cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Nutrition and physical activity counseling practices of family practice residents

Abstract Background. Nutritional behaviors and physical activity can influence risk for the development and prognosis of cancer. This study reports findings of a literature review and a survey of nutrition and physical activity counseling practices of family practice (FP) residents. Methods. 110 FP residents (response rate = 93.2%) from four clinics that received funding from the Texas Department of Health completed the survey. Hierarchical linear regression models were used to identify determinants of nutrition and physical activity counseling practices. Results. About a fifth of the residents reported that they usually or always asked their patients about nutrition and physical activity. In general, residents were most likely to address these issues with asymptomatic obese adult patients. Perceived effectiveness was a significant predictor of both assessment and counseling, except for nutrition counseling for asymptomatic patients. Attitude toward behavioral counseling predicted assessment, but not coun...
The prevalence of binge drinking and receipt of provider drinking advice among US veterans with military service in Iraq or Afghanistan.

ABSTRACTBackground: Binge drinking is a significant public health concern linked to a number of health and psychosocial problems. Military service in Afghanistan (OEF) and Iraq (OIF) has been associated with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and increased hazardous drinking. Brief alcohol interventions may reduce hazardous drinking but are infrequently provided to at-risk drinkers. Objectives: This study examined the association of combat exposure, PTSD symptoms, binge drinking, use of VA and non-VA healthcare services, and the incidence of provider drinking advice. Methods: OEF/OIF veterans (n = 1087) completed measures of demographics, military history, combat exposure, PTSD symptoms, and binge drinking as part of a confidential mail survey study conducted in 2009 and 2010 (response rate = 29%). Patient report of receiving advice in the past year from a provider about their drinking was queried for frequent binge drinkers. The association of demographic variables, combat exposure, PTSD, and use of he...
Crystal structure of Escherichia coli thioredoxin reductase refined at 2 A resolution. Implications for a large conformational change during catalysis.

The crystal structure of three forms of Escherichia coli thioredoxin reductase have been refined: the oxidized form of the wild-type enzyme at 2·1 A resolution, a variant containing a cysteine to serine mutation at the active site (Cys138Ser) at 2·0 A resolution, and a complex of this variant with nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADP+) at 2·3 A resolution. The enzyme mechanism involves the transfer of reducing equivalents from reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) to a disulfide bond in the enzyme, via a flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD). Thioredoxin reductase contains FAD and NADPH binding domains that are structurally similar to the corresponding domains of the related enzyme glutathione reductase. The relative orientation of these domains is, however, very different in the two enzymes: when the FAD domains of thioredoxin and glutathione reductases are superimposed, the NADPH domain of one is rotated by 66° with respect to the other. The observed binding mode of NADP+ in thioredoxin reductase is non-productive in that the nicotinamide ring is more than 17 A from the flavin ring system. While in glutathione reductase the redox active disulfide is located in the FAD domain, in thioredoxin reductase it is in the NADPH domain and is part of a four-residue sequence (Cys-Ala-Thr-Cys) that is close in structure to the corresponding region of thioredoxin (Cys-Gly-Pro-Cys), with a root-mean-square deviation of 0·22 A for atoms in the disulfide bonded ring. There are no significant conformational differences between the structure of the wild-type enzyme and that of the Cys138Ser mutant, except that a disulfide bond is not present in the latter. The disulfide bond is positioned productively in this conformation of the enzyme, i.e. it stacks against the flavin ring system in a position that would facilitate its reduction by the flavin. However, the cysteine residues are relatively inaccessible for interaction with the substrate, thioredoxin. These results suggest that thioredoxin reductase must undergo conformational changes during enzyme catalysis. All three structures reported here are for the same conformation of the enzyme and no direct evidence is available as yet for such conformational changes. The simplest possibility is that the NADPH domain rotates between the conformation observed here and an orientation similar to that seen in glutathione reductase. This would alternately place the nicotinamide ring and the disulfide bond near the flavin ring, and expose the cysteine residues for reaction with thioredoxin in the hypothetical conformation. Such large-scale rotation is plausible because the NADPH domain of thioredoxin reductase makes relatively few inter-domain contact with other parts of the dimeric enzyme. It is remarkable that these two enzymes, which catalyze very similar reactions and have clearly diverged from a common origin; are so different in the details of their active site architecture and their reaction mechanisms.
The turtles project: design and implementation of nested virtualization

In classical machine virtualization, a hypervisor runs multiple operating systems simultaneously, each on its own virtual machine. In nested virtualization, a hypervisor can run multiple other hypervisors with their associated virtual machines. As operating systems gain hypervisor functionality--Microsoft Windows 7 already runs Windows XP in a virtual machine--nested virtualization will become necessary in hypervisors that wish to host them. We present the design, implementation, analysis, and evaluation of high-performance nested virtualization on Intel x86-based systems. The Turtles project, which is part of the Linux/KVM hypervisor, runs multiple unmodified hypervisors (e.g., KVM and VMware) and operating systems (e.g., Linux and Windows). Despite the lack of architectural support for nested virtualization in the x86 architecture, it can achieve performance that is within 6-8% of single-level (non-nested) virtualization for common workloads, through multi-dimensional paging for MMU virtualization and multi-level device assignment for I/O virtualization.
Federal Family Planning Programs: Choice or Coercion?

