cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Sternal precautions and prone positioning of infants following median sternotomy: A nationwide survey

Purpose To describe current practice of pediatric sternal precautions (PSPs) and prone positioning restrictions (PPRs) in infants after median sternotomy. Methods A Web-based survey with 21 questions was developed on the basis of a review of current literature and expert consultation. Snowball sampling resulted in 68 participants well represented by profession throughout the United States. Results Approximately 80% of participants reported having institutional protocols for PSPs. Most common reported PSPs were no lifting at the axillae and no pulling of arms to achieve sitting. PSPs also included PPRs. The opinions of participants supported no PPRs or modified PPRs compared with strict PPRs. Conclusions Types of PPRs varied across participants, with the majority of participants in favor of modified PPRs while PSPs were less varied. Research is needed to examine the effects of PSPs and PPRs in infants post-median sternotomy.
Associations Among Maternal Adiposity, Insulin, and Adipokines in Circulation and Human Milk.

BackgroundInsulin, leptin, and adiponectin regulate energy balance and may influence infant growth via their presence in human milk. Maternal body mass index has been associated with human milk ins...
The Path and the Pavement: (Pre)modern Landscapes of Ecotourism on the Jeju Olle Trail, South Korea

Urban and rural landscapes are tied to shifting modes of production and corresponding changes in social relations, and in South Korea are deeply entwined due to government development policies, inc...
Analysis of drowsy driving: exploring subpopulation risk with weighted contingency table tools

The incidence of driving accidents due to human error, and drowsy driving in particular, is an important topic in the field of public health research, and might be considered preventable. Our study investigates the 606 police-reported drowsy driving accidents in 2013 as recorded in the NASS General Estimates System from the NHTSA. This study seeks to examine how the prevalence of drowsy driving in accidents differs between subpopulations and how this prevalence changes depending on the time of day. We explore these interactions using recent developments in survey-weighted ROC analysis. By doing so, we hope to offer employers and government agencies insight into what can be done to reduce the rate of injuries and fatalities related to drowsy driving.
Assessing the Accuracy of Nitrate Concentration Data for Water Quality Monitoring Using Visual and Cell Phone Quantification Methods

In this methodological project we tested the accuracy of two systems used to quantify results obtained using the Hach© nitrate strip for water quality volunteer monitoring programs. The test strip determines nitrate concentration in accordance with the Lambert-Beer law as increased nitrate concentrations result in greater color intensity on the strip’s sampling pad. In this study, first-time volunteers estimated nitrate concentrations with the test strip, either visually or using the Deltares Nitrate App, a smartphone application that uses the phone’s camera as a spectrometer. Results from two different series of tests indicate that volunteers using visual methods produce the more accurate results. Although cell phone apps might have the potential to increase data quality for colorimetric assays such as the one employed by the Hach© nitrate test strip, the current technology was not an improvement relative to visual interpolation.
Bandit-based Run-time Adaptation of Cache Replacement Policies in Content Management Systems

Web traffic is increasingly complex, in terms of both content accessed and geographical distribution of requests. Content providers usually employ geographically distributed web-caches to reduce latency in delivering content. A web-cache configured with a single replacement policy cannot provide optimal performance due to the inherent variability associated with the request pattern. We describe an adaptation mechanism (DETACH) that utilizes a multi-armed bandit approach to adapt the replacement policy depending on a new metric, the rank of evicted objects, which indirectly characterizes run-time request patterns. The proposed mechanism requires very minimal modifications to existing cache systems and does not maintain any history (ghost entries). We also describe the implementation of a cache system that uses the proposed mechanism to adapt the replacement policy at runtime. We consider two replacement policies, LRU and LFU, but the system is expandable to other policies. Our experiments with various datasets show that the system adapts quickly to the best performing replacement policy. We compare the performance of the system to a recently proposed approach called LeCaR, and baseline LRU and LFU policies. Of the 7 datasets used on our experiments, DETACH outperformed LeCaR in 4 of them by up to a factor of two. In the remaining 3 datasets LeCaR outperformed DETACH by up to 5%. Our proposed system consistently outperforms the baseline LRU and LFU replacement policies for all the datasets.
Napoléon et l’Empire de l’opinion : acteurs et enjeux du contrôle de l’opinion publique sous le Premier Empire:

This article outlines the history of the administration in charge of the regulation and control of public opinion during the French Empire. The context of this regulation is delineated by examining...
Combination and competition between path integration and landmark navigation in the estimation of heading direction

