cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Natriuretic effect of calcium-channel blockers in hypertensives.

This double-blind, randomized, crossover trial characterizes the acute natriuretic response to calcium-channel blockers (CCB) and investigates the role of hemodynamic and hormonal factors in mediating the natriuresis. Thirteen male subjects with essential hypertension received a single oral 20-mg dose of nifedipine or 120 mg of diltiazem. Renal functional and hemodynamic measurements were performed prior to and hourly for 4 hours following medication. Subjects then received these medications for 4 weeks at which time the above studies were repeated. Urinary sodium excretion increased within 60 minutes of CCB administration and the natriuresis was sustained for 4 hours. Cumulative sodium loss during the 4 hours of study was greater with nifedipine (43 ± 12 mmol) than with diltiazem (18 ± 6 mmol) ( P
Rural Trauma Recidivism: A Different Disease

Hypothesis Unlike the well-characterized urban trauma recidivist (RC), factors associated with the rural RC remain undefined. In an attempt to devise preventative strategies, we theorized that the rural RC profile would be similar to that of urban counterparts. Design Retrospective review. Setting Rural, university-affiliated, level I trauma center. Patients All trauma patients admitted between January 1, 1994, and December 30, 2002. Interventions Identification and characterization of rural trauma RCs. Main Outcome Measures Trauma recidivism incidence, risk factors, and cost. Results Of 15 370 consecutive admissions, 528 (3.4%) were RCs. Demographic comparisons to a non-RC cohort demonstrated rural RCs to be significantly older (mean ± SD age, 55.9 ± 24.8 vs 39.7 ± 24.1 years), disproportionately white (65.2% [344/528] vs 56.5% [8386/14 842]), and more likely female (49.1% [259/528] vs 37.3% [5537/14 842]) ( P P P =.02). The total cost for all RC admissions exceeded $7 million. Conclusions The rural RC profile is strikingly different from urban counterparts. The common feature seems to be substance abuse. Correspondingly, prevention strategies for recidivism must be considerably different among rural and urban populations.
Partial Hormone Resistance in Mice with Disruption of the Steroid Receptor Coactivator-1 (SRC-1) Gene

The in vivo biological function of a steroid receptor coactivator was assessed in mice in which the SRC-1 gene was inactivated by gene targeting. Although in both sexes the homozygous mutants were viable and fertile, target organs such as uterus, prostate, testis, and mammary gland exhibited decreased growth and development in response to steroid hormones. Expression of RNA encoding TIF2, a member of the SRC-1 family, was increased in the SRC-1 null mutant, perhaps compensating partially for the loss of SRC-1 function in target tissues. The results indicate that SRC-1 mediates steroid hormone responses in vivo and that loss of its coactivator function results in partial resistance to hormone.
Schooling and the Formation of Male Students' Gender Identities

Abstract This article is an exploration of the role of schooling in the formation of male students' gender identities. Key dimensions of gender identity for males are described. The author focuses on the preparation of male preservice social studies teachers, particularly concerning their awareness of their own gendered identity and the significance of gender in social studies. Three male preservice social studies teachers were asked to reflect upon and reevaluate the messages they had received in school with regard to their gender identities. The author asserts that by reexamining their own experiences, preservice social studies teachers may be less likely to impose limiting gender definitions on their students.
The surgical decision in tetralogy of Fallot: weighing risks and benefits with decision analysis.

Abstract The preferred management of the symptomatic infant less than 2 years of age with tetralogy of Fallot remains unsettled. In this study decision analysis was used to assess the risks and benefits of three courses of action: (1) primary intracardiac repair; (2) palliative operation in infancy and delayed intracardiac repair; and (3) treatment with propranolol in infancy and delayed intracardiac repair. For each action the likelihood was determined of three possible outcomes for the patient: (1) death, (2) poor surgical result, or (3) good surgical result. Each outcome was associated with an estimated life expectancy. The best action was defined as that resulting in the longest life expectancy. With use of previously reported data and those from experience at one institution, a range of probabilities was estimated for death before operation, surgical mortality, success of propranolol treatment and hemodynamic result of operation. The choice of action was affected most by the mortality of primary intracardiac repair and the likelihood of a good hemodynamic result from intracardiac repair. Less important factors were the outcome of a palliative operation and the likelihood of success with propranolol therapy. It was found that in the institution studied if the mortality rate of primary intracardiac repair is 10 percent or less, intracardiac repair should be performed; otherwise propranolol treatment, which allows delay in intracardiac repair, should be selected. Both alternatives are preferable to palliative operation. With decision analysis, the clinician can use probabilities and life expectancy appropriate to a given clinical setting in determining the best management for the infant with tetralogy of Fallot.
High rates of comorbid depressive and anxiety disorders among women with premutation of the FMR1 gene