■ Family planning programs linked to welfare programs are necessarily coercive and cannot significantly reduce poverty, as has been claimed. The author discusses charges of black "genocide" and the difference between the individual and structural theories about the causes of poverty and concludes that lack of access by the poor to family planning services should be regarded as a problem in the distribution of medical services and not as a welfare problem. ■
Handbook of Parametric and Nonparametric Statistical Procedures. David J. Sheskin. Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press, 1997, 719 pp. $79.95. ISBN 0-8493-3119-6.

This new book, which was written as a comprehensive reference work for researchers, teachers, and students, provides detailed explanations of more than 75 statistical procedures. Among the 21 inferential tests that are covered are the single and two sample t -tests, the Wilcoxon test, the Mann–Whitney U -test, the χ test, the binomial sign test, analysis of variance with multiple comparisons, factorial analysis of variance, the Kruskal–Wallis test, the Cochran Q -test, and the Friedman test. Five statistical procedures for evaluating association and correlation, including the Pearson, Spearman, and Kendall correlation coefficients, are also …
A systematic investigation of silicalite-1 precursor mixtures with varying degrees of dilution

Abstract The effect of the composition on conductivity, pH, and particle size distribution (PSD) in precursor mixtures of silicalite-1 was studied in this work. Mixtures of TPAOH, TEOS, and water spanning a broad composition range were analyzed. Conductivity and pH measurements reported are consistent with previous investigations about the conductivity and pH behavior above and below the critical aggregation concentration (CAC). Dynamic light scattering (DLS) measurements were performed to determine the PSD. ‘Dilute’ mixtures (H 2 O/TEOS >65) showed trimodal PSDs with nanoparticles of ∼11 nm in diameter, small aggregates of ∼340 nm in diameter, and aggregates larger than 1 μm. The distribution of nanoparticles and aggregates changed with the mixture composition as the intensity-weighted PSDs showed more aggregates in mixtures with higher water content. However, a comparison between intensity-, volume-, and number-weighted PSDs showed that the amount of aggregates present is smaller than the amount of nanoparticles. It was also observed that TPAOH concentration slightly affected the nanoparticle size, which decreased at high TPAOH concentration. On the other hand, concentrated mixtures did not show a clear dependence of PSD or nanoparticle size on the mixture composition. Interestingly, and in contrast with ‘dilute’ mixtures that only showed one population of nanoparticles, two populations of nanoparticles of ∼2 nm and ∼30 nm were observed in the concentrated mixtures. The information presented in this work attempts to provide a better understanding of silicalite-1 precursors and shows the effect of the composition on the phase behavior of these synthesis mixtures. Thus, this work should help to unify previous findings on nucleation and growth among silicalite-1 mixtures with different compositions.
Fusing Low-Cost Image and Inertial Sensors for Passive Navigation

Navigation parameters (position, velocity, and attitude) can be estimated using optical measurements combined with an inertial navigation system. This can be accomplished by tracking stationary optical features in multiple images and using the resulting geometry to estimate and remove inertial errors. A critical factor governing the performance of image-aided inertial navigation systems is the robustness of the feature tracking algorithm. Previous research has shown the benefit of coupling the sensors at the measurement level using a tactical-grade inertial sensor. While the tactical-grade sensor is a reasonable choice for larger platforms, the greater size and cost of the sensor limits its use in smaller platforms. In this paper, an image-aided inertial navigation algorithm is implemented using a multidimensional stochastic feature tracker and low-cost sensors. The performance of the resulting navigation system is evaluated and compared. The fused image-inertial sensor is shown to outperform a free-running tactical-grade inertial sensor.
Performance prediction of a multi-stage wind tower for indoor cooling

A theoretical model is developed to establish an in-depth understanding of the performance of a three-stage wind tower with a bypass system for indoor cooling in rural dry and hot climates. Model simulations are presented for a wide range of ambient conditions that include inlet wind speed, inlet temperature and relative humidity. Simulation results provide an insight into the desirable water flow rates and air-to-water loadings for comfort zone temperatures and relative humidity levels at the exit of the wind tower. Simulations show wind towers with variable cross-sections provide an increase in the cooling power for the same inlet wind speed, inlet air temperature and relative humidity when compared to wind towers with a constant cross-section. The study shall lead to a better understanding to designing wind towers that are both environmentally friendly and energy efficient.
Using a gel/plastic surrogate to study the biomechanical response of the head under air shock loading: a combined experimental and numerical investigation

