cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Therapeutic plasma exchange as a therapeutic modality for the treatment of IVIG complications.

Intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) is used for the treatment of a number of inflammatory conditions. Hemolysis due to passive transfer of blood group antibodies is a well recognized complication of IVIG therapy. Therapy is largely supportive and consists of blood product support and hemodialysis. We report the use of therapeutic plasma exchange (TPE) as adjunct therapy for three patients with complications attributed to IVIG. Two patients had hemolysis attributed to IVIG; one patient was blood group A and the other blood group O. The third patient was an orthotopic heart transplant recipient with a type A donor heart, and anti-A antibodies detected after infusion of IVIG for suspected antibody mediated rejection. Two patients had anti-A titers available that decreased after initiation of plasma exchange. The blood group O patient with hemolysis had a gradual stabilization of hemoglobin and resolution of the positive DAT. TPE may be useful therapy for patients with severe hemolysis caused by IVIG or at risk for tissue damage by blood group antibodies. J. Clin. Apheresis 30:371–374, 2015. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
The categorization effect in hedonic contrast: experts differ from novices.

Test stimuli are rated as less “good” when they follow very good context stimuli than when they are presented alone. This diminution in rating is called hedonic contrast. Contrast is attenuated if the context and the test stimuli are perceived as being in different categories. Because experts use as their basic-level categories what are the subordinate levels for novices, they will categorize when novices do not. Therefore, in the following studies, both experts and novices showed hedonic contrast when attractive context orchids preceded more neutral test orchids. However, only the novices showed hedonic contrast when attractive context irises preceded the test orchids. Novices viewed the irises and the orchids as “flowers” and therefore members of the same category, resulting in contrast. Experts, however, viewed the irises and the orchids as being in different categories; therefore, hedonic contrast did not occur.
Non-compositional forms and the continuity assumption

AbstractIt is argued that, though combinatoriality is the characteristic trait of human language, non-compositional forms also play an important role in adult grammars and that they plausibly play an important role in child language development, as well. Specific evidence for this position comes from the utility of assuming that “did” in uninverted child English questions such as “Where you did go?” is, in fact, a non-compositional form that must occur in a syntactic position below the subject because it lacks either tense or agreement. The advantage of such a formulation is that it accounts for the occurrence of both “Optional Infinitive” verbs and the “Optional Inversion” of auxiliary verbs in child English, as a function of one underlying factor: developing verb finiteness. This account hinges on the existence of non-compositional forms in child grammars. Such an account is consistent with the Continuity Hypothesis. In this case, assuming that non-compositional forms exist and play an important role in...
Ear, nose and throat disorders in children with Down syndrome

Objective To document the reasons for which children with Down syndrome were referred to a pediatric otolaryngology practice, the underlying causes for these referrals, and the complications of routine surgical therapy. Study Design The study is a retrospective review of children referred to the Pediatric Otolaryngology Clinic at the University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center (Albuquerque, NM) during a period of 2.5 years. Methods Data were collected on 55 parameters related to ethnicity, demographics, diagnosis, surgical therapy, complications, and systemic comorbid conditions. Results The ethnicity of the study population was predominantly Hispanic or Latino (62%). The majority of children (76%) were referred for upper airway obstruction. Obstructive sleep apnea and laryngomalacia were the most common disorders in these children. An otological disorder was diagnosed in 70% of the children. Complications occurred after 27% of procedures for insertion of pressure equalization (PE) tubes to treat recurrent otitis media. Systemic comorbid conditions were present in 93% of the children, and the most common was gastroesophageal reflux disease. Conclusions Obstructive sleep apnea and laryngomalacia were the most common reasons for referral of children with Down syndrome. Routine surgical procedures that required general anesthesia caused complications that are not common in other children. Treatment for systemic comorbid conditions should be considered as a component of therapy for otolaryngological disorders in children with Down syndrome.
Schwarzschild field in n dimensions and the dimensionality of space problem

The fact that our present laws of physics admit of a formal extension to spaces of an arbitrary number of dimensions suggests that there must be some principle (or principles) operative which in conjunction with these laws entails the observed specificity of spatial dimensionality,n=3. Generalizing from an approach suggested by the work ofEhrenfest (and independently byG. J. Whitrow) on the Newtonian keplerian problem inn dimensions, it is proposed that this principle may be tentatively summarized in the postulate that there shall be stable bound orbits or «states» for the equations of motion governing the interaction of bodies (considered as «material points’). This postulate is applied to the geodesic equations of motion obtained from a generalization of the Schwarzschild field to static systems with hyper-spherical symmetry, and it is shown that the bound state postulate uniquely entails the spatial dimensionality. This result is not entirely peculiar, to general relativity because it also holds for Newtonian theory (Ehrenfest-Whitrow) if one also introduces an asymptotic condition to exclude casesn 3, and in conjunction with the asymptotic conditionn<3. An attempt is made to understand the logical origin of this postulate and it is argued that if one assumes the basic representatives of a dynamics with a metric to be material points, one needs such a postulate to construct Einstein’s «practically rigid rods», since point bodies in themselves do not provide us with a measure of distance. Some brief qualitative applications of these ideas are, made to quantum electrodynamics.
The use of tissue expanders in the closure of a giant omphalocele

