cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Interactive 2D And 3D Object Definition In Medical Images Based On Multiresolution Image Descriptions

We present means of interactive definition of anatomic objects in medical images via a description of the image in terms of visually sensible regions. The description is produced by computing structures capturing image geometry and following them through the image simplification of Gaussian blurring. In particular, we suggest that the structure made from intensity "ridge" and "course" curves defined by the locus of intensity level curve vertices, augmented by the pile of internal and external symmetric axes of these level curves, satisfies desirable criteria for a structure on which to base such object definition.
Charge-Density-Wave Transport in Ta S 3

We report the observation of strongly nonlinear conductivity with a sharp threshold field and a giant dielectric constant in the charge-density-wave state of Ta${\mathrm{S}}_{3}$. We argue that these properties reflect the dynamical behavior of the charge-density-wave condensate, and compare the observed behavior with the properties of Nb${\mathrm{Se}}_{3}$.
Multichannel parametrization of $\pi N$ scattering amplitudes and extraction of resonance parameters

We present results of a new multichannel partial-wave analysis for $\overline{K}N$ scattering in the center-of-mass (c.m.) energy range from 1480 to 2100 MeV. Resonance parameters were extracted by fitting partial-wave amplitudes from all considered channels using a multichannel parametrization that is consistent with $S$-matrix unitarity. The resonance parameters are generally in good agreement with predictions of the Koniuk-Isgur quark model.
The effects of onset and offset warning and post-target stimuli on the saccade latency of children and adults

Two studies, involving children (mean age = 10 years) and adults, investigated the effects of visual stimulus onsets and offsets on the latency of saccades to peripheral targets. Saccade latency was reduced when foveal stimulus onsets or offsets preceded the target. When stimulus onset occurred 100 msec after target onset, the stimulus interfered with responding, with this interference effect significantly greater for children than for adults. When stimuli were presented in the peripheral visual field facilitation and interference effects were similar for children and adults. These results were interpreted as indicating that oculomotor processes are similar in children and adults while the stimulus intake processes that follow stimulus onset at the point of fixation have a greater interference effect on children's than on adults' eye movements.
Beta-adrenergic receptors and mechanisms in asthma : The new long-acting beta-agonists

ABSTRACT The objective is to review β-adrenergic receptors and mechanisms in the immediate and late bronchial reaction in asthma and the new long-acting β-agonist. This will be discussed in light of the controversy of the potential adverse effect of regular use of long-acting β-agonists. We studied the effect of formoterol on the late asthmatic response (LAR) and airway inflammation in guinea-pigs. Formoterol suppressed the LAR, antigen-induced airway inflammation and hyperresponsiveness, although isoproterenol failed to inhibit these parameters. β-Adrenergic hyporesponsiveness, and cholinergic and a- adrenergic hyperresponsiveness have been implicated in the pathogenesis of asthma. A decrease in β-adrenoreceptor function can result either from exogenously administered β-agonist or from exposure to allergens resulting in a late bronchial reaction. There is increasing evidence that eosinophils, macrophages, and lymphocytes which are of primary importance in the late bronchial reaction are also modulated by β 2 - adrenoreceptors. In functional studies of guinea-pig or human isolated trachea and lung parenchyma, PAF and certain cytokines significantly reduced the potency of isoproterenol to reverse methacholine- or histamine-induced contraction. The effect of glucocorticoids on pulmonary β-adrenergic receptors and responses suggests an important role for glucocorticoids to increase β-adrenergic receptors and responsiveness.
Ultraviolet A induces apoptosis via reactive oxygen species in a model for Smith–Lemli–Opitz syndrome

Solar ultraviolet A (UVA) radiation induces many responses in skin including oxidative stress, DNA damage, inflammation, and skin cancer. Smith-Lemli-Opitz syndrome (SLO-S) patients show dramatically enhanced immediate (5 min) and extended (24-48 h) skin inflammation in response to low UVA doses compared to normal skin. Mutations in Delta7-dehydrocholesterol reductase, which converts 7-dehydrocholesterol to cholesterol, produces high levels of 7-dehydrocholesterol in SLO-S patient's serum. Since 7-dehydrocholesterol is more rapidly oxidized than cholesterol, we hypothesized that 7-dehydrocholesterol enhances UVA-induced oxidative stress leading to keratinocyte death and inflammation. When keratinocytes containing high 7-dehydrocholesterol and low cholesterol were exposed to UVA (10 J/cm2), eightfold greater reactive oxygen species (ROS) were produced than in normal keratinocytes after 15 min. UVA induced 7-dehydrocholesterol concentration-dependent cell death at 24 h. These responses were inhibited by antioxidants, reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) oxidase inhibitor (diphenyleneiodonium) and a mitochondria-specific radical quencher. Cell death was characterized by activation of caspases-3, -8, and -9 and by phosphatidylserine translocation. Studies using antioxidants and specific caspase inhibitors indicated that activation of caspase-8, but not caspase-9, mediates ROS-dependent caspase-3 activation and suggested that ROS from NADPH oxidase activate caspase-8. These results support a ROS-mediated apoptotic mechanism for the enhanced UVA-induced inflammation in SLO-S patients.
Utility of prevertebral soft tissue measurements in identifying patients with cervical spine fractures

