cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Annuloplasty ring selection for chronic ischemic mitral regurgitation: lessons from the ovine model

Abstract Background Chronic ischemic mitral regurgitation (CIMR) is poorly understood and repair operations are often unsatisfactory. This study elucidates the mechanism of CIMR in an ovine model. Methods Sonomicrometry array localization measured the three-dimensional geometry of the mitral annulus and subvalvular apparatus in five sheep before and 8 weeks after a posterior infarction of the left ventricle that produced progressive severe CIMR. Results End systolic annular area increased from 647 ± 44 mm 2 to 1,094 ± 173 mm 2 ( p = 0.01). Annular dilatation occurred equally along the anterior (47.0 ± 5.6 mm to 60.2 ± 4.9 mm, p = 0.001) and posterior (53.8 ± 3.1 mm to 68.5 ± 8.4 mm, p = 0.005) portions of the annulus. The tip of the anterior papillary muscle moved away from both the anterior and posterior commissures by 5.2 ± 3.2 mm ( p = 0.021) and 7.3 ± 2.2 mm ( p = 0.002), respectively. The distance from the tip of the posterior papillary muscle to the anterior commissure increased by 11.0 ± 5.7 mm ( p = 0.032) while the distance from the tip of the posterior papillary muscle to the posterior commissure remained constant. Conclusions Progressive dilatation of both the anterior and posterior mitral annuli, increased annular area, and asymmetric ventricular dilatation combine to cause CIMR by distortion of mitral valve geometry and tethering of leaflet coaptation. Therefore complete ring annuloplasty may be superior to partial annuloplasty in the treatment of CIMR.
Mechanisms for the Proton Mobility-Dependent Gas-Phase Fragmentation Reactions of S-alkyl Cysteine Sulfoxide-Containing Peptide Ions

Mechanisms for the gas-phase fragmentation reactions of singly and multiply protonated precursor ions of the model S-alkyl cysteine sulfoxide-containing peptides GAILCGAILK, GAILCGAILR, and VTMGHFCNFGK prepared by reaction with iodomethane, iodoacetamide, iodoacetic acid, acrylamide, or 4-vinylpyridine, followed by oxidation with hydrogen peroxide, as well as peptides obtained from an S-carboxyamidomethylated and oxidized tryptic digest of bovine serum albumin, have been examined using multistage tandem mass spectrometry, hydrogen/deuterium exchange and molecular orbital calculations (at the B3LYP/6-31 + G(d,p) level of theory). Consistent with previous reports, CID-MS/MS of the S-alkyl cysteine sulfoxide-containing peptide ions resulted in the dominant "non-sequence" neutral loss of an alkyl sulfenic acid (XSOH) from the modified cysteine side chains under conditions of low proton mobility, irrespective of the alkylating reagent employed. Dissociation of uniformly deuterated precursor ions of these model peptides determined that the loss of alkyl sulfenic acid in each case occurred via a "charge-remote" five-centered cis-1,2 elimination reaction to yield a dehydroalanine-containing product ion. Similarly, the charge state dependence to the mechanisms and product ion structures for the losses of CO(2), CO(2) + H(2)O and CO(2) + CH(2)O from S-carboxymethyl cysteine sulfoxide-containing peptides, and for the losses of CH(2)CHCONH(2) and CH(2)CHC(5)H(4)N, respectively, from S-amidoethyl and S-pyridylethyl cysteine sulfoxide-containing peptide ions have also been determined. The results from these studies indicate that both the proton mobility of the peptide precursor ion and the nature of the S-alkyl substituent have a significant influence on the abundances and charge states of the product ions resulting from the various competing fragmentation pathways.
Genetic testing before anticoagulation? A systematic review of pharmacogenetic dosing of warfarin.

Background Genotype-guided initial warfarin dosing may reduce over-anticoagulation and serious bleeding compared to a one-dose-fits-all dosing method.
From text to RDF triple store: an application for biodiversity literature

In this system demonstration two software applications will be shown. One application turns plain text biodiversity literature (using Flora of North America as an example) into semantically annotated documents in XML. The second application turns the XML annotations to a RDF triple store and provides query capabilities to allow a user to search a volume of Flora of North America by biological characters and not simple keywords. For example, a user can find taxa that are a member of Asteraceae family with conservation concerns, grow along ditches in Arizona, and with pink flowers and toothed leaves.
Identification of the LH and TSH-secreting cells in the pituitary gland of the rhesus monkey.

