cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Dissipation in Quantum Mechanics. The Two-Level System

The study of a two-level system (TLS) coupled to a loss mechanism (LM), the fluctuations of which are taken into account, is motivated by relating the problem to spin-lattice relaxation, radiation damping, and Brownian motion. A TLS of the electric dipole type (coupled to the LM through one variable only) is discussed first. The problem is formulated in terms of the Pauli spin matrices, and the Langevin equations for Brownian motion of a TLS are derived. Their solution---made possible by taking expectation values in LM space---contains the Weisskopf-Wigner exponential decay formula of radiation theory, as well as a second-order shift in frequency of the TLS produced by the (nondispersive) LM. A driving force is added to the problem and expressions are obtained for a driven lossy TLS of the electric dipole type. The same analysis is applied to a TLS of the magnetic dipole type and differential equations for the spin matrices---for which the expectation values in LM space has been taken---are obtained. Taking expectation values in TLS space converts these equations into the Bloch equations. Unlike the electric dipole case, no frequency shift is present.
TurboConsumers™ in paradise: Tourism, civil rights, and Brazil's gay sex industry

In this article, I examine the contradictory ideals and practices of North American gay sex tourists in Brazil. Even as gay travel can be an edifying search for broader community, gay tourists I met also argued that their travel and spending encourage local communities to become more tolerant of gay subjectivities. Gay tourists were attracted by “exotic” and “different” local models for same-sex desire, but they simultaneously promoted the universality of “gay identity” to sex workers as a matter of modernity and gay rights, thereby attempting to delegitimize the very sexual difference that initially attracted them. Moreover, tourists’ efforts to link consumer capability to sexual identification and civil rights reflect a larger and even more dangerous tendency to cede ethically grounded claims for equal rights to market-based ones.
Immunological effects of chlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins.

Abstract 2,3,7,8-Tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) and structurally similar halogenated aromatic hydrocarbons cause a broad range of immunologic effects in experimental animals including decreased host resistance to infectious disease and suppressed humoral and cell-mediated immune responses. In the mouse, TCDD immunotoxicity has been shown to be an aryl hydrocarbon (Ah) receptor-dependent process. However, despite considerable research, the biochemical and molecular alterations that occur subsequent to Ah receptor activation that lead to altered immune reactivity remain to be elucidated. In addition to immune suppression, TCDD promotes inflammatory responses. This effect may result from an upregulation of the production of inflammatory cytokines such as interleukin-1 and tumor necrosis factor. Nonhuman primates exposed to TCDD show suppressed antibody responses and changes in lymphocyte subsets in the peripheral blood. The immunotoxic effects of TCDD in humans are poorly characterized, and few studies have examined the immune status of individuals with known, documented exposure to TCDD. It is important for laboratory research to focus on defining TCDD-sensitive immunologic biomarkers in animal models that can also be used in human subjects. Understanding the mechanisms that underlie species differences in TCDD immunotoxicity is also of critical importance for extrapolation of effects seen in laboratory animals to man.
Comparative studies of comprehension: An investigation of Chinese, Norwegian, and English.

The present paper compared the processing of complex embedded sentences in Chinese, Norwegian, and English to determine if the underlying mental operations are similar in these diverse languages. The task involved reading a sentence likeIt’s true that the dots aren’t red and deciding whether it was true or false according to an accompanying picture. The verification latencies were analyzed in terms of a model based on one central mental operation. The results for all three languages conformed to the predictions of the model and showed similar processing rates. Moreover, the Norwegian study expanded the analysis to include quantification in sentences likeIt’s true that many of the dots aren’t red. These studies suggest that certain fundamental operations may be universally implicated in language processing.
2011 American Library Association Conference

The 2011 American Library Association conference took place June 23–28 at the Morial Convention Center in New Orleans, Louisiana. This report summarizes several programs and forums including the Association for Library Collections and Technical Services (ALCTS) Continuing Resources Section, Electronic Resources Interest Group program; Holdings Forum: Universal and Repurposed Holdings Information: Emerging Initiatives and Projects; the RDA Update Forum; and the Continuing Resources Cataloging Committee Update Forum.
An overview of therapeutic apheresis in pediatrics

Therapeutic apheresis in pediatrics requires selected modifications due to the child's smaller size, blood volume, and developmental age. Red blood cell priming is used to prevent dilution of the child's hematocrit from the normal saline prime. Continuous flow cell separators maintain isovolemia. Discontinuous flow machines cause alterations in the blood volume which may be poorly tolerated by small and critically ill children. Whole blood volumes are calculated on 100 cc/kg for newborns and 70 cc/kg for toddlers and children. Although peripheral access may be used in older children, the majority of pediatric patients require central venous lines preferably the stiffer apheresis or dialysis double lumen catheters. Anticoagulants include heparin, anticoagulant citrate dextrose (ACD), or a combination of both. The heparin dose is titrated to achieve activated clotting times of 180-220 seconds. Children are more sensitive to the hypocalcaemic effects of ACD especially if citrated replacement products such as fresh frozen plasma are used. Prevention or treatment of low ionized calcium levels may include decreased citrate rates, calcium addition to 5% albumin replacement, calcium gluconate infusions, intravenous boluses of calcium chloride, or a change in anticoagulant. Apheresis risks can be reduced through adequate monitoring and preventive measures. The most commonly performed treatments are plasma exchanges and peripheral blood stem cell collections. Diversional activities appropriate for the child's developmental age are provided to allay anxiety, to divert attention, and to elicit cooperation. In conclusion, size and clinical condition are not exclusionary criteria for apheresis.
Childhood trauma and employment disability.