Study objective: Prevertebral soft tissue measurements ofmore than 6 mm at C2 and more than 22 mm at C6 have been reported as radiologic evidence of cervical spine injury. The objective of this study was to determine the sensitivity and specificity of solft tissue measurements in patients with radiographically proven cervical spine fractures. Design: Retrospective case control study. Setting: Level L trauma center emergency department. Participants: The study group consisted of patients admitted between January 1989 and August 1991 with an admitting or discharge diagnosis of cervical spine fracture. The control group was a systematic sampling of trauma patients seen in the ED during July 1991 who received a cervical spine radiograph. Patients less than 17 years old with penetrating injuries or injuries more than 24 hours old were excluded. One hundred thirty-eight study patients and 134 control patients were identified; 32 study patients and 41 control patients were excluded due to inaccessible records. One hundred six study patients and 93 control patients were used for data analysis. Results: Study patients were divided into two groups: thosewith fractures at C1–C4 (n=55) or C4–C7 (n=86). A C2 prevertebral soft tissue measurement of more than 6 mm had a sensitivity of 59% and a specificity of 84% for fractures at C1–C4. A C6 prevertebral soft tissue measurement of more than 22 mm had a sensitivity of 5% and a specificity of 95% for fractures at C4–C7. Receiver operator characteristic curves for measurements at C2 and C5 failed to demonstrate a cutoff value with adequate sensitivity and specificity in detecting fracture. Conclusion: We conclude that using prevertebral soft tissuemeasurements of more than 6 mm at C2 and more than 22 mm at C6 as a marker of cervical spine injury fails to identify a large proportion of patients with cervical spine fractures.
Sketch pad a man-machine graphical communication system

This paper was reproduced from the AFIPS Conference proceedings, Volume 23, of the Spring Joint Computer Conference held in Detroit, 1963. Mr. Timothy Johnson suggested that this report contained essentially the same material he spoke on at the SHARE D/A Committee Workshop.
Consistent and reproducible positioning in longitudinal imaging for phenotyping genetically modified swine

Recent growth of genetic disease models in swine has presented the opportunity to advance translation of developed imaging protocols, while characterizing the genotype to phenotype relationship. Repeated imaging with multiple clinical modalities provides non-invasive detection, diagnosis, and monitoring of disease to accomplish these goals; however, longitudinal scanning requires repeatable and reproducible positioning of the animals. A modular positioning unit was designed to provide a fixed, stable base for the anesthetized animal through transit and imaging. Post ventilation and sedation, animals were placed supine in the unit and monitored for consistent vitals. Comprehensive imaging was performed with a computed tomography (CT) chest-abdomen-pelvis scan at each screening time point. Longitudinal images were rigidly registered, accounting for rotation, translation, and anisotropic scaling, and the skeleton was isolated using a basic thresholding algorithm. Assessment of alignment was quantified via eleven pairs of corresponding points on the skeleton with the first time point as the reference. Results were obtained with five animals over five screening time points. The developed unit aided in skeletal alignment within an average of 13.13 ± 6.7 mm for all five subjects providing a strong foundation for developing qualitative and quantitative methods of disease tracking.
Binge Eating and Weight Control: The Role of Experiential Avoidance

Two thirds of the adults in the United States are overweight or obese. Binge eating is a barrier to treatment adherence and sustained weight loss, and can be seen as a form of experiential avoidance. The current study analyzed the impact of binge eating on weight reduction in a previously published study of a 1-day acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) workshop (N = 83) and the psychological processes accounting for the binge-eating results. ACT participants reported less binge eating, which in turn significantly mediated changes in weight. Mediation analyses also showed that reductions in binge eating were mediated by changes in experiential avoidance. The study suggests that ACT and its targeted processes of change may be particularly relevant to binge eating, and that targeting binging is a possible pathway for improving weight management.
Cardiovascular Activity of Mecamylamine, Pempidine, and Several Pempidine Analogs

The cardiovascular activities of mecamylamine, pempidine, and several pempidine analogs were investigated. The active compounds produced a significant drop in blood pressure and cardiac output in anesthetized normotensive dogs, markedly inhibited superior cervical ganglionic transmission in the cat, and produced a slight transient decrease in vascular resistance when administered intraarterially into the denervated perfused hind limb of the dog. Pempidine and N -amino- N -[ β -(2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidino)ethyl]guanidine sulfate (EX 4510) exhibited quantitatively and qualitatively similar hypotensive responses when administered orally to unanesthetized renal hypertensive dogs. The hypotensive activities of hexamethonium, pentolinium, chlorisondamine, mecamylamine, and pempidine were evaluated in the prostigminized rat. Prostigmine antagonized the hypotensive response of only hexamethonium, suggesting that hexamethonium alone produces a competitive type of antagonism at the autonomic ganglia.
Ipsilateral motor activation during unimanual and bimanual motor tasks

