cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A Community-Based Organization Model to Promote Latinx Immigrant Mental Health Through Advocacy Skills and Universal Parenting Supports

The unique mental health context of children in Latinx immigrant families calls for innovative community-based intervention strategies. We use an ecological public health approach to highlight the importance of community-based organization (CBO) settings, the critical role of community-based paraprofessionals (i.e., non-clinicians, near-peers) and capacity-building, and the expansion of mental health promotion strategies to include realistic, day-to-day supports for Latinx immigrant parents and families. This realigns mental health with the goals and mission of trusted spaces, like CBOs, that can offer more equitable and non-stigmatized access for Latinx immigrant families. We draw upon two strength-based and empowerment-focused interventions that utilize community-based workforces to promote positive parenting skills (Partners Achieving Student Success-PASS; Mehta et al., 2019) and self-advocacy skills (Community Advocacy Project-CAP; Sullivan & Bybee, 1999) to provide the conceptual framework for Family Mental Health Advocacy (FMHA). FMHA aligns mental health promotion with the advocacy mission of CBOs, engages CBO staff with feasible mental health "messages," and empowers immigrant parents as critical change agents in the lives of their children. We acknowledge the challenges associated with implementing mental health promotion strategies and providing workforce support, as well as the importance of local and national policy influences.
Best Possible Use of a Donor Organ: Is There a Need for Age Matching in Heart Transplant Allocation?

Purpose The rate of heart transplantation (HTx) in adults, particularly in patients 65 years and older is rapidly increasing, 40% in the last five years. The purpose of this study is to characterize the donors used by older adults and investigate the effect of donor age on post-transplant survival for different age recipients. Methods The United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) database was used to identify HTx recipients ≥18yo from 1987 to 2020. Recipients were divided into four groups [18-49, 50-59, 60-64, and ≥65 years old (yo)]. Corresponding donors were divided into three groups (12-24, 25-39, ≥40yo). Post-transplant benefit was compared between combinations of recipient and donor age groups. Results 66,201 heart transplant recipients were identified. Recipient age groups: 18-49yo (34%, n=22,341), 50-59yo (35%, n=23,358), 60-64yo (18%, n=11,999), ≥65yo (13%, n=8,503). ≥65yo recipients were 13% of all transplants, utilized 10% of 12-24yo donors, 12% of 25-39yo donors and 17% of ≥40yo donors. Younger donor age provided greater benefit for younger recipients [Figure]. The improvement in median post-transplant survival (years) from using a 12-24yo donor instead of a ≥40yo donor was greatest in the 18-49yo recipient group (3yr benefit) compared to the ≥65yo recipient group (1yr benefit): 18-49yo recipients [13.8yrs (95% CI:13.3-14.2) with 12-24yo donors to 10.9yrs (10.4-11.4) with ≥40yo donors] vs. ≥65yo recipients [10.3yrs (9.8-10.0) with 12-24yo donors to 9.0yrs (8.5-9.6) with ≥40yo donors]. Conclusion There is a disproportionate (3x) benefit in median survival by using a younger donor heart (12-24yo) in younger recipients (18-49yo) compared to ≥65yo recipients. The potential gain in number of total post-transplant years by an age-specific organ allocation should be considered in this supply-constrained climate of transplant “economics”.
The archaeology of cult of ancient Israel’s southern neighbors and the midianite-kenite hypothesis

The Midianite-Kenite hypothesis, the idea that the pre-Israelite roots of Yahwism can be traced back to the areas south and southeast of Palestine, has a long pedigree in biblical scholarship. Analyses supporting this view generally agree in three main points. First, they assume that the influence of the southern cultic practices on Yahwism occurred during a restricted period of time, traditionally dated to the Early Iron Age. Second, they see the origins of Yahwism through the lenses of diffusionist perspectives, characterizing this process as a movement or migration of one or a few determined groups to Canaan. And third, adequate analyses of the archaeological evidence of the arid areas to the south of Palestine are few. In this article I will turn the interpretation of the epigraphic and archaeological evidence upside down. Instead of looking to the (mostly biblical) evidence on the origins of the cult of Yahweh and assuming its genesis lies in movements of people from the southern regions to Canaan in the Early Iron Age, I will focus attention on the history of the cultic practices in the Negev, southern Transjordan, and northern Hejaz during the entire Iron Age, and how this information is related to the religious practices known in Judah and Israel during the biblical period, shedding new light on the prehistory of the cult of Yahweh. I will evaluate the evidence not as a single, exceptional event, but as a long-term process within the several-millennia history of cultic practices and beliefs of the local peoples.
Remote robotic endovascular thrombectomy for acute ischaemic stroke