Introduction:While the relationship between childhood trauma and employment disability has undergone very limited study, existing data suggest a possible correlation.Method:In this study of 91 outpatients in an internal medicine setting, we surveyed participants and inquired about their childhood histories of sexual, physical, and emotional abuse, of physical neglect, and of witnessing violence. We also asked whether participants had ever been on employment disability, either psychiatric or non-psychiatric, and the length of that disability.Results:Being or having been on disability was significantly related to childhood histories of emotional abuse, physical neglect, and witnessing violence. Being or having been on psychiatric disability was significantly related to childhood emotional abuse and physical neglect while being on non-psychiatric medical disability was significantly related to witnessing violence. The percent of one's lifetime on disability was significantly related to physical and emotional...
EFFECTS OF DILUTE RARE-EARTH ADDITIONS ON THE ELECTRICAL CONDUCTIVITY OF CERIUM AT LOW TEMPERATURES

Two atomic percent of the various trivalent rare earths were dissolved in cerium, and the electrical resistivities of these dilute binary alloys evaluated in the range 1.5 to 297 °K in order to determine whether the various solute magnetic properties might be reflected in resistivity measurements. The γ and β-cerium phases at room temperature showed a roughly linear dependence of resistivity on atomic number of the rare-earth solute, noted was a slight effect attributed to solvent-solute atomic size mismatch. At 4 °K the resistivities of predominantly α phases were found to be influenced by small amounts of β, and predominantly β phases by small amounts of α. Spin-disorder resistivities for the β phase of the various alloys did not reflect the influence of any solute magnetic parameters, but did decrease slightly in the direction of the heavier rare-earth solutes. Zwei Atomprozent verschiedener dreiwertiger seltener Erden wurden in Cer gelost und die spezifischen elektrischen Widerstande dieser binaren Legierungen wurden im Temperaturbereich 1,5 bis 297 °K bestimmt, um festzustellen, ob die magnetischen Eigenschaften der Zusatzelemente sich bei den Widerstandsmessungen widerspiegeln. Die γ- und die β-Phase von Cer zeigen bei Raumtemperatur ungefahr lineare Abhangigkeit des spezifischen Widerstandes von der Zahl der zugesetzten Atome mit Ausnahme eines geringen Effektes, der durch die Atomgrosenunterschiede bedingt ist. Bei 4 °K werden die spezifischen Wider-stande der α-Phase durch kleine Anteile der β-Phase und die der β-Phase durch kleine Anteile der α-Phase beeinflust. Die spezifischen Widerstande durch ungeordnete Spins in der β-Phase der verschiedenen Legierungen widerspiegeln nicht die magnetischen Parameter der zugesetzten seltenen Erden, sie nehmen jedoch schwach ab in Richtung auf schwerere seltene Erden.
Identification and SAR around N-{2-[4-(2,3-dihydro-benzo[1,4]dioxin-2-ylmethyl)-[1,4]diazepan-1-yl]-ethyl}-2-phenoxy-nicotinamide, a selective α2C adrenergic receptor antagonist

Abstract The discovery of the CNS-penetrant and selective α 2C adrenergic receptor antagonist N -{2-[4-(2,3-dihydro-benzo[1,4]dioxin-2-ylmethyl)-[1,4]diazepan-1-yl]-ethyl}-2-phenoxy-nicotinamide, 13 is described. Structure–activity studies demonstrate the structural requirements for binding affinity, functional activity, and selectivity over other α 2 -AR subtypes.
A Proof from the Peri Ideon revisited

In Book A of the Metaphysics Aristotle asserts that none of the ways in which "we prove" the existence of Forms is really convincing, for some of them are simply invalid and others prove the existence of Forms "for things of which we do not think that there are Forms" (990 b 8-11). As an example of failure in the latter case, Aristotle cites the argument which produces Ideas of relatives. This argument fails, says Aristotle, because "we don't want to say that relatives are a class of things existing by themselves" (990 b 15-17), i.e. we ought not to assert that there are Ideas of relatives. In the AMetaphysics we have only the mention of an argument concerning relatives and its rather curt dismissal by Aristotle. It has been clear to scholars for a long time, however, that in chapter 9 of Book A, Aristotle is simply passing in review the statement and criticism of a number of Academic arguments for the existence of Forms which he had treated at length and refuted in a lost essay entitled Peri Ideon. And fortunately fragments of this essay have been preserved in Alexander's commentary on the Metaphysics, where we find a statement of the argument concerning relatives and Aristotle's refutation of it.' In this paper I would like to approach this argument from tlhree points of view: 1) what T believe is the correct analysis and interpretation of the argument; 2) a comparison of my view with those of G. E. L. Owen and H. Cherniss;2 and 3) a brief discussion of one of Aristotle's criticisms of the argument. An extended treatment of this argument is called for, since it raises important questions on the nature
A fertile man with tdic(Y;22): How a stable neo‐X1X2Y sex‐determining mechanism could evolve in man

