cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Current concepts of the chemical conformation, metabolism, and interaction of the steroid, vitamin D, with the endocrine system for calcium homeostasis.

In recent years, there have been intensive efforts by several laboratories to elucidate various aspects of the parameters involved in the regulation of calcium and phosphorus metabolism. Three of the most important of these biological regulators are the seco steroid, calciferol (vitamin D), parathyroid hormone, and calcitonin. With each of these regulators, outstanding developments and advances have been made in recent years. It is the purpose of this article to briefly outline some of the developments that have occurred specifically with regard to our understanding of the shape or chemical conformation of vitamin D, its subsequent metabolism by the kidney in a regulated fashion, the interaction of the product steroid hormone (1,25-dihydroxycholecalciferol) with both the intestinal mucosal system where it mediates calcium absorption, and with the parathyroid gland. We have reviewed this subject in depth previously (2, 6).
Intracranial Fusarium Fungal Abscess in an Immunocompetent Patient: Case Report and Review of the Literature

Introduction Fusarium spp is an omnipresent fungal species that may lead to fatal infections in immunocompromised populations. Spontaneous intracranial infection by Fusarium spp in immunocompetent individuals is exceedingly rare. Case Report An immunocompetent 33-year-old Hispanic woman presented with persistent headaches and was found to have a contrast-enhancing mass in the left petrous apex and prepontine cistern. She underwent a subsequent craniotomy for biopsy and partial resection that revealed a Fusarium abscess. She had a left transient partial oculomotor palsy following the operation that resolved over the next few weeks. She was treated with long-term intravenous antifungal therapy and remained at her neurologic baseline 18 months following the intervention. Discussion To our knowledge, this is the first reported case of Fusarium spp brain abscess in an immunocompetent patient. Treatment options include surgical intervention and various antifungal medications. Conclusion This case demonstrates the rare potential of intracranial Fusarium infection in the immunocompetent host, as well as its successful treatment with surgical aspiration and antifungal therapy.
The evaluation and treatment of comorbid pain and PTSD in a military setting: An overview

The present article reviews the growing prevalence of comorbid pain and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in the military. This has been caused by the ongoing military conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan, where new combat conditions/strategies are causing these comorbid conditions. Fortunately, comprehensive interdisciplinary treatment programs, originally developed for a civilian population and in academic settings, are being successfully “translated” or utilized in the military environment. Recent data demonstrating this translational clinical intervention are presented. Finally, challenges encountered when translating these interventions in a military environment are also discussed.
GARY BECKER’S CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE ANALYSIS OF DISCRIMINATION

Becker analyzes racial discrimination given its existence; as we know from his 1977 paper with George Stigler, “De Gustibus Non Est Disputandum,” Becker felt that the determination of preferences was to be taken as given, at least from the standpoint of conducting neoclassical economic analysis. One of the ingredients of this research is the distribution of racial animus in the populations of employers, employees, and customers. The most interesting and memorable feature of the analysis is the examination of equilibrium racial wage and employment outcomes when there are “tastes” for discrimination of various kinds and labor and product markets vary in their degree of competitiveness.
Social processing errors among paranoid personalities

The present study tested clinical hypotheses about the social processing attributes of paranoid personalities (PP). Eighteen PPs and 18 normal controls (NC) viewed standardized role plays (Dodge, 1986) in which a provocation occurred but the protagonist's intention varied (i.e., ambiguous, accidental, hostile, or prosocial). Subjects identified the intention behind the action and then chose a response to that action (e.g., “ignore what he did”). The results indicated that PPs and NCs did not differ on intentioncue detection when the intention was clear, but PPs had a significantly higher rate of misreading ambiguous situations. Furthermore, when intentions were ambiguous, PPs were more likely than NCs to identify them as hostile intentions. Finally, PPs' reactions to the vignettes were different from normal controls' when the perceived intention was either prosocial or accidential. PPs were more likely to respond with anger and less likely to ignore the event, compared to NCs. These data provide initial support for clinical notions about the aberrant social processing of paranoid personalities.
Congenital Absence of the Pulmonary Valve with Atrial Septal Defect Surgically Corrected with Aortic Homograft

A 20-year-old man with congenital absence of the pulmonary valve, secundum atrial septal defect and partial atrioventricular block is described. This combination of lesions has not been reported previously. Hemodynamic studies revealed left-to-right atrial shunt and low pulmonary artery pressures presumably caused by increased compliance of the aneurysmal pulmonary trunk. Corrective surgery, consisting of closure of two atrial septal defects and aortic valve homograft replacement, was successfully done.
Lignoid chemical defenses in the freshwater macrophyte Saururus cernuus

