cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Drafting New York Civil-Litigation Documents: Part XXIX — Disclosure Motions Continued

This article, the 29th in a series on New York civil-litigation drafting, continues the discussion of disclosure motions.
Calf thymus histone III: Sequences of the amino- and carboxyl-terminal regions and of the regions containing lysyl residues modified by acetylation and methylation☆

Abstract Sequence studies on the tryptic peptides from maleylated calf thymus histone III showed one site of e-N-methylation in the sequence Arg-Lys (CH 3 ) 0–2 -Ala-Ser-Pro-Ala-Thr-Gly-Gly-Val-Lys-Lys-Pro-His-Arg, and two sites of e-N-acetylation in the sequences Arg-Lys-Ser-Thr-Gly-Gly-Lys(Ac)-Ala-Pro-Arg and Arg-Lys-Gin-Leu Ala-Thr-Lys(Ac)-Ala-Ala-Arg. The NH 2 -terminal sequence of histone III is probably Ala-Arg,and the sequence of 20 residues at the CDOR-terminus has been established. There is little or no similarity when these regions of calf thymus histones III and IV are compared.
Fructose-induced Dark Germination of Anabaena Akinetes

Standard sporulation medium was used to produce akinetes from vegetative cells ofAnabaena variabilis and culturedAnabaena azollae isolated fromAzolla mexicana. Singlecelled, axenic akinetes were incubated on BG-11 medium supplemented with 1% Bacto-agar. Three different sources of combined nitrogen−KNO3 (5 mM), NH4Cl(5 mM), and glutamine (5 mM)−were added singly or in combination with fructose (50 mM) to the BG-11 plates. The akinetes were incubated under continuous light (5500 lux) or in the dark at 25±2°C. Akinetes of both species germinated in the dark when BG-11 was supplemented with fructose. Akinetes incubated in the dark on plates containing NH4Cl and fructose germinated less than those germinated in the presence of fructose alone. Akinetes of both species germinated in the light.
Alpha-Beta pruning: they've seen it before

One of the most apparently subtle techniques taught in a typical Al survey course is minimaxing with alpha-beta pruning. As Winston writes in his text: "It is not unusual to get lost in this.... Even seasoned game specialists still feel magic in the alpha-beta procedure. Each individual conclusion seems right, but somehow the global result is strange." One way of lessening the apparent mystery of the technique is to ground it in something virtually every computer science student has seen and mastered earlier: cutoff of evaluation in conditionals. After encountering a true disjunct or a false conjunct in thre protasis of an IF statement a reasonable compiler will cease evaluation and return true and false respectively. It is easy to see by constructing some quick truth tables that the MAX function and disjunction are the same. Likewise, the MIN function and conjunction are equivalent. To stop evaluation of a MAX function, what occurs in alpha-beta pruning, is thus no different from what happens to everyday compound conditions with a disjunction. Mutatis mutandis, the same thing can be said of the MIN function and conjunction. There is one slight difference, however. Ordinary conditionals are based on standard, two-state logic, while the MAX and MIN functions in minimaxing can take on many values. We thus have to complete our comparison by noting that for multi-valued logics a true statement is as true as its truest disjunct, while a false statement is as false as its falsest conjunct.
Electrochemical Quartz Crystal Microbalance Studies of Electron Addition at Nanocrystalline Tin Oxide/Water and Zinc Oxide/Water Interfaces: Evidence for Band-Edge-Determining Proton Uptake

Electrochemical quartz crystal microbalance (EQCM) measurements provide compelling evidence for charge-compensating cation uptake by nanocrystalline SnO2 and ZnO electrodes during electron addition. Comparative light water/heavy water measurements establish that the adsorbed or intercalated ions are protons or deuterons. Additional studies as a function of pH implicate water, rather than hydronium ions, as the proton source. The new results, when combined with previous results for titanium dioxide in nonaqueous electrolytes, suggest that charge-compensating cation intercalation is a general mode of reactivity for metal oxide semiconductors. Finally, the new observations raise significant fundamental questions concerning (1) chemical control of band energetics, (2) possible band-edge-unpinning phenomena, and (3) relationships between band edge energies and driving forces for isolated electron transfer reactions.
On the thermal and magnetic histories of Earth and Venus: Influences of melting, radioactivity, and conductivity

