cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A review of laparoscopy for non-obstetric-related surgery during pregnancy.

Abstract Purpose Similar to the general population, parturients (and their fetuses) could benefit from the reduced manipulation associated with laparoscopy. The purpose of this article is to review the current state of knowledge (both clinical and experimental) with respect to the fetal effects of maternal laparoscopy for non-obstetric–related surgery during pregnancy. Methods Human and experimental animal results are examined, and we present preliminary data from our own laboratory. Conclusions Future experiments are proposed to further develop and refine standards of care for general surgeons and obstetricians who are presented with gravid females in abdominal distress.
Vanillin phosphorescence as a probe of molecular mobility in amorphous sucrose.

Changes in molecular mobility are important in defining the stability and quality of amorphous solid foods, pharmaceuticals, and other solid biomaterials. Predictions of stability must consider matrix mobility below and above Tg (the glass transition temperature); measurement of molecular mobility in amorphous solids over time scales ranging from 108 s requires specialized methods. This research investigated how the steady-state and time-resolved emission and intensity of phosphorescence from vanillin (4-hydroxy-3-methoxy benzaldehyde), a common flavor compound, can be used to probe molecular mobility when dispersed within amorphous pure sucrose films. Phosphorescence emission spectra and time-resolved intensity decays, measured in sucrose as a function of temperature in the absence of oxygen, were strongly modulated by matrix molecular mobility. Temperature had a significant effect on vanillin phosphorescence peak frequency and bandwidth, intensity, and lifetime both in the glass and in the melt. Time-resolved phosphorescence intensity decays from vanillin were multiexponential both below and above the glass transition temperature, indicating that the pure (single component) amorphous matrix was dynamically heterogeneous on the molecular level. These data show that vanillin is a promising intrinsic probe of molecular mobility and dynamic heterogeneity in amorphous solid foods and perhaps pharmaceuticals.
Mechanical factors affecting hemostasis and thrombosis

Both physical and chemical factors can influence the activity of platelets and coagulation factors responsible for the formation of thrombotic and hemostatic masses in the vicinity of an injured vessel wall. Studies performed in controlled shear devices (viscometers) have indicated that physical factors alone can induce platelet aggregation, even in the absence of exogenous chemical factors. The physical considerations which appear to be important for the local activation of hemostatic/thrombotic mechanisms appear to be related to the magnitude of the shear rate/stress, the duration of the applied physical force and the local geometry. Blood flow alone has multiple influences on platelet and coagulative mechanisms. It has been well established that at physiologically encountered shear conditions, increases in the local shear rate enhance the attachment of platelets to the vessel wall and the growth of platelet aggregates on adherent platelets. In contrast, increases in local shear conditions inhibit the production of fibrin formation on surfaces where tissue factor (TF) is exposed. At levels of shear rate/stress high as compared to normal physiological conditions, but comparable to those observed at the apex of severely stenosed vessels, platelet aggregate formation is dependent on the duration of the exposure time. Considerable advances in our understanding of flow-related mechanisms have evolved from the use of well-defined perfusion chambers employing parallel flow streamlines. However, processes leading to hemostasis and thrombosis generally occur in more complicated flow situations where flow streamlines are not parallel and in which abnormally high, as well as abnormally low, shear rates and shear stress levels may be encountered in close proximity to each other.
Deficient RPS19 protein production induces cell cycle arrest in erythroid progenitor cells

The gene encoding ribosomal protein S19 (RPS19) is one of the responsible genes for Diamond-Blackfan anaemia (DBA), a congenital erythroblastopenia. Although haplo-insufficiency of RPS19 has been suggested to be the onset mechanism underlying the pathogenesis of DBA, the sequential mechanism has not been elucidated. In order to analyse the consequences of the missense mutation of RPS19 specific for DBA patients, we made mutated RPS19 expression vectors. Twelve C-terminally Flag-tagged missense mutants were exogenously expressed from retroviral vectors and analysed by Western blot analysis and flow cytometry. When these 12 mutants were expressed in the erythro-leukaemic cell lines K562 and human bone marrow CD34(+) cells, almost all of the mutant proteins (except for G120R) were unstable, and the levels of mutated RPS19 protein were significantly low. To address the effect of deficient RPS19 expression on cell proliferation, RPS19 was downregulated by siRNA. Repressive expression of RPS19 in human CD34(+) cells produced an elevated number of cells at G0 and induced erythroid progenitor-specific defects in BM cells. These results suggest that abnormal ribosomal biogenesis causes inadequate cell cycle arrest in haematopoietic progenitors, and that, subsequently, erythroid progenitors are specifically hampered. These in vitro phenotypes of genetically manipulated CD34(+) cells mimic DBA pathogenesis.
Stabilisation of neurone number in the inferior olivary complex of aged 'Purkinje cell degeneration' mutant mice.