Chemical defense against herbivores has rarely been investigated for freshwater plants, possibly due to the common misconception that herbivory on aquatic macrophytes is low and would not select for chemical defenses. In previous work, the freshwater angiosperm Saururus cernuus was shown to be a low preference food for omnivorous crayfish despite its high nutrient value and relatively soft texture. We used feeding by the crayfish Procambarus clarkii to guide fractionation of the deterrent lipid-soluble extract of this plant, leading to the identification of seven deterrent lignoid metabolites, (–)-licarin A, (+)-saucernetin, (–)-dihydroguaiaretic acid, (–)-sauriols A and B, (–)-saucerneol, and (–)-saucerneol methyl ether. Lignans have been implicated in terrestrial plant chemical defenses as insect growth inhibitors, insect toxins, nematocides, antibacterial, and antifungal agents. However, these activities have rarely been demonstrated using ecologically relevant methodologies in terrestrial systems, and never before in freshwater systems. The widespread nature of lignans amongst very distantly related plants, along with their rich diversity of molecular structure, suggests that they could play a large role in mediating plant-herbivore interactions. In addition to the lignoid compounds we identified, there were other compounds present in low concentration or unstable compounds that were deterrent, that did not appear to be lignans, but that we were unable to identify. This plant thus appears to be defended by a complex mixture of natural products.
Internal Conversion in Polyatomic Molecules

It is argued that efficient internal conversion in polyatomic molecules occurs when the energy gap between two potential energy surfaces is sufficiently small, so that, at finite nuclear velocities, the corrections to the Born-Oppenheimer approximation can lead to significant transition probabilities. In particular this will occur near a conical intersection of two surfaces. An estimate of the transition probability is provided using the Zener criterion.
Far-Infrared Transmission Through Superconducting Films.

The far infrared transmission through films of superconducting and normal lead, tin, indium, and mercury has been measured in the wavelength region between 0.1 and 1.1 mm. The transmission data have been analyzed to find the ratio of the complex conductivity in the superconducting state to that in the normal state, as a function of frequency. The width of the energy gap at 0\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}K may be estimated from the frequency of the extrapolated cutoff of the real part, ${\ensuremath{\sigma}}_{1}(\ensuremath{\omega})$, of the superconducting conductivity. The values so obtained are 4.0\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.5, 3.3\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.2, and $3.9\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.3k{T}_{c}$ for lead, tin, and indium, respectively. These values are in good agreement with those obtained in other experiments on bulk samples. The frequency dependence of $\frac{{\ensuremath{\sigma}}_{1}(\ensuremath{\omega})}{{\ensuremath{\sigma}}_{N}}$ is in qualitative agreement with the results of a calculation by Mattis and Bardeen based on the theory of Bardeen, Cooper, and Schrieffer, except for an unexpected hump in ${\ensuremath{\sigma}}_{1}(\ensuremath{\omega})$ for lead and (tentatively) mercury at low frequencies. This hump may be due to the production of collective excitations or an anisotropy in the energy gap. It has also been found that a magnetic field as high as 8000 gauss applied in the plane of a lead film about 12 A thick has only a very small effect on the electromagnetic properties of the film. This is not surprising, in view of the results of the microwave experiments of Pippard and of Spiewak.
Forehead versus forearm skin vascular responses at presyncope in humans

Facial pallor is commonly observed at presyncope in humans, suggestive of reductions in facial skin blood flow (SkBF). Yet, cutaneous vasoconstriction is usually minimal at presyncope when measured...
Automatic conceptual encoding of printed verbal material: Assessment of population differences

Abstract The release from proactive interference task was used to investigate categorical encoding of animal and clothing items with fourth grade low-socioeconomic status black and middle-socioeconomic status white children. The print mode of verbal presentation and an ordered recall requirement were used in order to provide hospitable conditions for the detection of population differences. The results indicated parity in buildup and release from proactive interference for the two populations. The results of this study, consistent with previous estimates of release from proactive interference for these groups (e.g., D. W. Kee & L. Helfend, Journal of Educational Psychology, 1977, 69, 344–348 ; S. Y. Nakayama & D. W. Kee, Journal of Educational Psychology, 1980, 72, 386–393 ), indicate that low-socioeconomic status black and middle-socioeconomic white children do not differ in automatic conceptual encoding. Conceptual encoding differences, however, have been detected between these populations when the free recall method has been used. Thus, discussion of the present results includes a consideration of factors which may be responsible for population differences in free recall performance and preliminary evidence on this issue is provided.
GAO: Water monitoring needs improvement

Better monitoring techniques are needed to assess the quality of rivers and streams, according to a recent report to Congress by the General Accounting Office (GAO). Water samples are taken too infrequently, GAO says, and stations are placed too far apart ‘to deal with the complex nature of water quality.’ ‘Accurate, reliable data on the actual condition of the nation's rivers and streams are necessary for sound environmental planning and management,’ writes Milton J. Socolar, acting comptroller general of the United States, in the cover letter that accompanies the report. ‘Existing national water-quality monitoring networks operated by the Environmental Protection Agency [EPA] and the U.S. Geological Survey [USGS] … do not provide the type or quality of data needed.’
Mechanical stability of Pd-H systems: A molecular-dynamics study.