Background In acute ischaemic stroke, endovascular thrombectomy (ET) significantly reduces disability compared with thrombolytic therapy, but access to ET is currently limited. Leveraging telerobotic technology to disseminate neurosurgical expertise could increase access to ET. This proof-of-concept evaluation was performed to determine whether remote robotic ET (RRET), wherein an offsite neurosurgeon and an onsite interventional cardiologist collaboratively use telerobotics to perform ET, is technically feasible. Methods An ex vivo model of RRET was constructed by establishing a network connection between a robotic drive in a simulation laboratory and a robotic control unit 5 miles away. Using onsite assistance from an interventional cardiologist in the simulation laboratory, an offsite neurosurgeon used the robotic controls to attempt RRET on a fluid-filled silicone model of human vasculature containing simulated thrombus material in the left middle cerebral artery (MCA). Results From the offsite location 5 miles away, the neurosurgeon used the robotic system to successfully navigate a guidewire from the carotid artery to simulated thrombus in the MCA. Under the direction of the neurosurgeon, the onsite interventional cardiologist then successfully manually advanced an aspiration catheter over the guidewire to the thrombus, removed the guidewire and performed aspiration. Conclusions In this proof-of-concept evaluation, the technical feasibility of RRET was demonstrated in an ex vivo model and was collaboratively performed by an offsite neurosurgeon and an onsite interventional cardiologist. This report supports the design of future studies to determine if RRET could be used to increase access to ET for patients with acute ischaemic stroke.
Effect of the weaver (wv) mutation on cerebellar neuron differentiation: I. Qualitative observations of neuron behavior in culture☆

Abstract A mutant gene dose-dependent inhibition of cerebellar granule cell neuron survival and neurite growth in dissociated cultures of cerebellum from 7-day-old heterozygous ( + wv ) and homozygous ( wv wv ) weaver mutant mice (M. Willinger, D. M. Margolis, and R. L. Sidman. (1981), J. Supramol. Struc. 17, 79–86) has previously been observed. In the present phase-contrast study time-lapse microcinematography was performed between 10 and 80 hr in culture to determine which properties of neurite growth and neuron migration are affected by weaver gene expression. Neurite growth in +/+ cultures is rapid and discontinuous. Neurites are thin and cylindrical. Membrane movement occurs only at the growth cone. Growth cone contact with cell aggregates or glial somas results in the cessation of cone advancement and the induction of translocation of the neuronal soma toward the astrocyte. In cultures of + wv and wv wv cerebellar cells, abnormal neurite growth is characterized by frequent neurite retractions and reinitiations. Neuronal somas and neurite shafts are motile during elongation. Homozygous neurites and cones are pleomorphic. Normal, + wv , and wv wv neurons undergo nuclear translocation. Like +/+ neurons, + wv neurons migrate in response to growth cone-cell soma contact. In contrast, homozygous soma frequently reverse direction and migrate independently of cell contact. Granule cell death occurs with increasing frequency with increasing gene dosage. Neurons are unusually active prior to the rapid onset of cell death. In summary, the weaver mutation impairs granule cell differentiation by affecting neurite maintenance, membrane motility, and neuron morphology. The loss of viability appears to be independent of, or secondary to, these targets of gene action.
Professional Advocacy: The Minnesota Epilogue toward Altering Legislation for Quality School Health Education Programs

Abstract Significant rhetorical support for health education has been expressed by national educational leaders for years. Yet, in reality, health education programs continue to lack local and state support where educational administration and policy changes occur. An overview of reasons for the problem is presented and a solution is identified: health educators must become politically active at state and local levels. Successful advocacy efforts in North Carolina, California, and Minnesota are reviewed to support the hypothesis that future improvements in health education depend on policy decisions derived from health educators' relationships with legislators.
Gene therapy and ovarian cancer: A review

Objective To provide the obstetrician-gynecologist with the basic concepts of gene therapy, an overview of cancer gene therapy treatment strategies, and a summary of currently approved human gene therapy protocols for ovarian carcinoma. Data Sources A computerized search of articles published through December 1995 was performed on the MEDLINE data base. Additional sources were identified through crossreferencing. Methods of Study Selection All identified references were reviewed with particular attention to their relevance to gene therapy for ovarian cancer. Tabulation, Integration, and Results Each reference was reviewed to determine the relevant contribution to the fundamental science of gene therapy. Particular attention was paid to those studies that offered a rational strategy that might contribute to therapy for ovarian malignancy. Conclusion Advances in molecular biology, immunology, and virology have enabled the concept of gene therapy for neoplastic disorders to become a reality. Given the lack of effective conventional therapy, those patients with recurrent or refractory ovarian cancer should be considered for currently approved investigational gene therapy protocols.
Experimenting with Governance for U.S. Broadband Infrastructure: The Wisdom of Retaining or Dismantling Prior Legal Innovations

To achieve desired emergent properties of social systems, such as political and economic systems, requires experimentation. “[D]emocracy itself is an experimental system” of political governance (Ferris, 2010, p. 2); and “markets...by their very nature involve constant experimentation” (Ferris, 2010, p. 169). “Liberal democracies and free markets conduct experiments — and respond, however imperfectly, to the results — very day” (Ferris, 2010, p. 234). The founders of the United States often referred to the new nation as an experiment (Ferris, 2010, p. 101). Fear of anarchy under the Articles of Confederation created the crisis that led to the Constitutional Convention of 1787. Fearing excess of power in any hands while acknowledging the anarchy of a too weak federal government, the framework of the U.S. Constitution based on federalism was an emergent solution evolving from compromise. Federalism provides for shared sovereignty among a federal government and sovereign states, where “government [does] not provid[e] answers, but rather...provid[es] a framework in which the salient questions could continue to be debated” (Ellis, 2007, p. 123). In so doing, federalism provides mechanisms for both experimentation and stability to enable sustainability of the nation (Cherry, 2007, p. 372).
Intimate Partner Violence

