cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Trends in US emergency department visits for attempted suicide and self-inflicted injury, 1993–2008

Abstract Objective The objective was to describe the epidemiology of emergency department (ED) visits for attempted suicide and self-inflicted injury over a 16-year period. Method Data were obtained from the National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey including all visits for attempted suicide and self-inflicted injury (E950–E959) during 1993–2008. Results Over the 16-year period, there was an average of 420,000 annual ED visits for attempted suicide and self-inflicted injury [1.50 (95% confidence interval, 1.33–1.67) visits per 1000 US population], and the average annual number for these ED visits more than doubled from 244,000 in 1993–1996 to 538,000 in 2005–2008. During the same time frame, ED visits for these injuries per 1000 US population almost doubled for males (0.84 to 1.62), females (1.04 to 1.96), whites (0.94 to 1.82) and blacks (1.14 to 2.10). Visits were most common among ages 15–19, and the number of visits coded as urgent/emergent decreased from 0.95 in 1993–1996 to 0.70 in 2005–2008. Conclusions ED visit volume for attempted suicide and self-inflicted injury has increased over the past two decades in all major demographic groups. Awareness of these longitudinal trends may assist efforts to increase research on suicide prevention. In addition, this information may be used to inform current suicide and self-injury related ED interventions and treatment programs.
Challenges in the application of mathematical programming in the enterprise-wide optimization of process industries

Enterprise-wide optimization (EWO) has become a major goal in the process industries due to the increasing pressures for remaining competitive in the global marketplace. EWO involves optimizing the supply, manufacturing and distribution activities of a company to reduce costs, inventories and environmental impact, and to maximize profits and responsiveness. Major operational items include planning, scheduling, real-time optimization and control. We provide an overview of EWO in terms of a mathematical programming framework. We first provide a brief overview of mathematical programming techniques (mixed-integer linear and nonlinear optimization methods), as well as decomposition methods, stochastic programming and modeling systems. We then address some of the major challenges involved in the modeling and solution of these problems. Finally, we describe several applications to show the potential of this area.
Role of nitric oxide and tumor necrosis factor on lung injury caused by ischemia/reperfusion of the lower extremities.

Abstract Purpose: Acute aortic occlusion with subsequent ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) of the lower extremities is known to predispose to lung injury. The pathophysiologic mechanisms of this injury are not clear. In the present study, we studied the role of tumor necrosis factor (TNF) and nitric oxide (NO) in lung injury caused by lower extremity I/R. Methods: A rat model in which the infrarenal aorta was cross-clamped for 3 hours followed by 1 hour of reperfusion was used. The rats were randomized into five groups: group 1, aorta exposed but not clamped; group 2, aorta clamped for 3 hours, followed by 1 hour of reperfusion; group 3, 1 mg/kg dexamethasone administered before the aorta was clamped; group 4, 25 mg aminoguanidine, a specific inducible NO synthase (iNOS) inhibitor, administered before the aorta was clamped; and group 5, 2 mg/kg TNF bp , a PEG-ylated dimeric form of the high-affinity p55 TNF receptor I (R I ), administered before the aorta was clamped. NO concentration in the exhaled gas (ENO) was measured, as an index of NO production by the lung, in 30 minute intervals during I/R. Serial arterial blood samples for TNF assay were obtained during the course of the experiment. At the end of the experiment, the lungs were removed and histologically examined for evidence of injury. Results: ENO in group 2 increased from 0.7 ± 0.3 ppb at baseline to 54.3 ± 7.5 ppb at the end of ischemia and remained stable during reperfusion (54.6 ± 8.5 ppb at the end of reperfusion). ENO production was blocked by aminoguanidine, by dexamethasone, and by TNF bp given before aortic occlusion. Serum TNF in groups 2, 3, and 4 increased rapidly during early ischemia, reaching its peak value 60 minutes after occlusion of the aorta, then gradually declined to baseline levels at the end of ischemia, and remained low during reperfusion. TNF bp decreased serum TNF concentration significantly when it was given before aortic occlusion. Histologic examination of the lungs at the end of the experiment revealed that aminoguanidine, dexamethasone, and TNF bp had a protective effect on the lungs. Conclusions: Serum TNF increases rapidly during lower extremity ischemia and causes increased production of NO from the lung by upregulating iNOS. Increased NO is associated with more severe lung injury, and iNOS blockade has beneficial effects on the lung. TNF blockade before ischemia decreases NO production by the lung and attenuates lung injury. ENO can be used as an early marker of lung injury caused by lower extremity I/R. (J Vasc Surg 1997;26:647-56.)
The effects of starvation on the transport of Escherichia coli in saturated porous media are dependent on pH and ionic strength

