cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Planning for Multiple Preferences versus Planning with No Preference

Many planning applications must address conflicting plan objectives, such as cost, duration, and resource consumption, and decision makers want to know the possible tradeoffs. Traditionally, such problems are solved by invoking a single-objective algorithm (such as A*) on multiple, alternative preferences of the objectives to identify nondominated plans. The less-popular alternative is to delay such reasoning and directly optimize multiple plan objectives with a search algorithm like multiobjective A* (MOA*). The relative performance of these two approaches hinges upon the number of 𝑓-values computed for individual search nodes. A* may revisit a node several times and compute a different 𝑓-value each time. MOA* visits each node once and may compute some number of 𝑓-values (each estimating the value of a different nondominated solution constructed from the node). While A* does not share 𝑓-values between searches for different solutions, MOA* can sometimes find multiple solutions while computing a single 𝑓-value per node. The results of extensive empirical comparison show that (i) the performance of multiple invocations of a single-objective A* versus a single invocation of MOA* is often worse in time and quality and (ii) that techniques for balancing per node cost and exploration are promising.
Frontiers in Intravascular Imaging Technologies

In 1971, Bom et al1 developed one of the first catheter-based real-time imaging techniques for use in the cardiac system. In placing a set of phased-array ultrasound transducers within the cardiac chambers, Bom and colleagues showed that higher frequencies than those used in transthoracic ultrasound imaging could be used to produce high-resolution images of cardiac structures. By the late 1980s, Yock et al2 had successfully miniaturized a single-transducer system to enable transducer placement within coronary arteries. Since then, intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) has become a pivotal catheter-based imaging technology, having provided practical guidance for percutaneous interventions and scientific insights into vascular biology in clinical settings. Technical developments currently being explored consist of further device improvements, a variety of advanced image analyses, and the extension of this ultrasound-based approach to diverse intravascular imaging techniques with other energy sources. ### Ultrasound-Based Approaches IVUS systems produce tomographic images by performing a series of pulse/echo sequences, or vectors, in which an acoustic pulse is emitted and the subsequent reflections from the tissue are detected. Each vector is acquired by directing the ultrasound beam from the catheter in a slightly different direction from the previous vector by mechanical or electrical means. A gray-scale IVUS image is made with all the vectors (commonly 256 vectors), with each vector acquired at a different angle of rotation. Several clinically relevant properties of the ultrasound image, such as the resolution, depth of penetration and attenuation of the acoustic pulse by tissue, are dependent on the geometric and frequency properties of the transducer. A crystal transducer emits a signal that spans a range of frequencies. The higher the center frequency, the better the radial resolution (Figure 1) but the lower the depth of penetration. Conventional IVUS catheters used in the coronary arteries have center frequencies that range from 20 MHz to 40 …
A High Power CH3OH Laser System Using Stark Stabilized CO2 Pump Lasers

A dual channel, 119μm wavelength laser system has been constructed for the ATF experiment at Oak Ridge. The pump lasers utilize external Stark cells for locking the CO2 laser to the absorption frequency of the CH3OH lasers. Stark plates have also been attached to the dielectric waveguide resonators of the FIR lasers to affect precise tuning of the 119 μm lasers.
The ion kinetic energy spectra of some aromatic hydrocarbons

The technique of ion kinetic energy spectroscopy has been applied to the study of the aromatic hydrocarbons benzene, toluene, naphthalene, 2-methyl naphthalene, biphenyl and anthracene. The method is illustrated by a complete study of naphthalene in which transitions of metastable doubly- and singly-charged ions are listed, including reactions in which singly-charged ions are formed by collision induced charge-exchange reactions of doubly-charged ions and by the double process of charge-exchange and metastable decomposition with loss of one or two hydrogen atoms. Decompositions of doubly-charged ions into two singly-charged ions, together with the kinetic energies released in these decompositions, are also given for all the compounds studied.
The effect of community uninsurance rates on access to health care.

