cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy of pancreatic duct stones using the healthtronics lithotron lithotriptor and the dornier HM3 lithotripsy machine

Purpose: Pancreatic duct stones, which are most often a result of alcohol induced chronic pancreatitis, can lead to chronic abdominal pain, pseudocysts, and exocrine and endocrine failure of the pancreas. Others have reported success using extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL) (Dornier Medical Systems, Inc., Marietta, Georgia) for pancreatic stones. We report our experience with pancreatic ESWL using the LithoTron (Healthtronics, Marietta, Georgia) and HM3 (Dornier) lithotripsy machines.Materials and Methods: We performed pancreatic ESWL in 23 patients in 4 years, including in 12 with the LithoTron and in 11 with the HM3. After ESWL endoscopic retrograde cholangio-pancreatography (ERCP) was performed in all cases. Stone-free status was defined as no stone fragments visualized or the elimination of all post-ESWL stones by ERCP.Results: Stone-free status was documented in 83% and 82% of patients treated with the LithoTron and HM3, respectively, and 2 per group later required open surgical interventio...
Resident Aliens, Public Employment and the Political Community Doctrine

F "OR ALL ITS "give me your tired" mythology, the United States historically has treated its immigrant population with ambivalence: while it has continued to admit more aliens for permanent residence than any other country (Danilov 1978: 7), it has also penalized these newcomers in multifarious and frequently gratuitous ways.' At one time or another, most states have forbidden their resident aliens to hunt, fish, own property, bear arms, receive public largesse and, most notably, to engage in many of the "common occupations of the community."2 In 1971, however, the Supreme Court held in Graham v. Richardson (403 U.S. 365) that state policies discriminating against resident aliens must further a compelling interest in order to be constitutional, and the Court proceeded to invalidate a number of statutes that failed this test. Notwithstanding Graham, however, the Court has continued to sanction several state regulations that limit an alien's employment opportunities, justifying these regulations on the basis of the so-called "political community" doctrine. According to this doctrine, as originally articulated by the Court, a state retains the sovereign right to protect the "character and needs of its political community," and to this end might consider only citizens for public positions that involve the formation or execution of high-level policy. The Court has subsequently expanded this doctrine, however, and within the last few years it has sustained state regulations that disqualify
Unemployment in the Great Recession: Did the Housing Market Crisis Prevent the Unemployed from Moving to Take Jobs?

The labor market in the Great Recession and its aftermath is characterized by great difficulty in escaping unemployment. I present two empirical analyses of a particular explanation for that difficulty, that the housing market crisis has prevented the unemployed from selling their homes and moving to take new jobs. First, I examine post-job-loss mobility rates by home ownership status using data from the Displaced Workers Survey. Second, I examine mobility rates for unemployed homeowners and renters from the month-to-month CPS match. Neither analysis provides any support for the idea that the housing market crisis has reduced mobility of the unemployed.
The TDM Ring--A Fiber Optic Transport System for Campus or Metropolitan Networks

The TDM Ring uses standard telecommunications transmission formats, such as DS1 or DS3, to provide channel-switched communications. The system consists of nodes based on telco-style multiplexers interconnected by counterrotating rings. This paper describes the use of the TDM Ring as a backbone campus or metropolitan network, and focuses on possible fault recovery algorithms which make use of the dual ring structure. A comparison to other ring self-healing techniques is given.
High-Throughput Tracking of Pluripotent Human Embryonic Stem Cells with Dual Fluorescence Resonance Energy Transfer Molecular Beacons

Pluripotent human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) provide an unprecedented opportunity for the study of human tissue development, and the development of cell-based therapies for human disease. To real...
A role for Xenopus Frizzled 8 in dorsal development

The establishment of cell and tissue polarity during animal development often requires signaling by Wnts, extracellular signaling polypeptides. Transmembrane receptors of the Frizzled family are implicated in the transduction of Wnt signals in responding cells. Xfz8 is a novel cDNA encoding a Xenopus homologue of mouse Frizzled 8. Xfz8 transcripts are expressed zygotically in the organizer at the early gastrula stage and in the most anterior ectoderm at later stages, suggesting a role in axis specification. When Xfz8 mRNA is overexpressed in ventral marginal zone cells, a secondary body axis with prominent head structures develops. Surprisingly, axis induction was not accompanied by activation of early dorsal marginal zone markers at the gastrula stages, whereas Xwnt8 induced these markers with high efficiency. These findings suggest that Xfz8 is a product of the organizer and mimics its function. Head induction by Xfz8 was blocked by co-expression of GSK3β or a dominant negative form of Xenopus Dishevelled, suggesting that this effect of Xfz8 requires Wnt signal transduction. When Xfz8 is overexpressed in animal pole cells, dorsal marginal zone markers Xnr3, Xotx2 and a promoter construct for Siamois, were selectively activated, demonstrating the difference in competence between animal pole cells and ventral marginal zone cells in response to Xfz8. It is proposed that the Wnt pathways are activated at two different steps during axis formation: to induce the Spemann organizer and to implement organizer functions by triggering dorsoanterior development.
Neurogenic cutaneous vasodilation in the cat forepaw