Abstract Objective To test for the presence and possible asymmetry of ipsilateral motor activation during unimanual and bimanual motor tasks. Methods Twelve right-handed healthy subjects underwent motor evoked potential (MEP) measurement of one hand (target-hand) while the other hand (task-hand) performed different motor tasks. The target-hand was either at rest (first experiment) or performed a Perdue PegBoard task (second experiment). The task-hand was either at rest, performed a simultaneous pegboard task, or rotated a coin (second experiment). Results In the first experiment, the motor task resulted in significant increase in MEP area in the target-hand, regardless which hand was the task-hand, with a greater increase when the left hand was the task-hand. In the second experiment, ipsilateral motor activation was not present for either hand, however, when the right hand was the task-hand, performance of continuous coin rotation by the right hand resulted in a significant decrease in the MEP area of the left hand. Conclusions Hemispheric asymmetry and task-dependence of ipsilateral motor cortex activation supports the postulate that motor activity may start bilaterally with subsequent interhemispheric inhibition. Furthermore, in right-handers, the left motor cortex is either more active in ipsilateral hand movements or exerts more effective inhibitory control over the right motor cortex than vice versa. Significance We suggest that hemispheric asymmetry in ipsilateral motor control is a factor in determining motor dominance in right-handed individuals.
A Programable Integrating Television Camera for Astronomical Applications

Programmable integrating image-orthicon TV chain for application to Stratoscope II balloon-borne astronomical telescope
Characterization of porous polar semiconductors by their optical spectra in the region of phonon and plasmon-phonon excitations

Optical properties of porous A 3 B 5 semiconductors (GaAs, InP, and GaP) in the far-infrared region, in particular, the specular reflection and attenuated total reflection, including the excitation regime of surface polaritons, are considered. Considering a porous material as a composite, we performed calculations in the context of the effective medium model using two modifications of it, Maxwell-Garnett and Bruggeman, which correspond to two different topologies of the composite material—matrix and statistical. The effect of porosity of the material and of such parameters as doping, anisotropy, and penetration depth of an electromagnetic wave to a porous material on optical spectra is analyzed. In addition, some experimental data are presented and the adequacy of the performed numerical simulation is demonstrated.
Highlights from the literature on accident causation and system safety: Review of major ideas, recent contributions, and challenges

Abstract This work constitutes a short guide to the extensive but fragmented literature on accident causation and system safety. After briefly motivating the interest in accident causation and discussing the notion of a safety value chain, we delve into our multi-disciplinary review with discussions of Man Made Disasters, Normal Accident, and the High Reliability Organizations (HRO) paradigm. The HRO literature intersects an extensive literature on safety culture, a subject we then briefly touch upon. Following this discussion, we note that while these social and organizational contributions have significantly enriched our understanding of accident causation and system safety, they have important deficiencies and are lacking in their understanding of technical and design drivers of system safety and accident causation. These missing ingredients, we argue, were provided in part by the development of Probabilistic Risk Assessment (PRA). The idea of anticipating possible accident scenarios, based on the system design and configuration, as well as its technical and operational characteristics, constitutes an important contribution of PRA, which builds on and extends earlier contributions made by the development of Fault Tree and Event Tree Analysis. We follow the discussion of PRA with an exposition of the concept of safety barriers and the principle of defense-in-depth, both of which emphasize the functions and “safety elements [that should be] deliberately inserted” along potential accident trajectories to prevent, contain, or mitigate accidents. Finally, we discuss two ideas that are emerging as foundational in the literature on system safety and accident causation, namely that system safety is a “control problem”, and that it requires a “system theoretic” approach to be dealt with. We clarify these characterizations and indicate research opportunities to be pursued along these directions. We conclude this work with two general recommendations: (1) that more fundamental research and cross-talk across several academic disciplines must be supported and incentivized for tackling the multi-disciplinary issues of accident causation and system safety (e.g., through the creation “academic hubs” or “centers of excellence” dedicated to system safety); and (2) that more interactions and partnerships between academia, industry, and government (especially accident investigation agencies) on accident causation and system safety issues would be particularly useful for all involved in advancing the safety agenda, from both research and education perspectives, and for disseminating research results, safety recommendations, and lessons learned from accident investigations.
Testing the non-standard left-right electroweak model at a φ factory

Abstract The φ factory will most inevitably measure e' — the source of direct CP violation — and muon polarization P L in K L → μ + μ − to accuracies better than possible before. Deviations from the standard model predictions will undoubtedly signal new physics. One elegant model of electroweak interactions based on the gauge group G = SU(2) L × SU(2) R × U(1) is presented. The model need not be left-right symmetric. It has only two Higgs doublets to break G to U(1) em . All fermions acquire masses through the generalised see-saw mechanism. The crucial ingredients are new fermions that transform as singlets under SU(2) L and SU(2) R . The source of CP violation is intrinsic. With e, e' and the K L and K S mass diference as constraints from the Kaon system, the value of the electric dipole moment of the neutron is of order 10 −25 ecm to 10 −26 ecm. In this model, the longitudinal polarization of the muons ( P L ) in K L → μ + μ − can be as large as 10 −2 which can readily be measured at a φ factory.
Meat Consumption as a Risk Factor for Type 2 Diabetes