Successful navigation requires the ability to compute one’s location and heading from incoming multisensory information. Previous work has shown that this multisensory input comes in two forms: body-based idiothetic cues, from one’s own rotations and translations, and visual allothetic cues, from the environment (usually visual landmarks). However, exactly how these two streams of information are integrated is unclear, with some models suggesting the body-based idiothetic and visual allothetic cues are combined, while others suggest they compete. In this paper we investigated the integration of bodybased idiothetic and visual allothetic cues in the computation of heading using virtual reality. In our experiment, participants performed a series of body turns of up to 360 degrees in the dark with only a brief flash (300ms) of visual feedback en route. Because the environment was virtual, we had full control over the visual feedback and were able to vary the offset between this feedback and the true heading angle. By measuring the effect of the feedback offset on the angle participants turned, we were able to determine the extent to which they incorporated visual feedback as a function of the offset error. By further modeling this behavior we were able to quantify the computations people used. While there were considerable individual differences in performance on our task, with some participants mostly ignoring the visual feedback and others relying on it almost entirely, our modeling results suggest that almost all participants used the same strategy in which idiothetic and allothetic cues are combined when the mismatch between them is small, but compete when the mismatch is large. These findings suggest that participants update their estimate of heading using a hybrid strategy that mixes the combination and competition of cues.
Women Leaders during a Global Crisis: Challenges, Characteristics, and Strengths

Abstract. Women make up almost 50% of our global population (World Bank, 2019); however, they comprise only 6% of elected nation leaders (UN Women, 2020a). Though small in number, when coronavirus ...
SAPHO Syndrome: An Unusual Cause of Dysphagia.

Author(s): Hoffer, Megan; Salvo, Michaela; Batra, Sonal | Abstract: Case Presentation: This case describes a 51-year-old male who presented to the emergency department with a complaint of two weeks of progressively worsening dysphagia as well as the emergence of superficial fluid collections on the anterior chest and leg during the same period. Computed tomography showed retropharyngeal and paratracheal fluid collections with adjacent vertebral osteitis; however, biopsies were negative for any infectious or mycobacterial source, and instead showed chronic inflammatory changes.Discussion: Synovitis, acne, pustulosis, hyperostosis, osteitis (SAPHO) syndrome is a rare rheumatic disorder that presents with multifocal osteitis and sterile neutrophilia. SAPHO syndrome may be easily mistaken for a diffuse infectious process on initial evaluation and imaging; however, it is treated with anti-inflammatory medications, including non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and corticosteroids. Although most patients achieve remission of symptoms with treatment, the location of the fluid collections and resultant bony destruction may be life-threatening if undiagnosed.
Deciphering Evolutionary Dynamics and Lineage Plasticity in Aggressive Prostate Cancer

This Special Issue focuses on the molecular mechanisms involved in therapeutic resistance, lineage plasticity, and phenotypic reprogramming leading to prostate cancer recurrence and, ultimately, lethal disease [...].
UN SISTEMA INTEGRADO DE ESTIMACIONES DEMOGRAFICAS A PARTIR DE DOS DISTRIBUCIONES POR EDAD

Presenta un metodo simple para estimar la tasa de natalidad y un nivel de mortalidad para un periodo intercensal.
Dynamic reliability of systems

This chapter presents an investigation of design and manufacturing practices on the reliability of electronic devices, circuits and systems, with a strong focus on monitoring techniques to estimate the impact of these practices. Reliability models of these devices and systems have generally relied heavily on statistical data collected over a long period of time and codified into standards by various governments, technical agencies and companies. While new approaches to reliability analysis and modelling are emerging, some standards are still widely applicable. However, they barely cover new generations of devices designed and manufactured with new techniques such as ASIC designs, quick prototyping using array technologies, ever-changing semiconductor manufacturing methods, new packaging procedures, etc.
Glycolipids of peripheral nerve: isolation and characterization of glycolipids from rabbit sciatic nerve

Besides cerebreside and sulfatide four other glycolipids were isolated from rabbit sciatic nerve and analyzed by chemical and chromatographic methods. Three of the glycolipids were shown to be fatty acid esters of cerebroside; the fourth was characterized as diacyl glycerol galactoside and its alkyl ether analog. In the ester linkage mainly unsubstituted acids with chain length C(16) to C(18) were present. Both hydroxy and unsubstituted acids were found in amide linkage. They varied in chain length from C(16) to C(24) and were typical of cerebrosides. The long-chain base fraction contained sphingosine and dihydrosphingosine as the main components.
A Wicked Problem: Can Governments be Fair to Families Living with Disabilities?

Families provide priceless support to members with disabilities. Without the support of families the lives of most individuals with disabilities would be diminished in comfort, independence, opportunity, and caring relationships. Without the support provided to individuals with disabilities by family members, public expenditures for nonfamily assistance would be several times what is currently expended. In its responsibilities to the well-being of individual citizens and to the efficient and effective use of public resources, governments struggle to accommodate the great diversity among families in what they want and what they need. Governments are challenged in targeting limited resources to reach those who need them most, in the amounts that are most cost-effective, and in a manner that is most beneficial to the family and its member(s) with disabilities. The attention on support to families is further complicated by changes in families and their individual members as they pass through lifecycles of changing relationships, expectations, aspirations, and capabilities. This article offers a modest commentary on how in the midst of such complexities our society can develop fair, effective, and cost-beneficial approaches to supporting families and their individual members.
Toward a Methodology of the Short-Term Effects of Neurodevelopmental Treatment

