cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Recent developments in thermal analysis of polymers: Calorimetry in the limit of slow and fast heating rates

This review focuses on new insights into the crystal melting transition and the amorphous glass transition of polymers that have been gained through recent advances in thermoanalytical methods. The specific heat capacity can now be studied under two extreme limits, that is, under quasi-isothermal conditions (limit of zero heating rate) and, at the other end of the scale, under rapid heating conditions (heating rates on the order of thousands of degrees per second), made possible through nanocalorimetry. The reversible melting, and multiple reversible melting, of semicrystalline polymers is explored using quasi-isothermal temperature modulated differential scanning calorimetry, TMDSC. The excess reversing heat capacity, above the baseline, measured under nearly isothermal conditions is attributed to locally reversible surface melting and crystallization processes that do not require molecular nucleation. Observations of double reversible melting endotherms in isotactic polystyrene suggest existence of two distinct populations of crystals, each showing locally reversible surface melting. The second subject of the review, nanocalorimetry, is utilized to study samples of small mass under conditions of very fast heating and cooling. The glass transition properties of thin amorphous polymer films are observed under adiabatic conditions. The glass transition temperature appears to be independent of film thickness, and is observed even in ultra-thin films. Recrystallization and reorganization during rapid heating are studied by nanocalorimetry of semicrystalline polymers. The uppermost endotherm seen under normal DSC scanning of poly(ethylene terephthalate) is caused by reorganization, and vanishes under the rapid heating conditions (3000K/s) provided by nanocalorimetry. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 43: 629–636, 2005
Phenomenological reflections on the self and the other — as real, as fictional

L'A. mene sa reflexion autour de la relation a un autre fictionnel, le personnage de litterature, relation ou identification qui transcende le fictionnel pour prendre une valeur reelle. L'A. propose une analyse phenomenologique de cette relation a partir des propos de Heidegger sur le sens de l'existence avec autrui et dans le monde
The Compression of Morbidity: Miscellaneous Comments About a Theme

The Compression of Morbidity hypothesis maintains that the age of onset of significant disability may be moved upward more rapidly than life expectancy thus compressing morbidity into a shorter period at the end of life by using a strategy primarily directed at postponement of chronic illness and improvement in vitality through increased physical psychological and social exercise particularly in the later years. Objections to the thesis are examined in this paper a series of qualitative and quantitative confusions are discussed and predictions for the future offered. The primary geographic focus is on the United States. (EXCERPT)
Aberrant expression of costimulatory molecules in splenocytes of the mevalonate kinase-deficient mouse model of human hyper-IgD syndrome (HIDS)

Objective We sought to determine the activation status and proliferative capacities of splenic lymphocyte populations from a mevalonate kinase-deficient mouse model of hyper-IgD syndrome (HIDS). We previously reported that murine mevalonate kinase gene ablation was embryonic lethal for homozygous mutants while heterozygotes (Mvk+/−) demonstrated several phenotypic features of human HIDS including increased serum levels of IgD, IgA, and TNFα, temperature dysregulation, hematological abnormalities, and splenomegaly.
Distance Educators and Librarians: Partners in Student Success

Well-developed research skills are essential to our student's educational success. For a generation that will create more information than was created by all those who came before them access to information is not an issue, at least for those on the access side of the digital divide. However as that wealth of information grows so does the need for the skill sets that allows one to pull the drops of needed information from the ocean that they have available to search. Students, who have not known a world without Google, smart phones, and abundant wireless internet access, often feel their research skills are good enough but usually fail, not in the search for information, but in the ability to determine what the best information is and how to find it most efficiently. Online library research classes are one of the best methods for providing students with the skills they need to succeed. Designing, implementing, and teaching library research classes allows librarians to communicate research skills that meet our students at their point of need. This paper will provide an examination of the benefits for students, libraries and faculty in providing these classes, an overview on how they can be structured to meet the information literacy needs of any student and basic information on how to create library research classes at any institution of higher education.
Aseptic meningitis and hydrocephalus after posterior fossa surgery.

In an attempt to define the tissue of origin of substances causing aseptic meningitis and secondary hydrocephalus after posterior fossa surgery, analysis of several marker substances from blood, brain, tumour and muscle in the CSF was performed early in seven postoperative patients. No clear pattern emerged which could relate the substances, CSF reaction, and meningeal scarring. The effects of various factors such as contrast studies, drainage, and steroids were also not clear.
An approximate test for comparing independent regression models with unequal error variances

Abstract The usual F statistic for comparing two independent regression equations is commonly used by practitioners. This test, however, presumes the equality of the error variance of the two populations. For applications where this assumption is not valid, an approximate test based on the same statistic is proposed that improves the Toyoda (1974) approximation by using Satterthwaite's (1946) approximation not just for the numerator but also for the denominator of the usual F statistic. The unconditional significance level of this approximate test is computed for a variety of design configurations. The power of the approximate test relative to an upper bound is also considered.
STUDIES ON THE TOXICITY OF INFLUENZA VIRUSES : I. THE EFFECT OF INTRACEREBRAL INJECTION OF INFLUENZA VIRUSES.

