cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Nanocrystalline Soft Magnetic Alloys Two Decades of Progress

Abstract Since their introduction over two decades ago, nanostructured soft magnetic alloys have demonstrated excellent magnetic softness and improved performance over a wide range of environmental conditions. This chapter gives an updated account of progress in alloy design, synthesis, structure, and performance of this class of alloys. Existing data are reviewed to highlight recent advances and promote new perspectives for future work in this area.
Effects of Verbal Event Structure on Online Thematic Role Assignment

Event structure describes the relationships between general semantics (Aktionsart) of the verb and its syntactic properties, separating verbs into two classes: telic verbs, which denote change of state events with an inherent end-point or boundary (catch, rescue), and atelic, which refer to homogenous activities (tease, host). As telic verbs describe events, in which the internal argument (Patient) is affected, we hypothesized that processing of telic verb template would activate syntactic position of the Patient during sentence comprehension. Event-related brain potentials (ERPs) were recorded from 20 English speakers, who read sentences with reduced Object relative clauses, in which the verb was either telic or atelic. ERPs in relative clauses diverged on the definite article preceding the Agent: the atelic condition was characterized by larger amplitude negativity at the N100. Such processing differences are explained by activation of the syntactic position for the Patient by the event structure template of telic verbs.
Has NAFTA Distorted Trade Patterns

ABSTRACT There has been considerable concern that regional trade groups might become stumbling blocks for a free global trading system, as members' trade is biased towards their partners and non-members harmed by trade diversion. This question is examined for NAFTA. A modified gravity model for trade of the NAFTA countries shows little evidence of bias, with bilateral trade flows explained by incomes, geographical distance, and a common language. Market penetration and income elasticity of imports are also calculated, and do not support concerns about trade diversion. RESUMEN. Han surgido bastantes preocupaciones relacionadas al hecho de que los grupos de comercio regionales pueden convertirse en obstaculos contra el sistema de libre comercio global, ya que las operaciones comerciales de sus miembros comerciales muestra un claro sesgo a trabajar con sus socios y los paises no-miembros se ven perjudicados por este ardid comercial. Esta pregunta esta siendo examinada para el NAFTA. Un modelo de gravedad mod...
Evaluation of a Double Implanted Diffused MOSFET for Analog Operation

A methodology is presented to evaluate the low power operation of a laterally diffused implanted MOS transistor. The transistor was fabricated in a standard 1.5 mum CMOS process by shifting the alignment between the p-well and the gate, resulting in an asymmetric channel doping and a lowly doped drift region. Fabrication was necessary to have detailed knowledge of the processing conditions and the resultant junction locations. Following the fabrication, devices were tested and shown to have improved performance as compared to standard CMOS transistors as a function of the heritage of the device.
Symptomatic and physiologic outcomes one year after peroral esophageal myotomy (POEM) for treatment of achalasia

Peroral esophageal myotomy (POEM) is a new endoscopic operation for the treatment of achalasia. Here, we report 1-year physiologic and symptomatic outcomes following the procedure. POEM patients from a single-institution series who were more than 1 year removed from surgery were studied. Eckardt and GerdQ scores were obtained to assess symptoms. High-resolution manometry (HRM), timed barium esophagram (TBE), and upper endoscopy were preformed preoperatively and at 1-year follow-up. 24-h pH monitoring was also performed at 1 year follow-up. The study population was comprised of 41 patients who were more than 1 year post-POEM. One (2 %) major complication, a contained leak at the EGJ requiring re-operation, and 7 (17 %) minor complications occurred. Mean length of stay was 1.4 days. At mean 15-month follow-up, Eckardt scores improved from pre-POEM 7 ± 2 to post-POEM 1 ± 2, (scale 0–12, p 7). On follow-up HRM, esophagogastric junction integrated relaxation pressure was decreased significantly (pre-POEM 28 ± 12 mmHg vs. post-POEM 11 ± 4 mmHg, p < .001), and 47 % of patients studied had partial recovery of peristalsis. On follow-up TBE, barium column heights were decreased compared with preoperatively. Postoperative upper endoscopy revealed esophagitis in 59 % of patients (11 LA Grade A, 2 LA Grade D). However, of the 13 24-h pH monitoring studies performed, only four (31 %) demonstrated pathologic esophageal acid exposure. In this series, POEM resulted in greater than 90 % symptomatic treatment success at mean 15-month follow-up. Rates of iatrogenic gastroesophageal reflux, as measured both by symptoms and 24-h pH monitoring, appeared to be on par with recent studies of patients undergoing laparoscopic Heller myotomy and pneumatic dilation.
Chronic basophilic leukemia: a rare form of chronic myeloproliferative neoplasm

Chronic basophilic leukemia is a rare and poorly characterized entity. Only a limited number of cases have been described. Herein, we report a patient who presented with fatigue, weight loss, leukocytosis, persistent prominent basophilia, and mild eosinophilia. The bone marrow showed features characteristic of a myeloproliferative neoplasm with a marked increase in maturing basophils. The basophils exhibited nuclear hypersegmentation, abnormal granulation, and abnormally low CD38 expression. Conventional karyotyping revealed a t(5;12)(q31;p13). ETV6 but not PDGFRB rearrangement was detected by fluorescence in situ hybridization.
Sterol carrier protein-2 expression alters plasma membrane lipid distribution and cholesterol dynamics.

