cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Fluoride release from and tensile bond strength of Ketac-Fil and Ketac-Silver to enamel and dentin.

Abstract Silver-reinforced glass ionomer cements have recently become commercially available. The purpose of this study was to determine the fluoride (F) release from, and the tensile bond strength (TBS) of Ketac-Fil, a conventional, and Ketac-Silver, a silver-reinforced glass ionomer cement, to enamel and dentin, respectively. To determine F release, 6 discs, 20 mm in diameter and 1.5 mm thick, were prepared from each material, and suspended in 50 ml glass distilled water for 24 h. The discs were washed with 50 ml TISAB and the fluoride concentrations determined electrometrically. These procedures were repeated for 14 consecutive days. The TBS of Ketac-Fil to enamel (A) and dentin (B) and of Ketac-Silver to enamel (C) and dentin (D), respectively, were determined. Fifteen test specimens were prepared with each procedure. The test specimens were stored in water at 37°C for 24 h. The test specimens were then mounted in an Instron machine and subjected to a tensile load at a cross-head speed of 0.02 inch. min −1 . The bond strengths were calculated and expressed in MN.m −2 . The data were analyzed by ANOVA and Duncan's multiple range test at the 5% level of significance. Ketac-Fil only released significantly more F (μg F. mm−2 during the first 7 days than Ketac-Silver. The following tensile bond strengths (MN.m −2 ) were obtained: A: 2.3±1.6; B: 2.0 ±2.3; C: 1.2±1.7; D: 0.5±1.3. The bond strengths of D were significantly lower than those of A and B but not significantly different from C. The addition of silver to a glass ionomer cement reduced the fluoride release and the bond strength to dentin.
Correlation between genetic and nucleotide distances in a bacteriophage T4 transfer, RNA gene.

Abstract Genetic map distances have been measured for four point mutations whose exact nucleotide positions in the gene for the glutamine transfer RNA of bacteriophage T4 have previously been established. The average frequency of recombination per nucleotide was found to be 0.014. A fifth mutation, which was previously observed to eliminate both the glutamine and leucine tRNA species, is shown by genetic criteria to be a deletion mutation.
Review article: Local and systemic regulation of mucosal immunity

An increased interest in mucosal immunity has stemmed from the identification of novel T-cell populations and developments in oral vaccines and oral tolerance. The development of physiological inflammation is antigen driven. Upon recognition of antigen, the lamina propria (LP) is populated with lymphocytes and activated peripheral cells acquire the capacity to home to the gut. Antigen entry to the gut is via follicle-associated epithelium or M cells. The antigen now interacts with macrophages or CD4+ cells, and go on to the Peyer's patch where B cells undergo a transforming growth factor beta (TGF-beta)-mediated isotope switch to immunoglobulin (Ig) A. TGF-beta may also play a role in the development of oral tolerance. The intestinal epithelium is seen as the site for the activation of CD8+ suppressor cells. Controlled inflammation is therefore explained by the interaction of LP lymphocytes and intra-epithelial cells (IEC). IECs are capable of extending processes that express regulatory surface molecules coupled with antigen processed from luminal uptake. CD8+ T-cell activation is favoured over CD4+ T-cell activation due to the size of the antigenic binding peptide. The result is suppressed inflammation. Other antigen-presenting cells (APCs) and dendritic cells may also contribute to local immunosuppression.
Accuracy of Endoscopic Ultrasound in the Diagnosis of T2N0 Esophageal Cancer

Accurate staging of esophageal carcinoma (EC) is important since it directs further management. Endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) is the best tool available in the locoregional staging of EC; however, differentiating depth of tumor invasion (T) and nodal involvement (N) can be challenging. Accurate staging is particularly important to differentiate T1-2 N0 cancers, which can proceed directly to surgical resection versus TXN1 or T3N0/1 cancers, which benefit from induction chemoradiation prior to surgery. We report the accuracy of EUS staging for cT2N0 lesions. Six hundred six patients underwent EUS for staging of EC between October 2003 and February 2013 by a single interventional endoscopist specially trained in endoscopic ultrasound. Thirty-eight patients were diagnosed with T2N0 tumors and underwent surgical resection without preoperative chemoradiation. EUS staging was compared to surgical pathology to evaluate accuracy. Patient follow-up was obtained from a retrospective chart review. Thirty-eight patients (34 men, mean age 65.8 ± 10.5 years) with cT2N0 tumors by EUS underwent surgical resection of EC without chemoradiation after a mean of 22.4 ± 13.7 days post-EUS. When compared with final pathologic outcomes, 12 (32 %) were understaged by EUS and 18 (47 %) were overstaged. Understaging occurred due to tumor depth (T) in two patients (17 %), nodal disease (N) in six (50 %), and both in four (33 %). Overstaging occurred due to pathology consistent with pT1b tumors instead of T2 tumors in all 17 cases. Based on EUS, 74 % were referred for appropriate therapy. While EUS is highly accurate in staging EC, it is less accurate in staging tumors which are not on either ends of the spectrum (mucosally based or clearly transmural). In this challenging group of patients, EUS understaged EC in 32 % of cases resulting in surgical resection when neoadjuvant chemoradiation may have been beneficial. We suspect that newer generation EUS systems, which provide better imaging, will result in improved accuracy in staging this group of patients.
Atypical presentation of eosinophilic endomyocardial disease.

Idiopathic hypereosinophilic syndrome is classically defined as prolonged, unexplained peripheral eosinophilia in a patient presenting with evidence of end-organ damage. The heart is frequently involved, resulting in eosinophilic endomyocardial disease and eventually restrictive cardiomyopathy. The mortality rate is high because of progressive heart failure or ventricular arrhythmias. We describe a patient who presented with a left ventricular apical thrombus without notable peripheral eosinophilia. Findings from clinical evaluation and extensive diagnostic testing, including right ventricular biopsy, were inconclusive. Resection of the thrombus and subjacent endomyocardium revealed eosinophilic infiltration of the endomyocardium, which led to the diagnosis of eosinophilic endomyocardial disease. Clinicians should be aware of the variable presentation of patients with eosinophil-associated endomyocardial disease so that affected patients may benefit from early diagnosis and treatment.
Collective Dynamics Differentiates Functional Divergence in Protein Evolution

Protein evolution is most commonly studied by analyzing related protein sequences and generating ancestral sequences through Bayesian and Maximum Likelihood methods, and/or by resurrecting ancestral proteins in the lab and performing ligand binding studies to determine function. Structural and dynamic evolution have largely been left out of molecular evolution studies. Here we incorporate both structure and dynamics to elucidate the molecular principles behind the divergence in the evolutionary path of the steroid receptor proteins. We determine the likely structure of three evolutionarily diverged ancestral steroid receptor proteins using the Zipping and Assembly Method with FRODA (ZAMF). Our predictions are within ~2.7 A all-atom RMSD of the respective crystal structures of the ancestral steroid receptors. Beyond static structure prediction, a particular feature of ZAMF is that it generates protein dynamics information. We investigate the differences in conformational dynamics of diverged proteins by obtaining the most collective motion through essential dynamics. Strikingly, our analysis shows that evolutionarily diverged proteins of the same family do not share the same dynamic subspace, while those sharing the same function are simultaneously clustered together and distant from those, that have functionally diverged. Dynamic analysis also enables those mutations that most affect dynamics to be identified. It correctly predicts all mutations (functional and permissive) necessary to evolve new function and ~60% of permissive mutations necessary to recover ancestral function.
Electro-optic modulator optimization for optically based passive millimeter-wave detection

Recent efforts in our group towards the fabrication of sensors capable of detecting passive levels of millimeter-wave radiation have led to the development of an optically-based detector with sub-picowatt noise equivalent powers. This sensor is based on upconverting the received radiation into sidebands on an optical carrier using electro-optic modulation techniques and, subsequently, suppressing the remaining carrier energy. The noise equivalent power of such detectors is critically dependent on the ability of the electro-optic modulator to efficiently convert frequencies up to and exceeding 95 GHz onto the optical carrier while suppressing potential noise sources. In this paper, we discuss the specific device requirements generated by this unique potential application of high-frequency optical modulators. The effects of various modulator properties, such as half-wave voltage, frequency response, and maximum optical power density are discussed in the context of millimeter-wave detection capability. In addition, we present experimental efforts towards fabricating a passive millimeter-wave detector based on this approach, including efforts to develop an optimized optical modulator technology.
Creating coherence out of chaos? Children's narratives of emotionally positive and negative events

The ways in which children narrate about emotionally negative events is intricately linked to the ways in which they create meaning and, ultimately, cope with such experiences. In this study we interviewed 5- to 12-year-old children growing up in violent communities about both emotionally positive and negative experiences. Children were able to report a great deal of information about both types of events, but they reported more objects and people, and used more descriptive detail, when narrating positive experiences. In contrast, children included more information about their thoughts and emotions when narrating negative experiences, and recounted these experiences more coherently. Few differences were found as a function of children's age, time since the events occurred, reported family discussion about the events, level of exposure to community violence or level of child behaviour problems. Implications of these findings for how children strive to create meaning out of the stressful events of their lives are discussed. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Real-time high-ratio image compression using adaptive VLSI neuroprocessors

An adaptive VLSI neuroprocessor based on vector quantization algorithm has been developed for real-time high-ratio image compression applications. This VLSI neural-network-based vector quantization (NNVQ) module combines a fully parallel vector quantizer with a pipelined codebook generator for a broad area of data compression applications. The NNVQ module is capable of producing good-quality reconstructed data at high compression ratios more than 20. The vector quantizer chip has been designed, fabricated, and tested. It contains 64 inner-product neural units and a high-speed extendable winner-take-all block. This mixed-signal chip occupies a compact silicon area of 4.6*6.8 mm/sup 2/ in a 2.0- mu m scalable CMOS technology. The throughput rate of the 2- mu m NNVQ module is 2 million vectors per second and its equivalent computation power is 3.33 billion connections per second. >
New Approach to Recycle Glass Cullet in Asphalt Shingles to Alleviate Thermal Loads and Reduce Heat Island Effects

AbstractAs an approach to mitigate the harmful effects of urban heat islands (UHI), the use of glass cullet in the production of asphalt roof shingles has the potential to be employed as a cool roof strategy. The objective of this study was to test the hypothesis that the use of recycled glass cullet increases the solar reflectance index (SRI) without affecting the performance of asphalt roof shingles. In order to evaluate the feasibility of using recycled glass cullet in this new application, the engineering properties of glass cullet were measured and compared to conventional aggregates used in the production of asphalt roof shingles. Laboratory shingle specimens were then prepared in order to measure solar reflectance properties and strength characteristics of conventional and recycled glass roof shingles. Results show that while the use of recycled glass cullet as a replacement to standard ceramic coated black roofing granules on the top surface of asphalt shingles increased the SRI, the addition of w...
Statistical evaluation of reaction mechanisms in immune hemolysis. II. The kinetics of release of 86rubidium and hemoglobin from erythrocytes damaged by antibody and complement.

Abstract The data on the kinetics of 86 Rb + and hemoglobin release by sheep erythrocytes with varying numbers of lesions caused by antibody and complement, presented in the accompanying report by Hingson et al .[1], have been analysed by means of non-linear least squares regression. The results supports a model which postulates that each lesion contributes equally and independently to the rate of 86 Rb + and hemoglogin release. A rough estimate of the average number of lesions per cell may therefore be obtained from this rate. The results also show that measurements of 86 Rb + release are less precise than spectrophotometric determinations of hemoglobin release. A new treatment of control data for hemolytic experiments, based on the kinetics of lysis of cells not exposed to complement, is proposed.
Variation in cold hardiness of sweet cherry flower buds through different phenological stages

a b s t r a c t Freezes during early spring can damage flower buds of sweet cherry (Prunus avium L.). The reduction in sweet cherry production due to cold injury to floral tissue can be significant and is a common and serious problem for growers and commercial producers in the Pacific Northwest and other regions of the US. The critical temperatures affecting the bud and the associated damage are variable and unknown for most of the new cherry cultivars. The goal of this study was to identify the critical temperatures of cherries buds at different development stages, using differential thermal analysis (DTA) and a traditional cold exposure method for assessing cold damage. Three sweet cherry cultivars including Bing, Chelan and Sweetheart were tested during the late winter to early spring seasons of 2012 and late fall to early spring season of 2013. The DTA showed that the temperature causing freezing injury was related to the initiation of the low temperature exotherms (LTE's), the value of the lethal temperature changes depending on the cultivar and bud development stage. High (HTE) and low temperature (LTE) exotherms were clearly identified for the different cherry cultivars that were evaluated during the early stages of bud development. Cold hardiness increased from late fall through mid-January, followed by deacclimation for the remainder of the winter months. During deacclimation, DTA was not an effective method for detecting LTE in cherry buds. Therefore, a traditional approach that exposes the tissue to different cold regimens was used for the remaining period of bud and flower development. To determine the total number of buds and flowers that were killed due to cold exposure, a simple evaluation using dissections under a stereoscope was conducted. Logistic models were developed for the freeze-survival data for both methods. Differences in hardiness were found for all the cherry cultivars that were evaluated as well as between different sampling dates. The information that was generated in this study will provide a better understanding of cherry cold hardiness and will support growers in decision-making of frost control practices. © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Direct Formation of Propargyltin Compounds via C−H Activation

The mixed reagent SnC(SiMe3)2CH2CH2C(SiMe3)2]/ArI reacts with alkynes to give primary and secondary propargylic C−H activation. Alkynes tested include 1-phenylpropyne, 1-phenylbutyne, 1-trimethylsily1hexyne, and 2-hexyne. Aryl halides tested include iodobenzene and 2,4,6-triisopropyliodobenzene. An X-ray crystal structure is reported for the product of the secondary propargylic activation of 2-hexyne.
Position papers presented at the panel: Which parallel architectures are useful/useless for vision algorithms?

Reflexions sur l'utilisation d'architectures paralleles en vision par ordinateur. Les points de vue de sept chercheurs sont presentes
Buffy coat specimens remain viable as a DNA source for highly multiplexed genome-wide genetic tests after long term storage

Background Blood specimen collection at an early study visit is often included in observational studies or clinical trials for analysis of secondary outcome biomarkers. A common protocol is to store buffy coat specimens for future DNA isolation and these may remain in frozen storage for many years. It is uncertain if the DNA remains suitable for modern genome wide association (GWA) genotyping.
Initial employment experiences of 1997 graduates of radiation oncology training programs

Abstract Purpose: To inform the profession of current trends in the job market, the American College of Radiology (ACR) sought to detail the job-hunting experiences and outcomes of 1997 graduates of radiation oncology training programs. Methods and Materials: In early 1998, questionnaires were mailed to all graduates; 67% responded. Results were compared with similar surveys of 1996 graduates. Results: Similar to past years, immediately after graduation, 13% of residency graduates and 1 of 10 fellowship graduates encountered serious employment difficulties—that is, spent some time working locums, working outside radiation oncology, or unemployed. By 6–12 months after graduation, approximately 2% of all residency graduates were working outside the profession and approximately 3% were not working at all. Eighty-five percent of residency graduates and 7 of 8 fellowship graduates reported that their employment reasonably matched their training and individual goals. On average, graduates’ actual salaries approximately corresponded to expected salaries. Eleven percent of all graduates were in nonownership-track jobs, a significant decline since 1996. For residents and fellows combined, 46% had a job with at least one characteristic some observers associate with a weak job market, but fewer than half of those with one of these characteristics actually disliked it. These percentages are similar to 1996. Women graduates were more likely than men to have spouse-related restrictions on job location but less likely to end up in a self-reportedly undesirable location. Conclusion: Unemployment remained low. Some other indicators of the employment market showed improvement, while others did not.
Heterodimeric GTPase Core of the SRP Targeting Complex

Two structurally homologous guanosine triphosphatase (GTPase) domains interact directly during signal recognition particle (SRP)–mediated cotranslational targeting of proteins to the membrane. The 2.05 angstrom structure of a complex of the NG GTPase domains of Ffh and FtsY reveals a remarkably symmetric heterodimer sequestering a composite active site that contains two bound nucleotides. The structure explains the coordinate activation of the two GTPases. Conformational changes coupled to formation of their extensive interface may function allosterically to signal formation of the targeting complex to the signal-sequence binding site and the translocon. We propose that the complex represents a molecular “latch” and that its disengagement is regulated by completion of assembly of the GTPase active site.
Dynamic Stability of Passive Dynamic Walking on an Irregular Surface

Falls that occur during walking are a significant health problem. One of the greatest impediments to solve this problem is that there is no single obviously "correct" way to quantify walking stability. While many people use variability as a proxy for stability, measures of variability do not quantify how the locomotor system responds to perturbations. The purpose of this study was to determine how changes in walking surface variability affect changes in both locomotor variability and stability. We modified an irreducibly simple model of walking to apply random perturbations that simulated walking over an irregular surface. Because the model's global basin of attraction remained fixed, increasing the amplitude of the applied perturbations directly increased the risk of falling in the model. We generated ten simulations of 300 consecutive strides of walking at each of six perturbation amplitudes ranging from zero (i.e., a smooth continuous surface) up to the maximum level the model could tolerate without falling over. Orbital stability defines how a system responds to small (i.e., "local") perturbations from one cycle to the next and was quantified by calculating the maximum Floquet multipliers for the model. Local stability defines how a system responds to similar perturbations in real time and was quantified by calculating short-term and long-term local exponential rates of divergence for the model. As perturbation amplitudes increased, no changes were seen in orbital stability (r(2)=2.43%; p=0.280) or long-term local instability (r(2)=1.0%; p=0.441). These measures essentially reflected the fact that the model never actually "fell" during any of our simulations. Conversely, the variability of the walker's kinematics increased exponentially (r(2)>or=99.6%; p<0.001) and short-term local instability increased linearly (r(2)=88.1%; p<0.001). These measures thus predicted the increased risk of falling exhibited by the model. For all simulated conditions, the walker remained orbitally stable, while exhibiting substantial local instability. This was because very small initial perturbations diverged away from the limit cycle, while larger initial perturbations converged toward the limit cycle. These results provide insight into how these different proposed measures of walking stability are related to each other and to risk of falling.
Relationship between α-naphthylisothiocyanate-induced liver injury and elevations in hepatic non-protein sulfhydryl content

Acute administration of alpha-naphthylisothiocyanate (ANIT) to rats has been used as a model of intrahepatic cholestasis. The mechanism of toxicity of ANIT is unknown, although recent evidence suggests a causal or permissive role for glutathione (GSH) (Dahm LJ and Roth RA, Biochem Pharmacol 42: 1181-1188, 1991). In these studies, ANIT treatment elevated hepatic non-protein sulfhydryl (NPSH) content, an indicator of GSH content, when liver injury was evident. The purpose of the present study was to characterize the effects of ANIT on hepatic NPSH content and to relate these changes to the development of liver injury. In rats fasted for 24 hr, administration of ANIT (100 mg/kg, per os [p.o.]) did not change hepatic NPSH content, bile flow, or serum measurements of total bilirubin concentration, alanine aminotransferase (ALT) activity, or gamma-glutamyltransferase (GGT) activity by 12 hr post-treatment relative to corn oil vehicle controls. However, by 24 hr after ANIT treatment, rats exhibited cholestasis and elevations in serum markers of liver injury. These markers were associated temporally with an increase in hepatic NPSH content, which consisted entirely of GSH. To determine whether the cholestasis caused by ANIT treatment might have caused the elevation of hepatic NPSH content, an extrahepatic cholestasis in rats was produced by ligation of the common bile duct. Bile duct ligation elevated hepatic NPSH content between 6 and 12 hr after ligation. Administration to rats of a non-hepatotoxic analog of ANIT, beta-naphthylisothiocyanate, also elevated hepatic NPSH content 24 hr after treatment. Taken together, these results indicate that the elevation in hepatic NPSH content after ANIT treatment is associated temporally with the onset of liver injury, but this elevation does not appear to participate causally in the mechanism of injury.
Sentinel lymph node biopsy for melanoma and other melanocytic tumors in adolescents.

Abstract Background/Purpose Melanoma is rare, accounting for only 1% of all pediatric malignancies. The management of pediatric melanoma is controversial but largely parallels that of an adult occurrence. Sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNBX) has become a standard of care for adults with melanoma, but the role of this procedure in the staging of pediatric patients remains to be established. The goal of this study was to determine outcomes and complications of children and adolescent patients undergoing SLNBX at the authors' institution. Methods A retrospective review of patients younger than 21 years (N = 20) undergoing SLNBX for melanoma or other melanocytic skin lesions at the University of Colorado Health Science Center between 1996 and 2003 was conducted. Results Sentinel lymph node biopsy was successful in all 20 patients, and 8 patients (40%) were found to have metastases within the sentinel node. As in adults, the sentinel node status correlates with primary tumor depth. No complications occurred in patients undergoing SLNBX, but 4 clinically significant complications (57%) occurred in the 7 patients undergoing a completion lymph node dissection. At 33 months median follow-up, all patients were disease free. Conclusions Sentinel lymph node biopsy can be successfully and safely performed in pediatric patients for melanoma and atypical nevi. However, the prognostic information and therapeutic implications of SLNBX results for children and adolescents remain unclear. Completion lymph node dissection for microscopic disease is a morbid procedure with uncertain benefit to pediatric or adult patients with a positive SLNBX result. Long-term follow-up data are needed before SLNBX can become a standard of care in pediatric melanoma or as a diagnostic tool to distinguish the atypical Spitz nevus from melanoma.
The extracellular matrix at a glance

![Figure][1] The extracellular matrix (ECM) is the non-cellular component present within all tissues and organs, and provides not only essential physical scaffolding for the cellular constituents but also initiates crucial biochemical and biomechanical cues that are required for tissue
The mechanical properties of oriented discontinuous fiber-reinforced thermoplastics. I. Unidirectional fiber orientation

The mechanical properties of a series of thermoplastics reinforced with unidirectionally oriented short fibers are reported. Both organic and inorganic fiber reinforcements were used in fiber volume fractions of 0.10 to 0.50. A number of these composites were found to have excellent strength and stiffness properties combined with good toughness and low density. The dependence of composite properties on the properties of the constituent materials is discussed. Fiber efficiency factors for strength and modulus are presented and models for predicting composite mechanical behavior are reviewed.
The melting points of ultralong paraffins and their homologues

Because of the recent availability of the melting points of several ultralong normal paraffins, the melting behavior of normal paraffins has been investigated. Taking the melting point of polyethylene to represent the melting point of an ultralong paraffin, a new function has been established to represent the melting points of alkanes from the carbon number 32 onwards. Adopting the same value for the limiting melting point of an ultralong paraffin, equations are derived for the melting points of several homologous series.
Evolution of sex. I. Primitive sex.

Abstract Sex is a process of fusion of separate hereditary determinants. The advantages which could accrue from such fusions are protection against deleterious mutations and the possibility of combining favorable alleles into a single individual. If the fitness of the aggregate resulting from fusion is greater than its parts there will be strong selective pressure to perpetuate the aggregate in all progeny. Continued fusion presents problems though and new environmental conditions may occur which favor segregation. Segregation is also favored because of the existence of favorable recessive mutations. It is argued that the balance between these alternative goals of phenotype stability versus variety achieved an effective compromise with the development of the meiosis-fusion-mitosis cycle.
Histophysiological evidence for the secretion of polypeptides by the pineal gland

Histophysiological examinations of the bovine and monkey pineal gland indicate that this organ may be involved in the secretion of polypeptides. Using various histochemical procedures designed to identify peptide-secreting cells, granules and/or droplets of presumptive secretory product were identified within cellular processes, within the walls of blood vessels and associated with multilayered corpuscles (corpora arenacea). In bovine pineal tissue, the stained material was found most often in what appeared to be pinealocyte processes, as perivascular granules and associated with multilayered corpuscles. In the monkey pineal the stainable material was more distinct; this was probably due to the earlier fixation of the glands after death of the animals. In this species, the presumptive secretory material was found in nerve fibers, occasionally in glial cell and pinealocyte processes and within and around the walls of capillaries. In nerve fibers, the stained material sometimes resembled Herring bodies of the posterior pituitary gland. Similar material appeared to be located in capillary endothelial cells and within multilayered corpuscles. In pineal tissue of both species, calcium was detectable histochemically within multilayered corpuscles. Although tinctorially different, the presumptive neurosecretory material was similar to that found in the posterior pituitary gland. As a working hypothesis, we propose that polypeptides may be released from cells in conjunction with a carrier protein and that the mechanism of secretion of the polypeptide into the vascular system may involve its exchange for calcium. The calcium is then theoretically deposited in the multilayered corpuscles.
Current therapeutics and practical management strategies for pulmonary arterial hypertension.

Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) develops from an abnormal interaction between the endothelium and smooth muscle cells in the pulmonary vasculature and is characterized by a progressive rise in pulmonary vascular resistance resulting from vascular remodeling, vasoconstriction, and cellular proliferation. Currently, 3 classes of drugs are approved for the treatment of PAH based on results from small short-term clinical trials—prostacyclin analogues, endothelin receptor antagonists, and phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitors. The pharmacologic management of PAH is rapidly evolving as newer therapeutic targets that stabilize or reverse pulmonary vascular disease and target right ventricular function are being sought and as clinical practice patterns shift in favor of earlier diagnosis and aggressive treatment. This manuscript will review the practical management aspects of currently approved PAH treatments and briefly discuss combination therapy and novel pharmacologic targets. In addition, the treatment of acute right ventricular failure and evidence (or lack thereof) for therapies in non-PAH pulmonary hypertension, such as pulmonary hypertension from left side of the heart disease, are addressed.
Resonant photoemission study of superconducting Y-Ba-Cu-O.

Ultraviolet photoelectron spectra of a 93-K superconducting compound, ${\mathrm{YBa}}_{2}$${\mathrm{Cu}}_{3}$${\mathrm{O}}_{7}$ have been obtained using photon energies ranging from 60 to 106 eV. Resonant photoemission is used to identify the chemical origin of the features in the valence-band electronic structure.
Clostridium perfringens type C isolates rapidly upregulate their toxin production upon contact with host cells: new insights into virulence?

Since tetanus was first described by Hippocrates, the devastating diseases caused by pathogenic members of the Gram-positive, anaerobic sporeforming genus Clostridium have ranked among the most dre...
Extensions in quasilinearization techniques for optimal control

This paper presents several extensions in quasilinearization techniques for optimal control problems. Techniques are developed that facilitate the application of quasilinearization to control problems where bounds on the controls exist. Toward this end, quadratic convergence for bounded continuous control is shown. A method for extending the region over which the method converges is presented, and the theoretical advantage of the extended method is shown. The work of Long is modified to provide more accurate integration while preserving its usefulness in solving problems where the final time is free. A companion paper presents computational results.
Some philosophical aspects of black holes

In this paper I would like to take a philosophical look at black holes. However, the issues I want to discuss do not concern just black holes themselves. I am not going to be concerned with such questions as whether black holes can or cannot exist, or what the proper way of characterizing them are. These questions, while fascinating, I take to be philosophically unproblematic. Since the pioneering work of Pen rose and Hawking it has been generally agreed that it is an unavoid able consequence of general relativity that black holes exist, and in a few cases there is observational (or astronomical) evidence for the existence of a black hole-the most prominent one being the X-ray source Cygnus X-l in the constellation Cygnus. Rather, I will be concerned with how black holes are connected with, and can shed light on, some familiar philosophical issues. Among these are whether the past and future are finite, the conceivability and possibility of time travel, and the intelligibility of the program of geometrodynamics.
Formulation of the thermodynamic functions for mantle minerals: MgO as an example

The formulas for thermodynamic functions for minerals are presented, couched in terms of the important thermodynamic variable αKT= (ϱP/ϱT)v, where α is the volume thermal expansivity and KT is the isothermal bulk modulus. Presenting the formulas in this way leads to simplification since αKT as a product varies only slightly with volume, and is close to being independent of temperature at high temperature. Using our equations, we present as examples some computed data in the form of graphs on the entropy, internal energy, Helmholtz free energy, and Gibbs free energy in the high temperature regime (up to 2000 K) and for high compression (up to 0.7), for MgO. For entropy, knowledge of the V, T dependence of αKT is sufficient. For enthalpy and internal energy, the equation of state is needed in addition.
Loudness enhancement: monaural, binaural, and dichotic.

It is shown that when one tone burst precedes another by 100 msec variations in the intensity of the first systematically influences the loudness of second. When the first burst is more intense than the second, the second is increased and when the first burst is less intense, the loudness of the second is decreased. This occurs in monaural, binaural and dichotic paradigms of signal presentation. Where both bursts are presented to the same ear there is more enhancement with less intersubject variability than when they are presented to different ears. Monaural enhancements as large as 30 db can readily be demonstrated, but decrements rarely exceed 5 db. Possible physiological mechanisms are discussed for this loudness enhancement, which apparently shares certain characteristics with time-order-error, assimilation, and temporal partial masking experiments.
Some observations about electrolyte permeation mechanism through reverse osmosis and nanofiltration membranes

Abstract In accordance with the solution–diffusion model, electrolyte transport through reverse osmosis (RO) membranes may occur through two distinctly different pathways: (i) ion-pair mechanism and (ii) coupled transport of ions. For the ion-pair mechanism, cations and anions associate to form electrically neutral ion-pairs at high electrolyte concentration near the membrane–water interface due to the concentration polarization effect. Subsequently, ion-pairs get partitioned into relatively non-polar asymmetric layers of the membrane and permeate to the low-pressure side. For the coupled transport mechanism, the membrane phase can be considered to be adequately solvated due to the transmembrane transport of polar water molecules. Thus, individual ions (not ion-pairs) get partitioned into the solvent-permeated membrane and migrate to the permeate side in a manner that the negative charge of an ion is balanced by the equivalent positive charge of an accompanying cation. The interdiffusion coefficient of the electrolyte governs the permeation rate according to the coupled-transport mechanism. Using experimental data from five independent sources in the open literature, this study shows that the coupled transport of ions is the predominant electrolyte permeation mechanism for commercial RO and NF membranes. Several ramifications of the validated mechanism are also presented.
Psychometric correlates of the visual evoked potential

Abstract The cortical evoked response was analyzed with a dual-channel on-line active band-pass filter system which separated the raw VER into the three common EEG bands, 3 to 7 cps, 8 to 13 cps and 14 to 30 cps. The analyzed signals were fed to the four input channels of the CAT which was set for one millisecond per address analysis and triggered by the photic stimulator after the 64th address. Subjects were sixty volunteers ranging in age from 16 to 24. For each subject four X-Y plots were obtained: one for the raw VER and one for each of the alpha, beta and theta components of the raw signal. Periods for the analyzed portion of the VER were calculated from the X-Y plots. Preliminary results suggest that the periods of the components of the VER are related to factors of mental test performance. The relationship may be harmonic or logarithmic rather than linear.
Representations of Fourier coefficients in Tauberian L1-convergence classes

Abstract It is shown that the Fourier coefficients satisfying Stanojevic's Tauberian condition can be represented in terms of O-regularly varying sequences.
Mothers and others in Edna O'Brien's The Country Girls

This essay responds to critical assertions that the absence of functional maternity in Edna O'Brien's famous 1960 novel The Country Girls reflects O'Brien's frustration with the cloying myth of ‘Ireland-as-motherland’. While I agree that O'Brien centrally considers the imbrication of femininity with nationality in a culturally conservative post-independence Ireland and enumerates the devastating lived effects of this discourse on Irish women, I argue that The Country Girls offers a potentially productive step beyond lamentation or complaint: namely, a nascent transnational poetics. I contend that the novel hinges on a character heretofore neglected by the criticism – Caithleen Brady's Austrian landlady, Joanna – and suggest that O'Brien slyly positions Joanna as Caithleen's potential surrogate mother, framing a ‘foreigner’ as a source of subversive family ties. Joanna's presence, I believe, indicates an effort on O'Brien's part to negotiate a political response to both gendered oppression and literary par...
Exact diagonalization of quantum-spin models

We have developed a technique to replace hashing in implementing the Lancz\"os method for exact diagonalization of quantum-spin models that enables us to carry out numerical studies on substantially larger lattices than previously studied. We describe the algorithm in detail and present results for the ground-state energy, the first-excited-state energy, and the spin-spin correlations on various finite lattices for spins S=1/2, 1, 3/2, and 2. Results for an infinite system are obtained by extrapolation. We also discuss the generalization of our method to other models.
"Brick & Mortar" Education and "Real World" Experience: Assessing HRM Alumni Perceptions of their Early Professional Development