Pituitary glands from juvenile (pre-pubertal) and adult male and female rhesus monkeys were examined following immunocytochemical staining with antisera to the beta subunits of ovine luteinizing hormone (LHβ) and of human thyroid stimulating hormone (TSHβ). The LHβ antiserum reacts with a cell that is PAS-positive, occurs singly and is randomly distributed throughout the pars distalis. The diameter of these cells is approximately 11.5 μm. They do not seem to vary in number in either juveniles (pre-pubertals) or adults, or in males or females. There appears to be fewer LH cells in the pituitary glands of pregnant and lactating females. In addition to staining cells in the pars distalis, the antiserum also reacts with a population of cells located in the pars tuberalis. The cells that stain with the anti-TSHβ serum are confined primarily to the pars distalis. They are approximately 15.8 μm in diameter and are generally found in groups or clusters located in the anterior and medial regions of the gland. The TSH cells vary in number from one animal to another; however, this variability is unrelated to the age or the sex of the animals. No demonstrable changes occur in the number of TSH cells during pregnancy or lactation.
Laser Fabrication Of Photomasks For Hybrid Circuits

This paper describes a technique for generating photomasks for hybrid circuits using a laser resistor trimming system. Photomasks can be generated by two separate techniques: micromachining a thin opaque film on a transparent substrate with a Nd:YAG laser, or exposing a photoresist covered blank photomask with an argon ion laser.
From the ACRL 13th National Conference: Collaborative Solutions to Digitization for College Library Special Collections

ABSTRACT While much has been written on individual digital project planning, little has been discussed in the area of collaborative digital projects, especially at the college library level. The aim of this article is to examine a variety of collaborative solutions that have been implemented by Franklin and Marshall College at the institutional, local, regional, and national levels. With the assistance of an analytical questionnaire, readers will learn to evaluate their college library collections for successful digitization and identify collaborative opportunities at various levels.
Simultaneous imaging of multiple focal planes in scanning two-photon absorption microscope by photon counting

We demonstrate a two-photon absorption scanning microscope capable of imaging two focal planes simultaneously . The 23MHz fundamental laser is split in two, one part delayed in time while the other is focused with a deformable mirror to change its divergence. Both parts are then recombined to form a 46MHz pulse train consisting of two interlaced trains with different divergences that after the objective are focused at different sample depths. At the detection path, photon counting techniques allow photons coming from each depth to be separated based on their relative timing with respect to the 46MHz train. The separation is accomplished using a field-programmable gate array that has been programmed to switch back and forth between two counters at a rate provided by a master clock generated by the 46MHz pulse train. The computer that controls the scanners reads and resets the counters before moving to a new pixel. The scheme is demonstrated for two depths but can be extended to a larger number, the ultimate limit being the fluorescence lifetime. This technique could also be implemented for second or third harmonic generation microscopy, in this case the ultimate achievable number of focal planes would be determined by the electronics speed.
Chemical method to enhance transungual transport and iontophoresis efficiency.

Transungual transport is hindered by the inherent small effective pore size of the nail even when it is fully hydrated. The objectives of this study were to determine the effects of chemical enhancers thioglycolic acid (TGA), glycolic acid (GA), and urea (UR) on transungual transport and iontophoresis efficiency. In vitro passive and iontophoretic transport experiments of model permeants mannitol (MA), UR, and tetraethylammonium (TEA) ion across the fully hydrated, enhancer-treated and untreated human nail plates were performed in phosphate-buffered saline. The transport experiments consisted of several stages, alternating between passive and anodal iontophoretic transport at 0.1 mA. Nail water uptake experiments were conducted to determine the water content of the enhancer-treated nails. The effects of the enhancers on transungual electroosmosis were also evaluated. Nails treated with GA and UR did not show any transport enhancement. Treatment with TGA at 0.5 M enhanced passive and iontophoretic transungual transport of MA, UR, and TEA. Increasing the TGA concentration to 1.8 M did not further increase TEA iontophoresis efficiency. The effect of TGA on the nail plates was irreversible. The present study shows the possibility of using a chemical enhancer to reduce transport hindrance in the nail plate and thus enhance passive and iontophoretic transungual transport.
The economics and demography of aging

This issue of PNAS brings together a collection of six papers concerning the economics and demography of aging, written in honor of Robert Fogel's 80th birthday. Robert Fogel is the Charles R. Walgreen Distinguished Service Professor of American Institutions and the director of the Center for Population Economics in the University of Chicago Graduate School of Business. The preeminent economic historian of our time, he received the Nobel Prize in Economics in 1993 for his applications of economic theory and quantitative methods to explain economic and institutional change.
Messenger RNA phenotyping for semi-quantitative comparison of glucocorticoid receptor transcript levels in the developing embryonic mouse palate

A specific complex of glucocorticoid and receptor interacts with responsive genes in target tissues of developing palate and controls its morphogenesis. In order to examine developmental changes in glucocorticoid receptor gene expression during embryonic palate formation, variations in transcript levels have been determined using a simple semi-quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (PCR) procedure. Oligo (dT)16 was used as the primer for reverse transcription, and the amount of PCR product for glucocorticoid receptor was normalized against those for glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) and beta-actin. We found that either GAPDH or beta-actin were suitable internal standards, and that the mRNA levels of glucocorticoid receptor undergoes a significant decrease of 30% at the developmental stage of embryonic mouse palatal shelf re-orientation. Immunolocalization of the receptor demonstrated a significant change in the distribution pattern of glucocorticoid receptor during the re-orientation stage of secondary palate formation. Our present data suggest that developmental variations in glucocorticoid receptor level control morphogenetic events of secondary palate formation.
Ibuprofen protects low density lipoproteins against oxidative modification.