Giant omphalocele is associated with a high degree of visceroabdominal disproportion, which prohibits safe primary closure. Conventional treatment options include (1) topical therapy with epithelialization followed by secondary ventral hernia repair and (2) staged reduction using a SILASTIC(R) (Dow Corning, Midland, MI) chimney. The authors report a case in which staged reduction of a giant omphalocele was facilitated by the use of crescent-shaped tissue expanders positioned in the potential space between the internal oblique and transversus abdominis layers of the abdominal wall.
Clinical usefulness of the Ottawa Ankle Rules for detecting fractures of the ankle and midfoot.

Abstract Reference: Bachmann LM, Kolb E, Koller MT, Steurer J, ter Riet G. Accuracy of Ottawa Ankle Rules to exclude fractures of the ankle and mid-foot: systematic review. BMJ. 2003;326(7386):417–...
Squamous cell carcinomas in situ arising in seborrheic keratoses: an association with concomitant immunosuppression?

Background Seborrheic keratoses (SK) are the most common cutaneous neoplasm in humans. Given their numbers, a squamous cell carcinoma in situ (SCCIS) arising from an SK would not be unexpected, although this occurrence has not been widely reported. Objective This study compares the immune status of patients with a SCCIS arising contiguously from SK (SK/SCCIS) and the number of daily medications taken by these patients. The biopsy tissue was evaluated for the presence of human papillomavirus DNA. Methods Over a 5-year period at our institution, 13 cases of SK/SCCIS were diagnosed. For each case, age- and sex-matched control patients with a histologically diagnosed unremarkable SK were randomly selected. The number of patients taking immunosuppressing medications was determined from each group and compared statistically. In addition, polymerase chain reaction analysis of the 13 SK/SCCIS biopsies was performed. Results Five of the 13 study patients took immunosuppressive medications compared to none of the 39 control patients (P = 0.0005). None of the biopsies demonstrated the presence of human papillomavirus DNA by polymerase chain reaction. Conclusions Immunocompromised patients with SKs appear to carry a greater risk of these otherwise innocuous lesions developing an SCCIS, although given the small number of patients evaluated, further research into this possible association is warranted.
"Floating" catheter for temporary transvenous ventricular pacing.

Abstract A technique for the placement of a flow-directed balloon electrode catheter for right ventricular endocardial pacing was utilized successfully in 15 of 17 patients. The catheter is capable of being passed either percutaneously, or by cut-down procedure, at the bedside under electrocardiographic control. It was successfully positioned in 6 cases after other semifloating electrodes failed. This new catheter provides stable, reliable pacing and is an excellent alternative to X-ray image intensification for placement under urgent or emergent conditions.
Evaluation of the role of specific acidic amino acid residues in electron transfer between the flavodoxin and cytochrome c3 from Desulfovibrio vulgaris.

A hypothetical model for electron transfer complex between cytochrome c3 and the flavodoxin from the sulfate-reducing bacteria Desulfovibrio vulgaris has been proposed, based on electrostatic potential field calculations and NMR data [Stewart, D. E., LeGall, J. , Moura, I., Moura, J. J. G., Peck, H. D., Jr., Xavier, A. V., Weiner, P. K., & Wampler, J. E. (1988) Biochemistry 27, 2444-2450]. This modeled complex relies primarily on the formation of five ion pairs between lysine residues of the cytochrome and acidic residues surrounding the flavin mononucleotide cofactor of the flavodoxin. In this study, the role of several acidic residues of the flavodoxin in the formation of this complex and in electron transfer between these two proteins was evaluated. A total of 17 flavodoxin mutants were studied in which 10 acidic amino acids--Asp62, Asp63, Glu66, Asp69, Asp70, Asp95, Glu99, Asp106, Asp127, and Asp129--had been permanently neutralized either individually or in various combinations by substitution with their amide amino acid equivalent (i.e., asparate to asparagine, glutamate to glutamine) through site-directed mutagenesis. The kinetic data for the transfer of electrons from reduced cytochrome c3 to the various flavodoxin mutants do not conform well to a simple bimolecular mechanism involving the formation of an intermediate electron transfer complex. Instead, a minimal electron transfer mechanism is proposed in which an initial complex is formed that is stabilized by intermolecular electrostatic interactions but is relatively inefficient in terms of electron transfer. This step is followed by a rate-limiting reorganization of that complex leading to efficient electron transfer. The apparent rate of this reorganization step was enhanced by the disruption of the initial electrostatic interactions through the neutralization of certain acidic amino acid residues leading to faster overall observed electron transfer rates at low ionic strengths. Of the five acidic residues involved in ion pairing in the modeled complex proposed by Stewart et al. (1988), the kinetic data strongly implicate Asp62, Glu66, and Asp95 in the formation of the electrostatic interactions that control electron transfer. Less certainty is provided by this study for the involvement of Asp69 and Asp129, although the data do not exclude their participation. It was not possible to determine whether the modeled complex represents the optimal configuration for electron transfer obtained after the reorganization step or actually represents the initial complex. The data do provide evidence for the importance of electrostatic interactions in electron transfer between these two proteins and for the existence of alternative binding modes involving acidic residues on the surface of the flavodoxin other than those proposed in that model.
Errors of Measurement of Flow Birefringence by the Sénarmont Method

