cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Fractal-based multifeature texture description

Fractal geometry receives recently increasing attention in analyzing natural scenes. The fractal dimension of a surface image has been used as segmentation feature, but since it is not sufficient to characterize important configurative texture characteristics, additional features are necessary. In this work we use a combination of fractal and non-fractal features to segment and classify natural textures.
Hydrostatic Retesting of Existing Pipelines

An analytical model is presented for predicting hydrostatic retest intervals in liquid pipelines which are subjected to frequent large pressure cycles. The model utilizes pressure cycle history, hydrostatic test history, and fatigue crack growth rate data for the pipe material to calculate time to failure for the largest possible defect which could have survived a previous hydrostatic test. An example problem is described which shows the value of maximizing the margin between test pressure and operating pressure in order to achieve long time intervals between tests.
Photoacoustic and thermoacoustic imaging with a multichannel breast scanner

Photoacoustic and thermoacoustic phantom images obtained with a multi-channel breast scanner designed for breast cancer screening are presented here. A tunable laser system (OPOTEK Vibrant 355 I, Calsbad,CA) with a pulse duration of 5 ns was used for photoacoustic irradiation, and a 3.0 GHz microwave source with a pulse width of 0.3-1 μs was used for thermoacoustic tomography. Multiple (>=16) 2.25 MHz single-element unfocused ultrasonic transducers at different depths were scanned simultaneously for a full 360° to obtain a full data set for three-dimensional (3D) tomography. Negative acoustic lenses were attached to these unfocused transducers to increase their acceptance angles. An ultrasound receiving system with 64 parallel receiving channels (Verasonics Inc. Redmond, WA) was used for data acquisition. A filtered backprojection algorithm was used to reconstruct two-dimensional (2D) and 3D images. Different phantoms were imaged to evaluate the performance of the scanner. A lateral resolution of less than 1 mm and an elevational resolution of less than 5 mm were achieved. The phantom studies demonstrate that this scanner can potentially provide high-resolution, dual-modality, three-dimensional images and can potentially be used for human breast cancer screening.
Nonlinear adaptive edge-detection techniques for wafer inspection and alignment

In this paper we present a class of nonlinear adaptive filtering schemes to detect edges to the nearest pixel in digital images. These one- or two-dimensional filters are adapted by training to a subset of image data to produce peaked output at user-specified edge locations within the image. A nonlinear adaptive algorithm has been developed and has shown improved performance over standard cross correlation schemes in binary classification situations. The resulting filters are then applied non-adaptively to the entire image set, and signal peaks within the image are detected to produce a binary edge map. A short theoretical development of the algorithm is given, and results for images representative of harsh alignment conditions are presented.
The Self-Directed Learning Experience of Mothers Whose Child Has Had a Paediatric Stroke.

This study employed qualitative research methodology to explore the experiences of mothers who self-directed their learning following their child’s stroke diagnosis. Paediatric stroke, although rare, is among the top 10 causes of death in children in the USA, but information about the cause, treatment and long-term impact are difficult to find. Parents struggle to locate resources to help them understand the significance of the stroke, and little research has been conducted to help them identify what to expect as their child grows and develops. Seven women whose children had suffered a stroke participated in individual interviews about their experience for this study. The findings reveal how efforts to learn independently can be challenged by a dearth of information and resources, and how parental roles may change as a result. Mothers shared how they became a subject matter expert and a partner with their physician in terms of decision-making. They also discussed how their learning was continuous, an unre...
Fertility rates and suicide: time series and regional studies.

O'Connell (1975) reported a negative association over time in the USA and in other nations of the world between the fertility rates of women and suicide rates. One of the explanations for this association lies in Durkheim's (1951) notion that social integration reduces the likelihood of egoistic suicide. High fertility rates mean more children who presumably increase the degree of social integration. Also, children do appear to reduce the risk of suicide among married individuals according to Dublin and Bunzel (1933). The present paper uses data from O'Connell (1975, p. 227) to examine the cross-sectional association between crude fertility rates and suicide rates in 16 western nations: Australia, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, England and Wales, Finland, France, Italy, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and the USA. We calcdated Pearson correlations for each of the nine time periods reported: 1921 to 1925, 1926 to 1930, etc. up to 1961 to 1965. All nine correlations between fertility rates and suicide rates were negative. The median correlation was -0.48 (range -0.19 to -0.68). O'Connell reported time-series analyses over varying periods of time for each country. We restricted the time period from 1921 to 1925 to 1961 to 1965 so that we could obtain a consistent data set for all the nations. Of the 16 Pearson correlations between fertility rates and suicide rates 14 were negative and two positive. The median correlation was -0.44 (range 0.81 to -0.87). Analyses of this cross-sectional data set indicate a moderate negative correlation between fertility rates and suicide rates over nations for most time periods of the present century and over time for most western nations. This provides strong support for the existence of such an association.
Comment on: Cohen et al. Effects of Gastric Bypass Surgery in Patients With Type 2 Diabetes and Only Mild Obesity. Diabetes Care 2012;35:1420–1428