In a 2003 report, the Institute of Medicine (IOM) hypothesized that communities may be affected by high rates of uninsurance “through the problems that uninsurance poses for local health care institutions and services” (Institute of Medicine 2005), arguing that uninsurance may affect access to or quality of care for both the uninsured and the insured. A 2009 IOM report summarizes recent evidence suggestive of a spillover effect on the insured, stating that “when community-level rates of uninsurance are relatively high, insured adults in those communities are more likely to have difficulties obtaining needed health care” (Institute of Medicine 2009). The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 aims to expand coverage substantially, which could have positive effects for those who gain coverage as well as for those who were previously insured or remain uninsured. If the strain from high rates of uninsurance is concentrated among those providers who disproportionately serve the uninsured, the barriers to care arising from high rates of uninsurance may be more likely to affect the uninsured than the insured. Existing studies assess that the association between the rate of uninsurance in a market and access to care report mixed findings, with one study finding an effect on access for low- and moderate-income individuals (Brown, Wyn, and Teleki 1995), another finding no effect for low-income individuals when controlling for other market factors (Andersen et al. 2002), and a third finding a negative effect for the insured, but not for the uninsured (Pagan and Pauly 2008). Other recent studies by Pauly and Pagan present evidence of spillovers from community uninsurance rates to the insured for a number of outcomes, including access to care (Pauly and Pagan 2007, 2009). The IOM summarizes these studies as suggesting that uninsurance leads to negative spillovers to the insured, possibly due to lower revenue streams, greater financial strain, and lower demand for quality health care (Institute of Medicine 2009). These results may not reflect the causal effect of uninsurance rates, as the studies rely on cross-sectional data and have not fully accounted for the role of both observable and unobservable market factors in determining access to care. This article analyzes how variation in uninsurance rates within markets over time affects access to care, specifically whether an individual forgoes necessary medical care, employing models that control for both market and time and using instrumental variables to attempt to address potential endogeneity. This approach improves on previous studies by controlling for time-invariant market characteristics that may confound cross-sectional analyses, and thus may be more relevant for assessing the potential effects of policies that reduce the rate of uninsurance. In contrast to earlier studies, the results suggest that changes in uninsurance rates primarily affect those aspects of the local health care system that influence care for the uninsured.
Metadiscourse in results and discussion chapters: A cross-linguistic analysis of English and Spanish thesis writers in engineering

Abstract This study investigates cross-linguistic variation of metadiscourse in the results and discussion chapters of engineering master's theses written in English and Spanish. The analysis is based on a corpus of 200 master's thesis results and discussion chapters: 100 written by L1 English students and 100 written by L1 Spanish students. Using Hyland's (2005a) interpersonal model of metadiscourse, the results and discussion chapters were compared to examine the influence of lingua-cultural contexts of writing on student writer's employment of metadiscoursal resources. Findings of the comparative analysis reveal significant cross-linguistic differences for overall frequency of metadiscourse as well as for most (sub-)categories. The analysis suggests that interpersonal features of writing are inexorably linked to the specific lingua-cultural contexts in which texts are produced and consumed, even within the same discipline and (part-)genre. The paper concludes with some pedagogical implications for L2 writing instruction.
Induction of the primary immune response.

The cause of the induction of the primary immune response could be the depletion of a specific natural antibody.
Determining the power-law wind-profile exponent under near-neutral stability conditions at sea

Abstract On the basis of 30 samples from near-simultaneous overwater measurements by pairs of anemometers located at different heights in the Gulf of Mexico and off the Chesapeake Bay, Virginia, the mean and standard deviation for the exponent of the power-law wind profile over the ocean under near-neutral atmospheric stability conditions were determined to be 0.11 ± 0.03. Because this mean value is obtained from both deep and shallow water environments, it is recommended for use at sea to adjust the wind speed measurements at different heights to the standard height of 10 m above the mean sea surface. An example to apply this P value to estimate the momentum flux or wind stress is provided.
New brand names and inferential beliefs: Some insights on naming new products

Abstract Consumers' attitudes toward names were studied and evidence was found that attitude toward a brand name exists independently of attitude toward a product or brand. A method for measuring attitudes toward names is demonstrated. In a multiple regression setting, four predictor variables—number of purchases, product interest, cognitive differentiation, and product experience—were found to explain up to 34% of the variance associated with brand name attitudes.
Personal and public perceptions of radiation risks.

Risks often are accompanied by benefits, which are not attainable without incurring the risks. When a person voluntarily decides to take a risk, he or she assumes responsibility for the outcome, whether beneficial or adverse. The converse concerning involuntary risks is also true, with the result that many people oppose involuntary risks with their threat of adverse outcomes. Medical exposure to radiation can be perceived as both an involuntary and voluntary risk. In American culture, the entertainment and news media have contributed greatly to the public's abhorrence of radiation, radioactivity, and nuclear energy. Because people respond emotionally rather than intellectually to risk information, the risks of radiation exposure are best communicated by someone who is knowledgeable, is recognized as a health expert, is trustworthy, and has no conflict of interest but a stake in the community, such as a community physician. Such a spokesperson must respond first to perceptions of risks and underlying emoti...
Agonists selective for phosphoinositide-coupled receptors sensitize neurons to depolarization by l-2-amino-4-phosphonobutanoic acid (l-AP4)