Phenotypic variations are emerging from investigations of carriers of the fragile X mental retardation 1 (FMR1) premutation gene (55 to 200 CGG repeats). Initial studies suggest elevated psychiatric and reproductive system dysfunction, but have largely used self-reports for assessment of psychiatric history. The present study used diagnostic psychiatric interviews and assessed reproductive and menstrual history in women with FMR1 premutation. History of psychiatric diagnoses and data on reproductive functioning were collected in 46 women with FMR1 premutation who were mothers of at least one child with the fragile X full mutation. Results showed a significantly earlier age of menopause (mean age = 45.6 years) relative to the national average age of menopause (mean age = 51 years) and a high rate (76%) of lifetime depressive or anxiety history, with 43% of the overall sample reporting a comorbid history of both diagnoses. Compared to those free of psychiatric history, significantly longer premutation length was observed among women with psychiatric history after adjusting for age, with comorbid women having the highest number of CGG repeats (mean = 95.8) compared to women free of psychiatric history (mean = 79.9). Psychiatric history did not appear significantly related to reproductive system dysfunction, though results may have been obscured by the high rates of psychiatric dysfunction in the sample. These data add to the growing evidence base that women with the FMR1 premutation have an increased risk of psychiatric illness and risk for early menopause. Future investigations may benefit from inclusion of biochemical reproductive markers and longitudinal assessment of psychiatric and reproductive functioning. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Depressive symptoms, DSM-IV alcohol abuse and their comorbidity among children of problem drinkers in a national survey: effects of parent and child gender and parent recovery status.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to estimate the risk of depressive symptoms, DSM-IV alcohol abuse and their comorbidity among children of problem drinkers (COPDs) in college and the effects of parent and child gender and parent drinking status on outcomes and on COPDs' treatment utilization. Method: The study population was a nationally representative sample of 27,430 college students from 119 4-year colleges who completed survey questionnaires for the Harvard College Alcohol Study in 1997 and 1999. Logistic regression was used to estimate the psychiatric outcomes and patterns of treatment/counseling. Results: COPDs who reported that their parents were active problem drinkers were at increased risk of depressive symptoms, DSM-IV alcohol abuse and their comorbidity. Female children of active problem drinkers (CAPDs) were at increased risk of depressive symptoms (odds ratio [OR] = 1.57,p < .01) and comorbidity of depressive symptoms and alcohol abuse (OR = 2.09, p < .01). Male CAPDs were at risk of...
A violation of assumptions about TQM: A response to Jauch and Orwig

Abstract This article responds to the Jauch and Orwig article in the Journal of Quality Management, volume 2, issue 2. We challenge Jauch and Orwig's premise that TQM should be rejected because it doesn't fit the current system of higher education. This premise implies that the current system is so effective that it need not be improved, and fails to explore the logical alterative of changing the current system to one that fits quality, philosophy and principles. Their arguments on (1) continuous improvement, (2) customer focus, and (3) management systems are critically examined. We recommend that academy scholarship focus on examining the underlying assumptions of our current “quantity” system, and systematic analysis of this system against a “quality” system model.
The evaporative ensemble

This work is concerned with evaporation from an ill-defined miscellany of isolated aggregates. The evaporative ensemble is accordingly defined and its time-dependent properties developed. Initially this is done using phenomenologically-derived expressions for rates of evaporation. They assume implicitly that the thermodynamic properties of aggregates are continuous functions of their size. Several general properties of unimolecular rate constants are then used to show how local irregularities in these properties will manifest themselves within the ensemble. In particular the Carnot-Kelvin factor is seen to be capable of magnifying the effect of small deviations to discernible magnitudes. This magnification must nevertheless be a decreasing function of time. A concomitant de-evolution of magic-number effects follows inescapably. The manifestation of local deviations in metastable abundances is also investigated, and is illustrated by reference to evaporation from ionic copper clusters.
Attitudes toward Human Papilloma Virus Vaccination and Head and Neck Cancer Prevention in a Diverse, Urban Population.

Objective(1) To understand if awareness of the human papilloma virus (HPV) vaccination’s potential to prevent head and neck cancer improves acceptability of the vaccine in a large urban population ...
A derivative extremal adaptive controller with applications to rotating power systems

An adaptive extremal control system is proposed and analyzed for application to rotating power systems, such as the standard multi-cylinder internal combustion engine. The system is comprised of a test input perturbation signal, a simple on-off accelerometer for output sensing, and a bang-bang adaptive loop that provides optimum settings of engine parameters, such as ignition timing. The proposed system is simpler than previous adaptive extremal systems in the literature and it exhibits improved performance characteristics with respect to stability and recovery rates.
Transient Complete Heart Block Occurring during Nasal Irrigation

Cardiac standstill associated with surgical work about the eyes, nose, and throat occurs but is not frequent. A case is reported in which the patient collapsed while receiving a treatment with a jet spray in the sphenoid sinus area. There developed heart block and cerebral and myocardial damage. Vagal stimulation with inhibition of the heart beat is suggested as the probable cause.
B-cell subpopulations identified by two-colour fluorescence analysis

