cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Justice Blackmun, Federalism, and Separation of Powers

On June 8, 1970, Harry A. Blackmun took his seat on the Supreme Court bench. Few then foresaw that, in the ensuing twenty-three terms of the Court, Justice Blackmun would make contributions to American law that rank no less than monumental. Justice Blackmun has become best known for his landmark opinion in Roe v. Wade and his increasingly pointed defense of libertarian and egalitarian values. During his long tenure on the Court, however, Justice Blackmun also quietly has shaped the law of constitutional federalism and separation of powers.This reality first came to my attention in 1987, when I received an assignment to teach a class concerning the structural aspects of constitutional law. Upon delving into Gerald Gunther's casebook to prepare for the course, I was struck by how many significant opinions in this field Justice Blackmun had written. This discovery inspired a more systematic study, which confirmed my initial impression that Justice Blackmun had made sweeping contributions to the law of constitutional structures.This paper shares and updates the findings I made in 1987. It then offers a brief commentary on recurring characteristics of Justice Blackmun's work in this field of law. In particular, I suggest that four major themes mark Justice Blackmun's votes and opinions concerning federalism and separation of powers: first, a proclivity for non-absolutist, case-specific balancing; second, an attraction to representation-reinforcement reasoning; third, a willingness to adapt to changing practical conditions and to develop views over time; and finally, a strong and growing commitment to judicial protection of the “little person” against government overreaching.
J-R Curve Determination Using Precracked Charpy Specimens and the Load-Drop Method for Crack Growth Measurements

Abstract : J-R curves for two aluminum alloys, a titanium alloy and a high strength-low alloy steel at two different strength levels were determined using precracked Charpy specimens. Three methods were used to measure crack growth: (1) multi-specimen, (2) compliance unloading, and (3) the load-drop method. The load-drop method assumes that crack growth occurs only after peak load has been attained and the amount which the load decreases after peak load is related to the size of the uncracked ligament. Comparisons between the three methods for all of the materials show remarkably similar J-R curves. Also, using these curves to determine a JIc indicates very little difference between the load-drop method and the others in the measurement of toughness.
High bond orders in metal-metal bonding

The recent discovery of high-order bonds between metal atoms raises fundamental questions about the nature of chemical bonding.
Structure and optoelectronic properties of single crystal epitaxial Cu(In/sub 1-x/Ga/sub x/)Se/sub 2/ and ordered defect compounds

Epitaxial CuIn/sub 1-x/Ga/sub x/Se/sub 2/ was grown on As-terminated (111) GaAs between 550 to 735/spl deg/C with 0/spl les/x/spl les/1. The Cu/[In+Ga] ratio, y, ranged from y=0.3 to 1.3. Analysis of the deposited films showed an ordered defect structure that was homogeneous throughout the epitaxial layers when group III rich for all Ga contents examined. Films grown with y=0.3 had energy gaps of /spl sim/1.2 eV and showed evidence by both cathodoluminescence and optical absorption of band tails. Stacking faults affect both the growth rate and the luminescence but can be converted to dislocations by rapid thermal annealing. The highest hole mobilities to date, >1500 cm/sup 2//V-sec, were measured at 50-75 K by Hall-effect in near-stoichiometry samples. Room temperature hole mobilities were >200 cm/sup 2//V-sec and increased at low temperatures. Hole concentrations showed evidence of a level 80 meV above the valance band edge at a concentration in excess of 10/sup 17/ cm/sup -3/ in all p-type samples. A composition-dependent level at /spl sim/40 meV and type conversion at /spl sim/100 K was also observed.
Reply: Alzheimer’s disease: Molecular consequences of presenilin-1 mutation

Gandy et al. compare our results1 with their 1994 findings2 that the amino-terminally truncated amyloid Aβ11–42 was relatively abundant in two cases of familial Alzheimer's disease involving two distinct mutations in β-APP. However, four important differences should be borne in mind: the authors compare Aβ11–42 with Aβ1–42 and ignore Aβ1–40, although both Aβ1–40 and Aβ1–42 are generated by β-secretase/BACE cleavage at residue Asp 1 (ref. 3); their data are not correlated with features related to disease severity, such as age at onset and duration; they did not examine brains with PS1 mutations (these were not known at that time); and their characterization was based on the use of size-exclusion chromatography and electrospray mass spectrometry to quantify formic-acid-extracted Aβ, whereas we used quantitative analysis of immunoprecipitated water-soluble Aβ on western blots, mass spectrometry to identify Aβ variants, and immunohistochemistry to reveal amino-truncated Aβ peptides in plaques.
The Impact of Non-Ohmic Polysilicon Emitter Resistance on Bipolar Transistor Performance

The potential performance enhancement of polysilicon emitters in bipolar transistors may be reduced when the contact resistance is high and nonohmic. Our experimental data shows the expected correlation between DC series resistance and AC switching performance even for polysilicon emitters without intentional interface oxides.
Introduction:arts in virtual worlds

Under a heading as general as “Arts” for this issue of the Journal of Virtual Worlds Research, you could expect to find articles on everything from curatorial practices to concerts, from storytelling to sculpture. But there is nothing hodge-podge about this collection. An important single thread runs through this issue: the exploration of artistic “process”.
Attitudes and Behaviors in the Field of Economics: Anomaly or Leading Indicator

