cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Roll-Off in State Court Elections: Change Over Time and the Impact of the Straight-Ticket Voting Option

Roll-off refers to voters who turn out for an election, cast votes for offices at the top of the ballot, but then do not cast votes in down-ballot contests, typically for less visible offices such as judgeships and local government positions. It is commonly thought that participation in judicial elections declines as one moves from partisan elections to nonpartisan elections to retention elections. This paper considers two questions regarding roll-off in state court elections. First, focusing on state supreme court elections between 1946 and 2014, the paper examines whether the pattern of roll-off has changed over that time, and whether the factors affecting roll-off have changed. An important feature of the analysis is the inclusion of an indicator of whether a straight-ticket voting option (STVO) is provided on the ballot, and if so whether that option includes judicial offices, a factor largely ignored — there are some important exceptions — in previous studies of roll-off. The analysis reveals the importance to taking into account STVO, and show that there have been important changes and variations in roll-off over time.The second question examined is the paper is whether STVO has similar influences in state supreme court elections, intermediate appellate elections, and local court elections. The results of this part of the analysis show that while the hypothesized effects of STVO do generally exist in state supreme court elections, those effects do not show up in elections for courts below the state supreme court level. Exactly why this inconsistency exists is not clear.
Ice: Mechanical Properties

Ice is an important natural material. It is a factor in polar marine transportation and cold ocean oil exploration, and in activities as diverse as skiing, skating, and rainmaking. ‘Icing’ threatens the safety of airplanes and the integrity of electrical transmission lines, and ice is an element in the degradation of cold concrete and other porous materials. The Antarctic and Greenland ice sheets (which cover about 10% of the earth’s land area) and floating sea ice (which covers about 10% of the ocean surface either seasonally or perennially) affect global climate. Ice is also a major constituent of the moons of Jupiter and of other extraterrestrial bodies.
Effective and Efficient Modeling for Streamflow Forecasting

Artificial Neural Networks are now widely applied in a broad range of fields, including image processing, signal processing, medical studies, financial predictions, power systems, and pattern recognition among others (Kosko, 1992; Refenes et al., 1994; Saund, 1989; Schalkoff, 1992; Suykens et. al. 1996; Vemuri and Rogers 1994). These successes have also inspired applications to water resources and environmental systems (Achela et al., 1998; Chang and Tsang, 1992; Derr and Slutz, 1994; French et al., 1992; Hsu et al, 1997; Hsu et al, 1995; Maier and Danday, 1996; Ranjithan and Eheart, 1993; Roger and Dowla, 1994). Because ANN models have the ability to recursively “learn from the data” they can result in significant savings in time required for model development, and are particularly useful for applications involving complicated, nonlinear processes that are not easily modelled by traditional means. This chapter addresses some issues related to the training of the class of ANNs known as Multi-layer Feedforward Neural Networks (MFNN) which are most commonly used in streamflow forecasting applications. We also present results illustrating the applicability of properly trained MFNNs in prediction of future streamflows from past rainfall and flows, and compare these results to those obtained by other modeling approaches.
Vascular air embolism: A silent hazard to patient safety.

Abstract Purpose To narratively review published information on prevention, detection, pathophysiology, and appropriate treatment of vascular air embolism (VAE). Materials and methods MEDLINE, SCOPUS, Cochrane Central Register and Google Scholar databases were searched for data published through October 2016. The Manufacturer and User Facility Device Experience (MAUDE) database was queried for “air embolism” reports (years 2011–2016). Results VAE may be introduced through disruption in the integrity of the venous circulation that occurs during insertion, maintenance, or removal of intravenous or central venous catheters. VAE impacts pulmonary circulation, respiratory and cardiac function, systemic inflammation and coagulation, often with serious or fatal consequences. When VAE enters arterial circulation, air emboli affect cerebral blood flow and the central nervous system. New medical devices remove air from intravenous infusions. Early recognition and treatment reduce the clinical sequelae of VAE. An organized team approach to treatment including clinical simulation can facilitate preparedness for VAE. The MAUDE database included 416 injuries and 95 fatalities from VAE. Data from the American Society of Anesthesiologists Closed Claims Project showed 100% of claims for VAE resulted in a median payment of $325,000. Conclusions VAE is an important and underappreciated complication of surgery, anesthesia and medical procedures.
Impact of catholyte recirculation on different 3-dimensional stainless steel cathodes in microbial electrolysis cells

Abstract While stainless steel (SS) cathodes have shown great promise due to their low cost and high specific surface areas in microbial electrolysis cells (MECs), they have mainly been examined under static (no flow) conditions. Several different SS materials with different 3-dimensional structures (mesh, fiber felt, wool, and brushes) were compared in the absence and presence of fluid flow (0.05, 0.1 and 0.2 cm/s) past the cathode by catholyte recirculation. MECs with wool produced the highest hydrogen production rate with 1.3 ± 0.3 L-H2/L-reactor/d, which was the same as the Pt control at a catholyte recirculation of 40 mL/min (applied voltage of 0.9 V). In the absence of flow, hydrogen production rates of SS materials decreased by 52% (wool) to 28% (brush). The high hydrogen production rate using wool was likely a result of its high specific surface area (480 m2/m3-reactor volume), and reduced cathode overpotential due to gas removal by catholyte recirculation.
Imitation in the quest to survive: Lessons from news media on the early web

