cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
THE CALCIUM AND MAGNESIUM CONTENTS OF TREE SPECIES GROWN IN CLOSE STANDS

summary The percentages of calcium and magnesium at different positions in the boles and canopies of a number of trees from three experimental areas are given. The total weights of calcium and magnesium in the individual trees and the crops are determined. The calcium and magnesium contents of the trees and other components of the woodland ecosystems are compared. The balance and circulation of calcium and magnesium within the woodland ecosystems are discussed.
Measuring High School Graduation Rates at the State Level What Difference Does Methodology Make

Recent evidence makes clear that states public high school graduation rates are well measured using information from the Common Core of Data (CCD). This article investigates the substantive consequences for the results of empirical analyses of using different CCD-based measures of states’ public high school graduation rates. The authors show that substantive conclusions about the levels, correlates, and predictors of states’ public high school graduation rates are dependent on how those rates are measured using the CCD data. Warren’s (2005) estimated completion rate is the most conceptually and technically sound CCD-based measure, and that measure is improved in this study. The public high school graduation rate for the class of 2004 was about 76 percent, although that rate varied considerably by race/ethnicity and across states.
A gap-based approach to capture fitting conditions for mechanical assembly

Abstract An approach, called the GapSpace model, is proposed to find the sufficient and necessary conditions—we call these the ‘fitting conditions’ (FC)—for non-interfering mechanical assemblies. When different parts are assembled, some features will be in contact while other features may not be able to touch one another or they may interfere. We refer to the ‘gap size’ relating two features as zero, positive or negative. In the GapSpace approach, the linear sum of some gaps forms the FCs that are determined by the dimensions and tolerances. After all FCs are identified, tolerance analyses can be easily performed. The model can be integrated with commercial CAD products (such as Pro/E) for tolerance analysis.
DETERMINATION OF OCR IN CLAYS BY PIEZOCONE TESTS USING CAVITY EXPANSI0N AND CRITICAL STATE C0NCEPTS

ABSTRACT For piezocone penetration in clays, cavity expansion theory describes both the point resistance and induced excess pore water pressure in terms of the undrained shear strength (Cu) and rigidity index (Ir = G/Cu). Modified Cam ’Clay provides a simple effective stress representation of undrained behavior in terms of stress historys Therefore, the two theories may be combined to provide an approximate determination of the in-situ overconsolidation ratio OCR = σ p ′ / σ vo ′ in terms of the effective stress friction angle (ϕ′) and normalized piezocone parameter q T − u m / σ vo ′ , in which qr = corrected cone resistance and um = measured pore water pressure. The approach distinguishes between piezocones which measure pore water pressures on the cone tip/face (ut) and those which measure just behind the tip (u0t). Specific examples are presented to show the general applicability of this simple effective stress model for estimating the in-situ stress history of clay deposits with 1
Prostaglandin Synthetase Inhibition in Group B Streptococcal Shock: Hematologic and Hemodynamic Effects

ABSTRACT. A rabbit model of group B Streptococcal (GBS) shock was used to study the effects of prostaglandin synthetase inhibition on the hemodynamic and hematologic response to GBS shock. The infusion of heat-killed GBS in groups I and II produced significant decreases in mean arterial pressure, neutrophil counts, and platelet counts (p < 0.05), and significant rises in concentrations of thromboxane B2 and 6-KetoPGFla, the stable metabolites of thromboxane A2 and prostacyclin (p < 0.05). Administration of indomethacin (4 mg/kg) after GBS infusion (group II) was associated with a significant rise in mean arterial pressure and a significant decline in thromboxane B2 and 6-Keto-PGFla concentrations (p < 0.05) but had no effect on GBS-induced hematologic alterations. Indomethacin administration before GBS infusion (group III) prevented alterations in mean arterial pressure and was associated with a decrease in thromboxane B2 and 6-Keto-PGFla concentrations. Indomethacin in group III did not prevent neutropenia and thrombocytopenia and may have exacerbated neutropenia. Alteration of experimental GBS shock with prostaglandin synthetase inhibition produces disparate hemodynamic and hematologic response.
On the number of solutions for the forced pendulum equation

Soit e=e(t)∈C[0,T] une fonction T-periodique avec ∫ 0 T e(s)ds=0. On considere l'equation x(t)+λx˙(t)+ksin x(t)=e(t)+c x est T-periodique, ou λ,k,c∈R et k>0
Population inversion by chirped pulses

In this paper, we analyze the condition for complete population inversion by a chirped pulse over a finite duration. The nonadiabatic transition probability is mapped in the two-dimensional parameter space of coupling strength and detuning amplitude. Asymptotic forms of the probability are derived by the interference of nonadiabatic transitions for sinusoidal and triangular pulses. The qualitative difference between the maps for the two types of pulses is accounted for. The map is used for the design of stable inversion pulses under specific accuracy thresholds.
A new approach to physical activity maintenance: Rationale, design, and baseline data from the Keep Active Minnesota trial