The simultaneous and rapid measurement of the amounts of two different fluorochrome-coupled antibodies bound to single cells (two-colour immunofluorescence) provides a very powerful means for the identification of lymphocyte subpopulations1. Using a dual-laser fluorescence-activated cell sorter (FACS) we show that two monoclonal antibodies, anti-IgM and anti-IgD, labelled respectively with fluorescent and ‘Texas red’ (a new red-fluorescent dye) reveal several previously unrecognized B-cell subpopulations in mouse spleen and lymph nodes. Measured individually, these surface markers (IgM and IgD) show only that B cells are broadly heterogeneous with respect to the amount of surface immunoglobulin expressed2; however, measured simultaneously, they clearly define at least two B-cell subsets. One of these populations, which is predominant in spleen and constitutes the overwhelming majority of B cells in lymph nodes, is missing in CBA/N (Xid) mice known to be deficient with respect to their B-cell immune responses3.
Thin film ferroelectric photonic crystals and their application to thermo-optic switches

Abstract Two-dimensional photonic crystals (PhC) using epitaxial ferroelectric, barium titanate (BTO) thin films as the dielectric medium were fabricated and their thermo-optical response measured and compared to theory. The nanopatterned PhC consists of a square array of air holes 300 nm deep, a period of 780 nm and area 200 × 200 μm 2 . The large refractive index of BTO leads to a high contrast structure that shows strong optical diffraction. Optical diffraction is analyzed along the 〈1 0〉 and 〈1 1〉 directions from phase grating measurements. The thermal tunability of BTO PhC is characterized from the attenuation of the first order diffraction. There is a 3 dB extinction ratio when the temperature increases by 120 °C, which corresponds to an increase of 0.05 in the BTO refractive index. Finite difference time domain (FDTD) technique is used to calculate the PhC band structure and the temperature dependence of the diffraction efficiency. The large change in the diffraction efficiency indicates that thermally tunable BTO PhCs may be useful as active ultra-compact photonic switches.
Relationships among cardiorespiratory fitness, regular physical activity, and plasma lipids in young adults.

Abstract Relationships between physical activity and plasma lipids and between cardiorespiratory (CR) fitness and plasma lipids were investigated in 152 young adults. There were no significant correlations in either females or males between the physical activity indicators and any of the plasma lipids investigated. CR fitness, as indicated by treadmill test duration, showed a small but statistically significant positive correlation with HDL-cholesterol in both sexes, an association that may well underestimate the true relationship because of the limitations of the study. Plasma triglycerides were negatively correlated with CR fitness in the males. It was suggested that the two fitness components, aerobic capacity and percent fat, may be related to certain plasma lipids differently in males than in females.
A Simulation Analysis to Evaluate the Impact of the Automatic Stabilizers

(1970). A Simulation Analysis to Evaluate the Impact of the Automatic Stabilizers. Applied Economics: Vol. 2, No. 1, pp. 35-64.
Climate, water hardness and coronary heart disease☆☆☆

GEOORAPIIIC variation in coronary heart disease mortality within the United States has been shown to be considerable [I]. These differences appear to be real, and not attribu~ble to varying patterns of medical practice or death ~~~~tion. Other workers [2-4] have shown that there are marked differences in coronary disease rates even within a given state. The reason behind these differences may be a key to the mystery of coronary disease etiology [5]. Many environmental factors have been proposed as possible explanations of these differences. These include various aspects of urba~zation, population density and socio-economic status, altitude, air pollution and water supply. Even soil type has been found to have a possible association with death rates due to coronary heart disease [3]. SCHROEDER [6-81 has shown that a marked association exists between hardness of local water supplies and mortality rates from cardiovascular and coronary heart disease. MORRIS and his co-workers [9] found that two factors, “water charao teristics” and “latitude”, were distinctly and independently associated with cardiovascular mortality rates. In addition to geographic variation in coronary disease rates, many studies have shown a marked seasonal (winter) increase in mortality and morbidity due to coronary disease. Most of these studies were done in the northern portions of Europe and
Oscillating Square Wave Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) Delivered During Slow Wave Sleep Does Not Improve Declarative Memory More Than Sham: A Randomized Sham Controlled Crossover Study