Abstract The study of the thermal evolution of Earth’s interior is uncertain and controversial in many respects, from the interpretation of petrologic observations used to infer the temperature and dynamics of the interior, to the physics and material properties governing heat transport. The thermal history of Venus is even more uncertain, but the lack of a dynamo at present in an otherwise similar planet may provide additional constraints on terrestrial planet evolution. In this paper a one dimensional thermal history model is derived that includes heat loss due to mantle melt eruption at the surface to explore its influence on the thermal and magnetic history of Earth and Venus. We show that the thermal catastrophe of Earth’s mantle, which occurs for a present day Urey ratio of 1/3 and convective heat loss exponent of β = 1 / 3 , can be avoided by assuming a rather high core heat flow of ∼15 TW. This core heat flow also avoids the new core paradox by allowing for the geodynamo to be thermally powered prior to inner core growth for core thermal conductivities as high as 130 Wm - 1 K - 1 . Dynamo regime diagrams demonstrate that the mantle melt eruption rate has a minor effect on the history of mobile lid planets due to the efficiency of plate tectonic convective heat loss. However, if Earth were in a stagnant lid regime prior to 2.5 Ga, as has been proposed, then at least ∼5% of mantle melt is required to erupt in order to thermally power the paleodynamo at that time. Dynamo regime diagrams for stagnant lid Venus models indicate that more than half of the melt generated in the mantle is required to erupt in order to overcome the insulation imposed by the stagnant lid and drive a dynamo. This implies that with an Earth-like mantle radioactivity the Venusian dynamo shut down ∼0.3 Ga for an eruption efficiency of 50 % , and ∼3 Ga for an eruption efficiency of zero. Consequently, a stagnant lid alone does not prevent a core dynamo if melting of the upper mantle provides a substantial mantle heat sink.
Some extensions of radial basis functions and their applications in artificial intelligence

Abstract Radial Basis Functions have recently found interesting applications in Artificial Intelligence, and in particular in the problem of learning to perform a particular task from a set of examples. However, in many practical cases the Radial Basis Functions method cannot be applied in a straight-forward manner, because it does not take into account some features that are typical of the problem of learning from examples. In this paper, we show some extensions of the standard theory, introduced in order to deal with a large number of examples and with problems in which different variables play very different roles. We present some examples and also point out some open problems.
On simplicial maps and chainable continua

Abstract An operation d on simplicial maps between graphs is introduced and used to characterize simplicial maps which can be factored through an arc. The characterization yields a new technique of showing that some continua are not chainable and allows to prove that span zero is equivalent to chainability for inverse limits of trees with simplicial bonding maps.
Capacitive micromachined ultrasonic transducer technology for medical ultrasound imaging

Capacitive micromachined ultrasonic transducer (cMUT) technology has been recognized as an attractive alternative to the more traditional piezoelectric transducer technology in medical ultrasound imaging for several years now. There are mainly two reasons for the interest in this technology: Micromachining is derived from the integrated circuit technology and therefore shares the well-known advantages and experience of it. Also, capacitive transduction using thin membranes has fundamental superiorities over the piezoelectric transduction mechanism such as wide frequency bandwidth. Capacitive micromachined ultrasonic transducers are essentially capacitor cells where the two plates of the capacitor, the membrane and the substrate, are separated with a vacuum sealed cavity. Typically, a cMUT is made of many micro-scale capacitor cells operating in parallel. This paper describes a new fabrication technique for building cMUTs which is called the wafer-bonding method. In this method, the cavity and the membrane are defined on separate wafers and brought together by wafer-bonding in vacuum. The wafer-bonding method has several advantages over the traditional sacrificial release method of cMUT fabrication. It allows greater flexibility in the cMUT design which means better device performance. It reduces the number of process steps, device turn-around time, and increases the overall uniformity, reliability. and repeatability. Device examples of one-dimensional and two-dimensional arrays designed to work in the 1 to 50 MHz range with 100% fractional bandwidth highlight the advantages of this method, and show that cMUT technology is indeed the better candidate for next generation ultrasonic imaging arrays.
Penetration of Amoxicillin, Cefaclor, Erythromycin-Sulfisoxazole, and Trimethoprim-Sulfamethoxazole into the Middle Ear Fluid of Patients with Chronic Serous Otitis Media

Penetration into the middle ear of four antibiotics commonly used in treatment of otitis media was studied by administering a single oral dose of amoxicillin, cefaclor, erythromycin-sulfisoxazole, or trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole to 83 children with chronic serous otitis media. The antibiotic was given 15-240 min before the removal of middle ear fluid (MEF) by ventilation tubes inserted through the tympanic membrane. At the time MEF was obtained, a sample of blood was drawn from the patient, and concentrations of antibiotic in both specimens were assayed either microbiologically by a disk diffusion method or by high-pressure liquid chromatography. Amoxicillin had the highest ratio of mean peak concentration in MEF to minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) for the three most common pathogens of otitis media (Streptococcus pneumoniae, ampicillin-sensitive Haemophilus influenzae, and Streptococcus pyogenes), whereas trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole had the highest ratio of mean peak concentration in MEF to MIC for ampicillin-resistant Haemophilus influenzae.
High flux ethanol dehydration using nanofibrous membranes containing graphene oxide barrier layers

In this study, pristine multilayered graphene oxide (GO) was coated by established methods onto a thin-film nanofibrous composite (TFNC) mat to form a high flux membrane for ethanol dehydration. The thickness of the GO layer was controlled from 90 to 300 nm by taking advantage of the self-assembly behavior of GO sheets. The low transfer barrier of the TFNC mat provides a distinct advantage due to its large bulk porosity (80%) with fully interconnected pore structures. Ethanol dehydration experiments showed that a 93 nm thick GO membrane had a permeate flux of 2.2 (kg m−2 h−1) and a separation factor of 308 with a feed solution containing 80 wt% ethanol and 20% water at 70 °C, making the GO–TFNC system superior to commercial polymeric membranes. For example, the permeate flux of GO–TFNC is twice as high as that of the polyvinyl alcohol (PVA)-based commercial membrane. The morphology of the GO–TFNC membrane and the mechanism of water transport in the GO layer were also elucidated using SEM, TEM and grazing incidence wide-angle X-ray scattering (GIWAXS) techniques.
Consumer Socialization, Parental Style, and Developmental Timetables in the United States and Japan:

In this article, the author examines consumer socialization, parental age expectations, and overall patterns of parent–child interactions in a cross-national context. Socialization is defined by a ...
On the Evolutionary Dynamics of Supply Network Topologies

Supply chains, or supply networks (SNs), exist in a multitude of different topologies, yet little is known concerning how such topologies grow, evolve, and adapt over time. To study this complex phenomenon, we begin by identifying some primary topological structures that SNs may form. Then, to investigate the evolution of such structures, a theory-based framework is developed that combines aspects of complex adaptive systems theory, industrial growth theory, network theory, market structure, and game theory. This framework specifies categories of rules that may evoke different behaviors in the two fundamental components of any adaptive SN, i.e., the environment and the Arms in that environment. The framework is implemented as a multiparadigm simulation utilizing software agents and it joins discrete-time with discrete-event simulation formalisms. This methodology allows the spontaneous generation of network structures so that it is possible to examine the potential factors behind the evolution of different SN topologies. Using data and parameters extracted from 80 years of the U.S. automobile industry, we have been able to "grow" a wide range of SN topologies and preliminary results show that certain environmental and firm-level factors may impact the eventual evolution of such structures.
Creativity in the Later Life: Factors Associated with the Creativity of the Chinese Elderly

This study examined a total of 140 elderly Chinese from China and the United States to investigate the relationship between attitude toward aging, daily activities, general health, education, and other demographics and rated creativity as measured by collage making and storytelling. The result of this study shows that creativity declines with age. However, education, general health status, daily activities, and the attitude toward aging are also found to be decisive factors of creativity. The implications of the findings are discussed.
Effect of Photoperiod, Testosterone, and Estradiol on Body Mass, Bifid Claw Size, and Pelage Color in Collared Lemmings (Dicrostonyx groenlandicus)

Collared lemmings undergo several photoperiod-mediated seasonal physiological changes. When exposed to short photoperiod, lemmings increase in size, develop a bifid claw, and molt to a white pelage. Previous data indicate that body mass, claw size, and pelage color are influenced by hormones of testicular origin, suggesting that, on a seasonal basis, changes in production of, or sensitivity to, testicular hormones may play a role in the development of the phenotype characteristic of the ambient photoperiod. The present study was designed to determine if the active testicular hormone(s) is testosterone (T) and/or estradiol (E2) and if seasonally changing physiological traits in female lemmings are also influenced by gonadal status. Fifty-day-old lemmings, reared in 22L:2D (long day), 16L:8D (intermediate day), or 8L:16D (short day), were either gonadectomized or sham operated and given either empty Silastic implants or implants containing T (4 or 10 mm; castrated males), E2 (4 mm undiluted or diluted 1:4 with cholesterol; ovariectomized females), the aromatase inhibitor ATD (androsta-1,4,6-triene-3,17-dione; 2 x 20 mm; intact animals of both sexes), or ATD plus a 10-mm T implant (castrated males). After a 6-week treatment period, changes in body mass, bifid claw width, pelage color stage, and serum prolactin (PRL) were assessed. The effects of gonadectomy and steroid treatment depended upon photoperiod. Whereas gonadectomy increased mass gained by both sexes under intermediate and short day, under long day only females showed the positive mass response to gonadectomy. Treatment with T and E2 reversed the effect of gonadectomy on body mass under intermediate day and decreased the amount of mass gained under short day. Treatment with ATD (males) and E2 (females) indicated that E2 was the hormone responsible for the tonic, inhibitory effect of the gonads on body mass in both sexes. Claw size was most sensitive to steroid manipulation in animals housed in long day, in which all treatments had a negative influence. Gonadectomy under short day resulted in the development of a whiter pelage in both sexes. The effect of gonadectomy on pelage in female lemmings, and its reversal by E2 treatment, may have been partially due to alteration of serum PRL.
Inbred Lewis and Fischer 344 rat strains differ not only in novelty- and amphetamine-induced behaviors, but also in dopamine transporter activity in vivo

