cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
European economic community depository libraries and documentation centers in the United States

Abstract A general discussion of the organization and operation of the European Economic Community and its institutions is presented. Growth of the Community's forty depository libraries and documentation centers in the United States is discussed, and the results of a 1974 comparative survey of these libraries is presented. Recommendations point to the need for greater communication and co-operation between these depository libraries to meet the coming information demand for the Community's primary and secondary materials. Concluding appendix lists depository and documentation centers in the U.S. plus English language series titles received by these libraries.
The functional differences in the inverted repeats of Tn5 are caused by a single base pair nonhomology

The inverted repeats of Tn5 are functionally different. One repeat codes for larger polypeptides, which are required for transposition. The other repeat has a better promoter for the neomycin resistance gene in the region of the repeat near the unique sequences. These dissimilarities are now shown to be caused by a single base pair difference. This change both creates a better promoter sequence and codes for part of a new UAA nonsense codon. Mutants in which the DNA sequence of a repeat is altered only at this base pair are shown to function like the opposite repeat. Furthermore, it is possible to suppress the UAA nonsense codon with an ochre suppressor, making the previously abbreviated polypeptides functional in transposition.
Measurement of relative regional tumor blood flow in mice by deuterium NMR imaging.

A noninvasive method to measure relative regional tumor blood flow (rTBF) throughout murine tumors which uses deuterium NMR imaging to observe regional uptake of HOD after bolus iv injection of D2O is introduced. HOD uptake images are formed by subtraction of a background (preinjection) image from 94-s gradient-refocused deuterium NMR images acquired starting 30 s and 10 min after D2O injection. The pixel intensity in the HOD uptake image acquired starting 30 s after injection is directly related to rTBF with a limit of detection estimated at 7 ml/(100 g-min). The image acquired 10 min after D2O injection extends the estimated limit of detection for rTBF to 3 ml/(100 g-min). Heterogeneity in rTBF and regional effects of photodynamic therapy within RIF-1 tumors are readily perceived. This method may provide a valuable tool to further our understanding of the relationship between blood flow and therapeutic response in tumors. © 1992 Academic Press, Inc.
High-Strain Rate Compressive Behavior of Glass Beads Under Confinement

Glass beads are often used to examine simulation models for granular materials. The dynamic behavior of glass beads, however, has not been characterized accurately. In this paper, the dynamic behavior is characterized at high strain rates. To describe the beads used in these experiments, the size distribution was measured, and the bead-level mechanical properties were determined by nanoindentation. The dynamic compressive behavior of glass beads under confinement was characterized at strain rates near 400 s−1 using a long split Hopkinson pressure bar. The glass beads were confined inside a hollow cylinder of hardened steel and capped by cemented tungsten carbide cylindrical rods. The assembly was subjected to repeated shaking and tapping to consolidate the glass beads to attain a given bulk mass density. Experiments were conducted on dry unsorted beads at three initial mass densities (1.46, 1.54 and 1.61 g/cm3), sorted beads at three sizes (0.30, 0.212, and 0.106 mm), and partially saturated beads with average bead size of 0.212 mm at five water contents (0, 7, 14, 18 and 22 % by weight). Effect of initial mass density, bead size and water content on the dynamic volumetric and deviatoric response was investigated. The impacted beads were sorted for analysis of the particle size distribution. The compressibility was characterized in terms of the void ratio as a function of the axial pressure.
Chronic low-amplitude electrical stimulation of the laterodorsal tegmental nucleus of freely moving cats increases REM sleep

While cholinergic stimulation of the PRF evokes a REM-like state, electrical stimulation of LDT/PPT neurons has not been used to test the hypothesis of mesopontine cholinergic control of REM sleep. Adult cats were implanted for electrographic recording and with bipolar unilateral stimulating electrodes, either in the LDT or within the PRF (stimulation control). Baseline recordings of the normal sleep-wake cycle were carried out for 5 h. On the next day, continuous stimulation of the LDT or mPRF was carried out during the same time period (0.5 ms pulses, 1 μA, 8 Hz) and with post-stimulation recording for 3 h. A second baseline recording day followed with same protocol as the first baseline day. This 3-day sequence, separated by 3 days, was repeated three times in each of the three LDT and the three medial PRF cats. Five hours of chronic low-amplitude stimulation of the LDT induced a highly significant increase in total REM and in the duration of REM sleep bouts. Stimulation of the mPRF did not affect any of the behavioral states. This study, the first to our knowledge to use low-amplitude stimulation of LDT in freely moving cats, indicates the importance of mesopontine cholinergic neurons in REM sleep.
Becoming Learning Commons Partners: Working towards a shared vision and practice

In 2005, the Provost at Seattle University chose the writing centre, the learning assistance programmes and the speaking centre to partner with the library to create a learning commons as part of a...
Effect of velocity on flow localization in tension