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a widespread public health problem affecting millions of adults in the USA. Exposure to IPV during childhood can have far-reaching, life-course consequences, including adverse physical and mental health outcomes that extend well into adulthood. Pediatric medical providers should be comfortable with screening patients and caregivers for IPV and also become familiar with resources to provide to families when IPV is identified. This chapter explores the definitions and dynamics of intimate partner violence; the health effects for adult and child, including the inherent risks of child maltreatment in this setting; screening assessment approaches which can be employed in the pediatric healthcare encounter; and safety planning interventions that pediatric health providers should consider for their patients and families.
Disorders of Glomerular Filtration

In the first edition of this volume, this chapter dealing with disorders of glomerular filtration described, by necessity, few specific mechanisms of altered glomerular ultrafiltration, because the stage of development of this field of investigation was in a rather early phase of data accumulation. Since that time, there has been a considerable acceleration in the rate of accumulation of knowledge in this area. Therefore, in this second edition, we will diminish our prior emphasis on methodology and discussion of the modeling predictions of the relative impacts of the four individual determinants of glomerular ultrafiltration: (1) nephron plasma flow (RPF); (2) systemic oncotic pressure (πA); (3) the glomerular capillary hydrostatic pressure gradient (ΔP); and (4) the glomerular ultrafiltration coefficient (LpA). We refer the reader to the first edition of this text for this more methodologic and theoretical discussion. We will now focus upon what is currently known regarding the specific mechanisms contributing to the regulation of glomerular ultrafiltration in a variety of physiologic and pathophysiologic conditions. Because of the increasing complexity of the regulatory processes, the descriptions of these mechanisms will be classified by physiologic conditions rather than focusing specifically on the effects of changes in the respective determinants of glomerular ultrafiltration.
The Two Armies: Adaptation, Durability, and the United States Army and National Guard

The United States maintains two distinct armies: an active duty, or force under federal control, and a National Guard nominally under state control with the option of being federalized. This bifurcation of the American military remains largely unchanged since the nation’s founding. Given the inclination of policymakers to centralize power under conditions of existential threat or disaster, this continued division of the armed forces is puzzling. What explains the durability of the two armies and their ability to adapt to new or qualitatively different roles over time? This paper develops a conceptual framework that seeks to explain agency adaptation and durability. I theorize that when faced with new or qualitatively different demands from policymakers, agencies bargain with their overseers for resources and institutional changes that facilitate adaptation and mitigate stressors. The agency’s political environment, particularly institutional arrangements and ideational factors, mediates agency adaptation by expanding or curtailing an agency’s range of response, further influencing the nature of the principal-agent bargain. I briefly consider cases that illustrate this conceptual framework as it relates to the durability of the two armies and propose avenues for future research.
Faster Is Better—It’s Rarely That Simple!

With the enormous popularity of audioconferences, meetings, and special inserts in nonarchived journals regarding point-of-care testing (POCT), it is clear that laboratorians are struggling with questions about implementing and managing POCT. Yet there is a paucity of serious studies in the peer-reviewed literature that address the benefits of POCT. In this issue, Nichols et al. (1) present a study that examined the impact of POCT implementation on patient waiting time for interventional cardiology procedures. This study provides an example of the proper way to address decisions regarding the implementation of POCT. The authors established an hypothesis about the impact of POCT in their setting, implemented POCT, examined a measurable outcome, and then made adjustments to patient management and workflow when simple implementation of POCT did not substantiate their hypothesis. The bottom line from this study is that despite the initial intuition that faster laboratory values would be better, it took more than just fast laboratory data to obtain the desired benefit. These authors found that simply moving the point of testing from the central laboratory to the clinical service did not improve patient waiting time until significant changes in workflow were made. The predictions of the second phase of their study [when the potential time-savings of POCT vs central laboratory turnaround time (TAT) were determined] suggested that 92% of patients requiring either renal function or coagulation tests could meet their scheduled procedure time with POCT. By contrast, at baseline, only 8% and 29% …
Magnetic and structural properties of RFe10SiCx prepared by gas phase reaction