Intracerebral injection of preparations of influenza viruses into mice led to tonic and clonic convulsions and death in tetanus, usually within 24 to 72 hours. Histological examination revealed the destruction of the ependymal lining of the ventricles as the dominant finding. These reactions were obtained in four different strains of mice as well as in rats, guinea pigs, and hamsters. They were observed in mice after injection of mouse and egg-adapted virus, and all strains of virus tested gave these responses as long as sufficient quantities of the agents were injected. Control materials, such as normal allantoic fluids, particulate components of normal chorio-allantoic membranes, and suspensions of normal murine lungs, gave uniformly negative results. Activation of a latent virus as well as the inadvertent admixture of a neurotropic agent to the influenza cultures was excluded. Propagation of the influenza viruses in the central nervous system could not be demonstrated and, in fact, the agents were no longer demonstrable in 4 days. It was concluded that the observed neurological reactions were the result of toxic activities rather than of virus propagation. Comparison between the infectivity, hemagglutinating capacity, and the toxic activity showed that preparations with the higher titers of virus and hemagglutinin were also the more toxic ones. The toxic agents could not be separated from the infectious particles by the use of such technics as differential high speed centrifugation, adsorption onto and elution from chicken red cells, and precipitation by protamine. The toxic effect of influenza A virus preparations was specifically neutralized by anti-influenza A and not by anti-influenza B serum, and conversely. In addition, antigenic differences were noted between two strains of influenza A virus by this method of testing.
Soft X-ray absorption spectroscopy investigations of 1111 and 122 iron pnictides

Abstract Soft X-ray absorption and emission spectroscopy was used to investigate the electronic structure of BaFe 2 As 2 and oxygen-vacated PrFeAsO iron pnictides. The effect of carrier doping on the conduction band was investigated. Iron–arsenic hybridized spectral features reveal that Fe–As bonding is involved in the process of electron addition near the Fermi-level for PrFeAsO. X-ray spectra reveals an increase in the Fe density of states at the PrFeAsO Fermi-level as the doping decreases. This doping dependent electronic behavior indicates the possibility of a magnetic instability in undoped PrFeAsO.
Guidelines for validating Bowen ratio data

For a variety of reasons, the measurement of latent heat flux using the Bowen ratio method can sometimes result in erroneous data. This study provides guidelines for detecting erroneous Bowen ratio data and illustrates the application of these guidelines by comparing Bowen ratio and lysimeter data collected over grass and alfalfa in southern Idaho. Errors in net radiation were detected by comparing measured with theoretical values. However, it was found that good theoretical procedures to validate soil heat flux data are lacking. Only empirical equations mainly used for remote sensing applications to obtain estimates close to noontime are available. Extremely inaccurate latent heat fluxes were easily filtered out by rejecting data when the calculated Bowen ratio (β) values were close to -1. A simplified procedure was proposed to reject fluxes with the wrong sign, and three different equations were used successfully to detect the occurrence of condensation inside the type of measurement system used in the study. Guidelines to assure adequate fetch are provided. Fetch did not affect the measured fluxes in this study, which may have been due to the similarity in surface properties between the crops under study and those in the surrounding fields.
On the role of molecular interactions in the dielectric behaviour of polar fluids

Abstract A theory is developed relating the permanent, dipole moment of an isolated molecule in the absence of an external electric field to the macroscopic dielectric constant of a one-component fluid of such polar molecules. The model adopted here regards the polar molecule as an ellipsoid of revolution contained in a larger confocal spheroidal cavity. The region between these two spheroids is characterized by a local dielectric constant, which is a measure of the intermolecular forces between the molecule and its neighbours and is evaluated for dipole- dipole and dipole-induced dipole interactions. The theory is applied to the calculation of the dipole moments of various molecules; the agreement between calculated and experimental values is improved over previous theories.
FREEZE‐ETCH ULTRASTRUCTURE OF WAXY MAIZE AND ACID HYDROLYZED WAXY MAIZE STARCH GRANULES

Freeze-etching was used to study the ultrastructure of waxy maize starch and acid-treated (0.5M HCl, 25°C, 24 hr) waxy maize starch. The outer surfaces of the untreated granules were smooth with a faint fibrillar pattern. Granule cross-fractures had a fine particulate appearance with some radially-oriented ridges. Internal cracks were evident. Starch granules soaked in acid developed surface pits. Areas of hydrolysis had a distinctive structure and occurred in restricted zones. The shape of the acid-treated starch granules remained unchanged. However, inner regions showed extensive ultrastructural changes and water infiltration. Freeze-etching revealed bands of alternating high and low water content which formed lamellae in a few granules.
Fourier Transform Infrared Analysis of Trehalulose and Sticky Cotton Yarn Defects Using ZnSe-Diamond Universal Attenuated Total Reflectance