Since many individuals who initiate physical activity programs are highly likely to return to a sedentary lifestyle, innovative strategies to efforts to increase the number of physically active older adults who successfully maintain beneficial levels of PA for a substantial length of time are needed. The Keep Active Minnesota Trial is a randomized controlled trial of an interactive phone- and mail-based intervention to help 50–70 year old adults who have recently increased their physical activity level, maintain that activity level over a 24-month period in comparison to usual care. Baseline, 6, 12, and 24 month measurement occurred via phone surveys with kilocalories expended per week in total and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (CHAMPS Questionnaire) as the primary outcome measures. Secondary outcomes include hypothesized mediators of physical activity change (e.g., physical activity enjoyment, self-efficacy, physical activity self-concept), body mass index, and depression. Seven day accelerometry data were collected on a sub-sample of participants at baseline and 24-month follow-up. The Keep Active Minnesota study offers an innovative approach to the perennial problem of physical activity relapse; by focusing explicitly on physical activity maintenance, the intervention holds considerable promise for modifying the typical relapse curve. Moreover, if shown to be efficacious, the use of phone- and mail-based intervention delivery offers potential for widespread dissemination. ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT00283452.
Summary of some recent studies of subsonic vortex lift and parameters affecting the leading-edge vortex stability

Various subsonic configurations which develop vortex lift are examined herein. Comparisons are made with data and the combination of direct and indirect edge forces through use of the suction analogy. For most configurations, the use of the indirect or augmented vortex lift leads to improved agreement with data. The studies conducted showed that it is possible for the leading-edge vortex to exhibit bursting on a cropped wing and the wing aerodynamic characteristics not show the effect. It was further found that the distributions of leading-edge suction correlate well with the maintenance of vortex flow aerodynamic characteristics. Lastly, a method is presented for relating the initial value of circulation and axial velocity of the leading-edge shed vortex to the wing geometry.
Buried target radar imaging with an ultra-wideband, vehicle-mounted antenna array

The problem of detecting buried objects has engaged radar system developers for quite some time. Many systems—both experimental and commercial—have been developed, including vehicle-mounted systems that look beneath road surfaces. Most of these downward-looking systems exploit multiple transmit and receive channels to enhance resolution in the final radar imagery used for target detection. In such a system, the configuration and operation of the various transmit and receive elements play a critical role in the quality of the output imagery. In what follows, we leverage high-fidelity electromagnetic model data to examine a multistatic downward-looking radar system. We evaluate the signatures produced by various targets of interest and describe, both qualitatively and quantitatively, the variations in target signatures produced by different system configurations. Finally, we analyze the underlying physics of the problem to explain certain characteristics in the observed target signatures.
Regulation of human natural killing by levamisole.

The effect of levamisole on human natural killing (NK) has been studied. In short-term chromium release assays, levamisole at a concentration of 10−3 M was inhibitory to NK when present in the assays. Pretreatment of NK effector cells and K562 target cells with levamisole separately indicated that the effect was on effector cell activity and was not due to any change in target cell susceptibility. Inactivation of the effector cells required greater than 4 h pretreatment with levamisole if NK activity was subsequently tested in the absence of the drug. Pretreatment with levamisole for up to 19 h had no effect on the lymphocyte proliferative response to phytohemagglutinin (PHA). NK activity of drug-inactivated effector cells recovered after further incubation in levamisole-free medium. Levamisole at 10−4 M or less had no effect on NK either by pretreatment or by its presence in the NK assays.
THE EXCLUSION OF WOMEN IN THE MITHRAIC MYSTERIES: ANCIENT OR MODERN?

Summary The following paper deals with the scholarly supposition that females were excluded from the ancient mystery cult of Mithraism. This notion has been part of scholarly dialogue about the religion since Franz Cumont, the father of modem Mithraic studies, introduced it in the late nineteenth century. Though many of his conclusions about Mithraism have been challenged or refuted in the past thirty years, the particular idea that the cult excluded women has persisted, and actually has become taken for granted by most scholars. Thanks to the publication of much important archaeological and epigraphical evidence during the past fifty years, a reexamination of this notion is now possible. By surveying a few examples of Mithraic inscriptions and iconography in light of heretofore discounted textual clues from such ancient authors as Porphyry, Jerome, and Tertullian, it will be argued that the theory of universal female exclusion from Mithraism is untenable. In order to demonstrate this, it will be necessary to challenge and scrutinize the work of the only modem scholar to explore gender within ancient Mithraism, Richard Gordon. Instead of starting from a preconceived notion of exclusion and attempting to explain away the various exceptions to this rule, this article will tally these "exceptions" to conclude simply that women were involved with Mithraic groups in at least some locations of the empire. Some possible implications of this conclusion then will be suggested.
Sand and Sandstone, Second Edition

