cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Mucopolysaccharidosis type VII in the developing mouse fetus.

Mucopolysaccharidosis type VII (MPS VII) is a lysosomal storage disease caused by a deficiency of β-glucuronidase (1). MPS VII is a fatal, progressive degenerative disorder, and a number of patients die of hydrops fetalis. Thus an approach to treating this disease may be by transplantation or gene therapy in utero. A mouse model of MPS VII has been studied extensively but the disease in affected fetal mice has not been characterized, which is essential for evaluation of therapeutic efficacy. Fetal and newborn mice affected with MPS VII were examined for lysosomal enzyme activities and for the presence of typical storage lesions in comparison to normal and carrier littermates. No β-glucuronidase enzymatic activity was detected in any of the tissues of affected mice, indicating that transplacental transfer of β-glucuronidase from the dam did not occur. Lesions were not detected in affected fetuses of 13.5 d gestational age on light or electron microscopy. Vacuolation in cells, typical of lysosomal accumulation of substrate, was first seen in a small number of cells of the reticulo-endothelial system in 15.5 d gestational age livers and in 18.5 d gestational age brains. Storage lesions were not seen consistently in endothelial and Kupffer cells of fetal livers until 18.5 d gestational age and in brains until birth. The results suggest that treatment of affected mice performed at 13.5 d gestational age may be effective in forestalling disease manifestations.
Evidence for Medical Management Versus Revascularization for Coronary Artery Disease: Guidance from Cardiac Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Computed Tomography

Coronary artery disease (CAD) is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in developed countries.1 The reatment of CAD has been revolutionized during the past everal decades; however, appropriate patient selection for reatment is of paramount importance. Treatment of CAD, hether by medical therapy or revascularization, depends on variety of factors including patients’ symptoms, long-term isk and likelihood of procedural success. Key diagnostic ests add to the history and physical examination in guiding reatment. The traditional cornerstone of CAD assessment ad been stress testing, either with electrocardiography EKG) alone or in combination with echocardiography or uclear scintigraphy. Although counterintuitive, it is now accepted that detecion of anatomical CAD does not imply hemodynamically ignificant disease that requires revascularization. Stress testng provides data on the physiology of CAD. Recent advanceents in computed tomography angiography (CTA) and ardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MR) have provided cliicians with alternative diagnostic tools. CTA and MR both rovide functional and anatomical data, yet each modality as its own strengths and weaknesses. CTA noninvasively rovides detailed anatomical information but requires ionizng radiation. MR’s strength lies in improved functional data nd myocardial tissue characterization but has long scan imes and limitations imposed by claustrophobia and MRncompatible implants. Both modalities have shown technial advances in mitigating the limitations of irregular cardiac hythms, breath holding difficulty, and extensive calcium or etallic artifacts.
Nudging, Autonomy, and Valid Consent: Context Matters

The target article defends the claim that “nudging” is a morally appropriate technique for paternalistically influencing decisions in contexts where informed consent is sought. Cohen (2013) acknowl...
Green/Sustainable Manufacturing — Evaluation of a Soybean-Based Metal Cutting Fluid in Turning Operation

Green manufacturing is a method in which products are produced by consuming less energy and natural resources and being safe to employees, consumers, environment and society. This paper presents an experimental study that compares the machining characteristics when a soy-based cutting fluid and petroleum-based alternate are used in turning medium and high carbon alloy steels. The result of the study will provide reference for cutting fluid management personnel to make proper decision to substitute traditional cutting fluids with the environment-friendly product.
GC-ASM: synergistic integration of active shape modeling and graph-cut methods

ABSTRACT Image segmentation methods may be classified into two categories: purely image based and model based. Each of these two classes has its own advantages and disadvantages. In this paper, we propose a novel synergistic combination of the image based graph-cut (GC) methods with the model based ASM methods to arrive at the GC-ASM method. GC-ASM effectively combines the rich statistical shape information embodied in ASM with the globally optimal delineation capability of the GC method. We propose a new GC cost function, which effectively integrates the specific image information with the ASM shape information. The ASM results are fully utilized to help GC in several ways: (1) For automatically selecting seeds to do GC segmentation, thus helping GC with object recognition; (2) For refining the parameters of the GC algorithm from the ASM result; (3) For bringing object shape information into the GC cost computation. (4) In turn, for using the cost of GC result to improve the ASMs object recognition process. The proposed methods are implemented to operate on 2D images and tested on a clinical abdominal CT data set. The results show: (1) GC-ASM becomes largely independent of initialization. (2) The number of landmarks can be reduced by a factor of 3 in GC-ASM over that in ASM. (3) The accuracy of segmentation via GC-ASM is considerably better than that of ASM. Keywords: Recognition, Pattern Recognition, Segmentation, Active Shape Models, Graph Cut
Controlling the oxidation state of arsenic in cyclic arsenic cations

Reduction of AsCl3 with SnCl2, followed by treatment of the "AsCl" with a 1,4-diimine results in electron transfer and formation of an arsenic(III) salt, while treatment of this arsenic(I) reagent or AsI3 with an alpha,alpha'-diiminopyridine ligand forms an arsenic(I) salt.
WE-A-108-06: Dynamic Modulated Brachytherapy for Cervical Cancer