We describe a normal man with the karyotype: 45,X,dic(Y;22)(Ypter----Yq11.23::22p11.2----22qter+ ++). A brother and father of the propositus also had 45 chromosomes with the same dic(Y;22). Carriers of this chromosome are of normal phenotype, and the carrier of reproductive age had apparently normal fertility. A neo-X1X1X2X2/X1X2Y sex-determining mechanism can be considered to be operating in this family.
Vasopressin analog influences the performance of males on a reaction time task.

Abstract The effects of desmopressin acetate (DDAVP), a vasopressin analogue, were investigated using the Sternberg Item Recognition Task. This task requires a subject to memorize a target set of up to four digits and then quickly to decide whether or not a given probe was in the original memory set. Fifteen college aged males were used as subjects in this study. Subjects received, in a double blind procedure, 0.6 ml of DDAVP (60 μg) or an equal volume of vehicle solution during the first test session. One week later, during the second test session, the hormoneplacebo treatments were reversed. The results indicated significant main effects for set size and decision type and an interaction between treatment and session. Treatment with DDAVP during the second but not the first session improved performance at each set size as compared to treatment with the vehicle. These results indicate that DDAVP, combined with experience on this task, improved attentional processes but did not influence memory, which would have been indicated by an interaction between treatment and size of memory set.
Involvement of an SAF-like Transcription Factor in the Activation of Serum Amyloid A Gene in Monocyte/Macrophage Cells by Lipopolysaccharide†

Serum amyloid A (SAA) has been linked to atherosclerosis because of its ability to remodel high-density lipoprotein by the depletion of apolipoprotein A1, its ability to bind cholesterol, and its presence in the atherosclerotic plaques of coronary and carotid arteries. In the present study, we investigated the induction mechanism of SAA gene in THP-1 monocyte/macrophage cells which play a critical role in the development of atherosclerotic fatty streak and plaque formation. We and others have shown that SAA gene is induced in monocyte/macrophage cells by lipopolysaccharide (LPS). By promoter function analysis, we show that the SAA promoter sequence between −280 and −226 can confer LPS responsiveness. Gel electrophoretic mobility shift assay detected an induced DNA-binding activity in these cells in response to LPS. Characterization of the DNA-binding protein by UV cross-linking, Southwestern blot, and antibody ablation/supershift assays revealed that it is similar to a recently reported nuclear factor des...
The psychosocial impact of penile reconstructive surgery for congenital penile deviation.

ABSTRACT Introduction A variety of surgical techniques to correct congenital penile deviation (CPD) have been described. Although surgical outcomes have been reported, the impact of this treatment on sexual relationship, confidence, self-esteem, and sexual function has never been established. Aim To assess the impact of surgical treatment for CPD on sexual relationship, confidence, self-esteem, and sexual function, employing validated instruments. Main Outcome Measures The Self-Esteem and Relationship (SEAR) and International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF) questionnaires. Methods Prospective, longitudinal, uncontrolled study of 32 men undergoing penile reconstructive surgery for CPD. Assessment of change in sexual relationship, confidence, self-esteem, and sexual function scores. Results Twenty (37.5%) patients had ventral and 12 (62.5%) had lateral curvature, mean magnitude was 37±12°. Significant improvement in SEAR domains scores was observed in sexual relationship (82 vs. 40, P P P P =0.85), significant improvements were observed in the libido (8 vs. 5, P =0.02) and satisfaction (22 vs. 15, P Conclusions Penile reconstructive surgery for CPD is associated with significant improvements in overall relationship, sexual relationship, confidence, libido, and satisfaction, as reflected by higher scores in three of the four domains of the SEAR questionnaire and improvements in two of the four domains of the IIEF. Tal R, Nabulsi O, Nelson CJ, and Mulhall JP. The psychosocial impact of penile reconstructive surgery for congenital penile deviation.
The chronic coronary flow reserve provided by saphenous vein bypass grafts as determined by digital coronary radiography

Abstract Intraoperative measurements following aortocoronary revascularization have demonstrated a reduced coronary flow reserve (CFR) in saphenous vein bypass grafts. To determine whether chronic bypass graft flow reserve returns to normal, we studied patients in the cardiac catheterization laboratory by means of a newly developed digital coronary radiographic technique. CFR ratios were determined for 54 arterial distributions from 33 men. Twenty-two distributions were normal (group I), 22 had saphenous vein bypass grafts (group II), seven had high-grade stenoses, which were subsequently bypassed (group III), and three were bypassed but had flow-limiting stenoses (group IV). Group II arteries had approximately half the CFR of group I arteries (1.40 ± 0.17 vs 1.78 ± 0.31; p p p
The Early Literacy Project: Connecting across the Literacy Curriculum