One-dimensional dynamic numerical simulations of sheet tensile tests and expanding ring tests have been carried out to study the variation of ductility over a wide range of deformation velocities where inertial effects are significant. For materials following the Hollomon-type constitutive law with power-law strain rate sensitivity, the results showed that ductility in both tests is invariant to velocity at low test velocity. Beyond certain velocities, as the test velocity increases, ductility of a tensile specimen first increases, fluctuates with velocity at higher rates and finally drops rapidly. However, in ring expansion ductility increases monotonically. This predicted behavior is quite consistent with experimental observations, suggesting that inertial effects are likely to be a first-order factor responsible for enhanced ductility observed in high velocity deformation. To characterize the velocity-dependent behavior of ductility, two critical velocities in the tensile test and one critical velocity in the expanding ring tests were defined and numerically determined as a function of material parameters. For rate-insensitive materials, these values can be simply estimated in closed-form.
Robotic mitral valve repair for all prolapse subsets using techniques identical to open valvuloplasty: establishing the benchmark against which percutaneous interventions should be judged.

Objective Recent reports have shown that robotic mitral valve repair is effective in treating posterior leaflet disease; however, comparison with trans-sternal (open) valvuloplasty for all prolapse categories has not been performed. Moreover, data from the recently published EVEREST II trial infer that adverse event rates after mitral valve repair for degenerative disease are high. We therefore compared early outcomes of robotic versus open mitral valve repair for patients with mitral valve prolapse. Methods Among 745 consecutive patients undergoing open or robotic mitral repair for degenerative disease, 95 propensity-matched pairs were identified. Leaflet prolapse categories were similar between groups. Complete mitral valve repair was performed using identical techniques. Results Median crossclamp and bypass times were longer in the robotic group but decreased significantly over time ( P P = 1.00), and all patients in the robotic group had mild or less mitral regurgitation at 1 month after repair. There were no differences in adverse events (5% open vs 4% robotic, P = 1.00). Patients in the robotic group had shorter postoperative ventilation time, intensive care unit stay, and hospital stay. Conclusions Robotic mitral valve repair allows complete anatomic correction of all categories of leaflet prolapse using techniques identical to open approaches. Robotic repair effectively corrects mitral regurgitation, offers excellent freedom from adverse events, and facilitates rapid weaning from ventilation, translating into earlier hospital dismissal. Safety and efficacy after both open and robotic mitral valve repair are higher than recently reported in the EVEREST II trial and establish a benchmark against which nonsurgical therapies should be evaluated.
Latency and bandwidth-minimizing failure detectors

Failure detectors are fundamental building blocks in distributed systems. Multi-node failure detectors, where the detector is tasked with monitoring N other nodes, play a critical role in overlay networks and peer-to-peer systems. In such networks, failures need to be detected quickly and with low overhead. Achieving these properties simultaneously poses a difficult tradeoff between detection latency and resource consumption.In this paper, we examine this central tradeoff, formalize it as an optimization problem and analytically derive the optimal closed form formulas for multi-node failure detectors. We provide two variants of the optimal solution for optimality metrics appropriate for two different deployment scenarios. √s-LM is a latency-minimizing optimal failure detector that achieves the lowest average failure detection latency given a fixed bandwidth constraint for system maintenance. √s-BM is a bandwidth-minimizing optimal failure detector that meets a desired detection latency target with the least amount of bandwidth consumed. We evaluate our optimal results with node lifetimes chosen from bimodal and Pareto distributions, as well as real-world trace data from PlanetLab hosts, web sites and Microsoft PCs. Compared to standard failure detectors in wide use, √s failure detectors reduce failure detection latencies by 40% on average for the same bandwidth consumption, or conversely, reduce the amount of bandwidth consumed by 30% for the same failure detection latency.
Clinical Spectrum of the Sick Sinus Syndrome

The clinical spectrum of the sick sinus syndrome (SSS) is described in a series of 56 patients who demonstrated either persistent unexplained sinus bradycardia (group I: eight patients); sinus arre...
Recent progress in organic photovoltaics: device architecture and optical design

Research on organic photovoltaic (OPV) materials and devices has flourished in recent years due to their potential for offering low-cost solar energy conversion. With a deepened understanding on the fundamental photovoltaic processes in organic electronic materials and the development of tailored materials and device architectures, we have seen a rapid increase in the efficiency of OPV devices to over 10%, which attracts tremendous commercial interests for further development and manufacturing. Here, we review recent progress in the field of organic photovoltaics, particularly on various innovative device architectures and optical designs to maximize the power conversion efficiency of OPV cells for a given set of photoactive donor and acceptor materials. Following an introduction of the basic device operation of organic photovoltaic cells and the advances in active materials, we firstly present different device architectures that have been used to optimize the charge generation and collection characteristics within the OPV devices. We then discuss various methods to manage and manipulate the light wave propagation in OPV devices for more complete absorption of the incident light, an important area that has been underexplored so far.
Developing the Communicative Participation Item Bank: Rasch Analysis Results From a Spasmodic Dysphonia Sample

