nisin demonstrated slightly improved antilisterial properties than free nisin in reduced fat (2g/100g) milk but much work is still needed to enhance the antimicrobial effectiveness.
The utility of the oral interview board in selecting police academy admissions

The oral board interview is a common personnel assessment practice in law enforcement. While on the surface this procedure may appear suitable, there is some literature questioning its utility. Presents a study which uses data from admission interviews of police academy recruits to determine the effectiveness of this selection procedure. Although the results question the reliability of this technique, there are some distinctions between academy students who survived the oral board process and recruits who were exempt from this procedure. However, the empirical evidence compiled to date suggests that the oral board is a fallible practice that has outlasted its usefulness.
Development of explanation: Incremental and fundamental change in children's physics knowledge

In contrast to predictions or actions, explanations require articulating a model that accounts for the physical phenomenon. Therefore, examination of children's explanations provides a more powerful window onto their developing understanding of causality. This study investigates children's developing causal knowledge, by analyzing changes in the content and form of the explanations they generate, across the age span of three to nine years. The study aims to examine the balance of incremental versus fundamental change and the forms each takes in children coming to understand one physical domain, the working of gears. Thirty-two subjects, ages, 3, 5, 7, and 9, participated in the study. The experimenter elicited each subject's predictions and explanations about what would happen when you turned the knob in a series of gear configurations. Age trends in the explanation type subjects generated revealed broad progress in their understanding of causality within the domain and a complex picture of fundamental and incremental changes. Parsing the sequence of explanation types at points of fundamental change, three phases of development emerged: (a) function of the object as explanation, (b) connections as explanation, and (c) mechanistic explanation. Analysis of development from one phase to the next revealed two forms of fundamental change: radical substitution (where one explanation is supplanted by the next) and transforming incorporation (where one explanation forms the basis for the next and yet is itself transformed in the context of the fundamentally new way of conceptualizing causality). Analysis of development within the individual phases revealed incremental change primarily in the forms of differentiation and decomposition.
Comprehensive dental care for children with rampant caries under general anaesthesia.

Abstract.Objective. Critical reflection on treatment strategy for dental rehabilitation of young children with rampant caries using day-stay general anaesthesia at a university dental clinic. Design. Cross-sectional analysis of 98 cases. Setting. The study was undertaken at the university paediatric dental clinic of Leuven, Belgium. Sample and methods. The sample consisted of 98 healthy patients referred for dental treatment under general anaesthesia with a mean age of 4·8 (± 1·1) years and mean dmft-score of 9·3 (± 3·0). Data were obtained by history taking, clinical examination, questionnaires (filled in by parents) and standardized data records (filled in by dentists and nurses in the recovery area and day-stay clinic). Results. Most patients were referred by their private dentist (74·5%) because of a need for extensive dental treatment in an uncooperative child. Induction of anaesthesia was upsetting in a significant number of cases (68% of children). The mean duration of the whole procedure was 80·9 (± 24·7) minutes. A mean number of 7·2 (± 2·9) primary teeth were filled and 1·8 (± 2·0) extracted per patient. Post-operative problems (nausea/vomiting, temperature rise) were seen in only 8·2% of the patients. Conclusions. The technique used at this centre allows for extensive dental treatment of young children with a high level of acceptability and minimal morbidity, using day-stay general anaesthesia. Based on this review, it became clear that less upsetting methods for the induction of anaesthesia need to be explored. Criteria for the administration of antibiotics need to be defined more clearly and the use of stainless steel crowns should be envisaged for restorations on primary molars. The global outcome of this treatment provision in children at high caries risk should be evaluated over a longer period, including an evaluation of oral health status, restorative treatment (conservation vs. extraction) and behavioural aspects.
ADP-ribosylation of nonhistone proteins during the HeLa cell cycle.

