cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Clinical, pathologic, and genetic findings in a case of 46,XY pure gonadal dysgenesis (Swyer's syndrome): II. Presence of H-Y antigen

Evidence that expression of histocompatibility-Y (H-Y) antigen on human cells is determined by a Y-linked gene is provided by data demonstrating that male subjects with two Y chromosomes have higher antigen levels than male subjects with one Y chromosome. The widespread evolutionary conservation of H-Y antigen and its association with the Y chromosome suggest that the antigen has a specific, crucial function. We surmise that this function is the differentiation of the embryonic gonad into whichever mature gonad, testis or ovary, typifies the heterogametic sex of each species. Of particular interest are individuals whose gonadal sex does not correspond to their somatic genotype. In the present article, we report positive results in the first case of 46,XY pure gonadal dysgenesis (Swyer's syndrome) to be typed for H-Y antigen. This case suggests that the presence of H-Y antigen may not be sufficient to complete masculinization of the embryonic mammalian gonad. Alternatively, a mutant gene may govern expression of a cell surface component which cross reacts with H-Y antigen but which lacks the ability to function in the virilization of the gonad.
Effective elastic-plastic response of particulate two-phase composite materials under multi-axial loading

Abstract In recent papers (Teng, 2014, 2018), an incremental elastic-plastic double-inclusion model was developed to determine the effective elastic-plastic response of two-phase composites of spherical or aligned spheroidal particles. For composites of purely elastic particles and elastic-plastic matrix of von Mises yield criterion with isotropic strain hardening, the double-inclusion model was formulated through the use of an isotropic matrix tangent stiffness tensor. The use of the isotropic tangent stiffness tensor, however, is only suitable for uniaxial loading or pure shear, but not for multi-axial loading. For in general the elastic-plastic tangent stiffness tensor of the matrix is inherently anisotropic, and during plastic deformation normal stress (strain) increment and shear strain (stress) increment are coupled, as a result of the anisotropy of the tangent stiffness tensor. In this paper, the original incremental elastic-plastic double-inclusion formulation presented in the previous papers (Teng, 2014, 2018) for composites of elastic spherical or aligned spheroidal particles and elastic-plastic matrix is modified by adding anisotropic corrections of stress increment defined in terms of the difference between the anisotropic and isotropic tangent stiffness tensors of the matrix. The resulting improved incremental double-inclusion model can be applied to multi-axial loading. Comparison of the model predictions to the results of the direct approach using representative volume elements containing many particles shows that the improved incremental elastic-plastic double-inclusion formulation is capable of predicting the effective elastic-plastic response of two-phase composites of spherical or aligned spheroidal particles under multi-axial loading.
The Periacetabular Osteotomy

In hip dysplasia, there is deficiency in the bony acetabular coverage of the femoral head. This can result in increased forces and stress on the acetabular rim complex (labrum and articular cartilage) and result in hip pain and eventual hip osteoarthrosis. The pain may arise from multiple sources such as the overload of the acetabular bone, labrum, capsule, or muscles acting to support the hip. Evaluation of hip dysplasia and instability is done by physical exam and radiographic imaging. Three-dimensional imaging with CT scanning is often necessary as the pattern of acetabular dysplasia is not always the classic anterior lateral deficiency as evaluated by the lateral center-edge angle. The patterns of acetabular deficiency on CT scanning may be anterior only, posterior, or global, even with LCE numbers that are considered “borderline.” The periacetabular osteotomy was developed to reorient the acetabulum to maximize the hyaline cartilage coverage of the femoral head. In the last decade, it has been increasingly utilized as an effective treatment for hip dysplasia and instability. There have been modifications to the approach of the procedure such as sparing the rectus tendon insertion and smaller incisions to decrease the morbidity and recovery from the surgery, and it has been proven to be a safe and effective procedure for patients who have symptomatic hip dysplasia. Procedures such as hip arthroscopy, joint inspection, ostoechondroplasty, surgical dislocation, and femoral osteotomies can be performed concurrently. This chapter describes the indications and technique of the periacetabular osteotomy.
Unraveling the RNA Binding Properties of the Iron-Sulfur Zinc Finger Protein CPSF30.

Cleavage and polyadenylation specificity factor 30 (CPSF30) is a “zinc finger” protein that plays a crucial role in the transition of pre-mRNA to RNA. CPSF30 contains five conserved CCCH domains an...
Gait control in children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder.

Abstract The current profile of gait control in children with ADHD is incomplete and predominately based on children walking forward at a self-selected pace. There are no studies of potential gait deficits in this clinical population when walking in different directions in combination with varying rates of stepping that are freely selected and entrained to an external stimulus. The purpose of the current study was to address this lack of information by assessing gait of children aged 7–17 years with (n = 17) and without (n = 26) ADHD. Participants walked forward and backward along an electronically instrumented carpet at a self-selected stepping rate and in synchrony to a metronome that dictated an increased and decreased stepping rate. Using repeated measures analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) to assess spatiotemporal gait parameters, results showed that children with ADHD exhibited a significantly exaggerated, toes ‘turned out,’ foot position for all walking conditions compared to typically developing children. When walking backward, children with ADHD produced an increased step width, higher stepping cadence, and increased velocity. Additionally, coefficient of variation ratios indicated that children with ADHD produced greater variability of velocity, cadence, and step time for all walking conditions, and greater variability for stride length when walking at an increased stepping rate. Results were interpreted in terms of clinical significance and practical ramifications that inform rehabilitation specialists in designing therapies that ameliorate the reported gait deficits.
Temporal Clusters of Kawasaki Disease Cases Share Distinct Phenotypes That Suggest Response to Diverse Triggers.

Objective To test the hypothesis that cases of Kawasaki disease within a temporal cluster have a similar pattern of host response that is distinct from cases of Kawasaki disease in different observed clusters and randomly constructed clusters. Study design We designed a case-control study to analyze 47 clusters derived from 1332 patients with Kawasaki disease over a 17-year period (2002-2019) from a single clinical site and compared the cluster characteristics with those of 2 control groups of synthetic Kawasaki disease clusters. We defined a “true” Kawasaki disease cluster as at least 5 patients within a 7-day moving window. The observed and synthetic Kawasaki disease clusters were compared with respect to demographic and clinical characteristics and median values for standard laboratory data using univariate analysis and a multivariate, rotated empirical orthogonal function analysis. Results In a univariate analysis, the median values for age, coronary artery z-score, white blood cell count, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, C-reactive protein, and age-adjusted hemoglobin for several of the true Kawasaki disease clusters exceeded the 95th percentile for the 2 synthetic clusters. REOF analyses revealed distinct patterns of demographic and clinical measures within clusters. Conclusions Cases of Kawasaki disease within a cluster were more similar with respect to demographic and clinical features and levels of inflammation than would be expected by chance. These observations suggest that different triggers and/or different intensities of exposures result in clusters of cases of Kawasaki disease that share a similar response pattern. Analyzing cases within clusters or cases who share demographic and clinical features may lead to new insights into the etiology of Kawasaki disease.
Harmonic maps from Kähler manifolds

This report attempts a clean presentation of the theory of harmonic maps from complex and Kahler manifolds to Riemannian manifolds. After reviewing the theory of harmonic maps between Riemannian manifolds initiated by Eells-Sampson and the Bochner technique, we specialize to Kahler domains and introduce pluriharmonic maps. We prove a refined Bochner formula due to Siu and Sampson and its main consequences, such as the strong rigidity results of Siu. We also recount the applications to symmetric spaces of noncompact type and their relation to Mostow rigidity. Finally, we explain the key role of this theory for the nonabelian Hodge correspondence relating the character variety of a compact Kahler manifold and the moduli space of Higgs bundles.
A multidimensional conception and measure of human-robot trust

Abstract Robots are increasingly used in social applications, which raise challenges regarding people's trust in robots. A modern conception of human-robot trust must go beyond the conventional notions of human-automation relations and better connect to the current understanding of human-human trust, without assuming that human-robot trust is identical. A review of the literature together with our recent empirical work suggests that trust is multidimensional, incorporating both performance aspects (central in the human-automation literature) and moral aspects (central in the human-human trust literature). A multidimensional conception can be applied to human-robot trust, even if only some of the dimensions will be relevant for any given interaction with a robot. In addition to proposing an integrative conception of trust, we offer a measurement instrument for public use: the Multidimensional Measure of Trust (MDMT). This measure captures two superordinate factors of trust (Performance trust, Moral trust) that each break into two subfacets (Reliable and Capable within Performance, and Sincere and Ethical within Moral). We are continuing to test this measure in follow-up research and encourage other researchers to join us in collectively validating it.
Double Valve Infective Endocarditis Complicated by Systemic Arterial Embolization.

A 26-year-old male with a past medical history of intravenous opioid abuse was admitted with the diagnosis of double valve infective endocarditis and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia. Imaging, excluding the head, was indicative of systemic arterial embolization, as abscesses had developed in the retroperitoneum and prostate. There was evidence of splenic infarct, and the presence of extensive pulmonary infiltrates indicative of showering septic foci from the heart. Antibiotic therapy was started and a transesophageal echocardiogram demonstrated mitral and tricuspid valve vegetations with a preserved ejection fraction. Fortunately, the valvular repair was successful and artificial valves were not needed. The patient had an uncomplicated postoperative course in the intensive care unit and was transferred back to the ward in stable condition. He remained on the ward for six weeks due to his unfunded status until his antibiotic course and physical rehabilitation were completed.
Spectral aspect of earthquakes

Abstract Considering ground acceleration associated with earthquakes to be composed of a series of velocity impulses of random amplitude, time spacing, and wave shapes, a statistical approach is used to establish its power spectral density. The general result indicates that if the mean of the velocity pulses is zero, the power spectral density becomes a constant, regardless of wave shape and time spacing, thereby supporting the equipartition of energy theory, first advanced by Housner.
Real-time object oriented intelligent control environment

An approach to the design of intelligent control systems is proposed that provides for design optimization and parallelization of intelligent control structures in an object-oriented environment. Embedded in the object-oriented formulation is an inheritance mechanism that gives the design a multilevel hierarchical structures and yields an efficient design migration path from top-level specifications to low-level control functions. The object-oriented modeling methodology, a colored Petri net extension, provides an optimization platform that is expected to mitigate the problem of combinatorial explosion. The Petri net structure allows easy parallelization, mapping to a heterogeneous computing environment based upon the capabilities of the individual processing elements. >
CD34+ Testicular Stromal Cells Support Long-Term Expansion of Embryonic and Adult Stem and Progenitor Cells

Stem cells reside in specialized microenvironments created by supporting stromal cells that orchestrate self-renewal and lineage-specific differentiation. However, the precise identity of the cellular and molecular pathways that support self-renewal of stem cells is not known. For example, long-term culture of prototypical stem cells, such as adult spermatogonial stem and progenitor cells (SPCs), in vitro has been impeded by the lack of an optimal stromal cell line that initiates and sustains proliferation of these cells. Indeed, current methods, including the use of mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs), have not been efficient and have generally led to inconsistent results. Here, we report the establishment of a novel CD34-positive cell line, referred to as JK1, derived from mouse testicular stromal cells that not only facilitated long-term SPC culture but also allowed faithful generation of SPCs and multipotent stem cells. SPCs generated on JK1 maintained key features of germ line stem cells, including expression of PLZF, DAZL, and GCNA. Furthermore, these feeders also promoted the long-term cultivation of other types of primitive cells including multi-potent adult spermatogonial-derived stem cells, pluripotent murine embryonic stem cells, and embryonic germ cells derived from primordial germ cells. Stem cells could be passaged serially and still maintained expression of characteristic markers such as OCT4 and NANOG in vitro, as well as the ability to generate all three germ layers in vivo. These results indicate that the JK1 cell line is capable of promoting long-term culture of primitive cells. As such, this cell line allows for identification of stromal-derived factors that support long-term proliferation of various types of stem cells and constitutes a convenient alternative to other types of feeder layers.
Making the transition from passive to active experiential learning

After some introductory remarks, which will include identification of key words in addition to those in the title, the participants will get together in groups of 3-4 to identify an idea that has worked for them within the framework of the title. If they have no experience to share, then the group will formulate a question to present for discussion. After about five minutes of these small-group meetings, one person from each group will present their main idea or question (in a minute or so) and a list will be made of all these ideas or questions. Then discussion will ensue by the whole group concerning the items on the list, with a summary at the end of the main points. The intention is to conduct an active, cooperative, experiential, interactive, integrated, participatory learning session. 1 Moen: Passive to active experiential learning Published by DigitalCommons@USU, 2002
The interaction term in two-tensor field theories

Attention is focussed on several two-tensor theories (f-g, g-h, 0–1) which differ only in their choice of interaction term. Different properties, which some authors claim to be desirable, are then imposed on a general interaction term in order to see to what extent these properties can be used to characterize a particular theory. It is found that only one of these theories, thef-g theory, cannot be specified uniquely in this manner.
The urinary excretion of antidiuretic substances by the obstetric and gynecologic patient.

Abstract During the past decade there has been a growing interest in the urinary excretion of antidiuretic substances. 1–7 Extracted by a variety of techniques, 1, 7–12 substances which have an antidiuretic effect have been reported appearing in the urine of patients during the postoperative period 2, 3, 14, 15 as well as in nonsurgical conditions. 1, 4–7, 13, 16 In the present study the urinary output of such antidiuretic substances has been measured to compare the excretion rates in women, both pregnant and nonpregnant, during normal as well as pathologic and postoperative states.
The indirect patient care effect of a unit-based clinical nurse specialist on preventable pulmonary complications.

Purpose To examine the indirect effect of a unit-based expert nurse on the incidence of preventable pulmonary complications, which were defined as malpositioned endotracheal tube and inadvertent extubation. Design A nonequivalent control group/separate samples pretest/posttest design was used to test differences in the incidence of preventable pulmonary complications before and after a 6-month intervention by a unit-based expert nurse in the experimental unit. Retrospective medical record audits were used to collect data on all consecutive admissions to the experimental and control units in March and April of years 1 and 2. Results Estimated risk ratios demonstrated a significant reduction in preventable pulmonary complications in the experimental unit after the test, even though the acuity was significantly higher in posttest patients. It was concluded that indirect patient care by a unit-based clinical nurse specialist can reduce the incidence of preventable pulmonary complications.
Serotonin-binding glycoprotein of rat platelets

Platelets, because of their ability to take up serotonin, are often considered as models of serotonergic neurons. We have purified a glycoprotein from rat platelets that specifically binds serotonin (KD = 10 nM) but not [3H]imipramine (up to 0.2 microM). This protein is distinct from fibronectin. Antiserum raised against this protein was shown to be monospecific by double diffusion, rocket immunoelectrophoresis and immunoreactivity of protein transferred from slab gels to nitrocellulose sheets. We have called this protein serotonectin. Serotonectin-like material was localized by light- and electron-microscopic immunocytochemistry in rat platelets, using the unlabelled peroxidase-antiperoxidase complex bridge technique. All serotonectin immunoreactivity was found to be associated with the plasma membrane but no immunoreactivity was found in the surface connecting system. Washing platelets with Krebs solution removed 75% of the extractable serotonectin, indicating that it is a peripheral protein. Serotonectin was found to be circulating in the plasma, as the ease of its removal from platelet membranes suggests it must do; however, none was found in brain synaptosomes. Serotonectin was found to be synthesized in blood-forming organs (spleen, bone marrow) but not in the liver or the mucosa of the gut. Antibodies to serotonectin (4.5 mg/ml) inhibited the uptake of [14H]serotonin (0.2 microM) by rat platelets but not by synaptosomes. Serotonectin did not bind [3H]imipramine and washing the protein off platelet membranes did not impede the binding of [3H]imipramine to the membranes. Thus an action on serotonectin does not seem to be responsible for the antagonism by tricyclic antidepressants of serotonin uptake. These data suggest that serotonectin is present on the external surface of platelet plasma membranes, that it is excluded from the plasma membrane of the surface connecting system, and that it may be in equilibrium with free material in plasma.
Joanne Simpson: An Ideal Model of Mentorship

The role of cumulus clouds in local, regional, and global weather and climate that is understood today is based to a large extent on the pioneering work of Joanne Simpson. Her involvement in this work is illustrated through the experiences as my career developed. She also was, and is, an ideal model of mentorship. This paper illustrates this model using my interactions during the 1970s and early 1980s, and how they have influenced research articles up to the present.
Coming to America: the extraterritorial reach of US judicial process

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore situations in which US Federal Courts may impose severe fines and sanctions to compel the disclosure of information maintained outside the territorial limits of the USA by enforcing either a grand jury subpoena or an Internal Revenue Service administrative summons.Design/methodology/approach – The paper presents a memorandum of law summarizing and analyzing relevant US legal precedents, including In Re Grand Jury Proceedings (Bank of Nova Scotia), 740 F.2d 817 (11th Cir. 1984), a case that has come to be eponymous for any US judicial process calling for the production of foreign records: “Bank of Nova Scotia subpoenas.”Findings – The paper finds that, in appropriate circumstances, US Federal Courts have been willing to impose coercive fines and sanctions on individuals or entities that have failed to produce records and other information that is outside the territorial jurisdiction of the USA.Research limitations/implications – The analysis is focused on t...
Tumor necrosis factor α mediates a T cell receptor-independent induction of the gene regulatory factor NF-κB in T lymphocytes

Abstract We investigated the molecular basis of the ability of DCEK experimental antigen-presenting cells (APCs) to induce the nuclear form of the transcription factor NF-κB in T lymphocytes without engagement of the T cell receptor. We found that NF-κB induction did not require contact between the APCs and T lymphocytes and could be achieved by medium conditioned by the APCs. The APCs were found to express low levels of mRNA for TNFα. The addition of antibody against TNFα blocked the ability of APCs to induce NF-κB. These observations were extended by the finding that NF-κB was also induced in T lymphocytes separated by a membrane from a mixture of T lymphocytes, splenic APCs and antigen by a TNFα-dependent mechanism. Together, these findings suggest that induction of NF-κB in antigenically stimulated or ‘bystander’ T cells may take place through stimulation by TNFa as well as in response to T cell receptor occupancy.
Interacting dark energy and the cosmic coincidence problem

The introduction of an interaction for dark energy to the standard cosmology offers a potential solution to the cosmic coincidence problem. We examine the conditions on the dark energy density that must be satisfied for this scenario to be realized. Under some general conditions we find a stable attractor for the evolution of the Universe in the future. Holographic conjectures for the dark energy offer some specific examples of models with the desired properties.
Phosphorus—Nitrogen Compounds VII. Urethan Derivatives

A series of phosphorylated urethans was synthesized for antitumor screening. Results indicate that the P(O)NHC(O)OEt moiety does not contribute directly to an oncolytic effect against lymphoid leukemia.
Did the 1997 balanced budget act reduce use of physical and occupational therapy services

Abstract Latham NK, Jette AM, Ngo LH, Soukup J, Iezzoni LI. Did the 1997 Balanced Budget Act reduce use of physical and occupational therapy services? Objective To investigate whether use of physical therapy (PT) and occupational therapy (OT) services decreased after the passage of the 1997 Balanced Budget Act (BBA). Design Data from the nationally representative Medicare Current Beneficiary Survey (MCBS) were merged with Medicare claims data. We conducted cross-sectional analyses of data from 1995 (n=7978), 1999 (n=7863), and 2001 (n=7973). All analyses used MCBS sampling weights to provide estimates that can be generalized to the Medicare population with 5 common conditions. Settings Skilled nursing facilities (SNFs), home health agencies, inpatient rehabilitation facilities (IRFs), and outpatient rehabilitation settings. Participants Medicare beneficiaries who participated in the MCBS survey in each of the study years and had 1 or more of the following conditions: acute stroke, acute myocardial infarction, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, arthritis or degenerative joint disease, or mobility problems. Interventions Not applicable. Main Outcome Measures Percentage of persons meeting our inclusion criteria who received PT or OT in each setting, and total units of PT and OT received in each setting. Results Multivariable logistic regression revealed no statistically significant differences in the proportion of people who met our inclusion criteria who used PT or OT from home health agencies across the 3 time points. For SNFs, an increase in the odds of receiving PT was statistically significant from 1995 to 1999 (odds ratio [OR]=1.42; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.19−1.69) and 1995 to 2001 (OR=1.69; 95% CI, 1.39−2.05). For IRF and outpatient settings, a significant increase was observed between 1995 and 2001 (OR=1.71, OR=1.27, respectively). For OT, a statistically significant increase was observed for IRF and outpatient rehabilitation settings from 1995 to 2001. For SNF, the increase was statistically significant from 1995 to 1999 and 1995 to 2001. Mean total PT and OT units received also increased across all settings from 1995 to 2001 except for IRFs. Conclusions Despite BBA mandates restricting postacute care expenditures, this nationally representative study showed no decreases in the percentage of Medicare beneficiaries with 5 common diagnoses receiving PT and/or OT across all settings and no decreases in units of PT and/or OT services received between 1995 and 2001 except for those in IRFs. This study suggests that the delivery of PT and OT services did not decline among persons with conditions for which rehabilitation services are often clinically indicated.
The Puzzle of Putin's Gubernatorial Appointments

Abstract This article confronts the puzzles at the heart of Vladimir Putin's decision to eliminate Russia's gubernatorial elections: specifically, the lack of resistance among the regions to Putin's proposal, and the relative ease and speed with which electoral institutions were dismantled. It considers explanations at the central and regional levels, revealing that the Kremlin engaged regional interests and incentives to make the system of appointments seem appealing. After considering competing accounts of Putin's objectives, analysis then focuses on the Kremlin's revival of Soviet-era institutional practices as serving to make the elimination of gubernatorial elections seemingly inevitable while rendering compliance as obligatory.
The oxidation behavior of gamma-titanium aluminide alloys under thermal cycling conditions

Abstract The oxidation behavior of a number of ternary and quaternary γ-TiAl alloys in air has been studied under rapid thermal cycling conditions for periods of hundreds of hours in the temperature range 850–1000°C. The ability of the γ-TiAl alloys to form a protective alumina scale on oxidation was found to be much influenced by the presence of low concentrations of other elements, binary combinations of which were often more effective in promoting oxidation-resistance than single element additions. For example, whereas the alloys Ti48Al4Cr and Ti48Al4Ta formed spalling unprotective TiO 2 Al 2 O 3 scales at 850°C. Ti48Al4Nb, Ti48Al4W and the quaternary alloys Ti48Al2Cr2Nb and Ti48Al2Mn2W formed protective Al 2 O 3 scales. The alumina-forming alloys Ti48Al16Cr, Ti48Al12Nb and Ti48Al2Cr6Ta were very oxidation-resistant even at 900°C.
Endogenous Erythropoietin Signaling Is Required for Normal Neural Progenitor Cell Proliferation

Erythropoietin (Epo) and its receptor (EpoR), critical for erythropoiesis, are expressed in the nervous system. Prior to death in utero because of severe anemia EpoR-null mice have fewer neural progenitor cells, and differentiated neurons are markedly sensitive to hypoxia, suggesting that during development Epo stimulates neural cell proliferation and prevents neuron apoptosis by promoting oxygen delivery to brain or by direct interaction with neural cells. Here we present evidence that neural progenitor cells express EpoR at higher levels compared with mature neurons; that Epo stimulates proliferation of embryonic neural progenitor cells; and that endogenous Epo contributes to neural progenitor cell proliferation and maintenance. EpoR-null mice were rescued with selective EpoR expression driven by the endogenous EpoR promoter in hematopoietic tissue but not in brain. Although these mice exhibited normal hematopoiesis and erythrocyte production and survived to adulthood, neural cell proliferation and viability were affected. Embryonic brain exhibited increased neural cell apoptosis, and neural cell proliferation was reduced in the adult hippocampus and subventricular zone. Neural cells from these animals were more sensitive to hypoxia/glutamate neurotoxicity than normal neurons in culture and in vivo. These observations demonstrate that endogenous Epo/EpoR signaling promotes cell survival in embryonic brain and contributes to neural cell proliferation in adult brain in regions associated with neurogenesis. Therefore, Epo exerts extra-hematopoietic function and contributes directly to brain development, maintenance, and repair by promoting cell survival and proliferation independent of insult, injury, or ischemia.
Formation and oxidation performance of low-temperature pack aluminide coatings on ferritic–martensitic steels

Abstract A pack cementation process was developed to coat commercial 9% Cr ferritic–martensitic steel T91 at temperatures below its normal tempering temperature to avoid any potential detrimental effect on the mechanical properties of the coated alloy. In order to prevent the formation of Fe 2 Al 5 coatings, the Al activity in the pack cementation process was reduced by substituting the pure Al masteralloy with binary Cr–Al masteralloys containing either 15 or 25 wt.% Al. When the Cr–25Al masteralloy was used, a duplex coating was formed at 700 °C, consisting of a thin Fe 2 Al 5 outer layer and an inner layer of FeAl. With the Cr–15Al masteralloy, an FeAl coating of ~ 12 μm thick was achieved at 700 °C. The pack aluminide coatings fabricated at 700 °C are being evaluated in air + 10 vol.% H 2 O at 650 °C and 700 °C to determine their long-term oxidation performance.
Lifting for nonlinear wavelet processing

This paper develops new algorithms for adapted multiscale analysis and signal adaptive wavelet transforms. We construct our adaptive transforms with the lifting scheme, which decomposes the wavelet transform into prediction and update stages. We adapt the prediction stage to the signal structure and design the update stage to preserve the desirable properties of the wavelet transform. The resulting scale and spatially adaptive transforms are extended to the image estimation problem; our new image transforms show improved denoising performance over existing (non-adaptive) orthogonal transforms.
Feasibility of using piezohydraulic pumps as motors for pediatric ventricular assist devices

The feasibility of using piezohydraulic pumps in drivers for pediatric ventricular assist devices is presented in this article. In this study a 0.5 kg piezohydraulic pump is incorporated into a ventricular assist device driver to drive a pulsatile pediatric 30 mL stroke ventricular assist device (VAD). The driver consists of a piezoelectric-hydraulic hybrid actuator and volume amplification section. Mechanical tests were performed on the pump and the hybrid actuator and a maximum power output of 5.4 W and 1.6 W were recorded respectively. The driver was tested running at multiple heart rates from 50-80 beats per minute (BPM) in an in-vitro bench top mock circulation to characterize the performance of the driver under a circulatory load. The maximum drive pressure output by the driver was 35 kPa. Peak flow rate from the VAD driven by the new driver was 6 L/min against a 10 kPa back pressure. Mean flow rate from the VAD outlet was 2.35 L/min for 80 BPM operation.
Selective Nonoperative Management of Gunshot Wounds of the Anterior Abdomen

Objective: To investigate the role of selective nonoperative management of gunshot wounds to the abdomen. Design: A prospective, protocol-guided study including all gunshot wounds of the anterior abdomen. Patients and Methods: The patients were assessed and managed according to a written protocol. Patients with hemodynamic instability or peritonitis or associated spinal cord or head injury or requiring a general anesthetic for an extra-abdominal injury were managed by laparotomy. The rest of the patients were selected for initial nonoperative management with serial physical examinations. Results: During a 16-month period, 309 patients with gunshot wounds of the anterior abdomen were treated. Eighteen patients in extremis (5.8%) underwent an emergency department—performed thoracotomy. Another 185 patients (59.9%) met the criteria for operation and underwent a laparotomy. The incidence of nontherapeutic operations was 2.2%, and that of negative operations was 8.6%. One hundred six patients (34.3%) were selected for observation. Fourteen of the initially observed patients underwent a late operation, but it was therapeutic in only 5. Overall, 92 patients (29.8%) were successfully managed nonoperatively. The overall sensitivity of the initial physical examination was 97.1%. The estimated bullet trajectory was not reliable in identifying the need for operation because of 224 patients with likely peritoneal penetration only 169 (75.4%) had significant injuries requiring surgical repair. Conclusion: In the appropriate environment, many civilian abdominal gunshot wounds can be managed nonoperatively. Arch Surg 1997;132:178-183
Initial characterization of the effects of Aloe vera at a crayfish neuromuscular junction.

This study examines the effects of Aloe vera on neurotransmission processes in a well-established invertebrate neuromuscular junction preparation. We studied concentration-response relationships of an Aloe vera extract on excitatory junctional potentials (EJPs) at the opener muscle of the dactyl in the first and second walking limbs of crayfish (Procambarus clarkii and simulans). We observed concentration-dependent depolarizations of the muscle fibre membrane resting potential, depression of EJP amplitudes and an increase in latency to onset of the EJP following electrical stimulation of the isolated excitatory axon in the meropodite. These effects occurred with Aloe concentrations within the 1%-10% (wt-vol) range. Effects of lower concentrations, ranging to a minimum of 0.01% were equivocal. The effects of Aloe were at least partially, and in a majority of cases totally, reversible. EJPs reduced by Aloe could be restored by increasing the nerve stimulation amplitude. This, along with the latency increase, suggests a depression of action potential generation and conduction. The results provide a preliminary characterization of the effects of Aloe vera on the neurotransmission process and suggest that these effects may at least partially account for Aloe's analgesic and antiinflammatory effects. This study shows that the crayfish NMJ preparation should be useful for further elucidating the location(s) and mechanism(s) of action of Aloe on the nervous system.
Integrating evidence-based interventions for adolescents into primary care.

Preventing problem behaviors such as substance use, sexual risk behaviors, and violence, as well as promoting positive health behaviors such as physical activity and quality dietary intake, is critical to improving the nation’s health. This is particularly true in adolescence, a developmental period when these behaviors tend to cluster together. Behaviors such as substance use, physical inactivity, violence, and unsafe sexual behaviors are among the leading causes of preventable death among youth and tend to begin in adolescence. Youth with behavioral health challenges such as these face the sequelae of increased risk that include lifelong health and social problems; the prevention of behavioral health disorders can avert a negative developmental trajectory. Although there is a need for prevention, the research literature has documented a lack of focus on prevention and a concentration on treatment within mental health systems. Involving multiple systems within the community, beyond mental health systems, is necessary. Increasingly, primary care settings are becoming the entry point through which parents bring youth with behavioral health concerns; these settings are potentially less stigmatizing for youth and families and may more openly facilitate exploration of behavioral health issues than a mental health setting. Internet-based (i.e., e-health) interventions within these settings offer the needed flexibility to eliminate barriers for both the participant and primary care staff. Innovative modalities such as those provided by e-health interventions may help reach youth and families. Further, e-health interventions for which efficacy and effectiveness is well established offer the opportunity of providing evidencebased practices to families who otherwise would not receive them, in a cost-effective and convenient manner. Behavioral preventive interventions, including familybased and community-level interventions, are highly efficacious in preventing or reducing risk behaviors and
A note about the radial diffuser

The radial outward flow between infinite parallel planes, driven by a source of fluid at the origin, is called the radial diffuser. It is shown that the equation describing the asymptotic flow at large distances from the origin admits two branches of solutions in terms of the dimensionless radial distance parameter. The first branch of solutions exhibits pure radial outflow solutions for small values of the parameter (radial distance near infinity) and reversed flow, radially inward flow near the planes, solutions for larger values of the parameter (closer to the origin). These solutions presumably correspond to reattaching flows found by direct numerical solutions of the Navier-Stokes equations. The second branch of solutions has reversed flow for all allowable values of the parameter, but is probably not physically realizable.
Acetylcholine hot spots: development on myotubes cultured from aneural limb buds

The hypothesis that neural induction plays a role in the development of acetylcholine hot spots (high-sensitivity regions) was tested by electrophysiological mapping of the distribution of acetylcholine sensitivity of myotubes derived from aneural hindlimb buds of chick embryos. Hot spots were found. Therefore, hot spot development is not dependent on prior contact with nerve processes.
Thin-layer spectroelectrochemical kinetic study of viologen cation radicals reacting at hydrogen-evolving gold and nickel electrodes

Abstract The kinetics of viologen cation radicals reacting at hydrogen-evolving gold and nickel electrodes in pH 6–8 electrolytes have been investigated. Visible absorption spectroscopy was used to follow the course of the reaction in an optically transparent thin-layer electrochemical cell under quasi-steady-state conditions. The spectroelectrochemical data were analyzed using classical kinetics and yielded zero-order behavior with respect to the viologen cation radical. For methyl viologen cation radical at gold, a formal zero-order rate constant evaluated at zero hydrogen overpotential was found to be 1.0 × 10 −13 mol s −1 cm −2 . At nickel the comparable rate constant was nearly two orders of magnitude larger than at gold. Increasing pH from 6 to 8 at gold electrodes shifted both the hydrogen evolution and the methyl viologen cation radical reaction 60–70 mV/pH unit in a negative direction. The diquat cation radical behaved in a similar manner. The proposed mechanism involves a fast, non-rate-limiting, chemical reaction between the viologen cation radical and adsorbed hydrogen atom(s). Results are interpreted in terms of previous proposed hydrogen evolution reaction mechanisms.
Designing, deploying, demystifying electronic class/instructor evaluations

Here at Information Services and Resources, we are working on a new process to get course evaluations done electronically to reduce the amount of work on our staff and especially for the campus academic assistants. This new process is with Class Climate, a software product that is web-based. This will replace the current, inadequate, manual process. It will streamline the time it takes to develop evaluations, take evaluations, and create reports from the results and then saved/archived in order to be reused and/or compared across semesters/professors. The evaluations can be taken on-line securely and confidentially and/or hand written and the results will be tallied electronically and reported back to the academic assistants much faster than in the past. Even students' comments will be seen in the electronic reports and the academic assistants will not have to type them by hand any more! Quite a time-saver in itself, let alone all the tallying the assistants had to do by hand! Each academic assistant will be able to design questionnaires according to the faculty members' particular questions in various formats along with any number of open-ended questions. We have ten departments trying it as a pilot this semester with a full push to all of campus this coming fall with training to be offered this summer to all of the academic assistants. We are very excited to offer this new process to the campus to help them streamline their work in this very hectic and time critical aspect of their job.
Microbial nitrogen cycles: physiology, genomics and applications

Genes and pathways involved in inorganic nitrogen cycles have been found in traditional as well as unusual microorganisms. These pathways or enzymes play a very important role in the adaptation or survival of these microorganisms under a variety of environmental conditions. Microbial nitrogen metabolism has industrial applications ranging from wastewater treatment to bioremediation and potential future use in biocatalysis for chemical production.
Causal markers in tobacco industry documents: the pragmatics of responsibility

Causal constructions in English convey or deflect responsibility more or less strongly depending on which of three causality markers initiate the phrase or clause. Causal constructions initiated by because usually express strong causality, whereas since and as, when used to express causality, convey a weaker, disjunctive relation. The tobacco industry has engaged in a ferocious campaign to deny responsibility for causing adverse health effects like cancer. Accordingly, our data are comprised of corpora sampled from about four million previously internal documents that tobacco companies were forced to disclose as a result of litigation. We hypothesized that the valence of the causal claim (incriminating, exculpating, marketing advantage, or marketing liability for the tobacco industry), would determine the distribution of causal constructions initiated with because versus since and as. Findings confirmed that causal claim valence covaried significantly with causal marker choice. Statements framed with because constructions challenged tobacco's responsibility for causing disease or marketing losses. Statements that incriminated tobacco or admitted marketing liabilities were more likely to use disjunctive (causal since) phrasing. This application of pragmatic analysis to corpus linguistics is shown to be a valuable paradigm for evaluating stylistic means chosen with a view toward assuming or deflecting speaker responsibility in practical discourse.
Malnutrition and nosocomial infection.

the importance of nutrition is not emphasized in the teaching of medical students and is still largely unrecognized in hospital practice. The article, "Association of Malnutrition with Nosocomial Infection," by Gorse et al (pp 194-203) illustrates once again that it is the malnourished patient who is most likely to experience nosocomial pneumonia, urinary tract infection, wound infection, and bacteremia. Although the association of infection and nosocomial infection in this
Resistance anomaly of the order-disorder system Fe 3 Al

The electrical resistance of the alfenol alloy of nominal composition ${\mathrm{Fe}}_{3}$Al has been measured to high resolution in a broad temperature interval which embraces the second-order, order-disorder transition at ${T}_{c}=813.6$ K. For $T\ensuremath{\gtrsim}{T}_{c}$, the temperature derivative of the resistivity exhibits specific-heat-like behavior, which is consistent with the predictions of scaling arguments. For $T\ensuremath{\gg}{T}_{c}$, the critical resistivity exhibits an unusual temperature dependence which is interpreted in terms of the classical Ornstein-Zernike form of the correlation function describing the concentration fluctuations.
Decidual cells in the human ovary at term. I. Incidence, gross anatomy and ultrastructural features of merocrine secretion

Decidual tissue occurring within the human ovarian cortex was examined by light and electron microscopy. Of 21 ovarian specimens obtained at term (36-42 weeks of gestation), decidual cells were confirmed in each. Decidual cells were found within the tunica albuginea as single cells, in nodules, in polyps or in confluent sheets. Decidual cells exhibited several characteristics of cells engaged in secretory activity: abundant rough and smooth endoplasmic reticulum, numerous profiles of the Golgi complex and a large, euchromatic nucleus devoid of heterochromatin and displaying a prominent fibrous lamina. Peduncular protrusions at the periphery of the cell contained numerous dense bodies 0.4-0.9 micron in diameter. These dense bodies were bounded by a single membrane and contained granular subunits 30-60 nm in diameter. These granular subunits were observed in the process of apparent exocytosis, as well as free in the extracellular space. Secretory bodies and their granular content also were observed both in the region of the Golgi complex and partially extruded into peduncular processes. By far the greatest number of secretory bodies occurred within peduncular processes where they may be stored prior to release. Migration of a secretory body into a peduncular process and exocytosis from such a process appears to be an unusual mode of meocrine secretion, perhaps unique to decidual cells.
Intrasite Spatial Structure in the European Upper Paleolithic: Evidence and Patterning from the SW of France

Abstract Over the past 20 years a number of Western European Upper Paleolithic sites have been examined for internal spatial patterning by using a variety of quantitative techniques. The most commonly applied technique has been K -means clustering in one form or another. Because this technique has been applied consistently to a relatively large number of sites from a wide variety of temporal phases in the European Upper Paleolithic, it is useful to search for common patterns and consistencies in the organization of space during this time period. These analyses suggest that Upper Paleolithic sites commonly exhibit three basic modes of internal organization. Hearth focused sites are often large, complex sites with many features and distinctive global and local artifact patterning. Areal focused sites are often scatters of artifacts, and/or occur with severe natural constraints. Structure focused sites frequently show no clear indications of hearths, and are free of 'natural' constraints. They are frequently highly patterned around what may best be called "architectural structures", however.