Although sterol carrier protein-2 (SCP-2) binds, transfers, and/or enhances the metabolism of many membrane lipid species (fatty acids, cholesterol, phospholipids), it is not known if SCP-2 expression actually alters the membrane distribution of lipids in living cells or tissues. As shown herein for the first time, expression of SCP-2 in transfected L-cell fibroblasts reduced the plasma membrane levels of lipid species known to traffic through the HDL-receptor-mediated efflux pathway: cholesterol, cholesteryl esters, and phospholipids. While the ratio of cholesterol/phospholipid in plasma membranes of intact cells was not changed by SCP-2 expression, phosphatidylinositol, a molecule important to intracellular signaling and vesicular trafficking, and anionic phospholipids were selectively retained. Only modest alterations in plasma membrane phospholipid percent fatty acid composition but no overall change in the proportion of saturated, unsaturated, monounsaturated, or polyunsaturated fatty acids were obs...
Function of myocardial contraction and relaxation in essential hypertension in dynamics of acupuncture therapy.

Forty-nine patients with initial stages of essential hypertension (EH) were investigaed using phase systole analysis and echocardiography during acupuncture (reflexotherapy) treatment. It was established that even at the initial stages of EH increasing of myocardial mass and disturbances of contractile and diastolic activity of myocardium take place. As a result of acupuncture a stable hypotensive effect, improvement or normalization of contractile function and diastolic values, a decrease of energy loss, reversal of myocardial hypertrophy were achieved. It is the decrease of sympathetic influences on the circulation system that plays an important part in the onset of these positive changes.
Causes of isolated recurrent ipsilateral sixth nerve palsies in older adults: a case series and review of the literature.

Purpose The etiology of recurrent isolated sixth nerve palsies in older adults has not been well described in the literature. Sixth nerve palsies presenting with a chronic, relapsing, and remitting course are uncommon, but can herald a diagnosis of high morbidity and mortality in the older population. Patients and methods Our method was a retrospective case series study. A review of clinical records of 782 patients ≥50 years of age diagnosed with recurrent sixth nerve palsies was performed over a 10-year period from 1995-2005 in a neuro-ophthalmology clinic in Reno, Nevada. A review of the current literature regarding similar cases was also performed on PubMed. Results Seven patients ≥50 years of age with chronic, recurrent sixth nerve palsies were identified. Five were males and two were females. Four of seven (57%) patients had structural lesions located in the parasellar or petrous apex cavernous sinus regions. One of seven (14.29%) had a recurrent painful ophthalmoplegic neuropathy (International Headache Society [IHS] 13.9), previously termed ophthalmoplegic migraine; one of seven (14.29%) presented with an intracavernous carotid artery aneurysm; and one of seven (14.29%) presented with microvascular disease. Conclusion The clinical presentation of an isolated recurrent diplopia from a sixth nerve palsy should prompt the neurologist or ophthalmologist to order a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan of the brain with and without gadolinium as part of the initial workup to rule out a non-microvascular cause, such as a compressive lesion, which can increase morbidity and mortality in adults >50 years of age.
Calculations of thermal conductivity and second sound in rare gas crystals

Abstract A numerical solution to the Peierls-Boltzmann equation is obtained and the thermal conductivity is evaluated for three rare-gas solids; krypton, argon, and neon. The results of the preceding calculation are then utilized to obtain a dispersion relation for second sound and its attenuation in these crystals.
A nonparametric approach to accelerated life testing under multiple stresses

Accelerated life testing (ALT) is concerned with subjecting items to a series of stresses at several levels higher than those experienced under normal conditions so as to obtain the lifetime distribution of items under normal levels. A parametric approach to this problem requires two assumptions. First, the lifetime of an item is assumed to have the same distribution under all stress levels, that is, a change of stress level does not change the shape of the life distribution but changes only its scale. Second, a functional relationship is assumed between the parameters of the life distribution and the accelerating stresses. A nonparametric approach, on the other hand, assumes a functional relationship between the life distribution functions at the accelerated and nonaccelerated stress levels without making any assumptions on the forms of the distribution functions. In this paper, we treat the problem nonparametrically. In particular, we extend the methods of Shaked, Zimmer, and Ball [7] and Strelec and Viertl [8] and develop a nonparametric estimation procedure for a version of the generalized Arrhenius model with two stress variables assuming a linear acceleration function. We obtain consistent estimates as well as confidence intervals of the parameters of the life distribution under normal stress level and compare our nonparametric method with parametric methods assuming exponential, Weibull and lognormal life distributions using both real life and simulated data.
The impact of data dependence analysis on compilation and program parallelization