Exposure of hippocampal and cortical slices to quisqualate induces a 30- to 100-fold decrease in the half-maximal concentration of L-2-amino-4-phosphonobutanoic acid (L-AP4) required to depolarize neurons. This sensitization persists for hours and has previously been shown to be induced only by quisqualate, via the interaction of quisqualate with a 6-cyano-7-nitroquinoxaline-2,3-dione (CNQX)-insensitive site. Here we tested the hypothesis that quisqualate may act on phosphoinositide (PI) metabolism to enhance the response to L-AP4, and found that sensitization to L-AP4 was induced by trans-1-amino-1,3-cyclopentanedicarboxylic acid (trans-ACPD), an agonist selective for PI-coupled excitatory amino acid receptors, and by carbachol and norepinephrine, agonists at other PI-coupled receptors. However, these compounds produced only a 2- to 5-fold sensitization to L-AP4, that was of shorter duration than that induced by quisqualate. These results suggest that sensitization to L-AP4 may be induced, at least in part, via PI-coupled receptors, and that the sensitivity of neurons to an excitatory amino acid agonist may be modified by heteroreceptor activation of the PI second messenger system.
The relationship of teacher attitudes to course implementation and student responses

Abstract In order to successfully implement a new curriculum it is critically important to have an understanding of both the nature of attitudes and concerns that teachers bring to the classroom and their potential effects on curriculum implementation and student responses to the course. This study investigated the relationship between the characteristics and views of 35 middle school teachers of a sexuality education course and their students' responses to the course. Teachers' levels of cognitive and affective comfort, and their perceptions of the adequacy of their preparation and social support were significantly associated with student perceptions of the course's impact on their sexual knowledge, attitudes, and anticipated personal behaviors. Teachers were also separated into more or less influential teacher groups, and changes in these attitudes and concerns before and after implementation were analyzed by group. Although many teacher views changed in a positive manner after implementation, distinctly different change patterns were evident between more and less influential teachers.
Optimization Strategies for MPI-Interoperable Active Messages

Data-intensive applications, such as those in bioinformatics and social network analysis, differ from traditional scientific applications in that they often involve data-driven and irregular computation/communication patterns, making them ill-suited for traditional data movement approaches. Active Messages (AM) is an alternative programming model that allows dynamically moving computation closer to data, rather than moving the data to the local process. In our previous work, we proposed an MPI-interoperable AM framework that allows existing MPI applications to incrementally take advantage of AM capabilities. While that work presented a baseline implementation of how AMs semantically interact with the rest of the MPI infrastructure, it had several performance shortcomings. In this paper, we analyze these performance shortcomings and propose three optimization strategies: one implicitly derived by the MPI implementation and two explicitly hinted to by the application user. In addition to the detailed description of these optimization strategies, the paper presents a thorough performance evaluation on a 4096-core cluster that demonstrates considerable performance advantages from these strategies.
Calculating Grounding-Electrode Impedance Using Fall-of-Potential and Impedance Methods

This example provides a real-world application (which could be measured in practice) for students in a numerical analysis class studying the finite-difference methods. The Impedance Method is very similar to the classical finite-difference method. In this paper, it is used to model single- and double-grounding electrode systems for residential construction in various types of soil. These models are used to conduct a numerical electrode-potential test, and to calculate the Earth impedance of simple or dual-grounding electrode systems in two dimensions to determine the theoretical efficacy of the grounding system. Depending on the type of soil and the distance between the grounding electrodes, the second electrode mayor may not sufficiently ground the system. Since many of our students have some experience with residential or agricultural electrical systems, this application provides motivation and interest. It also provides an opportunity to introduce the National Electrical Code in an electrical-engineering context.
Selection of Stable Cultivars Using Phenotypic Variances

Genotype-environment interactions reduce the correlation between phenotype and genotype and decrease selection progress. Type 1 stability measures (simple variance across environments S i 2 and related coefficient of variability CV i ) are biased because they do not distinguish the effects of locations and years. We propose the unbiased estimate of phenotypic variance (V P ) and phenotypic coefficient of variability (PCV i ) as an alternative to S i 2 . The V P , unlike S i 2 and Type 4 stability measure MS Y/L (years-within-location mean square), includes location, year within location, and error variance components from analysis of variance based on a linear model. The F-test can be used to classify cultivars into location unstable, year unstable, or both location and year unstable, or vice versa. The actual model used in data analyses was based on the mean across replications in each environment (P ij. ) because the plot (replication) data were not available. Hence, the corresponding V P and PCV i were denoted as V' P and PCV' i . The V' P underestimates V P . Monte Carlo simulation was used to evaluate the performance of V' P and S i 2 . A wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) data set was used to demonstrate the calculation of the above parameters. The results from rank correlation showed that V' P was correlated to MS Y/L, the regression coefficient (b i ), PCV' i , and S i 2 (P < 0.05). The V' P was not correlated to the residual mean square of deviation from the regression (δ i 2 ). The V' P and S i 2 had similar sampling errors. When less than 18 locations and 6 years are used, V P is particularly useful since S i 2 is biased.
A Multiscale Analysis of Coral Reef Topographic Complexity Using Lidar-Derived Bathymetry