Cohen et al. (1) are to be commended for their observational study of 30 patients with longstanding diabetes and BMI 30–35 kg/m2 who were followed for 6 years after laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (LRYGB). The study appropriately challenges using threshold levels to determine indications for treatment based on a continuous variable, BMI (size), which in itself is not a measure of any disease (unlike blood pressure, fasting plasma glucose, or triglycerides). Several items require clarification: 1. National Institutes of Health Consensus Development Conferences such as the Gastrointestinal Surgery for Severe Obesity conference in 1991 do not “bound” or “set limits” for treatments: they provide recommendations based on presented evidence. However, third- …
Integrated Capstone Design Experience

The Civil Engineering Department at the University of Rhode Island has modified the undergraduate curriculum by introducing a theme design project in the junior year. Portions of the design are then undertaken in each of the subsequent courses. The project is completed in a capstone design course in the last semester. In the capstone design course the project work is carried out by design teams with a different student acting as project engineer on each technical phase. Calculations, written reports, and engineering plans are required for each phase. At the completion of the project each team gives an oral presentation which is judged by practicing engineers. The comprehensive projects completed include a reservoir‐dam complex, a new civil engineering building, and a resource‐recycling facility. Students are apprehensive when beginning the capstone course, but soon involve themselves enthusiastically in their assignments. The course experience is very similar to what the student might expect in a design o...
Marked Differences in Light-Switch Behavior of Ru(II) Complexes Possessing a Tridentate DNA Intercalating Ligand

The tridentate ligand 3-(pyrid-2‘-yl)dipyrido[3,2-a:2‘,3‘-c]phenazine (pydppz) has been prepared in two steps by elaboration of 2-(pyrid-2‘-yl)-1,10-phenanthroline. Both homoleptic [Ru(pydppz)2]2+ and heteroleptic [Ru(tpy)(pydppz)]2+ (tpy = 2,2‘;6‘,2‘ ‘-terpyridine) complexes have been prepared and characterized by 1H NMR. The absorption and emission spectra are consistent with low-lying MLCT excited states, which are typical of Ru(II) complexes. Femtosecond transient absorption measurements show that that the 3MLCT excited state of the heteroleptic complex [Ru(tpy)(pydppz)]2+ (τ ≈ 5 ns) is longer-lived than that of the homoleptic complex [Ru(pydppz)2]2+ (τ = 2.4 ns) and that these lifetimes are significantly longer than that of the 3MLCT state of the parent complex [Ru(tpy)2]2+ (τ = 120 ps). These differences are explained by the lower-energy 3MLCT excited state present in [Ru(tpy)(pydppz)]2+ and [Ru(pydppz)2]2+ compared to [Ru(tpy)2]2+, resulting in less deactivation of the former through the ligand-fie...
Gβ Association and Effector Interaction Selectivities of the Divergent Gγ Subunit Gγ13

Gγ13 is a divergent member of the Gγ subunit family considered to be a component of the gustducin G-protein heterotrimer involved in bitter and sweet taste reception in taste bud cells. Gγ13 contains a C-terminal asparagine-proline-tryptophan (NPW) tripeptide, a hallmark of RGS protein Gγ-like (GGL) domains which dimerize exclusively with Gβ5 subunits. In this study, we investigated the functional range of Gγ13 assembly with Gβ subunits using multiple assays of Gβ association and Gβγ effector modulation. Gγ13 was observed to associate with all five Gβ subunits (Gβ1–5) upon co-translation in vitro, as well as function with all five Gβ subunits in the modulation of Kir3.1/3.4 (GIRK1/4) potassium and N-type (α1B) calcium channels. Multiple Gβ/Gγ13pairings were also functional in cellular assays of phospholipase C (PLC) β2 activation and inhibition of Gαq-stimulated PLCβ1 activity. However, upon cellular co-expression of Gγ13 with different Gβ subunits, only Gβ1/Gγ13, Gβ3/Gγ13, and Gβ4/Gγ13 pairings were found to form stable dimers detectable by co-immunoprecipitation under high-detergent cell lysis conditions. Collectively, these data indicate that Gγ13 forms functional Gβγ dimers with a range of Gβ subunits. Coupled with our detection of Gγ13mRNA in mouse and human brain and retina, these results imply that this divergent Gγ subunit can act in signal transduction pathways other than that dedicated to taste reception in sensory lingual tissue.
Spatial and temporal trends in zooplankton assemblages along a nearshore to offshore transect in southeastern Lake Michigan from 2007 to 2012