Optimizing compilers rely upon program analysis techniques to detect data dependences between program statements. Data dependence information captures the essential ordering constraints of the statements in a program that need to be preserved in order to produce valid optimized and parallel code. Data dependence testing is very important for automatic parallelization, vectorization and any other code transformation. In this paper we examine the impact of data dependence analysis in practice. A number of data dependence tests have been proposed in the literature. In each test there are different tradeoffs between accuracy and efficiency. We present an experimental evaluation of several data dependence tests, including the Banerjee test, the I-Test and the Omega test. We compare these tests in terms of data dependence accuracy, compilation efficiency, effectiveness in parallelization and program execution performance. We analyze the reasons why a data dependence test can be inexact and we explain how the examined tests handle such cases. We run various experiments using the Perfect Club Benchmarks and the scientific library Lapack. We present the measured accuracy of each test and the reasons for any approximation. We compare these tests in terms of efficiency and we analyze the tradeoffs between accuracy and efficiency. We also determine the impact of each data dependence test on the total compilation time. Finally, we measure the number of loops parallelized by each test and we compare the execution performance of each benchmark on a multiprocessor. Our results indicate that the Omega test is more accurate, but also very inefficient in the cases where the other two tests are inaccurate. In general the cost of the Omega test is high and a significant percentage of the total compilation time. Furthermore, the difference in accuracy of the Omega test over the Banerjee test and the I-Test does not improve parallelization and program execution performance.
An FPGA-Based Transient Error Simulator for Resilient Circuit and System Design and Evaluation

Error detection and correction (EDAC) has become more important with continued device scaling. We propose a field-programmable gate array (FPGA)-based simulator to accelerate the transient simulation of pipeline-level EDAC circuits and their interactions with circuits under test (CUTs). The simulator incorporates the CUT delay profile, the CUT error profile, and the EDAC model. The FPGA-based simulator captures the fine-grained interactions between the CUT and EDAC for the evaluation of the effectiveness of EDAC and its tuning. The simulator is constructed based on parameterized models, making it general purpose and widely applicable. We demonstrate the capability of this simulator in the evaluation of two popular pipeline-level EDAC designs, i.e., preedge EDAC and postedge EDAC, using synthesized processors that operate under generic error and noise models. The proposed error simulator uncovers key insights to help guide EDAC designs.
Bidirectional genetic and environmental influences on mother and child behavior: The family system as the unit of analyses

Family systems theory proposes that an individual's functioning depends on interactive processes within the self and within the context of dyadic family subsystems. Previous research on these processes has focused largely on behavioral, cognitive, and psychophysiological properties of the individual and the dyad. The goals of this study were to explore genetic and environmental interactions within the family system by examining how the dopamine receptor D2 gene (DRD2) A1+ polymorphism in mothers and children relates to maternal sensitivity, how maternal and child characteristics might mediate those effects, and whether maternal sensitivity moderates the association between DRD2 A1+ and child affective problems. Evidence is found for an evocative effect of child polymorphism on parenting behavior, and for a moderating effect of child polymorphism on the association between maternal sensitivity and later child affective problems. Findings are discussed from a family systems perspective, highlighting the role of the family as a context for gene expression in both mothers and children.
Predicting the surface tension of liquid metals

Abstract The recent availability of more complete and reliable surface tension data for molten metals has led the authors to seek a general surface tension correlation which would include other fundamental properties of the molten metals. The relationship proposed has a thermodynamic basis and relates the surface tension of a molten metal to its heat of vaporiza3ion and ionic radius. Based on data reported by several investigators, the error in the calculated value of surface tension is less than ten per cent in the melting point region.
Immunological characterization of the equine airway epithelium and of a primary equine airway epithelial cell culture model.