We use the Nose and Rahman-Parrinello molecular-dynamics formalism to study the equilibrium structure and elastic properties of bulk Pd as a function of temperature and hydrogen concentration. Introducing tensile stress as an independent variable into this formalism enables us also to study the elastic breakdown and crack formation as a function of a uniaxially applied load. The calculations are performed using a model many-body alloy Hamiltonian based on ab initio density-functional results for Pd-H systems
Perceived Sibling Relationships and Adolescent Development

Utilizing longitudinal, 3-wave data collected from multiple informants (fathers, mothers, and target children) in 374 families, the potential effects of sibling relationships on adolescent development across early and middle adolescence were investigated. Adolescents who perceived their sibling relationships more positively at Time 1 tended to have better friendships and higher self-esteem at Time 2, which, in turn, were associated with less loneliness, less depression, and fewer delinquent behaviors and less substance use at Time 3. Moreover, a bidirectional relationship was found between adolescent self-esteem and the quality of their sibling relationships, suggesting that a more positive sibling relationship helps to enhance adolescent self-esteem, and that higher adolescent self-esteem predicts a more positive sibling relationship. A bidirectional relationship was also found between adolescent sibling relationships and adolescent friendships. However, a much stronger association between adolescent sibling relationships at Time 1 and adolescent friendships at Time 2, than between adolescent friendships at Time 1 and adolescent sibling relationships at Time 2, may suggest that the quality of an earlier sibling relationship is more predictive of the quality of a later friendship for adolescents rather than the other way around.
Three questions about Leplin's reliabilism

Jarrett Leplin’s paper is multifaceted; it’s rich with ideas, and I won’t even try to touch on all of them. Instead, I’d like to raise three questions about the paper: one about its definition of reliable method, one about its solution to the generality problem, and one about its answer to clairvoyance-type objections.
The resolution of five linker histone subtypes from chicken erythrocytes

A method is described for the isolation of 4 highly purified H1 linker histone subfractions, and histone H5, from chicken erythrocytes. Fractionation is achieved under non-denaturing conditions by elution from CMC-25 Sephadex with an NaCl gradient. When applied to calf thymus H1, the order of subtype elution differs from that acheived on Amberlite IRC-50 [(1966) J. Biol. Chem. 241, 5790-5797; (1976) Biochemistry 15, 4233-4242]. The two column types employed in series could provide a means for improving subtype purity.
Comparison of a rapid platelet function assay--Verify Now Aspirin--with whole blood impedance aggregometry for the detection of aspirin resistance.

The reported incidence of aspirin resistance or nonresponsiveness ranges between 5 and 30% [1]. There is neither a uniformly accepted definition of aspirin resistance nor an established standard method to assess aspirin non-responsiveness in the laboratory. The PFA-100TM has been most often used to assess aspirin effect. Aspirin non-responsiveness by the PFA-100TM is defined as an absence of a prolongation of the Collagen–Epinephrine cartridge closure time [2]. The second most widely used method is Born's optical platelet aggregometry, a labor intensive, time-consuming method that requires technical expertise. This method assesses aggregation
The Relationship between Changes in Attitudes Toward a Course and Final Achievement

AbstractTo explore the relationship between chance in student attitudes toward a class in which they were participating and final achievement in that class, five equivalent forms of a 26-item attitude scale were administered at two-week intervals to 573 university students In three courses. Coefficients of correlation between the various sequential attitude scores and final achievement, with aptitude held constants were computed in the three situations. Some evidence was found to support the hypothesis that attitudes become progressively more closely related to final achievement throughout the period of Instruction
The role of herpesviruses in adenovirus-associated virus replication in vitro

Abstract Herpes simplex virus (HSV) and infectious bovine rhinotracheitis virus (IBR) were shown to be helper viruses for partial replication of defective adenovirus-associated viruses (AAVs) in cell cultures. The specificity of the helper activity was established using antiserum and/or ether treated HSV in helper experiments with AAV-1. Newly synthesized AAV antigen(s), presumed to be virus coat protein(s), was observed by fluorescent antibody staining, but no production of infectious AAV progeny particles could be shown. Likewise, no AAV particles were visible in cell culture harvests examined by electron microscopy. The evidence suggested a lack of AAV particle production under these circumstances, and a different or more limited type of helper function(s) from herpesviruses as compared to adenoviruses. Other DNA- and RNA-containing animal viruses that were tested were found to be lacking any helper activity.
Band-Edge Potentials of n-Type and p-Type GaN

The band-edge potentials of p-GaN in aqueous solutions were examined with photocurrent measurements, and those of n-GaN were examined with both photocurrent measurements and impedance spectroscopy. The measured band-edge potentials were different for both the different materials and the different measurement techniques. These differences are attributed to differences in the interface charging due to slow charge-transfer kinetics at the interface between the semiconductor and the solution. Using photocurrent measurements, the conduction band-edge potential was Φ c , s = (-1.092 - 0.063 X pH) V vs. a standard calomel electrode (SCE) for p-GaN and Φ c , s = (-0.538 - 0.046 x pH) V SCE for n-GaN. Using impedance spectroscopy, the conduction band-edge potential for n-GaN was Φ c , s = (-0.816 - 0.047 × pH) V SCE.
Oxidation of Fe(II) in rainwater