Neurodevelopmental treatment (NDT) is a technique widely used by physical and occupational therapists in the treatment of neuromuscular disorders; however, quantitative evidence supporting its use has yet to be provided. Several studies have attempted to examine the effects of NDT, but because of poor research methodology, conclusions drawn to support the use of NDT are not based on reliable or well-documented evidence. The purpose of this study was to develop a reliable method of measuring short-term, objective changes in children with cerebral palsy and to measure the immediate effects of NDT and play interventions. A single subject design was replicated with four subjects receiving NDT and nonspecific play over a 5-week time period. Pre- and post-test items were designed to reflect qualitative changes in movement, postural tone, and reflex activity, and were videotaped and coded using interval and time-sampling techniques. The results of this study are equivocal; they neither validate nor invalidate NDT. This study provides a methodology for the investigation of the short-term effects of NDT.
Modeling and Characterization of Nanowires With Microcantilever Beams

Mechanical behavior of a nanowire-microcantilever beam structure under electrostatic actuation was studied using the FE method. A comparison for the resonant frequencies between a nanowire-microcantilever structure and a microcantilever only is presented. Several factors affecting the resonant frequency of the nanowire-microcantilever structure, such as actuation voltage and fabrication effects on geometries are discussed. Also, alignment effect of the nanowires with the microcantilever beam is investigated. This study can be utilized to predict Young's modulus of nanowires.Copyright © 2006 by ASME
Choosing a mouse model to study the molecular pathobiology of Alport glomerulonephritis

Alport syndrome, caused by mutations that interfere with the normal assembly of the α 3 α 4 α 5(IV) collagen network in the glomerular basement membrane (GBM), is the most common inherited glomerular disease leading to renal failure. A detailed knowledge of the underlying pathogenic mechanisms is necessary for developing new, more specific, and effective therapeutic strategies aimed at delaying the onset and slowing disease progression. Studies of several dog and mouse models of Alport syndrome have significantly enhanced our understanding of the disease mechanisms and provided systems for testing potential therapies. In the most widely used Col4a3 −/− mouse models of autosomal-recessive Alport syndrome (ARAS), the genetic background strongly affects renal survival. One contributing factor may be the strong ectopic deposition of α 5 α 6(IV) collagen in the GBM of Col4a3 −/− mice on the C57BL/6J background, which is almost undetectable on the 129/Sv background. This isoform ‘switch' has not been observed in human ARAS, although it had been reported in the dog model of ARAS. In human patients as well as dog and mouse models of X-linked Alport syndrome, the α 3– α 6(IV) collagen chains are absent from the GBM. These biochemical differences among Alport animal models provide an opportunity to determine how the molecular makeup of the GBM affects the glomerular function. At the same time, potentially confounding influences of characteristics unique to a particular strain or model should be carefully considered in the design of studies aiming to define key events underlying the pathobiology of Alport glomerular disease.
Dating the origins of polyploidy events

is a widespread speciation mechanism, particularly in plants. Estimating the time of origin of polyploid species is important for understanding issues such as gene loss and changes in regulation and expression among homoeologous copies that coexist in a single genome owing to polyploidy. Polyploid species can originate in various ways; the effects of mode of origin, genetic system, and sampling on estimates of the age of polyploid origin using distances between alleles of polyploids and their diploid progenitors, or between homoeologous loci in a polyploid genome, are explored. Even in the simplest cases, simulations confirm that different loci are expected to give very different estimates of the date of origin. The time of polyploid origin is at least as old as the time estimated from comparison of an allele sampled from the polyploid with the most closely related allele in the diploid progenitor. The polyploidy literature often does not make clear the longstanding observation that the divergence of homoeologous copies in an allopolyploid tracks the divergence of diploid species, not the origin of the polyploid. Estimating the date of origin of a polyploid is difficult, and in some circumstances impossible. Skepticism about dates of polyploid origins is clearly warranted.
Comparative diagnostic accuracy of magnetic resonance elastography vs. eight clinical prediction rules for non-invasive diagnosis of advanced fibrosis in biopsy-proven non-alcoholic fatty liver disease: a prospective study.

Background Two-dimensional magnetic resonance elastography (2D-MRE) is an advanced magnetic resonance method with high diagnostic accuracy for predicting advanced fibrosis in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) patients. However, no prospective, head-to-head comparisons between 2D-MRE and clinical prediction rules (CPRs) have been performed in patients with biopsy-proven NAFLD.
Finite stretching of an annular plate

The problem of the finite stretching of an annular plate which is bonded to a rigid inclusion at its inner edge is considered. The material is assumed to be isotropic and incompressible with a Mooney-type constitutive law. It is shown that the inclusion of the effect of the transverse normal strain leads to a rapid variation in thickness which is confined to a narrow edge zone. The explicit solutions to the boundary layer equations, which govern the behavior of the plate near the edges, are presented.
Effects of warm acclimation on serum osmolality, cortisol and hematocrit levels in the Antarctic fish, Trematomus bernacchii