This paper will explore the challenges and opportunities that libraries face in the digital world from the perspective of a single disciplinary field: economics. Through analysis of faculty surveys, interviews with economists, and assessment of the impact of new digital resources and services that have emerged to support the field, we will highlight how the behaviors and attitudes of this field have changed in a very short period of time. What kind of services do the economists need from libraries, and perhaps more importantly, from librarians? Are the changes in behavior of economists over the last decade, which have been characterized by a dramatic reduction in their dependence on the traditional library, anomalous and specific to the field, or are they predictive of broader trends? What might this mean for the choices that librarians must make in order to support scholarship?
Twiddler's Syndrome with Transvenous Defibrillators in the Pectoral Region

Advances in technology have enabled the implantation of defibrillators in the pectoral region. Complications encountered with pacemakers may also be observed with defibrillators. We describe two cases of twiddler's syndrome in patients with defibrillators implanted subcutaneously in the left pectoral region.
Lymph Node Assessment in Endometrial Cancer: Towards Personalized Medicine

Endometrial cancer (EC) is the most common malignancy of the female reproductive tract and is increasing in incidence. Lymphovascular invasion and lymph node (LN) status are strong predictive factors of recurrence. Therefore, the determination of the nodal status of patients is mandatory to optimally tailor adjuvant therapies and reduce local and distant recurrences. Imaging modalities do not yet allow accurate lymph node staging; thus pelvic and aortic lymphadenectomies remain standard staging procedures. The clinical data accumulated recently allow us to define low- and high-risk patients based on pre- or peroperative findings that will allow the clinician to stratify the patients for their need of lymphadenectomies. More recently, several groups have been introducing sentinel node mapping with promising results as an alternative to complete lymphadenectomy. Finally, the use of peroperative algorithm for risk determination could improve patient's staging with a reduction of lymphadenectomy-related morbidity.
Science and Mysticism in the Middle Ages: Meister Eckhart's Synthesis

What is the truth of Holy Scripture? For Eckhart, this truth is clear and simple: Christ. Christ is the inner truth of all Scripture. But how are we to understand Christ? How are we to make the truth that is Christ our own? I think this is the main task that Eckhart sets himself. Christ, of course, reveals himself in the texts of the Gospels; but the Gospels talk about a distant time and place. How then, are we to invite Christ into the innermost part of our souls? Eckhart puts this very forcefully in his vernacular sermon, Praedica Verbum:
Mercury: results on mass, radius, ionosphere, and atmosphere from mariner 10 dual-frequency radio signals.

Analysis of the radio-tracking data from Mariner 10 yields 6,023,600 plus or minus 600 for the ratio of the mass of the sun to that of Mercury, in very good agreement with values determined earlier from radar data alone. Occultation measurements yielded values for the radius of Mercury of 2440 plus or minus 2 and 2438 plus or minus 2 kilometers at latitudes of 2 N and 68 N, respectively, again in close agreement with the average equatorial radius of 2439 plus or minus 1 kilometers determined from radar data. The mean density of 5.44 grams per cubic centimeter deduced for Mercury from Mariner 10 data thus virtually coincides with the prior determination. No evidence of either an ionosphere or an atmosphere was found.
Distributed coverage while not being covered

We consider the problem of cooperatively covering a group of static targets while simultaneously minimizing exposure from a different set of static locations. Starting from the work of Bullo et al. [8] who formalized the problem of cooperative sensor coverage as a multicenter optimization problem, we show that also this problem can be formulated and solved using related concepts. However, we evidence that the resulting function to be optimized loses some desirable properties and requires a more sophisticated controller. After having identified the peculiar aspects of this new function to be optimized and having studied its critical points, we provide a controller and show that it will drive the system to a stable local optimizer. The control strategy is distributed in the sense of Voronoi, and it implements a distributed version of the gradient projection method known in the optimization literature. Numerical simulations illustrate how the controller works, and we conclude sketching some theoretical properties.
Line-of-Sight Variations of Temperature and Species in Solid Propellant Flames

The purpose of this work is to deduce line-of-sight variations of temperature and species concentrations in high-pressure, solid-propellant e ames by using spectral transmittances acquired by Fourier transform infrared spectrometry. To deduce these variations, an inverse technique was developed. For its validation, temperature and mole-fraction proe les within nitramine-composite propellant e ames at low pressures were compared with similar measurements made by using e ne-wire thermocouples and a microprobe mass spectrometer. Subsequently, it was applied to spectral transmittance data acquired for a high-pressure, self-sustained solid-propellant e ame. Several conclusions were made. First, at about 3 ‐4 mm above the surface, one must account for line-of-sight variations. Second, the deduced centerline temperatures were within 50 K of those measured using e ne-wire thermocouples. Finally, the deduced centerline concentrations of CO and NO established a dark-zone behavior, which is expected of nitramine-composite propellant e ames. However, to deduce the line-of-sight variation of other infrared-active species, further improvements in the database of the spectral absorption coefe cients must be made.
ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL-PSYCHOLOGICAL FACTORS AS A FUNCTION OF SOCIAL FUNCTIONING STATUS AMONG LOW-INCOME WOMEN IN KANSAS