Abstract Coral reefs represent one of the most irregular substrates in the marine environment. This roughness or topographic complexity is an important structural characteristic of reef habitats that affects a number of ecological and environmental attributes, including species diversity and water circulation. Little is known about the range of topographic complexity exhibited within a reef or between different reef systems. The objective of this study was to quantify topographic complexity for a 5-km x 5-km reefscape along the northern Florida Keys reef tract, over spatial scales ranging from meters to hundreds of meters. The underlying dataset was a 1-m spatial resolution, digital elevation model constructed from lidar measurements. Topographic complexity was quantified using a fractal algorithm, which provided a multi-scale characterization of reef roughness. The computed fractal dimensions (D) are a measure of substrate irregularity and are bounded between values of 2 and 3. Spatial patterns in D were...
Effect of Environmental Salinity on the Free Amino Acid Composition and Concentration in Penaeid Shrimp

White shrimp, Penaeus vannamei, kept in laboratory aquaria at a salinity of 35 parts per thousand (ppt) were subjected to increased and decreased salinity changes by either 5, 15 or 25 ppt. Shrimp were periodically removed from the aquaria and analyzed for total free amino acid nitrogen and also specific free amino acid composition. Decreasing salinities resulted in corresponding decreases in free amino acid concentration; minimum values were reached after 24 - 48 hr. Increasing salinities were likewise shown to result in corresponding increases in the tissue free amino acid concentration with maximum values being reachedin 24 hr. Glycine, proline, arginine, serine/threonine, and alanine were the most significant contributors, comprising from 93 - 96% of the total free amino acid pool.
The Role of Smart Power Technologies in Global Electrification

This paper explores trends in global electrification through 2050, and the shift in technology dominance from supply-side to demand-side as the electricity delivery system becomes integrated with communications to form a new mega-infrastructure with new functions. This 'energy web' will be a smart, interactive, and self-healing electricity delivery system fully capable of supporting the precision power needs of the digital society of the 21 st century. The demand side employs billions and ultimately trillions of microprocessor agents negotiating for specialised services on behalf of their owners. The traditional electricity meter will be replaced by a two-way energy/information portal, through which information, power and services can flow. Because of the resulting optimisation opportunities, substantial efficiency gains are possible throughout the entire energy chain, from end user to producer. Another advantage is an improvement in economic productivity through the use of advanced digital technologies in all sectors of the economy. A balanced focus on the technologies of supply and the technologies of demand is needed to meet global electrification goals. The paper shows that the sustainable growth of the global economy will be increasingly reliant on 'digital quality' electricity (perfectly reliable and free of spikes, voltage sags and frequency fluctuations) to power computers, advanced electro-technologies for business and industry, the internet and its successor networks, and the knowledge-based industries of the future. Examples include semiconductor manufacturing, phannaceuticals, advanced materials, nanotechnology applications and biotechnology. These applications are already well established in the developed world, and they will become increasingly important in the LDCs as these countries seek to expand the technology base of their economies. Finally, the paper points out that a balanced implementation of the technologies of supply and demand offers an optimal approach to improving worker productivity and thereby addressing the issues of an ageing (and shrinking) work force in many parts of the globe.
Fabrication of monolithic microstructures from polyaniline nanofibers

Due to the expanding research efforts in the field of nanomanufacturing, more techniques are being developed for the manipulation and directed deposition of nanomaterials into functional device platforms. Electrophoretic deposition has been a reliable method for ordering and aligning 0-D (spherical) and 1-D (fibers and wires) nanomaterials, but to date this technique has not been used as a method of bottom-up fabrication for larger coherent microstructures. The end products are either single element devices or non-coherent films and patterns. The work reported herein describes the fabrication of monolithic microstructures from nanofibers of the conducting polymer, polyaniline. Electrophoretic deposition techniques are used to pattern the nanofibers and through a subsequent flash-welding process the nanofiber mat can be bound together into a coherent monolithic porous structure retaining much of the morphology of non-coherent fiber networks. Applications for these structures are also discussed.
Extensions of the Allosteric Model for Haemoglobin

So far it has not been possible to distinguish experimentally between two possible models for cooperative ligand binding by haemoglobin. Numerical analysis, however, yields a unique value for the allosteric constant showing that only the two state model can account for the behaviour of the protein.
A comparative study of laparoscopy and colpotomy for the removal of ovarian dermoid cysts