Abstract Oxidative modification of LDL by vascular cells has been proposed as the mechanism by which LDL become atherogenic. The effect of ibuprofen on LDL modification by copper ions, monocytes and endothelial cells was studied by measuring lipid peroxidation products. Ibuprofen inhibited LDL oxidation in a dose-dependent manner over a concentration range of 0.1 to 2.0 mM. Ibuprofen (2 mM, 100 μg/ml LDL) reduced the amount of lipid peroxides formed during 2 and 6 h incubation in the presence of copper ions by 52 and 28%, respectively. Weak free radical scavenging activity of ibuprofen was observed in the DPPH test. The protective effect of ibuprofen was more marked when oxidation was induced by monocytes or endothelial cells. Ibuprofen (1 mM, 100 μg/ml LDL) reduced the amount of lipid peroxides generated in LDL during monocyte-mediated oxidation by 40%. HUVEC-mediated oxidation of LDL in the absence and presence of Cu2+ was reduced by 32 and 39%, respectively. More lipid peroxides appeared when endothelial cells were stimulated by IL-1β or TNFα and the inhibitory effect of ibuprofen in this case was more pronounced. Ibuprofen (1 mM, 100 μg/ml LDL) reduced the amount of lipid peroxides formed during incubation of LDL with IL-1β-stimulated HUVEC by 43%. The figures in the absence and presence of Cu2+ for HUVEC stimulated with TNFα were 56 and 59%, respectively. To assess the possibility that ibuprofen acts by lowering the production rate of reactive oxygen species, the intracellular concentration of H2O2 was measured. Ibuprofen (1 mM) reduced intracellular production of hydrogen peroxide in PMA-stimulated mononuclear cells by 69%. When HUVEC were stimulated by IL-1β or TNFα the reduction was 62% and 66%, respectively.
Recent advances in studies of evolutionary relationships between proteins and nucleic acids.

Evolution depends upon the occurrence of occasional changes, large or small, in hereditary characteristics. Molecular genetics gave rise to the new field of molecular evolution, which is currently exploring the changes that take place in proteins and nucleic acids over long periods of time. The following are some of the fundamental assumptions: (1) The phenotypic characteristics of organisms depend directly on proteins. (2) Proteins are synthesized in accordance with information carried in molecules of DNA as sequences of the four bases, adenine, guanine, cytosine, and thymine. The information is transcribed into molecules of messenger RNA and is translated into proteins by the intervention of the genetic code. (3) Changes in the composition of the base sequences in DNA can take place in living organisms, and these changes can affect the phenotypic characteristics of the next generation. (4) The process of natural selection favors the perpetuation of organisms which compete successfully in the struggle for existence. This process leads to the elimination of all but a small fraction of the astronomical number of possible protein molecules that could result from genetic translation of the possible variants of DNA. Furthermore, the number of protein molecules was originally much smaller than it is to-day, and it has increased by hereditary processes rather than by the chance appearance of entirely new proteins. (5) The DNA present in any single cell contains the complete information for all the hereditary characteristics of the organism. The amount of DNA per cell may increase during evolution and this increase has produced modern organisms that are ‘higher’, more specialized, and more complex, from carlicr and simpler forms. (6) Protein molecules are slowly and steadily differentiated during evolution if their genes are physically separated from each other, by allopatric speciation or even by duplication and translocation, whether or not the function of the proteins are changed. (7) Mutations, together with recombination, contribute to changes in the genetic pool which provide the variability within populations that is necessary for evolution of species.
State laws for gifted education: An overview of the legislation and regulations

To fill a gap in the literature, this article provides a comprehensive, concise, and current overview of the state laws‐specifically, statutes and regulations‐concerning gifted education for K‐12 students. The models for these laws form two broad categories. The first model is premised on a group orientation, whether on a permissive or mandatory basis. The vast majority of state statutes and regulations for gifted education fits in this category. The features are limited to state‐ and local‐level responsibilities for group programming. The second category, analogous to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and only proposed in the literature for the federal level, is mandatory and individually oriented. It includes the additional distinctive features of an individualized program requirement and an impartial dispute‐resolution mechanism. The second model may yield case law to fill in the gaps, but the equally potential tradeoffs include adversarial relationships between, and high transacti...
Implications of climate change on small island developing states: experience in the Caribbean region

As the international community debates long‐term strategies to address global warming, the issue is one of increasing concern for small island developing states. Collectively, these countries account for less than 1% of greenhouse gas emissions, yet their vulnerabilities are particularly high. This paper reviews international efforts including a regional effort on the part of 12 Caribbean countries to address this issue. For many countries and especially countries of the Caribbean and other small island developing states, vulnerabilities already exist and will only be exacerbated by accelerated global warming. Dealing with global environmental change will require good, reliable information to monitor change and assess the physical and economic impact of that change. It also will require an institutional and managerial framework that incorporates dynamic change into individual and collective decision‐making processes. Small island developing states must be active players affecting long‐term solutions to cl...
Latino Foster Parent Health Perceptions of Chronic Conditions: A Qualitative Exploration