A successful revision of this excellent text affords an opportunity to reflect on the growth of sedimentology during the past decade or so. Recall that the first edition was notable in the way it presented the materials, practices, and principles. Although it was largely descriptive, it emphasized the importance of mineralogy, chemistry, statistics, and fluid flow in the proper study of sand and sandstone. The text probed significant aspects, from component grains and geometric properties to sand depositional systems and the filling of sedimentary basins. These matters, also central in the new edition, are supplemented by improved or expanded statements along the way, as well as by up to date references and many new figures and handsome photographs.
s‐Triazolo[4,3‐b]pyridazines and imidazo[4,5‐c]pyridazines

8-Amino-s-triazolo[4, 3-b]pyridazine (I), an adenine analog has been prepared by two different routes. Likewise 8-amino-3-phenyl-s-triazolo[4,3-b]pyridazine (V) has been prepared. Both of these compounds have been prepared utilizing 3,4,5-trichloropyridazine and 3,4,6-trichloropyridazine as the starting materials thus interrelating the 3,4,5-and the 3,4,6-series. A variety of other transformations have been carried out.
Human-Robot Lunar Exploration: Pressurized vs. Unpressurized Rovers

A study is conducted to determine the relative productivity of employing two pressurized or two unpressurized robotic rovers with two teams of astronauts to accomplish a group of activities on the Moon. An automated planning tool is used to calculate the optimal sequence of events, given an objective function and sets of assumptions and constraints. For the mission scenario studied, a pair of pressurized rovers is shown to be about 7 times as productive as a pair of unpressurized rovers when calculating benefits divided by marginal operational costs. This is primarily due to a constraint that limits astronauts to a maximum of 8 hours per day in space suits. The unpressurized rovers require the astronauts to wear space suits at all times, severely limiting the distance they can travel from the lander-habitat; the pressurized rovers permit the astronauts to remove their suits while driving, monitoring robotic activities, and resting between work periods.
ℓ 1 optimization and its various thresholds in compressed sensing

Recently, [5, 9] theoretically analyzed the success of a polynomial l 1 -optimization algorithm in solving an under-determined system of linear equations. In a large dimensional and statistical context [5, 9] proved that if the number of equations (measurements in the compressed sensing terminology) in the system is proportional to the length of the unknown vector then there is a sparsity (number of non-zero elements of the unknown vector) also proportional to the length of the unknown vector such that l 1 -optimization succeeds in solving the system. In this paper, we consider an alternative performance analysis of l 1 -optimization and demonstrate that the proportionality constants it provides in certain cases match or improve on the best currently known ones from [8, 9].
The Item Veto and Expenditure Restraint

The presidential item veto has been proposed as a solution to the national government's persistent budget deficits. Part of the case for the item veto typically includes reference to its record at the state level. However, systematic analysis of the relationship between state item veto powers and expenditures reveals no evidence that the item veto restrains spending.
Scanned Photothermal Imaging of Subsurface Structure

Photothermal imaging using laser beam deflection (PTLBD imaging) has recently shown considerable potential for nondestructive detection of subsurface structure in solids.1 In this technique localized heating of a sample by a modulated laser beam produces a periodic temperature gradient in the fluid near the sample surface. The thermally induced gradient in the index of refraction of the fluid causes a periodic deflection of a laserprobe beam passing through the heated surface region. As the sample is translated relative to the beam intersection point, the magnitude and phase of the deflection signal give information about local variations in sample optical and thermal properties. Preliminary indication of the detection of subsurface structure with this technique has been given.2,3 The PTLBD technique has proved successful in studying surface structure, 2-4 and has also been used in spectroscopic studies.5 The potential advantages of PTLBD imaging over related photothermal approaches have already been identifieid. When compared to photoacoustic cell detection, this technique has much greater potential sensitivity,2 is not restricted to small sample size, and allows both excitation and detection to be spatially localized.7
A time‐dependent multiphysics, multiphase modeling framework for carbon nanotube synthesis using chemical vapor deposition

A time-dependent multiphysics, multiphase model is proposed and fully developed here to describe carbon nanotubes (CNTs) fabrication using chemical vapor deposition (CVD). The fully integrated model accounts for chemical reaction as well as fluid, heat, and mass transport phenomena. The feed components for the CVD process are methane (CH4), as the primary carbon source, and hydrogen (H2). Numerous simulations are performed for a wide range of fabrication temperatures (973.15–1273.15 K) as well as different CH4 (500–1000 sccm) and H2 (250–750 sccm) flow rates. The effect of temperature, total flow rate, and feed mixture ratio on CNTs growth rate as well as the effect of amorphous carbon formation on the final product are calculated and compared with experimental results. The outcomes from this study provide a fundamental understanding and basis for the design of an efficient CNT fabrication process that is capable of producing a high yield of CNTs, with a minimum amount of amorphous carbon. © 2009 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 2009
Theoretical Aspects of Schema Merging

