cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
RECENT TRENDS IN FEDERAL WATER RESOURCE MANAGEMENT: ARE THE ‘IRON TRIANGLES’ IN RETREAT?

This paper tests the popular thesis that as a result of various changes over the past decade, the subsystemliron triangle model is no longer the central dynamic in federal water policymaking. A cross section of 30 authorities were interviewed on two aspects of this key dispute: (a) the extent to which iron triangle tenets were either central (traditional viewpoint) or secondary (revisionist viewpoint) to the Carter administrationls 1977 water projects “hit list” 81 defeat, 11 and (b) perceptions of the viability of the leading water alliances in the years since the hit list events. Major findings: (1) Although the two leading water subsystems are portrayed as having been weakened by recent challenges, they are viewed by subsystem insidersll and “outsiders” alike as the most powerful of six alternative explanations for the Carter “defeat.” (2) The alliances are largely pursuing a strategy aimed at adapting (Ripley and Franklinls “adapting subsystems”) to the threatening political climate based on extensive funding for operations and maintenance. (3) The argument is advanced that the traditional-revisionist dispute is bridged by cyclical policy dynamics, labeled the policy pacing dimension.
Application of the Wilson—Wegner expansion to represent vapor—liquid equilibrium surfaces of binary and ternary systems from the critical locus to the vapor pressure of the heavier component

Abstract The Torquato—Stell modification of the Wilson—Wegner expansion has been used to present and to represent the vapor—liquid equilibrium surfaces of several binary methane—alkane mixtures and one ternary system from the critical locus to the heavier component's vapor pressure within the experimental accuracy of the data. Inconsistent phase compositions are revealed without recourse to equations of state computations. Since the critical point of the mixtures are not precisely known, an isothermal regression analysis of the data is first used to obtain an improved estimate of the critical point of mixtures using the scaled expressions. Then, along isotherms, the phase compositions are analyzed in terms of the reduced proximity to the critical pressure. Subsequently, the entire compositional surfaces are presented in terms of both the reduced proximity to the critical pressure of the mixture and the reduced proximity to the critical temperature of the heavier component.
High-Dose Vasopressin for Acute Variceal Hemorrhage: Clinical Advantages Without Adverse Effects

• Based on laboratory and clinical data from our institution, 113 patients with cirrhosis, portal hypertension, and acute hemorrhage from esophageal varices were treated with high-dose vasopressin arginine (1 to 1.5 U/min) to control the acute bleeding and reduce blood loss during portosystemic shunt operations. Compared with patients receiving a lower dose of vasopressin infusion, these patients had a reduction in both postoperative mortality (21% vs 6%) and the proportion of patients requiring emergency operation (40% vs 18%). A decrease in operative blood loss (1340 vs 793 mL) was also seen. Adverse effects of vasopressin were increased by high-dose infusion, but no significant morbidity occurred. These results suggest that high-dose vasopressin infusion can reduce the mortality of acute variceal hemorrhage and portosystemic shunting primarily by allowing patients to improve hepatic function prior to an elective operation and by decreasing intraoperative blood loss. ( Arch Surg 1988;123:876-880)
New poly(oxyethylene) derivatives from diels-alder reactions of 3-[methoxypoly(oxyethylene)]- methylene furan

A new poly(ethylene glycol) derivative, 3-[methoxypoly(oxyethylene)]methylene furan, I, was prepared from the reaction of 3-furanmethanol with the mesylate of methoxypoly(oxyethylene) in tetrahydrofuran. The degree of end-group conversion, as determined by NMR spectroscopy, was 100%. The Diels-Alder reactions of I with N-phenylmaleimide, N-glycinylmaleimide, maleic anhydride, N,N'-hexamethylene bismaleimide, and diethyl acetylenedicarboxylate resulted in the corresponding adducts. For the adduct derived from I and N-phenylmaleimide, its thermal reversible character was confirmed by applying a retro-Diels-Alder reaction in the presence of a large excess of 2-methylfuran, which restored the initial polymer I quantitatively. The adduct obtained from I and N-glycinylmaleimide was converted into its succinimidyl ester and its hydrolysis rate in phosphate buffer (pH = 8) was determined. The reactivity of the adduct derived from I and N,N'-hexamethylene bismaleimide with benzyl mercaptan was also investigated.
Ground Excitation and Resonance in Liquid-Filled Tanks

Recent research has demonstrated that natural frequencies associated with some circumferential modes inn fluid filled tanks may be close to the frequency of earthquake excitation. This can lead to a resonance phenomenon, and consequently failure of the tanks. In this paper, we perform natural frequency analysis of fluid-filled tanks, using finite element analysis. The problem is solved for different geometries and water levels of tanks. Results are provided for circular, cylindrical tanks and cylindrical tanks with coaxial walls and a fluid annulus. Combinations of parameters most likely to cause resonance are presented.Copyright © 2006 by ASME
A BGP Fast Convergence Mechanism Based on Doubtful Path Judgment