This article examines the patterns of hyperlinking among key online newspapers from 1996 to 2000 and provides critical insight into the processes by which media companies adapt to new technology. Theories of organizational imprinting and imitation in the media industry are used to frame the rise of online news in an effort to describe processes of growth and to track the interactions among legacy newspapers during a formational period in the development of online news. Patterns of digital connectivity reveal the evolution of an increasingly close-knit online news community and the trajectory of leadership positions in the online environment. The analysis reveals various approaches that leading organizations used as they adapted to online technology, providing guidance for organizations moving forward.
ZnO nanowire and silicon nanocrystal heterostructures for photocatalytic applications

This work reports the synthesis and materials characterization of novel heterogeneous nanostructures consisting of zinc oxide (ZnO) nanowires and silicon (Si) nanocrystals. Hydrothermal and non-thermal plasma synthesis techniques were utilized to create ZnO nanowires and Si nanocrystals, respectively. The heterostructures of ZnO nanowires and Si nanocrystals were formed and characterized using scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, the Raman spectroscopy, and photoluminescence. The heterostructures have been evaluated for the photodegradation performance, demonstrating that the addition of Si nanocrystals to ZnO nanostructures improves the degradability under visible light.
Timed Barium Swallow: Diagnostic Role and Predictive Value in Untreated Achalasia, Esophagogastric Junction Outflow Obstruction, and Non-Achalasia Dysphagia

Timed Barium Swallow: Diagnostic Role and Predictive Value in Untreated Achalasia, Esophagogastric Junction Outflow Obstruction, and Non-Achalasia Dysphagia
Mind Wandering: More than a Bad Habit

We spend much of our time mind wandering, that is, engaged in stimulus- or task-unrelated thoughts. Is mind wandering a habit? To answer this question, we must first acknowledge that mind wandering is a heterogeneous concept encompassing various different types of thought. We then explore in which ways mind wandering does and doesn’t resemble a habit. Based on the definition of habits as stimulus–response relationships that unfold automatically, we first discuss to what extent mind wandering can be characterized in terms of a stimulus–response relationship, where certain conditions trigger our thoughts to wander off. We then discuss to what extent mind wandering fulfils four characteristics of automaticity; mental efficiency, lack of awareness, lack of conscious intent, and lack of control. As we will see, some aspects or types of mind wandering fulfil these criteria, whereas others don’t. Thus, given the heterogeneity of mind wandering, it is most appropriate to say that there are more and less habitual types of mind wandering, as well as more or less habitual patterns of thought. We end by discussing ways in which habitual patterns of mind wandering may be changed to foster more flexible and productive types of mind wandering.
Climate Change and Domestic Migration in China

This paper constructs theoretical and empirical models to investigate, under the influences of China’s hukou policy, the relationship between spikes in temperatures and temporary migrations of Chin...
A Time-Discrete Haptic Feedback System for Use by Persons with Lower-Limb Prostheses During Gait

Persons with lower-limb amputations experience limited tactile knowledge of their prostheses due to the loss of sensory function from their limb. This sensory deficiency has been shown to contribute to improper gait kinematics and impaired balance. A novel haptic feedback system has been developed to address this problem by providing the user with center of pressure information in real-time. Five piezoresistive force sensors were adhered to an insole corresponding to critical contact points of the foot. A microcontroller used force data from the insole to calculate the center of pressure, and drive four vibrotactile pancake motors worn in a neoprene sleeve on the medial thigh. Center of pressure information was mapped spatially from the plantar surface of the foot to the medial thigh. Human perceptual testing was conducted to determine the efficacy of the proposed haptic display in conveying gait information to the user. Thirteen able-bodied subjects wearing the haptic sleeve were able to identify differences in the speed of step patterns and to classify full or partial patterns with (92.3 ± 2.6)% and (94.9 ± 2.1)% accuracy respectively. The results suggest that the system was effective in communicating center of pressure information through vibrotactile feedback.
Modeling the spatial variations of the intracochlear fluid pressure based on in vivo mechanical measurements