Objective To compare laparoscope-assisted transvaginal removal of dermoid cysts to more standard laparoscopic cystectomy techniques. Methods We conducted a retrospective review of 44 laparoscopic dermoid removals performed at Olive View-UCLA Medical Center between 1992 and 1995. Cases were divided into three groups based on surgical approach: 1) conventional laparoscopic ovarian cystectomy, 2) laparoscopic ovarian cystectomy and removal of the freed mass via colpotomy, and 3) laparoscopic inspection, then transvaginal cystectomy via colpotomy. Surgical time, estimated blood loss, cyst spillage, and complications were compared. Results There were 11–19 patients in each group. The groups were similar in patient age, parity, and weight. Larger cysts tended to be removed by the laparoscopycolpotomy techniques (mean diameter 10 cm) rather than by the purely laparoscopic approach (mean diameter 7 cm, P Conclusion Laparoscope-assisted transvaginal ovarian cystectomy allows the removal of larger dermoid cysts, with less cyst spillage and savings in operative time and equipment compared with conventional laparoscopic cystectomy.
RELIGIOUS CORRELATES OF HOGAN'S SURVEY OF ETHICAL ATTITUDES

The scores of 102 undergraduates on Hogan's Survey of Ethical Attitudes were correlated with an author-devised measure of religious identification, religious upbringing, political attitudes, and so...
Stress and Religious Involvement Among Older Blacks

We conducted this study in a nationwide sample of older Black Americans to determine whether religious involvement helps to reduce the negative impact of stressful life events. The major outcome measures were self-esteem and feelings of personal control. Three models of the stress process were evaluated empirically: the suppressor, moderator, and distress-deterrent models. The data provided support for the distress-deterrent model only. The findings from this model indicated that although life stress to erode feelings of self-worth and mastery, these negative effects were offset or counterbalanced by increased religious involvement.
Energy efficient wireless packet scheduling and fair queuing

As embedded systems are being networked, often wirelessly, an increasingly larger share of their total energy budget is due to the communication. This necessitates the development of power management techniques that address communication subsystems, such as radios, as opposed to computation subsystems, such as embedded processors, to which most of the research effort thus far has been devoted. In this paper, we present techniques for energy efficient packet scheduling and fair queuing in wireless communication systems. Our techniques are based on an extensive slack management approach that dynamically adapts the output rate of the system in accordance with the input packet arrival rate. We use a recently proposed radio power management technique, dynamic modulation scaling (DMS), as a control knob to enable energy-latency trade-offs during wireless packet transmission. We first analyze a single input stream scenario, and describe a rate adaptation technique that results in significantly lower energy consumption (reductions of up to 10 ×), while still bounding the resulting packet delays. By appropriately setting the various parameters of our algorithm, the system can be made to traverse the energy-latency-fidelity trade-off space. We extend our techniques to a multiple input stream scenario, and present E2WFQ, an energy efficient version of the weighted fair queuing (WFQ) algorithm for fair packet scheduling. Simulation results show that large energy savings can be obtained through the use of E2WFQ, with only a small, bounded increase in worst case packet latency. Further, our results demonstrate that E2WFQ does not adversely affect the throughput allocation (and hence, fairness) of WFQ.
Shortening femoral osteotomy with stemmed resurfacing total knee arthroplasty for severe flexion contracture in Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis

Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis (JRA) is a progressive disease characterized by pain, swelling, and loss of motion in the joints of adolescents. Total knee arthroplasty (TKA) can be indicated, during the adolescent years, in patients with advanced JRA to alleviate pain and improve function. Because of the relative infrequency of TKA in patients with JRA, evaluation of the type of TKA performed and the results merit review. This case report present two distinct operations performed to obtain full extension. 1. Distal femoral resection with conversion to hinged arthroplasty. 2. Femoral shortening osteotomy with resurfacing TKA.
Evidence of association between specific heat-shock protein(s) and the drought and heat tolerance phenotype in maize

Summary Although differences in heat-shock protein (HSP) patterns and differences in heritable drought and/or heat tolerance have been documented, there is no genetic evidence of association of the drought and/or heat tolerance with specific alterations in HSP expression in crop plants. In this study we tested the hypothesis that specific maize HSP(s) is(are) associated with plant ability to withstand soil drying (drought) and heat stress. We previously identified a line of maize, ZPBL 1304, which is tolerant to drought and heat stress and synthesizes a 45 ku (kDa) HSP(s), and a line of maize, ZPL 389, which is sensitive to drought and heat stress and does not synthesize the 45 ku HSP(s) (Ristic et al., 1991). We investigated possible association of the 45 ku HSP(s) of ZPBL 1304 line with the drought and heat tolerance phenotype. The two lines, ZPBL 1304 and ZPL 389, were crossed, and dehydration avoidance, damage to cellular membranes, and pattern of HSP synthesis were investigated in F2 plants after exposure to soil drying and high temperature (45°C) stress conditions. The 45 ku HSP(s) of ZPBL 1304 line was(were) associated with the drought and heat tolerance phenotype. The synthesis of 45 ku HSP(s) was observed in F2 plants that displayed an increased ability to recover from soil drying and heat stress. It is possible that either the 45 ku HSP(s) play a role in recovery from drought and heat stress or their gene(s) are in close proximity to the gene(s) which encode tolerance to drought and heat stress.
"The effect of income choice on bias in policy decisions made using cost-benefit analyses"

