cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Hiding Communication Latency with Non-SPMD, Graph-Based Execution

Reformulating an algorithm to mask communication delays is crucial in maintaining scalability, but traditional solutions embed the overlap strategy into the application. We present an alternative approach based on dataflow, that factors the overlap strategy out of the application. Using this approach we are able to reduce communication delays, meeting and in many cases exceeding performance obtained with traditional hand coded applications.
Portacaval shunt as treatment for hypercholesterolemia

Abstract Since 1973 the portacaval shunt has been used as a treatment for homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia. Favorable results have been reported, but the mechanism or reduction of cholesterol is not clear. The objective of this research was to evaluate mechanisms of lipid alterations after portacaval shunting in Yucatan miniature swine. The animals were fed a high-fat diet, similar in composition to the average American diet, with or without added cholesterol. Controls were fed the atherogenic diet (+ cholesterol) for 8 months. Pigs were fed atherogenic or American diets for 8 months, then surgery (shunt or sham) was performed. They were continued on the diets for another 8 months. The vascular system was examined for the distribution and severity of atherosclerotic disease. Blood lipids and numerous biochemical indices were measured. Progression of atherosclerosis was slowed by portacaval shunting. Low density lipoprotein (LDL) concentrations were positively and high density lipoprotein (HDL) concentrations were negatively correlated with severity of atherosclerosis. Serum insulin concentrations were positively correlated with atherosclerosis. Cholesterol synthesis was increased by the shunting and decreased by cholesterol feeding. The cholesterol-fed swine is not an adequate model for familial hypercholesterolemia, but the results are consistent with inbitioion of the atherosclerotic process and the involvement of lipoproteins and insulin in the mechanisms.
Transverse Electromagnetic (TEM) Surface Coils for Extremities

High-field RF volume coils for the human limbs and heads are commonly formed from rigid cylinders. For extremity imaging this design often requires using larger one-size-fit-all volume coils that decrease transmission efficiency and SNR. Splitting the coil solves this problem by providing tighter fit. It also improves patient access by eliminating the need for the coil to be slid over the region of interest. Split unshielded birdcage volume coils have been described previously for field strengths up to 3 T. For birdcage coils a direct electrical connection between two halves of the coil is required. For high-field (>3 T) shielded birdcage coils, both the shield and the coil must be split and reliably connected electrically, which complicates the design. This problem can be circumvented by the use of split TEM volume coils. Since the elements of a TEM coil are coupled inductively, no direct electrical connection between the halves is necessary. In this study we demonstrate that the effects of splitting the shield for head and knee TEMs can be compensated for, and performance retained. For the knee, the improved access allowed the coil diameter to be reduced, enhancing the sensitivity by 15–20%. Keywords: TEM; RF knee coil; RF head coil; RF split volume coil; high-field MRI/MRS
Kinetics and mechanism of the oxidation of alkenes and silanes by hydrogen peroxide catalyzed by methylrhenium trioxide (MTO) and a novel application of electrospray mass spectrometry to study the hydrolysis of MTO

Conjugated dienes were oxidized by hydrogen peroxide with methylrhenium trioxide (MTO) as catalyst. Methylrhenium bis-peroxide was the major reactive catalyst present. Hydroxyalkenes and trisubstituted silane were also tested. Mechanisms for each of these reactions are presented.
Preparing the entry level community health educator.

(1976). Preparing the Entry Level Community Health Educator. Health Education: Vol. 7, No. 4, pp. 7-9.
Disruption of IRS-2 causes type 2 diabetes in mice

Human type 2 diabetes is characterized by defects in both insulin action and insulin secretion. It has been difficult to identify a single molecular abnormality underlying these features. Insulin-receptor substrates (IRS proteins) may be involved in type 2 diabetes: they mediate pleiotropic signals initiated by receptors for insulin and other cytokines1. Disruption of IRS-1 in mice retards growth, but diabetes does not develop because insulin secretion increases to compensate for the mild resistance to insulin2,3. Here we show that disruption of IRS-2 impairs both peripheral insulin signalling and pancreatic β-cell function. IRS-2-deficient mice show progressive deterioration of glucose homeostasis because of insulin resistance in the liver and skeletal muscle and a lack of β-cell compensation for this insulin resistance. Our results indicate that dysfunction of IRS-2 may contribute to the pathophysiology of human type 2 diabetes.
Regulation of Glucose Transport and Metabolism in Thiobacillus novellus

