cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Hovering Motion of a Friction-Driven Gyroscopic Mass

Costa, E. and Lantz, R., "Low Energy Propellant Producing Non-Reactive Gaseous Exhaust Products," U.S. Patent 3, 764, 416, 1971. Klare, S. Markley; "Salts of Fatty Acids," Fatty Acids, Pt. II, Interscience Publishers, New York, 1961. Warren, F.A., Rocket Propellants, Reinhold Publishing Corp., New York, 1960. Singh, H., "Studies on Platonization of Double Base Rocket Propellants," Ph.D. Thesis, Poona University, India, 1980. Lantz, R., "Double Base Propellant with Thorium Containing Ballistic Modifier," U.S. Patent 3, 923, 564, 1975. Preckel, R.F., "Plateau Ballistics in Nitrocellulose Propellants," AIAA Journal, Vol. 3, Feb. 1965, pp. 346-347. Kubota, N., Ohlemiller, T.J., Caveny, L.H., and Summer field, M., "Site and Mode of Action of Platonizers in Double Base Propellants," AIAA Journal, Vol. 12, Dec. 1974, pp. 1709-1714. Sinha, S.K. and Patwardhan, W.D., "Burning of Platonized Propellants," Explosivstoffe, Vol. 10, 1968, p. 223. Dauerman, L. and Tajima, Y.A., "Solid Phase Reactions of a Double Base Propellant," AIAA Journal, Vol. 6, April 1968, pp. 678683. Hewkin, D.J., Hicks, J.A., Powling, J., and Watts, H., "Combustion of Nitric Ester Based Propellants—Ballistic Modification by Lead Compounds," Combustion Science & Technology, Vol. 2, 5-6, 1971, pp. 307-327. Kubota, N., Ohlemiller, T.J., Caveny, L.H., and Summerfield, M., "Mechanism of Super-Rate Burning of Catalysed Double Base Propellants," 15th Symposium on Combustion, 1974, pp. 529-537.
Barrett's esophagus: An overrated cancer risk factor

Background & Aims: The published risk of adenocarcinoma in the setting of Barrett's esophagus (BE) varies. Publication bias, the selective reporting of studies featuring positive or extreme results, may result in overestimation of this cancer risk in the literature. The aim of this study was to assess those publications reporting a cancer risk in BE for evidence of publication bias. Methods: A MEDLINE search for all published estimates between 1966 and 1998 of cancer risk in BE was performed. All studies reporting a cancer risk expressible in cancers per patient-year of follow-up were retrieved. Bibliographies of these studies were surveyed for additional estimates. All publications that required an initial endoscopy with histologic confirmation of BE and any cancer were included. The relationship of reported cancer risk to size of the study was assessed. Multivariable regression controlling for differences in definition of BE, as well as other study characteristics, was performed. The data were also analyzed by means of a funnel diagram, an epidemiologic method to assess publication bias. Results: Five hundred fifty-four abstracts were reviewed. Twenty-seven publications met the stated criteria for inclusion. There was a strong correlation between cancer risk and the size of the study, with small studies reporting much higher risks of cancer than larger studies. This association persisted when differences in the definition of BE, retrospective vs. prospective nature of the study, surveillance interval, and the effect of cancer detected in the first year were considered. The funnel diagram analysis suggested publication bias. Conclusions: The cancer risk in BE may be overestimated in the literature due to publication bias.
Expression of potato DAHP synthase in Escherichia coli

Abstract Expression of a potato ( Solanum tuberosum L.) cDNA encoding 3-deoxy- d - arabino -heptulosonate 7-phosphate synthase, the first enzyme of the shikimate pathway, complemented an Escherichia coli mutant devoid of the enzyme. While the potato cDNA encodes a protein with an amino terminal putative transit sequence for chloroplast import, immunocytochemistry localized the E. coli synthesized potato enzyme to the bacterial cytosol.
The use of a tritium release assay to measure 6-N-trimethyl-L-lysine hydroxylase activity: synthesis of 6-N-[3-3H]trimethyl-DL-lysine.

6-N-(3-/sup 3/H)Trimethyl-DL-lysine was synthesized from 6-N-acetyl-L-lysine by the following chemical scheme: 6-N-acetyl-L-lysine ..-->.. 2-keto-6-N-acetylcaproic acid ..-->.. 2-(3-/sup 3/H)keto-6-N-acetylcaproic acid ..-->.. 2-(3-/sup 3/H)keto-6-N-acetylcaproic acid oxime ..-->.. 6-N-(3-/sup 3/H)acetyl-DL-lysine ..-->.. DL-(3-/sup 3/H)lysine ..-->.. 2-N-(3-/sup 3/H)formyl-DL-lysine ..-->.. 2-(3-/sup 3/H)formyl-6-N-trimethyl-DL-lysine ..-->.. 6-N-(3-/sup 3/H)trimethyl-DL-lysine. Using a 70% ammonium sulfate fraction obtained from a high-speed rate kidney supernatant, the cosubstrate and cofactor requirements for 6-N-trimethyl-L-lysine hydroxylase activity as measured by tritium release from 6-N-(3-/sup 3/H)trimethyl-DL-lysine were: ..cap alpha..-ketoglutarate, ferrous ions, L-ascorbate, and oxygen, with added catalase showing a slight but distinct stimulatory effect. On incubation with the crude rat kidney preparation, the release of tritium from 6-N-(3-/sup 3/H)trimethyl-DL-lysine was linear with both time of incubation and protein concentration. Hydroxylation of 6-N-trimethyl-L-lysine, as measured by tritium release from the labeled substrate, was examined in rat kidney, heart, liver, and skeletal muscle tissues, and found to be most active in the kidney.
Brief paper: Gradient dynamic optimization with Legendre chaos