A general technique for merging database schemas is developed that has a number of advantages over existing techniques, the most important of which is that schemas are placed in a partial order that has bounded joins. This means that the merging operation, when it succeeds, is both associative and commutative, i.e., that the merge of schemas is independent of the order in which they are considered — a property not possessed by existing methods. The operation is appropriate for the design of interactive programs as it allows user assertions about relationships between nodes in the schemas to be considered as elementary schemas. These can be combined with existing schemas using precisely the same merging operation.
Matching with Contracts: The Critical Role of Irrelevance of Rejected Contracts

We show that an ambiguity in setting the primitives of the matching with contracts model by Hateld and Milgrom (2005) has serious implications for the model. Of the two ways to clear the ambiguity, the rst (and what we consider more \clean") remedy renders several of the results of the paper invalid in the absence of an additional irrelevance of removed contracts condition implicitly assumed throughout the paper, whereas the second remedy results in the lack of transparency in presentation of results while at the same time reducing the scope of the analysis with no clear benet.
Commentary---Antibusiness Movies and Folk Marketing

We observe a disproportional number of movies that vividly portray business and businesspeople with an unfavorable bias, often depicting ordinary business activity as zero-sum and sometimes depicting it as callous, immoral, and criminal. These movies also often aggrevate existing economic misconceptions that might include what we could call folk marketing. Folk marketing includes false ideas, such as marketing being a zero-sum game (rather than adding value), marketing research being intrusive clandestine surveillance (rather than advocating the buy viewpoint), and secrecy about market data being evidence of nefarious activities (rather than simply hiding strategies from competitors). Marketing scholars need to combat vigorously these false ideas. Moreover, when advertisements sponsor movies, it might be necessary to consider the conjoined movie content and the consistency of that content with the desired brand image.
The effect of the dynamic wet troposphere on radio interferometric measurements

A statistical model of water vapor fluctuations is used to describe the effect of the dynamic wet troposphere on radio interferometric measurements. It is assumed that the spatial structure of refractivity is approximated by Kolmogorov turbulence theory, and that the temporal fluctuations are caused by spatial patterns moved over a site by the wind, and these assumptions are examined for the VLBI delay and delay rate observables. The results suggest that the delay rate measurement error is usually dominated by water vapor fluctuations, and water vapor induced VLBI parameter errors and correlations are determined as a function of the delay observable errors. A method is proposed for including the water vapor fluctuations in the parameter estimation method to obtain improved parameter estimates and parameter covariances.
A gyrotron-traveling-wave tube amplifier experiment with a ceramic loaded interaction region

The design and experimental study of a 35-GHz gyrotron-traveling-wave tube (gyro-TWT) amplifier operating in the circular TE/sub 01/ mode at the fundamental cyclotron harmonic are presented. The interaction circuit in this experiment consisted of a new type of ceramic loading that provided the required loss for stable operation. A saturated peak power of 137 kW was measured at 34.1 GHz, corresponding to a saturated gain of 47.0 dB and an efficiency of 17%, with a -3-dB bandwidth of 1.11 GHz (3.3%). Peak output powers in the range of 102.1 to 148.6 kW with -3-dB bandwidths of 1.26 and 0.94 GHz, respectively, were measured by varying the operating parameters. The gyro-TWT was found to be zero-drive stable at these operating points, demonstrating that ceramic loading is a highly effective means of suppressing spurious oscillations in gyro-TWTs. This type of ceramic loading has the added advantage of being compatible with high average power operation.
The copositive completion problem

Abstract An n × n real symmetric matrix A is called (strictly) copositive if x T Ax ⩾ 0 (>0) whenever x ∈ R n satisfies x ⩾ 0 ( x ⩾ 0 and x ≠ 0). The (strictly) copositive matrix completion problem asks which partial (strictly) copositive matrices have a completion to a (strictly) copositive matrix. We prove that every partial (strictly) copositive matrix has a (strictly) copositive matrix completion and give a lower bound on the values used in the completion. We answer affirmatively an open question whether an n × n copositive matrix A = ( a ij ) with all diagonal entries a ii = 1 stays copositive if each off-diagonal entry of A is replaced by min{ a ij , 1}.
Tensile properties of fresh human calcaneal (Achilles) tendons.