Inbred Lewis (LEW) and Fischer 344 (F344) rats are differentially sensitive to drugs of abuse, making them useful for studying addiction-related neural mechanisms. Here, we investigated whether strain differences in dopamine transporters (DATs) in dorsal striatum (dSTR) and/or nucleus accumbens (NAc) may help to explain their behavioral differences. The behavior of male LEW and F344 rats was assessed in an open-field arena during habituation to novelty and after an i.v. infusion of saline and/or 0.5 mg/kg d-amphetamine (AMPH). In vitro measures of DAT binding, protein and cell-surface expression, as well as in vitro and in vivo measures of function, were used to compare DATs in dSTR and NAc of these two strains. We found that LEW rats exhibited higher novelty- and AMPH-induced locomotion, but F344 rats exhibited greater AMPH-induced rearing and stereotypy. An initial habituation session with i.v. saline minimized the strain differences in AMPH-induced behaviors except that the more frequent AMPH-induced rearing in F344 rats persisted. Strain differences in DAT total protein and basal activity were also observed, with LEW rats having less protein and slower in vivo clearance of locally applied DA in dSTR and NAc. AMPH inhibited in vivo DA clearance in dSTR and NAc of both strains, but to a greater extent in F344 rats. Taken together, the lower basal DAT function in LEW rats is consistent with their greater novelty-induced locomotor activation, whereas the greater inhibition of DA clearance by AMPH in F344 rats is consistent with their marked AMPH-induced rearing behavior.
Investigations on potential conductors for a D. C. superconducting power transmission line in a 20 meter test bed

The cryogenic and electrical aspects of a program to evaluate superconductors for a dc superconducting power transmission line are presented. Results for conductors in lengths of 20 meters operated at currents up to 10 kA are described. A battery driven power supply which is capable of delivering and controlling currents upto 50 kA is discussed. Specific experiments are discussed which have been designed to probe the response of the conductors to a variety of thermal and electrical conditions, such as: thermal gradients over the length of the conductor, single and two phase flow of cryogen, loss of coolant flow, operation at temperatures near T c , a.c. ripple current, and high current ramping rates.
X-ray dark-field computed tomography using a grating interferometer setup

Dark-field x-ray projection imaging and dark-field neutron computed tomography have both recently been demonstrated. Such techniques provide insight into the small-angle scattering properties of the image objects. In this work, the dark-field x-ray imaging method is extended to x-ray computed tomography in order to provide unique and complementary information to the previously reported phase contrast and absorption contrast CT images. Dark-field reconstructions are presented and compared to these two other contrast mechanisms, all three of which can be obtained from a single acquisition using an x-ray grating interferometer setup. Objects which provide little absorption contrast, but have a significant small-angle scattering component, are better visualized in a dark-field CT reconstruction.
Source text borrowing in an integrated reading/writing assessment

Abstract Source-based writing is becoming more common in tests of academic English, in part to make tests more reflective of authentic academic writing. However, the concern has been raised that over-reliance on language from the source texts in essays may mask gaps in proficiency and thus lead to an inaccurate assessment of writing skill. In this paper, we present results of a study designed to determine the extent to which students borrow source text language in an integrated reading/writing test. Sixty-three essays were transcribed verbatim and coded for source text borrowing using a scheme adapted from Shi (2004) . The sample was selected to represent two different writing topics, two student groups (undergraduate and graduate), and four levels of proficiency. Each incidence of textual borrowing was coded for length (number of words), whether it was quoted, referenced, or not referenced, and whether it was copied, modified, or reformulated. Results suggest that only a small percentage of students borrowed extensively from the source texts and that there were only minor differences in patterns of borrowing across topics, student groups and proficiency levels.
A 23-ps/2.1-mW ECL gate with an AC-coupled active pull-down emitter-follower stage

An emitter-coupled logic (ECL) gate with an AC-coupled active pull-down emitter-follower stage that gives high speed at lower power is described. Significant reduction of the speed-power product can be achieved over the conventional ECL gate. The speed/power advantages of the circuit have been demonstrated in a double-poly, trench-isolated, self-aligned bipolar process with 0.8- mu m (mask) emitter width. Unloaded gate delays of 21 ps at 4.1 mW/gate, 23 ps at 2.1 mW/gate, and 35 ps at 1.1 mW/gate have been measured. >
Long-range Coulomb interactions in small Si devices. Part II. Effective electron mobility in thin-oxide structures

In metal–oxide–semiconductor structures with polycrystalline Si gates, electrons in the inverted channel of the substrate scatter with electrons in the gate via long-range Coulomb interactions. For thin oxides, these interactions can cause a significant transfer of momentum from the channel to the gate, thus reducing the effective mobility of the two-dimensional electron gas in the substrate. We present calculations of the dispersion of the interface plasmons in poly-Si/SiO2/Si structures, comparing the results obtained in the long-wavelength limit to those obtained using the random-phase approximation. Employing the former model, we compute the effect of plasmon scattering on the effective electron mobility in Si inversion layers. We find a significant reduction of the mobility for oxides thinner than about 3 nm.
Successful Treatment of an Infected Right Ventricular to Pulmonary Artery Conduit

Abstract This case report discusses the successful surgical management of a Staphylococcus aureus infection in and around a Hancock porcine valved xenograft conduit. After 14 days of persistent septicemia on antibiotics, the patient underwent replacement of the conduit. He is currently doing well, without antibiotics.
Selective modulation of helminthosporoside binding by alpha-galactoside-binding proteins from sugar cane clones susceptible and resistant to Helminthosporium sacchari