The polynomial chaos approach for stochastic simulation is applied to trajectory optimization, by conceptually replacing random variables with free variables. Using the gradient method, we generate with low computational cost an accurate parametrization of optimal trajectories.
Redesigning the Healthcare Model to Address Obesity Problem Using Incentives Delivered through a Combination of Processes and Mobile Technologies

Obesity and other lifestyle-related illnesses are among the top global healthcare challenges today. Obesity in young population is an alarming predictor for obesity in adulthood, but also entails different short term health complications. Knowing how to stay healthy is not enough to motivate young individuals to adopt healthy lifestyles. However, relevant progress can be achieved with use of incentives delivered through combination of processes and mobile technologies. Recognizing effectiveness of new healthcare model to prevent obesity in young population, an innovative multi-dimensional cross-disciplinary ICT framework should be developed, which uses sophisticated game mechanics to motivate behavior changes towards healthier lifestyles and supports three main functions: individual & environmental monitoring, including wearable sensors, mobile phones and multimedia diaries; feedback to users, presenting personalized healthy options for alternative lifestyles; and social connectivity, encouraging involvement in sharing experiences through social networks and social engagement. System development should be based on user-centered design, social and networking games and online education and supported by a wide stakeholder's ecosystem, including health authorities and research institutions, industries and academia from the ICT and healthcare sectors, as well as food companies and SMEs.
Thermodynamic analysis of active valve pulse tube refrigerators

This paper presents a detailed thermodynamic analysis of the working process of an active valve pulse tube refrigerator which is introduced to enhance the performance of a single stage pulse tube refrigerator. With the aid of several simplifying assumptions, the theoretical refrigeration power and coefficient of performance of this kind of refrigerator are obtained. Simulation results illustrate that the values of two intermediate pressures play a significant role in the system performance.
Strange Bedfellows: Explaining Political Cooperation between Communist Successor Parties and Nationalists in Eastern Europe

. In postcommunist politics many of the ‘new national right’ political formations in Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union have joined forces with the communist successor parties. Such a combination is, on the surface, a baffling mixture; how is it possible that two fundamentally different ideological approaches (nationalism and internationalist socialism) can coexist and actively cooperate to form such a potent political force? What are the conditions under which such political cooperation emerges? This article attempts to answer the above questions by, first, empirically testing the effects of several factors which might explain postcommunist–nationalist political cooperation. Second, the quantitative analysis is buttressed with a comparison of the Hungarian and Russian cases. The analysis indicates that the most important variable associated with the emergence of postcommunist–nationalist political cooperation is the effect of previous regime type.
Lacuna vincta (Mollusca, Neotaenioglossa) herbivory on juvenile and adult Nereocystis luetkeana (Heterokontophyta, Laminariales)

Herbivory can be an important factor structuring coastal algal communities. Herbivores may preferentially graze particular algal species or tissue types. Mesograzers, despite their small size, can critically weaken kelp thalli and impact entire kelp beds. We propose that when kelp beds are composed of several kelp cohorts, mesograzers will selectively choose to inhabit younger plants and grazing activities will have a greater impact on younger plants. This study investigated the effects of grazing by the littorinid gastropod, Lacuna vincta, on different age classes of the bull kelp, Nereocystis luetkeana by (1) testing food preference of L. vincta on juvenile, first-year adult, and second-year adult Nereocystis blades in the laboratory, (2) determining substrate (blades of different ages) preference of L. vincta in the laboratory, and by (3) estimating in-situ herbivore abundances and densities on juvenile and adult Nereocystis. Results demonstrated that grazing by L. vincta produced greater damage on juvenile than older Nereocystis tissues. Although L. vincta did not select juvenile versus older kelps as substrate in the laboratory, in situ surveys showed that differences existed between age classes with higher L. vincta densities on juvenile than adult kelp. We conclude that at a local scale, L. vincta can be an important structuring factor in Nereocystis populations due to its high density and grazing ability.
The Surgical Treatment of Keloids

Keloids can be a difficult problem for the dermatologic surgeon. In this article we review a variety of simple and practical surgical procedures for treating selected keloids.
Adenocarcinoma Arising in a Ghon Complex and Presenting with Massive Pericardial Effusion