Purpose: We propose two new intra‐uterine tandem designs that are capable of creating non‐isotropic 192‐Ir dose distributions and give unprecedented dose conformality for treatment of cervical cancer. Methods: The first tandem design, MC6, has 6 peripheral holes of 1‐mm diameter, and the in‐between‐space filled with tungsten (18.0 g/cc), wrapped in delrin (1.41 g/cc). The second design, DMBT, has 19 holes of 1‐mm diameter, each occupied by gold wires (19.3 g/cc) that can slide in and out (with motors), and the in‐between‐space filled with silicon (1.14 g/cc). MCNPX Monte Carlo was used to simulate the resulting non‐isotropic dose distributions. An in‐house developed HDR brachytherapy planning platform, with intensity modulated planning capability using Simulated Annealing and Constrained‐Gradient Optimization algorithms, was used to plan 36 patient cases and compare with the clinically treated, conventional T&O applicator‐based plans. For the proposed tandem designs, the plans were optimized with the same ovoids in place, as the conventional T&O plans. Results: All 36 plans were prescribed 6Gy and normalized to D90=6Gy and V100=95%. Generally, the plan qualities were markedly better using MC6 and DMBT, with DMBT usually performing the best overall. Mean 2cc/0.1cc doses to the bladder were 9.14±0.78/9.32± 0.80Gy, 6.87±0.57/7.05±0.59Gy, and 6.61±0.51/6.74±0.52Gy, for T&O, MC6, and DMBT, respectively. For the rectum, they were 5.78± 0.69/5.92±0.70Gy, 5.17±0.52/5.30±0.52Gy, and 4.92±0.50/5.04± 0.50Gy. For the sigmoid, they were 5.23±0.58/5.34±0.59Gy, 5.04± 0.56/5.21±0.57Gy, and 4.86±0.51/5.03±0.52Gy. The most improvement was in the bladder dose and this was due to the horseshoe‐like wrapping of the bladder around the CTV, thus benefitting the most with the dose conformation enhancements achieved by the proposed designs. The CTV dose heterogeneity index (DHI) was 2.43±0.01, 2.30±0.01, and 2.26±0.01, respectively. Conclusions: We have shown two tandem designs that advance the conformality of image‐guided cervix HDR, in congruence with the current trend of 3D image based planning to maximize the therapeutic ratio.
Advancing and enhancing corporate reputation

This article describes corporate reputation as it pertains to corporate practice. Key areas treated are worldwide executive opinion on their ability to affect corporate reputation; three specific strategic benefits and goals of strong corporate reputation (preference in doing business with a company when products/services are similar, support for a company in time of controversy, and company value in the financial marketplace); the six key factors that drive corporate reputation; examples of how these drivers vary in importance in different countries, in different industries in the same country, and in the context of the three different goals; and illustrations of how company behaviour, relative to public expectations, can erode corporate reputation. Credibility is cited as the central link between company behaviour and public confidence, also encompassing the “promise/performance gap” between consumer expectations and product/service delivery.
Infrared Transparent Glasses Derived From Hafnium Fluoride

A new family of glasses derived from hafnium fluoride (HfF4), barium fluoride (BaF2), and various rare earth fluorides has been studied. The spectral and thermal properties are given, as well as hardness, rupture strength, and coefficients of expansion. Reactive atmosphere processing (RAP) of the individual components and the molten glass with anhydrous CF4, BF3, HF and CC14 are described. RAP eliminates anionic impurities such as 0H- and 0= which enter the condensed phase through hydrolysis during the melting and mixing stages of preparation. Elimination of these impurities through RAP maximizes IR transparency and mechanical strength. The glasses are resistant to room temperature hydrolysis, are hard and strong, and are continuously transparent from 0.2 μm to 9 μm.© (1981) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Human Responses to Middle Holocene (Altithermal) Climates on the North American Great Plains

The climate of the Great Plains during the middle Holocene varied considerably, but overall it was marked by a north–south gradient of increasingly warmer and drier conditions, with a reduction in effective moisture, surface water, and resource abundance, and an increase in resource patchiness, sediment weathering, erosion, and aeolian activity. Pronounced drought conditions were most evident on the Southern High Plains. Understanding the human responses to middle Holocene climates is complicated by a lack of archaeological data, which is partly a result of geomorphic processes that removed or deeply buried sites of this age, and by the varying adaptive responses of hunter-gatherers during this period. On the Southern High Plains, where drought was most severe, surface and groundwater sources dried and bison populations were diminished, prompting substantial adaptive changes, including local abandonment, well-digging to tap underground water, and a widening of the diet breadth to incorporate higher-cost, lower-return seed and plant resources. Sites of this age on the Central and Northern Plains also show a possible increase in diet breadth (with the incorporation of plant foods in the diet), and perhaps changes in settlement mobility (including possible shift into higher elevation areas, or mapping-on to extant rivers and springs). But linking those changes to middle Holocene drought is less straightforward.
Counting ancestors to estimate authority

The AncestorRank algorithm calculates an authority score by using just one characteristic of the web graph-the number of ancestors per node. For scalability, we estimate the number of ancestors by using a probabilistic counting algorithm. We also consider the case in which ancestors which are closer to the node have more influence than those farther from the node. Thus we further apply a decay factor delta on the contributions from successively earlier ancestors. The resulting authority score is used in combination with a content-based ranking algorithm. Our experiments show that as long as delta is in the range of [0.1, 0.9], AncestorRank can greatly improve BM25 performance, and in our experiments is often better than PageRank.
Suprahepatic venacavaplasty (cavaplasty) with retrohepatic cava extension in liver transplantation: experience with first 115 cases.