Virtually all cerebellar Purkinje cells degenerate in ‘Purkinje cell degeneration’ (pcd) mutant mice between postnatal day (P) 17 and P45. The inferior olivary complex (IOC) in these mutants undergoes atrophy subsequent to the deprivation of its major cortical target; the number of IOC neurones declines by 18% by P23 and by 49% by P300. In the present study we used control (+/?) and mutant (pcd/pcd) mice that were 14–15 months old to determine whether any further cell loss is observed in the pcd IOC after P300. Nerve cell counts were obtained from serial paraffin sections of the medulla oblongata. The corrected estimate of neurone number in the left IOC of control mice was 12,785±794 cells (mean±SD, n=5); in pcd mutants that number was 6,722±535 (n=5). The 47% difference between control and mutant mice was highly significant (p<0.001). The perikarya of surviving IOC neurones were atrophic. Compared to P17 mutants, pcd homozygotes manifest a 50% cell loss by P428–P446, which does not practically differ from the deficit found on P300. These results suggest that, once a critical neuronal mass degenerates in the IOC of pcd mutants, the remaining neurones become stabilised and no further loss is observed even at an advanced age. The observation that only 50% of neurones degenerate, whereas the remaining 50% become atrophic in the IOC of pcd mutants, along with the fact that the pcd gene is known to be responsible for a 90%–99% loss of its primary CNS targets and not for cell atrophy, favour the contention that the IOC atrophy is transsynaptic. It is possible that surviving IOC neurones are sustained through synaptic connexions of climbing fibre collaterals with cortical interneurones or with neurones of the deep cerebellar nuclei or both.
Development and Testing of a Process Measure of Nursing Home Quality of Care

OBJECTIVE: To develop and test quality of care process measures for three medical conditions of nursing home patients: fever, shortness of breath, and chest pain. DESIGN: Flowsheets designed to capture the critical elements of care for the above conditions were developed by an expert panel. Nursing home residents charts were reviewed retrospectively using the flow sheets. The reviews were translated into clinical scenarios, and the quality of care the scenarios represented was rated by an expert panel. SETTING: All nursing homes in Hennepin County, MN, that care for Medicaid patients. PATIENTS: A random sample of 1405 Medicaid nursing home residents from 1984 and 1988. MEASURES: Measures of quality of physician assessment and intervention, quality of nurse assessment and intervention, and global quality were developed and the intra- and interrater reliability were tested. The measures' validity was assessed by their ability to predict resident death. RESULTS: Intrarater reliability was measured as the correlation of the ratings of blinded duplicates. The correlation for the global scale and the four subscales ranged from. 74 to. 88 (P <.001 for all). Interrater reliability was tested by examining what percentage of the quality ratings were within one unit (1–5 scale) for all three raters. All three raters were within one unit for more than 72% scenarios for all scales. The subscale of quality of physician assessment was able to predict resident death when the worst episode of care (OR =. 47, 95%CI(.31−.74)) or the mean episode of care (OR. 54, 95% CI(.30−.99)) was used. None of the other subscales or the global measure predicted death. CONCLUSIONS: Through the use of an expert panel, measures of nursing home quality of care were developed for shortness of breath, fever, and chest pain. These measures have reasonable reliability and significant face validity. Their validity is supported further by the ability of one of the measures to predict resident death.
Intermediates in a synthesis of trans-chlorobis(triphenylphosphine)(thiocarbonyl)iridium(I)

Abstract The reaction of trans -chlorobis(triphenylphosphine)dinitrogeniridium(I) and carbon disulfide leads to formation of IrCl[(C 6 H 5 ) 3 P] 2 C 2 S 5 (II). Reaction of (II) with triphenylphosphine in the presence of methanol gives trans -chlorobis(triphenylphosphine)(thiocarbonyl)iridium(I). Treatment of (II) with triphenylphosphine in dichloromethane gives (PPh 3 ) 2 Cl(CS)Ir(CS 3 ) (IV) a product, which can be converted to (PPh 3 ) 2 Ir(CS)Cl. Thermal decomposition of (II) and (IV) gives another (thiocarbonyl)iridium(III) product (V) which cannot be readily converted to (PPh 3 ) 2 Ir(CS)Cl. The carbonylation of (PPh 3 ) 2 IrClC 2 S 5 is described.
SEXTANT LOCALIZATION OF PROSTATE CANCER: COMPARISON OF SEXTANT BIOPSY, MAGNETIC RESONANCE IMAGING AND MAGNETIC RESONANCE SPECTROSCOPIC IMAGING WITH STEP SECTION HISTOLOGY

Purpose: We compared the accuracy of endorectal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and magnetic resonance spectroscopic imaging with that of sextant biopsy for the sextant localization of prostate cancer.Materials and Methods: Sextant biopsy, MRI, magnetic resonance spectroscopic imaging and radical prostatectomy with step section histology were done in 47 patients with prostate cancer. For each sextant we categorized biopsy and imaging results as positive or negative for cancer. Step section histology was used as the standard of reference.Results: For sextant localization of prostate cancer MRI and magnetic resonance spectroscopic imaging were more sensitive but less specific than biopsy (67% and 76% versus 50%, and 69% and 68% versus 82%, respectively). The sensitivity of sextant biopsy was significantly less in the prostate apex than in the mid prostate or prostate base (38% versus 52% and 62%, respectively). MRI and magnetic resonance spectroscopic imaging had similar efficacy throughout the prostate co...
Impact of Frequency From a Bipolar Applied Field on Dielectric Breakdown for Low- $k$ Materials