A sample of 148 homemakers from a population of 835 low-income families from three counties in a midwestern U.S. state were studied in terms of their level of risk for community intervention, economic condition, social-psychological variables, and coping responses. One-way analyses of variance indicated that high risk, marginal, and effective, low-risk families differ mostly on economic factors rather than social-psychological factors.
Polar Polymeric Langmuir−Blodgett Films for Optical Applications

A side-chain liquid crystalline copolymer containing ether−nitrobiphenyl groups was investigated as a nonlinear optical material. Ultrathin films have shown second harmonic generation and therefore...
2 x 2 Games of Commitment in World Politics

This note expands on a recent article in International Studies Quarterly by Maoz and Felsenthal (1987) that discusses self-binding commitment by actors in three different 2×2 games. I augment their work by adding nine more 2×2 games in which self-binding commitment can be beneficial. In the three games presented by Maoz and Felsenthal, only one party has an incentive to make a self-binding commitment, that commitment is to a dominated strategy, and the other party benefits from the commitment as well. In other situations, however, each of these three characteristics of the commitment tactic can be different. In addition, in nine of the twelve games of commitment, deadlock danger arises in which both players seek to be the only one to establish a self-binding commitment, but if both do so, both are worse off than in the absence of any commitment. Examining the incentives and disincentives to commit oneself in various situations is vital to understanding this important bargaining tactic.
Further support for a gonadotrophine deficiency in cryptorchidism derived from clinical investigations

In 73 uni- and bilateral cryptorchid boys (2-13 years of age) LH and FSH response to LH-RH (or long acting LH-RH derivative HOE 766) was assessed. In all patients a testicular biopsy -taken during orchidopexy- was examined by light and electronmicroscopy. Plasma LH increased from 3, 5 to 10, 1 mU/ml and FSH from 1, 5 to 4, 5 mU/ml in response to 100 ug LH-RH, testosterone (mean 0, 48 ng/ml) and E2 (mean 4 mU above basal concentration was seen in 30/73 boys. In all biopsies of patients with no LH response, Leydig cells were spare in the interstitium. Collagenization of interstitium and of peritubular connective tissue could not be related to LH and FSH. Unequivocally the number of spermatogonia was reduced and their ultrastructural appearance pathological.
The "caudate-spindle". IV. A behavioral index of caudate-induced inhibition.

Abstract An inhibitory system is described which effectively counteracts the “arousal” system described by Moruzzi and Magoun. Although anatomically it includes the caudate and the non-specific thalamic nuclei, thus partly overlapping with the “arousal” system, its effect depends on a low frequency input. If this input reaches a threshold intensity, both spindle bursts and behavioral inhibition simultaneously occur. The electrophysiological response, as well as its behavioral correlate, can be simultaneously eliminated by a superimposed high frequency stimulus to the same structures. Behavioral inhibition was only seen when spindle bursts were present. The existence of an inhibitory circuit is proposed in which the caudate nucleus figures prominently. It balances and counteracts the system of Moruzzi and Magoun and thus plays an important role in wakefulness, attention, integration, discrimination, and learning. The balance can be maintained or shifted in a given direction, independently of the total input to the brain. It was thus shown that the effects of stimulation of large areas in the brain depend on the frequency of the input as much as on anatomical location or total intensity of input.
Comparative risk assessment of permethrin, chlorothalonil, and diuron to coastal aquatic species

The precise application of risk assessment can lead to different conclusions about risk depending on how species are grouped in the assessment. We compared the use of different risk assessment methods for three different classes of pesticide, the herbicide diuron, the fungicide chlorothalonil, and the insecticide permethrin for marine and estuarine species. Permethrin was the most toxic pesticide to marine and estuarine crustaceans. Diuron was the most toxic pesticide to algae, and chlorothalonil was most toxic to early life stages of molluscs and other invertebrates. Toxicity data (96 h LC50/EC50 values) were analyzed using a probability distribution on the ranked toxicity values and 10th centile values were calculated based on different groups of species and for all species combined. Our results indicate that an assessment of risk based on smaller taxonomic groups can be informative, especially for pesticides of less specific modes of action such as chlorothalonil.
An Integrated Behavioral Approach to Transfer of Interpersonal Leadership Skills.

There is growing concern that academic institutions need to better prepare students of management by teaching interpersonal leadership skills. Yet bridging the gap between classroom learning and la...
Effect of Sodium on Juxtaglomerular Index and Zona Glomerulosa in Experimental Nephrosis.