The stability of Border gateway protocol (BGP) are directly related to the performance of the Internet. However, experiments show that BGP has serious slow convergence problem and its performances cannot meet communication needs well. Thus, a BGP fast convergence mechanism based on doubtful path judgment is proposed in this paper. Firstly, by analyzing the relationships between failure paths, doubtful paths containing failure links are computed. Secondly, a policy of doubtful path validity inquiry and its corresponding messages are designed to avoid computing wrong doubtful paths while multiple links fail simultaneously. Meanwhile, in order to avoid the waste of network resources caused by the policy, a finite state machine is designed to handle nodes’ state transitions. Finally, doubtful paths are suppressed to take part in routing decisions in the stage of BGP path exploration and the fast convergence is achieved. The mechanism is implemented on the prototype system, and its validity and practicability are tested. Experiment results show that the mechanism is feasible and effective.
Coalescing binary systems of compact objects to (post)5/2-Newtonian order. III. Transition from inspiral to plunge.

Late in its evolution, a binary system of compact objects will undergo a transition from an adiabatic inspiral induced by gravitational radiation damping to an unstable plunge, induced by strong spacetime curvature. This transition from inspiral to plunge is studied in detail using higher-order post-Newtonian methods. First, we study the innermost stable circular orbits of binary systems of nonrotating, compact objects of arbitrary mass ratio in the absence of gravitational radiation reaction. The method uses «hybrid» two-body equations of motion that are valid through (post) 2 Newtonian order [order (Gm/rc 2 ) 2 ], but that also include the test-body limit in the Schwarzschild geometry exactly. Using a critical-point analysis, we show that circular orbits inside this innermost orbit are unstable to plunge
Self-calibration technique for transmitted wavefront measurements

Micro-optic components and subsystems are becoming increasingly important in optical sensors, communications, data storage, and many other diverse applications. In order to adequately predict the performance of the final system, it is important to understand how the optical elements affect the wavefront as it is transmitted through the system. The wavefront can be measured using interferometric means, however, both random and systematic errors contribute to the uncertainty of the measurement. If an artifact is used to calibrate the system it must itself be traceable to some external standard. Self-calibration techniques exploit symmetries of the measurement to separate the systematic errors of the instrument from the errors in the test piece. If the transmitted wavefront of a ball lens is measured in a number of random orientations and the measurements are averaged, the only remaining deviations from a perfect wavefront will be due to spherical aberration contributions from the ball lens and the systematic errors of the interferometer. If the radius, aperture, and focal length of the ball lens are known, the spherical aberration contributions can be calculated and subtracted, leaving only the systematic errors of the interferometer. This paper develops the theory behind the technique and describes the calibration of a micro-interferometer used to measure the transmitted wavefront error of micro-refractive lenses.
True hermaphroditism in a wild sheep: A clinical report

Intersexuality in sheep is rare, with the freemartin anomaly being the most common. We describe here a true hermaphrodite in a wild sheep. An F(1) wild sheep ewe of Argali-mouflon X Mexican desert bighorn breeding was bred to an F(1) ram of the same breeding. A single lamb was born with the external appearance of a normal female. The lamb grew faster than its female cohorts, and by 6 months of age exhibited the aggressive behavior, size, coloration and horn development associated with males. Phenotypically, the intersex had female external genitalia with an enlarged clitoris. A human chorionic gonadotrophin (hCG) response test was performed when the intersex was 1-year-old and serum testosterone, progesterone and estradiol levels were compared to the response of a normal female and male of similar age and breeding. An exploratory celiotomy revealed two gonadal-like structures associated with a female reproductive tract. Histopathology of the structures revealed spermatogenically inactive testicular vessels and ovarian tissue with primary follicles. The reproductive tract was complete with two uterine horns and a cervix. The intersexuality is attributed to an XX/XXY mosaic.
NuMA, a nuclear protein involved in mitosis and nuclear reformation

NuMA, a nuclear protein that associates with the mitotic apparatus, was identified in 1980 as a high molecular weight component of the nuclear matrix with the unusual property of associating with the microtubules of the spindle apparatus during mitosis. Over the past two years, a burst of interest in this intriguing protein has led to the clear documentation of its cell cycle redistribution, determination of its primary sequence, elucidation of its cell cycle dependent targeting domains, as well as disruption of its function through antibody microinjection and expression of dominant-negative mutants. Together, these data support a central role for NuMA in both mitotic-spindle dynamics and the reformation of the daughter cell nuclei at the end of mitosis.
Genetic map of nine polymorphic loci comprising a single linkage group on rat chromosome 10: evidence for linkage conservation with human chromosome 17 and mouse chromosome 11.

Seven genes and two anonymous markers were mapped to a single linkage group on rat chromosome 10 using progeny of an F2 intercross of Fischer (F344/N) and Lewis (LEW/N) inbred rats. Two genes, the neu oncogene or cellular homologue of the viral oncogene erbb2 (ERBB2) and growth hormone (GH) were mapped by Southern blot analysis of restriction fragment length polymorphisms. Five genes, embryonic skeletal myosin heavy chain (MYH3), androgen binding protein/sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG), asialoglycoprotein receptor (hepatic lectin)-1 (ASGR1), ATP citrate lyase (CLATP), and pancreatic polypeptide (PPY), and two anonymous markers, F16F2 and F10F1, were mapped using PCR amplification techniques. The PCR-typable polymorphic markers for the five genes were also highly polymorphic in 10 other inbred rat strains (SHR/N, WKY/N, MNR/N, MR/N, LOU/MN, BN/SsN, BUF/N, WBB1/N, WBB2/N, and ACI/N). These markers should be useful in genetic analysis of traits described in inbred rat strains, as well as in genetic monitoring of such strains. The loci in this linkage group covered 50 cM of rat chromosome 10 with the following order: MYH3, SHBG/ASGR1 (no recombinants detected), F16F2, ERBB2, CLATP, PPY, GH, and F10F1. Comparative gene mapping analysis indicated that this region of rat chromosome 10 exhibits linkage conservation with regions of human chromosome 17 and mouse chromosome 11.
Particle shape effect on macro-and micro-behaviors of monodisperse ellipsoids

The microscopic and macroscopic behaviors of assemblages of monodisperse ellipsoids with different particle shapes were studied using the discrete element method. Four samples were created with 1170 identical prolate ellipsoids. The samples were compressed isotropically to 100 kPa. Then triaxial compression tests were carried out to very large strains until the ultimate state was reached. This paper presents typical macroscopic result including stress–strain relationship and volumetric behavior. In addition, the fabric of the samples was examined at the initial state, at the peak shear strength state, and at the ultimate state. We studied the evolution of three vector-typed micromechanical arguments with strain including the particle orientation, branch vector, and normal contact force. The normal contact force (micromechanical argument) was found to have a direct relationship with the principal stress ratio (macroscopic parameter). The angles between these vectors were also investigated. The maximum angle between vectors is related to particle shape. The results indicate that the distributions and the maximum values of these angles do not change with loading. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Development and progress in resective surgery for pancreatic cancer.

Pancreatoduodenectomy was developed from experience gained with transduodenal ampullectomy, preceded by a relatively bloodless cholecystoenterostomy. Although Codivilla (1898) and Kausch (1909) each achieved a single survivor following pancreatoduodenectomy, further development of the operation had to await discovery of vitamin K and a description of human blood types, the latter leading to the development of blood banks. After vitamin K and blood banks became available, Allen O. Whipple and his resident C.R. Mullins developed the two-stage pancreatoduodenectomy (1934–1935) and Whipple the one-stage procedure (1940). Although the mortality rate from pancreatoduodenectomy remained approximately 33% for more than 25 after Whipple's reports, concentration of resection in “centers of specialization” has now reduced mortality rates below 5%. Thus operative survival has been achieved, but long-term survival has not kept pace. Long-term data remain inadequate because they are usually expressed as Kaplan-Meier estimates and because of the nonuniformity of reporting (e.g., exclusion of postoperative deaths and palliative resections, intraoperative adjuvant therapies, and variations of operative techniques). Widely based Kaplan-Meier estimates of 5-year survival range from 12% to 15% after resection and more than 20% in selected categories. Total pancreatectomy has not improved short- or long-term survival rates. Extended lymphadenectomy and resection of peripancreatic soft tissues, as currently developed in several surgical clinics in Japan, suggest a higher incidence of complications but perhaps more long-term survivors. Interpretation of their data is currently subject to the same limitations noted above. As our surgical forebears needed vitamin K and blood banks to achieve postresection survival, we and our students need effective adjuvant therapy of micrometastases and better modalities for early diagnosis to improve long-term survival.
Scalable hierarchical locking for distributed systems

Middleware components are becoming increasingly important as applications share computational resources in distributed environments, such as high-end clusters with ever larger number of processors, computational grids and increasingly large server farms. One of the main challenges in such environments is to achieve scalability of synchronization. In general, concurrency services arbitrate resource requests in distributed systems. But concurrency protocols currently lack scalability. Adding such guarantees enables resource sharing and computing with distributed objects in systems with a large number of nodes. The objective of our work is to enhance middleware services to provide scalability of synchronization and to support state replication in distributed systems. We have designed and implemented a middleware protocol in support of these objectives. Its essence is a peer-to-peer protocol for multi-mode hierarchical locking, which is applicable to transaction-style processing and distributed agreement. We demonstrate high scalability combined with low response times in high-performance cluster environments. Our technical contribution is a novel, fully decentralized, hierarchical locking protocol to enhance concurrency in distributed resource allocation following the specification of general concurrency services for large-scale data and object repositories. Our experiments on an IBM SP show that the number oF messages approaches an asymptote at 15 node from which point on the message overhead is in the order of 3-9 messages per request, depending on system parameters. At the same time, response times increase linearly with a proportional increase in requests and, consequently, higher concurrency levels. Specifically, in the range of up to 80 nodes, response times under 10 ms are observed for critical sections that are one 25th the size of noncritical code. The high degree of scalability and responsiveness of our protocol is due in large to a high level of concurrency upon resolving requests combined with dynamic path compression for request propagation paths. Our approach is not only applicable to CORBA, its principles are shown to provide benefits to general distributed concurrency services and transaction models. Besides its technical strengths, our approach is intriguing due to its simplicity and its wide applicability, ranging From large-scale clusters to server-style computing.
Synthesis of specifically 2H‐labeled reserpines, 3,4,5‐trimethoxybenzoic acids, and syringic acid

3,4,5-Trimethoxy-2H9-, 4-methoxy-3,5-dimethoxy-2H6-, and 4-hydroxy-3,5-dimethoxy-2H6-benzoic acids were prepared from n-propyl 3,4,5-trihydroxybenzoate (n-propyl gallate) by means of appropriate alkylation-hydrolysis sequences employing iodomethane-2H3 or dimethyl-2H6-sulfate as the deuterium source. 4-Methoxy-2H3-3,5-dimethoxybenzoic acid was similarly prepared from ethyl 4-hydroxy-3,5-dimethoxybenzoate. The labeled trimethoxybenzoic acids were converted to the corresponding 2H-labeled reserpines by condensation of the acid chlorides with methyl reserpate in pyridine according to the classical procedure. The labeled reserpine analog methyl 18-O-(4-hydroxy-3,5-dimethoxy-2H6)benzoyl reserpate was likewise prepared from 4-hydroxy-3,5-dimethoxy-2H6-benzoic acid via the intermediate methyl 18-O-(4-ethoxycarbonyloxy-3,5-dimethoxy-2H6-benzoyl)reserpate (syrosingopine-2H6). The isotopic purity of each compound exceeded 99 atom percent 2H.
Leptomeningeal Metastases in High-Grade Adult Glioma: Development Diagnosis Management and Outcomes in a Series of 34 Patients

Leptomeningeal metastases (LM) in the setting of glioma have often been thought to carry a particularly poor prognosis. We sought to better characterize this phenomenon through a review of patients with glioma seen in our institution over the preceding 10 years. We focus here on 34 cases with LM due to grade III or IV glioma. Over the period in question we estimate a prevalence of almost 4% in those affected by grade IV tumors. Leptomeningeal spread was present at the time of initial diagnosis in 4 patients. In the others, LM occurred at the time of first progression of disease in 17. The median time to development of LM (excluding those where it was present at initial diagnosis) was 16.4 months (95% confidence interval (CI) 8.2-43.9). The median time to further progression of disease following LM was 4.9 months (95% CI 3.1-6.9). 25 patients were known to have died at the time of writing. Thus median overall survival (OS) was 10.2 months (95% CI 8.8-14.7) following LM. At the time of diagnosis of LM, some form of treatment (chemotherapy and/or radiation vs. no treatment) increased OS (median 11.7 vs. 3.3 months, p<0.001 by log-rank test). Use of radiation therapy (vs. no radiation) also increased OS, although the effect was more modest (7.8 vs. 16.8 months, p=0.07). Higher Karnofsky Performance Status (KPS) at the time of diagnosis of LM was associated with OS (p=0.007, median OS for KPS □90 19 months vs. 7.8 for KPS <90). In a two-variable model incorporating the use any treatment (vs. none) and KPS, KPS tended to be a more significant predictor of survival (p=0.22 vs. p=0.06 by likelihood-ratio test). This was also true for radiation (vs. none) and KPS (p=0.27 vs. p=0.02). No significant benefit could be demonstrated for the use of chemotherapy considered alone, either systemic or intrathecal. It should be noted that 4 of 9 patients receiving intrathecal chemotherapy had a ventriculoperitoneal shunt in place during these injections, which may have affected this.
Micromachined step-tapered high frequency waveguide inserts and antennas

Applications of high frequency radiation, in the ranges of 30-300 GHz (millimeter-wave) and 300-1000 GHz (terahertz), require the development of specialized components, specifically low-loss waveguides and antennas. Conventional waveguide antennas must be flared in both lateral dimensions requiring a large space and are challenging to fabricate. Previous work has shown the promise of tapered dielectric rod antennas for their high transmission and ease of integration into waveguide systems. However, practical repeatable machining techniques are neglected. This work develops the design, manufacturing, and analysis of step-tapered waveguide inserts and antennas, fabricated via controlled acid etching of high resistivity silicon, optimized for good transmission in the range of 75-110 GHz.
THE SCOPE AND TREATMENT OF THREATS IN ENDANGERED SPECIES RECOVERY PLANS

The recovery of threatened and endangered species is complicated by the number, severity, and tractability of the threats facing each species. We investigated the nature and the treatment of threats in recovery plans for 181 threatened and endangered species. We examined the types of threats facing species, as well as the degree to which threats were understood and addressed. We found that >85% of all species faced at least four out of nine distinct types of threats. The most common threats were those related to resource use, exotic species, construction, and the alteration of habitat dynamics. Recovery plans lacked basic information about the magnitude, timing, frequency, or severity of 39% of all threats facing the 181 species. Likewise, 37% of all threats were not directly addressed with recovery tasks. Threats from pollution were more poorly understood than other threats, and threats from exotics were better addressed than other types of threats. Finally, we found that threats that were better understood were assigned recovery tasks more often than threats that were more poorly understood. Thus our results suggest that a lack of basic understanding of the nature of the threats facing threatened and endangered species may, in part, be undermining our recovery efforts.
Knowing the ABCs: A comparative effectiveness study of two methods of diabetes education

