cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The effectiveness of pins with complete cast metal crowns

T he basic retentive elements in complete cast metal crown preparations are height, convergence, and surface area. Surface roughness of the casting and the cavity walls also contributes to retention, but to a lesser degree. Adhesive strength of the cementing medium aids retention, but this depends on the choice of product. Adequate retention form is difficult to attain for short, malpositioned, and malformed crowns. Auxiliary retention with cement keys for such crowns is effective.’ Cement keys are not widely used, probably because of lack of familiarity with the technique. Nevertheless, short, malpositioned, and malformed crowns are a fairly common problem in dental practice. An effective, common, and convenient technique is needed to increase the retentive strength of abnormal crowns. The purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness of the use of pins to increase the retention of crowns. testing machine. After thoroughly cleaning the crowns and teeth, the crowns were cemented to the preparations with zinc phosphate cement (Mizzy, Inc., Clifton Forge, Va.) according to the manufacturer’s directions. After initial setting of the cement (5 minutes), all samples were stored in 100% humidity at 37” C for 24 hours. Retentive strength was tested with the Instron Universal Testing Machine (Instron Corp., Canton, Mass.) at a crosshead speed of 0.5 cm/min.
The impact of a discontinuous innovation: Outcomes experienced by owners of home computers

Abstract This paper offers a framework for conceptualizing the events that follow adoption of a microcomputer. Three distinct outcomes of adoption were examined: degree of usage, satisfaction, and attitude toward the technology. Product strength, adopter resources, instrumentality and social integration were used to explain variation in the outcomes experienced by individual adopters. This framework was applied to the results of three mail surveys of owners of home computers. Product strength and social integration with other users proved to be the key determinants of outcomes.
Central pontine myelinolysis as a complication of partial ornithine carbamoyl transferase deficiency

Central pontine myelinolysis (CPM) is a demyelinating condition of the central pons with or without associated foci of demyelination in extrapontine areas. We present a case of partial ornithine carbamoyl transferase deficiency in a 5-year-old girl which was complicated by CPM. The patient was a previously undiagnosed girl who presented with mild hyperammonemic encephalopathy with a maximum plasma ammonia level of 376 microM on admission. Laboratory testing established the diagnosis of OCT deficiency, and therapy with hydration and protein restriction was successful in returning the plasma ammonia levels to normal. Five days after correction of her hyperammonemia, the patient developed intractable seizures and coma. Serial MRI scans of the brain revealed the evolution of the characteristic findings of CPM. Plasma ammonia and electrolyte concentrations were well controlled throughout this time. This represents the first description of CPM in a patient with a urea cycle defect.
Simulations of the In situ cyclic voltammetry dependent EPR spectra and DC conductivity

In situ cyclic voltammetry (CV) dependent EPR and DC conductivity of polyaniline have been reported by many groups. However, the variation of the EPR intensities at two half-wave potentials of the CV scan and the asymmetric CV dependent DC conductivity have remained to be fully accounted for. Here we present in detail a novel quasi-random oxidation model and the related simulation results to interpret the reported in situ experimental results. This model quantitatively describes many phenomena and physical properties found in polyaniline including the origin of the defect states, the variations of the in situ EPR signal during CV potential scan, the effects of the hydrolysis, and the pH-dependent DC conductivity data. The statistical nature of this model suggests its general applicability to the oxidation processes of other conducting polymers. The important roles of nearest neighbor Coulomb interaction and formation of a metallic polaron lattice in the computer modeling are evaluated and discussed.
Consistent fat suppression with compensated spectral-spatial pulses

Reliable fat suppression is especially important with fast imaging techniques such as echo-planar (EPI), spiral, and fast spin-echo (FSE) T2-weighted imaging. Spectral-spatial excitation has a number of advantages over spectrally selective presaturation techniques, including better resilience to B0 and B1, inhomogeneity. In this paper, a FSE sequence using a spectral-spatial excitation pulse for superior fat suppression is presented. Previous problems maintaining the CPMG condition are solved using simple methods to accurately program radio-frequency (RF) phase. Next an analysis shows how B0 eddy currents can reduce fat suppression effectiveness for spectral-spatial pulses designed for conventional gradient systems. Three methods to compensate for the degradation are provided. Both the causes of the degradation and the compensation techniques apply equally to gradient-recalled applications using these pulses. These problems do not apply to pulses designed for high-speed gradient systems. The spectral-spatial FSE sequence delivers clinically lower fat signal with better uniformity than spectrally selective pre-saturation techniques.
Circumlocution, communication strategies and the ACTFL proficiency guidelines: an analysis of student discourse

ABSTRACT This study was designed to analyze the use of communication (i.e., lexical repair) strategies, particularly circumlocution, by speakers at the Intermediate High and Advanced levels of oral proficiency in Spanish. All of the instances of communication strategies (CSs) used in oral proficiency interviews by 17 Intermediate High speakers and 13 Advanced speakers were analyzed to discover what strategies were favored by speakers at each level. The analysis of learner discourse found that Advanced speakers, more than Intermediate High speakers, rely on a range of L2-based strategies that included, but was not limited to, circumlocution. The analysis suggests that the statements in the ACTFL Guidelines about CS use be expanded to include strategies besides circumlocution that develop as learners cross the border between the Intermediate High and Advanced levels.
Investigations of the mechanism of selective inhibition of type B mitochondrial monoamine oxidase by phosphatidylserine