Abstract Our understanding of innate immunity within the equine respiratory tract is limited despite growing evidence for its key role in both the immediate defense and the shaping of downstream adaptive immune responses to respiratory disease. As the first interface to undergo pathogen invasion, the respiratory epithelium is a key player in these early events and our goal was to examine the innate immune characteristics of equine respiratory epithelia and compare them to an in vitro equine respiratory epithelial cell model cultured at the air–fluid interface (AFI). Respiratory epithelial tissues, isolated epithelial cells, and four-week old cultured differentiated airway epithelial cells collected from five locations of the equine respiratory tract were examined for the expression of toll-like receptors (TLRs) and host defense peptides (HDPs) using conventional polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Cultured, differentiated, respiratory epithelial cells and freshly isolated respiratory epithelial cells were also examined for the expression of TLR3, TLR9 and major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I and class II using fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS) analysis. In addition, cytokine and chemokine profiles from respiratory epithelial tissues, freshly isolated respiratory epithelial cells, and cultured, differentiated, epithelial cells from the upper respiratory tract were examined using real-time PCR. We found that respiratory epithelial tissues and isolated epithelial cells expressed TLRs 1–4 and 6–10 as well as HDPs, MxA, 2′5′ OAS, β-defensin-1, and lactoferrin. In contrast, epithelial cells cultured at the AFI expressed TLRs 1–4 and 6 and 7 as well as MxA, 2′5′ OAS, β-defensin-1, but had lost expression of TLRs 8–10 and lactoferrin. In addition, MHC-I and MHC-II surface expression decreased in epithelial cells cultured at the AFI compared to isolated epithelial cells whereas TLR3 and TLR9 were expressed at similar levels. Lastly, we found that equine respiratory epithelial cells express an array of pro-inflammatory, antiviral and regulatory cytokines and that after four weeks of in vitro growth conditions, equine respiratory epithelial cells cultured at the AFI retained expression of GM-CSF, IL-10, IL-8, TGF-β, TNF-α, and IL-6. In summary, we describe the development of an in vitro equine respiratory epithelial cell culture model that is morphologically similar to the equine airway epithelium and retains several key immunological properties. In the future this model will be a used to study equine respiratory viral pathogenesis and cell-to-cell interactions.
Results from the Holsztynski-Slawny reduction method for ferromagnetic Ising models

We establish a variety of results using the Holsztynski-Slawny reduction method to study various ferromagnetic, Ising spin systems. The results range from a new proof of the lack of a first-order phase transition for certain infinite range, pair interaction, one-dimensional systems to a study of certain three-dimensional systems having many-body interactions.
Improved Sparger for Purge and Trap Concentrator Used for the Analysis of Volatile Organics in Landfill Leachates and Septic Samples

Abstract An improved sparger unit, part of a commercially available purge and trap concentrator, has allowed for the determination of volatile organics in very “dirty” landfill leachates and septic samples. The loss of volatile organics is minimized during transfer steps by using the same glass tube for sample collection, for storage and for the analytical sparging operation. Chemometrics was used to compare the sparging efficiency of the original and the improved sparger unit.
Conformationally Constrained 7-Azabicyclo[2.2.1]heptane Amino Acids. Synthesis of a Glutamic Acid Analogue

We report the synthesis of 2-substituted 7-azabicyclo[2.2.1]heptane glutamic acid analogue 27 from L-serine. Hemiaminal intermediate 2 can be converted to the 2S,3S,5S-trisubstituted pyrrolidine 3 by a tandem Wittig/Michael reaction or to the 2S,3S,5R-trisubstituted pyrrolidine 4 via an iodosulfonamidation reaction. The key transannular alkylation step to form the [2.2.1] ring system involves a beta-elimination of a silyl ether followed by cyclization to afford tert-butyl 7-benzyloxycarbonyl-7-azabicyclo[2.2.1]-2-heptene-1-carboxylate (20). Selective functionalization at C-2 was accomplished by the direct reduction with SmI(2) of 2-keto-3-silyl ether 23 to the C-2 ketone 24, which was converted to alpha,beta-unsaturated ester 25. Stereospecific reduction of the double bond from the exo face leads to a single protected glutamate analogue, tert-butyl (1S,2R,4R)-7-benzyloxycarbonyl-2-(methoxycarbonylmethyl)-7-azabicyclo[2.2.1]heptane-1-carboxylate (27).
Dependency Theory: Requiescat in Pace?*

Many recent signs, empirical and analytic, raise questions about dependency/worldsystems theory. The difficulties are not new warnings but reminders that the theory has always had problems stemming from the close and logically unavoidable connections among three major beliefs or tenets: (1) the unchallenged omnipotence of the North Atlantic metropole throughout the world; (2) the neglect of indigenous variables as possible explanations of development; and (3) the implied assumption that growth and development are the normal state of affairs. It is argued that the first, and defining, tenet of dependency theory cannot be sustained unless the other two are also true and that this is the source of an increasingly ill-fitting correspondence between the theory and major characteristics of the Third World.
Automotive engine hybrid modelling and control for reduction of hydrocarbon emissions

Automotive engine models vary in their complexity depending on the intended application. Pre-prototype performance prediction models can be very complex in order to make accurate predictions. Controller design models need to be as simple as possible since model-based controllers must operate in real time. This paper develops hybrid models for engine control that incorporate time and events in their formulation. The resulting hybrid controllers have the capability of switching between two alternative control modes. The first mode is designed to reduce the raw hydrocarbon (HC) emissions while the second mode tries to increase the temperature of the catalytic converter as rapidly as possible during the initial transient or “cold start” period. Reachability, as a tool for system analysis, is used to verify the properties of the closed loop system.
Accurate reconstruction of temporal correlation for neuronal sources using the enhanced dual-core MEG beamformer