Abstract In this research, we investigate the effects of starvation on the transport of Escherichia coli K12 in saturated porous media. Particularly, we examine the relationship between the starvation effects and the pH and ionic strength of the electrolyte solutions used for cell starvation. E. coli K12 was cultured using either Luria-Bertani Miller (LB-Miller) broth, which contained 10 g/L of NaCl, or LB-Luria broth, which contained 0.5 g/L of NaCl. As both types of broths had similar pH (∼7.2) they differed in ionic strengths. The bacterial cells were harvested at late-exponential phase and resuspended in buffered (pH = 7.2) and non-buffered (pH = 5.7) electrolyte solutions that had ionic strengths of 8.4 mM or 168 mM, respectively. Column transport experiments were performed following 4, 25 and 52 h of cell starvation to evaluate the temporal changes in cell mobility. Our results showed that starvation led to a significant increase in the mobility of E. coli K12, particularly between 4 and 25 h, when both pH and ionic strength of the electrolyte solution were different from those of the growth media. The size, viability and surface properties (e.g., zeta potential, hydrophobicity, LPS sugar content, outer membrane protein profiles) of the bacterial cells were determined and related to the observed temporal variation patterns of cell mobility. We found that starvation in electrolyte solutions that had different pH and ionic strength from the growth media significantly lowered cell viability, which may be related to the temporal change in cell mobility under these specific conditions.
An Axial Air-AP Reluctance Motor for Variable Speed Applications

The disc motor is a brushless, reluctance-principle; rotating machine that has been developed to the prototype stage for traction and variable speed drive application. It is attractive for these and other applications because of a simple magnetic structure which has potential for very low assembly costs, and because it can be controlled over a wide range of speed and torque by thyristor circuits of comparable simplicity to the chopper circuit used with do traction motors. The motor theory is briefly discussed and laboratory measurements of machine performance is presented.
Effects of sedation on the controlled pulmonary circulation.

Abstract The pulmonary circulatory effects of sedatives and groups of sedatives in dosages commonly employed as pre cardiac catheterization sedatives were evaluated. The sedatives included: meperidine, thiamylal, hydroxyzine, promethazine, meperidine + chlorpromazine + promethazine and meperidine + hydroxyzine. An animal preparation with constant pulmonary blood flow and left atrial pressure was employed. This preparation has the unique advantage of permitting measurement of the active pulmonary vascular resistance change since passive effects are controlled. In order to establish the significance of a given change in active PVR, a dose response relationship for serotonin was established and the effect of the sedatives was calibrated against it. PVR increased following infusion of all sedatives tested except hydroxyzine and chlorpromazine. A technique was detailed to permit subtraction of passive PVR change from total PVR change in intact, unsedated animals. Results of active change in PVR of previous investigations in intact, unsedated animals were compared to the active change observed in this experiment and were found to be similar in direction and magnitude. This investigation stresses the need to consider possible effects of sedatives on the pulmonary circulation.
1101 HYPERLIPIDEMIA AND GLUCOSE INTOLERANCE WITH HYPOCUPRINEMIA IN MENKES' DISEASE

Two infants presented with fine brittle hair with characteristic kinking. Their clinical course was characterized by neurological degeneration and a tendency to gain weight. In Case #1 (6 m. male) the S. copper was 5.09 ug/dl (80-120) and ceruloplasmin 2.44 ug/dl (20-50). I.V. GTT demonstrated glucose intolerance with K values of 0.81 and 0.825 but with an insulin peak of 35 uU/ml. Triglyceride TG=66 mg/dl and cholesterol TC=178 mg/dl (normal TG=73±37, TC=150±25). Apoliproteins (Apo's) were Apo AI, 97.4 mg/dl and Apo B, 110.9 mg/dl. In Case #2 (13 m. male) the S. copper was 12.7 ug/dl and ceruloplasmin 1.58 mg/dl. The I.V. GTT K rate was 1.98; TG, 149 mg/dl; TC, 160 mg/dl; Apo's AI, 100.2 mg/dl; All, 51.7 mg/dl; B, 110.6 mg/dl; CIII, 10.5 mg/dl; E, 7.0 mg/dl; post-heparin lipoprotein lipase activity was 14.94±3.62 and triglyceride lipase activity 10.94±4.63 units per ml per hour using heparin sepharose affinity chromatography for enzyme separation and 14C labeled triolein as substrate (young adult normal LPL=14.9±3.6, TGL=10.9±4.6). Lipoprotein separation revealed a predominant increase in TG, TC and Apo B in VLDL in Case 2. Double diffusion analysis and crossed electrophoresis against anti-Apo B on agarose gels revealed normal immunoprecipitin lines. We conclude that in Menkes' disease, copper deficiency may cause secondary hyperlipidemia as suggested by Allen, K.G.D. and Klevay L.M. (Life Sciences 22, 1691, 1978).
Cost of quality at a clinical laboratory in a resource-limited country