Assessing the lifetime of low-k dielectric materials integrated with Cu remains an important issue for interconnect reliability as designs pursue dielectric thicknesses below 100 nm. We present electrical tests and a mass transport model to assess Cu-catalyzed dielectric failure when transient fields are applied. We show that beyond a certain frequency of oscillation, dielectric lifetime can be enhanced up to two orders of magnitude. The proposed transport model predicts the dynamics observed experimentally and reproduces trends observed as we change field frequency and amplitude.
Island formation during Al deposition on 5-fold Al Cu Fe quasicrystalline surfaces: Kinetic Monte Carlo simulation of a disordered-bond-network lattice-gas model

Abstract Scanning tunneling microscopy experiments have previously revealed the formation of pseudomorphic starfish-shaped islands during the initial stages of Al deposition on 5-fold icosohedral Al–Cu–Fe quasicrystal surfaces. To simulate this process, we first identify appropriate 5-fold surface terminations of Al–Cu–Fe from a model for bulk structure, and construct associated potential energy surfaces for the binding of Al adatoms on these terminations. We then identify a ‘disordered-bond-network’ (DBN) connecting neighboring local adsorption sites for Al on Al–Cu–Fe, and determine site binding energies as well as activation barriers for Al adatom hopping between neighboring sites. Al–Al adsorbate interactions, which stabilize islands, are also prescribed. Then, within the framework of a DBN lattice-gas model, we simulate the deposition and diffusion of Al on Al–Cu–Fe. We explore the competition between starfish and incomplete starfish ensembles of sites (which provide traps in the form of deep potential energy wells for diffusing Al) and isolated trap sites, with regard to the heterogeneous nucleation and aggregation of Al into islands.
Contrasting Short- and Long-Term Projections of the Hydrological Cycle in the Southern Extratropics

AbstractAnalysis of model output from phase 5 of the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project (CMIP5) reveals that, in the zonal mean, the near-term projections of summertime changes of precipitation in the Southern Hemisphere (SH) subtropics are very widely scattered among the models. As a consequence, over the next 50 years, the CMIP5 multimodel mean projects no statistically significant trends in the SH subtropics in summer. This appears to be at odds with the widely reported, and robust, poleward expansion of the subtropical dry zones by the end of the twenty-first century.This discrepancy between the shorter- and longer-term projections in SH summer, as shown here, rests in the recovery of the ozone hole in the coming decades, as a consequence of the Montreal Protocol. This is explicitly demonstrated by analyzing model experiments with the Whole Atmosphere Community Climate Model, version 4 (WACCM4), a high-top model with interactive stratospheric chemistry, and coupled to land, ocean, and sea ice compo...
Risk factors for non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus

UNLABELLED RISK FACTORS AND PREDICTORS: The risk factors for non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) include age, overall adiposity, an adverse body fat distribution, adverse glucose and insulin concentrations, insulin resistance and lack of physical exercise. The strongest predictors of NIDDM appear to be metabolic factors, including impaired glucose tolerance and insulin resistance. TREATMENT Pharmacological agents that improve insulin sensitivity are being tested in multicenter clinical trials. In patients with a high risk of NIDDM, it seems prudent to avoid the use of pharmacologic agents that increase insulin resistance.
A Comparative Study of Metamodels for Fast and Accurate Simulation of Nano-CMOS Circuits

Fast simulation is a bottleneck for design space exploration of complex nanoscale CMOS (nano-CMOS) analog and mixed-signal (AMS) circuits. This paper presents the use of “metamodels” for fast and accurate AMS circuit design exploration. A design process flow that uses metamodels is introduced. Metamodel generation is the most time-consuming step of the design flow. Consequently, accurate and fast sampling of the design space is essential for the creation of the metamodel. Different sampling techniques are investigated to minimize the number of samples required. This paper uses two nanoscale CMOS analog circuits: a 45-nm ring oscillator and a 180-nm LC-VCO, as case studies. It is observed that the parasitics generated from the physical design of the circuits have a drastic effect on their performance metrics, such as frequency. Four alternative sampling techniques, both random [Monte Carlo (MC)] and uniform [Latin hypercube sampling (LHS), middle Latin hypercube sampling (MLHS), and design of experiments (DOEs)], are considered and compared for speed and accuracy. This paper provides a thorough exploration of these sampling techniques to determine which one is more suitable to minimize sampling size for metamodel generation and optimize the design cycle. Experiments show that LHS sampling is best for both circuits, followed by MLHS, MC, and DOE. In this paper, it is also shown that polynomial metamodels of order higher than two (which are commonly used) provide best accuracy.
Free radical modification of prosthetic heme groups