To investigate the physiological basis of decreased rate of glucose utilization by Thiobacillus novellus in a mixotrophic environment (R. C. Perez and A. Matin, J. Bacteriol. 142:633–638, 1980), its glucose transport system was characterized and the modulation of this system as well as enzymes of glucose metabolism by the growth environment was examined. Uptake of 2-deoxy-d-glucose by cell suspensions was almost abolished by respiratory chain inhibitors, and the sugar accumulated unchanged inside the cells against a concentration gradient: its transport is probably linked to the proton electrochemical gradient. The glucose transport system, as well as several enzymes of glucose metabolism, had a high specific activity in heterotrophic cells, intermediate activity in mixotrophic cells, and low activity in autotrophic cells; thus, they are induced by glucose but repressed by thiosulfate, its metabolites, or both. Thiosulfate and sulfite inhibited the glucose transport system uncompetitively and noncompetitively, respectively (apparent Ki = 3.1 × 10−2 M and 3.3 × 10−7 M, respectively) and also inhibited glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase activity. Thus, the rate of glucose utilization in mixotrophic environments decreased because thiosulfate and its metabolites repress as well as inhibit the glucose transport system and enzymes of glucose metabolism. The significance of this and other regulatory phenomena that come into play in such environments is discussed.
The lymphoid apparatus of the endometrium with report of a case of primary lymphoma of the endometrium.

Abstract A case of primary lymphoma of the endometrium is reported. It is believed that this tumor was benign, but malignancy could not be excluded with certainty. Theoretically, any site in the body that contains lymphoid tissue may become the site of origin of lymphomatous neoplasms. A search of the literature, however, has disclosed no previous report of the discovery of such a tumor originating in the endometrium.
The Epc-N domain: a predicted protein-protein interaction domain found in select chromatin associated proteins

An underlying tenet of the epigenetic code hypothesis is the existence of protein domains that can recognize various chromatin structures. To date, two major candidates have emerged: (i) the bromodomain, which can recognize certain acetylation marks and (ii) the chromodomain, which can recognize certain methylation marks. The Epc-N (E nhancer of P olyc omb-N-terminus) domain is formally defined herein. This domain is conserved across eukaryotes and is predicted to form a right-handed orthogonal four-helix bundle with extended strands at both termini. The types of amino acid residues that define the Epc-N domain suggest a role in mediating protein-protein interactions, possibly specifically in the context of chromatin binding, and the types of proteins in which it is found (known components of histone acetyltransferase complexes) strongly suggest a role in epigenetic structure formation and/or recognition. There appear to be two major Epc-N protein families that can be divided into four unique protein subfamilies. Two of these subfamilies (I and II) may be related to one another in that subfamily I can be viewed as a plant-specific expansion of subfamily II. The other two subfamilies (III and IV) appear to be related to one another by duplication events in a primordial fungal-metazoan-mycetozoan ancestor. Subfamilies III and IV are further defined by the presence of an evolutionarily conserved five-center-zinc-binding motif in the loop connecting the second and third helices of the four-helix bundle. This m otif appears to consist of a P HD followed by a mononuclear Z n knuckle, followed by a P HD-like derivative, and will thus be referred to as the PZPM. All non-Epc-N proteins studied thus far that contain the PZPM have been implicated in histone methylation and/or gene silencing. In addition, an unusual phyletic distribution of Epc-N-containing proteins is observed. The data suggest that the Epc-N domain is a protein-protein interaction module found in chromatin associated proteins. It is possible that the Epc-N domain serves as a direct link between histone acetylation and methylation statuses. The unusual phyletic distribution of Epc-N-containing proteins may provide a conduit for future insight into how different organisms form, perceive and respond to epigenetic information.
"Points to consider" in the validation of equipment cleaning procedures.