Photochemically produced Fe(II) is oxidized within hours under environmentally realistic conditions in rainwater. The diurnal variation between photochemical production and reoxidation of Fe(II) observed in our laboratory accurately mimics the behavior of ferrous iron observed in field studies where the highest concentrations of dissolved Fe(ll) occur in afternoon rain during the period of maximum sunlight intensity followed by gradually decreasing concentrations eventually returning to early morning pre-light values. The experimental work presented here, along with the results of kinetics studies done by others, suggests thatthe primary process responsible for the decline in photochemically produced Fe(II) concentrations is oxidation by hydrogen peroxide. This reaction is first order with respect to both the concentrations of Fe(II) and H2O2. The second-order rate constant determined for six different authentic rain samples varied over an order of magnitude and was always less than or equal to the rate constant determined for this reaction in simple acidic solutions. Oxidation of photochemically produced ferrous iron by other oxidants including molecular oxygen, ozone, hydroxyl radical, hydroperoxyl/superoxide radical, and hexavalent chromium were found to be insignificant under the conditions present in rainwater. This study shows that Fe(II) occurs as at least two different chemical species in rain; photochemically produced Fe(II) that is oxidized over time periods of hours, and a background Fe(II) that is protected against oxidation, perhaps by organic complexation, and is stable against oxidation for days. Because the rate of oxidation of photochemically produced Fe(II) does not increase with increasing rainwater pH, the speciation of this more labile form of Fe(II) is also not controlled by simple hydrolysis reactions.
The Role of NHERF and E3KARP in the cAMP-mediated Inhibition of NHE3

NHE3 is the apically located Na+/H+ exchanger in the gut and in the renal proximal tubule. Acute inhibition of this transporter by cAMP requires the presence of either of two NHE3-associated proteins, NHERF or E3KARP. It has been suggested that these proteins either directly regulate NHE3 activity after being phosphorylated by protein kinase A (PKA) or that they may serve as adapters that localize PKA near NHE3. We studied the role of NHERF and E3KARP in opossum kidney cells, which endogenously express NHE3, NHERF, and ezrin and display cAMP-dependent inhibition of NHE3. In vivophosphorylation studies showed that NHERF is a phosphoprotein under basal conditions, but does not change its phosphorylation state after 8-bromo-cAMP treatment, and that E3KARP is not phosphorylated at all. Co-immunoprecipitation showed that NHERF and E3KARP bind both NHE3 and ezrin. Using cAMP analogs it was demonstrated that NHE3 activity, measured as sodium-dependent recovery of the intracellular pH after intracellular acidification, is inhibited by PKA type II. Because others have shown that ezrin binds PKA type II and that NHE3 is phosphorylated by PKA we suggest that NHERF and E3KARP are adapters that link NHE3 to ezrin, thereby localizing PKA near NHE3 to allow NHE3 phosphorylation.
Efficient failure recovery in multidisk multimedia servers

In this paper, we present two disk failure recovery methods that utilize the inherent characteristics of video streams to ensure that the user-invoked on-the-fly failure recovery process does not impose any significant load on the disk array. Whereas the first approach utilizes the sequential nature of playback of video streams to reduce the overhead of the on- the-fly recovery process, the second exploits the inherent redundancies present in video streams to facilitate efficient failure recovery. For the latter approach, we also present a disk array architecture that enhances the scalability of multimedia servers by: (1) integrating the recovery process with the decompression of video streams, and thereby distributing the reconstruction process across the clients; and (2) supporting graceful degradation in the quality of recovered images with increase in the number of disk failures. We compare and contrast our methods to the conventional disk failure recovery schemes.© (1996) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
3D FLAIRED: 3D fluid attenuated inversion recovery for enhanced detection of lesions in multiple sclerosis

Contrast optimization of a three-dimensional (3D) Fluid-attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR) sequence is examined in the context of multiple sclerosis. In order to develop 3D FLAIR for enhanced detection of lesions, an iterative approach based on theoretical considerations was used. The 3D FLAIR sequence was systematically acquired with incremental parameter changes on a single subject with multiple sclerosis in a 3-T MRI scanner. Region of interest analysis was performed on the images, and the best estimate of the optimal acquisition parameters was established. This process was iterated on subsequent patients with multiple sclerosis until only marginal gains in quality were obtained. Three-dimensional FLAIR for enhanced detection produced increased lesion detection and identification in the supratentorial and infratentorial regions when compared with default GE 3D FLAIR and two-dimensional FLAIR sequences. Lesion border delineation was enhanced as evidenced by better lesion and white matter contrast ratios, demonstrating that the approach is a viable method for improved lesion detection.
Dual Antiplatelet Therapy and Heparin “Bridging” Significantly Increase the Risk of Bleeding Complications After Pacemaker or Implantable Cardioverter-Defibrillator Device Implantation