The Senarmont method is convenient for measuring flow birefringence in the conventional concentric cylinder apparatus. Unless the light is monochromatic, and the quarter-wave plate is exact, errors are introduced. Also, dichroism due to attenuation by either absorption or scattering can cause errors. Equations for these errors are derived and illustrated by numerical examples.
Interfacial Rheological and Tension Properties of Protein Films

Abstract The purpose of this study was to investigate and compare interfacial rheological and tension properties of adsorbed protein films under conditions known to affect bulk properties of proteins. In previous publications, the effects of pH, protein concentration, temperature, and aging on the interfacial rheology of bovine serum albumin (BSA) and human immunoglobulin G (HI g G) were reported (D. J. Burgess, L. Longo, and J. K. Yoon, J. Parenteral Sci. Technol. 45, 239 (1991); and D. J. Burgess, J. K. Yoon, and N. O. Sahin, J. Parenteral Sci. Technol. 46, 150 (1992)). These data are compared with interfacial tension data reported here. In addition, the effects of ionic strength and chemical agents on the interfacial rheology and tension of BSA and HI g G are reported. An oscillatory interfacial shear rheometer was used to determine interfacial rheology, and a Cahn microbalance connected to a Wilhelmy plate was used to measure interfacial tension. These two techniques provide information on molecular interfacial adsorption, interaction between adsorbed molecules, film compactness, and strength. They appear to be complementary when used in the characterization of adsorbed protein interfacial films.
Unserviceable crowns and fixed partial dentures: life-span and causes for loss of serviceability.

A study was made of data regarding fixed partial dentures that had been diagnosed as unserviceable. The purpose of the study was to provide dentists with reliable current information. The life-span of restorations, as well as causes of loss of serviceability, were determined. Caries accounted for the largest number of failures.
Fate of Aortic Valve Homografts

Five years ago we reported that aortic valve homografts sutured into the descending thoracic aorta of the dog remained competent and continued to function if severe regurgitation of the animal's own aortic valve was created. Based on these findings human aortic valve homografts then were sutured into the descending thoracic aorta of four patients with severe aortic valve insufficiency. Recent interest in the fate of aortic valve homografts suggested need for a long-term follow-up of these four patients. One, in whom an aortic valve homograft was substituted for a Hufnagel valve because of severe psychiatric problems produced by noise associated with the prosthesis, remained in excellent health until he was killed in an automobile accident. Two patients subsequently have required subcoronary aortic valve replacement with caged-ball prostheses, and in one of these continued competence of the aortic valve homograft more than four years after operation was proved prior to valve replacement. The fourth patient remains in excellent health and recently has been re-studied more than five years following insertion of the aortic valve homograft. These studies demonstrate continued competence of his homograft valve with no evidence of degeneration, and he remains asymptomatic.
The basal ganglia on cranial computed tomography: Normal anatomy and pathology

Abstract The density and configuration of the basal ganglia were analyzed on 1000 consecutive cranial computed tomography (CCT) scans performed both with and without contrast enhancement. At our standard window width (150 H) and window level (30 H), visibly increased attenuation in the arus of the basal ganglia was apparent in 5.2% of all scans examined. A statistically significant difference in attenuation between these subcortical gray nuclei and adjacent white matter was detected by computer analysis of numerical printouts even though this difference was often not visually perceptible on our first generation-type CCT scanner. Slight, but statistically significant increased attenuation occurs with contrast enhancement and affects both the basal ganglia and surrounding white matter. Three thousand consecutive CCT scans were reviewed; of these, 61 cases had lesions primarily involving the basal ganglia. Cases representative of typical abnormalities are described and discussed.
Effects of dietary protein on teratogenicity of ochratoxin a in rats

The teratogenic effects of a single subcutaneous dose of 1.75 mg/kg ochratoxin A given on day 6 of gestation was compared in weanling rats fed 5% protein diet for 4 weeks followed by normal protein diet (referred to as 5% normal protein diets) for the remainder of the experimental period, rats maintained on 10% protein diet, and rats on a normal protein diet throughout. These different diets are based on total dietary concentration of protein. Of the rats fed 10% protein diet, 22% failed to mate and in 39% failure of fertilization was observed. In rats fed 5% normal protein diets, the fertilization rate was 100%. Ochratoxin A treatment resulted in significant depression of fetal body weight in rats fed 5% normal protein diets and in rats maintained on normal protein diet throughout. Significant numbers of malformations (gross and skeletal) occurred in all the treated groups. Rats on a 5% normal protein diet and rats on the normal diet yielded a significant number of fetuses with internal soft tissue anomalies. The highest incidence of skeletal malformations occurred in ochratoxin A treated rats maintained on 10% protein diet throughout the experiment. Complete rehabilitation took place by replacement of low protein diet with normal protein diet.
The Monsoon Circulation and Cloudiness over the GATE Area

