cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Commentary on Means v. United States Conference of Catholic Bishops

This chapter of FEMINIST JUDGMENTS: REWRITTEN HEALTH LAW OPINIONS (Seema Mohapatra and Lindsay F. Wiley, eds., forthcoming 2021) provides commentary on Leslie Griffin’s rewritten majority opinion in Means v. United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, 836 F.3d 643 (6th Cir. 2016). This commentary chapter complements the rewritten opinion, providing background material, analysis of the feminist judgment, and reflections on the implications of the feminist judgment for health law. Tamesha Means was eighteen weeks pregnant when she rushed to her local hospital suffering from a miscarriage. Similar to many women living outside of major metropolitan areas, the only hospital within a reasonable distance of Means’ residence was a Catholic-owned hospital which Means alleged mistreated her. Despite evidence that Means endured mistreatment as a result of Catholic entities’ health care directives, federal courts dismissed Means’ lawsuit against the religious entities. Leslie Griffin’s rewritten opinion brings a feminist perspective to bear on the broader problem of increasingly widespread assertions that objections based on “conscience” entitle health care providers to depart from appropriate standards of medical care and impose harms on vulnerable third parties. The feminist revision of Means not only exposes the inequitable impact on patient well-being of sectarian institutions’ medical care restrictions, but also insists that the law more broadly must safeguard the health of patients. While religious freedom remains an important principle, Griffin’s feminist judgment underscores that in any health care setting, freedom of conscience does not justify exemptions from legal and ethical standards of medical care that would inflict harm on unwitting patients.
Regional Implicit Bias Does Not Account for Racial Disparity in Total Joint Arthroplasty Utilization.

Abstract Background Racial disparities surrounding the utilization of total hip and total knee arthroplasty (THA, TKA) are well documented. The Implicit Association Test (IAT) is a validated tool used to measure implicit and explicit bias. The purpose of this study is to evaluate if variations in IAT scores by geographical region in the United States (US) correspond with regional variations in THA and TKA utilization by blacks compared to whites. Methods Data from the US Census and National Inpatient Sample from 2012 to 2014 were used to calculate THA and TKA utilization rates among Medicare-aged blacks and whites. Data were aggregated by US Census Bureau Division. Regional implicit bias was assessed by calculating a weighted average of IAT scores for each division. Results Across all geographic regions and years, the surveyed population demonstrated an implicit bias favoring whites over blacks. The population adjusted ratio of white-to-black utilization of THA and TKA by geographic division varied between 0.86-1.85 and 0.87-2.01, respectively. The difference in utilization between geographic divisions reached statistical significance (P Conclusion Implicit bias as measured by regional IAT did not reflect THA and TKA utilization disparities. The racial disparity in utilization of THA and TKA significantly varied between divisions. The observed disparity was greater in divisions with a relatively higher proportion of blacks. To the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study to evaluate the impact of implicit bias on utilization of THA and TKA.
Clinical Utility of Anti-Mullerian Hormone in Pediatrics.

CONTEXT Anti-Mullerian Hormone (AMH) was originally described in the context of sexual differentiation in the male fetus but has gained prominence now as a marker of ovarian reserve and fertility in females. In this mini review, we offer an updated synopsis on AMH and its clinical utility in pediatric patients. DESIGN AND RESULTS A systematic search was undertaken for studies related to the physiology of AMH, normative data and clinical role in pediatrics. In males, AMH, secreted by Sertoli cells, is found at high levels prenatally and throughout childhood and declines with progression through puberty to overlap with levels in females. Thus, serum AMH has clinical utility as a marker of testicular tissue in males with differences in sexual development, cryptorchidism and in the evaluation of persistent Mullerian duct syndrome. In females, serum AMH has been used as a predictive marker of ovarian reserve and fertility, but pre-pubertal and adolescent AMH assessments need to be interpreted cautiously. AMH is also a marker of tumor burden, progression, and recurrence in germ cell tumors of the ovary. CONCLUSIONS AMH has widespread clinical diagnostic utility in pediatrics but interpretation is often challenging and should be undertaken in the context of not only age and sex, but also developmental and pubertal stage of the child. Non-standardized assays necessitate the need for assay-specific normative data. The recognition of the role of AMH beyond gonadal development and maturation may usher in novel diagnostic and therapeutic applications that would further expand its utility in pediatric care.
Subinguinal versus peritesticular diameters of varicocele veins in the supine and standing posture