A patient with carcinoma arising in the peripheral scar of a Ghon complex is reported. The tumor had an unusual presentation, suggestive of pericardial mesothelioma. The smallness of the primary lesion, its rapidly fatal course, superimposed consumption coagulopathy and histologic difficulties in diagnosis of the original biopsy add to the interest and complexity of the case.
Chondrogenic differentiation and lubricin expression of caprine infraspinatus tendon cells

Reparative strategies for the treatment of injuries to tendons, including those of the rotator cuff of the shoulder, need to address the formation of the cartilage which serves as the attachment apparatus to bone and which forms at regions undergoing compressive loading. Moreover, recent work indicates that cells employed for rotator cuff repair may need to synthesize a lubricating glycoprotein, lubricin, which has recently been found to play a role in tendon tribology. The objective of the present study was to investigate the chondrogenic differentiation and lubricin expression of caprine infraspinatus tendon cells in monolayer and three-dimensional culture, and to compare the behavior with bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs). The results demonstrated that while tendon cells in various media, including chondrogenic medium, expressed lubricin, virtually none of the MSCs synthesized this important lubricating molecule. Also of interest was that the cartilage formation capacity of the tendon cells grown in pellet culture in chondrogenic medium was comparable with MSCs. These data inform the use of tendon cells for rotator cuff repair, including for fibrocartilaginous zones.
Russia's Engagement with Globalization: Blessing or Curse?

Russia and Globalization: Identity, Security, and Society in an Era of Change. Edited by Douglas W. Blum. Washington, DC: Woodrow Wilson Center Press, Baltimore, MD: John Hopkins University Press, 2008. 383 pp., $60.00 hardcover (ISBN-13: 978-0801888427). Russia's experience with the West-initiated globalization has been peculiar. Immediately following the end of the Cold War, Boris Yeltsin's choice was decisively pro-Western, and he sought to integrate Russia with Western institutions. Since the late-1990s, however, Russia has adopted different priorities and pursued a more selective approach. In economic and political affairs, the Kremlin insisted on preserving state sovereignty and the right to defend itself against harmful influences from the outside world, as well as to promote its own vision of globalization. From an admirer of the West, Russia has emerged as its critic that is actively seeking to expand its presence in global markets and join global institutions while at the same time working to transform these institutions to its advantage. The book under review is one of the first efforts to understand Russia's engagement with globalization, and it is a welcome effort. Because of the nation's geographic size, wealth and strategic location in both Europe and Asia, Russia is bound to be important in the increasingly globalized world. In addition, Russia presents an interesting theoretical case. As a former Second World nation or a semiperipheral country, Russia may tell us something important about globalization in general and global roles played by core and periphery. The book defines globalization as intensification of transnational flows that leads to changed spatial and social relations, and it seeks to …
The search for community in modern society: An interpretation

Community theory, at present, gives little importance to communal character in modern urban settings. This “search for community” results from continually conceptualizing community rigidly in terms of the traditional social forms of kinship and rooted neighborhood. Recent interest in social networks has revealed that individuals characterized by mobility and high achievement may not participate in traditional community, but rather in primary friendship networks based upon other variables such as affectivity. A comparative analysis of such networks and traditional community is presented. The primary friendship network while containinggesellschaft characteristics is community-like. Community theory, therefore, must consider manifold forms of primary association to gain a fuller understanding of the communal elements present in modern urban society.
SEARCH BY IMMUNOFLUORESCENCE FOR ANTIGENS OF ROTAVIRUS, PSEUDOMONAS MALTOPHILIA, AND MYCOBACTERIUM KANSASII IN CROHN'S DISEASE

Abstract Crohn's-disease tissue was tested by indirect immunofluorescence for antigens of rotavirus, Pseudomonas maltophilia, and Mycobacterium kansasii. No reactions were obtained with antiserum to P. maltophilia and M. kansasii, and a granular fluorescence seen with rotavirus antibody was probably non-specific.
Global poverty and biofuel production: food vs. fuel

From early 2008, the issue of rising global food prices moved to the forefront of the international political agenda. As a result of higher food prices, tens of millions of people were pushed into hunger and poverty around the world. Civil unrest flared up in North Africa, Vietnam and Haiti as countries introduced export restrictions on food subsidies and instituted price controls. Food price inflation has been sparking protests in North Africa that toppled longstanding presidents in Tunisia and Egypt. In the food markets, unfavourable weather conditions, rising fuel costs, rising biofuels production, and trade restrictions have added to upward price pressures. Higher food and fuel prices have serious macroeconomic effects throughout the global economy, including adverse effects on growth and inflation, and large swings in the terms of trade – with important balance of payments repercussions. In this paper, we analyse the immediate causes of food price; in particular the role of biofuel, and discuss actions policy makers may need to take to ensure global food security.
The Evolution of Research in Consumer Science: A 200-Year Perspective.