Purpose The purpose of this study was to conduct the initial psychometric analyses of the Communicative Participation Item Bank—a new self-report instrument designed to measure the extent to which communication disorders interfere with communicative participation. This item bank is intended for community-dwelling adults across a range of communication disorders. Method A set of 141 candidate items was administered to 208 adults with spasmodic dysphonia. Participants rated the extent to which their condition interfered with participation in various speaking communication situations. Questionnaires were administered online or in a paper version per participant preference. Participants also completed the Voice Handicap Index (B. H. Jacobson et al., 1997) and a demographic questionnaire. Rasch analyses were conducted using Winsteps software (J. M. Linacre, 1991). Results The results show that items functioned better when the 5-category response format was recoded to a 4-category format. After removing 8 items...
Deposition of Diamond/ Tin Composite Film on Tool Steel Substrate

TiN/Diamond/TiN composite film has been deposited on tool steel substrate by CVD and laser ablation technique. A TiN film of about 0.5nm thick was first deposited as a buffer layer by laser ablation and then diamond was deposited with proper number density by CVD. After this the diamond layer was covered by a second layer of TiN. It was found that the TiN buffer layer was stable during CVD process of diamond and can chemically isolate the depositing surface from steel substrate. This prevents the reaction between the diamond and the substrate and makes it possible to deposit high quality diamond films on steel. The second TiN layer embeds the diamond particles to form a TiN/diamond composite film and therefore greatly enhances adhesion of the deposited diamond. SEM, Raman, adhesion and hardness measurements show that an extremely hard, adherent and thermal-shock-resistant diamond/TiN composite film can be deposited on steel.
Total hemolytic complement (CH50) and second component of complement (C′2hu) activity in serum and synovial fluid

The presence of the second component of human complement in synovial fluid was demonstrated by a stoichiometric titration using EAC′lagp4gp cells; fourth component and a moiety of third component were identified by immunoelectrophoresis using specific antiserum. The concentration of total hemolytic complement, C′2, and C′4 was strikingly diminished in synovial fluid from patients with rheumatoid arthritis compared to their concentration in synovial fluid from patients with traumatic, degenerative or gouty effusions. These findings suggest that reduction in total complement activity was due to activation of C′1 with subsequent utilization of its substrates, C′2 and C′4.
Eliminative deoxygenation: the facile formation of α-trimethylsilyl vinyl sulfides from sulfoxides

Abstract Synthetically useful α-trimethylsilyl vinyl sulfides are generated in high yields by deoxygenation of the corresponding sulfoxides in the presence of excess LDA and trimethylsilyl chloride.
Helper Virus-Free Herpes Simplex Virus-1 Plasmid Vectors for Gene Therapy of Parkinson's Disease and Other Neurological Disorders

Vectors based on herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) have potential for gene therapy of neurological disorders. HSV-1 plasmid vectors (amplicons) contain only approximately 1% of the 150-kb HSV-1 genome and have been packaged into virus particles by using a helper virus. We have demonstrated that HSV-1 plasmid vectors which express tyrosine hydroxylase can cause long-term biochemical and behavioral recovery in the 6-hydroxydopamine rat model of Parkinson's disease. Furthermore, we and others have used HSV-1 plasmid vectors which express a wide range of genes that affect neuronal physiology. Because of the pathogenicity of the HSV-1 helper virus, however, the use of this vector system has been limited to studies in animal models or primary cultures of neural cells. Thus, to increase the safety of HSV-1 plasmid vectors, we recently developed a helper virus-free packaging system that may facilitate studies on neuronal physiology and potential therapeutic applications.
Responses of the large milkweed bug, Oncopeltus fasciatus (hemiptera: lygaeidae) to high levels of air pollutants

Milkweed bugs were exposed to either 300 ppm CO, 5–10 ppm SO2, 5–10 ppm NO2, or compressed air (controls) for two hours a day throughout their life cycle and until 50 percent of the adults had died. The apparent stimulation of growth and reproduction by gaseous pollutants is difficult to explain.
Variation in Body Weight and Total Length Among Families of White Bass, Morone chrysops, Fry After Communal Rearing

Variation in body weight and total length among 15 families of Phase I white bass, Morone chrysops, was evaluated in a communal pond. Trait heritabilities (h 2 )w ere estimated and family pedigrees were determined a posteriori using microsatellite molecular markers. Fry averaged 36.7 ± 2.6 mm and 0.53 ± 0.10 g across all families after 32 days of communal rearing. The number of offspring identified in our sample per family ranged between three and 28. There were significant differences between families in both body weight and length (P < 0.05). The families clustered into four overlapping groups, but family rankings differed by trait. Both traits showed low heritability (h 2 = 0.07, length; h 2 = 0.06, weight). Subsequent studies in white bass should include assessment of larger fish to obtain genetic estimates at different stages in the production cycle. This study represents the first effort to assess variation among white bass families for any growth-related trait using a communal rearing approach.
Passive versus Active Parental Permission in School-Based Survey Research: Does the Type of Permission Affect Prevalence Estimates of Risk Behaviors?.

