cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Patterns between interactive intentions and information-seeking strategies

Abstract In order to design information retrieval (IR) systems to support various information-seeking strategies across a variety of contexts, it is important to explore what leads to the selection of different types of information-seeking strategies. This study addresses the issue by investigating the relationships between users' information-seeking goals and their information-seeking behaviors. The particular focus of this study is to specify hierarchical levels of user goals, and to investigate the micro-level goal labeled “interactive intention” in relation to information-seeking strategies. A total of 40 users from four types of libraries were selected for this study, and the analysis illustrates how changes in interactive intentions are associated with changes of information-seeking strategies. The results present how eight types of interactive intentions, four types of entities, eight types of methods, and six types of resources constitute the patterns of interactive intentions and information-seeking strategies. The implications for IR system design are further discussed.
Upper gastrointestinal endoscopy in normal asymptomatic volunteers

In a prospective study, 355 healthy, asymptomatic, male volunteers, 18 to 45 years of age, were screened by esophagogastroduodenoscopy before admission to clinical trials. One hundred thirty-four volunteers (38%) showed abnormal endoscopic findings. Some volunteers had more than one site of involvement or more than one grade of lesion in each anatomic location. In 49 (14%) of these subjects the esophagus was a site of involvement, while in 86 (24%) the stomach was involved, and in 71 (20%) the duodenum was involved. The point prevalences in these asymptomatic subjects were 8.5% for erosive esophagitis, 12% for erosive gastritis, 10% for erosive duodenitis, 2% for gastric ulcer, and 2% for duodenal ulcer.
Magnetostrictive Microactuations and Modal Sensitivities of Thin Magnetoelastic Shells

This study is to evaluate distributed microscopic actuation characteristics and control actions of segmented magnetostrictive actuator patches laminated on a flexible cylindrical shell panel. A mathematical model and its modal domain governing equations of the cylindrical shell panel laminated with distributed magnetostrictive actuator patches are presented first, followed by the formulation of distributed magnetostrictive control forces and microcontrol actions including circumferential membrane/bending and longitudinal bending control components. Transverse mode shape functions with simply supported boundary conditions are used in the modal control force expressions and the microcontrol action analyses. Control effectives and spatial characteristics of distributed actuators depend on applied magnetic fields and on geometrical (e.g., spatial segmentation, location, and shape) and material (i.e., various actuator materials) properties. Spatially distributed magnetoelectromechanical actuation characteristics contributed by circumferential membrane/bending and longitudinal bending control actions are investigated. Distributed control forces and microactuations of a magnetostrictive actuator patch at various locations are analyzed, and modal-dependent spatial control effectiveness is evaluated.
Evaluation and Treatment of Adult Concealed Penis

Concealed penis is a rare congenital disorder most commonly seen in children and the condition and surgical management have been well described. In contrast, there is a paucity of information with regards to adult concealed penis. Adult concealed penis may be due to trapping from skin contraction related to lichen sclerosis, cicatricial scars following surgical procedures, or prepubic adipose tissue causing poor phallic exposure. One of the greatest risk factors for concealed penis is obesity, and as this becomes a national pandemic, the incidence of adult concealed penis may increase. Therefore, a greater number of urologists may be faced with treating this difficult condition. This article reviews the etiology of adult concealed penis and describes the patient evaluation and various surgical approaches.
Gel strength increased in low-grade heat-set surimi with blended phosphates

The gel strength of commercial surimi was increased by addition of phosphate blends. Further increases were obtained by complete replacement of sodium tripolyphosphate with blended phosphates. This increase in gel strength may allow a reduction in NaCl used to solubilize the surimi and partial replacement of sugars, used as cryoprotectants, by protein or cellulose gels. Phosphate blends also permit nonisothermal flow of surimi, allowing the application of extrusion machinery and processing techniques to produce final products at the site of surimi production.
Balancing Dental Service Requirements and Supplies: The Economic Evidence

A conceptual model of the market for dental services is described. The model is based on principles of demand and production theory and the applications of those principles to the dental industry. The model highlights the significance of relevant economic indicators which are discussed to create an awareness of and, when possible, explain the challenges awaiting dentistry in the decades to come. It is concluded that, while dental service expenditures per dentist are likely to increase, larger portions of the population may not be able to afford dental care if prices of dental services continue to increase faster than individual budgets.
3H-5-hydroxytryptamine accumulation by rat brain synaptic vesicles in a membrane-impermeant medium, and selective reduction by 5, 7-dihydroxytryptamine