Abstract A new series of rare-earth iron intermetallic carbide compounds has been prepared by the reaction of powders with methane gas. The alloys, R 2 (Fe, Si) 17 (R = Y, Ce, Pr, Nd and Sm), prior to the methane heat treatment had the 2:17 type structure. After carbon absorption in temperatures up to 873 K the alloys retain their original structure with a volume expansion over the carbon-free unit cell of 5.3% for R = Nd and 11.2% for R = Ce. In addition, the Curie temperature increases from about 66 to 166 K over the series of rare-earths studied. However, for higher methane heat treatment temperatures (up to 1073 K) a phase transformation occurs leading to the BaCd 11 type structure. These novel compounds have a lower Curie temperature than those of the Th 2 Zn 17 type structure but they are stable up to high temperatures. In addition melt-spun ribbons of the BdCd 11 type structure have been prepared with a coercivity of 1.5 kOe in the Sm containing compound.
Acarbose Binding Specificity with Oral Bacterial Glucosyltransferase

ABSTRACT Mutans streptococcus glucosyltransferases are the significant virulent factors in causing dental caries. The binding specificity of acarbose was probed with glucosyl and fructosyl sub-site binding ligands using multiple inhibition kinetics. The results indicate that acarbose and a glucosyl subsite binding ligand (1-deoxynojirimycin) are mutually or partially exclusive. On the other hand, acarbose with a fructosyl subsite ligand (fructose) might induce a conformational change leading to enhanced binding at the adjacent subsite.
An assessment of waste issues associated with the production of new, lightweight, fuel-efficient vehicles

Abstract This article assesses solid and hazardous wastes that would be generated through the production of new, lightweight, fuel-efficient vehicles. In these vehicles, steel is replaced with aluminum, titanium, magnesium, plastics, and glass and carbon fibers. In addition to total volumes, we pay particular attention to a subset of highly toxic chemical constituents in hazardous waste. The article also examines capacity in the United States to manage the solid and hazardous waste generation changes. Finally, we review the distribution of environmental impacts that changes in material composition would cause. The estimated generation of solid and hazardous wastes for each of the three new vehicles is greater than wastes for a base vehicle, although the United States has sufficient waste management capacity to handle these increases. Production of a subset of chemical constituents of hazardous waste, specifically those that are highly toxic, will decrease in most cases for the three new vehicles. Moving to these new materials could reduce mining for iron ore in the United States but increase the mining of bauxite for aluminum, magnesium, titanium, and other materials in such major countries as Canada, China, and Russia and in many small, developing countries, such as Guinea, Jamaica, and Sierra Leone.
Cervical spine meningioma presenting as otalgia: case report.

Objective and importance Cervical spine meningiomas have not been reported to present as otalgia. It is important to include otalgia in the differential diagnosis and workup, especially when more common causes of ear pain have been excluded. Clinical presentation A 66-year-old woman presented to her primary care physician with severe ear pain. She underwent routine diagnostic testing and eventually was referred to a neurologist. After conservative management failed, the patient underwent cervical spine magnetic resonance imaging, which revealed a large meningioma encompassing C2-C3. Intervention The patient underwent a cervical laminectomy with complete resection of the tumor. She experienced immediate postoperative resolution of her symptoms. Conclusion This case illustrates the importance of aggressive evaluation of otalgia when routine diagnostic studies are inconclusive. Cervical meningiomas are associated with significant potential morbidity and should be excluded early in the diagnostic process.
Epigenetic Silencing of HIV-1 by the Histone H3 Lysine 27 Methyltransferase Enhancer of Zeste 2

Latent HIV proviruses are silenced as the result of deacetylation and methylation of histones located at the viral long terminal repeat (LTR). Inhibition of histone deacetylases (HDACs) leads to the reemergence of HIV-1 from latency, but the contribution of histone lysine methyltransferases (HKMTs) to maintaining HIV latency remains uncertain. Chromatin immunoprecipitation experiments using latently infected Jurkat T-cell lines demonstrated that the HKMT enhancer of Zeste 2 (EZH2) was present at high levels at the LTR of silenced HIV proviruses and was rapidly displaced following proviral reactivation. Knockdown of EZH2, a key component of the Polycomb repressive complex 2 (PRC2) silencing machinery, and the enzyme which is required for trimethyl histone lysine 27 (H3K27me3) synthesis induced up to 40% of the latent HIV proviruses. In contrast, there was less than 5% induction of latent proviruses following knockdown of SUV39H1, which is required for H3K9me3 synthesis. Knockdown of EZH2 also sensitized latent proviruses to external stimuli, such as T-cell receptor stimulation, and slowed the reversion of reactivated proviruses to latency. Similarly, cell populations that responded poorly to external stimuli carried HIV proviruses that were enriched in H3K27me3 and relatively depleted in H3K9me3. Treating latently infected cells with the HKMT inhibitor 3-deazaneplanocin A, which targets EZH2, led to the reactivation of silenced proviruses, whereas chaetocin and BIX01294 showed only minimal reactivation activities. These findings suggest that PRC2-mediated silencing is an important feature of HIV latency and that inhibitors of histone methylation may play a useful role in induction strategies designed to eradicate latent HIV pools.
Efficient above-band-gap light emission in germanium