Objective To test an active-learning, empowerment approach to teaching patients about the “diabetes ABCs” (hemoglobin A1C, systolic blood pressure, and low density lipoprotein cholesterol).
A switched capacitor, inductorless DC to AC voltage step-up power converter

A technique for efficiently producing low-harmonic, 60 Hz sinusoidal 110 V AC from a 24 V DC source without inductors or transformers is presented. The novel circuit topology allows the same power MOSFETs that sequentially charge a bank of capacitors to synthesize the staircase sine wave approximation. A Fourier analysis of the effects of MOSFET on-resistance and switching time on a 1 kW prototype is presented. >
Polarisation, Public Housing and Racial Minorities in US Cities

Cities in the US have become home to an increasing concentration of poor households, disproportionately composed of racial and ethnic minorities. In the US, poor and minority populations are overrepresented in public housing, mostly located in central cities. Racial and ethnic minorities in American public housing are, for the most part, composed of native-born households whereas in Europe they are more likely to be foreign-born. After a description of this concentration of poor and minority populations in public housing, we examine the effect of public housing on neighbourhood poverty rates in central cities. We construct a longitudinal database (1950-90) for four large cities-Boston, Cleveland, Detroit and Philadelphia—and examine the relationship between the location of public housing and changes in neighbourhood poverty rates. We find that in each city, one or more of the variables relating to the existence of public housing is significantly related to increases in neighbourhood poverty rates in succe...
Alcohol and Crime: Issues and Directions for Future Research

Recent research examining the relationship between alcohol use and the commission of crime is reviewed. It is clear that alcohol use, though pervasive among offender groups, does not cause crime. Therefore, attempts must be made to identify how alcohol interacts with other moderating factors that result in criminal activity. Relevant research in this area is reviewed, with a special emphasis on methods of data analysis, choice of subject population, use of self-report data, interaction of type of crime and alcohol consumption patterns, victim intoxication, multiple substance abuse, and demographic factors. More sophisticated methodologies and more precise definitions of both type of crime and type of alcohol abuse appear warranted. Examples of innovative approaches to identifying and studying nonincarcerated criminal populations are suggested as ways to further our understanding of the alcohol-crime link. In addition, the use of mechanical/chemical tests for determining blood-alcohol levels are advocated ...
A model for the development of simple cell receptive fields and the ordered arrangement of orientation columns through activity-dependent competition between ON- and OFF-center inputs

Neurons in the primary visual cortex of higher mammals respond selectively to light/dark borders of a particular orientation. The receptive fields of simple cells, a type of orientation-selective cell, consist of adjacent, oriented regions alternately receiving ON-center and OFF-center excitatory input. I show that this segregation of inputs within receptive fields can occur through an activity-dependent competition between ON-center and OFF-center inputs, just as segregation of inputs between different postsynaptic cells into ocular dominance columns appears to occur through activity-dependent competition between left-eye and right-eye inputs. These different outcomes are proposed to result, not from different mechanisms, but from different spatial structures of the correlations in neural activity among the competing inputs in each case. Simple cells result if ON-center inputs are best correlated with other ON-center inputs, and OFF with OFF, at small retinotopic separations, but ON-center inputs are best correlated with OFF-center inputs at larger separations. This hypothesis leads robustly to development of simple cell receptive fields selective for orientation and spatial frequency, and to the continuous and periodic arrangement of preferred orientation across the cortex. Input correlations determine the mean preferred spatial frequency and degree of orientation selectivity. Estimates of these correlations based on measurements in adult cat retina (Mastronarde, 1983a,b) produce quantitative predictions for the mean preferred spatial frequencies of cat simple cells across eccentricities that agree with experiments (Movshon et al., 1978b). Intracortical interactions are the primary determinant of cortical organization. Simple cell spatial phases can play a key role in this organization, so arrangements of spatial phases and preferred orientations may need to be studied together to understand either alone. Possible origins for other cortical features including spatial frequency clusters, afferent ON/OFF segregation, blobs, pinwheels, and opponent inhibition within simple cell receptive fields are suggested. A number of strong experimental tests of the hypothesis are proposed.
Lessons in global information technology sourcing

Successful information technology sourcing decisions require customers to identify their IT needs, know the sourcing market, and develop significant contract-crafting and relationship management skills. The author gives twelve customer lessons considered to be most important for managing four processes: evaluating market options; assessing the IT portfolio; crafting deals; and managing relationships. Three lessons are given for suppliers.
Meditation in Medical Practice: A Review of the Evidence and Practice

Meditation practice in the medical setting is proving to be an excellent adjunctive therapy for many illnesses and an essential and primary means of maintaining holistic health and wellness. Rather than being a fringe or marginal concept, meditation is now widely known and accepted as a beneficial mind-body practice by the general public and in the scientific community. Extensive research shows and continues to show the benefits of meditation practice for a wide range of medical conditions. Further efforts are required to operationalize and apply meditation practice in clinical and medical educational settings in ways that are practical, effective, and meaningful.
The Impact Factor of Circulation Research Rises 25