Health care decision makers often have a limited understanding of the costs associated with quality improvement efforts. However, such information is vital for managers to make appropriate operational and financial decisions to ensure high quality health care services. We used the Cost of Quality (COQ) model to estimate the cost of quality-related activities at the Makerere University-Johns Hopkins University (MU-JHU) Laboratory in Uganda. Using data collected from January 1, 2007–December 31, 2007, we allocated the direct costs associated with quality-related activities in the laboratory across COQ’s cost categories: prevention, appraisal, internal failures, and external failures. We found that approximately 94% of total COQ was spent on costs of “good quality” (prevention and appraisal), while 6% was spent on costs of “poor quality” (internal and external failures). The high percentage of COQ spent on prevention and appraisal activities is consistent with efforts to ensure high quality laboratory results. Future studies should try to link COQ to health outcomes and quantify “hidden” failure costs. This CE update introduces the Cost of Quality (COQ) model and illustrates how it can be applied to a clinical laboratory setting to help managers and executives make more informed decisions about spending on quality-related activities. We begin with an overview of the COQ concept and its 4 main cost categories, followed by an illustration of how the model can be applied in a medical laboratory setting. We then discuss some of the advantages and limitations of this methodology and provide suggestions for future research. * COQ : Cost of Quality MU-JHU : Makerere University-Johns Hopkins University IOM : Institute of Medicine P-A-F : prevention-appraisal-failure CAP : College of American Pathology PCR : polymerase chain reaction QA : quality assurance LIS : laboratory Information System EQA : External Quality Assurance CSC : Customer Service Concern PM : preventive maintenance QC : Quality Control PIR : Process Improvements Reports GLP : good laboratory practices GAAP : generally accepted accounting principles
Dynamical consequences of compositional and thermal density stratification beneath spreading centers

Dynamical consequences of compositional buoyancy and the combined effects of compositional and thermal buoyancy on mantle flow and crustal production are explored. The results show that for a low enough mantle viscosity, buoyant upwelling can significantly enhance the crustal thickness relative to that which would be produced by plate spreading alone, while for a mantle viscosity of 10 to the 22nd Pa s, upwelling due to plate spreading is dominant and crustal thickness is predicted to be a function of spreading rate. The results indicate that thermal and compositional density variations result in opposing buoyancy forces that can cause time-dependent upwelling.
A freeze-fracture study of synaptogenesis in the distal retina of larval Xenopus.

Synapse formation between photoreceptor, bipolar and horizontal cells of the larvalXenopus retina was studied by the freeze-fracture technique. Photoreceptors and horizontal cells were joined by ribbon synapses; photoreceptor and bipolar cells by basal junctions. Gap junctions were found between photoreceptors and between horizontal cells. Horizontal cell dendrites invaginated receptor bases before the plasma membrane of either cell showed zones of intramembrane (IMP) particle accumulation. Subsequently the receptor cell began to form a synaptic ridge where P-face IMPs aggregated at a protrusion of the surface membrane. The length of the ridge and the density of its IMPs increased between larval stages 40 and 56. Cross-fractured views of receptor cytoplasm at different larval stages showed that synaptic ribbons and synaptic vesicles developed in conjunction with the ridge. Plasmalemmal deformations suggesting sites of vesicle fusion or uptake were noted adjacent to the apex of the ridge. Horizontal cell dendritic membrane first accumulated P-face IMPs at several small regions; subsequently the IMPs became aligned over a broad membrane area. Both rod- and cone-related horizontal cell dendrites also manifested a loose patch of E-face IMPs which subsequently was transformed into a linear array. Basal junctions were characterized by a P-face IMP aggregate in the photoreceptor membrane and an E-face IMP aggregate in the bipolar cell membrane. Basal junctions appeared suddenly in a mature configuration at larval stage 42.
Galanin immunoreactivity in rat spinal lamina IX: Emphasis on sexually dimorphic regions

Fibers and puncta that contained galanin-like immunoreactivity (GAL-LI) were distributed within lamina IX in a heterogeneous fashion. In cervical spinal segments, GAL-LI was almost absent except for the phrenic nucleus, which received the most robust GAL-LI innervation in lamina IX. In high and mid-thoracic segments, GAL-LI was found in moderate amounts, but the number of GAL-LI fibers gradually diminished in a caudal fashion, so that in low thoracic segments GAL-LI was sparse. Throughout all thoracic segments, GAL-LI fibers surrounded some clusters of motoneurons, while other groups of motoneurons were devoid of GAL-LI fibers. In lumbar segments, three sexually dimorphic nuclei received sparse to moderate amounts of GAL-LI, while GAL-LI in the remainder of lumbar lamina IX was very sparse. In sacral spinal segments, GAL-LI was very sparse. These data indicate that fibers and puncta that contain GAL-LI preferentially surround motoneurons that innervate muscles associated with the axial skeleton, while motoneurons that innervate appendicular or tail-associated skeletal muscles only have an occasional GAL-LI fiber associated with them.
Erratum: Electron-to-tau lepton flavor violation at the electron-ion collider

In [1] the DIS cross section for leptoquark-mediated e → τ conversion was calculated according to eq. (3.1). An error in the code used for numerical calculation of the cross sections gave results which were too large by a factor of two or less. Plots showing the correct cross sections appear here. The optimistic outlook in the conclusion of [1] is qualitatively accurate though slightly diminished by this correction.
Motor Schema Theory After 27 Years: Reflections and Implications for a New Theory

The schema theory for discrete motor skill learning (Schmidt, 1975), originally published in 1975, has generated considerable interest and received strong challenges over its lifetime. In this paper, I focus on the findings generated since 1975 that bear on the theory and highlight those that produce difficulties for it and will be motivators for differing theoretical viewpoints in the future. At the same time, I examine other lines of evidence that seem to bolster the original lines of thinking. Finally, I provide some suggestions for a much needed new generation of motor learning theory, pointing out particular features from the schema theory that could be included and suggesting gaps and omissions that will need additional data and theorizing in future attempts.
Plastoquinone mediates electron transport between cytochrome b-559 and cytochrome f in spinach chloroplasts.