Abstract Background A 2006 trial in healthy medical students found that anodal slow oscillating tDCS delivered bi-frontally during slow wave sleep had an enhancing effect in declarative, but not procedural memory. Although there have been supporting animal studies, and similar findings in pathological groups, this study has not been replicated, or refuted, in the intervening years. We therefore tested these earlier results for replication using similar methods with the exception of current waveform (square in our study, nearly sinusoidal in the original). Objective/hypothesis Our objective was to test the findings of a 2006 trial suggesting bi-frontal anodal tDCS during slow wave sleep enhances declarative memory. Methods Twelve students (mean age 25, 9 women) free of medical problems underwent two testing conditions (active, sham) in a randomized counterbalanced fashion. Active stimulation consisted of oscillating square wave tDCS delivered during early Non-Rapid Eye Movement (NREM) sleep. The sham condition consisted of setting-up the tDCS device and electrodes, but not turning it on during sleep. tDCS was delivered bi-frontally with anodes placed at F3/F4, and cathodes placed at mastoids. Current density was 0.517 mA/cm 2 , and oscillated between zero and maximal current at a frequency of 0.75 Hz. Stimulation occurred during five–five minute blocks with 1-min inter-block intervals (25 min total stimulation). The primary outcomes were both declarative memory consolidation measured by a paired word association test (PWA), and non-declarative memory, measured by a non-dominant finger-tapping test (FTT). We also recorded and analyzed sleep EEG. Results There was no difference in the number of paired word associations remembered before compared to after sleep [(active = 3.1 ± 3.0 SD more associations) (sham = 3.8 ± 3.1 SD more associations)]. Finger tapping improved, (non-significantly) following active stimulation [(3.6 ± 2.7 SD correctly typed sequences) compared to sham stimulation (2.3 ± 2.2 SD correctly typed sequences)]. Conclusion In this study, we failed to find improvements in declarative or performance memory and could not replicate an earlier study using nearly identical settings. Specifically we failed to find a beneficial effect on either overnight declarative or non-declarative memory consolidation via square-wave oscillating tDCS intervention applied bi-frontally during early NREM sleep. It is unclear if the morphology of the tDCS pulse is critical in any memory related improvements.
Systemic chemotherapy (SC) before cytoreductive surgery and hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (CRS/HIPEC) in patients with peritoneal mucinous carcinomatosis of appendiceal origin (PMCA).

Abstract Background The role of SC before CRS/HIPEC for patients with PMCA is unclear. This study explores the effect of SC prior to CRS/HIPEC on overall survival (OS) in patients with PMCA. Methods 72 patients with recently diagnosed PMCA who underwent CRS/HIPEC were identified from a prospective database. Thirty patients had SC before CRS/HIPEC (Group 1) and 42 did not (Group 2). Patients who were referred to our center after multiple lines of SC were excluded from this analysis. OS was estimated. Results Median follow-up was 3.2 years. Groups were similar regarding lymph node positivity, postoperative SC and rate of complete cytoreduction. Twenty-four (80%) patients in Group 1 and 21 (50%) in Group 2 had high grade histology (HG) (p = 0.01). OS from CRS/HIPEC at 1, 2, and 3 years was 93, 68, 51% in Group 1 and 82, 64, 60% in Group 2, respectively (p = 0.74). Among HG patients 3-year survival was 36% in the SC group vs. 35% in the group without SC (p = 0.67). The 3-year OS for patients with low grade (LG) tumors was 100% in the SC group vs. 79% in the group with no prior SC (p = 0.26). Among patients with signet ring cell (SRC) histology, 1, 2 and 3-year survival was 94, 67 and 22% in the SC group vs. 43, 14, 14% in the group with no SC, respectively (p = 0.028). There were only 6 patients with LG PMCA who received prior SC. Conclusions Preoperative SC could improve the prognosis of patients with high-grade PMCA with SRC histology.
Spontaneous rotation and momentum transport in tokamak plasmas

Recently there has been widespread attention paid to rotation and momentum transport in tokamak plasmas. Of particular interest is spontaneous (intrinsic) toroidal rotation in plasmas without external momentum input. The strong co-current spontaneous rotation in enhanced confinement regimes, with ion thermal Mach numbers up to 0.3, may allow for resistive wall mode suppression in high-pressure ITER discharges, without requiring the use of neutral beam injection. Spontaneous rotation in L-mode discharges exhibits a complex dependence on plasma parameters and magnetic configuration compared to the relatively simple scaling of Alfven Mach number (MA = VΦ/CA, where CA is the Alfven speed) MA ~ βN observed in enhanced confinement plasmas. There is currently no comprehensive, quantitative explanation of this phenomenon. An accurate prediction of the expected rotation velocity profile from whatever neutral beam injection is available on ITER requires a detailed understanding of momentum transport. There have been extensive investigations into correlations between energy and momentum diffusivities, and whether there are systematic trends of the Prandtl number with plasma parameters. Of late, there has been vigorous theoretical activity regarding a possible momentum pinch that could help enhance the rotation in the plasma interior. There has been a renewed interest in poloidal rotation, especially in ITB discharges, which is generally found to be at odds with the predictions of neo-classical theory. This calls into question the common practice of the determination of Er from toroidal rotation measurements with the assumption of neo-classical poloidal rotation.
Refinement and testing of the drift-flux model for indoor aerosol dispersion and deposition modelling

The drift-flux approach for predicting aerosol deposition within enclosed spaces has been refined and implemented within a commercial computational fluid dynamics (CFD) solver. The drift-flux model is tested against a previously reported study of aerosol deposition within a ventilated chamber to illustrate the performance of the approach for unsteady particle concentrations. The model has been made more general by accounting for deposition to surfaces at any angle to the gravitational vector. The algorithms for the calculation of the deposition velocity have been revised to offer improved precision. The model shows good performance when compared with the measured particle concentration decay rates. Comparison with well-mixed models shows obvious differences from the measured and drift-flux CFD approach. The dependence of point concentration measurements of decay rates on sampling time is explored and the limitations for estimating steady-state deposition behaviour are highlighted. An important aspect of aerosol ventilation of incompletely mixed enclosed spaces is illustrated. The drift-flux approach is shown to perform very well at reproducing the unsteady particle concentration decay observed.
Investigation on the Energy Management Strategy for Hydraulic Hybrid Wheel Loaders