Beamformer spatial filters are commonly used to explore the active neuronal sources underlying magnetoencephalography (MEG) recordings at low signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). Conventional beamformer techniques are successful in localizing uncorrelated neuronal sources under poor SNR conditions. However, the spatial and temporal features from conventional beamformer reconstructions suffer when sources are correlated, which is a common and important property of real neuronal networks. Dual-beamformer techniques, originally developed by Brookes et al. to deal with this limitation, successfully localize highly-correlated sources and determine their orientations and weightings, but their performance degrades at low correlations. They also lack the capability to produce individual time courses and therefore cannot quantify source correlation. In this paper, we present an enhanced formulation of our earlier dual-core beamformer (DCBF) approach that reconstructs individual source time courses and their correlations. Through computer simulations, we show that the enhanced DCBF (eDCBF) consistently and accurately models dual-source activity regardless of the correlation strength. Simulations also show that a multi-core extension of eDCBF effectively handles the presence of additional correlated sources. In a human auditory task, we further demonstrate that eDCBF accurately reconstructs left and right auditory temporal responses and their correlations. Spatial resolution and source localization strategies corresponding to different measures within the eDCBF framework are also discussed. In summary, eDCBF accurately reconstructs source spatio-temporal behavior, providing a means for characterizing complex neuronal networks and their communication.
Structure of hybrid (organic/inorganic) TiO2–SiO2 xerogels as studied by neopentane adsorption at 273 K and Ti K-edge X-ray absorption spectroscopy

Abstract TiO2–SiO2 hybrid alcogels prepared from two different `organic silicon' precursors, namely Me2Si(OMe)2 and (Me2SiO)3, were characterized by adsorption of neopentane at 273 K and X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) at the Ti K-edge. Simultaneous fitting of the macro- and mesopore (BET), and micropore (Dubinin–Radushkevitch, DR) neopentane adsorption uptakes at 273 K provides a picture of the near-ambient pore structure of these flexible materials. Both X-ray absorption near edge structures (XANES) and EXAFS indicate that micro-segregation into small TiOx particles takes place during acid hydrolysis in the material prepared from the cyclic (Me2Si–O)3 precursor, but a higher Ti dispersion is observed in TiO2–SiO2 hybrid glasses prepared from Me2Si(OMe)2. Spectral features indicative of pentacoordinated Ti dominate the pre-edge XAS structure of the TiO2–SiO2 hybrid glass prepared from Me2Si(OMe)2.
NMR Relaxation and Pulsed Gradient NMR Diffusion Measurements of Ultrasonically Devulcanized Poly(dimethylsiloxane)

We report 1H NMR transverse relaxation and pulsed-gradient spin−echo self-diffusion measurements at 70 °C in poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) rubber before and after cross-linking, and after subsequen...
Comments on Kanner AM et al. The use of sertraline in patients with epilepsy: is it safe? Epilepsy & Behavior 2000;1:100-105

“The use of sertraline in patients with epilepsy: Is it safe?” by Andres M. Kanner et al. [1] is replete with clinical pearls. It examines the safety of a serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI), i.e., sertraline (SRT), on seizure frequency in peoplewith epilepsy (PWE) exhibiting either a depression (N = 97) or symptoms of obsessive compulsive disorder (N = 3) (OCD). The frequency of lifetime-to-date major depressive disorder (MDD) in PWE has been noted to be ~30% [2,3], but the lack of recognition and, especially, the fear of exacerbating seizure frequency with antidepressants (ADs) have limited treatment options. This paper, however, not only clarifies this issue but also comments on five other important factors of extreme clinical utility. These include the following: the frequency of subsyndromal depressive disorders, the lack of recognition of mood symptoms in PWE, the development of drug tolerance and of hypomanic symptoms on an SSRI, the frequency of iatrogenic depression, and the overall response to sertraline. Dr. Kanner's study used a clinically useful definition of probable and definite AD causality of seizure exacerbation. The authors noted that sertraline in 100 patients was associated with an increase in seizure frequency in only six PWE. Infive patients, the relationshipwas probable, and they responded to an adjustment of antiepileptic medication, with SRT remaining stable in four. In the remaining patientwith a probable increase in seizure frequency, a flurry of seizures occurred, where only one generalized tonic–clonic seizure was recognized during the preceding year. Sertraline was discontinued. The conclusion of the paper was that SRT could be used safely in PWE. In addition, of the 97 PWE and mood symptoms, only 28 met the criteria for a MDD. The remaining 69 patients had mood symptoms that adversely affected their quality of life butwere subsyndromic. Twogroups
Lack of clinical utility of cytomegalovirus blood and urine cultures in patients with HIV infection

Objective: To determine the clinical significance of cytomegalovirus (CMV) blood and urine cultures in patients with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. Design: Inception cohort of patien...
Echo calling narcissus: what exceeds the gaze of clinical ethics consultation?