Objectives This study was designed to assess the risk of significant bleeding complications in patients receiving antiplatelet or anticoagulation medications at the time of implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) device implantation. Background Periprocedural management of antiplatelet or anticoagulation therapy at the time of device implantation remains controversial. Methods We performed a retrospective chart review of bleeding complications in all patients undergoing ICD or pacemaker implantation from August 2004 to August 2007. Aspirin or clopidogrel use was defined as taken within 5 days of the procedure. A significant bleeding complication was defined as need for pocket exploration or blood transfusion; hematoma requiring pressure dressing or change in anticoagulation therapy; or prolonged hospitalization. Results Of the 1,388 device implantations, 71 had bleeding complications (5.1%). Compared with controls not taking antiplatelet agents (n = 255), the combination of aspirin and clopidogrel (n = 139) significantly increased bleeding risk (7.2% vs. 1.6%; p = 0.004). In patients taking aspirin alone (n = 536), bleeding risk was marginally higher than it was for patients taking no antiplatelet agents (3.9% vs. 1.6%, p = 0.078). The use of periprocedural heparin (n = 154) markedly increased risk of bleeding when compared with holding warfarin until the international normalized ratio (INR) was normal (n = 258; 14.3% vs. 4.3%; p Conclusions Dual antiplatelet therapy and periprocedural heparin significantly increase the risk of bleeding complications at the time of pacemaker or ICD implantation.
Ultrafast Electronic Relaxation and Coherent Vibrational Oscillation of Strongly Coupled Gold Nanoparticle Aggregates

We report the first direct observation of the ultrafast electronic relaxation and coherent vibrational oscillation of strongly interacting gold nanoparticle aggregates measured by femtosecond laser spectroscopy. The electronic relaxation, reflected as a fast decay component with a time constant of 1.5−2.5 ps, becomes faster with decreasing pump power, similar to earlier observations of isolated gold nanoparticles. Surprisingly, periodic oscillations have been observed in the transient absorption/bleach signal and have been attributed to the coherent vibrational excitation of the gold nanoparticle aggregates. The oscillation period has been found to depend on the probe wavelength. As the probe wavelength is varied from 720 to 850 nm, the period changes from 37 to 55 ps. This suggests that the broad extended plasmon band (EPB) contains contributions from gold nanoparticle aggregates with different sizes and/or different fractal structures. Each of the different probe wavelengths therefore interrogates one s...
Relations between Confluent Hypergeometric Functions

Some of the functions mentioned in a recent paper may be expressed in terms of known functions.
Disalignment transitions in cold collisions of 3 P atoms with structureless targets in a magnetic field

A method for quantum-mechanical calculations of cross sections for the Zeeman transitions in collisions of {sup 3}P atoms with structureless targets in a magnetic field is presented and applied to the study of magnetic and electronic relaxation in oxygen-helium and carbon-helium collisions at cold and ultracold temperatures. The rate constants for collisionally induced transitions between Zeeman levels in ground-state oxygen have large magnitudes in a 1 T field. It is shown that magnetic fields induce the forbidden {sup 3}P{sub 1} {yields} {sup 3}P{sub 0} transition in ultracold collisions of carbon with helium. The cross section vanishes at zero energy for field-free collisions, but becomes infinitely large in a finite magnetic field, varying with velocity v and magnetic field B as B{sup 2}/v.
Zic2 is required for enteric nervous system development and neurite outgrowth: a mouse model of enteric hyperplasia and dysplasia

From a forward genetic screen in mice we isolated a novel Zic2 allele with abnormal aggregation of meconium in the gastrointestinal tract. Zic2m1Nisw mutant embryos show an increase in the number of enteric neurons in vivo and disorganization of the neurite network. Explant culture of Zic2m1Nisw gastrointestinal tract show extensive neurite outgrowth, suggesting that Zic2 is a negative regulator of nerve fiber growth. These studies demonstrate a previously unknown function of Zic2 and provide a novel animal model of enteric nervous system dysplasia and hyperplasia.
Structure−Morphology−Electroluminescence Relationship for Hybrid Conjugated Polymers

A comparative study of a series of conjugated polymers is described. The solution absorption spectra of polymers 1−3 show unusual red shifts relative to their film spectra, which is due to strong aggregate formation in the concentrated solution. The polymer with octadecyloxy side chains shows improved LED performance because of increased solubility, film-forming capability, and optimized film morphology. The long side chains are also capable of forming small insulating domains which inhibit exciton interchain migration thereby enhancing exciton confinement and EL efficiency. 2-Ethylhexyloxy side chains also favor exciton confinement due to their increased steric hindrance to interaction between neighboring conjugated main chains. AFM and contact angle measurements indicate that polymer film surface properties are controlled by polymer backbone structure and by the length, geometry, and polarity of the side group. The polymer film surface morphology affects the local electrical field distribution within th...
Patellar strain and patellofemoral contact after bone-patellar tendon- bone harvest for anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction

Abstract Objective: To characterize the morbific consequences of harvesting a patellar tendon graft for use in reconstructing the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) of the knee, specifically, (1) to measure changes in patellar strain and patellofemoral contact due to graft harvest, (2) to evaluate the ability of bone-grafting the patellar defect to mitigate these effects, and (3) to characterize failure of the extensor mechanism after harvest of a patellar tendon graft. Design: Twenty-two cadaver knee joints were tested before and after harvest of a patellar tendon graft and after filling the patellar defect with polymethylmethacrylate to simulate a healed bone graft. Knees were positioned in 30°, 60°, and 90° flexion and loaded while measuring axial strain in the anterior patella and patellofemoral contact. Knees were then loaded to failure. Results: Harvest of the graft produced increases in axial strain at all flexion angles. Filling the defect restored axial strain to normal values. Patellofemoral contact in the presence of a defect, either filled or empty, was not different from contact for intact patellae. Most knees failed by transpatellar fracture; mean extension moment at failure was 112.8Nm. The best predictors of failure were age and gender. Conclusion: Patients undergoing ACL reconstruction with a patellar tendon graft are at increased risk of anterior knee pain and disruption of the extensor mechanism. Bone-grafting the patellar defect created by graft harvest can reduce these risks. Our findings underscore the importance of carefully controlled rehabilitation and suggest that if an accelerated program of rehabilitation is anticipated, the patellar defect should be bone-grafted. Older patients, particularly women, are at increased risk of catastrophic failure of the knee extensor mechanism after ACL reconstruction using patellar tendon graft.
Neural networks for binarizing computer-generated holograms

Abstract A Hopfield type neural network was applied to compute synthetic, binary holograms. This iterative neuron algorithm minimizes reconstruction errors in amplitude and phase. About twenty iteration steps are sufficient for convergence, each of them has the computational complexity of a FFT. In addition, the neural net is flexible to include a variety of optimization strategies.
The avalanche transit-time diode as a self-pumped parametric amplifier

A new mode of amplification has been established in an avalanching diode. The device is operated so as to simultaneously oscillate at a "pump" frequency and amplify at a lower signal frequency. The diode, while oscillating, pumps its own nonlinear impedance (which is largely reactive). Under appropriate conditions, therefore, the incident signal experiences parametric amplification.
The impact of the ideology of modernity on language attitudes in Morocco

This paper investigates how the ideology of modernity affects Moroccan youths' attitudes towards local and foreign languages. Covert attitudes data from a Matched Guise Test show the alignment of French, as compared with Moroccan Arabic (MA) and Standard Arabic (SA), with the status-bearing traits of modernity and open-mindedness. Additionally, overt data from a language attitudes questionnaire show that the higher their social class, the more likely respondents are to hold favourable attitudes towards French and the increasing use of English and move away from the local codes of MA, SA, and Berber. The impact of the ideology of modernity on Moroccan youth shows that the valorisation of Western languages, a product of the French colonial era, maintains a linguistically and socially asymmetrical position between speakers of local codes and those of foreign languages. Members of the Moroccan elite play the role of ‘ideology brokers’ (Jaffe 1999), whose linguistic practices, language attitudes, and ascriptio...
Aircraft wind measurement considering lift-induced upwash

Flow distortion is a universal consideration in the measurement of wind. Usually the distortion results from deflection of the flow by the support. Instruments mounted on airplanes, however, experience an additional deflection associated with lift, which changes rapidly and continuously during flight. In front of the airplane, this deflection appears as upwash. Characteristic upwash contamination ranges from 0.5 to 2.5 m s-1, depending on wing loading, flight speed, and forward distance from the wing to the measurement location. On pressure-radome installations the distance from the wing is usually small and the potential for upwash contamination large. Sensors mounted at the end of long probes attached to smaller airplanes with light wing loading are less susceptible to upwash contamination. Since wing loading also depends on the local vertical wind velocity the upwash velocity is directly correlated with vertical wind velocity. Generally, empirical corrections are derived from flight tests. We develop a simple method from principles of aerodynamics which explains these corrections in terms of upwash. The applicability of our approach to moderate upwash is demonstrated with data collected from the NOAA Long-EZ research airplane. More severe upwash conditions require a more sophisticated correction beyond the scope of this paper, but basically derived from the same principles.
Civil commitment: A review of empirical research

This article presents a comprehensive review of empirical micro-level research which has attempted to evaluate changes in civil commitment law in the United States. It groups studies by category of the general question they address: Who are being processed through civil commitment and who are being committed? How dangerous are civil commitment candidates on admission, in the hospital, and after release? To what extent are court officers adhering to procedural protections in form and in intent? To what extent have restrictive criteria influenced the behavior of medical professionals in processing individuals through civil commitment? and What happens to individuals after their civil commitment experience and their involuntary hospitalization? The article points to needed research and concludes by summarizing existing research from the perspective of finding a balance between civil liverty and benevolence.
Application of an upwind algorithm to the three-dimensional parabolized Navier-Stokes equations