This study investigates whether the type of parental permission affects prevalence estimates for risk behaviors from the national 2001 Youth Risk Behavior Survey. Participants were 13,195 students from 143 schools, of which 65% used passive permission and 35% active permission. Student participation rates were 86.7% in passive permission schools and 77.3% in active permission schools. For 24 of 26 behaviors tested, no significant differences were seen in the prevalence of risk behavior by type of parental permission. As long as high response rates are obtained, type of parental permission does not affect prevalence estimates for risk behaviors that are based on self-report.
Pro‐market reforms and developing country multinational corporations

Building on the institution-based view of strategy, I study the impact of pro-market reforms on developing country firm multinationality. I propose that reforms increase multinationality by reducing institutional imperfections and increasing domestic competition, thus inducing firms to expand internationally. However, I argue the effect is higher for private firms than state firms because the former are compelled to be more responsive to institutional changes and opportunities in order to survive. Three-level RCM Poisson analyses of a panel of the largest firms in Latin America for the period 1989 to 2009 provide robust support for the arguments.
The peripheral xylem of grapevine (Vitis vinifera) berries. 2. Anatomy and development.

It has been hypothesized that the substantial reductions in xylemic water flow occurring at veraison are due to physical disruption (breaking) of the xylem as a result of renewed berry growth. In a companion paper, evidence was presented that the vast majority of xylem tracheary elements remained intact despite the growth of the berry, and it was proposed that existing tracheary elements stretch to accommodate growth and that additional elements may also differentiate after veraison. Measurements of the intergyre distance of tracheary elements in macerated tissue were used to test for stretching, and the numbers of tracheary elements per vascular bundle and of branch points of the peripheral xylem network were analysed to test for continued differentiation from 18 to 120 d after anthesis in Chardonnay berries. The distance between the epidermis and the vasculature increased substantially from pre- to post-veraison, potentially increasing the amount of skin available for analysis of compounds important for winemaking. Tracheary elements continued to differentiate within the existing vascular bundles throughout berry development. Additional vascular bundles also appeared until after veraison, thereby increasing the complexity of the peripheral vascular network. The results also confirmed that tracheary elements stretched by ;20%, but this was not as much as that predicted based on the growth of the vascular diameter (40%). These results complete a comprehensive evaluation of grape berry peripheral xylem during its development and show that tracheary development continues further into berry maturation than previously thought.
Immunogenetics as an Aid to Selection for Disease Resistance in the Fowl

The prospect for the effective use of immunogenetics as a tool for genetic improvement is much brighter to-day than it was in the 50′s. The central focus of experimental immunogenetics is on the so...
Hardness of cercopithecine foods: Implications for the critical function of enamel thickness in exploiting fallback foods

We evaluate the hardness of foods con- sumed by sympatric Cercopithecus ascanius (redtail gue- nons) and Lophocebus albigena (grey-cheeked manga- beys), and consider how selection might operate to influence foraging adaptations. Since L. albigena has among the thickest dental enamel in extant primates and is commonly referred to as a hard-object consumer, we predicted that their diet would be harder than that of the guenon. Data on diet and food hardness (as measured by resistance to puncture and crushing) were collected be- tween June-October of 1997 at Kibale National Park, Uganda, and were compared to similar data collected in Kibale between 1991-1994. Contrary to what we pre- dicted, there was no difference in dietary hardness when the puncture resistance of all fruit consumed by the two species was compared (31 tree species in both study peri- ods). However, in June-October 1997, L. albigena ex- ploited a diet more resistant to puncture and crushing than C. ascanius. This difference is largely explained by the higher percentage of bark and seeds consumed by the L. albigena during this period. We suggest that it is the difference in the mechanical properties of fallback foods during critical periods that may have served as the selec- tive pressure for thick enamel in L. albigena. Am J Phys Anthropol 125:363-368, 2004. © 2004 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Effects of Fluoride and Chloride Ions on Corrosion of Titanium Grade 7 in Concentrated Groundwaters

Titanium Grade 7 (Ti-7) was tested for both general and local corrosion in environments consisting of fluoride and chloride salts added to simulated groundwaters. Tests were conducted on both U-bends and disks in order to determine the extent of corrosion under stressed and unstressed conditions. The experiments were run over a broad range of temperatures and pH values for periods of up to 164 days. It was found that Ti-7 is susceptible to intergranular attack in some of the test solutions at moderately elevated temperatures, leading to conspicuous localized corrosion. Pitting was detected within 14 days, with pit depths on the order of 0.1 mm. Surface defects appeared to promote the initiation of pitting. The same environment caused stress corrosion cracking failure in a statically stressed U-bend.
Block models of crustal motion in southern California constrained by GPS measurements

[1] We estimate slip rates on major active faults in southern California using a block model constrained by Global Positioning System measurements of interseismic deformation. The block model includes the effects of block rotation and elastic strain accumulation consistent with a simple model of the earthquake cycle. Our estimates of the right-lateral strike-slip rate on the San Andreas fault vary by at least a factor of 5, from a high of 35.9 ± 0.5 mm/yr in the Carrizo Plain to a low of 5.1 ± 1.5 mm/yr through the San Bernadino segment. Shortening across the Puente Hills Thrust and left-lateral slip on the Raymond Hill fault are consistent with both thickening and escape tectonics in the Los Angeles Basin. Discrepancies between geodetic and geologic slip rate estimates along the San Andreas and San Jacinto faults, as well as in the Eastern California Shear Zone, may be explained by a temporal change in fault system behavior. We find no substantial evidence for long-term postseismic relaxation and infer that the viscosity of the lower crust/upper mantle may be relatively high (η > 1019 Pa s).
Inhibition of angiotensin converting enzyme by SQ 14,225 in conscious rabbits.