SummarySodium deficiency and salt overload failed to influence degree of proteinuria and biochemical and ultrastructural features of AN nephrosis. Ascites was absent in AN-treated, sodium deficient rats which exhibited elevated JGI and increased width of zona glomerulosa (ZGI) of adrenal cortex; whereas AN-treated rats subjected to salt overload had massive ascites but normal JGI and ZGI. This information indicates that the elevated JGI and ZGI observed in AN-treated rats maintained with a normal sodium-containing diet are not due to ascites per se. Although the changes encountered in this study in JGI may be due to alteration in blood volume, emphasis is also directed to the causal effects of electrolyte alterations and blood osmolarity. Parallel changes of JGI and ZGI are interpreted as evidence of activity of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone mechanism in AN nephrosis and the secondary role of aldosterone in ascites production in this syndrome.
An Electrode Chamber for Recording Respiratory and Other Movements of Free‐swimming Animals

Abstract By their effects on equilibrium potentials, water currents produced by respiratory and other movements of freely-moving animals cause changes in the potential difference between stainless steel electrodes set at opposite ends of an open system continuous-flow animal chamber. The changes are in the microvolt range, but they can be used for continuous or intermittent recording of the animal's responses in short-term or long-term studies under widely varied environmental conditions, and the method seems suitable for monitoring.
Editor’s Overview: Mentoring, Tutoring, and Coaching

This issue of Mentoring and Tutoring: Partnership in Learning Journal includes research from scholars representing the USA (nine states) and England. The authors provide further development of the ...
High-performance Ka-band and V-band HEMT low-noise amplifiers

Quarter-micron-gate-length high-electron-mobility transistors (HEMTs) have exhibited state-of-the-art low-noise performance at millimeter-wave frequencies, with minimum noise figures of 1.2 dB and 32 GHz and 1.8 dB at 60 GHz. At Ka-band, two-stage and three-stage HEMT low-noise amplifiers have demonstrated noise figures of 1.7 and 1.9 dB, respectively, with associated gains of 17.0 and 24.0 dB at 32 GHz. At V-band, two stage and three-stage HEMT amplifiers yielded noise figures of 3.2 and 3.6 dB, respectively, with associated gains of 12.7 and 20.0 dB and 60 GHz. The 1-dB-gain compression point of all the amplifiers is greater than +6 dBm. The results clearly show the potential of short-gate-length HEMTs for high-performance millimeter-wave receiver application. >
Taxonomic Dimensionality Reduction in Bayesian Text Classification

Lexical abstraction hierarchies can be leveraged to provide semantic information that characterizes features of text corpora as a whole. This information may be used to determine the classification utility of the dimensions that describe a dataset. This paper presents a new method for preparing a dataset for probabilistic classification by determining, a priori, the utility of a very small subset of taxonomically-related dimensions via a Discriminative Multinomial Na ¨ive Bayes process. We show that this method yields significant improvements over both Discriminative Multinomial Na ¨ive Bayes and Bayesian network classifiers alone.
Obesity associated with severe acute colonic diverticulitis in the young adult.

production and inducible nitric oxide synthase activity in co-lonic mucosa of patients with active ulcerative colitis andCrohn’s disease. Dig Dis Sci 1997;42:1047–54.6. Kolios G, Rooney N, Murphy CT, et al. Expression of induc-ible nitric oxide synthase activity in human colon epithelialcells: Modulation by T lymphocyte derived cytokines. Gut1998;43:56–63.7. Kiss J, Lamarque D, Delchier JC, et al. Time-dependent ac-tions of nitric oxide synthase inhibition on colonic inﬂamma-tion induced by trinitrobenzene sulphonic acid in rats. EurJ Pharmacol 1997;336:219–24.8. Zhang Z, Naughton DP, Carty E, et al. Excess nitric oxide inulcerative colitis may be generated by nitric oxide synthaseindependent pathways. Gut 1999;44:441.9. Zingarelli B, Cuzzocrea S, Szabo´ C, et al. Mercaptoethylgua-nidine, a combined inhibitor of nitric oxide synthase andperoxynitrite scavenger, reduces trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid-induced colonic damage. J Pharmacol Exp Ther 1998;287:1048–55.Reprint requests and correspondence: Dr. Pedro Lorenzo, De-partment of Pharmacology, Universidad Complutense, Avda.Complutense, 28040 Madrid, Spain.Received Dec. 8, 1999; accepted Dec. 13, 1999.
The Chowla-Selberg formula

Abstract The Chowla-Selberg formula is a monomial relation connecting the values of certain automorphic form at special points to the values of Γ functions at rational points. A generalization of this formula is established in the context of CM-fields: the values of a distinguished Hilbert automorphic form at special points are expressed in terms of multiple Γ functions.
Release of endogenous brain epinephrine by the calcium ionophores X537A and A23187.

The Ca2+ ionophores X537A and A23187 produced dose-dependent release of endogenous epinephrine (Epi) as well as norepinephrine (NE) and dopamine (DA) from chopped rat hypothalamus and brainstem. The X537A-induced release of these catecholamines (CAs) was found to be Ca2+-independent, whereas the A23187-induced release was Ca2+-dependent. X537A and A23187 were approximately equipotent in causing the release of the hypothalamic Epi, NE and DA, but X537A was much more effective than A23187 in causing the maximal release. X537A, but not A23187, reduced the total endogenous CA content and increased the total 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (DOPAC) content in the chopped hypothalamus. Ca2+-independent release of Epi, NE and DA in the chopped hypothalamus was also observed with indirectly acting sympathomimetic amines (e.g. tyramine and amphetamine). Tyramine and amphetamine did not affect the total endogenous CA contents nor the total DOPAC content. These results suggest that X537A caused release of endogenous brain Epi, NE and DA by transporting thebiogenic amines across vesicular or intracellular storage sites. However, A23187 caused release of these CAs by exocytosis via transport of Ca2+ into the neurons.
How Should We Look at Rape in Early America