The 2012 impact factor (IF) of Circulation Research surged to 11.861, a 25% increase compared with the 2011 value of 9.489. This is, to date, the highest IF ever for the journal (the previous high value was 10.117 in 2003). It is also the biggest annual increase in IF in the history of Circulation Research . A similar increase occurred in the immediacy index (number of citations in a given year to articles published in the same year), which rose 22% …
Hearsay: a new generation context-driven multi-modal assistive web browser

This demo will present HearSay, a multi-modal non-visual web browser, which aims to bridge the growing Web Accessibility divide between individuals with visual impairments and their sighted counterparts, and to facilitate full participation of blind individuals in the growing Web-based society.
Effects of Brain Evolution on Human Nutrition and Metabolism

The evolution of large human brain size has had important implications for the nutritional biology of our species. Large brains are energetically expensive, and humans expend a larger proportion of their energy budget on brain metabolism than other primates. The high costs of large human brains are supported, in part, by our energy- and nutrient-rich diets. Among primates, relative brain size is positively correlated with dietary quality, and humans fall at the positive end of this relationship. Consistent with an adaptation to a high-quality diet, humans have relatively small gastrointestinal tracts. In addition, humans are relatively "undermuscled" and "over fat" compared with other primates, features that help to offset the high energy demands of our brains. Paleontological evidence indicates that rapid brain evolution occurred with the emergence of Homo erectus 1.8 million years ago and was associated with important changes in diet, body size, and foraging behavior.
Signal-averaged electrocardiogram in physically healthy, chronic 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) users.

Objectives: 3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA, ecstasy) use has been associated with cardiac arrhythmias. Markers of ventricular late potentials (VLP), which may be a precursor to malignant ventricular arrhythmias, can be detected by signal-averaged electrocardiography (SA-ECG), but not by standard ECG. Methods: We evaluated SA-ECG parameters in 21 physically healthy, recently abstinent MDMA users who also used cannabis (11 males, mean [SD] age 23.3 [4.6] years, 2.8 [2.0] years of use), 18 physically healthy cannabis users (8 males, mean [SD] age 26.6 [7.1] years, 11.2 [5.4] years of use) and 54 non-drug-using controls (21 males, mean [SD] age 28.4 [7.8] years). We analyzed three SA-ECG parameters considered markers of VLPs: duration of filtered QRS complex (fQRS), duration of low amplitude potentials during terminal 40 ms of QRS complex (LAS40), and root mean square voltage during terminal 40 ms of QRS complex (RMS40). Results: MDMA users, cannabis users, and non-drug-using controls did not differ ...
Effect of Vitamin A on Fracture Risk

OBJECTIVETo describe current data evaluating the effect of vitamin A intake on fracture risk.DATA SOURCESA literature search using MEDLINE (1966–March 2005) was conducted using the search terms bone density, fractures, osteoporosis, retinol, and vitamin A to identify published studies evaluating the effects of vitamin A on bone.DATA SYNTHESISStudies evaluating vitamin A consumption and fracture risk were reviewed. Current data suggest a potential inverse relationship between excess vitamin A consumption and bone mineral density leading to an increased risk for fracture.CONCLUSIONSAlthough current data are limited, consumption of large amounts of vitamin A may be associated with decreased bone mineral density and increased fracture risk. Until further information is available, patients should be made aware of the potential risks of consuming vitamin A in amounts that exceed the recommended dietary allowance. Further research is needed to clarify the relationship between vitamin A and fracture risk.
Delimmas in assessing the health status of children with learning disabilities

There has been little research directed at the evaluation of the general health status of children in mainstream settings with learning disabilities. The purpose of this study was to describe the effectiveness of a teacher-referral instrument in comparing the health status of children with learning disabilities and nondisabled children. Health records were reviewed to validate the findings of the teacher assessments. Students with learning disabilities were found to have increased frequency of health problems on the teacher-referral instrument. The health records did not serve to validate the teacher assessments, however, as a result of missing information and format inconsistencies. Policy implications are identified and discussed.
The effect of interfacial properties on damage evolution in model composites

This study explores the effect of interfacial properties on damage evolution and damage mechanisms in model glass fiber reinforced epoxy matrix composites. The composite properties were varied by changing the interfacial bond between the fiber and the matrix. Doubleedge-notched specimens were tested in tension and evaluated using thermoelastic stress analysis (TSA) to observe damage initiation and evolution, and to identify the operative damage mechanism. Changing the interface properties was found to change the operative damage mechanism. This study conclusively demonstrates that the damage mechanism in composites can be controlled by judicious changes in the interface properties. POLYM. COMPOS., 26:241–246, 2005. © 2005 Society of Plastics Engineers
Fractals and Cancer

Recent studies have shown that fractal geometry, a vocabulary of irregular shapes, can be useful for describing the pathological architecture of tumors and, perhaps more surprisingly, for yielding insights into the mechanisms of tumor growth and angiogenesis that complement those obtained by modern molecular methods. This article outlines the basic methods of fractal geometry and discusses the value and limitations of applying this new tool to cancer research.
Cell based sensing technologies

