cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
NON-INVASIVE REGIONAL CEREBRAL OXYGENATION (RSO2) DURING EXTRACORPOREAL MEMBRANE OXYGENATION (ECMO)

Background In patients with severe cardiorespiratory instability ECMO can be used as lifesaving therapy. Many of these patients are at risk of cerebral hypoxia preECMO. As such greater focus is turned to neuro-protective strategies in order to provide the best possible outcome. Methods Observational study during veno-venous and veno-arterial ECMO. Real-time regional oxygenation, right and left cerebral cortex of the watershed region, was measured with the INVOS 5100 continuously. Results 21 patients where measured, 17 on veno-arterial (VA) mode, 4 on veno-venous (VV) mode. The difference of right minus left rSO 2 compared in VV-ECMO versus VA-ECMO (resp. 23457 and 53821 measured points) is VV median difference of 0 (interquartile range −7 to 7), VA difference of 4 (interquartile range −9 to 17). Secondly we evaluated the correlation of the mean rSO 2 and central venous oxygen saturation (SvO 2 ); resp. VV (160 measured points) −0.078 (p = 0.327) versus VA (339 measured points) 0.384 (p = 0.000). Conclusions We found no significant difference between VV and VA right and left rSO 2 mean difference, which suggests no decrease in right oxygen supply in VA-ECMO patients despite right carotid artery ligation. Secondly we found no significant correlation between rSO 2 and SvO 2 in VV-ECMO compared to a significant correlation in VA-ECMO. In VA-ECMO SvO 2 also is a measurement of oxygen supply versus oxygen demand at the tissue level, whereas in VV-ECMO SvO 2 is considered to be a parameter of recirculation rather than oxygen consumption of the individual patient.
Repurposing and Renovating Space for High-Density Storage: Kansas State University Libraries' Answer to Additional Collections Space

ABSTRACTWhile many libraries have built new high-density storage facilities, fewer academic libraries have repurposed and renovated an existing building for that new end. This article details Kansas State University Libraries' experience renovating an existing structure for high-density storage purposes and the improved collection management options that resulted.
Adenoid Cystic Carcinoma of the Oral Cavity: Radiology–Pathology Correlation

Adenoid cystic carcinoma in the oral cavity is an uncommon salivary gland malignancy that has a propensity for perineural spread. A high-grade variant is evidenced by an abundance of pleomorphic cells, loss of the classic biphasic epithelial-myoepithelial growth pattern, and comedonecrosis, as well as elevated Ki-67. CT and MRI can both be useful for demonstrating the extent of invasion in oral cavity-associated adenoid cystic carcinoma, which can attain the inferior alveolar nerve for perineural spread by direct invasion through the mandible. Reflecting the aggressive nature of this high-grade malignancy, 18FDG-PET can demonstrate hypermetabolism and can be useful for staging. These features are exemplified in this sine qua non radiology-pathology correlation article.
Hybrid FEM-random walk method for plasmonic structure field computations

An efficient hybrid between a particle-based stochastic method and the finite-element method (FEM) for plasmonic nanostructure electromagnetic computations is presented. The particle-based stochastic method is used to model the interior nanoparticle regions thus altogether avoiding meshing of high-gradient fields regions, whereas the FEM is used to model the propagation in the surrounding media. These methods are combined using domain decomposition (DD) principles and are capable of capturing both the resonant and propagating nature of surface plasmons and polaritons. Validation results are presented for a square plasmonic nano cylinder excited by a TE z line source.
Nutritional and greenhouse gas impacts of removing animals from US agriculture

As a major contributor to agricultural greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, it has been suggested that reducing animal agriculture or consumption of animal-derived foods may reduce GHGs and enhance food security. Because the total removal of animals provides the extreme boundary to potential mitigation options and requires the fewest assumptions to model, the yearly nutritional and GHG impacts of eliminating animals from US agriculture were quantified. Animal-derived foods currently provide energy (24% of total), protein (48%), essential fatty acids (23-100%), and essential amino acids (34-67%) available for human consumption in the United States. The US livestock industry employs 1.6 × 106 people and accounts for $31.8 billion in exports. Livestock recycle more than 43.2 × 109 kg of human-inedible food and fiber processing byproducts, converting them into human-edible food, pet food, industrial products, and 4 × 109 kg of N fertilizer. Although modeled plants-only agriculture produced 23% more food, it met fewer of the US population's requirements for essential nutrients. When nutritional adequacy was evaluated by using least-cost diets produced from foods available, more nutrient deficiencies, a greater excess of energy, and a need to consume a greater amount of food solids were encountered in plants-only diets. In the simulated system with no animals, estimated agricultural GHG decreased (28%), but did not fully counterbalance the animal contribution of GHG (49% in this model). This assessment suggests that removing animals from US agriculture would reduce agricultural GHG emissions, but would also create a food supply incapable of supporting the US population's nutritional requirements.
EC common agricultural policy and the world trade in feed grain: a multi-region nonspatial price equilibrium analysis