Background. We first introduced the orthotopic liver transplantation utilizing cavaplasty technique in 1994. This paper describes the surgical technique and assesses the outcome of the cavaplasty OLT. Methods. The cavaplasty procedure was used in 115 consecutive orthotopic liver transplantations, including six left lateral and two right lobe transplantations, between November 1994 and September 2000. Fifty-three (66.3%) transplantations required femoro-axillary veno-venous bypass in the initial 4 years, whereas only eight (22.9%) needed VB in the subsequent 2 years. Conversion to piggyback or standard technique was not necessary in any patient. Results. Median results are as follows: operative time 4.5 hr, warm ischemia time 25 min, and blood transfused (packed red blood cells) 6 units. These findings did not differ between first transplantation and retransplantation. There were no perioperative deaths related to the cavaplasty technique. No hepatic venous outflow obstruction was observed, including living-related OLTs. No patient required postoperative hemodialysis for acute renal failure. The median intensive care and hospital stays were 2 days and 10 days, respectively. Conclusions. The cavaplasty technique requires no retrocaval, hepatic vein, or short hepatic vein dissection, and the inferior vena cava can be preserved, which provides advantages for hepatectomy and easy hemostasis, especially during retransplantation. The wide-open triangular caval anastomosis is easy to perform, allowing short implantation time and size matching and avoiding outflow obstruction. The short implantation time reduces the need for veno-venous bypass. Our experience indicates that the cavaplasty technique can be applied to all patients and is justified by minimal technical complications.
Nonlinear refraction and multiphoton absorption in polydiacetylenes from 1200 to 2200 nm

We report femtosecond measurements of the dispersion in the nonlinear refraction and multiphoton absorption in polydiacetylenes, specifically in PTS [polymer poly (bis para-toluene sulfonate) of 2,4-hexadiyne -1,6 diol] over the spectral range 1200 to 2200 nm. Various modifications of the Z-scan technique were used to make the measurements. The nonlinear refractive index coefficient ${n}_{2}$ decreased monotonically with wavelength and can be reasonably extrapolated to previous measurements at 1064 nm. It was found that multiple multiphoton absorption mechanisms contributed to the nonlinear absorption at most wavelengths so that the intensity dependence at each wavelength was needed to identify the different contributions. A two-photon absorption coefficient decreasing monotonically with increasing wavelength was identified with the long wavelength tail of the massive two-photon absorption peak measured previously at 930 nm. The three-photon absorption coefficient showed a weak resonance around 1850 nm associated with the one-photon absorption into the odd symmetry peak at 620 nm, but also exhibited larger values at shorter wavelengths whose assignment is not clear. The four-photon coefficient, measurable only around 1900 nm was associated with four-photon absorption into the even symmetry 465 nm state responsible for strong two-photon absorption measured previously at 930 nm. This resonance, normally much too weak to be observed, was measurable only because of the accidental degeneracy with the three-photon absorption resonance. This degeneracy also leads to a single photon excited state absorption into the 465 nm state via an initial three-photon absorption into the odd symmetry 620 nm state. It was shown that this $(3+1)$ process is in the saturation regime over the intensity range of the measurements and does not contribute to absorption change proportional to the cube of the input intensity, which indicates the pure four-photon absorption process. Thus the measured four-photon coefficient was identified to be due to true instantaneous four-photon absorption. Finally, polarization-dependent Z-scan was used to evaluate the difference between the linear and nonlinear absorption coefficients parallel and perpendicular to the polymer's conjugation axis and to crosscheck the nonlinear measurements made via Z-scan. The differential linear absorption coefficient was found to be in a good agreement with that measured by a standard spectrophotometer measurement.
Does Self-Efficacy Affect Responsiveness to Cognitive Speed of Processing Training?

Objective: Older adults with higher self-efficacy may be more likely to benefit from some cognitive training approaches. We examined whether self-efficacy serves as a mediator or moderator of responsiveness to cognitive speed of processing training (SOPT). Method: We used data from the Staying Keen in Later Life (SKILL) study (N = 128) and the Advanced Cognitive Training for Independent and Vital Elderly (ACTIVE) study (N = 1,400). Both studies assessed cognitive speed of processing (Useful Field of View Test—UFOV) and self-efficacy among community-dwelling older adults who were either randomized to SOPT or control conditions. We constructed regression models examining self-efficacy as a predictor of training responsiveness. Results: Analyses from both studies indicated that participants’ self-efficacy scores were not predictive of training gains from SOPT, as measured by UFOV performance. Discussion: Self-efficacy does not affect older adults’ ability to benefit from cognitive SOPT.
Novel Catalysts for the Environmentally Friendly Synthesis of Methyl Methacrylate

The development of a process for the synthesis of methyl methacrylate (MMA) from coal-derived syngas can alleviate the environmental hazards associated with the current commercial MMA technology, the acetone cyanohydrin (ACH) process. A three-step syngas-based process consisted of synthesis of a propionic acid, its condensation with formaldehyde, and esterification of resulting methacrylic acid (MAA) to form MMA. The first two steps, propionic acid synthesis and condensation, are discussed here. The low-temperature, low-pressure process for single-step hydrocarbonylation of ethylene to propionic acid is carried out using a homogeneous iodine-promoted Mo (CO)6 catalyst at pressures (30−70 atm) and temperatures (150−200 °C) lower than those reported for other catalysts. Mechanistic investigations suggest that catalysis is initiated by a rate-limiting CO dissociation from Mo(CO)6. This dissociation appears to be followed by an inner electron-transfer process of an I atom from EtI to the coordinately unsatura...
Finding a third space in teacher education: Creating an urban teacher residency

This paper describes an urban teacher residency program, the Newark Montclair Urban Teacher Residency, a collaborative endeavor between the Newark, New Jersey Public Schools and Montclair State University, built on a decades-long partnership. The authors see the conceptual work of developing this program as creating a “third space” in teacher education. We detail the ways in which we conceptualize epistemology and clinical practice in teacher education, and changes in the roles of the community, and P-12 teachers that occur in a third space. Providing an account of our messy and nonlinear process demonstrates the struggles of creating new spaces for teacher education. We believe the theory that informs our work, the challenges we face, and the strategies for meeting those challenges illustrate the tenuous and ever-evolving nature of doing work in the “third space.”
Mechanisms of urinary tract infection

Most urinary tract infections begin as a cystitis secondary to decreased host resistance brought on by disruption of tissue integrity or a decrease in blood supply to the bladder. In the female, infrequent voiding and the uninhibited bladder are the most common causes of urinary tract infection and are best treated by healthy voiding regimens; while in the male, structural and functional obstructive uropathy are most often associated with urinary tract infection and are alleviated by lowering the high intravesical pressures via surgical or medical measures. The concept that host resistance is the determinant of infection rather than the organism has permitted the use of clean, intermittent self-catheterization; clean intermittent self-dilatation; and transurethral diverticulectomy in the therapy of a host of urologic disease syndromes.
Polycystic kidney disease.

Polycystic kidney diseases are inherited renal disorders due mainly to mutations in genes that regulate the development and function of cells that line renal tubules. This review outlines the clinical importance of polycystic kidney diseases and discusses the cell biology and molecular mechanisms that cause the formation of hundreds of cystic lesions in the renal parenchyma.
Full-Day, Half-Day, and No Preschool: Effects on Urban Children's First-Grade Reading Achievement.

1. This study examined the relationships between students’ attendance at full-day, half-day, or no preschool and first grade reading achievement. 214 urban, low SES public first grade students of m...
A case of empire envy? German Jesuits meet an Asian mystic in Spanish America

This essay deals with the hagiographic afterlife of Catarina de San Juan, the seventeenth-century slave from Asia who became a renowned mystic in colonial Mexico, in writings by German Jesuits, notably Joseph Stocklein’s popular Welt-Bott. Why and how was Catarina de San Juan’s story told for a German-speaking audience in Central Europe? The specific German appropriations of her vita suggest that missionary writings could serve as a transmission belt for ‘colonial fantasies’, linking the early modern period when the Holy Roman Empire did not have colonies to the modern period when the German Nation acquired colonial holdings in the Pacific.
Stress intensity factors for cracked I-beams

Abstract We present simple, closed-form expressions for stress intensity factors for cracked I-beams subjected to a bending moment. The estimates are based on the elementary strength theory for cracked beams forwarded by Herrmann and co-workers, coupled with dimensional considerations and a finite element calibration. The expressions given here are valid for the case when the crack has propagated through the flange and into the web of the beam. The simple expressions are accurate to within 5% of detailed finite element calculations for the range of practical applicability. To further demonstrate the validity of the stress intensity factor expression, we measured fracture loads for cracked polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) I-beams in four-point flexure. Using the failure loads and our expression for the stress intensity factor, we deduce the fracture toughness. The fracture toughness so-obtained results in excellent fracture correlation for the cracked I-beams.
Transient upregulation of Nkx2.2 expression in oligodendrocyte lineage cells during remyelination