Objective: Scrotal CDUS is a standard investigation for varicocele patients, but it is not clear that which region should be considered as a standard. The aim of study was to determine that which region should be taken as a standard of measurement for varicocele veins. Methods: The study was conducted at the andro-urology clinic of a teaching hospital. Scrotal Color Doppler Ultrasound (CDUS) parameters were determined at subinguinal and peritesticular region in 35 varicocele patients. The data was collected as mean ± SD and compared using paired t test. Results: In supine position, the mean diameters of varicocele vein at peritesticular region (3.31mm ± 0.70) was compared with the mean diameters of varicocele vein at subinguinal region (2.94mm ± 0.52) and were found to be significantly greater (p < 0.01). The mean diameters of varicocele vein at peritesticular region, when measured in standing posture (3.65mm ± 0.77) was significantly greater (p < 0.01) than the mean diameters at subinguinal region (3.29mm ± 0.62). All varicocele patients had associated semen abnormalities but the diameter of varicocele veins had no significant correlation with semen abnormalities. Conclusion: The varicocele vein diameter at peritesticular region was found to be significantly greater than the sub-inguinal varicocele vein diameter in both lying and standing position. The diameters at peritesticular region may be routinely measured to reach at a better clinical decision. Continuous...
Machine learning models in the prediction of drug metabolism: Challenges and future perspectives.

Metabolism can be the underlying cause of drug adverse effects and diminished efficacy. Metabolic reactions in the human body, mediated mainly by enzymes, may transform the administered drug into m...
The Plural Nationality Revolution: Origins, Meaning, and Challenges

A century ago people considered dual nationality so disloyal that legal scholars compared it to bigamy. Today, an estimated 2.5 billion people live in countries that allow dual nationality. The number has quintupled since 1960. Having two passports is especially common in Europe, but is becoming more so in the Americas and in Asia. How did this shift happen? Why does dual nationality exist and what does it mean for citizenship today? In this paper I combine historical analysis and ethnography to show how the competition between three countries (Italy, Spain, and Italy) for the same immigrants over a hundred year period resulted in policies that in law or practice allow for dual nationality today. I will also show that the meaning of citizenship varies depending on the position of individuals and states relative to resources they value.
Information technology in action: trends and perspectives

Written by well-known industry participants, this book offers a unique presentation on the trends and perspectives of the information technology industry. It covers the ER approach; the object database in action; visual access systems; data quality management; and more.
DARPA'S EPIC program: electronic and photonic integrated circuits on Si

This paper discusses the goals and achievements of the electronic and photonic integrated circuits (EPIC) program, which exploits an extraordinary opportunity to create a seamless interface between electronics and photonics. EPIC chips find significant applications in communications, sensors, RF photonics, and wherever photonics and electronics intersect.
Magnetic Susceptibility and High Resolution NMR of Liquids and Solids

The sections in this article are 1 Introduction 2 Physical Origins of Susceptibility, Definitions, and Equations 3 Magnetic Susceptibility Effects in the High-Resolution NMR of Liquids 4 Magnetic Susceptibility Effects in Solid State NMR 5 Miscellaneous Considerations 6 Acknowledgements 7 Biographical Sketch Related Articles
Gender Differences in the Associations of PTSD Symptom Clusters With Relationship Distress in U.S. Vietnam Veterans and Their Partners

Research has consistently linked symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) with relationship distress in combat veterans and their partners. Studies of specific clusters of PTSD symptoms indicate that symptoms of emotional numbing/withdrawal (now referred to as negative alterations in cognition and mood) are more strongly linked with relationship distress than other symptom clusters. These findings, however, are based predominantly on samples of male veterans. Given the increasing numbers of female veterans, research on potential gender differences in these associations is needed. The present study examined gender differences in the multivariate associations of PTSD symptom clusters with relationship distress in 465 opposite-sex couples (375 with male veterans and 90 with female veterans) from the National Vietnam Veterans Readjustment Study. Comparisons of nested path models revealed that emotional numbing/withdrawal symptoms were associated with relationship distress in both types of couples. The strength of this association, however, was stronger for female veterans (b = .46) and female partners (b = .28), compared to male veterans (b = .38) and male partners (b = .26). Results suggest that couples-based interventions (e.g., psychoeducation regarding emotional numbing symptoms as part of PTSD) are particularly important for both female partners of male veterans and female veterans themselves.
Fall movements of Red-headed Woodpeckers in South Carolina

Fall migration of Red-headed Woodpeckers (Melanerpes erythrocephalus) can be erratic, with departure rates, directions, and distances varying among populations and individuals. We report fall migration departure dates, rates, and routes, and the size of fall home ranges of 62 radio-tagged Red-headed Woodpeckers in western South Carolina. Rates of fall migration differed among years; all radio-tagged woodpeckers migrated in 2005 (15 of 15), none (0 of 23) migrated in 2006, and 54.2% (13 of 24) migrated in 2007. Of 28 woodpeckers that left their breeding territories, we relocated eight either en route or on their fall home ranges. These woodpeckers migrated short distances (4.3-22.2 km) south along the floodplain forest of a large creek. The variable migration patterns we observed indicate that Red-headed Woodpeckers may best be described as facultative migrants. We determined the home range sizes of 13 woodpeckers in both seasons, regardless of whether they migrated, and fall homerangesweresmaller(mean =1.12ha)thansummerhomeranges(mean =3.23ha).Fall-wintermovementsof Red-headed Woodpeckers were concentrated on mast-producing oak (Quercusspp.) trees, which may have restricted home range sizes. The partial migration we observed in 2007 suggests that factors other than mast crop variability may also influence migration patterns because woodpeckers that year responded to the same annual mast crop in different ways, with some migrating and some remaining on breeding season home ranges during the fall. RESUMEN. Movimientos de Melanerpes erythrocephalus durante el oto˜ no en Carolina
Characterization of a family of related cellular transcription factors which can modulate human immunodeficiency virus type 1 transcription in vitro.