Summary ADP-ribosylation of nonhistone proteins during the HeLa cell cycle was investigated. Proteins were radiolabeled by incubating interphase nuclei and mitotic cells with the specific precursor, [ 32 P]NAD. Autoradiograms of two-dimensional gels of total nuclear nonhistone proteins showed a large number of modified species (more than 140). A complex pattern was also found for interphase chromatin. Nuclear scaffolds showed a simpler pattern of four major groups of modified species, which appeared to be the lamins and poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase. The labeling pattern for nonhistones of metaphase chromosomes was fundamentally different than with interphase nuclei. Autoradiograms were dominated by the incorporation of label into poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase.
The Timing Effect of Bullying in Childhood and Adolescence on Developmental Trajectories of Externalizing Behaviors

This longitudinal study investigated the timing effect of bullying on developmental trajectories of externalizing behaviors from middle childhood to adolescence. We focused on the relation of (a) only an early experience of bullying (i.e., desisters) to subsequent externalizing behaviors in adolescence and (b) only a late experience of bullying (i.e., late-onsetters) to the concurrent externalizing behaviors in adolescence. Their trajectories of externalizing behaviors were compared with the persisters and to the non-experience group. Individual growth curve modeling was conducted using 440 child-mother dyads from the Springfield Child Development Project, a community-representative, longitudinal study over a 6-year period that included four time interviews. We modeled the changes in child aggression and delinquency from 7 to 19 years of age as a function of bully status group. Results indicated that the levels of aggression and delinquency for the desisters decreased over time (with the cessation of bullying in adolescence) and were significantly lower than those of the persisters and similar to those of the non-involved group at the end of the trajectory (cessation effect). For the late-onsetters, the level of delinquency increased over time (with the onset of bullying behaviors in adolescence) and were significantly higher than those of the non-involved group and similar to those of the persisters at the end of the trajectory (onset effect). The aggression for the late-onsetters, however, did not support the onset effect. This study implies that we need to pay more attention to intervening for late-onset.
Hydrodynamically-controlled rewetting

Abstract Transient cooling of a hot tube by a falling liquid film is analysed. Vapor production from the liquid film and the sputtered droplets can produce a countercurrent vapor velocity which exceeds the flooding limit, and rewetting becomes hydrodynamically-controlled rather than heat conduction-controlled. A criterion shows that conduction-controlled rewetting prevails at higher coolant flow rates and flooding conditions at lower flow rates. A solution is obtained for the liquid coolant vaporized during its fall from the sputtering film front. The required thermal radiation properties are also presented. Detailed calculation based on this analysis shows good agreement with experimental results.
Adaptive simulations of two-phase flow by discontinuous Galerkin methods

In this paper we present and compare primal discontinuous Galerkin formulations of the two-phase flow equations. The wetting phase pressure and saturation equations are decoupled and solved sequentially. Proposed adaptivity in space and time techniques yield accurate and efficient solutions. Slope limiters valid on non-conforming meshes are also presented. Numerical examples of homogeneous and heterogeneous media are considered.
Utilization of Photovoice to Explore Hope and Spirituality Among Low-Income African American Adolescents

Spirituality has been identified in the literature as a protective mechanism for promoting hope among African American adolescents. However, few studies have examined the perceptions of hope and spirituality from the viewpoint of African American adolescents. This study explores the perceptions of hope and spirituality among low-income African American adolescents through photovoice methodology and in-depth interviews. Sixteen (n = 16) African American adolescents of ages 13–17 participated in this study. Results of the study broaden the construct of hope to include spirituality as a source of protection in dangerous environments. Implications are made for social workers and other professionals working with African American adolescents and their families.
Optimal Management and Sizing of Energy Storage Under Dynamic Pricing for the Efficient Integration of Renewable Energy

We address the optimal energy storage management and sizing problem in the presence of renewable energy and dynamic pricing associated with electricity from the grid. We formulate the problem as a stochastic dynamic program that aims to minimize the long-run average cost of electricity used and investment in storage, if any, while satisfying all the demand. We model storage with ramp constraints, conversion losses, dissipation losses and an investment cost. We prove the existence of an optimal storage management policy under mild assumptions and show that it has a dual threshold structure. Under this policy, we derive structural results, which indicate that the marginal value from storage decreases with its size and that the optimal storage size can be computed efficiently. We prove a rather surprising result, as we characterize the maximum value of storage under constant prices and i.i.d. net-demand processes: if the storage is a profitable investment, then the ratio of the amortized cost of storage to the constant price is less than 1/4. We further perform sensitivity analysis on the size of optimal storage and its gain via a case study. Finally, with a computational study on real data, we demonstrate significant savings with energy storage.
Some Correlates of Regime Support in Canada

