cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Indicators of societal concern for mentally retarded persons

Mentally retarded persons, as a sub-population found in every culture, provide a test of a society's manner of coping with its deviant members. To obtain an objective device for measuring societal treatment, the present effort was to develop and validate a set of indicators of concern.
A fully general, exact algorithm for nesting irregular shapes

This paper introduces a fully general, exact algorithm for nesting irregular shapes. Both the shapes and material resource can be arbitrary nonconvex polygons. Moreover, the shapes can have holes and the material can have defective areas. Finally, the shapes can be arranged using both translations and arbitrary rotations (as opposed to a finite set of rotation angles, such as 0 $$^\circ $$ ? and 180 $$^\circ $$ ? ). The insight that has made all this possible is a novel way to relax the constraint that the shapes not overlap. The key idea is to inscribe a few circles in each irregular shape and then relax the non-overlap constraints for the shapes by replacing them with non-overlap constraints for the inscribed circles. These relaxed problems have the form of quadratic programming problems (QPs) and can be solved to optimality to provide valid lower bounds. Valid upper bounds can be found via local search with strict non-overlap constraints. If the shapes overlap in the solution to the relaxed problem, new circles are inscribed in the shapes to prevent this overlapping configuration from recurring, and the QP is then resolved to obtain improved lower bounds. Convergence to any fixed tolerance is guaranteed in a finite number of iterations. A specialized branch-and-bound algorithm, together with some heuristics, are introduced to find the initial inscribed circles that approximate the shapes. The new approach, called "QP-Nest," is applied to three problems as proof of concept. The most complicated of these is a problem due to Milenkovic that has four nonconvex polygons with 94, 72, 84, and 74 vertices, respectively. QP-Nest is able prove global optimality when nesting the first two or the first three of these shapes. When all four shapes are considered, QP-Nest finds the best known solution, but cannot prove optimality.
A case study in network architecture tradeoffs

Software defined networking (SDN) establishes a separation between the control plane and the data plane, allowing network intelligence and state to be centralized -- in this way the underlying network infrastructure is hidden from the applications. This is in stark contrast to existing distributed networking architectures, in which the control and data planes are vertically combined, and network intelligence and state, as well as applications, are distributed throughout the network. It is also conceivable that some elements of network functionality be implemented in a centralized manner via SDN, and that other components be implemented in a distributed manner. Further, distributed implementations can have varying levels of decentralization, ranging from myopic (in which local algorithms use only local information) to coordinated (in which local algorithms use both local and shared information). In this way, myopic distributed architectures and fully centralized architectures lie at the two extremes of a broader hybrid software defined networking (HySDN) design space.Using admission control as a case study, we leverage recent developments in distributed optimal control to provide network designers with tools to quantitatively compare different architectures, allowing them to explore the relevant HySDN design space in a principled manner. In particular, we assume that routing is done at a slower timescale, and seek to stabilize the network around a desirable operating point despite physical communication delays imposed by the network and rapidly varying traffic demand. We show that there exist scenarios for which one architecture allows for fundamentally better performance than another, thus highlighting the usefulness of the approach proposed in this paper.
Variation in hepatic microsomal cytochrome P-450 1 concentration among untreated rabbits alters the efficiency of estradiol hydroxylation.

Abstract The metabolism of 17β-estradiol was examined using both rabbit liver microsomes and highly purified forms of rabbit liver microsomal cytochrome P-450. The predominant microsomal metabolite of 17β-estradiol is the 2-hydroxylated product. 2-Hydroxyestradiol is also the principal metabolite in reconstitution experiments in which P-450 1 exhibits the greatest Vmax, ca. 6 mol min−1 mol P-450 1−1, vs m . This suggested that microsomes which differ in their content of P-450 1 would also differ in the kinetic parameters characterizing the 2-hydroxylation of 17β-estradiol. Microsomes containing low amounts of P-450 1, V max K m ) 2-hydroxylase activity. Microsomes containing elevated concentrations of P-450 1, >0.3 nmol/mg protein, exhibit a substrate dependence suggestive of an additional high-efficiency enzyme. The latter is specifically inhibited by a monoclonal antibody that recognizes P-450 1. These results indicate that the elevated expression of P-450 1 in microsomes leads to a marked increase in the apparent first-order rate constant for the 2-hydroxylation of 17β-estradiol, as it does for the 21-hydroxylation of progesterone. This should have a marked effect on the metabolism of these two steroid hormones at concentrations that are likely to occur in vivo.
Is it legitimate to characterize muscle strength using a limited number of measures

The purpose of this systematic review was to examine the legitimacy of using a single measure or a small set of measures of strength to characterize an individual's overall strength. Briefly, the methods involved: (a) a search of electronic databases, article reference lists, and personal files to identify relevant literature; and (b) a summarizing of that literature. As a result of the searches, 25 relevant articles were identified. The articles reported correlation coefficients, Cronbach's alpha, and factor analysis. Together, these statistics suggest a tendency for different strength measures to be related. A close examination of the relationships, however, suggests that caution should be exercised in characterizing overall strength using a single measure such as grip strength. In conclusion, it may be legitimate to use one or several measures obtained from a single limb to characterize the strength of that limb but not the entire body. What this means practically is that the practitioner interested in characterizing strength of a limb can reduce test burden by testing a limited number of muscle actions of that limb.
Increased vitamin A in esophagus and other extrahepatic tissues after chronic ethanol consumption in the rat.

