cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Corpus linguistics: Statistical measures of lexical associations

The simplest way to identify collocate pairs is by their relative frequency – that is, by how commonly one pair, such as “large number,” occurs relative to another pair, such as “large man.” Such frequency information can give a sense of the most common collocational associations. However, frequency information alone may present a biased measure of the strength of associations between words. More common words are more likely to occur in a collocate pair simply by chance. Therefore, an alternative way to judge the strength of associations between words is to use measures that account for the likelihood of words occurring together by chance – i.e., statistical measures. Statistical measures can be used to analyze both the associations between collocate pairs and the differences between the collocations of particular words. Below we briefly review a common statistical test for each of these purposes. We explain the principles behind the tests, but for details about the statistical formulas, you should consult the articles listed under “Further reading.” Mutual information score The mutual information score or mutual information index gives a measure of the strength of association between two words. It focuses on the likelihood of two words appearing together within a particular span of words (the span is specified for the analysis, e.g., adjacent words, a window of three words, etc.).
Attenuation of Midinfrared Free Electron Laser Energy with Eyewear

Purpose: To determine the attenuation of free electron laser (FEL) energy at several wavelengths through microscope objective and eyeglass lenses. Materials and Methods: The FEL at wavelengths of 2.3 um, 2.5 um, 3.0 um, 3.5 um, 4.0 um, 4.5 um, 5.0 um, 6.45 um, 7.0 um, 7.5 um, and 8.0 um was telescoped using a 500 mm nominal focal length lens and a 200 mm focal length lens. The beam had a final spot of about 3 mm and was passed through a 3 mm aperture and onto the 8 mm active area of a J9LP Molectron detector. The eyeglass sample was placed 3 cm in front of the detector. Energy readings were averaged over multiple pulses. Results: Attenuation varied greatly with wavelength and sample from a low attenuation of 0.46 dB, 90% transmission, for short wavelengths through common glass to greater than 60 dB attenuation (transmission at the detector noise level) for IR safe glass by Aura, Inc. Conclusion: Only the designated laser safety goggles effectively attenuate free electron laser energy at 2.3 um and 2.5 um. A microscope objective lens, polycarbonate, and silica glass eyewear is capable of effectively attenuating FEL energy at wavelengths greater than 4.5 um, but the polycarbonate lenses demonstrated material damage.
Critical point shifts in films

Critical behavior in thin films is discussed with attention to the example of phase separation in binary fluid mixtures between parallel plates. The analyses focus on the dependence of the shift in critical temperature ΔTc, critical field, etc., on the film thickness D, and on the nature of the walls as modeled by a surface field or chemical potential h1 which acts near the walls and leads to preferential adsorption of one of the bulk phases. Mean field theory for an Ising/lattice‐gas model is utilized and the resulting asymptotic scaling functions for the shifts ΔTc etc. are computed within Landau theory by analytic and numerical methods. Series analyses for simple cubic lattice Ising model films with h1=0 are used to estimate universal features of three‐dimensional systems: specifically, if ξ(ΔT) is the bulk correlation length, determined, say, via scattering experiments, at ΔT=T−T∞c≳0 then the shift ratio D/ξ(‖ΔTc‖) is about 2.89 for h1=0 but 4.61 for h1→∞, compared with mean field values π and 5.0699....
Measurement of photochemical degradation in certain plastics by color reactions with phenylenediamines

Samples of polyester plastics, upon exposure to solar or carbon-arc radiant energy, were found to form oxidation products which, when reacted with N,N-dimethyl-p-phenylenediamine (DMPDA), produced yellow to brown reaction products. The extent of the reaction was determined directly by the amount of diamine reacted or indirectly by differential colorimetry. Research with this color reaction was extended into the development of tests for measuring the photooxidative degradation of polyesters, rigid poly(vinyl chloride), acrylics, and cellulose acetate–butyrate plastics. The basic colorimetric method was modified as needed for each of these plastics types, by directly measuring the absorbance of the DMPDA solution instead of measuring the amount of DMPDA reacted, by the use of o-, m-, and p-phenylenediamines as replacements for DMPDA in the color reaction, or by a change in the solvent. The reliability of “yellowness” as an indicator of the photochemical stability of plastics was examined.
Planing avoidance control for supercavitating vehicles

Underwater vehicles traveling inside a bubble or supercavity enable the reduction of drag and increase of speed; however, planing forces generated when the vehicle aft end pierces the bubble can lead to oscillatory motion and instability. In this paper, a framework for the synthesis of planing avoidance controllers is presented and the trade-off between tracking performance and planing avoidance is investigated. We propose mathematical models of the supercavity and planing forces, based on experimental data, that are used to construct a nonlinear model of the vehicle dynamics and a simplified version suitable for analysis and controller synthesis. A planing metric, based on the simplified vehicle dynamics, is used within the controller synthesis to avoid planing. Simulations of vehicle maneuvers demonstrate that including planing avoidance as a control objective, reduces planing and increases the bounds of tracking commands for which the vehicle remains stable.
Non-uniform program analysis & repeatable execution constraints: exploiting out-of-order processors in real-time systems

