cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Late clinical and electrophysiologic outcome of radiofrequency ablation therapy by the inferior approach in atrioventricular node reentry tachycardia

A late electrophysiologic study was conducted in 182 of 289 patients with slow-fast atrioventricular node reentry tachycardia 81 +/- 36 days after radiofrequency ablation therapy by the inferior approach. Of these 182 patients, electrophysiologic study immediately after ablation revealed a selective modification of the slow pathway in 159, a modification of both the slow and fast pathways in 15, a modification of the fast pathway alone in 3, and failure of ablation in 5. One hundred two patients had no induction of echoes; 75 had induction of fewer than four echoes; and 5 had induction of sustained tachycardia with or without isoproterenol infusion. The late electrophysiologic study in these 182 patients revealed a persistent effect without changes in conduction properties in 161 (88%) patients. A change in conduction properties was noted in 21 patients, including 5 with resumption of slow- or fast-pathway conduction with induction of sustained tachycardia, 8 with improved fast- or slow-pathway conduction, and 8 with an additional depression of fast- or slow-pathway conduction. Of the 102 patients with no induction of echoes and the 75 patients with induction of fewer than four echoes during the immediate postablation electrophysiologic study, 5 (3 and 2, respectively) patients had induction of tachycardia. Of the 5 patients with induction of sustained tachycardia in the immediate postablation electrophysiologic study, 3 continued to have induction of sustained tachycardia; 1 had induction of echoes only; and 1 had no induction of echoes.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Default-mode and task-positive network activity in major depressive disorder: implications for adaptive and maladaptive rumination.

Background Major depressive disorder (MDD) has been associated reliably with ruminative responding; this kind of responding is composed of both maladaptive and adaptive components. Levels of activity in the default-mode network (DMN) relative to the task-positive network (TPN), as well as activity in structures that influence DMN and TPN functioning, may represent important neural substrates of maladaptive and adaptive rumination in MDD. Methods We used a unique metric to estimate DMN dominance over TPN from blood oxygenation level-dependent data collected during eyes-closed rest in 17 currently depressed and 17 never-disordered adults. We calculated correlations between this metric of DMN dominance over TPN and the depressive, brooding, and reflective subscales of the Ruminative Responses Scale, correcting for associations between these measures both with one another and with severity of depression. Finally, we estimated and compared across groups right fronto-insular cortex (RFIC) response during initiations of ascent in DMN and in TPN activity. Results In the MDD participants, increasing levels of DMN dominance were associated with higher levels of maladaptive, depressive rumination and lower levels of adaptive, reflective rumination. Moreover, our RFIC state-change analysis showed increased RFIC activation in the MDD participants at the onset of increases in TPN activity; conversely, healthy control participants exhibited increased RFIC response at the onset of increases in DMN activity. Conclusions These findings support a formulation in which the DMN undergirds representation of negative, self-referential information in depression, and the RFIC, when prompted by increased levels of DMN activity, initiates an adaptive engagement of the TPN.
Multivariate calibration in inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. 2. Effect of changes in abundances of interfering polyatomic ions

Two multivariate calibration methods, multiple linear regression (MLR) and principal components regression (PCR), are applied to the determination of cadmium by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry in the presence of interfering polyatomic MoO + ions. The effect of changes in MoO + /Mo + brought about by varying instrumental conditions and sample matrix content is examined
Recruitment And Retention Of Civil Engineers In Departments Of Transportation

The widespread economic growth and prosperity in the United States over the past decade has led to a “seller’s market” in the civil engineering design and construction industries. The increase in the quantity of work available has produced a shortage of qualified personnel at all engineering project levels. Public agencies, such as departments of transportation (DOTs), have found themselves at a disadvantage in competing for new engineering graduates due to rules limiting hiring salaries, bonuses, and creative incentive practices. Private companies, unlike governmental departments, can continuously adjust their options in attracting and keeping engineers in their workforce. Responding to a survey, nine DOTs identified their concerns and strategies in addressing this problem. The survey was divided into three areas: the needs of the department related to employment of engineers, the recruitment practices and strategies used by each department, and the departmental retention practices, concerns, and plans.
Price Flexibility, Credit Availability, and Economic Fluctuations: Evidence from the United States, 1894–1909

The importance of disturbances in financial markets for real economic activity and the positive association between price level and output movements typically are explained by appeal to a combination of nominal aggregate demand shocks (particularly money-supply shocks) and rigid prices. We argue that this view is inconsistent with evidence for short-run responsiveness of prices and gold flows to nominal disturbances during the pre-World War I gold-standard era. We offer an alternative explanation that connects financial markets and real activity through disturbances to the availability of credit. This approach links comovements in prices and output through real effects in credit markets associated with price-level shocks. Empirical analysis, using monthly data for the pre-World War I period, supports the assumption of rapid price adjustment, and the credit-supply interpretation of the transmission of financial shocks. Disturbances to credit availability, including price shocks, contribute substantially to our empirical explanation of output fluctuations during this period.
On the Passing of Thomas E. Andreoli