This paper is concerned with the distribution and foundations of public support for the political regime in Canada. Support for the regime historically has been a matter of concern to Canadian elites. The recent provincial electoral victory of the Parti Quebecois, a party dedicated to making Quebec an independent nation, has made regime support and maintenance matters of concern to average citizens as well. The analyses that follow are based upon data gathered in a nation-wide survey of the Canadian electorate in 1974. We focus on the following areas: the extent to which socio-demographic and attitudinal variables conventionally employed in studies of political behavior are related to levels of regime support; the relationships between the direction and strength of partisanship and support for the political regime; the relationships between attitudes toward key political institutions and political actors and the level of regime support; and finally, the effects of major structural and cultural factors (i.e. federalism and regionalism) on support for the regime. From the perspective of comparative political analysis, research in these areas allows us an opportunity to comment on and expand the base of the existing empirical research on regime support. From the more particular perspective of Canadian politics, our analysis may help to clarify the impact on regime support of ethnicity, regionalism, federalism and a British-model parliamentary system.
Modified Enhanced Posterior Soft Tissue Repair Results in a Negligible Dislocation Rate After Hip Resurfacing

Using a modified enhanced posterior soft tissue repair (EPSTR), there were no early dislocations observed (0%) after metal-on-metal hip resurfacing (MOMHR) or femoral head resurfacing hemiarthroplasty (FHRH) at a minimum of 3 months follow-up. Dislocation persists as one of the most common and potentially debilitating early complications of total hip arthroplasty (THA) performed with a posterior approach, occurring at a rate of 1%-2% in most studies. The introduction of an EPSTR by Pellicci et al in 1998 significantly reduced the occurrence of early postoperative dislocation following posterior approach THA. This study evaluates the early dislocation rate after MOMHR and FHRH when an adapted version of EPSTR is used. A single surgeon performed 123 MOMHR and 26 FHRH procedures using a modified EPSTR on 133 patients. The average age in the MOMHR group was 51.0 ± 9.5 (range 17-76) and body mass index was 28.1 ± 4.8 (range 17.9-47.2); the average age in the FHRH group was 43.8 ± 12.0 (range 20-64) and body mass index was 27.9 ± 3.7 (range 19.8-35.1). The most common diagnosis in the MOMHR group was osteoarthritis, while FHRH was performed exclusively for avascular necrosis. All patients received a modified EPSTR and were followed for a minimum of 3 months. No patients were lost to follow-up. Using EPSTR, there were no early dislocations observed (0%) in either the MOMHR or the FHRH group at a minimum of 3 months follow-up. This study shows that using a modified EPSTR for MOMHR and FHRH has the potential to decrease early dislocation rates to a negligible level. These results have prompted the following lessening of postoperative precautions: No flexion greater than 120°, no adduction greater than 20°, and no internal rotation past 10°.
Early detection of spontaneous blood loss using amplitude modulation of Photoplethysmogram

The present study was designed to investigate can the amplitude modulation (AM) of Photoplethysmogram (PPG) be used as an indicator of blood loss and if so what is the best PPG probe site. PPG from ear, finger and forehead probe sites, standard ECG, and Finapres blood pressure waveforms were continuously recorded from 8 healthy volunteers during baseline, blood withdrawal of 900 ml followed by the blood reinfusion. The instantaneous amplitude modulations present in heart rate (AM HR ) and breathing rate (AM BR ) band frequencies of PPG were extracted from high-resolution time-frequency spectrum. HR and pulse pressure showed no significant changes during the protocol. The AM HR significantly (P HR at 900 ml blood loss compared to baseline value was 45.2%, 42.0%, and 42.3% for ear, finger and forehead PPG signals, respectively. In addition, significant increases in AM BR were found due to blood loss in ear and finger PPG signals. Even without baseline AM HR values, 900 ml blood loss detection was shown possible with specificity and sensitivity both 87.5% from ear PPG signals. The present technique has great potential to serve as a valuable tool in the intraoperative and trauma settings to detect hemorrhage.
Effect of transitional metal ions on (Na+ + K+) ATPase activity and the uptake of norepinephrine and choline by brain synaptosomes