Abstract Hemoproteins catalyze reductive and oxidative one-electron transformations. Not frequently, the radicals produced by these one-electron reactions add to the prosthetic heme group of the enzyme and modify or terminate its catalytic function. Reactions of the radicals with the heme group include additions to the iron atom, pyrrole nitrogens, pyrrole carbons, vinyl groups, and meso carbons. The radicals involved in these reactions derive from the oxidizing agent, the substrate, or the amino acid residues of the catalytic site. The mechanism by which the radicals are generated, their steric and electronic properties, and the extent to which they have access to the heme group determine the nature and regiospecificity of the reaction. The reaction of heme prosthetic groups with radicals is relevant to the inhibition of hemoprotein enzymes, the normal and pathological degradation of heme, and our understanding of hemoprotein function.
Imagination and the generation of new ideas

Abstract A variety of theories have been put forth to explain the function of imagination, most notably that imagination engages and develops children's theory of mind and counterfactual reasoning. Here, we propose that a primary role for imagination is as a cognitive mechanism for efficiently generating new ideas without observing new evidence. Learners must generate hypotheses before they can assess the truth of these hypotheses. Given infinite possibilities, how do learners constrain the process of hypothesis generation? We suggest that learners represent abstract criteria for the solution to a problem and generate solutions that, if true, would solve the problem. As a preliminary test of this idea, we show that, in the absence of any fact of the matter (i.e., when neither prior knowledge nor statistical data distinguishes competing hypotheses), 4–6-year-olds (mean: 63 months) systematically converge on solutions to problems, consistent with an ability to imagine the abstract properties of causal problems and their solutions.
Requirement of the MASH-1 transcription factor for neuroendocrine differentiation of thyroid C cells.

Thyroid C cells are neural crest-derived neuroendocrine cells that can acquire features similar to serotonergic neurons. Based on developmental and phenotypic markers, we have previously proposed that C cells and serotonergic enteric neurons arise from a common sympathoadrenal progenitor. In this report, we genetically examined this relationship using mice lacking the mammalian achaete-scute homologue 1 (MASH-1) transcription factor, since MASH-1 has recently been shown to be required for differentiation of serotonergic enteric neurons. We found that MASH-1 knockout mice have a greatly reduced number of C cells based on the lack of calcitonin and serotonin immunoreactivity. In contrast, calcitonin and serotonin were still expressed in cultured mature C cells that no longer express MASH-1, demonstrating that MASH-1 is not directly required for the expression of these two markers. Hence, MASH-1 is required to establish the C-cell phenotype and supports the model that C cells lie in the neuronal differentiation pathway of the sympathoadrenal neural crest. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Neurobiol 34: 126–134, 1998
Microstructure of irradiated Ti-70a and Ti-6Al-4V

Abstract Titanium alloys have several properties which make them attractive materials for fusion reactor applications; however, knowledge of their response to radiation is very sparse. Irradiation experiments on two titanium alloys were undertaken to determine if void swelling would occur and, if so, under what conditions and to determine the stability of the α and β phases in Ti-6Al-4V. This paper reports on the results of this study. A commercial purity titanium alloy, Ti-70A, and Ti-6Al-4V have been irradiated to 50 dpa over the temperature range of 400 to 630°C simultaneously with 5 MeV Ni2+ and 300 keV He+. Dislocation loops were induced in Ti-70A at 400 to 500°C with very little apparent damage occurring at 630°C. A radiation-induced precipitate was observed in Ti-6Al-4V at all temperatures as was a dislocation network. The radiation-induced phase was indexed as having a bcc crystal structure with a lattice parameter close to that of Ti-V β phase. A habit plane relationship of (011)bcc” (0001)hcp was observed. Voids were not observed in the Ti-70A or the Ti-6Al-4V at any temperatures. This was true of both the α and β phase of the Ti-6Al-4V. Voids or cavities have been reported by Ayrault and Nolfi [3] in Ti-6Al-4V irradiated at 540 to 660°C. Comparisons between the present work and their work are made.
Dielectrics in electrical engineering

CLASSICAL electrical engineering views matter from the standpoint of Maxwell's theory as a means of storing electric and magnetic energy and of dissipating such energy by conduction and other irreversible processes. It considers, for any given material, these properties of storage and dissipation as fixed quantities which may be tabulated under the headings: permittivity (dielectric constant), permeability, and conductivity. After obtaining such tables and setting aside a special corner for dielectrics, defined as nonconductors of electricity,1 the engineer dismisses the subject of materials and returns into his private world of field vectors and equivalent circuits.
Strategic Vision: Sustaining Employee Commitment

Vision is a key part of both the concept and practice of leadership. Many managers successfully create it and present it to employees. However, they are often less good at retaining employees’ long-term commitment to the vision, which results in lost opportunities. This article explores how effectively senior managers build and sustain employee commitment to strategic vision, and how they could improve.
Predictive assay for cancer targets