We report an above-band-gap radiative transition in the photoluminescence spectra of single crystalline Ge in the temperature range of 20~296 K. The temperature-independence of the peak position at ~0.74 eV is remarkably different from the behavior of direct and indirect gap transitions in Ge. This transition is observed in n-type, p-type, and intrinsic single crystal Ge alike, and its intensity decreases with the increase of temperature with a small activation energy of 56 meV. Some aspects of the transition are analogous to III-V semiconductors with dilute nitrogen doping, which suggests that the origin could be related to an isoelectronic defect.
Target identification using fractional Fourier features

This paper focuses on non-cooperative automatic target recognition via features extracted from the radar backscatter returns using the Fractional Fourier Transform. This study is motivated by two factors: first, to examine radar backscatter mechanism of standard small targets, and second, to extract pertinent scattering features that can be used in target recognition. Radar returns have been examined using time-frequency analysis techniques, particularly those targets with dispersive scattering behavior. The Fractional Fourier Transform provides an attractive alternative to time-frequency analysis. The motivation lies in the fact that fractional Fourier Transform features retain phase information, and, because of their linear structure, are potentially less susceptible to noise contamination compared to their time-frequency counterparts. The fractional Fourier Transform has its disadvantages as well which are addressed in this paper. The FrFT scattering analysis scheme is tested using real radar signatures of commercial aircraft recorded in the UHF range.
GaAsP-GaInAsSb superlattices: A new structure for electronic devices

OMCVD has been used to grow GaAs1−zPz−Ga1−xInxAs, GaAs1−z−Pz−GaAs1−ySby and GaAs1−zPz−Ga1−xInxAs1−ySby superlattices (SL) in the composition range 0 < x < 0.25, 0 < y < 0.3 and 0 < z < 0.5. Growth parameters for the synthesis of these new structures are reported. Superlattice structures are characterized by X-ray diffraction, photoluminescence and electron microprobe. Light-emitting diodes (LED's), based on these superlattices have been fabricated. We also report the synthesis of the first GaInPAsSb quinary alloy obtained by disordering this new SL. This new structure can be grown lattice-matched to a GaAs substrate and thus have potential applications in several electronic devices such as HEMT, LED and high speed detectors.
Molecular vibrations in phosphoenolpyruvate crystals from X-ray diffraction data

Abstract The anisotropic mean-square atomic displacement parameters from 18 previously determined crystal structures representing 26 crystallographically independent phosphoenolpyruvate species, ranging from the tribasic free-acid molecule [(HO) 2 OPOC(CH 2 )CO 2 H] to the fully ionized molecular trianion, have been analyzed in terms of external, rigid-body lattice vibration modes coupled with low-frequency modes of internal molecular torsion and bending vibrations. The results indicate that there tends to be more torsional flexibility about the (H 2 C)C–CO 2 enolcarboxylate bonds than about the C–O(P) and (C)O–P phosphate ester bonds, apparently because hydrogen bonding or counterion binding interactions in the crystals restrict the phosphate groups more than the carboxylate groups. The analysis provides an example that shows that thermal vibration parameters from crystal structure analyses of good, but not necessarily extraordinary, accuracy are a rich source of molecular dynamical information.
What future will perioperative nurses choose by 2010

The future does not just happen. Events of yesterday provide the brick and mortar for today. The future of perioperative nursing practice depends on how we arrange the brick and mortar today. We cannot predict the future; the future is chosen based on what actions we plan for tomorrow. Health care, surgical care, and illness care will change a great deal as we enter the twenty-first century. Our specialty cannot afford to be preoccupied with past accomplishments, reacting only to daily events rather than creating a chosen future. AORN has taken a major step by establishing the Project 2000 teams to analyze the present and plan for the future. Members must be willing to abandon the status quo. Looking beyond current practice to the expanding edges of perioperative nursing offers new opportunities. Where will we be in 2010? The future is ours to choose.
SOLUTIONS TO ZERO-SUM EXPONENT EQUATIONS OVER FINITE CYCLIC GROUPS OF EXPONENT GREATER THAN TWO

Lyndon initiated a study of equations over cyclic groups [8] and his approach led him to consider a class of equations of the form ah = (tpat-p)(tqat-q)(tpat-p)-1(tqat-q)-1 where t is the variable and the cyclic group is Cn = 〈a|an〉. Work by Ferlini, Goldstein, and Salpukis [3] concentrated, more generally, on equations with the exponent sum of the variable being zero over C2. This paper continues along the path started by Lyndon and shows that a large class of the equations above do have solutions over Cn where n ≥ 4. Our approach involves the use of pictures. We also include a result that the equations with h = 1, 2, p = 1, and q = 2 do not have a solution over C3.
Microbiological Quality of Water Immersion–Chilled and Air-Chilled Broilers

Carcass chilling during broiler processing is a critical step in preventing growth of pathogenic and spoilage bacteria. The objective of this study was to compare the microbiological quality of air- and water-chilled broiler carcasses processed at the same commercial facility. For each of four replications, 15 broilers were collected from the same commercial processing line after evisceration, after spraying with cetylpyridinium chloride (a cationic disinfectant), and after air chilling or water immersion chilling (WIC). All carcasses were quantitatively examined for mesophilic aerobic bacteria, Escherichia coli, coliforms, and Campylobacter as well as for the presence of Salmonella and Campylobacter. No significant differences (P > 0.05) were seen between air and water chilling for E. coli or coliforms or for the incidence of Salmonella and Campylobacter. Lower numbers of Campylobacter were recovered from WIC than from air-chilled carcasses (P < 0.05), but the incidence of Campylobacter on WIC carcasses ...
Estimating the performance of multidimensional access methods based on nonoverlapping regions