Abstract Seven years of daily satellite observations, ten years of commercial aircraft observations, a space–altitude meteorological cross section during EQUALANT II, and data from other investigations including analyses of 50 years of ship observations by Florida State University are combined to determine the meteorological setting for the GARP Atlantic Tropical Experiment (GATE). The GATE lies in the western edge of the African monsoon. 1) A low-level monsoon trough lies across the GATE A–B scale ship array; 2) the trough is semianchored with little seasonal and interannual latitudinal variation in the monthly mean positions; 3) the trough is a strong gradient zone for most atmospheric parameters; 4) the major convective cloudiness is of the monsoon scale, zonally oriented, semianchored in the southern portion of the GATE area, and embedded in the westerly flow south of the trough line; and 5) the synoptic scale variability increases from June to September and is due mostly to vortices traveling vestwar...
Subacute sclerosing panencephalitis: isolation of measles virus from a brain biopsy.

INDIRECT, evidence has suggested that subacute scleros-ing panencephalitis (SSPE, Dawson's encephalitis, van Bogaert's leukoencephalitis)—hardened inflammation of the brain—is associated with measles virus. This association is supported by: (1) the presence of type A inclusion bodies in brain tissue specimens1; (2) specific immuno-fluoresceiice with measles antibody in brain biopsies2; (3) extremely high measles complement fixing (OF) and haemagglutination inhibition (HI) antibody titres in the sera and spinal fluid2; and (4) electron microscopic evidence of paramyxovirus-like particles and nucleocapsids in brain biopsies3. We describe here the successful isolation of the presumed aetiological agent of SSPE.
Single-Event Upsets and Distributions in Radiation-Hardened CMOS Flip-Flop Logic Chains

Single-event upsets are studied in digital logic cells in a radiation-hardened CMOS SOI technology. The sensitivity of SEU to different strike locations and hardening approaches is explored using broadbeam and focused beam experiments. Error distributions in chains of logic flip-flops are studied to determine the impact of various cell designs and hardening techniques on upset uniformity.
Adolescents Who Attempt Suicide

To the Editor.— The article "Adolescent Suicide Attempters: Response to Suicide-Prevention Programs," by Shaffer et al 1 has received considerable public attention. Problems in the selection of outcome measures, however, limit the use of research findings for prevention planning purposes. The aims of the study were to determine (1) whether there was a high-risk group of children with distorted attitudes about suicide; (2) if the intervention was effective for the group in greatest need; and (3) if exposure to the program led to distress or imitation of behavior in students who had not previously attempted suicide, with imitation expected to occur most often among symptomatic adolescents. The first goal of the study was achieved. A number of adolescents were identified who had made previous suicide attempts, and these students also reported distorted attitudes regarding suicide. However, firm conclusions cannot be drawn concerning the latter two goals of the study. Findings
Studies on basic proteins from ribosomes of buds of pea seedlings

Ribosomes from buds of pea seedlings were extracted with cold dilute hydrochloric acid. Starch gel electrophoresis of the extract revealed a large number of proteins with isoelectric points around pH 8. At pH 4·2, at least sixteen zones of different intensities were resolved, forming a complex electrophoretic pattern. This pattern was obtained from several preparations of pea bud ribosomes of differing purity and was essentially unchanged after pervaporation, dialysis, prolonged storage, or treatment with 4 m -urea. Acid extracts of the nuclear fraction were electrophoretically distinct from the acid-soluble ribosomal proteins. The N-terminal amino acids of the extracted proteins were similar to those of the intact ribosomes indicating that no significant hydrolysis occurred during extraction. Nitrogen, phosphorus, and ultraviolet spectral analyses showed that the acid-soluble proteins were free of RNA and represented about 29% of the protein of the ribosomes. On ultracentrifugation the acid-soluble protein fraction appeared polydisperse, with a mean sedimentation coefficient of about 0·9 s, and an average molecular weight of 18,000.
Pleural effusions associated with acute pancreatitis: Incidence and appearance based on computed tomography

Recognition of pleural effusions in acute pancreatitis is important since it carries prognostic implications. This study evaluates the incidence and characteristics of pleural effusions on computed tomography (CT) of patients with mainly an alcohol ingestion etiology of acute pancreatitis. A review of medical records and abdominal CT scans in 50 patients with clinical and laboratory evidence of acute pancreatitis was carried out. All patients were referred for abdominal CT scanning based on an initial clinical presentation consistent with acute pancreatitis and had confirmatory elevation of the corresponding serum enzyme levels. The presence, laterality, and size of any pleural effusions were recorded from the initial sections through the lung bases. Based on a review of medical records, 36 patients (72%) had an alcohol-related etiology of acute pancreatitis. Overall, 10 patients (20%) with acute pancreatitis had pleural effusions on abdominal CT imaging. Five of the effusions were bilateral, three were unilateral right sided, and two were unilateral left sided. Nine of the effusions were small (<1 cm in maximal height) or medium (1–2 cm) in size. Small and medium-sized pleural effusions are not uncommon in acute pancreatitis. The higher incidence in this study compared to that in earlier reports likely represents the increased sensitivity of cross-sectional imaging for small amounts of pleural fluid. The absence of left-sided effusion predominance in our study group is contrary to much of the earlier literature and may reflect demographic factors, such as etiology and previous history of pancreatitis, although statistical variability must also be considered.
Advances in optical two-dimensional spectroscopy applied to the study of semiconductor and atomic systems

