cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Menses, pregnancy, delivery, and menopause in hidradenitis suppurativa: A patient survey.

Abstract Background Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) is a chronic inflammatory disorder that primarily affects women of childbearing age. There is a paucity of data on HS disease activity during menstruation, pregnancy, and menopause and the potential impact of HS on the method of delivery. Objective We aimed to characterize the natural history of HS symptoms during menses, pregnancy, and menopause. We also sought to evaluate the potential impact of HS on delivery method and whether there were delivery-related healing complications unique to women with HS. Methods An anonymous survey was distributed via social media to international HS support groups and patients at three HS specialty clinics in North America. Responses were collected from March to July 2019. Results A total of 279 respondents answered questions on disease changes during pregnancy. Menstruation caused worsening of HS symptoms in 76.7%, no change in 22.2%, and improvement in 1.1%. During pregnancy, the distribution between symptoms worsening (34.8%), having no change (28.7%), and improving (36.6%) was relatively even. After menopause, participants typically reported either worsening (39.5%) or no change (44.2%) in HS symptoms. Among respondents with anogenital HS involvement who delivered vaginally, 3.1% believed that HS interfered with vaginal delivery (VD), and 23.5% believed that VD caused an HS flare. Cesarean section (C-section) delivery was reported by 44.2% of participants. Ten participants reported that they were advised by their doctor to have a C-section instead of a VD because of severe anogenital HS. Of those who underwent a C-section, 33.9% reported that HS interfered with incision healing, and 51.2% reported developing new HS lesions in their C-section scar. Conclusion To our knowledge, this is the first study describing the potential influence of HS on a patient’s method of delivery. Multidisciplinary collaboration plays a pivotal role in developing individualized treatment and birth plans for pregnant women with HS.
Contraceptive Use Patterns among Women of Reproductive Age in Two Southeastern States.

Abstract Background Unintended pregnancies remain an important public health issue. Modern contraception is an important clinical service for reducing unintended pregnancy. This study examines contraception use among a representative sample of women residing in two southeastern U.S. states. Methods A cross-sectional statewide survey assessing women's contraceptive use and reproductive health experiences was conducted in Alabama and South Carolina. Characteristics of the study population were compared across contraceptive use categories and multivariable regression analysis was performed examining relationships between covariates of interest and contraceptive use outcomes. Results Approximately 3,775 women were included in the study population. Overall, 26.5% of women reported not using any contraception. Short-acting hormonal methods were the most commonly reported (26.3%), followed by permanent methods (24.4%), long-acting reversible contraception (LARC; 14.3%), and barrier/other methods (8.5%). Nonuse was more prevalent among women with some college or an associate's degree, incomes between $25,000 and $50,000, no health insurance, and longer gaps in care. LARC use among women with Medicaid as a pay source was higher than use among privately insured women and higher in South Carolina than Alabama. Both nonuse and LARC use were higher among women with no insurance. Conclusions Study findings are largely consistent with previous research using similar population-based surveys. LARC use was higher among the study population relative to what is observed nationally. Factors enabling access to contraceptive services, particularly for lower income women, were associated with contraception use patterns. These findings provide important context for understanding individuals’ access to resources and are important for fostering increased access to contraceptive services among women in these two states.
A Brief Review of Expanded-Operant Treatments for Mitigating Resurgence

Resurgence following expanded-operant treatments (i.e., increasing the number or variability of alternative responses to problem behavior) has been the focus of numerous studies over the last 5 years. Researchers have evaluated several techniques for expanding the operant such as serial-, lag-, and concurrent-training procedures. Given the increasing number of recent studies on the topic, the various forms of training used, and the variability in outcomes, it is critical to review this area of research and identify future directions. Our brief review identified 10 published studies and eight unpublished theses or dissertations on this topic; however, only 3 published studies directly evaluated expanded-operant treatments as a strategy for relapse mitigation. All three studies evaluated serial-training procedures, and results across the studies were inconsistent. We summarize the findings of each study and provide recommendations for future research.
Self-Assembly of Ge and GaAs Quantum Dots Under Tensile Strain on InAlAs(111)A

Quantum dots that store large tensile strains represent an emerging research area. We combine experiments and computational modeling to investigate the self-assembly of Ge and GaAs tensile-strained...
They’re called “specialty courts” for a reason: A criminologically-informed and evidence-based reply to Lucas (2020)

We recently published an article in Victims & Offenders in which we argued that: (1) the generality of deviance is real (i.e., offenders rarely specialize in any form of criminal or deviant behavio...
Crisis Capitalism and Climate Finance: The Framing, Monetizing, and Orchestration of Resilience-Amidst-Crisis