This article traces the evolution of research in consumer science and highlights historical, social, institutional, and economic events that shaped the field. It gives an overview of research conducted from the late 1790s to the 1990s in the areas of family economics, consumer economics, consumption economics, and home management and chronicles legislative and administrative developments that affected consumer science research. Research topics, the use of theory or lack thereof, and typical statistical techniques are summarized at the end of each historic period.
Determinants of postnatal weight in infant rhesus monkeys: Implications for the study of interindividual differences in neonatal growth

This paper provides an analysis of infant body weights obtained from a sample of 38 rhesus monkey infants (Macaco mulatta) aged 29–165 days, i.e., animals still nutritionally dependent on their mothers. We examine the data on neonatal weights in relation to a number of factors, most notably, the sex of the infants, and the age and adiposity of their mothers. The infant body weights represent cross-sectional rather than longitudinal data; because they were mostly free-ranging animals, the infants were weighed just once each. Nevertheless, the results of our analysis strongly suggest that early postnatal growth in free-ranging rhesus is dependent on both maternal fatness and age. They also suggest that, although male infants are generally heavier than like-aged female infants, they do not grow any faster during the early postnatal period. Here, we speculate that the associations between infant size and both maternal age and adiposity are the result of between-mother differences in lactational output. © 1995 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Psycholinguistic Theory and Therapy for Initiating Two Word Utterances

SummaryThis paper presents a therapeutic approach based on psycholinguistic theory as a method for initiating two word utterances in children's spontaneous language. The method of treatment has been used experimentally for several years as an individual treatment program in a clinical setting. The subjects were three and four year old children who used only single word utterances. The responses of these subjects to this approach indicated that this theory and therapy was a useful method to enable these children with language problems to proceed in the developmental sequence of language acquisition.
Low-Frequency Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation Modulates Evoked-Gamma Frequency Oscillations in Autism Spectrum Disorder

Introduction. It has been reported that individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) have abnormal reactions to the sensory environment and visuo-perceptual abnormalities. Electrophysiological research has provided evidence that gamma band activity (30–80 Hz) is a physiological indicator of the coactivation of cortical cells engaged in processing visual stimuli and integrating different features of a stimulus. A number of studies have found augmented and indiscriminative gamma band power at early stages of visual processing in ASD; this may be related to decreased inhibitory processing and an increase in the ratio of cortical excitation to inhibition. Low frequency or ‘‘slow’’ (1HZ) repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) has been shown to increase inhibition of stimulated cortex by the activation of inhibitory circuits. Method. We wanted to test the hypothesis of gamma band abnormalities at early stages of visual processing in ASD by investigating relative evoked (i.e., 100 ms) gamma power in 25 participants with ASD and 20 age-matched controls using Kanizsa illusory figures. In addition, we wanted to assess the effects of 12 sessions of bilateral ‘‘slow’’ rTMS to the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex on evoked gamma activity using a randomized controlled design. Results. In individuals with ASD evoked gamma activity was not discriminative of stimulus type, whereas in controls early gamma power differences between target and nontarget stimuli were highly significant. Following rTMS individuals with ASD showed significant improvement in discriminatory gamma activity between relevant and irrelevant visual stimuli. We also found significant improvement in the responses on behavioral questionnaires (i.e., irritability, repetitive behavior) as a result of rTMS. Conclusion. We propose that slow rTMS may have increased cortical inhibitory tone, which improved discriminatory gamma activity at early stages of visual processing. rTMS has the potential to become an important therapeutic tool in ASD treatment and has shown significant benefits in treating core symptoms of ASD with few, if any side effects.
The Ventilated Ocean

AbstractAdiabatic theories of ocean circulation and density structure have a long tradition, from the concept of the ventilated thermocline to the notion that deep ocean ventilation is controlled by westerly winds over the Southern Ocean. This study explores these ideas using a recently developed Lagrangian ocean model (LOM), which simulates ocean motions by computing trajectories of water parcels. A unique feature of the LOM is its capacity to model ocean circulations in the adiabatic limit, in which water parcels exactly conserve their densities when they are not in contact with the ocean surface. The authors take advantage of this property of the LOM and consider the circulation and stratification that develop in an ocean with a fully adiabatic interior (with both isopycnal and diapycnal diffusivities set to zero). The ocean basin in the study mimics that of the Atlantic Ocean and includes a circumpolar channel. The model is forced by zonal wind stress and a density restoring at the surface.Despite the...
Covert channels through branch predictors: a feasibility study

Covert channels through shared processor resources provide secret communication between malicious processes. In this paper, we introduce a new mechanism for covert communication using the processor branch prediction unit. Specifically, we demonstrate how a trojan and a spy can manipulate the branch prediction tables in a way that creates high-capacity, robust and noise-resilient covert channel. We demonstrate this covert channel on a real hardware platform both in Simultaneous Multi-Threading (SMT) and single-threaded settings. We also discuss techniques for improving the channel quality and outline possible defenses to protect against this covert channel.
The nephritogenic immune response