Guiding our response in this essay is our view that current efforts to demarcate the role of the clinical ethicist risk reducing its complex network of authorizations to sites of power and payment. In turn, the role becomes susceptible to various ideologies—individualisms, proceduralisms, secularisms—that further divide the body from the web of significances that matter to that body, where only she, the patient, is located. The security of policy, standards, and employment will pull against and eventually sever the authorization secured by authentic moral inquiry. Instead of asking “What do I need to know?”, the question animating the drive to standardize will be “What is the policy or standard?” The claims of the authors in this issue of HEC Forum confirm these suspicions.
Incorporating Sustainability and Green Engineering into a Constrained Civil Engineering Curriculum

AbstractRevised Bodies of Knowledge, constituent input, and student demand are motivating the incorporation of sustainability concepts in traditional engineering curricula. While a variety of metho...
NEUROLEPTIC WITHDRAWAL IN SCHIZOPHRENIC PATIENTS : AN IDEA WHOSE TIME HAS COME

GILBERT and colleagues1have provided a much needed review of the risk of relapse following neuroleptic withdrawal compared with neuroleptic maintenance in patients with schizophrenia. They also have provided some sensible recommendations for clinicians and guidelines for further research concerning neuroleptic maintenance treatment vs withdrawal. This review comes at a time of increased public and professional concern about the ethics of research concerning neuroleptic withdrawal in schizophrenia, stimulated in part by national attention to complaints from the families of patients who participated in a neuroleptic withdrawal study at the University of California—Los Angeles. However, there is another issue that this review can provide the basis for further consideration of, ie, the desirability of indefinite maintenance treatment with neuroleptic drugs in patients with schizophrenia. This is the course recommended by Gilbert et al, albeit at the lowest possible dose to prevent relapse, as
A new microvoid-damage model for ductile fracture

Abstract In this paper, a new model of isotropic ductile plastic void-damage based on a continuum void-damage variable, D v , on the effective stress concept and on thermodynamics is derived, and is used to analyze the growth and coalescence of microvoids. A comparison with the Rice-Tracey model and with some experiments is presented and a good agreement is found.
A Trajectory Approach to Analyzing the Ingredients Associated with Heavy Winter Storms in Central North Carolina

AbstractWinter storms, namely snowstorms and ice storms, are a major hazard and forecasting challenge across central North Carolina. This study employed a trajectory approach to analyze the ingredients (i.e., temperature, moisture, and lift) associated with heavy snowstorms and ice storms that occurred within the Raleigh, North Carolina, National Weather Service forecast region from 2000 to 2010. The Hybrid Single-Particle Lagrangian Integrated Trajectory (HYSPLIT) tool was used to calculate 72-h backward (i.e., upstream) air parcel trajectories from three critical vertical pressure levels at the time and location of heaviest precipitation for each storm. Analysis of composite trajectories revealed the source regions and meteorological properties of air parcels associated with heavy winter storms. Adiabatic and diabatic contributions to air parcel temperature and moisture content were also estimated along each trajectory to assess the physical processes connected with heavy winter precipitation in the reg...
Compile-time transformations and optimization of parallel Divide-and-Conquer algorithms

In this paper we show how it is often possible to transform and optimize parallel algorithms based on the Divide-and-Conquer paradigm at compile time. Our goal is to make Divide-and-Conquer algorithms suitable for implementation on hypercube-like parallel architectures, such as the Connection Machine, even if the original algorithm implies a division function that is not the left-right division and/or communication pattern that cannot be implemented by direct-neighbor communication.Our tools are the formal model of the Divide-and-Conquer paradigm developed in [4] and the parallel programming language derived from this model: Divacon [2], [3].Our main results concern the replacement of last-k communication (broadcast) and mirror image communication with correspondent communication and the transformation from odd-even division to left-right division and vice versa. By using each of the techniques described in this paper it is possible to improve many Divide-and-Conquer algorithms by a factor of log(n).
Signature sequences for the galectin-4 subfamily.

Summary Galectins are a distinct family of animal lectins that have a cation-independent affinity for beta-galactoside sugars and share characteristic amino acid sequences. The cDNA encoding rabbit bladder galectin-4 has been cloned and sequenced (GenBank accession no. AF091738). The deduced 328 amino acid sequence predicts a multidomain structure consisting of an N-terminal peptide (19 residues) and two carbohydrate recognition domains (130 residues each) connected by a linker region (49 residues). Comparison of rabbit galectin-4 with related proteins reveals that two peptide motifs, M-A-F/Y-V-P-A-P-G-Y-Q-P-T-Y-N-P-T-L-P-Y in the N terminus and A-F-H-F-N-P-R-F-D-G-W-D-K-V-V-F in the first carbohydrate recognition domain are highly conserved in human, pig, rat, and mouse galectin-4 as well as in mouse galectin-6. The two peptide motifs are proposed here as the signature sequences to identify new members of the galectin-4 subfamily.
Fluorescence lifetime microscopy: a stimulated emission approach

