cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A review and study of cardiovascular disease screening with the miniature chest x-ray.

Abstract The 70 mm. chest x-ray can be used effectively for case finding of cardiovascular disease in adult populations. A summary of case finding data from other studies is presented. Results from a study in Oklahoma are given and discussed. In this study 70 mm. chest x-rays of 8,126 adults were interpreted by a radiologist and cardiologist, independently. Of these, 917, or 11.3 per cent, were found to be “suspect” for cardiovascular disease. Heart disease was confirmed in 67.4 per cent of the suspects who received a physician's evaluation. The actual confirmed case finding rate for the population studied was 37.2 per 1,000 and the estimated case finding rate was 72.1 per 1,000. The actual new case finding rate (according to physicians) was 6.4 per 1,000 and the estimated new case finding rate was 12.4 per 1,000. A comparison of the case finding of the radiologist and cardiologist is included. Of the new cases discovered, 86.6 per cent represented arteriosclerotic heart disease, hypertensive heart disease, or a combination of these diseases.
Basal Metabolism of 38 American-born Male Japanese University Students

Summary1. The average metabolic rate of 38 American-born male Japanese university students is −3.4% according to the Harris-Benedict and −4.1% according to the Aub-DuBois prediction standards. 2. The results of the present study are remarkably in accordance with those data of Miller and Benedict in Hawaii and of Okada, et al., in Japan. 3. A comparison of data from 3 different geographical localities seems to support the conception that racial characteristics are retained hereditarily as far as the basal metabolism of Japanese is concerned.
Elastic Scattering of 40-Mev Protons from Isotopes of Fe, Ni, and Cu

39.8-Mev protons were scattered from thin targets of ${\mathrm{Fe}}^{54}$, ${\mathrm{Fe}}^{56}$, ${\mathrm{Ni}}^{58}$, ${\mathrm{Ni}}^{60}$, and ${\mathrm{Cu}}^{65}$. Absolute differential cross sections obtained with a statistical accuracy of \ensuremath{\leqq} 3% have been determined for the elastically scattered protons. The range of the angular distributions, 7.5\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{} to 110\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}, encompassed three minima and three maxima in the measured cross sections. The energy resolution of the detection equipment, utilizing a NaI(Tl) crystal, was 1.2-2%. This enabled a separation to be made of elastic from nonelastic events. A detector telescope allowed angular resolutions of $\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}\frac{1}{8}\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}$ to be used in determining the shape of the features in the angular distributions. The general variation of the cross sections with the nuclear mass is noted. In addition, the data suggest that the nucleon shell closing about nucleon number 28 introduces fine structure differences in the shape and magnitude of features of the scattering pattern.
Factorization methods for structure from motion

In this article we present an overview of factorization methods for recovering structure and motion from image sequences. We distinguish these methods from general nonlinear algorithms primarily by their bilinear formulation in motion and shape parameters. The bilinear formulation makes possible powerful and efficient solution techniques including singular value decomposition. We show how factorization methods apply under various affine camera models and under the perspective camera model, and then we review factorization methods for various features including points, lines, directional point features and line segments. An extension to these methods enables them to segment and recover motion and shape for multiple independently moving objects. Finally we illustrate the generality of the factorization methods with two applications outside structure from motion.
Characteristics of the cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterases of normal and leukemic lymphocytes.

Abstract The specific activity of cylic AMP phosphodiesterase and cyclic GMP phosphodiesterase of leukemic lymphocytes was 5–10-fold greater than that of purified normal lymphocytes or homogenates of spleen, thymus or lymph nodes of normal mice. This rise was demonstrable over a wide range of substrate concentrations. Both normal and leukemic lymphocytes contained a heat-stable, calcium-dependent activator of phosphodiesterase. However, the increased activity of phosphodiesterase in leukemic lymphocytes was not due to this protein activator since (a) phophodiesterase activity from these cells was not stimulated by this activator and (b) phosphodiesterase activity of leukemic lymphocytes was not inhibited by the calcium chelator, ethyleneglycol-bis-( β -aminoethylether)- N ′, N ′-tetraacetic acid, suggesting that the enzyme was not already maximally activated. A comparison of several other properties of phosphodiesterase from normal and leukemic lymphocytes showed that the enzymes have similar pH optima, similar stabilitis to freezing and thawing and similar sensitivities to inhibition by the phosphodiesterase inhibitors, chlorpromazine, papaverine and isobutylmethylxanthine. However, the subcellular distribution of the phosphodiesterases was different, and the phosphodiesterase of leukemic lymphocytes was significantly more resistant to heat than that of normal lymphocytes. Although no differences were found between the phosphodiesterases of normal and leukemic lymphocytes in their sensitivities to drugs, there were marked differences in drug sensitivity between the phosphodiesterase of lymphocytes and that of other tissue. For example, concentrations of chlorpromazine which inhibited phosphodiesterase of cerebrum by 70% had no effect on phosphodiesterase activity of lymphocytes. On the other hand, the papaverine-induced inhibition of phosphodiesterase was similar in lymphocytes and cerebrum. Since an optimal concentration of cyclic nucleotides is essential to maintain normal cell growth, these results suggest that the abnormal growth characteristics of leukemic lymphocytes may be explained by their high activity of phosphodiesterase. Furthermore, the qualitative and quantitative differences between the phosphodiesterases of leukemic lymphocytes and other tissues raise the possibility of selectively inhibiting the phosphodiesterase of the leukemic lymphocytes, thereby reducing their rate of growth, without affecting other tissues.
Mechanical Stability of Helical β-Peptides and a Comparison of Explicit and Implicit Solvent Models

Synthetic β-peptide oligomers have been shown to form stable folded structures analogous to those encountered in naturally occurring proteins. Literature studies have speculated that the conformational stability of β-peptides is greater than that of α-peptides. Direct measurements of that stability, however, are not available. Molecular simulations are used in this work to quantify the mechanical stability of four helical β-peptides. This is achieved by subjecting the molecules to tension. The potential of mean force associated with the resulting unfolding process is determined using both an implicit and an explicit solvent model. It is found that all four molecules exhibit a highly stable helical structure. It is also found that the energetic contributions to the potential of mean force do not change appreciably when the molecules are stretched in explicit water. In contrast, the entropic contributions decrease significantly. As the peptides unfold, a loss of intramolecular energy is compensated by the formation of additional water-peptide hydrogen bonds. These entropic effects lead in some cases to a loss of stability upon cooling the peptides, a phenomenon akin to the cold denaturing of some proteins. While the location of the free energy minimum and the structural helicity of the peptides are comparable in the implicit-solvent and explicit-water cases, it is found that, in general, the helical structure of the molecules is more stable in the implicit solvent model than in explicit water.
Numerical modelling of subcritical open channel flow using the K-ε turbulence model and the penalty function finite element technique

Abstract A numerical model has been developed that employs the penalty function finite element technique to solve the vertically averaged hydrodynamic and turbulence model equations for a water body using isoparametric elements. The full elliptic forms of the equations are solved, thereby allowing recirculating flows to be calculated. Alternative momentum dispersion and turbulence closure models are proposed and evaluated by comparing model predictions with experimental data for strongly curved subcritical open channel flow. The results of these simulations indicate that the depth-averaged two-equation k-e turbulence model yields excellent agreement with experimental observations. In addition, it appears that neither the streamline curvature modification of the depth-averaged k-e model, nor the momentum dispersion models based on the assumption of helicoidal flow in a curved channel, yield significant improvement in the present model predictions. Overall model predictions are found to be as good as those of a more complex and restricted three-dimensional model.
Monte Carlo study of transport properties in junctionless transistors

This paper applies the Monte Carlo method to study junctionless transistors in order to define trade-offs in the configuration of the channel and compare the results with conventional MOS transistors.
Diagnosis, treatment, comorbidity, and resource utilization of depressed patients in a general medical practice.

Objective. The objective of the study was to determine the effect of depression on the utilization of health care resources, after adjusting for age and comorbidity from data obtained on routine clinical practice. Method: The study is an observational cohort of 15,186 patients followed over a one-year period beginning December 1993. Comprehensive demographic, clinical, and utilization data were available from the computerized medical information system generated database of a general internal medicine practice in an urban academic medical center. Results: Four point seven percent of patients carried a provider-coded diagnosis of depression. With regards to utilization of health care resources, even after controlling for age and comorbidity, depressed patients had more primary care visits (5.3 vs. 2.9 visits, p <.001), higher rates of referral to specialists (1.1 vs. 0.5, p <.002), and radiologic tests (0.9 vs. 0.4 tests, p <.001). They had higher total outpatient charges ($1,324 vs. $701, p<.001) and total charges ($2,808 vs. $1,891, p<.001). Depressed patients also had longer length of stay when hospitalized (14.1 vs. 9.5 days, p <.002). Conclusions: Patients diagnosed as depressed had significantly higher resource utilization of all types, even after controlling for the higher burden of comorbid medical illness associated with depression.
A hybrid time frequency domain formulation for non-linear soil-structure interaction

Methods that combine frequency and time domain techniques offer an attractive alternative for solving Soil-Structure-interaction problems where the structure exhibits non-linear behaviour. In the hybrid-frequency-time-domain procedure a reference linear system is solved in the frequency domain and the difference between the actual restoring forces and those in the linear model are treated as pseudo-forces. In the solution scheme explored in this paper, designated as the hybrid-time-frequency-domain (HTFD) procedure, the equations of motion are solved in the time domain with due consideration for non-linearities and with the unbounded medium represented by frequency-independent springs and dampers. The frequency dependency of the impedance coefficients is introduced by means of pseudo-forces evaluated in the frequency domain at the end of each iteration. A criterion of stability for the HTFD approach is derived analytically and its validity is sustained numerically. As is often the case, the criterion takes the form of a limit of unity on the spectral radius of an appropriately defined matrix. Inspection of the terms in this matrix shows that convergence can be guaranteed by suitable selection of the reference impedance. The CPU times required to obtain converged solutions with the HTFD are found, in a number of numerical simulations, to be up to one order of magnitude less than those required by the alternative hybrid-frequency-time-domain approach.
Hyperfine Structure of the F Center in LiF

The paramagnetic resonance of LiF crystals containing F and M centers was investigated. The observation of 35 lines in electron spin resonance (ESR) is reported. Electron-nuclear double resonance data were determined from which the observed ESR is predicted. (C.J.G.)
Comparative analysis of artificial neural networks and evolutionary programming in roof deterioration modeling

Abstract Modeling of roof performance and deterioration has been done in the past years by means of regression and condition rating as part of the management of civil infrastructure. However, in recent years artificial neural networks (ANNs) have also been used to model the performance of civil infrastructure systems such as pavements. The evolutionary algorithm (EA) method is one the most current methods that can also be used to predict the performance of infrastructure systems. This paper presents the comparative analyses of ANNs and EA methods in predicting and modeling the performance of a roofing system.
U.S.-and Mexico-Born Hispanic Teen Mothers: A Descriptive Study of Factors that Relate to Postpartum Compliance

Compliance with postpartum visits after teenage births in the US was examined among 289 Hispanic teenagers of whom 127 were born in Mexico or border towns who delivered at Harris County Hospital District and scheduled postpartum appointments at the Teen Health Clinic. The mean age was 17.31 years for mothers and 21.95 years for fathers. 56.7% (164) were married. 49.8% lived with husbands 25.8% with parents 22.3% with friends/relatives and 2.1% alone. 74.7% stated that they had no social supports. 88.9% had a term delivery 8.3% a preterm delivery and 2.8% a fetal loss. 67.5% were first births 5.5% had a previous abortion and 3.1% had a previous miscarriage. 23.2% had a previous child and 0.7% had a previous preterm delivery. Some form of prenatal care was received by 85.1%. 34.3% reported no further educational plans. 17.3% (50) returned for a scheduled postpartum visit. Mothers with a prior history of a premature birth or miscarriage were more likely to return postpartum compared to mothers with a first or prior birth. The differences are marginally significant. None of the mothers with a prior abortion returned. 34.9% of the returning teen mothers were more likely to have had prenatal care. Returning mothers also were a larger percentage of those with no future educational plans. 13.4% of returning mothers had an available social support system. Country of origin was not associated with support systems prenatal care return status educational plans pregnancy history or current birth outcome. Out of the 50 returning 20 were Mexican-born and married. Only Mexican marital status was found to be a significant variable explaining differences. Marital status had no effect on the 26 US native-born returnees. 92% of the Mexican-born teens were married and had a support system. The most dramatic feature of this study is the high level of noncompliance among both US-born and Mexican-born adolescents. There were few distinguishing features between these two groups. Return status was affected by very few features and was achieved by a very small percentage of the study population. The suggestion is made that poverty a lack of health insurance and poor knowledge of English as representative of cultural dissimilarity may be responsible for poor use of preventive care.
212 - The Effect of Bulk Solvent Structure on the Temperature Dependence of the Reduction Potential of Cytochrome c☆

Abstract The reduction potential of horse heart cytochrome c in various sodium halide solutions in H2O and D2O has been measured over the temperature range of 25 to 50 °C. In aqueous chloride solutions the temperature dependence was biphasic with the intersection point at 42 °C. This biphasic behavior is interpreted in terms of chloride-induced bulk destructuring of water at 42 °C. All samples in D2O and samples in H2O not containing chloride ion gave a linear temperature dependence. The decrease in reduction potential with increasing temperature for solutions containing F−, Cl−, Br− and I − correlates with the extent of anion binding to the oxidized form of cytochrome c.
2D-ELDOR study of heterogeneity and domain structure changes in plasma membrane vesicles upon cross-linking of receptors.

2D electron–electron double resonance (2D-ELDOR) with the “full Sc–” method of analysis is applied to the study of plasma membrane vesicles. Membrane structural changes upon antigen cross-linking of IgE receptors (IgE-FceRI) in plasma membrane vesicles (PMVs) isolated from RBL-2H3 mast cells are investigated, for the first time, by means of these 2D-ELDOR techniques. Spectra of 1-palmitoyl-2-(16-doxyl stearoyl) phosphatidylcholine (16-PC) from PMVs before and after this stimulation at several temperatures are reported. The results demonstrate a coexistence of liquid-ordered (Lo) and liquid-disordered (Ld) components. We find that upon cross-linking, the membrane environment is remodeled to become more disordered, as shown by a moderate increase in the population of the Ld component. This change in the relative amount of the Lo versus Ld components upon cross-linking is consistent with a model wherein the IgE receptors, which when clustered by antigen to cause cell stimulation, lead to more disordered lipi...
Structure and Selectivity of a Bacterial Concentrative Nucleoside Transporter

Concentrative nucleoside transporters (CNTs) are membrane-bound solute carrier proteins that are responsible for the ion-coupled translocation of nucleosides across cell membranes. Along with nucleosides, CNTs are also capable of transporting many widely used anticancer and antiviral nucleoside-derived drugs into the cell. We have solved the crystal structures of a bacterial CNT ortholog bound to several different nucleosides and nucleoside-analog drugs. These structures, along with equilibrium-binding and transport studies, provide key insight into the origins of permeant selectivity, the role of sodium coupling, and the possible mechanism of nucleoside transport. These studies not only serve to further our understanding of nucleoside-related physiological processes, but they also lay the framework for the design of nucleoside-analog drugs that can better reach their cellular targets.
Determination of the size distribution of carbon and trace elements in suspended particulate matter by ion beam analysis

Abstract The size distribution of carbon and trace elements in suspended particulate matter (SPM) collected by a low pressure impactor has been investigated. Sampling was carried out at Setagaya, a typical residential area located southwest of Tokyo, Japan. The low pressure impactor has a cascade design with 12-stage collection plates, allowing the collection of size-fractionated SPM. It operates at a flow rate of 20 l/min. Elemental composition was determined by ion beam analysis, particle induced X-ray emission (PIXE) and Rutherford backscattering (RBS). PIXE provided data for elements from Al to U while RBS supplied information on elements lighter than Al such as C and O. The analysis is fast, non-destructive and requires no sample preparation. It is very suitable for determination of elements in SPM. In this paper we discuss size distribution and element concentrations in SPM together with their weekly and seasonal variations.
Granular Material Flow in Two-Dimensional Hoppers

The flow and transport of granular media have been of major importance in commerce and industry for a long time; materials such as coal, ore, cement, grain, soap granules, sugar, sand, gravel, etc., flow in hoppers, bins, chutes, rotating drums, and moving bands. The desire to improve such transportation equipment and to reduce the energy expenditure has motivated interest in understanding the fluid mechanics of such bulk flows (Wieghardt [25]1). Though transport, heat transfer, and other processes are often effected by fluidization we are concerned here with those situations in which the flow takes place with direct physical contact between the grains. Indeed the simplest situation is that in which the interstitial fluid (usually air) has a negligible effect on the equations of motion. The purpose of this paper is to present a comparison of experimental data and analysis for the flow of dry granular media through a two-dimensional or wedge-shaped hopper. It will be seen that the analytical solution which begins with the constitutive postulates suggested by Jenike and Shield [9] of (i) intergrain Coulomb friction and (ii) isotropy produces results which are in good agreement with the experimental measurements.
Optimal avoidance and evasion tactics in predator-prey interactions

Abstract A kinematic analysis of optimal avoidance and evasion techniques for prey is presented. The analysis is mainly directed towards piscivorous interactions but can include other aquatic and terrestrial cases. Avoidance is defined as maneuvering for position by prey, before the predator starts a chase, while evasion is an escape response to an attack. Two separate optimal avoidance methods are found and analyzed—minimizing time within sighting range; and maximizing instantaneous distance. The second method leads to the well-known “fountain effect” of fish school break-up when predators are in the vicinity. The optimal evasion technique involves escape at a small angle (up to 20°) from the heading directly away from the predator. This is in agreement with observations of escaping minnows.
The advantages of a pneumatic electric power system for high mach number aircraft

AS THE SPEED of aircraft increases, the capability of the accessory power equipment to meet the added requirements imposed by such vehicles must also increase. The important need is for these capabilities to occur in time to be used on the aircraft.
Presentation of Illness in Older Adults

ABSTRACT • ALTHOUGH PEOPLE AGE at different rates, changes to the composition of the human body are a hallmark of aging. As a result of such changes, disease can present differently in a person over 65 years old than it would in a younger adult or child. • THIS ARTICLE IDENTIFIES the critical indicators of underlying conditions, including changes in mental status, loss of function, decrease in appetite, dehydration, falls, pain, dizziness, and incontinence. It also describes the presentation of diseases common to older adults, including depression, infection, cardiac disease, gastrointestinal disorders, thyroid disease, and type 2 diabetes.
A Canonical Correlation Analysis of Occupational Mobility Among Mexican Americans

Studies of occupational mobility have generally ranked occupations on the basis of their socioeconomic status level or prestige component to measure movement between jobs. Two potential problems may limit the usefulness of that approach for racial and ethnic minority groups: (1) the relationship between occupation and socioeconomic status may not be the same as for the majority group, and (2) minority group members are more likely to be clustered at the low end of both socioeconomic and prestige scales. Canonical correlation analysis requires no prior ranking of occupations, so we use it to investigate intergenerational and career mobility among a sample of Mexican Americans. The findings indicate that mobility among Mexican Americans is about as frequent as among the total population, but that the pattern of movement differs considerably. As a result, the relative status of occupations among Mexican Americans has changed over time and, consequently, socioeconomic status scales developed for the total population do not provide accurate assessments of mobility for Mexican Americans. This discrepancy is less noticeable for career mobility, indicating that among the latest generation of Mexican Americans, mobility patterns are becoming more similar to those in the rest of society.
Evaluation of a novel short polyadenylation signal as an alternative to the SV40 polyadenylation signal

The soluble neuropilin-1 (sNRP-1) gene employs an extremely short dual function polyadenylation (pA) signal/stop codon that is efficient for termination of gene transcription and translation in vivo. However, the functionality and usefulness of this signal in regard to other genes is unknown. This quantitative study compares the levels of humanized Renilla green fluorescent protein (hrGFP) mRNA polyadenylated with either the sNRP-1 pA signal or the much larger, more widely used SV40 pA signal. We show that the overall starting copy number of hrGFP for equally loaded RNAs is equivalent between the two groups. Our data show little to no difference between levels of mRNA generated by the sNRP-1 polyadenylation signal and the SV40 polyadenylation signal despite a remarkable size difference in signal length. An extremely short polyadenylation signal could potentially alleviate gene insert size restrictions associated with cloning or with therapeutic vectors such as adeno-associated virus.
Increased expression of CD95-ligand and other apoptotic signaling factors by fumonisin B1, a hepatotoxic mycotoxin, in livers of mice lacking tumor necrosis factor α

Fumonisin B1 (FB1), a mycotoxin, is a potent inhibitor of ceramide synthase, and produces organ-, species-, and even gender-specific toxic responses in animals. The hepatotoxic response of FB1 in mice involves accumulation of free sphingoid bases and induction of inflammatory cytokines including tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFalpha). The FB1-induced hepatotoxic responses were reduced in mice lacking TNFalpha receptor (TNFR) 1 or TNFR2. However, the hepatotoxicity was exacerbated in mice lacking TNFalpha. We therefore investigated the modulation of various other apoptotic signaling factors in TNFalpha-knockout (TKO) mice compared to wild-type (WT) strain after repeated daily subcutaneous injections of 2.25 mg/kg FB1 treatment for 5 days. Expression of various signaling genes in liver was evaluated by ribonuclease protection assay. Expression of CD95-ligand (FasL) was more than doubled in TKO animals after FB1 whereas it was unaltered in the WT group. FB1 did not alter CD95 expression in either strain; however, expressions of TRAIL, and downstream signaling factors FADD, TRADD, and caspase 8 were higher in FB1-treated TKO mice than in the corresponding WT animals. The TKO strain had a higher constitutive expression of apoptotic factors except CD95L. In addition to the CD95 and TNFalpha systems, the expression of apoptotic molecules bcl-2, b-myc, c-myc, bax, max, mad and IL1alpha was induced by FB1 in TKO mice to a greater extent than in WT animals; many of these factors also had a higher constitutive expression in TKO animals than WT mice. Results indicated that FB1 can induce CD95 modulated signaling when TNFalpha is absent. Differential constitutive expression of apoptotic genes in TKO mice may explain their increased sensitivity to FB1. These results are important in characterizing the modulating effect of TNFalpha on apoptotic signaling and in explaining the unexpected sensitivity of mice lacking this cytokine in response to hepatotoxic xenobiotics.
Evidence-Based Strategies to Improve Memory and Learning.

Review of: Make It Stick: The Science of Successful Learning; Peter C. Brown, Henry L. Roediger III, and Mark A. McDaniel; (2014). Belknap Press, Cambridge, MA. 336 pages.
Experimental Study of Air-Water Interaction in Presence of Powdered Wax Inside Simulated Gas Distribution Channel of a Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell

Low temperature fuel cells such as proton exchange membrane fuel cells are being currently developed to run cars and buses. Water management in these fuel cells is a key issue that needs to be adequately addressed for rapid development of the technology. The fuel cell reaction creates water that is typically carried away by the incoming air. However, at part load operations when the required air supply is lower, water droplets may fully block the air supply channels, leading to inefficient fuel cell operation. A solution to this problem is proposed taking a cue from tiny insects known as aphids that live inside plants. They excrete a watery substance called honeydew and get rid of this water using wax by encapsulating it into tiny droplets. In the present study, air-water interaction in a minichannel is studied in the presence of powdered wax. Air is forced into the channel inlet and water is pumped through a hole on the top wall of the channel. The movement of water inside the channel at different air velocities and water flow rates is recorded using a high-speed camera. Results indicate that the water droplets and slugs formed inside the channel are removed more rapidly in the presence of powdered wax. At the highest water flow rate and lowest air velocity used in this study the unwaxed channel gets completely flooded while the slugs of water continued to move forward in the waxed channel. Different two-phase flow regimes have been identified and plotted in both the waxed and unwaxed channels.
Clinical outcomes of possible versus probable Alzheimer’s disease

Objective: To determine whether Alzheimer’s disease (AD) associated with comorbidities or atypical features ( possible AD) is marked by differences in clinical course and outcomes compared with uncomplicated AD ( probable AD). Methods: Annual evaluations were made of patients with AD, for up to 11 years. Six hundred forty subjects with AD were clinically classified into two groups: 1) possible AD (n = 208), and 2) probable AD (n = 432). Data on demographics, Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), Short Blessed Test (SBT), psychometric performance, and Clinical Dementia Rating (CDR) were collected at baseline. Kaplan–Meier survival curves and Cox proportional hazards models were conducted to evaluate whether possible AD would have different outcomes on dementia progression, nursing home placement, and death compared with probable AD. Results: The possible AD group was slightly younger and less well educated than the probable AD group, but there were no group differences at baseline in MMSE, SBT, and CDR scores. Controlling for age and education, the possible AD group had poorer baseline psychometric performance ( p = 0.022). There were no group differences, however, for rate of dementia progression, nursing home admission, and death. Conclusions: Comorbidities and atypical features in this sample of patients with Alzheimer’s disease did not substantially affect dementia outcomes. The primary determinant of the clinical course of dementia in this sample was the presence of clinically diagnosed Alzheimer’s disease, independent of the presence or absence of comorbidities or atypical features. Therefore, patients with possible Alzheimer’s disease may be considered for inclusion in investigations of Alzheimer’s disease, including clinical trials, to improve the generalizability of the findings.
Advanced feedstocks for advanced biofuels: transforming biomass to feedstocks

Biomass, with its energy-rich stores of fixed carbon and volatiles, is estimated to have a worldwide bioenergy potential ranging from nearly 10% to more than 60% of primary energy consumption [1]. ...
A new experimental approach to Mach's principle and relativistic graviation

As noted many years ago by Sciama, and more recently by Nordtvedt, Lorentz invariant (relativistic) gravitation at linear order involves a vector potential that is required to properly account for large inertial effects as well as the correct prediction of the classical tests of general relativity theory (GRT). It is pointed out that the linear-order vector aspect of the gravitational potential makes possible a simple, powerful and inexpensive technique for testing the predictions of GRT and associated issues. An experiment using this technique gives preliminary results that, to order of magnitude, corroborate GRT.
An Analysis of the Impact of Usury Ceilings on Conventional Mortgage Loans

Legislatures institute usury ceilings for a variety of reasons. The ceilings are designed to (1) curb excessive profits, (2) lower interest rates and inflation, (3) stimulate housing and growth, (4) subsidize certain consumer groups, and (5) protect the unwary and uninformed. However, in each case, the usury celings set up perverse effects which may defeat these goals. Particularly since the legislatures do not provide for administrative remedies, rationing, or adjustable ceilings, they cannot control these effects. Any reinstitution of ceilings must avoid these problems if the goals of the program are not to be defeated. However, the most effective policy would be to avoid the usury ceilings altogether.
Update on Teaching in the Long-Term Care Setting

Since the advent of the teaching nursing home, made formal in the 1980s, long-term care has been used to teach geriatric medicine. Despite this, national surveys have indicated a need for more training during residency to facilitate the appropriate care for the frail long-term care patient population. In addition to medical knowledge, the long-term care site is appropriate for teaching the Accreditation Council of Graduate Medical Education's core competencies of "practice-based learning and improvement", "interpersonal and communication skills", and "systems-based practice". Program planners should emphasize opportunities for students to demonstrate their skill in one of these competencies.
The Association of Childhood Personality on Sexual Risk Taking During Adolescence

BACKGROUND: Sexual risk taking during adolescence such as failure to use contraception or condoms is associated with premature parenthood and high rates of sexually transmitted infection. The relation of childhood personality to sexual risk taking during adolescence has been largely unexplored. METHODS: Using data collected from participants in the Child Sample of the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth (CS-NLSY) when they were 5 or 6 years of age (time 1) and 17 or 18 years of age (time 2) the relation of childhood personality to sexual risk taking during adolescence was investigated. Maternal ratings of childhood personality were used to derive resiliency undercontrol and overcontrol prototypical profile scores for a diverse sample of 1219 child participants from the CS-NLSY. At time 2 participants reported whether they failed to use oral contraception or condoms during their last sexual intercourse. Logistic regression models were used to investigate the association of personality to sexual risk taking. RESULTS: Proximity to the overcontrolled personality prototype at time 1 was associated with a decreased likelihood of sexual risk taking. Age male gender and childhood cognitive achievement were also significant predictors of sexual risk taking. CONCLUSIONS: The findings suggest that children with personality profiles in which internalizing traits are more prominent are less likely than their peers to engage in sexual risk taking during late adolescence. The findings of this study augment previous studies that indicate that personality is an important predictor of development and underscore the importance of conducting research into the processes by which personality influences health behavior.
RNase H1 can catalyze RNA/DNA hybrid formation and cleavage with stable hairpin or duplex DNA oligomers.

Cleavage of a RNA target site by RNase H1 from Escherichia coli was examined in the presence of complementary DNA sequences in the form of single-stranded, duplex, and hairpin structures. The targe...
Vaporization of water films in rotating radial pipes

Abstract The vaporization of water films in rotating radial pipes is studied experimentally. The data are interpreted with a simple model in which the major unknown quantity is the fraction of the pipe circumference wetted by the film. The vaporization heat-transfer coefficient is expected to be extremely large since the centrifugal acceleration is 103–104 times larger than the gravitational acceleration which influences the heat transfer to vertical falling films. The data confirm that the heat-transfer coefficient is very large, and provide measurements of the wetted circumference and of the burn-out heat flux. These fall and rise respectively with increasing centrifugal acceleration.
What's New about the New Public Management? Administrative Change in the Human Services

Interpretations of the emergence of the New Public Management are split. The champions of the movement present it as a new administrative paradigm that departs sharply from past thinking and practice, whereas skeptics argue it has evolved incrementally from past administrative traditions. To assess these views, this article examines recent administrative innovations in the human services that broadly reflect the New Public Management. The findings suggest that these innovations have built incrementally on past reforms in the human services field, supporting the skeptics' claim that the New Public Management represents an evolution and renewal of historical trends in public administration.
Lead isotopes in sulfides from the Stillwater Complex, Montana: evidence for subsolidus remobilization

Isotopic ratios of Pb in sulfide minerals (primarily pyrrhotite, chalcopyrite, and pentlandite) from a suite of samples from the platiniferous J-M Reef of the Stillwater Complex were measured to elucidate the temporal and genetic relationship between sulfides and host silicate minerals. Results indicate that sulfides and coexisting plagioclases are generally not in isotopic equilibrium, that both sulfides and feldspars record highly radiogenic initial ratios at 2.7 Ga, and that a component of “post-emplacement” radiogenic Pb has mixed with common Pb in the sulfides. A model involving introduction of radiogenic Pb carried by fluids derived from sources external to the complex is favored. Analyses of the lead isotopic composition of sulfides in veins which cut the complex indicate that a significant fraction of the radiogenic lead which was added to the sulfides was externally derived during an extensive hydrothermal episode, associated with Proterozoic regional metamorphism around 1.7 Ga. The possibility that some fractions of the radiogenic Pb may have been derived from primary minerals altered during the low-grade metamorphism cannot be discounted. The amount of radiogenic lead added is variable and in some cases negligible. There is a good correlation between the lead isotope composition and the nature of the secondary mineral assemblage. Sulfides and plagioclases in samples that show little or no alteration of the primary minerals are generally in isotopic equilibrium and preserve isotope ratios consistent with magmatic crystallization at 2.7 Ga. Samples with the most radiogenic sulfides contain abundant secondary minerals (serpentine, talc, actinolite, chlorite and zoisite) associated with greenschist facies metamorphism. Some of the radiogenic Pb in the sulfides can be removed by progressive stepwise leaching. However, in most samples recrystallization of sulfides during metamorphism has mixed common Pb and radiogenic Pb throughout the crystal structure such that, in these samples, stepwise leaching does not recover initial Pb isotopic ratios. Plagioclases are much more resistant to low temperature recrystallization and in almost all cases, stepwise leaching reveals the initial lead isotopic composition. The reactivity of sulfides over a wide temperature range enhances their utility in understanding not only the processes involved in their formation at the time of magmatic emplacement but also postmagmatic processes which were important in the redistribution and enrichment of platinum group elements (PGE) within the ore zone.
Generation-recombination-trapping at interface traps in short-channel MOS transistors

When the MOS transistor channel shortens, terminal currents from thermal generation-recombination-trapping (GRT) of electrons and holes at SiO2/Si interface traps in the drain and source p/n junction space-charge regions and their extension regions are increasingly dominant over the shortened base-channel region. Analytic solutions of GRT currents from interface traps in the two-dimensional drain and source p/n junction space-charge regions are obtained for the very thin and very thick gate-oxide limits. As anticipated from device physics, experimental results from increasingly shorter channels (100 mum to 0.13 mum) nMOS and pMOS transistors favor the very thin oxide model for the short channel transistors
Bound-state solutions of the Dirac equation in extended hadron models

We discuss numerical solutions for the classical boson fields in the four-dimensional SU(2) model of Dashen, Hasslacher, and Neveu. For their separation of the Dirac equation, a fermion in the classical Yang--Mills field has one bound-state solution with zero binding energy; consequently the model will not bind fermions, and is unstable. The Dirac equation for a fermion on an Abelian vortex line likewise has no bound-state solutions except for zero binding energy. (AIP)
Effect of cimetidine on quinidine bioavailability

Elevations in quinidine steady-state serum concentrations have been reported in patients who received cimetidine concurrently.1,2 Studies in normal volunteers3,4 have shown that areas under the serum concentration-time curve of orally administered quinidine are higher when quinidine is given during chronic cimetidine therapy as compared to under control conditions. The mechanism for this interaction is generally ascribed to decreased hepatic clearance as a consequence of enzyme inhibition. In this study, we show that cimetidine also decreases the bioavailable fraction of quinidine.
Penetrance of craniofacial anomalies in mouse models of Smith-Magenis syndrome is modified by genomic sequence surrounding Rai1: not all null alleles are alike.

Craniofacial abnormality is one of the major clinical manifestations of Smith-Magenis syndrome (SMS). Previous analyses in a mixed genetic background of several SMS mouse models—including Df(11)17/+ and Df(11)17-1/+, which have 2-Mb and 590-kb deletions, respectively, and Rai1−/+—revealed that the penetrance of the craniofacial phenotype appears to be influenced by deletion size and genetic background. We generated an additional strain with a 1-Mb deletion intermediate in size between the two described above. Remarkably, the penetrance of its craniofacial anomalies in the mixed background was between those of Df(11)17 and Df(11)17-1. We further analyzed the deletion mutations and the Rai1−/+ allele in a pure C57BL/6 background, to control for nonlinked modifier loci. The penetrance of the craniofacial anomalies was markedly increased for all the strains in comparison with the mixed background. Mice with Df(11)17 and Df(11)17-1 deletions had a similar penetrance, suggesting that penetrance may be less influenced by deletion size, whereas that of Rai1−/+ mice was significantly lower than that of the deletion strains. We hypothesize that potential trans-regulatory sequence(s) or gene(s) that reside within the 590-kb genomic interval surrounding Rai1 are the major modifying genetic element(s) affecting the craniofacial penetrance. Moreover, we confirmed the influence of genetic background and different deletion sizes on the phenotype. The complicated control of the penetrance for one phenotype in SMS mouse models provides tools to elucidate molecular mechanisms for penetrance and clearly shows that a null allele caused by chromosomal deletion can have different phenotypic consequences than one caused by gene inactivation.
A critical exploration of how English language learners experience nursing education.

Abstract Aim. With nursing education reform calling for greater numbers of graduates from diverse backgrounds, this study explored the experiences of students who identified as English language learners (ELs). Background. Educators may view students from underrepresented groups at the margins of nursing education. Minimal research on the experiences of students identifying as ELs exists. Method. Interpretive phenomenological and critical methodologies were used to explore students' lived experiences in the nursing classroom. Results. Academic progress involved additional time and effort dedicated to learning English and the languages of health care and nursing. Traditional and monocultural pedagogical practices, representing acts of power and dominance, thwarted learning. Yet students made progress despite less effective pedagogical practices and socioeconomic realities. This inquiry began with one notion of identity, “English-learners,” but evolved to students' perceptions of “being-in-the-world,” wholen...
Aerosols dispersion modelling using probabilistic particle tracking

A method is proposed which can facilitate parallel computations of particle transport in complex environments, such as urban landscapes. A two stage-approach is used, where in the first stage, physical simulations of various aerosol release scenarios are conducted on a high-performance distributed computing facility, such as a Beowulf cluster or a computing grid, and stored in a database as a set of transfer probabilities. In this stage, the method provides a partially decoupled parallel implementation of a tightly coupled physical system. In the second stage, various aerosol release scenarios can be analysed in a timely manner, using obtained probability distributions and a simpler stochastic simulator, which can be executed on a commodity computer, such as a workstation or a laptop. The method presents a possibility of solving the inverse problem of determining the release source from the available deposition data. Using the proposed approach and developed graphical tools, a case of aerosol dispersion in a typical urban landscape has been studied. A considerable speedup of analysis time for different aerosol dispersion scenarios has been demonstrated. The method is appropriate for the development of express risk analysis systems. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Effect of thermal environment evolution on AlN bulk sublimation crystal growth

To obtain a large and thick AlN single crystal during sublimation growth, it is very important to maintain the thermal environment suitable for growth inside the crucible during a long period of time (>50 h). In this paper, an in-house developed integrated model capable of describing inductive, radiative and conductive heat transfer will be used to simulate the transient behavior of thermal environment inside the crucible during a 40-h experiment growth. Effects of graphite insulation degradation on temperature distribution inside the crucible will be investigated. Simulation results will be compared with the experimental data to study the effects of the insulation degradation-induced particle deposition, geometric variation of source material and crystal size enlargement on the temperature distribution in the crucible and the growth rate. The relationship between graphite insulation degradation and power input change of the induction-heated system will be established. The evolution of temperature difference between the source material and crystal, which is the driving force for growth, will be presented. This study will also provide the explanation of mechanism underling substantial reduction of growth rate after a long experiment run.
The space marching solution of the inverse heat conduction problem and the identification of the initial temperature distribution

Abstract It is shown that the usual data for the inverse Heat Conduction Problem (IHCP) uniquely defines the initial condition for the direct problem in a one-dimensional finite slab. A suitable model problem is also analyzed for the semi-infinite conductor case. A space marching method is implemented to numerically solve both the IHCP and the identification of the initial temperature distribution. Several examples of interest are presented.