Disease risk factors identified in epidemiological studies serve as important public health tools, helping clinicians identify individuals who may benefit from more aggressive screening or risk-modification procedures, allowing policymakers to prioritize intervention programs, and encouraging at-risk individuals to modify behavior and improve their health. These factors have been based primarily on evidence from cross-sectional and prospective studies, as most do not lend themselves to randomized trials. While some risk factors are not modifiable, eating habits are subject to change through both individual action and broader policy initiatives. Meat consumption has been frequently investigated as a variable associated with diabetes risk, but it has not yet been described as a diabetes risk factor. In this article, we evaluate the evidence supporting the use of meat consumption as a clinically useful risk factor for type 2 diabetes, based on studies evaluating the risks associated with meat consumption as a categorical dietary characteristic (i.e., meat consumption versus no meat consumption), as a scalar variable (i.e., gradations of meat consumption), or as part of a broader dietary pattern.
Are Object Graphs Extracted Using Abstract Interpretation Significantly Different from the Code

To evolve object-oriented code, one must understand both the code structure in terms of classes, and the runtime structure in terms of abstractions of objects that are being created and relations between those objects. To help with this understanding, static program analysis can extract heap abstractions such as object graphs. But the extracted graphs can become too large if they do not sufficiently abstract objects, or too imprecise if they abstract objects excessively to the point of being similar to a class diagram, where one box for a class represents all the instances of that class. One previously proposed solution uses both annotations and abstract interpretation to extract a global, hierarchical, abstract object graph that conveys both abstraction and design intent, but can still be related to the code structure. In this paper, we define metrics that relate nodes and edges in the object graph to elements in the code structure, to measure how they differ, and if the differences are indicative of language or design features such as encapsulation, polymorphism and inheritance. We compute the metrics across eight systems totaling over 100 KLOC, and show a statistically significant difference between the code and the object graph. In several cases, the magnitude of this difference is large.
The Mobility Equation and the Solvability of Joint Forces/Torques in Dynamic Analysis

The mobility equation has been applied to predict the indeterminacy of unknown joint forces/torques in static analysis. In this paper, the mobility equation is modified to investigate the solvability of joint forces/torques of spatial mechanisms in dynamic analysis. Each factor which may contribute to indeterminacy is discussed and is explicitly expressed in the equation. With the modifications, the mobility equation can be applied to a system with or without redundant actuators. Together with the concept of subspaces and a few simple rules, the mobility equation can be used to identify the solvability of every joint unknown, as well as the equations which are required for the solutions, under the assumption of rigid bodies. This method can be used as a guidance of dynamic analysis in dealing with complicated systems such as walking machines and multi-fingered grippers.
MPD thruster performance - Propellant distribution and species effects

Previous research has shown that MPD thruster performance, as measured by thrust, specific impulse, and efficiency, is limited by a so-called 'onset' current level. Experimental results are presented which show that the onset current level varies with the radial position of mass injection. Specifically, mass injection into either of two zones results in drastically different performance for both argon and xenon propellants. This difference in performance is evidenced by the onset current levels, the onset V-J signatures, and the overall V-J characteristics. The behavior of the thruster with the total mass flow split between the two zones follows a transition between the zonal behavioral limits. The behavior of propellant mixtures also follows a transition between the behavior of the individual propellant species. The flow region between the two zones is characterized by a particle number density discontinuity, a large axial current density, and a large electron Hall parameter, suggesting a possible correlation between observed onset phenomena and a shear-flow discontinuity located in the region between the two zones.
5HT2 receptors in the rat portal vein: desensitization following cumulative serotonin addition.

Abstract Contractile responses to serotonin were examined in vitro in the longitudinal portal vein to determine whether such responses were mediated by the interaction of serotonin with 5HT1 receptors (those that preferentially bind [3H]serotonin) or 5HT2 receptors (those that preferentially bind [3H]spiperone). Using eight serotonin receptor antagonists (spiperone, metergoline, LY53857, ketanserin, trazodone, benzoctamine, 1-(1-naphthyl)piperazine, and 1-meta-methoxyphenylpiperazine), we found a significant correlation between the affinity for serotonin receptors in the rat portal vein and the ability to bind to 5HT2, but no 5HT1 receptors in rat frontal cortical membranes. Thus, the receptors mediating vascular contraction to serotonin in the rat portal vein were similar to those receptors defined in other vascular beds from the rat (aorta, jugular vein, and caudal artery). Furthermore, contraction resulting from the cumulative addition of serotonin in the rat portal vein was associated with desensitization (higher ED50 value) relative to contractions produced by the non-cumulative addition of serotonin. Affinities of serotonin receptor antagonists were also lower when determined by antagonism of cumulative serotonin concentration-response curves compared to affinities obtained by antagonism of non-cumulative concentration-response curves. Thus, 5HT2 receptor affinities of antagonists in the rat portal vein are best determined by the shift of non-cumulative responses to serotonin.
‘A Feeling of Being Connected’: Friendships between People with and without Learning Difficulties