Biosensor technology is the driving force in the development of biochips capable of detecting and analyzing biomolecules. A biosensor is a device that detects, records, and transmits information regarding a physiological change or the presence of various chemical or biological materials in the environment. Cell based sensing is the most promising alternative to the existing bio-sensing techniques as cells have the capability of identifying very minute concentrations of environmental agents. The use of living cells as sensing elements provides the opportunity for high sensitivity to a broad range of chemically active substances which affect the electrochemical activity of cells. This chapter provides an overview of the development of cell-based sensors for biological and chemical detection applications, along with significant advances over the last several years. Special emphasis will be given on recently developed planar microelectrode arrays for enabling extracellular recording from electrochemically active cells cultured in vivo. The extracellular signal spectrum can be modulated when the cells are exposed to a variety of chemical agents and this modulated signal constitutes a “signature pattern” which serves as the finger print for a specific chemical agent. Cell based sensors can change the sensing paradigm from “detect-to-treat” to “detect-to-warn”.
Visual outcomes of surgical intervention for pseudotumour cerebri: optic nerve sheath fenestration versus cerebrospinal fluid diversion.

Objective To compare visual outcomes in pseudotumour cerebri (PTC) patients who underwent either optic nerve sheath fenestration (ONSF) or cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) diversion (shunt) for treatment of visual loss from papilloedema. Methods Comparative case series of thirty-three patients (33 eyes) who underwent either ONSF (14 patients) or CSF shunt (19 patients) for papilloedema and vision loss. Preoperative and final postoperative visual acuity and mean deviation (MD) on automated perimetry were assessed in addition to papilloedema severity and resolution. Mann-Whitney U test was employed to evaluate differences in final visual outcomes. Results Postoperative visual acuity did not differ between ONSF (76.4 ETDRS equivalent letters) and shunt (76.4 letters), although there was a trend toward worse preoperative acuity in the ONSF cohort. Final MD was significantly better after shunt (−9.23 dB) compared to ONSF (−17.29 dB), U=52.0, p=0.036. Preoperative papilloedema was qualitatively worse in the ONSF group. Conclusions Visual acuity and MD improved after ONSF and shunt procedures in patients with severe vision loss from PTC and papilloedema. Improvement of MD in both groups was of the same magnitude (6 dB), but because the two groups were not entirely comparable, prospective comparison of the two procedures is required to establish the relative efficacy of each procedure.
Fingernail touch sensors: spatially distributed measurement and hemodynamic modeling

Advancements on a new type of touch sensor for detecting contact pressure at human fingertips are presented. A fingernail is instrumented with miniature LEDs and photodetectors in order to measure changes in the nail color when the fingertip is pressed against a surface. The fingernail sensor allows the fingers to directly contact the environment without obstructing the human's natural haptic senses. Reflectance photoplethysmography is used to measure the pattern of nail color, i.e., the blood content under the fingernail. Hemodynamic modeling, based on actual fingertip anatomy and physiology, is used to investigate the dynamics of the change in blood volume at multiple locations under the fingernail. An optical model is created to relate the blood volume to the light intensity measured by the photodetectors. The theoretical analysis is verified through model simulation and experimentation using a prototype fingernail sensor.
Self-Concept and the Reaction of a Significant Other: A Comparison of Husbands and Wives*

This paper explores the relationship between an actor's self-concept and a significant other's actual and perceived descriptions of the actor. One hundred sixteen married couples were interviewed. Three areas of investigation were developed: role-taking as social influence, accuracy in role-taking and agreement and evaluation between spouses. The data did not support the reflective self-concept notion. There was significant discrepancy between husbands’and wives’descriptions of each other which resulted from actors underestimating their spouse's evaluation of them, and wives appearing more generous than husbands in describing spouses as desirable.
Value-Added Modeling in Physical Education

The educational reform movement in the United States has resulted in a variety of states moving toward a system of value-added modeling (VAM) to measure a teacher's contribution to student achievement. Recently, many states have begun using VAM scores as part of a larger system to evaluate teacher performance. In the past decade, only “core subjects” such as mathematics and reading were required to provide student growth data through student assessments and annual progress. However, recent trends suggest that “non-test subjects,” such as physical education, will soon be held accountable for providing evidence of student growth. It is increasingly likely that student-performance score data will be used in VAM to prove teacher performance in physical education. This article discusses current educational trends as they relate to physical education and VAM, and presents ways in which the subject of physical education could meet the requirements of an increasingly VAM-driven educational world.
Role Position and Group Performance as Determinants of Egotistical Perceptions in Cooperative Groups

(1979). Role Position and Group Performance as Determinants of Egotistical Perceptions in Cooperative Groups. The Journal of Psychology: Vol. 101, No. 2, pp. 149-156.
Mechanism of inhibition of matrix metalloproteinase-9 induction by NO in vascular smooth muscle cells.