Abstract 1. The inhibition of (Na + + K + ) ATPase activity of rat brain synaptosomes by transition metal ions takes three forms: (a) Cu ++ and Hg ++ completely inhibit activity at a concentration exceeding 10 ωM, (b) Zn ++ inhibition is intermediate with complete inhibition occuring at concentrations exceeding 100 ωM and (c) Co ++ , Ni ++ and Mn ++ inhibition never exceeds 20% even at concentrations exceeding 200 ωM. 2. Inhibition of (Na + + K + ) ATPase activity of rat brain synaptosomes by Cu ++ is rapid, irreversible and unaffected by subsequent addition of EDTA. Preincubation of synaptosomes with Cu ++ for as short as 10 min produced complete inhibition of (Na + + K + ) ATPase activity. Preincubation with Zn ++ for over 20 min was required to produce complete inhibition while little or no inhibition occured after preincubation with Mn ++ or Co ++ for as long as 30 min. 3. Except for Mn ++ , uptake of [ 3 H] norepinephrine (NE) and [ 3 H] choline (CH) by rat brain synaptosomes was inhibited by those transitional metal ions which inhibited synaptosomal ATPase activity. For Mn ++ up to 300 ωM had no effect on CH uptake whereas NE uptake was depressed by as much as 54% in the presence of 10 ωM of Mn ++ . At this latter concentration (Na + + K + ) ATPase activity was unaffected.
Quantifying variability in the measurement of control in intermittent exotropia

Purpose To evaluate the performance of a series of summary measures of control and to assess reliability in quantifying exodeviation control in intermittent exotropia. Methods A large, simulated dataset of control scores for 10,000 hypothetical patients with intermittent exotropia was created using Monte Carlo simulations. These data were based on children with intermittent exotropia in whom control was assessed twice during one clinical examination, using the office control score (0-5). Each simulated patient had a baseline and 11 subsequent control scores. The repeatability of a series of summary measures of control (the mean of 2 vs the mean of 3 up to the mean of 6), was calculated using 95% limits of agreement (LOA). Results A total of 322 examinations in 152 patients were used to provide representative distributions of control scores. From the resultant Monte Carlo simulations, the 95% LOAs were 2.60 for 1 distance control score measure, 1.76 for the average of 3, and 1.28 for the average of 6. Therefore using the average of 3 scores, a change of 1.76 would suggest a real change in control. Conclusions The large dataset of simulated control scores allowed us to assess the variability of specific summary measures of control. We recommend the average of 3 scores (a triple control score) as a new standard for assessing control, providing improved reliability over a single measure, while remaining implementable in clinical practice.
Implementation of reliable and efficient remote procedure calls

A new mechanism for RPC (remote procedure calls) execution is introduced, and test results are provided. The key advantages of the new mechanism are: (1) it offers an RPC mechanism with increased fault tolerance; (2) the chances of occurrence of message orphans are greatly reduced; (3) the network communication with the servers and the execution of the procedures remotely in the server nodes go on approximately in parallel; (4) detection of communication errors is easy and feasible; and (5) the mechanism is transparent to the user. >
Ceo selection, succession, compensation and firm performance: A theoretical integration and empirical analysis

This study seeks to extend and unify a set of research issues relating to CEO selection, succession, compensation, and firm performance. The study offers a model of these issues from a combined agency and organizational perspective, and tests the model using archival data and perceptual data from survey responses from 118 CEOs of the largest U.S. corporations. The results suggest that several CEO issues are significant predictors of variation in firm performance, supporting the paper's arguments for (1) a reinterpretation of the insiderfoutsider CEO distinction, (2) the relevance of CEO succession planning, and (3) the importance of CEOs' perceptions of the linkage between their personal wealth and firm wealth.
Brangelina vs. Chinese Mercantilism in Africa