In this research we examined the extent to which three distinct human resource management (HRM) undergraduate programs provide coverage of the 13 core content areas specified by the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) and explored the usefulness of various ways of learning including their undergraduate coursework, an internship, and previous work experience as related to early professional development. Based on perceptions of HRM alumni, the findings reveal that the three curricula provided significant differences in levels of proficiency in seven of the core areas and in perceived usefulness of the learning methods. Implications for HRM curriculum development and students’ professional development are discussed.
Predicting group membership of ninth grade female athletes in selected sports

-To determine whether ninth grade school girls participating in interscholastic basketball or gymnastics are similar or dissimilar in seven selected motor characteristics, a linear discriminant function was used to predict sports membership. 84 ninth grade girls from 5 different public schools in the central-coast section of California were the subjects. 28 girls in each of three groups, interscholastic basketball players, interscholastic gymnasts, and non-athletes, were tested on seven objectively scored physical tests: arm circling, balance test, basketball wall pass, dash, leg raise, stand and bob, and the standing long jump. A multivariate analysis of variance indicated that there was no common mean vector for the seven variables in rhe three groups. The srepwise discriminant analysis showed that only three of the seven variables (dash, stand and bob, balance test) significantly contributed to the discrimination among the means.
Mean-Adjusted Pattern-Dependent Noise Prediction for Perpendicular Recording Channels With Nonlinear Transition Shift

In high-density perpendicular magnetic recording channels, nonlinear transition shift (NLTS) is one of the distortions that can degrade the system performance. Write precompensation is a standard method used to combat the negative effect of NLTS. In this paper, we propose a modified pattern-dependent noise predictive (PDNP) detection algorithm for use on channels with electronics noise, transition jitter noise, and NLTS. We show that this detector can offer significant improvement in bit-error-rate (BER) compared to conventional Viterbi and PDNP detectors. Moreover, the system performance can be further improved by combining the new detector with a simple write precompensation scheme.
Prevalence of Human Metapneumovirus in Central Illinois in Patients Thought To Have Respiratory Viral Infection

Studies suggest that by age 5 years nearly all people have been exposed to metapneumovirus. To determine its prevalence in central Illinois, we tested respiratory secretions by direct immunofluorescence staining from December to March. Metapneumovirus was detected in 11/391 specimens. The distribution of metapneumovirus was bimodal, with the split being between children aged ≤4 years and adults.
Co-localization and polarized distribution of Na,K-ATPase alpha 3 and beta 2 subunits in photoreceptor cells.

Na,K-ATPase plays a central role in the visual sensitivity of photoreceptors by driving the dark current of vision. The alpha 3 and beta 2 isoforms of Na,K-ATPase were previously shown to be the major alpha and beta subunit mRNAs expressed in photoreceptors. Here we compared the distribution of beta-subunits of the enzyme in the retina and kidney, using electron microscopic immunocytochemistry with specific antibodies against alpha 3, beta 1, and beta 2 isoforms as well as with an antibody (Ax2) that binds to alpha 2 and/or alpha 3 isoforms. Both the alpha 3 and beta 2 isoforms were localized to photoreceptor inner segments at highest labeling density between the base of the connecting cilium and the outer limiting membrane (OLM). Quantitative analysis of Ax2 antibody binding to alpha 3 revealed a significant decrease in labeling density below the OLM and above the base of the connecting cilium. Although the beta 2-subunit has been reported to have adhesive functions in glial cells in cerebellum, we detec...
Suboptimal compliance with surgical safety checklists in Colorado: A prospective observational study reveals differences between surgical specialties.

Surgical safety checklists (SSCs) are designed to improve team communication and consistency in care, ultimately avoiding complications. In Colorado, hospitals reported that use of SSCs was standard practice, but a statewide survey indicated that SSC use was inconsistent. The purpose of this project was to directly observe the compliance with the SSC in Colorado hospitals, through direct observation of the perioperative checklist process. Ten hospitals participated in a quality improvement initiative. Trained team members recorded compliance with each of the components of the SSC. Data analysis was performed using a chi-squared test or ANOVA, depending on the number of categorical variables, with p < 0.05 determining statistical significance. Ten hospitals representing statewide diversity submitted 854 observations (median 98, range 24–106). 83% of cases were elective, 13% urgent, and 4% emergent/trauma. There was significant variation across hospitals in: team introductions, cessation of activity, affirming correct procedure, assessing hypothermia risk, need for beta blocker, or VTE prophylaxis. Uniformly poor compliance was observed with respect to assessment of case duration, blood loss, anesthesiologists’ concerns, or display of essential imaging. Only 71% of observers reported active participation by physicians; 9% reported that “the majority did not pay attention” and 4% reported that the team was “just going through the motions”. There were significant differences among surgical specialty groups in the majority of the elements. SSCs have been implemented by the vast majority of hospitals in our state; however, compliance with SSC completion in the operating room has wide variation and is generally suboptimal. Although this study was not designed to correlate SSC compliance with outcomes, there are concerns about the risk of a sentinel event or unanticipated complication resulting from poor preparation.