The universal attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared (UATR-FTIR) equipped with a ZnSe-diamond composite crystal accessory was used to investigate the implication of trehalulose in the formation of yarn defects during rotor spinning of moderately sticky cotton mixes. One cotton bale contaminated with aphid honeydew and one contaminated with whitefly honeydew were selected. Mixes having moderate levels of stickiness were prepared from these two bales by mixing sticky cotton with non-sticky cotton. These cotton mixes were processed and the yarn defects were collected and analyzed using UATR-FTIR. The results obtained showed a high correlation between the FTIR spectra of the yarn defects from the whitefly honeydew-contaminated mixes and the spectra of artificial reconstituted whitefly honeydew. No significant difference was seen between the spectra of yarn defects from aphid honeydew-contaminated cotton and those of non-contaminated cotton. The FTIR and Raman studies of the hydration process of trehalulose showed a drastic impact of moisture absorption on the intensities of the vibration modes of trehalulose. These results all indicate that trehalulose is the primary concern when forming yarns from cotton with moderate honeydew contamination.
An examination of β-cell function measures and their potential use for estimating β-cell mass

A characteristic and dominant feature of type 2 diabetes is a reduction in beta-cell function that is associated with a decrease in beta-cell volume. A decline in the first-phase insulin response following intravenous glucose administration can be demonstrated as the fasting glucose concentration increases. This response is completely absent before the glucose threshold that defines diabetes has been reached and at a time when beta-cells are clearly still present, implying that a functional beta-cell lesion has to exist independent of beta-cell loss. Surgical or chemical reductions of up to 65% of beta-cell volume demonstrate that functional adaptation of the normal beta-cell prevents a rise in fasting glucose or reduction in first-phase insulin response. However, the ability of glucose to potentiate the beta-cell's response to non-glucose secretagogues is reduced and is more closely associated with the reduction in beta-cell volume. The future, in terms of prevention and treatment of type 2 diabetes, lies in the ability to prevent and revert both beta-cell loss and dysfunction. However, until beta-cell volume can be quantified reliably and non-invasively, we will need to rely on the ability of glucose to potentiate insulin release as the best surrogate estimate of the number of beta-cells.
Rounding and Inference Controlin Conceptual Models for Statistical Databases

A statistical database (SI)B) is a database that is used to provide simple summary statistics (e.g., SUM, COUNT, MAX, MEDIAN, etc.) about populations stored in the database and that supports statistical data analysis. When SDB users infer protected information in the SDB from responses to queries, we say that the SDB is compromised. The security problem of SDB is to allow simple summary statistics about protected information in the SDB while preventing compromise. In this paper, we investigate the effectiveness of rounding in statistical databases as a protection technique for SUM and COUNT queries. We consider the generalization hiermchy of the Data
Higher Outcomes of Vasectomy Reversal in Men with the Same Female Partner as Before Vasectomy

Purpose: We reviewed fertility outcomes of vasectomy reversal at a high surgical volume center in men with the same female partner as before vasectomy.Materials and Methods: We retrospectively studied a prospective database. All vasectomy reversals were performed by a single surgeon (EFF). Patients who underwent microsurgical vasectomy reversal and had the same female partner as before vasectomy were identified from 1978 to 2011. Pregnancy and live birth rates, procedure type (bilateral vasovasostomy, bilateral vasoepididymostomy, unilateral vasovasostomy or unilateral vasoepididymostomy), patency rate, time from reversal and spouse age were evaluated.Results: We reviewed the records of 3,135 consecutive microsurgical vasectomy reversals. Of these patients 524 (17%) who underwent vasectomy reversal had the same female partner as before vasectomy. Complete information was available on 258 patients (49%), who had a 94% vas patency rate. The clinical pregnancy rate was 83% by natural means compared to 60% in...
Murray, B. T. (Ed.). (2008). Religious liberty in America: The First Amendment in historical and contemporary perspective. Amherst, MA: University of Massachusetts Press, 213 pp. $80.00 (hardcover); $19.95 (paperback)

The nature of the journalist profession requires reporters to know a few things about a great many topics. Even journalists who focus on specialized fields have only superficial knowledge of the fi...
Comparison of maximum entropy and higher-order entropy estimators

Abstract We show that generalized maximum entropy (GME) is the only estimation method that is consistent with a set of five axioms. The GME estimator can be nested using a single parameter, α, into two more general classes of estimators: GME-α estimators. Each of these GME-α estimators violates one of the five basic axioms. However, small-sample simulations demonstrate that certain members of these GME-α classes of estimators may outperform the GME estimation rule.
A High Volume Stack Sampler

The stack sampler described in this paper has been developed to overcome the difficulties of particulate sampling with presently available equipment. Its use on emissions from hog fuel fired boilers, back-fired incinerators, wigwam burners, asphalt plants, and seed cleaning cyclones is reported. The results indicate that the sampler is rapid and reliable in its use. It is relatively simple and inexpensive to operate. For most sources it should be considered over the more complicated and expensive sampling trains being used and specified.
β-Funaltrexamine inactivates ORL1 receptors in BE(2)-C human neuroblastoma cells