Research was conducted on the efficacy of an integrated reading-writing program for primary-grade students with mild disabilities. The literacy program was designed to incorporate five principles o...
A pulse sequence for simplifying hydrogen NMR spectra of biological tissues

Abstract 1H NMR studies of many mammalian tissues are complicated by the presence of large lipid resonances that obscure much of the spectrum. In this communication a simple spin-echo homonuclear double-resonance difference sequence was used to separate the resonances of alanine, lactate, β-hydroxybutyrate, glutamate, and glutamine from the lipid resonances which overlap them in excised rat leg muscle and heart, and in an excised mouse liver which had been perfused with [3-13C]alanine.
Effectiveness of supplemental grasp-force feedback in the presence of vision.

Previous studies have shown that supplemental grasp-force feedback can improve control for users of a hand prosthesis or neuroprosthesis under conditions where vision provides little force information. Visual cues of force are widely available in everyday use, however, and may obviate the utility of supplemental force information. The purpose of the present study was to use a video-based hand neuroprosthesis simulator to determine whether grasp-force feedback can improve control in the presence of realistic visual information. Seven able-bodied subjects used the simulator to complete a simple grasp-and-hold task while controlling and viewing pre-recorded, digitised video clips of a neuroprosthesis user's hand squeezing a compliant object. The task was performed with and without supplemental force feedback presented via electrocutaneous stimulation. Subjects had to achieve and maintain the (simulated) grasp force within a target window of variable size (±10–40% of full scale). Force feedback improved the success rate significantly for all target window sizes (8–16%, on average), and improved the success rate at all window sizes for six of the seven subjects. Overall, the improvement was equivalent functionally to a 35% increase in the window size. Feedback also allowed subjects to identify the direction of grasp errors more accurately, on average by 10–15%. In some cases, feedback improved the failure identification rate even if success rates were unchanged. It is thus concluded that supplemental grasp-force feedback can improve grasp control even with access to rich visual information from the hand and object.
Tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-1 (TIMP-1) is an independent predictor of all-cause mortality, cardiac mortality, and myocardial infarction.

Background Matrix metalloproteinases and their inhibitors have been implicated in both vascular and ventricular remodeling, and in atherosclerotic plaque rupture. The prognostic value of plasma tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-1 (TIMP-1) levels in patients with established or suspected coronary artery disease is unknown. Methods Tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-1 and matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) levels, along with a number of other established biomarkers, were measured in 389 male patients undergoing coronary angiography at a Veterans Administration Medical Center. The patients were then followed prospectively for the occurrence of all-cause mortality, cardiac mortality, and myocardial infarction (MI). Results Follow-up data at 24 months were available for 97% of the patients. For the entire cohort of patients, TIMP-1 was the only biomarker to independently predict all-cause mortality and MI. In addition, the ratio of TIMP-1 to matrix metalloproteinase-9 was independently predictive of cardiac mortality at 24 months. The 24-month survival rates for patients in the lower quartile ( 100 ng/mL) of plasma TIMP-1 values were 95.3%, 89.3%, and 72.2%, respectively ( P Conclusions In a cohort of male patients undergoing coronary angiography, a single baseline determination of plasma TIMP-1 is independently predictive of the subsequent risk of death and MI.
Static Strength Tests of Steel Plate Strengthened Concrete Beams

The behavior of damaged concrete beams strengthened by externally bonded steel plates is investigated experimentally. The variables tested were the thickness of the external steel plate, length and location of the interfacial crack, and the degree of surface preparation of the steel plate. In all five beams the thickness of adhesive was kept constant. The results indicate that (i) the behavior of the damaged open sandwich beam is similar to that of a singly reinforced concrete beam when no debonding occurs between the concrete and the adherent steel plate, (ii) the case with interfacial crack between the steel and the adhesive is more critical man that the case when the interfacial crack is between the adhesive and the concrete, (iii) the failure load and the mode of failure are dependent of the degree of the surface preparation of the steel plate. The results suggested that the interface separation (debonding) is the critical mode of failure of the open sandwich beam if a large interfacial crack between the steel plate and the adhesive exists. An analytical investigation to predict the interfacial debonding is summarized, and its results suggest that linear elastic fracture mechanics is suited for predicting the failure load for the case of debonding in open sandwich beams.
Extraction of broken pedicle screws: technical note.