Abstract Cost–benefit analysis (CBA) is often used in policy decisions to determine the economic value of various choices. Although the effects of income disparity are well accepted, one of the reasons for the success of this type of analysis is that many policy-makers and analysts consider the results of a well-crafted analysis to be largely free of partisan or political bias. Here I propose that tradeoffs between the benefits of various possible jobs or careers introduce a significant bias into values imputed based upon willingness to pay (WTP) measures. In particular, I demonstrate why we might expect the values of various segments of society to be differentially appreciated by CBA. Empirical evidence is presented, indicating that there is a significant negative correlation between the importance an individual places on income and the willingness of that individual to forgo consumption in favor of environmental improvement, as well as a correlation between the importance of income and actual income. These results suggest that CBA as a tool of welfare economics is likely to be biased against environmental protection because concerned individuals are likely to choose careers which do not maximize consumption, thus decreasing their ability to pay for both real and hypothetical environmental improvements. Moreover, the size of this bias appears to be large.
Ventricular excitation in experimental left bundle branch block.

Abstract The pattern and mechanism of ventricular excitation following experimental left bundle branch block was studied in detail by means of a multichannel recording system. After interruption of the main left bundle, the septum is activated from right to left. This depolarization proceeds in orderly fashion with no evidence of intraseptal delay. Single rather than double envelopment of the septum accounts for the septal phases of the prolonged QRS complex. This type of septal activation accounts for more than half the duration of the QRS after LBBB. Mural activation on the blocked side occurs first on the anterior epicardium. The excitation wave apparently reaches this region by muscle conduction across the septum. Initially there is epi-endocardial spread in this region of the mural myocardium. Such a pattern of spread may be one reason why differentiating LBBB and anterior myocardial infarction is sometimes difficult. As the excitation wave proceeds laterally, its direction of spread becomes endo-epicardial. Changes in (1) the earliest activated site, (2) the rate of conduction, (3) the direction of spread, and (4) the sequence of depolarization in the left ventricular wall also contribute to the prolongation of the QRS. The inscription of the QRS complex in a Lead II electrocardiogram is correlated with the order of depolarization. Records from bipolar limb leads further substantiate the similarity between human and canine electrocardiograms.
The past and present role of coca in the Andes

Gagliano, Joseph A. Coca Prohibition in Peru: The Historical Debates. Tucson: University of Arizona Press, 1994. 245 pp. $24.95 doth. Sanabria, Harry. The Coca Boom and Rural Social Change in Bolivia. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press, 1993. 296 pp. $47.50 cloth.
Role of NEK6 in tumor promoter-induced transformation in JB6 C141 mouse skin epidermal cells

NEK6 (NIMA-related kinase 6) is a homologue of the Aspergillus nidulans protein NIMA (never in mitosis, gene A). We demonstrate that overexpression of NEK6 induces anchorage-independent transformation of JB6 Cl41 mouse epidermal cells. Tissue arrays and Western immunoblot analysis show that NEK6 is overexpressed in malignant tissues and several cancer cell lines. Our data also show that NEK6 interacts with STAT3, an oncogenic transcription factor, and phosphorylates STAT3 on Ser727, which is important for transcriptional activation. Additional studies using NEK6 mutants suggested that the phosphorylation on both Ser206 and Thr210 of NEK6 is critical for STAT3 phosphorylation and anchorage-independent transformation of mouse epidermal cells. Notably, knockdown of NEK6 decreased colony formation and STAT3 Ser727 phosphorylation. Based on our findings, the most likely mechanism that can account for this biological effect involves the activation of STAT3 through the phosphorylation on Ser727. Because of the critical role that STAT3 plays in mediating oncogenesis, the stimulatory effects of NEK6 on STAT3 and cell transformation suggest that this family of serine/threonine kinases might represent a novel chemotherapeutic target.
Selective stimulation of a cellular immune response by methotrexate.

Methotrexate administered to rats undergoing a local graft-versus-host reaction (GvHR) had two quite distinct effects on the lymphoid hypertrophy, that characterizes the GvHR, depending upon the timing of the drug administration:
Effects of alkyltin compounds on hydrogen-oxidizing anaerobic bacteria