Abstract In order to examine possible selectivity of amine uptake by synaptic vesicles, the ATP-stimulated accumulation of 3 H-5-hydroxytryptamine (5HT) by synaptic vesicles from rat whole brain was examined in a medium comprised largely of membrane-impermeant anions (d-tartrate). Such media have previously been shown to stabilize vesicular accumulation of several neurotransmitters. Accumulation of 3 H-5HT did not occur in tartrate medium alone, but was increased biphysically with increasing concentrations of both potassium phosphate and potassium bicarbonate. At optimal concentrations of each anion (10 mM), stable accumulation of 3 H-5HT was observed at 37° (26.1 ± 1.2 pmol/mg protein; Km 6×10 −7 M), which was reduced by > 95% in the absence of K 2 ATP, at 4°C, in the presence of 10 −6 M reserpine, or in the presence of the proton ionophore carbonyl cyanide p-trifluoromethoxyphenylhydrazone (FCCP). Uptake was significantly antagonized by millimolar concentrations of Na + , Mg ++ or Cl − , but was unaffected by ouabain (10 −5 M). Pretreatment of animals with 5, 7-dihydroxytryptamine (5, 7-DHT) (200 ωg, intraventricular) 10 days prior to sacrifice reduced endogenous 5HT levels by 70%, while levels of endogenous norepinephrine (NE) and dopamine (DA) were unaffected. Accumulation of 3 H-5HT, examined in the presence of 10 −6 M NE to block 3 H-5HT accumulation by vesicles from noradrenergic nerve endings, was reduced by 40% in vesicles from treated animals. Vesicular accumulation of 3 H-(−)-NE and 3 H-DA was unaffected by 5, 7-DHT treatment. The data suggest the possibility of preferential accumulation of 3 H-5HT by vesicles arising from serotonergic nerve endings.
Thresholds for electromagnetic field-induced hypoxia protection: evidence for a primary electric field effect.

Abstract We have recently reported that weak electromagnetic (EM) field exposure of chick embryos induces a response that can be used to protect against subsequent hypoxic insult. This work is continued here with an exposure response study using 20-min exposure to 60 Hz magnetic fields over a range of 2–10 μT. Once again, the biomarker used was induction of hypoxia protection. A sigmoidal response curve was found, with exposures to magnetic field strengths ≥4 μT inducing maximum hypoxia protection (68% survival). We also attempted to determine whether the magnetic or induced electric component of the EM field was responsible for the observed protection. This was accomplished by making measurements with two different orientations of the magnetic fields (perpendicular and parallel to the major axis of the egg). Owing to the configuration of the embryo in the egg, the induced electric field at the embryo was lower when the magnetic field was parallel to the major axis even though the magnetic field strength was the same for each orientation. Exposure of the embryos to the parallel orientation resulted in a reduced protective response. An exposure–response curve generated for this orientation of the field also showed a more “drawn-out” appearance, consistent with the observed distribution of embryo positions within the egg. Our results suggest that the induced electric, not the applied magnetic field, plays a primary role in the protective effect observed in this chick embryo model.
Effect of frame size and time-on-pasture on steer performance, longissimus muscle fatty acid composition, and tenderness in a forage-finishing system.

Angus-cross steers (n = 96; BW = 309 ± 34 kg; 13.5 mo of age) were used to determine the effects of frame size (medium or small) and time-on-pasture (TOP) on meat composition and palatability in a 2-yr study. Finishing steers grazed mixed pastures (bluegrass/ white clover; April start) and were slaughtered after 89-, 146-, and 201-d TOP. At 24 h postmortem, carcass traits were collected and a rib from each carcass was obtained for proximate and fatty acid composition, Warner-Bratzler shear force (WBSF), and postmortem proteolysis. In yr 1, postmortem aging treatments included 14 and 28 d, whereas in yr 2, postmortem aging treatments included 2, 4, 7, 14, and 28 d. Increasing frame size of the finishing steers produced greater (P 0.05) due to frame size or 2-way interaction with TOP. Increasing TOP resulted in quadratic increases (P 0.05) compared to the 14-d postmortem aging WBSF values. However, in steaks from 201-d TOP, additional postmortem aging to 28 d reduced (P < 0.001) WBSF. In pasture-based beef finishing systems, increasing TOP increases animal age, HCW, fat thickness, and marbling score; however, ten- derness of ribeye steaks decreased with advanced TOP such that longer postmortem aging times were required to achieve similar tenderness levels.
Domain-wall motion and resistivity in a fully frustrated Josephson array

It is identified numerically that the resistivity of a fully frustrated Josephson-junction array is due to the motion of domain walls in the vortex lattice rather than to the motion of single vortices. {copyright} {ital 1998} {ital The American Physical Society}
Metabolism of inositol phosphates in parotid cells: implications for the pathway of the phosphoinositide effect and for the possible messenger role of inositol trisphosphate.

Abstract Rat parotid acinar cells were used to investigate the time course of formation and breakdown of inositol phosphates in response to receptor-active agents. In cells preincubated with [ 3 H]inositol and in the presence of 10 mM LiCl (which blocks hydrolysis of inositol phosphate), methacholine (10 −4 M) caused a substantial increase in cellular content of [ 3 H]inositol phosphate, [ 3 H]inositol bisphosphate and [ 3 H]inositol trisphosphate. Subsequent addition of atropine (10 −4 M) caused breakdown of [ 3 H]inositol trisphosphate and [ 3 H]inositol bisphosphate and little change in accumulated [ 3 H]inositol phosphate. The data could be fit to a model whereby inositol trisphosphate and inositol bisphosphate are formed from phosphodiesteratic breakdown of phosphatidylinositol bisphosphate and phosphatidylinositol phosphate respectively, and inositol phosphate is formed from hydrolysis of inositol bisphosphate rather than from phosphatidylinositol. Consistent with this model was the finding that [ 3 H]inositol trisphosphate and [ 3 H]inositol bisphosphate levels were substantially increased in 5 sec while an increase in [ 3 H]inositol phosphate was barely detectable at 60 sec. These results indicate that in the parotid gland the phosphoinositide cycle is activated primarily by phosphodiesteratic breakdown of the polyphosphoinositides rather than phosphatidylinositol. Also, the results show that formation of inositol trisphosphate is probably sufficiently rapid for it to act as a second messenger signalling internal Ca 2+ release in this tissue.
Long-distance Radio Reception and the E-Region of the Ionosphere

MR. ALEXANDER A. McKENZIE, of the Mount Washington Observatory, has reported a well-marked case of the long-distance reception of amateur 56–60 megacycle signals, which occurs occasionally at this time of year. A letter from him reads in part: “We started listening about 1930 E.S.T. (June 5, 1938) and listened continuously until about 2045. During the whole time, long-distance signals were fading in and out fairly rapidly with extremely audible volume at the start, for instance, of a call letter group and absolute silence before the group was completed.”
The osmotic role of the brood pouch in the pipefish Syngnathus scovelli

Abstract 1. 1. Blood and brood pouch fluid samples from male pipefish brooding embryos at environmental osmolalities from 100 to 1350 mOsm/kg, were analyzed for osmolality and concentrations of Na + , K + and Mg 2+ . 2. 2. Mean blood osmolality for all samples was 370 (± 5 SE) mOsm/kg. 3. 3. Pouch fluid was hyperosmotic to blood by 24 ± 3.8 (SE) mOsm/kg in hyperosmotic media, an excess due in part to a higher sodium concentration. 4. 4. Pouch fluid osmolality was hyposmotic to blood by 17 ± 3.3 (SE) mOsm/kg in hyposmotic media. 5. 5. Pouch fluid osmolality is regulated near blood osmolality throughout incubation, perhaps to protect eggs and developing embryos from osmotic extremes.
A combined treatment approach to management of hepatic metastases

Forty-eight patients with liver metastases were treated at Rhode ISland Hospital in a nonrandomized sequential manner between January 1972 and June 1977. Eight received 5 FUDR hepatic artery infusion, 14 hepatic irradiation, and 25 were planned for combined intra-arterial chemotherapy plus total hepatic irradiation. Those patients who successfully completed induction treatments had a median survival in the radiation only group of 140 days, in the intra-arterial chemotherapy group 270 days, and in the combined group 376 days. Hepatic radiation when combined with chemotherapy was well tolerated. Primary tumor site, disease duration, and degree of abnormality of liver function had no relationship to the response to treatment. The pretreatment performance level of the patient as determined by the Karnofsky Performance Index gave the best indication for potential response to combined therapy. Based on the results of this treatment and the reports of other series, it appears that the combination of intra-arterial 5 FUDR plus hepatic irradiation may offer prolonged and worthwhile palliation to appropriately chosen patients.
Determination of trace levels of herbicides and their degradation products in surface and ground waters by gas chromatography/ion-trap mass spectrometry.

Abstract A rapid, specific and highly sensitive method is described for the determination of several commonly used herbicides and their degradation products in surface and ground waters by using gas chromatography/ion-trap mass spectrometry. The compounds included atrazine, and its degradation products desethylatrazine and desisopropylatrazine; simazine; cyanazine; metolachlor; and alachlor and its degradation products, 2-chloro-2',6'-diethylacetanilide, 2-hydroxy-2',6'-diethylacetanilide and 2,6-diethylaniline. The method was applied to surface-water samples collected from 16 different stations along the lower Mississippi River and its major tributaries, and ground-water samples beneath a cornfield in central Nebraska. Average recovery of a surrogate herbicide, terbuthylazine, was greater than 99%. Recoveries of the compounds of interest from river water spiked at environmental levels are also presented. Full-scan mass spectra of these compounds were obtained on 1 ng or less of analyte. Data were collected in the full-scan acquisition mode. Quantitation was based on a single characteristic ion for each compound. The detection limit was 60 pg with a signal-to-noise ratio of greater than 10:1.
A blistering response: concurrent psoriasis and pemphigus foliaceus.

PRESENTATION A 62-year-old woman’s dermatologic difficulties were compounded when light treatment for psoriasis spurred pemphigus foliaceus; an occurrence very rarely noted in the medical literature. She presented with an erythematous, crusted eruption involving her entire head and neck and most of her trunk. The lesions developed several months after consecutive exposures to narrowband ultraviolet B (UVB) phototherapy for chronic plaque psoriasis (Figure 1).
3-Hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A Synthase Reaction Intermediates: Detection of a Covalent Tetrahedral Adduct by Differential Isotope Shift 13C Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy†