Objective To describe a simple technique for extraction of broken pedicle screw fragments using a high-speed drill and to discuss additional extraction techniques presented in the literature. Technique The broken pedicle screw is removed by drilling a pilot hole with a side-cutting bit next to and along the long axis of the fragment in the superior aspect of the pedicle. The bit is then wedged into the interface between the bone and the proximal screw threads. While the bit is pressed against the threads, the drill is activated in brief pulses. The clockwise rotation of the drill bit engages the threads and backs out the screw fragment Results This technique has been successfully used in at least two patients with fractured titanium screws allowing placement of larger diameter screws in the same holes. Standard equipment was used, and no complications were encountered. Conclusion Broken titanium pedicle screws can be extracted without damaging the pedicle and without using specialized equipment.
A distributed broadcast protocol in multi-hop cognitive radio ad hoc networks without a common control channel

Broadcast is an important operation in wireless ad hoc networks where control information is usually propagated as broadcasts for the realization of most networking protocols. In traditional ad hoc networks, since the spectrum availability is uniform, broadcasts are delivered via a common channel which can be heard by all users in a network. However, in cognitive radio (CR) ad hoc networks, different unlicensed users may acquire different available channel sets. This non-uniform spectrum availability imposes special design challenges for broadcasting in CR ad hoc networks. In this paper, a fully-distributed broadcast protocol in multi-hop CR ad hoc networks without a common control channel is proposed. In our design, we consider practical scenarios that each unlicensed user is not assumed to be aware of the global network topology, the spectrum availability information of other users, and time synchronization information. By intelligently downsizing the original available channel set and designing the broadcasting sequences and scheduling schemes, our proposed broadcast protocol can provide very high successful broadcast ratio while achieving the shortest average broadcast delay. It can also eliminate broadcast collisions. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first work that addresses the broadcasting challenges specifically in multi-hop CR ad hoc networks under practical scenarios.
The addition of cava pulmonary artery shunts to patients with existing systemic pulmonary artery shunts

I N THE LAST TWO DECADES various types of systemic pulmonary artery (S-PA) shunts have been used to palliate children with cyanotic heart lesions. Some eventually have been totally corrected, some have died as a result of their original anomaly or from complications of the shunt itself, and some continue reasonably well palliated. However, many of these patients have lesions not amenable to total correction, are poorly palliated and show signs of progressive deterioration. This report deals with this last group. In infants with noncorrectable cyanotic heart disease we would prefer to perform a Glenn shunt as the primary procedure. The high pulmonary vascular resistance and frequent hypoplastic pulmonary arteries found in these neonates both tend to inhibit blood flow from the cava to the pulmonary circuit. The delayed slip knot ligation of the azygos vein introduced by Bargeronl has allowed better results in small infants, but generally we prefer a high-pressure systemic pulmonary artery (S-PA) shunt in tiny babies if surgical intervention is necessary. The high pressure shunts commonly employed are the Potts-Smith, Waterston, and Blalock-Taussig. Potts and Waterston shunts are frequently associated with too much blood flow to the lungs resulting in increased heart work, congestive heart failure and pulmonary congestion. Blalock-Taussig shunts, on the other hand, are more frequently “outgrown” and fail to meet the patient’s needs. Increased pulmonary vascular resistance is a rare but serious complication of highpressure shunts, a problem not encountered with cava-pulmonary artery (C-PA) shunts. It seems feasible in those patients with high-pressure shunts who are deteriorating for any reason to convert to or add a Glenn (C-PA) shunt which has proven to be an excellent long-term palliative procedure for complex noncorrectable cyanotic heart lesions.2,3 Early in our experience in this series the plan was to obliterate the highpressure shunt and convert to a low-pressure C-PA shunt. Since this would have required bilateral thoracotomies in most cases we elected to simply add the C-PA shunt to the opposite lung. As experience grew it became apparent that the ideal palliation is derived from a C-PA shunt to one lung and a small S-PA
Shared Vision in MNE Subsidiaries: The Role of Formal, Personal, and Social Control in Its Development and Its Impact on Subsidiary Learning

Given the strategic importance of achieving global integration and worldwide learning for most multinational enterprises (MNEs), this article focuses on “shared vision” as a critical mechanism for realizing both goals. Specifically, this paper investigates the impact of three types of control mechanisms—formal (headquarters imposed rules and decisions), personal (the presence of expatriates), and social (social interaction among subunits) control—on building shared vision in subsidiaries and examines the subsequent impact of having shared vision on subsidiary learning. Overall, data from 99 subsidiaries located in the United States and headquartered either in Europe or Japan show that personal and social mechanisms of control are effective in building shared vision whereas formal control mechanisms have no impact. Results also support a significant relationship between shared vision and subsidiary learning. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Residual energy balancing technique in the generation of plate bending finite elements

Abstract The residual shear balancing technique of Refs [1 and 2] is discussed and applied to the generation of the stiffness matrix of a 12 degree-of-freedom rectangular plate bending element. Numerical results both in statics and dynamics are compared with those obtained with elements of similar size.
A case of a large rectovaginal mass presenting as posterior vaginal wall prolapse