The cardiovascular pharmacology of SQ 14,225 (D-3-mercapto-2-methylpropanoyl-L-proline), a new orally effective inhibitor of angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) was investigated in conscious normotensive rabbits. Intravenous administration of SQ 14,225 (3.1–310.0 μg/kg) resulted in a dose related inhibition of the pressor responses to 310 ng/kg, i.v. of angiotensin I (AI) without diminishing the pressor responses to 100 ng/kg, i.v. of angiotensin II (AII). In fact, the responsiveness of the rabbits to AII was significantly enhanced by higher doses of SQ 14,225. This enhancement of the pressor effects of AII was found to be related to the inhibition of ACE and the resulting decrease in the levels of endogenous AII. In addition, SQ 14,225 (1.0 mg/kg, i.v.) markedly potentiated the magnitude and duration of the vasodepressor responses elicited by bradykinin (1.0 μg/kg, i.v.). At a dose of 1.0 mg/kg, i.v., SQ 14,225 had no effect on the vasodepressor effects of intravenously administered isoproterenol (0.4 μg/kg), acetylcholine (1.0 μg/kg) or prostaglandin E2 (3.0 μg/kg, i.v.). The pressor responses to norepinephrine (3.0 μg/kg, i.v.) were similarly unaffected by SQ 14,225 (1.0 mg/kg, i.v.). In normal rabbits SQ 14,225 (1.0 mg/kg, i.v.) caused a small but significant decrease in arterial pressure; it had no such effect in anephric rabbits. The observations of this study indicate that SQ 14,225 is a specific inhibitor of ACE in conscious rabbits.
Measuring fragmentation in dissociative identity disorder: the integration measure and relationship to switching and time in therapy

Background : Some people with dissociative identity disorder (DID) have very little communication or awareness among the parts of their identity, while others experience a great deal of cooperation among alternate identities. Previous research on this topic has been sparse. Currently, there is no empirical measure of integration versus fragmentation in a person with DID. In this study, we report the development of such a measure. Objective : The goal of this study was to pilot the integration measure (IM) and to address its psychometric properties and relationships to other measures. The IM is the first standardized measure of integration in DID. Method : Eleven women with DID participated in an experiment that included a variety of tasks. They filled out questionnaires about trauma and dissociation as well as the IM. They also provided verbal results about switching among alternate identities during the study sessions. Results : Participants switched among identities an average of 5.8 times during the first session, and switching was highly correlated with trauma. Integration was related to switching, though this relationship may be non-linear. Integration was not related to time in psychotherapy. Conclusions: The IM provides a useful beginning to quantify and study integration and fragmentation in DID. Directions for future research are also discussed, including expanding the IM from this pilot. The IM may be useful in treatment settings to assess progress or change over time. Keywords: Dissociative identity disorder; dissociation; alternate identity; integration measure; psychotherapy; awareness; measurement; betrayal trauma (Published: 3 January 2014) To access the supplementary material for this article, please see Supplementary files in the column to the right (under Article Tools) Citation: European Journal of Psychotraumatology 2014, 5 : 22250 - http://dx.doi.org/10.3402/ejpt.v5.22250
Cooperative action of the catabolite activator protein and AraC in vitro at the araFGH promoter.

Full activation of transcription of the araFGH promoter, pFGH, requires both the catabolite activator protein (CAP) and AraC protein. At pFGH, the binding site for CAP is centered at position −41.5, an essential binding site for AraC is centered at position −79.5, and a second, nonessential binding site is centered at position −154.5. In this work, we used the minimal promoter region required for in vivo activation of pFGH to examine the roles of CAP and AraC in stimulating formation of open complexes at pFGH. Migration retardation assays of open complexes showed that RNA polymerase binds exceptionally tightly to the AraC-CAP-pFGH complex and that the order of addition of proteins to the initiating complex is important. Similar assays with RNA polymerase containing truncated alpha subunits suggest that AraC interacts with the C-terminal domain of the alpha subunit. Finally, AraC protein also acts to prevent the improper binding of RNA polymerase at a pseudo promoter near the true pFGH promoter.
Rampage Shootings, School Structures, and Community Organization

When the United States was struck with a rash of rampage school shootings in 1998 and 1999 eleven shootings that left dozens of students and teachers dead the educational and legal establishments were unable to offer a coherent explanation for what had happened or formulate a decisive response. Invariably, pundits and policymakers focused on the shooters and what had gone wrong with them: What personality defects, family situations, or miscreant music had led them to commit these heinous acts?1 Political
Disintegration of I 124 and I 123