Cleaning validation has received increasing attention by the FDA in recent inspections, yet very little has been published regarding practices within the pharmaceutical industry. This presentation will review several of aspects of the validation of equipment cleaning procedures. A significant portion of the presentation is derived from round table discussions the author has led over the last several years on this subject. Specific areas to be defined include: sampling methods, analytical methods, physical parameters, and of greatest interest, the selection of acceptance criteria. The presentation also includes some additional perspectives on the subject of cleaning validation developed by the author which may prove useful to the practitioner.
Effectiveness and toxicity of preoperative therapy in stage iiia non-small cell lung cancer including the memorial sloan-kettering experience with induction mvp in patients with bulky mediastinal lymph node metastases (Clinical n2)

The use of preoperative chemotherapy with mitomycin, vinblastine and cisplatin (MVP) has led to improved complete resection rates and survival in Stage IIIA non-small cell lung cancer with bulky, ipsilateral, mediastinal lymph node metastases (Clinical N2 disease). The addition of preoperative irradiation has also been explored with results not substantially different from preoperative cisplatin-based chemotherapy alone. While preoperative chemotherapy has been shown to be feasible, the toxicity of both the chemotherapy and the subsequent resection is of concern with an overall treatment-related mortality of nearly 8%. The careful selection of patients, swift management of neutropenia, and meticulous perioperative pulmonary care has the potential to reduce the mortality from multimodality therapy. Having shown survival benefit in multiple single-institution and randomized trials, induction chemotherapy followed by surgery or irradiation is now the treatment of choice for patients with Stage IIIA non-small cell lung cancer with mediastinal lymph node metastases.
An interdisciplinary laboratory for graphics research and applications

This paper describes the facilities and operation of the Program of Computer Graphics at Cornell University. A variety of graphic procedures are used for both input and output. The laboratory has the capability for producing dynamic vector displays and for generating full color images. Numerous research projects in a variety of disciplines which are actively using this multi-user graphics environment are presented.
Strengthening Capstone Skills in STEM Programs.

In this article we describe a curricular strategy that improves the full range of skillsets critical to capstone success. Improved Capstone (ICap) was developed and implemented across the thermo-fluids topical area in the undergraduate Mechanical Engineering Technology Program at the University of Hartford. ICap experiential courses sequentially introduce challenging and open-ended assignments that foster cognitive learning. Using a scaffolding structure, assignments are organized into three modules: (1) classical, (2) transitional, and (3) design of an experiment. ICap enables students to assume greater responsibility for their learning experiences and liberates the instructor to become a mentor. Consequently, higher level skills important in the capstone course are strengthened: critical thinking, quantitative reasoning, teamwork, communications, information literacy, and design process.
Lamotrigine Therapy for Partial Seizures: A Multicenter, Placebo‐Controlled, Double‐Blind, Cross‐Over Trial

The efficacy and safety of lamotrigine (LTG), a new antiepileptic drug (AED), were evaluated in a multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, cross-over study of 98 patients with refractory partial seizures. Each treatment period lasted 14 weeks. Most patients were titrated to a LTG maintenance dose of 400 mg/day. Seizure frequency with LTG decreased by > or = 50%, as compared with placebo, in one fifth of patients. Overall median seizure frequency decreased by 25% with LTG as compared with placebo (p < 0.001). With LTG, the number of seizure days decreased by 18% as compared with placebo (p < 0.01), and investigator global evaluation of overall patient clinical status favored LTG by 2:1 (p = 0.013). Plasma LTG concentrations appeared to be linearly related to dosage. LTG had no clinically important effects on the plasma concentrations of concomitant AEDs. Adverse experiences were generally minor and most frequently were CNS-related (e.g., ataxia, dizziness, diplopia, headache). Most were transient and resolved without discontinuing treatment. Five patients withdrew as a result of adverse experiences while receiving LTG, including 3 patients with rash. One placebo patient was also withdrawn because of rash. The addition of twice-daily LTG to an existing AED regimen was safe, effective, and well tolerated in these medically refractory partial seizure patients.
A parameter review and assessment of attenuation and backscatter properties associated with dust storms over desert regions in the frequency range of 1 to 10 GHz

Meager information has hitherto been reported as to the influence of dust storms on radars operating in desert regions. This work represents an attempt to bring together the results of a body of diverse investigations and present a unified quantitative treatment of the attenuation and backscatter characteristics of radars operating in the range 1 to 10 GHz with particular emphasis at L - and S -band. The results demonstrate that for extreme mass loading values (40-60 gm/ m-3) the two-way attenuation may be as high as 44 dB over a one-way range of 20 km. Such a mass loading uniformly spread over this range is, however, considered very unlikely. Assuming typical S - and L -band radar parameters and the above extreme dust concentrations filling the pulse volumes at a range of 100 km, equivalent point target cross sections of approximately 2 and 1 m2result at the respective frequencies.
Initial observations of low-energy electrons in the earth's magnetosphere with OGO 3.

Electron energy spectra analyzed in earth magnetosphere using OGO 3, noting relation to radial distance
In vivo histology of cotton-wool spots using high-resolution optical coherence tomography.

Purpose To provide optical characteristics of cotton-wool spots (CWS) on optical coherence tomography (OCT) and scan the retina after CWS have ophthalmoscopically disappeared. Design Observational case reports. Methods We studied four eyes of four patients with retinopathy due to human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and hypertension. The StratusOCT Model 3000 in single-line mode was used for imaging of acute and resolved CWS and adjacent normal retina. The fundus photography served as a template for OCT scanning in localization of CWS. Retinal tissue reflectivity images were compared. Results There were differences in reflectivity of normal retina, the retina in the area of active CWS, and the retina in the same area after CWS has resolved. Most striking was that the OCT documented a persistent focal area of hyper-reflectivity in the area of the resolved CWS, indicative of retinal gliosis that could be imaged. Conclusions CWS show a hyper-reflective pattern on OCT that persists even after they become ophthalmoscopically invisible.
Image analysis of cellular DNA content in peritoneal fluid of patients with ovarian tumors of low malignant potential and invasive epithelial ovarian cancer.

Abstract Image analysis has rarely been used to quantitate the DNA content of intact cells derived from peritoneal fluid in patients with ovarian malignancy. An average of 118 (range 100–208) of the most atypical, visually selected Feulgen-stained cells in peritoneal fluid obtained from 46 patients undergoing primary cytoreductive surgery for histologically proven ovarian tumors of low malignant potential and truly invasive ovarian cancer were evaluated retrospectively using the SAMBA-4000 Image analysis system. The patients were stratified into 3 groups: 16 with ovarian tumors of low malignant potential (LMP), 14 with low-stage disease (LSD) (FIGO I and II), and 16 with advanced-stage (ASD) (FIGO III and IV). A pattern of high-degree aneuploidy with negative balance (means: LMP, 3.3; LSD, 20.5; ASD, 32.0), increased proliferative index (LMP, 11.2; LSD, 16.1; ASD, 13.9), and percentage of cells with DNA content greater than 5C (LMP, 6.7; LSD, 6.5; ASD, 9.5) was demonstrated in the peritoneal fluid of 8 of 16 patients with LMP (50%), 8 of 14 patients with LSD (57%), and 13 of 16 with ASD (81%). The median disease-free interval for patients with invasive epithelial ovarian cancer with peritoneal DNA diploid tumor cells was 57 months and for those with DNA aneuploid tumor cells 28 months, while in patients with LMP it was 65 and 54 months, respectively. In total, 19 patients developed a recurrence (LMP, 2; LSD, 5; ASD, 12) of which 17 were shown to have DNA aneuploid cells in the peritoneal fluid. Multivariate analysis, however, did not identify aneuploid population in the fluid, ploidy balance, proliferation indices, or degree of hyperploidy as an independently significant variable for predicting recurrence. It did appear, however, that tumor cells in peritoneal fluid with a degree of hyperploidy greater than 8 had a strong correlation for development of recurrence, although not statistically significant. Interactive image analysis of tumor cells in peritoneal fluid proved to be a valuable adjunct to cytodiagnosis. Seven of 28 patients (25%) who were underdiagnosed by cytology alone (LMP, 2; LSD, 3; ASD, 2) were shown to have malignant cells in their peritoneal fluid, while 2 of 18 patients (11%) who were called positive by cytology (LMP, 1; LSD, 1) showed diploid pattern histograms and upon review were interpreted as reactive mesothelial cells.
The starting procedure in variable-stepsize variable-order PECE codes

Abstract An existing starting procedure used in codes for solving ordinary differential equation initial-value problems by variable-stepsize variable-order PECE formulas is studied. The actual error propagation and the estimate formed in the code are analyzed and compared. Based on the behavior of a bound on error propagation, we present a modified starting procedure which improves efficiency significantly for stringent error tolerances.
Molecular balance of capillary tube formation versus regression in wound repair: role of matrix metalloproteinases and their inhibitors.