The purpose of this study was to measure the tensile properties of fresh human calcaneal (Achilles) tendons. Twenty fresh cadaveric (age range = 57–93 years) bone-Achilles tendon complexes were harvested within 24 hr postmortem. The calcaneus together with 15 cm of the Achilles tendon extending proximally from the insertion on the calcaneus was clamped and biomechanically tested. Each tendon was firmly fixed in clamps in an MTS Systems Corporation MTS testing machine and tension was applied at a displacement rate of 8 cm per minute until the tendon failed. The tensile force and tensile strain (as measured using an extensometer) were recorded and plotted using onboard software. The narrow age range of our donors prevented any meaningful correlation between age and tensile properties; however, the results showed that: 1) the average ultimate tensile strength (UTS) of the human Achilles tendon was 1189 N (range = 360–1,965), 2) there was a correlation between left and right legs for UTS, 3) there was a correlation between left and right legs in regard to cross sectional area, and 4) there was no correlation between UTS and cross-sectional area. Clin. Anat. 17:30–35, 2004. © 2003 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
A Multi-Period Analysis of Two Common Livestock Management Strategies Given Fluctuating Precipitation and Variable Prices

Many areas of the US recently endured a severe drought and management strategies to cope with the lack of forage production varied. A multi-period mathematical model is presented that estimates the outcomes of two common producer responses to changes in precipitation, partial liquidation and purchasing hay, given fluctuating cattle prices over a long term planning horizon. Results were further summarized with regression analysis and selected elasticities were calculated to reflect the sensitivity of outcomes to variability in precipitation and livestock prices. Although little impact was seen from utilizing additional hay as a strategy during drought, producers who follow this strategy are in a position to market more animals immediately post drought in general, resulting in better long run financial outcomes. Elasticity estimates suggest that profitability is more sensitive to variability in prices but that optimal choices of management strategies are more sensitive to variability in precipitation.
Costs of Care in Hemophilia and Possible Implications of Health Care Reform

Economic evaluation in health care is increasingly used to assist policy makers in their difficult task of allocating limited resources. The high cost of care, including that for clotting factor concentrates, makes hemophilia a potential target for cost-cutting efforts by health care payers. Although the appropriate management of hemophilia is key to minimizing and preventing long-term morbidity, comparative effectiveness studies regarding the relative benefit of different treatment options are lacking. Cost-of-illness (COI) analysis, which includes direct and indirect costs from a societal perspective, can provide information to be used in cost-effectiveness and other economic analyses. Quality-of-life assessment provides another methodology with which to measure outcomes and benefits of appropriate disease management. Health care reform has implications for individuals with hemophilia and their families through changes in payment, insurance coverage expansion, and health care delivery system changes that reward quality and stimulate cooperative, team-based care. Providers will benefit from the expansion of insurance coverage and some financial benefits in rural areas, and from the expansion of coverage for preventive services. Accountable care organizations will potentially change the way providers are paid and financial incentives under reform will reward high quality of care.
The general base in the thymidylate synthase catalyzed proton abstraction.

The enzyme thymidylate synthase (TSase), an important chemotherapeutic drug target, catalyzes the formation of 2′-deoxythymidine-5′-monophosphate (dTMP), a precursor of one of the DNA building blocks. TSase catalyzes a multi-step mechanism that includes the abstraction of a proton from the C5 of the substrate 2′-deoxyuridine-5′-monophosphate (dUMP). Previous studies on ecTSase proposed that an active-site residue, Y94 serves the role of the general base abstracting this proton. However, since Y94 is neither very basic, nor connected to basic residues, nor located close enough to the pyrimidine proton to be abstracted, the actual identity of this base remains enigmatic. Based on crystal structures, an alternative hypothesis is that the nearest potential proton-acceptor of C5 of dUMP is a water molecule that is part of a hydrogen bond (H-bond) network comprised of several water molecules and several protein residues including H147, E58, N177, and Y94. Here, we examine the role of the residue Y94 in the proton abstraction step by removing its hydroxyl group (Y94F mutant). We investigated the effect of the mutation on the temperature dependence of intrinsic kinetic isotope effects (KIEs) and found that these KIEs are more temperature dependent than those of the wild-type enzyme (WT). These results suggest that the phenolic –OH of Y94 is a component of the transition state for the proton abstraction step. The findings further support the hypothesis that no single functional group is the general base, but a network of bases and hydroxyls (from water molecules and tyrosine) sharing H-bonds across the active site can serve the role of the general base to remove the pyrimidine proton.
Microfabrication of Crevice Corrosion Samples

A major challenge in developing computer models for crevice corrosion lies in fabricating appropriate experimental crevice samples. The geometry and dimensions of these samples must be controlled to a high order of precision in order to be amenable for comparison to computational models. In this work we report an effort to construct crevice samples with rigorously defined dimensions by using microfabrication techniques developed for microelectromechanical systems (MEMS). These techniques include microfabrication with SU- 8, electroplating, and other standard semiconductor device fabrication techniques as well. The crevice substrates contain one-dimensional arrays of metal electrodes to be studied, which are isolated by walls of SU-8. The electrodes have individual electrical connections so that spatial information of the in-situ corrosion process can be obtained. The crevice formers with SU-8 posts were coupled to crevice substrates to maintain a uniform crevice gap. Further, crevice formers with regular rectangular subcrevices were fabricated to study the roles of subcrevices in crevice corrosion.
Probing Excited-State Electron Transfer by Resonance Stark Spectroscopy. 2. Theory and Application

A theory of the resonance Stark effect data reported in part 1 (preceding paper in this issue) is developed. The model used involves a weak charge resonance interaction between the excited state of...
Arthroscopic Microscopy of Articular Cartilage Using Optical Coherence Tomography

BackgroundOptical coherence tomography is an echograph of infrared light that can yield microscopic cross-sectional images of articular cartilage without removing or damaging the tissue.HypothesisTo determine whether optical coherence tomography images of human cartilage can be acquired arthroscopically and whether the resulting images have high correlation with histopathology.MethodsOptical coherence tomography was configured into an arthroscope and used to image 2 human cadaver knees and 45 cores harvested from 9 osteoarthritic knees. The imaged cartilage was then processed for histological analysis. Optical coherence tomography images and histology were graded using a modified Mankin structural score. Agreement was determined using weighted kappa statistics. Morphometric analysis performed on optical coherence tomography images was correlated with histomorphometric analysis using linear regression.ResultsImaging of the medial and lateral femoral condyles and trochlea was readily accomplished using the ...
Repositioning of the vertebral artery as treatment for neurovascular compression syndromes. Technical note

Neurovascular compression syndromes are usually treated by interposing Teflon felt or padding or some other implant between the offending vessel and the nerves. However, this cannot be done in some cases in which ectatic vertebrobasilar arteries are involved. In these instances, alternative techniques must be used. The authors report the use of a sling made of Prolene to reposition the vertebral artery in two patients with neurovascular compression disorder. The clinical results were gratifying, with complete resolution of the patients' symptoms. Compression by large vessels is an uncommon but important source of neurovascular compression in patients with trigeminal neuralgia, hemifacial spasm, disabling positional vertigo, and, possibly, hypertension. The technique described may be useful to surgeons treating these problems.
Assisting Students to Use EVIDENCE as a Part of Reflection on Practice

Abstract The practice environment is increasingly complex and requires that nursing students and graduates possess the ability to make evidence-based decisions. The factual overload current in many curricula, however, can suppress the reflective and critical thinking skills required for the development of searchable, answerable questions, the first step in the evidence-based nursing process. In order to prepare students to become users of evidence, nurse educators must nurture habits of mind that cultivate reflection on practice. This article examines the relationship between evidence-based nursing and reflection on practice and describes how faculty can assist students to use evidence as a part of their reflection on practice.
Organizational Model for Design Specifications

Design Specifications consist of sets of provisions or criteria based on analytical and experimental research and practical experience. In many cases, specifications are incorporated into building codes, thus serving as legal documents. The paper presents a model for more rational organization of the AISC Specification, and design specifications in general, both for written and computer-implementable form. The model requires that design or performance criteria be identified and classified according to a consistent set of bases. After such a classification is made, alternative organizations can be generated readily. The procedural steps needed to evaluate a criterion may be input to the model in the form of a set of decision tables. The model then allows the exploration of alternative ordering of the steps to be used as a guide for text-writing. Examples of the application of the model to segments of the AISC Specification are presented.
Multi-scale full-field measurements and near-wall modeling of turbulent subcooled boiling flow using innovative experimental techniques

Abstract Multi-phase flows are one of the challenges on which the CFD simulation community has been working extensively with a relatively low success. The phenomena associated behind the momentum and heat transfer mechanisms associated to multi-phase flows are highly complex requiring resolving simultaneously for multiple scales on time and space. Part of the reasons behind the low predictive capability of CFD when studying multi-phase flows, is the scarcity of CFD-grade experimental data for validation. The complexity of the phenomena and its sensitivity to small sources of perturbations makes its measurements a difficult task. Non-intrusive and innovative measuring techniques are required to accurately measure multi-phase flow parameters while at the same time satisfying the high resolution required to validate CFD simulations. In this context, this work explores the feasible implementation of innovative measuring techniques that can provide whole-field and multi-scale measurements of two-phase flow turbulence, heat transfer, and boiling parameters. To this end, three visualization techniques are simultaneously implemented to study subcooled boiling flow through a vertical rectangular channel with a single heated wall. These techniques are listed next and are used as follow: (1) High-speed infrared thermometry (IR-T) is used to study the impact of the boiling level on the heat transfer coefficients at the heated wall, (2) Particle Tracking Velocimetry (PTV) is used to analyze the influence that boiling parameters have on the liquid phase turbulence statistics, (3) High-speed shadowgraphy with LED illumination is used to obtain the gas phase dynamics. To account for the accuracy and to complement these innovative techniques, redundant and simultaneous measurements are performed by means of thermocouples, flow and power meters, differential and absolute pressure transducers, etc. The present experiments are intended to improve the understanding of subcooled boiling flow and to provide reliable and accurate subcooled boiling flow experimental information for verification and validation of two-phase flow computational models.
Book Review: Christopher Manfredi and Mark Rush, Judging Democracy