As it prepares to host the 2008 Olympics, China's authoritarian development model, which has sustained high growth for two decades, is entering a fragile new stage. Tainted toys and other products have made the American consumers on whom China relies wary even as the debt-and-deficit ridden American economy relies on China's massive foreign reserves to keep going. In the meantime, China's aggressive search for raw materials in Africa is causing a backlash while its cyberspying probes into Western defense systems are reviving Cold War-like tensions. The US treasury secretary, a top China expert and former intelligence officials offer their views.
RESPIRATORY ACTIVITY AND MAINTENANCE OF CELL SUSPENSIONS OF RAT LIVER

Previous experimentation involving the use of dispersed rat liver cells have utilized suspending media common to fractionation and slicing methods. Cells in these media have not remained viable for prolonged periods of time and they have resisted culturing techniques. Suspensions of dispersed parenchymal cells were prepared from rat livers which had been perfused in situ via the dorsal aorta with an EDTA-sucrose solution. The maintenance of surviving cells was attempted in three different media: sucrose buffered with Tris-HCl, Waymouth medium, and Waymouth medium supplemented with 30% calf serum. Cells suspended in sucrose and buffered with Tris-HCl oxidized citrate, succinate, and α-kegoglutarate but did not respire in the presence of other citric acid cycle intermediates. When cells were suspended in Waymouth medium without glucose, they oxidized malate and glutamate plus the above-mentioned substrates. Glucose and pyruvate did not stimulate oxygen uptake in either medium. Cells exhibited respiratory activity for up to 8 hr when incubated in Waymouth medium supplemented with calf serum. Both the ability to oxidize succinate and the morphological integrity of the cells were retained for this period of time. When cells were incubated in Waymouth medium alone, the time interval was reduced to 6 hr. Sucrose-Tris-HCl in the presence of succinate was not satisfactory as an incubation medium, since many of the cells underwent breakdown.
Reply to Abatzoglou et al.: Atmospheric controls on northwest United States air temperatures, 1948–2012

We recently documented a strong relationship between northeast Pacific sea-level pressure (SLP) and coastal North American sea surface temperature (SSTs) and surface air temperatures (SATs), concluding that atmospheric circulation changes produced nearly all observed coastal warming from 1900 to 2012 (1). In our report, we present a simple, successfully cross-validated time-series model that reproduces interannual, decadal, and century-long variations in the SST record from current and prior SLP anomalies. Our primary SLP data, from the National Centers for Atmospheric Research (NCAR), depict a century-long SLP decline in the northeastern Pacific, as previously shown for the central North Pacific and supported by independent precipitation records (2).
The Local Roots of American Inequality

We agree with the Task Force on Inequality and American Democracy that not only the quality but the very legitimacy of American democracy is threatened by persistent and rising inequalities of political power and influence. Class conflict is as old as democracy itself, and there is an intrinsic tension between the inequalities generated by free markets and the political equality that is at the core of democracy. No institutional fixes or policy remedies will fully overcome this tension, and in some respects it may be a useful tension. But current institutional and policy arrangements—especially at the local level—are exacerbating inequalities and political divisions in ways that are toxic for democracy.Because our discussion here draws heavily on our book Democracy at Risk, we wish to fully acknowledge and thank each of the book's co-authors, including Yvette Alex-Assensoh, Jeffrey M. Berry, Michael Brintnall, David E. Campbell, Luis Ricardo Fraga, Archon Fung, William A. Galston, Margaret Levi, Meira Levinson, Keena Lipsitz, Richard G. Niemi, Robert D. Putnam, Wendy M. Rahn, Rob Reich, Robert R. Rodgers, Todd Swanstrom, and Katherine Cramer Walsh. Our co-authors in that effort have contributed significantly to our understanding of the issues we discuss here, including by offering prose that we have relied on and put to use in this article. While we acknowledge our deep debt to our colleagues, any errors remaining are, of course, ours alone.
The Indigenous Environmental Movement in the United States: Transcending Borders in Struggles against Mining, Manufacturing, and the Capitalist State