In rats fed ethanol (36% of total energy) for 1 month, vitamin A content of the esophageal mucosa was found to be increased 5-fold, compared to animals pair-fed an isocatoric control diet containing the same amount of vitamin A. Similar results were observed with diets of either lower vitamin A content or zinc supplementation. Significant increases of retinoids were also found in lungs, trachea, kidneys, and testes, but not in the eyes. These increases in extra-hepatic tissues contrasted strikingly with the concomitant decrease in the liver and suggests that chronic ethanol consumption may be associated with some mobilization of vitamin A from the liver to other organs.
New reactions involving the oxidative O-, N-, and C-phosphorylation of organic compounds by phosphorus and phosphides in the presence of metal complexes

The mechanisms of new catalytic reactions leading to the formation of di-, and tri-alkyl phosphates, di- and tri-alkyl phosphites, phosphoramidites, phosphazenes, phosphines, and phosphine oxides from hydrogen, copper, and zinc phosphides and white and red phosphorus are analysed. The mechanisms of the activation of the reactants by metal complexes and of the reactions involving the oxidative P?O, P?N, and P?C coupling of organic compounds to phosphorus and phosphides are considered. The bibliography includes 124 references.
Multiple ophiolite generation preserved in the northern Philippines and the growth of an island arc complex

Abstract Although all oceanic arcs grow through the addition of subduction-generated magmas, the geology of the northern Philippines demonstrates that a major contribution to arc crustal growth can come from repeated, episodic, intra-arc, back-arc, and/or fore-arc oceanic crust generation with subsequent preservation of the basic–ultrabasic units in the arc complex. At least five episodes of oceanic crust generation are represented in the northern Philippines by preserved ophiolitic sequences and recent intra-arc seafloor spreading. Each episode is distinct in age as confirmed by modern dating techniques, with the ages ranging from pre(?)-Jurassic to ∼Quaternary. Although the Philippines is widely regarded as an amalgamation of allochthonous terranes, a review of the available data shows that there is currently no compelling evidence that these ophiolites are of exotic origin and that they have been tectonically accreted to the Philippine arc complex. Rather, the evidence suggests that most—and possibly all—of the ophiolites were generated as back-arc, fore-arc, or intra-arc crust within the Philippine arc complex. Hence, there is a close spatial association of several ophiolitic terranes of diverse ages spanning ∼150 Myr that formed as part of the arc complex. Such an association may have arisen from episodic generation of oceanic crust during periods of local extension in a suprasubduction zone setting, which has experienced changing and possibly overlapping subduction from the east and west sides (in the current reference frame). Disruption of the ophiolitic basement terranes has been, and continues to be, effected primarily by wrench faulting. This style of arc growth has implications for the paleotectonic interpretation of ancient ophiolite-arc terranes in continents and the petrologic evolution of island arcs.
Modeling Tape Cast Ceramics With Multiple Layers of Fugitive Phase Materials

The fabrication of complex ceramic components requires new processing methods that are able to produce components with intricate geometries and accurate dimensions. The accuracy of the finished ceramic component depends upon precise control of the green ceramic body dimensions and uniformity prior to sintering. The authors are investigating the application of the fugitive phase approach, where a sacrificial material is used to form cavities or channels in the finished ceramic component. This paper, a continuation of a previous work, examines the lamination step of the fugitive phase approach for ceramic fabrication. The lamination step is where the fugitive phase pieces are combined with the tape cast green ceramic pieces. The multilayer green body is pressed to laminate the ceramic tape and fugitive phase layers together. Topological complexity is greatly increased when the tape cast ceramic pieces are interspersed with fugitive phase pieces to build up a consolidated multilayer green body. This paper examines the movement of the fugitive phase pieces, viscoelastic deformation of the ceramic phase, the filling of voids, pressure gradients, and the rebounding that occurs when the green ceramic body is removed from the press. This information will be used to complement parallel experimental investigations of the fugitive phase approach to ceramic fabrication.© 2012 ASME
Developments In High-Speed Pyroelectric Detectors

Pyroelectric detectors have been developed at Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) for use with high-frequency applications such as laser fusion. Less than 50-ps total response time devices have been measured. The voltage responsivity with a 50-0 load is about 5 to 10 V/MW, requiring 10 to 20 mJ/cm2 to produce 1 -V, 1-ns pulses. The latter are 1 mm2 in area. High-speed devices with up to 1 cm2 area have been developed. A novel method of fabrication now permits voltage responsivities up to 50 V/MW with a 50-0 load. This improved sensitivity detector is slower than the fastest design but is still suitable for measuring 1-ns pulses.
Queasy Questions about Media Effects