Binding of [1,2-(13)C]acetyl-CoA to wild-type 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A (HMG-CoA) synthase is characterized by large upfield shifts for C1 (184 ppm, Deltadelta = 20 ppm) and C2 (26 ppm, Deltadelta = 7 ppm) resonances that are attributable to formation of the covalent [1,2 -(13)C]acetyl-S-enzyme reaction intermediate. NMR spectra of [1, 2-(13)C]acetyl-S-enzyme prepared in H(2)(16)O versus H(2)(18)O indicate a 0.055 ppm upfield shift of the C1 resonance in the presence of the heavier isotope. The magnitude of this (18)O-induced (13)C shift suggests that the 184 ppm resonance is attributable to a reaction intermediate in which C1 exhibits substantial carbonyl character. No significant shift of the C2 resonance occurs. These observations suggest that, in the absence of second substrate (acetoacetyl-CoA), enzymatic addition of H(2)(18)O to the C1 carbonyl of acetyl-S-enzyme occurs to transiently produce a tetrahedral species. This tetrahedral adduct exchanges oxygen upon backward collapse to re-form the sp(2)-hybridized thioester carbonyl. In contrast with HMG-CoA synthase, C378G Zoogloea ramigera beta-ketothiolase, which also forms a (13)C NMR-observable covalent acetyl-enzyme species, exhibits no (18)O-induced shift. Formation of the [(13)C]acetyl-S-enzyme reaction intermediate of HMG-CoA synthase in D(2)O versus H(2)O is characterized by a time-dependent isotope-induced upfield shift of the C1 resonance (maximal shift = 0. 185 ppm) in the presence of the heavier isotope. A more modest upfield shift (0.080 ppm) is observed for C378G Z. ramigera beta-ketothiolase in similar experiments. The slow kinetics for the development of the deuterium-induced (13)C shift in the HMG-CoA synthase experiments suggest a specific interaction (hydrogen bond) with a slowly exchangeable proton (deuteron) of a side chain/backbone of an amino acid residue at the active site.
A survey of serious aircraft accidents involving fatigue fracture

Abstract A world-wide survey of serious aircraft accidents involving fatigue fracture has been carried out. The study includes not only fatal accidents, but also those in which the damage to the airframe was substantial or greater. The accidents cover civil and, to a limited extent, military aircraft. A total of 1885 accidents since 1927 were identified as having fatigue fracture as a related cause, and these accidents resulted in 2240 deaths. Engine/transmission failure and landing-gear failure were the most common cause of recent fixed-wing accidents, while the most prevalent rotary-wing problems were failure of the engine/transmission and of the tail-rotor. Currently there is a yearly average of about 100 serious fatigue accidents (69 fixed-wing and 31 rotary-wing).
Effects of ambient gas on the diffusion of copper through thin chromium films and of nickel through thin gold films

Abstract The low temperature (300–400°C) out-diffusion of an underlying metal through a thin film overlayer of another metal has been studied in ambients of nitrogen and forming gas. Surface oxidation of this out-diffused metal degrades solder wettability and wire bonding properties. Auger electron spectroscopy depth profile analysis shows that the out-diffusion of copper through chromium and of nickel through gold is suppressed in a forming gas ambient.
Improved estimation procedures for multilevel models with binary response: a case-study

Summary. During recent years, analysts have been relying on approximate methods of inference to estimate multilevel models for binary or count data. In an earlier study of random-intercept models for binary outcomes we used simulated data to demonstrate that one such approximation, known as marginal quasi-likelihood, leads to a substantial attenuation bias in the estimates of both fixed and random effects whenever the random effects are non-trivial. In this paper, we fit three-level randomintercept models to actual data for two binary outcomes, to assess whether refined approximation procedures, namely penalized quasi-likelihood and second-order improvements to marginal and penalized quasi-likelihood, also underestimate the underlying parameters. The extent of the bias is assessed by two standards of comparison: exact maximum likelihood estimates, based on a Gauss-Hermite numerical quadrature procedure, and a set of Bayesian estimates, obtained from Gibbs sampling with diffuse priors. We also examine the effectiveness of a parametric bootstrap procedure for reducing the bias. The results indicate that second-order penalized quasi-likelihood estimates provide a considerable improvement over the other approximations, but all the methods of approximate inference result in a substantial underestimation of the fixed and random effects when the random effects are sizable. We also find that the parametric bootstrap method can eliminate the bias but is computationally very intensive.
Application of Molecular Orbital‐Valence Bond Theory to Geometric Isomerism

The Molecular Orbital-Valence Bond (MOVB) method is briefly outlined and it is subsequently applied to the problem of geometric isomerism of molecules having eight and ten sigma valence electrons such as bent HC≡CH and HN=≡NH. It is shown that orbital symmetry dictates a trans bending tendency for HCCH and in the hypothetical absence of nonbonded repulsion, a cis geometry for XNNY and XOOY.
Temporal and Spatial Patterns of Expression of Inhibitors of Apoptosis in Human Placentas

The apoptosis cascade that plays a central role in normal and pathological processes is strictly controlled, in part by newly described members of the inhibitor of apoptosis (IAP) family (HIAP-1, HIAP-2, XIAP, NAIP, Survivin, and Livin). Here, we report the expression of IAP mRNAs and proteins in early and late gestation human placentas, term cytotrophoblast cells, and two choriocarcinoma cell lines, JEG-3 and Jar. Reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction identified mRNAs derived from all of the currently known IAP genes in all samples. Analysis by immunoblotting revealed that IAP proteins are present in early and late gestation human placentas and that levels of IAPs are not identical in normal and transformed trophoblast cells. Immunohistochemical experiments performed on paraformaldehyde-fixed tissue sections taken from early and late stages of pregnancy demonstrated that expression patterns differed according to cell lineage and stage of cell differentiation. The results of this study are consistent with the postulate that IAP proteins have critical roles in placental cell survival and suggest that specific apoptosis inhibitors may protect normal and transformed trophoblast cells from cell death.
A p, γ coincidence method for the measurement of π0 photoproduction