Abstract LBP-1 is a cellular protein which binds strongly to sequences around the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) initiation site and weakly over the TATA box. We have previously shown that LBP-1 represses HIV-1 transcription by inhibiting the binding of TFIID to the TATA box. Four similar but distinct cDNAs encoding LBP-1 (LBP-1a, -b, -c, and -d) have been isolated. These are products of two related genes, and each gene encodes two alternatively spliced products. Comparison of the amino acid sequence of LBP-1 with entries in the available protein data bases revealed the identity of LBP-1c to alpha-CP2, an alpha-globin transcription factor. These proteins are also homologous to Drosophila melanogaster Elf-1/NTF-1, an essential transcriptional activator that functions during Drosophila embryogenesis. Three of the recombinant LBP-1 isoforms show DNA binding specificity identical to that of native LBP-1 and bind DNA as a multimer. In addition, antisera raised against recombinant LBP-1 recognize native LBP-1 from HeLa nuclear extract. Functional analyses in a cell-free transcription system demonstrate that recombinant LBP-1 specifically represses transcription from a wild-type HIV-1 template but not from an LBP-1 mutant template. Moreover, LBP-1 can function as an activator both in vivo and in vitro, depending on the promoter context. Interestingly, one isoform of LBP-1 which is missing the region of the Elf-1/NTF-1 homology is unable to bind DNA itself and, presumably through heteromer formation, inhibits binding of the other forms of LBP-1, suggesting that it may function as a dominant negative regulator.
Occurrence of Clostridium difficile toxin during the course of inflammatory bowel disease

Abstract Clostridium difficile toxin, the presumed mechanism of antibiotic-associated pseudomembranous colitis, has been suggested as a contributory factor to mucosal injury in inflammatory bowel disease. We evaluated its incidence and apparent role in 65 consecutive patients with diarrheal and inflammatory bowel diseases. Toxin was demonstrated in 3 of 18 patients with ulcerative colitis (17%), 1 of 26 with Crohn's colitis (4%), and 5 of 21 with a variety of diarrheal illnesses (24%). Toxin appeared only in those who had been exposed to antimicrobials within 2 mo. In inflammatory bowel disease, presence of toxin was not correlated with disease severity. We conclude that Clostridium difficile toxin appears only in patients exposed to antimicrobials and is unlikely to be a significant contributory factor in inflammatory bowel disease.
Automated wafer lot approval: A statistically based implementation

A statistical process control (SPC) based tool for automated wafer lot approval has been developed and successfully implemented. This paper detail the prerequisites implemented prior to automated wafer lot approval, discuss the statistical methods and software implementation used to automate the disposition of each wafer, and present a study of that tool's approval effectiveness on two products; one with low test yield variance and one with high test yield variance. Due to the mixed results of the initial implementation, additional methods of increasing the approval effectiveness are detailed. >
A problem in online interpersonal skills training: do learners practice skills?

One problem found when teaching interpersonal skills online is learners’ lack of opportunity for skill practice. The online learning environment is deficient in face‐to‐face interaction, and opport...
"it's in your spinal cord, it's in your fingertips": practices of tools and craft in building software

Drawing on interviews with 12 software engineers, we investigate the relationship between developers and the tools they use to build code through the lens of craft. We analyze different conceptualizations of craft in accounts of software development, including craft as a process of building, craft as materiality, and craft as a community of practice. By working through these different facets of craft, we investigate tensions of perceiving coding work as, on the one hand, highly rational, and on the other, deeply personal and embodied. In working through these tensions of code as abstract and concrete, cerebral and intuitive, we note implications for craft, both as a theory relevant to computer human interaction, and for paradigms of education in computer science.
Port-A-Cath insertions in acute leukemia: does thrombocytopenia affect morbidity?

Abstract Background Unnecessary delay of insertion of Port-A-Cath indwelling venous catheters in thrombocytopenic patients may result from fear of potential morbidity. This study sought to compare the morbidity of Port-A-Cath insertions in acute leukemic patients with platelet counts below and above 50 × 10 9 /L. Method Incidence and profile of catheter-related bloodstream infections (CRBSIs) and other complications were determined in 80 consecutive Port-A-Cath insertions in pediatric patients with acute leukemia from January 2002 to December 2004. Subgroup analysis was performed for patients with platelet levels below and above the recommended safe level of 50 × 10 9 /L. Results Twenty-two (27.5%) patients had insertions performed at platelet levels below the recommended level (median, 35.3; range, 10-49 × 10 9 /L); postoperative counts were correspondingly higher (median, 66.0; range, 20-207 × 10 9 /L) with perioperative platelet transfusion. Catheter-related bloodstream infection incidence was similar in patients with platelets less than and greater than the recommended threshold (18.2% vs 17.2%, respectively), and likewise for CRBSIs encountered in the immediate 30 postoperative days (4.6% and 5.2%, respectively). Only 2 episodes of postoperative bleeding occurred, both in the group with platelet counts greater than 50 × 10 9 /L, with an equally low incidence of other local and mechanical complications in both subgroups. Patient demographics and other preoperative blood parameters did not differ significantly. Conclusion Preoperative thrombocytopenia was not associated with increased incidence of postoperative complications for Port-A-Cath insertions in acute leukemic children.
Are benign cellular changes on a Papanicolaou smear really benign? A prospective cohort study.

Objectives To determine the underlying prevalence of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) in women with benign cellular changes on a Papanicolaou smear, and to evaluate follow-up strategies to identify women at high risk for serious underlying pathology. Methods Nonpregnant women aged 18 to 75 years with benign cellular changes on a Papanicolaou smear were recruited from primary care clinics of an urban teaching hospital. The subjects (N = 132) were tested at baseline for the presence of human papillomavirus using the polymerase chain reaction technique, and underwent repeated cervicovaginal smears at 3, 6, and 9 months. At 12 months colposcopy was performed. The main study outcome was the proportion of subjects with CIN as determined by colposcopic biopsy specimens. We determined the sensitivity, specificity, and predictive values of historical risk factor information, human papillomavirus testing, and repeated cervicovaginal smears for the detection of CIN. Results Cervical intraepithelial neoplasia was found in 30 of 132 women, of whom 27 (20%) had low-grade CIN (CIN I) and 3 (2%) had high-grade CIN (CIN II). Underlying CIN was significantly more common in women younger than 35 years or who had a history of Trichomonas infection or venereal warts, a positive human papillomavirus test result, or abnormal follow-up smears. However, no follow-up strategy combined high sensitivity with a low referral rate for colposcopy. Conclusions The prevalence of underlying high-grade CIN in women with benign cellular changes is low. However, further prospective studies in other settings are needed before routine follow-up can unequivocally be recommended.
Ca2+ Sparks and Their Function in Human Cerebral Arteries

Background and Purpose — Local Ca2+ release events (Ca2+ sparks) caused by the opening of ryanodine-sensitive Ca2+ channels in the sarcoplasmic reticulum have been suggested to oppose constriction in cerebral arteries through the activation of large-conductance Ca2+-activated K+ (BK) channels. We report the first identification and characterization of Ca2+ sparks and associated BK channel currents in smooth muscle cells isolated from human cerebral arteries. Methods — Membrane currents and intracellular Ca2+ were measured with the use of the patch-clamp technique and laser scanning confocal microscopy. Results — Ca2+ sparks with a peak fractional fluorescence change (F/F) of 2.02±0.04 and size of 8.2±0.5 μm2 (n=108) occurred at a frequency of approximately 1 Hz in freshly isolated, cerebral artery myocytes from humans. At a holding potential of −40 mV, the majority of, but not all, Ca2+ sparks (61 of 85 sparks) were associated with transient BK currents. Consistent with a role for Ca2+ sparks in the control of cerebral artery diameter, agents that block Ca2+ sparks (ryanodine) or BK channels (iberiotoxin) were found to contract human cerebral arteries. Conclusions — This study provides evidence for local Ca2+ signaling in human arterial myocytes and suggests that these events may play an important role in control of cerebral artery diameter in humans.
Lateral mobility of FcγRIIa is reduced by protein kinase C activation

The lateral mobility of membrane proteins can reflect the extent of various protein-protein interactions. Using the fluorescence recovery after photobleaching technique, we have studied the lateral mobility of human FcγRIIa and some FcγRIIa mutants expressed in either P388D1 cells, a mouse macrophagelike cell line, or in Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells [1]. After treatment with phorbol myristate acetate (PMA), only the FcγRIIa molecules capable of mediating rapid endocytosis of immune complexes exhibited a reduced lateral diffusion coefficient with respect to untreated controls. Wild type FcγRIIa expressed in CHO cells, and nonfunctional FcγRIIa mutants expressed in P388D1 cells did not show any differences upon PMA treatment. This finding suggests that protein kinase C activation evokes additional protein-protein interactions with the cytoplasmic domain of functional FcγRIIa, which reduced receptor lateral mobility. The identity of these putative interacting proteins and the nature of the interactions remain to be elucidated.
Ethical Dilemmas and Seismic Design

Abstract Most research in the ongoing effort to improve building seismic safety has been devoted to improving building code methodology by refining the techniques of analysis and prediction of seismic forces. This agenda has left little room for the observation that how the code is regarded and interpreted by structural designers may have as much to do with overall seismic safety as do the code's written provisions. The purpose of this investigation is to look at both how the seismic code is viewed by practicing professional engineers and explore a range of ethical dilemmas entailed by interpreting the code. In conclusion, a case is made to consider interpretation of the seismic code to be an ethical, as well as technical matter; one that can be successfully addressed by a community of professionals acting together.
Functional integral for the molecular polaron with q2 coupling.

The density matrix of a two-state electronic system coupled quadratically to an oscillator is expressed as functional integrals over commuting and anticommuting (Grassmann) elements satisfying one-sided boundary conditions. The functional integral over the oscillator coordinates is evaluated in closed form, and the resultant electronic integral which contains effective retarded interactions is evaluated in the semiclassical approximation. In the case of physical interest, N=1, we find that the semiclassical approximation already incorporates the essential physical features of the exact solution, for all values of the interaction strength and of the temperature.
A new method for specific cleavage of megabase-size chromosomal DNA by λ-terminase

The development of methods for cleavage of DNA at specific site(s) that are widely spaced would facilitate physical mapping of large genomes. Several methods for rare and specific cleavage of chromosomal DNAs require a nearly complete methylation of a given type of restriction site except the one that is specifically protected. It is expected that as the target DNA increases in length, it will become less likely to achieve nearly complete methylation. The intron-encoded endonucleases may also provide a capability to cleave megabase-sized DNA segments due to their very large recognition sequences. However, there are endogenous cleavage sites in the chromosomes of most organisms. We present here a new method to specifically cleave intact chromosomal DNA using lambda-terminase. A plasmid containing two specific cleavage sites (cohesive-end sites) for lambda-terminase was specifically introduced into the E.coli genome and into chromosome V of S.cerevisiae. Chromosomal DNA was prepared from the resulting strains, and then cleaved with lambda-terminase. The results showed that the 4.7-megabase pair (Mb) circular E.coli chromosome and the 0.58-Mb linear yeast chromosome V were specifically cleaved at the desired sites with very high efficiencies. The approach of using the lambda-terminase cleavage reaction is a simple one-step procedure with a high specificity which is particularly suitable for mapping very large genomes of eucaryotes.
The relationship between body height extremes and the conditioned patellar tendon reflex response

The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of extreme body heights on the conditioned patellar tendon reflex response in an attempt to differentiate between the contributions of supraspinal and spinal mechanisms on long-latency reflex facilitation. Unilateral and conditioned right patellar tendon reflexes were assessed in 10 extremely short males and females and 10 extremely tall males and females. The conditioning stimulus was a contralateral patellar tendon tap and the conditioning intervals were 10, 15, 25, 50, 60, 75, 100, 150, and 300 ms. There was a long-latency facilitation of quadriceps excitability beginning at the 75 ms conditioning interval regardless of the height of the subject. It is hypothesized that the similar conditioned patellar tendon recovery profiles in the extremely short subjects and the extremely tall subjects reflects the activation of a spinal polysynaptic pathway as the predominant mechanism for our long-latency reflex facilitation.
Use of pattern-recognition techniques to analyze chromatographic data

Abstract A pattern-recognition technique has been established using a new class or orthogonal polynomials, developed by Cohen. The method is based on a supervised learning approach, and allows classification of data into two or more categories. In this paper, the usefulness of the method in the analysis of chromatographic data is illustrated by its application to the diagnosis of bacterial infection of patients with liver disorders by use of chromatograms obtained from ascitic fluid withdrawn from the patients.
Bridging Generations: Understanding Pathogenesis Leads to New Infectious Diseases Therapies and Diagnostics—Introduction and Dedication

Merigan and represents the proceedings from a symposium entitled, "Bridging Generations Toward an Understanding of Infectious Disease Pathogenesis, A Festschrift Honoring Thomas Merigan," which was held on 27 August 2004 at the Clark Center for Biomedical Engineering and Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California. Each of the speakers was a student, fellow, or contemporary collaborator, representing more than 4 decades of Tom's contributions to medical science. The day also marked a milestone in Tom's career, his transition to active emeritus status at Stanford.
New 40Ar/39Ar age determinations and paleomagnetic results bearing on the tectonic and magmatic history of the northern Madison Range and Madison Valley region, southwestern Montana, U.S.A.

Detailed 40 Ar/ 39 Ar dating and paleomagnetic analysis of dacite porphyry sills and dikes that intrude Cretaceous sedimentary rocks in the northern Madison Range in southwestern Montana show that Laramide shortening was essentially complete by ∼69 Ma. A negative paleomagnetic fold test indicates that Laramide folding occurred before cooling of the dacite sills and dikes at ∼69 Ma. Laramide deformation began synchronous with deposition of the Livingston Formation rocks at ∼79 Ma. These results are consistent with previous observations in the region that show the onset of Laramide deformation in the northern Rocky Mountains becoming progressively younger toward the east. 40 Ar/ 39 Ar dating of additional igneous rocks in the northern Madison Valley and around Norris, Montana better define post-Laramide tectonomagmatic events in the region, including Eocene–Oligocene volcanism and Basin and Range crustal extension. Dates from three rhyolitic intrusions near Red Mountain are between 48.71 ± 0.18 Ma and 49.42 ± 0.18 Ma, similar to the dates from basal silicic flows of the Virginia City volcanic field (part of the southwest Montana volcanic province), suggesting that the Red Mountain intrusions may have been the sources for some of the early extrusive rocks. Magmatism in the Virginia City volcanic field became generally more mafic with time, and a ∼30-Ma basalt flow near Norris is considered a late, outlying member of the volcanic field. A tuff along the east side of the Madison Valley half graben yielded a early middle Miocene date (16.2 ± 0.19 Ma), suggesting that accelerated crustal extension and associated rapid basin sedimentation probably began in the early Miocene, slightly earlier than previous estimates.
Divalent Lanthanide Metal Complexes of a Triazacyclononane-Functionalized Tetramethylcyclopentadienyl Ligand: X-ray Crystal Structures of [C5Me4SiMe2(iPr2-tacn)]LnI (Ln = Sm, Yb; tacn = 1,4-Diisopropyl-1,4,7-triazacyclononane)

The synthesis and characterization of divalent lanthanide complexes of a triazacyclononane-functionalized tetramethylcyclopentadienyl ligand are described. Addition of LnI 2 (THF) 2 (Ln = Sm, Yb; THF = tetrahydrofuran) to [C 5 Me 4 SiMe 2 ( i Pr 2 -tacn)]K (tacn = 1,4-diisopropyl-1,4,7-triazacyclononane) in THF yields the monomeric organolanthanides [C 5 Me 4 SiMe 2 ( i Pr 2 -tacn)]SmI (1) and [C 5 Me 4 SiMe 2 ( i Pr 2 -tacn)]YbI (2). The crystal structures of 1 and 2 have been determined.
Laminar organization of the extraocular muscles of the rabbit.

The functional organization of the inferior rectus muscle of the rabbit was studied with electrophysiological, mechanical, and anatomical techniques. The activity of single inferior rectus muscle fibers was recorded with a microelectrode while the isometric force of the inferior rectus muscle was modulated by vestibuloocular reflex activation. The active isometric force of the inferior rectus muscle at which a muscle fiber was recruited into activity was defined as the recruitment threshold for that particular muscle fiber. Recruitment thresholds were measured for 100 muscle fibers. Fibers with low recruitment thresholds were scattered throughout the inferior rectus, but concentrated most densely in the orbital rim. Multiple-unit recordings at various depths within the inferior rectus muscle demonstrated an almost exclusive activity of the orbital rim fibers at active isometric forces of less than 1 g. The development of active tension in the orbital layer of a surgically divided inferior rectus muscle precedes the development of tension in the nonorbital layer. Histochemically, the orbital layer of the inferior rectus muscle has a high oxidative metabolism as evinced by succinic dehydrogenase, diphosphopyridine nucleotide diaphorase, and acid-preincubated ATPase stains. The entire inferior rectus muscle stained intensely for ATPase with alkali preincubation. An analysis of serial cross sections of the inferior rectus muscle near its insertion revealed that the fibers of the orbital rim have the most lateral and the most anterior insertions. These data suggest that muscle fibers of the orbital rim of the inferior rectus muscle maintain the stability of the eye during horizontal eye movements by moving the “effective insertion” of the muscle in the opposite direction to the movement of the “anatomic insertion.”
Phosphorus status affects postharvest respiration, membrane permeability and lipid chemistry of European seedless cucumber fruit (Cucumis sativus L.)

Fruit of European seedless cucumber were grown in a greenhouse under low and high phosphorus (P) fertilization regimes. Tissue P concentration of fruit (number one grade) from low-P plants was, on average, 45% of that of fruit from high-P plants. Fruit P status affected membrane lipid chemistry and fruit respiration after harvest. Mesocarp tissue of low-P fruit had a lower concentration of phospholipids, lower level of unsaturation in various pools of fatty acids, and a greater rate of electrolyte leakage than that of high-P fruit. On average, respiration of low-P fruit was 21% higher than that of high-P fruit over a 16-day postharvest interval at 23°C. Moreover, low-P fruit experienced a climacteric in respiration that began about 40 h after harvest, reached a maximum at 72 h, and declined to preclimacteric levels by 90 h. The difference in respiration rate between low- and high-P fruit was as high as 57% during the climacteric. The respiratory climacteric was unique to the low-P fruit and was not associated with an increase in fruit ethylene concentration or ripening. Phosphorus nutrition can thus alter the postharvest physiology of cucumber fruit by affecting membrane lipid chemistry, membrane integrity and respiratory metabolism.
System-level impact of chip-level failure mechanisms and screens

This paper provides an overview of chip-level failure mechanisms and test screens. Emphasis is placed on detectability of defect mechanisms by chip-level test, trends that affect failure mechanisms and screens, and resulting implications for system-level yield and reliability.
COMMENTARY ON “EMPIRICAL AND ETHICAL PROBLEMS WITH CUSTODY RECOMMENDATIONS:” WHAT NOW?

Replying to the paper by Tippins and Wittmann, this commentary notes that the problems they identify have been recognized for many years, yet this has resulted in little change in the practice of child custody evaluations. Three underlying reasons are offered for the stalemate that frustrates the implementation of standards for an empirically based child custody evaluation practice: (a) the economics of child custody evaluation practice; (b) inconsistencies between proposals to restrict testimony in this area and the lack of similar restrictions in most other areas of forensic practice; and (c) inadequate motivation for researchers who might contribute an empirical base for child custody evaluations. Directions for breaking the stalemate are offered for each of these problems.
Carbon molecular sieve supports for metal catalysts – I. Preparation of the system — platinum supported on polyfurfuryl alcohol carbon

Abstract A shape-selective carbon molecular sieve support-platinum catalyst system has been prepared by carbonizing polyfurfuryl alcohol (PFA) containing small amounts of chloroplatinic acid. Although the resulting coke behaves as a 4A molecular sieve, grinding to a particle size of about 50μ allows appreciable adsorption of n-butane, due to the shortened diffusion distance for gaseous adsorbate molecules. The same effect, that is conversion to a 5A sieve, can be produced by addition of an activated carbon filler to the partially-polymerized PFA, thereby causing the formation of macrocracks during carbonization which serve as diffusion pathways. The most important variable in the preparation is the PFA to filler ratio. Varying this ratio allows materials of different surface area and molecular sieve properties to be prepared.
Optical high resolution cross section imaging of a human breast model using independent component analysis

ABSTRACT Optical imaging using independent component analysis (OPTICA) is enhanced to provide a high resolution cross sectionimaging of objects in a turbid medium by a backprojection technique. The performance is demonstrated by imaging ahuman breast model made of ex vivo human breast tissues. Cancerous site of 5mm size is detected at the midplane of the33mm thick breast model. The reconstructedcross section image compares favorablywith pathologyÞndings.Keywords: optical imaging, independentcomponentanalysis, cross section, human breast 1. INTRODUCTION Biomedical diffuse optical tomography(DOT) has received signiÞcant attention and development in the past two decadesand has been applied to image, such as, human breast, infant brain and joints. The state of art diffuse optical tomographycurrently relies on an iterative image reconstruction approach to construct the optical properties of the interior of themedium. This approach is computationally demanding yet provides limited spatial resolution.
Natural states and past-determinism of general time systems

The concepts of natural state and past-determinism are given for general time systems, i.e., systems whose input-output pairs are ordered pairs of abstract functions defined on a linearly ordered set. It is shown that every general time system has a causal realization; however, only the past-determined systems have causal realizations such that the state can be identified by observing the past input and output over a sufficient inteval of time. Such identifiable states, the natural states, are shown to be unique up to an isomorphism and characterized by equivalence classes of input-output pairs.
Dynamic studies on the charging of spacers for high‐voltage field‐emission displays

— In this article, a systematic study on the relationship between the rate of spacer surface-charge accumulation and the anode voltages in a dynamic setting is presented. The spacers are placed in a test package simulating a field-emission panel where electron trajectories are recorded along a preset timeline. True secondary emission of spacers under the influence of an anode field is then deduced and the factors affecting the rate of charge accumulation on the spacer surface are discussed. The results of invisible spacers under different operating conditions of anode voltage, emission current, and pulse width will also be given.
Similarities and differences among the P3 waves to detected signals in three modalities.

Event-related brain potentials were recorded from the scalp while subjects detected visual, auditory, and somatosensory stimuli presented near threshold. The waveforms were characterized by large, late-positive (P3) waves to signal detections in all three modalities. The scalp distributions of these P3s revealed no substantial differences among the three modalities. There were, however, reliable latency and amplitude differences, with the P3 to visual signals occurring later than to somatic (Study 1) or to auditory (Study 2) signals. Further, the P3s to detected visual signals were substantially larger than those to auditory or somatosensory signals. Taken together, the data suggest that P3 waves to all modalities arise from a common neural generating system but that visual signals access this system in a different fashion from the other modalities.
Continuous glucose monitoring in managing diabetes in children

Continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) devices have now been added to the repertoire of technological devices useful in the management of patients with diabetes. In this issue, Schiaffini and colleagues confirm and extend published data describing the benefits of CGM in diabetic children. Specifically, such monitoring enables clinicians to detect occult hypoglycemia not otherwise discernable with intermittent testing of blood glucose. Although results of monitoring are not yet available in real time, the data can be used to adjust insulin regimens to allow more effective glycemic control. This is especially important in the pediatric population for whom strict glycemic control has traditionally been limited owing to concerns about the negative effects of hypoglycemia on the developing central nervous system. Additionally, postprandial hyperglycemia can be more readily detected and controlled. CGM provides new and important informaton not necessarily provided by measurement of HbA1c, and will likely prove an indispensable adjunct to diabetes care. Finally, this procedure has potential applications in the diagnosis and management of patients with other metabolic disorders. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Imaging Acute Cardiac Cell Death: Temporal and Spatial Distribution of 99mTc-Labeled C2A in the Area at Risk After Myocardial Ischemia and Reperfusion

The exposure of anionic phospholipids is a near-universal molecular signature for cell death. Based on our prior finding that the 99mTc-labeled C2A domain of synaptotagmin I accumulates intensely in the area at risk, this study quantitatively characterized the temporal and spatial distribution of the radiotracer in a rat model of myocardial ischemia and reperfusion. Methods: Myocardial ischemia and reperfusion were induced by occlusion of the left anterior descending coronary artery in rats. The temporal uptake of the labeled fusion protein of C2A and glutathione-s-transferase (C2A-GST) in the area at risk was investigated by intravenously injecting the radiotracer at 0, 1, 3, 6, and 24 h after reperfusion, and the radioactivity uptake was quantified by γ-counting of infarcted and ischemic noninfarcted cardiac tissues. Alternatively, the radiotracer was injected at 2 h after reperfusion, and the uptake was measured at 1, 3, 6, and 24 h after injection. In vivo planar imaging was performed on a γ-camera using a parallel-hole collimator. The distribution of radioactivity was qualitatively examined by autoradiography. The relationship between the uptake of the radiotracer in the area at risk and the ischemic duration was examined by γ-counting. Results: Temporally, the radioactivity uptake in the area at risk maximized when the radiotracer was injected before 3 h after reperfusion. Injections at 6 and 24 h after reperfusion resulted in a 30% and 50% reduction in uptake, respectively. However, when the injection was done early (2 h after reperfusion), the tracer was retained in the area at risk with little washout for at least 24 h. Spatially prominent hot-spot uptake was seen in all cases of planar imaging. In autoradiography, the distribution of radioactivity predominantly coregistered with the infarcted regions. This distribution profile was confirmed by direct γ-counting. In addition, the absolute radiotracer uptake in the infarcted and ischemic noninfarcted tissues, in terms of percentage injected dose per gram, was independent of the ischemic duration. Conclusion:99mTc-C2A-GST has an uptake profile in the area at risk that is appropriate for imaging cardiac cell death in the acute phase.
Moving on land: an explanation of pedometer counts in children

The pedometer has become a popular instrument to measure physical activity in humans. The pedometer records physical activity as a simple, raw measure of ambulatory movement: the number of steps taken. Two fundamental questions of the use of the pedometer in pediatric research are: How many steps do children take in a day? How many steps should children accumulate on a daily basis? This raises the question: is 13,000 steps the same amount of physical activity in a 6-year-old and a 12-year-old, given the difference in body size and stride length? Although previous authors have concluded that the number of steps taken is an equivalent amount of physical activity in children regardless of body size, the conclusion has not been explained by a scientific rationale or on an empirical basis depending on the energetics and mechanics of terrestrial locomotion and body size. One approach to explain this question is allometric scaling, which has long been utilized by comparative physiologists to show the relationships between body size and locomotion in animals from shrews to elephants. The aim of this paper was to use allometric equations, examples from comparative mammalian physiology, and results from previous papers that have examined the cost of locomotion in children to provide a better understanding of the interpretation of the pedometer in pediatric research. We show that empirically derived results confirm to allometric equations that consider the relationship between body size and terrestrial locomotion to cover a given distance at a given speed. Thus, the number of steps taken and the energy expended for a particular task is greater in smaller children. However, if the cost of locomotion is related to one step, animals tend to be equally economical, whether large or small. Therefore, the number of steps taken as measured by a pedometer may be interpreted as an equivalent level of physical activity between a 6-year-old and a 12-year-old, if taken at the same speed. However, the locomotor activities in daily life consist of walking and running up- and downhill, carrying loads, and at varying speeds or work intensities, and this exemplifies the limitations of the pedometer. In conclusion, this paper provides a better understanding of the interpretation of pedometer counts and highlights that the findings depend on the expression of physical activity.
Modification of Alkanethiolate Self-Assembled Monolayers by Atomic Hydrogen: Influence of Alkyl Chain Length

The interaction of atomic hydrogen with four alkanethiolate self-assembled monolayers (SAMs), octadecanethiolate, hexadecanethiolate, dodecanethiolate, and nonanethiolate, has been studied in situ, using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Atomic hydrogen reactions with gold−sulfur bonds result in sulfur desorption and the formation of new sulfur species within the film. The loss of sulfur from each SAM exhibits first-order kinetics with a rate constant that decreases with increasing alkyl chain length. This supports the idea that sulfur desorption is controlled by the diffusion of atomic hydrogen through the alkyl chains to the film/substrate interface. In the two shorter chain SAMs, sulfur and carbon desorption is rapid and concerted. This indicates that the modification of dodecanethiolate and nonanethiolate SAMs is dominated by desorption of intact adsorbate chains and alkyl sulfur fragments formed by atomic hydrogen reactions at the film/substrate interface. For octadecanethiolate and hexadecanethiolat...