Throughout the development sector there has been a pronounced call for new funding mechanisms to address the climate crisis, and much of this is focused on attracting private sources of capital to fund ‘bankable’ projects in climate-vulnerable cities throughout the world. Enacted amidst a 21st century landscape of interlocking financial, epidemiological, and ecological crises, this call features an urgent narrative of ‘resilience-amidst-crisis’ that promotes large-scale, profitable investments as a form of green growth through debt-financing. The political orchestration and administration of new funding mechanisms (particularly green bonds and sustainable bonds) requires a new form of climate governance focused on the channeling of enormous sums of private capital through an assemblage of intermediaries toward profitable climate projects. This article interrogates this trend in climate finance, revealing that the framing, monetization, and orchestration of climate projects is dependent on a narrative of crisis capitalism deeply rooted in a colonial mindset of exploitation and profit. A key aim of this article is to deconstruct the contemporary dominance of crisis-oriented development and suggest the goal of decolonizing and democratizing the climate finance system.
Emotional Intelligence: An analysis of leadership models as it relates to unethical behavior

Business managers must oversee all aspects of the company’s operations and behave accordingly when there is a breach in the contractual obligations within the organization. Among the chief ebb and flow responsibilities of managers are the daily fiscal responsibilities. In the past, white-collar crime continues to be the Achilles heel that has brought many power-house organizations to their knees. Enron and several prominent Fortune 500 companies are cases of destructive leadership with grave consequences. Leaders with the highest degree of integrity possess the necessary qualities to effectively govern corporate institutions. The literature reveals a continuing trend that indicates there is a causal relationship between leadership styles and the predisposition to act in an unethical manner. The research will also show that many organizations are suffering from an acute crisis of leadership. This paper will investigate the efficacy of emotional intelligence in corporate leaders as it relates to fraudulent behaviors that leads to unethical behavior.
Deep Exploration for Recommendation Systems.

We investigate the design of recommendation systems that can efficiently learn from sparse and delayed feedback. Deep Exploration can play an important role in such contexts, enabling a recommendation system to much more quickly assess a user's needs and personalize service. We design an algorithm based on Thompson Sampling that carries out Deep Exploration. We demonstrate through simulations that the algorithm can substantially amplify the rate of positive feedback relative to common recommendation system designs in a scalable fashion. These results demonstrate promise that we hope will inspire engineering of production recommendation systems that leverage Deep Exploration.
Teaching Black Lives Amidst Black Death: Reflections from a Black Visiting Professor

In this essay the author addresses the struggles of teaching a special topics course, Black Freedom Movement Education, in the midst of a global pandemic and Donald Trump’s proposed ban on anti-racist training and critical race theory. The educator framed the course under the conceptual lens of stealin’ the meetin’—a Black Antebellum practice of creating otherwise literacy practices under repressive circumstances. This form of educational resistance continued beyond enslavement as Black communities used the resources available to educate each other by any means necessary (Robinson, 2020). On a smaller scale, this class carried on the resistance through critical meta-cognitive engagement with Black education history. The author discusses how he navigated the course when, less than halfway through the quarter, a Black man was killed and burned in a trench. Using emails, lecture notes, student evaluations, texts, and reflections, the author shares vignettes of tension, Black affinity, and communal restoration.
CALPHAD-Based Integrated Computational Materials Engineering Research for Materials Genomic Design

Due to materials genomic databases created by versatile computational tools in thermodynamics and kinetics, CALPHAD (CALculation of PHAse Diagrams) is one of the most important techniques in materials and manufacturing design. The CALPHAD method is neither empirical nor fundamental, but it plays a vital role to bridge engineering and science, industry and academia. 1,2 Evidently, CALPHAD-related models and experiments have been extensively adopted in materials and process design for both alloys and oxides. 2–4 There are three components in the materials innovation infrastructure of the Materials Genome Initiative (MGI) strategy: digital data, computational, and experimental tools. Such an idea can be well reflected in the framework of the modern CALPHAD research. As indicated in Fig. 1, modern CALPHAD modeling is based not only on experimental data but also on the combination of data with atomistic modeling, typically, quantum mechanical calculations. The integration of such techniques further extends spatial and temporal ranges of CALPHAD models. In this way, CALPHAD and its developed databases can be used in other simulation techniques for designing material properties by controlling phases and microstructure evolutions. It should be noted that experiments provide actual data resources for validating and calibrating multiscale simulation and modeling, which is indispensable in the modern CALPHAD infrastructure. Moreover, the amount of experimental needs is inversely proportional to the quality and accuracy of the computational models. Overall, the CALPHAD methodology can leverage various computational techniques to construct the integrated computational materials engineering (ICME) system design tools for materials genomic research. For the TMS 2015 Annual Meeting & Exhibition, 41 research papers were received for the dedicated MGI symposium, ‘‘CALPHAD-Based ICME Research for Materials Genomic Design,’’ sponsored by the Alloy Phases Committee and the Integrated Computational Materials Engineering Committee. Contributed talks covered (I) materials genomic design in engineering applications, (II) CALPHAD database construction and materials genomic data repository, (III) advanced processing and characterization in materials design, and (IV) CALPHADbased ICME model and tool development. Indeed, it is a formidable task for this JOM topic to represent the entire CALPHAD-based ICME research for materials genomic design. However, one may start learning the whole through seeing a part of it presented in this JOM issue. Furthermore, we hope that the MGI symposium during the TMS conference along with these papers housed in the current issue can stimulate more discussions on CALPHAD-based ICME research for materials genomic design. In the current special topic of JOM, three papers are contributed:
MO-D-213-04: The Proximity to the Skin of PTV Affects PTV Coverage and Skin Dose for TomoTherapy