The disintegration of I/sup 124/ (4.2 days) was studied with the help of magnetic spectrometers and scintillation spectrometers. The dfsintegration occurs 71% by electron capture and 29% by positron emission. Three positron groups were found having end-point energies of 2l30 (46.0%), 1531 (46.4%, and 786 (7.5%) kev. The most energetic positron group has a shape characteristic of DELTA I = the J-57 engin 2, yes. Positron-gamma coincidence experiments show that this group Boss to the ground stute. Gamma rays of energies 2700, 2500, 2100, 1700, 1520, diation and Te K x-rays were fouad and the relative intensities measured. A disintegration scheme, consistent with the levels of Te/sup 124/ as detemined from the decay of Sb/sup 124/ was established. No beta rays were found, showing that a transition to Xe/sup 124/ is highly improbable. The former work on I/sup 123/ (13.5 hours) was substantiated and, in addition, it seems highly unlikely that any positrons are emitted from I/sup 123/. (auth)
Obesity prevention and obesogenic behavior interventions in child care: A systematic review

Abstract Objective Review peer-reviewed interventions designed to reduce obesity and improve obesogenic behaviors, including physical activity, diet, and screen time, at child care centers. Interventions components and outcomes, study design, duration, use of behavioral theory, and level of social ecological influence are detailed. Methods Article searches were conducted from March 2014, October 2014, March 2015, January 2016 across three databases. Eligible interventions were conducted in child care settings, included 3-to-5-year-old children, included an outcome measure of obesity or obesogenic behavior, and published in English. Study design quality was assessed using Stetler's Level of Quantitative Evidence. Results All unique records were screened (n = 4589): 237 articles were assessed for eligibility. Of these, 97 articles describing 71 interventions met inclusion criteria. Forty-four articles included multi-level interventions. Twenty-nine interventions included an outcome measure of obesity. Forty-one interventions included physical activity. Forty-five included diet. Eight included screen time. Fifty-five percent of interventions were Level II (randomized controlled trials), while 37% were Level III (quasi-experimental or pre-post only study design), and 8% were Level IV (non-experimental or natural experiments). Most interventions had the intended effect on the target: obesity 48% (n = 14), physical activity 73% (n = 30), diet 87% (n = 39), and screen time 63% (n = 5). Conclusion Summarizing intervention strategies and assessing their effectiveness contributes to the existing literature and may provide direction for practitioners and researchers working with young children in child care. Most interventions produced the targeted changes in obesity and obesity-associated behaviors, supporting current and future efforts to collaborate with early-care centers and professionals for obesity prevention.
Health Care and Insurance Schemes and Health Outcomes: A Global Comparative Analysis

One of the largest and most urgent problems facing countries today - especially the United States - is health care. With an aging population and seemingly hard limits on resources such as doctors, organs, and medicine, each nation must attempt to distribute the available resources in a fair and efficient way without breaking the bank and, ideally, without selling out the health of its population. Nations’ attempts at creating workable health care systems result in regulatory and insurance schemes that vary widely across the globe, as countries form policies based on national values, institutions, and interests. Differing health outcomes among nations suggest that all health care delivery and insurance mechanisms are not equal. Some nations rely almost exclusively on the private sector for insurance and health care services, while others place health care and insurance squarely under government control, with wildly divergent results. This paper looks at the health systems in twenty-four countries, groups them according to common attributes in their health insurance and health care delivery regimes, and quantitatively compares the health outcomes achieved by those systems in order to answer the question: which health care delivery and insurance systems work best?
Using Complex Variables to Estimate the Derivatives of Nonlinear Reduced-Order Models

Nonlinear reduced-order models (ROMs) have been investigated for structural response prediction of high-speed flight vehicles. These vehicles operate in extreme environments with high-level aerodynamic heating, static, and dynamic loading. The loading results in high amplitude response which becomes nonlinear. Prediction of the response requires direct time-integration of models such as nonlinear finite element models. These models can be reduced to smaller nonlinear ROMs to enable efficient time integration. However the nonlinear ROMs may have to be tuned or updated to accurately capture deviations from the nominal model. To this end, this paper explores the use of complex variables to define the sensitivity of the nonlinear ROM to various state changes.
Successful treatment of aortic valve endocarditis and aortic root abscesses by insertion of prosthetic valve in ascending aorta and placement of bypass grafts to coronary arteries.

A case is described in which a new approach is taken to the problem of an infected aortic root. Implantation of an aortic valve prosthesis into the ascending aorta, anastomosis of reversed autogenous saphenous veins to the aorta distal to the valve and to the right and left coronary arterial systems, and suture closure of the coronary ostia allowed eradication of an extensive staphylococcal infection of the aortic valve, aortic root, and myocardium in a 15-year-old boy.
Internal Carotid Artery S-Shaped Curve as a Marker of Fibromuscular Dysplasia in Dissection-Related Acute Ischemic Stroke.