A clone of sugar cane (H50-7209) resistant to Helminthosporium sacchari contains a modified toxin receptor similar to the receptor from a susceptible clone (51NG97). The receptor from the resistant clone does not bind helmintliosporoside in vivo or in detergent extracts of membranes. However, when this receptor is substantially purified of endogenous membrane factors, it displays toxin-binding activity essentially equal to that of the receptor from susceptible sugar cane. In the presence of digalactosyl diglyceride, the major glycolipid in sugar cane plasmalemmas, helminthosporoside-binding activity of the receptor from the resistant clone is obliterated whereas that activity is still detectable for the receptor from clone 51NG97. Also, the binding activity of the protein from clone H5O-7209 is more sensitive to self-inhibition at high protein concentrations. Thus, toxin-binding ability is an intrinsic property of the receptors from both susceptible and resistant clones. However, only the receptor from clone 51NG97canbindhelminthosporosideinthepresence of galactolipids or endogenous membrane constituents.
Social vulnerability and pneumonic plague: revisiting the 1994 outbreak in Surat, India

The 1994 outbreak of pneumonic plague in Surat, India is revisited and analyzed using the pressure and release (PAR) model. Overviews of the outbreak, of India's experience with plague, and of the disease are provided and the PAR model is used to trace the production of vulnerability via root causes, dynamic pressures, and unsafe conditions and to explain the why, when, and where of the epidemic. The emergence of plague in Surat was an unfortunate amalgam of prior hazard events and of factors generating vulnerability. Root causes include the country's colonial legacy and a complex and pervasive social hierarchy promoting caste and class interests over the common good. Dynamic pressures include: a curative-focused healthcare system; a weak civil society; misplaced spending priorities; and public and private corruption that deprived public health programs of needed funds and which compelled workers to live and labor in unhealthy environments. Unhealthy public, residential and workplace environments; fragile...
Effects of reactant loss and membrane selectivity on a dehydrogenation reaction in a membrane-enclosed catalytic reactor

A dehydrogenation reaction of the form A → B + H2 was simulated in a cocurrent, isothermal, membrane-enclosed catalytic reactor to study the effects of reactant permeation rate, hydrogen-permeation selectivity, feed composition, and reactant space times on reaction conversion. Two dimensionless numbers, the Damkohler number and the permeation number, were used to quantify the effects of reactant space time and reactant loss on conversion respectively. The Damkohler number is the ratio of maximum reaction rate to inlet reactant flow rate, and the permeation number is the ratio of maximum reactant permeation rate to inlet reactant flow rate. For reactant space times at STP between 0.3 and 30 s, and hydrogen-permeation selectivities between 3 and 1000, conversion decreased as the maximum reactant permeation rate exceeded the inlet reactant flow rate because reactant loss controlled conversion. For hydrogen-permeation selectivities between 3 and 40, a membrane reactor gave maximum conversions when the maximum reactant permeation rate equaled the inlet reactant flow rate, and the reactant space times at STP had to be greater than 1.5 s to obtain conversions higher than the enhanced equilibrium conversion due to dilution by the inert sweep gas.
Oxidation of biphenyl by a Beijerinckia species.

Abstract A species of Beijerinckia that utilizes biphenyl as sole source of carbon for growth was isolated by enrichment culture. A mutant strain, Beijerinckia B8/36, oxidizes biphenyl to cis -2, 3-dihydroxy-1-phenylcyclohexa-4, 6-diene. Cell extracts, prepared from the parent organism, oxidize cis -2, 3-dihydroxy-1-phenylcyclohexa-4, 6-diene to 2, 3-dihydroxy-biphenyl. The physical properties of both metabolites are described.
A CAMAC gamma-ray scanning system

Abstract A flexible gamma-ray scanning system, based on a LeCroy 3500 multichannel analyzer and CAMAC modules, is described. The system is designed for making simultaneous passive and active scans of objects of interest to nuclear safeguards. The scanner is a stepping-motor-driven carriage; the detectors, a bismuth-germanate scintillator and a high-purity germanium detector. A total of sixteen peaks in the two detector-produced spectra can be integrated simultaneously, and any scan can be viewed during data acquisition. For active scanning, the 2615 keV gamma-ray line from a 232 U source and the 4439 keV gamma-ray line from 9 Be( α , n) 12 C were selected. The system can be easily reconfigured to accommodate up to seven detectors because it is based on CAMAC modules and FORTRAN. The system is designed for field use and is easily transported. We present and discuss examples of passive and active scans.
Left atrial thrombi in non-rheumatic atrial fibrillation: assessment of prevalence by transesophageal echocardiography

To determine the prevalence of left atrial thrombus in hospitalized patients with non-rheumatic atrial fibrillation, 48 patients were consecutively studied with single-plane transesophageal echocardiography. There were 23 males (48%) and 25 females (52%). The mean age was 66±11 years (range 43–87). Thrombus was detected in 13 patients (27%) 11 were confined to the left atrial appendage, 1 to the atrial body and appendage, and 1 to the left upper pulmonary vein. Prevalence of atrial thrombus was not different among those patients with or without previous stroke [4/16 (25%) vs 9/32 (28%), p=NS] or between patients > 65 years and patients ≤ 65 years old (p=NS). Atrial thrombus was detected more frequently in patients with reduced left ventricular global systolic function than in those with normal function [7/14 (50%) vs 6/34 (17%), p<0.05]. In patients with spontaneous contrast echoes in the left atrium, thrombi were visualized more often than in those without spontaneous echoes [10/24 (41%) vs 3/24 (12%), p<0.05]. The finding of the atrial spontaneous contrast echoes was more frequent among patients with reduced left ventricular global systolic function [11/14 (78%) vs 13/34 (37%), p<0.02]. We conclude that in hospitalized patients with non-rheumatic atrial fibrillation the prevalence of left atrial thrombus is high. Reduced left ventricular global systolic function identifies a subset of patients at high risk for formation of thrombus in the left atrium.
Personal computers in risk management and incident reporting

Through tracking untoward patient events (incidents) by ward, month, and type, information can be yielded that is vital to quality assessment and risk management in hospitals that serve the mentally ill. This article describes a computerized data analysis and presentation system for hospital incident reports, which greatly reduces the tediousness of chart and table preparation, thus allowing staff to concentrate more time on data analysis. The article also explores the various outcome studies that can be developed based on data gathered for high volume and/or high risk incident types.
Sequential alterations of tracheal mechanical properties in the neonatal lamb: Effect of mechanical ventilation†‡

Alterations in neonatal airway mechanics resulting from ventilatory therapies are implicated in airway collapse and chronic disease. Quantifying the functional impact of mechanical ventilation (MV) on the neonatal airway and elucidating the time course of these changes will support development of protective therapies. The objective of this study was to test the hypothesis that conventional MV would result in decreased static and dynamic elastance of an isolated tracheal segment and thinning of the muscle (trachealis) region of the tracheal wall in a time dependent manner. Tracheal segments were isolated in newborn lambs spontaneously breathing through the distal trachea; segments were MV (n = 7; PIP/PEEP = 35/5 cmH2O; 40 breaths/min) or instrumented, non-ventilated (SHAM; n = 7; PIP/PEEP = 0/0 cmH2O) for 4 hr. At baseline and hourly, tracheal segments were filled with saline, and static pressure–volume curves were constructed as the pressure response to stepwise volume infusions. Then, cross-sectional ultrasound images were captured at 0 cmH2O on SHAM, and at 0 cmH2O, peak inspiratory pressure (PIP) and positive end expiratory pressure (PEEP), on MV tracheae for subsequent dimensional analysis. Tracheal elasticity indices were derived from static pressure–volume data, and during dynamic ventilation using ultrasound images to calculate the stress–strain relationships. Over 4 hr of MV, tracheal internal diameter (ID) increased (14%; P < 0.05). Markers of tracheal mechanical properties indicated a decrease in elasticity under both static (bulk modulus; 28%; P < 0.05) and dynamic (elastic modulus; 282 %; P < 0.05) conditions, indicating a significant alteration in elastic components. No time dependent changes were identified in dimensions or mechanical properties in the SHAM group. Conclusions: MV results in dimensional alterations that increased anatomical dead space and reduced static and dynamic elastance of the neonatal trachea. Pediatr Pulmonol. 2007; 42:141–149. © 2006 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Hydrodynamic modeling of a coastal lagoon: The Cabras lagoon in Sardinia, Italy

Abstract A framework of numerical models has been developed and applied to the coastal lagoon of Cabras in Sardinia, Italy. These models consist of a two-dimensional hydrodynamic model, a radiational transfer module of heat at the water surface and a transport diffusion model. In the first part of the research the hydrodynamic circulation of the lagoon has been simulated taking in account different forces such as tide, wind and rivers. A finite element hydrodynamic model has been applied to the lagoon, describing its geometry and bathymetry with about 6000 triangular elements. The time integration is handled by a semi-implicit algorithm. With the same model the evolution of the salinity in the lagoon has then been investigated. Moreover, a thermal radiative model has been implemented that can describe the temporal variation of the temperature in the lagoon. An ad hoc field campaign between November 2000 and October 2001 has been set-up in order to gather temperature and salinity data to compare with the results of these models. A special scenario has been also simulated in which the Scolmatore channel, which connects the lagoon to the sea and that is closed by a dam, has been opened, allowing the tide to enter more directly into the lagoon and enhance the water exchange.
Appropriate use, complications and advantages demonstrated in 500 consecutive needle catheter jejunostomies.