Liposomes of phosphatidylserine (PS) were found to inhibit strongly the B-form of membrane bound monoamine oxidase (MAO) isolated from rat and bovine liver, while having no effect on the rat liver A-form. Use of 14C-liposomes demonstrated high levels of PS association with the membrane, which could not be removed by extensive washing with high ionic strength buffers. The inhibition of MAO-B was not reversed on further perturbation of the membrane by chaotropic agents, sonication, or treatment with additional liposome preparations of phosphatidylcholine or phosphatidylinositol. Partial reversal of the inhibition was found when the PS-treated bovine liver membrane was solubilized with the detergent octyl glucoside. PS, however, had no effect on a solubilized preparation of bovine liver MAO. These results suggest a specific interaction between MAO and PS rather than an indirect effect of bulk changes in membrane properties, but an intact membrane was, nevertheless, required to mediate the inhibition. Comparison of the decreases in apparent levels of MAO-B in rat liver mitochondrial membranes that were calculated from changes in relative catalytic activities with A and B specific substrates or changes in sensitivity to A-form specific reversible and irreversible inhibitors, all showed good quantitative correlation. Lineweaver-Burk plots of the effect of PS incorporation into bovine liver mitochondrial membranes on MAO oxidation of phenylethylamine exhibited the expected pattern for a noncompetitive inhibitor acting on a ping-pong mechanism bireactant enzyme. On the basis of these results, a possible in vivo role for the acidic phospholipids in regulating apparent levels of MAO from one tissue to another and/or in response to environmental effects is proposed.
One-hour meal tolerance test to assess withdrawal of insulin therapy in overweight patients with type 2 diabetes.

Objective: To evaluate the clinical usefulness of a 1-hour meal tolerance test to determine the feasibility and safety of discontinuation of insulin therapy in overweight, insulin-treated patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Methods: Overweight patients who presented with metabolic decompensation at initial diagnosis of type 2 diabetes were hospitalized and treated with insulin. A 1-hour meal tolerance test was performed in an outpatient setting when patients had maintained a stable metabolic status with decreasing daily insulin requirement and the possibility of withdrawal of insulin therapy was considered. After an overnight fast, venous blood samples were collected before and 1 hour after consumption of an oral liquid meal (240 mL, 240 kcal, ~30 g of sucrose) to measure glucose and C-peptide levels. If the postmeal glucose level was =10 mmol/L, the insulin therapy was discontinued. Patients underwent follow-up to validate the clinical decision. Results: Twenty-four overweight adult Mexican American ...
Is retinoic acid-related orphan receptor-alpha (RORA) a target for gene–environment interactions contributing to autism?

It is becoming increasingly clear that gene-environment interactions are risk factors for autism. However, there is limited information regarding the susceptibility of specific autism candidate genes to dysregulation by environmental factors, and even less information on the types of environmental agents that may lead to increased risk for autism. Based on our published studies, I propose that the demonstrated responsiveness of RORA to sex hormones makes it a prime target for disruption by endocrine disrupting compounds.
Public Perceptions of the Risks and Benefits of Technology1

This study attempted to verify and extend previous research on people's perceptions of the risks and benefits of technology and their judgments concerning the acceptability of technology safety regulations. The study addressed several limitations of prior work, in that: (1) it was the first “expressed-preference” study to collect data from large, representative samples of Americans; (2) the research design made “person,” rather than “technology,” the unit of statistical analysis; and (3) the study employed an expanded set of independent variables, including three qualitative benefit characteristics. The results confirmed several major conclusions of prior expressed-preference research, the most important being that members of the public tend to define “risks,”“benefits,” and “acceptability” in a complex, multidimensional manner; and that their definitions differ significantly from those used by professional risk-managers and other technical experts in quantitative assessments of risk and acceptability. The results also indicated that people's stances toward technology regulation tend to cut across traditional sociodemographic lines.
Vitamin therapy in the surgical patient

Abstract Vitamin therapy is of considerable importance in the pre- and postoperative care of surgical patients. Those of particular surgical interest are vitamins k , certain component factors of vitamin b and vitamin c because they are specifically related to the problem of nutrition and to body functions essential to normal tissue repair after surgery. Certain aspects of the general subject of vitamin therapy have been considered.
Structure of the integrin VLA-4 and its cell-cell and cell-matrix adhesion functions

Article synthese sur la variabilite de la structure moleculaire et sur la diversite fonctionnelle de la proteine VLA-4 appartenant a la famille des integrines
More than “priestly mumbo‐jumbo”: Religion and authorship in All About H. Hatterr

This essay proposes an unconventional approach to the late colonial and postcolonial Indian writer G.V. Desani, author of the famously difficult novel All About H. Hatterr (1948). The essay draws on heretofore overlooked biographical materials, Desani’s own literary journalism, as well as the many revisions Desani made to the novel itself, to argue that Desani’s central theme may not be linguistic hybridity, as previously thought, so much as the anxiety of a late colonial Indian author as he struggles to represent an evolving relationship to a kind of Hindu religious practice. Desani’s picaresque novel reflects an evident fascination with the Hindu religious authority figures it satirizes; it also contains numerous “self‐distancing” mechanisms, including eight separate prolegomena – all of which help to create confusion about the author’s responsibility to his text. As he continually revised the novel, Desani introduced new footnotes and appendices to distance himself further from his text, suggesting a c...
Recurrent meningitis in a child.

The association of meningitis with congenital spinal lesion, particularly neurodermal sinus and intradural dermoid, is well documented. However, less is known about the precipitating factors in the occurrence of such meningitis. We present the case of a two year old child with an intradural lumbosacral dermoid who suffered three bouts of meningitis. Each episode of meningitis followed insertion of rectal suppository for treatment of chronic constipation.
Dextran–estrone conjugate: synthesis and in vitro release study

Abstract A novel hormone conjugate has been prepared by a coupling reaction between modified estrone and dextran. In order to provide a suitable reactive estrone derivative for coupling with dextran and a spacer between the drug carrier and the hormone, the steroidal sex hormone was succinylated by reaction with succinic anhydride. Subsequently, the carboxylic acid terminal of succinylated estrone was further reacted with thionyl chloride to replace the hydroxy group with chlorine to make a better leaving group. The ester bond was employed as labile linkage between the hormone and the biopolymer carrier backbone so that the coupled estrogen could be released from the conjugate via ester hydrolysis. Structures of the modified estrone and dextran–estrone conjugate were determined by elemental analysis and by FTIR, 1 H and 13 C NMR spectroscopies. The degree of substitution (D.S.) per anhydroglucose (AHG) unit was 0.33 (11.0 mol-% of estrone moieties), as calculated from the 1 H NMR spectrum. In vitro hydrolysis of the conjugate in aqueous phosphate buffer/ethanol solutions at pH 8.0 and 7.4 and 37°C released estrone was completed within a few days and followed zero-order kinetics.
The Validity of Self-Report as a Technique for Measuring Short-Term Complications After Total Hip Arthroplasty in a Joint Replacement Registry

This study evaluated concordance between self-reports and surgeon assessments of short-term complications. A total of 3976 primary total hip arthroplasty patients consented for an institutional registry (5/2007-12/2008); 3186 (80.1%) completed a 6-month survey; 137 (4.4%) reported deep venous thrombosis, pulmonary embolism, major bleeding, fracture, or dislocation. Patients reporting complications were called. Positive predictive values and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) for patient self-report were measured, using surgeon assessment for comparison: pulmonary embolism, 88.9% (95% CI, 78.4%-99.4%); dislocation, 81.1% (95% CI, 75.9%-86.5%); fracture, 73.7% (95% CI, 63.8%-83.5%); deep venous thrombosis, 69.7% (95% CI, 61.9%-77.5%); major bleeding, 32.0% (95% CI, 19.4%-44.5%); any bleeding, 88.0% (95% CI, 75.3%-99.9%). Of 97 confirmed complications, 64.95% presented to outside institutions. Registry data on self-reported complications may overcome limitations of traditional methods, but data should be interpreted cautiously. Concordance was high for PE and dislocation but low for major bleeding.
Validity of patient management problems re-examined.

Summary Newble et al. (1982) examined the construct validity of one Patient Management Problem (PMP) with groups of subjects with varied levels of medical competence, ranging from fourth-year medical students to post-intern medical registrars and consultant physicians. The present study reanalysed their data using analysis of variance followed by Scheffea postiori comparisons of the mean scores for each group. Results suggest virtually no difference among the various groups’ performances on this particular PMP, in contrast to the assertion of Newble et al. (1982) that ‘the most competent groups (the post-interns) generally scored less well on the calculated indices than the senior students and interns’. While Newble et al. (1982) maintained that their findings do not show the PMP to be a valid test of competence, the present analysis suggests that their study was not an adequate test of the construct validity of PMPs due to lack of power and insufficient sample size. An alternative interpretation of this data is presented, along with implications for medical education and future research.
Exposing medical students to child and adolescent psychiatry: a case-based seminar.

Objective Despite a documented shortage of child and adolescent psychiatrists, few studies have examined whether including child and adolescent psychiatry didactics in a medical school curriculum can stimulate appreciation and interest among students, possibly leading more students to choose careers in this specialty.
Comparative cardiovascular effects of four fishery anesthetics in spinally transected rainbow trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss

Abstract 1. We compared the effects of four anesthetics on heart rate, dorsal and ventral aortic blood pressure, and electrocardiograms of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss). 1. Exposure to the local anesthetics tricaine methanesulfonate (MS-222) and benzocaine hydrochloride (BZH) produced minimal cardiovascular alterations. Mean dorsal aortic pressure (DAP) decreased during exposure to MS-222, and mean DAP and mean ventral aortic pressure (VAP) increased 15% during recovery from BZH. 3. Exposure to the general anesthetic 2-phenoxyethanol (2-PE) or the hypnotic agent etomidate (ET) dramatically decreased heart rate and blood pressures and altered EKG patterns. 4. During recovery, VAP and DAP increased above baseline for an extended period. Heart rate and EKG patterns rapidly returned to normal.
Reminiscence: A Continuity Theory Framework

The goal of this article is to provide theoretical underpinnings for reminiscence by reviewing and evaluating previous research, and integrating it within a theoretical framework. Using a continuity theory perspective (Atchley, 1989), propositions are generated which may facilitate reminiscence research across the life span. Three global functions of reminiscence are derived from continuity theory (private, social, and cognitive functions) and are used as a foundation for the creation of seven propositions.
Chemistry Supported by Preorganized Binucleating Ligands: Synthesis and Structural Characterization of Dititanium(III) μ-Methyl μ-Hydrido Species

Binucleating bis(amidinate) ligands based on a 9,9-dimethylxanthene backbone have been used to prepare new dititanium(IV) complexes of the general formula [bis(amidinate)]Ti2Cp2R4 (R = CH3, 13CH3, CD3). Reaction of these methyl derivatives with H2 affords the dititanium(III) μ-methyl μ-hydrido derivatives [bis(amidinate)]Ti2Cp2(μ-R)(μ-H) (R = CH3, 13CH3, CD3), which have been characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction and NMR and IR spectroscopy. These complexes are rare examples of first-row-transition-metal alkyl hydrido species.
Effects of weight on outcomes within a cohort of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) patients undergoing in vitro fertilization (IVF)

OBJECTIVE: Many studies rely on the SART database to assess perinatal outcomes. The accuracy of these outcomes, reported to fertility centers by patients and aggregated by SART, must be demonstrated. The objective of this study is to determine the accuracy of reported outcomes at a single center. DESIGN: Retrospective cohort. MATERIALS AND METHODS: SART outcome data were obtained for patients who conceived following in vitro fertilization (IVF) from 20052009 at a single center. A subset (214 of 479) delivered at the same institution. For these patients, delivery outcomes were abstracted from medical records. The SART-reported birth weight (BW) and date of delivery were compared to the medical record. Measurement agreement was determined by calculating concordance correlation coefficients (CCC), which accounts for precision and accuracy. Agreement in classification of low birth weight (LBW) and preterm birth (PTB) by both methods was quantified with kappa (k) coefficients. RESULTS: 154 singleton and 60 twin pregnancies with a live birth were included. The CCC for agreement of BW was excellent: 0.979 (95%CI 0.972-0.986) for singletons and 0.991 (0.986-0.996) for twins (P<0.001 for both). The CCC for agreement in gestational age (GA) was 0.928 (0.906-0.950) for singletons and 0.918 (0.877-0.958) for twins (P<0.001 for both). For singletons, we observed a 98.1% agreement in LBW classification (k1⁄40.893; P<0.001) with only 3 infants (1.9%) misclassified. Agreement in PTB was 97.4% (k1⁄40.874; P<0.001). Among twins, there was a 95% agreement in LBW classified infants (k1⁄40.924; P<0.001) and only 1 of 60 (1.6%) deliveries was misclassified as a PTB (k1⁄40.967; P<0.001). CONCLUSION: Among live births following IVF at a single institution, BW and GA reported to SART were highly concordant with actual BW and GA abstracted from delivery records. These data are reassuring that perinatal outcomes reported to the SART database are reliable and valid. Supported by: K24HD060687(KTB); DDCRF & FOCUS (CBM); U54HD068157(CC).
On the applicability of the frequency moments method for the calculation of the spectral shape of a one-dimensional crystal

Abstract Using the anharmonic perturbation theory developed by Maradudin and Fein [Phys. Rev. 128 (1962) 2589] we investigate the reliability of the application of the frequency moments method to the calculation of the spectral shape of a one-dimensional Lennard-Jones crystal in both the classical and quantum regime.
Periodic and almost periodic solutions of volterra integral differential equations with infinite memory

Abstract Conditions are given which guarantee that if T > 0 is sufficiently small, then x ( t ) = ∝ 0 ∞ [ dE ( s )] x ( t — s )+ f ( t ) has a unique T -periodic solution x for each continuous T -periodic function f . The vectors x and f are n -dimensional; the matrix function E ( s ) is n × n with bounded total variation. The proof adapts readily to provide an analogous result when x and f are almost periodic functions whose non-zero Fourier frequencies are bounded away from zero. The results are applied to study certain perturbations of the above equation.
Microbubble potentiated ultrasound as a method of declotting thrombosed dialysis grafts: Experimental study in dogs

Intravenous perfluorocarbon-exposed sonicated dextrose albumin (PESDA) microbubbles in the presence of low frequency ultrasound (LFUS) can lyse very small clots. We develop a similar method to declot full-size arteriovenous dialysis grafts. Dialysis grafts fashioned in three dogs were cannulated and ligated. After thrombosis, three declotting techniques were randomly applied: 1) direct injection of PESDA + LFUS; 2) direct injection of saline + LFUS; and 3) intravenous PESDA + LFUS. Declotting was graded by cine angiography scores of each third of the graft on a scale of 0-4 (maximum total score = 12). Twenty-six procedures showed mean patency scores of 11.1 for direct PESDA and 8.4 for IV PESDA, vs 4.9 for direct saline, p = <0.001. All eight direct PESDA injections achieved lysis and good flow, but none of 8 direct saline injections succeeded, p = <0.01. Intravenous PESDA succeeded in 4 of 10 procedures, p = <0.04 vs saline. Direct injection of PESDA with transcutaneous LFUS succeeds in lysing moderate-size clots and recanalizing thrombosed fistulas.
Biochemical markers of bone turnover in osteonecrosis of the jaw in patients with osteoporosis and advanced cancer involving the bone

Osteonecrosis of the jaw (ONJ) has been hypothesized to result in part from a relative "oversuppression" of normal physiologic bone remodeling at the jaw brought about by bisphosphonate therapy. Biochemical markers of bone turnover give readily measurable information on integrated systemic bone remodeling activity, as measured by blood and urine assays. The intra- and interassay variability of most currently available assays is less than 10%, although many biological factors can influence levels of bone turnover markers. Bone turnover markers may show a dynamic response to changes in clinical status for a given disease state. Elevated bone turnover on and off treatment appears to predict adverse clinical consequences in both osteoporosis and cancer. Bisphosphonates effectively decrease the level of the bone turnover markers with a pattern depending on the marker, the bisphosphonate, the dose regimen, and the disease. However, long-term (10-year) treatment with bisphosphonates for osteoporosis does not appear to result in a progressive decline in bone turnover, as measured by markers and bone histology. The effects of long-term (greater than 2 years) treatment with monthly intravenous bisphosphonates on bone turnover markers in cancer are unknown. Discontinuation of bisphosphonate therapy appears to allow a recovery of bone turnover, which is related to the bisphosphonate, the duration of therapy, and the disease being treated. At this time, data are limited with regard to the utility of bone turnover markers in assessing risk for ONJ and whether bone marker-directed bisphosphonate holidays would be useful in prevention or treatment of ONJ.
Thermochemistry of the Y2O3–BaO–Cu–O system

High temperature reaction calorimetry using molten lead borate as a solvent is used to study the thermochemistry of phases in the Y2O3–BaO–Cu–O system. Enthalpies of formation of YBa2Cu3Ox (6 < x < 7), YBa2Cu4O8, Y2BaCuO5, Y2Cu2O5, and BaCuO2.01 phases have been determined. The thermodynamic relationships among these phases at room temperature have been assessed. The results show that the 123 phase is not thermodynamically stable with respect to assemblages containing combinations of Y2BaCuO5, Y2Cu2O5, BaCuO2, Y2O3, and CuO. The fully oxidized 123 phase is not stable with respect to the 124 and the above assemblages. Reactions at room temperature are shown as follows: YBa2Cu3O7 (s) + CuO (s) → YBa2Cu4O8 (s); δH = −31.9 ± 22.3 kJ mol−1 and YBa2Cu3O6.76 (s) → ½YBa2Cu4O8 (s) + ¼Y2BaCuO5 (s) + ¾BaCuO2.01 (s); δH = −78.9 ± 21.0 kJ mol−1.
Thermal Modeling for Control of Friction Stir Welding Process in Automated Manufacturing

Friction stir welding is a patented joining process invented in 1991 at The Welding Institute in Cambridge, UK, and further developed to the stage suitable for production. In this process, a wear resistant rotating tool is used to join sheet and plate with different materials such as aluminum, copper, lead, magnesium, zinc, and titanium. This work studies the thermal characteristics of this process and provides a modeling technique based on Neural Network that can be used for real-time control. A thermal feed-back control method is presented to control the process. Using some thermal modeling for the heat distribution during friction stir welding process, this paper displays the complexity of obtaining an accurate design for the thermal feed back control. A three-dimensional transient heat transfer model is developed here for a sequential joining process (Friction Stir Welding-FSW) applied on aluminum parts. A neural network is created based on a set of experiments to predict the spatial and temporal variations in the temperature over the weld seam for different set of input variables. The model includes the dynamic and friction behavior of the rotating spindle and the thermal behaviors of the weld components involved. The significance of this modeling approach is that it captures the movement of the spindle, simulating a sequential joining process along a continuous weld seam. The modeling results are compared with experimental data obtained by thermocouples and infrared camera, and accurately predict the trend of variations in weld temperature. A fuzzy-logic based controller is proposed to regulate the FSW process parameters to maintain the weld temperature within the margin required to ensure the weld quality. This modeling and control system can have applications in manufacturing aluminum parts in automotive and aerospace industry.Copyright © 2011 by ASME
Using Rewards to Minimize Overdue Book Rates

For as long as libraries have charged fines for books returned after their due dates, this familiar practice has excited comment and controversy. Fines are thought by many to deter patrons from keeping materials too long. However, others believe there is little persuasive evidence that fines are more effective at minimizing overdues than are reminder notices. Further, some critics contend charging fines is unethical, especially in public or school libraries, and the meager results are not worth the harmful public relations fines incur. The authors experimented with an alternative approach using positive reinforcement.
EVALUATION OF PRIORITY RULES FOR ENTRANCE TO AUTOMATED HIGHWAYS

Automated highway systems are envisioned to provide capacity improvements over conventional highways by controlling vehicle trajectories and regulating entrance, egress and lane-changing. This paper examines the entrance process with mixed vehicle classes and prioritization on an AHS with plalooning, Queueing statistics are estimated for different prioritization schemes, which account for vehicle size and spacing characteristics. Experiments indicate that capacity is increased substantially, and queueing is reduced substantially, when priority is given to vehicles that fall in the same class as the platoon that precedes the current gap in the right-hand lane of the highway.
DEATHS OF TEENAGERS AS MOTOR-VEHICLE PASSENGERS

Most studies of teenage motor-vehicle crashes and injuries have focussed on drivers. However, deaths of 13- to 19-year-olds as passengers are nearly as common as teenage driver deaths (2,131 vs. 2,355 in 1993), and teenage passenger death rates are much higher relative to rates for older people than is the case for driver deaths. The deaths of both teenage drivers and passengers, compared with deaths of older motor-vehicle occupants, are more likely to occur at night, and in smaller and older cars. Two-thirds of teenage passengers killed in 1993 were in vehicles driven by other teenagers. More teenage passenger deaths occurred in vehicles driven by 16-year-olds than any other teen age, and both male and female 16-year-old drivers had greatly elevated rates of teenage passenger deaths in their vehicle per licensed driver and per mile driven compared with older teenage drivers. Countermeasures include night driving curfews and restrictions on teenage passengers in the vehicles of newly licensed drivers, a feature of New Zealand's graduated licensing system that has reduced teenage motor-vehicle injuries in vehicles driven by 15- to 19-year-olds.
Low loss micromachined lead zirconate titanate, contour mode resonator with 50Ω termination

This paper reports lead zirconate titatanate (PZT)-on-silicon electromechanical resonators with excellent, 50 Ω terminated, performances for RF applications. A low 2.14 dB insertion loss is demonstrated for a length extensional, PZT-on-2-μm-silicon 15 MHz resonator. A 22 dB return loss and maximum unloaded quality factor, Q UL, max , of ∼540 in air resulted for this resonator. Similar performances with a Q UL, max of 2850 are also demonstrated with a PZT fabricated on 10-μm-silicon device. The competing effects of decreased motional resistance and increased transducer capacitances with increased transduction area are addressed through analytical models and experimental results. Additionally, a third order length extensional mode piezoelectric resonator with asymmetric input and output electrodes were also designed to assess its potential performance as a piezoelectric resonant transformer; a 2.1× voltage boost is demonstrated for a 14.7 MHz extensional mode resonator.
A Ten-Meter Optical Telescope In Space

Site and configuration options for a successor to the Hubble Space Telescope are discussed and one candidate is presented. The telescope is a traditional Cassegrain with a 10-meter diameter monolithic primary, adaptive secondary, and passively cooled optics. Wavelength coverage is from the far ultraviolet to the near-infrared. The observatory is located in the geosynchronous orbit to minimize environmental constraints and increase observing efficiency.
Effects of rejecting diffusion directions on tensor-derived parameters

Diffusion Tensor Imaging (DTI) is adversely affected by subject motion. It is necessary to discard the corrupted images before diffusion parameter estimation. However, the consequences of rejecting those images are not well understood. In this study, we investigated the effects of excluding one or more volumes of diffusion weighted images by analyzing the changes in fractional anisotropy (FA), mean diffusivity (MD), axial diffusivity (AD), radial diffusivity (RD) and the primary eigenvector (V1). Based on the full set of diffusion images acquired by the Jones30 diffusion scheme, we generated incomplete sets of at least six in three different ways: random, uniform and clustered rejections. The results showed that MD was not significantly affected by rejecting diffusion directions. In the cases of random rejections, FA, AD, RD and V1 were overestimated more greatly with increasing number of rejections and the overestimations were worse in low FA regions than high FA regions. For uniform rejections, at which the remaining diffusion directions are evenly distributed on a sphere, little change was observed in FA and in V1. Clustered rejections, on the other hand, displayed the most significant overestimation of the parameters, and the resulting accuracy depended on the relative orientation of the underlying fibers with respect to the excluded directions. In practice, if diffusion direction data is excluded, it is important to note the number and location of directions rejected, in order to make a more precise analysis of the data.
Recursive Methods for Computing Detection Probabilities

Recursive methods are drived for computing detection probabilities for general fluctuating targets in Gaussian noise. For the generalized chi-square family of fluctuating targets, very simple and convenient recursive algrithms result. The methods are also extended to cell-averaging CFAR. Although the detection probability is expressed iw: terms of an infinite series, a convenient expression is derived for the resulting error when the series is truncated. Cell-averaging CFAR results are computed for nonfluctuating, Swering case I, and Swerling case II fluctuating targets.
Bisectional fault-tolerant communication architecture for supercomputer systems

A highly versatile communication architecture, the bisectional interconnection network, is proposed. These networks possess many attractive features such as small internode distances, ability to do self-routing which is easily extendible to failure conditions, and the capability of maximal fault tolerance. The proposed architecture allows optimal implementation of various logical configurations. Furthermore, the authors propose the use of a combinatorial structure, called the symmetric balanced incomplete block design (SBIBD), to partition these networks. This important property of partitioning allows the system's expansion with fault tolerance and is utilized to describe two semidistributed fault-diagnostic strategies which require remarkably low overhead and at the same time identify a large number of faulty nodes. Furthermore, based on SBIBDs, a unique approach for making the diagnostic scheme itself fault tolerant is proposed. >
Mating and Residence Patterns of Male Patas Monkeys

A longterm study of a population of patas monkeys (Erythrocebus patas) in Kenya indicated fluid male residence patterns. While a single adult male was present in each of the two main study groups for most of each year, several males were present and mating in groups during some conception periods. Tenures of males in heterosexual groups were generally short; some males were resident in both groups and some had more than one tenure in the same group. When not in heterosexual groups, males lived as solitaries or in all-male associations.
200 Million Trees: Fabricating a Rain-Making Scheme

The Dust Bowl was the darkest moment in the twentieth-century life of the Great Plains. The name suggests a place, a region whose borders are as inexact and shifting as a sand dune.1 But the Dust B...
The power of non-parametric demand analysis when applied to British meat and fish consumption data

It is possible to estimate the power of non-parametric demand analysis when applied to a particular data set using the budget hyperplanes and alternative definitions of irrational behaviour. The paper has two objectives: to identify the number of drawings needed, and to calculate the power statistic, under four alternative irrationality models, for five British meat and fish data sets that have been used elsewhere for parametric and non-parametric analysis. The mean and variance of the estimated power statistics indicate that at least 1000 drawings have to be made if an accurate figure for the power statistic is to be obtained. This is larger than that used in earlier work. The estimated power statistics also throw some light on earlier empirical results obtained using these data sets. Copyright 1994 by Oxford University Press.
A phase II trial of nab-Paclitaxel as second-line therapy in patients with advanced pancreatic cancer.

Objective: nab-Paclitaxel has been shown to disrupt pancreatic cancer stroma and was effective in combination with gemcitabine in a phase I/II trial. This study was designed to determine the efficacy of nabpaclitaxel monotherapy in previously treated pancreatic cancer patients. Methods: In this phase II trial, patients with advanced pancreatic cancer who progressed on gemcitabine-based therapy, received nabpaclitaxel 100mg/m 2 over 30 minutes on days 1, 8, and 15 of a 28-day cycle. The primary endpoint was 6-month overall survival (OS). Secondary endpoints were response rate (by Response Evaluation Criteria In Solid Tumors), progression-free survival, safety, and toxicity profile. Results: Among 19 patients treated, the median age was 61 years, 9 (47%) were male patients and 18 (95%) had stage-IV disease. The primary endpoint of the study was reached with a 6-month OS of 58% [95% confidence interval (95% CI), 33%-76%] and an estimated median OS of 7.3 months (95% CI, 2.8-15.8mo). The median progression-free survival was 1.7 months (95% CI, 1.5-3.5mo). One patient had a confirmed partial response and 6 (32%) had stable disease as their best response. Nonhematological toxicities were generally mild with grades 1-2 nausea, anorexia, hypocalcemia, and vomiting occurring in 63%, 47%, 37%, and 26% of patients, respectively. Grades 3-4 neutropenia, neutropenic fever, and anemia occurred in 32%, 11%, and 11% of patients, respectively. Only 2 of 15 available tumors stained positive for secreted protein acid rich in cysteine, and neither of these patients benefited from the therapy.
Dilation-analyticity and decay properties of interactions

LetH=H0+V be a Schrodinger operator onL2(ℝn). We show that the more dilation analyticV is, the slower it must decay at infinity.
Has new business creation in russia come to a halt

Abstract Successful transformation of centrally planned economies requires not just the privatization of the existing firms, but also the formation of new ones. New entrants serve to correct for the central planners' neglect of such sectors as services and consumer goods, and their bias in favor of large firms. Indeed, Central European economies have been experiencing a rapid rate of new business creation, as measured by the change in the number of small firms. Russia also experienced a short period of explosive growth in the number of new business. However, since 1994 net new business formation has stagnated. This paper looks into the possible causes of this phenomenon. Official data on the change in the number of small businesses, which serve as a proxy for net new business formation, arouse justified suspicion because of the frequent changes in the definition of “small enterprise.” Like everywhere in the world, some Russian registered firms do not become operational, and some firms that have ceased operations do not legally disband. If the share of these “dead souls” in the total count of small firms changes over time and official statistics does not adjust its count accordingly, the data may show the opposite of the actual processes. This paper analyzes Russian data collection procedures and other evidence, and concludes that stagnation in the new business formation is a real phenomenon, rather than a statistical artifact. The difficulty in finding out the causes of stagnation is that empirical studies focus on the existing businesses and miss those that should have been born but were not. The problems faced by the incumbents and frustrated entrants may well be different. The likely causes of the end of new business creation are the increased tax and regulatory burden, combined with plunder by the numerous tax and regulatory authorities. Other possible explanations involve the incumbents' use of the authorities and/or racketeers to erect barriers against new entrants.
Type 2 immune-inducing helminth vaccination maintains protective efficacy in the setting of repeated parasite exposures

Animal studies have demonstrated that helminth vaccines which induce type 2 immune responses can be protective. To date, however, such vaccines have not been tested against repeated parasite challenges. Since repeated antigenic challenge of patients with allergic disease results in immunologic tolerance, we hypothesized that a helminth vaccine which induces type 2 immune responses may lose its protective efficacy in the setting of repeated parasite exposures (RPEs). To test this hypothesis, we examined whether RPEs induce immunological tolerance and reduce the effectiveness of a type 2 immune-inducing vaccine. BALB/c mice vaccinated against Litomosoides sigmodontis, a filarial nematode of rodents, were repeatedly exposed to irradiated larvae for 2 or 8 weeks or to non-irradiated infectious larvae for three months. Vaccination-induced parasite-specific IgE levels, parasite antigen-driven basophil interleukin 4 (IL-4) release, and Th2 skewing of the cellular immune response remained stable in the face of RPEs. Furthermore, RPEs in vaccinated mice did not augment immunoregulatory responses, as parasite antigen-driven cellular proliferation, production of IL-10, and frequencies of CD4(+)CD25(+)FoxP3(+) regulatory T-cells were not altered by RPEs. Challenge infections with infectious L3-stage larvae resulted in lower worm burdens in vaccinated mice given RPEs than in vaccinated controls. These results demonstrate that vaccines which induce type 2 immune responses can maintain their efficacy in the setting of repeated parasite exposures.
Translating questionnaire items for a multi-lingual worker population: the iterative process of translation and cognitive interviews with English-, Spanish-, and Chinese-speaking workers.

Background The increasing ethnic diversity of the US workforce has created a need for research tools that can be used with multi-lingual worker populations. Developing multi-language questionnaire items is a complex process; however, very little has been documented in the literature. Methods Commonly used English items from the Job Content Questionnaire and Quality of Work Life Questionnaire were translated by two interdisciplinary bilingual teams and cognitively tested in interviews with English-, Spanish-, and Chinese-speaking workers. Results Common problems across languages mainly concerned response format. Language-specific problems required more conceptual than literal translations. Some items were better understood by non-English speakers than by English speakers. De-centering (i.e., modifying the English original to correspond with translation) produced better understanding for one item. Conclusions Translating questionnaire items and achieving equivalence across languages require various kinds of expertise. Backward translation itself is not sufficient. More research efforts should be concentrated on qualitative approaches to developing useful research tools. Am. J. Ind. Med. 53:194–203 2010. Published 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc. {
Pharmacologic Management of Human Immunodeficiency Virus Wasting Syndrome

Pharmacologic interventions for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) wasting have been studied since the 1990s, but the results of these interventions have been difficult to compare because the studies used different HIV wasting definitions and assessed various patient outcomes. Thus, we performed a systematic review of the current literature to identify studies that evaluated pharmacologic management of HIV wasting and to compare and contrast treatment options. Further, we provide a comprehensive review of these treatment options and describe the definition of HIV wasting used in each study, the outcomes assessed, and whether antiretroviral therapy was used during the HIV wasting treatment. Literature searches of the PubMed/Medline (1946-2014) and Google Scholar databases were performed, and a review of the bibliographies of retrieved articles was performed to identify additional references. Only English-language articles pertaining to humans and HIV-infected individuals were evaluated. Thirty-six studies were identified that assessed pharmacologic interventions to treat HIV wasting. Appetite stimulants, such as megestrol acetate, have been shown to increase total body weight (TBW) and body mass index in HIV-infected patients with wasting. Studies evaluating dronabinol showed conflicting data on TBW increases, but the drug may have minimal benefit on body composition compared with other appetite stimulants. Testosterone has been shown to be effective in HIV wasting for those who suffer from hypogonadism. Recombinant human growth hormone has been evaluated for HIV wasting and has shown promising results for TBW and lean body mass increases. Thalidomide has been studied; however, its use is limited due to its toxicities. Although megestrol acetate and dronabinol are approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of HIV wasting, it is important to recognize other comorbidities such as depression or hypogonadism that may contribute to the patient's appetite and weight loss. If a patient is diagnosed with hypogonadism and HIV wasting, testosterone would be a good therapeutic option. Although mirtazapine is not FDA approved for the management of HIV wasting, it has been shown to promote weight gain while treating depression symptoms. Mirtazapine may be a promising pharmacologic option in the management of HIV wasting and depression, but further research is needed.