cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Rising rates of cardiac procedures in the United States and Canada: too much of a good thing?

Publicly funded Medicare programs in the United States and Canada face daunting fiscal challenges in the decades ahead. Since 1965, the US Medicare program has provided access to physicians and hospitals for elderly Americans, and the Canadian Medicare program has provided similar coverage for Canadians of all ages since 1967. Paying for growing numbers of enrollees in these Medicare programs to receive effective but expensive tests and treatments has begun to strain government budgets and the tax systems that support them. Article pp 374 and 380 The stakes are particularly high for patients with coronary heart disease (CHD). As a leading cause of mortality and morbidity in both countries, CHD remains a fertile field of innovation to improve health outcomes. If new tests and treatments are used indiscriminately, however, their impact may be minimal for many patients, deleterious for some patients, and costly for society. Two studies in this issue of Circulation document the dramatic rise in cardiac procedures since 1992 in the United States and Canada, respectively.1,2 Each of these studies used claims data from its Medicare program to assess rates of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and cardiac procedures through 2001 and to estimate the diagnostic “yield” of stress tests and cardiac catheterizations that led to subsequent procedures. The US study included all elderly adults receiving fee-for-service care in the US Medicare program,1 and the Canadian study included adults of all ages residing in Ontario.2 In both countries, increases in procedure rates over time were most pronounced for stress imaging studies, cardiac catheterizations, and coronary angioplasty, whereas rates of AMI as a marker of CHD prevalence were relatively constant. By 2001, cardiac procedure rates for elderly patients in Ontario approached but did not yet exceed the corresponding rates for elderly patients in the United States during …
A Practical Method for the Prediction of the Surface Currents of the Ocean

A method is advanced for the prediction of surface currents based on the stability of computed dynamic currents. Wherever the latter are known and simultaneously the measured (geomagnetic) current and local wind direction, speed, and duration are known, the vector difference between the measured and the computed currents is assumed to be the portion of the current induced by the wind. The hypothesis is demonstrated empirically by a correlation of the above factors based on data obtained during a recent oceanographic survey. The predicted surface current vector is shown to be the resultant between a forecast wind-current and a permanent dynamic current. A new type of survey is proposed to make feasible the complete correlation of these factors. DOI: 10.1111/j.2153-3490.1954.tb01092.x
BLT for speed

Peptide chemokines were initially thought to govern effector T cell migration to inflamed tissues. Several studies now show that the leukotriene B4 is intimately involved in T cell homing.
SUBSTRATE BIREFRINGENCE IN COATED OPTICAL DISKS

For polycarbonate disks, the variation of the index of refraction with direction results in birefringence which can have a significantly adverse effect on the performance of the disk in the optical drive. For most substrates there is both in-plane and vertical birefringence. Each can influence the reading and tracking process and degrade the signal. There are several methods to measure birefringence in bare substrates. However, these methods are based on transmission thru the substrate and cannot be used for coated disks. This paper presents an approach based on a variable angle spectroscopic ellipsometer which allows measurement of the birefringence for coated disks. In particular, it is possible to obtain the vertical birefringence, which is of increasing importance, in a relatively simple manner.
Doubt and Faith at Yuan Jie's Creek: What Yang Wanli Found Beneath the Wu Xi Moss

(2005). Doubt and Faith at Yuan Jie's Creek: What Yang Wanli Found Beneath the Wu Xi Moss. Early Medieval China: Vol. 2005, Essays in Honor of the Sixtieth Birthday of David R. Knechtges, pp. 101-144.
Mapping the network of pathways of CO diffusion in myoglobin

The pathways of diffusion of a CO molecule inside a myoglobin protein and toward the solvent are investigated. Specifically, the three-dimensional potential of mean force (PMF or free energy) of the CO molecule position inside the protein is calculated by using the single-sweep method in concert with fully resolved atomistic simulations in explicit solvent. The results are interpreted under the assumption that the diffusion of the ligand can be modeled as a navigation on the PMF in which the ligand hops between the PMF local minima following the minimum free energy paths (MFEPs) with rates set by the free energy barriers that need to be crossed. Here, all the local minima of the PMF, the MFEPs, and the barriers along them are calculated. The positions of the local minima are in good agreement with all the known binding cavities inside the protein, which indicates that these cavities may indeed serve as dynamical traps inside the protein and thereby influence the binding process. In addition, the MFEPs connecting the local PMF minima show a complicated network of possible pathways of exit of the dissociated CO starting from the primary docking site, in which the histidine gate is the closest exit from the binding site for the ligand but it is not the only possible one.
Theoretical Prediction of an Observed Solar g-Mode