This review considers the authors' case that contrary to the claims of some Canadian legal scholars the jurisprudence of the supreme courts of Canada and the United States do not betray a radical difference with respect to the balance of communitarian and individualist political philosophy prevailing in each country. The review suggests that post-1960's Canadian nationalism explains why the scholars discussed in this book have been prone to making ideological claims about the nature of Canadian political culture which are not warranted by a careful study of the relevant cases. The suggestion is that the judicial scholarship which the book's authors show to be misleading, which is to say scholarship which claims to perceive a greater role for communitarian values in Canada than in the United States, should be seen against the backdrop of the rise of Tory touch thesis concerning the nature of Canadian political culture. This thesis, usually associated with names like Louis Hartz, Gad Horowitz and George Grant maintains that pure Lockeanism has had a more limited appeal in Canada than in the United States. The review takes the occasion to suggest that this tendency of Canadian constitutional scholarship is a reflection of the fact that the Tory touch approach has become something of an orthodoxy in Canadian political science since the 1960's. Manfredi and Rush's discussion of recent scholarly exaggerations of the differences between Canadian and American jurisprudence with respect to the absolute nature of individual rights is taken as a reflection of the power of this orthodoxy to extend beyond the political science field.
Forest Drainage Research in the Coastal Plain

Tree measurements and soil evaluations indicate that drainage is responsible for nearly doubling the productivity of pine pulpwood in some forest wetlands in the coastal plain. Ditches also provide spoil for roads that subdivide large blocks of land into more easily managed units. Results from a drainage study on wet, sandy soils on the Apalachicola National Forest in northwest Florida demonstrated that the vigor of 20-yr old slash pine trees could be improved considerably in only 3 yr. Main ditches were dug 4-ft deep and 0.5-mile apart; collection ditches were dug 1.5-ft deep and at 330-ft and 660-ft intervals. Neither the differences in collection ditch spacings nor among years after drainage proved meaningful. The rate of tree growth after drainage did exceed expectance significantly based on comparison with the predrainage growth rate. Survey of soils and pond pine tree heights in North Carolina indicated that approximately the same degree of improvement in soil productivity could be obtained there with adequate drainage as in Florida.
Prediction of Atrial Fibrillation in a Racially Diverse Cohort: The Multi‐Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA)

Background Existing equations for prediction of atrial fibrillation (AF) have been developed and validated in white and African‐American populations. Whether these models adequately predict AF in more racially and ethnically diverse populations is unknown. Methods and Results We studied 6663 men and women 45 to 84 years of age without AF at baseline (2000–2002) enrolled in the Multi‐Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA). Of these, 38% were non‐Hispanic whites, 28% non‐Hispanic African Americans, 22% Hispanics, and 12% Chinese Americans. AF during follow‐up was ascertained from hospitalization discharge codes through 2012. Information collected at baseline was used to calculate predicted 5‐year risk of AF using the previously published simple CHARGE‐AF model, which only includes clinical variables, and a biomarker‐enriched CHARGE‐AF model, which also considers levels of circulating N‐terminal of the prohormone B‐type natriuretic peptide and C‐reactive protein. For comparison purposes, we also assessed performance of the 10‐year Framingham AF model. During a mean follow‐up of 10.2 years, 351 cases of AF were identified. The C‐statistic of the CHARGE‐AF models were 0.779 (95% CI, 0.744–0.814) for the simple model and 0.825 (95% CI, 0.791–0.860) for the biomarker‐enriched model. Calibration was adequate in the biomarker‐enriched model (χ2=7.9; P =0.55), but suboptimal in the simple model (χ2=25.6; P =0.002). In contrast, the 10‐year Framingham score had a C‐statistic (95% CI) of 0.746 (0.720–0.771) and showed poor calibration (χ2=57.4; P <0.0001). Conclusion The CHARGE‐AF risk models adequately predicted 5‐year AF risk in a large multiethnic cohort. These models could be useful to select high‐risk individuals for AF screening programs or for primary prevention trials in diverse populations.
Effect of Œstradiol on Spinal Cord Convulsions in Developing Rats

SPINAL cord convulsions can be elicited by direct spinal cord stimulation in 1-day-old rats1. In contrast, the tonic–clonic seizure pattern of adult rats produced by electroshock stimulation of the brain2 usually does not appear until the 21st day of age. Thus, the spinal cord matures more rapidly, functionally, than do higher centres of the nervous system.
An associative algebraic model for weak meson decays

An algebraic model describing symmetry breaking is applied to the weak meson decay. The suppression of the strangeness-changing weak decay is obtained as a consequence of symmetry breaking.
Osteomalacia in Algeria. How to improve fetal and maternal mortality without medical manpower.