Methyl and butyltin compounds were inhibitory to all anaerobes examined, but there were great variations, depending on the specific alkyltin and bacterium. The methanogens were inhibited more strongly by methyl than by butyl derivatives; more than 50% inhibition occurred with 0.025–0.5 mM of the methyltins, whereas 0.16–1.8 mM butyltins were needed for the same level of inhibition; tri-butyltin was the least toxic.Methanosarcina barkeri was, in general, more resistant than theMethanococcus sp. andMethanobacterium bryantii. TheDesulfovibrio were more strongly inhibited by mono-methyltin than by di- and tri-methyl derivatives; butyltins were, in general, not so toxic. Mono-methyltin at 0.15 mM almost completely inhibited three of the sulfate reducers, butDesulfovibrio thermophilus required 0.7 mM for this level of inhibition. Tri-butyltin at 1.8 mM did not cause major inhibition, whereas mono- and di-butyltins were more inhibitory.Acetobacterium woodii was most affected by mono- and dimethyltins, and least by tri-methyltin and mono-butyltin. In contrast,Wollinella succinogenes was most affected by tri-methyltin. This study suggests several major groups of anaerobes thought to be involved in metal biocorrosion vary greatly in their response to alkyltins; most interesting is the relative insensitivity by methanogens and sulfate reducers to tri-butyltin, which is a major component in commercial antifouling paints. Our results differ considerably from those reported for aerobic microorganisms, which were found to be most affected by tributyltin.
Evaluation of lifestyle risk factors and job status associated with back injuries among employees at a mid-western university.

Abstract For decades the literature has shown an association between work-related risk factors and back injuries among employees. However, only recently, there is a growing body of literature that suggests lifestyle risk factors may also be associated with back injuries. The purpose of this research was to determine if selected lifestyle risk factors are associated with a greater risk of back injuries. Further, there may be an association between job status and incident reporting, lost workdays cases and workers' compensation (WC) paid for back injuries among university employees. Aggregate data from a Health Risk Assessment (HRA) questionnaire were used to analyze 6053 university employees for lifestyle risk factors associated with back injuries. Of the total sample, 57% (n = 3471) were female; 46% (n = 2778) worked as clerical or service staff; and the mean age was 45 years. Pearson chi-square (χ2) analyses indicate that job status (χ2 = 307.07, df = 4, p
Experiments on the stability of a liquid bridge in an axial electric field

The behavior of a neutrally buoyant liquid bridge was studied in the presence of axial electric fields. Silicone oil and a castor‐oil–eugenol mixture were used to form cylinders with slenderness ratios larger than π with strong, axial, dc electric fields. Below a certain field strength, a smooth transition to an axisymmetric, vaselike shape occurred. Circulation patterns were observed in these bridges. At lower field strengths, the bridge shape was more deformed and, at a well‐defined field, pinch‐off occurred. With ac fields, the field strength required to stabilize the bridge was higher and the collapse of the cylinder was much sharper. Upon interchanging the fluids, a steady axial field was found to destabilize cylinders with slenderness ratios less than 3. This behavior is consistent with that anticipated if the fluids behave as leaky dielectrics but not if they act as perfect dielectrics.
Basic Moral Values: A Shared Core

We have to explain not only why there is so much difference between cultures on ethical questions, but also why there is so much concurrence at a general level. If the most basic ethical values are objective and cultures use those basic building stones to construct implicit ethical arguments in the form of secondary and tertiary values, then we have an explanation for both similarities and differences. The base-line core is shred; the upper tiers differ by culture. Requiring cross-cultural concurrence not only separates out core values from secondary ones, but also provides a check that a whole culture has not gone awry due to local circumstances. Without some form of objectivity, there is no firm grounding other than taste for criticizing whatever happen to be another culture's values, or even for reforming one's own. Without objectivity there is no firm grounding for moral objections to someone from a different culture - such as Hitler or Idi Amin.
An object-oriented architecture for a computer animation system

This paper describes the architecture, capabilities and implementation of The Clockworks, an object-oriented computer animation system encompassing a wide variety of modeling, image synthesis, animation, programming and simulation capabilities in a single integrated environment. The object-oriented features of The Clockworks are implemented in portable C under UNIX using a programming discipline. These features include objects with methods and instance variables, class hierarchies, inheritance, instantiation and message passing.
The Pleistocene archaeology and environments of the Wasiriya Beds, Rusinga Island, Kenya.

Western Kenya is well known for abundant early Miocene hominoid fossils. However, the Wasiriya Beds of Rusinga Island, Kenya, preserve a Pleistocene sedimentary archive with radiocarbon age estimates of >33e45 ka that contains Middle Stone Age artifacts and abundant, well-preserved fossil fauna: a cooccurrence rare in eastern Africa, particularly in the region bounding Lake Victoria. Artifacts and fossils are associated with distal volcanic ash deposits that occur at multiple localities in the Wasiriya Beds, correlated on the basis of geochemical composition as determined by electron probe microanalysis. Sediment lithology and the fossil ungulates suggest a local fluvial system and associated riparian wooded habitat within a predominantly arid grassland setting that differs substantially from the modern environment, where local climate is strongly affected by moisture availability from Lake Victoria. In particular, the presence of oryx (Oryx gazella) and Grevy’s zebra (Equus grevyi) suggest a pre-Last Glacial Maximum expansion of arid grasslands, an environmental reconstruction further supported by the presence of several extinct specialized grazers (Pelorovis antiquus, Megalotragus sp., and a small alcelaphine) that are unknown from Holocene deposits in eastern Africa. The combination of artifacts, a rich fossil fauna, and volcaniclastic sediments makes the Wasiriya Beds a key site for examining the Lake Victoria basin, a biogeographically important area for understanding the diversification and dispersal of Homo sapiens from Africa, whose pre-Last Glacial Maximum history remains poorly understood.
Efficient estimation of joint queries from multiple OLAP databases

Given an OLAP query expressed over multiple source OLAP databases, we study the problem of estimating the resulting OLAP target database. The problem arises when it is not possible to derive the result from a single database. The method we use is linear indirect estimation, commonly used for statistical estimation. We examine two obvious computational methods for computing such a target database, called the full cross-product (F) and preaggregation (P) methods. We study the accuracy and computational cost of these methods. While the F method provides a more accurate estimate, it is more expensive computationally than P. Our contribution is in proposing a third, new method, called the partial preaggregation method (PP), which is significantly less expensive than F, but just as accurate. We prove formally that the PP method yields the same results as the F method, and provide analytical and experimental results on the accuracy and computational benefits of the PP method.
Obesity: Impact on Cardiovascular Disease

The American Heart Association conference entitled “Obesity: Impact on Cardiovascular Disease” was held May 22–24, 1998, in Amelia Island, Fla. It was cosponsored by Futura Media Services and the American Heart Association Councils on Cardiovascular Nursing; Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology; Cardiovascular Disease in the Young; Clinical Cardiology; Epidemiology and Prevention; and High Blood Pressure Research; the AHA Nutrition Committee; and the AHA Prevention Coordinating Committee. The proceedings are summarized briefly in this report. A monograph of the conference will be published by Futura Publishing Company, Inc. Obesity is an important determinant of cardiovascular disease (CVD). Previous epidemiological studies of obesity have documented a modest association of obesity and risk of CVD, especially in younger age groups. The study of obesity and CVD should now focus on weight change over time, especially differences between childhood versus younger and older adult weight gains, and the distribution of body fat, especially visceral or intra-abdominal fat. Weight gain during young adult life may be one of the most important determinants of cardiovascular risk factors. Increased intra-abdominal fat, or waist circumference, is probably related to a constellation of risk factors, the so-called insulin resistance syndrome. It is also associated with higher levels of inflammatory markers such as C-reactive protein and fibrinogen. The increasing prevalence of obesity in children is cause for great concern. There is no definition of obesity in children that relates body mass index (BMI) to health outcomes. However, >20% of children aged 6 to 17 years are >20% overweight at the 85th percentile of BMI, and 10% of children aged 6 to 17 are overweight at the 95th percentile. It appears that 50% of children who are overweight are also overweight as adults, but it is not possible to identify any individual child who will become an overweight adult. CVD risk …
Increasing industrial safety practices and conditions through posted feedback.

This study examined the effects of posted feedback for improving safety in a paper mill. Data were taken once a week on 24 practices and 7 conditions. In addition, data on injuries with and without lost time were collected monthly. After posting feedback on safe and unsafe conditions for 6 months, more than half of the 17 divisions of the mill showed improvement. Similarly, safe practices increased after feedback was provided for them for 2 months. Most importantly, injuries were cut in half.
Diffuse crescentic glomerulonephritis in bacterial endocarditis

Renal involvement is common in patients with bacterial endocarditis. The most common bacteria are staphylococci and streptococci, and the commonest renal histopathological lesion is a diffuse proliferative and exudative type of glomerulonephritis. Very rarely, patients may present with an extensive glomerular epithelial crescent formation with a rapid deterioration in the renal function. This study reviews the published literature on diffuse crescentic glomerulonephritis in bacterial endocarditis and reports a 24-year-old male patient with endocarditis due to Capnocytophagia species, a gram-negative facultative anaerobic bacillus, which normally inhabits the oral cavity. Appropriate antibiotic therapy is essential to eradicate the infection. A brief course of corticosteroid therapy may be helpful in those with deteriorating renal function. Plasmapheresis may be useful in those with persistent hypocomplementemia, increased circulating immune complexes, and a progressive deterioration in the renal function. Removal of vegetation or valve replacement may be necessary. Prognosis is generally good.
Economic Progress in the Postbellum South? African-American Incomes in the Mississippi Delta, 1880–1910☆

Abstract The extent of economic gains by African Americans in the decades after slavery is in dispute. Using a newly constructed data set, compiled from the manuscript census schedules and other sources, we find that African Americans in the Mississippi Delta experienced substantial income gains between 1880 and 1910. These gains can be attributed partly to African Americans moving into higher paying occupations—in particular, moving from being farm laborers to being farm operators—and partly to an increase in the incomes received from given occupations.