While numerous oligodendrocyte progenitor cells (OPCs) exist in the adult central nervous system (CNS), the molecular signals that promote or inhibit their differentiation into mature oligodendrocytes (OLs) are not known. To investigate whether remyelination in the adult CNS is regulated by the same mechanisms that promote developmental myelination, we used an acute demyelinating/remyelinating lesion in the adult rat spinal cord to examine the expression of the homeodomain transcription factor Nkx2.2, which has previously been implicated in oligodendrocyte differentiation during embryonic development. After a demyelinating insult, Nkx2.2 expression was upregulated first in NG2-expressing OPCs surrounding the lesion and subsequently in both precursors and OLs that appeared inside the lesion prior to the onset of remyelination. The temporal and spatial pattern of Nkx2.2 upregulation coincided with that of oligodendrocyte differentiation characterized in our previous study. A similar increase in the level of Nkx2.2 expression was observed in the postnatal developing optic nerve in a wave from the proximal to the distal retinal end. In vitro Nkx2.2 was expressed in OPCs and immature OLs isolated from postnatal rat spinal cord but was absent from mature OLs. These observations indicate that the process of generating new OLs in a remyelinating lesion recapitulates the developmental program involving activation of the Nkx2.2 gene, which may trigger the existing NG2-expressing precursors in the adult CNS to undergo terminal differentiation into remyelinating OLs.
Challenging conventional aminoglycoside dosing regimens. The value of experimental models.

Although newer antimicrobials look promising for the treatment of serious gram-negative infections, aminoglycosides still remain part of the mainstay of their therapy. Traditional intermittent therapy is based upon the premise that high serum aminoglycoside concentrations are toxic. However, the rate of bacterial killing for aminoglycosides is also a concentration-dependent phenomenon. Two animal models of Pseudomonas pneumonia were utilized to examine the efficacy of non-traditional aminoglycoside dosing regimens, i.e., single, high daily doses versus the conventional, intermittent low doses of aminoglycosides. Other recent data suggest that toxicity might also be less with the large, single daily dose regimen. The current dosing strategy used for aminoglycosides may not be maximizing their therapeutic potential, nor minimizing their toxicities.
A double dispersion relation for a class of nonlocal potentials

The analytic properties of the potential scattering amplitude, considered as a function of the two complex variables energy and momentum transfer, are investigated for a nonlocal interaction assumed to be a superposition of a purely local Yukawa potential of the type extensively treated in the current literature and of a purely nonlocal, central, separable one. The exact partial-wave scattering amplitudes are constructed and the analytic properties of the total scattering amplitude are studied through the partial-wave expansion and the Sommerfeld-Watson transformation. If suitable restrictions are placed on the asymptotic form of the angular-momentum-dependence of the separable potential to allow a Sommerfeld-Watson transformation to be made, then the total scattering amplitude can be written as a double dispersion relation in the energy and momentum transfer, with possibly a finite number of pole terms and subtractions. The scattering amplitude for the class of nonlocal potentials considered has a cut along the negative real energy axis which would not be expected from the analogous results for a purely local potential.
A crack layer approach to creep crack propagation in high-density polyethylene

Abstract Creep crack propagation in high-density polyethylene (HDPE) is observed to occur with an accompanying layer of damage ahead of the crack tip. The crack layer theory, which accounts for the presence of both the damage and the main crack, is applied to the problem. It is observed that the kinetic behavior of HDPE under creep consists of three regions: initial acceleration, constant crack speed, and reac-celeration to failure. Within the first two regions crack propagation appears “brittle,” while in the third region “ductile” behavior is manifested. Ultimate failure occurs via massive yielding of the unbroken ligament. The notion of critical crack length, well defined in many polymers, is shown
Pygidiopsis ardeae n. sp. (Digenea: Heterophyidae: Pygidiopsinae) in the grey heron Ardea cinerea L. from Denmark

A new species, Pygidiopsis ardeae (Heterophyidae, Pygidiopsinae), is described, using both light and stereoscan electron microscopy, from the grey heron Ardea cinerea L. (Ardeidae) from Denmark. The species has previously (as P. genata) been recorded in dogs fed on plaice and flounders from Danish waters. It developed experimentally in domestic chickens and pigeons. No species of Pygidiopsis Looss, 1907 has previously been described from birds in northern Europe. P. ardeae is very similar to the type-species, P. genata Looss, 1907, from Egypt, but the two species have different life-cycles. P. ardeae differs from P. piclaumoreli Dollfus & Capron, 1958 from Senegal in its size and the disposition of vitelline follicles. P. plana (Linton, 1928) Price, 1933, from a green heron from the eastern USA, is larger than P. ardeae and has a wide, sac-like prepharynx.
Exploration, Explanation, Formalization: A Three-Step Approach to Proof.

ABSTRACT Proof writing is a multi-faceted, complex skill. As such, there are many potential explanations for students' difficulties with proof. In a study of their initial efforts to write proofs, Moore [3] suggests that one source of error is the abrupt transition to proof in upper-division courses. According to Moore, students often enter these courses with extensive computational experience, yet they are ill-prepared to use the language of mathematics to craft mathematical arguments. Moreover, their initial conceptions of proof are often narrow and restrictive. In their 1982 analysis of mathematical thinking, Mason, Burton, and Stacey [2] theorize that the use of a three-step approach, in which students initially engage in exploration and construct informal, intuitive arguments, facilitates an understanding of formal proof. Our paper outlines the three-step approach and provides a detailed example of its use. Additionally, the paper offers reflections on this approach to proof and our own adaptations.
ABSOLUTE: AN INFORMATION VISUALIZATION SYSTEM FOR DECISION SUPPORT IN SOURCING

ABSolute is a general-purpose, multi-dimensional decision support system which has a highly sophisticated visualization-based user interface for direct data manipulation. The interface and analysis facilities of this system enable the users to effectively view, explore, search, compare and classify data items to make discoveries, decisions or explanations about patterns, groups of items, or individual items with the highest level of confidence and knowledge. The usefulness of this system is demonstrated in solving a complex decision-making problem in a business environment: a bid evaluation and selection problem in corporate procurement using a RFQ (Request-For-Quotes) process.
Synchronous airway lesions and associated anomalies in children with laryngomalacia evaluated with rigid endoscopy

Summary Objective To evaluate the prevalence of synchronous airway lesions (SALs) and associated anomalies in children with laryngomalacia requiring rigid endoscopic evaluation, the clinical significance of such lesions, and safety and outcome of selective rigid endoscopy. Setting National Children's Hospital. Design and method Retrospective analysis. The records of all children diagnosed with laryngomalacia who underwent rigid endoscopy were identified from the surgical database over a 4-year period. Outcome measures Age at presentation, signs and symptoms at time of presentation, presence of associated neurological and/or congenital anomalies (ANCAs), presence of synchronous airway lesions, need for surgical intervention, complications and time to resolution of symptoms were assessed. Results There were 26 children in the study. The mean age at presentation ranged from 0 to 10 months of age. One child (3.8%) required surgical intervention for severe isolated laryngomalacia. Seven children (26.9%) had at least one SAL identified. Of these, six (85.7%) were previously diagnosed on flexible fibreoptic laryngoscopy (FFL). Two of the seven children with SALs required surgical management of the SAL. Prematurity and ANCAs prolonged hospital stays in these children. However, the presence of SALs did not affect the length of hospital stay or the time to resolution of symptoms. Symptom resolved in all children by 3 years of age, whether or not SALs or ANCAs are present. There was no adverse outcome in the study group. Conclusion Despite having indications for rigid endoscopy, many children with laryngomalacia do not have SALs, which even when present, are rarely clinically significant. SALs and ANCAs do not impact the time to symptom resolution. The current indications for rigid endoscopy in the evaluation of laryngomalacia are appropriate and safe.
Application of the personal involvement inventory in marketing

This article describes two studies of the revised, 10-item Zaichkowsky Personal Involvement Inventory (PII) that illustrate the use of the scale to identify involved consumers for managerial purposes. The first study used data from 185 men and women consumers for the topic of travel services. Study two obtained data from 135 adult women and covered the topic of fashionable clothing. The findings of both studies revealed a wide variety of differences in managerially relevant behaviors between low and high involvement consumers. The implications of these findings for travel service and fashion managers are discussed to illustrate how the PII can help in marketing decision making. © 1993 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
An Examination of the Reaction Pathways for the HOOOBr and HOOBrO Complexes Formed from the HO2 + BrO Reaction

The geometries, vibrational spectra, and relative energetics of the HBrO3 isomers (HOOOBr and HOOBrO) and their transition states have been examined by using the quadratic configuration interaction method in conjunction with various basis sets. From the dissociation energies of the HBrO3 isomers, it is found that the most energetically favorable process during the HO2 + BrO reaction pathway is the formation of HOOBrO as an intermediate, and its eventual dissociation into HOBr and O2, due to the very low energy barrier (2.8 kcal mol-1) involved. The HOOOBr species, if formed as an intermediate, will be more likely to dissociate into HBr + O3 rather than HOBr + O2, as the energy barrier for the latter process is quite high (26.4 kcal mol-1) relative to the energy barrier for the HOOOBr → HBr + O3 dissociation process.
Percolation Phenomena in Filtration Combustion

Using a pore-network model, we study the effect of randomness in the solid fuel distribution on the propagation of filtration combustion fronts in porous media. Both a complex pore-network model for full filtration combustion and a more simplified gasless combustion model are used. We find that the minimum threshold (akin to a “percolation threshold”) for the fuel distribution is a function of the kinetic and heat-transfer parameters and can vary over a wide range. The balance between heat transfer and reaction kinetics endows the system with a behavior more complex than simple percolation, which was earlier suggested as a model for such systems. The long-range effect of heat conduction acts to move the behavior away from true percolation behavior. Conversely, the effect of heat losses is sufficient to lead to extinction (thus, to “nonpercolation”) even for systems with fully occupied fuel sites. In either case, the availability of the fuel and its distribution in space are important parameters in the pro...
Male-sterile phenotype of the neurological mouse mutant Weaver