Background and Purpose: Craniocervical fibromuscular dysplasia (FMD) is associated with dissections and with S-shaped curves in the internal carotid artery (ICA). We evaluated the occurrence of S-curves in patients presenting with acute strokes due to ICA steno-occlusive dissections. Methods: This was a retrospective review of the interventional databases of two academic tertiary-care institutions. The presence of ICA S-shaped curves, C-shaped curves, 360-degree loops, as well as classic FMD and atherosclerotic changes at the ICA bulb and curve/loop was determined. Cases of carotid dissections were compared with a control group (consecutive non-tandem anterior circulation strokes). Results: Twenty-four patients with carotid dissections were compared to 92 controls. Baseline characteristics and procedural variables were similar, with the exception of younger age, less frequent history of hypertension, diabetes, atrial fibrillation and stent retriever use in patients with dissections. The rates of mTICI2b-3 reperfusion, parenchymal hematoma, good outcome and mortality were similar amongst groups. The frequency of S-curves (any side without superimposed atherosclerosis) was 29% in the dissection group versus 7% in controls (p Conclusion: S-shaped ICA curves are predictably bilateral, highly associated with carotid dissections in patients with moderate to severe strokes, and may suggest an underlying presence of FMD.
The A-Dependence of Highly Inelastic Proton-Nucleus Collisions at 800GeV

The A-dependence of event structure in the central and projectile fragmentation regions has been studied for highly inelastic proton nucleus collisions at 800 GeV. The production cross sections, multiplicity distributions and transverse momenta were measured for events with large transverse energy using targets of H, Be, C, Al Cu and Pb.
The Working Class Divided: New Middle-Class Mobility vs Underclass Decline

The typical working-class family will experience the same set of problems and exhibit the same set of needs as the new middle-class family. This is because: the ‘wife’ will work — her salary will be necessary for family survival in the high-tech, high-priced economy; grandmothers may, or may not, be available for child care; teens will act out during their high-school years — and working-class teens are often more violent than middle-class teens, and the girls more likely to get pregnant; senior family members will live longer and require more medical and nursing-home care; nursery school and college will be necessary for the children, and so on.
The Double Density DWT

This chapter takes up the design of discrete wavelet transforms based on oversampled filter banks. In this case the wavelets form an overcomplete basis, or frame. In particular, we consider the design of systems that are analogous to Daubechies’ orthonormal wavelets — that is, the design of minimal length wavelet filters satisfying certain polynomial properties, but now in the oversampled case. The wavelets are constructed using maximally flat FIR filters in conjunction with extension methods for paraunitary matrices. Because there are more degrees of freedom in the design problem, the wavelets described in this chapter are much smoother than orthonormal wavelets of the same support.
Activity estimation in small volumes with non-uniform radiotracer uptake using a local projection-based fitting approach

We have previously evaluated a local projection-based approach that provides robust estimates of activity concentration in small volumes-of-interest (VOI) affected by partial volume and tissue crosstalk in clinical SPECT imaging. The approach requires local segmentation of functionally distinct tissues within a VOI from a registered, high-resolution anatomical image of the object. Measured projection data are fitted to a statistical model of segmented-tissue projections. The resulting linear equations are solved to recover corrected values of tissue-activity concentration. In this work, we extended the approach to incorporate models of non-uniform radiotracer uptake into the fitting procedure. We evaluated the modified method using 25 independent noise realizations of simulated torso phantoms, each containing 20 identical, spherical “tumors” within a homogenous activity background. Radially varying quadratic functions were used to simulate two degrees (50% and 90%) of reduced central uptake inside the tumors (e.g., from necrosis), with an average integrated tumor-to-background concentration ratio of 7∶1. Tumor-activity estimates were obtained by fitting projection data to models that assumed either uniform tracer uptake (UF) or radially varying non-uniform uptake (NUF). The sensitivity of the approach to registration errors was investigated by simulating a 1-pixel misspecification of the locations of the VOI. The NUF approach achieved better than 1% bias and 12% precision for total tumor-activity estimates. Increasing the degree of central count loss from 50% to 90% did not significantly affect the NUF bias. In comparison, the UF method yielded 16% bias and 1% precision (48% bias, 5% precision) for 50% (90%) central count loss. The simulated registration error did not affect the UF estimates, but degraded the accuracy (and precision) of NUF estimates to 11% (and 13%). Despite slightly inferior precision, NUF may permit improved assessment of inhomogeneous tumor uptake.
Buried ice in Kennar Valley: a late Pleistocene remnant of Taylor Glacier

Buried glacier ice is common in the McMurdo Dry Valleys and under ideal climatic and geomorphological conditions may be preserved for multimillion-year timescales. This study focuses on the analysis of ~300 m2 of buried glacier ice in lower Kennar Valley, Quartermain Range. The mapped ice is clean,<10 m thick and covered by a~25 cm sandy drift. The mouth of Kennar Valley is occupied by a lobe of Taylor Glacier, an outlet glacier from Taylor Dome. Based on ice–sediment characteristics, air bubble concentrations and stable isotopic analyses from three ice cores, the lower Kennar Valley ice is glacial in origin. These data coupled with a previously reported exposure age chronology indicate that the buried ice was deposited by a late Pleistocene advance of Taylor Glacier, probably during an interglacial interval. The surface of the buried glacier ice exhibits a patterned ground morphology characterized by small, dome-shaped polygons with deep troughs. This shape possibly reflects the final stages of ice loss, as stagnant, isolated ice pinnacles sublimate in place. This study highlights how polygon morphology can be used to infer the thickness of clean buried ice and its geomorphological stability throughout Antarctica, as well as other in cold, arid landscapes.
Binge-eating disorder may be distinguished by visuospatial memory deficits.