Electronic structure and dynamics are captured by optical 2D-Fourier-transform (2DFT) spectroscopy, which tracks the phase of the nonlinear signal during two time delays of a multi-pulse excitation sequence. These Fourier-transformed spectra separate and isolate overlapping and competing contributions to the coherent response. We have developed an ultra-stable platform consisting of nested interferometers with active phase control, allowing for exploration of single- and two-quantum coherences. Phase-resolved spectra are retrieved by all-optical determination of experimental phase ambiguities. GaAs quantum wells show suppression of many-body interactions in cross-linear polarized 2DFT spectra and many-body two-quantum coherences. Potassium vapor also shows unexpected two-quantum coherences.
Guilty in the Court of Public Opinion: Testing Presumptive Impacts and Allelopathic Potential of Ranunculus ficaria

Information about invasive species is often based primarily on anecdotal evidence, indicating the need for further information. Ranunculus ficaria is an ephemeral riparian plant species that is presumed invasive in the United States, despite the lack of any published information on its impacts. Mechanisms by which R. ficaria may affect native plant species include competition and allelopathy. We examined if R. ficaria negatively affected the growth and reproduction of the native Impatiens capensis and, if so, whether it is by allelopathy, nutrient competition or some combination thereof. We performed a fully-factorial field experiment, manipulating the presence of R. ficaria, nutrients and allelopathy (with the use of activated carbon). The presence of R. ficaria tended to negatively affect life span of I. capensis. In the absence of carbon, R. ficaria significantly decreased seed production, illustrating the negative impact of R. ficaria. In the presence of carbon, there was no effect of R. ficaria, suggesting that carbon may have ameliorated the negative allelopathic effect of R. ficaria. Nutrient competition did not show strong effects. Despite its widespread identification as an invasive species, this is the first study to demonstrate the negative impact of R. ficaria on a native species and the possible role of allelopathy in its success. Further, the negative impacts of this ephemeral species persist well beyond its early growing season, which calls into question previous widespread assumptions about R. ficaria exerting effects primarily on other ephemeral species.
Neighboring joint density-based JPEG steganalysis

The threat posed by hackers, spies, terrorists, and criminals, etc. using steganography for stealthy communications and other illegal purposes is a serious concern of cyber security. Several steganographic systems that have been developed and made readily available utilize JPEG images as carriers. Due to the popularity of JPEG images on the Internet, effective steganalysis techniques are called for to counter the threat of JPEG steganography. In this article, we propose a new approach based on feature mining on the discrete cosine transform (DCT) domain and machine learning for steganalysis of JPEG images. First, neighboring joint density features on both intra-block and inter-block are extracted from the DCT coefficient array and the absolute array, respectively; then a support vector machine (SVM) is applied to the features for detection. An evolving neural-fuzzy inference system is employed to predict the hiding amount in JPEG steganograms. We also adopt a feature selection method of support vector machine recursive feature elimination to reduce the number of features. Experimental results show that, in detecting several JPEG-based steganographic systems, our method prominently outperforms the well-known Markov-process based approach.
On comprehending idioms: Do children get the picture?

This study examines children's comprehension of idioms. First, third, and fifth grade children (6, 8, and 10 years old) and college adults were read short stories containing contextual information and a key terminal sentence. The contextual information biased either an idiomatic, a literal, or am ambiguous (neutral) interpretation of the terminal sentence. The terminal sentence contained either an idiom (“fix his wagon”) or a changed form (“repair his wagon”) of the idiom. These manipulations were used to determine the role of contextual information and the conventional forms of idioms in idiom comprehension. After each story, the subjects were asked to explain the terminal sentence and to answer a “yes-no” question about the action described in the story. The results showed that idiomatic explanations and interpretations occurred more frequently for the idiom than the changed forms, and that there were strong developmental increases in making idiomatic interpretations of both forms. The results are discussed in terms of two current models of idiom comprehension.
Sound propagation effects near phase transitions in crystals