Recent insights into the etiopathogenesis of nephritogenic immune responses are derived primarily from experimental models of systemic and organ-specific autoimmunity. Genetic analyses and immune-related gene ablation studies indicate that multiple independent mechanisms determine disease susceptibility. However, full characterization of proximal immunologic events in many diseases awaits identification of the renal antigens recognized by nephritogenic lymphocytes. Advances in characterization of effector mechanisms include epitope mapping of several putative pathogenic glomerular antigens and identification of novel pathways of immune-mediated tissue injury, including those involved in glomerular-tubulointerstitial communication and tubulointerstitial fibrosis. Finally, successful interruption of signal transduction pathways and transforming growth factor-beta 1 blockade by gene therapy suggest novel approaches to therapeutic intervention in immunologic renal injury.
Introduction to multiresolution modeling (MMR) with an example involving precision fires

In this paper we review motivations for multilevel resolution modeling (MRM) within a single model, an integrated hierarchical family of models, or both. We then present a new depiction of consistency criteria for models at different levels. After describing our hypotheses for studying the process of MRM with examples, we define a simple but policy-relevant problem involving the use of precision fires to halt an invading army. We then illustrate MRM with a sequence of abstractions suggested by formal theory, visual representation, and approximation. We milk the example for insights about why MRM is different and often difficult, and how it might be accomplished more routinely. It should be feasible even in complex systems such as JWARS and JSIMS, but it is by no means easy. Comprehensive MRM designs are unlikely. It is useful to take the view that some MRM is a great deal better than none and that approximate MRM relationships are often quite adequate. Overall, we conclude that high-quality MRM requires new theory, design practices, modeling tools, and software tools, all of which will take some years to develop. Current object-oriented programming practices may actually be a hindrance.
A search for stable strangelets in helium

Abstract A strangelet mass formula which includes shell and deformation effects has suggested candidates for stable strange He. Such strangelets were found to have possible astrophysical consequences, even at very low abundance. A search has been initiated in He for strangelets, using a high sensitivity mass spectrometer, which should be able to impose stringent limits on the existence of light strangelets.
Effect of specific mechanical energy on properties of extruded protein-starch mixtures

ABSTRACT The effect of the specific mechanical energy (SME) during extrusion of a protein-starch mixture was studied by analyzing the glass transition temperature (Tg) and starch gelatinization. We found that the SME values of 344 to 2108 kJ/kg did not significantly change the Tg of the product. To explain the insensitivity of Tg to SME in spite of reported fragmentation taking place during extrusion, we studied the effect of the molecular weight (MW) on Tg in a model system consisting of dextrans of varying molecular weights. We found that the effect of the molecular weight on the Tg reached a plateau at 6.7 × 104. Because the reported size of the fragments created during the extrusion process is larger than this, we were able to explain the apparent insensitivity of Tg to SME in the protein-carbohydrate matrix studied. However, we found that starch gelatinization varied with SME, the degree of gelatinization being higher for systems exposed to higher SME.
Comparison of Surgically Resected Polypoid Lesions of the Gallbladder to their Pre-operative Ultrasound Characteristics

Background Polypoid lesions of the gallbladder (PLG) have been a common finding on ultrasound examinations of the abdomen and are more prevalent since our use of equipment incorporating pulse shaping increased bandwidth, and enhanced phase use for image reconstruction began in 1996. Our study correlates the pre-operative ultrasonographic findings of these lesions to the surgically resected specimen with specific regard to identifying neoplastic polyps.
Effects of thermal acclimation on tissue fatty acid composition of freshwater alewives (Alosa pseudoharengus).

In this study, we examine changes in fatty acid composition of polar and neutral lipids in gill, liver, and muscle of freshwater alewives (Alosa pseudoharengus) after temperature challenges in the laboratory. Alewives experienced either a warm or cold challenge in which temperatures were raised or lowered 0.5°C day−1 over 4–6 weeks. In alewives experiencing the cold challenge, gill polar lipids showed evidence of significant remodeling, including decreases in palmitic acid and saturated fatty acids and increases in n-3 and n-6 highly unsaturated fatty acids including docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and arachidonic acid. In alewives experiencing the warm challenge, we observed significant increases in saturated fatty acids (due mainly to increased palmitic acid) and decreases in polyunsaturated fatty acids in polar lipids of muscle and liver tissue. Fish that died during the cold challenge had significantly higher levels of palmitic acid in muscle polar lipids compared to fish that survived; fish that died during the warm challenge displayed complex changes in fatty acid composition. Based on theoretical considerations, the changes in polar lipids we observed during thermal acclimation are likely to promote appropriate membrane fluidity under each thermal regime. The increased incorporation of highly unsaturated fatty acids during cold acclimation could have significant physiological and ecological implications. In particular, since highly unsaturated fatty acids are typically scarce in freshwater food webs, dietary deficiencies in these essential fatty acids may be a significant factor in winter mortality of freshwater alewives.
Classification of aortic atherosclerotic lesions with time-resolved fluorescence spectroscopy

In this study, we examine the possibility of differentiating between classes of atherosclerotic lesions based on time- resolved fluorescence spectroscopy and we compare the performance of classification schemes that use either the time-resolved spectra or only the intensity spectra. Transient fluorescence emissions induced by pulsed nitrogen laser excitation was measured on 87 excised samples of human aorta. The samples were classified histologically using the AHA classification Predictor variables derived from the time-resolved spectra included the spectral intensities at 360-510 nm and parameters of a biexponential fit of the fluorescence impulse response function. Stepwise discriminant analysis using these predict variables showed that a few predictor variables sufficed to correctly classify 89 percent of the samples. Excluding the time- dependent decay and using only the spectral intensities, the percentage of correctly classified cases was significantly lower: 51 percent. These results establish that time- resolved fluorescence spectroscopy markedly improved on the performance of steady-state fluorescence spectroscopy for fine classification of atherosclerotic lesions.
The analytic structure of the reflection coefficient, a sum rule and a complete description of the Weyl m-function of half-line Schrödinger operators with L2-type potentials

We prove that the reflection coefficient of one-dimensional Schrodinger operators with potentials supported on a half-line can be represented in the upper half-plane as the quotient of a contractive analytic function and a properly regularized Blaschke product. We apply this fact to obtain a new trace formula and trace inequality for the reflection coefficient that yields a description of the Weyl m-function of Dirichlet half-line Schrodinger operators with slowly decaying potentials q subject to Among others, we also refine the 3/2-Lieb-Thirring inequality.
Computed tomographic angiography in planning abdomen-based microsurgical breast reconstruction: a comparison with color duplex ultrasound.

Background: To plan abdominal perforator-based microsurgical breast reconstruction, duplex ultrasound is often employed to preoperatively identify the location of abdominal wall perforating vessels. Recently, several groups have published the use of computed tomography angiography for preoperative planning in perforator flap breast reconstruction. The purpose of this study was to compare the accuracy of computed tomography angiography in locating clinically useful abdominal wall perforators with that of duplex ultrasound. Methods: A prospective study was conducted of 22 consecutive patients undergoing 30 abdomen-based microsurgical breast reconstructions using both preoperative computed tomography angiography and duplex ultrasound. Perforator data were obtained with both computed tomography angiography and ultrasound. The two largest perforators were chosen per abdominal side for comparison between studies. In addition, the locations of perforators were confirmed at surgery. Results: Computed tomography angiography preoperatively identified 83 of the largest perforators, while only 55 of these large perforators (66.3 percent) were preoperatively identified on ultrasound. No superficial inferior epigastric arteries were identified by ultrasound. However, in all eight breast reconstructions performed with the superficial inferior epigastric system, the superficial inferior epigastric arteries were identified preoperatively as adequate size for microsurgical transfers, with an average diameter of 1.6 mm. Conclusions: There are many advantages to preoperative computed tomography angiography for planning abdominal perforator-based microsurgical breast reconstruction, including accurate identification of perforating vessels, the underlying branching pattern of the deep inferior epigastric artery, and the presence of the superficial inferior epigastric vessels. This study demonstrates the superiority of computed tomography angiography over duplex ultrasound as a tool for preoperative planning of perforator-based breast reconstruction.
One-sided and two-sided tests and p values.

Several considerations for the use of one-sided and two-sided tests are discussed: the inferential posture of the design of a study, the level of stringency for supporting a conclusion, the style for reporting ρ values, the perspective for interpreting results in the opposite direction to the one initially expected, and the role of confidence intervals. The suggestions for addressing these issues for confirmatory biopharmaceutical studies with one-sided objectives are as follows: 1. Clear documentation of the one-sided inferential posture of a study in its protocol 2. Sufficient sample size for at least moderate power for evaluation with two-sided stringency 3. Use of one-sided ρ values to express direction of results together with distinct flags for those which are suitably extreme to support inferences for the target direction or to merit description for the opposite direction 4. Interpretation of opposite direction results in a post hoc, exploratory, descriptive way rather than inferentially 5. Provisi...
Saccades to Remembered Target Locations : an Analysis of Systematic and Variable Errors

We studied the effects of varying delay interval on the accuracy and velocity of saccades to the remembered locations of visual targets. Remembered saccades were less accurate than control saccades. Both systematic and variable errors contributed to the loss of accuracy. Systematic errors were similar in size for delay intervals ranging from 400 msec to 5.6 sec, but variable errors increased monotonically as delay intervals were lengthened. Compared to control saccades, remembered saccades were slower and the peak velocities were more variable. However, neither peak velocity nor variability in peak velocity was related to the duration of the delay interval. Our findings indicate that a memory-related process is not the major source of the systematic errors observed on memory trials.
Coarctation of the thoracic aorta.