Abstract Zooplankton were collected at a nearshore (15 m depth), a mid-depth (45 m) and an offshore site (110 m) near Muskegon, Michigan during March–December in 2007–2012. On a volumetric basis, biomass was lower at the nearshore site relative to the mid-depth site, but overall biomass at the nearshore and offshore sites did not differ. Differences in zooplankton assemblages among sites were due largely to Diaptomidae, Limnocalanus macrurus , Daphnia galeata mendotae , Cyclops , and either Bosmina longirostris or Bythotrephes longimanus . Diaptomidae were the most abundant group, accounting for 56–66% of zooplankton biomass across sites. Herbivorous cladocerans accounted for 14–22% of zooplankton biomass across sites, with B. longirostris dominant at the nearshore site and D. g. mendotae dominant at the mid-depth and offshore sites. Bythotrephes was the most abundant predatory cladoceran at all sites although, at the nearshore site, it was only abundant in the fall. There was a higher percentage of large-bodied zooplankton groups in the offshore and mid-depth zones relative to the nearshore zone. Declines in zooplankton biomass relative to the 1970s have occurred across all sites. In addition to seasonal variation within a site, we noted annual variation, especially at the offshore site, with the zooplankton assemblage during 2007–2008 differing from that found in 2010–2012 due to increases in D. g. mendotae and Cyclops and decreases in B. longimanus and L. macrurus in 2010–2012.
Micellization and Related Behaviors of N-Cetyl-N-ethanolyl-N,N-dimethyl and N-Cetyl-N,N-diethanolyl-N-methyl Ammonium Bromide

The micellization characteristics of N-cetyl-N-ethanolyl-N,N-dimethyl and N-cetyl-N,N-diethanolyl-N-methyl ammonium bromides have been investigated by microcalorimetric, conductometric, and fluorimetric techniques. The critical micellar concentration (cmc), counterion binding of micelles, their aggregation number, and thermodynamics of micellization have been evaluated at eight different temperatures in the range of 288−323 K. The Gibbs free energy, enthalpy, entropy, and specific heat of the micellization process have been evaluated by the direct calorimetric method as well as by the indirect method of van't Hoff by processing the cmc results of microcalorimetry and conductometry at different temperatures. The differences of the results obtained by these two procedures have been discussed. The thermodynamic results have been compared with values for the parent compound, N-cetyl-N,N,N-trimethylammonium bromide, and the effect of the substitution of the ethanolyl group in place of the methyl group on the s...
Convexity of single stage queueing systems with bulk arrival

In this paper we study the convexity of the waiting time, workload and the number of jobs in single stage queueing systems with respect to the bulk size of the arrival process. In particular we show that the number of jobs in a single server queueing systemG[x]/GI/1 and in a multiple server queueing systemG[x]/M/c with bulk sizesx=(x1,x2,x3,...) is componentwise convex inx. This is in the sense of the sample path convexity introduced in Shaked and Shanthikumar [11]. These results have applications in the stochastic comparison of bulk arrival queueing systems.
Partial or full coverage restorations: a survey of prevailing criteria.

TT u ‘f m orm criteria for what is clinically sound is diEcult to attain, since conflicting opinions originate at the interface between form, shape, extension, materials, and human physiology. All of these factors are influenced by training, experience, skill, and personal prejudices. Nowhere in dentistry are conflicting opinions better demonstrated than in partial and full coverage restorations. This survey was undertaken to (1) determine the prevailing consensus as to whether partial or full coverage restorations conserve more tooth structure and provide better esthetics and retention, (2) determine Jhe ideal location, if any, for establishing gingival margins of, restorations, and (3) obtain information regarding the criteria used by different centers of dental education for determining clinical acceptability of a preparation.
The Role of Business and Communication Skill Preparation for Interior Design Graduates

This study investigates whether preparation in business and communication skills in FIDER-accredited programs influences graduates' employment in the interior design profession. Findings from a 1991 survey of interior design graduates indicate that a focus in the curriculum on intercommunication skills was related to design employment; focus on business skills, however, was not found to be significantly related to employment. When graduates rated their program's degree of focus on business skills as low, they compensated by learning needed skills on the job. Many communication skills were similarly learned on the job. Skills in public speaking and oral presentations learned in the undergraduate curricula were especially transferable into the work field. Several indicators suggest that a transferable knowledge of business skills can best be achieved through early work experience.
Television Show Preference: Application of a Choice Model

A model of preferences based on specific product attributes is examined and found to be more powerful than predictions based on personality measures and demographics.
Backbone Dynamics of a Module Pair from the Ligand-Binding Domain of the LDL Receptor †

The ligand-binding domain of the LDL receptor consists of seven contiguous LDL-A modules. The fifth of these ligand-binding modules is absolutely required for recognition of both LDL and ‚-VLDL particles. A four-residue linker of variable sequence connects each pair of modules, except for modules four and five, which are connected by a 12-residue linker. To provide a more detailed understanding of the structural relationship in a typical pair of functionally important LDL-A repeats of the LDLR, we investigated the backbone dynamics of repeats five (LR5) and six (LR6) alone and in the context of the covalently connected LR5-6 pair. Our results reveal substantial flexibility in the four-residue linker connecting the two repeats in the LR5-6 pair. The intrinsic dynamic behavior of each repeat is essentially unchanged when the repeats are covalently connected. These observations indicate that the relative orientation of repeats in LR5-6 is not fixed. Modeled in an extended conformation, the linker can separate LR5 and LR6 by up to 15 A, a distance that would allow substantial freedom of motion of each repeat with respect to the other in the pair.
Musculoskeletal Pain in Persons with Spinal Cord Injury

Musculoskeletal pain in persons living with spinal cord injuries (SCIs) can be debilitating. The use of the upper extremity (UE) for mobility, transfers, and activities of daily living not only inc...
EFFICIENT SYNTHESIS OF ANTISENSE OLIGODEOXYRIBONUCLEOTIDE PHOSPHOROTHIOATES

Abstract Efficient and economical synthesis of antisense oligodeoxyribonucleotide phosphorothioates utilizing 2 equivalents of phosphoramidite synthon is reported.
Update on sentinel lymph node evaluation in gynecologic malignancies

Purpose of review Sentinel lymph node (SLN) dissections have been shown to be sensitive for the evaluation of nodal basins for metastatic disease and are associated with decreased short-term and long-term morbidity when compared with complete lymph node dissection. There has been increasing interest in the use of SLN technology in gynecologic cancers. This review assesses the current evidence-based literature for the use of SLN dissections in gynecologic malignancies.
3D surface-related multiple elimination : Data reconstruction and application to field data

The wide success of 2D surface-related multiple elimination (SRME) in attenuating complex multiples in many cases has spurred efforts to apply the method in three dimensions. However, application of 3D SRME to conventional marine data is often impeded by severe crossline aliasing characteristic of marine acquisition geometries. We propose to overcome this limitation using a dip-moveout (DMO)-based procedure consisting of the following steps: resorting the data into common offsets to improve crossline sampling, performing DMO to eliminate azimuth variations in the common-offset domain, and efficiently implementing inverse shot-record DMO to reconstruct densely sampled shot records required for 3D SRME to predict multiples correctly. We use a field data example to demonstrate that the proposed shot reconstruction procedure leads to kinematically accurate reconstruction of primaries but may not be able to simultaneously position multiples correctly. The mispositioning of multiples becomes a problem when second- and higher-order multiples must be predicted. We propose to resolve this difficulty by using a layer-stripping approach to multiple prediction. Alternatively, an approximate algorithm that relies on adaptive subtraction to compensate for inaccurate positioning of predicted multiples can be used. Application of the latter approach is illustrated with a field data example, and its performance is evaluated quantitatively through a measurement of S/N ratio improvement. We demonstrate that a DMO-based implementation of 3D SRME outperforms conventional 2D SRME and can accurately predict and attenuate complex 3D multiples.
Morphology and microstructure of thermal plasma sprayed silicon splats and coatings

Abstract Development of thick silicon films by thermal plasma spray (PS) is of interest for meso-scale electronics applications. The electrical properties of these coatings are impacted by the defected microstructure common to plasma sprayed materials. In particular, blocking effects of splat boundaries, porosity, and grain size variations arising from rapidly solidified splat structure can significantly affect electrical transport and result in anisotropic resistivity in the films [B.D. Kharas, S. Sampath, and R.J. Gambino, (2005). “Anisotropic resistivity in plasma-sprayed silicon thick films,” Journal of Applied Physics, 97 (9) 094906.]. In this study, we explore the microstructure and morphology of thick (≈ 65 μm) plasma sprayed silicon films and their individual splat building blocks. The observed microstructure is shown to be unchanged with high temperature furnace annealing and phosphorus diffusion doping. Assessment of single splat shape and flattening ratio by SEM and Zygo white light interference microscopy, is shown to correlate to film porosity. Cross-sectional TEM examinations of thick films and individual splats reveal a 100 nm thick chill zone which is made up of fine equi-axed grains and a thin oxide layer at the splat boundary interface. A numerical simulation of the rapid solidification of an idealized silicon splat on an oxidized silicon surface, is used to estimate the thickness of the chill zone and the grain size of the overlying columnar grains.
Achievement of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol goals: new strategies to address new guidelines.

A significant gap exists between established therapy for patients with hypercholesterolemia and clinical practice. At-risk patients are often not treated, and many who are being treated do not attain optimal lipid levels.Numerous studies in the literature indicate that target low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) in patients with coronary heart disease should be less than 100 mg/dL (2.6 mmol/L). The various agents used to treat hyperlipidemia may affect different steps of cholesterol and lipoprotein metabolism. When monotherapy with these agents is insufficient to achieve therapeutic goals, co-administration of two agents with complementary mechanisms of action may be indicated. A new class of compounds, the selective cholesterol absorption inhibitors such as ezetimibe, complement available pharmacologic agents and may provide clinicians with an excellent option for helping patients achieve optimal LDL-C levels.
On natural isomorphisms of cycle permutation graphs

Two problems are approached in this paper. Given a permutation onn elements, which permutations onn elements yield cycle permutation graphs isomorphic to the cycle permutation graph yielded by the given permutation? And, given two cycle permutation graphs, are they isomorphic? Here the author deals only with natural isomorphisms, those isomorphisms which map the outer and inner cycles of one cycle permutation graph to the outer and inner cycles of another cycle permutation graph.
Multiphoton imaging and laser ablation of rodent spermatic cord nerves: potential treatment for patients with chronic orchialgia.