Energy management strategies for a hydraulic hybrid wheel loader are studied in this paper. The architecture of the hydraulic hybrid wheel loader is first presented and the differences of the powertrain and the energy management system between on-road vehicles and wheel loaders are identified. Unlike the on-road vehicles where the engine only powers the drivetrain, the engine in a wheel loader powers both the drivetrain and the working hydraulic system. In a non-hybrid wheel loader, the two sub-systems interfere with each other since they share the same engine shaft. By using a power split drivetrain, it not only allows for optimal engine operation and regenerative braking, but also eliminates interferences between driving and working functions, which improve the productivity, fuel efficiency and operability of the wheel loader. An energy management strategy (EMS) based on dynamic programming (DP) is designed to optimize the operation of both the power split drivetrain and the working hydraulic system. A short loading cycle is selected as the duty cycle. The EMS based on DP is compared with a rule-based strategy through simulation.Copyright © 2013 by ASME
Glial proliferation in the irradiated rat spinal cord.

The identity of mitotic cells in the ventral half of the irradiated spinal cord in 13-day-old rats was studied by light and electron microscopy. At this post-irradiation interval, astrocytes as well as oligodendrocytes are markedly reduced in both gray and white matter, and few myelin sheaths are present. Earlier studies showed incorporation of3H-thymidine into cells identified light-microscopically as neuroglia. In the present study, a number of mitotic cells were identified in thick plastic sections. When adjacent thin sections were examined by electron microscopy, these mitotic cells were identified ultrastructurally as astroglia on the basis of the bundles of filaments in their cytoplasm and the irregular outline of the cell body and its processes. It is apparent from this study that astroglia proliferate prior to the delayed myelination that occurs later in the glial cell deprived ventral irradiated cord.
Dejerine−Sottas syndrome associated with point mutation in the peripheral myelin protein 22 (PMP22) gene

Dejerine–Sottas syndrome is a hypertrophic, demyelinating neuropathy which appears to demonstrate autosomal recessive inheritance in most pedigrees. Clinical symptoms are similar but more severe than Charcot–Marie–Tooth disease type 1 (CMT1), of which the major subtype, CMT1 A, results either from duplication of a 1.5–megabase DNA region in chromosome 17p11.2–p12 containing the myelin gene PMP22, or from PMP22 point mutation. Mutational analysis of the PMP22 coding region in two unrelated Dejerine–Sottas patients identified individual missense point mutations present in the heterozygous state. These findings suggest that Dejerine–Sottas syndrome can result from dominant point mutation alleles of PMP22.
Colon and rectal cancer in the elderly.: High incidence of asymptomatic disease, less surgical emergencies, and a favorable short-term outcome

Abstract Background: This is a retrospective study aimed to report short-term outcome among patients age ≥70 years surgically treated for colorectal cancer. Methods: All patients with the discharge diagnosis of colon and rectal cancer at St. Louis University Hospital from 1992 to 2002 were reviewed. Patients were assessed as to demographics, presenting symptoms, therapy, surgical morbidity and mortality. Results: One hundred eighty-one patients age ≥70 years with colorectal cancer were identified. The mean age was 78 years; 107/181 (59%) were females. Rectal bleeding and change in bowel habits were the most common presenting symptoms. Fifty-four out of 181 (30%) were asymptomatic at diagnosis. The diagnosis was made by colonoscopy in 75% of the patients. One hundred forty-three out of 181 (79%) had colon cancer; 38/181 (21%) had rectal cancer. Fourteen out of 181 (8%) did not undergo surgery. Twenty-two out of 181 (12%) were operated on as a surgical emergency. ASA classification was I–II in 52%, III in 34%, and IV–V in 14%. Nineteen out of 38 (50%) with rectal cancer underwent a sphincter-preserving procedure. Overall, there was a 29% major morbidity from surgery. Thirty-day mortality was 11% (21 deaths). Only the development of a postoperative complication predicted mortality. Conclusions: Elderly patients tolerate surgery well for colon and rectal cancer in the short-term. Many patients are asymptomatic at diagnosis. Surgical emergencies are few and patients have a favorable stage of disease. This data supports aggressive detection of colorectal cancer in asymptomatic elderly patients who may harbor occult colorectal cancer.
Utilization of in-depth photon counting detectors towards x-ray spectral imaging: The benefits from the depth information

The in-depth photon counting x-ray detector (PCXD) is a multi-layer detector arrangement which has been introduced to tackle photon count rate limitations of current systems. The capability of reso ...
Molecular dynamics simulation of Li surface erosion and bubble formation