The mammalian cochlea is a complex system consisting of two fluid-filled ducts separated by a structure known as the organ of Corti. Fluid pressure in the cochlear ducts interact with the organ of Corti to stimulate the mechanoelectrical receptors responsible for hearing. Because, until recently, in vivo dynamic measurements were limited to the basilar membrane, most cochlear models consider only basilar membrane—fluid interactions. Recent measurements of tectorial membrane and reticular lamina motions using optical coherence tomography motivate us to develop cochlear models that takes into account separately coupling of the fluid with all these components of the organ of Corti. In this work, finite element models are used to simulate an apical slice of a mouse cochlea. Using experimentally measured motion of the stapes, reticular lamina, basilar membrane, and tectorial membrane [Lee et al., J. Neurosci. (2016)] as input, spatial variations of pressure in the cochlea are explored. This study investigates fluid dynamics in the cochlear ducts and explores the relationship between the motion of the organ of Corti and spatial pressure variations while providing a basis for future computational models to consider cochlear fluid dynamics in the entire cochlea.The mammalian cochlea is a complex system consisting of two fluid-filled ducts separated by a structure known as the organ of Corti. Fluid pressure in the cochlear ducts interact with the organ of Corti to stimulate the mechanoelectrical receptors responsible for hearing. Because, until recently, in vivo dynamic measurements were limited to the basilar membrane, most cochlear models consider only basilar membrane—fluid interactions. Recent measurements of tectorial membrane and reticular lamina motions using optical coherence tomography motivate us to develop cochlear models that takes into account separately coupling of the fluid with all these components of the organ of Corti. In this work, finite element models are used to simulate an apical slice of a mouse cochlea. Using experimentally measured motion of the stapes, reticular lamina, basilar membrane, and tectorial membrane [Lee et al., J. Neurosci. (2016)] as input, spatial variations of pressure in the cochlea are explored. This study investigates ...
A Survey on Industrial Information Integration 2016–2019

Industrial information integration engineering (IIIE) is a set of foundational concepts and techniques that facilitate the industrial information integration process. In recent years, many applicat...
Treatment protocol for secondary esophageal reconstruction using 'supercharged' colon interposition flaps.

Locoregional esophageal cancer is currently treated with induction chemoradiotherapy, followed by esophagectomy with reconstruction, using a gastric conduit. In cases of conduit failure, patients are temporized with a cervical esophagostomy and enteral nutrition until gastrointestinal continuity can be established. At our institution, we favor reconstruction, using a colon interposition with a 'supercharged' accessory vascular pedicle. Consequently, we sought to examine our technique and outcomes for esophageal reconstruction, using this approach. We performed a retrospective review of all patients who underwent esophagectomy at our center between 2008 and 2018. We identified those patients who had a failed gastric conduit and underwent secondary reconstruction. Patient demographics, perioperative details, and clinical outcomes were analyzed after our clinical care pathway was used to manage and prepare patients for a second major reconstructive surgery. Three hundred and eighty eight patients underwent esophagectomy and reconstruction with a gastric conduit. Seven patients (1.8%) suffered gastric conduit loss and underwent a secondary reconstruction using a colon interposition with a 'supercharged' vascular pedicle. Mean age was 70.1 (±7.3) years, and six patients were male. The transverse colon was used in four cases (57.1%), left colon in two cases (28.6%), and right colon in one case (14.3%). There were no deaths or loss of the colon interposition at follow-up. Three patients (42.9%) developed an anastomotic leak, which resolved with conservative management. All patients had resumption of oral intake within 30 days. Utilizing a 'supercharging' technique for colon interposition may improve the perfusion to the organ and may decrease morbidity. Secondary reconstruction should occur when the patient's oncologic, physiologic, and psychosocial condition is optimized. Our outcomes and preoperative strategies may provide guidance for those centers treating this complicated patient population.
RNA matchmaking remodels lncRNA structure and promotes PRC2 activity

Human Polycomb Repressive Complex 2 (PRC2) catalysis of histone H3 lysine 27 methylation at certain loci depends on long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs). Yet, in apparent contradiction, RNA is a potent catalytic inhibitor of PRC2. Here we show that intermolecular RNA-RNA interactions between the lncRNA HOTAIR and its target genes can relieve RNA inhibition of PRC2. RNA matchmaking is promoted by heterogenous nuclear ribonucleoprotein (hnRNP) B1, which uses multiple protein domains to bind regions of HOTAIR via multi-valent protein-RNA interactions. Chemical probing demonstrates that RNA matchmaking changes HOTAIR RNA structure. Genome-wide HOTAIR/PRC2 activity occurs at genes whose transcripts can make favorable RNA-RNA interactions with HOTAIR. We demonstrate that RNA-RNA matches of HOTAIR with target gene RNAs can relieve the inhibitory effect of a single lncRNA for PRC2 activity. Our work highlights an intrinsic switch that allows PRC2 activity in specific RNA contexts, which could explain how many lncRNAs work with PRC2.
Emotional Expressions Predict Risky Decisions by S&P 500 Executives

Laboratory experiments conducted on college students suggest that emotions influence risk-taking during decisions-making. As the capacity to measure emotions in the field has been limited, however, it is unclear whether findings can be generalized to real world situations such as high-stakes managerial decisions. We examine the relationship between emotional expressions of executives of the world’s largest firms and subsequent high-stake risky decisions about whether to conduct mergers and acquisitions (M&A). By performing text-based sentiment analysis on the quarterly earnings conference calls of these firms (N=15,555), we reveal that the negative emotional expressions predicts less risk taking (i.e., fewer M&A deals), above fundamental financial variables. The effect is driven by the expression of sadness and fear, emotions that involve appraisals of uncertainty and lack of control, in line with the predictions of exiting theories of emotion and risk taking. We discuss the implications of our findings for managerial practice.
A Story of Failed Conversions: The Impossible Refashioning of Tradition in Benito Pérez Galdós’s Rosalía