A method has been developed to measure differential crosssections for photoproduction of neutral pions from hydrogen below 260 MeV incident photon energies. Tye recoil protons are detected in coincidence with one of the decay γ-rays of the pion. The proton counter telescope utilizes a proportional gas counter as transmission counter. A lead glass cerenkov counter detects the γ-rays. A thin liquid hydrogen target with Mylar walls is used. Some cross-sections measured at 90‡ in the center of mass are presented.
Learning About Politics in Low-Income Communities: Poverty and Political Knowledge

Many take for granted that children living in impoverished communities are disadvantaged on several social outcomes, including civic knowledge, because of their poverty and the circumstances that go along with this condition. However, most analyses of poor communities are conducted only in urban neighborhoods. In this article, the author examines the paradox of small-town life: On one hand, many rural areas and small towns are just as or even more impoverished than many urban neighborhoods; on the other hand, these same communities are praised as the most civically minded and politically knowledgeable places within the United States. How can two similarly poor community types produce such different outcomes? The author shows that the best explanation for these differences is the social interaction that characterizes small towns and rural areas. Political discussion within smaller towns is beneficial for adolescents'levels of political knowledge, whereas this discussion in urban areas is associated with lo...
Southwestern Archaeological Thought

Book reviewed in this article: Themes in Southwest Prehistory. George J. Gumerman, ed. The Ancient Southwestern Community: Models and Methods for the Study of Prehistoric Social Organization. W. H. Wills and Robert D. Leonard, eds.
A tenant interface for energy and maintenance systems

We describe the design of a user interface for energy and maintenance systems in commercial buildings. The user interface is for use by occupants (tenants) of commercial buildings. Our hypothesis is that by allowing tenants access to information from the energy and maintenance systems and by giving them some control over these systems, energy and maintenance performance can be improved. We used interviews with potential users and existing energy and maintenance databases to guide the design.
The trail to superoxide dismutase.

City College of New York + Cornell Medical School + Duke. While a youngster, I was enthralled by the miracle of insect metamorphosis and followed the transformations of pet caterpillars to pupae and then to gloriously beautiful butterflies and moths. This led naturally to an interest in biology. but mere description was not totally satisfying. One hoped for explanations at the molecular level: so at the City College of New York I majored in both chemistry and biology. It was Abraham Mazur who set me on the professional path I was to follow all the days of my life. He taught a course in Biochemistry, in which I enrolled during my senior year (1950-1951). He was an enthusiastic and effective teacher, both in the lecture hall and in the laboratory. Abe Mazur made it clear that biochemistry was the highest use of chemistry and could lead to real, testable explanations for the processes of life. Toward the end of that senior year Abe Mazur asked me about my post-graduation plans and then offered a job. It developed that he had two jobs; one teaching biochemistry at City College of New York and the other doing research at Cornell Medical School. I was delighted to accept his offer and then spent a happy year at Cornell Medical School isolating a vasopressor material from hog kidneys. Toward the end of that year Abe suggested that I consider graduate study and I asked him to what schools I should apply. His response took me entirely by surprise. “You have already been accepted into the Department of Biochemistry at Duke University School of Medicine and should go there in early September.” At that moment I did not know where Duke University was located, but soon found
Formal verification for real-world designs

This tutorial addresses state-of-the-art methods used to verify the correctness of sequential digital systems. The focus is on providing an overview of the main technologies and their applicability to complex designs. We cover the baseline algorithms involved in a range of verification methods, their application for specific aspects of formal verification and their deployment in verification software currently available both from industry and from academia. The tutorial is intended for designers and CAD engineers interested in a better understanding of current formal verification technologies, their growth potential, and the critical CAD needs in this area.
Association Between Right Ventricular Function and Perfusion Abnormalities in Hemodynamically Stable Patients With Acute Pulmonary Embolism