Most cost models for the prediction of the performance of multidimensional access methods are based on Minkowski operations. However, this approach does not correspond to the space-partitioning strategy of multidimensional access methods that produce nonoverlapping index regions, for example, the KDB-tree and its variants. This article proposes a new cost model for the prediction of the selection (search) performance of the related access methods, including its adaptation for nonuniform data. The results of an extensive set of experiments conducted on both simulated and real data show that the cost model and its extension provide a basis for a highly accurate analysis of these structures in both low- and high-dimensional situations. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Int Syst 22: 259–277, 2007.
The Distribution of Uranium and Thorium Decay-Series Radionuclides in the Environment—A Review

Natural radioactivity has played an indispensable role in the development of the earth to the form and shape that we now observe. Energy from radioactivity powers the large-scale processes that move the continents and cycle the elements. Most of the energy due to radioactivity comes from members of the three decay-series, two of which are parented by isotopes of uranium, {sup 238}U and {sup 235}U, and one by {sup 232}Th. These decay-series cascade to produce radioactive offspring such as Ra, Rn, and Po, but the ultimate fate of all members of these series is to end as a stable isotope of Pb. Rocks or minerals that provide sites for the long-lived decay-series parents, U and Th, are destined to be associated with the other members of the decay-series. The rocks that tend to host U and Th include some crystalline rocks such as granite and quartz-conglomerate metamorphics, and certain sedimentary rocks such as organic shales, sandstones carbonates and phosphorites. All materials at the earth`s surface eventually are broken down to their constituent parts and then, usually by the agency of water, transported to environments where they again may be geochemically sorted. The sorting processes at or near the surface ofmore » the earth operate on radioelements just as they do on other elements. The result is that the various radioelements are not simply dispersed but rather tend to accumulate in certain environments or rock types. Thus, the behavior of the radioelements found in the natural environment is based on their geochemistry, half-life, and the nature of their surroundings. 81 refs., 9 figs.« less
Sampling Techniques and Sampling Error in Naturalistic Observation: An Empirical Evaluation With Implications for Cross-Cultural Research

Naturalistic observation plays an important role in cross-cultural research, and in virtually all cases observations are made of popu lation samples, not whole populations. A variety of sampling strat egies have been devised for naturalistic fieldwork, but deviations from actual target populations differ widely depending on the strategy used. This study uses two sets of continuous observations of child touching behavior to empirically evaluate these various sampling strategies. We find that random samples are the only ones that reliably represent the target populations. This finding has a number of implications for cross-cultural research, primarily that (a) data collected using differing sampling techniques are likely to vary in their representativeness, making samples gathered with different techniques difficult to compare; and (b) because the repre sentativeness of any sample is partly a function of the nature of the target population, careful attention should be paid to the definition of target popula...
Future applications for emergency ultrasound.

The scope of emergency sonography is expanding beyond the primary applications to encompass other areas relevant to the practice of emergency medicine. In the future, emergency physicians may develop their skills further to provide a more rapid and thorough evaluation of trauma patients by evaluating for pneumothorax, long-bone fracture, eye injury, and elevated intracranial pressure. The following is a discussion of these future applications of ultrasound, along with its potential use in certain acute soft tissue injuries and in the prehospital setting.
Performance of multi-process and multi-thread processing on multi-core SMT processors

Many modern high-performance processors support multiple hardware threads in the form of multiple cores and SMT (Simultaneous Multi-Threading). Hence achieving good performance scalability of programs with respect to the numbers of cores (core scalability) and SMT threads in one core (SMT scalability) is critical. To identify a way to achieve higher performance on the multi-core SMT processors, this paper compares the performance scalability with two parallelization models (using multiple processes and using multiple threads in one process) on two types of hardware parallelism (core scalability and SMT scalability). We tested standard Java benchmarks and a real-world server program written in PHP on two platforms, Sun's UltraSPARC T1 (Niagara) processor and Intel's Xeon (Nehalem) processor. We show that the multi-thread model achieves better SMT scalability compared to the multi-process model by reducing the number of cache misses and DTLB misses. However both models achieve roughly equal core scalability. We show that the multi-thread model generates up to 7.4 times more DTLB misses than the multi-process model when multiple cores are used. To take advantage of the both models, we implemented a memory allocator for a PHP runtime to reduce DTLB misses on multi-core SMT processors. The allocator is aware of the core that is running each software thread and allocates memory blocks from same memory page for each processor core. When using all of the hardware threads on a Niagara, the core-aware allocator reduces the DTLB misses by 46.7% compared to the default allocator, and it improves the performance by 3.0%.
KINETIC PARAMETER ESTIMATION FOR THE CAUSTICIZING REACTION USING A DIFFERENTIAL ALGEBRAIC OPTIMIZATION TECHNIQUE