The tragic ending of the protagonists in Benito Perez Galdos’s unfinished novel, Rosalia, exposes the multiple anxieties that economic and technological development produced in Spain at the end of ...
Jejunal Feeding Tube Complications

Tube jejunostomy is a reliable form of enteral access. Direct jejunal feeding may be preferable to gastric feeding in patients with severe reflux and aspiration, or those with gastric pathology such as cancer, hiatal hernia, gastric outlet obstruction, previous gastric resection, or gastroparesis. Complications associated with tube jejunostomy include bowel obstruction, bowel necrosis, tube dysfunction, and feeding intolerance. Many of these potential complications may be preventable and early recognition of incipient problems is necessary to optimize outcomes if complications do occur.
Sulfide Emissions from Catalyst-Equipped Cars

An on-stream gas chromatographic technique was developed to analyze grab samples of diluted and undiluted vehicle exhaust for the reduced sulfur compounds which cause rotten-egg odors. The method was used to conduct a brief survey of two cars with modified carburetors, four customer cars with odor problems, and five experimental three-way catalyst cars. The cars were tested on a chassis dynamometer using a driving cycle developed for this study, in which a low temperature cold start is followed by a series of 80 km/h-idle cycles and a hot start. Hydrogen sulfide and carbonyl sulfide were frequently detected; ethyl mercaptan was also detected in a few samples. These sulfides are usually emitted during low temperature cold starts and at hot idle. More carbonyl sulfide was emitted from rich malfunctioning three-way catalyst cars during cruise than from rich malfunctioning cars with oxidation catalysts. Production of hydrogen sulfide over oxidation catalysts is favored by rich air/fuel ratios, low exhaust space velocity, and high catalyst temperature. Therefore, rotten-egg odors would be expected to be a problem primarily with malfunctioning cars. The maximum concentration of hydrogen sulfide and carbonyl sulfide in undiluted exhaust rarely exceeds 7 ppm, and occurs for only brief periods. Therefore, these emissions pose no known health problem.
Strong Ligand-Protein Interactions Derived from Diffuse Ligand Interactions with Loose Binding Sites

Many systems in biology rely on binding of ligands to target proteins in a single high-affinity conformation with a favorable . Alternatively, interactions of ligands with protein regions that allow diffuse binding, distributed over multiple sites and conformations, can exhibit favorable because of their higher entropy. Diffuse binding may be biologically important for multidrug transporters and carrier proteins. A fine-grained computational method for numerical integration of total binding arising from diffuse regional interaction of a ligand in multiple conformations using a Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) approach is presented. This method yields a metric that quantifies the influence on overall ligand affinity of ligand binding to multiple, distinct sites within a protein binding region. This metric is essentially a measure of dispersion in equilibrium ligand binding and depends on both the number of potential sites of interaction and the distribution of their individual predicted affinities. Analysis of test cases indicates that, for some ligand/protein pairs involving transporters and carrier proteins, diffuse binding contributes greatly to total affinity, whereas in other cases the influence is modest. This approach may be useful for studying situations where &#x201c;nonspecific&#x201d; interactions contribute to biological function.
Time of daily supplementation for steers grazing dormant intermediate wheatgrass pasture.

To compare the effects of time of daily protein supplementation on grazing behavior, forage intake, digesta kinetics, ruminal fermentation, and serum hormones and metabolites, 12 ruminally cannulated Holstein steers (449 and 378 kg average initial and final BW, respectively) were allotted to three groups. Treatments consisted of CON = no supplement, AM = cottonseed meal (.25% of BW) at 0600, and PM = cottonseed meal (.25% of BW) at 1200. Steers grazed a dormant (1.1% N) intermediate wheatgrass (Thinopyrum intermedium Host) pasture. Sampling trials occurred in December, January, and February. Supplementation altered (P = .01) time spent grazing; CON steers grazed approximately 1.5 h longer than supplemented steers. Supplemented steers lost less (P = .02) BW (-40 kg) than CON steers (-75 kg) did. Supplementation did not alter (P greater than .15) forage OM intake; however, total OM intake was greater (P = .01) for supplemented steers (22.3 g/kg of BW) than for CON (18.4 g/kg of BW) steers. Supplementation did not affect (P greater than .15) digesta kinetics. Extent of in situ NDF (96 h) and rate (%/h) of disappearance for supplemented steers was greater (P = .01) than for CON steers. Across all periods, ruminal NH3 N and total VFA concentrations were lower (P = .01) for CON steers than for supplemented steers. Serum insulin (ng/mL) concentration was lower (P = .03) and concentration of serum growth hormone (ng/mL) was higher (P = .02) for CON steers than for supplemented steers. Cottonseed meal supplementation enhanced utilization of intermediate wheatgrass; however, supplementation time had minimal effects on the variables measured.
Effect of α-Radioiysis on TRUEX-NPH Solvent