ABSTRACT Recently, programmatic attempts to encourage close ties between people with learning difficulties and typical citizens have increased. It is believed that such relationships will extend the assimilation of people with learning difficulties into society. The researcher presents the perspectives of four pairs of friends about the meaning of their friendships. The informants shared similar ideas and expectations about the characteristics of friendship in general. These included its mutual, exclusive, and voluntary nature; the rights, obligations, and responsibilities of friends to each other; and the positive regard or affection found between friends. Despite efforts on the part of service providers to support the development of friendship between people with and without learning difficulties, the biggest barriers for the individuals in this study were the practices of the human service system, which curtailed opportunities for people which would have promoted the development and maintenance of frie...
Kriging-Assisted Ultra-Fast Simulated-Annealing Optimization of a Clamped Bitline Sense Amplifier

Simulations using SPICE provide accurate design exploration but consume a considerable amount of time and can be infeasible for large circuits. The continued technology scaling requires that more circuit parameters are accounted for along with the process variation effects. Regression models have been widely researched and while they present an acceptable accuracy for simulation purposes, they fail to account for the strong correlation effect between parameters on the design. This paper presents an ultra-fast design-optimization flow that combines correlation-aware Kriging metamodels and a simulated annealing algorithm that operates on them. The Kriging-based method generates metamodels of a clamped bit line sense amplifier circuit which take into account the effects of correlation among the design and process parameters. A simulated annealing based optimization algorithm is used to optimize the circuit through the Kriging metamodel. The results show that the Kriging metamodels are very accurate with very low error. The optimization algorithm finds an optimized precharge time while keeping power consumption as constraint in an average execution time of 2.78 ms, as compared to a 45 minutes for an exhaustive search of the design space, i.e. close to 10^6X faster. To the best of the authors' knowledge this is the first paper that uses Kriging and simulated annealing for nano-CMOS design.
New techniques for fusion bonding and replication for large glass reflectors

Lengths of glass tubing are used as the starting point of a new method to make light-weight glass honeycomb. The tubes are packed together and filled with free flowing refrac-tory sand. On heating to the softening point of the glass the sand pressure forces the tubes into contact. Close packed round tubes yield hexagonal glass honeycomb. Face plates can be incorporated in the same fusion step. The method has been demonstrated for borosilicate glass, but should be applicable also to fused silica. A method for accurate repli-cation of borosilicate glass off a fused silica master has also been demonstrated. It is shown that gold is an effective parting layer, and small scale replicas have been measured to have about 1μ FMS accuracy. It is suggested that honeycomb panels made by the sand fusion method and replicated off fused silica may make ideal panels for precision deployable reflectors like LDR.
Differential impairment of delayed matching in monkeys by scopolamine and scopolamine methylbromide

The effects of scopolamine hydrobromide and its quaternary analogue, scopolamiae methylbromide, in two doses (0.2 and 0.4 mg/kg) upon delayed matching performance was studied in monkeys. Scopolamine in the lower dose depressed significantly only performance rate, while in the higher dose it depressed both performance rate and percentage accuracy of the monkeys during the first two cycles of the experiment. On the other hand, scopolamine methylbromide (both doses) depressed just responding rate, but the effect was more pronounced towards the end of the experiment (i.e. after more than 10 hr after drug administration). These results indicate the ability of scopolamine methylbromide to influence behavior possibly by passing the blood brain barrier and thus impair the response rate of the animals.
Alcohol consumption during pregnancy and the risk of early stillbirth among singletons

The purpose of this study is to investigate the association between maternal alcohol intake in pregnancy and the occurrence of early stillbirth using a retrospective cohort analysis of singleton births in Missouri that occurred in the period 1989 through 1997 (N=655,979). We used Cox proportional hazards regression to generate adjusted risk estimates for total, early, and late stillbirth associated with maternal alcohol intake and used the Robust Sandwich Estimator to adjust for intracluster correlations among sibships. Overall, a total of 3,508 counts of stillbirth were identified, yielding a stillbirth rate of 5.3 per 1,000. Among mothers who consumed alcohol during pregnancy, the stillbirth rate was 8.3 per 1,000. Mothers who consumed alcohol while pregnant were 40% more likely to experience stillbirth as compared with nondrinking mothers (adjusted hazards ratio=1.4, 95% confidence interval: 1.2-1.7). A dose-response relationship was evident; mothers who consumed five or more drinks per week during pregnancy experienced a 70% elevated risk of stillbirth compared with nondrinking mothers (adjusted hazards ratio=1.7; 95% confidence interval: 1.0-3.0). The risk of early stillbirth was 80% higher among drinking mothers compared with abstainers (adjusted hazards ratio=1.8; 95% confidence interval: 1.3-2.3). The elevated risks for both early and late stillbirth did not reach statistical significance when broken down by level of alcohol intake. In conclusion, maternal drinking during pregnancy is associated with an increased risk of early stillbirth. These findings underscore the need to reinforce current counseling strategies toward pregnant women and women who intend to conceive on the detrimental effects of alcohol use in pregnancy.
Relation of Dietary Protein and Lysine to Free Amino Acids in Chick Tissues