Abstract Causticizing is an important reaction in the kraft pulping process in which white liquor is regenerated from green liquor. In spite of its major significance to the pulp & paper mill, the kinetics of causticizing reaction is not yet well understood. A kinetic model for the causticizing reaction is developed in this study. The model doesn't take into account the mass transfer considerations as the experiments were done with analytical grade lime. The pseudo homogeneous kinetic model developed here is a stiff non-linear differential equation. The parameters involved in the model are solved using Differential Algebraic Optimization Technique. A systematic approach for solving the parameter estimation problem is outlined in this paper. The model predictions were found to be within 1 % of the observed values.
Lipoproteins and xanthomatous diseases.

Xanthomas of the skin are dramatic lesions and have long been noted and studied by physicians. Until the last quarter century, however, little differentiation of the various types and the accompanying systemic defects was made. Since then, various investigators have clarified the problem, but at the same time have led into perplexing fields of lipid metabolism, reticulo-endothelial disease and genetics (1, 2). The prime differentiation is made on clinical, pathological and chemical evidence separating the "primary" diseases of the reticulo-endothelial system from the group of xanthomas where an error in lipid metabolism is most likely primary. In Table I is given the working classification used in this study. The first group, primary reticulo-endothelial disease with xanthomas, includes Letterer-Siwe disease, Hand-SchUller-Christian disease, cosinephilic granuloma of bone, xanthoma disseminata, and nevoxantho-endothelioma. Evidence is accumulating that the above syndromes are but variations of the same disease process. The second group, the lipidoses associated with xanthoma, exhibits some defect in fat metabolism which is reflected in the lipids of the serum. This group is best separated into primary and secondary forms. The primary form, or primary familial lipidoses, shows xanthomas of plane and tuberous type, characteristically on the knees, buttocks, elbows, palms, soles and digits. Other external manifestations are tendon sheath xanthoma. Frequently, or perhaps inevitably, severe cardiovascular disease will be associated. Any of the above manifestations may exist simultaneously or separately, and extensive genetic studies indicate that this syndrome is merely the extreme manifestation of a much more wide-spread inherited defect. The secondary lipidoses includes xanthomas of plane, tuberous or eruptive type, occasionally seen in various types of liver disease, diabetes, chronic pancreatitis and myxedema. The inclusion of the syndrome of idiopathic hyperlipemia with hepato-splenomegaly in this group may be faulty, but suffices for the present study. A third large group is made up of miscellaneous conditions showing foam cells in cutaneous lesions but are not "true xanthomas" and are not listed in the table.
Successful Scleral Buckling Procedures Decrease Central Retinal Artery Blood Flow Velocity

Background: Limited data suggest that scleral buckling procedures may decrease posterior segment blood flow. How this may affect functional outcome remains unknown. Methods: In a prospective, controlled study, color Doppler imaging was used to measure blood flow velocities in the central retinal and ophthalmic arteries of both eyes in patients with unilateral rhegmatogenous retinal detachments before and after primary scleral buckle repair. Encircling elements were used in all patients. Fellow eyes served as controls. Results: Data from six consecutive patients did not show significant preoperative circulatory abnormalities in either artery compared with the controls. There was a statistically significant reduction in mean central retinal artery blood flow velocities of up to 53% in the immediate postoperative period. Ophthalmic artery blood flow velocities, however, did not significantly change after the procedure. Successful retinal reattachment with the expected visual improvement was achieved in all patients with this primary surgery. Conclusions: Scleral buckling procedures with encircling elements decrease blood flow velocities in the central retinal artery but leave the ophthalmic artery unaffected. Good anatomic and functional results still can be achieved despite these hemodynamic changes.
The impact of ideas on trade policy: the origins of U.S. agricultural and manufacturing policies

Since the close of World War II, the United States has supported contradictory trade policies. In manufacturing, the United States has fostered a liberal trade regime, spurning government involvement in market transactions. In agriculture, it has sanctioned policies of import restrictions, export subsidies, and import fees. This variation is rooted in decisions that were made in the 1930s and institutionalized in the 1940s. In the wake of the Great Depression, policymakers concluded that state intervention helped agriculture and hurt industry. This article argues that the choice of government policy and its appropriateness to the economic problems faced by each sector reflect the accepted knowledge at the time. Neither liberalization nor subsidization was inevitable; both were economically viable options. However, central decision-makers made choices that were often based on inaccurate beliefs about the utility of different policy options.
Performance limitations of miniature optical correlators

Miniature optical correlators provide a means of portable real-time pattern recognition. Most of the attention has been given to reducing length with little consideration to system robustness. Although it is recognized that aberrations will limit system performance, more critical limitations are alignment and sensitivity considerations. This paper presents a procedure for the design of a short robust optical correlator. Theoretical limits on system miniaturization are restricted to component availability; however, practical limitations are dictated by physical constraints and alignment tolerances. This paper explores engineering trade-offs among length, alignability, aberrations, and system reliability. In addition, a complete system analysis including performance, aberrations, and sensitivity is presented.
Genetic differences in the age-associated decrease in inducibility of natural killer cells by interferon-α/β