Background: The ability to deliver nutrition enterally after operation has been a significant advance in managing patients after major intra-abdominal operations. Methods: The experience of a single surgeon at a tertiary referral hospital over a 10-year period with insertion and use of 500 consecutive needle catheter jejunostomies (NCJs) was reviewed critically from prospectively collected data. Results: The NCJ was used to deliver nutrition in 93 per cent, fluid and electrolytes in 95 per cent, and various medications in the postoperative period in the majority of patients. There were three major complications: small bowel obstruction and pneumatosis intestinalis in one and two patients respectively. Minor complications included diarrhoea (15 per cent), abdominal distension (15 per cent), abdominal cramps (3 per cent), subcutaneous infection at the insertion site (1 per cent) and catheter occlusion precluding use (1 per cent). In 16 patients, the NCJ was replaced percutaneously with a larger-bore catheter for more prolonged enteral feeding at home after discharge. Conclusion: Through the experience gained, indications are offered for the placement of NCJs and cautions are provided concerning appropriate use of an NCJ to provide nutritional support, fluid and electrolyte replacement or maintenance, and safe enteral administration of medication. Overall, an NCJ appears to allow safer, cheaper and equally effective delivery of nutrition compared with total parenteral nutrition after major intra-abdominal operations. © 1999 British Journal of Surgery Society Ltd
Spin labels as a probe of the molecular environment of covalently bound ligands in an hydrophobic and an hydrophilic polymer

Abstract The molecular motions of spin-labelled ligands covalently bound by spacer groups to an hydrophobic and an hydrophilic polymer matrix were evaluated by ESR spectroscopy. The ligands were prepared by alkylation of 4-N-methylamino-TEMPO with the ω-bromocarboxylic esters, Br(CH2)nCOOEt, n = 1,4 and 10. The hydrolysed esters were coupled to a cross-linked aminoethylated polyacrylamide hydrogel (n = 1,4,10) and to a surface hydroxylated elastomeric polyester (n = 4). The rotational correlation times (τc) of the nitroxide label in the hydrogels were measured in the dry state and after exposure to water at pH 4, 7.4 and 10.5. The τc of the nitroxide label was insensitive to the length of the spacer group and to the degree of protonation of the tertiary amino group of the ligand. There was no evidence of self-association of the ligand and spacer, or more than a single phase within the polyacrylamide hydrogel. The τc of the nitroxide labelled polyester was similarly insensitive to pH, but was sensitive to organic solvents. The low mobility of the spin label and its high concentration were consistent with the spin label being covalently bound within the hydrophobic polyester matrix to a depth of at least 5μ m.
THE ANGEL OF THE LORD IN SAMARITANISM

Kebala occupe la place la plus importante dans l'angelologie samaritaine. La forme de ce nom semble etre tres ancienne et n'est en aucun cas etrange. Il est une replique de la Gloire de Dieu a savoir l'Ange de Dieu tel qu'il apparait dans l'oeuvre de Marqah.
Integration of battery energy storage element in a CERTS microgrid

Microgrids can employ a variety of sources that work together to supply local power and offer significant system efficiency gains from combined heat and power (CHP). Energy storage elements offer the flexibility to supply power even when intermittent sources are not online, but accurate control of the energy level of the energy storage element is critical to maintaining the bi-directional power capabilities of the energy storage element. A controller is presented and demonstrated here that accomplishes the task of controlling the energy level to within an acceptable range autonomously when commands from a master controller are incorrect or lost.
A reliable method for the quantification of thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH) in tissue and biological fluids

A reliable technique for purification of crude tissue extracts and analysis for TRH by HPLC, TLC, radioimmunoassay and bioassay is presented. We conclude that authentic TRH is present throughout the mammalian brain and accounts for much of the TRH-like immunoreactivity in several peripheral organs, but that it is not present in urine, placenta, or pineal, and its concentration in blood is some 250-fold less than a value obtained from a direct radioimmunoassay of a sample of blood.
Flow-accelerated corrosion of pressure vessels in fossil plants

Abstract Flow-accelerated corrosion (FAC) is a phenomenon that results in metal loss from piping, vessels and equipment made of carbon steel. It occurs under conditions of flow, geometry and material, which are common in high-energy piping and tubing in nuclear, fossil and industrial power plants. Substantial progress has been made towards understanding the mechanism and in preventing FAC. This paper provides a sprinkling of that knowledge with particular emphasis for fossil and industrial plants.
Nicotinic Acid-excreting Mutants in Chlamydomonas

ADELBERG1 has developed a valuable method for obtaining mutants of Escherichia coli, which synthesize substantial amounts of amino-acids, based on the selection for resistance to substances antagonistic to the desired metabolite. The investigation of such mutants promises to provide information about the mechanisms of control of biosynthesis and of drug resistance. This communication reports the extension of this method to a vitamin, and to an organism (the unicellular green alga Chlamydomonas eugametos) which has a sexual life-cycle allowing detailed genetic investigations by means of tetrad analysis2.
Modafinil in the Treatment of Debilitating Fatigue in Primary Biliary Cirrhosis: A Clinical Experience