Abstract The present experiments were undertaken to determine, using Laser Doppler flowmetry, if elimination of efferent constrictor mechanisms would unmask cutaneous vasodilator responses following preganglionic sympathetic nerve stimulation in the forepaw of anesthetized cats. We also addressed the question of a potential causal relationship between neurally evoked vasodilator and sudomotor responses. Three separate anti-adrenergic regimens were utilized: (1) acute guanethidine administration (1–2 mg/kg); (2) chronic monoamine depletion with reserpine (5 mg/kg) and α-methyl-para-tyrosine (2 × 300 mg/kg); and (3) α-adrenoceptor blockade with prazosin (300 μg/kg) and yohimbine (0.5 mg/kg). Guanethidine treatment produced a significant depression of basal cutaneous blood flow whereas α-adrenoceptor blockade did not. In all three groups, stimulation of the preganglionic thoracic sympathetic nerve trunk produced intensity-dependent increases of digital skin blood flow along with near-maximal sympathetic cholinergic sudomotor (electrodermal) responses recorded simultaneously from the same paw. Vasodilator responses were not altered by intravenous propranolol (1 mg/kg) or atropine (1 mg/kg); however, evoked sudomotor responses were totally blocked by atropine. Low doses (1.5 mg/kg i.v.) of hexamethonium selectively abolished the cutaneous vasodilator responses but not concomitantly evoked sudomotor responses. These results demonstrate, using direct measurements of blood flow, that cutaneous digital vasodilation can be measured in cats following removal of vasoconstrictor mechanisms either pre- or postjunctionally. Neither muscarinic nor β-adrenoceptor mechanisms appear to be involved. These experiments also suggest that cutaneous vasodilation is not a consequence of concomitant sudomotor activation.
Multiquark compound states and the triton charge form factor

The /sup 3/H charge form factor is investigated based on the Reid soft-core potential model and the relativistic harmonic oscillator quark model. A reasonable agreement with the experimental data is obtained for the momentum transfer up to approx.1.0 GeV/c with 2.7% six-quark compound state confined within a radius of approx.0.9 fm.
Transgene Insertion Pattern Analysis Using Genomic Walking in a Transgenic Mouse Line

A transgene mapping technique (Noguchi et al., Exp. Anim. 53:103-111, 2004) is described that can be used to analyze transgene integration patterns in transgenic mice. The technique was used to reveal that a transgenic mouse line (GM1-sy#116) harbored inverted and direct tandem repeats of both intact and partial pCAGGS-based transgenes in the G2 region of chromosome 1. This complicated concatenation of transgenes may have been caused by simple end-joining of DNA constructs fragmented by exposure to UV transillumination during gel-purification, and by nuclease digestion inside zygote pronuclei. The results suggest that care should be taken to avoid unwanted fragmentation during the preparation of vector constructs.
On the origin of irreversibility in classical electrodynamic measurement processes

We present a new formalism for the microscopic classical electrodynamics of point charges in which the dynamic absence of self-interactions is enforced by the action principle, without eliminating the field degrees of freedom. In this context, free local radiation fields are dynamically prohibited. Instead radiation is carried by charge-field functionals of the current which have a negative parity under mathematical time reversal. This leads to the dynamic requirement of a physical time arrow in the equations of motion in order to preserve the overall mathphysical time-reversal symmetry of the formalism. Since this physical time arrow emerges electrodynamically without the need of external thermodynamic or cosmological criteria, it offers a dynamical explanation for the origin of irreversibility in classical electrodynamic measurement processes. “Science, like the arts, admits aesthetic criteria; it seeks theories that display ‘a proper conformity of the parts to one another and to the whole’ while still showing some strangeness in their proportion”—S. Chandrasekar.
Characterization of a temperature-sensitive mutant of tobacco mosaic virus deficient in synthesis of all RNA species

Abstract The biochemical lesion of the temperature-sensitive, replication-deficient mutant of tobacco mosaic virus (TMV), III 2 -35, was examined in temperature shift experiments. Following a shift-up to the restrictive temperature (35°), incorporation of 32 P into viral single-stranded, replicative form, and replicative intermediate RNAs immediately ceased. Following the cessation of synthesis at 35°, III 2 -35 RNA synthesis immediately resumed when infected leaves were shifted back to 25°, suggesting that the activity of the viral RNA replicating complex is temperature sensitive in vivo . However, the in vitro activity of the membrane-bound replicase was not temperature sensitive, although its optimum temperature profile and stability at 35° were different from that of the wild type enzyme.
Ventilatory response to combined high frequency jet ventilation and conventional mechanical ventilation for the rescue treatment of severe neonatal lung disease.