Increasingly violent media shows no signs of driving away audiences. Cynthia Chris explores the possibility of redemptive arcs as ripped-from-the-headlines stories play out on TV, but with happy endings, and, in the end, she still reaches for the remote.
NATURAL RIGHTS AND IMPERIAL CONSTITUTIONALISM: THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE AMERICAN AMALGAM

Robert Nozick worked in a Lockean tradition of political philosophy, a tradition with deep resonance in the American political culture. This paper attempts to explore the formative moments of that culture and at the same time to clarify the role of Lockean philosophy in the American Revolution. One of the currently dominant approaches to the revolution emphasizes the colonists' commitments to their rights, but identifies the relevant rights as “the rights of Englishmen,” not natural rights in the Lockean mode. This approach misses, however, the way the Americans construed their positive or constitutional rights in the light of a Lockean background theory. In a word, the Americans recreated an amalgam of traditional constitutional principles and Lockean philosophy, an amalgam that nearly guaranteed that they and the British would speak past each other. The ambiguities and uncertainties of the British constitution as extended to the colonies provided an incentive to the Americans (but not the British) to look to Locke as a guide to their rights, thereby helping win a place for Lockean theory in American political thinking.
Effects of obesity and height on prostate-specific antigen (PSA) and percentage of free PSA levels among african-american and caucasian men

BACKGROUND. Prior studies suggest that obese men have lower prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels than leaner men. Caucasian (CA) men also may have lower PSA levels than African-American (AA) men, but the relevance of body size to racial disparities in PSA levels is unclear. The association between body mass index (BMI) and height on PSA and percentage of free PSA (%fPSA) was investigated within AA and CA men without a prior prostate cancer diagnosis. METHODS. AA (n = 150) and CA (n = 149) men of similar socioeconomic status completed an extensive in-person interview and donated blood. PSA and %fPSA levels were compared across race, BMI, and height categories after adjusting for age and other factors. RESULTS. PSA levels decreased with increasing BMI (PSA = .72, .69, .67, .59 ng/mL for BMI 18.5 to <25, 25 to <30, 30 to <35, and ≥35, respectively; Ptrend = .18), and trends were significant among men less than age 60 years (PSA = .81, .76, .66, .59, respectively; Ptrend = .02). fPSA also significantly decreased with BMI among men <60 years (Ptrend = .04). In contrast, %fPSA was not associated with BMI. However, %fPSA increased 27% across height categories (Ptrend = .02). PSA levels were significantly lower among CA men (PSAAA = 0.87, PSACA = 0.63 ng/mL; P < .01), whereas %fPSA levels did not differ by race. Also, associations between body size and PSA or %fPSA did not significantly differ by race, and adjustment for BMI and height had no effect on the racial disparity in PSA (PSAAA = 0.87, PSACA = 0.63 ng/mL; P < .01). CONCLUSIONS. The data suggest that race, BMI, and height are independently associated with PSA and %fPSA levels. Cancer 2006. © 2006 American Cancer Society.
Perceiving affordances for joint actions.

Two individuals acting together to achieve a shared goal often have an emergent set of afforded behavioral possibilities that may not easily reduce to either acting alone. In a series of experiments we examined the critical boundaries for transitions in behavior for individuals walking through an aperture alone or alongside another actor as a dyad. Results from experiment 1 indicated that an intrinsically scaled critical boundary for behavioral transitions was different in individuals than in dyads performing a similar task. Experiment 2 demonstrated that observers are perceptually sensitive to the difference in action parameters for the dyad, while still maintaining perceptual sensitivity about the boundaries of action relative to individuals. In experiment 3, we determined that observers' perception of critical action boundaries for individuals and dyads has a similar informational basis (eye-height scaling). In experiment 4, we demonstrated that observers were able to perceive critical action boundarie...
Superconductive FIR detectors

The performance of superconductors as FIR detectors is reviewed. Particular attention is focussed on superconductive bolometers and Josephson-junction direct detectors. Key characteristics of these devices are discussed, observations or estimates of performance are noted, fundamental limitations are assessed, and directions for further work are suggested.
Improvement in predicting smoke movement in compartmented structures

This paper describes improvements which have been made in the CFAST model of fire growth and smoke transport for compartmented structures. In particular, we are interested in the ability to model the movement of toxic gases from the room of origin of a fire to a distant compartment. The newest phenomena in the model are vertical flow and mechanical ventilation. Finally, we have improved the radiation transport scheme which affects energy distribution, and therefore the buoyancy forces. These are very important in actual situations relevant to fire growth and smoke propagation, as is demonstrated.
Nature of molecular rotation in supercooled glycerol under nanoconfinement.