Antarctic fish, such as the Trematomus bernacchii, living at −1.9°C maintain a serum osmolality of around 600 mOsm kg−1, nearly twice that of temperate fish. Upon warm acclimation, Antarctic fish significantly lower their serum osmolality. It has been suggested that this response to warm acclimation is due to stress. The purpose of this study was to determine, whether upon warm acclimation there was a change in the levels of the stress hormone cortisol and hematocrit associated with the decrease in serum osmolality. T. bernacchii were warm acclimated up to 4 weeks and serum osmolality, cortisol and hematocrit were measured. Upon warm acclimation to +1.6 and +3.8°C over the course of 4 weeks, T. bernacchii significantly lowered their serum osmolality (from 547 ± 4 mOsm kg−1 to 494 ± 6 and 489 ± 4 mOsm kg−1, respectively), yet did not alter their serum cortisol (29 ± 6 nl ml−1) or hematocrit (22 ± 1%) levels. These results suggest that warm acclimation does not induce a stress response in T. bernacchii.
Preparation of tungsten alkyl alkylidene alkylidyne complexes and kinetic studies of their formation.

An equilibrium mixture of alkyl alkylidyne W(CH2SiMe3)3(⋮CSiMe3)(PMe3) (1a) and its bis(alkylidene) tautomer W(CH2SiMe3)2(CHSiMe3)2(PMe3) (1b) has been found to undergo an α-hydrogen abstraction reaction in the presence of PMe3 to form alkyl alkylidene alkylidyne W(CH2SiMe3)(CHSiMe3)(⋮CSiMe3)(PMe3)2 (2). In the presence of PMe3, the formation of 2 follows first-order kinetics, and the observed rate constant was found to be independent of the concentration of PMe3. The activation parameters for the formation of 2 are ΔH⧧ = 28.3(1.7) kcal/mol and ΔS⧧ = 3(5) eu. In the presence of PMe2Ph, an equilibrium mixture of W(CH2SiMe3)3(⋮CSiMe3)(PMe2Ph) (3a) and its bis(alkylidene) tautomer W(CH2SiMe3)2(CHSiMe3)2(PMe2Ph) (3b) was similarly converted to W(CH2SiMe3)(CHSiMe3)(⋮CSiMe3)(PMe2Ph)2 (4). The observed rate of this reaction was also independent of the concentration of PMe2Ph. These observations suggest a pathway in which the tautomeric mixtures 1a,b and 3a,b undergo rate-determining, α-hydrogen abstraction, foll...
From New Perspectives to Ecosystem Management: Response to Frissell et al. and Lawrence and Murphy

On June 4,1992, the Chief of the USDA Forest Service announced a new management philosophy for the 77 million ha National Forest System in the United States (Robertson 1992). The philosophy, called Ecosystem Management, is a direct result of the New Perspectives effort that Frissell et al. (1992) and Lawrence and Murphy (1992) critique. The assertions in these two critiques, that New Perspectives reflected old priorities, lacked influence from conservation biology, or had an uncertain relationship with agency policy, have little substance. The Forest Service defined New Perspectives in March 1991, as "a different way of thinking about managing the national forests and national grasslands, emphasizing ecological principles, to sustain their many values and uses" (Robertson 1991). The purpose of New Perspectives was to engage people in exploring ways to manage national forests and grasslands that would sustain a wide array of values and uses. The program had five aims:
Selective recognition of the m5 CpG dinucleotide sequence in DNA by mitomycin C for alkylation and cross-linking

The clinically used natural antitumor agent mitomycin C (MC) is known to alkylate DNA monofunctionally and bifunctionally, resulting in the cross-linking of DNA. These reactions occur selectively with guanines at the CpG sequence. We show, confirming a previous report (Millard, J. T.; Beachy, T. M. Biochemistry 1993, 32, 12850) that cross-linking in oligonucleotides is further enhanced when the cytosines in CpG.CpG are 5-methylated to m5CpG.m5CpG. It is shown, furthermore, that guanines in m5CpG are monoalkylated two- to three-times faster than in CpG indicating that the m5C-induced rate enhancement occurs at the first, monoalkylation step of the two-step cross-linking process. The same MC-DNA adducts are formed in methylated as in non-methylated DNA. The basepaired but not the 5'-flanking, m5C residue is responsible for the enhanced alkylation of guanine. Enzymatically activated or Na2S2O4-activated MC shows identical rate-enhancement of alkylation at m5CpG. pBR322 DNA methylated by CpG-methylase was cross-linked two- to three-times more efficiently by MC than non-methylated DNA, indicating that the m5C effect is not an artifact of oligonucleotides. An electronic effect of the 5-methyl group of cytosine transmitted via G.C H-bonding to N2 of guanine is suggested as responsible for increased reactivity with MC. CpG is severely depleted in mammalian DNA and it is speculated that this factor attenuates MC cytotoxicity in human cells.
Chain‐of‐rotators equation of state

An equation of state is obtained to describe the fluid state from the supercritical gas to subcritical vapor and liquid for small and large molecules of organic and inorganic substances. The perturbation theory of the fluid state is extended to include rotational contribution of molecular motion in addition to translational and the attractive force contributions. Three equation constants describe a substance and values are presented for 22 substances. Application is made to mixtures with emphasis on their phase equilibria.
Chlortetracycline modulates acute phase response of ex vivo perfused pig livers, and inhibits TNF-α secretion by isolated Kupffer cells