Purpose: The proximity to the skin surface of the PTV for the patients with skin disease could be a concern in terms of the PTV coverage and actual surface dose (SD). IMRT optimization algorithms increase the beam intensity close to the skin in order to compensate for lack of scattering material, leading to enhanced SD but potential hot spots. This study aims to investigate the effect of PTV proximity to the skin on planning and measured SD Methods: All measurements were done for 6 MV X-ray beam of Helical TomoTherapy. An anthropomorphic phantom was scanned in a CT simulator in a routine manner with thermoplastic mask immobilization. PTVs were created with varying distances to the skin of 0 mm -(PTV1), 1 mm- (PTV2), 2 mm-(PTV3) and 3 mm-(PTV4). Also, a 5 mm bolus was used with PTV1 (PTV5). All planning constraints were kept the same in all studies (hard constraint: 95% of the prescription dose covered 95% of the PTV). Gafchromic film (EBT3) was placed under the mask on the phantom surface, and the resulting dose was estimated using RIT software. Results: Optimizing the dose using different PTVs lead to average planned target doses of 10.8, 10.3, 10.2, 10.3 and 10.0 Gy, with maximum doses 12.2, 11.2, 11.1, 11.1 and 10.0 Gy for PTV1, PTV2, PTV3, PTV4 and PTV5, respectively. EBT3 measurements indicated a significant decrease of SD with skin distance by 12.7% (PTV1), 21.9% (PTV2), 24.8% (PTV3) and 28.4% (PTV4) comparing to prescription dose. Placement of a 5 mm bolus on the phantom surface resulted in a SD close to prescribed (+0.5%). Conclusion: This work provides a clear demonstration of the relationship between the skin dose and the PTV to the skin distance. The results indicate the necessity of a bolus even for TomoTherapy when high skin dose is required.
The neuronal ceroid-lipofuscinoses

The neuronal ceroid-lipofuscinoses (NCL's, Batten disease) represent a group of severe neurodegenerative diseases, which mostly present in childhood. The phenotypes are similar and include visual loss, seizures, loss of motor and cognitive function, and early death. At autopsy, there is massive neuronal loss with characteristic storage in remaining neurons. Neurons appear to die because of increased rates of apoptosis and altered autophagy. Ten genes have been identified so far that result in an NCL (CLN1-10). The most common forms are CLN1, CLN2, and CLN3, which were previously known as Infantile, Late-Infantile, and Juvenile NCL's, respectively. CLN1 and CLN2 result from mutations in soluble lysosomal enzymes palmitoyl-protein thioesterase (PPT) and tripeptidyl peptidase 1 (TPP1), which can be measured in white blood cells for clinical diagnosis. Molecular diagnostic testing is routinely available for CLN1, CLN2, and CLN3. Sequencing of other NCL genes may be required to establish a diagnosis when the common forms are ruled out. The pathogenesis of NCL neuronal loss resulting from loss of function of any of the NCL gene products remains unknown and no treatment options are presently available.
Studies on isolated cell components. IX. The soluble phase.

Abstract The soluble phase (SP) of rat liver has been prepared by a method in which the liver is rapidly perfused and centrifuged so that the nuclei and nearly all of the mitochondria are sedimented within 13–14 minutes after the death of the animal. An average of 43 per cent of the total nitrogen of the brei is recovered in the SP together with approximately 10 per cent of the RNA. An average of only 66 per cent of the acid soluble nucleotides of the liver were recovered in the soluble phase. In phosphate buffers the SP was stable between p H 1.26 and 3.5, and between 6.3 and 11. Between 3.5 and 6.3 marked precipitation occurred with a maximum of 24 per cent of the SP nitrogen precipitated near pH 5. An average of 12.3 per cent of the SP nitrogen was dialyzeable. The relation of the pH stability of the SP to viscosity changes in cells in slightly acid media is discussed.
Distributed classification under statistical dependence with application to automatic modulation classification

In this paper, we consider the distributed classification of discrete random signals in wireless sensor networks (WSNs). Observing the same random signal makes sensors' observations conditionally dependent which complicates the design of distributed classification systems. In the literature, this dependence has been ignored for simplicity although this may significantly affect the performance of the classification system. We derive the necessary conditions for the optimal decision rules at the sensors and the fusion center (FC) by introducing a “hidden” random variable. Furthermore, we introduce an iterative algorithm to search for the optimal decision rules. The proposed scheme is applied to a distributed Automatic Modulation Classification (AMC) problem. It is shown to attain superior performance in comparison with other approaches which disregard the inter-sensor dependence.
Grupo Carso: A Case Study in Measuring Economic Risk Exposure

Grupo Carso S.A. de C.V., is a Mexican holding company with a diversified investment portfolio in automotive parts, construction materials, tobacco, mining, tourism, restaurants and retail. This publicly held diversified company presents a unique opportunity for study of the effects and measurements of economic risk exposure.
Small Mammals as Monitors of Environmental Contaminants