While rape may not have affected events associated with traditional linear histories, sexual assaults were regular features of early American life that affected individuals and society at large. But how should historians determine the influence of rape on early America? Based on nearly one thousand incidents of possible sexual coercion and hundreds of extra-legal commentaries on rape, this article explore how early Americans discussed rape and what impact it may have had on their lives. Attending to the micro and the macro influences of rape can help historians understand early Americans’ worlds and relationships to one another.
Negative ion mass spectral studies of polydentate Schiff base compounds: The formation of negative ions using chemical ionization conditions for Co(II), Ni(II) and Cu(II) complexes

Abstract The negative ions mass spectra of polydentate Schiff base complexes with Co(II), Ni(II), and Cu(II) have been measured using chemical ionization conditions. Methane, methane-d4 and isobutane were used as the reagent gases. Molecular negative ions were detected for all complexes. Secondary ions produced via ion/molecule reactions were noted for complexes with Co(II) and for some complexes with Ni(II). Since no reagent gas negative ions were detected, it is reasoned that the ion/molecule reactions occur by interaction of the metal complex molecular negative ion with the neutral reagent gas. For Cu(II) complexes only molecular negative ion and fragment ions were detected. It is suggested that electron configuration at the metal ion is a significant controlling factor in these reactions.
The B mycoides N host-virus system. II. Interrelation of phage growth, bacterial multiplication, and lysis in infections of the indicator strain of B. mycoides N with phage N in nutrient broth.

Experiments were performed to determine the mechanism of release of phage from the lysogenic strain of B. mycoides N. The results suggest that qualitatively the same situation obtains as in the phage-carrying cultures of B. megatherium 899 and E. coli Li; i.e ., the population consists of two kinds of cells: " lysogenes potentiels " and " producteurs ." Quantitatively, however, there are more "producers" in a broth culture of the lysogenic B. mycoides N, at least curing the first 4 to 8 hours after cells have been suspended in fresh medium, suggesting that the interaction between host and parasite is one in which the balance is easily swung in favor of the virus. These conclusions are based upon the following lines of evidence: (1) the slow "growth rate" of the lysogenic culture, (2) the fact that the colony count falls far below the plaque count or the filament count (which correspond) for a well washed suspension, (3) the increase in phage output in a large number of tubes, each containing a small number of lysogenic cells, after a few hours' incubation in nutrient broth at 30°C.
Professional Development Policies and Practices in Schools Affiliated with the Association of Christian Schools International

This is a report of survey research conducted among administrators of schools belonging to the Association of Christian Schools International (ACSI) regarding their professional development policies and practices. Schools from five states in the northwest region of the United States were included in the study. Three categories of policies and practices were identified: supporting individual growth, supporting group growth and those supporting both. We offer recommendations both for professional practice and further research.
High-multiplicity pp and pA collisions: Hydrodynamics at its edge

With growing multiplicity, the $pp$ and $pA$ collisions enter the domain where the macroscopic description (thermodynamics and hydrodynamics) becomes applicable. We discuss this situation, first with simplified thought experiments, then with some idealized representative cases, and finally address the real data. For clarity, we do not do it numerically but analytically, using the Gubser solution. We found that the radial flow is expected to increase from central $AA$ to central $pA$, while the elliptic flow decreases, with higher harmonics being comparable. We extensively study the magnitude and distribution of the viscous corrections, in Navier-Stokes and Israel-Stuart approximations, ending with higher gradient resummation proposed by Lublinsky and Shuryak. We found that those corrections grow from $AA$ to $pA$ to $pp$, but remain tractable even for $pp$.
Principles of Encoding Mnemonics

The phonetic system, phonemic recoding, and imaginal recoding are three encoding mnemonics used to encode digital information into a more easily remembered form. The techniques share the basic prin...
Diacetylenic liquid‐crystalline polymers and copolymers. I. Derivatives of diphenyldiacetylene

The diphenyldiacetylene moiety is highly mesogenic and liquid-crystalline mesophases were observed in polymers incorporating such moieties in the main chain of polyesters with regularly alternating mesogenic groups and flexible spacers. Extensive crystallinity, polymorphism and high values of transition temperatures characterize these polymers. The reactivity of the conjugated triple bond at the temperature of mesophase formation impedes the stability of LC mesophases. Methyl substitution in the benzene ring lowers the transition temperatures significantly.
Histologic grade is correlated with outcome after resection of hepatic neuroendocrine neoplasms.