The death of Tom Andreoli deprives American medicine of a gifted scholar and an academic leader. A creative renal physiologist committed to biomedical research at the most basic level, he simultaneously dedicated himself to patient care and teaching, thereby constituting a model of the clinical scholar. As a chairman of medicine, he was able to discharge formidable financial and administrative responsibilities without impairing the cultivation of scholarship as it interacts with clinical medicine and student teaching. At the time of his death, he was busily engaged in ward rounds, morning report, and the editing of the eighth edition of Cecil Essentials of Medicine. Tom Andreoli was born on January 9, 1935, in a poor Italian neighborhood in the borough of Bronx, NY. His mother and two aunts raised him in an extremely devout Catholic household. At their insistence, augmented by priestly support, he enrolled in a small Benedictine college, St. Vincent College, in Pennsylvania, where he graduated cum laude in 1956. He then attended Georgetown University for his MD degree, graduating magna cum laude in 1960. In 1960, Tom left for Duke, where, after housestaff training, he rose to faculty rank of associate professor of medicine by 1970. Two individuals left a profound imprint on Tom's subsequent career. Eugene Stead, the Chairman of Medicine at Duke, was revered by Tom as the ultimate expression of an academic leader. The tradition of morning report, ward rounds with meticulous attention to individual patients, and research, were instilled into Tom as necessary ingredients for a career as an academic leader. Stead, in turn, early identified Tom's intellectual gifts and provided him with special opportunities. His progress as a house officer and fellow was so arranged as to allow for a period of training at the National Institutes of Health and then as a …
An improved purification of cell-bound pullulanase from Aerobacter aerogenes.

This communication describes a method of preparing crystalline Aerobacter aerogenes pullulanase free from α-amylase. The preparation is suitable for structural studies of starch and glycogen. Two forms of pullulanase have been observed, differing in molecular weight the proportions varying according to the conditions of growth of the organism. The crystalline enzyme is that of lower molecular weight, concentration-dependent values of 108000 to 145000 being found. The action of the enzyme on polysaccharide substrates has been compared. The rate of action on branched substrates is most rapid when the outer chains have been shortened by α- or β-amylase. Under comparable conditions, action on rabbit liver glycogen is almost negligible.
The Moral Economy of the Great Recession

This article examines the critique of greed in America, with special reference to how that critique of greed varies with economic conditions. American history is characterized by an alternation between celebrations of acquistion and calls for asceticism. This dialectical process illustrates a fundamental cultural contradiction of American capitalism, first discussed by Daniel Bell. The analysis focuses on the disourse of greed during the Great Recession of 2008, and suggests that cultural criticisms of greed have powerful, but limited, political effectiveness. As economic crises continue and people come to blame polticians who fail to resolve them, rather than the “greedy” who are purported to cause them.
The impact of microcomputers on program excellence

The following criteria were used to document program enhancement after the implementation of a microcomputer laboratory: faculty and student attitudes toward computer-assisted instruction (CAI); student anxiety scores toward state board examinations; increased visibility of the college (number of authored CAI modules, CAI grants, computer committee memberships, faculty attendance at computer courses); and relationship involving learning style, attitude, and student learning. Ninety-two of 112 students and 39 of 55 faculty responded to the request for data collection. Postimplementation, both faculty and students showed mean increases in their attitude toward CAI, although not statistically significant. Senior students had significantly decreased anxiety scores toward the state RN licensure examination after using Mosby's NURSESTAR for review (p<.001). Increased visibility was also documented, but data collection continues regarding the relationship involving learning style, attitude, and student learning. It was concluded that the innovation of computers in an established nursing curriculum served to enhance program excellence.
A surfactant and template-free route for synthesizing ceria nanocrystals with tunable morphologies

Nanosized crystalline ceria (CeO2) is synthesized through a surfactant- and template-free solution precipitation-hydrothermal method. We report that pure CeO2 nanocrystals with shapes consisting of nanospheres, nanowires, and nanorods can be obtained simply by varying the anionic composition or the type of counter ion, such as chloride, nitrate and phosphate in solution before the hydrothermal treatment. The shape-controlling effect of these anions is explained by the selective interaction of these ions with specific facets of CeO2, leading to the growth of CeO2 nanocrystals with varying morphologies. Unlike techniques that require the use of organic and inorganic additives or templates, the new methodology represents a simple yet effective means to fabricate CeO2 nanowires or nanoparticles with the potential to be further tuned to provide a morphologically controllable route for tailoring and designing CeO2 nanomaterials for a wide variety of applications.
Atrioventricular Valve Repair or Replacement in Atriopulmonary Anastomosis: Surgical Considerations