Social movement theory emphasizes the importance of resource mobilization and the strategic political processes of struggles within a society. Although it yields useful insights into the dynamics involved in a struggle, social movement theory ultimately is too narrow to grapple with all social struggles. The indigenous environmental movement breaks the mould, revealing unconsidered historical forces and variables involved in social struggles. The economic dynamics of capitalism and the history of internal colonialism must be incorporated into an account of the evolution of the indigenous environmental movement. Struggles over treaty rights and sovereignty are unique to the Native population, making their movement one of the most powerful and effective groups for protecting the environment. Although the indigenous environmental movement is connected to other environmental movements, the Native struggle remains fundamentally grounded in a challenge to the whole of society, as presently constituted, as they ...
Bar-coding surgical sponges to improve safety: a randomized controlled trial.

Objective: A randomized, controlled trial was performed to evaluate a computer-assisted method for counting sponges using a bar-code system. Background: Retained sponges are a rare and preventable problem but persist in surgery despite standardized protocols for counting. Technology that improves detection of counting errors could reduce risk to surgical patients. Methods: We performed a randomized controlled trial comparing a bar-coded sponge system with a traditional counting protocol in 300 general surgery operations. Observers monitored sponge and instrument counts and recorded all incidents of miscounted or misplaced sponges. Surgeons and operating room staff completed postoperative and end-of-study surveys evaluating the bar-code system. Results: The bar-code system detected significantly more counting discrepancies than the traditional protocol (32 vs. 13 discrepancies, P = 0.007). These discrepancies involved both misplaced sponges (21 vs. 12 sponges, P = 0.17) and miscounted sponges (11 vs. 1 sponge, P = 0.007). The system introduced new technical difficulties (2.04 per 1000 sponges) and increased the time spent counting sponges (5.3 vs. 2.4 minutes, P < 0.0001). In postoperative surveys, there was no difference in surgical teams' confidence that all sponges were accounted for, but they rated the counting process and team performance lower in operations randomized to the bar-code arm. By the end of the study, however, most providers found the system easy to use, felt confident in its ability to track sponges, and reported a positive effect on the counting process. Conclusions: Use of automated counting using bar-coded surgical sponges improved detection of miscounted and misplaced sponges and was well tolerated by surgical staff members.
Acculturating Contexts and Anglo Opposition to Immigration in the United States

This article explores the impact of novel change in the ethnic composition of Americans’ local context on their attitudes toward immigrants and immigration policy preferences. Adapting the “defended-neighborhoods hypothesis” regarding residential integration and black-white interracial relations to the context of immigration and intercultural relations, this article advances the acculturating-contexts hypothesis. This hypothesis argues that a large influx of an immigrant group will activate threat among white citizens when it occurs in local areas where the immigrant group had largely been absent. This theoretical argument is explored within the context of Hispanic immigration and tested using national survey and census data. This article demonstrates that over-time growth in local Hispanic populations triggers threat and opposition to immigration among whites residing in contexts with few initial Hispanics but reduces threat and opposition to immigration among whites residing in contexts with large preexisting Hispanic populations. C onflict over immigration and vocal attempts by national political leaders to “reform” or “overhaul” federal immigration laws come in and out of the national political scene and the public mind nearly every few years in the United States. The recurrence and intensification of political conflict over immigration in the United States is undoubtedly tied to ongoing and accelerating immigration-driven demographic changes in the nation. Data from the U.S. Census Bureau reveal that the nation’s foreign-born population is nearing 37 million, or 12% of the total population. The Hispanic population,whichisthelargestandarguablymostsalient immigrant group in the United States, grew 46% from 2000 to 2010 and accounted for nearly 56% of the nation’s total population growth over this period. In addition, the nation’s unauthorized immigrant population has also steadily risen over the past decade, growing from 8.4 million in 2000 up to 11.2 million in 2010. 1 At the state level, state immigrant populations grew on average by 150% between 1990 and 2006. 2 In short, few
An SQA quality tracking methodology

The author presents a method for regularly tracking and reporting on a short-term basis (weekly or bimonthly) the quality progress of software development. The report generated is useful for both the qualitative and quantitative tracking and prediction of quality within the software development process. It is applicable to software quality assurance, testing, and development organizations. The report format is purely textual, without graphs, and therefore easy to update and present regularly. >