The dynamics of glass-forming liquids under nanoconfinement is key to understanding a variety of phenomena in nature and modern technology. We report a 13C NMR spectroscopic study that directly demonstrates that α-relaxation in bulk glycerol involves an isotropic rotational jump of the constituent molecules. The activation energy of this motion is ∼78 kJ mol−1 in the bulk, which abruptly changes to a low value of ∼27.5 kJ mol−1, characteristic of β-processes, upon confinement of glycerol into ∼2 nm pores in mesoporous silica. This observation implies that the molecular dynamics associated with structural relaxation near glass transition are inherently different in supercooled glycerol in the bulk and under extreme nanoconfinement.
Common components of home-based family therapy models: the HBFT partnership in Kansas

In this article, we provide an analysis of components shared by varying home-based family therapy (HBFT) practices and evidence-based models. Applying a consistent statewide standard for HBFT presents challenges for the training of therapists from varying disciplines, with different levels of experience, and from diverse agencies. We propose focusing on common components across existing evidence-based models and discuss the trainings developed to integrate those components. We address indications and contraindications for using an HBFT approach and illustrate ways to address the particular challenges of HBFT supported by a unique partnership in Kansas. We conclude by offering suggestions for further research and for continued training development.
Analysis of 5-hydroxytryptamine-14C uptake and metabolism in intestinal smooth muscle.

The distribution and metabolism of 5-hydroxytryptamine-14C (5-HT-14C) in both guinea pig ileal longitudinal smooth muscle and taenia coli preparations were measured. The uptake of 5-HT-14C increased rapidly over 2 hr to tissue space values of f11.58 ± 0.57 (ileum) and 44.77 ± 0.59 (taenia) times the extracellular 5-HT-14C concentration. Incubation with 13.3 μM β-phenylisopropylhydrazine (PIH) reduced 5-HT-14C uptake by about half. Chemical separation of 14C-labeled compounds in the tissue indicated that 87–91% of the radioactivity present was 5-hydroxy-3-indoleacetic acid (5-HIAA) and 7–10% was 5-HT. In both paired ileum and taenia, PIH reduced 5-HIAA levels by 71–72% and doublet 5-HT levels. Addition of 2.67 mM non-radioactive 5-HT to incubation solutions reduced 5-HIAA-14C levels and either did not increase 5-HT-14C levels (taenia) or reduced them (ileum). Efflux studies showed that most of the 14C labeled material was lost at a slow rate; this rate was not altered by addition of 2.67 mM non-radioactive 5-HT or 5-HIAA during the washout. Uptake of 5-HIAA-14C did not exceed an amount which would occupy only the extracellular space. Negligible amounts of 5-HIAA-14C were formed when muscles were exposed to the 5-HT precursors tryptophan-14C or 5-hydroxytryptophan-14C. Thus, uptake of 5-HT-14C into intestinal muscles occurs rapidly and most of the 5-HT-14C is then metabolized to 5-HIAA-14C which cannot readily cross cellular membranes. Synthesis of 5-HT does not occur in significant amounts in these smooth muscle tissues; they are systems in which changes in 5-HT uptake and metabolism can be measured with precision.
Phospholipid and fatty acid compositions of Rhizobium leguminosarum biovar trifolii ANU843 in relation to flavone-activated pSym nod gene expression.

The phospholipid and associated fatty acid compositions of the bacterial symbiont of clover,Rhizobium leguminosarum biovartrifolii wild-type ANU843, was analyzed by two-dimensional silica thin-layer chromatography, fast atom bombardment-mass spectrometry, flame-ionization detection gas-liquid chromatography and combined gas-liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry. The phospholipid composition included phosphatidylethanolamine (15%),N-methylphosphatidylethanolamine (47%),N,N-dimethylphosphatidylethanolamine (9%), phosphatidylglycerol (19%), cardiolipin (5%) and phosphatidylcholine (2%). Fatty acid composition included predominantlycis-11-octadecenoic acid, lower leves ofcis-9-hexadecenoic acid, hexadecanoic acid, 11-methyl-11-octadecenoic acid, octadecanoic acid, 11,12-methyleneoctadecanoic acid, eicosanoic acid and traces of branched, and di- and triunsaturated fatty acids. The influence of expression of the “nodulation” genes encoding symbiotic functions on the composition of these membrane lipids was examined in wild-type cells grown with or without the flavone inducer, 4′,7-dihydroxyflavone and in mutated cells lacking the entire symbiotic plasmid where these genes reside, or containing single transposon insertions in selected nodulation genes. No significant changes in phospholipid or associated fatty acid compositions were detected by the above methods of analysis.
The design of nonlinear filters and control systems part II

This part of the paper is devoted to an exploration of the applicability of the theoretical method developed in Part I to analytical and experimental examples. It is shown that the method has limited utility in analytically interesting examples but that, through judicious use of modern computation machinery, numerical solutions to real, physical problems appear to be feasible—but difficult and involved. An experimental application of the theory to the characterization of the servomechanism associated with the pupil of the human eye is described. Emphasis is placed on the utilization of known properties of the experimental system in planning the computation. A measure of the complexity of the computation is developed in order that the practicability of applying the method in a given situation may be judged in advance.
Entropy production and nonlinear Fokker-Planck equations