Prior work using nationally representative data of children in the child welfare system suggested that Latino foster parents were less likely to identify children in their care as having chronic conditions. Hispanics comprise over one-fifth of children in foster care, the majority of whom have special health care needs, and there is a growing need to recruit qualified Latino families into the child welfare system. Little is known about Latino parents’ health perceptions regarding chronic conditions, and potential reasons for differing identification rates of children with special health care needs. We conducted 17 home-based, in-depth interviews with Latino foster parents to explore health perceptions and cultural beliefs for children in their care around the concept of chronic illness. We found that Latino foster parents’ understanding of conditions that occurred “over and over again” related to emotional and behavioral health problems. In contrast, their perception of “chronic” was associated with terminal, biological conditions that had limited treatment options, such as cancer, HIV, and hepatitis. Latino foster parents did not interpret the survey question on chronic illness as it was intended, and their view of recurrent conditions did not reflect chronic health conditions. Developing survey questions that are culturally sensitive should improve accuracy in assessing chronic health conditions for this high-risk population. Sensitivity to cultural interpretation for this high-needs population is vital to enhancing communication between families and health providers caring for children in foster care.
“I know it when i see it”: Assessing good teaching

Abstract Teaching effectiveness is a particularly difficult aspect of library instruction to evaluate because judging what makes an instructor effective in the classroom can be a highly subjective, interpretive act. In search of more “objective” criteria, this study began by adapting a process described by Carole Larson and Laura Dickson (in their 1994 RQ article, “Developing Behavioral Reference Desk Performance Standards”) to elicit a comparable set of performance behaviors for instruction. Traits and behaviors derived from two preliminary investigations served as the basis for a written survey then distributed to a wider audience of instruction librarians. This article reports on the results of that survey—what instruction librarians consider to be the desired traits and behaviors of an effective teacher.
Homoclinic solutions for a semilinear elliptic equation with an asymptotically linear nonlinearity

We study the following semilinear elliptic equation \(-\Delta u + b(x)u = f(u), \ \ \ x\in{\mathbf R}^N, \) where b is periodic and f is assumed to be asymptotically linear. The purpose of this paper is to establish the existence of infinitely many homoclinic type solutions for this class of nonlinearities.
Shades of grey: A critical review of grey-number optimization

A grey number is an uncertain number with fixed lower and upper bounds but unknown distribution. Grey numbers find use in optimization to systematically and proactively incorporate uncertainties expressed as intervals plus communicate resulting stable, feasible ranges for the objective function and decision variables. This article critically reviews their use in linear and stochastic programs with recourse. It summarizes grey model formulation and solution algorithms. It advances multiple counter-examples that yield risk-prone grey solutions that perform worse than a worst-case analysis and do not span the stable feasible range of the decision space. The article suggests reasons for the poor performance and identifies conditions for which it typically occurs. It also identifies a fundamental shortcoming of grey stochastic programming with recourse and suggests new solution algorithms that give more risk-adverse solutions. The review also helps clarify the important advantages, disadvantages, and distincti...
Report On ‘Chemistry in a Biological Context’

The American Chemical Society has started its first large-scale project related to opening up new options for undergraduate majors. Tentatively titled ‘Chemistry in a Biological Context,’ the work has only just begun. Participants are invited to provide early feedback into the nature and shape of the project.
Percentage Points for the RST Many Outlier Procedure

This article is concerned with estimating percentage points for the RST (R-statistic) many outlier procedure. This procedure has been introduced in [5] and a brief discussion is given in Section 1. The algorithm used to estimate the percentage points is given in Section 2. Percentage points are given for α = .10, .05, .01, N = 10(5) 20(10) 50(25) 100, k = 2: N = 20(10) 50(25) 100, k = 3; N = 20(10) 50(25) 100, k = 4. Two examples illustrating the use of the procedure are given in Section 3. Finally some potential weaknesses of the method are discussed in Section 4: namely, when the actual number of outliers in a sample is larger than the maximum number of outliers assumed by the procedure. Alternatives are proposed for possibly modifying the procedure to allow for this contingency.
Thymoma in a child: case report and review of the literature

Thymic lesions comprise approximately 2-3% of all pediatric mediastinal tumors and include thymic cysts, hyperplasia, carcinoma, and thymomas. Thymomas, which represent less than 1% of all mediastinal tumors, are rare mediastinal tumors in the pediatric population. Fewer than 30 cases in children have been described in the literature. These tumors are typically aggressive, with poor outcomes. We report a thymoma in a 14-year-old girl and review the available literature on thymomas and their treatment.
Social and cognitive correlates of Utah residents' acceptance of the lethal control of wolves.

The objectives of this study were to: (a) determine the acceptability of several methods of lethal and non-lethal wolf control, (b) identify factors that explain acceptability of lethal control, and (c) test a model for predicting acceptability of lethal control. Data were obtained from a mail survey of Utah residents (n = 709). Non-lethal forms of control were more acceptable than lethal forms control. Acceptability of lethal controls varied among stakeholder groups. No such variation existed for non-lethal methods, suggesting these methods are less controversial. Stakeholder group identification (i.e., agricultural, environmental, hunting, wildlife advocacy) impacted acceptability of lethal control. These effects, however, were reduced when beliefs about wolf impacts and attitude toward wolves were controlled. These two factors explained 42% of the variance in the acceptability of lethal wolf control. Path analysis supported the proposed model, suggesting effects of stakeholder identification on accepta...
Lattice-Boltzmann simulations of the capillary pressure–saturation–interfacial area relationship for porous media

Abstract Hysteresis in the relationship between capillary pressure ( P c ) , wetting phase saturation ( S w ) and nonwetting–wetting interfacial area per volume ( a nw ) is investigated using multiphase lattice-Boltzmann simulations of drainage and imbibition in a glass bead porous system. In order to validate the simulations, the P c – S w and a nw – S w main hysteresis loops were compared to experimental data reported by Culligan et al. [Culligan KA, Wildenschild D, Christensen BS, Gray WG, Rivers ML, Tompson AB. Interfacial area measurements for unsaturated flow through porous media. Water Resour Res 2004;40:W12413]. In general, the comparison shows that the simulations are reliable and capture the important physical processes in the experimental system. P c – S w curves, a nw – S w curves and phase distributions (within the pores) show good agreement during drainage, but less satisfactory agreement during imbibition. Drainage and imbibition scanning curves were simulated in order to construct P c – S w – a nw surfaces. The root mean squared error (RMSE) and mean absolute error (MAE) between drainage and imbibition surfaces was 0.10 mm−1 and 0.03 mm−1, respectively. This small difference indicates that hysteresis is virtually nonexistent in the P c – S w – a nw relationship for the multiphase system studied here. Additionally, a surface was fit to the main loop (excluding scanning curves) of the drainage and imbibition P c – S w – a nw data and compared to the surface fit to all of the data. The differences between these two surfaces were small (RMSE = 0.05 mm−1 and MAE = 0.01 mm−1) indicating that the P c – S w – a nw surface is adequately represented without the need for the scanning curve data, which greatly reduces the amount of data required to construct the non-hysteretic P c – S w – a nw surface for this data.
The in vitro biosynthesis of collagen in bovine heart valves

Abstract Bovine heart valves of different ages were incubated with l -proline-3H for the study of collagen biosynthesis. The synthesis of collagen in the heart valves, especially in the young, is quite active. The specific activity of hydroxyproline in collagen in all heart valves decreased with increasing age. The biosynthetic activity in the mitral valve was higher than in that of the other cardiac valves. The specific activity of hydroxyproline in the fibroblast-rich portion of the old bovine heart valve was comparatively higher than in the chondroblast-rich portion. With the in vitro system, radioactivity was detected in insoluble fibrous collagen in the heart valve. The effect of several chelating agents on collagen biosynthesis was studied. BAL, neocuproine, and a,a′-dipyridyl inhibited collagen biosynthesis completely at high concentrations (10−3, m ). On the other hand, EDTA and semicarbazide had very little effect.
Multigenerational analysis of temperature and salinity variability affects on metabolic rate, generation time, and acute thermal and salinity tolerance in Daphnia pulex

Abstract Climate change, sea level rise, and human freshwater demands are predicted to result in elevated temperature and salinity variability in upper estuarine ecosystems. Increasing levels of environmental stresses are known to induce the cellular stress response (CSR). Energy for the CSR may be provided by an elevated overall metabolic rate. However, if metabolic rate is constant or lower under elevated stress, energy for the CSR is taken from other physiological processes, such as growth or reproduction. This study investigated the examined energetic responses to the combination of temperature and salinity variability during a multigenerational exposure of partheogenetically reproducing Daphnia pulex. We raised D. pulex in an orthogonal combination of daily fluctuations in temperature (15, 15–25, 15–30 °C) and salinity (0, 0–2, 0–5). Initially metabolic rates were lower under all variable temperature and variable salinity treatments. By the 6th generation there was little metabolic variation among low and intermediate temperature and salinity treatments, but metabolic suppression persisted at the most extreme salinity. When grown in the control condition for the 6th generation, metabolic suppression was only observed in D. pulex from the most extreme condition (15–30 °C, 0–5 salinity). Generation time was influenced by acclimation temperature but not salinity and was quickest in specimens reared at 15–25 °C, likely due to Q10 effects at temperatures closer to the optima for D. pulex, and slowest in specimens reared at 15–30 °C, which may have reflected elevated CSR. Acute tolerance to temperature (LT50) and salinity (LC50) were both highest in D. pulex acclimated to 15–30 °C and salinity 0. LT50 and LC50 increased with increasing salinity in specimens raised at 15 °C and 15–25 °C, but decreased with increasing salinity in specimens raised at 15–30 °C. Thus, increasing temperature confers cross-tolerance to salinity stress, but the directionality of synergistic effects of temperature and salinity depend on the degree of environmental variability. Overall, the results of our study suggest that temperature is a stronger determinant of metabolism, growth, and tolerance thresholds, and assessment of the ecological impacts of environmental change requires explicit information regarding the degree of environmental variability.
Mass property variability of some estuarine sediments

Abstract Bottom sediments from two areas of the York River Estuary of southeastern Virginia were systematically sampled to depths of 40 cm and analyzed for their mass properties, i.e., water content, unit weight, and shearing strength. The samples fell into: (1) a coarse-grained group of clayey sands, silty sands, and sand—silt—clays; and (2) a fine-grained group of silty clays and clayey silts. Analysis of variance between both groups revealed distinct differences in the mass properties. Means, variances, and coefficients of variation for each parameter were determined and made possible a statistical characterization of each sediment type. The data presented may be used to predict expectable values of mass properties for similar sediments, having experienced similar depositional histories, e.g., from neighboring estuaries and Chesapeake Bay.
The Span of Collective Efficacy: Extending Social Disorganization Theory to Partner Violence

This research applies the social disorganization perspective on the neighborhood-level determinants of crime to partner violence. The analysis brings data from the 1990 Decennial Census together with data from the 1994–1995 Project on Human Development in Chicago Neighborhoods Community Survey, the 1994–1995 Chicago homicide data, and data from the 1995–1997 Chicago Health and Social Life Survey. The findings of this study indicate that collective efficacy—neighborhood cohesion and informal social control capacity—is negatively associated with both intimate homicide rates and nonlethal partner violence. Collective efficacy exerts a more powerful regulatory effect on nonlethal violence in neighborhoods where tolerance of intimate violence is low. Collective efficacy also increases the likelihood that women will disclose conflict in their relationships to various potential sources of support.
Determination of preferential rare earth adatom adsorption geometries on Si(001)

The adsorption patterns of rare earth atoms on Si(001) were investigated using scanning tunneling microscopy measurements and density functional calculations. Stable configurations were systematically determined via calculation of binding energies of various adatom coverage and adsorption geometry. Competition between inter-adatom hybridization and Coulomb repulsion is the mechanism contributing to binding energy minima associated with commonly observed rare earth adsorption geometries. Comparison of stable configurations with experimental scanning tunneling microscopy images demonstrated accuracy of the theoretical models. This paves a way for the understanding of self-assembly of rare earth disilicide nanowires on vicinal Si(001) substrates.
Hepatic Artery Pseudoaneurysm: A Report of Seven Cases and a Review of the Literature

To analyze seven cases of hepatic artery pseudoaneurysm (HAP) encountered at our hospital and review the relevant literature. We searched the computerized medical record database from January 1, 1996, to September 1, 2003, to identify all cases of HAP, which we then reviewed in detail, examining etiology, findings, laboratory data, therapeutic intervention, complications, and outcome. We then compared these findings with those reported in the literature. There were five cases of HAP among 18 015 trauma and surgical admissions to the University of California Irvine Medical Center, representing an incidence of 0.03%. There were an additional two cases of HAP among 200 orthotopic liver transplants (OLT). The five HAPs not associated with OLT were preceded by blunt abdominal trauma, liver biopsy, pancreatic pseudocyst, and polyarteritis nodosa, in one patient each, and there was no apparent cause in one patient. Two patients were treated by ligation, and the patients with post-OLT HAP underwent resection and replacement with saphenous bypass grafts. Successful embolization was performed in the other three patients. Hepatic artery pseudoaneurysm is a rare but dangerous complication of both acute surgical and chronic injury to the hepatic artery. However, early diagnosis and intervention can result in an excellent long-term outcome.
Writer adaptation in off-line Arabic handwriting recognition

Writer adaptation or specialization is the adjustment of handwriting recognition algorithms to a specific writer's style of handwriting. Such adjustment yields significantly improved recognition rates over counterpart general recognition algorithms. We present the first unconstrained off-line handwriting adaptation algorithm for Arabic presented in the literature. We discuss an iterative bootstrapping model which adapts a writer-independent model to a writer-dependent model using a small number of words achieving a large recognition rate increase in the process. Furthermore, we describe a confidence weighting method which generates better results by weighting words based on their length. We also discuss script features unique to Arabic, and how we incorporate them into our adaptation process. Even though Arabic has many more character classes than languages such as English, significant improvement was observed. The testing set consisting of about 100 pages of handwritten text had an initial average overall recognition rate of 67%. After the basic adaptation was finished, the overall recognition rate was 73.3%. As the improvement was most marked for the longer words, and the set of confidently recognized longer words contained many fewer false results, a second method was presented using them alone, resulting in a recognition rate of about 75%. Initially, these words had a 69.5% recognition rate, improving to about a 92% recognition rate after adaptation. A novel hybrid method is presented with a rate of about 77.2%.
Multiple substitution effects and three-dimensional nonlinear free-energy relationships in the electrochemical reduction of the N, N'-dibenzyl viologen and the 4-benzoyl-N-benzylpyridinium cation

The simultaneous effect of two substituents on the redox potentials, E1/2's, of N,N‘-di(p-substituted benzyl)viologens (1-X,Y) and of 4-(p-substituted benzoyl)-N-(p-substituted benzyl) pyridinium cations (2-X,Y), was investigated in terms of the substituent constants, σp-Xand σp-Y. Systems 1-X,Y and 2-X,Y were chosen because they both undergo successive outer sphere one electron (1-e) reductions, and therefore there is no ambiguity regarding the mechanism or the rate-determining step. Substituents (X and Y) were chosen among the −NO2, −Br, and −OCH3 groups in six different combinations for 1-X,Y's and nine different ones for 2-X,Y's. Response surfaces are essentially three-dimensional Hammett plots. Statistical analysis according to a quadratic model derived from the Taylor series expansion of the general extrathermodynamic relationship E1/2 = F(σp-X,σp-Y) that describes the dependence of E1/2's on the substituent constants shows that the substitution effect is not additive. Quite strong nonlinear terms a...
Extensional pluton-emplacement models: Do they work for large plutonic complexes?

Shallow-crustal to mid-crustal magma-emplacement models commonly rely on local or regional extension to solve the "room" problem. We argue that existing extensional models explain the emplacement of sheeted-dike complexes or internally layered plutons but are not as easily reconciled with the emplacement of elliptically shaped plutons or batholiths for the following reasons: (1) rock strengths and crustal stresses prevent large voids from existing at depth and therefore require wall-rock extension to be balanced by magma influx; (2) rates of extension are controlled by fault slip rates of millimetres to centimetres per year and thus require numerous small injections of magma; and (3) because of their sheetlike shapes and small thicknesses, these small magma injections will cool rapidly and form sheeted plutons or dike swarms. Extension may, however, facilitate emplacement of elliptically shaped plutons in concert with other mechanisms if certain kinematic constraints are satisfied.
Utility of Tissue Doppler and Strain Echocardiography in Arrhythmogenic Right Ventricular Dysplasia/Cardiomyopathy

Arrhythmogenic right ventricular dysplasia (ARVD) is a heritable cardiomyopathy characterized by the fibrofatty replacement of right ventricular (RV) myocardium leading to RV failure and arrhythmias. This study evaluated the potential utility of tissue Doppler echocardiography (TDE) and strain echocardiography (SE) to quantitatively assess RV function and their potential role in diagnosing ARVD. Images of 30 patients with ARVD (diagnosed by task force criteria) and 36 healthy controls were obtained. Peak systolic velocity, early diastolic velocity, displacement, strain rate, strain, outflow tract diameter, and fractional RV area change were measured in all subjects. Peak RV systolic velocity (6.4 +/- 2.2 vs 9 +/- 1.6 cm/s, p <0.0001), early diastolic velocity (-6.7 +/- 2.7 vs -9.4 +/- 2 cm/s, p <0.0001), displacement (13.7 +/- 5.8 vs 18.7 +/- 3.5 mm, p <0.0003), strain rate (-1 +/- 0.7 vs -2 +/- 1 s(-1), p = 0.002), and strain (-10 +/- 6% vs -28 +/- 11%, p = 0.001) were significantly lower in patients with ARVD compared with controls, respectively. Sensitivity and specificity, respectively, were 67% and 89% for systolic velocity, 77% and 71% for displacement, 73% and 87% for strain, 50% and 96% for strain rate, 53% and 93% for outflow tract diameter, and 47% and 83% for fractional area change. RV systolic velocity and displacement were significantly lower than in controls, even in the subset of patients with ARVD with apparently normal right ventricles by conventional echocardiography. Inter- and intraobserver agreement was high. In conclusion, TDE and SE enable the detection of ARVD via the quantification of RV function and may have potential clinical value in the assessment of patients with suspected ARVD. Peak RV systolic velocity <7.5 cm/s and peak RV strain <18% best identify patients with ARVD.
A novel analogue of clonidine with opiate-receptor agonist activity

Abstract A new analogue of the α2-adrenergic receptor ligand clonidine, N-(4-hydroxphenacetyl)-4-aminoclonidine, was synthesized. The analogue possesses opiate-receptor agonist activity in addition to α-adrenergic partial agonist activity. The analogue elicits inhibition of adenylate cyclase of NG108-15 neuroblastoma × glioma hybrid cells; most of the inhibition is reversed by the opiate-receptor antagonist naloxone. The analogue also inhibits the binding of [3H]D-Ala2-Met5-enkephalinamide and [3H]dihydromorphine to rat brain opiate receptors. The structure of the analogue suggests common elements in the ligand binding sites of α- and opiate receptors and may lead to a new class of opiate analgesics.
The adsorption of oxygen on gold

Abstract The oxidation of gold has been studied under UHV conditions by AES, XPS, and TDS. The previously reported adsorbed oxygen state, which formed by heating the sample above 600 K in 10−5 Torr of oxygen and which remained after subsequent heating to 1100 K in vacuo, has been shown to result from the reaction of oxygen with silicon diffusing from the bulk. No oxygen adsorption was detected on a clean sample for oxygen pressures up to 10−4 Torr and sample temperatures between 300–600 K. Chemisorption of oxygen atoms could be induced by placing a hot platinum filament close to the sample during exposure to oxygen. The activation energy for desorption of this oxygen state was estimated from the thermal desorption spectra to be about 163 kJ mol−1. The chemisorbed oxygen atoms and the oxygen associated with silicon were distinguished by different O(1s) binding energies (529.2 and 532.3 eV respectively) and by different O(KVV) Auger fine structure.
Inner-vertex contribution to the decay rate of orthopositronium