Abstract Operative resection is clearly the treatment of choice for coarctation of the thoracic aorta. The optimal time for elective repair appears to start at age 4 years. When coarctation must be dealt with in the first few months of life because of persisting congestive heart failure, there will be a significant mortality which is correlated with the presence of coexisting anomalies. In this young age group, one must expect and accept a significant recurrence rate. The increased use of cardiac catheterization to exclude from operation those patients with nonoperable lesions seems to be indicated. The most desirable operative procedure is an end-to-end anastomosis as initially described for this defect. The problem of recurrence appears to be related to the size of the anastomosis, and we believe that the use of nonreactive suture material will reduce its incidence. The occurrence of paradoxical hypertension following correction is related to arteritis and arteriolitis; increased pulsatile pressure in the involved vessels probably is the cause. Prompt management of this complication with antihypertensive therapy should prevent the serious sequelae.
Counts of neutrophils, lymphocytes, and monocytes, cause-specific mortality and coronary heart disease: the NHANES-I epidemiologic follow-up study.

Purpose To examine the association of elevated counts of white blood cell types with increased risk of coronary heart disease (CHD) and death. Methods Data were examined from the NHANES-I Epidemiologic Follow-up Study. Results Relative risks for death at ages 25 to 74 comparing the upper and lower tertiles of neutrophil count were: all causes 1.29 (95% CL, 1.14, 1.47), and cardiovascular causes 1.39 (95% CL, 1.15, 1.67) after adjusting for baseline risk factors. Conclusions The increased risk of CHD and death from all causes and cardiovascular diseases appeared to be only partially due to effects of smoking. No association was seen for lymphocytes or monocytes.
Monolayer films of diblock copolymer microdomains for nanolithographic applications

Several techniques have been investigated for creating large-area thin films of diblock copolymers, with well-ordered two-dimensional periodic microstructure on the scale of a few tens of nanometres. Such structures might potentially be used as templates for lithography, at a length scale not easily accessed by electron-beam methods. Using a copolymer with a spherical microdomain structure, we find that it is quite easy to obtain large-area films consisting of a monolayer of spherical domains, arranged on a hexagonal lattice with a lattice constant of 33 nm. Copolymers with cylindrical microstructure typically orient parallel to the substrate and free surface, it has been found that the perpendicular orientation is metastable: if a well- or poorly-ordered film is initially prepared with the cylinders perpendicularto the surface, annealing results in a well-ordered film with the same orientation, with a lattice constant of 27 nm for the polymer used in this study. For both cylinders and spheres, grains measuring typically 30×30 lattice constants are readily obtained.
Stochastic Modeling of Ambient Traffic Loadings in LS-DYNA Nonlinear FE Analysis

Bridge dynamics data are usually collected as a function of excitations by ambient traffic loads. However, the stochastic aspects of the multi-lane, continuous traffic flows significantly complicate the loading conditions in dynamics analysis of highway bridges. Such ambient traffic loadings often cause incremental changes of structural shear or bending stresses in bridge structures and therefore result in fatigue damage. Most current approaches for modeling traffic loading rely on simple load spectra approximations and address only the maximum effect of the loading. Therefore, they have limited ability to take into account the effect of such multi-lane ambient traffic flow loadings. This paper presents a stochastic modeling and simulation approach to describe ambient traffic flows over the highway bridges.
A case–control study of sporadic retinoblastoma in relation to maternal health conditions and reproductive factors: a report from the Children’s Oncology group

The early age at retinoblastoma occurrence, the most common eye malignancy in childhood, suggests that perinatal factors may contribute to its etiology. In a large multicenter study of non-familial retinoblastoma, we conducted structured interviews with the parents of 280 cases and 146 controls to elicit information on health during the perinatal period. We used unconditional logistic regression to assess associations between retinoblastoma and parental fertility treatment, birth control use in the year prior to pregnancy, maternal health conditions and the use of prescription medications during pregnancy, and whether mothers breastfed the index child. Bilateral retinoblastoma was related to maternal underweight (body mass index <18.5) prior to pregnancy [Odds Ratio (OR) = 4.5, 95 % confidence interval (CI) 1.0, 20]. With regards to unilateral retinoblastoma, we observed a negative association with the use of condoms in the year prior to pregnancy (OR = 0.4, CI 0.2, 0.9), and a trend towards a positive association with maternal diabetes (OR = 2.2, CI 0.8, 6.6). Results from our study suggest a role for several maternal health and reproductive factors. Given that there are few epidemiologic studies of retinoblastoma, our results require replication in studies which utilize medical record review.
The so-called "inappropriate" psychiatric consultation request on a medical or surgical ward.