The entropy time rate of systems described by nonlinear Fokker-Planck equations--which are directly related to generalized entropic forms--is analyzed. Both entropy production, associated with irreversible processes, and entropy flux from the system to its surroundings are studied. Some examples of known generalized entropic forms are considered, and particularly, the flux and production of the Boltzmann-Gibbs entropy, obtained from the linear Fokker-Planck equation, are recovered as particular cases. Since nonlinear Fokker-Planck equations are appropriate for the dynamical behavior of several physical phenomena in nature, like many within the realm of complex systems, the present analysis should be applicable to irreversible processes in a large class of nonlinear systems, such as those described by Tsallis and Kaniadakis entropies.
Thermogravimetric analysis of potassium hydrogen phthalate

Abstract The decomposition of potassium hydrogen phthalate in nitrogen yields potassium carbonate and a char at 800° when carried out in a thermobalance at a heating rate of 300° per hr. In air, only potassium carbonate is obtained at this temperature. The rate of decomposition in carbon dioxide is ~15 mg/g/hr at 235°. These results are compared with previous work.
Women Candidates and Party Practice in the UK: Evidence from the 2009 European Elections

Existing comparative research suggests that women candidates have better opportunities for electoral success when standing in (i) second-order elections and (ii) proportional representation elections—the 2009 European Elections provide an example of both criteria. This paper examines the 2009 results to build upon earlier work on the 1999 and 2004 elections by considering (i) regional patterns across parties, with reference to any strategies to improve womens representation, (ii) incumbency effects and (iii) effects of changes in seat shares across parties.
Which Stop Test Is Best? Measuring Detrusor Contractility In Older Females

ABSTRACTPurpose: Impaired detrusor contractility has an important role in geriatric voiding dysfunction but there are many competing methods of measurement. We compared the performance of 3 methods of measuring detrusor contraction strength to identify the best one.Materials and Methods: We retrospectively analyzed urodynamics data on 84 females 53 years old or older. All had urge incontinence and were enrolled in a placebo controlled oxybutynin trial. Stop tests (voluntary interruption, mechanical interruption and continuous mechanical occlusion of flow) were performed on each subject.Results: At baseline the voluntary stop test measured lower mean isovolumetric detrusor pressure ± SD than the mechanical and continuous methods (31.2 ± 16.0 versus 47.2 ± 26.5 and 48.7 ± 24.4 cm. water, respectively). The latter 2 values also correlated highly (r = 0.87). Followup data on 76 women confirmed these results. Based on baseline and followup values in the 20 women who received placebo the continuous occlusion te...
Probing DNA quaternary ordering with circular dichroism spectroscopy: studies of equine sperm chromosomal fibers.

Studies are described which strongly support a cholesteric liquid crystal-like quaternary structure for the DNA molecules of a biologically native chromosomal preparation from equine sperm cells. Discrete chromosomal fibers released from the head pieces of equine spermatozoon cells were prepared intact and probed for liquid crystalline ordering using reflectance and linear dichroism spectroscopy. Assuming cholesteric liquid crystalline order for the DNA molecules within the chromatin fibers, parameters measured experimentally were used to calculate the circular dichroism (CD) of the fibers. The calculated results compare remarkably well with the experimentally measured CD of the sperm chromosomal fibers and suggest a specific cholesteric liquid crystal-like quanternary structural ordering of DNA molecules in equine sperm chromatin fibers. The potential of CD spectroscopy as a tool for the study of long-range ordering of macromolecules is discussed.
Feedback control with Posicast

An alternative way to use Posicast to damp oscillations in lightly damped control systems is proposed in this paper. Specifically, it is suggested that the Posicast technique be used within a feedback system, instead of the classical feedforward configuration. There are many types of Posicast, but discussion and analysis are focused here on the classical "half-cycle" Posicast form. Theoretical analysis and a design example are used to compare classical Posicast and the proposed feedback control method. An experimental result from a power converter application is also presented.
DEVELOPMENT AND VALIDATION OF THE LIFESTYLE SELF-EFFICACY SCALE FOR LATINOS WITH DIABETES (LSESLD)

OBJECTIVES: To develop and validate a self-efficacy measure of diabetes self-management, the Lifestyle Self-Efficacy Scale for Latinos with Diabetes (LSESLD), designed for low-income, Spanish-speaking Latinos with diabetes. DESIGN: Quantitative and qualitative methods. SETTING: Community health centers in central and western Massachusetts. PARTICIPANTS: Low-income Latinos (N = 252) enrolled in a randomized diabetes self-management intervention trial. MEASURES: Construct validity, internal consistency, sensitivity to change over time. RESULTS: The LSESLD demonstrated good internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha = .85), reasonable construct validity (moderate, significant associations between the LSESLD and validated measures of diabetes knowledge, dietary intake, physical activity, blood glucose self-monitoring, and HbA1c values), and sensitivity to intervention-related changes over time. CONCLUSION: The LSESLD is a reliable and valid research instrument assessing self-efficacy related to diabetes self-management among low-income, Spanish-speaking populations.
Development of a real-time, high-frequency ultrasound digital beamformer for high-frequency linear array transducers

A real-time digital beamformer for high-frequency ( >20 MHz) linear ultrasonic arrays has been developed. The system can handle up to 64-element linear array transducers and excite 16 channels and receive simultaneously at 100 MHz sampling frequency with 8-bit precision. Radio frequency (RF) signals are digitized, delayed, and summed through a real-time digital beamformer, which is implanted using a field programmable gate array (FPGA). Using fractional delay filters, fine delays as small as 2 ns can be implemented. A frame rate of 30 frames per second is achieved. Wire phantom (20 /spl mu/m tungsten) images were obtained and -6 dB axial and lateral widths were measured. The results showed that, using a 30 MHz, 48-element array with a pitch of 100 /spl mu/m produced a -6 dB width of 68 /spl mu/m in the axial and 370 /spl mu/m in the lateral direction at 6.4 mm range. Images from an excised rabbit eye sample also were acquired, and fine anatomical structures, such as the cornea and lens, were resolved.
Pluralism In Logic

A number of people have proposed that we should be pluralists about logic, but there are several things this can mean. Are there versions of logical pluralism that are both high on the interest scale and also true? After discussing some forms of pluralism that seem either insufficiently interesting or quite unlikely to be true, the paper suggests a new form which might be both interesting and true; however, the scope of the pluralism that it allows logic is extremely narrow.
Y-Site Compatibility of Medications with Parenteral Nutrition

Providing parenteral nutrition to pediatric patients requiring various other intravenous products can be challenging. Evaluation of compatibility is essential; however, information is limited and sometimes conflicting. We strove to critically evaluate and present the available published data as a comprehensive and practical reference. To accomplish this, we weighed the strength of evidence supporting compatibility versus incompatibility and provided specific conditions affecting compatibility, where appropriate. Many commonly used medications in pediatric patients have consistently demonstrated Y-site compatibility with parenteral nutrition and may be safely administered simultaneously. Exceptions must be noted and these medications should preferentially be administered through a separate line, if available, or the same line may be used only after stopping the parenteral nutrition infusion and flushing the line before and after drug administration.
Contribution of bone marrow-derived endothelial cells to human tumor vasculature

It has been shown that bone marrow-derived stem cells can form a major fraction of the tumor endothelium in mouse tumors. To determine the role of such cells in human tumor angiogenesis, we studied six individuals who developed cancers after bone marrow transplantation with donor cells derived from individuals of the opposite sex. By performing fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) with sex chromosome-specific probes in conjunction with fluorescent antibody staining, we found that such stem cells indeed contributed to tumor endothelium, but at low levels, averaging only 4.9% of the total. These results illustrate substantial differences between human tumors and many mouse models with respect to angiogenesis and have important implications for the translation of experimental antiangiogenic therapies to the clinic.
Skeletal Growth in Pyridoxine Deficient Mice.

Summary and ConclusionsIn pyridoxine deficient young mice, growth of cartilage and formation of bone were inhibited and finally ceased. Upon refeeding the complete diet, recovery was noticeable after 3 days and was still in progress after 14 days. The growth processes were quickly restored with mitoses present in the germinal layer of the cartilage as well as in the osteoblasts.The effects of pyridoxine deficiency on cartilage resemble those seen in pantothenic acid deficient mice,1 whereas the disturbance of ossification was not unlike that observed in riboflavin deficiency.2 The specificity of the skeletal changes may thus be questioned.In young rats fed a pyridoxine deficient diet,3 the changes in the growth zones were comparable to those of underfed young guinea pigs,4 kept on a quantitatively restricted but adequately balanced diet. To some extent this is true for the cartilage of mice also. However, the cartilage cells as well as the osteoblasts responded more unfavorably to the pyridoxine deficienc...
Oncogenic Transformation by Basic Fibroblast Growth Factor

Several years ago Sporn and Todaro proposed autocrine growth stimulation as a mechanism for cellular transformation (Sporn and Todaro, 1980). According to this model, continuous proliferation occurs in a cell that possesses the cognate receptor for a growth factor that the cell secretes, (Long et al., 1985; Rosenthal et al., 1986; Finzi et al., 1987; Watanabe et al., 1987). This has been shown to be the cause of oncogenic conversion by numerous growth factors, including sis, epidermal growth factor (EGF), CSF-1, GM-CSF, and transforming growth factor α (TGF α) (Doolittle et al., 1983; Rosenthal et al., 1986; Stern et al., 1987; Waterfield et al., 1983; Wheeler et al., 1986).
Epidural clonidine added to a bupivacaine infusion increases analgesic duration in labor without adverse maternal or fetal effects

