cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Birth seasonality, photoperiod, and social change in the central Canadian Arctic.

Birth seasonally at high latitudes is a complex phenomenon which is undoubtedly affected by a subtle interaction between environmental rhythmicity (most notably in photoperiod and temperature) and cultural adaption. There is intriguing evidence that human gonadotrophic activity (and hence fertility) may be affected by seasonal fluctuations in light intensity and duration. Nevertheless, cultural factors are important insofar as they mediate between environmental rhythmicity and human fertility/birth patterns. This article examines the distribution of births over several decades in an Inuit community located 300 miles north of the Arctic Circle. Several shifts in birth seasonality are noted, the most significant of which is a dramatic shift from pronounced seasonality in the 1970s to non-seasonality in the 1980s. Longitudinal ethnographic fieldwork has allowed an examination of social and economic changes accounting for the rather sudden disappearance of birth seasonality. These include increasing reliance upon wage employment and social assistance, decreased dependence upon subsistence hunting and trapping, changing attitudes on the part of young people entering their prime reproductive years, and the introduction of television, radio, and southern-style recreational activities.
Transforming Teacher Education in Hungary: Competencies for Elementary Teachers

(2011). Transforming Teacher Education in Hungary: Competencies for Elementary Teachers. Childhood Education: Vol. 87, Teacher Education Programs: In the Midst of Change, pp. 327-331.
Designing Democracy: What Constitutions Do. By Cass R. Sunstein. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2001. 304p. $29.95.

A venerable question has once again become a dominant issue confronting public law scholars. With the collapse of the Soviet Union and the end of the Cold War, ostensibly democratic states have emerged throughout the areas formerly designated as the Second and Third Worlds. The establishment of these new regimes has invariably been accompanied by the promulgation of written constitutions. For public law scholars, this sequence has posed the question of the utility of written constitutions: What, if anything, do these documents add to nation, state, and society?
The importance of lymphocytes in pulmonary health and disease.

Lymphoid tissue and lymphocytes are distributed extensively throughout the airways and lung parenchyma and exist in a variety of forms, such as lymph nodes, submucosal lymphoid nodules and aggregates, scattered lymphocytes/plasma cells beneath the lamina propria membrane and free cells on airway surfaces. It is speculative to state precisely how the lymphoid components serve lung host defense or systemic immunity. Yet, anatomically they appear to be strategically located to intercept inhaled antigens and to initiate immune responses. Morever, lymphocytes are part of the effector limb of lung immunity and differentiate to synthesize immunoglobulins (B cells and plasma cells) or participate in cell-mediated reactions (T-cell function). Because of its active lymphoid structures, the lung should be considered as part of the lymphoreticular system. Lymphocyte research in the lung is still at the stage of identifying subpopulations of freely recoverable lymphocytes which can be obtained from normal lung lavage fluids. Increasingly, however, lung lymphocytes are being analyzed for their role in inciting or perpetuating a variety of lung diseases. Whereas cigarette smoking may not be categorized as a disease, it produces some interesting changes in T lymphocytes by diminishing their proliferative response to plant mitogens. Such an alteration in cell function may contribute to lung disease in the future. Several lung diseases which are characterized by hypersensitivity phenomena and a granulomatous response have increased numbers of lymphocytes in lung parenchyma and the airways. Such examples as sarcoidosis and hypersensitivity pneumonitis (extrinsic allergic alveolitis) are discussed as protypes. Lung lymphocytes sampled directly from affected lung tissue are more representative of the pathologic processes and may have different dynamic properties than circulating peripheral blood lymphocytes. Thus, analysis of lymphocytes in lung by relatively noninvasive means may help with diagnosis of disease and improve our understanding of pathophysiology.
Evaluation of Different Projectiles in Matched Experimental Eye Impact Simulations

Eye trauma results in 30,000 cases of blindness each year in the United States and is the second leading cause of monocular visual impairment. Eye injury is caused by a wide variety of projectile impacts and loading scenarios with common sources of trauma being motor vehicle crashes, military operations, and sporting impacts. For the current study, 79 experimental eye impact tests in literature were computationally modeled to analyze global and localized responses of the eye to a variety of blunt projectile impacts. Simulations were run with eight different projectiles (airsoft pellets, baseball, air gun pellets commonly known as BBs, blunt impactor, paintball, aluminum, foam, and plastic rods) to characterize effects of the projectile size, mass, geometry, material properties, and velocity on eye response. This study presents a matched comparison of experimental test results and computational model outputs including stress, energy, and pressure used to evaluate risk of eye injury. In general, the computational results agreed with the experimental results. A receiver operating characteristic curve analysis was used to establish the stress and pressure thresholds that best discriminated for globe rupture in the matched experimental tests. Globe rupture is predicted by the computational simulations when the corneoscleral stress exceeds 17.21 MPa or the vitreous pressure exceeds 1.01 MPa. Peak stresses were located at the apex of the cornea, the limbus, or the equator depending on the type of projectile impacting the eye. A multivariate correlation analysis revealed that area-normalized kinetic energy was the best single predictor of peak stress and pressure. Additional incorporation of a relative size parameter that relates the projectile area to the area of the eye reduced stress response variability and may be of importance in eye injury prediction. The modeling efforts shed light on the injury response of the eye when subjected to a variety of blunt projectile impacts and further validate the eye model's ability to predict globe rupture. Results of this study are relevant to the design and regulation of safety systems and equipment to protect against eye injury.
Hormones, genes and the structure of sexual arousal