Studies of sound velocity changes and attenuation changes in the vicinity of phase transitions provide interesting insight into the static and dynamic properties of the system undergoing the transition. In our laboratory, we studied the following cases: 1) magnetic phase transitions in rare earth metals Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, and in magnetic insulators EuO, RbMnF 3 and MnF 2 ; 2) spin reorientation transitions in ErFeO 3 and Gd; 3) structural transition, induced by an optical phonon instability in SrTiO 3 ; 4) structural transition, induced by an electronic instability (cooperative Jahn-Teller phase transition) in the Ni-Zn-chromite system and in DyVO 4 (in both cases the structural transition occurs at a higher temperature than the magnetic transition); 5) nematic-isotropic transition in the liquid crystal MBBA. In the order-disorder phase transition valuable information can be gained from attenuation and velocity measurements about the relaxation time of the order parameter or of related quantities. In the case of displacive phase transitions, the main effect is a resonant interaction of the sound wave to the soft mode, the latter being the k=0 spin wave mode for spin reorientation transitions, an optical phonon mode for the structural transitions encountered in perovskites and an electronic excitation for the cooperative Jahn-Teller transitions. For additional details see, Digests of the 1972 Intermag Conference (available from IEEE Headquarters).
Variability of Salt Absorption by Brine Dipped Fillets of Cod (Gadus morhua), Blackback Flounder (Pseudopleuronectes americanus), and Ocean Perch (Sebastes marinus)

Major changes in sodium content of fillets of cod, blackback flounder, and ocean perch resulted from varying concentration of brine solution (5, 10, or 15%), duration of dip (30, 60 or 90 sec), fillet thickness, season of catch, and rinsing or skinning fillets before cooking. Postmortem age (1-5 days) of fish, temperature of brine solution (6, 12, or 20°C), and cooking had minor effects on final sodium concentration.
Hydrographic variability over the northeastern Chukchi Sea shelf in summer-fall 2008–2010

Abstract We used shipboard CTD, mooring, meteorological, glider, and high-frequency radar data to examine spatial and temporal (seasonal and interannual) variations in the circulation and water properties over the central portion of the northeastern Chukchi Sea shelf from August–October of 2008, 2009, and 2010. Seasonally, warm and moderately saline Bering Sea Water (BSW) replaces cool, dilute surface meltwaters and cold, saline, sub-surface, winter-formed waters. BSW advection thus affects shelf stratification and the heat budget with oceanic heat flux convergence supplanting solar heating as the dominant shelf heat source by September. BSW spreads eastward from the Chukchi's Central Channel, so that water property and stratification transitions proceed from west to east across the study region. Models predict a mean clockwise flow around Hanna Shoal (which lies to the north of the study area) suggesting winter-formed waters from northeast of the Shoal are advected southwestward into a portion of the study area. The observations, though limited, support this notion. We hypothesize that the convergence of BSW from the west and winter waters from the northeast leads, in some years, to large horizontal variations in water properties, stratification, and ocean heat flux convergence over spatial scales of ~50–100 km. Interannual variations in summer/fall shelf water properties appear linked to processes occurring in the Bering and/or southern Chukchi Sea, and the regional winds (which affect the local circulation). Although there were large interannual differences in shelf-wide ice retreat patterns from May–July, these differences were not reflected in late summer water properties.
The effects of insulin on the counterregulatory response to equivalent hypoglycemia in patients with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus.

We previously demonstrated that hyperinsulinemia can amplify the counterregulatory response to hypoglycemia in normal subjects. The aim of the present study was to determine if differing concentrations of insulin can modify the counterregulatory response to equivalent fixed hypoglycemia in insulin-dependent-diabetic subjects (IDDM). Experiments were carried out in seven lean, overnight-fasted, moderately controlled (hemoglobin A1c, 10.9%; normal range, 5-9) IDDM subjects with a disease duration of 13 +/- 3 yr. All were maintained normoglycemic overnight so that basal plasma glucose (5.6 +/- 0.2 and 5.4 +/- 0.2 mmol/L) and insulinemia (63 +/- 18 and 48 +/- 10 pmol/L) were similar at the start of each study. Insulin was infused for 120 min in two separate randomized protocols, so that steady state levels (mean +/- SE) of 742 +/- 212 pmol/L (low) and 3360 +/- 710 pmol/L (high) were obtained. Glucose was infused during both protocols to ensure that the rate of fall of plasma glucose (0.09 mmol/L.min) and the hypoglycemic plateau (2.8 +/- 0.1 mmol/L) were similar. In response to hypoglycemia, plasma levels of epinephrine, norepinephrine, cortisol, GH, and pancreatic polypeptide increased similarly during both insulin infusions. During the final 30 min, despite similar levels of counterregulatory hormones, hepatic glucose production was significantly reduced in the presence of high compared to low insulin levels (1.7 +/- 2.8 vs. 8.3 +/- 1.7 mumol/kg.min; P < 0.05). Similarly, plasma nonesterified fatty acids (472 +/- 94 vs. 787 +/- 105 mumol/L) and blood 3-hydroxybutyrate levels (30 +/- 12 vs. 106 +/- 29 mumol/L) were significantly reduced (P < 0.05) during high compared to low dose infusions. Cardiovascular parameters (heart rate and systolic, diastolic, and mean arterial pressures) responded similarly during both infusions. We conclude that 1) insulin per se does not amplify the counterregulatory response to equivalent hypoglycemia in individuals with moderately controlled, long duration IDDM; and 2) there may be a relative autonomic adrenomedullary deficit in some IDDM subjects that prevents the amplified epinephrine response to hyperinsulinemia during hypoglycemia.
Morphology and Vertical Sedimentary Sequences in Holocene Transgressive Sand Barriers: ABSTRACT