A new computer code for the solution of the three-dimensional parabolized Navier-Stokes equations has been developed. The code employs a state-of-the-art upwind algorithm to capture strong shock waves. The algorithm is implicit, uses finite volumes, and is second-order accurate in the crossflow directions. The new code is validated through application to laminar hypersonic flows past two simple body shapes: a circular cone of 10 deg half-angle, and a generic all-body hypersonic vehicle. Cone flow solutions were computed at angles of attack of 12, 20, and 24 deg and results are in agreement with experimental data. Results are also presented for the flow past the all-body vehicle at angles of incidence of 0 and 10 deg.
Laser Spectroscopy of ZrO: Accurate Term Energies for the Triplet States

Abstract The wavelength-resolved fluorescence excitation technique has been used to record the (0, 0) bands of the satellite e 3 Π 1 - a 3 Δ 1 and e 3 Π 2 - a 3 Δ 2 transitions of ZrO at a resolution of 0.03 cm −1 . These data were combined with previous high-resolution analyses of the ZrO B system (B. Simard et al. , Faraday Discuss. Chem. Sec. 86, 163-180, 1988) and with the analysis of the intercombination e 3 Π 1 - X 1 Σ + transition (P. D. Hammer and S. P. Davis, Astrophys. J. Lett. 237, 51-53, 1980) to obtain accurate term energies for the triplet states of 90 Zr 16 O. Ligand field theory calculations were used to suggest electronic configurations for the excited states of ZrO.
Kinetics of polyatomic radical reactions using a versatile flow reactor apparatus

Abstract A versatile, new flow reactor apparatus for gas phase kinetic studies of polyatomic free radicals is described. Radicals are produced from suitable precursors by direct or sensitized infrared laser multiphoton dissociation. Detection methods include laser-induced fluorescence, vacuum UV resonance fluorescence, and modulated molecular beam mass spectrometry. Initial results on the NH2 + NO and CH3O + NO2 reactions are presented.
Novel surface acoustic wave (SAW)-driven closed PDMS flow chamber

In this article, we demonstrate a novel microfluidic flow chamber driven by surface acoustic waves. Our device is a closed loop channel with an integrated acoustic micropump without external fluidic connections that allows for the investigation of small fluid samples in a continuous flow. The fabrication of the channels is particularly simple and uses standard milling and PDMS molding. The micropump consists of gold electrodes deposited on a piezoelectric substrate employing photolithography. We show that the pump generates a pressure-driven Poiseuille flow, investigate the acoustic actuation mechanism, characterize the flow profile for different channel geometries, and evaluate the driving pressure, efficiency and response time of the acoustic micropump. The fast response time of our pump permits the generation of non-stationary flows. To demonstrate the versatility of the device, we have pumped a red blood cell suspension at a physiological rate of 60 beats/min.
Peter Drucker on marketing: Application and implications for libraries

Purpose – The purpose of this article is to discuss Peter Drucker's theory of marketing in the context of strategic planning and change (innovation) in libraries. With the need for change and innovation accelerating within all types of libraries, it is increasingly important for libraries to adopt a marketing orientation, integrating a marketing plan into the overall strategic planning process.Design/methodology/approach – This paper employs case study methodology to demonstrate one library's attempt to integrate a marketing plan into the library's overall strategic planning activity, using this process to move the library towards a marketing orientation. The paper also provides a viewpoint based on the author's experience and the teachings of Peter Drucker.Findings – Libraries must adopt a marketing orientation in order to remain viable into the future. As Drucker stated, “it is the customer who determines what a business is”. It is imperative libraries understand what their customer values and needs in ...
Lossless data embedding with file size preservation

In lossless watermarking, it is possible to completely remove the embedding distortion from the watermarked image and recover an exact copy of the original unwatermarked image. Lossless watermarks found applications in fragile authentication, integrity protection, and metadata embedding. It is especially important for medical and military images. Frequently, lossless embedding disproportionably increases the file size for image formats that contain lossless compression (RLE BMP, GIF, JPEG, PNG, etc...). This partially negates the advantage of embedding information as opposed to appending it. In this paper, we introduce lossless watermarking techniques that preserve the file size. The formats addressed are RLE encoded bitmaps and sequentially encoded JPEG images. The lossless embedding for the RLE BMP format is designed in such a manner to guarantee that the message extraction and original image reconstruction is insensitive to different RLE encoders, image palette reshuffling, as well as to removing or adding duplicate palette colors. The performance of both methods is demonstrated on test images by showing the capacity, distortion, and embedding rate. The proposed methods are the first examples of lossless embedding methods that preserve the file size for image formats that use lossless compression.
The association of unfavorable outcomes with the intensity of neurosurgical care in the United States.