Despite the inherent difficulty of connecting individual genes with integrated mammalian behaviors, it has been determined that a series of genes are turned on by estrogenic hormones acting in forebrain. Their products are, in turn, facilitatory for female reproductive behaviors such as lordosis. The causal routes by which two genes contribute to the control of lordosis behavior, the classical estrogen receptor gene (ER-alpha) and a thyroid hormone (TH) receptor gene (TR-beta), have been delineated. Beyond the mechanisms underlying the expression of concrete, specific natural behaviors, lies the question of sexual motivation. Required as an intervening variable to explain fluctuations in natural behaviors in the face of constant stimuli, motivational states have both general and specific features. Most theoretical and experimental approaches toward the general aspects of motivation have depended heavily on concepts of 'arousal.' Sexual arousal is likely to depend both on very general, broadly distributed neuronal influences and on specific affiliative and sexual tendencies. Is 'general arousal' a monolithic, undifferentiated process? In no way can a review at this time settle such issues, but the reasons behind six new experimental approaches to these questions are described.
Distribution of dopamine D2 receptor mRNA splice variants in the rat by solution mhybridization/protection assay

We investigated the distribution of the two dopamine D2 receptor mRNA splice variants in the rat using a sensitive and quantitative solution hybridization/nuclease protection assay. In all brain and endocrine regions studied, both splice variants were detected and the mRNA of the longer form (D2L) was more abundant than that of the shorter form (D2S). The lowest percentages of D2S were found in the pituitary and adrenal glands.
A social software strategy for knowledge management and organization culture

In the information era, social software recently emerges as an effective tool for knowledge workers to collaborate and share knowledge. This article presents an analytical model in which a social software strategy is applied to complement an extant knowledge base to improve an organizational culture fit and achieve maximal profit. Capturing the mutual effects among social software, knowledge base and organizational culture fit, we determine the optimal level of social software and investigate how it changes with the crucial factors including the volume of knowledge base and initial organizational culture fit. This research provides valuable insights for practitioners to implement social software for knowledge management.
Specialized Staff and Equipment for Weight Loss Surgery Patients: Best Practice Guidelines

Objective: To provide evidence-based guidelines on the specialized personnel, equipment, and physical plant required for safe and effective care of severely obese weight loss surgery (WLS) patients. Research Methods and Procedures: We examined MEDLINE (Ovid and PubMed) and the Cumulative Index of Nursing and Allied Health Literature for articles on facilities resources for care of WLS patients published in English between January 1980 and March 2004. We queried several web sites for appropriate references; these included the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality and the American College of Surgeons. The majority of reference material was descriptive and not specific to facilities resources for WLS patients. We identified a substantial body of literature on the general subject of patient safety; three of these articles were used to develop recommendations on the use of technology for medical error reduction. All other recommendations are based on 11 expert opinion reports. Results: We recommended adequate training and credentialing for all medical staff; dedicated support and administrative personnel; and specialized interventional, diagnostic, operating room, and transport equipment. We specified needed adaptations to the physical plant and developed evidence-based guidelines for medical error reduction and systems improvements. Discussion: Specialized resources and dedicated staff are needed to protect the health of WLS surgery patients and staff. Adaptations include preoperative preparation for safe means of patient transport; techniques of anesthesia and intraoperative exposure; provisions for postoperative recovery; and measures to assure postoperative patient safety, hygiene, and comfort.
Effects of intragastric fructose and dextrose on mesenteric microvascular inflammation and postprandial hyperemia in the rat.

Objectives: Fructose superfused on the mesenteric venules of rats induces microvascular inflammation via oxidative stress. It is unknown whether intragastric fructose exerts a similar effect and whether fructose impairs postprandial hyperemia (PPH). The goals were to determine whether intragastric fructose administration promotes leukocyte adherence and whether fructose, owing to its oxidative properties, may also impair nitric oxide–dependent PPH in the mesenteric microcirculation of rats. Methods: Leukocyte adherence to mesenteric venules, arteriolar velocity, and diameter were measured in Sprague-Dawley rats before and 30 minutes after intragastric (1 mL 0.5 M, ~0.3 g/kg) dextrose (n = 5), fructose (n = 6), and fructose after intravenous injection of the antioxidant α-lipoic acid (ALA, n = 6). Results: Only fructose increased leukocyte adherence: control 2.3 ± 0.3 per 100 µm; fructose 9.7 ± 1.4 per 100 µm (P < .001). This effect was independent of changes in venular shear rate: control 269 ± 48 s−1; fr...
Transient gyriform brightness on non-contrast enhanced computed tomography (CT) brain scan of seven infants.