Abstract Tetracyclines have been shown to have anti-inflammatory effects in addition to their antimicrobial action. We investigated the effects of in vivo administration of chlortetracycline (CTC) on ex vivo perfused pig livers. The retention and clearance of Salmonella choleraesuis , production of acute phase proteins C-reactive protein (CRP), and haptoglobin (HPG) by whole livers were studied. The in vitro modulation by CTC of TNF-α secretion by pig Kupffer cells (KC) was also studied. Pigs were dosed orally with CTC for three days, and given injections of Salmonella LPS 24 h before removal of the liver. Salmonella retention and clearance by livers of pigs given CTC was lower than by control livers ( p p
Zonal Approach for Prediction of Jet Noise

A zonal approach for direct computation of sound generation and propagation from a supersonic jet is investigated. The present work splits the computational domain into a nonlinear, acoustic-source regime and a linear acoustic wave propagation regime. In the nonlinear regime, the unsteady flow is governed by the large-scale equations, which are the filtered compressible Navier-Stokes equations. In the linear acoustic regime, the sound wave propagation is described by the linearized Euler equations. Computational results are presented for a supersonic jet at M = 2. 1. It is demonstrated that no spurious modes are generated in the matching region and the computational expense is reduced substantially as opposed to fully large-scale simulation.
In situ probing of cholesterol in astrocytes at the single-cell level using laser desorption ionization mass spectrometric imaging with colloidal silver

Mass spectrometric imaging has been utilized to localize individual astrocytes and to obtain cholesterol populations at the single-cell level in laser desorption ionization (LDI) with colloidal silver. The silver ion adduct of membrane-bound cholesterol was monitored to detect individual cells. Good correlation between mass spectrometric and optical images at different cell densities indicates the ability to perform single-cell studies of cholesterol abundance. The feasibility of quantification is confirmed by the agreement between the LDI-MS ion signals and the results from a traditional enzymatic fluorometric assay. We propose that this approach could be an effective tool to study chemical populations at the cellular level. Published in 2010 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The semantics of program dependence

Optimizing and parallelizing compilers for procedural languages rely on various forms of program dependence graphs (pdgs) to express the essential control and data dependencies among atomic program operations. In this paper, we provide a semantic justification for this practice by deriving two different forms of program dependence graph — the output pdg and the def-order pdg—and their semantic definitions from non-strict generalizations of the denotational semantics of the programming language. In the process, we demonstrate that both the output pdg and the def-order pdg (with minor technical modifications) are conventional data-flow programs. In addition, we show that the semantics of the def-order pdg dominates the semantics of the output pdg and that both of these semantics dominate—rather than preserve—the semantics of sequential execution.
A theoretical and experimental analysis of polymerization shrinkage of bone cement: A potential major source of porosity

A theoretical basis for understanding polymerization shrinkage of bone cement is presented based on density changes in converting monomer to polymer. Also, an experimental method, based on dilatometry and the Archimedes' principle is presented for highly precise and accurate measurement of unconstrained volumetric shrinkage of bone cement. Furthermore, a theoretical and experimental analysis of polymerization shrinkage in a constrained deformational state is presented to demonstrate that porosity can develop due to shrinkage. Six bone-cement conditions (Simplex-Ptrade mark vacuum and hand mixed, Endurancetrade mark vacuum mixed, and three two-solution experimental bone cements with higher initial monomer levels) were tested for volumetric shrinkage. It was found that shrinkage varied statistically (p< or = 0.05) from 5.1% (hand-mixed Simplex-Ptrade mark) to 6.7% (vacuum-mixed Simplex-Ptrade mark) to 10.5% for a 0.6:1 (polymer g/monomer mL) two-solution bone cement. Shrinkage was highly correlated with initial monomer content (R(2) = 0.912) but with a lower than theoretically expected rate. This discrepancy was due to the presence of residual monomer after polymerization. Using previously determined residual monomer levels, the theoretic shrinkage analysis was shown to be predictive of the shrinkage results with some residual monomer left after polymerization. Polymerization of a two-solution bone cement in a constrained state resulted in pores developing with volumes predicted by the theory that they are the result of shrinkage. The results of this study show that shrinkage of bone cement under certain constrained conditions may result in the development of porosity at the implant-bone cement interface and elsewhere in the polymerizing cement mantle.
Theory and modeling of laser-induced free-electron heating in wide-gap solids

A microscopic theory for the interaction of intense laser radiation at visible and near-infrared wavelengths with free electrons in a wide-band-gap solid is presented. We calculate the free- electron mediated energy transfer from the laser field to the solid and the electron- multiplication rate due to band-to-band ionization as a function of laser intensity at wavelengths in the range 250 nm (lambda) < 10 micrometers , using SiO2 as an example. The formalism is based on a Monte Carlo integration of the Boltzmann transport equation. The interaction of the laser radiation with the free electrons is treated both within the standard classical approximation and quantum mechanically using second-order perturbation theory. Steady state Monte Carlo results are used in rate equations to make a direct comparison to experimental laser-induced heating data.
Age effects on force produced by intrinsic and extrinsic hand muscles and finger interaction during MVC tasks.