BACKGROUND. The behavior of neuroendocrine neoplasms is poorly defined, and predictors of outcome after surgical resection have yet to be identified. Consequently, guidelines for treatment remain unclear. Current pathologic classification systems do not permit meaningful discrimination of hepatic neuroendocrine neoplasms. METHODS. The authors reviewed prospectively maintained databases from 2 institutions of patients who underwent hepatic resection for neuroendocrine neoplasms between 1990 and 2006. Patient, tumor, and operative characteristics were analyzed to identify factors associated with overall survival, progression-free survival, and symptom control. Hepatic neoplasms were stratified by using a 3-tier pathologic classification system based on the number of mitotic figures and the presence of tumor necrosis that was recently validated for pancreatic neuroendocrine neoplasms. RESULTS. Seventy patients were identified from the databases. Low-grade, intermediate-grade, and high-grade neoplasms were identified in 53%, 37%, and 10% of patients, respectively. After a median follow-up of 51 months, the median overall survival for all patients was 91 months, and it was 108 months when 7 patients with high-grade neuroendocrine carcinomas were excluded. Progressive disease was eventually observed in 81% of patients, and the median progression-free survival was 17 months. The median time to the onset of symptoms was 39 months for patients who presented with hormonal symptoms and 80 months for all patients. Histologic grade was associated with poorer overall and progression-free survival. CONCLUSIONS. When performed in a context of aggressive multimodality therapy, long-term outcomes after partial hepatectomy for hepatic neuroendocrine neoplasms were favorable; however, disease progression was eventually observed in the majority of patients. Several oncologic variables were associated with significant differences in survival after resection. A novel pathologic classification system appears to enhance prognostic stratification of patients with hepatic neuroendocrine neoplasms. Cancer 2008. © 2008 American Cancer Society.
Metal-insulator transition in an organic solid: Experimental realization of the one-dimensional Hubbard model

Abstract We present an experimental study of a metal-insulator transition in an organic molecular solid. Analysis of the data in terms of the exact theoretical ground state results and the projected theoretical temperature dependence suggests that the NMP-TCNQ system is a nearly ideal example of the Hubbard model in one dimension.
ANIONIC SITES OF HUMAN ERYTHROCYTE MEMBRANES : I. Effects of Trypsin, Phospholipase C, and pH on the Topography of Bound Positively Charged Colloidal Particles

The effects of pH, trypsin, and phospholipase C on the topographic distribution of acidic anionic residues on human erythrocytes was investigated using colloidal iron hydroxide labeling of mounted, fixed ghost membranes. After glutaraldehyde fixation at pH 6.5-7.5, the positively charged colloidal particles were bound to the membranes in small randomly distributed clusters. The clusters of anionic sites were reversibly aggregated by incubation at pH 5.5 before fixation at the same pH. These results correlate with the distribution of intramembranous particles found by Pinto da Silva (J. Cell Biol.53:777), with the exception that the distribution of anionic sites on a majority of the fixed ghosts at pH 4.5 was aggregated instead of dispersed. The randomly distributed clusters could be nonreversibly aggregated by trypsin or phospholipase C treatment of intact ghosts before glutaraldehyde fixation. Previous glutaraldehyde fixation prevented trypsin and pH induced aggregation of the colloidal iron sites. Evidence that N-acetylneuraminic acid groups are the principal acidic residues binding colloidal iron was the elimination of greater than 85% of the colloidal iron labeling to neuraminidase-treated cell membranes. Colloidal iron binding N-acetylneuraminic acid residues may reside on membrane molecules such as glycophorin, a sialoglycoprotein which contains the majority of the N-acetylneuraminic acid found on the human erythrocyte membrane.
Cultural Identity and the Archaeological Construction of Historical Narratives: An Example from Chaco Canyon

The Bonito Phase (ca. AD 850 to 1140) in Chaco Canyon, New Mexico, is widely assumed by archeologists to reflect the growth and decline of a coherent sociopolitical entity, one of the classic examples of emergent social complexity among ancient indigenous North American populations ending in a societal collapse. This understanding of Chaco is based, in part, on the interpretation of temporal changes in material culture as intentional efforts to maintain cultural identity and continuity in the face of social disruption. In this study, I suggest that the Bonito Phase actually encompassed at least one major episode of cultural discontinuity, calling into question the perception of a distinct “Chaco society.” Instead, patterns of material production in Chaco point to multiple cultural identities linked to serial reoccupation of the canyon.
The relative risk of myocardial infarction in patients who have high blood pressure and non-cardiac pain

The authors conducted a population-based case-control study to determine the risk of myocardial infarction in patients who reported angina-like symptoms. The cases studied were those of patients who had high blood pressure and had sought treatment in 1984 with myocardial infarction as the first manifestation of coronary artery disease. Controls, a random sample of patients who had hypertension, were frequency-matched to cases by age and gender. Blind to case-control status, the authors reviewed the medical records of the 32 cases and 64 controls for reports of angina-like symptoms. While controls reported such symptoms at a constant rate, the events for the cases clustered near their infarctions. When a patient with hypertension sought medical advice for angina-like symptoms, the risk of infarction within 30 days was 14.2 (95% confidence interval, 2.8 to 71), and after 30 days it fell to 1.03. Among patients who have high blood pressure but no history of angina, presentations with prodromal symptoms in the primary care setting are so common that only about one in 100 such visits actually heralds myocardial infarction.
Influence of Amalgam, Alloy, and Mercury on the in Vitro Growth of Streptococcus mutans: I. Biological Test System

A procedure is presented for the in vitro growth of Streptococcus mutans in a dextrose-beef extract medium. Growth was estimated spectrophotometrically. The amount of amalgam, alloy, or mercury that was added to the sealed test tube influenced the rate and extent of growth.
The AIDS and Cancer Specimen Resource: Role in HIV/AIDS scientific discovery