1. introduction It has recently been reported [ 1, 21 that the quinone analog 2,5-dibromo3-methyl-&isopropyl- p-benzoquinone (DBMIB) at concentrations > 10d6 M inhibits the photoreduction of low potential acceptors with water as a donor, along with the associated photophosphorylation. The Hill reaction with ferricyanlde or dichlorophenolindophenol as acceptor was, however, only partially inhibited. Electron flow from system I donors to ferredoxin- NADP was not inhibited by DBMIB. The inhibition of non-cyclic electron flow and phosphorylation could be almost completely reversed by the pres- ence of 10e4 M plastoquinone. These experiments show that DBMIB inhibits by interacting with struc- turally similar plastoquinone in the electron tram- port chain. The experiments reported here show that DBMIB blocks the reduction of cytochrome f by photosystem II light and the oxidation of cyto- chrome b-559 by photosystem I. 2. Methods Chloroplasts were prepared from market spinach. 20 g of depetioled leaves were homogenized in a Sorvall Omnimixer for 3 seconds at 100 volts in 50 ml of medium (0.4 M sucrose, 0.05 M tricine- NaOH, 1 mM MgClz , and 1 mM MnClz). The homo- genate was faltered through 8 layers of cheesecloth and 1 layer of 40 /..trn mesh nylon cloth (Tobler, Ernst, and Traber, Inc.). The chloroplast pellet was obtained through two centrifugations at 1500 g for
Improving Optical and Charge Separation Properties of Nanocrystalline TiO2 by Surface Modification with Vitamin C

The structural and electrochemical properties of nanoparticles were found to be different from those of the corresponding bulk semiconductors. Due to the specific binding of modifiers to “corner defects”, the optical properties of small titania particles were red shifted 1.6 eV compared to unmodified nanocrystallites. It was found using electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) that, as with organic charge transfer superconductors, these novel nanocrystallites operate with a charge-transfer mechanism, and exhibit semiconducting properties through both constituents (large band gap semiconductor and organic modifier). The EPR spectra were consistent with hole trapping on the surface modifier and electron trapping on shallow interstitial and partially delocalized Ti sites. These systems have an important feature in that charge pairs are instantaneously separated into two phasesthe holes on the donating organic modifier and the electrons in the conduction band of TiO2.
Practicing engineers: professional identity construction through role configuration

This paper examines professional identity construction within engineering. It is meant to contribute toward better understanding dynamics surrounding women's status within engineering in the United States, where women comprise only 11% of the engineering workforce and the culture has been described as gendered masculine. This article considers the multiple roles engineers enact at work and how the discourse surrounding these roles may help to maintain a gendered image of engineering despite the actual practice. Using interview data from women and men engineers, this paper identifies six different roles that the engineers enacted at work. These roles range from being more technical to more social and are not presented in an either/or fashion as the social/technical binary would expect. From the participants' narratives, I found that engineers manage these roles within the context of their professional identity using a process I call ‘role configuration,’ which takes three different forms: balancing, grafti...
Neural circuits mediating stress

Stress has been linked to the pathophysiology and pathogenesis of mood and anxiety disorders. Over the past few years, our understanding of the brain and neuroendocrine circuits that are linked to the stress response have increased dramatically. This article reviews a series of animal and human studies aimed at understanding what are the pathways by which stress is perceived, processed, and transduced into a neuroendocrine response. We focus on the classic stress circuit: the limbic-hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (LHPA) axis. These studies indicate that the LHPA stress circuit is a complex system with multiple control mechanisms and that these mechanisms are altered in pathological states, such as chronic stress and depression. These studies also suggest that the interactions between the LHPA and other neurotransmitters, such as serotonin, may provide the neurobiological substrate by which stress may affect mood.
Reevaluating confined placental mosaicism

Chromosomal mosaicism was found in 38 of 4,000 chorionic villus samples examined from 1998 to 2003. A small fraction of these (5/38) were confirmed as true mosaics by analysis of amniotic fluid. Twenty-nine cases that fit the definition of confined placental mosaicism were followed with clinical and cytogenetic analysis throughout the pregnancy, at birth and in a few cases into infancy. This was done to determine the prognostic interpretation of prenatal cytogenetic results from multiple specimens in a single pregnancy and thus allow for reevaluation of the genetic counseling. In 2 of these 29 cases, low-level mosaicism was found in the neonate, and in 1 of these the chromosome abnormality is probably the cause of the resulting minor phenotypic abnormalities. Families face unique difficulties when confined placental mosaicism is the prenatal diagnosis, and it is extremely important that the counseling they receive takes into consideration the unlikely possibility of the placental abnormality appearing in fetal tissues.
Biochemical and Pharmacologic Characterization of a Phosphatidylinositol‐Specific Phospholipase C in Rat Neutrophils

The phosphatidylinositol (PI)-specific phospholipase C (PLC) activity contained in sonicates of casein-elicited (4-6 hr) rat neutrophils has been identified and characterized. With phosphatidylinositol (PI) as the substrate, PLC activity is found both in the supernate and pellet of a 100,000g spin of the neutrophil sonicate. Further fractionation of the crude sonicate by centrifugation on discontinuous sucrose gradients indicates that the PLC activity is predominantly cytosolic with lesser amounts of activity found in the plasma membrane and granule enriched fractions. Hydrolysis of PI by the sonicate PLC is linear for 15-20 min at 37 degrees C and also with respect to the amount of sonicate protein added. The enzyme shows selectivity for PI with little, if any, hydrolytic activity towards other phospholipids such as phosphatidylethanolamine (PE), phosphatidylserine (PS), or phosphatidylcholine (PC). The PLC activity has a pH optimum of 5.5-6.0, is enhanced 1.5-3-fold by the addition of deoxycholate, and is Ca++ dependent. Kinetic analysis of the PLC hydrolysis of PI yields an apparent Km of 240 +/- 85 microM and a Vmax of 34.3 +/- 17.0 nmol/min/mg protein (n = 3). Similarly, when phosphatidylinositol 4,5 bisphosphate (PIP2) is used as substrate, an apparent Km of 109 +/- 66 microM and a Vmax of 14.3 +/- 10.4 nmol/min/mg (n = 3) protein is obtained. These data suggest that PIP2 may be a slightly better substrate for the PMN PLC relative to PI. Finally, a variety of drugs previously reported to inhibit platelet PLC activity in vitro were tested for their ability to inhibit rat PMN PLC. Of the compounds tested, none were potent (i.e., IC50 values less than or equal to 100 microM) inhibitors of the PMN PLC.
He Wrote, She Wrote Journalist Gender, Political Office, and Campaign News

This study examines the intersection of journalist gender and campaign news coverage across legislative and executive political offices in a gender-prominent context: mixed-gender elections—those w...
Differentiating calcium oxalate and hydroxyapatite stones in vivo using dual-energy CT and urine supersaturation and pH values.

Urinary tract stones (urolithiasis) are one of the most common causes of acute and chronic pain causing significant morbidity. The lifetime incidence in developed countries is about 10% to 15%, with a relapse rate of 50% in 10 years and 75% in 20 years (1). One of the key factors for optimizing the management of patients with urolithiasis is the chemical composition of the stone (2). Medical treatment, preoperative evaluation, and the strategy for recurrence prevention are all influenced by stone type. For example, because uric acid stones can dissolve in urine of higher pH, alkalization of the urine is often effective. Extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy is commonly used for stone removal (3), but certain firm stones, such as brushite and some calcium oxalate (CaOx) stones, resist fragmentation. Overall, unnecessary procedures can potentially be avoided if the chemical composition is readily known in the initial stage of patient evaluation (4). About 80% of stones are composed of CaOx and/or hydroxyapatite (HA) (5,6). These two stone types form under different physiochemical conditions, making the differentiation between the two stone types desirable for both research and treatment purposes (2,7). Twenty-four-hour urine collection used to measure key components in the urine is the most common method to assess kidney stone risk factors. For example, CaOx stones can form under a wide range of physiologic urinary pH conditions, while HA stones tend to form in alkaline urine (8). Urinary supersaturation (SS) calculated from the composition of a twenty-four-hour urine collection also correlates with the crystalline component of the stones passed (9,10). Therefore, physicians rely largely on urine pH (8,11) and urine SS profile (9) to predict stone composition when a previous stone analysis is not available. Dual-energy CT (DECT) with advanced postprocessing techniques is an emerging imaging technology that can be used to evaluate patients with urinary stones. It provides physicians with the size and location of the stones, associated features such as anatomic abnormalities in the collecting system (12), and information regarding the stone chemical composition. DECT is nearly 100% accurate at characterizing uric acid (UA) stones both in vitro (13,14) and in vivo (15). Recent progress has been made to further differentiate between non- UA stone types, such as CaOx and HA stones (16–18), with initially encouraging results. Indeed, DECT has great potential for use as a first-line exam in clinical practice for evaluating urinary stone composition. Therefore, in the current study, we compared the predictive value of DECT and urinary SS for discriminating stone type and postulated that the combination of DECT data with SS and/or pH information would be better than any of the tests alone.
Using a Delphi panel to survey criteria for successful periodontal therapy in anterior teeth.