Finger-pressing forces are produced by activation of the intrinsic hand muscles, which are finger specific, and the extrinsic muscles that connect to multiple fingers. We tested a hypothesis of greater weakening of intrinsic hand muscles with age and quantified associated indexes of finger interaction such as enslaving (force production by unintended fingers) and force deficit (loss of finger force in multifinger tasks compared with single-finger tasks). Twelve young (23-35 yr old) and 12 elderly (70-95 yr old) men and women performed single-finger and four-finger maximal pressing tasks, in which force was applied at the proximal phalanges (PP, the intrinsic muscles are major focal force generators) and at the distal phalanges (DP, the extrinsic muscles are focal force generators). The decline in the peak force with age was greater at PP (30%) than at DP (19%). Larger indexes of finger interaction were observed at PP (enslaving = 17.2 ± 9.4%, force deficit = 36.1 ± 11.1%) than at DP (enslaving = 14.9 ± 8.8%, force deficit = 27.7 ± 10.8%) across ages and genders. We conclude that intrinsic hand muscles show disproportionate weakening with age. The greater indexes of finger interaction in PP tests with greater involvement of intrinsic hand muscles suggest that the finger interactions are predominantly of a central origin across ages and genders.
Finite Unobservability Subspaces for Time-Delay Systems with Application to Fault Detection and Isolation

Abstract This paper introduces the notion of finite unobservability subspace for time-delay systems and an algorithm for obtaining these subspaces is presented. Then Fault Detection and Isolation (FDI) filters for retarded time-delay systems with unknown time-varying delays are designed based on our developed geometric framework. A bank of residual generators is then designed so that each residual is affected by one fault and is partially decoupled from the others while the H∞ norm of the transfer function between the disturbances and the uncertainties in delays and the residual signals are guaranteed to remain less than a prescribed value. Simulation results presented demonstrate the effectiveness of our proposed FDI algorithms.
Probes for the Constituents of the Electromagnetic Current and Anomalous Commutators

It is shown that the Callan-Gross sum rules for electroproduction fail in perturbation theory. Nonperturbative lepton annihilation sum rules are derived. The inapplicability of perturbation theory is traced to the breakdown of the Johnson-Low-Bjorken high-energy theorem.
Static Equilibrium Conditions for a Rigid-Ion Crystal

The equilibrium requirements for a static ionic crystal impose a number of constraints on the short-range forces which become increasingly more important when one is dealing with complex structures. These constraints are presented and discussed for a general rigid-ion lattice, and a specific discussion is presented for the wurtzite structure.
Meat demand in China

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to provide a thorough analysis of meat demand in China and predict future trends in meat consumption.Design/methodology/approach – Expenditure as well as Marshallian and Hicksian demand elasticities of various meats in China are evaluated using the linear almost ideal demand system.Findings – Results from this paper show that pork, the primary meat in Chinese diets, has become a necessity and that poultry, beef, mutton, and fish are considered luxuries within the meat budget allocation of Chinese households. Furthermore, the results predict that for any increase in future meat expenditure, the largest share of that increase will be allocated to pork consumption.Originality/value – This paper fills a gap currently present in the empirical literature regarding time series meat demand analysis in China. This paper makes use of newly available time series data on Chinese meat consumption and prices to estimate expenditure as well as own‐price and cross‐price elasticities...
The Motion Grammar: Analysis of a Linguistic Method for Robot Control

We present the Motion Grammar: an approach to represent and verify robot control policies based on context-free grammars. The production rules of the grammar represent a top-down task decomposition of robot behavior. The terminal symbols of this language represent sensor readings that are parsed in real time. Efficient algorithms for context-free parsing guarantee that online parsing is computationally tractable. We analyze verification properties and language constraints of this linguistic modeling approach, show a linguistic basis that unifies several existing methods, and demonstrate effectiveness through experiments on a 14-degree-of-freedom (DOF) manipulator interacting with 32 objects (chess pieces) and an unpredictable human adversary. We provide many of the algorithms discussed as Open Source, permissively licensed software.
Relation Between the Rational Model and the Context Model of Categorization

A formal proof is provided that Anderson's (1990) rational model of categorization generalizes the Medin and Schaffer (1978) context model. According to the context model, people represent categories by storing individual exemplars in memory. According to the rational model, people represent categories in terms of multiple exemplar-clusters or prototypes. In both models, a multiplicative rule is used to compute the similarity of an item to the underlying category representations. In certain special cases, each multiple prototype in the rational model corresponds to an individual exemplar, and in these cases the rational model reduces to the context model. Preliminary quantitative comparisons between the models are illustrated to test whether the multiple-prototype view adds significant explanatory power over the pure exemplar view.
Surface mine detection in the 3- to 5-μm band using neural networks