Since the adoption of the Common Agricultural Policy in 1962, the members of the European Economic Community have protected their common borders against the importation of certain agricultural commodities. Heavy variable levies and high guaranteed producer prices have triggered rise in market prices followed by a rise in grain production in EC countries. Therefore, the number one grain importing region of the 1960s has transformed into a major grain exporting region of the 1980s. These developments led to many objections from the grain exporting countries, followed by bilateral and multilateral negotiations, with little if any success;The general concern of this study is the impact of alternative less protective EC feed grain policies, on the prices and quantities traded by the major trading partners in the world feed grain market. The feed grain market is chosen primarily because the EC has turned into a net exporter of feed grains, only in the mid-1980s. Besides, the wheat market with the longest standing problem of surplus production has been extensively covered by other studies;This study analyzes several scenarios, each of which adopts one of the following policies: nominal or real threshold prices are kept constant, the policy prices are gradually reduced, producers are subsidized while the import market is kept free, and, finally, the protection rates in feed grain and soybean markets are harmonized. The estimation period covers the years 1968-1982, while the policy impacts are simulated until 1989;In conclusion, the policy changes studied here are not suggested to cause a significant development in the imports of the importing regions. On the export side, the most extreme of the policy changes analyzed in the study appears to increase U.S. exports only by five percent, while only one of the other exporting countries' export increases by as much as 20 percent.
The Optimal Allocation of Ocean Space: Aquaculture and Wild-Harvest Fisheries

A significant problem hindering the emergence or the continued growth of aquaculture in many marine areas is the conflict that arises among it and other ocean uses. We develop a framework to clarify the choice of the optimal scale of aquaculture when that use impacts a commercial fishery. We identify a range of potential impacts, both positive and negative, and analyze how one or more might affect the carrying capacity of a fish stock. We conduct a numerical simulation to illustrate a case where aquaculture and fishery uses interact in the ocean and compete in the product market, and we find that an ocean area could be devoted exclusively to aquaculture. This result depends strongly upon assumptions about the nature of the interaction, the geographic distribution of fish, and the aquaculture production technology. We also investigate the behavior of the model when both uses are able to coexist.
Concerns and solutions on electronic voting systems adoption

Electronic voting has become a viable form of e-government due to the rapid advances in technologies and communication networks. The United States and most European and Asian Countries, like Japan, have taken the first step towards electronic elections. The unique features of electronic voting systems bring advantages to the public as well as resulting in concerns about electronic voting system (EVS) implementation. In this chapter, we examine those advantages of EVS and the principal obstacles in its implementation: privacy, security and accessibility. By investigating the current technology and government efforts to overcome these problems, some recommendations are proposed to gain voters' trust on EVS and further increase their participation by using EVS.
Gender and Family Relationships

For over 25 years, researchers have focused on gender as an important dimension of family relationships. The nature of that focus has changed significantly, however. Early research highlighted gender as an independent variable, that is, as a way to explain differences between women and men in marital satisfaction, power in decision making, and so forth. Gender was viewed as an unchangeable, unmalleable given. It was assumed that family life was inherently different for women and men. This approach was consistent with a focus on gender roles in families—differential obligations women and men were believed to incur, appropriately, because of their gender and their socialization into adulthood. In other words, women and men were seen as engaging in certain behaviors and occupying specific roles because they were female or male (Osmond & Thorne, 1993; Thompson, 1993; West & Zimmerman, 1987).
1940s: The Falling Body

Stage dance in Mexico grew increasingly privatized in the 1940s, when the party in power shifted to more conservative policies and added “institutional” to its previous “revolutionary” title. This chapter examines how gender norms and artistic expectations shifted during this period, and how these changes played out on the stage. Dancer-choreographer Nellie Campobello no longer received acclaim for dancing the masculine roles of a revolutionary soldier. At the same time, Waldeen and Anna Sokolow arrived from the United States with modern dance and the art of falling and recovery. The dancers and the public in Mexico embraced the visitors and the novel possibilities of movement they introduced. However, Nellie Campobello attempted to preserve 1920s standards of nationalist purity, and her company folded as a result.
Still waters run deep: marbled crayfish dominates over red swamp crayfish in agonistic interactions

Intra- and interspecific interactions contribute to the successful establishment and consequent spreading of species in the environment, which became particularly apparent in the context of ongoing biological invasions. The parthenogenetic marbled crayfish, Procambarus virginalis, Lyko 2017 is recently recognized as an emerging invader due to its high adaptability, fast growth, early maturation, and high fecundity. The present study explored the interaction patterns of size-matched (including 15 body parts morphometry evaluation) pairs of marbled crayfish and red swamp crayfish Procambarus clarkii, a well-known highly aggressive and widely distributed invader of freshwater ecosystems. Despite this, marbled crayfish won significantly more fights and establish dominancy in more cases in both premature and mature experimental trials. Premature red swamp crayfish pairs were more active in contact and fight initiation than mature. In mature, the dominance over female red swamp crayfish was 100%, in males it reached 60%. Premature marbled crayfish dominated in more than 75% pairs. Agonistic behaviour and intensity of fights significantly dropped after establishment of dominance in particular (size and sex) pairs. Therefore, we confirmed that sex and age (size) have effects on agonistic behaviour in crayfish as well as the dominance of marbled crayfish within similarly sized specimens. Despite described behavioural patterns, we can expect that the situation in the potential sympatric occurrence of both species will not be as clear as found in experimental conditions due to greater maximal size of red swamp crayfish.
Youth homelessness and the racial knowledge gap