The autosomal recessive murine mutation weauer (wu) affects postnatal differenti- ation in at least three neuronal populations in the brain: dopamine-containing neurons in the mid- brain, and granule and Purkinje cells in the cere- bellum. Neuronal populations vulnerable to the actions of weaver die in the midst of development. In addition, homozygous weaver males are sterile. We show by a histological analysis of epididy- mides and testes that the cause of male sterility in weaver is lack of sperm. The epididymides of the adult weaver mice examined were devoid of sperm, and few seminiferous tubules in the adult weaver's testes contained elongated spermatids. Most tubules were marked by moderate to severe degeneration of the seminiferous epithelium. A developmental study showed that the mutant phe- notype emerged after the third postnatal week. By postnatal day 28, the development of weaver sperm lagged behind that of the wild-type and some seminiferous tubules contained degenerat- ing germ cells. By postnatal day 35, terminal dif- ferentiation of spermatids appeared to be ar- rested in many tubules and degeneration of the seminiferous epithelium was widespread. The het- erozygotes were unaffected at all ages sampled. We conclude that the normal allele at the weaver locus is necessary for spermiogenesis and the maintenance of spermatogenesis. 0 1994 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Efficient tracing and performance analysis for large distributed systems

Distributed systems are notoriously difficult to implement and debug. One important tool for understanding the behavior of distributed systems is tracing. Unfortunately, effective tracing for modern distributed systems faces several challenges. First, many interesting behaviors in distributed systems only occur rarely, or at full production scale. Hence we need tracing mechanisms which impose minimal overhead, in order to allow always-on tracing of production instances. Second, for high-speed systems, messages can be delivered in significantly less time than the error of traditional time synchronization techniques such as network time protocol (NTP), necessitating time adjustment techniques with much higher precision. Third, distributed systems today may generate millions of events per second systemwide, resulting in traces consisting of billions of events. Such large traces can overwhelm existing trace analysis tools. These challenges make effective tracing difficult. We present techniques that address these three challenges. Our contributions include 1) a low-overhead tracing mechanism, which allows tracing of large systems without impacting their behavior or performance (0.14 μs/event), 2) a post hoc technique for producing highly accurate time synchronization across hosts (within 10 /ts, compared to between 100 μs to 2 ms for NTP), and 3) incremental data processing techniques which facilitate analyzing traces containing billions of trace points on desktop systems. We have successfully applied these techniques to two distributed systems, a cooperative caching system and a distributed storage system, and from our experience, we believe our techniques are applicable to other distributed systems.
Aggression in the female northern elephant seal, mirounga angustirostris.

Maternal aggressive behavior of northern elephant seals enhances reproductive success by increasing the likelihood of pup survival. Detailed observations of marked mother-pup pairs revealed that female aggressiveness increased dramatically after giving birth. Maternal aggressiveness also correlated negatively with the number of times the pup was bitten by alien females. Mothers of these pups were less aggressive than the 17 whose pups survived. Pup behavior was not directly related to mortality. Frequencies of interfemale aggressive encounters were compared for different beach areas. Aggression was most frequent on the smallest area, where interfemale distance was the shortest, and tidal action extreme. Aggression was least frequent on the sparcely populated beach, affected little by tide or male activity. Interfemale distance was greatest here. Reproductive advantages and disadvantages of pupping on each area are noted.
Early adaptation of human lower extremity vein grafts: wall stiffness changes accompany geometric remodeling.

Abstract Objective To quantitatively describe the temporal changes in elastic properties and wall dimensions in lower-extremity vein grafts after implantation. Design of study This is a prospective study of patients (N = 38) undergoing lower extremity bypass grafts (N = 41) with autologous veins. Pulse wave velocity (PWV), luminal diameter, and wall thickness measurements were obtained by duplex ultrasound scan intraoperatively and at 1, 3, and 6 months postoperatively for assessment of graft dimensions and wall stiffness. Results Lower extremity vein grafts showed an increase in PWV (from 16 ± 1 to 21 ± 3 cm/s; mean ± SEM; P = .08), reflecting an increase in wall stiffness (from 1.2 ± 0.2 to 2.5 ± 0.7 × 10 6 dynes/cm; P = .02) and wall thickness (from 0.47 ± 0.03 to 0.61 ± 0.004 mm; P = .04) over the first 6 months after implantation. Changes in lumen diameter were positively correlated with changes in external graft diameter ( P P Conclusions These results suggest complex remodeling of vein grafts during the first several months after implantation, with increased wall thickness occurring independent of variable changes in lumen diameter. Simultaneously, a marked increase in wall stiffness over this interval suggests a likely role for collagen deposition.
Database courses with realistic student projects (Panel Session)

This session will consist of a panel discussion of courses in DBMS which involve student projects using commercially available database management systems. A list of panelists and a synopsis of their topics follows.John C. Peck, ChairmanClemson University has used IDMS (a network model by Cullinane Database Systems, Inc.) for the last 8 years in the senior level introductory course in database management. Although all three popular models (network, hierarchical, and relational) are covered in the course a team project (3 or 4 member teams) using IDMS in an online environment is assigned to reinforce the ideas central to all three models. The pros and cons of using large mainframes for such a course are discussed.James R. DriscollThe University of Central Florida has undertaken a project to implement fundamental versions of all three popular DBMS models on low-end microcomputer configurations. Dr. Driscoll will discuss the development of RQL (Relational Query Language) and RMS (Relational Menu Systems) which are used at UCF.Pentti A. HonkonenGeorgia State University has access to three database management systems for its course in DBMS. Dr. Honkonen will compare the Instructional Information Management System, Univac's DMS/90 and The Relational Information Management Systems (RIMS) as they pertain to instructional use in a university environment.William ShayThe University of Wisconsin at Green Bay offers a project-oriented course in DBMS utilizing a CODASYL type DBMS from Xerox called the Extended Data Management System (EDMS). In this course each student designs, loads, and processes against a real database. The nature of the project and the experiences encountered during the past 4 years the course has been taught will be discussed.
Experiences with Electronic Health Records