Background/objectives Patients presenting with acute pulmonary embolism associated with hemodynamic compromise exhibit right ventricular enlargement and dysfunction on transthoracic echocardiogram. However, the degree of echocardiographic abnormalities among hemodynamically stable patients without preexisting cardiopulmonary disease during the acute stage of pulmonary embolism, and following treatment, is unknown. Therefore, this study was designed to assess the extent of right ventricular abnormalities detected on transthoracic echocardiogram in patients following acute pulmonary embolism and during treatment with anticoagulation or vena caval interruption. The extent of pulmonary vascular obstruction and complication rate on follow-up were also assessed. Design/interventions Sixty-four consecutive hemodynamically stable patients without preexisting known cardiopulmonary disorder presenting with acute pulmonary embolism and undergoing treatment with anticoagulation or inferior vena caval interruption were studied. All subjects underwent a two-dimensional transthoracic echocardiogram within 24 h of diagnosis. The degree of perfusion abnormality on lung scan was quantified. Twenty-six patients underwent follow-up echocardiogram and lung scan at 6 weeks. The echocardiographic findings were compared with those obtained from a group of normal control subjects matched for gender and age. Results Although the mean right ventricular end-diastolic areas did not differ (21.9±5.2 cm 2 vs 20.1±2.9 cm 2 for control subjects; p=not significant), the right ventricular end-systolic area was larger in comparison to our series of control subjects (14.6±5.1 cm 2 vs 11.7±2.0 cm 2 ; p=0.025). Fractional right ventricular area change was reduced in the patient group compared with the control subjects (34.3±9.0% vs 41.3±7.0%; p=0.003). The extent of right ventricular end-systolic area enlargement and decrease in fractional area change did not correlate with the degree of pulmonary vascular obstruction. Patients who were restudied at 6 weeks showed minimal improvement in echocardiographic findings, despite almost complete resolution of perfusion defects on lung scan. Conclusions The extent of right ventricular dysfunction in hemodynamically stable, previously normal patients with acute pulmonary embolism does not reflect the extent of the perfusion abnormalities. Further, right ventricular enlargement and systolic dysfunction are present and persistent despite treatment with heparin and warfarin therapy or vena caval interruption.
Stability studies on 0.79 m/sup 2/ single junction and tandem a-Si:H PV modules fabricated by a batch process

Single junction and tandem (a-Si:H/a-Si:H) thin film PV modules were fabricated by a production line large batch process with different process parameters and light soaked in outdoor sunlight. The performances were analyzed and compared with module stability data obtained from a large-area, uniform indoor solar-radiation simulator. Tandem (double junction) modules are notably more stable with higher post-exposure output power compared to single junction modules. Optimizations in a-Si:H deposition have led to typical light-induced degradation of about 10% and 20%, respectively, for tandem and single junction PV modules. Grading scheme at the p-i interface and i-layer growth rate greatly influence the 'stabilized' output power of manufactured a-Si:H PV modules. The presence of carbon in the i-layer resulted in higher initial, but lower degraded, module power for both single junction and tandem modules.
Mutation, selection, and memory in B lymphocytes of exothermic vertebrates.

Summary: Unlike mammals, cold-blooded vertebrates produce antibodies of low heterogeneity that show little increase in binding affinity with time after immunization. In secondary responses, antibody titers and affinities are often Uttlc, if any, higher than in primary responses. That is, specificity, diversity, and memory - the hallmarks of the immune system - are rather meager in the humoral immune responses of exothermic vertebrates. As the genetic components of the immunoglobulin (Ig) gene systems in fishes, amphibians or reptiles are not deferent ii number or diversity, their responses probably do not stern from restrictions in the primary antibody repertoire. Somatic hypermutation at the Ig locus, which generates diversity and higher affinity antibodies in mammals, is not lacking in the South African frog Xenopus or in tbe sbark. However, the Ig mutants recovered are strongly biased toward alterations at GC pairs, an indication that they have not undergone effective selection. While cells resembling follicular dendritic cells are present in cold-blooded vertebrates, germinal centers do not form. U is suggested that this absence of germinal centers, the site of selection for the mutants with higher affinity receptors and of differentiation into memory B cells in mammals, may explain the principal differences between cold and warm-blooded vertebrates.
An adaptive nulling system for a narrow-band signal with a look direction constraint using one or more signal subspace eigenvectors

Conventional array beamforming techniques such as the minimum variance beamformer, require the estimation of the inverse of a signal free covariance matrix in order to obtain the array weights. This can sometimes lead to ill conditioned matrices. In this paper a new algorithm for array beamforming is presented. The proposed technique uses one or more of the eigenvectors of the array's signal plus interference covariance matrix.
The Clinical Impact of Administering Warfarin to Post-Myocardial Infarction Patients

This article reviews recent trials that have compared aspirin to anticoagulation in post-myocardial infarction (MI) patients. Warfarin dosed to international normalized ratios (INRs) between 2.8 and 4.2 was superior to placebo in reducing morbidity and mortality; however, post-MI patients are generally receiving aspirin. When aspirin therapy was compared to warfarin plus aspirin, no clinical benefit occurred when warfarin was dosed to achieve INRs less than 2.0. In contrast, warfarin reduced morbidity and mortality compared to aspirin when it was dosed as monotherapy to achieve INRs between 3.0 and 4.0 or used with aspirin 75 to 80 mg daily and dosed to INRs between 2.0 and 2.5. With respect to mortality alone, warfarin was superior to aspirin only when it was used as monotherapy and compared to aspirin 80 mg daily. No difference in mortality was observed when warfarin monotherapy was compared to aspirin 160 mg daily.
Fundamental principles and applications of natural gas hydrates