Spontaneous gyriform brightness seen on CT scan is an unusual finding unless associated with arteriovenous malformations (AVM). There are sporadic case reports in the literature of its occurrence in association with herpex simplex virus encephalitis (HSVE), purulent meningitis, follwoing chemotherapy for leukaemia, in a child with chronic renal failure, and in a child with folic acid deficiency. We present a series of seven cases exhibiting this phenomenon, none of whom have AVMs, who have been scanned at this hospital in the first 21/2 years following the installation of a CT scanner. Four of the cases had congenital heart disease requiring corrective surgery or cardiac catheterisation. The other three had probable meningo-encephalitis. In all cases the gyriform brightness followed an ischaemic insult to the child's brain. We hypothesise that this phenomenon is an ischaemic response in the immature brain and that its occurrence is not so rare as the literature may suggest.
Impulse testing of corporate-fed patch array antennas

This paper discusses a novel method for detecting faults in antenna arrays. The method, termed Impulse Testing, was developed for corporate-fed patch arrays where the element is fed by a probe and is shorted at its center. Impulse Testing was devised to supplement conventional microwave measurements in order to quickly verify antenna integrity. The technique relies on exciting each antenna element in turn with a fast pulse (or impulse) that propagates through the feed network to the output port of the antenna. The resulting impulse response is characteristic of the path through the feed network. Using an oscilloscope, a simple amplitude measurement can be made to detect faults. A circuit model of the antenna elements and feed network was constructed to assess various fault scenarios and determine fault-detection thresholds. The experimental setup and impulse measurements for two patch array antennas are presented. Advantages and limitations of the technique are discussed along with applications to other antenna array topologies1,2.
Arm's length and captive transactions: Patent-based view of control in internationalization

Abstract This conceptual paper responds to the need for examining the role of patent control over internationalization. It proposes the patent-based strategy of control, in other words, how 3Cs – complementarity, competitiveness, and conditions – impact the strategic decision on corporate control over the patent; thereby the option of commercialization between arm's length and captive transactions. It demonstrates the multiple theoretical natures of business strategies; emphasizes how strategic fit can impact the decision on control; addresses patents as intangible assets that form a comparative and competitive advantage rather than only as a legal right and that have bearing on strategic decision making. The paper proposes that the intention of high control over a patent drives the owner to opt for captive transactions; low control arm's length transactions. Nonetheless, the challenge lies before the decision is made; managers need to assess the ‘strategic fit’ elements that directly impact on the extent of control.
Increased responsiveness of the dopamine-mediated inhibition of prolactin synthesis after destruction of the medial basal hypothalamus.

Long term destruction of the tuberoinfundibular dopaminergic neurons results in increased responsiveness of the anterior pituitary to the suppression of PRL release by dopamine. In the present study we tested whether long term destruction of these neurons by medial basal hypothalamic lesions would also increase the potency of dopamine in suppressing the release and apparent synthesis of PRL. Anterior pituitaries from ovariectomized control rats and ovariectomized rats lesioned for 2 weeks were incubated for 3 h in medium 199 containing [3H]leucine in the presence or absence of various concentrations of dopamine. Labeled PRL was separated by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and quantitated by liquid scintillation spectroscopy. Concentrations of dopamine ranging from 10-8-10-6B M caused a dose-dependent suppression of labeled newly synthesized PRL released into the medium from anterior pituitaries of medial basal hypothalamus-lesioned animals. With pituitaries from the nonl esioned rats, newly synthesized...
Inactivation and surface interactions of MS-2 bacteriophage in a TiO2 photoelectrocatalytic reactor.

Abstract Inactivation of MS-2 bacteriophage in a TiO 2 photoelectrocatalytic system was evaluated, wherein TiO 2 particles were coated onto an indium tin oxide (ITO) electrode and an electrical potential was applied under black light blue (BLB) irradiation. MS-2 phage inactivation was greatly enhanced by anodic potential, whereas cathodic potential completely inhibited inactivation. Experiments performed with radical scavengers showed that inactivation was primarily caused by hydroxyl radicals, both in the bulk phase and on the TiO 2 surface. Application of positive potential to the electrode was found to result in two distinct beneficial effects: (i) electrostatic attraction between the negatively charged viral capsid and catalyst surface, causing improved usage of surface-bound hydroxyl radical, in comparison to conventional TiO 2 photocatalytic disinfection; and (ii) higher reactive oxygen species production. Results also suggest that inactivation of various microorganisms including Escherichia coli , Staphylococcus aureus , Klebsiella pneumoniae , Bacillus subtilis spores and Cryptosporidium parvum oocyst was enhanced via positive potential induction to TiO 2 .
A probabilistic approach to automatic keyword indexing. Part I. On the Distribution of Specialty Words in a Technical Literature