Many potentially harmful chemicals, both natural and anthropogenic, are released to the environment every year. Although chemical analyses of soil, air, and water can provide information on the concentrations of specific compounds present, these analyses alone are inadequate to assess the availability and potential toxicity of contaminants to humans and wildlife. Animals in these environments, however, integrate contaminant exposure spatially, temporally, and across media. Therefore, mammalian body burdens and responses are uniquely realistic indicators of mammalian exposure to chemicals.
Low Frequency Operation of the P3 Micro Heat Engine

The development and low frequency testing of a micro heat engine is presented. Production of electrical power by a dynamic micro heat engine is demonstrated. The prototype micro heat engine is an external combustion engine in which thermal power is converted to mechanical power through a novel thermodynamic cycle. Mechanical power is converted into electrical power through the use of a thin-film piezoelectric membrane generator. This design is well suited to photolithography-based batch fabrication methods and is unlike any conventionally manufactured macro-scale engine. A peak-to-peak voltage of .84 volts, and power output of 1.5 microwatts have been realized at operating speeds of 10 Hz. Measurements are also presented for the engine operating at resonant conditions. Cycle speeds up to 240 Hz have been obtained, with peak-to-peak voltages of 70 millivolts.Copyright © 2002 by ASME
Transcatheter closure of muscular ventricular septal defects with the amplatzer ventricular septal defect occluder: initial clinical applications in children.

OBJECTIVES The aim of this study was to close muscular ventricular septal defects (MVSDs) in children, with a new device, the Amplatzer ventricular septal defect occluder (AVSDO). BACKGROUND The design of previously used devices for transcatheter closure of MVSDs is not ideal for this purpose and their use has been limited by several drawbacks. METHODS Six patients, aged 3 to 10 years, with MVSDs underwent transcatheter closure using the AVSDO. The device is a modified self-centering and repositionable Amplatzer device that consists of two low profile disks made of Nitinol wire mesh with a 7-mm connecting waist. The prosthesis size (connecting waist diameter) was chosen according to the measured balloon stretched VSD diameters. A 6-F or 7-F sheath was used for the delivery of the AVSDO. Fluoroscopy and transesophageal echocardiography were utilized for optimal guidance. RESULTS The location of the defect was midmuscular in five patients and beneath the pulmonary valve in one. The balloon stretched MVSD diameter ranged from 6 to 11 mm. Device placement was successful in all patients, and complete occlusion occurred in all six patients (95% confidence interval 54.06% to 100%). Two patients developed transient complete left bundle branch block. No other complications were observed. CONCLUSIONS This encouraging initial clinical success indicates that the AVSDO is a promising device for transcatheter closure of MVSDs in children. Further clinical trials and longer follow-up are needed before the widespread use of this technique can be recommended.
Fever and Signs of Shock: The Essential Dangerous Fever

A common cause of fever with signs of shock is sepsis. Sepsis describes the spectrum of illness caused by severe infection. The incidence of sepsis is increasing and mortality can be high. Diagnosing the disease and implementing treatment early can decrease mortality. Early treatment includes empirical antibiotics and resuscitation. The diverse physiology present in sepsis can make the resuscitation complex; many different types of hemodynamic monitoring may be necessary. Even with this complexity, an organized approach can improve patient outcomes.
Cr:LiSAF laser utilizing unstable resonator geometry

In this paper, we describe the performance (long pulse and Q switched) of a flashpumped Cr:LiSrAlF/sub 6/ laser utilizing an unstable resonator geometry. A graded reflectivity mirror output coupler is employed to generate a high brightness laser output with low divergence and a smooth transverse profile.
Now I See: Redefining the Post-Grade Student Conference as Process and Substance Assessment

This Article takes a fresh look at an underused teaching opportunity - the post-grade conference between student and professor. Legal employers increasingly demand that law school graduates have practice-ready legal writing skills, and the ABA’s MacCrate report and the recent Best Practices report echo employers’ call for better practice skills. To answer this call, law professors must seize every chance to hone students’ writing skills and to reach those at risk of missing this key component of their legal education. The post-grade conference is one such chance.We show how to leverage the post-grade student-faculty conference into an in-depth assessment of the student’s writing process and substance. Our approach is based on the view that the writing process determines the substance, so that an understanding of the student’s writing process must come first. We show how to assess pre-writing materials and conduct an initial process interview that helps change the student’s trajectory in legal writing. Professor and student next deconstruct the written work so the student can understand and remediate structural and substantive problems. Finally, we show how to capture the conference analysis so that the student is are ready to move forward with lessons transferable to the next writing assignment. Our approach focuses on legal writing but works equally for skills and doctrinal law school classes.
JWH018, a common constituent of ‘Spice’ herbal blends, is a potent and efficacious cannabinoid CB1 receptor agonist

Background and purpose: ‘Spice’ is an herbal blend primarily marketed in Europe as a mild hallucinogen with prominent cannabis-like effects and as a legal alternative to cannabis. However, a recent report identified a number of synthetic additives in samples of ‘Spice’. One of these, the indole derivative JWH018, is a ligand for the cannabinoid receptor 1 (CB1) cannabinoid receptor and inhibits cAMP production in CB1 receptor-expressing CHO cells. Other effects of JWH018 on CB1 receptor-mediated signalling are not known, particularly in neurons. Here we have evaluated the signalling pathways activated by JWH018 at CB1 receptors. Experimental approach: We investigated the effects of JWH018 on neurotransmission in cultured autaptic hippocampal neurons. We further analysed its activation of ERK1/2 mitogen activated protein kinase (MAPK) and internalization of CB1 receptors in HEK293 cells stably expressing this receptor. Key results: In cultured autaptic hippocampal neurons, JWH018 potently inhibited excitatory postsynaptic currents (IC50= 14.9 nM) in a concentration- and CB1 receptor-dependent manner. Furthermore, it increased ERK1/2 MAPK phosphorylation (EC50= 4.4 nM). We also found that JWH018 potently induced rapid and robust CB1 receptor internalization (EC50= 2.8 nM; t1/2= 17.3 min). Conclusions and implications: JWH018, a prominent component of several herbal preparations marketed for their psychoactivity, is a potent and effective CB1 receptor agonist that activates multiple CB1 receptor signalling pathways. Thus, it is likely that the subjective effects of ‘Spice’ are due to activation of cannabinoid CB1 receptors by JWH018, added to this herbal preparation.
Requirements of a Standard for the Chemical Characterization of CVD Diamond by Raman Spectroscopy

Abstract An overview is given of current methodologies employed in the chemical characterization of CVD diamond, with emphasis on thin diamond films. Raman spectroscopy is found to be the most widely used technique to assess the quality of diamond. A diamond thin film standard is proposed as a reference material for the analysis of diamond by Raman spectroscopy. The requirements of such a standard are discussed relative to the Raman measurement of CVD diamond films. This standard is intended to facilitate the determination of the purity of the diamond phase and the extent and nature of defects in the diamond structure.
Thoughts on quantum computation

If the improvement of computation continues at anything like the pace that it has set over the last fifty years, within a few decades we will have devices of atomic dimensions. Quantum computing, in which bits, in their atomic embodiment, can exist and be manipulated in a coherent superposition of computational states, is one possible method for fundamentally improving computing once the atomic scale is reached. I illustrated some of the design principles of quantum gate constructions, using the two-bit adder as a simple example. Some details of the Shor prime factoring algorithm are discussed.
Evaluation of terrestrial sites for Global EOR signal detection via the RMS error metric of a sky-beam convolution polynomial fit

Removal of the sky foreground is critical to the success of the Experiment to Detect the Global Epoch of reionization Signature (EDGES) program. We evaluate terrestrial locations for the ease of removing the sky foreground from the convolution of the antenna beam with the frequency scaled Haslam skymap. We use two dipole antennas: 1) a ½-wavelength dipole whose beam can be expressed in a closed-form equation and 2) the EDGES dipole antenna, both over ground planes.
Injury perceptions of bombing survivors--interviews from the Oklahoma City bombing.

INTRODUCTION: Bombings, including the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing, remain an important public health threat. However, there has been little investigation into the impressions of injury risk or protective factors of bombing survivors. OBJECTIVE: This study analyzes Oklahoma City bombing survivors' impressions of factors that influenced their risk of injury, and validates a hazard timeline outlining phases of injury risk in a building bombing. METHODS: In-depth, semi-structured interviews were conducted within a sample of Oklahoma City bombing survivors. Participants included 15 injured and uninjured survivors, who were located in three buildings surrounding the detonation site during the attack. RESULTS: Risk factor themes included environmental glass, debris, and entrapment. Protective factors included knowledge of egress routes, shielding behaviors to deflect debris, and survival training. Building design and health status were reported as risk and protective factors. The hazard timeline was a useful tool, but should be modified to include a lay rescue phase. The combination of a narrative approach and direct questioning is an effective method of gathering the perceptions of survivors. CONCLUSIONS: Investigating survivors' impressions of building bombing hazards is critical to capture injury exposures, behavior patterns, and decision-making processes during actual events, and to identify interventions that will be supported by survivors. Language: en
Adaptive Control of Multiple Drug Infusions

Although various control schemes have been successful in controlling mean arterial blood pressure by infusing a vasoactive drug, the simultaneous control of cardiac output and blood pressure by multiple drug infusion has to-date received little attention. To this effect, this paper describes the design of an automated multiple drug delivery system. The proposed computer-based controller combines supervisory functions and adaptive control algorithms in a hierarchical structure. Given a set of measured cardiovascular parameters, the supervisor determines the underlying disordered physiology and initiates the relevant control mode. Each mode is a set of allowable drug types, set-point commands and single or multiple feedback loops. The feedback control laws are adapted to each patient's drug response. The adaptive scheme used here is based on pole-placement self-tuning algorithms. This design method accomodates constraints on maximum drug infusion and physiological response rates and, can deal with unknown varying time delays. Adaptive control appears to be better suited for this application because of the wide range of drug sensitivities among patients, time variations in parameters, unknown drug interaction and physiological distrubances.
Analog/digital networks for real-time video distribution with extra computational capabilites

We are going to consider a logical and physical architecture of an analog/digital video network. These networks allow full-screen real-time motion video distribution concurrently with regular network activities without slowing them down. The analog/digital video network uses two parallel communication media: analog - for transmitting video images and digital - for data transmission. Any video terminal in the network can be connected locally to a computer or to the analog video bus. A set of video terminals connected to the analog medium defines the current configuration of the video network. The configuration of the video network depends on a number of random real-time events. The configuration can be automatically changed by computing a set of the specially defined functions. These functions will be various for different applications. The computation of the functions and the resulting dynamic changes in the network configuration constitute the adaptive characteristic of the video network. A regular digital network is used to control the video network. For this purpose, a special management protocol was developed.© (1997) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Duplex ultrasound imaging alone is sufficient for midterm endovascular aneurysm repair surveillance: A cost analysis study and prospective comparison with computed tomography scan

Objective Early in our experience with endovascular aortic aneurysm repair (EVAR) we performed both serial computed tomography scans and duplex ultrasound (DU) imaging in our post-EVAR surveillance regimen. Later we conducted a prospective study with DU imaging as the sole surveillance study and determined cost savings and outcome using this strategy. Methods From September 21, 1998, to May 30, 2008, 250 patients underwent EVAR at our hospital. Before July 1, 2004, EVAR patients underwent CT and DU imaging performed every 6 months during the first year and then annually if no problems were identified (group 1). We compared aneurysm sac size, presence of endoleak, and graft patency between the two scanning modalities. After July 1, 2004, patients underwent surveillance using DU imaging as the sole surveillance study unless a problem was detected (group 2). CT and DU imaging charges for each regimen were compared using our 2008 health system pricing and Medicare reimbursements. All DU examinations were performed in our accredited noninvasive vascular laboratory by experienced technologists. Statistical analysis was performed using Pearson correlation coefficient. Results DU and CT scans were equivalent in determining aneurysm sac diameter after EVAR ( P Conclusion Surveillance of EVAR patients can be performed accurately, safely, and cost-effectively with DU as the sole imaging study.
Influence of finishing technique on the tarnishing of amalgam: results of a model system.

Abstract the in vitro tarnish resistance of a model amalgam was investigated as a function of finishing technique and age at the time of finishing. One hundred and thirty samples of one alloy were divided into 7 groups and then finished after from 60 min to 8 weeks, either by carving, burnishing, dry clinical polishing, or wet metallographic polishing. The tarnishing treatment consisted of cyclic dipping in a 0.5% sulfide or chloride solution at 37°C for 16 h. Tarnish was evaluated both by subjective visual ranking and by use of a digital reflectometer. Results from the 2 evaluation methods agreed closely, with decreases in reflectance resulting from tarnish ranging from 12.9%–58.9%. In sulfide solutions the best results were obtained from those specimens polished 60 min after condensation. Carved and burnished samples tarnished less than those polished after one week, suggesting that surface roughness was not the most important factor associated with tarnishing. In contrast, in chloride solutions 8-week specimens tarnished less than 60 min specimens, and repolishing corroborated that the chloride attack was restricted to a thinner layer than the sulfide attack. These experiments provide some insight into the mechanisms of corrosion.
Hydraulic analysis of Tiwanaku aqueduct structures at Lukurmata and Pajchiri, Bolivia

Abstract Recent archaeological research at the urban settlements of Lukurmata and Pajchiri on the southern shores of Lake Titicaca, Bolivia has revealed that open channel flow aqueducts were critical elements in the technological repertoire of Tiwanaku hydraulic engineers. Six stone faced and rubble-filled aqueducts directly linked to partially modified and canalized natural quebradas were identified, mapped, and dated by ceramic and structural associations to the Tiwanaku IV–V phases (c. ad 400–1100) at these two sites. A 50 m segment of the smallest aqueduct at Lukurmata was completely excavated to its base, while the intentionally shaped channel of a massive aqueduct at Pajchiri was surface profiled and mapped at intervals of 3 m over a nearly 90 m long, mid-structure segment. The modern theory of the hydraulics of open channel flows is applied to the analysis of aqueduct channel morphology, slope, structural characteristics, and design intent. The analysis concludes that these aqueducts functioned primarily as drainage structures which served to reduce the infiltration of surface water into the groundwater reservoir, and not to irrigate closely associated raised field, agricultural complexes. Additionally, the paper evaluates the general hypothesis that Tiwanaku state hydraulic engineering in the specific context of the urban environment concentrated on designing drainage systems that were intended to control local conditions of ground saturation, mass wasting and sediment transport.
PERSISTENCE OF MEN'S MISPERCEPTIONS OF FRIENDLY CUES ACROSS A VARIETY OF INTERPERSONAL ENCOUNTERS