This Letter considers the weak but persistent radial velocity variations measured by the Global Oscillations at Low Frequencies instrument on the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory satellite at 75.55 minutes (220.6 μHz), which is very close to our new theoretical solar model period prediction of 75.15 minutes (221.8 μHz) for the angular degree l = 2, g3-mode. The triplet splitting for this mode indicates that the central slow solar rotation has a frequency of 0.36 μHz. Our solar model, using the latest physical input data, is evolved to match the present solar mass, radius, luminosity, and surface composition, and it predicts, as best as currently possible, the p-mode oscillation frequencies for many l-values. Our nonadiabatic eigensolutions also show that l = 1 and 2 g-modes of radial order 4 and higher, with periods about 86 minutes (193 μHz) and 131 minutes (127 μHz), respectively, and longer, have deep radiative diffusion variations that damp their linear theory growth, making their existence and observation unlikely. Four l = 3 g-modes are calculated to be pulsationally unstable, but their detectability for observations with no angular resolution on the solar surface seems unreasonable. All these g-modes seem significantly excited by radiation flow blocking at the bottom of the solar convection envelope (where the convective timescale, about 30,000 minutes, is much longer than the g-mode period) plus some regular hydrogen ionization κ-effect near the solar surface. From p-mode pulsation driving experience, it is likely that this hydrogen κ-effect driving is overestimated, because it is destroyed by time-dependent convection. For our low radial order g-modes, time-dependent convection may produce a little damping and some driving between 15,000 and 30,000 K.
Federalism and Secessionism: Institutional Influences on Nationalist Politics in Québec

Secessionism is conventionally understood as a group's response to a powerful grievance. But grievance cannot explain why secession, rather than another strategy, is pursued. I argue that the institutional setting in which grievance is experienced plays a crucial role in placing secession on the agenda as a viable remediation strategy. I demonstrate this by examining the institutional environment of Canadian federalism and the Quebecois secessionist movement. Canada is vulnerable to secessionism thanks to federalism and the principles of compact theory, which have been used by Quebec's secessionists to frame a conception of grievance (a broken bargain) and an easily justifiable remedy (withdrawal from the bargain).
A New Species of Balanus (Cirripedia, Thoracica ) From the Late Eocene Cowlitz Formation of Southern Washington, U.S.a. 1 )

Balanus cornwalli sp. nov. wird aus der spateozanen Cowlitz-Formation Sudwashingtons beschrieben. Diese Art und der verwandte B. unguilormis Sowerby aus dem "Bartonian" Englands werden zunachst provisorisch dem Subgenus Hesperibalanus zugeordnet. Der durch den Besitz solider Parietalia charakterisierte Hesperibalanus scheint den Vorlauferformen nahezustehen, denen die mit Parietaltuben versehenen Angehorigen der Gattung Balanus entstammen.
Educating emergent bilinguals: policies, programs, and practices for English language learners

Educating emergent bilinguals: policies, programs, and practices for English language learners, by Ofelia Garcia and Jo Ann Kleifgen, New York, Teachers College Press, 2010, ix+179 pp., US$60 (hard...
Editorial: Risk Factors for Urinary Incontinence After Radical Prostatectomy

The large number of prostate cancer patients tends to dominate urological oncology. As increasing numbers of patients with localized prostate cancer are diagnosed, radical prostatectomy has become an accepted, effective treatment for localized disease. Although much attention has been given to impotence, incontinence often is a more difficult complication of this operation and has been reported to occur in 5 to 30% of patients. Many risk factors can contribute to a greater level of incontinence, including patient age, surgical technique and anastomotic strictures, as Eastham et a1 (page 1707) note. They found that resection of a neurovascular bundle appeared to contribute to a slightly greater level of incontinence, and a different surgical technique appeared to improve the continence level significantly. In their figures they outline division of the dorsal vein complex, division of the urethra and the vesicourethral anastomosis. Many fine points are addressed, including minimal anastomotic bites in the urethra and additional bites through the lateral pelvic fascia. Sutures placed in the urethra alone will sometimes tear or pull out so that the additional tensile strength of the fascia is required. The apex of the prostate and urethra are dissected with the least possible manipulation to avoid injury to the external sphincter. Continence appears to improve with these efforts. Although tubularization of the bladder neck has been described,' it is not clear whether such tubularization provides any significant increased continence. In our experience the incidence of bladder neck contracture increased so that tubularization is no longer commonly performed. I was impressed that the median return of continence was 1.5 months in patients treated since 1990 and that 95% regained urinary control. These results are excellent. It is also impressive in that only 76 of 531 patients (13%) had stage Tlc disease. Such patients are likely to be a favorable group. Fowler et al (page 1714) indicate that co-morbidity exerts an impressive effect on survival in the treatment of patients with localized prostate cancer. With a median followup of 7 years 33% of patients with co-morbid disease died and 7% died of cancer related causes. It certainly has been recognized that co-morbid disease, such as congestive heart failure, may have a significant effect on survival. The patient population described also was 39% black, and this population has been reported to have a greater prostatic cancer mortality rate. As expected, radiation therapy patients had a greater co-morbid condition
Effect of total parenteral nutrition on gastric acid secretion.