Purpose: Microsurgical denervation of the spermatic cord has been done to treat chronic orchialgia. However, identifying the site of spermatic cord nerves is not feasible with an operating microscope or robotic stereoscope. We used multiphoton microscopy, a novel laser imaging technology, to identify and selectively ablate spermatic cord nerves in the rat.Materials and Methods: The spermatic cords of adult male Sprague-Dawley® rats were initially imaged in vivo under a low power multiphoton microscopy laser. After assessing the number, diameter and site (vasal vs perivasal) of the nerves a higher power laser using the same objective was used to ablate the nerves. The precision of nerve ablation and the preservation of surrounding structures were determined by histological analysis. We assessed the heterogeneity of the number of nerves with the Wilcoxon signed rank test.Results: The average number of nerves per spermatic cord was 10, which was similar bilaterally (p = 0.13). The vas and perivasal structure...
The relationship of gastric activity and adrenocortical function; a correlative study.

INTRODUCTION STUDIES on human subjects reported previously from this laboratoryhave indicated that the administration of corticotropin or adrenal glucocorticoids may induce a marked increase in basal and nocturnal gastric acid and pepsin secretion, with a concomitant increase in urinary uropepsin (1–5). The administration of adrenal glucocorticoids has resulted in the development of epigastric pain or peptic ulcer in patients without previous gastrointestinal disease, and has led to reactivation of quiescent peptic ulcer in others (5–7). In patients with Addison's disease, in whom peptic ulceration is exceedingly rare, the administration of cortisone in the small replacement dosage of 25 to 50 mg. daily has been followed by documented gastric and duodenal ulcer formation (8, 9). Further indirect evidence favoring the hypothesis that gastric and adrenal activity are closely related is derived from study of the uropepsin and urinary steroid excretion in patients with hypofunction or hyperfunction of the adr...
Improved Protocol and Data Analysis for Accelerated Shelf-Life Estimation of Solid Dosage Forms

To propose and test a new accelerated aging protocol for solid-state, small molecule pharmaceuticals which provides faster predictions for drug substance and drug product shelf-life. The concept of an isoconversion paradigm, where times in different temperature and humidity-controlled stability chambers are set to provide a critical degradant level, is introduced for solid-state pharmaceuticals. Reliable estimates for temperature and relative humidity effects are handled using a humidity-corrected Arrhenius equation, where temperature and relative humidity are assumed to be orthogonal. Imprecision is incorporated into a Monte-Carlo simulation to propagate the variations inherent in the experiment. In early development phases, greater imprecision in predictions is tolerated to allow faster screening with reduced sampling. Early development data are then used to design appropriate test conditions for more reliable later stability estimations. Examples are reported showing that predicted shelf-life values for lower temperatures and different relative humidities are consistent with the measured shelf-life values at those conditions. The new protocols and analyses provide accurate and precise shelf-life estimations in a reduced time from current state of the art.
Microchannel gate temperature analysis

Photoemission spectra of a GaAs gate material of a metal semiconductor field effect transistor (MESFET) were analyzed to nondestructively assess the submicron-size local gate temperature. Utilizing the micromanipulator, the laser beam was precisely adjusted to probe the exact position of the device gate. The emission spectral bands due to the interaction among photons, free excitons and impurity bound excitons in GaAs gate materials were measured and identified both at 299.1 K and 84.8 K. The shift of the band was found to be 16.30 meV for the free excitons when the device was not powered, while the band shift of the gate was 7.38 meV when the device was powered at 84.8 K. Simple first order calculations based on the theory of temperature shift of the bound excitons, predicts an inversely proportional relationship between the emission bandshift and temperature. Measurements using this technique found an increase of 97.0 K.
6-Methoxyflavonol 3-monosulphates from Flaveria chloraefolia

Abstract Flaveria chloraefolia leaves contain three novel 3-sulphates of 6-methoxykaempferol, spinacetin and eupalitin, together with the previously identified 3-sulphates of eupatolitin and eupatin. Purification of these compounds was carried out by gel filtration and chromatography of their tetrabutylammonium derivatives on polyamide and cellulose. Their structures were established by UV spectroscopy and negative FAB-MS of the tetrabutylammonium salts of the sulphate esters, as well as UV data and EI-MS of their aglycones.
Constellation Ground Systems Launch Availability Analysis: Enhancing Highly Reliable Launch Systems Design

Success of the Constellation Program's lunar architecture requires successfully launching two vehicles, Ares I/Orion and Ares V/Altair, within a very limited time period. The reliability and maintainability of flight vehicles and ground systems must deliver a high probability of successfully launching the second vehicle in order to avoid wasting the on-orbit asset launched by the first vehicle. The Ground Operations Project determined which ground subsystems had the potential to affect the probability of the second launch and allocated quantitative availability requirements to these subsystems. The Ground Operations Project also developed a methodology to estimate subsystem reliability, availability, and maintainability to ensure that ground subsystems complied with allocated launch availability and maintainability requirements. The verification analysis developed quantitative estimates of subsystem availability based on design documentation, testing results, and other information. Where appropriate, actual performance history was used to calculate failure rates for legacy subsystems or comparative components that will support Constellation. The results of the verification analysis will be used to assess compliance with requirements and to highlight design or performance shortcomings for further decision making. This case study will discuss the subsystem requirements allocation process, describe the ground systems methodology for completing quantitative reliability, availability, and maintainability analysis, and present findings and observation based on analysis leading to the Ground Operations Project Preliminary Design Review milestone.
Radiation Safety Protocol Using Real-Time Dose Reporting Reduces Patient Exposure in Pediatric Electrophysiology Procedures

Radiation exposure during pediatric catheterization is significant. We sought to describe radiation exposure and the effectiveness of radiation safety protocols in reducing exposure during catheter ablations with electrophysiology studies in children and patients with congenital heart disease. We additionally sought to identify at-risk patients. We retrospectively reviewed all interventional electrophysiology procedures performed from April 2009 to September 2011 (6 months preceding intervention, 12 months following implementation of initial radiation safety protocol, and 8 months following implementation of modified protocol). The protocols consisted of low pulse rate fluoroscopy settings, operator notification of skin entrance dose every 1,000 mGy, adjusting cameras by >5 at every 1,000 mGy, and appropriate collimation. The cohort consisted of 291 patients (70 pre-intervention, 137 after initial protocol implementation, 84 after modified protocol implementation) at a median age of 14.9 years with congenital heart disease present in 11 %. Diagnoses included atrioventricular nodal reentrant tachycardia (25 %), atrioventricular reentrant tachycardia (61 %), atrial tachycardias (12 %), and ventricular tachycardia (2 %). There were no differences between groups based on patient, arrhythmia, and procedural characteristics. Following implementation of the protocols, there were significant reductions in all measures of radiation exposure: fluoroscopy time (17.8 %), dose area product (80.2 %), skin entry dose (81.0 %), and effective dose (76.9 %), p = 0.0001. Independent predictors of increased radiation exposure included larger patient weight, longer fluoroscopy time, and lack of radiation safety protocol. Implementation of a radiation safety protocol for pediatric and congenital catheter ablations can drastically reduce radiation exposure to patients without affecting procedural success.
Ohmic Decay of Magnetic Fields Generated by Currents in the Crusts of Neutron Stars

We consider the decay of magnetic fields in neutron stars for configurations in which the electrical currents generating the field are confined to the crust. We show that, even if the electrical conductivity in the inner crust were poor, the characteristic time for decay of the field would be many times the characteristic time for decay of the field when the field is confined to the crust.
Model Boltzmann equations

It is shown that the Boltzmann equation for isotropic scattering of Maxwell molecules, considered by Bobylev, Krook, and Wu (BKW), can be written in the form of an energy-space kinetic equation. A transformation leads to a new class of kinetic models, possessing exact solutions of the BKW type.
The mediating effects of psychophysiological reactivity and recovery on the relationship between environmental stress and illness

The present study investigated the association between psychophysiological reactivity and recovery and physical and psychological symptoms both directly and interactively with environmental stress. Symptoms, environmental stress, and psychophysiological reactivity to and recovery from a laboratory stressor were measured in 50 subjects. As in previous research, the results indicated a significant relationship between environmental stress and symptoms of illness. Although the data did not support a direct relationship between psychophysiological activity and illness, support for a buffering effect was found. Those individuals with greater physiological arousal to or slower recovery from a laboratory stressor exhibited a stronger relationship between environmental stress and symptoms than those who were less reactive or faster to recover. Implications of these results were discussed in the context of theoretical models relating stress and illness.
A 13C CIDNP study of 1,5-biradicals

Abstract Examples are given of triplet-derived 1,5-biradicals whose products exhibit predominant T + -S, T − -S, or T 0 -S CIDNP depending on the biradical structure. In general they have regions on their potential surfaces with both singlet and triplet ground states, and in at least one case the product ratio is partly associated with the intersystem-crossing mechanism in the biradical.
Renal Artery Stenosis Causing Hypertension: The Current Status of Classical Surgical Therapy Versus Percutaneous Transluminal Dilatation

