cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Everywhere Defined Wave Operators

Publisher Summary The existence of the wave operators on a dense subs of hilbert space X was first proved in realistic nonlinear situations by Segal. More recent expositions may be found in Strauss and Reed. Segal suggested the possibility that the wave and scattering operators might be defined on the whole Hilbert space X. There are sufficient conditions on X, Uo ( t ), P under which W± map all of X into X. The chapter presents the main theorem. The chapter highlights the existence of the wave operators on dense subsets of X. Two new developments have made the present results possible. The first is the new decay estimate of Segalfor n = 1 and Strichartz for general n. The second new development is a remarkable series of papers of Ginibre and Velo on the nonlinear Schrodinger equation.
Metal Flux Growth of Complex Alkaline Earth/Rare Earth Metal Silicides with a Homologous Series of Metal Phosphide Structure Types

Three new metal silicides were grown as competing products from reactions of silicon with barium and ytterbium in Mg/Al flux; the dominant product is determined by the heating profile as well as by the reactant ratio. The compounds Ba2Yb0.88Mg11.12Si7, Ba5Yb2.26Mg16.73Si12, and Ba20Yb4.7Mg61.3Si43 all exhibit hexagonal crystal structures that are analogous to those of ternary metal phosphides (Zr2Ni12P7, Ho5Ni19P12, and Ho20Ni66P43, respectively). The structures feature building blocks composed of silicon anions surrounded by nine metal cations; these tricapped trigonal prismatic Si@(Mg/Yb/Ba)9 polyhedra share faces to form the overall structures. Magnetic susceptibility measurements show Pauli paramagnetic behavior for all three compounds, indicating the ytterbium is divalent. The silicides have a 2:1 ratio of metal cations to silicide anions and are therefore charge-balanced. This should result in semiconducting or semimetallic behavior; the latter is supported by electronic structure calculations. The ...
The Converso Returns

In this final chapter Ingram focuses on the converos’ place within Spanish historiography, which changes dramatically when, in 1948, Americo Castro publishes Espana en su historia, arguing for a sixteenth-century intellectual environment dominated by New Christians. This leads to an increasingly tense debate, played out against the backdrop of Franco’s Spain, in which a conservative academy rejects Castro’s arguments. Ingram discusses this debate and more recent scholarship, which has begun to reveals the importance of the converso phenomenon in the development of an early modern Spanish culture.
Impact of a student-driven wellness program for individuals with disabilities on caregivers and family members

Aim: Few studies have addressed impact of participation in exercise programs on caregivers or family members of individuals with disabilities.Purpose: To evaluate the impact of interaction rich wel...
Introduction to AI and ML

In this chapter, I will introduce the concepts of artificial intelligence and machine learning to the user and discuss how these topics have evolved over last several decades. I will also lay the outline of the book and describe how different parts of the book are organized and how they unfold the topics in sequence. This layout will help the user to plan on how to get most out of the book. If he/she wants to focus on only some specific aspect(s), he/she can directly skip to corresponding part in the book. If the user is coming to the book in a fresh perspective, I would advise to go sequentially, however, if the user is already familiar with certain aspects of the area and want to expand the knowledge about specific topics, he/she is free to jump to different parts.
Redox Character and Small Molecule Reactivity of a Masked Titanium(II) Synthon

The two-electron reduction of the Ti(IV) guanidinate (Ketguan)(ImDippN)Ti(OTf)2 (2OTf) (Ketguan = [(tBu2C═N)C(NDipp)2]−; ImDippN– = 1,3-bis(Dipp)imidazolin-2-iminato; Dipp = 2,6-diisopropylphenyl) with an excess of KC8 generates the masked complex (Ketguan)(η6-ImDippN)Ti (1). Conversely, reduction of the chloride analogue (Ketguan)(ImDippN)TiCl2 (2Cl) with an excess of Na/Hg amalgam produces the Ti(III) compound (Ketguan)(ImDippN)TiCl (3), while treatment of 2Cl with 3.0 equiv of KC8 affords a complicated mixture from which (ImDippN)(DippN═)[η2-(tBu2C)NC(NDipp)](THF)Ti (4) is isolated as the product of reductive ligand cleavage. These results clearly indicate that the success of early metal reduction chemistry is highly sensitive to the halide coligands and reaction conditions. Complex 1, despite possessing a Ti(IV) canonical form, behaves as a Ti(II) synthon and appreciable reducing agent. For instance, 1 effects the one-electron reduction of benzophenone and pyridine to give the Ti(III) products (Ketgua...
US-Panama Free Trade Agreement: What Is in It for Florida Agriculture?

On October 12, 2011, four years after it was agreed upon by both parties, the United States government signed into law the reciprocal US–Panama Free Trade Agreement (FTA)/Trade Promotion Agreement (TPA). The FTA provides US companies with better access to the Panamanian market and ensures that most US exports of consumer and industrial products to Panama will be accorded immediate duty-free privileges. The main elements of the US–Panama FTA as it relates to agricultural trade revolve around market access, agricultural export subsidies, safeguards, the sugar compensation mechanism, and sanitary and phytosanitary measures. This 11-page fact sheet was written by Edward A. Evans and Fredy H. Ballen and published by the UF Department of Food and Resource Economics, May 2013. http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/fe932
Heterogeneity in Voter List Maintenance Practices: A Study of Florida Counties

How do we ensure the accuracy and integrity of a statewide voter registration database, which often depends on aggregating decentralized, sub-state data with different list maintenance practices? We present Bayesian multivariate multilevel model to account for common patterns in local data while detecting anomalous patterns, using Florida as our example. We use monthly snapshots of state's voter database to estimate countywide change rates for multiple response variables (e.g., changes in voter's partisan affiliation), and then jointly model their changes. We show that there is much heterogeneity in how counties manage voter lists, resulting in very different patterns in additions, deletions, or changes of records. Our method identifies several Florida counties with anomalous rates of changes in the 2016 election.
Chapter 11 – Riverine DOM

The riverine input of dissolved organic matter (DOM) to the oceans is important to the quantity of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and quality of oceanic DOM. Here we summarize information on the input and chemical composition of riverine DOM and how riverine DOM can impact coastal processes. We estimate a global riverine DOC flux of 260 Tg yr-1. Although there is generally a narrow range in global DOC estimates, they all generally rely on similar data sets and adjustments are still possible. The input of DOM from coastal vegetation, not normally considered in terrestrial DOM inputs to the ocean, is of a similar order to riverine inputs. Research in the last decade is challenging the paradigm that riverine DOM and its geochemical markers are relatively stable in oceanic environments. New research demonstrates that DOM is generally young and transformations during transport can rapidly alter DOM composition. Finally, recent work has begun to elucidate major anthropogenic influences on riverine DOM quantities and composition, which we summarize here.
Whole-Genome Sequences of an Abortive Bacillus safensis Strain Isolated from a Mare's Uterus.

ABSTRACT This is a report of two Bacillus safensis genomes sequenced from separate cultures isolated from the uterus of a 16-year-old Westphalian mare that aborted a dead fetus. This strain represents the first case of a B. safensis-associated equine abortion and the first case of infection caused by this bacterium.
Bis(2-nitro­phen­yl)methane

In the title compound, C13H10N2O4, the nitro groups are twisted significantly relative to the benzene rings [dihedral angles = 16.64 (18) and 28.02 (11)°]. The benzene groups are nearly perpendicular to each other [dihedral angle = 87.72 (6)°]. Short inter­molecular N⋯O and C⋯O [2.981 (2) and 3.060 (2) A, respectively] contacts suggest possible weak π-inter­actions between nitro groups and between benzene and nitro groups. In addition, there are π–π inter­actions between one benzene group and an inversion-related equivalent [inter­planar separation = 3.494 (2) A].
Neurological Syndromes of the Hypothalamus

The hypothalamus is a critically essential component in the physiological processes of various functions in the human body. With disruption of its activity through pathological insults, numerous sequelae may arise. In this chapter, we explore many neurological, neuropsychiatric, and neurobehavioral syndromes of the hypothalamus. We begin with a review of the physiological hypothalamic vascular supply and advance into a synopsis of diverse neuropathological syndromes including an overview of some inflammatory CNS disorders, headaches, neurodegenerative disorders, and sleep disorders. Specifically, we discuss multiple sclerosis, neuromyelitis optica, autoimmune encephalitis, migraines, trigeminal autonomic cephalgias, Wernicke’s encephalopathy, many neurodegenerative disorders (i.e., Alzheimer’s disease, frontotemporal dementia, Parkinson’s disease), and sleep disorders such as narcolepsy and Kleine-Levin syndrome. While we may briefly touch on some of these topics in this chapter, they may be further analyzed in upcoming chapters. The clinical application of these ailments regarding the hypothalamus is discussed.
When Video meets Inertial Sensors: Zero-shot Domain Adaptation for Finger Motion Analytics with Inertial Sensors

Ubiquitous finger motion tracking enables a number of exciting applications in augmented reality, sports analytics, rehabilitation-healthcare etc. While finger motion tracking with cameras is very mature, largely due to availability of massive training datasets, there is a dearth of training data for developing robust machine learning (ML) models for wearable IoT devices with Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) sensors. Towards addressing this problem, this paper presents ZeroNet, a system that shows the feasibility of developing ML models for IMU sensors with zero training overhead. ZeroNet harvests training data from publicly available videos for performing inferences on IMU. The difference in data among video and IMU domains introduces a number of challenges due to differences in sensor-camera coordinate systems, body sizes of users, speed/orientation changes during gesturing, sensor position variations etc. ZeroNet addresses these challenges by systematically extracting motion data from videos and transforming them into acceleration and orientation information measured by IMU sensors. Furthermore, data-augmentation techniques are exploited that create synthetic variations in the harvested training data to enhance the generalizability and robustness of the ML models to user diversity. Evaluation with 10 users demonstrates a top-1 accuracy of 82.4% and a top-3 accuracy of 94.8% for recognition of 50 finger gestures thus indicating promise. While we have only scratched the surface, we outline a number of interesting possibilities for extending this work in the cross-disciplinary areas of computer vision, machine learning, and wearable IoT for enabling novel applications in finger motion tracking.
Hypertrophic Obstructive Cardiomyopathy: Discrepancy Between Hemodynamic Measurements in the Cardiac Laboratory and Operating Room Is to Be Expected.

OBJECTIVES It is not uncommon to observe some discrepancy in hemodynamic values characterizing left ventricular outflow tract (LVOT) obstruction preoperatively and in the operating room in patients with hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy. Interpretation of this discrepancy can be challenging. To clarify the extent of the discrepancy, the authors compared hemodynamic variables in patients undergoing septal myectomy at the time of preoperative and intraoperative evaluation. DESIGN Retrospective study. SETTING Single academic medical center. INTERVENTIONS Medical records review, study group-173 patients. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS While there was no statistically significant difference in resting peak LVOT gradients by preoperative transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) compared to intraoperative transesophageal echocardiography (46 mmHg [19-87 mmHg] v 36 mmHg [16-71 mmHg], p = 0.231), the former were higher compared to direct needle-resting LVOT gradient measurements before myectomy (49 mmHg [19-88 mmHg] v 32 mmHg [14-67 mmHg], p = 0.0022). The prevalence of systolic anterior motion was high (94.6% v 91.6%, P = 1.000) both on pre- and intraoperative evaluation. The incidence of moderate/severe mitral was higher intraoperatively (p < 0.0001). Pulmonary artery systolic pressures measured by pulmonary artery catheter provided higher values compared to preoperative TTE estimate (39 mmHg [34-45 mmHg] v 34 mmHg [28-41 mmHg], p < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS Discrepancy between hemodynamic measurements in the cardiac laboratory and operating room is common and generally should not affect planned patients' care. These changes in hemodynamics might be explained by preoperative fasting, anesthetic agents, volume shifts while supine, and positive-pressure ventilation, as well as the difference in measurement techniques.
Modelling specific gravity and diameter inside bark of western hemlock and Sitka spruce growing in southeast Alaska

Western hemlock (Tsuga heterophylla (Raf.) Sarg.) and Sitka spruce (Picea sitchensis (Bong.)) are two commercially important species in Alaska, with harvests beginning to focus on naturally regener...
Exploring patient perspectives on telemedicine monitoring within the operating room

Abstract Background Clinical decision support systems and telemedicine for remote monitoring can together support clinicians' intraoperative decision-making and management of surgical patients' care. However, there has been limited investigation on patient perspectives about advanced health information technology use in intraoperative settings, especially an electronic OR (eOR) for remote monitoring and management of surgical patients. Purpose Our study objectives were: (1) to identify participant-rated items contributing to patient attitudes, beliefs, and level of comfort with eOR monitoring; and (2) to highlight barriers and facilitators to eOR use. Methods We surveyed 324 individuals representing surgical patients across the United States using Amazon Mechanical Turk, an online platform supporting internet-based work. The structured survey questions examined the level of agreement and comfort with eOR for remote patient monitoring. We calculated descriptive statistics for demographic variables and performed a Wilcoxon matched-pairs signed-rank test to assess whether participants were more comfortable with familiar clinicians from local hospitals or health systems monitoring their health and safety status during surgery than clinicians from hospitals or health systems in other regions or countries. We also analyzed open-ended survey responses using a thematic approach informed by an eight-dimensional socio-technical model. Results Participants’ average age was 34.07 (SD = 10.11). Most were white (80.9%), male (57.1%), and had a high school degree or more (88.3%). Participants reported a higher level of comfort with clinicians they knew monitoring their health and safety than clinicians they did not know, even within the same healthcare system (z = -4.012, p Conclusions Participants expressed significant support for intraoperative telemedicine use and greater comfort with local telemedicine systems instead of long-distance telemedicine systems. Reservations centered on organizational policies, procedures, environment, culture; people; workflow and communication; and hardware and software. To improve the buy-in and acceptability of remote monitoring by an eOR team, we offer a few evidence-based guidelines applicable to telemedicine use within the context of OR workflow. Guidelines include backup plans for technical challenges, rigid care, and privacy standards, and patient education to increase understanding of telemedicine’s potential to improve patient care.
Persistent frustration-induced reconfigurations of brain networks predict individual differences in irritability