The problem studied in this research is that of developing a set of formal statistical rules for the purpose of identifying the keywords of a document-words likely to be useful as index terms for that document. The research was prompted by the observation, made by a number of writers, that non-specialty words, words which possess little value for indexing purposes, tend to be distributed at random in a collection of documents. In contrast, specialty words are not so distributed. In Part I of the study, a mixture of two Poisson distributions is examined in detail as a model of specialty word distribution, and formulas expressing the three parameters of the model in terms of empirical frequency statistics are derived. The fit of the model is tested on an experimental document collection and found to be acceptable for the purposes of the study. A measure intended to identify specialty words, consistent with the 2-Poisson model, is proposed and evaluated.
Residual Effects of Repeated Bully Victimization Before the Age of 12 on Adolescent Functioning

In this study, data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth (NLSY 97) were used to examine early adolescent functioning as a result of being bullied. The NLSY 97 asked 4807 youths from age 12 to 14 whether they had been the victims of repeated bullying before the age of 12. In this study, 19.1% of the youths responded that they had experienced this repeated violence. It was found that the youth who have been bullied are exhibiting behaviors that are very different than their non-bullied peers. In every instance those individuals that admit to being repeatedly bullied before the age of 12 were less successful in negotiating various aspects of their life as a teenager. This underscores the need for programs that address bully prevention. Some programmatic initiatives aimed at reducing this victimized population are discussed.
Effect of Arginine Deficiency on Synthesis of DNA and Immunoglobulin Receptor of Burkitt Lymphoma Cells

LYMPHOCYTE transformation induced by phytohaemagglutinin (PHA) or other antigens is inhibited when the cells are cultured in the presence of arginine-using Mycoplasma species or in arginine-free medium1–5. Although essential to the activation of small lymphocytes by PHA, arginine is thought not to be essential for transformed cells4. The effect of arginine on human lymphoblastoid cell lines has not been formally reported, but is said to affect the production of EB virus (W. Henle and R. T. S., unpublished work). Although arginine is clearly essential for the chain of events leading to morphological transformation and mitotic activity of lymphocytes in vitro3,4, the exact role of the amino-acid is obscure. Arginine might be essential for the synthesis or stability of the surface receptors for lymphocyte activating substances, or for the synthesis of substances involved in the biochemical changes which precede or accompany DNA synthesis and mitotic activity of transformed cells.
RNA metabolism in nuclei: selective transport of kappa exons from myeloma nuclei and adenoviral transcripts from infected HeLa nuclei.

Abstract Two independent systems and several analytical procedures have been used to establish that isolated mammalian nuclei selectively transport mature RNA polymerase I and II products. Murine myeloma nuclei retain physiologic restriction in our transport assay as assessed by the transport of the immunoglobulin kappa light chain mRNA and 18S and 28S rRNAs. Nearly 50% of the total kappa exons are transported as structurally intact mature mRNA molecules while less than 8% of either pulse-labeled or steady state kappa intron sequences are detected in the transported fraction. Ribosomal external transcribed spacer sequences also are absent in transported RNA. Release of cytoplasmic RNA from the outer nuclear membrane during the transport assay accounts for less than 10% of transported RNA. Nuclei isolated from adenovirus-infected HeLa cells at 20 hours post infection retain cellular actin mRNA and transport viral poly A+RNA. Ribosomal RNA is transported from infected nuclei although at a reduced rate compared to transport from mock-infected nuclei. Inhibition of transport of host mRNA is paralleled by the absence of pulse-labeled actin mRNA in the cytoplasm of infected cells. The implications of our transport data in relationship to intranuclear RNA trafficking are discussed.
THE MALE SLING FOR POST-PROSTATECTOMY INCONTINENCE: MEAN FOLLOWUP OF 18 MONTHS

ABSTRACTPurpose:: We review our experience with 42 consecutive patients undergoing the bone anchored male sling procedure.Materials and Methods:: A retrospective chart review was performed, and complete data and followup were available in 38 of the 42 patients. Success was defined as wearing 1 thin pad or less per day, or social continence. Variables such as severity of incontinence, age, detrusor overactivity, previous artificial urinary sphincter, history of radiation and intraoperative flow pressures were analyzed for success and risk of failure.Results:: With a mean followup of 18 months (range 6 to 26), 39.5% (15 of 38) were considered a success (socially continent). A statistically significant trend in the degree of preoperative incontinence predicting success was identified. Social continence in mild, moderate and severe cases was achieved in 67%, 50% and 0%, respectively (p =0.001/95% CI). Only 15.8% of patients were completely dry and not wearing pads. Significant perineal pain was reported in th...
Inhibitors of Proton Pumping Effect on Passive Proton Transport