T HE SAGA of hypertensive renovascular disease traces its origin to Richard Bright who wrote in 1827 of the relationship between hypertension and renal disease. Direction was supplied by Goldblatt's observations in 1934 relating renal artery constriction to chronic experimental hypertension. Reports soon followed demonstrating normalization of blood pressure following nephrectomy (1938) and reconstructive surgery (l954). The optimism with regard to renovascular surgery which prevailed in the 1960s was dampened by subsequent reports of surgical failure and mortality. As a result, cautious pessimism replaced this enthusiasm in the early 70s. From this period of reevaluation, a number of advances have occurred concerning diagnosis and management of renovascular hypertension. These have created a renewed feeling of enthusiasm concerning intervention in renal artery stenosis. Several surgical alternatives such as extracorporeal renal revascularization, aortorenal bypass with saphenous veins or arterial grafts, and shunting operations are now possible. Less invasive alternatives such as medical nephrectomy and percutaneous transluminal dilatation have more recently become available. Additionally, advances in antihypertensive pharmacology have made uncommon the entity of nonpharmacologically controllable hypertension. Despite the fact that almost 50 yr have elapsed since the first patients were cured of their renovascular hypertension, a number of important questions still exist. These include questions such as the frequency of signi ficant renal artery stenosis in the hypertensive population, pharmacologic vs. surgical management, and vascular reconstructive surgical intervention vs. percutaneous transluminal dilatation. In the following articles several distinguished physician investigators address one of the pressing problems encountered by the clinician. In patients in whom correction of renal artery stenosis is to be undertaken, should one use classical surgical intervention or percutaneous transluminal dilatation? Andrew Novick and Ralph Straffon of the Cleveland Clinic Foundation were invited to present their views on the natural history and diagnosis of renovascular hypertension as well as their choices and options with regard to surgical management. Following this C. E. Grimm of the University of Indiana was asked to provide an alternative point with regard to percutaneous transluminal dilatation. The data to resolve this dilemma are not yet available. Despite this lack of information, the physician must help make a choice when both modalities are available. It is hoped that the discussion which follows will assist in the task.
Efficacy of Anterior Chamber Paracentesis and Carbogen in Treating Acute Nonarteritic Central Retinal Artery Occlusion

Abstract Purpose: To determine whether anterior chamber paracentesis and Carbogen inhalation therapy (95% oxygen, 5% carbon dioxide) produce a significant difference in final visual acuity in eyes with acute nonarteritic central retinal artery occlusion (CRAG), compared with untreated eyes. Methods: In this retrospective study, the records of 89 consecutive patients seen at the Retina Vascular Unit of Wills Eye Hospital with acute CRAO who received either both anterior chamber paracentesis and Carbogen therapy, or neither anterior chamber paracentesis or Carbogen therapy, were reviewed. Forty patients were treated with both therapies, whereas 49 received neither modality. Visual acuities before treatment and at subsequent follow-up visits were measured. All patients seen within 24 hours of the onset of symptoms were treated, whereas most of those seen after 24 hours were not treated. Results: Stratified Wilcoxon analysis showed no statistically significant difference between the treated and untreated groups ( P = 0.87) after adjusting for initial vision. A posthoc power analysis for the difference between two proportions showed that the study had adequate power (0.80) to detect a difference of the proportion of improved patients of 10% versus 25% between the treated and untreated groups. Conclusion: The data suggest that anterior chamber paracentesis and Carbogen therapy offer little benefit for treating acute nonarteritic CRAG.
The Dynamics of an Explosively Developing Cyclone Simulated by a General Circulation Model

Abstract The synoptic structure and dynamics of an explosively developing winter extratropical cyclone simulated by NCAR’s CCM2 general circulation model is examined and compared with cyclones that have developed explosively in nature. The primary diagnostic tool utilized in this analysis is the Zwack–Okossi equation. Synoptic results show that in addition to yielding an unusually large cyclone, the development initially occurred in the absence of a prominent upper-level trough. Rather, the surface disturbance was accompanied by an unusually strong upstream jet streak. Despite these departures from normally observed synoptic structure, the dynamics of the cyclone development and decay conformed to the dynamics found in observational cases. In particular, the cyclone developed in response to cyclonic vorticity and warm air advection, both of which maximized in the upper troposphere, and latent heat release, which were sufficient to overcome the cyclolytic effects of adiabatic cooling, friction, and sensibl...
The Caribbean court of justice: A unique institution of Caribbean creativity

(2005). The Caribbean court of justice: A unique institution of Caribbean creativity. Commonwealth Law Bulletin: Vol. 31, No. 1, pp. 69-90.
An effective color scale for simultaneous color and gray-scale publications