The potential interactions of natively expressed mu-opioid and opioid receptor-like (ORL1) receptors were studied by exposing intact BE(2)-C cells to agonists or antagonists for 1 h. Pretreatment with the mu-opioid receptor agonist, [D-Ala(2), N-Me-Phe(4),Gly(5)-ol]enkephalin (DAMGO), or the ORL1 receptor agonist, orphanin FQ/nociceptin desensitized both mu-opioid and ORL1 receptor responses. beta-Funaltrexamine (beta-FNA) pretreatment also blocked both mu-opioid and ORL1 receptor responses, but only mu-opioid receptor binding was reduced. Moreover, beta-FNA (1 microM) failed to inhibit specific ORL1 receptor binding.
Frequency of Elevated Troponin I and Diagnosis of Acute Myocardial Infarction

This study evaluated the incidence and type of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) in a consecutive population with increased troponin I (TnI). AMI has recently been redefined and subclassified. Incidence, demographic data, angiographic findings, and hospital mortality of patients with various AMI subtypes or an increased TnI in the absence of AMI have not been previously reported in a prospective study. Over a 3-month period, all patients admitted from an emergency room or from in-patient services with >1 TnI level >0.04 ng/ml were evaluated and subclassified in AMI subgroups. In-hospital or recent coronary angiograms were reviewed. In-hospital mortality was noted. Of 2,944 patients with serial TnI measurements, 728 had an increased TnI and 701 (23.8%) were evaluated. Two hundred sixteen (30.8% with increased TnI and 42.7% with "rule-out MI" on admission) met criteria for AMI. One hundred forty-three (20.4%) had type 1, 64 (9.1%) had type 2, whereas 461 (65.8%) did not meet criteria for AMI. On multivariate analysis, use of angiography, peak TnI level, hyperlipidemia, and illicit drug use were independently associated with the diagnosis of AMI. TnI of 0.28 ng/ml had a 70% sensitivity and specificity for AMI diagnosis. In conclusion, a minority admitted with increased TnI have AMI by the universal definition. Type 1 is the most common AMI and is associated with higher TnI values and these patients are more likely to undergo angiography. Type 2 AMI is often associated with illicit drug use.
Community connections: lessons learned developing and maintaining a computer science service-learning program

This paper describes Community Connections, an ongoing service-learning project at the University of San Francisco aimed at bridging the digital divide. We discuss Community Connections' work both in San Francisco and in Peru, the advantages and learning outcomes of incorporating service-learning into a traditional computer science curriculum, outline some of the pitfalls and challenges in implementing this program, and provide advice for implementing technology-oriented service-learning programs at other institutions based on our experiences.
Novel agents in myeloma: an exciting saga.

An exciting page in the annals of cancer therapy has been unfolding recently with the development of novel agents for the treatment of multiple myeloma. Less than a decade ago, myeloma therapy was in the doldrums, and had been that way for years. Other than bisphosphonates, basic therapy consisted of alkylating agents in all their various guises, although oral melphalan and to a lesser degree, cyclophosphamide were the mainstays of treatment. Combining alkylating agents into a triple therapy combination had been considered a step forward by some, but, in actuality, represented simply more intense therapy. Steroids, particularly high dose dexamethasone, were helpful, but the contribution of vincristine and doxorubicin in the classic VAD program was marginal. Autologous transplantation, employing mostly high dose alkylating agents, for younger patients was and still remains the gold standard therapy, but its impact over conventional chemotherapy is modest and it does not represent curative therapy. Further, it is not applicable to a large cohort of patients, the elderly, who predominate in this disease. Median survival for active myeloma a decade ago ranged from three to five years.
Prostate cancer screening with prostate specific antigen in spinal cord injured men.

Purpose: As the spinal cord injured population ages, prostate cancer becomes a more significant cause of potential mortality. Consequently due to various bladder management techniques the validity of standard prostate specific antigen (PSA) screening values in this population must be evaluated. We compared screening PSA values in a large population of spinal cord injured patients with those in age matched, nonspinal cord injured men.Materials and Methods: Screening PSA values were obtained using the AxSYM assay (Abbott Laboratories, Abbott Park, Illinois) in 366 spinal cord injured men 40 to 79 years old. In those with PSA elevated to greater than 4 ng./ml. who consented to further evaluation standard sextant needle biopsy of the prostate were performed under transrectal ultrasound guidance. Data were compared with data on 371 randomly selected, age matched controls from the Baylor College of Medicine community screening program database of more than 19,000 patient-tests. Analysis was performed with the u...
HOW DID THE 2003 PRESCRIPTION DRUG RE-IMPORTATION BILL PASS THE HOUSE?

We examine the major interest groups in the debate over allowing the re-importation of prescription drugs by utilizing a logit model and instrumental variables. Consistent with political support approach, the evidence suggests that Representatives are maximizing their electoral prospects: contributions from pharmaceutical manufacturers shrink the probability of voting for the bill; and Representatives are sensitive to their constituencies – employees of pharmaceutical manufacturing and senior citizens. Representatives' gender and ideology regarding free trade and subsidies are also determining factors. However, the decision was, by and large, a partisan one: party affiliation was the most important factor in passing the bill.
Photo Essays: Playing Fields: The Rules of the Game

(2007). Photo Essays: Playing Fields: The Rules of the Game. Social Dynamics: Vol. 33, No. 2, pp. 225-241.
Successful treatment of trauma-induced short bowel syndrome with early living related bowel transplantation.