The stimulated emission process has been rarely exploited in spectroscopy and microscopy. Instead, a spectroscopy method based on the pump-probe principle has been frequently used to observe picosecond and femtosecond processes. This common approach has not been applied to microscopy due to the relatively slow acquisition time and the lack of 3D information. We have exploited an idea originally proposed by F. Lytle group in which two pulsed lasers are simultaneously focused on the sample. One laser is used to excite a population of molecules and the second laser to induce stimulated emission. The stimulated radiation is carried away in the same direction of the stimulating laser beam. By collecting the fluorescence emission in other directions, we observe a modulation of the fluorescence signal as a function of the delay between the two laser pulses. The repetition rate of the two lasers is slightly different producing a frequency beating at the laser overlapping volume. We have extended this method to achieve very high spatial and temporal resolution in the microscope environment. By recording only the beating frequency, we obtain a 3D sectional effect similar to two-photon excitation. The harmonic content of the beating signal is limited by the laser pulse width and by the sample frequency response. Information of picosecond processes are extracted by standard frequency-domain methods. Using this principle, we built a stimulated emission microscope that has 3D and fluorescence lifetime capabilities.© (1996) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Influence of calcium carbonate on U(VI) sorption to soils.

The high stability of calcium uranyl carbonate complexes in the circumneutral pH range has a strong impact on U(VI) sorption in calcareous soils. To quantify this influence, sorption of U(VI) to soils in the presence of naturally occurring calcium carbonate was investigated by conducting batch experiments in which either U(VI) concentration or solution pH was varied. Two soils containing different calcium carbonate concentrations were selected, one from Oak Ridge, TN, and another from Altamont Pass, CA. The results show that the presence of calcium carbonate in soils strongly affects U(VI) sorption. Higher concentrations of soil calcium carbonate lead to a pronounced suppression of the pH-dependent sorption curve in the neutral pH range because of the formation of a very stable neutral complex of calcium uranyl carbonate in solution. A surface complexation model considering both strong and weak sites for ferrihydrite and ionizable hydroxyl sites for clay minerals was compared with experimental results, an...
Using general polar values as control points for polynomial curves

Abstract Blossoming has proven to be a useful technique for understanding and generalizing polynomial curves through the use of the polar form. This paper shows that general polar values may be used to control polynomial curves when a related matrix is invertible. The inverse matrix provides a useful translation from these general blossom control points to well known ones such as those of Bezier. The special case in which the polar form can be evaluated through pairwise affine combinations is characterized, allowing the arguments of the blossom control points to be chosen in a manner akin to choosing the knot vector of a B-spline segment. The number of free parameters for specifying the blossom control points of polynomial curves is increased significantly over the B-spline case.
Severe Bleomycin-Induced Pneumonitis* Clinical Features and Response to Corticosteroids

Ten (3 percent) of 287 patients receiving combination chemotherapy developed severe bleomycin-induced pneumonitis. The course and the response to therapy in these patients are summarized in this report. The dose of bleomycin received varied from 136 to 588 units, with toxic effects occurring in six patients who had received less than 200 units. Dyspnea and dry cough were the presenting symptoms in nine patients; one was asymptomatic. Roentgenograms were abnormal in nine cases, with five showing bilateral infiltrates. Four patients had asymmetric abnormalities, with radiographic involvement of only a single lung in two of these. Pulmonary function tests were abnormal, with a decreased diffusing capacity. Seven patients were treated with corticosteroid therapy, and significant clinical and radiographic improvement was noted; however, pulmonary function tests remained abnormal and could not be used to monitor the response. Prolonged therapy with corticosteroids was required over many months to maintain improvement. Tapering of the steroid dosage led to recurrence of clinical symptoms and radiographic infiltrates in five patients. Mortality was 60 percent, with three early deaths in untreated patients and three late deaths which occurred 12 to 15 months after diagnosis. In this study, patients with severe bleomycin-induced pneumonitis had symptomatic improvement and roentgenographic clearing following corticosteroid therapy.
Validity of the Draw-A-Person: Screening Procedure for Emotional Disturbance (DAP:SPED) in Strengths-Based Assessment:

Objective: This is the first validity study to date to examine the relationship between the Draw-A-Person: Screening Procedure for Emotional Disturbance (DAP:SPED) and strengths-based emotional and...
A fatal case of constructive pericarditis due to a marked, selective pericardial accumulation of amyloid

Distinguishing constrictive pericarditis from restrictive cardiomyopathy, usually due to amyloidosis, is a relatively frequent and difficult diagnostic problem. This report describes, for the first time, a patient with constrictive pericarditis caused by direct, extensive infiltration of the pericardium by amyloid, with only minimal amyloid in the myocardium, and a normal heart weight of 320 g. This patient demonstrates that amyloid may be predominantly deposited in the pericardium and actually cause constrictive pericarditis, as well as simulate its hemodynamic presentation by myocardial deposition. Given a clinical and hemodynamic presentation compatible with either constrictive or restrictive disease, an endomyocardial biopsy or other biopsy revealing amyloidosis does not necessarily rule out pericardial constriction that may be due to amyloid infiltration. The relationship between constrictive pericarditis, seen in this patient, and the other more common manifestations of amyloid heart disease, and the hemodynamic profiles of amyloid cardiomyopathy and constrictive pericarditis are reviewed.
Radical cations of benzo(a)pyrene and 6-substituted derivatives: reaction with nucleophiles and DNA