Natural gas hydrates are solid, non-stoichiometric compounds of small gas molecules and water. They form when the constituents come into contact at low temperature and high pressure. The physical properties of these compounds, most notably that they are non-flowing crystalline solids that are denser than typical fluid hydrocarbons and that the gas molecules they contain are effectively compressed, give rise to numerous applications in the broad areas of energy and climate effects. In particular, they have an important bearing on flow assurance and safety issues in oil and gas pipelines, they offer a largely unexploited means of energy recovery and transportation, and they could play a significant role in past and future climate change.
Pipe-Line Flow of Solids in Suspension: A Symposium: Mechanics of Flow with Noncolloidal, Inert Solids

The investigation of the laws governing the pipe-line flow of liquids containing solids in suspension has received the attention of a number of investigators in several fields. The presentation and...
Intragroup Stigma Among Men Who Have Sex with Men: Data Extraction from Craigslist Ads in 11 Cities in the United States

Background: Gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (MSM) regularly experience homophobic discrimination and stigma. While previous research has examined homophobic and HIV-related intergroup stigma originating from non-MSM directed at MSM, less is known about intragroup stigma originating from within MSM communities. While some research has examined intragroup stigma, this research has focused mostly on HIV-related stigma. Intragroup stigma may have a unique influence on sexual risk-taking behaviors as it occurs between sexual partners. Online sexual networking venues provide a unique opportunity to examine this type of stigma. Objective: The purpose of this study is to examine the presence and patterns of various types of intragroup stigma represented in Men Seeking Men Craigslist sex ads. Methods: Data were collected from ads on Craigslist sites from 11 of the 12 US metropolitan statistical areas with the highest HIV/AIDS prevalence. Two categories of data were collected: self-reported characteristics of the authors and reported biases in the ads. Chi-square tests were used to examine patterns of biases across cities and author characteristics. Results: Biases were rarely reported in the ads. The most commonly reported biases were against men who were not “disease and drug free (DDF),” representing stigma against men living with HIV or a sexually transmitted infection. Patterns in bias reporting occurred across cities and author characteristics. There were no variations based on race, but ageism (mostly against older men) varied based on the ad author’s age and self-reported DDF status; bias against feminine gender expression varied based on self-reported sexual orientation; bias against “fat” men varied by self-reported DDF status; bias against “ugly” men varied by a self-report of being good-looking; and bias against people who do not have a DDF status varied based on self-reported HIV status and self-reported DDF status. Conclusions: Despite an overall low reporting of biases in ads, these findings suggest that there is a need to address intragroup stigma within MSM communities. The representation of biases and intragroup stigma on Craigslist may result from internalized stigma among MSM while also perpetuating further internalization of stigma for men who read the sex ads. Understanding patterns in the perpetuation of intragroup stigma can help to better target messages aimed at making cultural and behavioral shifts in the perpetration of intragroup stigma within MSM communities. [JMIR Public Health Surveill 2016;2(1):e4]
Why Do States Acquire Nuclear Weapons? Comparing the Cases of India and France

Why did India suddenly decide to acquire an overt, weaponized nuclear deterrent in 1998 after resisting that temptation for so many years? The best way to investigate this question is to look at the Indian case in comparative context. In particular, much insight can be gained by drawing from the history of another nuclear weapons state: France. Using information gleaned from in-depth field research conducted in both India and France, it can be demonstrated that hypotheses for nuclear proliferation based on the objective security situation, the quest for international prestige or bureaucratic politics fall short. Rather, “oppositional nationalist” understandings of national identity were at the root of the bomb decisions in both the France of the mid-1950s and the India of the late 1990s. An oppositional nationalist identity combines a great antagonism toward an external enemy of the nation and an exaltation of the actual or potential strength of the nation. This type of identity produces a mix of fear and pride—an explosive psychological cocktail.
An evaluation of two preschool programs for disadvantaged children: a traditional and a highly structured experimental preschool.

This paper presents the first year results of a study designed to evaluate through a battery of standardized tests the effectiveness of two preschool programs upon the long range school performance...
Imaging acquisition display performance: an evaluation and discussion of performance metrics and procedures

When The Joint Commission updated its Requirements for Diagnostic Imaging Services for hospitals and ambulatory care facilities on July 1, 2015, among the new requirements was an annual performance evaluation for acquisition workstation displays. The purpose of this work was to evaluate a large cohort of acquisition displays used in a clinical environment and compare the results with existing performance standards provided by the American College of Radiology (ACR) and the American Association of Physicists in Medicine (AAPM). Measurements of the minimum luminance, maximum luminance, and luminance uniformity, were performed on 42 acquisition displays across multiple imaging modalities. The mean values, standard deviations, and ranges were calculated for these metrics. Additionally, visual evaluations of contrast, spatial resolution, and distortion were performed using either the Society of Motion Pictures and Television Engineers test pattern or the TG-18-QC test pattern. Finally, an evaluation of local nonuniformities was performed using either a uniform white display or the TG-18-UN80 test pattern. Displays tested were flat panel, liquid crystal displays that ranged from less than 1 to up to 10 years of use and had been built by a wide variety of manufacturers. The mean values for Lmin and Lmax for the displays tested were 0.28 ± 0.13 cd/m2 and 135.07 ± 33.35 cd/m2, respectively. The mean maximum luminance deviation for both ultrasound and non-ultrasound displays was 12.61% ± 4.85% and 14.47% ± 5.36%, respectively. Visual evaluation of display performance varied depending on several factors including brightness and contrast settings and the test pattern used for image quality assessment. This work provides a snapshot of the performance of 42 acquisition displays across several imaging modalities in clinical use at a large medical center. Comparison with existing performance standards reveals that changes in display technology and the move from cathode ray tube displays to flat panel displays may have rendered some of the tests inappropriate for modern use.
Infectious Mononucleosis and Multiple Sclerosis