Structure and dynamical properties of liquid Li containing He atoms were studied by the Molecular Dynamics method at various temperatures and densities and the diffusion coefficients were calculated. A new model of liquid Li surface is developed that shows the stratification of surface layers. The liquid Li sputtering yield, due to bombardment by slow He ions, was calculated for the new model and the result is compared with conventional models. Bubble formation in liquid Li is studied by simulation of cavity growth mechanisms in bulk liquid Li system wit 3-D periodic-boundary conditions. Our results show that small cavities are easily dissolved at certain temperatures. A cavity with a diameter of 50 A grows by consuming neighboring small cavities in accordance with the classical nucleation theory. The mechanism of bubble growth and explosion could significantly contribute to the surface erosion at high ion fluxes and explain some controversial experimental results.
New tools for resolving phylogenies: a systematic revision of the Convolutidae (Acoelomorpha, Acoela)

Molecular sequence data, morphological characters of spermatozoa, and newly obtained morphological characters of penis musculature are used here to revise the systematics of the family Convolutidae (Acoela). Species having isodiametric penes with non-anastomosing longitudinal muscles are transferred to the family Isodiametridae fam. nov. Species with longitudinal penis muscle fibres that anastomose or cross-over each other remain in the Convolutidae. Some species of the genera Convoluta and Conaperta (Convolutidae) are transferred to the genus Isodiametra gen. nov. (Isodiametridae fam. nov.). The genus Stomatricha (Otocelididae) is transferred to the family Convolutidae. Convoluta opisthandropora (Convolutidae) is transferred to the genus Pseudohaplogonaria (Haploposthiidae). Aphanostoma sanguineum (Convolutidae) is transferred to the genus Pseudactinoposthia (Actinoposthiidae). Zusammenfassung Molekulare Sequenzdaten, Spermien-Morphologie und erstmals ermittelte morphologische Merkmale der Penismuskulatur werden herangezogen, um die Verwandtschaftsverhaltnisse innerhalb der Familie Convolutidae (Acoela) neu zu beleuchten. Dabei werden Arten mit isodiametrischen Penes mit nicht anastomosierender Langsmuskulatur in die neue Familie Isodiametridae gestellt, wahrend Arten mit longitudinalen Penis-Muskelfasern, die sich verbunden oder einanderuberkreuzen, innerhalb der Convolutidae belassen. Einige Arten der Gattungen Convoluta und Conaperta (Convolutidae) werden in die neue Gattung Isodiametra gen. nov. (Isodametridae fam. nov.) gestellt. Die Gattung Stomatricha (Otocelididae) wird in die Familie Convolutidae uberfuhrt. Convoluta opisthandropora (Convolutidae) wird in die Gattung Pseudohaplogonaria (Haploposthiidae) gestellt und Aphanostoma sanguineum (Convolutidae) in die Gattung Pseudactinoposthia (Actinoposthiidae).
The role of volatilization in removing polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons from aquatic environments.

The movement of organic contaminants from water to the atmosphere can be important in reducing concentrations of foreign substances in aquatic ecosystems (HILL et al. 1976, DILLING 1977, MACKAY and LEINONEN 1975). Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH), a class of chemical produced in the combustion and pyrolysis of organic fuels, possess properties which suggest that their volatility in solution may be significant (MACKAY and WOLKOFF 1973). Since many PAH are potent carcinogens, a knowledge of their persistence, transport, and fate in aquatic environments is critical. The objective of this paper is to determine the relative volatility of two to five ring PAH structures in water, and estimate the importance of the volatilization process in removing PAH from aquatic environments. The theoretical basis for describing the transfer of vola: tile substances across an air-water interface has been succinctc}y detailed (LISS 1973, LISS and SLATER 1974). The rate of the process under a given set of conditions is described as a simple first order exponential decay with rate constant KL/depth. K L, the overall mass transfer coefficient, has units of distance time (such as cm/hr) and three components: kg, k I and H, related by the expression
Comment on "Ground state of the strong-coupling Hubbard Hamiltonian: A numerical diagonalization study"

The interpretation of Kaxiras and Manousakis [Phys. Rev. B 37, 656 (1988)] of the data in Fig. 3 of their paper (staggered magnetization distribution) is questioned. It is argued that the existence of magnetic order in the doped Hubbard model cannot be inferred from those data, nor from the behavior of short-range spin-correlation functions.
The effect of UV radiation on the mechanical strength of As2Se3 glass fibers

Abstract This paper presents tensile strength data for As 2 Se 3 glass fibers stored for a period of 30 days under a combination of UV light, complete darkness, moisture and vacuum. The strength statistical distributions were analyzed by both the Weibull and fundamental approaches, the latter assuming no specific functional form for the flaw density distribution. It was found that the fiber strengths deteriorated due to the action of UV light. The combined effect of UV light and humidity was found to lead to enhanced degradation. However, fibers stored under high humidity in complete darkness exhibited superior mechanical properties. The mechanisms responsible for these observations are discussed with regard to the surface topographical changes. Fracture surface specimens were analyzed from all the fiber groups investigated. Plots of log tensile strength versus log mirror radius yielded straight line plots distinctly different for irradiated and unirradiated fiber groups. Approximate values obtained for the critical stress intensity factor, K IC , were 0.16 and 0.25 MPa m 0.5 for irradiated and unirradiated fiber groups, respectively. The significance of these results is discussed.
Comparing social skill profiles of children with autism spectrum disorders versus children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: Where the deficits lie