Pseudocolored images are used in many signal processing applications to represent signal properties as a function of two independent variables, such as time and frequency. This paper describes a color scale that can be used to unambiguously represent these images in printed gray-scale publications as well as full color electronic publications. The image resolution when viewed in color is enhanced in this article. This color scale also allows for correct interpretation by people with common types of color blindness, which accounts for approximately 10% of the male population and 1% of the female population. While it may be possible to obtain a better resolution with a color scale that is designed for a particular image on hand, the proposed color scale works well in many applications where the user does not have the time or resources to tailor the color scale to a specific image. The proposed color scale is also easy to implement and has an intuitive interpretation in that it cycles through a sequence of hues that roughly resembles the familiar rainbow.
Premarital Factors Influencing Perceived Readiness for Marriage

The purpose of this article is to add to our understanding of the multiple factors related to young adults' perceptions of their readiness for marriage. A theoretical model was developed to test the simultaneous effects of variables suggested by previous research and theory. A preexisting data set with premarital data from 2,508 young adults contained items measuring 8 indices of the theoretical predictor variables. The 8 latent variables were satisfaction with family relationships in the family of origin, amount of support of significant others for the relationship, impulsivity, attitude toward privacy, sociodemographic characteristics, perceived physical attractiveness, quality of couple communication, and level of couple agreement. The model was tested with analysis of covariance structures in LISREL. The results support the contention of multiple levels of causation. Perceptions of personal readiness for marriage depend largely on contextual issues (sociodemographic characteristics and significant oth...
STRATEGY AND SELECTION IN INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

It is widely recognized that many of the samples we use for statistical analysis in international politics are the result of some selection process. Not surprisingly, selection models are becoming increasingly popular. At the same time, the role of strategic interaction has begun to play a more important role in statistical analyses. However, it has not been clear how statistical strategic models and selection models relate to each other, or what the effects are of employing one when the other is the more appropriate model. In this article, I 1) clarify why international relations scholars cannot shield themselves from selection bias simply by assuming their results are limited to a given sample; 2) show how recent statistical strategic models relate to traditional selection models and generalize the two sets of models by deriving a correlated strategic model; and 3) examine the effects of misspecifying either correlated errors or strategic interaction. My results indicate that failure to model the strategic interaction produces worse specification error than failure to account for correlated disturbances. In fact, traditional bivariate probit models appear to be superior only when states are almost completely uncertain about each others’ preferences.
Is Inventory's Fiscal Year End Effect Caused by Sales Timing? A Test Using a Natural Experiment from Germany

One explanation for firms’ inventory cycles is that they are tied to the calendar year, reflecting fundamental demand seasonality. But we find that these cycles are also tied to the fiscal year, an accounting artifact constructed by firms themselves. Specifically, inventory is lower at fiscal year end (FYE), a phenomenon we call inventory’s FYE effect. Among U.S. manufacturers, wholesalers, and retailers, we find inventory is 10% lower at FYE than at other times of the fiscal year, controlling for calendar time. In aggregate, this 10% is $47 billion, valued at cost of goods. One possible explanation for the FYE effect is sales timing, in which executives’ private benefits lead them to pull some post‐FYE sales into the FYE. But the literature suggests three alternative hypotheses that can also explain the FYE effect. To test for sales timing, we employ a novel natural experiment based on Germany’s tax code change in 2000, when some firms change their FYEs in a way that is plausibly exogenous to inventory patterns. We find that these German firms also have lower inventory at FYE. This result is robust to corrections for possible treatment selection using the Heckit procedure and propensity scoring. We also examine mediator and moderator effects. For example, the link from FYE to lower inventory is mediated by lower margins and higher sales. Firms whose executive compensations have a higher bonus component have a stronger FYE effect. Taken together, the evidence is consistent with sales timing, but is not explained by the alternative hypotheses. Finally, we estimate that 1 percentage point lower inventory at FYE is associated with an economically significant 1.7% lower Tobin’s q, which is due to lower gross profits and higher costs like inventory holdings expenses and capacity investments. We conclude with a discussion of limitations, next steps, and some intriguing implications for research and practice.
Alcohol-Related Advertisements in a College Newspaper

The college newspaper is a powerful socializing force on the university campus. Within the general context of a university-based Alcohol Abuse Prevention Project, the present investigation examined alcohol-related advertising in a college newspaper at one southern university. Ads were categorized into those: (1) promoting the responsible use of alcohol, (2) promoting the irresponsible use of alcohol, and (3) having a neutral content. Results indicated that a great deal of alcohol-related advertising was presented in this publication, and the majority of advertising did not promote responsible use of the beverage. The potential role of the community-oriented professional as an intervention strategist is discussed.
A G-Band 160 GHz T/R Module Concept for Planetary Landing Radar

In this work, the concept of a G-band transmit/receive (T/R) module centered at 160 GHz was discussed. The design makes use of state-of-the-art G-band MMIC low noise amplifiers and power amplifiers, and a high speed SPDT InGaAs PIN diode switch. The paper reports on the designs, chip results, and the integration concept for a 160 GHz T/R module. The G-band T/R module has applications toward precision altimetry and velocimetry measurements in landing radar, such as in future planetary landers on the surface of Mars