0 s T E o M A L A c I A has disappeared from industrialized countries, in witness is its disappearance from Williams Obstetrics. The tenth edition had two pages on osteomalacia, the twelfth one sentence and a bibliography, and the thirteenth had only one sentence.“> i, * Glut this old disease (the first case was reported in Europe in 1770 by Lambertl’) is still prevalent in developing countries.‘? I6 Osteomalacia results from the unique ecology of the population involved, and with slight changes of the ecosystem the disease could be eradicated.
An improved method for determination of acid dissociation constants of peptides.

Purpose. The method described here enables the proton dissociation constants of several amino acid residues of a peptide to be determined simultaneously in aqueous solution without prior knowledge of the exact concentration of the peptide.
Future Directions in Transplantation

There have been extraordinary strides made in transplantation medicine as we near the 60th anniversary of the first human renal transplant procedure. Incremental improvements in graft and patient survival reflect refinements in patient and donor selection, better surgical techniques and immunosuppressive regimens, and the multidisciplinary approach to post-transplant management. The goal of establishing complete immunologic tolerance remains both elusive but at the same time inspiring. Barriers that have been overcome over the years include identification of donor specific antibodies pre- and post-transplant that can provoke immunologic responses, clinical and histopathologic criteria for the diagnosis of acute cellular rejection, recognition of antibody mediated rejection, development of potent anti-microbial drugs and identification of patients at risk for nosocomial infections such as mismatch donor-recipient patterns, development of an arsenal of immunosuppressive drugs that are more target-specific and less toxic, and increasingly sensitive and specific noninvasive techniques for the diagnosis of acute and chronic allograft rejection. Continuing impediments include the unremitting shortage of donor organs, the spiraling costs of pre-and post-transplant management and the limited number of new immunosuppressive drugs on the horizon.
Chapter 5 The Naipaul/Mittelholzer Years: 1954–1958

This chapter examines the ways in which Caribbean Voices changed when Swanzy left for Accra, Ghana, in 1954. Upon his departure, V.S. Naipaul, then in his twenties, took over the editorship. Naipaul was hired on a two-year contractual basis and after he left, Edgar Mittelholzer assumed the editorship and took the program to its conclusion in 1958. In ending the program when it did, BBC officialdom proposed that Caribbean Voices had achieved its goals and was no longer necessary. I argue that the program also ended when it did because, unlike Swanzy, Naipaul and Mittelholzer focused critical attention primarily on established writers rather than on nascent talent in the region. As a result, listener interest waned, undermining any possible justification for continuing the program.
Relational Interventions for Maltreated Children.

Child maltreatment may be best characterized as a pathogenic relational experience which primarily occurs in the mother–child relationship. As such, enhancing the mother–child relationship is the key process that should be targeted in intervention approaches for child maltreatment. Two salient and modifiable components of the mother–child relationship are highlighted: maternal sensitivity and attachment organization. It is argued, from a developmental psychopathology perspective, why focusing on these issues hold the most promise for interrupting negative developmental cascades and promoting resilience among maltreated children. Utilization of a tiered approach to delivering increasingly intensive relational interventions is recommended as are future directions for translational research and dissemination.
Eosinophilic intestinal diseases of the horse

Summary Eosinophilic intestinal diseases of the horse are not commonly reported. Similar diseases are reported in man, but for either species, these eosinophilic diseases, are poorly understood. Eosinophilic intestinal disease may be accompanied by eosinophilic disease of other organs, or eosinophilia may be restricted to the intestine. When infiltration of eosinophils is restricted to the intestine, horses have a good prognosis for resolution of clinical signs, even though the treatment may include celiotomy with intestinal decompression or resection and administration of a corticosteroid. When eosinophilic intestinal disease is accompanied by infiltration of other organs, such as skin, pancreas, lungs or liver, the horse's prognosis for survival is very poor.
Large-Scale Analysis of Email Search and Organizational Strategies

Email continues to be an important form of communication as well as a way to manage tasks and archive personal information. As the volume of email grows, organizing and finding relevant email remains challenging. In this paper, we present a large-scale log analysis of the activities that people perform on email mes-sages (accessing external information via links or attachments, responding to messages, and organizing messages), their search behavior, and their organizational practices in a popular web email client. First, we characterize general email activities as well as activities associated with search. We find that within search sessions, peo-ple are more likely to access information and respond to messag-es but less likely to organize. Second, we examine the relation-ship between characteristics of a person's mailbox and their search and organizational practices. People with larger mailboxes tend to organize more, respond a little more, and access infor-mation less. People with larger mailboxes and folder structures search more, but the number of folders has less influence on search. Third, we extend previous work on email organization (e.g., filers vs. pilers; cleaners vs. keepers) by examining the extent to which these strategies are evident in our large-scale analysis and influence email activities and search. People who rely heavily on one organizational strategy tend to use others less. People who organize less tend to search more. Finally, we de-scribe how these insights can influence the design of email search.