While total parenteral nutrition is widely used, its effects on gastrointestinal function are not well understood. We measured acid secretion in 11 patients during total parenteral nutrition. Five of these patients were retested at least one month after resuming oral intake. Total parenteral nutrition significantly stimulated acid secretion compared to saline infusion (5.5 +/- 2.0 vs 1.8 +/- 0.6 mEq H+/hr, P less than 0.001) (mean +/- SEM), especially in those patients who are hypersecretors. There was no difference in pentagastrin-stimulated maximal acid output during TPN or saline infusion. Basal and pentagastrin-stimulated acid secretion were similar during and after a course of total parenteral nutrition, suggesting that gastric atrophy did not occur during total parenteral nutrition therapy.
Ultrastructural and electrophysiological correlates of cell coupling and cytoplasmic fusion during myogenesis in vitro.

Abstract An electrophysiological monitoring strategy involving iontophoretic application of acetylcholine and intracellular recording has been employed in an investigation of the time course of cell fusion during myogenesis in vitro . Pairs of closely apposed, acetylcholine-sensitive rat or chick myogenic cells were continuously monitored. The onset of high-efficiency electrical coupling between members of such pairs corresponded to the moment at which cytoplasmic continuity was established. Ultrastructural analysis of the serial section record of two rat myotubes, fixed 2–3 min after fusion began, demonstrated the rapid disappearance of surface membranes in the fusion area at an average rate > 1 μm 2 of membrane per second. Ten pairs of acetylcholine-sensitive cells were also observed to form lower-efficiency electrical connections. Such cells were not fused but were associated via specialized close membrane appositions resembling gap junctions. These membrane appositions apparently persist through the early events of cell fusion, for their remnants were found in recently fused cells. Possible roles of electrical coupling and of these close junctions in the fusion process are considered.
Using both "relative risk reduction" and "number needed to treat" in evaluating primary and secondary clinical trials of lipid reduction.

Preventing heart attack and death in patients with coronary disease. Circulation 1995;92:2–4. 2. Block G, Hartman AM, Naughton D. A reduced dietary questionnaire: development and validation. Epidemiology 1990;1:58–64. 3. Kohl HW, Blair SN, Paffenbarger RS, Macera CA, Kronenfeld JJ. Am J Epidemiol 1988;127:1228–1239. 4. Oliveria SA, Kohl HW, Trichopoulos D, Blair SN. The association between cardiorespiratory fitness and prostate cancer. Med Sci Sports Exerc 1996;28:97–104. 5. National Cholesterol Education Program Expert Panel on Detection, Evaluation, and Treatment of High Blood Cholesterol in Adults (Adult Treatment Panel II). National Institutes of Health, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Insitute. (NIH publication no.93-3095). 6. Pearson TA, Laurora I, Chu H, Kafonek S. The Lipid Treatment Assessment Project (L-TAP): a multicenter survey to evaluate the percentages of dyslipidemic patients receiving lipid-lowering therapy and achieving low-density lipoprotein cholesterol goals. Arch Intern Med 2000;160:459–467. 7. Calfas KJ, Long BJ, Sallis JF, Wooten WJ, Pratt M, Patrick K. A controlled trial of physician counseling to promote the adoption of physical activity. Prev Med 1996;25:225–233. 8. Swinburn BA, Walter LG, Arroll B, Tilyard MW, Russel DG, The Green Prescription Study: a randomized controlled trial of written exercise advice provided by general practitioners. Am J Pub Health 1998;88:288–291. 9. Sherman SE, Hershman WY. Exercise counseling: how do general internists do? J Gen Intern Med 1993;8:243–248.
Color changes reflecting myoglobin and lipid oxidation in chevon cuts during refrigerated display

Abstract The oxidative stability of different chevon (goat meat) cuts (leg, shoulder/arm, and loin/rib) when displayed (2°C) as case-ready packages was studied. Some 8-month-old Spanish does (n=12 animals) were slaughtered and the carcasses chilled for 24 h at 4°C. Carcasses were then fabricated and the primal cuts were trimmed and sliced into 2.5 cm thick steaks/chops using a band saw. The cuts were placed on styrofoam trays and wrapped with polyvinyl-chloride film. These case-ready leg and shoulder steaks and loin/rib chops were stored in a display case at 2°C for either 0, 4, 8, or 12 days. Percent metmyoglobin (MetMb%) and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) increased (P
A wire‐crossed‐loop resonator for rapid scan EPR

A crossed-loop (orthogonal mode) resonator (CLR) was constructed of fine wire to achieve design goals for rapid scan in vivo EPR imaging at VHF frequencies (in practice, near 250 MHz). This application requires the resonator to have a very open design to facilitate access to the animal for physiological support during the image acquisition. The rapid scan experiment uses large amplitude magnetic field scans, and sufficiently large resonator and detection bandwidths to record the rapidly-changing signal response. Rapid-scan EPR is sensitive to RF/microwave source noise and to baseline changes that are coherent with the field scan. The sensitivity to source noise is a primary incentive for using a CLR to isolate the detected signal from the RF source noise. Isolation from source noise of 44 and 47 dB was achieved in two resonator designs. Prior results showed that eddy currents contribute to background problems in rapid scan EPR, so the CLR design had to minimize conducting metal components. Using fine (AWG 38) wire for the resonators decreased eddy currents and lowered the resonator Q, thus providing larger resonator bandwidth. Mechanical resonances at specific scan frequencies are a major contributor to rapid scan backgrounds.
Controllable Fluids:. the Temperature Dependence of Post-Yield Properties