BACKGROUND : Total parenteral nutrition (TPN) is a life-saving therapy for patients with short bowel syndrome. However, TPN is associated with a high incidence of serious complications, poor quality of life, and elevated cost. An attempt was made to avoid TPN-related complications associated with trauma-induced short bowel syndrome by using early living related donor bowel transplantation. METHODS : Three men 27 to 30 years of age with trauma-induced short bowel syndrome received early living related donor bowel transplantation using segmental ileal grafts. RESULTS : All the donors had an uncomplicated postoperative course. After a mean follow-up period of 40 months, all three recipients were alive and well, and did not require any TPN support. The ileal graft adapted perfectly to support fully the nutritional needs of young, active individuals. CONCLUSIONS : Early living related donor bowel transplantation is a successful treatment for trauma-induced short bowel syndrome. It is associated with a lower incidence of complications, better quality of life, and lower cost than long-term TPN.
Toleration and Reciprocity: Commentary on Martha Nussbaum and Henry Shue:

Rawls's Law of Peoples has not gathered a great deal of public support. The reason for this, I suggest, is that it ignores the differences between the international and domestic realms as regards the methodology of reciprocal agreement. In the domestic realm, reciprocity produces both stability and respect for individual moral agency. In the international realm, we must choose between these two values — seeking stable relations between states, or respect for individual moral agency. Rawls's Law of Peoples ignores the stark nature of this choice by insisting that the only legitimate extension of liberal toleration abroad is the toleration of different forms of political organization. It is this attempt to overcome liberalism's tragic dilemma which, I suggest, has made Rawls's international theory less attractive than his domestic theory. I also suggest that this difficulty is at the base of the further difficulties identified by Henry Shue and Martha Nussbaum in their accompanying essays.
Selenium‐sulfur analogs. Mass spectrometric comparison of substituted selenazoles and thiazoles

The electron impact mass spectra of a series of thiazoles and selenazoles were compared. No major differences in the mass spectral behavior between the sulfur and selenium containing compounds were observed. Isotopic labelling with deuterium permitted deconvolution of ion peaks of identical mass and composition, but arising from different fragmentation pathways.
La Violencia del Lugar

Este ensayo presenta personajes nomades, huerfanos, habitantes de la noche, sin hogar y sin ley. Estos personajes nos permiten analizar las relaciones entre violencia y lugar, en la cultura argentina durante los noventa y el inicio del 2000. Las peliculas elegidas son Un dia de suerte (2002) de Sandra Gugliotta, Vagon Fumador (2001) de Veronica Chen y Hoy y Manana (2003) de Alejandro Chomski. Las tres peliculas, filmadas a principios del 2000, tienen como escenario la ciudad de Buenos Aires, las historias siguen los desplazamientos de los jovenes protagonistas por la ciudad, estableciendo nuevas fronteras entre el centro y la periferia, y la nocion de no-lugar en la cartografia de la ciudad de Buenos Aires.
Automatic Detection of White Matter Hyperintensities in Healthy Aging and Pathology Using Magnetic Resonance Imaging: A Review

White matter hyperintensities (WMH) are commonly seen in the brain of healthy elderly subjects and patients with several neurological and vascular disorders. A truly reliable and fully automated method for quantitative assessment of WMH on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has not yet been identified. In this paper, we review and compare the large number of automated approaches proposed for segmentation of WMH in the elderly and in patients with vascular risk factors. We conclude that, in order to avoid artifacts and exclude the several sources of bias that may influence the analysis, an optimal method should comprise a careful preprocessing of the images, be based on multimodal, complementary data, take into account spatial information about the lesions and correct for false positives. All these features should not exclude computational leanness and adaptability to available data.
On the capacitated lot-sizing and continuous 0–1 knapsack polyhedra

Abstract We consider the single item capacitated lot-sizing problem, a well-known production planning model that often arises in practical applications, and derive new classes of valid inequalities for it. We first derive new, easily computable valid inequalities for the continuous 0–1 knapsack problem, which has been introduced recently and has been shown to provide a useful relaxation of mixed 0–1 integer programs. We then show that by studying an appropriate continuous 0–1 knapsack relaxation of the capacitated lot-sizing problem, it is possible not only to derive new classes of valid inequalities for the capacitated lot-sizing problem, but also to derive and/or strengthen several known classes.
CHARACTERIZATION OF NUCLEAR IMAGES BASED ON ANALYSIS OF FRACTIONAL SUMMATION SYSTEMS

While frequency-based methods for the characterization of fractals are popular and effective in many applications, they have limitations when applied to irregularly shaped images, such as nuclear images. The irregularity renders texture characterization by frequency domain methods, based upon Fourier transform, problematic. To address this situation, this paper presents an algorithm based upon the signal analysis in the spatial domain. An autocovariance function can be estimated regardless of the shape and size of regions where the image is defined. As in the continuous fractional Brownian motion (FBM) that results from inputting white noise into a specific fractional integral system, a discrete FBM can be related to white noise by a specific fractional summation system (FSS) that is linear, causal and shift-invariant. Although the method of direct sampling is not valid for converting a continuous fractional integral to a discrete fractional summation, discrete fractional summations similar to the sampled...
Structure-activity relationships in halogenated biphenyls: unifying hypothesis for structural specificity.