Three patients who underwent a modified Fontan-Kreutzer (F-K) operation required additional procedures to correct left atrioventricular valve regurgitation. Valve replacement was performed in two additional procedures, and initial annuloplasty with a Carpentier ring was carried out in the third. All 3 survived the combined procedures and are doing well after a follow-up period ranging from five months to three years. More frequent presentation of these types of patients can be expected with broadening indications for F-K procedure to more complex lesions.
Human Evolution, Genomics, and Birth Timing: New Approaches for Investigating Preterm Birth

Preterm birth and its complications remain one of the most challenging problems in neonatology. Although preventative strategies to reduce preterm birth have been a long-standing goal, limited progress has been achieved in reducing its incidence. In part, the barriers to designing better interventions to prevent preterm birth have reflected our incomplete understanding of human pregnancy maintenance and termination because events differ in humans compared with most other species. In this review, we highlight new insights into understanding progesterone signaling during pregnancy that may allow humans to enter labor without overt, systemic progesterone withdrawal, which indicates a lack of progesterone action despite abundant circulating levels at parturition. Hypotheses regarding how increased human brain size in the context of pelvic or metabolic constraints have shaped the time for birth are discussed, and how this information can facilitate population genetic studies are provided. With increasing access to genomic information from humans, nonhuman primates, and other mammals, as well as growing numbers of well-phenotyped cohorts related to pregnancy outcomes, new opportunities related to the discovery of prematurity prevention options are now available.
On ‘steady-state’ heat flow and the rheology of oceanic mantle

[1] A constraint on the rheology of oceanic mantle is derived on the basis of a recently established scaling law for the onset of convection with temperature-dependent viscosity. Our approach is free from the assumption of statistically steady-state convection, which has commonly been employed in previous studies. The estimated range of asthenospheric viscosity is 1–4 × 1019 Pa s if the activation energy is 300 kJ mol−1, and 4 × 1019– 1020 Pa s if the activation energy is 100 kJ mol−1. The former range is consistent with laboratory data as well as geodynamic inference based on the geoid. The latter is consistent with geodynamic inference based on seamount loading history. Different activation energies predict different temperature contrasts in convecting mantle. Seismic tomography has the potential to discriminate between these possibilities.
Natural-convection heat transfer in regions of maximum fluid density

One of the important factors affecting the rate of heat transfer by natural convection is the temperature-density relationship of the convecting fluid. The importance of this factor is amplified when the heat is being transferred to a medium which has a maximum density. This investigation consisted of measuring the heat transfer rates, velocity gradients, and temperature profiles when heat is transferred from a flat vertical plate to water in the region of 4°C. In some experiments the flow in the boundary layer was observed to be downward while at other conditions of plate and fluid temperature a dual motion (both up and down) was noted, thus establishing a basic difference in the heat transfer mechanism and precluding a unified theory. Theoretical consideration is given to each mechanism and a criterion is derived to predict the flow regime which will prevail at fixed conditions of plate and bulk temperatures. An analogue computer was used to establish theoretical velocity and temperature profiles. The theoretical values agree reasonably well with the measured values; however, the experimental temperrature gradients near the wall were not sufficiently accurate to be extrapolated to determine a point heat transfer coefficent.
PKCε Increases Phosphorylation of the Cardiac Myosin Binding Protein C at Serine 302 both in Vitro and in Vivo

Cardiac myosin binding protein C (cMyBPC) phosphorylation is essential for normal cardiac function. Although PKC was reported to phosphorylate cMyBPC in vitro, the relevant PKC isoforms and functions of PKC-mediated cMyBPC phosphorylation are unknown. We recently reported that a transgenic mouse model with cardiac-specific overexpression of PKCe (PKCe TG) displayed enhanced sarcomeric protein phosphorylation and dilated cardiomyopathy. In the present study, we have investigated cMyBPC phosphorylation in PKCe TG mice. Western blotting and two-dimensional gel electrophoresis demonstrated a significant increase in cMyBPC serine (Ser) phosphorylation in 12-month-old TG mice compared to wild type (WT). In vitro PKCe treatment of myofibrils increased the level of cMyBPC Ser phosphorylation in WT mice to that in TG mice, whereas treatment of TG myofibrils with PKCe showed only a minimal increase in cMyBPC Ser phosphorylation. Three peptide motifs of cMyBPC were identified as the potential PKCe consensus sites including a 100% matched motif at Ser302 and two nearly matched motifs at Ser811 and Ser1203. We treated synthetic peptides corresponding to the sequences of these three motifs with PKCe and determined phosphorylation by mass spectrometry and ELISA assay. PKCe induced phosphorylation at the Ser302 site but not at the Ser811 or Ser1203 sites. A S302A point mutation in the Ser302 peptide abolished the PKCe-dependent phosphorylation. Taken together, our data show that the Ser302 on mouse cMyBPC is a likely PKCe phosphorylation site both in vivo and in vitro and may contribute to the dilated cardiomyopathy associated with increased PKCe activity.
A Mess Of Cavity Emissivities