A cohort of 25,234 Danish patients testing positive (at titers of 1/32) for Epstein-Barr virus related mononucleosis (MONO), during the period 1940-1988, was followed for more than 550,000 person-years.
The Calorimeter Trigger Processor Card: the next generation of high speed algorithmic data processing at CMS

The CMS Level-1 upgraded calorimeter trigger requires a powerful, flexible and compact processing card. The Calorimeter Trigger Processor Card (CTP7) uses the Virtex-7 FPGA as its primary data processor and is the first FPGA based processing card in CMS to employ the ZYNQ System-on-Chip (SoC) running embedded Linux to provide TCP/IP communication and board support functions. The CTP7 was built from the ground up to support AXI infrastructure to provide flexible and modular designs with minimal time from project conception to final implementation.
Comparison of 3-Month Stroke Disability and Quality of Life across Modified Rankin Scale Categories.

Background and Purpose: Modified Rankin Scale (mRS) score 0-2 has been used to define “good outcome” while stroke patients with mRS 3 are grouped with mRS 4-6 as having “poor outcome.” Long-term data comparing quality of life (QoL), particularly across the mRS 2, 3, and 4 subgroups, are sparse. Methods: Participants in the Interventional Management of Stroke 3 (IMS3) trial with documented 3-month mRS, functional disability (Barthel index [BI]), and self-reported EQ5D-3L QoL questionnaires at 3 months after stroke were included. EQ5D-3L summary indices were calculated using published utility weights for the US population. BI and EQ5D-3L indices were compared across mRS categories using multiple pairwise comparisons with appropriate alpha error corrections. Results: Four hundred twenty-three patients were included (mean age 64 ± 13 years, median baseline NIHSS 16 [IQR 12-19], mean BI 84.1 ± 25.3, and mean EQ5D-3L index 0.73 ± 0.24). While significant differences in BI were observed across mRS categories, QoL in the mRS 2 and 3 categories was similar. Based on BI and EQ5D-3L index, mRS 3 status was more similar to mRS 2 than to mRS 4 status, and large heterogeneity in the mRS 3 group was observed. Conclusions: Ischemic stroke patients who achieve mRS 2 and 3 functional outcomes seem to have similar health-related QoL scores. mRS 0-3, rather than 0-2, should be considered a good outcome category in moderate to severe ischemic stroke.
Factors Associated With Accelerated Hospitalization and Re-hospitalization Among Medicare Home Health Patients

Background Preventing hospitalizations and re-hospitalizations of older adults receiving Medicare home health (HH) services is a key goal for patients and care providers. This study aimed to identify factors related to greater risk of and earlier hospitalizations from HH, a key step in targeting preventive efforts. Methods Data come from Medicare mandated start-of-care assessments from 87,780 HH patients served by 132 agencies in 32 states, collected from January 2013 to March 2015. Using parametric accelerated failure time (AFT) survival models, we evaluated the association between key patient and environmental characteristics and the hazard of and time until hospitalization and re-hospitalization. Results In total, 15,030 hospitalizations, including 6,539 re-hospitalizations, occurred in the sample within 60 days of start of HH. Factors most strongly associated with substantially greater risk of and earlier hospitalization included male gender, history of hospitalization, polypharmacy, elevated depressive symptoms, greater functional disability, primary diagnoses of heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and urinary tract infection, and government-controlled agency care. In addition to these factors, black race and primary diagnosis of skin wounds were uniquely related to risk of earlier re-hospitalization. Conclusions Results suggest that factors collected during routine HH patient assessments can provide important information to predict risk of earlier hospitalization and re-hospitalization among Medicare HH patients. Identified factors can help identify patients at greatest risk of early hospitalization and may be important targets for agencies and care providers to prevent avoidable hospitalizations.
Ligand-Exchange Dynamics on Gold Nanocrystals: Direct Monitoring of Nanoscale Polyvinylpyrrolidone–Thiol Domain Surface Morphology

We report direct high-resolution monitoring of an evolving mixed nanodomain surface morphology during thiol adsorption on polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP)-stabilized single crystal gold nanocrystals. The thiol adsorption and replacement dynamics are much more complex than a simple complete substitution of the initial polymer ligand. We observed that during ligand exchange with linear thiol, the nanocrystal surface evolved from an initial 1 nm uniform PVP coating into a remarkably stable network of globular PVP domains 20–100 nm in size and ∼4 nm in height surrounded by thiol self-assembled monolayers. The final stability of such a mixed thiol–PVP surface morphology can possibly be attributed to the interfacial energy reduction from partially solvophilic surfaces and the entropic gain from mixed ligand surface layers. The ligand-exchange dynamics and the unusual equilibrium morphology revealed here provide important insights into both displacement dynamics of surface-bound molecules and the nanoscale peculiariti...