Abstract An unexpectedly high degradation of the TRUEX (TRansUranic Extraction) solvent occurred during the treatment of waste solutions from the New Brunswick Laboratory. The waste solutions treated contained approximately 1 g/L of Pu-239 and 20 mg/L of Am-241. Earlier studies of α-radiolysis using carbon tetrachloride rather than normal paraffinic hydrocarbons (NPH) as a diluent indicated greater resistance to radiation damage than observed. For this study, the TRUEX-NPH solvent was loaded with Am-241 in nitric acid, irradiated with doses up to 3.5 Mrad, and monitored for decline in extraction capability as a function of absorbed dose. Results of this study are being used to improve the Generic TRUEX Model, a thermodynamic model that permits flow-sheet design for solvent extraction processing.
Jilek, Wolfgang G

Wolfgang G. Jilek was born on November 25, 1930 in Tetschen, now Decin, in northern Czech Republic. His first language was German and his family's national identity Austrian. He is a Canadian citizen through immigration, and the Austrian government re-conferred Austrian citizenship on him due to scientific merit. Jilek studied medicine at the Universities of Munich, Vienna, and Innsbruck. In Vienna, Viktor Frankl was one of his teachers and became a lifelong friend. Jilek received the Doctor of Medicine degree from the University of Innsbruck in 1956. He obtained specialized training in psychiatry at the Burgholzli Psychiatric University Clinic in Zurich, where a major long-term influence was Manfred Bleuler; and at the General Hospital and Queen Mary Veterans Hospital, both in Montreal. He also holds master's degrees in social psychiatry and social anthropology from McGill University and University of British Columbia respectively. Jilek is an honorary member of the Austrian and German Societies for Ethnomedicine and an honorary advisor to the Transcultural Psychiatry Section of the World Psychiatric Association, which he served as secretary and chairperson for 16 years. Keywords: health; indigenous healing; psychotherapies
Science and Religion Can Co-Exist

This paper delineates the two opposing views that have battled each other since the dawn of mankind. Even though science and religion possess a plethora of opposing view points, can they both co-exist? Can science and religion construct a healthy relationship that benefit each other in the long-term?
Extracting Behavioral Data from Physical Descriptions of MEMS for Simulation

The work described here deals with the problems of modeling and simulation for MEMS devices. The eventual goal is to produce a top-down MEMS design system similar to today‘s powerful VLSI design systems. In this work a fixed fabrication process (MUMPS) and a fixed layout tool (L-Edit) are chosen. Thus our efforts are concentrated on reliable simulation of designs and eventual comparison with actual fabricated parts. The cantilever beam is chosen as an example of how extraction from a physical layout may be modeled and interfaced with various simulators.
Satellite and in-situ aerosol optical closure efforts in Hawaii

The ability to model aerosol optical properties is important for climate models and tests of this ability are required. The authors discuss two types of validation efforts they are carrying out in Hawaii. The first involves comparing optical properties derived from in-situ aerosol size distribution measurements with nephelometers. These comparisons are also made on aircraft and then further compared to Sun photometer and satellite measurements of aerosol optical depth. In the second approach the authors are beginning to carry out radiation measurements of the upward scattered radiance near the ocean surface and above the marine boundary layer. This second type of closure effort is needed for comparison with the satellite aerosol model.
Lyman's Journal.

Never have I consented more willingly or enthusiastically than I did to the request that I write this brief article, having to do with “Lyman's Journal,” which became the American Journal of Pharmaceutical Education. “Lyman's Journal” seemed an appropriate designation during the early years of its life. Had it not been for Rufus A. Lyman, the American Journal of Pharmaceutical Education would not have been initiated twenty-five years ago. Had it not been for his continued impelling support, it might well have died in infancy. [To read Dr. Little's article in its entirety, please view the PDF version of article available at the following link: http://www.ajpe.org/doi/pdf/10.5688/ajpe759193]. Also included in the PDF version are the articles, “Anniversary Greetings to Our Journal” written by Henry M. Burlage, College of Pharmacy, University of Texas, and then President of the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy, and “Our Journal in the next Twenty-Five Years” written by H.G. Hewitt, College of Pharmacy, University of Connecticut. These articles were originally published in the Journal in 1961 (Am J Pharm Educ. 1961:25(1):10-14.)]
An Ultraviolet Spectrophotometric Procedure for Differentiation and Quantitation of Barbiturates

(1981). An Ultraviolet Spectrophotometric Procedure for Differentiation and Quantitation of Barbiturates. Clinical Toxicology: Vol. 18, No. 8, pp. 879-885.
Microphysiology of the pericardium: substrate for intrapericardial therapeutics.