This paper discusses some preliminary results of the application of simple neural networks to the problem of landmine detection in IR imagery. A large data set of IR imagery (3-5)mum) collected as part of the U.S. Army's Lightweight Airborne Multispectral Minefield Detection (LAMD) system is used as the basis for the analysis. The data set is divided into training and testing subsets then used to train and evaluate the performance of some neural networks. A single neuron perceptron is trained and evaluated using two different types of input feature. The first type of input feature is based on the raw pixel values with typical maximum vale normalization. The second type is based on the unity vector of the inputs to take advantage of the angular displacement feature of the vector [1]. A more complex, multiple neuron network is also trained and evaluated. The results are compared to determine whether the increased computational complexity of the multiple neuron network is justified in terms of improved performance.
Enhancement of Ultraviolet Detectability of Fatty Acids for Purposes of Liquid Chromatographic-Mass Spectrometric Analyses

Abstract A technique for benzyl derivatization of fatty acids which results in enhanced ultraviolet absorption with a concomittant increase in sensitivity in liquid chromatographic (LC) separations has been developed. Benzylation prior to liquid chromatographic separation also provides a uniform enhancement of response for fatty acids which permits direct relative quantization without acquisition of additional calibration data. After removal of excess solvent from eluted compounds mass spectra were determined using a direct probe which confirmed the benzyl ester structures. A discussion of spectral data and the advantages of using mass spectrometry as an ancillary tool to liquid chromatography is also discussed.
Effects of Phentolamine Infusion During Selective Cerebral Perfusion in Neonatal Piglets

Background An optimal selective cerebral perfusion protocol in pediatric cardiac surgery is unknown. Phentolamine is frequently used in pediatric cardiopulmonary bypass. We sought to determine the effects of continuous phentolamine infusion during selective cerebral perfusion. Methods Twenty-seven neonatal piglets (3.38 ± 0.32 kg) were randomly assigned to 3 groups; sham (n = 7, anesthesia alone, no surgery or bypass), control (n = 10, saline infusion), or experimental (n = 10, phentolamine infusion 0.1 mg/kg per hour). Animals underwent 90 minutes of selective cerebral perfusion. Cerebral vascular resistance index (CVRI) and metabolic rate of oxygen (CMRO 2 ) were determined every 15 minutes. Standardized sections of hippocampus, basal ganglia, and neo-cortex were obtained. Tissue samples were stained for caspase-3 and analyzed for positive apoptotic cell count. Data were analyzed with repeated measures and one-way analysis of variance. Results The CVRI tended to increase over time in the control group and decrease over time in the experimental group, but difference was not statically significant (0.46 ± 0.24 vs 0.39 ± 0.10 mm Hg × min × kg 2/3 /mL, p = 0.15). Mean CMRO 2 was higher in the control group compared with the experimental group (0.90 ± 0.27 vs 0.59 ± 0.12 mLO 2 /min × kg 2/3 , p = 0.005) and decreased over time in both groups. The percentage of caspase-3 positive cells was significantly different among regions (hippocampus = 16.9 ± 8.8; basal ganglia = 14.6 ± 7.5; neocortex = 10.8 ± 6.3; p Conclusions A continuous infusion of phentolamine during selective cerebral perfusion significantly decreases CMRO 2 and tends to decrease CVRI when compared with control. At the dose studied and at the time of tissue sampling, phentolamine does not appear to decrease apoptosis during or early after selective cerebral perfusion.
THE EFFECT OF ULTRAVIOLET LIGHT ON RNA METABOLISM IN BROMOURACIL DEOXYRIBOSIDE‐GROWN HeLa CELLS

— The presence of 5-bromouracil deoxyriboside (BrUdR) in the DNA of HeLa cells has profound effects on RNA metabolism after u.v. irradiation. In normally grown cells 200 ergs/mm2 depresses RNA synthesis by about 30 per cent while in BrUdR-grown cells the same exposure to u.v. depresses RNA synthesis by 95 per cent. When BrUdR-grown cells are u.v. -irradiated after being labeled with 3H-uridine, the normal autoradiographic pattern, where label shifts from nucleus to cytoplasm, fails to occur. Also, in lieu of the increase in RNA specific activity that is observed in unirradiated cells for a few hours after 20-min pulse-labeling, there occurs a constant decrease in specific activity after the irradiation.
Structural Changes of Alpha 1-Antitrypsin Under Osmotic Pressure and in the Presence of Lipid Membranes

Alpha 1-Antitrypsin (A1AT) is a glycoprotein that has been shown to have protective roles of lung cells against emphysema, a disease characterized by lung tissue destruction [1]. Most known glycoproteins have been shown to play a role in cellular interactions but the exact role of the glycan chains is still under investigation. Previous electrophysiological measurements show that A1AT has a strong affinity to lipid bilayers perturbing the function of ion channels present in the membrane. We have performed contrast-matching small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) experiments to study the conformational changes of the glycosylated form of A1AT for different concentrations of the osmolyte poly(ethelene glycol) (PEG) and in the presence of two different lipid membranes: POPC and POPS. We also monitor the structural changes of the lipid vesicles in the presence of A1AT by SANS. Guinier fits were used as a first approximation to obtain the radius of gyration (Rg) of A1AT. Bragg peaks were used to study structural changes of lipid vesicles. We observed that the Rg of A1AT changes as a function of PEG concentration in solution and when in the presence of lipid vesicles. The deformations monitored through changed in A1AT Rg in the presence of lipid vesicles are compared to the deformations of the glycoprotein observed under osmotic pressure and to the structural changes observed in the lipid vesicles. [1] Petrusca, et al., JBC 2010.
The quasi-lattice site-mixing model: The binary, symmetrical case