Abstract Marked socialization impairment is evident in both individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and individuals with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The current study utilizes the Matson Evaluation of Social Skills for Youngsters-II ( MESSY-II ) to explore similarities and discrepancies in the social skill profiles of children with ASD and children with ADHD ages 6–9 years old and 10–16 years old. Children with ASD and children with ADHD were both found to be significantly deficient in social skills compared to atypically developing peers without an Axis I or Axis II diagnosis; however, specific skill deficits vary between the groups. In particular, children with ASD exhibited a lack of adaptive social skills whereas children with ADHD demonstrated social skill knowledge but an increased level of maladaptive social behavior. The trends of socialization impairment over time were also found to differ in children with ASD versus children with ADHD. While children with ASD remained at similar levels of adaptive social skill impairment over age groups, children with ADHD were found to become more socially impaired in more areas over time. The distinct patterns and trends of social skill deficit found in children with ASD and children with ADHD can inform treatments targeted toward the specific deficits observed within each disorder.
Elastic inclusion problems in plane elastostatics

Abstract A general representation of the solution of the elastic curvilinear inclusion problem is given. It is shown that an ellipse and its geometric limits is the only inclusion shape for which a uniform stress applied at infinity induces a constant state of stress within the inclusion. The application of the general representation of the solution is illustrated by a number of examples.
Implications of mercury interactions with band-gap semiconductor oxides

Titanium dioxide is a well-known photooxidation catalyst. It will oxidize mercury in the presence of ultraviolet light from the sun and oxygen and/or moisture to form mercuric oxide. Several companies manufacture self-cleaning windows. These windows have a transparent coating of titanium dioxide. The titanium dioxide is capable of destroying organic contaminants in air in the presence of ultraviolet light from the sun, thereby keeping the windows clean. The commercially available self-cleaning windows were used to sequester mercury from oxygen–nitrogen mixtures. Samples of the self-cleaning glass were placed into specially designed photo-reactors in order to study the removal of elemental mercury from oxygen–nitrogen mixtures resembling air. The possibility of removing mercury from ambient air with a self-cleaning glass apparatus is examined. The intensity of 365-nm ultraviolet light was similar to the natural intensity from sunlight in the Pittsburgh region. Passive removal of mercury from the air may re...
Melanotic neuroectodermal tumor of infancy (MNTI) of the hard palate: presentation and management.

Abstract Objective: To discuss the presentation and management of melanotic neuroectodermal tumor of infancy (MNTI) of the hard palate. Method: Case presentation and literature review. Case : A 6-month-old girl presented with a slow growing, non-tender anterior oral hard palate mass. Radiologic imaging revealed a well-circumscribed cystic lesion containing teeth. After excision, histopathologic and electron microscopic evaluation revealed MNTI. No recurrence was seen at 12-month follow-up. Conclusions: This case and a review of the literature reveal MNTI to be a rare, benign hard palate tumor, which may present as a smooth, firm, painless, slow-growing anterior palatal lesion. Imaging reveals a well-circumscribed cystic lesion. Complete excision should be curative. Management requires attention to the potential need for palatal reconstruction, orthodontic care and correction of secondary nasal deformities.
Sexual Function and Quality of Life in Women after Elective Aortic Surgery

The incidence of sexual dysfunction in women after open aortic reconstruction is unknown. Additionally, previous studies of quality of life (QOL) following aortic surgery include small numbers of women compared to those of men. The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of elective aortic surgery on sexual function (SF) and QOL in women. Two validated questionnaires, the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) and Short Form 36 (SF-36), were mailed to all women who underwent elective aortic reconstruction between 1995 and 2000. Comparisons were made between preoperative (baseline) SF, 1-year postoperative SF, and SF within the 4 weeks preceding receipt of the questionnaire. The SF-36 responses were compared to national norms. Of the 182 women who underwent elective aortic reconstruction, only 122 patients (67%) were alive and able to complete the questionnaires. Of 56 patients (46%) who had sexual partners, 21 (38%) returned both questionnaires and 22 patients returned only the SF-36 portion. There were no differences in desire, arousal, lubrication, orgasm, satisfaction, or pain scores. There was a trend toward poorer baseline sexual function in claudicants in all domains, with the pain domain reaching significance (p = 0.03). Previous hysterectomy did not affect sexual function (p > 0.05). Following aortic surgery, patients had a significant decrease in the role-physical (p = 0.03), social functioning (p = 0.01), role-emotional (p < 0.001), and mental health domains (p < 0.001) compared to national norms. There were no differences in QOL scores between claudicants and aneurysm patients or married and nonmarried patients. Sexual function is maintained in women undergoing open reconstructive aortic surgery. Patients with occlusive disease tend to have poorer preoperative sexual function than aneurysm patients. Compared to national norms, QOL is worse in women after aortic surgery.
Subacute toxicity of trichloroacetic acid in male and female rats