Reported inhibitors of the Characean plasmalemma proton pump were tested for their ability to inhibit the passive H+ conductance which develops in Chara corallina Klein ex Willd. at high pH. Diethylstilbestrol inhibits the proton pump and the passive H+ conductance with about the same time course, at concentrations that have no effect on cytoplasmic streaming. N-Ethylmaleimide, a sulfhydryl reagent which is small and relatively nonpolar, also inhibits both pumping and passive conductance of H+. However, it also inhibits cytoplasmic streaming with about the same time course, and therefore could not be considered a specific ATPase inhibitor. p-Chloromercuribenzene sulfonate (PCMBS), a sulfhydryl reagent which is large and charged and hence less able to penetrate the membrane, does not inhibit pumping or conductance at low concentration. At high concentration, PCMBS sometimes inhibits pumping without affecting H+ conductance, but since streaming is also inhibited, the effect on the pump cannot be said to be specific. 1-Ethyl-3-(3-dimethylaminopropyl)carbodiimide, a water soluble carbodiimide, weakly inhibits both pump and conductance, apparently specifically.
Site and stage specific action of endogenous nuclease and micrococcal nuclease on the histone genes of sea urchin embryos

Abstract The early histone genes of sea urchin embryos are expressed exclusively during cleavage stages of embryogenesis. The chromatin containing these genes was examined by nuclease sensitivity. An endogenous nuclease, active during cleavage, produces 1300-bp segments containing early histone genes. The cutting sites have been mapped; there are very sensitive sites close to the cap site for H1, H2A, H2B, and H4. Chromatin obtained from embryos of later stages, when the genes are not expressed, do not display this pattern of nuclease sensitivity. Micrococcal nuclease produces nucleosomes that contain histone genes when used with nuclei from later stages, but not with nuclei from cleavage stages.
Spectrometry of the Neutrino Recoils of Argon-37

The ions that recoil from neutrino emission in the electron capture decay of ${\mathrm{A}}^{37}$ have been subjected to magnetic spectrometry with a resolution amounting to 2.8% in energy. They are found to have an energy of 9.63\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.06 ev, which is in agreement with the value 9.65\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.05 ev to be expected on the basis of a two-body breakup, the neutrino having an energy of 815\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}2 kev as determined by others from the threshold of the ${\mathrm{Cl}}^{37}(p, n){\mathrm{A}}^{37}$ reaction. The momentum balance sets an upper limit of about 5 kev for the rest mass of the neutrino. Auger electron emission following the orbital electron capture leaves the recoils mostly multiply charged, the percentage abundances in charge states 1 to 7 being 6.2\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.1, 15.7\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.4, 39.2\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.5, 26.7\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.4, 10.0\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.2, 1.8\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.1 and 0.4\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.1, respectively. Neutrals were not measured. The natural width at half-intensity of the singly-charged recoil line is 1.7 ev, which is fully accounted for by the thermal motion of the argon atoms. The natural width of the triply-charged recoil line is 2.5 ev, which is mostly but not entirely accounted for by thermal motion plus recoil from the emission of one 2300-ev $K$ Auger electron. The singly-charged recoils are thought to result from $L$-capture and from $K$-capture followed by $K$ x-ray emission, neither of these processes involving recoil from the 2300-ev Auger electron.
Impact of joint versus sole custody and quality of co-parental relationship on adjustment of adolescents in remarried families.

The effects of legal custody arrangement and quality of the co-parental relationship on the adjustment of adolescents in remarried families was examined. Joint custody was associated with better relationships with step-parents and more family cohesion. Girls in sole custody families and boys in joint custody families reported high anxiety. Girls in sole custody families reported the remarriage to have a negative effect on their relationships with their custodial biological parents. Hostility in the co-parental relationship was associated with more loyalty conflicts and more increase in psychosomatic and psychosocial problems around the time of the remarriage.
A printed-circuit implementation of a broadband volumetric negative-refractive-index medium

In this paper, a printed-circuit implementation of broadband negative-refractive- index medium is proposed. The structure has a negative-index bandwidth of 48% and has an effective relative permittivity and permeability equal to -1 at 2.45 GHz. An analytical model for this structure is also presented, based on multiconductor transmission-line analysis.
Proteomic analysis of arabidopsis glutathione S-transferases from Benoxacor- and copper-treated seedlings

Glutathione S-transferases (GSTs) are involved in many stress responses in plants, for example, participating in the detoxification of xenobiotics and limiting oxidative damage. Studies examining the regulation of this gene family in diverse plant species have focused primarily on RNA expression. A proteomics method was developed to identify GSTs expressed in Arabidopsis seedlings and to determine how the abundance of these proteins changed in response to copper, a promoter of oxidative stress, and benoxacor, a herbicide safener. Eight GSTs were identified in seedlings grown under control conditions, and only one, AtGSTU19, was induced by benoxacor. In contrast, four GSTs, AtGSTF2, AtGSTF6, AtGSTF7, and AtGSTU19, were significantly more abundant in copper-treated seedlings. The different responses to these treatments may reflect the potential for copper to affect many more aspects of plant growth and physiology compared with a herbicide safener. Differences between RNA and protein expression of GSTs indicate that both transcriptional and translational mechanisms are involved in regulation of GSTs under these conditions.
Kir6.2 is not the mitochondrial KATP channel but is required for cardioprotection by ischemic preconditioning.