Recent capability to enter the normal effusion-free pericardium has expanded intrapericardial therapy which was formerly restricted to patients with effusive pericardial disease, to intrapericardial treatment of cardiac diseases of all kinds. It is now possible to deposit in the intact pericardium a variety of therapeutic agents targeting the myocardium, valves, conduction system and even the endocardium. In addition to such specific agents, the unique microphysiology of the pericardial mesothelium provides investigators with 2 entirely new applicaMikrophysiologie des Perikards: Das Substrat fur intraperikardiale therapeutische Anwendungen Zusammenfassung Die intraperikardiale Therapie hat die Moglichkeit eroffnet, sich Zugang ins Perikard zu verschaffen, auch wenn kein Perikarderguss vorliegt. Diese Moglichkeit stand fruher nur fur Patienten mit Perikarderguss zur Verfugung. Es ist heute moglich, in das intakte Perikard eine Reihe von therapeutischen Substanzen einzubringen, deren Angriffspunkte Myokard, Herzklappen, Reizleitungssystem und sogar das Endokard sein konnen. Fur diese Therapie bietet die Mikrophysiologie des Perikardbeutels, ein einzigartiges, weitgehend abgeschlossenes System, ideale Voraussetzungen. Das Mesothel verfugt uber Enzyme und Rezeptoren, zum Beispiel uber die Zyklooxigenase, Prostazyklinsynthase und Lipoxigenase, tions of intrapericardial therapy: 1. supplementing substances like prostanoids and a variety of immune factors, and 2. stimulating pericardial production of such products of metabolism, e. g., superfusion of the normal pericardium by non-steroidal antiinflammatory agents to stimulate prostanoid production with a variety of effects including possible inhibition of coronary thrombosis. Continuing research and development should determine the precise roles of these new applications in human medicine.
Mapping Seasonal Snow with SIR-C/X-SAR in Mountainous Areas.

Abstract The objective of this study is to examine the capability of SIR-C/X-SAR to map seasonal snow covers in alpine regions. We develop two classification trees. The first classifier can map snow and discriminate dry from wet snow, but it requires a digital elevation model (DEM) for radiometric terrain correction and reduction of the effect of local incidence angle. The second classifer can map wet snow without using a DEM. We demonstrate some processing techniques that are necessary to discriminate wet snow from smooth, bare surfaces and to discriminate dry snow from short vegetation. For validation, we compare our results with snow maps of both binary and snow-fraction classifications obtained from the Landsat Thematic Mapper (TM) at about the same time. The SAR is about 77% as accurate as the TM binary classification, but it underestimates snow cover when compared with snow-fraction classification, with the major differences occurring for mixed pixels of snow and trees.
Penicillin Dosing for Pneumococcal Pneumonia

Most textbook authors still endorse penicillin G as the specific antibiotic of choice for pneumococcal pneumonia. However, problems with early precise etiologic diagnosis of pneumonia and the emergence of drug-resistant pneumococci cause penicillin to be seldom used for this purpose today. A third explanation for the infrequent use of penicillin is lack of clear consensus dosing guidelines. Emergence of pneumococci resistant to the newer cephalosporins and concerns about overuse of vancomycin, however, have prompted renewed interest in the development of precise, rapid methods for diagnosis of pneumococcal pneumonia with the implication that penicillin might be used more frequently. We review several issues concerning penicillin dosing: intermittent vs continuous therapy, high dose vs low dose, relationship of dose to resistance, and cost-effective pharmacology. An optimum "high-dose" regimen for life-threatening pneumococcal pneumonia in a 70-kg adult consists of a 3 million unit (mu) loading dose followed by continuous infusion of 10 to 12 mu of freshly prepared drug every 12 h. The maintenance dose should be reduced in elderly patients and in patients with renal failure according to the following formula: dose (mu/24 h = 4+[creatinine clearance divided by 7]). This regimen provides a penicillin serum level of 16 to 20 microg/mL, which should suffice for all but the most highly resistant strains (minimum inhibitory concentration > or = 4 microg/mL). Newer cephalosporins and vancomycin can be reserved for patients with suspected meningitis or endocarditis or for localities in which highly resistant pneumococci are known to be prevalent.
SEX HORMONES AND HAIR CHANGES IN RATS

THE PROLONGED INJECTION of estradiol bensoate into male black rabbits has been reported to cause, after two and one-half to five months, first a change in hair color from black to red and then the development of symmetrical areas of alopecia; such effects were not seen in similarly treated female rabbits (I). There appears to be no information in the literature regarding hair changes in rats treated with estrogens and androgens. The observations to be reported, made incidental to experiments involving the administration of sex hormone pellets, seem worthy of record. The results to be described were observed during the prolonged treatment of normal adult male and female rats (2) with subcutaneous pellets of the following crystalline substances: testosterone dipropionate, androsterone, estrone, estradiol,α-estradiol benzoate, αestradiol dipropionate, estriol, equilin, diethylstilbestrol methyl ether (αα′-diethyl-4-hydroxy-4′-methoxy-stilbene), diethylstilbestrol methyl ether acetate (α,α′diethyl-4-acetyl-4′...
7.2.2 Mental Mistakes Made by Systems Engineers While Creating Tradeoff Studies

Designing a system requires evaluating multiple architecture design alternatives against multiple evaluation criteria. This is called a tradeoff study. This paper presents common mental mistakes that people make when doing tradeoff studies. The authors examined tradeoff studies created by system analysts and excerpted examples of these mistakes. There are suggestions to help systems engineers avoid making these mental mistakes while doing tradeoff studies.
Accuracy of in Vivo Aminoacylation Requires Proper Balance of tRNA and Aminoacyl-tRNA Synthetase