Vascular smooth muscle (VSM) cell migration is a critical step in the development of a neointima after angioplasty. Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) degrade the basement membrane and extracellular ...
Occurrence of deoxynivalenol in wheat, Hebei Province, China

Analysis of deoxynivalenol (DON) and its metabolites 3-acetyl and 15-acetyldeoxynivalenol (3-ADON and 15-ADON) in wheat flour samples by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC/MS/MS) during 2011-2013 was conducted. [(13)C15]-DON was used as the internal standard to accomplish as accurate as possible quantitation. Of all wheat samples (n=672), 91.5% were positive for DON, at levels ranging from 2.4 to 1130 μg/kg, with a median value of 154 μg/kg. The DON derivatives (3-Ac-DON, 15-Ac-DON) were far less frequently found and at lower levels than DON. The probable daily intakes (PDI) of DON (0.49 in 2011; 0.86 in 2012; 0.56 in 2013, expressed as μg/kg body weight/day) were all within the PDI of 1.0 μg/kg of bw/day for DON set by Scientific Committee for Food (SCF) in 2002. Still, persistent monitoring of DON is important.
Effects of 532 nm Low-power Laser Irradiation on Cell Proliferation of Human-derived Glioblastoma

低出力レーザー照射（Low-power laser irradiation: LLI）は細胞増殖を含め，様々な生物学的過程に影響を及ぼすことが報告されている．われわれは808 nm・60 mWのLLIがヒト由来脳腫瘍細胞（glioblastoma A-172）の細胞増殖を抑制することを報告した．そこで，その効果に用いるレーザーの波長による違いがあるのかどうかを明らかにする目的で，同一の実験系において異なる波長の405 nm LLIを用いて，A-172への照射効果を検討した．細胞の継代培養には一般的な培養法を用いて，35 mm ペトリ皿に1.2×104 cells/mlの細胞濃度で, また96 ウェル・プレートに0.3×104 cells/mlで均一に播き，一晩培養した．405 nmの半導体レーザー発生装置（27 mW）を用いて，その出力をペトリ皿の中央部または各ウェルへ誘導した（照射面積：7.07 mm2）．非照射群と照射群（20, 40, 60分連続照射）に分け， 培養開始時，照射直後，24時間後，48時間後の細胞増殖を位相差顕微鏡で観察しながらデジタルカメラで撮影し，細胞計数を行った．またMTT法を用いて，照射後48時間後の生細胞数を吸光光度法により測定した．定点撮影法によるすべての計数結果から，非照射群と比較して，照射群は3群とも細胞増殖率の有意な低下を示し（p
Type I IFN system in the development and manifestations of SLE.

Purpose of review Type I interferon (IFN-I) is strongly implicated in the pathogenesis of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Here, we focus on new developments in pathways of IFN-I stimulation, the role of IFN-I in syndromes associated with lupus-like diseases, the utility of IFN-I signatures as biomarkers, and the progress of therapeutic agents targeting IFN-I pathways in SLE. Recent findings Immune complexesimmune complex are a dominant driver of IFN-I production by activating toll-like receptors (TLRs) in plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDC) in SLE. The level of IFN-I production is attenuated by C1q in immune complexes and enhanced by natural killer (NK) cells as well as by activated platelets that express CD40L. In addition to immune complexs, cell-intrinsic activation pathways utilize recently described non-TLR RNA and DNA sensors. Some modules or clusters of IFN-I stimulated genes or proteins correlate with disease activity, whereas IFN-I biomarkers of disease flare or specific clinical manifestations need further study. IFN-I blocking studies have reached phase II clinical trials. Summary Significant progress has been made in defining both TLR as well as non-TLR mediated stimulation of IFN-I. This has helped elucidate the mechanisms of several mutations and common genetic variations in predisposing to SLE. Challenges remain in the establishing the utility of biomarkers and the role of IFN-I blockade in the clinical management of patients with this disease.
Charge Redistribution-Aware Power Management for Supercapacitor-Operated Wireless Sensor Networks

Supercapacitors (SCs) have been used in energy harvesting wireless sensor networks (WSNs) to relieve the life cycle limitations that most traditional rechargeable storage devices suffer from. SC-operated WSNs present new challenges for power management due to its high self-discharge and charge redistribution. Power management algorithms have been developed to reduce self-discharge loss, but few studies have focused on charge redistribution loss in SC-operated WSNs. In this paper, we investigate how SC charge redistribution affects power management in long-term WSN applications, and develop a practical power manager to reduce redistribution loss by scheduling the workload in a way that maintains a relatively balanced voltage between the main branch and the delayed branch of an SC. The manager has low computational complexity and yields considerably smaller charge redistribution loss than other power managers.
The Indirect Immunoenzyme Test for the Detection of Antibodies Against North American Borreliae: I. Technic and Results with Sera of Vervet Monkeys (Cercopithecus aelhiops)

The indirect immunoenzyme test was performed by conjugating anti-vervet γ -globulin and horseradish peroxidase with the aid of glutaraldehyde. Serial dilutions of sera from healthy and infected vervets were permitted to act on smears prepared with B. turicatae , B. parkerii , and B. hermsii , respectively. The conjugated globulin was then applied. The results were visualized by 3,3’-diaminobenzidine and hydrogen peroxide treatment using the optical microscope. One of 27 sera from healthy animals gave a positive reaction in 1:4 dilution. The sera of the infected animals gave positive results with the homologous strain of Borrelia except in one instance. Cross-reactions were frequent. The test compared favorably with the immobilizine titration method.