Background. Frustration, the response to blocked goal attainment, is a universal affective experience, but how the brain embodies frustration is not known. Understanding brain network dynamics during frustration may provide insight into pediatric irritability, one of the most frequent reasons for psychiatric consultation in youth and a risk factor for affective disorders and suicidality. Methods. Using fMRI, we investigated changes in neural network architecture from a baseline resting-state, through a task that included frustrative nonreward (FNR) and anticipation of new feedback following FNR (FNR+1), to a post-task resting-state in a transdiagnostic sample of 66 youth (33 female, mean age 14 years). Using a train/test/held-out procedure, we aimed to predict past-week irritability from the global efficiency (i.e., Eglob, capacity for parallel information processing) of brain networks before, during, and after frustration. Results. Compared to pre-task resting state, FNR+1 and the post-state resting state were uniquely associated with a more segregated brain network organization. Nodes that were originally affiliated with the default-mode-temporal-limbic and fronto-parietal networks contributed most to this reconfiguration. Solely Eglob of brain networks that emerged after the frustrating task predicted self- and observer-rated irritability in previously unseen data. Self-reported irritability was predicted by Eglob of a fronto-temporal-limbic module, while observer-rated irritability was predicted by Eglob of motor-parietal and ventral-prefrontal-subcortical modules. Discussion. We characterize frustration as an evolving brain network process and demonstrate the importance of the post-frustration recovery period for the pathophysiology of irritability; an insight that, if replicated, suggests specific intervention targets for irritability.
Culture as Religion and Religion as Culture in the Philosophy of Lucian Blaga

Mircea Eliade, the renowned scholar of Romanian origin, wrote that Lucian Blaga was the greatest Romanian philosopher of all time. Blaga was intensely interested in both culture and religion as areas of philosophical investigation. Blaga s philosophy proposes a metaphysics that explains the origin of culture and its unrivaled significance to humanity. His philosophy also endeavors to explicate the relationship between culture and religion. Blaga finds that religion is a cultural product, but does not view this as a detriment to religion. On the contrary, according to Blaga, it is the very fact that religion is an expression of cultural creativity that gives religion its beauty. This article will introduce Blaga?s philosophy of culture and his philosophy of religion, explain the relationship between them, and show that Blaga accorded high honor to both.
A Novel Particulate Form of Ca2+/CaMKII-Dependent Protein Kinase II in Neurons

Cytoskeletal and postsynaptic density (PSD) fractions from forebrain contain discrete spherical structures that are immunopositive for Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CaMKII). Spherical structures viewed by rotary shadow electron microscopy have an average diameter of ∼100 nm and, in distinction to postsynaptic densities, do not immunolabel for PSD-95. These structures were purified to near homogeneity by extraction with the detergent N -lauryl sarcosinate. Biochemical analysis revealed that CaMKII accounts for virtually all of the protein in the purified preparation, suggesting that spherical structures are clusters of self-associated CaMKII. Exposure of cultured hippocampal neurons to a mitochondrial uncoupler in glucose-free medium promotes the formation of numerous CaMKII-immunopositive structures identical in size and shape to the CaMKII clusters observed in subcellular fractions. Clustering of CaMKII would reduce its kinase function by preventing its access to fixed substrates. On the other hand, clustering would not affect the ability of the large cellular pool of CaMKII to act as a calmodulin sink, as demonstrated by the Ca2+-dependent binding of gold-conjugated calmodulin to CaMKII clusters. We propose that the observed clustering of CaMKII into spherical structures is a protective mechanism preventing excessive protein phosphorylation upon loss of Ca2+homeostasis, without compromising calmodulin regulation.
Interdisciplinary Operation of Natural Gas and Electric Power Systems

Electric power generation relies increasingly on the natural gas supply system as additional natural gas-fired power plants are installed in restructured power systems. In this context, the economics and the reliability of electric power and natural gas systems will impact one another. This article addresses the interdependency of electricity and natural gas systems and summarizes approaches for the interdisciplinary operation and the scheduling of the coupled energy systems. This article starts from an introduction of basic knowledge for the electric power system and the natural gas system. The survey will be given for the research in the past about the interdependency of natural gas and electric power system. This article presents two integrated short-term scheduling models. The first one is from the viewpoint of the independent system operator (ISO), which proposes a security-based methodology for the unit commitment solution when considering the natural gas transmission system and contracts. The second integrated model considers a joint operator for the coordinated scheduling of the interdependent power and natural gas systems. The integrated operator uses a Lagrangian relaxation (LR)–based model for the coordinated least-cost allocation of natural gas resources to individual gas loads and power plants. Keywords: natural gas scheduling; power system scheduling; interdependency; energy systems; unit commitment
Causes of inequality in health : who are you? where do you live? or who your parents were?

Data from the British National Child Development Study show that, among 33-year-olds, ill health (as measured by cardinalized responses to a question on self-assessed health) is concentrated among the worse off. The authors seek to decompose the inequalities in health status into their socioeconomic causes. In this decomposition, inequalities in health status depend on inequalities in each of the underlying determinants of health and on the elasticities of health status with respect to each of these determinants. The authors estimate these elasticities using regression models that allow for unobserved heterogeneity at the community level. They find that inequalities in unobserved community-level influences account for only 6 percent of health inequality, and inequalities in parental education and social class for only 4 percent. Inequalities in income and housing tenure account for most health inequality, though inequalities in educational attainment and in math scores at age seven also play a part.
The Evolution of Nasal Immune Systems in Vertebrates

The olfactory organs of vertebrates are not only extraordinary chemosensory organs but also a powerful defense system against infection. Nasopharynx-associated lymphoid tissue (NALT) has been traditionally considered as the first line of defense against inhaled antigens in birds and mammals. Novel work in early vertebrates such as teleost fish has expanded our view of nasal immune systems, now recognized to fight both water-borne and air-borne pathogens reaching the olfactory epithelium. Like other mucosa-associated lymphoid tissues (MALT), NALT of birds and mammals is composed of organized lymphoid tissue (O-NALT) (i.e., tonsils) as well as a diffuse network of immune cells, known as diffuse NALT (D-NALT). In teleosts, only D-NALT is present and shares most of the canonical features of other teleost MALT. This review focuses on the evolution of NALT in vertebrates with an emphasis on the most recent findings in teleosts and lungfish. Whereas teleost are currently the most ancient group where NALT has been found, lungfish appear to be the earliest group to have evolved primitive O-NALT structures.
A Case Report of Nystagmus with Acute Comitant Esotropia Secondary to Heroin Withdrawal: A Novel Presentation.

Background: Acute comitant esotropia secondary to heroin withdrawal is a rarely reported phenomenon that has never been described with nystagmus. Adverse effects of heroin on eye alignment were first reported in soldiers returning from Vietnam, yet no theory is generally accepted as the cause of these abnormalities. Method: We present a case of a 22-year-old female who developed 40 prism diopters of alternating comitant esotropia with nystagmus 8 days after abrupt heroin cessation, review the existing literature, and propose a novel hypothesis for this phenomenon. Results: After 76 days, her esotropia resolved, and she was left with 7 prism diopters of esophoria. Conclusion: This case demonstrates that acquired nystagmus can present in addition to acute-onset esotropia after abrupt heroin cessation. We compare and contrast the theories of this mechanism and review the literature.
The remote control is the extension of your hand

Technological saturation hits home. In the workplace, people will put up with obtrusive gear as a cost of doing business. Industrial machinery belched and clanked, and postindustrial software makes a mockery of usability. In the ‘‘third’’ place, of conviviality, technology takes on aspects of spectacle. Just try finding having a conversation in a bar without some television in the corner jump-cutting for attention. Use your TV-be-gone universal remote discretely (an example of anti-infoglut consumer devices). But know that commercial television was first rolled out in taverns. It would have been considered shameful, and weird, to want to watch it in bed. Vehicle now sport screens too, for backseat kids so reality challenged that the world going by doesn’t interest them. Meanwhile your car (the ‘‘fourth place’’) is full of computers, accelerometers, perhaps a navigation system, everything but the autonomous guidance dreamed of since General Motors’ Futurama pavilion stole the show at the 1939 New World’s Fair. Locative, pervasive, ubiquitous, invisible, tangible, and ambient media have come a long way since then, and a long way since the through-the-looking-glass cyberspace era of the 1990s. The handheld mobile is the most explosively adopted device in the history of humanity. While cannot yet wave it at all the world in best Star-Trek demeanor, that’s still the idea behind so much research and publication on ubiquity. So it is refreshing to get a close look at the inverse: computers for living in, in the increasingly mechanized patterns of the home, watching the war from the frame of reference of missile cams while nuzzling in bed to be sure, but also, somehow more to the point, flat screens surrounding the bathtub lest its owner lapse into any sort of contemplation. ‘‘Ease itself must be made easier.’’ A Smart House does this not through the so called labor-saving devices of the Taylorist home economics era, but through uninterrupted availability of information media. Once thought of as business machines, computing now saturates all four places. The
EXPLORING THE LIMITS OF THE TECHNOLOGY S‐CURVE. PART I: COMPONENT TECHNOLOGIES

The technology S-curve is a useful framework describing the substitution of new for old technologies at the industry level. In this paper I use information from the technological history of the disk drive industry to examine the usefulness of the S-curve framework for managers at the firm level in planning for new technology development. Because improvements in over-all disk drive product performance result from the interaction of improved component technologies and new architectural technologies, each of these must be monitored and managed. This paper focuses on component technology S-curves, and a subsequent paper, also published in this issue of the journal, examines architectural technology Scurves. Improvement in individual components followed S-curve patterns, but I show that the flattening of S-curves is a firm-specific, rather than uniform industry phenomenon. Lack of progress in conventional technologies may be the result, rather than the stimulus, of a forecast that the conventional technology is maturing, and some firms demonstrated the ability to wring far greater levels of performance from existing component technologies than other firms. Attacking entrant firms evidenced a distinct disadvantage versus incumbent firms in developing and using new component technologies. Firms pursuing aggressive Scurve switching strategies in component technology development gained no strategic advantage over firms whose strategies focused on extending the life of established component technologies.
Effect of chloroform inhalation on barbiturate narcosis and metabolism in normal and phenobarbital pretreated rats

Abstract Adult male rats were exposed to continuous inhalation of chloroform. After the termination of inhalation, narcosis due to hexobarbital, but not barbital, was prolonged and metabolism of hexobarbital by liver supernatant fraction (9000 xg) was inhibited. Pretreatment of rats with phenobarbital (40 mg/kg, i.p. daily for 4 days, last injection 24 hours before chloroform inhalation) increased chloroform lethality and enhanced narcosis due to hexobarbital as well as barbital, after chloroform inhalation. SKF 525A blocked the effect of phenobarbital pretreatment.
Correlation of tumor marker expression with nodal disease burden in metastatic head and neck cancer.