Abstract Trichloroacetic acid, TCA, is a water chlorination by-product similar to dichloroacetic acid, DCA. Because DCA has been shown to have effects on intermediary metabolism, TCA was tested to determine if it possesses similar capabilities. The effects were more pronounced in females. High doses of TCA (2.45 μmol/kg three times) decreased plasma glucose and lactate concentrations and liver lactate concentration. DCA had similar, less pronounced effects. In males DCA and TCA each decreased plasma lactate concentrations. Rats were exposed to TCA in drinking water for 14 days. The highest concentration (2.38 g/l) caused decreases of water and food consumption and loss of body weight. At 7 days females had decreased urine volume accompanied by a modest increase of urine osmolality, resulting in a significant decrease of excretion of solute. Concentrations of glucose in plasma and lactate in tissues were not significantly affected by this subchronic TCA exposure. These results indicate that TCA may have effects on intermediary metabolism similar to those of DCA.
The emergence of a twisted magnetic flux tube into a preexisting coronal arcade

To investigate the dynamic evolution of a coronal magnetic field in response to the emergence of significantly twisted magnetic structures, we perform MHD simulations in the low-β regime of the emergence of a twisted magnetic flux tube into a preexisting coronal potential magnetic arcade. Our simulation of a twisted flux tube, which when fully emerged contains a twist of 1.875 × 2π field-line rotation about the axis between the anchored footpoints, leads to a magnetic structure with substantial writhing of the tube axis (with an apex rotation >90°) as a result of the nonlinear evolution of the kink instability. For an emerging tube with a left-handed twist (which is the preferred sense of twist for active regions in the northern hemisphere), the writhing of the tube is also left-handed, producing a forward-S shape for the tube axis as viewed from the top, which is opposite to the inverse-S-shaped X-ray sigmoid structures preferentially seen in the northern hemisphere. However, we find that the writhing motion of the tube and its interaction with the ambient coronal magnetic field also drive the formation of an intense current layer that displays an inverse-S shape, consistent with the shape of X-ray sigmoids.
New performance bounds of a class off self-routing networks

Conventional bounds for the maximum throughput of an unbuffered banyan network and its topology equivalents are based on the parallel path setup (PPS) assumption, i.e. paths are set up simultaneously. But the bounds derived under the PPS assumption can be surpassed with a slight variation on the path setup scheme. The authors study the maximum throughputs of an unbuffered banyan network and its topology equivalents in an incremental path setup (IPS) environment. The results represent the ultimate bounds for the maximum throughputs of unbuffered banyan networks. Although the exact analysis of this problem involves a combinatorial explosion, an approximate analysis is given in this work to verify the simulation results. >
Mechanics of High Speed Texturing Part II: Theoretical Analysis of Ring Twisting

The mechanics of the belt twisting principle are analyzed for slipping mode and positive driving mode. In slipping mode the yarn and the friction surfaces are ev erywhere slipping and the relative speed gives frictional forces to the yam in its direction. In positive driving mode, however, the yam is fully gripped by two belts, the system has no slippage in yarn rotational or forward directions, and the belt motion determines the twist level and tension ratios of the yam. General equations are derived relating the variables of tension, belt angle, twist level, ratio of belt speed to yarn speed, and yarn torque. The solutions to these differential equations give the expressions for the yarn tension ratio and yam torque as a function of twist, yarn parameter, and machine variables. In this paper, the theoretical performance of the system with changes in the configuration of the twister is discussed and limitations considered.
EXPERIMENTAL AND COMPUTATIONAL STUDY OF TEMPERATURE, SPECIES, AND SOOT IN BUOYANT AND NON-BUOYANT COFLOW LAMINAR DIFFUSION FLAMES

In this study, we extended previous numerical and experimental investigations of an axisymmetric laminar diffusion flame to assess the role of buoyancy and dilution in flame properties such as temperature, fuel and oxygen concentration, and soot volume fraction. Measurements were made both in normal gravity and on the NASA KC-135 reduced-gravity aircraft. Computations of temperature and major species were performed with a two-dimensional, axisymmetric flame model using a 26-species C2 hydrocarbon mechanism. This set of temperature and major species measurements affords the most extensive set of comparisons with flame computations to date. Results indicate that the predicted temperature profiles are in excellent agreement with measurement in both normal gravity and microgravity flames at low dilution levels. In these well-predicted flames, however, subtle differences existed in fuel/air mixing between measurement and computation, in which the contrast was most visible in normal gravity. As the fuel stream was diluted, the computations began to lose their predictive ability, again most markedly in normal gravity. Additionally, relative soot volume fraction was measured with laser-induced incandescence (LII) in both normal gravity and in the time-varying gravitational field provided by the KC-135. Results indicate that the soot concentration and distribution are extremely sensitive to the “g-jitter” present, and that the peak soot volume fraction can increase by as much as a factor of 15 in the absence of gravity.