Abstract The quasi-chemical approximation in the quasi-chemical model was replaced with an empirical algorithm which satisfies mixing constraints not satisfied by the approximation. Unlike the quasi-chemical model, this “quasi-lattice” model will predict unmixing within the miscibility gap rather than a metastable composition with a positive free energy of mixing. For a solid solution (in which the exchange energy in each model is fixed by the critical temperature ) the two different models can predict similar miscibility gaps and values of thermodynamic parameters on the boundaries, indicating a lack of sensitivity to the site-mixing algorithms for these compositions. Temperature and compositional dependencies of the exchange energy are proposed to provide modifications of the predicted miscibility gap compositions.
Evaluation of a predictive model for implant surface topography effects on early osseointegration in the rat tibia model

Abstract Statement of problem. Alterations in commercially pure titanium (cp Ti) implant surface topography can be made to increase bone formation or the interfacial shear strength of bone at the functioning implant. It is not known whether these 2 goals are congruent or mutually exclusive. Purpose. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of implant surface topography parameters of calculated biomechanical significance on the process of bone formation in a rat tibia model of osseointegration. Material and methods. Implants (cp Ti grade IV) were machined and subsequently treated by grit blasting or grit blasting and 6.4 mol/L HCl. Measurements of surface roughness were made by atomic force microscopic analysis of similarly treated titanium disks. Cleaned and sterilized implants (12 machined, 12 with nonideal pit morphology, 12 with ideal pit morphology) were placed into the tibiae of 400-g male Wistar rats by using a series of drills, irrigation, and a self-tapping procedure. After 3 weeks, tibiae were harvested and processed and embedded in methyl methacrylate resin. Polished sections were examined by backscatter electron microscopy, and the percentage implant surface contacting bone was measured with the Scionics PC image analysis program. Results. The implants possessing a proposed ideal pit morphology supported significantly greater bone formation at the implant surface (54% ± 7% bone-to-implant contact [ P Conclusion. Implant surfaces with a proposed ideal pit morphology (which possess a calculated biomechanical significance) enhanced bone formation at early periods after placement in the rat tibia model. (J Prosthet Dent 2001;85:40-6.)
High resolution photon spectrometry with lithium-drifted germanium-detectors

Abstract Line-widths of 850 eV (f.w.h.m.) were obtained for γ-rays below 100 keV with new field-effect transistors in the preamplifier used with germanium detectors. The “doublet” of 133 Ba (cascade γ-rays from 133 Cs) at 80 keV, which consists of two lines 1.5 keV apart, was partially resolved.
Antiplatelet prescribing patterns for TIA and ischemic stroke: the Indiana University experience.

Objective: To evaluate antiplatelet prescribing patterns by Indiana University Hospital (IU) neurologists, determine what drives antiplatelet agent decisions, and determine changes made with recurrent cerebrovascular events despite proven antiplatelet therapy. There are now four approved therapies for secondary prevention of cerebrovascular events. As these agents exhibit their effects through different pathways, physicians must choose antiplatelet agents based on other factors. Design: We retrospectively reviewed charts of neurology patients diagnosed with non-fatal ischemic stroke or TIA at IU from January 1, 1997 to August 31, 2001. Patients were excluded if: discharge diagnosis was not non-fatal ischemic stroke or TIA, they were enrolled in clinical trials, or were placed on anticoagulation therapy with warfarin. Patients' antiplatelet agents at discharge were reviewed to determine if specific factors led to the choice of antiplatelet agent. Results: A total of 177 patients experienced non-fatal ischemic strokes or TIAs. Of these, 74 were not on prior antiplatelet therapy and 103 were on antiplatelet agents prior to admission. For patients not on therapy, aspirin was the most commonly prescribed agent, with a trend for low-dose aspirin. For patients already on an antiplatelet agent, typically the dose of aspirin was increased or combination therapy initiated. Conclusion: Our experience supports the use of aspirin as a first-line agent for secondary prevention in cerebrovascular disease. For antiplatelet-naive patients, low-dose aspirin is the most frequently used agent. For patients previously on antiplatelet agents, aspirin dosage is increased or clopidogrel is added. High-dose aspirin and ticlopidine use is no longer favored.
Locating genetic disease: the impact of clinical nosology on biomedical conceptions of the human genome (1966–1990)

The variability of disease expression often complicates clinical classification. Since the 1960s, medical geneticists have sought to address this problem by associating diseases with discrete locat...