This paper represents the first detailed description of the affect of temperature on the properties exhibited by state-of-the-art electrorheological (ER) and magnetorheological (MR) fluids. In particular, shear stress versus shear strain rate curves, dynamic and static yield stress values, zero-field viscosity data, and current density measurements are discussed. Specific comments concerning the stability of both mechanical and electrical properties over broad temperature ranges are provided. Finally, insight into the advantages associated with using electrorheological and magnetorheological fluids in a controllable device is provided.
pi /4-QPSK modems for satellite sound/data broadcast systems

The use of pi /4 quadrature phase-shift keying(QPSK) modems for satellite sound broadcast systems (SSBS) broadcasting to mobile or portable receivers is proposed. Three different differential detectors (including the FM-discriminator followed by integrate-sample-and-dump filter) and a novel coherent detector are discussed. The degradation caused by the frequency offset between the local oscillator and the unmodulated carrier in the baseband differential detector is studied. The performance of both coherently and differentially detected pi /4-QPSK in a Gaussian channel is also studied. It is shown that with a frequency offset of more than 3% of the symbol rate, the performance degradation is more than 1 dB at 10/sup -4/. The out-of-band power of the nonlinearly amplified bandlimited pi /4-QPSK signals is reduced from -13 dB to -37 dB if a 2-dB output back-off amplifier is used instead of a hardlimiter. The performance of the pi /4-QPSK is equivalent to that of QPSK, although the pi /4-QPSK has the advantage of less spectrum restoration after nonlinear amplification. The coherent demodulator and differential decoder avoid the three-level detection and achieve the same bit-error-rate (BER) performance as DEQPSK with a simple circuit. >
Reversible Phenyl Coordination of a Cluster-Bound Triphenylphosphine Ligand: Ru6C(CO)13{PPh2(μ-η6-C6H6)}

In refluxing chlorobenzene, Ru6C(CO)16PPh3 is converted to Ru6C(CO)13{PPh2(μ-η6-C6H5)} (1), in which one phenyl ring of the PPh3 ligand is coordinated to an adjacent ruthenium atom. Treatment of 1 ...
Determination of hexosamines.

Abstract A simple method for the colorimetric determination of hexosamines is presented. After deamination of the hexosamine with nitrous acid, phenol-sulfuric acid reagents are added and the absorbancy is measured at 490 mμ. Interfering substances are removed previously by ion-exchange procedures.
Unsuitability of organ donation from a patient with a history of melanoma

A 52-year-old man with a history of melanoma presented to the emergency department with a massive intracranial hemorrhage. The patient deteriorated rapidly and was being considered as a potential organ donor. Three years before presentation, the patient had undergone wide excision of a 3.75-mm melanoma from his back with sentinel lymph node biopsy, which yielded negative findings. He had been well until the day of presentation. Although there are no specific guidelines for candidacy of organ donation from patients with a history of melanoma, there are several reports of donor-derived melanoma in organ transplant recipients, most with grave consequences. The literature relevant to this case is reviewed and discussed.
Allergen immunotherapy: therapeutic vaccines for allergic diseases

ABBREVIATIONS AAAAI: American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology AU: Allergy Unit BAU: Bioequivalent Allergy Unit BU: Biologic Unit CBER: Center for Biologic Evaluation and Research EAACI: European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology EU: European Union IAACI: International Association of Allergy and Clinical Immunology IU: International Unit IUIS: International Union of Immunological Societies PNU: protein nitrogen unit
Critical Evaluation of Salvage Surgery for Radio-Recurrent/Resistant Prostate Cancer

AbstractPurpose: A positive post-irradiation prostatic biopsy associated with an increasing prostate specific antigen level but no palpable evidence of local progression may identify a subgroup of patients who could be cured by salvage surgical therapy.Materials and Methods: Between 1967 and 1992, 132 patients underwent salvage surgery, including radical retropubic prostatectomy in 79, anterior exenteration in 38, total exenteration in 5 and bilateral pelvic lymphadenectomy only in 10.Results: The 10-year cancer-specific survival rate in the prostatectomy group was 72 percent. Local control was equivalent among the surgical groups. Radical retropubic prostatectomy patients with negative surgical margins and nonaneuploid tumors demonstrated a significant survival advantage. Adjuvant hormonal therapy improved the disease-free survival rate in patients with nonaneuploid tumors.Conclusions: Radical retropubic prostatectomy can achieve excellent survival with low morbidity in select patients. Patients with cli...
Processes and problems in information consolidation

Abstract Information consolidation is defined as the process of evaluation and compression of relevant documents in order to provide definite user groups in developing countries with reliable and concise information in usable form. The concept of appropriate or consolidated information was developed in conjunction with the concept of appropriate technology and technology transfer. It has been promoted by UNESCO and other international organizations by providing guidelines and supporting pilot projects. The paper summarizes the objectives and values of information consolidation, the orientations toward various audiences and the processes involved. The requirements of information consolidation and the problem encountered are treated in some detail. The paper can serve as a primer on information consolidation.
Scanning Electrochemical Microscopy Combined with Surface Plasmon Resonance: Studies of Localized Film Thickness Variations and Molecular Conformation Changes

The combination of scanning electrochemical microscopy (SECM) with surface plasmon resonance (SPR) is described. By oxidizing ferrocenylalkanethiol self-assembled monolayer (SAM) with SECM-generated Ce4+, the coupled technique, SECM-SPR, is shown to be viable for determining local variations in thin film thickness. Factors (tip/substrate distance, tip potential scan rate, and solution composition change) affecting the SECM-SPR response and operation are also discussed. The approach was further extended to the determination of conformational changes of cytochrome c molecules attached electrostatically onto a negatively charged SAM during its reduction by the tip-generated methyl viologen monocation. The high sensitivity of the SPR equipped with a bicell detector facilitates the measurement of infinitesimal film thickness changes accompanying redox reactions, while the SECM provides a means to obviate the necessity of applying a potential to the SPR substrate, which tends to cause unwanted interferences and...
Purified transcription factor AP-1 interacts with TPA-inducible enhancer elements

The enhancer-binding protein AP-1 has been purified to greater than 95% homogeneity from HeLa cells by sequence-specific DNA affinity chromatography and identified as a 47 kd polypeptide. Purified AP-1 activates transcription in vitro of the wild-type human metallothionein IIA (hMT IIA) gene but not mutant hMT IIA promoters lacking AP-1 recognition sites. DNAase I protection analysis indicates that genetically defined enhancer elements in hMT IIA, SV40, and the human collagenase gene contain high-affinity AP-1-binding sites, each with a conserved recognition motif, TGACTCA. These three genes are transcriptionally induced by treatment of cells with the tumor promoter TPA. Here we demonstrate that multiple synthetic copies of the consensus AP-1-binding site can act as TPA-inducible enhancers in various plasmid constructs after transfection into HeLa cells. These findings suggest that AP-1 is a transcription factor that functions by interacting with a specific enhancer element, and that its activities may be modulated by treatment of cells with TPA, known to stimulate protein kinase C.
Deletion mapping of DNA markers to a region of chromosome 5 that cosegregates with schizophrenia

Abstract Two independent lines of evidence support the localization of a schizophrenia susceptibility locus to the proximal long arm of chromosome 5. A partial trisomy of chromosome 5 (5q11.2–q13.3) cosegregates with the disorder in a Canadian family of Chinese descent, and DNA markers from proximal 5q cosegregate with schizophrenia (plus related disorders) in families of British and Icelandic descent. We constructed a human:hamster hybrid cell line (HHW 1064) whose only human complement is a chromosome 5 that is missing the trisomic region associated with schizophrenia. In combination with a “matched” cell hybrid (HHW 105) containing an intact chromosome 5, we physically mapped DNA markers relative to the trisomy. “Schizophrenia-linked” DNA markers p105–153Ra (D5S39) and p105–599Ha (D5S76) map within the trisomy and proximal to the 5q11.2 breakpoint, respectively. The hybrid cell lines HHW 105 and HHW 1064 together provide a means to identify and generate syntenic DNA markers to further investigate the location of a schizophrenia locus.
Production of type 2 cytokines by CD8+ lung cells is associated with greater decline in pulmonary function in patients with systemic sclerosis.

Objective This study addresses the hypothesis that a profibrotic pattern of cytokines is produced in the lungs of patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc) and causes fibrosis. Methods Using a reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction technique, interleukin-4 (IL-4), IL-5, and interferon-gamma (IFNgamma) messenger RNA (mRNA) were measured in unseparated CD8+ and CD4+ bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) cells from SSc patients and healthy controls. To confirm the results, CD8+ T cells were cloned from BAL fluids, and the pattern of cytokine mRNA made by these cells was determined. Serial pulmonary function tests were done. Results BAL cells from healthy controls made IFNgamma mRNA, with no or little IL-4 or IL-5 mRNA. In contrast, BAL cells from the majority of SSc patients made IL-4 and/or IL-5 mRNA, with or without approximately equal amounts of IFNgamma mRNA. This pattern of cytokines was made by CD8+ T cells, which were increased in the lungs of these SSc patients. Patients whose BAL cells made this type 2 pattern of cytokine mRNA had a significant decline in forced vital capacity over time after the BAL, whereas patients whose BAL cells made IFNgamma mRNA alone did not. Both wild-type and an alternative splice variant of IL-4 mRNA were increased in BAL cells from SSc patients. Both forms of IL-4 stimulated alpha2(I) collagen mRNA in human dermal and lung fibroblasts. Conclusion The type 2 pattern of cytokine mRNA produced by BAL cells from SSc patients differs from unopposed IFNgamma production found in healthy BAL cells. This production of type 2 cytokine mRNA by CD8+ T cells is associated with a significant decline in lung function over time, which suggests a pathologic role for these T cells in interstitial fibrosis in SSc.
Resource-bounded strong dimension versus resource-bounded category

Classically it is known that any set with packing dimension less than 1 is meager in the sense of Baire category. We establish a resource-bounded extension: if a class X has Δ-strong dimension less than 1, then X is Δ-meager. This has the applications of explaining some of Lutz's simultaneous Δ-meager, Δ-measure 0 results and providing a new proof of a Gu's strong dimension result on infinitely-often classes.
Pollution prevention targets through integrated design and operation

Abstract Pollution prevention is one of most pressing objectives for the process industries. In order to set realistic targets for reducing industrial wastes, it is necessary to establish targets for most achievable extent of pollution prevention. In this paper we present a mass-integrated systematic procedure for identifying pollution prevention. In this paper we present a mass-integrated systematic procedure for identifying pollution prevention targets of a process. These targets account for the plant data and anticipated disturbances. A combination of design and operational degrees of freedom are employed to prevent pollution. Species propagation and process performance are tracked via path equations. Mass integration tools along with inclusion isotonicity of interval arithmetic are employed to establish the targets. Several classes of problems are addressed. These include instantaneous and averaged targets for pollution prevention with sink/generator manipulation and targets for material utilities and feedstocks with recycle and interception. The identified targets are global regardless of the non-linearity and non-convexity characteristics of the system.
Short-Range Versus Long-Range Order in a Model Binary Alloy

We calculate the free energy of a linear binary metallic alloy using an exact transfer-matrix formalism. We obtain for the first time the electronic band structure when there is nonvanishing short-range order and calculate the temperature dependence of the short-range order parameter. Following Foo and Amar, we also introduce long-range order via two sublattices, but we find this necessarily raises the free energy. We conclude that the first-order phase transition of Foo and Amar is spurious, being an artifact of their assumption of long-range order and neglect of short-range order.
Evaluating test selection strategies for end-user specified flow-based applications

An emerging class of end-user programming is the assembly of flow-based applications from a set of reusable components. Testing has become a major challenge, as a very large number of flows can be assembled from a set of components with the expectation of functioning correctly. Faults in assembled flows can create dissatisfaction among users and thereby potentially undermine this end-user programming paradigm We approach this problem as a flow-selection problem, and are interested in ways of testing a subset of flows that provide a high likelihood of revealing faults. We describe a number of flow-selection strategies, which run in the context of a flow pattern, a specification mechanism that constrains the space of assemble-able flows. We evaluate the different strategies on real-world flow patterns in terms of efficiency, i.e., the reduction of flows to test, and effectiveness, measuring of how well the strategies can catch faults.
Residual Stress and Crack Mitigation for Dissimilar Metal Welded Nuclear Pipes

Welding is a important manufacturing process in the fabrication of small modular reactors. However, welding often produces high residual stress in the weld or heat-affected-zone (HAZ). Many stress mitigation techniques were investigated in nuclear industry including weld overlay and mechanical stress improvement process (MSIP). The MSIP has been used to mitigate the residual stress in the pipe welding such as to control stress corrosion cracking (SCC) in dissimilar metal welded pipes. This paper optimizes this MSIP process with finite element analyses to achieve the maximum residual stress reduction. The effect of three parameters in MSIP, the clamp tool edge to the weld center (a), the clamp width in axial direction (b), and the applied pressure (p) on weld residual stress distributions were studied. A set of optimal process parameters for the dissimilar metal welded joint was predicted. In addition, the action of MSIP was further understood and demonstrated with numerical results and described in contour plots. The plots showed that both axial and hoop weld residual stress on more than half of the pipe wall thickness near the weld became compressive after applying MSIP, although they were highly tensile after welding. MSIP shifted the hoop tensile residual stress from the weld and heat-affected zone to the MSIP locations which are not sensitive to SCC.Copyright © 2011 by ASME
Electronic Textbooks and Data Mining

Education is known to be the key determinant of economic growth and prosperity [8,12]. While the issues in devising a high-quality educational system are multi-faceted and complex, textbooks are acknowledged to be the educational input most consistently associated with gains in student learning [11]. They are the primary conduits for delivering content knowledge to the students and the teachers base their lesson plans primarily on the material given in textbooks [7].
Visual Receptive Field Organization of Single Units in the Visual Cortex of Monkey

The receptive fields of 159 units in the visual cortex (area 17) of the rhesus monkey were mapped by moving a white or black disc in a scanning pattern on a tangential contrasting screen placed 57 cm from the animal. The area explored was 25° × 25°. Bars, edges, and other ‘whole’ stimuli, some of them colored, were used to determine the most effective stimulus parameters. The units recorded from were divided into fourteen groups. The most numerous groups of units were: disc, 26%; diffuse, 14%; line, 13%; color-sensitive, 14%; and another group of units unresponsive to any stimuli, 36 %. Behavioral analysis on five of the monkeys which were revived after the experiment show no significant correlation between classes of cells in a given animal and his performance in visual discriminations.
Effect of anesthesia on renal R2* measured by blood oxygen level‐dependent MRI

Blood oxygen level-dependent (BOLD) MRI is increasingly being used to assess renal tissue oxygenation during disease based on the transverse relaxation rate (R2*). In preclinical small animal models, the requisite use of anesthesia during imaging may lead to functional changes which influence R2* and confound results. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of four common anesthetic compounds on renal R2* in healthy mice. Five female ICR mice were imaged with BOLD MRI approximately 25 min after induction with isoflurane (Iso; 1% or 1.5%, delivered in 100% O2), ketamine/xylazine (KX), sodium pentobarbital (PB) or 2,2,2-tribromoethanol (TBE). A significant effect of anesthetic agent on R2* was observed in all tissue layers of the kidney, including the cortex, outer stripe of the outer medulla (OSOM), inner stripe of the outer medulla (ISOM) and inner medulla (IM). Pairwise significant differences in R2* between specific agents were found in the cortex, OSOM and ISOM, with the largest difference observed in the ISOM between 1.5% Iso (26.6 ± 1.7 s–1) and KX (66.0 ± 7.1 s–1). The difference between 1% Iso and KX in the ISOM was not abolished when KX was administered with supplemental 100% O2 or when 1% Iso was delivered in 21% O2, indicating that the fraction of inspired oxygen did not account for the observed differences. Our results indicate that the choice of anesthesia has a large influence on the observed R2* in mouse kidney, and anesthetic effects must be considered in the design and interpretation of renal BOLD MRI studies. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Wavelet-based deconvolution for ill-conditioned systems

In this paper, we propose a new approach to wavelet-based deconvolution. Roughly speaking, the algorithm comprises Fourier-domain system inversion followed by wavelet-domain noise suppression. Our approach subsumes a number of other wavelet-based deconvolution methods. In contrast to other wavelet-based approaches, however, we employ a regularized inverse filter, which allows the algorithm to operate even when the inverse system is ill-conditioned or non-invertible. Using a mean-square-error metric, we strike an optimal balance between Fourier-domain and wavelet-domain regularization. The result is a fast deconvolution algorithm ideally suited to signals and images with edges and other singularities. In simulations with real data, the algorithm outperforms the LTI Wiener filter and other wavelet-based deconvolution algorithms in terms of both visual quality and MSE performance.
Effects of Subject Pool Policy on Student Attitudes Toward psychology and Psychological Research

Introductory psychology students in sections with either a semi-voluntary or a mandatory research requirement completed measures of attitudes toward psychology and psychological research at the beginning and the end of their course. We predicted, according to reactance theory, that mandating students' participation in research would result in their devaluing psychology and research. Results of our quasi-experiment provided partial support for this hypothesis: Students in the semivoluntary policy condition reported more positive attitudes toward the learning value of experiments and toward psychology than did students in the mandatory policy condition. Furthermore, across both policy conditions, ratings on two measures changed over time: Attitudes toward the learning value of experiments became less positive, but attitudes toward experiments themselves became more positive.
ORAL SHEDDING OF MARBURG VIRUS IN EXPERIMENTALLY INFECTED EGYPTIAN FRUIT BATS (ROUSETTUS AEGYPTIACUS)

Marburg virus (Marburg marburgvirus; MARV) causes sporadic outbreaks of Marburg hemorrhagic fever (MHF) in Africa. The Egyptian fruit bat (Rousettus aegyptiacus) has been identified as a natural reservoir based most-recently on the repeated isolation of MARV directly from bats caught at two locations in southwestern Uganda where miners and tourists separately contracted MHF from 2007-08. Despite learning much about the ecology of MARV through extensive field investigations, there remained unanswered questions such as determining the primary routes of virus shedding and the severity of disease, if any, caused by MARV in infected bats. To answer these questions and others, we experimentally infected captive-bred R. aegyptiacus with MARV under high (biosafety level 4) containment. These experiments have shown infection profiles consistent with R. aegyptiacus being a bona fide natural reservoir host for MARV and demonstrated routes of viral shedding capable of infecting humans and other animals.
The Amplitude Density of a Truncated Fourier Series

A theoretical method is presented for finding the amplitude density of a periodic waveform expressed in terms of a truncated trigonometric Fourier series. If the waveform is approximated by n harmonics, the density depends on the roots of a polynomial of degree 2 n whose coefficients are simple functions of the Fourier series coefficients.
Application of intelligent methods to automotive assembly planning

The automotive manufacturing process is one of the most complex processes in industry today. The rapid changes in the marketplace and introduction of new technologies require that the underlying manufacturing processes keep pace. The use of intelligent systems for this environment is quickly becoming a necessity. In this paper, we describe how some of these intelligent methods are used at Ford Motor Company in the automotive assembly planning domain. The following applications of intelligent systems will be described: knowledge-based labor management, ergonomics analysis, and workcell layout optimization. We will also discuss how natural language processing can assist in understanding unstructured textual data. All of these examples show how computational intelligence can be successfully applied in an industrial setting.
Surface-Enhanced Raman Scattering Study on Graphene-Coated Metallic Nanostructure Substrates

Graphene, which has a linear electronic band structure, is widely considered as a semimetal. In the present study, we combine graphene with conventional metallic surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) substrates to achieve a higher sensitivity of SERS detection. We synthesize high-quality, single-layer graphene sheets by chemical vapor deposition (CVD) and transfer them from copper foils to gold nanostructures, that is, nanoparticle or nanohole arrays. SERS measurements are carried out on methylene blue (MB) molecules. The combined graphene nanostructure substrates show about a 3-fold or 9-fold enhancement in the Raman signal of MB, compared with the bare nanohole or nanoparticle substrates, respectively. The difference in the enhancement factors is explained by the different morphologies of graphene on the two substrates with the aid of numerical simulations. Our study indicates that applying graphene to SERS substrates can be an effective way to improve the sensitivity of conventional metallic SERS su...
Aging in the Glomerulus

Kidney function declines with age in the majority of the population. Although very few older people progress to end stage, the consequences of doing so are burdensome for the patient and very expensive for the society. Although some of the observed decline is likely due to changes in the vasculature, much is associated with the development of age-associated glomerulosclerosis. This article will review the well-established structural and functional changes in the glomerulus with age. The role of calorie restriction in modifying age-related pathology will be discussed. The importance of the podocyte as a critical cell in the aging process is considered using animal models and human biopsy material. Newer data on changes in gene expression driven by nuclear factor kappa beta (NFkB) and possible changes in biology in the glomerulus are discussed. The relationship between pathways involved in aging and the decline in kidney function is reviewed. There is speculation on the significance of these changes in relation to normal and pathological aging.
Sacred Places, Domestic Spaces: Material Culture, Church, and Home at Our Lady of the Assumption and St. Brigitta

The relationship between the material culture of public worship and congregants' homes is explored in a study of two Catholic parishes—theologically liberal St. Brigitta and conservative Our Lady of Assumption. At St. Brigitta, congregants' worship space is almost devoid of religious art and ritual objects are plain, but worshippers' homes are rich in decorative objects. By contrast, masses at Our Lady of the Assumption take place in a church filled with devotional art and ornate objects, but worshippers' homes are spare, neutrally furnished, and display few decorations. Distinct congregational logics surrounding the making of the self help to explain the material culture differences: St. Brigitta parishioners value individualized self-expression whereas Assumption's members subordinate individuality to family and church identities. Individuals use material objects not only for self-expression, but also to explicitly shape identities and make the self.
Nutrition therapy for dyslipidemia

National guidelines indicate patients with elevated low- density lipoprotein cholesterol should consume less than 7% of calories from saturated fat and less than 200 mg of cholesterol. Trans fatty acids should also be limited. Incorporation of functional foods, such as stanol-containing margarine, soy products, and soluble fiber-rich cereals and vegetables can provide further benefit. In addition to weight loss and physical activity, individuals with hypertriglyceridemia benefit from a diet moderate in fat and carbohydrate rather than a low-fat diet. Including monounsaturated or omega-3 fatty acids lowers serum triglycerides. Many of the dietary strategies to optimize serum lipids also contribute to glycemic control in patients with diabetes mellitus.
Misdemeanor Sentencing Decisions: The Cumulative Disadvantage Effect of "Gringo Justice"

Research that examines the effect of Latino ethnicity on misdemeanor sentencing decisions is virtually nonexistent. In this study, the authors analyze 1992 misdemeanor sentences in three nonurban Nebraska counties with relatively large Latino populations. Support for "gringo justice" emanates as Latinos overall had significantly higher proportions of individuals charged with misdemeanor offenses other than simple traffic violations (i.e., misdemeanor alcohol and drug offenses). They also were recipients of a higher mean number of charges. Subsequently, Latinos received significantly higher meanfines and mean days probation but not mean days jail in comparison to their White counterparts. Findings suggest that biased discretion in the enforcement, processing, and sentencing of misdemeanor offenses is but one part of the cumulative disadvantage that Latinos face in the overall criminal justice system.
Do children with myelomeningocele and hydrocephalus display nonverbal learning disabilities? An empirical approach to classification.

As a group, children with myelomeningocele (MM) and early-onset hydrocephalus demonstrate many of the features of the syndrome of nonverbal learning disabilities (NLD). However, the frequency with which individual children display a pattern of neuropsychological functioning consistent with the NLD syndrome is unknown. We addressed this question by comparing the prevalence of NLD in 32 children with MM and shunted hydrocephalus to that in a group of 27 healthy siblings. Participants, who were between 8 and 15 years of age, completed a neuropsychological test battery that included 11 measures of possible assets and 17 measures of possible deficits that define the NLD syndrome. As a group, children with MM and shunted hydrocephalus displayed many of the specific assets and deficits. However, they also displayed significantly more variability in their patterns of assets and deficits than siblings, reflecting the substantial individual differences that characterize children with MM. About 50% of the children with myelomeningocele displayed a pattern of assets and deficits consistent with the NLD syndrome. Classification as NLD was weakly related to cumulative medical risk, as well as to left-handedness. The findings suggest a need for caution in making generalizations regarding the applicability of the NLD model to children with MM and early-onset hydrocephalus. (JINS, 2003, 9, 653‐662.)