High frequency jet ventilation (HFJV) was used to treat 176 infants who were either failing to respond to conventional mechanical ventilation (CMV) or demonstrating pulmonary air leak. The median birthweight for infants treated with HFJV was 1530 g, median gestational age was 31 weeks. Median duration of therapy with HFJV was 3.0, with a range of 0.1 to 27 days. During the first 24 hours of treatment, mean airway pressure decreased from 16.2 ± 0.3 (Mean ± SEM) cmH2O to 12.2 ± 0.3 cmH2O, while mean Pa increased from 65.3 ± 3.0 torr to 93.3 ± 3.0 torr during the same time period. Simultaneously, mean Pa decreased from 46.4 ± 1.5 torr to 36.6 ± 1.0 torr, although peak inflating pressure decreased from 34.3 ± 0.7 cmH2O to 30.1 ± 0.8 cmH2O. Ninety-five (54%) infants treated with HFJV survived. Of 123 infants with RDS 75 (61%) survived. The rate of complications for HFJV patients was similar to that seen with CMV in our nursery. This study suggests that HFJV provides improved oxygenation and ventilation of infants at lower mean and peak pressures compared to conventional mechanical ventilation. HFJV combined with CMV may be a valuable adjunct to therapy in infants with severe lung disease. Pediatr Pulmonol 1989; 7:244–250.
The Isdn Bandwagon Is Coming, But Who Will Be There To Climb Aboard?: Quandaries In The Economics Of Data Communication Networks

The Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN) is a ‘movement’ seeking consensus among vendors and users of telecommunications equipment about future data communication networks. The current literature rarely considers what ISDN will mean for user organizations who are already engaged in building Local Area Networks (LANs) or in establishing connections with existing Wide Area Networks (WANs). This paper analyzes how the interaction between user demands and vendor solutions will shape the ISDN movement. In particular, the economic capabilities, decision making structures, and preferences that organizations have previously developed will influence the success of ISDN. Among the paper's conclusions: The acceptance of ISDN and ISDN services cannot be reliably predicted by examining technical designs. Demands for ISDN services and technology depend on the evolution of complementary and substitute technologies. Public policies may have overwhelming importance for the rate at which ISDN is deployed and the econ...
Shock Tube Studies of Formaldehyde Oxidation.

Abstract Reflected shock waves were used to heat a variety of formaldehyde mixtures to temperatures of 1600–3000 K at total concentrations near 5 × 1018/cm3. Formaldehyde decay was monitored by infrared (IR) emission at 3.50 μm using both O2 and N2O as the oxidant in mixtures highly diluted with argon. Other mixtures with added CO were monitored for oxygen-atom production via the flame-band emission at 450 nm and for CO2 production via IR emission at 4.27 μm. These data were then compared to the results obtained from numerical integration of the rate equations based on a likely mechanism. It was possible to achieve good agreement with the formaldehyde reaction-rate constants shown as follows: CH 2 + M = HCO + H + M k 1 =5.5×10 −8 exp(−339 kJ/RT ) cm 3 sec −1 The values listed for k3 and k4 are taken directly from the low-temperature studies of these reactions; the k1 and k2 values also fit recent experiments in this laboratory on CH2O pyrolysis. The N2O experiments also served as a check on the rate-constant assignment for the reaction: H + N 2 O = N 2 + OH k 19 =1.5×10 −9 exp(−92 kJ/RT )cm 3 sec − Reasonable agreement was achieved here. Sensitivity studies suggest these rate constants are probably accurate to within a factor of 2 at 1700–2500 K. The values of k1 and k3 obtained in this work are at least an order of magnitude lower than the values frequently used in current modeling studies of methane oxidation. The implications of these differences are discussed in light of recent suggestions that C2 species participate in methane oxidation.
Electromechanical response of reduced graphene oxide–polyvinylidene fluoride nanocomposites prepared through in-situ thermal reduction

Carbon fillers, such as carbon nanotubes, have been used to address drawbacks of existing electroactive polymers (EAPs) with varying success. More recently, there has been interest in investigating potential of 2D graphene in improving the actuation response of EAPs, owing to its unique geometry and electrical properties. In our study, the effect of graphene oxide (GO) nanosheets on electromechanical response of polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF)-based nanocomposites is studied. We show that incorporating GO produces considerable strain under an applied electric field when processed using a co-solvent approach involving water and N, N dimethylformamide. Starting with GO enables good dispersion and interaction with PVDF and then thermally reducing it in-situ yields EAP with some controllability over the desired properties. A key result is that the extensional strain S11 is quadratic with the electric field, which suggests electric field-induced electrostrictive response. Dielectric relaxation spectroscopy results indicate that the mechanism for the electrostrictive response is due to induced polarization resulting from the enhanced dipolar mobility from polar γ-phase PVDF and reduced GO. Finally, we show that the coefficient of electrostriction depends on the GO content and on the amount of conversion from GO to reduced GO.
Climate Models and Their Simulation of Precipitation

Current state-of-the-art General Circulation Models (GCMs) do not simulate precipitation well because they do not include the full range of precipitation-forming mechanisms that occur in the real world. It is demonstrated here that the impact of these errors are not trivial - an error of only 1 mm in simulating liquid rainfall is equivalent to the energy required to heat the entire troposphere by 0.3°C. Given that models exhibit differences between the observed and modeled precipitation that often exceed 1 mm day-1, this lost energy is not trivial. Thus, models and their prognostications are largely unreliable.
Congress, Social Movements and Public Opinion: Multiple Origins of Women's Rights Legislation:

Scholars often characterize congressional response to public opinion as either reflecting opinion and legislating accordingly or manipulating opinion for political ends. When the wider political en...
Trajectory optimization using fast-time repetitive computation

Space vehicle trajectories must be near optimum in the sense that some parameter is either a maximum or a minimum; for example, in reentry the trajectory to desired terminal conditions is near optimum when the total aerodynamic heating is a minimum. Several perturbation methods, such as the calculus of variations, applications of the maximum principle, and direct steepest descent, have been considered for determining the time histories of nonlinear controls that correspond to optimum trajectories.
Validation of the reaction thermodynamics associated with NaSc(BH4)4 from first-principles calculations: detecting metastable paths and identifying the minimum free energy path.

A critical drawback with first-principles thermodynamic calculations is the absence of the vibrational and entropic contributions to the prediction of reaction mechanisms, which could conclusively show that the predicted reaction mechanism might be not the most stable reaction path. This study focused on providing an answer to this problem by examining possible metastable paths for five reactant mixtures whose reaction mechanisms were previously predicted using first-principles thermodynamic calculations. The aim of this study was to find a minimum free energy path among all the possible paths of each reactant mixture. This effort provided the clear conclusion that the original reaction paths predicted from first-principles thermodynamic calculations were the most stable reaction paths at an appropriate H2 pressure range for all cases. An additional examination associated with density functional theory uncertainty suggests how the ambiguity of reaction mechanisms predicted based on thermodynamic calculations should be understood and dealt with.
Response Latency as an Index of Temporary Self-Evaluation:

This study used response latencies to record differences in evaluative self-judgments that result from social experiences. Immediately after receiving either positive, negative, or no evaluative feedback, subjects completed a task on a microcomputer that recorded the latencies of their responses to various prime/adjective pairings. The primes were designed to activate either self-conceptions, conceptions of an object, or conceptions of a person other than the self These were paired with either positive, negative, or neutral self-descriptive adjectives. Subjects judged whether the adjective could ever describe the prime and responded by pressing a "yes" or "no" key. As predicted, when the self was primed, response latencies for positive adjectives were significantly shorter after positive evaluative feedback than after negative feedback. Latencies for neutral and negative adjectives as well as for primes other than the self did not differ as a function of evaluative feedback.
Increased secretion of tumor necrosis factor-alpha and interferon-gamma by mononuclear leukocytes in patients with ischemic heart disease. Relevance in superoxide anion generation.

BACKGROUNDThere is growing evidence for a pathogenic role for cytokines in atherogenesis. The presence of certain cytokines has been documented in human atherosclerotic vessels. This study was designed to investigate cytokine production by mononuclear leukocytes from patients with ischemic heart disease.METHODS AND RESULTSWe measured kinetics of secretion of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) and interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) by mononuclear leukocytes from 8 control subjects, 10 patients with stable angina pectoris, and 10 patients with unstable angina pectoris. Mononuclear leukocytes were isolated and incubated with or without the plant lectin mitogen concanavalin A for 48 hours. TNF-alpha and IFN-gamma secretion were measured by ELISA. The effect of TNF-alpha and IFN-gamma on superoxide radical generation by neutrophils was also examined. Secretion of both TNF-alpha and IFN-gamma by mononuclear leukocytes increased progressively over 48 hours, and it was consistently higher (P < .02) in patients com...
Spurious signal in measurement of the third Stokes parameter from space at L-band

Spurious spikes in the third Stokes parameter have been observed in numerical simulations of the signal expected from the L-band radiometers to be flown as part of the Aquarius instrument. These signals are present over scenes with large contrast such as land water boundaries and are due to cross polarization coupling and the relatively large footprint of the antennas.
Efficacy of isosorbide-5-mononitrate on painful and silent myocardial ischemia after myocardial infarction

Abstract The anti-ischemic efficacy of isosorbide-5-mononitrate, 20 mg 3 times daily, on silent myocardial ischemia after myocardial infarction was studied in 28 Chinese patients with use of 48 hours of ambulatory electrocardiographic monitoring in a randomized, crossover, single-blind, placebo-controlled study. Isosorbide mononitrate reduced both painful and painless episodes of ischemia compared with placebo. The number of total ischemic episodes was reduced 88%, duration of ischemia 94%, time-ischemia integral 95%, and total maximal ST-segment depression 86% (p
Combining linguistic and statistical technology for improved spoken language understanding

The goal of this project is to develop technology for spoken language understanding which is highly accurate, robust, and fast, is easily ported to new domains, environments. and channels, and quickly adapts to new speakers. The system combines the DECIPHER speech recognition system with the Gemini natural language understanding system.
Emissions reduction analysis of voluntary clean truck programs at US ports

This paper analyzed three incentive-based, voluntary vehicle replacement programs underway at US ports using fleet baseline and program completion data and an emissions standard-based emission estimation methodology. The principal findings demonstrate that best management practices for voluntary clean truck programs can substantially reduce truck drayage emissions, although not to the level achieved through mandatory programs. Emissions reductions were found to be 1–4% as compared to potential reductions of 12–15% for particulate matter and 31–34% for nitrogen oxides.
Differential transmission of actin motion within focal adhesions

Cell migration requires the transmission of motion generated in the actin cytoskeleton to the extracellular environment through a complex assembly of proteins in focal adhesions. We developed correlational fluorescent speckle microscopy to measure the coupling of focal-adhesion proteins to actin filaments. Different classes of focal-adhesion structural and regulatory molecules exhibited varying degrees of correlated motions with actin filaments, indicating hierarchical transmission of actin motion through focal adhesions. Interactions between vinculin, talin, and actin filaments appear to constitute a slippage interface between the cytoskeleton and integrins, generating a molecular clutch that is regulated during the morphodynamic transitions of cell migration.
Treating small fiber neuropathy by topical application of a small molecule modulator of ligand-induced GFRα/RET receptor signaling

Small-fiber neuropathy (SFN) is a disorder of peripheral nerves commonly found in patients with diabetes mellitus, HIV infection, and those receiving chemotherapy. The complexity of disease etiology has led to a scarcity of effective treatments. Using two models of progressive SFN, we show that overexpression of glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) in skin keratinocytes or topical application of XIB4035, a reported nonpeptidyl agonist of GDNF receptor α1 (GFRα1), are effective treatments for SFN. We also demonstrate that XIB4035 is not a GFRα1 agonist, but rather it enhances GFRα family receptor signaling in conjunction with ligand stimulation. Taken together, our results indicate that topical application of GFRα/RET receptor signaling modulators may be a unique therapy for SFN, and we have identified XIB4035 as a candidate therapeutic agent.
Comparing reporting rates of adverse events between drugs with adjustment for year of marketing and secular trends in total reporting

The Food and Drug Administration has collected spontaneous reports on adverse events (AE) from manufacturers and individuals. These data provide useful information on the safety of marketed drugs. Due to many unique characteristics of this reporting system, the information is difficult to evaluate. Incidence rates for specific adverse events and drug combinations cannot be estimated. However, reporting rates (number of reports per market share) based on prescriptions can be computed. These reporting rates provide signals of serious adverse experience that may deserve attention. When the ratio of reporting rates is used for the comparison of two drugs of the same drug class, adjustments are needed for the marketing year and secular trends of all-drug-all-AE reporting. The Mantel-Haenszel procedure is used to combine the multiyear data into one summary statistic. Application of this analysis is illustrated on reports of upper gastrointestinal bleeding, perforation, and ulcer associated with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, as given in Rossi et al. (12).
High-energy components of “designer gasoline and designer diesel fuel” I. Heat capacities, enthalpy increments, vapor pressures, critical properties, and derived thermodynamic functions for bicyclopentyl between the T=(10 and 600) K

Abstract Measurements leading to the calculation of the standard thermodynamic properties for gaseous bicyclopentyl (Chemicals Abstracts registry number [1636-39-1]) are reported. Experimental methods include adiabatic heat-capacity calorimetry, comparative ebulliometry, and differential-scanning calorimetry (d.s.c.). The critical temperature was determined by d.s.c. and the critical pressure and critical density were estimated. Standard molar entropies, standard molar enthalpies, and standard molar Gibbs free energies of formation are reported at selected temperatures between T =(298.15 and 600) K. Formation properties were calculated with a literature value for the enthalpy of combustion in the liquid phase. All results are compared with available literature values.
β-Zein protein bodies sequester and protect the 18-kDa δ-zein protein from degradation

The 18-kDa δ-class zein protein is characterized by having the highest mol% methionine content of any of the known zeins. Sequencing of the 18-kDa zein cDNA revealed an error in the published nucleotide sequence, which changes the 18-kDa amino acid sequence from residues 25 to 38. These changes result in a higher degree of homology between the 10- and 18-kDa zeins than previously reported. Expression of the 18-kDa zein gene under the control of the CaMV 35S promoter results in stable transcript and protein accumulation in leaf tissues of transgenic tobacco. Co-expression of the 15- and 18-kDa zein genes followed by immunolocalization revealed that both proteins accumulate in the same protein bodies. Furthermore, there is a 16-fold increase in accumulation of the 18-kDa zein protein in co-expressing tobacco plants. Transgenic tobacco leaves co-expressing the 15- and 18-kDa zein genes, or expressing only the 18-kDa zein gene, accumulate the 18-kDa zein transcript to equal levels. This suggests that the 15-kDa zein protein stabilizes the 18-kDa zein protein when sequestered in protein bodies. The possibility of 18-kDa zein protein stabilization by the 15-kDa zein protein is further evidenced by L-[35S] methionine pulse-chase experiments. A dramatic decrease in the rate of 18-kDa protein degradation in transgenic tobacco leaves co-expressing the 15- and 18-kDa zein genes was observed when compared with 18-kDa protein degradation in transgenic tobacco leaves expressing only the 18-kDa zein gene.
Determination of vitamins in food-matrix Standard Reference Materials

In recent years, the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has developed several food-matrix Standard Reference Materials (SRMs) characterized for vitamins and other organic nutrients. NIST uses several "modes" for assignment of analyte concentrations in SRMs, one of which includes the use of data provided by collaborating laboratories. Certification modes and liquid chromatographic methods that were used by NIST for value assignment of vitamin concentrations in recently introduced food-matrix SRMs are described in this paper. These materials and methods include vitamins D and E in coconut oil (SRM 1563) by gravimetry and multi-dimensional liquid chromatography (LC); vitamins A, E, and several B vitamins by reversed-phase LC and vitamin C by ion-exchange chromatography in infant formula (SRM 1846); and carotenoids and vitamins A and E by reversed-phase liquid chromatography in a baby food composite (SRM 2383).
Effects of grade level, community of residence, and sex on adolescent career interests in the zone of acceptable alternatives

Gottfredson (1981) proposed a four-stage theory of circumscription and compromise in vocational development. According to this theory, a child first becomes oriented to size and power, then appropriate sex type, and then social valuations of occupations, eliminating unacceptable vocational alternatives at each stage. In the fourth stage, adolescents between the ages of 14 and 18 integrate interests into vocational identity. Occupational options are evaluated relative to personal interests. Vocations incompatible with interests are eliminated from the zone of acceptable alternatives. Gottfredson's (1981) theory has elicited numerous investigations into the effects of sex type, prestige, and socioeconomic status on vocational aspiration (cf. Henderson, Hesketh, & Tuffin, 1988; Holt, 1989; Lapan & Jingelski, 1992; Leung & Harmon, 1990; Leung & Plake, 1990). There has not been, however, extensive empirical description of the variables hypothesized to be operating in the fourth stage of vocational development, a t ime when students are likely to receive some form of career education and counseling. The purpose of
BAROTROPIC TIDAL AND WIND‐DRIVEN LARVAL TRANSPORT IN THE VICINITY OF A BARRIER ISLAND INLET

Fish species such as Atlantic menhaden (Brevoortia tyrannus) must often transit relatively small barrier island inlets to move from their continental shelf spawning grounds to estuarine nurseries, where they spend their juvenile phase. Physical transport through these inlets is strongly influenced by tides, winds, local geometry and bathymetry, and can be very different from that occurring on the shelf. In March 1996, an extensive multidisciplinary field experiment was conducted to identify larval transport pathways in the vicinity of Beaufort Inlet, NC ( Blanton et al., 1999 ; Churchill et al., 1999 ; Forward et al., 1999 ). One of the most interesting results from the field study was significant spatial inhomogeneity in the larval catches ( Forward et al., 1999 ). This paper describes a computer modelling study of tidal and wind-driven circulation and accompanying larval transport characteristics in the vicinity of Beaufort Inlet. Primary conclusions are as follows: (i) tidal currents are quite effective at creating net larval transport into the inlet; (ii) in the absence of wind forcing, to explain the spatial distribution of larval catches observed in the field experiment, the primary source of larvae must have been to the east of the inlet; (iii) the spring/neap cycle accounts for a variation of approximately 40% in larvae ingress; (iv) only a few wind directions enhance larvae ingress over the case of purely tidal forcing—wind blowing toward the north enhances ingress at the surface, and winds blowing toward the south and the east enhance ingress at the bottom; (v) if larvae are evenly distributed in space out-side the inlet, then strong east wind (such as 10 m s−1) can cause larvae to move through the inlet in a way that is consistent with the larval catches in the field experiment. However, local wind records revealed that no significant eastward-blowing winds occurred during or immediately preceding the field experiment.
A web exercise in evidence-based medicine using cognitive theory.

Our aim was to improve clinical reasoning skills by applying an established theory of memory, cognition, and decision making (fuzzy-trace theory) to instruction in evidence-based medicine. Decision-making tasks concerning chest pain evaluation in women were developed for medical students and internal medicine residents. The fuzzy-trace theory guided the selection of online sources (e.g., target articles) and decision-making tasks. Twelve students and 22 internal medicine residents attended didactic conferences emphasizing search, evaluation, and clinical application of relevant evidence. A 17-item Likert scale questionnaire assessed participants' evaluation of the instruction. Ratings for each of the 17 items differed significantly from chance in favor of this alternative approach to instruction. We concluded that fuzzy-trace theory may be a useful guide for developing learning exercises in evidence-based medicine.
Design of disturbance attenuating controllers: a Riccati-based FH norm optimization algorithm

Abstract We develop the FH norm approach for disturbance rejection in discrete-time systems using controllers of bounded order. We propose a new computational algorithm to determine the optimal controller based on the use of algebraic Riccati equations, which in the limit reduce to Lyapunov equations that appear in the necessary conditions. An example is provided to demonstrate the usefulness of this approach.
Solar cycle signal in air temperature in North America - Amplitude, gradient, phase and distribution

The considered investigation was motivated by three factors. One is related to an extension of single-channel MESA to multi-channel by Strand (1977), Morf et al. (1978), and Jones (1978). MESA is a high-resolution signal processing and spectrum analysis technique due to Burg (1975). The considered developments resulted in the discovery of the 11-year solar cycle signal in the change of the length of day by Currie (1980, 1981). They also led Currie (1981) to study the phase spectrum of the 11-year term in height H of sea level. The investigation tries to clarify the phase relations among the involved parameters. The second factor is connected with an application of the linear time domain technique used by Currie (1981) to temperature records to obtain more accurate information regarding the signal amplitude. The third factor of motivation is related to increases in the number of stations available for an analysis, the greater average length of the records, and the more accurate data set.
Bayes inference for a non-homogeneous Poisson process with power intensity law (reliability)

Monte Carlo simulation is used to assess the statistical properties of some Bayes procedures in situations where only a few data on a system governed by a NHPP (nonhomogeneous Poisson process) can be collected and where there is little or imprecise prior information available. In particular, in the case of failure truncated data, two Bayes procedures are analyzed. The first uses a uniform prior PDF (probability distribution function) for the power law and a noninformative prior PDF for alpha , while the other uses a uniform PDF for the power law while assuming an informative PDF for the scale parameter obtained by using a gamma distribution for the prior knowledge of the mean number of failures in a given time interval. For both cases, point and interval estimation of the power law and point estimation of the scale parameter are discussed. Comparisons are given with the corresponding point and interval maximum-likelihood estimates for sample sizes of 5 and 10. The Bayes procedures are computationally much more onerous than the corresponding maximum-likelihood ones, since they in general require a numerical integration. In the case of small sample sizes, however, their use may be justified by the exceptionally favorable statistical properties shown when compared with the classical ones. In particular, their robustness with respect to a wrong assumption on the prior beta mean is interesting. >
A Model for the Treatment of Encopresis

Encopresis is a relatively common childhood disorder that continues to be poorly understood. An integrated assessment and treatment model for this disorder is presented. Data generated from a comprehensive assessment enables the diagnosis and identification of subtypes of encopresis based on objective, identifiable criteria. The rationale and methods for treating each subtype of encopresis then is presented. In addition, the importance of assessing and treating psychiatric comorbidity in children with encopresis is highlighted.
Multimodal Investment Choice Analysis for Washington State Transportation Projects: Phase I Results:

Launched in 1999, the Multimodal Investment Choice Analysis (MICA) project is a computer-based tool being developed to assist the Washington State Department of Transportation, the Washington State Transportation Commission, and the Washington State legislature in making state transportation funding decisions. The function of MICA is to summarize the multimodal budgetary trade-offs that will result from varying funding allocation and priority scenarios. MICA's methodology is based on benefit-cost and goal achievement analyses. The project recently completed the first phase of research. The analysis methodology for the MICA project is outlined, and key findings from the first phase of this effort are highlighted. Tasks for the second phase of the research project are also discussed. Although challenges remain, the results of the Phase I research effort indicate that development of a multimodal analysis tool appears feasible.
The in Vitro Antifungal Activity of a Series of Acridine Salts

A series of salts of 9-aminoacridine with various anions, including fatty acids, have been prepared and tested for antifungal activity against Trichophytom mentagropbytes. In the salts prepared with fatty acids, the antifungal action paralleled the length of the carbon chain of the anion, with maximal activity occurring with the acridine caprate, undecylate, and undecylenate.
Dielectric tunability of BST:MgO composites prepared by using nano particles

The dielectric properties of ferroelectric Ba0.5Sr0.5TiO3 and non-ferroelectric MgO composites synthesized by using nano particles are investigated for tunable microwave applications. Dielectric properties are studied in the temperature range of −250°C to 100°C, with and without an electrical field. The dielectric tunability is ∼50% for BST:MgO composites under the field of 80 KV/cm. at around the Curie peak. The use of nano particle sizes of materials considerably reduces dielectric losses and shows comparatively high K-factor values in the resulted composites. The ferroelectric phase is well connected and thus enhances the overall dielectric properties of the composites.
Total Excision of an Intraosseous Zygomatic Hemangioma via Subciliary Approach