The AIDS Cancer and Specimen Resource (ACSR) supports scientific discovery in the area of HIV/AIDS-associated malignancies. The ACSR was established as a cooperative agreement between the NCI (Office of the Director, Division of Cancer Treatment and Diagnosis) and regional consortia, University of California, San Francisco (West Coast), George Washington University (East Coast) and Ohio State University (Mid-Region) to collect, preserve and disperse HIV-related tissues and biologic fluids and controls along with clinical data to qualified investigators. The available biological samples with clinical data and the application process are described on the ACSR web site. The ACSR tissue bank has more than 100,000 human HIV positive specimens that represent different processing (43), specimen (15), and anatomical site (50) types. The ACSR provides special biospecimen collections and prepares speciality items, e.g., tissue microarrays (TMA), DNA libraries. Requests have been greatest for Kaposi's sarcoma (32%) and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (26%). Dispersed requests include 83% tissue (frozen and paraffin embedded), 18% plasma/serum and 9% other. ACSR also provides tissue microarrays of, e.g., Kaposi's sarcoma and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, for biomarker assays and has developed collaborations with other groups that provide access to additional AIDS-related malignancy specimens. ACSR members and associates have completed 63 podium and poster presentations. Investigators have submitted 125 letters of intent requests. Discoveries using ACSR have been reported in 61 scientific publications in notable journals with an average impact factor of 7. The ACSR promotes the scientific exploration of the relationship between HIV/AIDS and malignancy by participation at national and international scientific meetings, contact with investigators who have productive research in this area and identifying, collecting, preserving, enhancing, and dispersing HIV/AIDS-related malignancy specimens to funded, approved researchers at no fee. Scientific discovery has been advanced by this unique biorepository. Investigators are encouraged to browse the ACSR Internet site for materials to enhance their own scientific initiatives.
Is there a role of hypoxemia in penile fibrosis: a viewpoint presented to the Society for the Study of Impotence.

Is there a role of hypoxemia in penile fibrosis: a viewpoint presented to the Society for the Study of Impotence
Ultrasonic Rapid Manufacturing: Implementation and Thermo-Mechanical Analysis

This paper addresses a novel non-thermal Ultrasonic Rapid Manufacturing (URM), for layered parts based on Ultrasonic Metal Welding (USW). Its laboratory implementation, automation and integration are described first. The thermo-mechanical process aspects (i.e. heat generation and resulting temperature effects) during each cycle of ultrasonic welding are then studied. The technical advantages of ultrasonic welding process, including fabrication of dense, full-strength functional solid metal parts, multi-material composites, and active parts with embedded intelligent components and electronic, mechatronic, optic and fluidic structures, are examined.Copyright © 2002 by ASME
Neurotrophic effects of basic and acidic fibroblast growth factors are not mediated through glial cells

Abstract Basic and acidic fibroblast growth factors (bFGF, aFGF) increase the survival of fetal hippocampal pyramidal neurons in serum-free cultures. bFGF is also a mitogen for astrocytes either in highly purified glial cultures or as a contaminant in neuronal cultures. The possibility that bFGF enhances neuronal survival indirectly through stimulating glial proliferation is unlikely. In the presence of 1 ng/ml bFGF, the total number of contaminating astrocytes (as defined by immunohistochemical staining for glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP)) was increased to 4.3% vs 0.9% in control hippocampal cultures. aFGF did not significantly increase astrocyte number while supporting neuronal survival. Two other agents which stimulated equal or greater astrocytic proliferation, epidermal growth factor (EGF) and 10% serum, did not support neurons, and bFGF still significantly increased neuronal survival in their presence. When glial proliferation was inhibited by aphidicolin, contamination decreased to 0.1% in controls and 1.0% with 1 ng/ml bFGF, yet the neurons remained responsive to FGF. Cultures lacking any detectable GFAP-positive cells were identified, and even in the absence of glial cells, aFGF and bFGF increased neuronal survival. Because there is no significant correlation between the neuronal response and astrocyte number, it appears that bFGF and aFGF can directly support neuronal survival.
Multispecies toxicity tests using indigenous organisms: Predicting the effects of complex effluents in streams

A study was conducted to determine if contaminant-induced changes in macroinvertebrate communities in laboratory stream microcosms could be used to predict responses of these organisms in a natural stream receiving the same contaminant. Test organisms were transferred to the artificial streams in rock-filled containers previously colonized for 30 days upstream of the effluent outfall. The microcosms were exposed for 20 days to concentrations of the effluent that reflected those at field sites where macroinvertebrates were collected.
The truthful messenger: visual methods and representation in qualitative research in education

The problems of representation in qualitative research have been widely documented and multiple means of addressing them have been offered. The purpose of this article is to illustrate ways in whic...
More than 5 full-mouth radiographic series increases intracranial meningioma risk