Seven cases of psychiatric consultations on medical and surgical wards are reviewed to show how intrapsychic conflicts in the staff may make the consultation request appear inappropriate. On deeper examination, such requests may signify staff dysfunction caused by arousal of conflictual feelings about the behavior or illness of the patient. Mutilated, mute patients appear to arouse fear of aggression in their caregivers, who in turn reject such patients, see them as alien and violent, and become illogical in their management. Patients who publicly display sexual behaviors appear to arouse shame over exhibitionism, voyeurism, and masturbation; their caregivers become too passive to effect common-sense measures appropriate to the situation. Very sick and dying patients and ungrateful, demanding patients can arouse anger and despair. Their caregivers may become depressed about failure, feeling helpless and out of control; using projection, they can see such patients as evil or suicidal, and may eventually tu...
Black Holes and Instabilities of Negative Tension Branes

We consider the collision in $2+1$ dimensions of a black hole and a negative tension brane on an orbifold. Because there is no gravitational radiation in $2+1$ dimensions, the horizon area shrinks when part of the brane falls through. This provides a potential violation of the generalized second law of thermodynamics. However, tracing the details of the dynamical evolution, one finds that it does not proceed from equilibrium configuration to equilibrium configuration. Instead, a catastrophic space-time singularity develops similar to the ``big crunch'' of $\ensuremath{\Omega}g1$ Friedmann-Robertson-Walker space-times. In the context of classical general relativity, our result demonstrates the instability of constructions with negative tension branes.
Mel-18, a Polycomb Group Protein, Regulates Cell Proliferation and Senescence via Transcriptional Repression of Bmi-1 and c-Myc Oncoproteins

Polycomb group (PcG) protein Bmi-1 is an important regulator of cell proliferation. It regulates cellular senescence and proliferation of cells via the transcriptional repression of INK4a/ARF locus and other target genes. Here, we report that Mel-18, a PcG ring finger protein (PCGF) transcriptionally down-regulates Bmi-1. Furthermore, the expression of Bmi-1 and Mel-18 inversely correlates in proliferating and senescent human fibroblasts. Bmi-1 down-regulation by Mel-18 results in accelerated senescence and shortening of the replicative life span in normal human cells. Importantly, using promoter-reporter, chromatin immunoprecipitation, and quantitative real-time primary transcript RT-PCR assays, and an RNA interference approach, we demonstrate that Bmi-1 is a bona fide target of c-Myc oncoprotein. Finally, our data suggest that Mel-18 regulates Bmi-1 expression during senescence via down-regulation of c-Myc. These studies link c-Myc and polycomb function in cell proliferation and senescence.
Distribution of C4, Administered as CaC4O3, in Rat Liver Glycogen and Blood Glucose and Lactate.

SummaryExperiments are reported in which it was found; that CaC'4O3 implanted intraperitoneally in rats produced a qualitatively similar isotope distribution pattern in the liver glycogen, and blood glucose and lactate. This result suggests that in isotope feeding experiments, analysis of the blood glucose and lactate may yield information comparable to that obtained by the degradation of liver glycogen. Additional experiments to put this question to a more critical test are in progress.
Developmental and Stylistic Variation in the Composition of Early Vocabulary.

Results are reported for stylistic and developmental aspects of vocabulary composition for 1,803 children and families who participated in the tri-city norming of a new parental report instrument, the MacArthur Communicative Development Inventories. We replicate previous studies with small samples showing extensive variation in use of common nouns between age 0; 8 and 1;4 (i.e. 'referential style'), and in the proportion of vocabulary made up of closed-class words between 1;4 and 2;6 (i.e. 'analytic' vs. 'holistic' style). However, both style dimensions are confounded with developmental changes in the composition of the lexicon, including three 'waves' of reorganization: (I) an initial increase in percentage of common nouns from 0 to 100 words, followed by a proportional decrease; (2) a slow linear increase in verbs and other predicates, with the greatest gains taking place between 100 and 400 words; (3) no proportional development at all in the use of closed-class vocabulary between 0 and 400 words, followed by a sharp increase from 400 to 680 words. When developmental changes in noun use are controlled, referential-style measures do not show the association with developmental precocity reported in previous studies, although these scores are related to maternal education. By contrast, when developmental changes in grammatical function word use are controlled, high closed-class scores are associated with a slower rate of development. We suggest that younger children may have less perceptual acuity and/or shorter memory spans than older children with the same vocabulary size. As a result, the younger children may ignore unstressed function words until a later point in development while the older children tend to reproduce perceptual details that they do not yet understand. Longitudinal data show that early use of function words (under 400 words) is not related to grammatical levels after the 400-word point, confirming our 'stylistic' interpretation of early closed-class usage. We close with recommendations for the unconfounding of stylistic and developmental variance in research on individual differences in language development, and provide look-up tables that will permit other investigators to pull these aspects apart.
Repair of cicatricial ectropion in an infant with harlequin ichthyosis using engineered human skin.

Abstract PURPOSE: To report the use of an Apligraf (Organogenesis, Inc., Canton, Massachusetts, USA) human skin equivalent for repair of cicatricial ectropion in a patient with harlequin ichthyosis. DESIGN: Interventional case report. METHODS: A 6-week-old male child with harlequin ichthyosis and severe bilateral upper eyelid cicatricial ectropion underwent repair with Apligraf grafts. RESULTS: After the initial repair with Apligraf grafts, recurrent bilateral upper eyelid ectropion developed, requiring repeat Apligraf grafting at age 61 days. After the second graft, the eyelids remained well positioned until the child's sudden death from respiratory failure at age 6 months. CONCLUSION: Apligraf human skin equivalent facilitated the repair of cicatricial ectropion in a child with harlequin ichthyosis.