A 66-year-old female presented with symptoms suggestive of pelvic organ prolapse, history of fibroid uterus, and rectal pressure. Pelvic examination revealed a large pelvic mass filling the posterior cul-de-sac, occupying the rectovaginal septum, and compressing the rectum. There was a stage II pelvic organ prolapse of the posterior vaginal wall with distal vaginal wall extending to the hymen during valsalva. A CT scan confirmed the large pelvic mass distinct from the uterus measuring 9.4 × 9.8 × 6.2 cm. Colorectal workup revealed adenocarcinoma of colon on screening colonoscopy with biopsies. Patient underwent total abdominal hysterectomy and bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy, colon resection, and abdominal resection of the pelvic mass in the rectovaginal septum and inferior to the uterus. The patient did not require any concomitant pelvic reconstruction and the posterior vaginal wall prolapse resolved after resecting the pelvic mass.
Ampicillin/sulbactam versus metronidazole-gentamicin in the treatment of soft tissue pelvic infections

The clinical efficacy and safety of ampicillin/sulbactam versus metronidazole-gentamicin were evaluated in a comparative, randomized, prospective study. Forty-four patients were enrolled: 22 received the ampicillin/sulbactam regimen, and 22 received the metronidazole-gentamicin combination. There were 33 cases of severe acute pelvic inflammatory disease, two tuboovarian abscesses, five cases of endomyometritis, and two cases of posthysterectomy pelvic cellulitis. Aerobic and anaerobic cultures from the infection sites yielded 447 microorganisms from 44 patients (an average of 10 bacteria per infection; 6.4 anaerobes and 3.7 aerobes). The most frequent isolates were Bacteroides sp., 54; Bacteroides bivius, 17; black-pigmented Bacteroides, 12; Bacteroides disiens, 11; Fusobacterium, 13; Peptostreptococcus anaerobius, 24; Peptostreptococcus asaccharolyticus, 21; anaerobic gram-positive cocci, 34; Gardnerella vaginalis, 29; Neisseria gonorrhoeae, 17; alpha-hemolytic streptococci, 15; and Escherichia coli, five. Clinical cure was noted in 19 of 20 patients treated with ampicillin/sulbactam and 18 of 21 patients treated with metronidazole-gentamicin. One treatment failure occurred in the ampicillin/sulbactam group in a patient who required antichlamydial therapy and had a complex left adnexal mass consistent with an abscess. The cases of metronidazole-gentamicin failure included two patients initially diagnosed as having tuboovarian abscesses who required a change in antibiotic therapy to control the infections. The third patient had postabortion endomyometritis that did not respond to metronidazole-gentamicin therapy within 48 hours, and required a change of medication. No adverse hematologic, renal, or hepatic effects were noted in either group of patients.
The Influence of Cold-work Level on the Irradiation Creep and Swelling of AISI 316 Stainless Steel Irradiated as Pressurized Tubes in the EBR-II Fast Reactor

Pressurized tubes of AISI 316 stainless steel irradiated in the P-1 experiment in the EBR-II fast reactor have been measured to determine the dependence of irradiation-induced strains resulting from plastic deformation, irradiation creep, void swelling and precipitation. It is shown that the Soderberg relation predicting no axial creep strains in biaxially-loaded tubes is correct for both plastic and creep strains. Swelling strains are shown to be isotropically distributed both for stress-free and stress-affected swelling, while precipitation strains are somewhat anisotropic in their distribution. When corrected for stress-enhancement of swelling, the derived irradiation creep strains appear to be identical for both annealed and 20% cold-worked specimens, and also for tubes strained by rise to power increases in pressure. For relatively small creep strains it is often difficult to separate the creep and non-creep components of deformation.
Glacial deep-water properties in the west-equatorial Pacific : bathyal thermocline near a depth of 2000 m

Abstract The stable isotope stratigraphy of Planulina wullerstorfi in three box cores from Ontong Java Plateau in the western equatorial Pacific shows that there existed a bathyal thermocline near the depth of 2000 m during glacial time. Waters below the boundary were colder by about 1°C, those above were about the same as now. The deep waters were slightly enriched and the upper waters depleted in nutrients, compared with present values. The differences in δ 13 C to the present (after correcting for the global change) are of the order of 0.1‰ more positive (above 2000 m) and 0.1‰ more negative (below), corresponding to changes in phosphate of the order of 0.1 μmol/kg (less phosphate above, and more below the boundary).
Cyclical analysis of key US aggregates during a period of macroeconomic stability (1953–1965)

The cyclical response patterns of major financial and macroeconomic aggregates to money shocks in the US economy is estimated. The data set is limited to the 1953–1965 period. The nature of this temporal window is rare in US economic history; growth was stable and noninflationary, and there was a marked absence of major downturns, inflationary expectations and supply shocks. These facts permit a more reliable portrayal of the dynamics associated with conventional monetarism than would otherwise be the case. Instead of a formal structural model, the methodology employs a four-variable vector autoregression. Variables are chosen according to the traditional IS-LM model and include money, the Index of Industrial Production, the CPI and various interest rates. While the method is a theoretical, the variables accord with accepted orthodoxy and the results allow theoretically, plausible interpretation. Significant patterns of persistence are found in major macrofinance aggregates over the period. Money shocks p...
In vivo tracking of the human patella