Purpose. Many obstetric patients receiving epidural analgesia are encouraged to ambulate. This current study was designed to determine the potential for maximizing the time to fi rst epidural supplement when adding clonidine to a 0.625 mg·ml −1 bupivacaine continuous epidural infusion following epidural fentanyl bolus in early labor for patients allowed to ambulate. Maternal and fetal effects secondary to clonidine were also evaluated. Methods. Sixty-eight laboring primigravid women received a 3-ml epidural test dose of lidocaine with epinephrine, followed by a fentanyl 100-µg bolus (in a 10 ml-volume). The patients then received a 0.625 mg·ml −1 bupivacaine continuous epidural infusion, either with or without clonidine (5 µg·ml −1 ), at a rate of 10 ml·h −1 . Pain scores and side effects were recorded for each patient. Results. The overall quality of analgesia was similar in both groups. The mean duration prior to request for additional analgesia was signifi cantly longer in the clonidine group (269 ± 160 min), compared to the control group (164 ± 64 min). No patient in either group experienced any detectable motor block; one patient (clonidine group) complained of mild thigh numbness and was not allowed to ambulate. While mean blood pressure was approximately 6 mmHg lower in the clonidine group at 1, 1.5, and 3.5 h, this was not clinically signifi cant. No adverse effects on maternal heart rate or fetal heart rate were noted. Conclusion. In early laboring patients, addition of clonidine prolongs the analgesia duration of a 0.625 mg·ml −1 bupivacaine
The pitfalls of ‘reasons’

These days, many philosophers are tempted by an approach that can be epitomized by the slogan “Reasons First”. According to this approach, there is a crucial notion of a “normative reason” for an action or attitude, which is the most central of all normative concepts that appear in the parts of our thinking that are concerned with normative questions. As Joseph Raz (1999, 67) says, “The normativity of all that is normative consists in the way it is, or provides, or is otherwise related to reasons.” In a similar vein, T. M. Scanlon (2014, 2) says that he is “inclined to believe” that “reasons are fundamental” in the “sense of being the only fundamental elements of the normative domain, other normative notions such as good and ought being analysable in terms of reasons.” Besides Raz and Scanlon, many other contemporary philosophers are drawn to a similar approach – including John Skorupski (2010) and Mark Schroeder (2007 and 2010), among others.
Environmental Variation and Selection on Performance Curves

Many aspects of physiological and organismal performance vary with some continuous environmental variable: e.g., photosynthetic rate as a function of light intensity; growth rate or sprint speed as a function of temperature. For such 'performance curves', the environment plays two roles: it affects both the levels of performance expressed, and the relationship between performance and fitness. How does environmental variation within a generation determine natural selection on performance curves? We describe an approach to this question that has three components. First, we quantify natural environmental variation and assess its impact on performance in the field. Second, we develop a simple theoretical model that predicts how fine-grained environmental variation determines selection on performance curves. Third, we describe how directional selection on performance curves may be estimated and compared to theoretical predictions. We illustrate these steps using data on performance curves of short-term growth rate as a function of temperature (thermal performance curves) in Pieris caterpillars. We use this approach to explore whether selection acts primarily on growth rate at specific temperatures, or on more integrated aspects of growth.
Behavior of faulty single BJT BiCMOS logic gates

The logic behavior of single BJT BiCMOS devices under transistor level shorts and opens is examined. In addition to delay faults, faults that cause the gate to exhibit sequential behavior were observed. Several faults can be detected only by monitoring the current. The faulty behaviour of bipolar (TTL) and CMOS logic families is compared with BiCMOS. Effects of bridging faults in BiCMOS devices has been examined for both hard short as well as bridging with a significant resistance. >
Glucocorticoids stimulate resorption in fetal rat parietal bones in vitro.

The effect of glucocorticoids on bone resorption was examined in a serum-free mineralizing organ culture system derived from 20 day fetal rat parietal bones. Bone resorption was assessed by prelabeling the fetal rats in utero with 45Ca and determining the daily release of 45Ca into the medium of cultured bones. During the first 24 h of treatment a transient stimulation of bone resorption was found; 4.5 ± 0.3% of the total 45Ca was released into the medium with 1 nM corticosterone and 4.1 ± 0.2% with 10 nM corticosterone compared to 2.9 ± 0.2% in control bones. Treatment with 1 and 10 nM dexamethasone for 24 h also showed an increase in 45Ca release compared to control bones. During the same time period 45Ca release was 6.9 ± 1.4% with 10 nM parathyroid hormone. At later time points 100 and 1000 nM corticosterone inhibited 45Ca release, but 1 and 10 nM corticosterone values were similar to controls. At 24 h the number of osteoclasts per mm2 tissue in bone lacunae was significantly elevated with 1–100 nM corticosterone and 10 nM parathyroid hormone compared to control bones. In control bones 0.10 ± 0.05 osteoclasts per mm2 of tissue were found, but 0.59 ± 0.21 osteoclasts per mm2 were seen with 10 nM corticosterone and 1.50 ± 0.34 with 10 nM parathyroid hormone. An additional assay of bone resorption, the release of lysosomal β-glucuronidase into the medium was also elevated in glucocorticoid and parathyroid hormone-treated cultures. During 0–24 h, the medium from 10 nM parathyroid hormone-treated bones contained elevated levels of β-glucuronidase activity, 7.5 ± 0.7 versus 6.0 ± 0.4 μg/ml in the control bones and, during 24–48 h, 10.5 ± 0.8 versus 7.7 ± 0.6 μg/ml of phenolphthalein in the controls. With 10 nM corticosterone there was a significant increase of 10.0 ± 0.5 μg/ml released at 24–48 h, but high concentrations of glucocorticoids decreased β-glucuronidase release. We conclude that corticosterone can cause a transient increase in bone resorption by increasing osteoclast number and activity in bone.
A new coplanar waveguide continuous transverse stub (CPW-CTS) antenna for wireless communications