Three types of cavity emissivities are described based on wavelength, two types based on temperature, and five types based on geometry. Nonisothermal cavities are shown to be best represented by a two-temperature emissivity while most other items, including isothermal cavities, are customarily represented by a one-temperature emissivity. Radiance based emissivity and local hemispherical emissivity are recommended for making cavity evaluations and comparisons, while the hemispherical emissivity of the cavity aperture and a cavity emissivity that is based on detector considerations are shown to be faulty.
Distinctive gene expression profiles of CD34 cells from patients with myelodysplastic syndrome characterized by specific chromosomal abnormalities

Aneuploidy, especially monosomy 7 and trisomy 8, is a frequent cytogenetic abnormality in the myelodysplastic syndromes (MDSs). Patients with monosomy 7 and trisomy 8 have distinctly different clinical courses, responses to therapy, and survival probabilities. To determine disease-specific molecular characteristics, we analyzed the gene expression pattern in purified CD34 hematopoietic progenitor cells obtained from MDS patients with monosomy 7 and trisomy 8 using Affymetrix GeneChips. Two methods were employed: standard hybridization and a small-sample RNA amplification protocol for the limited amounts of RNA available from individual cases; results were comparable between these 2 techniques. Microarray data were confirmed by gene amplification and flow cytometry using individual patient samples. Genes related to hematopoietic progenitor cell proliferation and blood cell function were dysregulated in CD34 cells of both monosomy 7 and trisomy 8 MDS. In trisomy 8, up-regulated genes were primarily involved in immune and inflammatory responses, and down-regulated genes have been implicated in apoptosis inhibition. CD34 cells in monosomy 7 showed up-regulation of genes inducing leukemia transformation and tumorigenesis and apoptosis and down-regulation of genes controlling cell growth and differentiation. These results imply distinct molecular mechanisms for monosomy 7 and trisomy 8 MDS and implicate specific pathogenic pathways.
A wireless pressure sensor design using a microwave cavity resonator

A wireless pressure sensor based on a microwave cavity resonator is proposed herein. A metallic post is located at the center of the cavity to form an evanescent-mode tunable resonator and the resonant frequency depends on the air gap between the cavity cap and the post. When the cavity has a deformation resulted from external pressure, the resonant frequency is shifted. A slot antenna is integrated with this pressure sensor for wireless detection without occupying any additional volume. Simulation results show that the pressure sensor operates from 12.55 to 10.50 GHz corresponding to applied pressure from 0 to 100 psi. This proposed wireless passive pressure sensor is suitable for applications where physical contact or active elements are hard to be implemented.
Letter to the Editor---Multiple Correlation---A Technique for Prediction of Future Hospital Bed Needs

The problem of “prediction of future hospital bed needs” cannot be adequately solved by usual prediction techniques in case of high occupancy rates of a hospital over the past years, since trends are not recognized in this situation. The following method is proposed if the usual prediction techniques do not seem adequate. 1 Relate the number of patients per month to factors that can be predicted by using multiple regression techniques. 2 Predict the number of patients per month with the help of multiple regression equations. 3 Predict the number of beds from the predicted number of patients per month, by multiplication of the predicted number of patients per month by the fraction predicted average length of stay/30.5.
Reclamation of surface-mined land for agricultural use

ABSTRACT Current reclamation standards require surface mine operators to address many difficult issues, not the least of which is the selection of an appropriate postmining land use plan. When it is determined that this plan should include cropland, there are some specific problems that must be resolved. The planning process is reviewed and specific recommendations are made. Techniques for soil removal and replacement are compared. If soil compaction is excessive, deep tillage is recommended to alleviate the problem. Differential settlement is another problem that may be encountered. It can be prevented, to a degree, by avoiding the creation of a completely level ground through final grading. If it does occur, procedures are available to correct the problem. Revegetation follows standard agricultural practices.
Distress in response to relationship infidelity: The roles of gender and attitudes about relationships

According to the evolutionary model of psychology, biological influences may be a force behind many gender differences in relationship strategies and responses to relationship issues. For example, prior research has shown that males indicated more distress in relation to sexual infidelity, whereas females indicated more distress at the emotional infidelity of their partner. The current study attempted to replicate and extend this previous research by also examining relevant attitudinal factors possibly related to responses to infidelity. Participants (N = 156) were surveyed regarding probable responses to relationship infidelity (sexual vs. emotional infidelity), and measures of participants’ sexual attitudes and romantic beliefs were obtained. Results indicate a clear gender difference: Women were more likely to choose emotional infidelity as most distressing, while more men chose sexual infidelity as most distressing. For the men and women who did choose the same type of infidelity as most distressing, ...
Velocity distributions in die swell

Photographs of tracer particles were used to measure axial and transverse velocity components throughout the entire die swell region in a slit die. Laminar extrusion was investigated for two fluids: a viscoelastic concentrated solution of a polyacrylamide in glycerin and water and a highly viscous, nearly Newtonian, silicone oil. The die swell region extends upstream to the viscometric flow region and downstream to the relaxed portion of the extrudate. The data are used to evaluate several theories of die swell.
What are Cities Really Committing to When They Build a Convention Center

Abstract This paper looks at the eventual implications to cities when a convention center is built. The Delphi Technique was used to gain the expert opinions of a wide variety of knowledgeable experts in the field. Five questions pertaining to the ultimate financial consequences of building a convention center in a municipality were examined. There was great, general agreement that cities are putting themselves into a position where additional dollars will have to be spent in an attempt to make the initial investment, in this case a convention center, successful.
Synoptic-Scale Environments of Predecessor Rain Events Occurring East of the Rocky Mountains in Association with Atlantic Basin Tropical Cyclones*

AbstractThe synoptic-scale environments of predecessor rain events (PREs) occurring to the east of the Rocky Mountains in association with Atlantic basin tropical cyclones (TCs) are examined. PREs that occurred during 1988–2010 are subjectively classified based upon the synoptic-scale upper-level flow configuration within which the PRE develops, with a focus on the following: 1) the position of the jet streak relative to the TC, 2) the position of the jet streak relative to trough and ridge axes, and 3) the positions of trough and ridge axes relative to the PRE and to the TC. Three categories were identified from this classification procedure: “jet in ridge,” “southwesterly jet,” and “downstream confluence.” PRE-relative composite analysis for each category reveals that, consistent with previous studies, PREs typically occur near a low-level baroclinic zone, beneath the equatorward entrance region of an upper-level jet streak, and in the presence of a stream of water vapor from a TC. Despite these common ...
Dynamically-allocated multi-queue buffers for VLSI communication switches

Small n*n switches are key components of interconnection networks used in multiprocessors and multicomputers. The architecture of these n*n switches, particularly their internal buffers, is critical for achieving high-throughput low-latency communication with cost-effective implementations. Several buffer structures are discussed and compared in terms of implementation complexity, inter-switch handshaking requirements, and their ability to deal with variations in traffic patterns and message lengths. A design for buffers that provide non-FIFO message handling and efficient storage allocation for variable size packets using linked lists managed by a simple on-chip controller is presented. The new buffer design is evaluated by comparing it to several alternative designs in the context of a multistage interconnection network. The modeling and simulation show that the new buffer outperforms alternative buffers and can thus be used to improve the performance of a wide variety of systems currently using less efficient buffers. >
Proterozoic tectonic evolution of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, southern Colorado, U.S.A.

Field studies and U-Pb geochronology in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, southern Colorado, provide new constraints on the Proterozoic tectonic evolution of southern Laurentia. Protoliths for basement gneisses and amphibolites were formed in an arc environment and underwent early penetrative deformation and metamorphism (D1 and M1) during formation of the Yavapai province. D1 deformation produced penetrative, subvertical, northwest-striking fabrics (S1) in rocks exposed throughout the range and is interpreted to have occurred during long-lived arc formation and accretion across northwest-striking tectonic boundaries. The ages of D1 and M1 are constrained by a suite of 1750–1730-Ma calc-alkaline intrusions in the southern part of the range and might have occurred as late as ca. 1710 Ma in the northern part of the range. The northeast-striking tectonic grain that was developed regionally during the culmination of the Yavapai orogeny is not recognized locally. Post-orogenic granitoid plutons were emplaced at 1695±2 Ma and 1682±3 Ma, broadly coeval with deposition of locally derived quartzite at the surface. Magmatism and sedimentation during this time are interpreted to represent contemporaneous responses to crustal extension during the ca. 60-m.y. inter-orogenic period between the Yavapai and Mazatzal orogenic events. D2 deformation is interpreted to represent the Mazatzal orogeny locally, and involved northwest-directed shortening and dextral shear localized along subvertical, northeast-trending high-strain zones. D2 was accompanied by amphibolite-facies metamorphism (M2) at 1637±6 Ma, and the quartzite is inferred to have been deformed during this time. Mesoproterozoic deformation (D3) produced a northeast-striking, subvertical tectonic foliation and localized shear zones between 1420 and 1412 Ma. D3 deformation was bracketed by the emplacement of two newly dated granitic intrusions at 1434±2 Ma and 1407±6 Ma. The map-scale geometry of these intrusions and coeval deformational fabrics suggest that ca. 1.4-Ga granites were emplaced into a broadly compressional stress field during subhorizontal northwest–southeast shortening. These new data and observations indicate that ca. 1.4-Ga granites are not anorogenic, consistent with tectonic models suggesting that widespread magmatism was broadly synchronous with intracontinental orogenesis at ca. 1.4 Ga.
Environmental Engineering: Training for the Next Round

It seems to me that environmental engineering as a discipline has reached something equivalent to its mid-20s. It is past those awkward but somewhat euphoric and booming teenage years. It is past the age of majority and prepatterned education. It has had a few harsh doses of reality that have taken some of the gloss off its “everything is possible” early outlook—something akin to a few rejection letters from the first job or grad school applications, and the realization that some of the people to whom you are pitching your great ideas have already been “there and done that.” Essentially it is at a point where it must take charge of ~and responsibility for! its subsequent livelihood, having grown out from underneath the assured protection and patronage of its parent, Civil Engineering. On a more personal level, the leaders who changed the discipline from sanitary engineering to environmental engineering are retiring from the forefront and the next generation is taking over. In short, Environmental Engineering is at an age where it can reflect on its upbringing and critically evaluate the path it will need to take to meet its future obligations and challenges. The transition from Sanitary Engineering to Environmental Engineering was largely a transition from specialization in the design of water and wastewater treatment to specialization in the cleanup and control of environmental insults. This is not to say that many environmental engineers do not still work predominantly on water/wastewater processes, but that an equal or greater number work on environmental cleanup or control of environmental discharges. Further, the present-day water/wastewater engineers are often preoccupied with removal of aqueous contaminants that are the result of historical or continuing poor chemical management practices, rather than the conventional contaminants of sanitary engineering concern, such as BOD, turbidity, and pathogens. Perhaps this transition is most clearly seen in the variety of pollutants and problems with which an environmental engineer now must be knowledgeable. Beyond the problem of removing the conventional, aqueous pollutants, the graduating environmental engineer will deal with a broad range of issues, including toxic air pollutants, greenhouse gases, pharmaceutically active compounds in water, noise pollution, energy conservation, solid and liquid radioactive wastes, toxic compounds in porous media, recalcitrant synthetics, and complex mixtures of landfill leachates—just to name a few of the current areas of concern. This leads to my first suggestion that the training that well prepared the sanitary engineer may not be the training that will well prepare the environmental engineer. At a minimum the environmental engineer must have a working knowledge of a diversity of media, chemistry, and toxicology far beyond that of the sanitary engineer. From another viewpoint, the next generation of environmental engineer may align themselves more with the traditional sanitary ngineer’s perspective than with that of the environmental engi-
Corporate power and US economic and environmental policy, 1978–2008

The analysis here critically evaluates the ‘new corporate environmentalism’ and elaborates a relational theory of the state to explain policy formation in the US electrical energy industry. There are several findings. Firstly, corporations mobilize politically to advance their economic agendas and weaken environmental policy. Secondly, after state structures are created to enforce public policy, they provide the socio-political legitimacy for corporations to further advance their economic interests. Thirdly, in contrast to neoliberal claims, corporate– state relations during the era of re-regulation resulted in higher energy cost for consumers in several regions.
An Interactive Simulation Facility for the Evaluation of Shared-Resource Architectures (Parallel ARchitecture SIMulator - PARSIM)

A general-purpose, interactive simulation facility for modeling computational systems is described. The simulation facility is especially suited for evaluating the performance of parallel computational structures on workloads exhibiting arbitrary degrees of parallelism. Two different simulators are provided, one that operates at the processor level only, ignoring explicit system connectivity; and one that allows a detailed specification of system architecture and connectivity. Supplementing the simulators are: (a) a workload generator for synthesizing workloads exhibiting any desired degree of parallelism, and (b) a resource specification system that allows easy description of the capabilities and parameters of various resources in a system. Several graphical utility programs are provided to aid in interpretation of simulation results. The system has been implemented in the programming language 'C' on a Data General MV/8000 computer operating under the Data General Advanced Operating System; the system should port easily to other virtual architecture machines with a 'C' compiler.
Route of hysterectomy and surgical outcomes from a statewide gynecologic oncology population: is there a role for vaginal hysterectomy?

Background Recent policy changes by insurance companies have been instituted to encourage vaginal hysterectomy (VH) as the preferred route for removal of the uterus. It is not known if advantages of VH for benign indications apply to women with gynecologic cancer. Objective The goal of this study was to assess trends in surgical approach to hysterectomy among gynecologic cancer patients and to evaluate outcomes by approach. We hypothesized that, among gynecologic oncology patients, postoperative complications and hospital stay would differ by surgical approach, and that advantages of VH for benign indications may not apply to gynecologic cancer patients. Study Design We performed a population-based retrospective cohort study of cervical, endometrial, or ovarian/fallopian tube cancer patients treated surgically in Washington State from 2004 through 2013 using the Comprehensive Hospital Abstract Reporting System. Surgery was categorized as abdominal hysterectomy (AH), laparoscopic hysterectomy (LH), or VH. We determined rate of surgical approach by year and the association with length of stay, 30-day readmission rate, and perioperative complications. Results We identified 10,117 patients who underwent surgery for gynecologic cancer, with 346 (3.4%) VH, 2698 (26.7%) LH, and 7073 (69.9%) AH. Patients undergoing AH had more comorbidities than patients with VH or LH (Charlson Comorbidity Index ≥2: 11.3%, 7.9%, and 8.1%, respectively; P P P P Conclusion AH and LH remain the preferred routes for hysterectomy in gynecologic oncology. Over the past decade, there has been a significant shift to LH with lower 30-day readmission and complication rates. There may be a limited role for VH in select patients. Current efforts to standardize the surgical approach to hysterectomy should not apply to patients with known or suspected gynecologic cancer.
The management of elevated intraocular pressure with normal optic discs and visual fields

Editor's comment. Native tribes on the Calabar coast of West Africa (now Nigeria) coerced suspects on trial for witchcraft to eat the "ordeal bean of Calabar." They called the active constituent, which produced intense vomiting, sweating and convulsions, "eserine." Ludwig Laqueur, 101 years ago, successfully treated his own attack of acute angle closure glaucoma with topical eserine. After using the drug to treat a few patients with chronic open angle glaucoma, he recommended administering it "in all cases of glaucoma simplex.., as iridectomy in this group is almost valueless" (Zentralbl Med Wissensch 14:421, 1876). In controlled studies, W. C. Posey demonstrated the ability of miotics to abort glaucoma's visually damaging progress, especially if treatment were begun early, leading a colleague to suggest that patients with glaucoma use miotics "day in and day out to the end of life." (Arch Ophthalmol 24:378, 1895). By the mid-Twentieth Century, ophthalmologists frequently prescribed prophylactic miotics ("ordeal drops?") to prevent optic nerve damage from elevated intraocular pressure, a practice now suspect, since only a small percentage of these patients, left untreated, develop visual field loss. In this pair of articles, Drs. Anderson and Hoskins present their opinions on the management of patients with ocular hypertension and normal visual fields, not simplistically ("give 'era drops" versus "follow their fields"), but in terms of the risk factors which predispose optic nerve damage. Each offers practical therapeutic recommendations. (Surv Ophthalmol 21:479-493, 1977)
Spontaneous carotid dissection: Duplex scanning in diagnosis and management

The clinical, duplex, and angiographic findings in six patients with seven spontaneous extracranial carotid artery dissections are reported. Four dissections resulted in internal carotid artery occlusion. These patients complained of ipsilateral headache followed by contralateral hemiplegia. The other three dissections involved the common carotid artery and resulted in dual (one true and one false) lumens. Two of these dissections were asymptomatic. All dissections were treated nonoperatively with anticoagulant therapy. Neurologic deficits improved or disappeared in all symptomatic patients. On follow-up studies, one of the four internal carotid occlusions completely resolved with normalization of the duplex examination. All three dual lumen dissections remained patent on serial studies. Diagnostic duplex characteristics, both conclusive and supportive, of carotid dissections are described. Duplex scanning is shown to be accurate in diagnosing and ideally suited for serially following spontaneous carotid dissections.
The Lower Bounds on the Additive Complexity of Bilinear Problems in Terms of Some Algebraic Quantities

Abstract : The lower bounds on the additive complexity of a bilinear problem are expressed in terms of the rank of the problem and also as a minimum number of elementary steps for the transformation of the identity matrix into a strongly regular one.
Microfabric and Taphonomic Analysis in Determining Sedimentary Processes in Marine Mudstones: Example from Silurian of New York

ABSTRACT Microfabric evidence from mudstones combined with taphonomic information provides important clues to sedimentary processes. The microfabric of the Lewiston Member, Rochester Shale (Silurian, Wenlockian) of New York has yielded evidence of episodic sedimentation from storm-generated sediment plumes or tempestites. A cardhouse arrangement of clay flakes in the mudstones indicates rapid deposition of flocculated clay. In addition, taphonomic observations such as the presence of articulated crinoids buried in life position also indicate rapid burial by the flocculated clay sediment. Four intervals of Lewiston mudstones show evidence of periods of "background sedimentation" during which skeletal debris slowly accumulated. These conditions were punctuated by brief events of deposition from storm-generated, silty clay sediment plume that rapidly (hours to days) covered the depositional site. This study provides an example of the utility of an integrated microfabric and taphonomic analysis in determining the nature of mudstone depositional processes.
Simultaneous channel estimation and decoding for diagonal space-time codes