Studies of the barrier ridges and beaches along the presently transgressing mid-Atlantic coastal area have been used to formulate morphologic and vertical sequence models for transgressive beaches. Each type of barrier is a response to the topography being inundated in the ongoing transgression as well as to wave and current conditions. Four major types of sand-gravel barriers may be identified in coastal Delaware: (1) bay-mouth barriers, (2) beach against highlands, (3) estuarine barriers, and (4) spit complex. The bay-mouth barriers, between enclosed lagoons and the open Atlantic Ocean, are characterized by a vertical transgressive sequence of sedimentary environments identical with the horizontal sequence in the direction of the transgression. In the beach against highland barrier, beach-bern system impinges on low-lying Pleistocene highlands (20-30 ft) which are being eroded and provide a partial source of sediment to the beach system. Estuarine barriers occur as long arcuate shorelines of large estuaries such as Delaware Bay. A barrier of sand and gravel is formed with small width (30 ft) and thickness ( End_of_Article - Last_Page 856------------
The ‘procompetitive’ effects of trade policy reform in a small, open economy☆

Abstract The general equilibrium effects of a tariff in the presence of product differentiation, increasing returns to scale, and non-cooperative, static firm behavior are explored. Optimal markups are treated as endogenous. The subsequent ‘procompetitive effects’ of tariff reform are systematically related to the nature of the game played by firms. Furthermore, markups are not always increasing in the tariff. This depends on the entry assumptions, of which three are considered: no entry, entry, and domestic entry with a fixed number of total varieties. For these cases, utility is shown to be, respectively: increasing, ambiguous, and decreasing in the tariff
A method to maintain superflow at constant pressure drive

In order to study the effects of thermal and quantum fluctuations on the intrinsic critical velocity for vortex production, it is advantageous to drive superfluid4 He through a small aperture at constant pressure head. For 2π phase slip events, this gives a constant Josephson frequency and a corresponding constant vortex nucleation rate. In the usual relaxation transient experiments, the pressure head decays in time preventing observation at fixed nucleation rate. Therefore, we have developed a constant pressure-head drive system using feedback control. The technique, which senses the pressure difference across a flow aperture with a capacitive pressure gauge, can maintain pressure drives as low as 0.5mPa (f j =35Hz).
An analytical stiffness derivative extended finite element technique for extraction of crack tip Strain Energy Release Rates

An analytical approach combined with the extended finite element method (XFEM) is proposed to extract the Strain Energy Release Rates within the classical stiffness derivative technique. The proposed idea hinges on the following two XFEM properties: (i) the crack is mesh independent, i.e. there is no need for mesh perturbations in the vicinity of the crack and (ii) the asymptotic crack tip field is embedded in the mathematical formulation of the stiffness matrix. By employing these properties we show that the derivative of the stiffness matrix with respect to the crack extension can be computed in a closed form and on the fly during the analysis. Thus the virtual crack extension, and the error inherent in the finite difference scheme of the classical stiffness derivative technique is completely avoided. Numerical results on few benchmark problems show that this method is comparable to the J-integral method.
Nucleation of carbon clusters.

The growth of carbon clusters by monomer addition, at constant temperature, is examined via Langevin molecular-dynamics simulations by using a recently developed many-body interatomic potential for carbon. The simulations are performed at temperatures below the melting point of graphite. We find for carbon clusters with fewer than ∼20 atoms that «ringlike» structures are the dominant species present. «Spheroidal» structures dominate for larger clusters of sizes above ∼30 atoms. It is found that carbon monomers form bonds at the surface of the spheroidal cluster during the process of cluster growth
Radiation Torques and Forces in Scattering from Spheres and Acoustical Analogues

The radiation torque on a sphere in circularly polarized light is proportional to absorption [Marston and Crichton, Phys. Rev. A30, 2508 (1984)]. We note related developments concerning torques and forces of optical and acoustical vortices.
Age-related change in Wechsler IQ norms after adjustment for the Flynn effect: Estimates from three computational models

A previous study found that the Flynn effect accounts for 85% of the normative difference between 20- and 70-year-olds on subtests of the Wechsler intelligence tests. Adjusting scores for the Flynn effect substantially reduces normative age-group differences, but the appropriate amount of adjustment is uncertain. The present study replicates previous findings and employs two other methods of adjusting for the Flynn effect. Averaged across models, results indicate that the Flynn effect accounts for 76% of normative age-group differences on Wechsler IQ subtests. Flynn-effect adjustment reduces the normative age-related decline in IQ from 4.3 to 1.1 IQ points per decade.
Debonding and crack kinking in foam core sandwich beams—II. Experimental investigation