1. Oxidation of benzo[α]pyrene (BP) by I2 in the presence of AgClO4 in benzene generates the BP+ ClO4− · AgI complex. This same method was used to produce radical cations from 6-FBP, 6-ClBP, 6-BrBP and 6-CH3BP.2. Reaction of the BP, 6-FBP, 6-ClBP and 6-BrBP radical cation perchlorates with H2O produced BP 1,6-, 3,6- and 6,12- dione, whereas 6-CH3BP.+ ClO4− · AgI yielded 6-CH2OHBP.3. When BP.+ ClO4− · AgI and 6-FBP.+ ClO4− · AgI were reacted with NaOAc in H2O/CH3CN (9:1), 6-OAcBP was formed, in addition to the quinones. In the case of 6-ClBP.+ ClO4− · AgI, a small amount of 1-OAc-6-ClBP and 3-OAc-6-ClBP was formed in addition to the diones, whereas for 6-BrBP and 6-CH3BP the reaction products were BP diones and 6-CH2OHBP respectively.4. These results confirm the localization of charge in the BP.+ at C-6, followed by C-1 and C-3.5. The reaction of BP with NOBF4 in CH2Cl2 produced BP.+ BF4−, radical cation free of complexation with inorganic salts.6. Reaction of BP.+ BF4 with DNA produced the depurinating ad...
Clinical significance of different bacterial load of Mycoplasma pneumoniae in patients with Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia

a b s t r a c t Objective: This retrospective study was conducted to investigate the clinical significance of different Mycoplasma pneumoniae bacterial load in patients with M. pneumoniae pneumonia (MP) in children. Methods: Patients with MP (n = 511) were identified at the Children’s Hospital Affiliated to Soochow University database during an outbreak of MP between January 2012 and February 2013. Results: Comparing patients with high and low bacterial load those with higher loads were significantly older (p < 0.01) and had fever significantly more frequently (p = 0.01). Presence of wheezing at presentation was associated with low bacterial load (p = 0.03). Baseline positive IgM was present in 93 (56.4%) patients with high bacterial load compared to 46 (27.8%) patients with low bacterial load (p < 0.001). Co-infection with viruses was found significantly more frequent among patients with low bacterial load (24.2%) than those with high bacterial load (8.5%) [p < 0.001]. Bacterial co-infection was also more frequently detected among patients with low bacterial load (22.4%) than in those with high bacterial load (12.1%) [p = 0.01]. Conclusion: M. pneumoniae at a high bacterial load could be an etiologic agent of respiratory tract disease, whereas the etiologic role of MP at a low bacterial load remains to be determined.
Comment on “Does the position of shoulder immobilization after reduced anterior glenohumeral dislocation affect coaptation of a Bankart lesion? An arthrographic comparison.” by Momenzadeh OR et al.

The authors present a very interesting article [1] that compares the position of the arm in immobilization after anterior dislocation. Anterior glenohumeral instability is a common problem, and therefore this study has the potential for significant and widespread impact. In the past, anterior dislocations were routinely treated with a sling and the arm in an internally rotated position. There have been a few reports noting the potential for improved healing of the Bankart lesion if the arm is placed in external rotation. However, there has been minimal magnetic resonance imaging data on the true anatomic impact of different immobilization positions.
Intelligent path training of a five-link walking robot on sloped surface

Intelligent path training of a five-link walking robot on sloped surface is introduced. A neural network theory, backpropagation through time, is applied in this study. The learning scheme uses two neural networks, a neural network controller and a neural network emulator, both of which are multilayered feedforward neural networks. The emulator is trained on accuracy data that characterize the actual walking robot kinematics. The controller learns to provide the control signals at each stage of a walking gait. These trained networks can generate walking patterns by giving reference trajectory which defines the desired step width, height and period in several stages. A mathematical analysis for dynamic walking, based on the ground impact reaction, is included. This proposed scheme is tested with simulations of the BLR-G1 walking robot.
Log-based directory resolution in the Coda file system

A key problem in optimistic replication, namely, using semantic knowledge of objects to resolve concurrent updates from multiple partitions, is addressed. The authors describe how the Coda file system resolves partitioned updates to directories. The central result is that logging of updates is a simple yet efficient and powerful technique for directory resolution in Unix file systems. Measurements show that the time for resolution is typically less than 10% of the time for performing the original set of partitioned updates. Analysis based on file traces indicates that a log size of 2 MB per hour of partition should be ample for typical services. >