A combined experimental and numerical study was conducted to determine a method to elucidate the biomechanical response of a head surrogate physical model under air shock loading. In the physical experiments, a gel-filled egg-shaped skull/brain surrogate was exposed to blast overpressure in a shock tube environment, and static pressures within the shock tube and the surrogate were recorded throughout the event. A numerical model of the shock tube was developed using the Eulerian approach and validated against experimental data. An arbitrary Lagrangian-Eulerian (ALE) fluid–structure coupling algorithm was then utilized to simulate the interaction of the shock wave and the head surrogate. After model validation, a comprehensive series of parametric studies was carried out on the egg-shaped surrogate FE model to assess the effect of several key factors, such as the elastic modulus of the shell, bulk modulus of the core, head orientation, and internal sensor location, on pressure and strain responses. Results indicate that increasing the elastic modulus of the shell within the range simulated in this study led to considerable rise of the overpressures. Varying the bulk modulus of the core from 0.5 to 2.0 GPa, the overpressure had an increase of 7.2%. The curvature of the surface facing the shock wave significantly affected both the peak positive and negative pressures. Simulations of the head surrogate with the blunt end facing the advancing shock front had a higher pressure compared to the simulations with the pointed end facing the shock front. The influence of an opening (possibly mimicking anatomical apertures) on the peak pressures was evaluated using a surrogate head with a hole on the shell of the blunt end. It was revealed that the presence of the opening had little influence on the positive pressures but could affect the negative pressure evidently.
Sombrero Uplift Above the Altiplano-Puna Magma Body: Evidence of a Ballooning Mid-Crustal Diapir

The Altiplano-Puna ultralow-velocity zone in the central Andes, South America, is the largest active magma body in Earth’s continental crust. Space geodetic observations reported an uplift in the Altiplano-Puna proper at a rate of ~10 mm/year; however, the nature of the inferred inflation source has been uncertain. We present data showing that the uplift has persisted at a nearly constant rate over the past two decades, and is surrounded by a broad zone of subsidence. We show that the ongoing uplift and peripheral subsidence may result from a large mid-crustal diapir fed by partial melt from the Altiplano-Puna Magma Body.
Study of the gas phase chemistry in the silicon doping of GaAs grown by metalorganic vapor phase epitaxy using tertiarybutylarsine as the group V source

Abstract Gas phase decomposition studies have been combined with metalorganic vapor phase epitaxy (MOVPE) growth and doping experiments to investigate the mechanism behind the Si doping of GaAs grown using tertiarybutylarsine (t-C 4 H 9 AsH 2 or TBAs) as the Group V source. The use of TBAs leads to an increase in the Si doping efficiency from both SiH 4 and Si 2 H 6 sources and this enhancement was proposed to originate from the homogeneous generation of Si-bearing intermediates, (t-C 4 H 9 )SiH 3 (TBSi) and SiH 3 AsH 2 , from reactions between SiH 4 and the pyrolysis products of TBAs. We have investigated the formation and role of these intermediates in this Si doping chemistry. Results of our decomposition study show that TBSi pyrolyzes in the gas phase at relatively low temperatures to form SiH 4 . Consequently, the use of TBSias a Si dopant source results in a Si doping efficiency and temperature dependence that is identical to SiH 4 . TBSi is therefore not a likely route to increased Si incorporation. Our studies of the co-decomposition of TBAs and SiH 4 or Si 2 H 6 show that SiH 3 AsH 2 is a co-pyrolysis product of TBAs and Si 2 H 6 , but not of TBAs and SiH 4 . Furthermore, there is no indication of gas phase interaction between TBAs and SiH 4 . The results of this study suggest that homogeneous reactions are not as important in this doping chemistry as had previously been considered and that surface processes may instead be responsible for the increase in Si doping observed with TBAs.
The professional nurse–student nurse academic partnership

Abstract When professional nurses and student nurses work together to create a unit, culture addressing patient care, professional development, and clinical learning experiences flourish. This study evaluated a clinical pedagogy created through an academic partnership which included a major urban hospital, a university school of nursing, and a diploma school of nursing. In this model, professional staff nurses became actively involved in clinical teaching. Results were seen in elevated levels of the nurses' self-confidence and in student-perceived satisfaction with the learning environment. This model can be applied to any type of nursing education and can improve the delivery of clinical nursing education and the unit culture.
Normal heart rhythm is initiated and regulated by an intracellular calcium clock within pacemaker cells.

For almost half a century it has been thought that the heart rhythm originates on the surface membrane of the cardiac pacemaker cells and is driven by voltage-gated ion channels (membrane clocks). Data from several recent studies, however, conclusively show that the rhythm is initiated, sustained, and regulated by oscillatory Ca 2+ releases (Ca 2+ clock) from the sarcoplasmic reticulum, a major Ca 2+ store within sinoatrial node cells, the primary heart's pacemakers. Activation of the local oscillatory Ca 2+ releases is independent of membrane depolarisation and driven by a high level of basal state phosphorylation of Ca 2+ cycling proteins. The releases produce Ca 2+ wavelets under the cell surface membrane during the later phase of diastolic depolarisation and activate the forward mode of Na + /Ca 2+ exchanger resulting in inward membrane current, which ignites an action potential. Phosphorylation-dependent gradation of speed at which Ca 2+ clock cycles is the essential regulatory mechanism of normal pacemaker rate and rhythm. The robust regulation of pacemaker function is insured by tight integration of Ca 2+ and membrane clocks: the action potential shape and ion fluxes are tuned by membrane clocks to sustain operation of the Ca 2+ clock which produces timely and powerful ignition of the membrane clocks to effect action potentials.
A Fracture Mechanics Approach to Modeling Strength Degradation in Ceramic Grinding Processes