Background: Valuable decision making for periodontal treatment success in situations where there is ambiguous or conflicting information was previously reported using a consensus building method, the Delphi survey, for posterior teeth with chronic periodontitis. This study focuses on outcome measures relevant in assessing therapy of anterior teeth with chronic periodontitis. Methods: The Delphi panelists were the same American periodontists who participated in the previous Delphi survey evaluating successful therapy in posterior teeth. In this study, panelists determined the level of importance of attachment level, probing depth, mobility, plaque, inflammation, esthetics, pain, and patient satisfaction following periodontal treatment of a single tooth or multiple anterior teeth in a patient with severe chronic periodontitis. The panelists were questioned concerning the relative importance of each outcome measure, a minimally acceptable level considered necessary for success for each outcome measure, and t...
Preliminary XPS Spectroscopic Characterization of Autoclaved TiNi Shape Memory Alloys for Implants

This paper reports a preliminary spectroscopic characterization of the surface elemental and phase compositions of Ti49Ni51 alloy treated using various sterilization procedures (autoclaving in water, steam, sealed envelopes; boiling in water and chemical etching). The surface of TiNi is found to consist of a thin oxide covered by a carbon-dominated contamination layer. The surface oxide of autoclaved samples is (TiO2)xNiy where y varies in the range 0-6 at.% depending on the surface preparation procedure. Minor amounts of suboxides as well as metallic Ni are also detected. Preliminary estimations of the oxide film thickness showed that it varies in the range 7- 26 nm depending on the employed method of sterilization. Mechanisms of surface state formation are briefly discussed.
The stereochemistry of the dihaloethanes, dihaloethenes and the dihalocyclohexanes

Abstract The stereochemical features of the dihaloethanes and the dihalocyclohexanes have attracted significant attention over the years. While the dichloro- and the dibromo-compounds seem to display the stereochemical preferences that we would normally predict for them, the analogous difluorocompounds do not. More specifically, the 1,2-difluorocompounds seem to prefer conformations in which the fluorines are gauche . This ‘ gauche effect’ has been examined by using molecular orbital calculations. A re-examination of the conformational properties of these molecules, and their stereo-electronic effects, using the molecular-mechanics-based modeling program STR3DI32.EXE, has enabled us to conclude that the stereochemical properties of these 1,2-difluoroalkanes are best seen as resulting from the participation of the fluorines in significant C–H hydrogen bonding, both intra- and intermolecular.
An Improved Algorithm for Computing the Singular Value Decomposition

The most well-known and widely used algorithm for computing the Singular Value Decomposition (SVD) A --U ~ V T of an m x n rectangular matrix A is the Golub-Reinsch algorithm (GR-SVD). In this paper, an improved version of the original GR-SVD algorithm is presented. The new algorithm works best for matrices with m >> n, but is more efficient even when m is only slightly greater than n (usually when m ~ 2n) and in some cases can achieve as much as 50 percent savings. If the matrix U ~s exphcltly desired, then n 2 extra storage locations are required, but otherwise no extra storage is needed. The two main modifications are: (1) first triangularizing A by Householder transformations before bldmgonahzing it (thin idea seems to be widely known among some researchers in the field, but as far as can be determined, neither a detailed analysis nor an lmplementatmn has been published before), and (2) accumulating the left Givens transformations in GR-SVD on an n x n array instead of on an m x n array. A PFORT-verified FORTRAN Implementation m included. Comparisons with the EISPACK SVD routine are given.
Species diversification patterns in the Polynesian jumping spider genus Havaika Prószyński, 2001 (Araneae, Salticidae).

Hotspot archipelagoes provide exceptional models for the study of the evolutionary process, due to the effects of isolation and topographical diversity in inducing the formation of unique biotic assemblages. In this paper, we examine the evolutionary patterns exhibited by the jumping spider genus Havaika Proszynski, 2001 in the Polynesian islands of the Hawaiian and Marquesas chains. To date, systematic research on Havaika has been seriously limited by the poor taxonomic knowledge on the group, which was based on a handful of specimens that showed continuous variability and lacked clear-cut diagnostic characters. Here, we circumvent this problem by inferring a phylogeny based on DNA sequences of several fragments including both mitochondrial (protein coding cytochrome oxidase I, NAD1 dehydrogenase, ribosomal 16S, and tRNA leu) and nuclear (internal transcribed spacer 2) genes, and a statistical morphological analyses of a large sample of specimens. Results suggest that the Marquesan and Hawaiian Havaika may be the result of independent colonizations. Furthermore, data provide little support for the standard "progression rule" (evolution in the direction of older to younger islands) in Hawaiian Islands. This may be explained by a recent arrival of the group: age estimates of the different lineages suggest that Havaika colonized the Hawaiian Islands after most of the extant islands were already formed. The lack of clear-cut diagnostic characters among species may also be explained by the recent origin of the group since molecular data do not provide any evidence of hybridization among lineages. Quantitative morphological data coupled with the phylogenetic information allow us to reevaluate the current limitation of Havaika taxonomy. Molecular data support the existence of at least four different evolutionary lineages that are further morphologically diagnosable. However, genealogical relationships are better predicted by geographical affinity (i.e. island) than by morphological characters used in the original descriptions of the species. A pattern of size segregation linked to largely overlapping distributions of some of the species hints at a potential involvement of competition in generating morphological diversity. This study contributes to our understanding on the origin and shaping of the biodiversity of oceanic islands and sets the stage for more detailed studies on particular aspects of these previously overlooked spiders.
Admission control algorithms for cellular systems