Original Article Longstreth WT Jr, Phillips LE, Drangsholt M, Koepsell TD, Custer BS, Gehrels JA, et al. Dental x-rays and the risk of intracranial meningioma: a population-based case-control study. Cancer 2004;100(5):1026-34. Level of Evidence 3a Purpose The purpose of the study was to investigate whether dental radiography increases the risk for intra-cranial meningioma. Source of Funding National Cancer Insitute Type of Study/Design Population-based case-control study
Clinical, patient experience and cost impacts of performing active surveillance on known methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus positive patients admitted to medical-surgical units

Background There is a large and growing body of evidence that methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) screening programs are cost effective, but such screening represents a significant cost burden for hospitals. This study investigates the clinical, patient experience and cost impacts of performing active surveillance on known methicillin-resistant S aureus positive (MRSA+) patients admitted to 7 medical-surgical units of a large regional hospital, specifically to allow discontinuation of contact isolation. Methods We conducted mixed-methods retrospective evaluation of a process improvement project that screened admitted patients with known MRSA+ status for continued MRSA colonization. Results Of those eligible patients on our institution's MRSA+ list who did complete testing, 80.2% (130/162) were found to be no longer colonized, and only 19.8% (32/162) were still colonized. Forty-one percent (13/32) of interviewed patients in contact isolation for MRSA reported that isolation had affected their hospital stay, and 28% (9/32) of patients reported emotional distress resulting from their isolation. Total cost savings of the program are estimated at $101,230 per year across the 7 study units. Conclusion Our findings provide supporting evidence that a screening program targeting patients with a history of MRSA who would otherwise be placed in isolation has the potential to improve outcomes and patient experience and reduce costs.
Films & Intensifying Screens For 150 kV Flash Radiography

Michael JenemannNDT Systems, E.I. DuPont de Nemours and Company, Wilmington, DelawareABSTRACTHigh speed flash radiography has been used during the past few decades to record phenomenathat occur during rapid dynamic events. The events are difficult, if not impossible, torecord by other means due to the speed of the event or the obscuration associated with it.To eliminate the motion blur of objects moving in excess of 6,000 meters /sec (20,000 ft /sec),it is necessary to have an extremely short exposure time (5 to 70 nanoseconds). This shortexposure time requires the use of high speed intensifying screens and high speed x -ray filmto record the radiographic image.Technicians who use flash x -rays have to depend on recommendations from present and formerflash x -ray users for film and screen selection. The film and screen industry has made manychanges in the last few years. It is not uncommon to find that the particular film or screenyou wish to use is no longer manufactured.This paper will describe some of the films and screens that are currently manufactured. Itwill describe their relative exposures when used with the Hewlett /Packard model 43731A 150 kV
A Statewide University System (16 Campuses) Creates Collaborative Learning Communities in Second Life.

For the first time in history, an entire statewide public institution of higher education is extending all of its 16 campuses into the online virtual world of Second Life and is creating one of the largest virtual collaborative learning communities in the world. There are three levels of assessment and research for this initial‐entry project: (1) at the System level; (2) at the individual campus level; and (3) at the course level. Questions to be addressed include: How can educators use virtual worlds to create large‐scale learning communities? How do virtual worlds enhance collaborative and interdisciplinary learning? How are 16 geo‐spatially separated campuses collaborating in virtual worlds? What have been major obstacles? How will this project continue to grow and evolve? The creation of the System's virtual collaborative learning community of students, faculty, researchers, and administrators has begun to allow participants to learn, share, collaborate, and grow alongside one another. The ethic of th...
Median sensory nonresponders in carpal tunnel syndrome workup.

Abstract Kaul MP, Pagel KJ. Median sensory nonresponders in carpal tunnel syndrome workup. Arch Phys Med Rehabil 2002;83:1120-2. Objective: To determine an optimal strategy when, in the course of performing the Combined Sensory Index (CSI) or routine median sensory evaluation of carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS), an unobtainable median sensory response is encountered. Design: Prospectively assessed collected data for optimal electrodiagnostic strategies in the setting of an absent median sensory response. Setting: Electrodiagnostic laboratory of a Veterans Affairs medical center. Participants: Two hundred forty consecutive outpatient veterans referred to the laboratory with CTS-compatible symptoms were evaluated with the CSI. Of these, 62 were identified as having 1 or more unobtainable median CSI components. Interventions: Performed tests to determine latencies across the palm and to the thumb and the ring finger; motor comparison studies of median thenar and ulnar hypothenar motor latencies and second lumbrical-interosseous latency differences. Main Outcome Measures: Prevalence of latency test absence, prevalence of electrophysiologically confirmed CTS, and CSI component response rate. Results: When the transpalmar response was absent, subsequent median-ulnar to digit 4 testing and median-radial to digit 1 testing yielded responses in 6% and 8% of cases, respectively. When the median-ulnar to digit 4 response was absent, subsequent transpalmar and median-radial to digit 1 testing yielded responses in 39% and 32% of cases, respectively. The second lumbrical-interosseous comparison was always obtainable and the standard median thenar response was obtainable in 95% of cases; the motor comparison studies confirmed a median mononeuropathy in 98% and 85% of the cases, respectively. Conclusion: When initially a median CSI component is absent, subsequent median sensory studies are often unobtainable. Proceeding directly to motor comparison studies is efficient and provides the requisite electrodiagnostic information. © 2002 by the American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine and the American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation