cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Circular photonic crystal resonators.

We study analytically and numerically a new class of circular resonators based on a radial photonic crystal reflector. The Bragg confinement enables the realization of compact resonators exhibiting both large free spectral range and high $Q$-factor. The dependence of the resonator characteristics on the reflector architecture and dimensions is studied in detail. Good agreement is found between the analytical and the numerical results obtained by finite-difference time-domain simulations.
Myocardial high energy phosphate metabolism during ventricular fibrillation with total circulatory arrest.

The study of high energy phosphates in myocardial energy metabolism has provided important insights into the factors that affect cellular injury during ischemia and metabolic and mechanical recovery with reperfusion. The term high energy phosphates (HEP) in the context of this paper includes adenine nucleotides (ATP and ADP) and creatine phosphate (CP). ATP directly provides the energy for mechanical, homeostatic, and synthetic myocardial functions. CP is postulated to function as an energy reservoir, transferring high energy bonds in the cytosol for the regeneration ATP from ADP. During severe or complete ischemia, myocytes become oxygen deficient and oxidative phosphorylation in the mitochondria ceases. As a result energy utilization exceeds production and myocardial HEP are depleted. Although no causal relationship has been demonstrated, under physiologic conditions there is a strong association between the depletion of myocardial HEP during ischemia, and the onset of myocardial injury. During reperfusion, the regeneration of HEP may also provide an indication of cell viability and adequacy of reperfusion. The focus of this paper is on myocardial HEP metabolism during cardiac arrest due to ventricular fibrillation (VF), which will be referred to as ventricular fibrillation with total circulatory arrest (VF-TCA). This is to be distinguished from cardiopulmonary bypass studies in which circulation to extra-cardiac organs can be maintained during VF. Since few studies to date have investigated HEP metabolism during in vivo VF-TCA, most of the information presented here is derived from other models of ischemia. Considerable variation exists among these experimental models of myocardial ischemia and the methods used to quantify myocardial HEP. These factors make comparison of studies difficult. For the most part, however, HEP depletion and associated myocardial injury during ischemia
When Congress and the President Collide: Why Presidents Veto Legislation

This study considers the major explanations for the use of the veto by utilizing multivariate time-series analysis. It concludes that many explanations found in the conventional wisdom are overrated or inaccurate. But it also shows that a few variables can explain one-half to two-thirds of the variation in the use of the veto from year-to-year. Among the most influential determinants of the use of the veto are the scope of government, opposition control of Congress, and whether the president has had a veto overridden. Among the most overrated explanations are that international crises limit the use of the veto, and that Democrats use the veto more than Republicans.
A Novel Fast Helical 4D-CT Acquisition Technique to Generate Low-Noise Sorting Artifact–Free Images at User-Selected Breathing Phases

Purpose To develop a novel 4-dimensional computed tomography (4D-CT) technique that exploits standard fast helical acquisition, a simultaneous breathing surrogate measurement, deformable image registration, and a breathing motion model to remove sorting artifacts. Methods and Materials Ten patients were imaged under free-breathing conditions 25 successive times in alternating directions with a 64-slice CT scanner using a low-dose fast helical protocol. An abdominal bellows was used as a breathing surrogate. Deformable registration was used to register the first image (defined as the reference image) to the subsequent 24 segmented images. Voxel-specific motion model parameters were determined using a breathing motion model. The tissue locations predicted by the motion model in the 25 images were compared against the deformably registered tissue locations, allowing a model prediction error to be evaluated. A low-noise image was created by averaging the 25 images deformed to the first image geometry, reducing statistical image noise by a factor of 5. The motion model was used to deform the low-noise reference image to any user-selected breathing phase. A voxel-specific correction was applied to correct the Hounsfield units for lung parenchyma density as a function of lung air filling. Results Images produced using the model at user-selected breathing phases did not suffer from sorting artifacts common to conventional 4D-CT protocols. The mean prediction error across all patients between the breathing motion model predictions and the measured lung tissue positions was determined to be 1.19 ± 0.37 mm. Conclusions The proposed technique can be used as a clinical 4D-CT technique. It is robust in the presence of irregular breathing and allows the entire imaging dose to contribute to the resulting image quality, providing sorting artifact–free images at a patient dose similar to or less than current 4D-CT techniques.
A mutation in zebrafish affecting a localized cellular function required for normal ear development

Abstract Zebrafish holds great potential as a model system for studying inner ear development because genetic techniques are highly efficient and inner ear development is a conspicuous and manipulable feature of zebrafish embryogenesis. Here we describe analysis of a semilethal dominant mutation, termedmonolith(mnl), that specifically perturbs formation of the anterior (utricular) otolith in the developing ear. Other than the utricular otolith deficiency, all structures in the ear appear morphologically normal in mutant embryos, including posterior otoliths and all sensory epithelia. Expression patterns of several ear marker genes (msxC, msxD,anddlx3) also appear normal in the mutant. To identify the cell type(s) affected by themnlmutation, chimeras were generated by transplanting dye-labeled +/+ cells into unlabeledmnl/mnlhost embryos. Roughly half of such chimeras formed utricular otoliths normally, indicating that the transplanted wild-type cells rescued their mutant hosts. Detailed analysis of +/+ cell fates revealed that virtually all chimeras in which +/+ cells formed support cells in the utricular sensory epithelium were rescued. In contrast, wild-type cells forming other cell types (such as hair cells) or colonizing other regions of the host were not sufficient to facilitate rescue. These data indicate that support cells are required for normal otolith formation, providing the first experimentally established role for support cells in vertebrate sensory epithelia. The data also provide the first clear indication that otolith formation is controlled independently in different regions of the ear by localized cellular functions.
Severe life threatening maxillofacial infection in pregnancy presented as Ludwig's angina.

Background. Ludwig's angina is a rapidly spreading cellulitis that may produce upper airway obstruction often leading to death. There is very little published information regarding this condition in the pregnant patient. Case. A 24-year old black female was admitted at 26 weeks gestation with tooth pain, submandibular swelling, severe trismus, and dysphagea, consistent with Ludwig's angina. Her treatment included emergent tracheostomy, incision and drainage of associated spaces, teeth extraction, and antibiotic therapy. Conclusions. During a life threatening infectious situation such as the one described, risks of maternal and fetal morbidity include both septicemia and asphyxia. Furthermore, the healthcare provider must consider the risks that the condition and the possible treatments may cause the mother and her unborn child.
Deep versus shallow judgments in learning to rank

Much research in learning to rank has been placed on developing sophisticated learning methods, treating the training set as a given. However, the number of judgments in the training set directly aff ects the quality of the learned system. Given the expense of obtaining relevance judgments for constructing training data, one often has a limited budget in terms of how many judgments he can get. The major problem then is how to distribute this judgment e ffort across diff erent queries. In this paper, we investigate the tradeo ff between the number of queries and the number of judgments per query when training sets are constructed. In particular, we show that up to a limit, training sets with more queries but shallow (less) judgments per query are more cost effective than training sets with less queries but deep (more) judgments per query.
Detachablep-groups and quasi-injectivity

If E is a ring, and G is an E-module, then G is quasi-injective if every homomorphism from a submodule of G to G can be extended to an endomorphism of G. POOLE and REID [2] raise the question as to which abelian groups G are quasiinjective as modules over their endomorphism rings E. They prove that direct sums of cyclic p-groups are quasi-injective. This result is extended here to a large class of p-groups, including all p-groups that have no elements of infinite height, and all totally projective p-groups -- in particular, all countable p-groups. The central idea is a property shared by totally projective p-groups and pgroups with no elements of infinite height. DEFINITION. If G is a p-group and xEG[p], then x is said to be detachable if G can be written as G1 @ Gz with (x) =p'G~ [p] for some ordinal c~. If every element of G[p] is detachable, we say that G is detachable. We write p'G~[p] instead of p~G~ to allow Ga to be divisible. Note that every element in G[p] of finite height is detachable, so every p-group with no elements of infinite height is detachable. Hill's extension of Ulm's theorem to totally projective p-groups (see [3]) implies that these groups are also detachable. THEOREM 1. If G is a detachable p-group, and x, yEG[p], then there is an endomorphism f of G such that f(x) =y or f(y) = x.
Chronic Alcohol Treatment in Rats Alters Sleep by Fragmenting Periods of Vigilance Cycling in the Light Period with Extended Wakenings

Studies have shown that disturbed sleep produced by chronic alcohol abuse in humans can predict relapse drinking after periods of abstinence. How alcohol produces disturbed sleep remains unknown. In this study we used a novel analysis of sleep to examine the effects of alcohol on sleep patterns in rats. This analysis separates waking into multiple components and defines a period labeled vigilance cycling (VC) in which the rat rapidly cycles through various vigilance states. These VC episodes are separated by long duration wake (LDW) periods. We find that 6 weeks of alcohol (6% in a liquid diet) caused fragmentation of extended VC episodes that normally occur in the light period. However, total daily amounts of slow-wave sleep (SWS) and rapid-eye movement sleep (REMS) remained constant. The daily amount of wake, SWS, and REMS remained constant because the alcohol treated rats increased the amount of VC in the dark period, and the sleep nature of VC in the dark period became more intense. In addition, we observed more wake and less REMS early in the light period in alcohol treated rats. All effects completely reversed by day 16 of alcohol withdrawal. Comparison of the effects of chronic alcohol to acute alcohol exposure demonstrated the effects of chronic alcohol are due to adaptation and not the acute presence of alcohol. The effects of chronic alcohol treatment in rats mimic the effects reported in humans (REMS suppression, difficulty falling asleep, and difficulty remaining asleep).
Correlates of Street-Survival Behaviors in Homeless Young Adults in Four U.S. Cities

This study assessed the prevalence and correlates of behaviors used by homeless young people to survive on the streets. Survival behaviors include prostitution, selling blood or plasma, dealing drugs, stealing, and panhandling. One hundred ninety-six homeless young adults from 4 metropolitan areas-Los Angeles, CA (n = 50); Austin, TX (n = 50); Denver, CO (n = 50); and St. Louis, MO (n = 46)-participated in individual, semistructured, face-to-face interviews. Researchers predicted that youth transience would be related to high rates of survival behaviors. Multivariate logistic regression was used to test a model predicting relationships between survival behaviors and transience, employment, substance use, and social support. Young adults who were transient, unemployed, drug-addicted, and reliant on peers for help were more likely to use these survival behaviors. In addition, among the transient subsample, being White, more reliant on peers for help, more transient, and having been victimized were associated with high use of these survival behaviors. Identification of the environmental and demographic factors associated with survival behaviors suggests that there may be value in combining harm-reduction strategies with efforts to reduce the transience of homeless young adults.
D-branes on singularities: New quivers from old

In this paper we present simplifying techniques that allow one to compute the quiver diagrams for various D-branes at (non-Abelian) orbifold singularities with and without discrete torsion. The main idea behind the construction is to take the orbifold of an orbifold. Many interesting discrete groups fit into an exact sequence N{yields}G{yields}G/N. As such, the orbifold M/G is easier to compute as (M/N)/(G/N) and we present graphical rules that allow fast computation given the M/N quiver.
Comparison of MR Contrast–enhancing Properties of Albumin-(biotin)10-(gadopentetate)25, a Macromolecular MR Blood Pool Contrast Agent, and Its Microscopic Distribution

Macromolecular contrast media (MMCM) specifically designed to enhance the blood pool do not substantially penetrate the endothelial barrier of most normal tissues but will penetrate tumor microvascular endothelium readily. Consequently, steady increase in tissue accumulation and resulting MRI enhancement, relative to the temporal response for blood enhancement, have been used to detect and estimate the tumor microvascular permeability. Quantitative estimates of tissue blood volume and estimates of the permeability may be used to differentiate the biology of tumors. MMCM-enhanced MRI techniques can be used to improve the specificity of tumor diagnosis and lesion differentiation (1,2). Quantitative information about the transendothelial diffusion of blood pool agents comes from both macroscopic and microscopic approaches. The transport can be monitored macroscopically by measuring the MR signal intensities (SI) in blood and tissues after contrast agent administration. Microscopic distribution of a blood pool agent in normal tissue has been studied using electron microscopy (3). We developed an MRI and light microscopically detectable blood pool agent comprised of human serum albumin (HSA) double-labeled with Gd-DTPA groups and biotin to permit correlation of the histologic transcapillary diffusion of MMCM as a function of time in normal and neoplastic tissues to the MR-derived estimates of capillary leakiness.
Forecasting changes in water quality in rivers associated with growing biofuels in the Arkansas‐White‐Red river drainage, USA

Excess nutrients from agriculture in the Mississippi River drainage, USA have degraded water quality in freshwaters and contributed to anoxic conditions in downstream estuaries. Consequently, water quality is a significant concern associated with conversion of lands to bioenergy production. This study focused on the Arkansas-White-Red river basin (AWR), one of five major river basins draining to the Mississippi River. The AWR has a strong precipitation gradient from east to west, and advanced cellulosic feedstocks are projected to become economically feasible within normal-to-wet areas of the region. In this study, we used large-scale watershed modeling to identify areas along this precipitation gradient with potential for improving water quality. We compared simulated water quality in rivers draining projected future landscapes with and without cellulosic bioenergy for two future years, 2022 and 2030 with an assumed farmgate price of $50 per dry ton. Changes in simulated water quantity and quality under future bioenergy scenarios varied among subbasins and years. Median water yield, nutrient loadings, and sediment yield decreased by 2030. Median concentrations of nutrients also decreased, but suspended sediment, which is influenced by decreased flow and in-stream processes, increased. Spatially, decreased loadings prevailed in the transitional ecotone between 97° and 100° longitude, where switchgrass, Panicum virgatum L., is projected to compete against alternative crops and land uses at $50 per dry ton. We conclude that this region contains areas that hold promise for sustainable bioenergy production in terms of both economic feasibility and water quality protection.
Optic Disk Neovascularization in Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis

pupillary margin so that the flow of infusion fluid is downward into the vitreous cavity of the aphakic eye and, hence, away from the corneal endothelium (Fig. 2). The infusion cannula can be sewn onto the sclera in a manner similar to that of a standard pars plana infusion cannula. It is thus possible to approach the vitreous base with a minimal chance of the infusion cannula creating new retinal tears. We have used this infusion cannula successfully on several patients who had severe proliferative vitreoretinopathy and in trauma patients who have dense vitreous hemorrhage and preoperative ultrasonic evidence of a retinal detachment.
Characterization of the mesostructure of fused-deposition acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene materials

Fused‐deposition (FD) is a robotically controlled “fiber” extrusion process that produces a new class of materials with a variety of controllable mesostructural features related to fiber layout and the presence of voids. Mesostructural features of importance to the stiffness and strength of unidirectionally extruded materials were characterized as a function of the processing variables. Samples were made using the Stratasys FDM1600 Modeler with the P400 acrylonitrile‐butadiene‐styrene plastic. Results showed that the void geometry/density and the extent of bonding between contiguous fibers depended strongly on the fiber gap and extrusion flow rate. Settings for minimum void and maximum fiber‐to‐fiber bonding were determined. Void and bond length densities in the plane transverse to the fiber extrusion direction varied from 4 to 16 per cent and 39 to 73 per cent respectively. The results quantify the important mesostructural features as a function of the FD process variables and are expected to find use with other FD materials.
User-transparent automatic terminal speed selection

Economy and flexibility provide the motivation for using a single set of computer ports for various terminal types. To do this, the communications controller must adapt to the different terminal characteristics. This, in turn, requires that the controller recognize the type of terminal. Many terminal speed recognition algorithms require the user to type a terminal identification character before entering the first command. Entering an identification character detracts from the user interface to the computer. A scheme making terminal recognition almost invisible to the user is described. The implementation recognizes the following terminal types: the IBM 2741, and ASCII terminals operating at 110, 150, and 300 baud. While the algorithm is programmed on the IBM 3705 Communications Controller, it could be applied to other controllers. To make this easier, the algorithm is described in detail, and the techniques generalized.
GAUSS: an online algorithm selection system for numerical quadrature

Abstract We describe the design and implementation of GAUSS — an online algorithm selection system for numerical quadrature. Given a quadrature problem and performance constraints on its solution, GAUSS selects the best (or nearly best) algorithm. GAUSS uses inductive logic programming to generalize a database of performance data; this produces high-level rules that correlate problem features with algorithm performance. Such rules then serve as the basis for recommending algorithms for new problem instances. GAUSS functions online (new data and information can be incrementally incorporated) and can also provide phenomenological explanations of algorithm recommendations.
Nitric Oxide-forming Reaction between the Iron-N-Methyl-d-glucamine Dithiocarbamate Complex and Nitrite

The objective of this study was to elucidate the origin of the nitric oxide-forming reactions from nitrite in the presence of the iron-N-methyl-D-glucamine dithiocarbamate complex ((MGD)(2)Fe(2+)). The (MGD)(2)Fe(2+) complex is commonly used in electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopic detection of NO both in vivo and in vitro. Although it is widely believed that only NO can react with (MGD)(2)Fe(2+) complex to form the (MGD)(2)Fe(2+).NO complex, a recent article reported that the (MGD)(2)Fe(2+) complex can react not only with NO, but also with nitrite to produce the characteristic triplet EPR signal of (MGD)(2)Fe(2+).NO (Hiramoto, K., Tomiyama, S., and Kikugawa, K. (1997) Free Radical Res. 27, 505-509). However, no detailed reaction mechanisms were given. Alternatively, nitrite is considered to be a spontaneous NO donor, especially at acidic pH values (Samouilov, A., Kuppusamy, P., and Zweier, J. L. (1998) Arch Biochem. Biophys. 357, 1-7). However, its production of nitric oxide at physiological pH is unclear. In this report, we demonstrate that the (MGD)(2)Fe(2+) complex and nitrite reacted to form NO as follows: 1) (MGD)(2)Fe(2).NO complex was produced at pH 7.4; 2) concomitantly, the (MGD)(3)Fe(3+) complex, which is the oxidized form of (MGD)(2)Fe(2+), was formed; 3) the rate of formation of the (MGD)(2)Fe(2+).NO complex was a function of the concentration of [Fe(2+)](2), [MGD], [H(+)] and [nitrite].
Combining Corpus-Based Features for Selecting Best Natural Language Sentences

Automated paraphrasing of natural language text has many interesting applications from aiding in better translations to generating better and more appropriate style language. In this paper, we are concerned with the problem of picking the best English sentence out of a set of machine generated paraphrase sentences, each designed to express the same content as a human generated original. We present a system of scoring sentences based on examples in large corpora. Specifically, we use the Microsoft Web N-Gram service and the text of the Brown Corpus to extract features from all candidate sentences and compare them against each other. We consider three feature combination methods: A handcrafted decision tree, linear regression and linear powerset regression. We find that while each method has particular strengths, the linear power set regression performs best against our human-evaluated test data.
Effects of cinanserin and p-chlorophenylalanine and their interaction with d-amphetamine on DRL performance in rats

Abstract The effects of the serotonin antagonist cinanserin and the serotonin depletor p-chlorophenylalanine (PCPA) were compared with the effects of d-amphetamine on responding maintained by differential-reinforcement-of-low-rate schedule (DRL). d-Amphetamine (0.25–2.0 mg/kg) increased response rates and shortened interresponse times (IRTs). Cinanserin at low doses (8, 16 and 32 mg/kg) did not alter DRL responding; high doses (48 and 64 mg/kg) decreased response rates and shortened IRTs. PCPA (200 and 300 mg/kg) decreased DRL response rates and disrupted the IRT distributions for up to 72 hours post-injection, but had few effects over the subsequent 7–8 day period. d-Amphetamine given in combination with cinanserin or administered 3, 8 and 12 days post-PCPA administration resulted in decreased response rates relative to those induced by d-amphetamine alone; the d-amphetamine-induced shortening of IRTs persisted. These results suggest that cinanserin and PCPA do not exert general response-stimulant effects and that serotonergic systems are not of major functional significance in the maintenance of low rate DRL responding. These results do suggest that serotonergic systems are involved in the manifestation of the behavioral response to amphetamine, possibly as a result of a serotonergic-catecholaminergic interaction.
ALTERATIONS OF ENERGY METABOLISM IN HYPERTROPHIED HEARTS DURING ANOXIA: A P-31 NUCLEAR MAGNETIC RESONANCE STUDY

The metabolic effect of anoxia on hypertrophied myocardium was investigated using P-31 NMR spectroscopy. Hearts from 18 mo. SHR (hypertrophied, n=7) and age-matched WKY (control, n=6) rats were mounted on a modified Langendorff apparatus, paced at 240/min and perfused with 36°C phosphate-free, glucose-containing buffer bubbled with oxygen or nitrogen (anoxia). Left ventricular pressure (LVP), LV dP/dt and perfusion pressure were continuously recorded while consecutive 3-min spectra were collected. This allowed temporal assessment of myocardial phosphate levels [incl. inorganic phosphate (Pi), creatine phosphate (CP) and ATP] during baseline conditions, anoxia and recovery. Anoxia was maintained until a 70% fall in LVP occured. Compared to the WKY, SHR rats had higher in vivo BP (163 vs 104; p<.001) and cardiac hypertrophy (heart/ body weight = 5.3 vs 3.5 mg/g; p<.001). During baseline perfusion, SHR hearts had higher resistance (9.8 vs 5.9 mmHg/cc/min/g; p=.003) but no significant difference in LVP or dP/dt. SHR hearts demonstrated a faster fall in high-energy phosphates and LVP during anoxia (SHR fell to 30% baseline LVP in 8.5 vs 13.0 mins; p=.018). Throughout the protocol SHR hearts had lower CP (3.8 vs 5.6 umoles/g; p=.008), ATP (3.2 vs 3.9 umoles/g; p=.047) and CP/Pi ratio (1.5 vs 2.5; p=.043). We conclude that chronically hypertrophied hearts have: (1) less ATP/g and CP/g than age-matched controls, and (2) a faster decline in mechanical and metabolic function during anoxia.
THE MERINO EXPORT EMBARGO — A COMPARATIVE STATIC ANALYSIS

The genetic changes which would occur in overseas flocks as a result of the export of merino rams from Australia are unknown. Even so, Australia recently relaxed the merino export embargo and may go further. A comparative static model is presented to assess changes in annual wool income resulting from increases in the supply of apparel wool emanating from possible levels of the genetic effect.
Pupil Size and Social Vigilance in Rhesus Macaques

Complex natural environments favor the dynamic alignment of neural processing between goal-relevant stimuli and conflicting but biologically salient stimuli like social competitors or predators. The biological mechanisms that regulate dynamic changes in vigilance have not been fully elucidated. Arousal systems that ready the body to respond adaptively to threat may contribute to dynamic regulation of vigilance. Under conditions of constant luminance, pupil diameter provides a peripheral index of arousal state. Although pupil size varies with the processing of goal-relevant stimuli, it remains unclear whether pupil size also predicts attention to biologically salient objects and events like social competitors, whose presence interferes with current goals. Here we show that pupil size in rhesus macaques both reflects the biological salience of task-irrelevant social distractors and predicts vigilance for these stimuli. We measured pupil size in monkeys performing a visual orienting task in which distractors—monkey faces and phase-scrambled versions of the same images—could appear in a congruent, incongruent, or neutral position relative to a rewarded target. Baseline pupil size under constant illumination predicted distractor interference, consistent with the hypothesis that pupil-linked arousal mechanisms regulate task engagement and distractibility. Notably, pupil size also predicted enhanced vigilance for social distractors, suggesting that pupil-linked arousal may adjust the balance of processing resources between goal-relevant and biologically important stimuli. The magnitude of pupil constriction in response to distractors closely tracked distractor interference, saccade planning and the social relevance of distractors, endorsing the idea that the pupillary light response is modulated by attention. These findings indicate that pupil size indexes dynamic changes in attention evoked by both the social environment and arousal.
Stage IVB endometrial carcinoma: the role of cytoreductive surgery and determinants of survival.

Abstract Objective. The aim of this study was to evaluate the role of cytoreductive surgery and survival determinants in patients with Stage IVB endometrial carcinoma. Methods. All patients with Stage IVB endometrial carcinoma diagnosed between 1/1/90 and 12/31/98 were identified from tumor registry databases. Individual patient data were collected retrospectively. Survival analyses and comparisons were performed using the Kaplan–Meier method and the log-rank test. The Cox proportional hazards model was used to identify independent variables associated with survival. Results. Sixty-five patients underwent surgery as primary therapy for Stage IVB endometrial carcinoma (median survival 14.8 months). The median age of the population was 65 years (range 29–85 years); 89.2% of patients were postmenopausal, and 21.5% were nulliparous. The most common histologic subtypes were endometrioid (33.8%), serous (32.3%), and mixed (16.9%). Optimal cytoreductive surgery (residual tumor ≤1 cm in maximal diameter) was accomplished in 36 patients (55.4%), while 29 patients (44.6%) were left with >1 cm residual disease. The median survival rate of patients undergoing optimal surgery was 34.3 months, a statistically significant advantage compared to patients with >1 cm residual tumor (11.0 months, P = 0.0001). Among those with optimal surgery, patients with only microscopic residual disease survived significantly longer than patients with optimal but macroscopic residual tumor. Higher performance status, age ≤58 years, and adjuvant chemotherapy followed by radiation therapy were also significantly associated with superior survival on univariate analysis. On multivariate analysis, residual disease ( P = 0.0001), performance status ( P = 0.043), and age ( P = 0.023) were independent predictors of survival. Conclusions. The amount of residual disease after cytoreductive surgery, age, and performance status appear to be important determinants of survival in patients with Stage IVB endometrial carcinoma. Maximal cytoreduction should be the goal at the time of primary surgery for advanced disease. For selected patients, combined postoperative chemotherapy and radiation therapy may provide some therapeutic benefit.
Finite element solution of four wire antenna in tapered anechoic chamber

A four-wire antenna system is analyzed in a tapered anechoic chamber using a frequency-domain finite-element technique. In the analysis, wedge absorbers are replaced by equivalent dielectric layers to reduce the number of unknowns. To handle the lossy medium (absorbers and loading resistances), full magnetic vector fields are used in the three-dimensional finite-element formulation. The system matrix equation is then solved using the frontal technique. >
How to prevent, recognize, and manage complications of lead extraction. Part III: Procedural factors.

P A h c b t n p r B p ntroduction he major risks of percutaneous lead extraction include ardiac perforation (1%–4%), emergency cardiac surgery 1%–2%), and death (0.4%–0.8%). However, risk to an ndividual varies in accordance with a number of factors Table 1), and informed consent must be tailored to the pecific patient. Indicators of very high risk (Table 2) define elative contraindications to the procedure; patients without ther options should be referred to experienced centers apable of managing these special cases. Surgical backup hould be secured prior to every extraction. Complications of lead extraction result primarily from orces applied to separate the lead from fibrous connections ithin the central veins and heart. Although the efficacy in emoving chronically implanted leads has increased with he use of powered sheaths, the complication rate has not een reduced. Perforation of the heart or great vessels reulting in pericardial, mediastinal, or pleural bleeding acounts for most acute life-threatening complications, alhough this is not the sole risk of extraction. Prompt ecognition and treatment of these potentially catastrophic vents are critical for a successful outcome. Factors conributing to this are discussed here.
Dopamine D2 and acetylcholine α7 nicotinic receptors have subcellular distributions favoring mediation of convergent signaling in the mouse ventral tegmental area

Alpha7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (α7nAChRs) mediate nicotine-induced burst-firing of dopamine neurons in the ventral tegmental area (VTA), a limbic brain region critically involved in reward and in dopamine D2 receptor (D2R)-related cortical dysfunctions associated with psychosis. The known presence of α7nAChRs and Gi-coupled D2Rs in dopamine neurons of the VTA suggests that these receptors are targeted to at least some of the same neurons in this brain region. To test this hypothesis, we used electron microscopic immunolabeling of antisera against peptide sequences of α7nACh and D2 receptors in the mouse VTA. Dual D2R and α7nAChR labeling was seen in many of the same somata (co-localization over 97%) and dendrites (co-localization over 49%), where immunoreactivity for each of the receptors was localized to endomembranes as well as to non-synaptic or synaptic plasma membranes often near excitatory-type synapses. In comparison with somata and dendrites, many more small axons and axon terminals were separately labeled for each of the receptors. Thus, single-labeled axon terminals were predominant for both α7nAChR (57.9%) and D2R (89.0%). The majority of the immunolabeled axonal profiles contained D2R-immunoreactivity (81.6%) and formed either symmetric or asymmetric synapses consistent with involvement in the release of both inhibitory and excitatory transmitters. Of 160 D2R-labeled terminals, 81.2% were presynaptic to dendrites that expressed α7nAChR alone or together with the D2R. Numerous glial processes inclusive of those enveloping either excitatory- or inhibitory-type synapses also contained single labeling for D2R (n=152) and α7nAChR (n=561). These results suggest that classic antipsychotic drugs, all of which block the D2R, may facilitate α7nAChR-mediated burst-firing by elimination of D2R-dependent inhibition in neurons expressing both receptors as well as by indirect pre-synaptic and glial mechanisms.
Primary and secondary prevention programs for dating violence: A review of the literature

Recent research has consistently demonstrated that a significant proportion of dating relationships are characterized by violent interactions. Aggression that occurs in the context of dating relationships is associated with a variety of deleterious effects in the context of the current relationship, and provides a potential trajectory to more severe forms of violence in later relationships. These data have led researchers and practitioners to develop and implement programs designed to prevent such violent dating behaviors. This comprehensive review examines the literature on primary and secondary prevention programs for dating violence, with emphases on methodological and theoretical issues. Ubiquitous limitations of the current research are identified, as well as future directions and implications for researchers and practitioners in the field.
Reversal learning in the sow bug

Three groups of four sow bugs each were taught a turning response in a simple T-maze. One group, acting as a control, learned a single turning response. The other two groups were taught successive reversals according to a learning criterion or a trials criterion. Under the conditions of this study, sow bugs demonstrated statistically significant improvement in successive reversal learning.
The Evolution of Vesicoureteral Reflux Management in the Era of Dextranomer/Hyaluronic Acid Copolymer: A Pediatric Health Information System Database Study

Purpose: Since Food and Drug Administration approval of Deflux®, injection therapy for vesicoureteral reflux has increased. Little data exist on the effect that injection therapy has had on the inc...
Stability in systems with moving contact lines

On formule une theorie de la stabilite energetique pour des systemes ayant des lignes de contact mobiles. Application au probleme de Rayleigh Taylor dans une fente verticale
On pens and needles: Treatment strategies for psychological insulin resistance in type 2 diabetes mellitus

Background: Psychological insulin resistance (PIR) refers to psychological opposition towards insulin therapy. Although not a formal psychological diagnosis, PIR is an under-recognized issue clinicians may encounter when treating patients with diabetes requiring insulin therapy. Methods: Review articles, clinical trials, and practice guidelines were located using online databases. A total of 39 abstracts were reviewed and 11 articles were included in the analysis. Results: Eleven articles were included. Proposed strategies used to mitigate the occurrence of PIR include: identifying the patient's personal obstacles via administration of PIR questionnaires, use of insulin pens as opposed to conventional syringe and needle, education on the risk of hypoglycemia and continuous emphasis of the importance of self-monitoring of blood glucose (SMBG) readings. Discussion: The management of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in patients requiring insulin may present challenges such as PIR. Tailoring a patient's treatment plan to account for physiological, psychological, social and financial needs may thwart some of these challenges. Other factors to consider include the cost of the agent and/or devices required. Insulin-dependent patients with T2DM should be assessed for both physiological and psychological changes. Conclusion: Current treatment strategies for clinicians treating T2DM patients with PIR include administering the PIR or BIT questionnaire, initiating lower doses of insulin, switching from insulin vials to insulin pens, including assessment results in individualized treatment plans and using clinical outcomes to screen patients who are at risk for refusing the use of insulin. Further research evaluating clinical outcomes associated with treatment strategies is necessary.
SEROTONIN TRANSPORTER PROMOTER POLYMORPHISM AND DIFFERENCES IN ALCOHOL CONSUMPTION BEHAVIOUR IN A COLLEGE STUDENT POPULATION

Aims and methods: In the present study, differences in alcohol consumption behaviour associated with the presence of the short variant (S) of the serotonin transporter promoter polymorphism (5-HTTLPR) was investigated in a Caucasian subset ( n = 204) of 268 college students. Results: Students who were homozygous for the S allele were more likely to engage in binge-drinking behaviour, drank more alcohol per occasion, and reported drinking to get drunk more often. Conclusions: In this Caucasian sample, the 5-HTTLPR strongly influences alcohol consumption in late pubescence. (Received 16 May 2003; first review notified 5 June 2003; in revised form 12 June 2003; accepted 16 June 2003)
Cuphea fluviatilis (Lythraceae), a New Species from Antioquia, Colombia

Cuphea fluviatilis S. A. Graham, a new species of the Lythraceae from the margins of the Rio Samana in Antioquia Department, Colombia, is described and illustrated. The taxonomic relationships of the species are unsettled. The species bears flowers closely similar to those of species in section Amazoniana (Lourteig) Lourteig, but lacks the distinctive malpighiaceous trichomes characterizing the section; its pollen morphology, a significant indicator of broad relationships in Cuphea, is also unlike that of the section. Pollen of section Amazoniana is typically nonsyncolpate, without protruding pores, and with a psilate to finely rugulate exine; that of C. fluviatilis is syncolpate with protruding pores and a striate exine, a type common to numerous species currently classified in the polyphyletic sections Brachyandra Koehne and Euandra Koehne.
The Relationship between Trauma and Delinquent Decision Making among Adolescent Female Offenders: Mediating Effects

Though past research studies show a relationship between trauma exposure and delinquency, none examine the relationship between trauma and perceptions of delinquent decision making among adolescent female offenders. Such an understanding is important because for females, physical or sexual abuse tends to start earlier and last longer than it does for males. As a result, adolescent females are more likely to have a higher prevalence of mental health or emotional disturbances, which may contribute to poor decision making and subsequent delinquency. Two-hundred and thirteen detained adolescent female offenders were administered a quantitative measure of decision making and the Massachusetts Youth Screening Instrument-Version 2 (MAYSI-2). Results show that trauma is a predictor of delinquent decision making among adolescent female offenders. The impact of trauma on decision making was mediated by indicators of mental health or emotional disturbance such as anger, substance abuse, depression, somatic complaints, and suicidal ideation. Implications for identification and treatment are discussed.
Time–Frequency Analysis for Efficient Fault Diagnosis and Failure Prognosis for Interior Permanent-Magnet AC Motors

The detection of noncatastrophic faults in conjunction with other factors can be used to determine the remaining life of an electric drive. As the frequency and severity of these faults increase, the working life of the drive decreases, leading to eventual failure. In this paper, four methods to identify developing electrical faults are presented and compared. They are based on the short-time Fourier transform, undecimated-wavelet analysis, and Wigner and Choi-Williams distributions of the field-oriented currents in permanent-magnet ac drives. The different fault types are classified using the linear-discriminant classifier and k-means classification. The comparison between the different methods is based on the number of correct classifications and Fisher's discriminant ratio. Multiple-class discrimination analysis is also introduced to remove redundant information and minimize storage requirements.
Serum leptin levels in women with anorexia nervosa

Leptin is a protein encoded by the ob gene that is expressed in adipocytes and regulates eating behavior via central neuroendocrine mechanisms. Serum leptin levels have been shown to correlate with weight and percent body fat in normal and obese individuals; however, it is not known whether the regulation of leptin is normal below a critical threshold of body fat in chronic undernutrition. We investigated serum leptin levels in 22 women, aged 23 +/- 4 yr, with anorexia nervosa. Duration of disease, weight, BMI, percent body fat, and serum leptin levels were determined for each patient. Nutritional status was assessed further by caloric intake and measurement of insulin and insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) levels. Twenty-three healthy women, aged 23 +/- 4 yr, taking no medications, with normal menstrual function and body mass index (BMI) between 20-26 kg/m2 (mean, 23.7 +/- 1.7 kg/m2), served as a control population for comparison of leptin levels. Subjects with anorexia nervosa were low weight (BMI, 16.3 +/- 1.6 kg/m2; normal, 20-26 kg/m2) and exhibited a striking reduction in percent body fat (7 +/- 2%; normal, 20-30%). The mean serum leptin level was significantly decreased in subjects with anorexia nervosa compared with that in age- and sex-matched controls of normal body weight (5.6 +/- 3.7 vs. 19.1 +/- 8.1 ng/mL; P < 0.0001). Serum leptin levels were correlated highly with weight, as expressed either BMI (r = 0.66; P = 0.002) or percent ideal body weight (r = 0.68; P = 0.0005), body fat (r = 0.70; P = 0.0003), and IGF-I (r = 0.64; P = 0.001), but not with caloric intake or serum levels of estradiol or insulin in subjects with anorexia nervosa. The correlation between leptin and body fat was linear, with progressively lower, but detectable, leptin levels measured even in patients with less than 5% body fat, but was not significant when the effects of weight were taken into account. In contrast, the correlation between leptin and IGF-I remained significant when the effects of weight, body fat, and caloric intake were taken into account. In normal controls, leptin correlated with BMI (r = 0.55; P = 0.007) and IGF-I (r = 0.44; P < 0.05), but not with fat mass. These data demonstrate that serum leptin levels are reduced in association with low weight and percent body fat in subjects with anorexia nervosa compared to normal controls. Leptin levels correlate highly with weight, percent body fat, and IGF-I in subjects with anorexia nervosa, suggesting that the physiological regulation of leptin is maintained in relation to nutritional status even at an extreme of low weight and body fat.
Prescribed Active Learning Increases Performance in Introductory Biology

We tested five course designs that varied in the structure of daily and weekly active-learning exercises in an attempt to lower the traditionally high failure rate in a gateway course for biology majors. Students were given daily multiple-choice questions and answered with electronic response devices (clickers) or cards. Card responses were ungraded; clicker responses were graded for right/wrong answers or participation. Weekly practice exams were done as an individual or as part of a study group. Compared with previous versions of the same course taught by the same instructor, students in the new course designs performed better: There were significantly lower failure rates, higher total exam points, and higher scores on an identical midterm. Attendance was higher in the clicker versus cards section; attendance and course grade were positively correlated. Students did better on clicker questions if they were graded for right/wrong answers versus participation, although this improvement did not translate into increased scores on exams. In this course, achievement increases when students get regular practice via prescribed (graded) active-learning exercises.
Analytical heat diffusion models for different micro-channel heat sink cross-sectional geometries

This study explores heat diffusion effects in micro-channel heat sinks intended for electronic cooling applications. Detailed analytical models are constructed for heat sinks having micro-channels with rectangular, inverse trapezoidal, triangular, trapezoidal, and diamond-shaped cross sections. Solutions are presented for both monolithic heat sinks and heat sinks with perfectly insulating cover plates. The analytical results are compared to detailed two-dimensional numerical models of the same cross-sections over a broad range of cover plate thermal conductivities for different micro-channel aspect ratios, fin spacings and Biot numbers. These comparisons show the analytical models provide accurate predictions for Biot numbers of practical interest. This study proves the analytical models are very effective tools for the design and thermal resistance prediction of micro-channel heat sinks found in electronic cooling applications.