Strength degradation of the finished part due to surface and sub-surface damage is a critical issue in grinding of ceramic materials. In this paper, the chip formation process is modeled as a two-dimensional system of radial and lateral cracks, and an integral equation approach is developed to investigate the interactions of these radial and lateral cracks with various distributions of planar microcracks. The effects in the vicinity of the free surface are modeled explicitly. The amplification and shielding effects on stress intensity factors due to various microcrack distributions are studied in detail. Numerical results are presented for crack systems representing single-grit as well as multi-grit grinding, and the implications of crack interactions on strength degradation of finished products are discussed. Effective elastic properties for workpieces containing microcrack distributions are obtained and their ramifications on the grinding process are investigated. Some benevolent microcrack distributions that will facilitate chip formation as well as suppress surface and subsurface damage evolution are also presented.
Assessing interest in an osteoporosis website: a survey among women eligible for osteoporosis screening

Summary A survey was conducted to assess interest in an osteoporosis website. Two thirds of respondents indicated they would read about osteoporosis on a website, and half reported they might use the website more interactively. Women were receptive to the concept of web-based education and management of osteoporosis care. Introduction As Americans increasingly use the Internet as a source for health information, healthcare providers continue to develop disease management and education websites. Providence Health & Services conducted a survey among female patients eligible for osteoporosis screening to assess interest in a physician-prescribed osteoporosis website. Methods In 2006, a self-administered survey designed to assess osteoporosis status, Internet use, and the likelihood of using an osteoporosis website for information and disease management was sent to 3,000 active female patients between the ages of 50 and 85 in the Portland, Oregon metropolitan area. Results Among 778 respondents, 80% reported having access to the Internet, and 70% indicated they were likely to use the Internet for health-related information gathering. While 65% of respondents indicated they would be likely to read about osteoporosis on a dedicated website, only about half reported they might use the website for more interactive disease management activities such as schedul- ing appointments, receiving test results, or consulting with their physician. Both Internet access and interest in the osteoporosis website declined significantly with age. Conclusions These data suggest that middle-aged women are moderately receptive to the concept of web-based care for certain components of osteoporosis management and education.
A Microscale Conductance Assay of Total Electrolyte Concentration in Animal Tissue

A LED conductivity tester has been used to determine the total electrolyte concentration in a hamburger model of animal tissue. The assay can be done on a microscale and measures the total electrolyte concentration as 0.07-0.6 N. The physiological total electrolyte concentration is 0.15 N, and the assay is accurate to within the precision of the conductivity tester.
Micromechanics Based Composite Material Model for Crashworthiness Explicit Finite Element Simulation

A micromechanical model is developed for laminated composite materials and implemented in the explicit finite element method. The objective of this study is to get an accurate and simple micro-model that can be used in the displacement-based nonlinear explicit finite element code DYNA3D. The micromechanical model implemented in the explicit finite element code can be used for simulating the behavior of composite structures under various loads such as impact and crash. The stress-strain relation for the micro-model is derived for shell element. A micro-failure criterion (MFC) is presented for each material constituent and failure mode. The implemented model is validated through several test examples. As a demonstration case of the stability of the developed micro-model, a finite element model of a graphite/epoxy tube structure is developed and simulated under axial crash.
Networks on chips — using DQQB (Distributed Queue Quad-Bus) on multi-CPU chips

Abstract This paper discusses using a new protocol based on DQDB (Distributed Queue Dual Bus), called DQQB, or Distributed Queue Quad-Bus. The idea is to modify the backplane bus of current architecture by utilizing four busses in the backplane. One bus going in the positive y direction and one going in the negative y direction would allow multiple CPUs on the y -axis to talk to various components by requesting slots and sending data packets (in the reverse direction) reliably. The other two busses are in the positive x direction for upstream and the negative x direction for downstream. The system is inherently stochastic as the data packets may incur bit-flips due to various types of interference, but by applying network protocols for reliable data transfer, we can reduce the probability of error. Also, by redesigning the architecture to account for DQQB, we can dramatically increase our system’s throughput.
Arctic Contribution to Upper-Ocean Variability in the North Atlantic

The potential climatic leverage of salinity and temperature anomalies in the high-latitude North Atlantic is large. Substantial variations of sea ice have accompanied North Atlantic salinity and temperature anomalies. Atmospheric pressure data are used here to show that the local forcing of high-latitude North Atlantic Ocean fluctuations is augmented by antecedent atmospheric circulation anomalies over the central Arctic. These circulation anomalies are consistent with enhanced wind-forcing of thicker older ice into the Transpolar Drift Stream and an enhanced export of sea ice (fresh water) from the Arctic into the Greenland Sea prior to major episodes of ice severity in the Greenland and Iceland seas.
Effect of calcitonin and calcium infusion on plasma phosphate.