This paper evaluates call admission control algorithms for a cellular or microcellular system. Algorithms are evaluated based on two Quality of Service (QoS) metrics: the new call blocking probability, which is the probability that a new call is denied access to the system, and the forced-termination probability, which is the probability that a call that has been admitted will be terminated prior to the call's completion. Three novel algorithms are presented: the Weighted Sum Scheme, the Probability Index Scheme, and the Hybrid Control Scheme. The weighted sum scheme uses the weighted sum of the number of calls underway in various cells when making the admission decision. The probability index scheme computes a probability index, which reflects the forced-termination probability of a new call arrival, and admits those calls with low probability indexes. The hybrid control scheme combines these two approaches. These novel algorithms are compared with three known algorithms: the Reservation Scheme in which a specific number of channels are reserved in each cell for handoffs, the Linear Weighting Scheme in which the admission decision depends on the total number of calls underway in a group of cells, and the Distributed Admission Control Scheme in which the admission decision depends on the projected overload probabilities in the cell at which the new call arrives and adjacent cells. We show that the Hybrid Control Scheme yields the best performance, particularly during periods when load differs from the expected level. We also show that the simple Reservation Scheme performs remarkably well, often superior to more complex schemes that have been proposed.
Orbit orientation and the function of the mammalian postorbital bar

The visual predation hypothesis of primate origins was introduced by M. Cartmill in the 1970s. In outlining a series of predictions regarding changes in orbital orientation, he further posits that the formation of a bony postorbital bar is correlated with greater orbital convergence, which in turn appears to be linked to selection for increased stereoscopic visual acuity in a nocturnal milieu. A series of predictions related to this model is tested in living analogues that vary in postorbital bar formation: felid and herpestid carnivorans and the pteropodid megabats. Bivariate correlations and regressions, ANOVA and ANCOVA are used to assess the intrinsic allometric and non-allometric factors thought to affect two aspects of orbital orientation, convergence and frontation. These angles of orbital orientation are then examined in an effort to determine how they are associated with the development of a postorbital bar. Cartmill suggested that convergent orbits develop from changes in relative orbit diameter and relative interorbital breadth. This study indicates that felids show only weak support for these predictions, while herpestids do not provide support and pteropodids show some support. Instead, in response to natural selection, convergence seems to develop to improve stereoscopic vision and depth perception in nocturnal predators. As predicted, felids show a significant positive relationship between orbital frontation and relative brain size. Analyses in herpestids, however, do not show significant relationships between frontation and relative palate length or relative brain mass. Pteropodids also do not support the model regarding intrinsic frontation factors. In both carnivoran groups, convergence and frontation are positively correlated, whereas they are not correlated in Pteropodidae. In partial contrast to Cartmill's predictions, we found that orbital convergence and/or orbital frontation are generally higher in carnivorans and bats with postorbital bars. Therefore, a greater emphasis on nocturnal stereoscopic visual predation and increased relative brain size both move the orbital aperture out of the plane of the temporal fossa and a postorbital bar thus provides adequate rigidity to the lateral orbital margin. In the more encephalized Felidae, orbital frontation is positively correlated with relative brain size; as smaller mammals have relatively larger brains, this explains why postorbital bars tend to be found in smaller felids. In herpestids and pteropodids, postorbital bars tend to occur in larger taxa which are more convergent than smaller forms.
Efficient approximated i-vector extraction

I-vectors are currently widely used by state-of-the-art speech processing systems for tasks such as speaker verification and language identification. A shortcoming of i-vector-based systems is that the i-vector extraction process is computationally expensive. In this paper we propose an efficient method to extract i-vectors approximately. The method normalizes the GMM counts to be similar across sessions. We validate our method empirically for the speaker verification task on five different datasets, both text independent and text dependent. A significant speedup was obtained with a very small degradation in accuracy compared to the standard exact method.
Using the computer to enhance the learning of engineering concepts: Some examples

The problem-solving functions addressed by author-written software for a number of mechanical and aerospace engineering courses are described. Typical input and output are described or shown. It was found to be necessary to explain program results to students as well as how to enter data for a new problem solution. Other faculty teaching the course were generally reluctant to learn specific educational software, preferring to let students do this on their own.
From Smart to Cognitive Phones

As smartphones get smarter by pushing intelligence to the phone and computing cloud, they'll start to understand our life patterns, reason about our health and wellbeing, help us navigate our day, and intervene on our behalf. Here, the authors present various smartphone sensing systems that they've built, arguing that, eventually, these smartphones will evolve into cognitive phones.
Surgical Repair of Carotid Artery Aneurysms: A 10-Year, Single-Center Experience