To address the continuing demand for low-cost, light-weight and high-performance antennas, and multiband antenna arrays for wireless communications, we developed a new design of the continuous transverse stub (CTS) antenna technology. The design is based on a coplanar waveguide (CPW) feed which combines the advantages of the planar designs originally developed by Hughes Aircraft and the newer 50 /spl Omega/ coaxial version recently developed by our group . To examine the feasibility of the approach, a one-element CPW-CTS antenna is designed and a prototype is built in the frequency range of 5.2-5.6 GHz. S-Parameters and radiation pattern results shows good agreement between the simulation results and the experimental data.
Sidelobe level degradation in adaptive sidelobe cancellers with element reuse

The authors examine the performance of sidelobe canceller (SLC) arrays in which both the main antenna and the auxiliary antennas are formed from combinations of the same elements in a large phased array. This sharing of elements between mainbeam and auxiliary signals is referred to as element reuse. It is shown that whenever the number of adaptive degrees of freedom exceeds the number needed to suppress the interference, the noise correlation may lead to large weight magnitudes and large sidelobe level increases. This effect is undesirable in radar applications where the mainbeam pattern is designed for low sidelobes and retention of these low sidelobes is essential to avoid clutter degradation. It is shown how this problem may be overcome by forming the auxiliary signals from element combinations in such a way that an orthogonality condition between the auxiliary and mainbeam combiner weights is satisfied. >
Blood flow and distribution in the canine pancreas

Because of a tripartite arterial inflow, accurate determination of canine pancreatic blood flow (Qr) in experimental studies remains problematic. Assessment of blood flow using a single electromagnetic flow probe on the anterior pancreaticoduodenal artery (APDA) was compared to the radiolabeled microsphere method. Distribution of Qr was based on microsphere density. Qr determined simultaneously with the flow probe technique and the microsphere method were 86 + 17 and 23 f 8 ml/min, respectively, (P i 0.05). Following occlusion of the splenic artery (SA) and the posterior pancreaticoduodenal artery (PPDA), Qr measured by the flow probe increased to 94 + 27 ml/min (NS) and decreased to 19 2 4 ml/min (NS) using microspheres. Intrapancreatic distribution of Qr was not significantly altered by occlusion of the SA and PPDA. Intrapancreatic arterial collateral is adequate to maintain blood flow to the entire pancreas even when arterial inflow is restricted to the APDA. Flow probe determinations of Qr are artifactually high because they include how to the duodenum and may also be subject to methodologic error. 0
Thrombolytic therapy: Clinical applications

The therapeutic use of thrombolytic agents is the result of the increasing understanding of the pathophysiologic mechanisms underlying normal and deranged thrombosis and fibrinolysis. Plasminogen activators capable of increasing the production of plasmin exhibit considerable efficacy in the treatment of a variety of arterial and venous thrombotic disorders. The ideal thrombolytic agent has not been developed, but the desired clinical result of rapid opening of the thrombosed vessel without reocclusion, without activation of systemic fibrinogenolysis, and without a risk of hemorrhage are defined. Clinical studies clearly demonstrate that the addition of a variety of adjunctive agents to available thrombolytics enhances benefit without inordinate risk. The addition of intravascular angioplasty and stenting to thrombolysis increases the potential long-term benefit. Newer thrombolytic agents and new protocols for the use of existing therapies offer the promise of saving many who would otherwise succumb to coronary or cerebral arterial thrombosis or to venous thromboembolism.
Impact of Mechanical Constraints on the Irradiation Performance of U10Mo Monolithic Mini-Plates

For the conversion of high performance research reactors to low enrichment Uranium fuel, U-Mo alloy based fuels in monolithic form were proposed. These plate-type fuels consist of a high uranium density, low enrichment uranium (LEU) foil contained within a diffusion barrier, and encapsulated within a cladding. To benchmark this new design, effects of various geometrical and operational variables on irradiation performance have been evaluated. In this work, the effects of mechanical constraints on the thermo-mechanical behavior of a plate were studied. To evaluate these effects, a selected plate from RERTR-12 experiments (Plate L1P756) was simulated. Four distinct cases which represent four distinct welding conditions were considered. Evaluation of the stress-strain fields in the fuel elements revealed that mechanical constraints may impact the plate’s performance. These constraints include (a) inlet side, (b) outlet side, (c) both inlet and outlet sides; and finally, (d) entire long edges. Results of these cases were then compared with the ideal case. The peak stress-strain magnitudes, displacement, stress and strain profiles on the fuel elements are evaluated to make a comparative assessment. The results indicated that the cases with constraints on “inlet side only” and “outlet side only” yielded lower cladding strains compared with other cases. The difference on the displacement profiles on the fuel foil was not significant. Peak stresses on the foil did not change considerably. These results imply that the mechanical constraints effects peak cladding strains, while it does not cause significant effects on the fuel behavior.Copyright © 2015 by ASME