In this paper the order-..cap alpha.. contribution of the inner-vertex graph to the decay rate of orthopositronium is obtained in analytic form.
William Ellery Briggs: Pioneer of west coast ophthalmology

Abstract William Ellery Briggs was California's preeminent ophthalmologist for more than fifty years. A student of Ernst Fuchs, he was a clinician, scholar, and innovator who transplanted the best of European ophthalmology to the Western United States.
Near optimal regional investment using a simultaneous equation economic model

A region seeking development objectives should attempt to schedule public investment optimally between human resources and physical infrastructure. A regional growth model and a suitable objective function are presented. It is desired to calculate both the optimal public investment for nominal parameter values and the sensitivity of the optimal solution with respect to changes in parameter values. However, the system is not in state form, but is represented as a set of nonlinear simultaneous equations. For this case the necessary conditions for optimality are difficult to solve. The approach suggested here is to choose a nominal parameter value of economic significance for which the model may be put into state form. Then the existing optimally sensitive control algorithm may be used with some modifications to obtain a near optimal investment strategy for the simultaneous equation system when the parameter deviates from the nominal value. In general, the results indicate an emphasis on education and training expenditures. Sensitivity results indicate that the relative emphasis on long vs short run considerations (i.e. public investment vs consumption) depends on the growth rate parameters in the model.
THE SAFETY OF HYDROGEN IN SHUNT DETECTION.

The hazards of hydrogen as used for the detection of shunts has been studied under clinical conditions with the Standard Mine Safety Appliance Explosimeter and under additional simulated circumstances far more extreme than would ever be encountered in a catheterization laboratory. Because of the lightness of the gas and its ready diffusibility, explosive concentrations were transiently identified in small zones that were grossly different from those reportedly associated with "heavier than air" explosive gases. With its use in single inhalations for the identification of an intracardiac shunt and with allowances for a liberal safety factor, no explosive risk exists outside a conical envelope, which may be considered to extend 3 feet above, 6 inches below, and 12 inches laterally in all directions from the patient's mouth. Ordinary electronic apparatus, motor-driven syringes, and x-ray equipment, provided they are commonly grounded and outside this zone, require no explosive safety precautions in their use...
Design-specific path delay testing in lookup-table-based FPGAs

Due to the increased use of field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs) in production circuits with high reliability requirements, the design-specific testing of FPGAs has become an important topic for research. Path delay testing of FPGAs is especially important since path delay faults can render an otherwise fault-free FPGA unusable for a given design layout. This paper presents a new approach for FPGA path delay testing, which partitions target paths into subsets that are tested in the same test configuration. Each path is tested for all combinations of signal inversions along the path length. Each configuration consists of a sequence generator, response analyzer, and circuitry for controlling inversions along tested paths, all of which are formed from FPGA resources not currently under test. Two algorithms are presented for target-path partitioning to determine the number of required test configurations. The test circuitry associated with these methods is also described. The results of applying the methods indicate that our path-delay-testing approach requires seconds per design to cover all paths with delay within 10% of the critical path delay. The approach has been validated using Xilinx Virtex devices.
Historical perspectives-Robert S. Elliott's contributions

Summary form only given. R.S. Elliott's contributions to the study of electromagnetics are discussed, with particular attention given to his book Electromagnetics (1960) and his paper, 'Electromagnetic Theory as Hertz Would Have Known It'. The detailed historical presentation in Elliott's book is noted. >
Time domain analysis of sigma delta modulation

A time-domain analysis of sigma-delta modulation with linear filter decoding has been provided. The decoding operation of the 1-b output from a sigma-delta modulator can always be decomposed, and the final output of the decoding filter is the sum of signal term s/sub H/ and noise term n/sub H/. The exact form of s/sub H/ and n/sub H/ has been derived. Two typical sinc and since/sup 2/ digital decoding filters are studied. The only condition imposed on the input x/sub n/ is that x/sub n/ belongs to (-b,b), to avoid overloading the sigma-delta modulator. The results apply even to the case when the signal is not oversampled. >
Piezoelectric performance of piezoceramic-polymer composites with 2-2 connectivity-a combined theoretical and experimental study

The piezoelectric performance of piezoceramic-polymer composites with 2-2 connectivity at low frequency has been analyzed theoretically. Due to the elastic coupling between the ceramic and polymer phases, the strain components in directions perpendicular and parallel to the ceramic-polymer interface are not uniform in either phase. As a result, most of the stress transfer between the two phases occurs at the region near the surface of the composite. In order to improve the piezoelectric performance of a composite, the polymer matrix should have a small Young's modulus and a large shear modulus, and a large aspect ratio. It may be also desirable to have the polymer matrix made of two different polymers with the stiffer one near the surface and the softer one in the interior of the composite. To compare with the theoretical calculations, surface profiles of a series of 2-2 composites with different aspect ratios were measured, and the experimental results show excellent agreement with the theoretical calculations. The nonuniform strain and stress in the direction parallel to the ceramic-polymer interface of a composite were also confirmed by experiments. >