intraosseus hemangiomas of the face and malar regions. 2. To review advantages and disadvantages of surgical approaches for removal of these lesions, including the Weber-Ferguson, hemi/bicoronal, extended transconjunctival, transoral gingivobuccal, and extended subciliary incisions. Study Design: Case report and review of the literature. Surgical, radiographic, and histopathologic findings are shown and discussed. Methods: We describe a case of a 44-year-old woman with a twoyear history of a slowly-enlarging, tender mass over her right zygoma. Magnetic resonance imaging demonstrated a lytic, expansile lesion centered within the cortex of the zygoma at the zygomaticomaxillary suture. Results: Total excision of the mass was achieved through a single extended subciliary incision. The lesion was dissected circumferentially out of the zygoma with a cuff of normal bone. Histopathologic examination revealed an intraosseus hemangioma. Conclusions: Intraosseus hemangioma is a rare lesion of the zygomatic area. En bloc surgical excision is the best treatment for these expansile masses. The cure rate is excellent if complete removal is achieved; however, as these are benign lesions, postoperative cosmetic deformities remain a significant issue when considering the surgical approach. Many reconstructive methods have been described to minimize bony defects following excision but do not address the extensive external skin incisions that are required and scarring that can result. A thorough understanding of the many skin incision options and selection of the least invasive approach that will permit complete resection are paramount. In select cases, an extended subciliary approach can provide the necessary exposure and a cosmetically favorable result. Total Excision of an Intraosseous Zygomatic Hemangioma via Subciliary Approach
Patterns of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor prescriptions, educational interventions, and outcomes among hospitalized patients with heart failure.

Background: Among hospitalized patients with heart failure, we describe characteristics associated with prescription of angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors in the doses recommended by clinical practice guidelines. We also describe the impact of ACE inhibitor prescriptions, increases in ACE inhibitor dose, and nonpharmacologic educational interventions on readmission-free survival rates. Hypothesis: We hypothesize that care by a cardiologist physician and higher mean arterial blood pressure on admission are associated with receipt of optimal ACE inhibitor doses. We hypothesize that receipt of an ACE inhibitor at discharge and an increase in ACE inhibitor dose during hospitalization are associated with superior readmission-free survival. Methods: Between January 1, 1992, and December 31, 1993, medical records were reviewed for consecutively hospitalized patients with a principal diagnosis of heart failure at an academic medical center. Documented instructions and medications prescribed at discharge were abstracted. Deaths and readmissions through December 31, 1994, were identified with the National Death Index and the study institution's administrative data base, respectively. Results: During 1992 and 1993, 387 patients were discharged alive from hospitalization for heart failure. Among patients discharged on enalapril or captopril, 18% received doses recommended by heart failure clinical practice guidelines. Patients discharged on a recommended ACE inhibitor dose were more likely to be African-American and had lower sodium levels and higher mean arterial pressures than patients discharged on lower ACE inhibitor doses. In survival analyses, an increase in ACE inhibitor dose was associated with improved readmission-free survival, independent of left ventricular systolic function type. Receipt of an ACE inhibitor at discharge was also associated with superior readmission-free survival, while nonpharmacologic educational instructions were not associated with improved outcomes. Conclusion: Interventions are needed to improve the frequency with which ACE inhibitors are prescribed at recommended doses to hospitalized patients with heart failure. We conclude that among these patients, receipt of an ACE inhibitor at discharge and an increase in ACE inhibitor dose during hospitalization are each associated with measurable effects on readmission-free survival, while provision of educational instructions as currently practiced is not associated with better outcomes.
PREGNANCY AND CHLOROFORM ANESTHESIA : A STUDY OF THE MATERNAL, PLACENTAL, AND FETAL TISSUES.

Pregnant dogs are susceptible to chloroform administered shortly before delivery or during labor, and show the same degree of liver injury as normal dogs, or even a somewhat greater one. Chloroform anesthesia may cause more or less hyaline necrosis in the border zone between the maternal and fetal parts of the placenta that may lead to hemorrhage, placental separation, and premature delivery. Chloroform anesthesia causes no injury to the liver of the fetus nor to any other fetal organ, in spite of the fact that it can be demonstrated to be present in these tissues. These experiments raise objections to the use of chloroform in pregnant women where an anesthetic must be continued for half an hour or longer. Chloroform anesthesia may be admissible for the few minutes at the end of the delivery, but when operative measures are necessary, before or after delivery, it is a dangerous anesthetic and surely capable of producing injury to the liver in the manner recognized in the case of normal persons. Objections may be raised to the application of conclusions derived from experiments on dogs to human cases; but the similarity of the effects of chloroform in man and dog surely affords a sound basis of comparison. Two fundamental facts would seem to be now established: (1) Normal human adults may be fatally poisoned (late chloroform poisoning) by chloroform anesthesia of one half to one hour's duration. (2) Normal and pregnant dogs are equally susceptible to late chloroform poisoning, and may be fatally poisoned by an anesthesia of two hours' duration. Hence one may conclude that probably normal and pregnant human beings are equally susceptible to chloroform poisoning, that chloroform anesthesia during any part of the pregnant period is capable of causing liver necrosis, and, consequently, that chloroform is a dangerous anesthetic.
A Computer Program for Calculating Power of the F-Test

This paper describes a simple computer program for calculating the power of the F-test. The approach is based upon two independent approximations—the first, a normalization of the non-central F distribution and the second, an integration of the normal distribution. Comparison of the calculated values of power with exact values revealed a high degree of accuracy.