ATP-sensitive K+ (KATP) channels that contain K+ inward rectifier subunits of the 6.2 isotype (Kir6.2) are important regulators of the cardiac response to ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury. Opening...
Metal waveguide modeling of tapered quadratic index media.

The basic electromagnetic properties of tapered graded index fibers are equivalent to the properties of a class of concave metallic waveguides. Although useful in their own right, such metal waveguides also provide a straightforward and inexpensive means for studying the characteristics of more complicated tapered media.
The Integration and Interoperability Issues of Legacy and Distributed Systems

An important issue of distributed systems is interoperability. Lack of interoperability between distributed systems is a common problem with current and legacy applications. Since the legacy applications represent a major investment and for the most part can not be abandoned. Enterprises are looking for solutions that enable the integration of the legacy environments with the new breed of distributed applications, as well as the integration between their existing applications caused either by mergers and acquisitions, or a company's desire to move into a new and uncharted business activity. This paper provides an in depth analysis of legacy systems integration. It presents an analysis of distributed systems concepts and design as seen from the perspective of the integration of a monolithic legacy systems into a distributed systems, and it concludes that distributed systems protocols and architecture must be tailored to various levels within the legacy systems in order for an integration project to succeed.
Orthotopic Neobladder Following Radical Cystectomy in Patients with High Perioperative Risk and Co-morbid Medical Conditions

ABSTRACTPurpose: A significant number of patients requiring radical cystectomy for bladder cancer have substantial co-morbidity. Nonetheless, these patients often prefer orthotopic neobladder reconstruction to avoid an abdominal stoma. We performed a retrospective study to determine perioperative morbidity in this group of patients.Materials and Methods: We used the American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status classification to assign perioperative risk. Of 250 patients undergoing orthotopic neobladder reconstruction after radical cystectomy during a 5-year period we identified 84 with an American Society of Anesthesiologists score of 3 or greater. Charts were available for review for all patients and none was lost to followup.Results: Median operative time (calculated from anesthesia ready time to completion of surgery and application of a dressing) was 256 minutes. In 14 patients (16.6%) transfusion of a median of 2 units of allogeneic blood was required. A total of 79 patients (94%) were trans...
New tools for finding first-order zoom lens solutions and the analysis of zoom lenses during the design process

We developed software design tools in MATLAB that are compatible with Code V for supporting the process of designing zoom lenses. These tools simplify the process of finding paraxial solutions and evaluating intermediary design steps. Paraxial solutions are found through a partially random search for four group zoom systems with moving second and third groups. It requires several user-specified system parameters and then randomly assigns powers to each group. This process of randomly assigning powers is done a set number of times and only the valid solutions where no lenses crash are considered for further use. The valid designs are plotted over different design criteria and can then be selected to retrieve the first order design parameters. For the intermediate design process, the software displays lens specifications and diagnostic results across zoom for the entire lens as well as the individual groups. Systematic evaluation of the intermediate design steps is useful in determining how to proceed and improve the design. The design process is described for two different zoom lenses to show the efficiency and utility of these tools. The two zoom lenses are a 16x surveillance camera zoom lens working in the visible and a 3X zoom lens working in the visible and short wave infrared. The design procedure for these lenses covers finding the paraxial solutions to evaluating the lens for further improvement.
Prevalence of Antimicrobial Resistance Among Respiratory Tract Isolates of Streptococcus pneumoniae in North America: 1997 Results from the SENTRY Antimicrobial Surveillance Program

As part of the ongoing multinational SENTRY antimicrobial resistance surveillance program, a total of 1,047 respiratory tract isolates of Streptococcus pneumoniae, 845 from 27 United States medical centers and 202 from seven Canadian institutions, were collected between February and June 1997 and characterized in a central laboratory. In the United States, the overall percentages of penicillin-intermediate strains and strains with high-level resistance to penicillin were 27.8% and 16.0%, respectively. In Canada, these values were 21.8% and 8.4%, respectively. Among the 31 centers in the United States and Canada that contributed at least 19 isolates, the combined rate of intermediate plus resistant strains varied between 24.0% and 67.8%. The in vitro activity of 19 other antimicrobials was assessed against all study isolates. Overall rates of resistance among selected agents in the United States and Canada, respectively, were as follows: amoxicillin, 18.1% and 10.5%; cefaclor, 38.3% and 26.2%; cefuroxime, 19.5% and 12.9%; cefpodoxime, 18.6% and 11.4%; cefepime, 8.2% and 4.5%; cefotaxime, 4.0% and 3.0%; macrolides (i.e., erythromycin, azithromycin, and clarithromycin), 11.7%-14.3% and 5.0%-7.4%; clindamycin, 3.5% and 3.5%; chloramphenicol, 3.9% and 4.0%; tetracycline, 10.2% and 10.9%; and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, 19.8% and 15.8%.
Effects of dietary calcium on atherosclerosis, aortic calcification, and icterus in rabbits fed a supplemental cholesterol diet