Multiple input, multiple output (MIMO) wireless communications links have been shown to have the potential for significant increases in capacity, provided they are deployed in an environment with rich multipath scattering. To realize these gains, a number of space-time coding strategies have previously been proposed. Most of these algorithms assume that, via training data, the channel is known at least on one end of the link. However if the channel is time-varying or even just quasi-stationary, the training overhead can offset much of the throughput gain. In this paper a space-time coding scheme is presented that allows for simultaneous blind or semi-blind channel estimation and decoding of the symbols transmitted by multiple users. The method relies on the use of "diagonal" space-time codes in which the same symbol is successively transmitted from each antenna in turn. This structure leads to a simple subspace-based algorithm that produces closed-form estimates of both the channel and the transmitted symbols. The algorithm is shown to be applicable to cases involving fewer receive than transmit antennas, rank-deficient channels, flat or frequency selective fading, and multiple users.
QM/MM Free Energy Simulations of Salicylic Acid Methyltransferase: Effects of Stabilization of TS-like Structures on Substrate Specificity

Salicylic acid methyltransferases (SAMTs) synthesize methyl salicylate (MeSA) using salicylate as the substrate. MeSA synthesized in plants may function as an airborne signal to activate the expression of defense-related genes and could also be a critical mobile signaling molecule that travels from the site of plant infection to establish systemic immunity in the induction of disease resistance. Here the results of QM/MM free energy simulations for the methyl transfer process in Clarkia breweri SAMT (CbSAMT) are reported to determine the origin of the substrate specificity of SAMTs. The free energy barrier for the methyl transfer from S-adenosyl-l-methionine (AdoMet) to 4-hydroxybenzoate in CbSAMT is found to be about 5 kcal/mol higher than that from AdoMet to salicylate, consistent with the experimental observations. It is suggested that the relatively high efficiency for the methylation of salicylate compared to 4-hydroxybenzoate is due, at least in part, to the reason that a part of the stabilization of the transition state (TS) configuration is already reflected in the reactant complex, presumably, through the binding. The results seem to indicate that the creation of the substrate complex (e.g., through mutagenesis and substrate modifications) with its structure closely resembling TS might be fruitful for improving the catalyticmore » efficiency for some enzymes. The results show that the computer simulations may provide important insights into the origin of the substrate specificity for the SABATH family and could be used to help experimental efforts in generating engineered enzymes with altered substrate specificity.« less
GLASS TRANSITION IN RUBBERY MATERIALS

When the perturbation frequency imposed on a rubber falls within the glass transition zone of its viscoelastic spectrum, energy absorption is maximized. This phenomenon is the operative mechanism for various applications of elastomers requiring large energy dissipation. Nevertheless, a fundamental understanding of the glass transition is lacking. The diversity of properties that depend both on chemical structure and thermodynamic conditions makes modeling difficult and a first principles theory perhaps unachievable; indeed, the number of models for the glass transition seems to be inversely proportional to their ability to accurately describe the myriad behaviors. The progress made at quantifying the role of the thermodynamic variables temperature, T, and density, q, on the dynamics is described. An important aspect of the work was the discovery that relaxation times and viscosities of molecular liquids and polymers superpose when plotted against the scaling variable T/q c , with the scaling exponent c a material constant sensibly related to the nature of the intermolecular repulsive potential; thus, dynamic spectroscopy measurements can be used to quantify the forces between molecules. Other properties derive from the scaling behavior, including the Boyer-Spencer rule and the correlation of fluctuations in the potential energy with fluctuations in the virial pressure. [doi:10.5254/rct.12.87987]
Regulation of genes in Streptomyces bacteria required for catabolism of lignin-derived aromatic compounds

The major utilization pathway for lignin-derived aromatic compounds in microorganisms is the β-ketoadipate pathway. Through this pathway, the aromatic compounds protocatechuate and catechol are converted to acetyl coenzyme A and succinyl coenzyme A. The enzymes of the protocatechuate branch of this pathway are encoded by the pca genes. Here, we describe a gene cluster in Streptomyces coelicolor containing the pca structural genes and a regulatory gene required for the catabolism of protocatechuate. We found that transcription of the structural genes in S. coelicolor is induced by protocatechuate and p-hydroxybenzoate. We also observed inducible transcription of pca structural genes in the ligninolytic strain Streptomyces viridosporus ATCC 39115. Disruption of a gene encoding a putative MarR family transcription factor that is divergently transcribed from the pca structural genes resulted in constitutive transcription of the structural genes. Thus, the transcription factor encoded by this gene is an apparent negative regulator of pca gene transcription in S. coelicolor. Our findings suggest how Streptomyces bacteria could be engineered for and used in biotechnology for the utilization and degradation of lignin and lignin-derived aromatic compounds.