Natural killer (NK) cells, which are important in viral infections and anti-tumor activity, show reduced cytotoxicity in aged mice. The mechanism(s) for this age-related decline in NK activity has not been clearly established. We assessed changes in NK cytotoxicity in splenocytes and peripheral blood mononuclear cells after interferon (IFN)-alpha/beta stimulation in adult (6 months) and aged (22-26 months) C57Bl/6, Balb/c, and (Balb/c x C57Bl/6)F1 mice. Aged C57Bl/6 and Balb/c mice had a significantly reduced IFN-alpha/beta-stimulated NK cytotoxicity compared to adult mice. In contrast, adult and aged F1 mice showed similar NK cytotoxicity after IFN-alpha/beta induction. The decreased ability of NK cells of aged mice to respond to induction by IFN-alpha/beta was not due to a requirement for an increased amount of IFN or for a longer period of treatment with IFN. Further, this decreased response did not appear to be the result of suppressive activity of adherent cells or T cells. While the percentage of NK cells (NK1.1+) was similar in adult and aged mice, the (CD8+ NK1.1+) subset of NK cells was significantly increased in aged mice. Importantly, the percentage of CD8+ NK1.1+ cells was inversely related to the cytotoxicity observed after IFN-alpha/beta treatment.
Intercalation and partial exfoliation of single-walled carbon nanotubes by nitric acid

Abstract Single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) were reacted with HNO 3 solution. An expansion of the inter-nanotube spacing and increase in the amount of hydrogen in the material were observed by X-ray diffraction and proton NMR measurements after the SWNTs were immersed into the HNO 3 solution for less than 2 hours. The change in diffraction pattern was reversible, indicating intercalation of HNO 3 into the SWNT bundles. When the SWNTs were immersed in the HNO 3 solution for a longer period of time, the bundles became disordered and partially exfoliated. Isolated SWNTs and large nano-particles were often observed.
Photoreversible inhibition by ultraviolet light of germ line development in Smittia sp. (Chironomidae, Diptera)☆

Pole cell formation in embryos of the parthenogenetic midge, Smittia sp., can be delayed or inhibited by irradiation of the posterior egg pole with ultraviolet light (uv). This leaves the schedule of nuclear divisions and chromosome eliminations virtually unaffected. However, uv irradition delays the precocious migration to the posterior pole of one nucleus, which normally becomes included in the first pole cell. This effect is photoreversible, i.e., mitigated by application of blue light after uv. Photoreversibility indicates that a nucleic acid component is involved as an effective target. During normal development of Smittia a number of chromosomes are eliminated during mitosis V, not only from somatic nuclei but also in the germ line. In the latter, this mitosis takes place during the first gonial division in the larva. After uv irradiation, the first pole cell nucleus has undergone supernumerary mitoses before pole cell formation and, as a result, is driven into mitosis V precociously as the pole cell divides. This is frequently associated with chromosome elimination from pole cells, which in turn is correlated with subsequent disappearance of already formed pole cells. Adults derived from embryos without pole cells do not form ovaries. Pole cell formation, pole cell preservation, and ovary development are separately inhibited by uv, and inhibition of each step is photoreversible. The results are discussed in the context of germ cell determination, protection against chromosome elimination, and the role of chromosomes limited to the germ line.
Stress Distributions in Vascular Aneurysms: Factors Affecting Risk of Aneurysm Rupture

Aneurysm rupture occurs when local wall stresses exceed the tensile strength of vascular tissues. Knowledge of vascular wall stresses, and insight into the factors that change wall stresses, will lead to a better understanding of how aneurysms grow and rupture. In this study, stress distributions in the walls of small aneurysms were calculated using finite element analysis (FEA), a numerical technique able to predict stress distributions with greater accuracy than the Law of Laplace. Stresses were calculated for an initial small aneurysm and compared to stresses produced by increasing the aneurysm diameter, decreasing the wall thickness, and changing the material properties of the aneurysm wall. FEA calculations indicate that wall stresses are generally greatest on the inner surface of an aneurysm, and decrease nonlinearly as the outer wall is approached. Maximum wall stresses occur along the region of greatest diameter, and circumferential stresses tend to be significantly greater than longitudinal stresses. Doubling the diameter of an aneurysm produced a twofold increase in the maximum wall stress. Decreasing the wall thickness by half also produced a doubling of the maximum wall stress. Changing material properties produced no appreciable change in wall stresses. However, weaker materials fail at lower stresses, thus halving material strength would be equivalent to doubling wall stresses. We conclude that the Law of Laplace is inaccurate in predicting the complicated stress distributions that exist in aneurysm walls, and that more sophisticated tools, such as FEA, will be needed to understand this complex phenomenon. We also conclude that proportional changes in the diameter, wall thickness, or aneurysm tissue strength have roughly equivalent effects on aneurysm growth and rupture.