Abstract Objective Binge eating disorder (BED), characterized by recurrent episodes of loss of control overeating, is highly comorbid with overweight and obesity. Both loss of control eating and higher body mass index have been associated with poor memory. The current study sought to clarify the relationships between BED, weight and memory. Specifically, visual memory was examined, given evidence of impaired visuospatial abilities in overweight individuals and little research on visual memory in BED. Method Overweight and normal-weight women with BED and matched healthy controls were administered the Rey Complex Figure Test. Results Planned contrasts revealed that normal-weight healthy controls performed better than all other groups on the immediate and delayed recall portions of the task. Performance on the immediate recall portion was better among normal-weight individuals than overweight individuals, and performance on both the immediate and delayed recall portions was better among individuals without BED than those with BED. No differences between groups were seen on the copy or recognition trials. Conclusions Visual memory appears to be impaired among overweight participants and both normal and overweight participants with BED. This finding was specific to retrieval. Replication of this finding in BED using different measures of memory is needed.
Caste and Class in Nineteenth-Century Slave Narratives

Scholars of slave narratives have developed a fine-tuned sense of the role of caste—epitomized by the hierarchical power dynamics between enslaver and enslaved—in antebellum narratives. But researc...
Acute hypotony maculopathy following the initiation of a topical aqueous suppressant in a patient with a history of panuveitis without prior filtering surgery

Abstract Purpose To report a case of profound hypotony maculopathy as a complication of single-agent glaucoma therapy in a patient with a history of panuveitis without previous filtering surgery. Observations A 70-year old Hispanic male with a history of resolved bilateral panuveitis, chronic angle closure glaucoma, and pars plana vitrectomy was started on topical timolol 0.5% daily in the left eye for mildly elevated intraocular pressure (15 mmHg). The patient returned 1.5 weeks later with new onset hypotony (1 mmHg), chorioretinal folds, and cystoid macular edema in the same eye without associated signs of inflammation. The drop was discontinued. The patient returned 1 month later with normalized eye pressure and improved vision with near-resolution of chorioretinal changes on optical coherence tomography (OCT). Conclusions and importance Hypotony maculopathy is most commonly seen following glaucoma filtering surgery and ocular trauma. The development of hypotony maculopathy following the administration of topical glaucoma medication alone is rare. Our case is the first to our knowledge to describe the rapid onset of visually significant hypotony maculopathy characterized by profound OCT changes upon the administration of a single topical glaucoma agent in a patient without prior filtering surgery. Treatment with glaucoma medications in patients with complex ocular histories including uveitis and vitreoretinal surgery requires caution and close follow-up.
Natural Orifice Approaches in Rectal Surgery: Transanal Endoscopic Proctectomy

The concept of natural orifice translumenal endoscopic surgery (NOTES) was seamlessly adapted to colorectal resections, enabled by the availability of a wide array of transanal endoscopic platforms. Since the demonstration of the feasibility of this approach in experimental models and human cadavers, transanal endoscopic proctectomy has rapidly emerged as one of the most exciting new trends in rectal cancer surgery. Indications for this approach range from benign inflammatory conditions to malignant disease of the rectum, particularly of the mid- and low rectum, where transanal endoscopic access can be applied to completion proctectomy, total proctocolectomy, abdominoperineal resection (APR), restorative proctectomy or proctocolectomy with ileoanal J pouch reconstruction, and low anterior resection with total mesorectal excision (TME). Whether it is performed using a pure or hybrid approach, transanal endoscopic proctectomy has the potential to reduce the technical complexity, morbidity, and operative time associated with open and laparoscopic proctectomy. Preliminary outcomes from 16 published series on this approach for benign and malignant pathology suggest that this approach is safe in carefully selected patients. Specific indications, preoperative work-up, surgical techniques, and expected complications associated with transanal endoscopic proctectomy, as well as tips and tricks for success, will be reviewed, based on the rapidly expanding literature on this approach.
Role of Proximal Optimization Technique Guided by Intravascular Ultrasound on Stent Expansion, Stent Symmetry Index, and Side-Branch Hemodynamics in Patients With Coronary Bifurcation Lesions.

Background—Bench models of coronary bifurcation lesions demonstrated that the proximal optimization technique (POT) expanded the stent and opened the side branch (SB). We investigated the role of P...