ObjectivesTo investigate the correlation between the percentage of metastatic tumor present in lymph nodes resected from patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (HNSCC) and level...
Synthesis of Ultra-Incompressible Superhard Rhenium Diboride at Ambient Pressure

The quest to create superhard materials rarely strays from the use of high-pressure synthetic methods, which typically require gigapascals of applied pressure. We report that rhenium diboride (ReB2), synthesized in bulk quantities via arc-melting under ambient pressure, rivals materials produced with high-pressure methods. Microindentation measurements on ReB2 indicated an average hardness of 48 gigapascals under an applied load of 0.49 newton, and scratch marks left on a diamond surface confirmed its superhard nature. Its incompressibility along the c axis was equal in magnitude to the linear incompressibility of diamond. In situ high-pressure x-ray diffraction measurements yielded a bulk modulus of 360 gigapascals, and radial diffraction indicated that ReB2 is able to support a remarkably high differential stress. This combination of properties suggests that this material may find applications in cutting when the formation of carbides prevents the use of traditional materials such as diamond.
Effect of refractory alloying additions on mechanical properties of near-stoichiometric NiAl

Abstract Alloying effects have been investigated in near-stoichiometric NiAl for the purpose of improving it mechanical properties. NiAl alloys containing up to 3% of Mo, W, Nb, Ta, Zr and Hf were prepared by are melting and drop casting, followed by hot extrusion at temperatures to 1000 °C. The mechanical properties of the NiAl alloys were characterized by tensile and creep testing at temperatures to 1000 °C. Among the alloying elements, Mo is found to be most effective in improving the room temperature ductility of NiAl alloys in stress-relieved conditions. Alloying with 1.0 ± 0.6% Mo almost doubles the room temperature tensile ductility of NiAl and triples its yield strength at 1000 °C. The creep properties of Mo-modified NiAl alloys can be further improved by alloying with up to 1% Nb, Ta and Zr. Alloying with 1% MoZr reduced the creep rate and extended the rupture life of NiAl by more than 5 orders of magnitude. Transmission electron microscope and electron microprobe studies show that the solubility of Mo, Nb and Zr is low, less than 0.1 at.%. Both coarse and fine precipitates enriched with refractory elements are observed, with fine particles about (0.1 μm) distributed within grains. The mechanical properties of these NiAl alloys are discussed in terms of both particle strengthening and solid solution hardening.
Effect of a Stewardship Intervention on Adherence to Uncomplicated Cystitis and Pyelonephritis Guidelines in an Emergency Department Setting

Objective: To evaluate adherence to uncomplicated urinary tract infections (UTI) guidelines and UTI diagnostic accuracy in an emergency department (ED) setting before and after implementation of an antimicrobial stewardship intervention. Methods: The intervention included implementation of an electronic UTI order set followed by a 2 month period of audit and feedback. For women age 18 – 65 with a UTI diagnosis seen in the ED with no structural or functional abnormalities of the urinary system, we evaluated adherence to guidelines, antimicrobial use, and diagnostic accuracy at baseline, after implementation of the order set (period 1), and after audit and feedback (period 2). Results: Adherence to UTI guidelines increased from 44% (baseline) to 68% (period 1) to 82% (period 2) (P#.015 for each successive period). Prescription of fluoroquinolones for uncomplicated cystitis decreased from 44% (baseline) to 14% (period 1) to 13% (period 2) (P,.001 and P=.7 for each successive period). Unnecessary antibiotic days for the 200 patients evaluated in each period decreased from 250 days to 119 days to 52 days (P,.001 for each successive period). For 40% to 42% of cases diagnosed as UTI by clinicians, the diagnosis was deemed unlikely or rejected with no difference between the baseline and intervention periods. Conclusions: A stewardship intervention including an electronic order set and audit and feedback was associated with increased adherence to uncomplicated UTI guidelines and reductions in unnecessary antibiotic therapy and fluoroquinolone therapy for cystitis. Many diagnoses were rejected or deemed unlikely, suggesting a need for studies to improve diagnostic accuracy for UTI.
Circulating Immune Complex-Associated Parasite Antigens in Human Onchocerciasis

This study identified and characterized parasite antigens in sera from humans infected with Onchocerca volvulus. Immune complexes were precipitated from human sera with polyethylene glycol and analyzed by immunoblot with rabbit antibodies to O. volvulus. A 23-kDa parasite antigen was detected in sera from 17 of 23 Nigerian onchocerciasis patients and 5 of 10 endemic controls. Other parasite antigens with apparent molecular masses of 62, 66, and 70 kDa were less consistently observed. These antigens were not present in Nigerian or US nonendemic control sera, in sera from patients with various other parasitic infections, or in sera from US patients with autoimmune diseases. Biochemical studies indicated that these antigens are nonglycosylated acidic proteins that do not contain phosphorylcholine. These antigens may be useful as targets for improved diagnostic tests for onchocerciasis based on parasite antigen detection.
Cytokine gene polymorphisms moderate illness severity in infants with respiratory syncytial virus infection.