Background The aim of this study was to evaluate the surgical management of carotid artery aneurysms (CAAs) presenting to a tertiary care center over a 10-year period of time. Methods The medical records of patients undergoing repair of CAA between 1998 and 2008 were reviewed. Demographics, clinical presentation, and operative interventions were recorded. Postoperative outcomes were assessed, and patency and survival rates were calculated using life-table analysis. Results Two patients (11%) had a history of neck dissection, one (5%) neck irradiation, and three (16%) a combination of neck dissection and irradiation for cancer. Five (26%) had previous carotid endarterectomy, while three (16%) had prior carotid artery stenting for occlusive disease. Eight (42%) patients presented with neurologic symptoms, all transient in nature. Aneurysms were isolated to the internal carotid artery in eight (42%) cases, the common carotid artery in one (5%) case, and both regions in the remaining 53%. The etiologies of the aneurysms were divided among atherosclerotic aneurysms (36.8%), mycotic pseudoaneurysms (36.8%), and patch aneurysms (26.3%).Twelve (63%) underwent resection and interposition grafting, six underwent aneurysm resection and patch repair, and one (5%) had end-to-end reconstruction. Postoperative complications included one transient ischemic attach (5%), two strokes (10%), and one cranial nerve deficit (5%). Primary patency at 30 months was 90% (standard error [SE] = 0.10), and survival at 48 months was 92% (SE = 0.10). Assisted primary patency was maintained at 90% at 30 months (SE = 0.10). Conclusion CAA surgery, while rare, can be performed safely and with durable patency. Future studies will be necessary to assess the efficacy of endovascular therapy for this disease.
Managing uncertainty in visualization and analysis of medical data

The principal goal of visualization is to create a visual representation of complex information and large datasets in order to gain insight and understanding. Our current research focuses on methods for handling uncertainty stemming from data acquisition and algorithmic sources. Most visualization methods, especially those applied to 3D data, implicitly use some form of classification or segmentation to eliminate unimportant regions and illuminate those of interest. The process of classification is inherently uncertain; in many cases the source data contains error and noise, data transformations such as filtering can further introduce and magnify the uncertainty. More advanced classification methods rely on some sort of model or statistical method to determine what is and is not a feature of interest. While these classification methods can model uncertainty or fuzzy probabilistic memberships, they typically only provide discrete, maximum a-posteriori memberships. It is vital that visualization methods provide the user access to uncertainly in classification or image generation if the results of the visualization are to be trusted.
Working memory in children with cochlear implants: problems are in storage, not processing.

Background There is growing consensus that hearing loss and consequent amplification likely interact with cognitive systems. A phenomenon often examined in regards to these potential interactions is working memory, modeled as consisting of one component responsible for storage of information and another component responsible for processing of that information. Signal degradation associated with cochlear implants should selectively inhibit storage without affecting processing. This study examined two hypotheses: (1) A single task can be used to measure storage and processing in working memory, with recall accuracy indexing storage and rate of recall indexing processing; (2) Storage is negatively impacted for children with CIs, but not processing.
Effect of shear on the crystallization kinetics of poly(ethylene oxide) and poly(e‐caprolactone) melts

The effect of shear on polymer crystallization kinetics has been studied for three materials at several shear rates and degrees of supercooling. Two poly(ethylene oxide) samples, with molecular weights of 72, 200 and 12, 600, and a poly(e-caprolactone) material, with a molecular weight of 9, 400, were investigated. The apparatus used was a concentric cylinder viscometer, which also functions as a dilatometer, capable of detecting very small volume changes on crystallization. The shear-rate range of the experiments was 0 to 60 sec−1. Avrami kinetics were used to describe the transformation process and the exponent was found to increase from the quiescent value of 3 to a value greater than 5 with increasing shear rate for all materials studied. The acceleration in the transformation process was associated with a reduction in induction time. The value of induction time at high shear rates did not significantly decrease with increasing shear rate, indicating a saturation effect with shear. This was most pronounced in the low molecular weight samples. The value of induction time for the high molecular weight poly(ethylene oxide) sample, under identical experimental conditions, was substantially less than that of the low molecular weight material in all cases. Nuclei formation measurements were made for the crystallizing melt in a separate instrument. Nuclei formation under shear was very different from quiescent behavior and increased substantially with increasing shear rate. These experimental observations lead to the conclusion that accelerated crystallization is due to increased molecular chain extension and orientation under shear. This orientation greatly enhances the nucleation process, which is thought to be the rate controlling step in the crystalline transformation. This enhancement results in shorter induction times and more rapid crystallization.
Financial and Related Issues Among Historically Black Colleges and Universities

There are significant resource challenges at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and other limited resource institutions. Limited resources may not account for all of the performance gaps observed because of institutional mission differences and other socioeconomic factors. Resource limitations significantly impacts institutional capacity to develop and implement academic success programs. The NCAA has been both sensitive and responsive to these challenges and has recently implemented two notable programs to assist these institutions. Supplemental Support Funding has successfully provided for professional development of academic support staff and program initiatives to enhance student-athlete academic performance. Additional support is also anticipated from the newly implemented Limited Resource Pilot Program. Although the program has no guarantees of future funding, the support amount of the grants is anticipated to be an instrumental change factor.