Background Vascular calcification is implicated in myocardial infarction, instability and rigidity of the aortic wall, and bioprosthetic failures. Although an increase in the calcium (Ca) content in atherogenic diets has been shown to decrease atherosclerosis in rabbits, whether Ca supplementation and deficiency can affect atherosclerosis-related aortic calcification remains unknown.
Beamlet-like data processing for accelerated path-planning using multiscale information of the environment

We consider the deterministic path-planning problem dealing with the single-pair shortest path on a given graph. We propose a multiscale version of the well known A* algorithm (m-A*), which utilizes information of the environment at distinct scales. This information is collected via a bottom-up fusion method. Comparing with existing algorithms such as Dijkstra's or A*, the use of multiscale information leads to an improvement in terms of computational complexity.
Eustachian tube mature teratoma

A mature teratoma is a neoplasm which rarely occurs in the Eustachian tube. A 10-month-old girl presented with persistent otorrhea and an increasing nasal obstruction was finally diagnosed as a Eustachian tube mature teratoma. The neoplasm was successfully resected transorally using an endoscope.
A unified approach to noise removal, image enhancement, and shape recovery

We present a unified approach to noise removal, image enhancement, and shape recovery in images. The underlying approach relies on the level set formulation of the curve and surface motion, which leads to a class of PDE-based algorithms. Beginning with an image, the first stage of this approach removes noise and enhances the image by evolving the image under flow controlled by min/max curvature and by the mean curvature. This stage is applicable to both salt-and-pepper grey-scale noise and full-image continuous noise present in black and white images, grey-scale images, texture images, and color images. The noise removal/enhancement schemes applied in this stage contain only one enhancement parameter, which in most cases is automatically chosen. The other key advantage of our approach is that a stopping criteria is automatically picked from the image; continued application of the scheme produces no further change. The second stage of our approach is the shape recovery of a desired object; we again exploit the level set approach to evolve an initial curve/surface toward the desired boundary, driven by an image-dependent speed function that automatically stops at the desired boundary.
Achieving Out-of-Order Performance with Almost In-Order Complexity

There is still much performance to be gained by out-of-order processors with wider issue widths. However, traditional methods of increasing issue width do not scale; that is, they drastically increase design complexity and power requirements. This paper introduces the braid, a compile-time identified entity that enables the execution core to scale to wider widths by exploiting the small fanout and short lifetime of values produced by the program. Braid processing requires identification by the compiler, minor extensions to the ISA, and support by the microarchitecture. The result from processing braids is performance within 9% of a very aggressive conventional out-of-order microarchitecture with almost the complexity of an in-order implementation.
Active eavesdropping in fast fading channels: A Block-Markov Wyner secrecy encoding scheme

This paper studies the problem of active eavesdropping in fast fading channels. The active eavesdropper (Eve-A) is a more powerful adversary than the classical eavesdropper. It can choose between two functional modes: eavesdropping (Ex mode), and jamming (Jx mode) - Eve-A cannot function in full duplex mode. We consider the most conservative scenario, when the Eve-A can choose her strategy based on the legitimate transmitter-receiver pair's strategy - and thus the transmitter and legitimate receiver have to plan for the worst. We introduce a novel encoding scheme, based on very limited and unprotected feedback - the Block-Markov Wyner (BMW) encoding scheme - which outperforms any schemes currently available.
7 Things You Need to Know About: Intellectual Property (Presentation Slides)

These slides cover the 7 most important things you need to know about Intellectual Property. They include a basic introduction, trademarks, trade dress, trade names, copyrights, patents and trade secrets. These slides discuss why registration may be preferable and how to protect IP with or without registration. The common law and state law protections are contrasted with federal IP protection.
The Reliability of Regional Interindustry Studies

>In presenting some guidelines for evaluating the reliability of regional interindustry tables, this article discusses the effects of double construction, classification, information sources, interregional transactions, national table coefficients, trade and transport margins, age, and industry capacity. It also identifies areas in which reliability judgments by users of such tables are critical.
Relationship Between Student Personality Characteristics and Performance on the ASCP BOR Examination

The decreased applicant pool caused one hospital program admission committee to wonder if there were student characteristics, other than grade point average (GPA), that could provide some insight into an applicant’s chance of academic success in the medical technology (MT) program. Several students with borderline GPAs seemed to be excellent candidates except they failed to meet the science GPA cutoff criteria of 2.5 on a 4.0 scale. The hospital program studied the usefulness of their MT program’s preclinical faculty recommendation form. The common rating form contained 10 student characteristics that were judged by preclinical faculty. The students in the study population were from five different academic affiliates of the hospitalbased program. School records of 31 students, over a 5-year period, were studied. Results showed that a combination of three student characteristics—initiative/originality, comprehension, and judgment—appeared to correlate highly with success on the American Society of Clinical Pathologists Board of Registry examination.
Altering the Oxidation Resistance of Iron Via ion Beam Alloying