The effects of intraperitoneal calcium infusion and of oral administration of calcium were studied in thyroidectomized (TX) and thyroid—intact (TI) rats. In those animals administered calcium orally, the kidneys were removed 2 hr prior to calcium administration. 45Ca and 32P were administered 20 min prior to calcium infusion and five minutes after the oral calcium dose. In some cases salmon calcitonin (SCT) was infused with the calcium. The following results were noted: Plasma calcium values were significantly lower in all TI rats following calcium administration than in their TX counterparts. However, plasma calcium values rose in all animals as a result of calcium treatment. Plasma phosphate concentrations rose following calcium administration in TX rats, whereas they fell in rats with functional thyroids. The infusion of SCT with calcium to thyroidectomized rats partially prevented the rise in both plasma calcium and phosphate values. The presence of endogenous calcitonin increased the disappearance ra...
Neurokinin-neurotrophin interactions in airway smooth muscle.

Neurally derived tachykinins such as substance P (SP) play a key role in modulating airway contractility (especially with inflammation). Separately, the neurotrophin brain-derived neurotrophic fact...
On the Aubry–Mather Theory in Statistical Mechanics

We generalize Aubry-Mather theory for configurations on the line to general sets with a group action. Cocycles on the group play the role of rotation numbers. The notion of Birkhoff configuration can be generalized to this setting. Under mild conditions on the group, we show how to find Birkhoff ground states for many-body interactions which are ferromagnetic, invariant under the group action and having periodic phase space.
Biphasic effects of platelet-activating factor on coronary blood flow in anesthetized dog.

Abstract Platelet-activating factor (PAF), modulates vascular tone by influencing prostaglandin release and vascular permeability. To determine its coronary effects we administered RAF (0.3 to 10 ug) into the left main coronary artery of anesthetized dogs with patent left circumflex (LCx) and narrowed left anterior descending (LAD) coronary arteries. RAF produced an initial increase followed by a decrease in coronary blood flow (CBF). The CBF increase was greater in the patent LCx than in the narrowed LAD, but the decrease was similar in both. These effects of RAF on CBF were dose-dependent, and associated with an increase in prostacyclin and thromboxane A 2 metabolites. To examine the contribution of prostaglandin release in coronary effects of PAF, dogs were pretreated with indomethacin (5 mg/kg) followed by administration of PAF. In indomethacin-pretreated animals, the coronary effects of RAF were significantly attenuated. This study shows that RAF has biphasic effects on CBF in the normal coronary artery, but the major effect in the narrowed coronary is decrease in CBF. These effects of RAF can be attenuated by prior treatment of dogs with indomethacin.
An Efficient Algorithm for Solving Coupled Schrödinger Type ODE's, Whose Potentials Include δ-Functions

I have used the shooting method to find the eigenvalues (bound state energies) of a set of strongly coupled Schrodinger type equations. I have discussed the advantages of the shooting method when the potentials include ?-functions. I have also discussed some points which are universal in these kind of problems, whose use make the algorithm much more efficient. These points include mapping the domain of the ODE into a finite one, using the asymptotic form of the solutions, best use of the normalization freedom, and converting the ?-functions into boundary conditions.
Non-Classical Problems in the Theory of Elastic Stability

Preface: why still another book on stability? 1. Mode localization in buckling of structures 2. Deterministic problems of shells with variable thickness 3. Stochastic buckling of structures: Monte Carlo method 4. Stochastic buckling of structures: analytical and numerical, non-Monte-Carlo techniques 5. Anti-optimization in buckling of structures 6. Application of the Gudunov-Conte shooting method to buckling analysis 7. Application of computerized symbolic algebra in buckling analysis References Index.
Accurate in vitro initiation of β-globin gene transcription in induced Friend-cell nuclei

Abstract The initiation of transcription by RNA polymerase II in isolated murine erythroleukemia cell nuclei was investigated by isolating newly synthesized γ-thio (γ-S-)-triphosphate-labeled transcripts by Hg-agarose chromatography. The 5' terminus of transcripts initiated in vitro with [γ- 35 S]ATP or [γ- 35 S]GTP was identified as the thiotetraphosphate in alkaline hydrolysis products from Hg-agarose-selected RNA. Additional control experiments analyzing the nuclear transcription of two well characterized tRNA genes showed that each gene was initiated with the proper triphosphate, either γ-S-ATP or γ-S-GTP, indicating little, if any, exchange of the γ-S-labeled substrate to the other triphosphates. As determined by Sl mapping, newly synthesized β-globin gene transcripts initiate only with γ-S-ATP. Their 5'-terminus is located at the cap site, and their synthesis is inhibited by 1 μg α--amanitin/ml. In reactions containing γ-S-ATP but not γ-S-GTP, several additional initiation sites are observed that are located in the 5'-flanking region. We conclude that RNA polymerase II can initiate transcription at the cap site in isolated nuclei.
High-Performance Thermal Imaging For Commercial Applications

This paper describes parallel-scan thermal imagers based on cooled MCT detectors operating in the 8- to 12-μm band. A line of unclassified commercially available imagers are shown. Equations for predicting the detection and recognition ranges are given, based on the U.S. Army Night Vision Laborator (NVL) performance model.
Staged extensor tendon reconstruction in the finger.