Abstract Using chlorinated biphenyls as model halogenated aromatic hydrocarbons, in this and previous work we have investigated the specific structural requirements for induction of cytochrome P-448, P-450 and associated monooxygenase activities, and exquisite toxicity in the guinea pig. The requirement of planarity or coplanarity was examined using single crystal X-ray techniques to describe the structure and conformation of PCBs and PBBs in the solid state as an approximation of their interactions with a bioreceptor. It was concluded that the most stable conformation of all biphenyls with or without ortho-substituents is non-planar and that neither planarity nor symmetry is an inherent requirement for receptor binding. The basic requirement for toxic structures was the availability of at least three lateral bromines or four lateral chlorines arranged in about a 3 × 10 A triangle or box, respectively. The underlying factor in the apparent symmetry requirement (as determined by the number and positions of halogens) is net polarizability of the molecule. Sufficient polarization for binding requires four lateral chlorines or three lateral bromines. Planarity or coplanarity of rings is necessary only to effect juxtaposition of the four lateral chlorines, and binding is therefore facilitated by an increased population of planar conformers. The population of planar conformers in biphenyls is in turn reduced by the degree of ortho substitution and hindrance to rotation about the pivot bond. Net polarizability is increased by the buttressing effect of adjacent chlorines or bromines, especially when ortho positions are involved. Coplanarity effects steric fit to the receptor while polarizability effects binding affinity. Excessive buttressing may lower binding affinity. Some variation in these properties through molecular conformational preferences in the biphenyls is thought to explain the apparent ‘mixed induction’ seen for certain isomers. This is a unifying hypothesis for structural specificity based on the available and definitive crystallographic, theoretical and toxicological data on these pure compounds.
Vascular considerations and complications in cranial base surgery.

The technical evolution of cranial base surgery has resulted in approaches that allow more radical surgical extirpation of complex cranial base lesions. Our service has extensively applied these cranial base approaches for lesions of the cranial base. A subgroup of 100 patients who had cranial base tumors involving potential manipulation or sacrifice of carotid arteries underwent 20-minute balloon test occlusions coordinated with vascular assessments consisting of a combination of the following: 1) four-vessel cerebral angiogram with compression studies; 2) occlusion transcranial Doppler ultrasonography; 3) occlusion single-photon emission computed tomography perfusion studies; and 4) xenon-133 cerebral blood flow studies
Kinematic strategies for hyoid movement in rapid sequential swallowing.

Past videofluoroscopic and EMG evidence has shown that rapid sequential swallowing differs from discrete swallows, but our knowledge of the control strategies remains incomplete. This study examine...
Improved Detection of Nutritional Risk in a Hospital Nutrition Screening System

Abstract The previous nutrition screening procedures allowed four days from admission for completion of screening and assessment. Since the average length of stay was 4.9 days, some patients were discharged before being screened and assessed. A new screening system was designed to improve efficiency and allow for earlier completion of assessments. Data was collected from a convenience sample of 125 admissions before and after nutrition screening redesign. The time allotted from admission to complete a screen was decreased to from 48 to 24 hours. The number of criteria used within each level of care was decreased from seven to three (percent ideal body weight, diagnosis, and serum albumin level). Mean time to complete a screen was 11.0minutes (range 1.0–27.0) before and 4.5minutes (range 1.0–15.0) after redesign. The mean time from admission to screen a patient was 26.3 hours (range 9.0–85.6) before and 17.1 hours (range 2.2–31.2) after redesign. Once patients at nutritional risk were identified, less time was taken to notify the clinical dietitians (mean: 29.0 versus 12.8 hours). The results indicate that nutrition screening based on fewer parameters accurately detects nutritional risk and improves patient care by allowing for more timely assessment.
Development of a risk index for prediction of mortality after open aortic aneurysm repair.

Objective Open infrarenal abdominal aortic aneurysm (oAAA) repair is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Although there has been a shift toward endovascular repair, many patients continue to undergo an open repair due to anatomic considerations. Tools currently existing for estimation of periprocedural risk in patients undergoing open aortic surgery have certain limitations. The objective of this study was to develop a risk index to estimate the risk of 30-day perioperative mortality after elective oAAA repair. Methods Patients who underwent elective oAAA repair (n = 2845) were identified from the American College of Surgeons' 2007 to 2009 National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (NSQIP), a prospective database maintained at >250 centers. Univariable and multivariable analyses were performed to evaluate risk factors associated with 30-day mortality after oAAA repair and a risk index was developed. Results The 30-day mortality after oAAA repair was 3.3%. Multivariable analysis identified six preoperative predictors of mortality, and a risk index was created by assigning weighted points to each predictor using the β-coefficients from the regression analysis. The predictors included dyspnea (at rest: 8 points; on moderate exertion: 2 points; none: 0 points), history of peripheral arterial disease requiring revascularization or amputation (3 points), age >65 years (3 points), preoperative creatinine >1.5 mg/dL (2 points), female gender (2 points), and platelets 3 or >350,000/mm 3 (2 points). Patients were classified as low ( 15%) risk for 30-day mortality based on a total point score of 11, respectively. There were 2508 patients (88.2%) patients in the low-risk category, 278 (9.8%) in the intermediate-risk category, and 59 (2.1%) in the high-risk category. Conclusions This risk index has excellent predictive ability for mortality after oAAA repair and awaits validation in subsequent studies. It is anticipated to aid patients and surgeons in informed patient consent, preoperative risk assessment, and optimization.
INSTITUTIONAL CHOICES FOR LOCAL SERVICE CONTRACTING AND COLLABORATION

Outsourcing local services necessitates collaborative relationships, yet we know little about local service delivery mechanism choices that formalize these relationships. Alternatives to inhouse production include contracts with for-profit organizations, provision by local authorities, and intergovernmental agreements. Previous studies of service choices focus on potential “efficiency gains” from external exchange, especially the economic costs on the supplier’s side resulting from market failure or asset specificities. This study instead applies the political market framework to examine how collaborative local service arrangements are shaped by or respond to supply and demand characteristics. The empirical analysis estimates, logit and multinomial probit models of public service delivery in Georgia. Ferris and Graddy (1986) suggest that decisions reflect a two-step process, i.e., choosing whether or not to contract out and then choosing with whom to contract. This paper also follows their two-step approach. Each local government decides whether or not to collaborate (logit model) and then chooses with whom to collaborate (multinomial probit model). The findings indicate that the transaction cost of supply and demand factors defined by the political market framework affect the choices of collaborative arrangements and alternative service delivery mechanisms.
Superoxide dismutase provides protection against the hyperoxia in the retina of the rainbow trout (Salmo gairdneri).

Abstract 1. 1. A modified hydroxylamine oxidation assay method coupled with a parallel line analysis to detect endogenous inferfering substances, was used to determine superoxide dismutase (SOD). 2. 2. Retinal SOD activities in trout, frog and rat were compared. SOD activity in liver and brain tissues was also determined. 3. 3. Based on estimates of superoxide anion production there appears to be excess SOD protection in the rainbow trout retina, which could, at least in part, account for its resistance to oxygen toxicity.
DTIC and combination therapy for melanoma: III. DTIC (NSC 45388) surgical adjuvant study COG PROTOCOL 7040

A prospectively randomized study of postoperative chemotherapy with dimethyl triazeno imidazole carboxamide (DTIC) was conducted by the Central Oncology Group from 1972 until 1976. Of 174 patients operated upon for melanoma and entered into the study, 87 were randomly selected to receive DTIC, four courses in 12 months, at 4.5 mg/kg/d x 10. One-hundred-sixty-five (95%) of the cases were evaluable, including 40 high risk Stage I, 96 Stage II, and 29 Stage III cases. At a median follow-up period of 2.5 years, the control group had a better median disease-free interval (40 weeks vs. 73 weeks), median survival time (103 weeks vs. 133 weeks), and percentage of patients living free of disease (28% vs. 44%) than the DTIC-treated group. While disease-free interval appeared to be improved in the 25% of patients on DTIC therapy who developed thrombocytopenia, the overall effect of postoperative DTIC therapy was apparently not beneficial (P less than 0.05).
Applying a Task Progression to the Reciprocal Style of Teaching

(2004). Applying a Task Progression to the Reciprocal Style of Teaching. Journal of Physical Education, Recreation & Dance: Vol. 75, No. 2, pp. 42-46.
Management of type 2 diabetes mellitus in the elderly

Abstract Aim To provide evidence based recommendations for optimal care diabetes care in the elderly. Background Diabetes affects approximately 25% of the population ≥65 years, and that percentage is increasing rapidly, particularly in minorities who represent an important fraction of the uninsured/underinsured. Diabetes is an important cause of hospital admissions and a co-morbidity in as high as 50% of hospital inpatients. It impacts mortality and quality of life. While tools have become available to improve glycemic control, enthusiasm for their application must be tempered with the sober realization of the risks involved in intensification of glycemic control, chiefly hypoglycemia. Methods Weighted review from PubMed and other literature search tools in descending order of randomized control trials, observational studies, pilot studies, published guidelines, the authors’ clinical experience, and expert opinion. Results/conclusions • HbA1c targets should be stratified according to the frailty of the elderly diabetic patient: • Therapies are available that achieve glycemic goals, while minimizing the risk of hypoglycemia, taking into consideration such factors as cognitive function, renal and hepatic function, bone density, fall risk, and hypoglycemia unawareness. • When insulin is used determir or glargine are safer choices than NPH. • Ultra-short acting prandial insulins are safer than regular insulin. • Pen devices for insulin delivery significantly reduce dosing errors and the risk of hypoglycemia. • Sudden managed care formulary changes that disrupt patients’ diabetes treatment should be prevented through national policy initiatives. • Up to date home medication lists help prevent dangerous medication errors. • Widespread adoption of telehealth approaches can significantly improve glycemic control and render it safer.
Obfuscating DSP Circuits via High-Level Transformations

This paper presents a novel approach to design obfuscated circuits for digital signal processing (DSP) applications using high-level transformations, a key-based obfuscating finite-state machine (FSM), and a reconfigurator. The goal is to design DSP circuits that are harder to reverse engineer. High-level transformations of iterative data-flow graphs have been exploited for area-speed-power tradeoffs. This is the first attempt to develop a design flow to apply high-level transformations that not only meet these tradeoffs but also simultaneously obfuscate the architectures both structurally and functionally. Several modes of operations are introduced for obfuscation where the outputs are meaningful from a signal processing point of view, but are functionally incorrect. Examples of such modes include a third-order digital filter that can also implement a sixth-order or ninth-order filter in a time-multiplexed manner. The latter two modes are meaningful but represent functionally incorrect modes. Multiple meaningful modes can be exploited to reconfigure the filter order for different applications. Other modes may correspond to nonmeaningful modes. A correct key input to an FSM activates a reconfigurator. The configure data controls various modes of the circuit operation. Functional obfuscation is accomplished by requiring use of the correct initialization key, and configure data. Wrong initialization key fails to enable the reconfigurator, and a wrong configure data activates either a meaningful but nonfunctional or nonmeaningful mode. Probability of activating the correct mode is significantly reduced leading to an obfuscated DSP circuit. Structural obfuscation is also achieved by the proposed methodology via high-level transformations. Experimental results show that the overhead of the proposed methodology is small, while a strong obfuscation is attained. For example, the area overhead for a (31)th-order IIR filter benchmark is only 17.7% with a 128-bit configuration key, where $1 \leq l \leq 8$ , i.e., the order of this filter should be a multiple of 3, and can vary from 3 to 24.
Reduced Fitness in Cell Culture of HIV-1 with Nonnucleoside Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitor-Resistant Mutations Correlates with Relative Levels of Reverse Transcriptase Content and RNase H Activity in Virions

Nonnucleoside reverse transcriptase (RT) inhibitors (NNRTIs) are important components of multidrug therapy for HIV-1. Understanding the effect of NNRTI-resistant mutants on virus replication and reverse transcriptase (RT) function is valuable for the development of extended-spectrum NNRTIs. We measured the fitness of six NNRTI-resistant mutants, the K103N, V106A, Y181C, G190A, G190S, and P236L viruses, using a flow cytometry-based cell culture assay. K103N and Y181C viruses had fitness similar to that of the wild type while V106A, G190A, G190S, and P236L viruses had reduced fitness. We also determined the biochemical correlates of fitness by measuring the RNase H and polymerization activities of recombinant mutant RTs and virion-associated RTs. The RNase H activities of recombinant and virion-associated RTs correlated with the relative fitness for each mutant. K103N and Y181C mutants had normal RNase H activity; V106A, G190A, and G190S mutants had moderate reductions in activity; and the P236L mutant had substantially reduced activity. With the exception of the P236L mutant, reduced fitness correlates with low virion-associated polymerization efficiency and reduced RT content. Reduced polymerase function in virions derived from low RT content rather than an intrinsic polymerization defect in each RT protein. In conclusion, severe defects in RNase H activity alone, exemplified by the P236L mutant, appear sufficient to cause a substantial reduction in fitness. For the other NNRTI mutants, reductions in RT content decreased both polymerization and RNase H activity in virions. RNase H reduction was compounded by intrinsic RNase H defects in the mutant RTs.
Pharmakokinetik und Dosierung von Fluconazol bei kontinuierlichen Hämofiltrations- (CAVH, CVVH) und Hämodialyseverfahren (CAVHD, CVVHD)

Continuous haemofiltration (CAVH, CVVH) and haemodialysis (CAVHD, CVVHD) are increasingly used in patients with acute renal failure (ARF). The elimination rates of fluconazole vary considerably among the different procedures. In CVVHD, the elimination rate is, depending on the combined dialysate/ultrafiltrate flow rate, the most marked compared to CVVH and intermittent dialysis with a fluconazole clearance exceeding the values of healthy persons in CVVHD 2 L/h. To achieve therapeutic plasma levels during continuous renal replacement therapy, the same loading dose as in patients without renal failure should be applied, followed by the adjusted maintenance dose for anuric patients multiplied by a factor taking the extracorporeal elimination of the absorbed dose into account (CAVH, CVVH: x 2.2, ultrafiltrate flow 0.5 L/h; CAVHD, CVVHD: x 3.8, combined dialysate/ultrafiltrate flow 1.5 L/h). Despite the broad therapeutic margin of fluconazole, drug monitoring is recommended with respect to the very limited number of investigations with relatively low dosages up to 200 mg/day and--which is of paramount importance--to achieve therapeutic drug levels in vital indications.