This study examined whether gender differences in sexually based perceptions of social interactions persist when traditional male-female power roles are reversed, when the interaction becomes progressively more sexually harassing, and when the response to the harassment is accepting or rejecting. A laboratory experiment was conducted in which 187 female and 165 male undergraduate students viewed a 5-minute videotape. Twelve versions of a scenario depicting a professor interacting with a cross-sex student were created which manipulated the sex of the powerholder, level of harassment, and response to harassment. Results indicated that men perceived the female target as behaving in a “sexier” manner regardless of her status, the level of harassment, or the victim's response. Women's sexually based perceptions of the most harassing male professor were greater than men's, however. Incorporating these gender differences in perceptions into a much-needed comprehensive model of sexual harassment (Zedeck & Cascio,...
Simvastatin and oseltamivir combination therapy does not improve the effectiveness of oseltamivir alone following highly pathogenic avian H5N1 influenza virus infection in mice

Nonspecific anti-inflammatory drugs have been purported to reduce the burden of severe influenza disease. We demonstrate that, unlike oseltamivir administration, simvastatin administration did not reduce morbidity, mortality, or viral load of mice infected with H1N1 or H5N1 viruses. No added benefit to the efficacy of oseltamivir therapy was observed when mice were treated in combination with simvastatin. Modest reductions in lung cytokine production in H5N1 but not H1N1 virus-infected simvastatin-treated mice indicate a potential benefit for statin use in mitigating disease following severe virus infection.
Cytotoxic cardenolide glycosides of Roupellina (Strophanthus) boivinii from the Madagascar rainforest.

Bioassay-guided fractionation of an ethanol extract of Roupellina (Strophanthus) boivinii from the rainforest of Madagascar afforded the six new cardenolide glycosides boivinides 1–6, as well as the four known cardenolide glycosides digitoxigenin 3-O-[β-d-glucopyrananosyl-(1→4)-α-l-acofriopyranoside], corotoxigenin 3-O-β-d-boivinoside, 17α-corotoxigenin 3-O-β-d-sarmentoside, and uzarigenin 3-O-α-l-rhamnoside. The structures of these compounds were elucidated by various 1D and 2D NMR techniques. All new compounds showed significant antiproliferative activity against the A2780 human ovarian cancer cell line, with boivinide A being the most active at IC50 = 0.17 µM.
Effects of ortho- and non-ortho-substituted polychlorinated biphenyl congeners on the hepatic monooxygenase system in scup (Stenotomus chrysops)

Polychlorinated biphenyl congeners that are abundant in environmental samples, and known to induce hepatic monooxygenase isozymes in the P450IA gene subfamily in mammals, were examined for their ability to induce hepatic monooxygenase activity in scup, a marine teleost. Scup were dosed ip with 3,3',4,4'-tetrachlorobiphenyl (congener 77), 2,3,3',4,4'-pentachlorobiphenyl (congener 105), 2,3',4,4',5-pentachlorobiphenyl (congener 118), 2,2',3,4,4',5'-hexachlorobiphenyl (congener 138), 2,2',3,3',4,4'-hexachlorobiphenyl (congener 128), or beta-naphthoflavone and examined for increases in ethoxyresorufin O-deethylase (EROD) activity, immunodetectable cytochrome P450E (the EROD catalyst in scup), and in vitro translatable mRNA for P450E. Monooxygenase parameters were significantly induced only by 3,3',4,4'-tetrachlorobiphenyl (TCB). However, while translatable mRNA for P450E was induced at all doses (1, 5, and 10 mg/kg), EROD activity and P450E were decreased at the 5 and 10 mg/kg doses, relative to the response at 1 mg/kg. A strong relationship between residual TCB concentration in the liver and the decreased EROD activity was evident at the higher doses of TCB. Aminopyrine N-demethylase, a monooxygenase activity not catalyzed by P450E, was unaffected by TCB treatment, indicating a specificity in the TCB effect. Analysis in vitro revealed that TCB was a potent competitive inhibitor of EROD activity, with half-maximal inhibition at 0.3 microM, near the Km for ethoxyresorufin, suggesting one mechanism for the in vivo effect of TCB. These results demonstrate that PCB congeners with ortho-chlorine substitution, and which are effective inducers of AHH and EROD activity in mammals, are ineffective, at the doses tested, as inducers in the teleost scup.
The effect of ethanol on behavioral temperature regulation in mice

Abstract Mice were injected with 20% ethanol in 0.9% NaCl, or with 0.9% NaCl without ethanol during sessions of behavioral thermoregulation in a tubular temperature gradient (ambient temperature range approximately 9–38°C). Internal temperature was monitored with an implanted telemetry device. An imaging system recorded the position (selected temperature) of the mouse within the gradient every 5 sec. A dose of either 2.25 or 2.60 g ethanol/kg body wt. produced significantly lower body temperatures than control (NaCl) injections. The 2.60 g/kg dose produced significantly lower selectec temperatures than either the NaCl or 2.25 g/kg injections. Doses of 2.75 g ethanol/kg and above incapacitated the mice, precluding accurate behavioral thermoregulation. Utilizing a thermoregulatory index following experimental and control injections indicated that 2.25 or 2.60 g ethanol/kg leads to a decrease in the regulated temperature of mice.
Measuring Interdependence and Its Pacific Benefits: A Reply to Gartzke & Li:

Gartzke & Li’s ‘Measure for Measure’ usefully clarifies the mathematical relationships linking trade dependence, openness, and trade share. Oneal and Gartzke & Li agree on allmajor points: (1) high trade dependence, indicated by the lower bilateral trade-to-GDP ratio in each dyad, reduces the likelihood of violent interstate conflict; (2) openness, measured by the total trade-to-GDP ratio for the same state, also has important pacific benefits; and (3) trade share, the ratio of bilateral to total trade, is not a good measure of economic interdependence, because it does not capture the economic (and hence political) importance of states’ bilateral trade. The substantive benefits of both trade dependenceand opennesscan easily be shown. Oneal analyzes militarized interstate disputes using the best available data for trade and conflict and controls for duration dependence. With all dyads included, a one standard-deviation increase in dependencelowers the risk of a fatal dispute by 62%; such an increase in ope...
Plasma versus bone marrow desipramine: A comparative study

Abstract Correlation between plasma and bone marrow tricyclic antidepressants has not been studied before. Two groups of rabbits were given 10 and 20 mg of desipramine/kg body weight, respectively. Desipramine was administered to the animals one daily by mouth for 5 days. On the fifth day the animals were sacrificed and blood and bone marrow samples were collected and analyzed using a high performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) method. Data showed that a correlation exists between bone marrow and blood desipramine. The bone marrow desipramine concentration increased as its blood levels increased. The average ratio of bone marrow to blood desipramine ± S.D. (standard deviation) in both dosage groups was 37.2 ± 4.46 with a range of 30.99–44.82. This investigation is promising and shows that bone marrow could be used as an alternative tissue in the absence of a suitable blood sample.
HIV Prevention Research for African Americans: Current and Future Directions

African Americans experience HIV and AIDS at a rate 10 times greater than the U.S. White population. Although there have been advances in HIV risk-reduction strategies, these efforts have not been as successful in decreasing HIV infection in the African American population. This article reviews the research base of HIV prevention interventions to identify research that will lead to the development of more effective prevention strategies for African Americans. Major limitations found in the research include the exclusion of African Americans in studies, particularly those at higher risk, and the lack of using culturally based theory to guide research. Recommendations for improving research are offered. They include conducting research that focuses on structural interventions rather than individuals, controlling for diversity within the African American population, defining culture when using it in research, and developing a cadre of African American researchers involved in prevention intervention studies.
Dirac neutrinos in superstring models with an intermediate scale

Abstract We discuss neutrino masses in superstring-inspired models. We present a model possessing an intermediate scale ∼ 10 8 –10 9 GeV which gives rise to Dirac neutrinos with masses in a range that can account both for the dark matter and the solar neutrino puzzle through the MSW effect. It also accounts for the observed baryon asymmetry through the out-of-equilibrium decay of heavy colored fields at temperatures close to the electroweak scale. Although baryon- and lepton-number symmetries are explicitly broken there are no observable low-energy baryon- or lepton-number-violating effects due to the presence of an accidental unbroken global U(1) 2 B−L symmetry.
Absolute calibration of the National Bureau of Standards photoneutron source—III. Absorption in a heavy water solution of manganous sulphate☆

Abstract The neutron emission rate for the National Bureau of Standards radium-beryllium (γ, n) standard source (NBS-I) has been redetermined by a relative comparison to an antimony-beryllium source which had been calibrated absolutely in a heavy water manganous sulphate solution through an indirect method involving 4πβ-γ coincidence counting of the induced Mn 56 activity. Correction was made for absorption of neutrons by other elements present in the bath. The emission rate of NBS-I was found to be 1·25 2 × 10 6 n/sec as of June, 1961 with an uncertainty of 1 per cent. This measurement, when suitably averaged with previous determinations ( DeJuren, Padgett and Curtiss , 1955; DeJuren and Chin , 1955) yields the best value 1·25 7 × 10 6 n/sec with an uncertainty of 1 per cent.
Synthesis and structure of high temperature superconducting powders

Abstract The chemistry of the synthesis of high temperature superconductors is particularly challenging. Some of the very difficult materials problems center around the fact that all of the evidence to date indicates that the high temperature superconductors are thermodynamically unstable compounds. It is interesting to note that there is a fully oxygenated nonsuperconducting precursor phase (T') in the Y-Ba-Cu-O system. This important T' phase has been largely overlooked in the synthesis and subsequent properties of the superconducting orthorhombic YBaCu3O7−x. The T' nonsuperconducting phase is tetragonal and is a fully oxygenated polymorph of the superconducting orthorhombic YBa2Cu3O7−x phase. This tetragonal polymorph of YBa2 Cu3O7−x has a larger a-axis and a smaller c-axis than the tetragonal YBa2Cu3O6 phase.