Staged extensor tendon reconstruction using a silicone implant followed by tendon grafting was done to restore proximal interphalangeal (PIP) joint extension in 6 fingers with severe injuries to the dorsal skin and extensor mechanism. Abrasions to the joint capsule and cortical surfaces were also present. To avoid finger stiffness, the reconstruction was delayed and range of motion exercises were initiated early. The skin injury was managed by split-thick-ness skin grafting or allowed to heal by secondary intention to avoid prolonged immobilization. During surgery, the peritendinous fascia of the extensor tendon is used to guide insertion of the implant, and it serves as a premade tunnel that appears to aid the gliding and stability of the implant and subsequent tendon graft. Active extension of the PIP joint was restored in all fingers; there was an average extension lag of 15°. PIP joint flexion averaged 95°. On the basis of this experience, the author believes the technique to be a reliable treatment alternative for severely injured fingers with extensor mechanism loss.
CREDIT MARKET IMPERFECTIONS AND THE INCIDENCE OF WORKER‐OWNED FIRMS

Under plausible conditions, in a market economy with both democratic and capitalist firms, credit market imperfections imply that the fraction of workers in democratic firms is an increasing function of the share of worker wealth. Our analysis addresses two agency problems that all firms must solve: eliciting effort from a team of workers and choosing the appropriate level of risk, in a situation where neither effort nor risk is contractually specified. The democratic firm enjoys a relative advantage in dealing with the agency problems surrounding labor, while the capitalist firm has a relative advantage in dealing with agency problems involving risk-bearing.
Ribosomal Aggregates Engaged in Protein Synthesis : Ergosome Breakdown and Messenger Ribonucleic Acid Transport

Ribosomal Aggregates Engaged in Protein Synthesis : Ergosome Breakdown and Messenger Ribonucleic Acid Transport
Lipid-rich carcinoid tumor of the thymus gland: diagnosis by fine-needle aspiration biopsy.

In this report we describe the cytologic features of an unusual thymic carcinoid tumor containing prominent cytoplasmic lipid vacuoles that was diagnosed by fine-needle aspiration biopsy. The tumor presented as a presternal subcutaneous mass in an 81-yr-old female, with a contiguous mediastinal mass on computed tomography. The cytomorphologic features included numerous discohesive cells with eccentric, round to oval nuclei, granular chromatin, and scant cytoplasm containing numerous intracytoplasmic, clear vacuoles. The neoplastic cells were reactive for neuroendocrine markers by immunocytochemistry and showed reactivity of the intracytoplasmic vacuoles with an oil red-O stain for neutral lipid. Ultrastructural examination confirmed the presence of intracytoplasmic lipid vacuoles and neurosecretory granules. Subsequent surgical excision confirmed the diagnosis. We believe this to be the first report describing these features in a primary thymic carcinoid tumor. The differential diagnosis of mediastinal tumors with clear-cell features and cytoplasmic vacuolization is also discussed.
Subchronic Toxicity of Propantheline Bromide Administered in the Feed to Fischer 344/N Rates and B6C3F1 Mice

Abstract Propantheline bromide, a drug used for the treatment of peptic ulcers, was studied in male and female Fischer 344 N rats and B6C3F1 mice for subchronic toxicity. The drug was administered in the feed for 13 weeks at 0, 220, 670, 2000, 6000, and 24,000 ppm in both species. Propantheline bromide caused a decrease in weight gain at 24,000 ppm in male and female rats and at 6000 and 24,000 ppm in male and female mice. All rats survived the treatment. The top dose of 24,000 ppm was fatal to mice. Clinical signs of toxicity (dilated pupils and decreased gastrointestinal emptying), similar to the atropine-like effects of propantheline bromide in man, were seen in male and female rats at 24,000 ppm. Hyperplasia of the transitional epithelium of the urinary bladder was seen in high-dose male rats at the end of 13 weeks.
Effect of Gd-DTPA-BMA on blood and myocardial T1 at 1.5T and 3T in humans.

Purpose To compare T1 values of blood and myocardium at 1.5T and 3T before and after administration of Gd-DTPA-BMA in normal volunteers, and to evaluate the distribution of contrast media between myocardium and blood during steady state. Materials and Methods Ten normal subjects were imaged with either 0.1 mmol/kg (N = 5) or 0.2 mmol/kg (N = 5) of Gd-DTPA-BMA contrast agent at 1.5T and 3T. T1 measurements of blood and myocardium were performed prior to contrast injection and every five minutes for 35 minutes following contrast injection at both field strengths. Measurements of biodistribution were calculated from the ratio of ΔR1 (ΔR1myo/ΔR1blood). Results Precontrast blood T1 values (mean ± SD, N = 10) did not significantly differ between 1.5T and 3T (1.58 ± .13 sec, and 1.66 ± .06 sec, respectively; P > 0.05), but myocardium T1 values were significantly different (1.07 ± .03 sec and 1.22 ± .07 sec, respectively; P < 0.05). The field-dependent difference in myocardium T1 postinjection (T1@3T – T1@1.5T) decreased by approximately 72% relative to precontrast T1 values, while the field-dependent difference of blood T1 decreased only 30% postcontrast. Measurements of ΔR1myo/ΔR1blood were constant for 35 minutes postcontrast, but changed between 1.5T and 3T (0.46 ± .06 vs. 0.54 ± .06, P < 0.10). Conclusion T1 is significantly longer for myocardium (but not blood) at 3T compared to 1.5T. The differences in T1 due to field strength are reduced following contrast administration, which may be attributed to changes in ΔR1myo/ΔR1blood with field strength. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2006. © 2006 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Reflections on Martin Diamond's “Ethics and Politics: The American Way”

There can be no question but that the theme which is addressed by Martin Diamond in his article, "Ethics and Politics: The American Way"' is an area of considerable intellectual confusion. Politics, it is generally believed, should of course be "ethical" but ethics, or morality-they are distinguished or considered synonomous at the convenience of the writer-dare not be political. There cannot, or more precisely "ought" not be a legislative or governmental concern with the morality of the citizenry. It is properly a concern of government only when it is forced to police itself. The view is amply expressed in the commonplace-and dominant-opinion, "you can't legislate morality." To the extent that both "right" and "left" share a radical individualist or "libertarian" view they are in agreement with this commonplace. This should not be taken as a sign that the individualism found in liberal democracy is amoral. It is, in fact, intensely "moralistic," even in its most anarchistic, or perhaps especially in its most anarchistic form, since the struggle for individual liberty, or for self-realization must be understood ultimately as a struggle for the
Unusual metastases from a medulloblastoma: Case report

Calvarial and extracranial metastases by hematogenous spread of primary intracranial neoplasms have been considered a rare occurrence. This report deals with the clinicopathological and radiological findings of a child with metastatic medulloblastoma. Correlation of serial postoperative computed tomography (CT) scans and the autopsy examination indicated hematogenous calvarial and intracranial spread of the primary lesion.
Zeeman Effect Data and Further Classification of the First Spark Spectrum of Cerium—Ce II

The light emitted by cerium atoms in magnetic fields up to 96,400 oersteds has been photographed at high spectrographic resolution over the range 2500 to 7000A. Interpretable Zeeman patterns of 427 Ce II lines have been reduced, and from them g and J values have been determined for 280 levels. These data have been used to check and extend the classification of Ce II, in which 3600 lines are now assigned to transitions between pairs of 316 levels. The energy system of Ce II consists of two groups of levels which have not yet been connected. Group I is believed to be the lower of the two by approximately 5000 wave numbers. This group consists of levels arising from the electron configurations 4f26s, 4f25d, 4f26p and 4f3. Complete assignments of quantum numbers have been given to all levels in this group on the basis of Zeeman effect studies, combinations, intervals and intensities. All terms have been assigned to electron configurations and parent terms. Group II consists of energy levels believed to originate from the electron configurations 4f5d6s, 4f5d2, 4f5d6p, 4f6s6p, and others. g values to 3 figures after the decimal are well established for many of these levels, but only a few levels are given L and S assignments, which are tentative. Interactions among these levels are strong, and assignment of individual quantum numbers will probably have little significance. Data are now available for complete tests of the g sum rule in a number of cases. It is found to be exact in cases where all perturbing terms are known. g values obtained from different lines for the same energy level are consistent to within 0.003 unit on the average.
A project-based course in compiler construction

The paper describes the experience gained by teaching a project-based course in Compiler Construction. The course is a blend of theoretical concepts and practical considerations that go into the development of a compiler. A project in compiler writing is an important component of this course. ASP, a subset of standard PASCAL, is used as the source language. The compiler for ASP is to be developed in various phases: character manipulator, lexical analyzer, syntax analyzer, semantic analyzer, and code generator. Recursive descent method is used to parse the various syntactic entities. The code generator emits code for a hypothetical machine called AOC (ALGOL Object Code). A simulator executes this code.
Facile metal-assisted hydrolysis of a urethane.

Kinetic studies demonstrate that it is possible to achieve large rate enhancements (2 × 104) for the hydrolysis of a urethane group by using metal-bound water or hydroxide as the nucleophile.
Determining if Telomeres Matter in Colon Cancer Initiation or Progression

The nucleus of each human cell contains 46 linear chromosomes (92 ends) that are capped by thousands of repetitive TTAGGG DNA sequences (similar to the plastic tips on shoelaces). These ends, called “telomeres” have complex roles in aging and cancer and have proven to be intricately involved in such pivotal processes as the protection of genetic material, the completion of chromosome replication, the regulation of cellular aging due to progressively shortening telomeres throughout life, the initial protection against unlimited cellular growth, and, in combination with other alterations, the promotion of cancer progression. A collection of six proteins that either bind or associate with telomeres (the shelterin complex) begin to resolve a central question of how cells distinguish telomere ends from typical genomic DNA double-strand breaks (1). The consequences of telomere dysfunction are becoming more apparent by examining a growing list of human genetic diseases called telomeropathies. In certain inherited and familial cases of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, dyskeratosis congenita, and sporadic bone marrow failure (aplastic anemia), inheritance of short telomeres due to mutations in genes involved in the ribonucleoprotein telomerase holoenzyme lead to premature aging phenotypes (2). Telomerase is the cellular reverse transcriptase that can add TTAGGG repeats onto the telomeres and is active during early human development (3) but is silent in most adult tissues except proliferating stem cells, unless it is upregulated as part of cancer progression (4).
TCT-170 African-American Race Is Associated with Less Use of Drug-Eluting Stents

Guidelines for percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) specify that drug-eluting stents (DES) should not be used in patients unable to comply with prolonged dual antiplatelet therapy. In addition, previous research has suggested that insurance status is associated with receipt of DES. The impact of
Computational modeling and experimental investigation of effects of compositional elements on interface and design aesthetics

This article describes computational modeling and two corresponding experimental investigations of the effects of symmetry, balance and quantity of construction elements on interface aesthetic judgments. In the first experiment, 30 black and white geometric images were developed by systematically varying these three attributes in order to validate computational aesthetic quantification algorithms with subject ratings. The second experiment employed the same image layout as Experiment 1 but with realistic looking web pages as stimuli. The images were rated by 16 subjects in each experiment using the ratio-scale magnitude estimation method against a benchmark image with average balance and symmetry values and a standard number of elements. Subjects also established an ordered list of the images according to their aesthetic appeal using the Balanced-Incomplete-Block (BIB) ranking method. Results from both experiments show that subjects are adept at judging symmetry and balance in both the horizontal and vertical directions and thus the quantification of those attributes is justified. The first experiment establishes a relationship between a higher symmetry value and aesthetic appeal for the basic imagery showing that subjects preferred symmetric over non-symmetric images. The second experiment illustrates that increasing the number of groups in a web page causes a decrease in the aesthetic appeal rating.
Decentralization and privatization of education in El Salvador: Assessing the experience

Abstract This paper presents the most notorious decentralization and privatization policies of education delivery included in the Salvadoran education reform plan 1995–2005 and briefly explains some of the factors justifying their existence, potential success, and possible limitations. It also examines the capacity of a privatization strategy, contracting not-for-profit parents’ associations to administer schools financed by the state, to improve education in rural areas (the EDUCO program). The author concludes that decentralization and privatization policies have produced multiple results. In the search for a better education system, these policies have not only given the Salvadoran government new ways to exert control over the education system but also added new problems and challenges. There may never be a perfect policy to satisfactorily solve all weaknesses within an education system; but education advocates and policymakers should always be committed to reviewing existing practices and improving them.
Reweighted ℓ1 referenceless PRF shift thermometry.

Temperature estimation in proton resonance frequency (PRF) shift MR thermometry requires a reference, or pretreatment, phase image that is subtracted from image phase during thermal treatment to yield a phase difference image proportional to temperature change. Referenceless thermometry methods derive a reference phase image from the treatment image itself by assuming that in the absence of a hot spot, the image phase can be accurately represented in a smooth (usually low order polynomial) basis. By masking the hot spot out of a least squares (l2) regression, the reference phase image's coefficients on the polynomial basis are estimated and a reference image is derived by evaluating the polynomial inside the hot spot area. Referenceless methods are therefore insensitive to motion and bulk main field shifts, however, currently these methods require user interaction or sophisticated tracking to ensure that the hot spot is masked out of the polynomial regression. This article introduces an approach to reference PRF shift thermometry that uses reweighted l1 regression, a form of robust regression, to obtain background phase coefficients without hot spot tracking and masking. The method is compared to conventional referenceless thermometry, and demonstrated experimentally in monitoring HIFU heating in a phantom and canine prostate, as well as in a healthy human liver. Magn Reson Med, 2010. © 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
MINIMALLY 2‐EDGE‐CONNECTED GRAPHS

Minimally 2-edge-connected graphs are characterized. These are graphs that are 2-edge-connected such that, when any edge is removed, the remaining graph is only 1-edge connected. The graphs are finite with multiple edges allowed. Loops are not allowed, since any minimally 2-edge-connected graph could not have them anyway. Since 2-edge-connected graphs are the edge analogs of blocks, they have a theory like blocks, only simpler. 3 figures. (RWR)
Biotic Electric Interface: The Artificial Bridge Connecting Life and Material World

The author put forward a concept with the name of biotic electric interface (abbreviated to BEI afterwards) by individual viewpoint. It is a channel through which the life overleaps its limbs and sense organs to connect straight with the universe, and a bridge by which life, material world and human knowledge are linked. The author designed the model of BEI, described its structure and theory, made a comprehensive survey on the development and the status of relative technologies of BEI by means of citing, and demonstrated its significance with expectation. The author also designed a multiplex automatic infusion system. Such system with characters of BEI brought mutual induction between the physiological activities and medicament supplying, and a "fine-tuned" medical treatment process was formed.