Abstract The purpose of this study was to describe the dynamic, in vivo, three-dimensional tracking pattern of the patella for one normal male subject. Intracortical pins were inserted into the patella, tibia, and femur. The subject performed seated and squatting knee flexion/extension, and maximum voluntary quadriceps contractions. In addition, the vastus medialis oblique was subjected to maximal electrical stimulation. Motions of the markers attached to the intracortical pins were analyzed using an automated video system. Patellar and tibial motions were determined relative to a femoral reference system. While the tibia flexed 50° from full extension (seated condition), the patella flexed 30.3°, tilted laterally 10.3°, and shifted laterally 8.6 mm. In general, these results show qualitative agreement with the data collected from cadaveric specimens [van Kampen and Huiskes, J. orthop. Res.8, 372–382 (1990)]. The differences present may reflect different passive constraints to patellar motions, and different relative loading of the individual quadriceps components, in our study compared to the cadaveric study. Only small differences were found between patellar motions in the seated and squatting conditions. Differences in patellar displacements produced by (1) maximal electrical stimulation of the vastus medialis oblique, and (2) maximum voluntary quadriceps contraction, at 30° knee flexion and full extension, may reflect the dominant influence of passive constraints, and the vastus lateralis, on normal patellar motions. Further in vivo study of patellar tracking seems warranted to evaluate surgical and conservative interventions for patellofemoral disorders.
Current management of ALS: Comparison of the ALS CARE Database and the AAN Practice Parameter

Background: The American Academy of Neurology (AAN) ALS Practice Parameter was published in April 1999. The ALS CARE Database has been collecting data on the management of patients with ALS in North America since 1996. Objective: To compare the management of patients with ALS in North America as recorded in the ALS CARE Database with the recommendations of the AAN ALS Practice Parameter. Methods: Data were analyzed from 2018 patients at enrollment and from 373 of these patients who died between enrollment and May 1999. Results: Eighty-two percent of the enrolled patients reported that they had been given enough information about ALS. Only 54% of patients with drooling were receiving medication for this problem. Only 41% of those who reported being depressed most of the time were receiving antidepressant medications. Only 28% of those with dyspnea and only 9.2% of those with a forced vital capacity Conclusions: These findings indicate that in the 3-year period prior to the publication of the AAN Practice Parameter, many but not all patients received the care that is recommended in that parameter; there were deficiencies, particularly in the key areas of gastrostomy and noninvasive positive pressure ventilation.
Three-dimensional simulations of diblock copolymer/particle composites☆

Abstract We develop a coarse-grained model to investigate the influence of nanoscale particles on the phase separation and the morphology of symmetric AB diblock copolymer melts. The microphase separation is modeled by the cell dynamical systems (CDS) equations, while the particle dynamics is described by a Langevin equation. We assume that the particles have a selective affinity to the A block and thus, can self-assemble and form clusters within A-domains. By varying the particle volume fraction, φp, we study the coupling between the microphase separation of the diblocks and the cluster formation for the particles. We also estimate the percolation threshold, φ∗, for the particles and find that the presence of diblocks decreases φ∗ by a factor slightly greater than two relative to the case of particles in a homopolymer ( φ ∗ ≈9% in a diblock vs. 22% in a homopolymer). This result can be useful in designing new composites with increased electrical conductivity and/or mechanical strength.
Hebrew During the Past Ten Years in Jewish Education

*From an address delivered at the Joint Conference on Jewish Education in Atlantic City, N. J. on May 28, 1949.
An Optimization Framework for Driver Feedback Systems

Modern vehicles have sophisticated electronic control units that can control engine operation with discretion to balance fuel economy, emissions, and power. These control units are designed for specific driving conditions (e.g., different speed profiles for highway and city driving). However, individual driving styles are different and rarely match the specific driving conditions for which the units were designed. In the research reported here, we investigate driving-style factors that have a major impact on fuel economy and construct an optimization framework to optimize individual driving styles with respect to these driving factors. In this context, we construct a set of polynomial metamodels to reflect the responses produced in fuel economy by changing the driving factors. Then, we compare the optimized driving styles to the original driving styles and evaluate the effectiveness of the optimization framework. Finally, we use this proposed framework to develop a real-time feedback system, including visual instructions, to enable drivers to alter their driving styles in response to actual driving conditions to improve fuel efficiency.
Prognostic factors in primary adenocarcinoma of the small intestine: 13-year single institution experience

Background Adenocarcinoma of the small bowel is a relatively rare malignancy as compared to the other malignancies of the gastrointestinal tract. Nonspecific presentation and infrequent occurrence often leads to a delay in diagnosis and consequent poor prognosis. Various other factors are of prognostic importance while managing these tumors.
Commentary: The message is rarely simple: the J-curve and beyond