The objective of this paper is to enable easy, tight, and safe timing analysis of contemporary complex processors. We exploit the fact that out-of-order processors can be analyzed via simulation in the absence of variable control-flow. In our first technique, Non-Uniform Program Analysis (NUPA), program segments with a single flow of control are analyzed on a complex pipeline via simulation and segments with multiple flows of control are analyzed on a simple pipeline via conventional static analysis. A reconfigurable pipeline with dual complex/simple modes mirrors the hybrid analysis. Our second technique, Repeatable Execution Constraints for out-of-ORDER (RECORDER), defines constraints that guarantee a single input-independent execution time on an out-of-order pipeline for program segments with multiple flows of control. Thus, execution time can be derived via simulation with arbitrary inputs.
Teenage parents and their offspring

Teenage parents are cast into adult roles before the role experimentation and identity development tasks of middle adolescence can be completed. Understanding the etiology of this social problem requires an ecological perspective encompassing individual characteristics, person-context variables, and societal factors such as race and social class. Risk factors identified in the literature on adolescent pregnancy in the US include: absence of a future orientation or aspirations, lack of assertiveness and interpersonal skills to control physical intimacy, low socioeconomic status and minority group membership, growing up in a single-parent family, a history of sexual abuse, five or more siblings, a sister or friend who became a teenage mother, lax parental supervision of dating and free time, low self-esteem, and dropping out or failing in school. The limited data on adolescent fathers suggest they have histories of substance use, delinquency, failure to graduate from high school, financial difficulty, and exposure to family violence. The offspring of adolescent parents show a higher incidence of developmental delays and mild mental retardation than children of adults and are at increased risk of child abuse and neglect. Teen parents raised in dysfunctional families tend to perpetuate destructive methods of child rearing and have unrealistic, age-inappropriate expectations for infants and toddlers. Teenage parents' lack of competence can be mitigated, however, by positive living arrangements, a supportive family of origin, peer support groups, quality child care, school-based services, and accurate information about parenting and child development. Language: en
Impact of Age on Quality-of-life Outcomes After Treatment for Localized Prostate Cancer

Background: Men aged >65 yr are less likely to receive local therapy for prostate cancer (PCa), perhaps because of concerns about quality-of-life (QOL) outcomes. Objective: To describe QOL before and after PCa treatment in men of varying ages. Design, setting, and participants: Participants enrolled in CaPSURE who underwent radical prostatectomy, brachytherapy, external beam radiation, androgen deprivation therapy, or active surveillance for localized PCa. Outcome measurements and statistical analysis: QOL changes over time were assessed among age groups using repeated-measures mixed models adjusted for race, year, clinical risk, treatment, comorbidities, and an age-time interaction term. Differences are reported as adjusted least-square means and percentage decline. Secondary analyses evaluated age and QOL for local (prostatectomy, radiation) compared to nonlocal treatment (hormonal, surveillance). Results and limitations: Older men had lower mean unadjusted pre- and post-treatment QOL scores for nearly all domains. Of the domains evaluated, adjusted mean sexual function, sexual bother, and urinary function showed greater declines from baseline to 2 yr. At 2 yr, more men 70 yr experienced declines in urinary function (14% vs 9%) and sexual bother (39% vs 17%). Declines in these domains were also greater for local than for nonlocal treatment. Conclusions: Definitive treatment for localized disease should not be deferred for older men because of fears regarding QOL declines. Younger men should be counseled about potential post-treatment declines in QOL despite higher absolute QOL scores. Communicating these differences to patients will facilitate more appropriate treatment decision-making in men of all ages. Patient summary: In this study we evaluated quality of life before and after treatment for localized prostate cancer in a diverse patient population. Declines in quality of life after treatment varied according to age and treatment. We conclude that counseling about quality of life will help patients of all ages to make more appropriate treatment decisions. # 2015 European Association of Urology. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Proximal pulmonary artery blood flow characteristics in healthy subjects measured in an upright posture using MRI: the effects of exercise and age.

Purpose To use MRI to quantify blood flow conditions in the proximal pulmonary arteries of healthy children and adults at rest and during exercise in an upright posture. Materials and Methods Cine phase-contrast MRI was used to calculate mean flow and reverse flow index (RFI) in the main (MPA), right (RPA), and left (LPA) pulmonary arteries in healthy children and adults in an open-MRI magnet equipped with an upright MRI-compatible ergometer. Results From rest to exercise (150% resting heart rate), blood flow (liters/minute/m2) increased in the RPA (1.4 ± 0.3 vs. 2.5 ± 0.4; P < 0.001), LPA (1.1 ± 0.3 vs. 2.2 ± 0.6; P < 0.001), and MPA (2.7 ± 0.5 vs. 4.9 ± 0.5; P < 0.001). RFI decreased in the LPA (0.040 ± 0.030 vs. 0.017 ± 0.018; P < 0.02) and MPA (0.025 ± 0.024 vs. 0.008 ± 0.007; P < 0.03). Adults experienced greater retrograde flow in the MPA than the children (0.042 ± 0.029 vs. 0.014 ± 0.012; P < 0.02). Conclusion It appears that at both rest and during exercise, in children and adults alike, RPA/LPA mean blood flow distribution is predominantly determined by distal vascular resistance, while retrograde flow is affected by proximal pulmonary bifurcation geometry. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2005;21:752–758. © 2005 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
On the development of CdS properties upon processing CdTe devices

CdS plays an important role in CdTe devices through both the thickness impact on Jsc and the less well understood effect on FF and Voc by impacting the minority carrier lifetime in the CdTe near the interface. In this study, two techniques are explored, chemical bath deposition and radio frequency sputtering, effectively exploring the role of film density. A multitude of characterization techniques have been exploited on CdS films after various stages in the process of device fabrication as the CdS properties change significantly upon processing of the films. For this purpose we compared the properties for as-deposited films, films that are exposed to a CdTe deposition heating profile without the actual CdTe deposition, as well as CdS films as they appear within completed devices. Especially the CdCl 2 process turned out to result in huge changes within the CdS film. From this study it is concluded that significant changes occur to the CdS film depending on its starting density. Change in electrical properties and intermixing occur during the CdTe deposition and are thus temperature related, while a change in optical properties and carrier lifetime near the interface is established after CdCl 2 .
Nano-scale intrinsic inhomogeneity in the cuprates

The possibility that nano-scale electronic inhomogeneity is intrinsic in the high-temperature superconducting cuprates has been suspected from many experiments, and recent STM observations enhanced this view. However, the subject is still highly controversial, particularly with respect to its relevance to the mechanism of superconductivity. We present recent results of inelastic neutron scattering measurement that support the intrinsic nature of inhomogeneity and discuss its implications.
Restraint to the left ventricle alone is superior to standard restraint.

Objective In standard ventricular restraint therapy, a single level of restraint is applied to the entire ventricular surface. We showed previously that at high restraint levels, cardiac tamponade develops because of the thin-walled right ventricle, even while the left ventricle remains unaffected. We now hypothesize that applying restraint exclusively to the left ventricle permits higher levels of restraint, resulting in increased benefit to the left ventricle. Methods The acute effect of restraint applied to the left ventricle alone was analyzed in healthy and cardiomyopathic sheep hearts. Restraint therapy was applied by fluid-filled epicardial balloons placed solely around the left ventricle. Restraint level was defined by the measured balloon luminal pressure at end diastole. At incrementally higher restraint levels (0, 3, 5, 8, 10, 12, and 14 mm Hg), transmural myocardial left ventricular pressure (P tm = Left ventricle pressure − Balloon pressure) and indices of myocardial oxygen consumption were measured in healthy sheep (n = 5) and in sheep with heart failure (n = 6). Results Increasing restraint from 0 to 14 mm Hg decreased transmural myocardial pressure by 48.8% ( P ≤ .02) and the left ventricle tension-time index by 39.1% ( P ≤ .01), and the pressure–volume area decreased by 58.4% ( P ≤ .01). Similarly, stroke work decreased by 57.9% ( P ≤ .03). Systemic hemodynamics were unchanged. There was no difference in the trend for all indices between animals that were healthy and those with heart failure. Conclusions We showed previously that, with standard restraint, right ventricle tamponade develops at high restraint levels, limiting restraint therapy. We now show that restraint applied to the left ventricle alone permits increased restraint levels, without causing right ventricle or left ventricle tamponade, for greater therapeutic benefit. We conclude that partial left ventricle restraint may be more effective than standard restraint.
Effect of aflatoxin on complement activity in guinea pigs.

SummaryGuinea pigs were dosed once daily with partially purifed aflatoxin in measured amounts per os for 20 days. A significant average depression of complement titers occurred in guinea pigs given a daily dose of aflatoxin equivalent to 0.03 mg or greater of fraction B1. Guinea pigs given a daily dose of aflatoxin equivalent to 0.01 5 mg or greater of fraction B1 had average weight significantly below that of control guinea pigs. Microscopic changes in the liver were detected mostly in guinea pigs given 0.03 mg or more of B1 equivalents. Considerable individual variation in complement titers, weights, and liver changes were noted among the guinea pigs.
WOOD THRUSH (HYLOCICHLA MUSTELINA) NESTING ECOLOGY IN RELATION TO PRESCRIBED BURNING OF MIXED-OAK FOREST IN OHIO

Abstract Prescribed burning is increasingly being used to restore and maintain oak-dominated (Quercus spp.) forests in the eastern United States. We assessed effects of prescribed burning on the nesting ecology of the Wood Thrush (Hylocichla mustelina). Recent declines in Wood Thrush populations have prompted concern about their conservation status. Low-intensity surface fires in mixed-oak forests resulted in reductions in midstory vegetation, a documented habitat requirement for Wood Thrushes, but local population levels of Wood Thrushes did not differ between burned and unburned areas. Wood Thrushes inhabiting recently burned areas selected nest sites where leaf litter cover, fern cover, densities of shrubs and saplings, and moisture levels were higher and where fire intensity was lower in comparison to random sites. Wood Thrushes also placed their nests higher off the ground, and in taller and larger-diameter trees and shrubs, in burned than in unburned areas. Reproductive success did not differ betwee...
The influence of gonadectomy on sexual characters in the Japanese quail

Sinistral ovariectomy in the Japanese quail resulted in some hypertrophy of the rudimentary right gonad in about 80% of the cases. The hypertrophied right gonads were composed of cords of epithelial origin, fat laden cells and a connective tissue stroma containing masses of lymphocytes. Neither cortical tissue nor germ cells were found in any of the gonads. In some cases regeneration of a testis-like tissue was seen on the site of removed left ovary. This, however, did not alter the effects of ovariectomy on rudimentary right gonad, accessory sex organs, plumage or sexual behavior. Neither Wolffian nor Mullerian ducts exhibited hormonal stimulation in poulards showing hypertrophy of right gonad with exception of the latter in two poulards. Early orchiectomy inhibited growth and differentiation of the cloacal gland. This organ revealed no noticeable stimulation in poulards showing hypertrophied right gonads. Castration produced no significant changes in plumage of males. Similarly, sinistral ovariectomy did not effect the first juvenile, but the second juvenile, adult winter and summar plumages changed to the male type. However, the plumage of some of these poulards began to revert to the female character as early as 10 to 12 weeks following ovariectomy. The behavior of capons and poulards revealed no conspicuous difference and neither showed any masculine behavior. The average weight of adult females was 20 to 30 gm above that of adult males whereas that of capons was above normal males and that of poulards below normal females. The average weight of capons was somewhat above that of poulards.
Neural correlates of suspiciousness and interactions with anxiety during emotional and neutral word processing

Suspiciousness is usually classified as a symptom of psychosis, but it also occurs in depression and anxiety disorders. Though how suspiciousness overlaps with depression is not obvious, suspiciousness does seem to overlap with anxious apprehension and anxious arousal (e.g., verbal iterative processes and vigilance about environmental threat). However, suspiciousness also has unique characteristics (e.g., concern about harm from others and vigilance about social threat). Given that both anxiety and suspiciousness have been associated with abnormalities in emotion processing, it is unclear whether it is the unique characteristics of suspiciousness or the overlap with anxiety that drive abnormalities in emotion processing. Event-related brain potentials were obtained during an emotion-word Stroop task. Results indicated that suspiciousness interacts with anxious apprehension to modulate initial stimulus perception processes. Suspiciousness is associated with attention to all stimuli regardless of emotion content. In contrast, anxious arousal is associated with a later response to emotion stimuli only. These results suggest that suspiciousness and anxious apprehension share overlapping processes, but suspiciousness alone is associated with a hyperactive early vigilance response. Depression did not interact with suspiciousness to predict response to emotion stimuli. These findings suggest that it may be informative to assess suspiciousness in conjunction with anxiety in order to better understand how these symptoms interact and contribute to dysfunctional emotion processing.
The Role of Schools in Reducing the Variance of Cognitive Skills

AbstractRecent studies have concluded that schools have little impact on pupil achievement. By focusing on changes in the distribution of cognitive skills over time, measured by achievement test scores, this study concludes that schools do make a significant contribution to achievement through reduction of the variance in the distribution of cognitive skills over time. Significant reductions in the variances of comparable test score distributions over time are found. While there is a positive relationship between a father's education and his child's achievement, there is no relationship between father's education and the rate at which a child learns.
Self-efficacy as a predictor of commitment to the teaching profession: A meta-analysis

Abstract This meta-analysis examined research on the effects of preservice and inservice teachers' self-efficacy beliefs on commitment to the teaching profession. Unlike previous studies on self-efficacy and commitment, this review systematically examines the effects found within the literature and highlights important theoretical and methodological issues. A total of 33 qualified studies were included in the final analysis, including 16,122 preservice and inservice teachers. Findings suggest that preservice and inservice teachers' self-efficacy beliefs influence their commitment to the teaching profession (ES = +0.32). However, these effects vary based upon the conceptual accuracy of the self-efficacy measure and the origin of data. Conceptually accurate self-efficacy measures resulted in significantly higher effect sizes. Additionally, the specificity of questionnaire items and conceptual accuracy of the self-efficacy measure positively predicted the relationships between self-efficacy beliefs and commitment to teaching. Implications for the measurement of self-efficacy and interpretation of preservice and inservice teacher self-efficacy beliefs are presented.
11.7 Tesla magnetic resonance microimaging of laryngeal tissue architecture

Objectives/Hypothesis: High-resolution imaging of vocal folds that distinguishes vocal fold (VF) layered microstructure and VF implants would provide a key experimental tool for translational research investigating biomaterial-based interventions to treat vocal fold scar. To establish proof of concept, we studied whether 11.7 Tesla (T) magnetic resonance (MR) microimaging provides the needed resolution to resolve vocal fold tissue architecture. Study Design: We performed ex vivo MR microimaging of fixed ferret and canine larynges to determine whether changes in the layered architecture can be detected in the presence of scar and subsequent to biomaterial injections into the vocal folds. Serial section histological analyses were done to corroborate MR microimaging findings. Methods: Multiple axial and transverse/coronal 300-μm slices were obtained using an 11.7 T MR spectrometer/500 MHz for proton with gradient-recalled echo and rapid acquisition with relaxation enhancement imaging sequences. Results: High-resolution (39 μm/pixel) MR microimages distinguished VF epithelium, lamina propria, muscle, and cartilage in ferret and canine larynges. In ferret scarred VFs (n = 25), collagen-rich dense scar tissue was distinguishable from contralateral nonscarred VFs and from normal ferret VFs (n = 25), as confirmed on histology. MR microimaging accurately detected injected autologous fat, hyaluronic acid-based and polyethylene glycol (PEG)-based implants injected into both ferret and canine VFs. Importantly, MRI accurately showed resorption of PEG implants in ferrets and canines, as confirmed on histology. Additionally, ex vivo MR spectroscopy distinguished fat from PEG-based implants. Conclusions: Ex vivo 11.7 T MR microimaging provided high-resolution images of ferret and canine laryngeal tissue microstructure, although the superficial lamina propria could not be distinguished. Histology confirmed MR microimaging findings, indicating utility of MR microimaging of modeled scar, implant residence time, and tissue responses, thus providing integrative insight relevant to translational research. Laryngoscope, 2009
Orthodontists' and surgeons' opinions on the role of third molars as a cause of dental crowding.

Introduction: Despite a substantial body of literature refuting an association between third molar eruption and crowding of the anterior dentition, the issue continues to be controversial. Methods: A survey was developed to evaluate and compare the current opinions of orthodontists (n = 393) and oral and maxillofacial surgeons (n = 458) regarding the link between third molars and the development of anterior crowding. Results: A smaller percentage of orthodontists than surgeons believed that maxillary ( P P P P P P Conclusions: Significant disagreement exists among practitioners, including both orthodontists and oral and maxillofacial surgeons, regarding the fundamental issues underlying the role of third molars in dental crowding.
The emerging role of oestrogen-related receptor γ as a regulator of energy metabolism

Coordinating energy supply with use is critical for survival and is tightly regulated. There is growing evidence that the oestrogen-related receptors (ERRs), a family of orphan nuclear receptors, play key roles in this regulation, ERRγ being the most recently discovered member of this family. Hepatic expression and activity of ERRγ is induced by fasting and repressed in response to feeding. Work reported by Kim and colleagues (DOI: 10.1007/s00125-014-3366-x) dissects the mechanism for the latter observation. Taken together with prior studies by this group and others, there is emerging evidence that this protein helps coordinate metabolism and may be a potential therapeutic target.
Traditional and non-traditional uses of anesthetic drugs—an update

Many new or modified injectable anesthetic techniques are available for use in horses. This increased availability allows the clinician to select the technique most appropriate for the patient and clinical circumstance. The use of sedative and anesthetic drugs in managing a variety of anesthesia-related and unrelated aspects of patient care is also increasing. As we begin to use these techniques in the clinical management of our patients, it is important to remember that, while there are more options, no single anesthetic agent or combination of agents is devoid of undesirable effects. Knowledge of the pertinent advantages and disadvantages of the drugs when used individually and in combination and appropriate patient monitoring are essential to ensure a positive outcome.
Direct detection of adenosine in undiluted serum using a luminescent aptamer sensor attached to a terbium complex.

Aptamers, single-stranded nucleic acids that can selectively bind to various target molecules, have been widely used for constructing biosensors. A major challenge in this field, however, is direct sensing of analytes in complex biological media such as undiluted serum. While progress has been made in developing an inhomogeneous assay by using a preseparation step to wash away the interferences within serum, a facile strategy for direct detection of targets in homogeneous unprocessed serum is highly desired. We herein report a turn-on luminescent aptamer biosensor for the direct detection of adenosine in undiluted and unprocessed serum, by taking advantage of a terbium chelate complex with long luminescence lifetime to achieve time-resolved detection. The sensor exhibits a detection limit of 60 μM adenosine while marinating excellent selectivity that is comparable to those in buffer. The approach demonstrated here can be applied for direct detection and quantification of a broad range of analytes in biolo...
Cardioplegia and ischemia in the canine heart evaluated by 31P magnetic resonance spectroscopy.

Abstract Background . Warm continuous blood cardioplegia provides excellent protection, but must be interrupted by ischemic intervals to aid visualization. We hypothesized that (1) as ischemia is prolonged, the reduced metabolic rate offered by cooling gives the advantage to hypothermic cardioplegia; and (2) prior cardioplegia mitigates the deleterious effects of normothermic ischemia. Methods . Isolated cross-perfused canine hearts underwent cardioplegic arrest followed by 45 minutes of global ischemia at 10°C or 37°C, or 45 minutes of normothermic ischemia without prior cardioplegia. Left ventricular function was measured at baseline and during 2 hours of recovery. Metabolism was continuously evaluated by phosphorus-31 magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Results . Adenosine triphosphate was 71% ± 4%, 71% ± 7%, and 38% ± 5% of baseline at 30 minutes, and 71% ± 4%, 48% ± 5%, and 39% ± 6% at 42 minutes of ischemia in the cold ischemia, warm ischemia, and normothermic ischemia without prior cardioplegia groups, respectively. Left ventricular systolic function, left ventricular relaxation, and high-energy phosphate levels recovered fully after cold cardioplegia and ischemia. Prior cardioplegia delayed the decline in intracellular pH during normothermic ischemia initially by 9 minutes, and better preserved left ventricular relaxation during recovery, but did not ameliorate the severe postischemic impairment of left ventricular systolic function, marked adenosine triphosphate depletion, and creatine phosphate increase. Left ventricular distensibility decreased in all groups. Conclusions . When cardioplegia is followed by prolonged ischemia, better protection is provided by hypothermia than by normothermia. Prior cardioplegia confers little advantage on recovery after prolonged normothermic ischemia but delays initial ischemic metabolic deterioration, which would contribute to the safety of brief interruptions of warm cardioplegia.
Prospects for using high power x-rays as a volumetric heat source

Third-generation, high-intensity, x-ray synchrotron radiation sources are capable of producing high heat-flux x-ray beams. In many applications finding ways to handle these powers is viewed as a burden. However, there are some technological applications where the deep penetration length of the x-rays may find beneficial uses as a volumetric heat source. In this paper the authors discuss the prospects for using high power x-rays for volumetric heating and report some recent experimental results. The particular applications they focus on are welding and surface heat treatment. The radiation source is an undulator at the Advanced Photon Source (APS). Results of preliminary tests on aluminum, aluminum metal matrix composites, and steel will be presented.
Relationship between base excision repair capacity and DNA alkylating agent sensitivity in mouse monocytes.

Base excision repair (BER) capacity and the level of DNA polymerase β (β-pol) are higher in mouse monocyte cell extracts when cells are treated with oxidative stress-inducing agents. Consistent with this, such treated cells are more resistant to the cytotoxic effects of methyl methanesulfonate (MMS), which produces DNA damage considered to be repaired by the BER pathway. In contrast to the up-regulation of BER in oxidatively stressed cells, cells treated with the cytokine interferon-γ (IFN-γ) are down-regulated in both BER capacity of the cell extract and level of β-pol. We find that cells treated with IFN-γ are more sensitive to MMS than untreated cells. These results demonstrate concordance between β-pol level, BER capacity and cellular sensitivity to a DNA methylation-inducing agent. The results suggest that BER is a significant defense mechanism in mouse monocytes against the cytotoxic effects of methylated DNA.
Changes in pulmonary arterial pressure in term-infants with hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy.

Background: Hypoxic–ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) is an important complication that results from birth asphyxia or some other adverse conditions and has a high risk of neonatal morbidity and mortality. It is unclear, however, whether the elevated pulmonary arterial pressure (PAP) can aggravate the condition and prognosis of HIE. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the relationship between the changes of PAP and HIE in term infants after birth asphyxia. Methods: The left/right ventricle pre-ejection phase (LPEP/RPEP), left/right ventricle ejection time (LVET/RVET) and the ratios of LPEP/LVET and RPET/RVET were evaluated in 40 term infants with HIE and 40 healthy controls on days 1, 3, 7, and 12–14 after birth using echocardiogram. PAP such as pulmonary arterial diastolic pressure (PADP, mmHg), pulmonary arterial resistance (PAR, mmHg), and pulmonary arterial resistance/systemic resistance ratio (PAR/RS) was calculated using these indexes. Patient mortality was also evaluated. Results: PADP, PAR, and PAR/RS were significantly higher in HIE patients than in healthy controls during the first week after birth, particularly in severe-degree HIE patients. And until the end of the first week of life, these indexes may return to the levels of healthy controls. Persistent fetal circulation (PFC) was found in nine patients (7/16 severe, 2/12 moderate HIE patients), and non-PFC was found in mild HIE patients. Two patients with PFC died. No patients without PFC died. The course of HIE was longer in patients with pulmonary hypertension than in those without. Conclusion: Increased PAP is an important pathophysiological process that may influence the course and prognoses of HIE in infants after birth asphyxia, particular in severe HIE patients who often have PFC. Thus it is important to assess changes in PAP using echocardiography.
Blue Collar Aristocrats: Life-Styles at a Working-Class Tavern

LeMasters book is a valuable and popularly written source of information on the attitudes of working class men and women. Highly recommended. "Library Journal" "Blue-Collar Aristocrats" is a major statement about a group of Americans too little understood and too long ignored by by the country's decision- and policy-makers. Thanks to the work of E. E. LeMasters, we now have a rare and human insight into the lives, feelings, attitudes, and problems of America's blue-collar aristocrats one that has the potential both to add to our knowledge and to contribute toward solutions to some of our nation's broadest social problems. LeMasters has given us a brilliant sketch of what the well-developed unions have created the average American. He s great. "West Coast Review of Books" "This is not a dry sociogram. The quality of life of these people comes with the smell of smoke and beer, the sounds of boisterous laughter above a blaring juke box and the clicking of the pool balls." "New York Times""
Effects of dietary pectin and cellulose on hepatic and intestinal mixed-function oxidations and hepatic 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A reductase in the rat.

Abstract The aim of this study was to determine if feeding dietary fiber (cellulose or pectin) to male rats could influence hepatic and intestinal mixed-function oxidation. We simultaneously compared hepatic drug-oxidizing activity with the activity of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A (HMG-CoA) reductase, the rate-controlling enzyme for cholesterol biosynthesis. Three groups of six animals were fed a purified diet containing by weight either 10.4% cellulose or 10.4% pectin, or a standard cereal-based diet containing 4.5% crude fiber; the caloric contributions by carbohydrate, protein and fat in the three diets were similar. In the cellulose-fed rats, the hepatic microsomal cytochrome P-450 content and the activities of ethylmorphine N-demethylase and aniline hydroxylase were significantly lower when compared with those of rats fed pectin or the cereal-based diet. The hepatic microsomal cytochrome P-450 content and the activities of ethylmorphine N-demethylase and aniline hydroxylase were similar in the pectin-fed and cereal diet-fed rats. Hepatic HMG-CoA reductase activity, hepatic microsomal cytochrome b5 content, and intestinal benzo[a]pyrene hydroxylase activity were comparably lower in rats fed the purified diet with either dietary fiber when compared to those fed the cereal diet. It is concluded that dietary pectin and cellulose exert distinctly different influences on the hepatic microsomal mixed-function oxidase system for drug metabolism, but not on liver cholesterol synthesis or intestinal benzo[a]pyrene hydroxylation, suggesting that different physiological mechanisms control these enzyme systems.
The Effect of Part-Time Employment on Academic Achievement

AbstractPart-time employment is increasing among high school students. Does this phenomenom affect academic performance? In an attempt to examine this relationship, data were collected at Moore High School, Moore, Oklahoma. Information included employment status, number of hours worked per week, extent of extracurricular activities, and ACT test scores of the 477 high school juniors who were enrolled in regular required English classes. The sample included 196 nonemployed students and 281 employed students. This study found no significant differences in accumulated GPA in the two groups. However, nonemployed students scored significantly higher on the ACT test. The only variable that showed a significant difference in school-related activity was extracurricular activity involvement. Employed students had fewer extracurricular activities, with girls reporting less participation than boys. The findings of the study do not show that employment among students has any significant negative impact on academic ac...
Second-order effects in problems for a class of elastic materials

For a special class of elastic materials, the inverse deformation is always possible in the same material. This result is used to simplify the determination of second-order effects in problems for this special class. The second-order solution for indentation of a half-space by a smooth rigid sphere is determined. For indentation by a flat-ended circular punch it is found that the second-order solution for compressible materials is physically inadmissible, while the solution for incompressible materials involves a concentrated line load at the edge of the punch. A rigid spherical inclusion embedded in an elastic matrix with uniform stresses at infinity is considered, and the interface stresses are found to second order.
Using the Dual-Pathway Parallel Conductance Model to Determine How Different Soil Properties Influence Conductivity Survey Data

The correlation structure between apparent soil electrical conductivity (EC a ) and various soil properties can often appear radically dissimilar in different field surveys. Ideally, some type of methodology for survey data validation should be developed that can predict the expected correlation structure between EC, survey data and various soil properties, given information about the soil properties themselves. In this paper, we review an existing model for EC a and hypothesize that this model can be used to accurately predict the expected correlation structure between EC, data and multiple soil properties of interest (such as soil salinity, saturation-paste percentage, and soil water content). Our objective is twofold: (i) to demonstrate how this model can be employed to produce the expected correlation structure and (ii) to extend this EC, model to handle survey data collected under low water content situations by dynamically adjusting the model's assumed water content function. This adjustment can be estimated using acquired EC, signal and soil sample data, and its statistical significance can be determined for each specific survey situation. We demonstrate both of these techniques using acquired electromagnetic induction signal data and measured soil properties of interest from 12 different field salinity surveys performed in California and Colorado and in Alberta, Canada. Results from these 12 surveys suggest that the ordinary model is able to accurately predict the expected correlation structure between conductivity and soil property when the water content is near field capacity and that the dynamically adjusted model is able to substantially improve the accuracy of the predicted correlation structure when the water content is significantly below field capacity.
Collective self-esteem and burnout in professional school counselors.

The authors examined the relationship between collective self-esteem (i.e., the extent to which school counselors possess favorable perceptions of their professional or social group) and professional burnout in a sample of 533 school counselors. They also explored whether there were significant differences in professional burnout in school counselors by sex, geographic location of work setting, and number of years employed as a school counselor. Results indicated that higher collective self-esteem generally was associated with lower professional burnout. Moreover, the authors found that school counselors working in urban school environments reported significantly higher levels of burnout than did their peers working in other types of school environments. Furthermore, school counselors who had been employed in their roles for 20 years or longer reported higher levels of burnout than did their counterparts working fewer than 10 years. Implications of the findings are discussed.
Resolutions of almost complete intersections

All rings we consider in this paper are commutative, Noetherian, and with identity. Let R be either a local ring or an N-graded ring whose degree 0 piece is a field (in this case all ideals and elements are homogeneous). Let & denote the maximal ideal in the local case and the irrelevant maximal ideal in the graded case. We study minimal resolutions of ideals Z of R satisfying the following conditions: (i) Z= (a,, . . . . a, ~ 1, a,) and a,, . . . . a, _, is a regular sequence, (ii) Z is not a complete intersection, and (iii) there is b,~R-(u~ ,..., a,-,) such that (a, ,..., u,~,):u,,=(u ,,..., a,-,,b,) and (a I, .-., unp,):b,=(u, )...) a,-,, a,). Condition (i) is merely a definition for almost complete intersection. In the language of [PSI, an ideal satisfying conditions (i) and (ii) is an almost complete intersection which is linked to an almost complete intersection.) We will prove:
α1A- but not α1B-adrenergic receptors precondition the ischemic heart by a staurosporine-sensitive, chelerythrine-insensitive mechanism

Objective : Brief periods of ischemia stimulate an endogenous mechanism in the heart that protects the myocardium from subsequent ischemic injury. α1-Adrenergic receptors (ARs) have been implicated in this process. However, the lack of sufficiently selective antagonists has made it difficult to determine which α1-AR subtype protects the heart from ischemic injury. The goal of this study was to identify the α1-AR subtype that is involved in ischemic preconditioning. Methods : We developed transgenic mice that express constitutively active mutant (CAM) forms of the α1A-AR or the α1B-AR regulated by their endogenous promoters. Hearts isolated from transgenic and non-transgenic mice were perfused by the Langendorff method using an ischemic preconditioning perfusion protocol or a non-preconditioning perfusion protocol prior to 30-min ischemia and 40-min reperfusion. Contractile function was continuously monitored through an intraventricular balloon. Results : The contractile function of non-transgenic hearts perfused according to the ischemic preconditioning protocol completely recovered from 30-min ischemia. However, non-transgenic hearts perfused according to the non-preconditioning protocol recovered only 60% of their contractile function. The contractile function of CAM α1A-AR hearts, but not CAM α1B-AR hearts, completely recovered from 30-min ischemia even though they were perfused according to the non-preconditioning protocol. Thus, CAM α1A-AR hearts, but not CAM α1B-AR hearts, were inherently preconditioned against ischemic injury. Staurosporine, but not chelerythrine, completely reversed the preconditioning effect of CAM α1A-ARs. Conclusions : These data demonstrate that α1A-ARs protect the heart from ischemic injury through a staurosporine-sensitive signaling pathway that is independent of protein kinase C.
Hailfall Damage Suppression by Cloud Seeding—A Review of the Evidence

Abstract Extant physical models allow the hypothesis that seeding may produce either increases or decreases in hailfall. Present technology for delivery of seeding materials permits seeding with higher concentrations and greater accuracy of placement with airborne equipment than is possible with ground equipment. Evaluation of experience to date supports the hypothesis that seeding at rates of less than 1000 gm hr−1 per storm may stimulate convection and increase the number of individual hail events, but that heavier seeding at rates of 2000–3000 gm hr−1 per storm is effective in reducing hailfall damage by reducing the total impact energy from hailfalls. Limited observational evidence suggests that the effects of cloud seeding on hailfalls may extend to clouds not directly affected by the seeding material.
Anomalous insulin-binding activity in the bovine neural retina: a possible mechanism for regulation of receptor binding specificity.

Summary Crude membrane from the bovine neural retina contains one IGF-I and two insulin binding sites. Although both insulin binding sites have a high affinity for insulin (IC 50 = 0.1 and 7.0 nM), only one exhibits “classical” specificity and binds insulin with higher affinity than IGF-I. The second insulin binding site is “non-classical” in that it has an equal affinity for IGF-I and insulin. Retinal IGF-I binding exceeds insulin binding by a factor of 10–20. Despite this high level of IGF-I binding it is unlikely that non-classical insulin binding represents insulin binding to an IGF-I receptor because 1) anomalous binding is 30 times greater than that predicted from cross-specificity, 2) low concentrations of unlabeled IGF-I increase IGF-I binding to the IGF-I binding site but do not increase IGF-I binding to the non-classical insulin binding site and 3) the IGF-I receptor's affinity for insulin (and IGF-I) increases greatly during receptor purification. In contrast, the insulin affinity of the non-classical insulin binding site is largely unaffected by this process. Although receptor solubilization and purification had no effect on the insulin receptor's affinity for insulin, it did markedly increase this site's affinity for IGF-I. Thus, the major proportion of purified retinal “insulin receptors” have a higher affinity for IGF-I than insulin. The evidence presented here is consistent with the view that the bovine retina contains one IGF-I and two insulin binding sites and that a detergent-sensitive factor regulates IGF-I affinity of both classes of binding sites.