Fe-Cr, Fe-Y and Fe-Cr-Y surface alloys were produced by direct ion implantation, ion beam mixing, and combinations of implantation and vapor deposition. The influence of these treatments on the oxidation behavior of iron was investigated in 1 atm. of oxygen at 520 C. The oxidation rates were less in all the ion beam alloyed iron samples than in untreated iron. The oxidation follows parabolic kinetics in most cases, with the rate constants, K{sub p}, in the range (3--8) {times} 10{sup {minus}6} mg{sup 2}cm{sup {minus}4}sec{sup {minus}1} versus 2.2 {times} 10{sup {minus}5} mg{sup 2}cm{sup {minus}4}sec{sup {minus}1} for untreated iron. Yttrium fluences between 5 {times} 10{sup 14} and 5 {times} 10{sup 15} cm{sup {minus}2} did not alter the microstructures of iron significantly. However, fluences of 1 {times} 10{sup 16}, 3 {times} 10{sup 16}, 5 {times} 10{sup 16} and 1 {times} 10{sup 17} cm{sup {minus}2} caused the crystalline structure of iron to be replaced by an amorphous phase. The presence of this phase was demonstrated with selected area channeling patterns and transmission electron microscopy.
Ventilatory sensitivity to changes in inspired and arterial carbon dioxide partial pressures in the chicken

To determine if intrapulmonary chemoreceptors could be the sole peripheral chemoreceptors responsible for ventilatory responses to inhaled CO2, we studied the relationships of minute ventilation, tidal volume, and respiratory frequency to inspired and arterial partial pressure of CO2 (P(I)CO2 and PaCO2) in decerebrate upright chickens when the birds inspired gases containing four low partial pressures of CO2 (0.02, 5.0, 8.2, and 11.4 torr). Because of variability in the measured variables from time to time in the same birds, as well as between birds, and because of the limited precision in measuring PaCO2, a 4 x 4 Latin square design and four statistical methods of data analyses (modified reduced major axis estimator, maximum likelihood estimator, average slope method, and summary slope method) were used. Tidal volume, minute ventilation, and PaCO2 increased, but respiratory frequency remained unchanged, as gases containing increased partial pressures of CO2 were inhaled. The results indicate that intrapulmonary chemoreceptors are not the sole receptors stimulated by inhaling gas containing even low partial pressures of CO2 and that stimulation of arterial and central chemoreceptors also occurs. Stimulation of these latter chemoreceptors may account for the increase in ventilation. Further, the results demonstrate the importance of maintaining a low level of environmental CO2 in poultry houses to minimize its influence on ventilation.
Characteristics of materials distributed by drug companies. An evaluation of appropriateness.

OBJECTIVES: To describe material distributed to physicians by pharmaceutical companies; to describe characteristics of the drugs discussed in the material; to determine whether the material complies with Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulations and whether it contains promotional and educational characteristics.
Multiple instance learning for buried hazard detection

Buried explosives hazards are one of the many deadly threats facing our Soldiers, thus the U.S. Army is interested in the detection and neutralization of these hazards. One method of buried target detection uses forward-looking ground-penetrating radar (FLGPR), and it has grown in popularity due to its ability to detect buried targets at a standoff distance. FLGPR approaches often use machine learning techniques to improve the accuracy of detection. We investigate an approach to explosive hazard detection that exploits multi-instance features to discriminate between hazardous and non-hazardous returns in FLGPR data. One challenge this problem presents is a high number of clutter and non-target objects relative to the number of targets present. Our approach learns a bag of words model of the multi-instance signatures of potential targets and confuser objects in order to classify alarms as either targets or false alarms. We demonstrate our method on test data collected at a U.S. Army test site.
FOREIGN DIRECT INVESTMENT AND ECONOMIC GROWTH

Analyzing the aggregate time serial data from China and other 23 developing countries shows that GDP and foreign direct investments are interactional.Besides some economic factors,reliable organizations and urbanizing are very important for attracting foreign direct investments and so for economic growth.
Vibrational Sum Frequency Generation Spectroscopy Study of Hydrous Species in Soda Lime Silica Float Glass.

It is generally accepted that the mechanical properties of soda lime silica (SLS) glass can be affected by the interaction between sodium ions and hydrous species (silanol groups and water molecules) in its surface region. While the amount of these hydrous species can be estimated from hydrogen profiles and infrared spectroscopy, their chemical environment in the glass network is still not well understood. This work employed vibrational sum frequency generation (SFG) spectroscopy to investigate the chemical environment of hydrous species in the surface region of SLS float glass. SLS float glass shows sharp peaks in the OH stretching vibration region in SFG spectra, while the OH stretch peaks of glasses that do not have leachable sodium ions and the OH peaks of water molecules in condensed phases are normally broad due to fast hydrogen bonding dynamics. The hydrous species responsible for the sharp SFG peaks for the SLS float glass were found to be thermodynamically more stable than physisorbed water molec...