Abstract Illness severity and frequency of complications in infants with respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection may be influenced by the local elaboration of cytokines. Cytokine gene polymorphisms moderate severity of illness in various inflammatory and infectious diseases. We performed cytokine genotyping on 77 infants hospitalized with confirmed RSV infection to determine whether specific cytokine gene polymorphisms are associated with illness severity or complications. DNA was extracted from buccal brushings and assayed for tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, interferon (IFN)-γ, interleukin (IL)-6 and IL-10, and transforming growth factor (TGF)-β1 genotypes using polymerase chain reaction–sequence-specific primer technology. Clinical outcomes consisted of severity scores of lower respiratory illness, blood oxygen saturation, lengths of oxygen supplementation, and intensive care unit (ICU) and hospital stays, and the presence or absence of pneumonia and otitis media. IFN-γ genotype was related to severity of lower respiratory illness, duration of ICU stay, and frequency of otitis media. Additionally, IL-6 genotype was related to the length of oxygen (O 2 ) supplementation and hospital stay, IL-10 genotype to the frequency of pneumonia, and TGF-β1 genotype to O 2 saturations at presentation. There were no associations between TNF-α genotype and any of the outcome parameters. These results demonstrate that certain cytokine gene polymorphisms contribute to illness severity and complications during RSV infection in infants. If future prospective studies confirm these observations, cytokine genotyping may be a useful tool for identifying “at risk” infants who may benefit from the selective use of preventive or early intervention treatments for RSV.
The initial value problem for the Boussinesq equations with data in Lp

In [3], Fabes, Jones and Riviere considered the initial value problem for the NavierStokes equations with initial data in L p. Here, we shall consider the initial value problem for the Boussinesq equations in the infinite cylinder S T = Rnx(0,T]. In other words, given u0(x) = (Ul0(X) ..... Un0(X) ) satisfying V-u0(x) ~ div u0(x) n ~n E ~ (--~--)u.^(x) = 0, xe and given ~(x) we seek a solution (u,@,P), where j=l~Xj 3u u = (Ul(X,t),...,Un(X,t), and 8 = @(x,t), p = P(x,t),such that
Raman waveguide detector for low analyte concentrations in liquid samples

Historically, Raman spectroscopy has not been widely used for analytical quantitative analysis for a variety of reasons, most notably, its lack of sensitivity. In this manuscript, we will demonstrate our efforts to effectively develop high sensitivity Raman detection for both static and dynamic liquid analysis. A Raman detection cell compatible with the elution volumes of minibore and microbore liquid chromatographic separations has been developed. The detector is a combination of a liquid core waveguide and a commercially available Raman instrument. The waveguide cell enhances the sensitivity of a typical Raman measurement upwards of 150 times, without resorting to surface enhancement or resonance approaches. In addition, the enhanced sensitivity allows one to capture spectral information in 'real time' as materials elute from a column. An information rich data matrix results from the combination of a temporal separation with species specific spectral signatures. There are a number of unique optical parameters that allow us to achieve such enhancements. We will discuss the physical detector and optical cell design as well demonstrate the effects of absorption, refractive index and numerical aperture on the sensitivity of the Raman measurements. The resultant Raman detector is a very sensitive and selective alternative to many of the currently available detectors used for flow analysis (HPLC, LC, FIA).© (1999) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
The revival of sociological jurisprudence

Abstract This article uses the example of bankruptcy law to show the limits of efficiency theories and to argue for a revival of sociological jurisprudence.
Comments on "Infinite-series representations associated with the bivariate rician distribution and their Applications"

The present paper comments on the paper by Zogas and Karagiannidis (IEEE Trans. Commun., vol.53, no.11, p.1790-4, 2005 November)
The Vanishing Victim: Criminal Law and Gender in Jordan

Focusing on the issues of rape and honor killings in the Arab world, particularly Jordan, this article investigates the use of criminal laws as an element in political legitimation. These laws are an arena for contestation not merely over policy choices, but over the nature of the sociopolitical order as well. Recent debates over the alteration or preservation of such laws have highlighted the use of legal codes as an expression of dominant values in a political system. I argue that the use of gendered legal systems to serve legitimation claims has important implications for the prospects of democratization.
A Cross-Cultural Health Study of Japanese and Caucasian Elders in Hawaii:

A study of 1098 Japanese and 873 Caucasians sixty years of age and over from Hawaii State Department of Health data files revealed that better health was predicted not only by younger age, higher family income, and maintenance of work role, but also by Japanese ethnicity. Standardized partial regression coefficients showed ethnic membership per se to be as important as any of the demographic variables. Canonical correlation yielded the best correlation of the independent variables with a health index made up of number of chronic conditions, number of bed days and number of restricted days, with each of equal weight. Findings suggest the importance of ethno-cultural supports in health maintenance of the elderly, and have theoretical relevance for the role of culture in health.
Accurate resistance, inductance, capacitance, and conductance (RLCG) from uniform transmission line measurements

Existing time-based and frequency-based RLCG extraction methods from measurements on uniform transmission lines are discussed. Using a THRU bisect de-embedding technique proved useful in removing resonances, particularly with the distributed resistance.
Rapid Response Skills Training

Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College's (MGCCC) long-term commitment to providing workforce training in a post-Katrina environment became a catalyst for designing short-term flexible educational opportunities. Providing nationally recognized skills training for the recovery/rebuilding of communities challenged the college to develop innovative, rapid response programs for the construction and health care industries.
Quantitative nuclear cytology of english ivy (Hedera helix L.)

Summary Nuclei from central zones, peripheral zones and pith rib meristems of shoot apical meristems from juvenile and adult Hedera helix L. (English ivy) were examined by scanning cytophotometry. In addition, a morphometric analysis of electron micrographs of nuclei from shoot apical meristems and young leaves of the two growth forms was conducted. Results indicated that within growth forms central-zone nuclei were larger and less dense than peripheral zone nuclei, between growth forms only minimal differences were evident for these zones. Similarly, no differences were found in the heterochromatin contents of nuclei from young leaves. Differences between growth forms were found only in the nuclei of the pith rib meristems where the juvenile had smaller nuclei with greater density than comparable nuclei from the adult shoot apex. It is suggested that this difference is probably related to differential rates of cell division, and that alterations in the degree of chromatin compaction or heterochromatin/euchromatin ratios, detectable at the light or electron microscope levels, cannot be considered causal factors in phase change in English ivy.
Foraging specialization without relatedness or dominance among co-founding ant queens

HYPOTHESES on the evolution of sociality in the Hymenoptera have focused on two non-exclusive selective processes. First, individuals may help relatives to enhance inclusive fitness (kin selection1,2). Second, group living may be so highly advantageous that competitively inferior individuals are forced into subordinate roles through social competition3–7; in this hypothesis, subordinates help dominants in the expectation that they may benefit from the group's resources if the dominants lose status or die. Many social Hymenoptera associate predominantly with close relatives8,9, which precludes an effective comparison of kin selection and social competition. Here we report on the existence of foraging specialists among unrelated co-foundresses of the leaf-cutter ant Acromyrmex versicolor; such task specialization leaves the forager at a relative fitness disadvantage within her foundress association. Contrary to the predictions of social competition theory, individuals specialize independently of competitive ability (as measured by relative body size) or reproductive status (as measured by ovarian condition) and without conflict. The selective basis of foraging specialization may lie in the intense competition that occurs among newly founded colonies engaged in reciprocal brood raiding.
Macroscopic cartilage formation with embryonic stem-cell-derived mesodermal progenitor cells

The totipotent embryonic stem cell generates various mesodermal cells when stimulated with BMP4. Among the resulting cells, those expressing flk-1 and/or PDGFRalpha displayed chondrogenic activity in the presence of TGFbeta3 and expressed cartilage-specific genes in 7 to 16 day pellet cultures. Depositions of cartilage matrix and type II collagen were detected by day 14. TGFbeta-stimulated chondrogenesis was synergistically enhanced by PDGF-BB, resulting in a larger cartilage particle filled with a cartilaginous area containing type II collagen, with a surface cell layer expressing type I collagen. In contrast, noggin inhibited both the TGFbeta- and TGFbeta+PDGF-stimulated cartilage formation, suggesting that a BMP-dependent pathway is involved. In fact, replacement of TGFbeta3 with BMP4 on days 10 to 12 markedly elevated the cartilage matrix deposition during the following 7 to 8 days. Moreover, culture with TGFbeta3 and PDGF-BB, followed by the incubation with BMP4 alone, resulted in a cartilage particle lacking type I collagen in the matrix and the surface layer, which suggests hyaline cartilage formation. Furthermore, such hyaline cartilage particles were mineralized. These studies indicate that the PDGFRalpha+ and/or flk-1+ cells derived from embryonic stem cells possess the full developmental potential toward chondrocytes, in common with embryonic mesenchymal cells.
Q-mode factor analysis of compositional data

Abstract An extended form of the method of Q -mode factor analysis may be used if the rows of the data matrix sum to a constant. The constant row-sum provides a means for scaling the factor model to conform to the units of the original data in such forms as proportions, percentages, or parts per million. The scale factors for an m -factor model are used to derive composition scores and loadings, which lead to the same reproduced data regardless of the choice of reference axes (end-members). Factor-variance diagrams may be constructed to show the proportion of the variance that will be accounted for in each compositional variable by models containing various numbers of end-members. The method may be used to develop a petrologic mixing model by searching for end-members that are geologically plausible.