Modafinil may be a potentially effective treatment for primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC)-related fatigue. About 42 patients were given a 3-day trial of 100-200 mg modafinil. Response was defined as increased energy, decreased somnolence and sleep requirements, and improved daily function. Patients with positive responses were continued indefinitely on the medication. During the initial trial period, 31 (73%) patients had complete response and continued to take the medication. Eleven (26%) had no response. In long-term follow-up (average 17.7 months), 25 (81%) patients continued to take 100-200 mg modafinil daily. Some required an increased dosage and some took the medication as needed. Four (12%) patients stopped the medication because of side-effects or reduced efficacy; one patient (3%) stopped due to medication cost and one (3%) due to resolution of fatigue. Side-effects included insomnia, nausea, nervousness, and headaches. Modafinil appears to be a safe, effective treatment for PBC-related fatigue.
The Dynamic Response of a Wind Measuring System

Abstract The response of a simple wind measuring system to a step increase in wind speed is examined. The commercially available system consists of a cup anemometer and related signal conditioning electronics. It is shown that for small increases in wind speed, the response of the system is governed by the anemometer, while for large increases, the response is determined by the signal conditioning. A second-order model is developed to simulate this behavior and a critical magnitude for the step increase in speed is proposed to characterize the system response. It is argued that the observed behavior may be a significant constraint on the application of the system to certain types of wind measurements.
The Coming Ubiquity of Information Technology.

pundits frequently comment that the pace of innovation in higher education can be measured by the 40 years it took to get the overhead projector out of the bowling alley and into the classroom. The (few) pundits who know something about both bowling and technology often add that faculty are now far more likely to find computerized projection systems in bowling alleys than in college classrooms. But something significant is happening. Fueled by more than four decades of aspirations and a dozen years of sustained (if often ad hoc) experimentation, information technology has finally emerged as a permanent, respected, and increasingly essential component of the college experience. New data from the annual Campus Computing survey, now in its sixth year, indicate a major gain in the proportion of college courses (and by extension, college faculty) using information technology as an instructional resource. These data reveal that the use
The Intensity of Reflection of X-Rays by Powdered Crystals, I. Sodium Chloride and Sodium, Lithium and Calcium Fluorides

Through measurements by the ionization method of the relative intensities of reflection of x-rays by the different planes of powdered crystals, the author has obtained data which are free from the errors inherent in the work with large single crystals. Darwin's formula for the intensity of reflection from an ideally imperfect crystal may be applied to these results without correction for primary or secondary extinction. In order to get reflected radiation of sufficient intensity to permit accurate measurement, a focussing method has been used, in which a primary beam of wide divergence strikes the surface of a briquet of the powder under investigation and the reflected beam is focussed sharply at the ionization chamber slit. Measurements were made out to angles slightly larger than $\ensuremath{\theta}=45\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}$. The absolute values of the intensity of reflection were determined by comparison with reflections from powdered sodium chloride, the results of Bragg, James and Bosanquet on the latter crystal, after allowance for secondary extinction, being taken as correct.Structure factor and atomic scattering curves.---Application of the equation for the intensity of x-ray reflection to the experimental results gives the structure factors for the reflections from the different crystals. These factors, when plotted against $sin\ensuremath{\theta}$, fall upon smooth curves from which can be obtained the atomic scattering curves representing the variation of the atomic structure factors with the angle of reflection. For fluorine in all three fluorides, the $F$ curves are almost identical, but for sodium in NaF and NaCl there is a notable difference, indicating that the electron distribution for Na is not the same in the two compounds. The effect of the excess positive or negative charge which tightens or loosens the electron atmosphere of an ion is made evident by comparison of the $F$ curves for ions of different charge but with the same number of electrons. Use of experimental structure factor curves in crystal analysis is discussed.
The solubility of sucrose in hydroalcoholic solutions

A report is presented on the solubility of sucrose in hydroalcoholic solutions, measured at 25° over the entire range of alcohol concentrations at intervals of approximately 10 per cent. Information is included concerning the effect of alcohol on the specific rotation of sucrose.
Rheumatic manifestations of diseases associated with substance abuse

Rheumatic manifestations of substance abuse are uncommon but recognized complications. Repeated injections of drugs and adulterants represent repeated antigenic challenge. The population at greatest risk is that of young males, although females with eating disorders are more apt to develop myopathy, clubbing, or periostitis. Alcohol, the most common substance abused, is associated more often with myopathy. In IV drug abusers, hepatitis B viral infection, bacterial endocarditis, primary skeletal infections, and venous complications are most common in that order. However, the spectrum may evolve as the pattern of substance abuse changes. First, the frequency of cocaine dependence is rapidly approaching that of alcohol. Two regular cocaine users are reported as having Raynaud's phenomenon and abnormal serologies. Second, synthesis of lookalike drugs may produce new associations, such as parkinsonism after IV N-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine. Third, the increased use of ipecac and purgatives in eating disorders is an important consideration in young women with otherwise unexplained myopathy or arthritis. Finally, patients with AIDS are presenting with autoimmune phenomena or a spectrum of unusual infections that change as the epidemic evolves. Increased recognition of these symptom complexes may lead to earlier, more accurate diagnoses and avoidance of unnecessary diagnostic evaluations and delays in treatment.