Early detection of cancer is a key element in successful treatment of the disease. Understanding the particular type of cancer involved, its origins and probable course, is also important. PhIP (2-amino-1- methyl-6 phenylimidazo [4,5- b ]pyridine), a heterocyclic amine produced during the cooking of meat at elevated temperatures, has been shown to induce mammary cancer in female, Sprague-Dawley rats. Tumors induced by PhIP have been shown to contain discreet cytogenetic signature patterns of gains and losses using comparative genomic hybridization (CGH). To determine if a protein signature exists for these tumors, we are analyzing expression levels of the protein products of the above-mentioned tumors in combination with a new bulk protein subtractive assay. This assay produces a panel of antibodies against proteins that are either on or off in the tumor. Hybridization of the antibody panel onto a 2-D gel of tumor or control protein will allow for identification of a distinct protein signature in the tumor. Analysis of several gene databases has identified a number of rat homologs of human cancer genes located in these regions of gain and loss. These genes include the oncogenes c-MYK, ERBB2/NEU, THRA and tumor suppressor genes EGR1 and HDAC3. The listed genes have been shown to be estrogen-responsive, suggesting a possible link between delivery of bio-activated PhIP to the cell nucleus via estrogen receptors and gene-specific PhIP-induced DNA damage, leading to cell transformation. All three tumors showed similar silver staining patterns compared to each other, while they all were different than the control tissue. Subsequent screening of these genes against those from tumors know to be caused by other agents may produce a protein signature unique to PhIP, which can be used as a diagnostic to augment optical and radiation-based detection schemes.
Effects of vanadate on cardiac contraction and adenylate cyclase

Abstract Vanadate produces a positive inotropic effect on ventricular muscle from rat, rabbit, guinea pig and cat; a positive inotropic effect on the atria of rat and rabbit, but a negative inotropic effect on the atria of guinea pig and cat. The effects of vanadate are completely reversible and occur in a concentration range of 10 −5 M to 10 −3 M. In this same concentration range, vanadate also causes a marked activation of cardiac adenylate cyclase suggesting that the positive inotropic action might be due in part to an elevation of cyclic AMP levels. The effects of vanadate are not influenced by alprenolol, cimetidine, or mepyramine, indicating a lack of involvement of β-adrenergic or histamine H 2 and H 1 receptors.
Eutectic and off-eutectic growth patterns

Abstract Two-dimensional binary eutectic and off-eutectic growth morphologies were simulated using a modified diffusion-limited aggregation model. Anisotropic kinetics of interfacial attachment, diffusion and detachment were formulated with probabilities dependent on the growth temperature, far-field composition, particle interaction energies, and the local interface configuration and chemical potential differences (undercoolings). Variations of these system parameters resulted in faceted and non-faceted lamellar systems of spacing λ, which are symmetric or tilted about the growth direction, and steady or oscillatory. For symmetri lamellary eutectics we found that, for higher undercoolings, the product of λ2 and the growth rate is a constant of the same order as those deduced from experiments. Oscillatory lamellae formed during growth from seeds with lamellae spacings λs larger than the minimum undercooling spacing λmin. The observed structures depend on Λ = λs/λmin. For Λ 2.5 orientational symmetry is broken and tilted-oscillatory lamellae form. Oscillations in lamellae width and divorced eutectics were obtained for off-eutectic growth. At the high growth rates imposed in these simulations, the oscillation wavelength is comparable with the average λ.
Normal pregnancy and delivery following conservative surgery and chemotherapy for ovarian endodermal sinus tumor

Abstract Management of younger patients with early stage ovarian endodermal sinus tumor who desire to have children can be a challenging problem. However, after an adequate and thorough staging procedure for the patient's tumor status, a Stage Iai endodermal sinus tumor may be treated with conservative surgery only, followed by chemotherapy. Successful pregnancy and delivery following unilateral adnexectomy and chemotherapy for ovarian endodermal sinus tumor have been reported only once [J. P. Forney, Obstet. Gynecol. 52 , 360 (1977)]; the second reported case is presented here. It should be pointed out that strict follow-up and reliability of the patient are mandatory for such conservative therapy.
Baroreflex Stimulation in Antihypertensive Treatment

Hypertension is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Despite the development of new medications, an alarmingly high proportion of patients are not reaching their target blood pressure goals, so nonpharmacologic therapies have been attracting more interest. Chronic baroreceptor stimulation of the carotid sinus has been shown to reduce blood pressure by inhibiting the sympathetic nervous system, particularly the renal sympathetic tone. This finding has led to the development of implantable carotid sinus stimulators, which have now been studied in both animals and humans, as a means for treating chronic hypertension. The enthusiasm for this modality has led to ongoing studies, which will provide more information on its safety and efficacy in patients with resistant hypertension. The early study results using baroreflex stimulation therapy are promising and suggest that it may play a significant role in controlling blood pressure in the future.
Studying the correlates of fraud victimization and reporting

Abstract Little is known about the correlates of white-collar victimization, and even less is known about white-collar crime reporting. In this article, the extent to which predictors of fraud victimization are the same as the predictors of fraud reporting is examined. Using a national sample of fraud victims, these findings were consistent with prior research in that involvement in risky behaviors and age were found to be important predictors of fraud victimization. Additionally, the specific factors that are influential in predicting fraud victimization appear to vary across offense type. Unfortunately, little was revealed regarding the predictors of the official reporting of fraud victimizations. Future research needs to further unravel the importance of risky behavior in both victimization and reporting, as well as to focus on a broader array of white-collar crimes.
Acid-neutralizing of marine cylinder lubricants : Effects of nonionic surfactants

The neutralization reaction between a concentrated sulfuric acid droplet and a series of model marine cylinder lubricants (MCLs) formulated with an overbased sulfonate and a series of different nonionic surfactants was studied using a capillary video-microscope technique at room temperature and a phase transfer neutralization rate test at several temperatures up to 55 °C. The model MCLs were characterized using dynamic light scattering and transmission electron microscopy. On the basis of the observations, a mechanism is proposed for the neutralization reaction which involves the initial formation of a mixed reverse micelle system between the overbased sulfonate and the nonionic surfactant followed by the neutralization reaction at the aqueous acid/oil interface to form calcium sulfate crystals. The rate of the neutralization reaction is enhanced by the presence of the nonionic surfactants in the model MCLs and is consistent with the formation of the mixed micelle systems which makes the basic core (CaCO3...
Features of Success in Engineering Design Presentations: A Call for Relational Genre Knowledge

This study explores design presentations that were graded by engineering faculty in order to assess the distinguishing features of those that were successful. Using a thematic analysis of 17 videotaped, final presentations from a capstone chemical engineering (CHE) course, it explores the rhetorical strategies, oral styles, and organizational structures that differentiate successful and unsuccessful team presentations. The results suggest that successful presenters used rhetorical strategies, oral styles, and organizational structures that illustrated students’ ability to negotiate the real and simulated relational and identity nuances of the design presentation genre—in short, they illustrated students’ relational genre knowledge.
Inexact Reasoning In Expert Systems

This paper proposes a new method of inductive learning that incorporates an element of inexact reasoning. The first part of the paper is devoted to the critical analysis of existing methods of inexact reasoning (Certainty Factors, Bayesian Inference, and Dempster-Shafer belief functions). In the second part we propose and describe a new method for inexact reasoning and its application in the domain of knowledge acquisition.
Premature rupture of membranes at term: A metaanalysis of three management schemes**

Objective To compare rates of cesarean birth, endometritis, chorioamnionitis, and serious neonatal infections among pregnancies complicated by premature rupture of membranes (PROM) at term and managed by immediate oxytocin induction, by conservative management (or delayed oxytocin induction), or by vaginal (or endocervical) prostaglandin E 2 gel, suppositories, or tablets. Data Sources The English-language literature in MED- LINE and other databases was searched through April 1996 using the terms “fetal membranes,” “premature rupture,” and “term.” Methods of Study Selection We included randomized trials comparing two or more management schemes for PROM at term. Tabulation, Integration, and Results Twenty-three studies with a total of 7493 subjects met the inclusion criteria and were included for analysis. Data regarding chorioamnionitis, endometritis, neonatal infections, and cesarean delivery were extracted. Meta-analyses were performed for the three interventions for these outcomes of interest using the DerSimonian and Laird and Mantel-Haenszel techniques to estimate the pooled odds ratios (ORs). No statistically significant differences in cesarean deliveries or neonatal infections were noted among management schemes. Vaginal prostaglandins resulted in more chorioamnionitis than immediate oxytocin (OR 1.55, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.09, 2.21), but less chorioamnionitis than conservative management (OR 0.68, 95% CI 0.51, 0.91). Immediate oxytocin induction resulted in fewer cases of chorioamnionitis (OR 0.67, 95% CI 0.52, 0.85) and endometritis (OR 0.71, 95% CI 0.51, 0.99) than conservative management, although these results achieved significance only with the Mantel-Haenszel technique. Conclusion Conservative management may result in more maternal infections than immediate induction with oxytocin or prostaglandins.
Synthesis and properties of peroxo α-amino acid complexes of molybdenum(VI). The structures of MoO(O2)2(HAA)(H2O), HAA = glycine, proline

Le complexe avec la glycine cristallise dans P2 1 /c avec Z=4; R=0,022. Le complexe avec la proline cristallise dans P2 1 2 1 2 1 avec Z=4; R=0,027
Interaction of herbal drugs with digoxin

I enjoyed reading the recent study by Valli and Giardina [(1)][1] on drug interactions of herbal therapies with cardiovascular effects. It was quite comprehensive. However, I would like to make some additional comments on the interaction of herbal drugs with digoxin. Numerous herbs containing
Advancing biofuels technology acceptance in the USA.

Abstract The US Department of Energy administers the Regional Biomass Energy Program to encourage the development and application of biomass and municipal waste-to-energy technologies. Five geographical regions have been identified for participation in the program: the Northwest, West Great Lakes, Northeast, and Southeast. These regions include all of the continental United States. Projects conducted under the program are specifically oriented toward the resources, technologies, applications and issues most significant to the particular region. In this way, efforts are geared to match regional needs with regional opportunities. The article is composed of two major parts: (1) the overall structure, objectives and current activities, and (2) brief case-study synopses of successful programs authored by representatives from the four initial regions.
Problem domain categories in requirements engineering

Requirements engineering is the complex technical, social and cognitive process which produces requirements for a software-intensive system. However, little is understood about the problem domains for which these software-intensive systems are developed. Card sorting was used to determine mental categories of problem domains to inform design of a library of semi-formal, reusable object system models. Card sorting is a knowledge elicitation technique effective for eliciting mental categories from subjects who sort concepts such as objects or problems into categories. In NATURE, we anticipate better reuse if object system models in NATURE's database correspond to natural mental categories elicited using card sorting from experienced software engineers. Results led to some revision of the structure and contents of several models and how these models might be retrieved and used.
Processing of FM-CW Doppler Radar Signals from Distributed Targets

The concept of FM-CW Doppler processing is explained by showing it to be a special case of a correlation receiver with a frequency offset reference. For a linear FM signal, time delay and frequency shift can be arranged to cancel each other, and this results in con. siderable simplification of the correlation receiver. The number of range cells and the number of frequency bins per range cell are shown to be related to the sampling obtainable by a digital spectrum analyzer.
Multilayer-coated grating spectrometer operating in the extreme-ultraviolet region and based on the Seya-Namioka mount.

The performance of a spectrometer that uses a blazed multilayer-coated grating and that is based on the Seya–Namioka mount is analyzed. In the extreme-UV wavelength region, the efficiency of the grating is relatively high in a narrow bandpass that is defined by the reflectance of the multilayer coating. The bandpass can be shifted in wavelength by rotation of the grating, as is the case for the Seya–Namioka mount, for which the angle of incidence on the grating is near 35°. It is shown that when the source is slightly off the Rowland circle, as occurs when the grating is rotated and the source-to-grating distance is fixed, one can maintain good focusing can be maintained by moving the detector over a small range of distance and angle. The multilayer coating can be designed so that the grating remains on-blaze in wavelength regions of interest and in particular orders as the grating is rotated. A spectrometer composed of a multilayer grating and a movable detector can have relatively high throughput and resolving power in the extreme-UV region. When the grating is rotated, the wavelength coverage is wider than is the case for incidence angles near normal.
Evidence of incomplete neural control of motor unit properties in cat tibialis anterior after self‐reinnervation.

1. The mechanical, morphological and biochemical properties of single motor units from the anterior compartment of the tibialis anterior muscle in adult cats were studied six months after the nerve branches to that compartment were cut and resutured in close proximity to the muscle. 2. In these self-reinnervated muscles, the maximum tetanic tensions were lower in slow than fast units, a relationship similar to that observed among motor units from control adult muscles. The maximum tetanic tensions produced by the fast units were larger than those produced by the same motor unit types in control muscles. Direct counts of muscle fibres belonging to a motor unit showed that factors controlling the number of muscle fibres innervated by a motoneurone type persist during the reinnervation process in that fast motoneurones reinnervated more muscle fibres than slow motoneurones. Thus, the number of muscle fibres reinnervated by a motoneurone principally accounted for the difference in the maximum tension outputs among motor unit types, a relationship similar to that observed in control tibialis anterior muscles. 3. Monoclonal antibodies for specific myosin heavy chains were used to differentiate fibre types. By this criterion, motor units from control muscles were found to contain a homogeneous fibre type composition. In contrast, a heterogeneous, yet markedly biased, fibre type composition was observed in each unit analysed from self-reinnervated muscles. 4. Although not all of the muscle fibres of a motor unit developed the same type-associated parameters after reinnervation, the relationships among myosin heavy chain profile, succinate dehydrogenase activity and the fibre size were similar in fibres of control and self-reinnervated muscles. 5. The processes which dictate both motor unit size and the matching between motoneurone and muscle fibre type during the reinnervation process must be interdependent and result from a hierarchy of decisions which reflects their relative importance. The mechanisms responsible for these two processes may be a combination of: (1) selective innervation which may or may not incorporate a pruning process if multiple synaptic connections are initially formed and/or (2) conversion of enough fibres of a motor unit to form a predominant type.
Superconductivity and magnetic order in ternary rare earth transition metal phosphides

Abstract The ternary phosphide compounds LaT4P12 are superconductors for T = Fe or Ru with transition temperatures of 4.08 K and 7.20 K, respectively. Magnetic ordering occurs when La is substituted by a magnetic rare earth element.
Supporting collaborative real-time strategic planning in multi-player games

Many current team-based first-person-shooters(FPS) have limited communication between players. Voice chat and text are the two primary methods of communicating however, in fast paced games, this is insufficient for making sophisticated plans. Giving players more non-verbal forms of communication could reduce the time necessary to develop plans which will likely increase the number of strategic plans used in first-person-shooters. By using information visualization techniques in games, we can provide players a faster method to communicate with their teammates, allowing teams to develop more complex plans quickly. We present ways in which player communication can be improved, reducing the necessary time to make effective strategic plans and increasing the amount of cooperative play amongst teammates. Using Source, a 3D game engine developed by Valve Corporation, we plan on developing a 'mod' to incorporate changes to further enable cooperative play. Once finished, we will determine the effectiveness of each tool by gathering and analyzing data from players.
Putting together the pieces of the puzzle: identifying existing evidence-based resources to support the cancer caregiver

Abstract Caring for the caregivers of patients with cancer is an increasingly important part of cancer care. In the past few years, several cancer centers have started caregiver-focused services and programs. However, the number of centers that offer such programs and what they provide is unclear. This article will review the extent to which the 61 National Cancer Institute-designated cancer centers that primarily provide patient care also offer evidence-based support programs for caregivers.
Pharmacology and function of melatonin receptors.

The hormone melatonin is secreted primarily from the pineal gland, with highest levels occurring during the dark period of a circadian cycle. This hormone, through an action in the brain, appears t...
Rat flash-evoked potential peak N160 amplitude: Modulation by relative flash intensity

Abstract The flash-evoked potential (FEP) of rats has a large negative peak (N 160 ) approximately 160 ms following stimulation. This peak has been reported to be modulated by the subject's state of behavioral arousal and influenced by several test parameters. These experiments examined the influences of repeated testing, the number of stimuli/session, interactions of ambient illumination and flash intensity, and the effect of pupillary dilation on the development and amplitude of peak N 160 . The amplitude of peak N 160 increased with daily testing and reached an asymptotic amplitude by about day 10. This amplitude was affected by the intensity of the flash stimulus relative to the ambient illumination (RFI) and appeared to reach a “ceiling” amplitude at greater than 50 dB RFI. The number of stimuli/session and dilation of the subject's pupils did not have a large influence on the growth or asymptotic level of peak N 160 amplitude. The data are consistent with the hypothesis that the growth of peak N 160 may represent a sensitization-like phenomenon.
Competing with the Soviets: Science, Technology, and the State in Cold War America

This book, part of Johns Hopkins Introductory Studies in the History of Science, tells the story of American scientific development in the post-WWII period. Through the lens of science, it concerns...
ACOUSTIC RESONANCE IN THE COMBUSTION CONDUITS OF A STEAM LOCOMOTIVE

Abstract The sound emission of a modern, oil-fired steam rack locomotive increased sharply when the locomotive speed exceeded the design value of 12 km/h. The results of pressure and noise measurements, together with an acoustical model of the combustion conduits, indicated that the acoustic resonance modes of the combustion conduits are excited by the pressure pulsations generated by the exhaust from the steam cylinders at multiples of the piston frequency. Additionally, when the acoustic resonance is initiated, the resulting pulsations trigger the flame instability of the oil burners which, in turn enhances the resonance. By means of the acoustical model, a Helmholtz resonator has been designed and optimized to reduce the acoustic response such that it does not excite the flame instability. A second set of measurements, after installing the resonator, has shown a reduction in the noise level by an amount exceeding 21 dBA. The paper focuses upon the identification of the excitation source and the implementation of the counter-measure, which are of interest to other applications involving combustion oscillations.
Correlates of food consumption and perceptions of foods in an educated urban population in Ukraine.

Abstract Taste, health and cost perceptions, and frequency of consumption of 34 food items, characteristic of the Ukrainian diet and representing the major food groups, were examined in 919 educated urban Ukrainian subjects (303 males and 616 females, ages 18–60). There were differences in food perception and consumption patterns according to gender. Although these findings parallel those obtained in Western populations, there were notable differences. For example, whole milk and butter were considered healthier than skimmed milk and margarine. While taste perceptions were highly correlated with consumption of most foods, cost affected consumption of fruits, sweets and some meats. Taste and health perceptions were intercorrelated, and usually not related to cost perceptions. Health perceptions had the least effect on consumption. This study provides insight into predictors of food choice, and has implications for developing nutrition policy and nutrition interventions in the Commonwealth of Independent States.
Of Time and Space: The Contemporary Relevance of the Chicago School

This essay argues that sociology's major current problems are intellectual. It traces these problems to the exhaustion of the current variables paradigm and considers the Chicago School's contextualist paradigm as an alternative. Examples of new methodologies founded on contextual thinking are considered
A multidisciplinary approach to integrating special needs children into a private day care center

Children's Place, Ltd. is a private, licensed, accredited childcare center serving about 86 children per year ages one through five years. Since it's inception 14 years ago, the school has regularly accepted some special needs children. During the past eight years, four to six special needs children have been integrated annually with emphasis on a multidisciplinary approach to integration. The assistant director, who has a master's degree in early childhood education and teaching certificates in early childhood education and teaching young children with special needs, provides specialized training for all teachers to support their optimal facilitation of the atypical children's development and the process of integration within groups. The center provides free space for speech and language, occupational, and physical therapists. Parents contract privately with these specialists to avail themselves of these services.
Stability of intelligence in the fetal alcohol syndrome: a preliminary report

A clinical sample of 17 patients with fetal alcohol syndrome was given follow-up IQ testing 1-4 yr after an initial evaluation. Although 77% of the patients had a retest IQ that was within 1 SD of their initial IQ, some individual children did manifest considerable change in scores on retest. Repeated psychologic evaluation at regular intervals is recommended for children with fetal alcohol syndrome so that appropriate educational programming can be maintained in order to promote maximum development in each child.