The fidelity of protein biosynthesis in any cell rests on the accuracy of aminoacylation of tRNA. The exquisite specificity of this reaction is critically dependent on the correct recognition of tRNA by aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases. It is shown here that the relative concentrations of a tRNA and its cognate aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase are normally well balanced and crucial for maintenance of accurate aminoacylation. When Escherichia coli Gln-tRNA synthetase is overproduced in vivo, it incorrectly acylates the supF amber suppressor tRNA(Tyr) with Gln. This effect is abolished when the intracellular concentration of the cognate tRNA(Gln2) is also elevate. These data indicate that the presence of aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase and the cognate tRNAs in complexed form, which requires the proper balance of the two macromolecules, is critical in maintaining the fidelity of protein biosynthesis. Thus, limits exist on the relative levels of tRNAs and aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases within a cell.
Effects of orienting tasks on free recall in incidental learning: “difficulty,” “effort,” and “process” explanations

In three experiments involving 22 conditions, amount of free recall was shown to vary with type and combination of orienting task performed during the presentation of a list of 24 low-frequency English nouns. When the orienting task was semantic, that is, it required the subjects to process the meanings of words, recall was significantly higher than that of subjects performing nonsemantic orienting tasks. When two orienting tasks were performed serially during the presentation interval, and one of the tasks was semantic, recall was significantly higher than the recall of groups performing only nonsemantic tasks. When the two tasks were nonsemantic, recall was indistinguishable from the recall of subjects performing single nonsemantic tasks. When the incidental subjects performed a semantic task either singly or in combination with another task, recall was not significantly different from that of a control group of intentional learners who performed no orienting task. The findings are concordant with “process” explanations of the effects of orienting tasks and discordant with “difficulty” or “effort” theories.
A general bioassay program for desktop computer: application to somatomedin bioassay.

Abstract This program for desktop computer processes general bioassay data where responses are of the form: z = k 1 k 2 [ (x−k 3 ) y ] . Designed for the Hewlett-Packard 9800 computer system with specific application to somatomedin bioassays, the program contains options for manual or paper tape data entry, for variable or constant amount of substrate, for log-log or semi-log transformation, and for computer plotting of dose-response lines. Parallel-line analysis includes calculation of index of precision (λ), F (linearity), t (slope), t (parallelity), potency and fiducial limits. This convenient system allows easy examination of the full dose-response lines and rapid selection of the portions appropriate for analysis, which can then proceed without tedious reentry of raw data.
Experience with producing ladle and blast furnace brick with a change in pressing rates

A reduction in the pressing rate improves the factors of ladle and blast furnace refractories, since it affords the possibility of increasing the permissible upper limit for the pressing force, starting from the condition that there are no overpressing cracks.
Dynamic Balancing of Packet Filtering Workloads on Distributed Firewalls

Firewalls are widely deployed nowadays to enforce security policies of enterprise networks. While having played crucial roles in securing these networks, firewalls themselves are subject to performance limitations. An overloaded firewall can cause severe damage to the protected enterprise network, because any legitimate communication through it is either degraded or even completely severed. In this paper, we address how to dynamically balance packet filtering workloads on distributed firewalls efficiently in large enterprise networks. We model dynamic load balancing on distributed firewalls as a minimax optimization problem, and show that it is strongly NP-complete even if we eliminate all precedence relationships among policy rules by rule rewriting. Accordingly, we propose a light-weight rule distribution scheme that quickly balances workloads among all firewalls. Our scheme is adaptive to incoming traffic. Moreover, dynamically placing and ordering policy rules on distributed firewalls reduces the probability that attackers successfully infer the rule distribution. Experimental results show that using a commodity PC, our approach can reduce the peak firewall workload in distributed firewall systems by 40% within less than five minutes, compared against alternative solutions that only optimize rule ordering on individual firewalls.
Electroreduction of pyridinium carboxylic acids homarine and trigonelline in acidic solutions

Abstract Homarine and trigonelline are reduced at the carboxylic acid group at mercury electrodes in acidic solutions. In dc polarography and cyclic voltammetry, reduction yields the hydrated aldehyde, but controlled-potential electrolysis at a stirred-mercury pool electrode proceeds to the pyridinium alcohol. An ECEC—DISP mechanism for reduction of the carboxylic acid group to hydrated aldehyde is proposed. Such a mechanism involving homogeneous chemical reactions was clearly demonstrated for homarine, which probably exists in an associated form in the bulk of solution. An ECEC—DISP mechanism is also probable for trigonelline, although the reaction involves adsorption. Nonlinear regression analysis allowed deconvolution of an adsorption prewave severely overlapped with the diffusion wave. The limiting surface concentration (3.1 × 10 −10 mol cm −2 ) indicated that each adsorbed molecule occupies 0.54 nm 2 . Comparison with areas calculated for different molecular orientations suggested that trigonelline is adsorbed with the pyridinium ring parallel to the surface of the electrode.
Spatial Variation in an Avian Host Community: Implications for Disease Dynamics

Because many pathogens can infect multiple host species within a community, disease dynamics in a focal host species can be affected by the composition of the host community. We examine the extent to which spatial variation in species’ abundances in an avian host community may contribute to geographically varying prevalence of a recently emerged wildlife pathogen. Mycoplasma gallisepticum is a pathogen novel to songbirds that has caused substantial mortality in house finches (Carpodacus mexicanus) in eastern North America. Though the house finch is the primary host species for M. gallisepticum, the American goldfinch (Spinus tristis) and northern cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis) are alternate hosts, and laboratory experiments have demonstrated M. gallisepticum transmission between house finches and goldfinches. Still unknown is the real world impact on disease dynamics of variation in abundances of the three hosts. We analyzed data from winter-long bird and disease surveys in the northeastern United States. We found that higher disease prevalence in house finches was associated with higher numbers of northern cardinals and American goldfinches, although only the effect of cardinal abundance was statistically significant. Nevertheless, our results indicate that spatial variation in bird communities has the potential to cause geographic variation in disease prevalence in house finches.
Transition metal defect behavior and Si density of states in the processing temperature regime

Abstract In order to make predictive models of transition metal gettering during semiconductor processing, a complete understanding of the process variables in high temperature ranges is essential. These variables are the internal gettering site density and capture radius, the intrinsic metal solubility, silicon doping level, the band gap, the effective density of states of the conduction and valence bands, and the transition metal defect level position in the gap. The least understood of these parameters is the temperature dependence of the transition metal defect level position. The work of Gilles et al. and McHugo et al. demonstrates that the doping enhancement of the solubility of Fe in p-type silicon vanishes at temperatures above 1000°C. They model this behavior by proposing movement at high temperature of the defect level for interstitial Fe from within the energy gap into the valence band. We explore the available models for Si effective density of states as a function of temperature and generate a third density of states model based on 0 K ab initio band structure calculations with the temperature-appropriate carrier occupations given by Fermi–Dirac statistics. We also consider uncertainty in EG in the processing temperature regime. We show that uncertainties in the Si intrinsic properties database in the processing temperature regime can account for the available dopant-enhanced solubility data by assuming that ET remain at a constant fraction of EG. To quantitatively model gettering processes at high temperatures, more reliable estimates are needed for the densities of states of the conduction and valence bands, EG and the behavior of defect levels as temperature rises.
CeRu2Si2 and URu2Si2: Same or different?

Experimentally, both CeRu2Si2 and URu2Si2 exhibit magnetic behaviour suggestive of localized f-orbital behaviour with strong correlations. Such consistency between comparable cerium and uranium compounds is normally observed behaviour. However, the consistency is less clear when the band structures of the two materials are compared: the Ce compound looks very much like a strongly hybridized f electron system and the U compound like a weakly hybridizing f electron material. What can one learn from this apparent inconsistency? Further, a stronger hybridizing system is less well dominated by the intra-atomic Coulomb term making the sensitivity to exchange correlation functional used greater. This, however, proves not to be a serious complication in CeRu2Si2.
Mapping the Elastic and Osmotic Properties of Cartilage Extracellular Matrix

The inhomogeneous distribution of crosslinks in polymer networks results in nonuniform swelling. Concomitant with this behavior is local variability in the elastic properties of synthetic and biopolymer gels. Articular cartilage exemplifies the compositional and structural complexities found in soft tissues. At the most basic level, cartilage extracellular matrix (ECM) is a relatively stiff network of collagen type II fibers with entangled hyaluronic acid chains and enmeshed aggrecan molecules. Despite significant differences in composition, synthetic and biological gels exhibit qualitatively similar responses (e.g., viscoelasticity and nonlinear stress-strain behavior at large deformation). Scaling theory [1] and experiments [2–3] have verified that the shear modulus (Ge) of chemically identical, fully swollen gels differing only in the degree of crosslinking is proportional to the polymer concentration (ce): Display Formula(1)Ge=Acen where A and n are constants. In a good solvent, n = 2.25 [1]. Recent studies have shown that the power law applies to collagen gels, with n ≈ 2.68 [4]. In the general case, Display Formula(2)G=Acen-mcm where G and c are the general shear modulus and polymer concentration, respectively, and m = 1/3 [5].
Stress enhances the response to reward reduction but not food-motivated responding.

The effect of a single exposure to foot shock stress on runway responding for food reinforcement was assessed in animals trained and tested with the same or changed reinforcement magnitude. Foot shock (30 1-s shocks, 1.0 mA) exerted no impact on runway responding in animals trained and tested with the same level of reinforcement magnitude regardless of the absolute level of reinforcement magnitude (i.e., either 15 pellets or 1 pellet). Similarly, foot shock exerted no impact on runway responding in animals trained with a small magnitude of reinforcement but tested with an increased magnitude of reinforcement. In contrast, foot shock enhanced the increase in runway latencies produced by a reduction in reinforcement magnitude. Because reductions in reinforcement magnitude are known to be aversive for animals, these data indicate that foot shock stress can alter the behavioral response to an aversive stimulus without disrupting behavioral responding for an appetitive reinforcer. They also suggest that stressor-induced alterations in appetitively motivated behaviors may be secondary to alterations in sensitivity to subtle aversive stimuli rather than by directly altering appetitive motivation.