Abstract Debonding and crack kinking in sandwich beams was experimentally examined, and also analyzed using the finite element method. Double cantilever beam (DCB) and shear fracture specimens employing aluminum facings bonded to a wide range of PVC and PMI foam cores using two types of adhesives were considered. It was found that the Young modulus of the core has a profound effect on the tendency of the facing/core interfacial crack to deflect (kink) into the core in DCB testing. In shear testing, crack kinking occurred for all core materials considered. The type of adhesive strongly influences the debond fracture resistance, but not the kink resistance and kink angle. The critical load for onset of kinking increased with increased core density. Finite element analysis of the fracture specimens enabled determination of mixed mode interfacial fracture toughness for the specimens that failed by debonding. For specimens that failed by kinking, interfacial stress intensity factors at the onset of kinking were determined. Measured kink angles compared favorably with kink angles calculated based on the interfacial stress intensity factors prior to kinking.
Use of a multidimensional approach to study the evolution of software complexity

The ability of a software system to survive is not only dependent on a good architectural design, but also the effective management of architectural changes as the system evolves over time. With the emergence of incremental and evolutionary development approaches, this evolution is no longer restricted to the maintenance phase of development, but now manifests itself during system elaboration and construction. Structural complexity is often inadvertently introduced as the number of interdependencies between parts of the system grows and design goals are violated. Such increasing complexity may paradoxically impede its survivability. Software architects must, therefore, learn to track, manage, and mitigate software complexity since, left unchecked, it can lead to systems that are difficult to maintain and evolve. There are two key aspects of software systems that must be monitored in order to effectively manage the inherent complexity that is systematically introduced in evolving systems: the stability of intermediate forms must be preserved, and structural complexity must be monitored to prevent incidental (excessive) complexity from being introduced. While these key aspects of software architecture are often monitored independently in evolving systems, an integrative metric-based approach would provide a more comprehensive means of assessing the impact that architectural changes have on overall system quality. In this study, an integrative, multidimensional approach was used to examine the evolutionary changes that occurred in the architectural stability and structural complexity over 21 releases of Hibernate, a large-scale open source software system.
Chiroptical Imaging of Crystals by Mueller Matrix Microscopy

Mueller matrix microscopy is used to evaluate the heterogeneities and anisotropies in the circular birefringence and circular dichroism of crystalline materials.
Mechanisms used by young children in the making of empathic judgments

Forty-four preschool children ranging from three to five years of age received a series of stones in which the protagonists experience happiness, sadness, or fear These protagonists were portrayed as either similar or dissimilar to the child, and the situations depicted were either familiar or unfamiliar to him/her as well The children's task was to infer the emotions experienced by the protagonists Results indicate that children were more accurate in judging the emotions of similar target persons than they were for dissimilar ones Familiarity with the situation, on the other hand, had no effect on accuracy Children were more accurate in identifying happiness and sadness than they were in judging fear, and age was positively related to judgmental accuracy for the former two but not for the latter These results help to resolve the controversy arising from earlier studies of empathy development which failed to disentangle the similarity and familiarity dimensions
Slc26a7 Chloride Channel Activity and Localization in Mouse Reissner’s Membrane Epithelium

Several members of the SLC26 gene family have highly-restricted expression patterns in the auditory and vestibular periphery and mutations in mice of at least two of these (SLC26A4 and SLC26A5) lead to deficits in hearing and/or balance. A previous report pointed to SLC26A7 as a candidate gene important for cochlear function. In the present study, inner ears were assayed by immunostaining for Slc26a7 in neonatal and adult mice. Slc26a7 was detected in the basolateral membrane of Reissner’s membrane epithelial cells but not neighboring cells, with an onset of expression at P5; gene knockout resulted in the absence of protein expression in Reissner’s membrane. Whole-cell patch clamp recordings revealed anion currents and conductances that were elevated for NO3− over Cl− and inhibited by I− and NPPB. Elevated NO3− currents were absent in Slc26a7 knockout mice. There were, however, no major changes to hearing (auditory brainstem response) of knockout mice during early adult life under constitutive and noise exposure conditions. The lack of Slc26a7 protein expression found in the wild-type vestibular labyrinth was consistent with the observation of normal balance. We conclude that SLC26A7 participates in Cl− transport in Reissner’s membrane epithelial cells, but that either other anion pathways, such as ClC-2, possibly substitute satisfactorily under the conditions tested or that Cl− conductance in these cells is not critical to cochlear function. The involvement of SLC26A7 in cellular pH regulation in other epithelial cells leaves open the possibility that SLC26A7 is needed in Reissner’s membrane cells during local perturbations of pH.
The fine structure of Euglena gracilis with special reference to the chloroplasts and pyrenoids

Each of the 10 to 45 dense bands which traverse the chloroplasts of Euglena gracilis has been shown to be a stack of closely appressed discs, usually of three discs, but commonly also of two, four, or five discs. The thin outermost lamellae of such a stack measure 50–60 A; the thick middle ones, which are two appressed lamellae of adjacent discs, measure 95–120 A. The pyrenoid is a region of denser chloroplast matrix material which is traversed by widely-spaced bands, each consisting of only two appressed discs. This pattern of a number of chloroplast bands each composed of two to five closely appressed discs appears widespread in algae. It is also present in the developing grana of higher plant chloroplasts and may persist in the grana of mature chloroplasts.