In their article in this issue of the International Journal of Epidemiology, Adams and White1 take on the important topic of population-based prevention strategies. Their central thesis is that when the relation between exposure and average risk of an outcome is J-shaped, a population-based prevention strategy has the obvious potential to harm a group of individuals by pushing them into a higher risk level through a reduction in exposure. In their paper, the authors focus mainly on the outcome of all-cause morbidity/mortality. In their first paragraph, the authors invoke the name and work of Geoffrey Rose, and note that his reasoning has been so persuasive that the population approach has been described2 as one of the ‘absolute truths’ of preventive medicine. In this era of market individualism3 and consumer-driven medicine, I believe this description of Rose’s impact is, unfortunately, highly debatable in the US, but this is not the central point here. More relevant to Adams and White’s work, I would suggest that whenever one hears the language of ‘absolute truth,’ it is usually necessary to return to the original texts themselves, to see what was actually argued and advocated. In his book The Strategy of Preventive Medicine4 Rose concluded (p. 14) that preventive medicine must embrace both the ‘high-risk’ and population strategy of prevention, but, of the two, the power to bring about sustained reductions in disease burden resided with the population strategy. Rose was not one-sided in his thinking, and in fact laid out four schematic models of exposure–disease associations, with the last one being the J-shaped model that Adams and White focus on. He noted4 that this model was different from the others, and that it demonstrated graphically the oft-expressed wisdom that moderation, rather than extremism, promotes health (pp. 17–18). Adams and White1 make their point well about the potential dangers involved in shifting the entire population downward in exposure level when the relation between exposure and outcome is J-shaped rather than monotonically positive. I will focus the rest of this commentary on some subtle questions and concerns. These subtleties revolve around the relation between the individual and the population level of inference. First, empirical exposure–outcome curves as described and analysed by epidemiologists are based on averages-average exposure levels, and, more importantly, average risks of the outcome at the different exposure levels. When applying average-level data to individuals, paradoxes and conundrums can arise. Some individuals will always be put at higher risk as a result of mass intervention, even when the curve relating average exposure to average outcome risk is monotonically
Annual sediment flux estimates in a tidal strait using surrogate measurements

Annual suspended-sediment flux estimates through Carquinez Strait (the seaward boundary of Suisun Bay, California) are provided based on surrogate measurements for advective, dispersive, and Stokes drift flux. The surrogates are landward watershed discharge, suspended-sediment concentration at one location in the Strait, and the longitudinal salinity gradient. The first two surrogates substitute for tidally averaged discharge and velocity-weighted suspended-sediment concentration in the Strait, thereby providing advective flux estimates, while Stokes drift is estimated with suspended-sediment concentration alone. Dispersive flux is estimated using the product of longitudinal salinity gradient and the root-meansquare value of velocity-weighted suspended-sediment concentration as an added surrogate variable. Cross-sectional measurements validated the use of surrogates during the monitoring period. During high freshwater flow advective and dispersive flux were in the seaward direction, while landward dispersive flux dominated and advective flux approached zero during low freshwater flow. Stokes drift flux was consistently in the landward direction. Wetter than average years led to net export from Suisun Bay, while dry years led to net sediment import. Relatively low watershed sediment fluxes to Suisun Bay contribute to net export during the wet season, while gravitational circulation in Carquinez Strait and higher suspended-sediment concentrations in San Pablo Bay (seaward end of Carquinez Strait) are responsible for the net import of sediment during the dry season. Annual predictions of suspended-sediment fluxes, using these methods, will allow for a sediment budget for Suisun Bay, which has implications for marsh restoration and nutrient/contaminant transport. These methods also provide a general framework for estimating sediment fluxes in estuarine environments, where temporal and spatial variability of transport are large. 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Potential use of non-classical pathways for the transport of macromolecular drugs.

Since an increasing number of drug delivery strategies utilising proteins and peptides exhibiting ‘non-classical’ transport activities have been proposed, studies have begun to establish underlying functional relationships between different vectors. These attempts to find common factors have been hampered by a lack of biophysical data for the various potential protein and peptide transporters, as well as by the structural and functional diversity of the group as a whole. We describe the various types of vectors being considered for use and the preliminary therapeutic successes that have been achieved. Additionally, the various models that have been proposed for non-classical import and export are outlined and discussed in relation to therapeutic delivery. Possible future developments are also discussed.
Reversible Re-programing of Cell-Cell Interactions

The ability to engineer and re-program the surfaces of cells would provide an enabling synthetic biological method for the design of cell- and tissue-based therapies. A new cell surface-engineering strategy is described that uses lipid-chemically self-assembled nanorings (lipid-CSANs) that can be used for the stable and reversible modification of any cell surface with a molecular reporter or targeting ligand. In the presence of a non-toxic FDA-approved drug, the nanorings were quickly disassembled and the cell-cell interactions reversed. Similar to T-cells genetically engineered to express chimeric antigen receptors (CARS), when activated peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were functionalized with the anti-EpCAM-lipid-CSANs, they were shown to selectively kill antigen-positive cancer cells. Taken together, these results demonstrate that lipid-CSANs have the potential to be a rapid, stable, and general method for the reversible engineering of cell surfaces and cell-cell interactions.