Abstract RECENT reports indicate that factors, such as the level of dietary vitamins, amount and source of protein and amino acid imbalance may affect the concentration of free amino acids in blood plasma of various species. The level of dietary pyridoxine, pantothenic acid, niacin, riboflavin and vitamin B12 appear to affect some of the amino acids in the plasma of chicks (Richardson et al., 1953a) and of rats (Harrill et al., 1962; and Swendseid et al., 1963). Other reports indicate also that the source and amount of protein and addition of amino acids may affect the concentration of free amino acid in plasma of chicks (Richardson et al., 1953b; Gray et al., 1960; Hill et al., 1961; Hill and Olsen, 1963); of rats (Peraino and Harper, 1962; Rogers et al., 1962); of swine (Puchal et al., 1962) and of man (Frame, 1958). During the past few years, studies have been carried…
On the Probability of Winning a Football Game

Abstract Based on the results of the 1981, 1983, and 1984 National Football League seasons, the distribution of the margin of victory over the point spread (defined as the number of points scored by the favorite minus the number of points scored by the underdog minus the point spread) is not significantly different from the normal distribution with mean zero and standard deviation slightly less than fourteen points. The probability that a team favored by p points wins the game can be computed from a table of the standard normal distribution. This result is applied to estimate the probability distribution of the number of games won by a team. A simulation is used to estimate the probability that a team qualifies for the championship playoffs.
Electrophoretic variability in the phosphatase system of the yellow-fever mosquito, Aedes aegypti.

Abstract Alkaline and acid phosphatases in five inbred strains of the yellow-fever mosquito, Aedes aegypti , were compared by vertical polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. 1. 1. Polymorphic and monomorphic zones of enzyme activity were observed among both alkaline and acid phosphatases. 2. 2. In the alkaline phosphatase system, seven electrophoretic zones of enzyme activity were detected; all but two of the seven zones showed electrophoretic variability. 3. 3. In the acid phosphatase system, four electrophoretic zones of enzyme activity were detected; all but one of the four zones showed electrophoretic variability. 4. 4. Absence of enzyme activity was observed in some zones and strains among both alkaline and acid phosphatases.
The nucleation of domains in permalloy using low intensity ultrasound

Polycrystalline films of 60-40 NiFe prepared under specified conditions exhibit a behaviour which is at present being explored for possible applications in medical ultrasound diagnostic systems. The magnetization in a chosen area of the film can be switched by exposure to ultrasound. This switching proceeds via the nucleation of domains of 'reverse' magnetization. These nucleation centers have not yet been identified in terms of a physical model and it is the aim of this paper to go some way in this direction.
Aortic or mitral valve replacement in systemic lupus erythematosus

Abstract Although the true incidence of symptomatic valvulopathies in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is unknown, cardiac involvement represents the third leading cause of death, surpassed only by infection and renal failure. 1 Surgical approach is appropriate palliation for symptomatic valvular disease in patients with SLE. Because of associated co-morbid conditions (i.e., multiorgan involvement from widespread microvasculitis), these patients are at greater risk for postoperative morbidity than are those undergoing similar operations. This report presents our experience in 7 patients with SLE who underwent cardiac valve replacement.
An improved flow-injection analysis method for the determination of dissolved aluminum in seawater

An improved, highly sensitive, flow-injection analysis method for the determination of dissolved aluminum in seawater, based on the work of Resing and Measures (1994), is presented. The most significant modification to this earlier work is the use of in-line preconcentration of seawater onto a commercially available resin, eliminating the resin-synthesis step. Other modifications include the addition of a column-conditioning step prior to sample loading that increases the quantitative retention and sensitivity, in-line buffering of samples prior to column loading to achieve optimal sample pH, an increased acid-eluent concentration to efficiently remove Al from the resin column, and an increased reaction buffer concentration. The method has a detection limit of 0.1 nM Al when preconcentrating 10 mL sample and a precision of 2.5% based on replicate analyses of a 5 nM Al sample when preconcentrating 2.5 mL sample. The method was applied to surface and deepwater samples collected in the North Pacific (2004 Sampling and Analysis for Fe [SAFe] cruise) and from surface water samples collected across the Columbia River plume. Results suggest that the SAFe samples could potentially serve as seawater reference materials for dissolved Al following further investigation by other researchers using different methods. The use of low-density polyethylene bottles with low-density polyethylene caps as standard protocol for storage of acidified seawater samples for Al analysis is also discussed.
Remote distal arteriovenous fistula to improve infrapopliteal bypass patency.

Abstract The results of the use of prosthetic materials for femorocrural bypass surgery have been less than optimal. The creation of a distal anastomotic arteriovenous fistula to augment blood flow and velocity through the graft is well known. However, it may create turbulence at the anastomosis and steal blood flow away from the distal artery. A canine model was developed to evaluate the effect of fistula size on graft/arterial hemodynamics. In 16 patients we have constructed a distal arteriovenous fistula, which is remote from the distal anastomosis, and we studied the effect of such fistulas on bypass patency and distal arterial hemodynamics. Patients selected for this procedure had multiple previously failed reconstructions and limb-threatening ischemia and did not have usable autogenous vein. Femorotibial bypass graft reconstructions were performed with polytetrafluoroethylene followed by the creation of a side-to-side arteriovenous fistula 5 to 15 cm below the distal anastomosis in the same artery and accompanying veins. We have achieved a 1-year patency of 67% with a 75% limb salvage rate. We also serially measured blood flow and velocity within the bypass, the arteriovenous fistula, and the distal outflow vessel using duplex scanning after surgery. Mean estimated blood flow through the bypass during the immediate postoperative period was 264 ml/min, the arteriovenous fistula was 157 ml/min, and the distal artery was 19 ml/min. Unlike an arteriovenous fistula created at the distal anastomosis, a remote distal arteriovenous fistula not only increases graft blood flow but also augments native arterial blood flow between the distal anastomosis and fistula and thus may improve distal limb perfusion. (J VASC SURG 1990;11:171-8.)
Discriminant functions when covariances are unequal and sample sizes are moderate

A Monte Carlo study (Wahl 1971) is compared to the study of Marks and Dunn (1974) which investigated the ability of three discriminant functions, the quadratic, best linear, and Fisher's linear discriminant function, to classify individuals into two multivariate normally distributed populations with unequal covariance matrices. Parameters that were varied in all of the studies include the distance between populations, covariance matrices, number of variables, sample size and population proportion. Our results, when related to those of Marks and Dunn, indicate sample size to be a critical factor in choosing between the quadratic and linear functions.
Enhanced curie temperatures and magnetoelastic domains in Dy/Lu superlattices and films

We have grown high quality superlattices of Dy with nonmagnetic Lu and find that the 2.4% epitaxial compression nearly doubles the ferromagnetic ${\mathit{T}}_{\mathit{c}}$ of Dy with little change in the N\'eel temperature. A helimagnetic phase exists over a narrow temperature range. Below ${\mathit{T}}_{\mathit{c}}$ in superlattices, 300 \AA{} orthorhombic domains form despite epitaxial constraints, each with a magnetostrictive distortion comparable to that of bulk Dy. For the thinnest intervening Lu layers, individual ferromagnetic Dy blocks have parallel alignment; the remaining samples show antiparallel alignment, coherent over many bilayer periods.
The Challenge of Positional Car Seat Testing in Healthy Near-term Neonates

Abstract The American Academy of Pediatrics Committee on Injury and Poison Prevention recommends that hospitals develop policies that include a period of observation for any infant less than 37 weeks' gestation in an infant car safety seat before hospital discharge to monitor for apnea, bradycardia, or oxygen desaturation. Development of policy guidelines presents a challenge to health care providers on many levels. What evidence is the basis for this recommendation of the American Academy of Pediatrics? Does this recommendation include healthy near-term infants in level I nurseries? How should such policies be produced and implemented? What training and education will be necessary? How much will this cost? This article reviews the evidence for clinical practice and shares clinical experiences in policy development, education, and cost containment.
Conformity to Experimenter‐Provided Examples: Will People use an Unusual Feature?

Undergraduates studied nonword exemplars and then created their own novel nonwords. In Experiment 1, people studied legal or illegal nonwords. In Experiment 2, people studied illegal nonwords, but to increase awareness of the features, half of the participants assessed the features of the nonwords. Despite instructions to avoid copying any aspect of the examples, people incorporated features from the examples into their own novel creations. Although people do not spontaneously create illegal nonwords, those people that studied illegal nonwords were more likely to create illegal nonwords. Assessing the features of the examples did not reduce the likelihood that people would copy features of the examples. We discuss these results in the context of Ward's (1994) structured imagination account.
Diane Victor and Paul Emmanuel: Lost Men/Lost Wor(l)ds

According to theories of sexuality and gender advanced by Judith Butler, one’s gender is in constant flux throughout the course of a lifetime (Butler 1993).1 In their recent work, South African artists Paul Emmanuel (b. 1969) and Diane Victor (b. 1964) explore the vicissitudes of gender for (predominantly) white South Africans as this population is caught in the maelstrom of changing social forces. Both artists use portraiture to personify the individual in a state of extreme vulnerability, as the categories gender and racial identity, and their established hierarchies, are in flux. Both offer highly tactile engagement with the physical bodies represented while inventing visual means to dissolve the solidity of the flesh, presenting it as in passing from one state into another. Both use labor-intensive processes both to fix a moment and to suggest the transitory nature of human life. In Emmanuel’s digital video 3SAI: A RITE OF PASSAGE (2008; part of the installation project Transitions), and Victor’s Transcend and Lost Words series (2009, 2010), identity is unstable and gender indeterminate, potentially subject to irretrievable loss. Each series is a requiem, an invocation to meditation and mourning, but ultimately as well a path to transcendence via the shedding of embodied stereotypes. This paper will explore how each artist addresses gender concerns within specific South African contexts. Within the field of gender studies broadly, a split still exists in academic writing between masculinity studies and women’s studies. Bringing together Emmanuel’s work, which deals almost exclusively with issues of masculine identity, with Victor’s, which explodes conventional ideas of both femininity and masculinity in the context of a patriarchal culture, provides an opportunity to help bridge that gap. If Emmanuel’s work aligns closely with current theories of masculinity, Victor could be considered an outlier in terms of the parameters of feminist discourse, as she offers both male and female equal opprobrium; neither gender is considered morally superior or suffering from greater oppression. However, as white artists highly attuned to the legacies of the apartheid era, both artists link gender and racial identities to highly vulnerable situations—the military or the aging, infirm body—and in so doing test cultural norms of gender. In the works under discussion (the major series by both artists from 2008–11), Emmanuel has depicted males exclusively and Victor males predominantly, suggesting that for both artists masculinity is an especially pressing topic in South African culture today. The differences between their work are telling, however. Emmanuel’s work is oblique and poetic, whereas Victor’s is stark and confrontational; one might argue that their very aesthetics deny gender stereotypes.
Release of human pancreatic polypeptide and gastrin in response to intraduodenal stimuli: A case report

Abstract A recent clinical case afforded an opportunity to study the effects of duodenal stimulation on plasma human pancreatic polypeptide and gastrin concentrations, independent of gastric stimulation. A distension stimulus was provided by rapid injection of 100 ml of water and saline via a T-tube into an isolated duodenal afferent limb. In a third experiment, the saline contained 200 pg/ml of heptadeca-peptide human gastrin. Within 2 min after each injection, a rapid rise in circulating human pancreatic polypeptide levels appeared that fell promptly towards basal thereafter. Injections of 100 ml of Flexical, a supplemental tube feeding, resulted in a biphasic human pancreatic polypeptide response, the initial peak comparable to that seen following distension with water, saline, or saline containing gastrin, and a second peak of much greater magnitude and duration followed the initial peak. Plasma gastrin concentrations were not influenced following any of the stimuli. Duodenal distension alone may induce an early transient increase in plasma human pancreatic polypeptide concentrations, while intraduodenal nutrients per se may induce a later increment of greater magnitude and duration.
Time-resolved spin-labeled balanced steady-state free precession cineangiography for visualizing intracardiac shunt: technical considerations and clinical feasibility.

A time-resolved spin-labeled cineangiographic MRI technique for visualizing blood flow in the heart and defects of the atrial septum is described. The method utilizes a spin labeling preparation and a time-resolved balanced steady-state free precession imaging readout that enhances blood in the left atrium or right atrium and suppresses background signal through inversion recovery. Four volunteer studies and 10 patient studies were performed at 1.5 T to characterize the signal properties and to test the clinical feasibility of depicting atrial septal defects. In volunteers, the spin-labeled cineangiographic method depicted intracardiac blood flow patterns and demarcated the intact atrial septum. Peak target to adjacent atrial chamber contrast-to-noise ratios of 84 and 94 were obtained 758 and 689 ms postlabeling; 50% of peak contrast-to-noise ratio was maintained for 803 and 599 ms in the left atrium and right atrium, respectively. In all patients with an atrial septal defect, the spin-labeled cineangiographic method demonstrated left-to-right flow and maintained good morphological assessment of surrounding cardiac structures. Right-to-left flow was seen in three patients. In conclusion, the spin-labeled cineangiographic method displayed favorable signal properties in volunteers and demonstrated shunting in patients with atrial septal defects. The technique is expected to be a viable alternative to the few techniques available for visualizing blood flow in the heart. Magn Reson Med 68:1798–1807, 2012. V C 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
High-performance liquid chromatographic technique for non-derivatized leucine purification: evidence for carbon isotope fractionation.

Abstract A high-performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) method, utilizing an ion-pairing agent with a reversed-phase column, isocratic elution and ultraviolet detection, was developed for the separation of non-derivatized leucine from a mixture of amino acids. Fractionation of leucine isotopes during HPLC separation was observed, creating potential problems for collection of leucine plasma or tissue protein hydrolyzates for subsequent isotopic determinations. It was demonstrated that [ 13 C]leucine and [ 12 C]leucine have different retention times ( p