The healthcare system in Denmark is well known for its high level of IT support and interoperability. The Danish healthcare system integrates several central technological solutions across hospital information and electronic medical record systems throughout Denmark. Important business drivers for this high level of interoperability include unique citizen ID numbers and a publicly funded healthcare system in which hospital reimbursements are based on electronic submissions of diagnosis and procedure codes to a central register.
Dissolution Kinetics of Gallstones: Physical Model Approach

Abstract: Recent studies suggested that in situ dissolution of gallstones in man might be dissolution rate controlled. In this work, several physical models for the dissolution rate of cholesterol-type stones were developed. One is based upon simple diffusion-controlled dissolution and another upon a leaching process. Two others relate to interfacial coat-type barriers. Calculations were carried out employing models with reasonable input parameters. The results show, for example, that the theoretical dissolution rate based on the simple dissolution model would predict that a 2.5-mm. stone should dissolve in several days into an undersaturated bile solution. Both clinical and in vitro experiments show that much longer times, e . g ., months, are needed.
Structure and vibrational spectra of mononitrated benzo[a]pyrenes.

The molecules benzo[a]pyrene (BaP) and 1-, 3-, and 6-nitrobenzo[a]pyrene (1-NBaP, 3-NBaP, 6-NBaP) are currently of significant interest due to their presence in respirable combustion exhaust particulates and their mutagenic and carcinogenic properties. Structure−function correlations as well as spectroscopic signatures for trace analysis are necessary for these benzo[a]pyrene derivatives. In this paper, detailed infrared and Raman spectroscopic data of BaP and its three mononitrated isomers are provided for the first time. By utilizing density functional theory (DFT, B3LYP method with 6-311+G** basis set), the molecular geometries and the vibrational spectra are calculated. Good agreement is noted between the calculated and experimental geometry for BaP, and predictions of the vibrational data for all compounds are within ∼5 cm-1 of the experimental data. Normal mode assignments are proposed with particular emphasis on the nitro group vibrations. The geometrical distortions of the BaP structure upon nitro...
Genic and morphometric variation in Kangaroo rats, genus Dipodomys, from coastal California

Genic and morphometric variation was examined among populations of Dipodomys agilis, D. elephantinus , and D. venustus from the Pacific coastal ranges of central and southcentral California to ascertain their systematic relationships. Genie data separated D. agilis from D. elephantinus and D. venustus on the basis of six unique alleles, and the two populations of D. agilis were separated from one another by three fixed alleles. D. elephantinus and D. venustus were not separated from each other by any fixed allelic differences, although D. venustus had one allele at a polymorphic locus that was not present in D. elephantinus . Multivariate analyses of external and cranial characters placed both populations of D. venustus close together, the two populations of D. agilis were well separated from D. venustus and each other, and D. elephantinus was placed apart from D. venustus . This study indicates that D. agilis is not conspecific with D. elephantinus or D. venustus . Although D. elephantinus differs from D. venustus in several morphometric characters, none can reliably differentiate between them. D. elephantinus is considered to be a subspecies of D. venustus because these taxa are nearly identical genetically, karyotypically, and in bacular morphology. In addition, the degrees of differences in external and cranial characters are similar to those observed among populations of other species of Dipodomys .
Spin transitions induced by a magnetic field in quantum dot molecules

We study the many-body effects in the spin flip transitions by incorporating systematically the inter-dot and intra-dot electron-electron Coulomb interactions using real space Hartree-Fock Configuration Interaction (HFCI) technique. We find quantum Hall droplets with zero and full spin polarization, identified as ν = 2 and ν = 1 quantum Hall droplets 12 , in analogy with single quantum dots and quantum Hall ferromagnets 20 . Between these two states, we find series of continuous transitions among partially spin polarized phases. These partially polarized phases correspond to spin flips. Simultaneous spin flip in each isolated dot must lead to even number of spin flips in a double dot. Recently, we have found partially spin polarized phases which correspond to odd number of spin flips 21 in a double quantum dot. In Ref. [21], we have identified these correlated states as quantum Hall ferrimagnets.
Midline cerebral arterio-venous anomalies: ultrasound diagnosis

Ultrasound features of three cases of midline cerebral arterio-venous anomalies of neonates presenting with congestive heart failure are presented. Two cases have CT and angiographic correlation. The third case has post-mortem correlation. Ultrasound easily detected the dilated midline vascular channels in all three cases. Angiography was needed to further define the abnormal anatomy. We suggest a role for ultrasound to screen for midline arteriovenous malformations in neonates with congestive heart failure of undetermined etiology.