We know relatively little about homeless youth of color. Despite comprising almost three-quarters of the homeless youth population in the United States, youth of color, along with their unique need...
Students' Perspectives on Integrative Curricula: The Case of Brown Barge Middle School.

AbstractThis study explores how a middle school integrative learning environment influenced students' perspectives of curriculum, of schooling and of learning. Using social constructivism as a theoretical framework for the study and using an ethnographic interview procedure, 14 ninth-and tenth-grade students, who were purposively selected, were interviewed to determine their feelings about their former experiences at Brown Barge Middle School (BBMS) in Pensacola, Florida. Additional information was gathered by conducting a brief, although highly focused, case study on BBMS. We examined the school's curriculum documents, reviewed student work, and observed classroom teaching at the school. Selected BBMS students were interviewed in focus groups to discuss BBMS curriculum with former students of the school. Data analysis was carried out using constant comparison method. Three themes pertaining to students' perspectives emerged during data analysis: thinking and learning integratively, constructing knowledge...
Male fashionistas and female football fans: Gender stereotypes affect neurophysiological correlates of semantic processing during speech comprehension

Abstract Recent studies have shown that pre-existing contextual information, such as gender stereotypes, is incorporated online during comprehension (e.g., Van Berkum, van den Brink, Tesink, Kos, & Hagoort, 2008). Stereotypes, however, are not static entities, and social role theory suggests that they may be influenced by the behavior of members of the group (Eagly, 1987). Consequently, our study examines how gender stereotypes affect the semantic processing of statements from both a male and a female speaker, as well as investigating how the influence of stereotypes may change as listeners gain experience with individual speakers. Participants listened to male and female speakers produce sentences about stereotypically feminine (fashion) and stereotypically masculine (sports) topics. Half of the participants heard a stereotype congruent pattern of sentences (e.g., for the male speaker, semantic errors about fashion but no semantic errors on sports sentences) and the other half heard a stereotype incongruent pattern. We found that the N400 effect of semantic correctness is larger in stereotype incongruent conditions. Furthermore, in stereotype congruent conditions, only stimuli presented in the male voice show an N400 effect in the expected direction (larger N400s to semantic violations). Additionally, when we examined ERP changes over the course of the experiment, we found that the degree of change in amplitude was predicted by individual differences in ambivalent sexism. These results suggest that not only are speaker characteristics incorporated during online language processing, but also that social knowledge influences language processing in a manner congruent with social role theory.
Reducing C. difficile in children: An agent-based modeling approach to evaluate intervention effectiveness.

Objective: Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) is rapidly increasing in children’s hospitals nationwide. Thus, we aimed to compare the effectiveness of 9 infection prevention interventions and 6 multiple-intervention bundles at reducing hospital-onset CDI and asymptomatic C. difficile colonization. Design: Agent-based simulation model of C. difficile transmission. Setting: Computer-simulated, 80-bed freestanding, tertiary-care pediatric hospital, including 8 identical wards with 10 single-bed patient rooms each. Participants: The model includes 5 distinct agent types: patients, visitors, caregivers, nurses, and physicians. Interventions: Daily and terminal environmental disinfection, screening at admission, reduced intrahospital patient transfers, healthcare worker (HCW), visitor, and patient hand hygiene, and HCW and visitor contact precautions. Results: The model predicted that daily environmental disinfection with sporicidal product, combined with screening for asymptomatic C. difficile at admission, was the most effective 2-pronged infection prevention bundle, reducing hospital-onset CDI by 62.0% and asymptomatic colonization by 88.4%. Single-intervention strategies, including daily disinfection, terminal disinfection, asymptomatic screening at admission, HCW hand hygiene, and patient hand hygiene, as well as decreasing intrahospital patient transfers, all also reduced both hospital-onset CDI and asymptomatic colonization in the model. Visitor hand hygiene and visitor and HCW contact precautions were not effective at reducing either measure. Conclusions: Hospitals can achieve substantial reduction in hospital-onset CDIs by implementing a small number of highly effective interventions.
Girls gone wild: Social isolation induces hyperactivity and exploration in aged female mice

The likelihood of experiencing social isolation increases later in life, particularly for females. It remains unknown how late-life social isolation impacts cognition and affective behavior in aged mice. We assessed the impact of late-life social isolation in 18-month old female mice. One month of single-housing did not lead to robust depressive-like symptomology, altered social interaction behavior, or sensitivity to context fear acquisition or memory. Rather, isolation increased hyperactivity and exploration, and reduced anxiety-like behavior in the open field and elevated plus maze, findings that have been similarly observed in young female and male mice following early-life isolation. These findings suggest that hyperactivity is a robust behavior following social isolation across the lifespan.
Fragility Assessment of Floating Roof Storage Tanks during Severe Rainfall Events

AbstractIn 2017, Hurricane Harvey, highlighted the vulnerability of floating roof storage tanks to severe rainfall events. Several floating roofs failed due to rainwater accumulating on them, causi...
Frobenius and valuation rings

The behavior of the Frobenius map is investigated for valuation rings of prime characteristic. We show that valuation rings are always F-pure. We introduce a generalization of the notion of strong F-regularity, which we call F-pure regularity, and show that a valuation ring is F-pure regular if and only if it is Noetherian. For valuations on function fields, we show that the Frobenius map is finite if and only if the valuation is Abhyankar; in this case the valuation ring is Frobenius split. For Noetherian valuation rings in function fields, we show that the valuation ring is Frobenius split if and only if Frobenius is finite, or equivalently, if and only if the valuation ring is excellent.
Decentralized control of connected automated vehicle trajectories in mixed traffic at an isolated signalized intersection

Abstract It is concerned that system-level benefits of connected automated vehicle control might only prevail in a far-future centralized control environment, whereas the benefits could be much offset in a near-future decentralized control system. To address this concern, this paper proposes a decentralized control model for connected automated vehicle trajectory optimization at an isolated signalized intersection with a single-lane road where each connected automated vehicle aims to minimize its own travel time, fuel consumption and safety risks. To improve the computational tractability, the original complex decentralized control model is reformulated into a discrete model. A benchmark centralized control model is also formulated to compare with the decentralized control model. The DIRECT algorithm is adopted to solve the above models. Numerical results show that the decentralized control model has better computational efficiency (with an average solution time of 10 s) than the centralized control model (with an average solution time of 60 s) without significant loss of the system optimality (with an average of 3.91%). Finally, analysis on connected automated vehicle market penetration shows that the extra benefit of the centralized control model is not obvious either in under-saturated traffic (less than 1%) or at a low connected automated vehicle market penetration rate in critically-saturated and over-saturated traffic (less than 3% when the market penetration rate is lower than 20%). The results suggest that, as apposed to the earlier concern, the near-future decentralized control scheme that requires less technology maturity and infrastructure investment can achieve benefits similar to the far-future centralized control scheme with much simpler operations in under-saturated traffic, or in critically-saturated traffic and over-saturated traffic with a low connected automated vehicle market penetration rate.
Quality of Transmission Estimation for Multi-User Free Space Optical Communication Using Supervised Machine Learning

A methodology based on supervised machine learning (e.g., support vector machine [SVM], artificial neural network [ANN], random forest [RF]) is proposed and experimentally demonstrated for signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) estimation in a multi-user free-space optical communication (FSOC) link. The proposed methodology relies on amplitude information of received mixed signals when users share time, bandwidth, and space resources. Two approaches are investigated to identify input features for classification models for jointly estimating SNRs from two simultaneously communicating users overlapping into a single node receiver. The first approach uses the empirical histogram of the received mixed signal amplitude, while the second approach uses locations of local maxima of the empirical histogram. The latter method demonstrated highest performance; 92% classification accuracy was achieved using the SVM algorithm. Scalability analysis was conducted to identify required training data and time series samples for feature extraction to guarantee high classification performance.
IP transmission system for digital cinema using 2048 scanning line resolution

We introduce a prototype digital cinema system that can store, transmit, and display extra high quality movies with the scanning resolution of 2048 lines. The system was designed to distribute cinema contents on optical IP networks offering Gigabit Ethernet. The system combines a video server, a decoder, and a projector to show movies of 3840 /spl times/ 2048 pixels with 24 bit color depth at 24 frames per second. Films are digitized and compressed by motion JPEG. The streams, which average 250 Mbps, are continuously transmitted from the PC-based server to the real-time decoder using TCP/IP. The real-time decoder is a cluster of parallel JPEG processors to decode the received streams into uncompressed movie data (4.5 Gbps). The projector uses three LCD panels, each offering 8 million-pixels, and an all-digital video interface in order to enhance the quality of the digital cinema.
The Relationship Between Job Security and Work Attitudes: A Meta-Analysis Examining Competing Theoretical Models

Competing theoretical models and conflicting findings leave unanswered questions regarding job security’s effect on employee work attitudes (i.e., job satisfaction and organizational commitment). The present meta-analysis of 47 studies (including 56 independent samples) aims to clarify this association and identify factors that may explain differences between studies. We found a linearly positive relationship between job security and work attitudes such that more job security increased employee’s job satisfaction and organizational commitment. Moderator analyses confirmed that relationships differ substantially depending on type of organization, origin of country, age, tenure, and percentage of female workers in the organization. Interestingly, we found that age and tenure moderated the curvilinear job security-work attitudes relationships such that younger (or short tenured) employee group and older (or long tenured) employee group weaken work attitudes, while moderate levels of age (or tenured) employee group yield the strongest effects on work attitudes. Implications for future research and implications for organizational practice in the public sector are discussed.
Iterative Boundary Integral Solution for Curved Interface Transmission

Ultrasonic transmission through a moderately curved fluid-solid interface is a problem of obvious practical interest to QNDE. Extreme surface curvatures result in an erratic transmitted beam geometry ill-suited for a measurement probe. However, in many (if not the majority) of cases, a component surface has a moderate machined or cast curvature which distorts the beam in a well-behaved manner, making the prospect of an ultrasonic inspection viable. The quantitative utility of such an inspection will depend on the ability to model this beam distortion.
Operator decision modeling for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance type missions

This paper presents a decision making simulation and model for a simplified intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) type mission. The simulation presented operators with a binary decision choice for 25 possible scenarios. Data was collected experimentally with a total of 600 sample points, and then analyzed in order to develop an analytically tractable model of operator choice. The distribution of operator decisions was modeled with a binomial distribution as a function of environmental variables. An optimal decision making policy was also prescribed for all scenarios and compared to the operator data. Results showed good agreement between data and the optimal decision making policy in most scenarios, indicating good operator decision making. For scenarios with disagreement, the model gives more detail as to the environmental variables that caused the most confusion among operators.
In defence of Burge's thesis

Burge's thesis is the thesis that certain second-order self-ascriptions are self-verifying in virtue of their self-referential form. The thesis has recently come under attack on the grounds that it does not yield a theory of self-knowledge consistent with semantic externalism, and also on the groundsthat it is false. In this paper I defend Burge's thesis against both charges,in particular against the arguments of Bernecker, Gallois and Goldberg. The alleged counterexamples they provide are merely apparent counterexamples, and the thesis is adequate to its proper task. To think otherwise is simply to misunderstand the thesis.
Electromagnetic Field Creation During EWPT Nucleation With Lepton Currents

We include the electromagnetic currents from fermion degrees of freedom in the equations of motion for electroweak MSSM with a right-handed Stop that we have recently investigated. It is found that near the surface of the bubble walls there are important effects on the electromagnetic fields produced during bubble nucleation.
The S-Measurement in the Diagnosis of Canine Hip Dysplasia

Objective To propose a direct measure of subluxation of the femoral head (S) in the assessment of hip joint laxity and evaluate it for clinical use. Study Design Method comparison study. Animals Dogs (n = 51). Methods Dogs were sedated or anesthetized for a dorsolateral subluxation (DLS) examination. Two sets of radiographs were acquired, 1 each by a different technologist. A calibrated measuring bar was included on the image at the height of the hip to assess magnification. The DLS was calculated for each hip and different persons unaware of these details measured the “S”-value. One person measured the S-value 3 times over 3 days. Box plots were used to determine a cut-off for the empiric (8 mm) and corrected (4 mm) S-value. Results Of 51 dogs, 33 were dysplastic based on a DLS score <55%. Magnification and body weight were strongly correlated (r = 0.4922, P = .0006). Both empiric and corrected S measurements showed good agreement with the DLS score (κ = 0.688 and κ = 0.681, respectively). The corrected S measurement produced more false negatives. Bland–Altman analysis showed interobserver and technician variance acceptable for clinical use (limits of agreement < ±3 mm). Intraobserver repeatability was acceptable for the right hip (95% of differences were ≤1.3 mm and 100% ≤ 1.9) but not for the left hip. Conclusion Using a cut-off value of 5 mm, the empirical S measurement can be used to exclude hip dysplasia in young dogs of various body proportions.
Cancer incidence among filipinos in los angeles county, 1972–1991

Although Filipinos are the second largest Asian subgroup in the United States, little is known about their patterns of cancer incidence. We have examined cancer incidence rates among Filipinos living in Los Angeles County from 1972 through 1991 and evaluated their risk of non-localized cancer relative to non-Hispanic whites. Although Filipinos have substantially lower cancer rates than non-Hispanic whites in Los Angeles County, their incidence rates of liver cancer, cancer of the nasopharynx and thyroid cancer are higher. Filipino men and women had somewhat more advanced cancer at diagnosis, on average, than non-Hispanic whites, though no statistically significant differences were observed for sites where early detection methods exist. Our data suggest that Filipino-Americans would benefit from increased screening for cervical and breast cancer as well as efforts to interrupt transmission of hepatitis B virus to reduce liver cancer incidence.
The Whitehead hemorrhoidectomy. An unjustly maligned procedure.

The Whitehead technique of hemorrhoidectomy has developed a reputation as an undesirable procedure since its description in 1882. The chief criticisms have been considerable blood loss, disturbance of continence, formation of an ectropion, and poor healing of the mucocutaneous junction followed by stricture formation. Five hundred fifty-six patients underwent a modified Whitehead hemorrhoidectomy, performed by one author (C.E.C.), between 1963 and 1983. Seventy-two of these patients had unclaimed follow-up letters, leaving 484 patients available for review. Four hundred forty of these patients were followed for over three years. Postoperative complications included fistula or abscess in 1.1 percent, flap loss in 6.9 percent, and a nonhealing wound in one patient. There were no recurrences and there was no ectropion formation, or “Whitehead deformity”. Mortality was zero and total morbidity, including 7.2 percent flap detachment, was 12.2%. A modified Whitehead technique has become the authors' procedure of choice for circumferential prolapsing and bleeding hemorrhoids and mucosa.
Measurement of the Laser Transition Cross Section for Nd + 3 in Yttrium Aluminum Garnet

This paper reports measurements of the room-temperature laser transition cross section of ${\mathrm{Nd}}^{+3}$ in yttrium aluminum garnet at 1.06 \ensuremath{\mu}. One method used is based on the measured upper-state lifetime and a determination of the fluorescence branching ratio for this state. The value thus determined is 3.5\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}${10}^{\ensuremath{-}19}$ ${\mathrm{cm}}^{2}$. The second method involves measurement of the ratio of fluorescent intensities from the upper laser level to the ground state and to the lower laser level, and measurement of the cross section in absorption of the transition which involves the ground state. The second method yields a value of 2.7\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}${10}^{\ensuremath{-}19}$ ${\mathrm{cm}}^{2}$. The difference represents the contribution of fluorescence to high-lying levels (not included in the determination of branching ratio) and nonradiative transitions. The probable experimental accuracy in both methods is \ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}15%.
Cancer of the skin in blacks. IV. A review of nineteen black patients with Kaposi's sarcoma

Kaposi's sarcoma in American blacks is relatively rare, according to the literature. Using information from the Tumor Registry of Charity Hospital of Louisiana in New Orleans, we discuss the available data on nineteen black patients (10 men, 9 women), with histologically diagnosed Kaposi's sarcoma between the years 1948 to 1983. The overall mortality rate directly attributable to their disease was 21%. The mean survival of patients dying from disease was 2.0 years from the time of diagnosis. The mean survival for the entire series was 6.1 years. No second primary lymphoreticular neoplasms were reported.
Local time sharing for index coding

A series of extensions of the index coding schemes based on time sharing by Birk and Kol, by Blasiak, Kleinberg, and Lubetzky, and by Shanmugam, Dimakis, and Langberg are presented. Each extension strictly im- proves upon the previous extensions as well as the existing schemes. The main idea behind these extensions is local time sharing over subproblems introduced by Shanmugam et al., in which the local side information available at each receiver is exploited to send the subproblm indices with a fewer number of transmissions. Thefinal extension, despite being the best in this class of coding schemes, is shown to be still suboptimal, characterizing the fundamental limitof local time sharing.
Molecular parameters and their relation to the adhesive performance of acrylic pressure-sensitive adhesives

Model acrylic pressure-sensitive adhesives (PSAs) based on poly(2-ethyl-hexyl acrylate-stat-acrylic acid) and poly(n-butyl acrylate-stat-acrylic acid) at 97.5/2.5 wt % were synthesized using semicontinuous emulsion and solution polymerizations. Microgels formed in the lattices retained their discrete network morphology in the film. In contrast, acrylic solution was essentially gel free and crosslinking in the film was provided by the reaction of acrylic acid and post added Al Acetyl Acetonate after solvent evaporation, which led to continuous network morphology. The difference in film network morphology caused significantly lower shear holding power for the film from emulsion PSA compared with that of solvent-borne film. Unlike shear holding power, loop tack and peel of acrylic PSAs were mainly controlled by the same sol/gel molecular parameters, regardless of emulsion or solution PSAs. The important molecular parameters are sol-to-gel ratio, entanglement molecular weight, weight average molecular weight, and to a lesser extent, glass transition temperature. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 79: 2230–2244, 2001
Quantitative Comparison of Functional Contrast from BOLD-Weighted Spin-Echo and Gradient-Echo Echoplanar Imaging at 1.5 Tesla and H215O PET in the Whole Brain:

Spin-echo and gradient-echo echoplanar functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) studies at 1.5 Tesla (T) were used to obtain blood oxygenation level-dependent (BOLD) contrast images of the whole brain in seven strongly right-handed women during execution of a complex motor task. Five subjects underwent subsequent H215O positron emission tomography (PET) studies while performing the same task. Group-averaged results for changes in the MRI relaxation rates R2* and R2 at 1.5T in response to neuronal activation in nine cortical, subcortical, and cerebellar motor regions are reported. Results for each method are grouped according to tissue type-cerebral cortex (precentral gyrus and supplementary motor area), subcortical regions (thalamus and putamen), and cerebellar cortex (superior lobule). The observed changes in R2* from activation-induced oxygenation changes were more variable across brain regions with different tissue characteristics than observed changes in R2. The ratio of deltaR2* to deltaR2 was 3.3 +/- 0.9 for cerebral cortex and 2.0 +/- 0.6 for subcortical tissue. deltaR2*, deltaR2, and relative blood flow changes were deltaR2* = -0.201 +/- 0.040 (s-1), deltaR2 = -0.064 +/- 0.011 s(-1), and deltaf/f = 16.7 +/- 0.8% in the cerebral cortex; deltaR2* = -0.100 +/- 0.026 s(-1), deltaR2 = -0.049 +/- 0.009 s(-1), and deltaf/f = 9.4 +/- 0.7% in the subcortical regions; and deltaR2* = -0.215 +/- 0.093 s(-1), deltaR2 = -0.069 +/- 0.012 s(-1), and deltaf/f = 16.2 +/- 1.2% in the cerebellar cortex.
Attempted reversal of filarial periodicity in Dirofilaria immitis.

Since Manson1 discovered the phenomenon of filarial periodicity in China numerous investigators have sought to elucidate its mechanism. Mackenzie2 was the first to reverse this periodicity by inverting the period of sleep and activity and his success led him to the belief that the sleeping and waking states are primary factors in its production. Manson successfully repeated and varied Mackenzie's experiment and since then a number of investigators have confirmed it, including Low, Manson-Bahr and Walters.3, 4 These workers pointed out, on the basis of very careful 2-hour sampling, that true reversal did not occur but an irregular periodicity resulted from the patient's changing his daily routine.In an endeavor to shed some light on the mechanism of periodicity an attempt was made to reverse the cycle by changing the daily routine of filaria-infected dogs. Two animals were chosen for this experiment, one with a relatively high number of microfilariae (minimum of 40,000 per cu. cm.) and the other with only ...
Evidence for a Population of Numerous Binaries with Comparably Bright Components among HIPPARCOS ``Single'' F Stars

We find evidence for the presence of a population of numerous binaries with comparably bright components (C binaries) among Hipparcos F stars that are flagged in the Hipparcos catalog as single. We propose a criterion that identifies such binaries. The criterion is based on comparison of absolute magnitude MV obtained from the Hipparcos parallax and Johnson V magnitude with absolute magnitude derived from the dereddened uvby luminosity index c0, Mc0. For photometrically unresolved binaries, MV must be brighter because it represents the integrated flux of a binary system, while Mc0 is determined by the integrated spectrum and is thus close to the absolute magnitude of the primary. We have conducted a series of tests that have revealed the presence of C binaries among Hipparcos "single" F stars and confirmed that the proposed criterion is quite effective at identifying these stars. The C binary candidates have been found to be, on average, older than the candidates comprising single stars and binaries with disparate components (D binaries).
A binding model for the precipitation of proteins by carboxymethyl cellulose

Abstract The precipitation of ovalbumin andlysozyme by carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) is modeled as a multiple equilibrium binding phenomenon. The binding is shown to be negatively cooperative, with the cooperativity resulting from electrostatic interactions between the oppositely charged protein and polymer. The binding constant is the product of a charge-independent quantity, the intrinsic binding constant, and a cooperativity function. The ionic strength and pH dependence of the binding constant is modeled using the Debye-Huckel theory to account for the electrostatic free energy of the interacting species. The intrinsic association constant varies linearly with ionic strength; the slopes of these plots are the sum of hydrophobic and electrostatic (ion-dipole) contributions. For proteins with a high surface charge density, the ion-dipole interaction dominates, but for proteins with lower charge density, hydrophobic considerations become more important. The resolubilization of protein-polyelectrolyte precipitates at high polymer dosage levels is seen to occur at a high complex charge density. This residual charge hinders aggregation of the complexes to form insoluble primary particles, resulting in lower protein recoveries.
Cloud Cover and Its Relationship to Relative Humidity during a Springtime Midlatitude Cyclone

Abstract Vertical distributions of fractional cloud coverage derived from the U.S. Air Force 3DNEPH satellite, aircraft, and surface-based analysis are compared with related standard meteorological observations over the eastern United States. Cloud cover and related observations are interpolated onto the identical three-dimensional grid consisting of 15 tropospheric levels at various horizontal resolutions ranging from (80 km)2 to (800 km)2 for five local noon periods during a springtime midlatitude cyclone. During the period analyzed, cloud cover maximizes near 900 mb at 35% cloud cover and decreases to near-zero cover at the surface. Above 900 mb, fractional cloudiness gradually decreases to 10%–20% cover at 200 mb. Cloud cover is positively correlated with relative humidity and large-scale vertical velocity, and negatively correlated with wind shear and temperature lapse rate, except in the lowest 100 mb, where cloud cover is weakly correlated with relative humidity, vertical velocity, wind shear, and ...
Phase-transfer catalysis in a membrane reactor

Abstract Many contacting problems associated with conventional phase-transfer catalysis operations can be eliminated by using a membrane reactor. Instead of the mixer/settler sequence of the conventional reactor, the aqueous and organic streams are contacted across a porous, hydrophobic membrane—the role of the membrane is to stabilize the oil/water interface at a fixed position while affording efficient transfer of the phase-transfer agent. General mathematical models are presented for the behaviour of the membrane reactor and important dimensionless groups are identified. Model predictions are verified with an experimental demonstration using a flat sheet, thin film reactor. In addition to superior reactor performance, the fact that the membrane device can be operated under closely controlled and completely identifiable mass-transfer characteristics provides a convenient laboratory tool for investigating the kinetics of phase-transfer reactions, an increasingly important class of industrial synthesis reactions.
Estimation of lumped vocal fold mechanical properties from non-invasive microphone recordings

In this paper it is argued that vertical motions of the vocal folds allow sound to be transmitted between the subglottal airways and the vocal tract during the closed phase of vocal fold vibration. From this insight, a pair of equations relating the lumped inertance and compliance of the vocal folds to the frequencies of speech resonances (F0 and formants) is derived. These equations include terms for the input impedances of the vocal tract and the subglottal airways measured from the glottis. If these input impedances can be estimated with sufficient accuracy, then the lumped inertance and compliance of the vocal folds can be estimated to arbitrary accuracy depending on the accuracy of formant and F0 measurements, and depending on the validity of the assumptions that losses are negligible and that the vocal folds are mechanically isotropic in the coronal plane.
Legal Matters of Concern to NPs

The Journal for Nurse Practitioners JNP 639 For several years, The Journal for Nurse Practitioners has dedicated one edition per volume to the topic of legal issues affecting nurse practitioner (NP) practice. Data indicate that legal liability is a continuing concern for NPs. In this issue, Ken Miller’s article “Malpractice Trends: Viewing the Data and Avoiding the Hot Seat of Litigation” notes that claims against NPs that have been reported to the National Practitioner Data Bank—a federally required reporting system for mal practice judgments, malpractice settlements, action on professional privileges, DEA claims, and actions on MA/MC reimbursement—have risen 36%. Consequently, our profession needs to take a hard look at strategies for identifying and managing the problems we encounter. One such area is medication errors, as addressed by William Howie’s article on mandatory reporting. Further, Nayna Philipsen and Diane Maskell’s article “How to Handle a Complaint Letter from a Professional Licensure Board” gives sound advice on dealing with potential actions that affect your ability to work as an NP. We are an aging society, and advanced medical directives have assumed an increasing importance in making end-of-life decisions. Attorney Roxanne Ward’s article on this topic provides helpful suggestions to NPs in dealing with patients who want their wishes honored in the event they are unable to make their own health care choices. JNP readers have expressed continuing interest in our case study articles outlining lawsuits against NPs. Based on this response, Cindy Grandjean and Linda Wales have written an actual case study, noting areas where the NP was vulnerable and offering recommendations for improved practice. Hopefully, you will find that this issue helps you better navigate the legal system that affects our daily practice. Should you want to make suggestions for future legal articles, please feel free to email me at mcmullep@cua.edu.
The web as a platform to build machine translation resources

In the last few years, the World Wide Web has changed tremendously. Now accessible to millions of users from hundreds of countries, it has started to show new online behaviors. Following the new patterns we now see many multilingual activities going on in large scales. In this paper, we provide an analysis on how this emerging usage patterns can affect the Machine Translation community. We identify the main motivations behind these activity patterns. Using examples we compare the traditional approaches to resource collection to new online-based approaches. We then present our experimental results of an online community designed to collect parallel corpora.
Lifestyle Approach for Increasing Physical Activity in Youth

Although physical activity (PA) provides children with various health benefits, many children do not engage in regular PA. Health care professionals can effectively encourage children and their families to participate in more PA through lifestyle changes. The strategies that clinicians can employ to promote PA are discussed in this article.
A claims data approach to defining an episode of care.

Objective To utilize health services research techniques in developing an episode of care using an administrative data set. This method is demonstrated for an episodic clinical condition, migraine. Data Sources Medicaid administrative data set of 3,372 patients with a diagnosis of migraine (ICD-9-CM 346.0, 346.1) in the state of Pennsylvania between May 1990 and March 1992. Study Design The duration of a migraine episode was measured by assessing the magnitude of resource utilization and the proportion of patients with charges in the period after the index migraine as compared to the period before the index migraine. A confidence interval (CI) was developed around each measure using bootstrap techniques. Data Collection Methods All charge data were extracted daily for a 113-day observation period surrounding each index migraine in order to observe the duration of impact of a migraine diagnosis on resource utilization. Principal Findings The lower limits of both the 95% and 99% CIs for the difference in charges are greater than 0 for three weeks. The lower limits of both CIs for the difference in the proportion of patients with charges are above 0 for six weeks. Conclusions Our analysis demonstrates that a health services research framework can be used to define an episode of care for a chronic disease category such as migraine. This method can be used to evaluate episodes of care for clinical studies of limited or episodic conditions and to complement clinical expertise in developing time horizons for clinical trials. Copyright © 1999 Health Research and Education Trust. Reprinted in 2001 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.