OBJECT There is wide regional variability in the volume of procedures performed for similar surgical patients throughout the United States. We investigated the association of the intensity of neurosurgical care (defined as the average annual number of neurosurgical procedures per capita) with mortality, length of stay (LOS), and rate of unfavorable discharge for inpatients after neurosurgical procedures. METHODS We performed a retrospective cohort study involving the 202,518 patients who underwent cranial neurosurgical procedures from 2005-2010 and were registered in the National Inpatient Sample (NIS) database. Regression techniques were used to investigate the association of the average intensity of neurosurgical care with the average mortality, LOS, and rate of unfavorable discharge. RESULTS The inpatient neurosurgical mortality, rate of unfavorable discharge, and average LOS varied significantly among several states. In a multivariate analysis male gender, coverage by Medicaid, and minority racial status were associated with increased mortality, rate of unfavorable discharge, and LOS. The opposite was true for coverage by private insurance, higher income, fewer comorbidities and small hospital size. There was no correlation of the intensity of neurosurgical care with the mortality (Pearson's ρ = -0.18, P = 0.29), rate of unfavorable discharge (Pearson's ρ = 0.08, P = 0.62), and LOS of cranial neurosurgical procedures (Pearson's ρ = -0.21, P = 0.22). CONCLUSIONS We observed significant disparities in mortality, LOS, and rate of unfavorable discharge for cranial neurosurgical procedures in the United States. Increased intensity of neurosurgical care was not associated with improved outcomes.
Void growth and coalescence in porous plastic solids

Abstract A boundary value problem simulating a periodic array of spherical voids in an isotropically hardening elastic-viscoplastic matrix is analyzed. The calculations show a shift from a general axisymmetric deformation state to a mode of uniaxial straining at which point the plastic deformation localizes to the ligament between neighboring voids. This event is associated with the accelerated void growth accompanying coalescence. The numerical results are related to the description of void growth and coalescence within a phenomenological constitutive framework for progressively cavitating solids.
Regulation of Glycogen Synthase and Protein Phosphatase-1 by Hexosamines

The hexosamine biosynthesis pathway has been hypothesized to be involved in mediating some of the adverse effects of high glucose. We have previously shown that glucose downregulates basal glycogen synthase (GS) activity in Rat-1 cells and that overexpressing the rate-limiting enzyme in the hexosamine biosynthesis pathway (glutamine:fructose-6-phosphate amidotransferase [GFA]) makes the cells more sensitive to these effects of glucose. GFA overexpression also leads to a reduction in insulin sensitivity of GS. Here we examine the effects of glucose and glucosamine on insulin-stimulated GS activity and on protein phosphatase-1 (PP1) activity. These activities were assayed in cytoplasmic extracts from Rat-1 fibroblasts overexpressing human GFA and cultured in varying glucose concentrations. Both maximal insulin-stimulated GS activity and insulin sensitivity decreased with increasing glucose. Overexpression of GFA leads to a further reduction in insulin sensitivity but not in maximal insulin-stimulated GS activity. Because there were no differences in total (glucose-6-phosphate-dependent) GS activity between cell lines or as a function of glucose concentration, these results most likely reflect a change in the phosphorylation state of the synthase. Activity of PP1, a potential mediator of these effects, was responsive to glucose and hexosamines. Control cells showed a 9.3 +/- 4.3% decrease in PP1 activity with increasing glucose. GFA cells showed a greater response to glucose, with PP1 activity decreasing 34.2 +/- 5.5% with increasing glucose. Glucosamine was more potent than glucose in decreasing PP1 activity in control cells. Cells overexpressing the normal human insulin receptor (HIRc-B) were used to facilitate analysis of insulin-stimulated PP1 activity. Stimulation with 1.7 mmol/l insulin led to a 37.6 +/- 9.9% increase in PP1 activity in HIRc-B cells cultured in 1 mmol/l glucose, while cells cultured in 5 mmol/l glucosamine or 20 mmol/l glucose demonstrated only 3.79 +/- 0.60 or 1.6 +/- 0.75% increases, respectively. We conclude that both basal and insulin- stimulable GS and PP1 activity are downregulated by high glucose in fibroblasts and this regulation is mediated by products of the hexosamine biosynthesis pathway.
Reliability and validity of the short form beck depression inventory with older adults

This study investigated the reliability and validity of the short form Beck Depression Inventory with older adults. Sixty-one clinically depressed older outpatients and 57 non-patient older volunteers comprised the sample. The patient group completed the BDI prior to and at completion of depression treatment. Estimates of internal reliability suggest that the short form BDI possesses adequate Spearman-Brown and alpha coefficients. Congruent validity estimates were less satisfactory, as the correlation between the BDI and the HRSD was statistically significant, but low. Criterion group validity, diagnostic sensitivity, and sensitivity to change estimates were all acceptable. Thus, the short form BDI is adequately reliable to suggest its use as a research and clinical tool with older adults, although further study of the instrument's validity is needed.