In this review, we discuss the identification of distinct matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) and their inhibitors that differentially control the processes of capillary tube formation (morphogenesis) versus capillary tube regression in three-dimensional (3D) collagen matrices. This work directly relates to both granulation tissue formation and regression during wound repair. The membrane metalloproteinase, MT1-MMP (MMP-14), is required for endothelial cell (EC) tube formation using in vitro assays that mimic vasculogenesis or angiogenic sprouting in 3D collagen matrices. These events are markedly blocked by small interfering RNA (siRNA) suppression of MT1-MMP in ECs or by addition of tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases (TIMPs)-2, -3, and -4 but not TIMP-1. In contrast, MMP-1 and MMP-10 are strongly induced during EC tube formation to regulate the process of tube regression (following activation by serine proteases) rather than formation. TIMP-1, which selectively inhibits soluble MMPs, blocks tube regression by inhibiting MMP-1 and MMP-10 while having no influence on EC tube formation. siRNA suppression of MMP-1 and MMP-10 markedly blocks tube regression without affecting tube formation. Furthermore, we discuss that pericyte-induced stabilization of EC tube networks in our model system appears to occur through EC-derived TIMP-2 and pericyte-derived TIMP-3 to block both the capillary tube formation and regression pathways.
Value of measuring serum procalcitonin, C-reactive protein, and mannan antigens to distinguish fungal from bacterial infections

The study presented here was conducted to determine the diagnostic value of measuring procalcitonin, C-reactive protein, and mannan antigens to distinguish fungal from bacterial infections. The sensitivity and specificity of these measurements ranged from 35% to 97%. On days 1 and 3 following the onset of fever, both serum procalcitonin and C-reactive protein levels were lower in patients with fungal infections than in those with bacterial infections (p<0.0001). The presence of mannan antigens combined with a procalcitonin level <0.5 ng/ml provided higher specificity for distinguishing fungal from bacterial infections than each result alone.
Ability of electromyographic monitoring to determine the presence of malpositioned pedicle screws in the lumbosacral spine: analysis of 2450 consecutively placed screws

Object Pedicle screws provide efficient stabilization along all 3 columns of the spine, but they can be technically demanding to place, with malposition rates ranging from 5% to 10%. Intraoperative electromyographic (EMG) monitoring has the capacity to objectively identify a screw breaching the medial pedicle cortex that is in proximity to a nerve root. The purpose of this study is to describe and evaluate the authors' 7-year institutional experience with intraoperative EMG monitoring during placement of lumbar pedicle screws and to determine the clinical utility of intraoperative EMG monitoring. Methods The authors retrospectively studied 2450 consecutive lumbar pedicle screws placed in 418 patients from June 2002 through June 2009. All screws were inserted using a free-hand technique and anatomical landmarks, stimulated at 10.0 mA, and evaluated with CT scanning within 48 hours postoperatively. Medial pedicle screw breach was defined as having greater than 25% of the screw diameter extend outside of the...
Asymmetry in reception and retention of colors

Abstract In Experiment 1 a same-different comparison task involving simultaneous discrimination of colors differing by 2.5 steps in hue and presented 2° in the left or right visual field was given to 24 male and 24 female familial righthanders. A significant left visual field superiority was obtained. In a color naming task, the higher the number of color pairs for which both members were given the same name, the larger the left visual field superiority. In Experiment 2 the tasks were replicated with a 10-sec memory interval inserted between the stimuli in each color pair. No significant effects were obtained.
Femtosecond pump–probe studies of chlorine dioxide photochemistry in water and acetonitrile

Abstract The reaction dynamics of chlorine dioxide (OClO) dissolved in water and acetonitrile are investigated using femtosecond pump–probe spectroscopy. The change in optical density following photoexcitation of OClO at 400 nm is monitored at 12 wavelengths ranging from 267 to 900 nm. The dynamics observed at 267 and 400 nm demonstrate that the geminate recombination quantum yield of the primary ClO and O photofragments to reform ground-state OClO is reduced by a factor of six in acetonitrile relative to water. Calculations are presented that model the contribution of vibrationally excited OClO formed by geminate recombination to the pump–probe dynamics. Comparison of the experimental and computational results demonstrates that a portion of the dynamics can be attributed to vibrationally excited OClO. However, the optical-density changes observed between 700 and 900 nm are similar in magnitude for both solvents, suggesting that another species not produced by geminate recombination is responsible for these dynamics. The appearance and relaxation kinetics in acetonitrile are significantly slower than in water demonstrating the solvent dependence of photoproduct formation and ground-state vibrational relaxation. Reasons for this dependence including Coulombic solvent–solute interactions and intermolecular hydrogen bonding are discussed.
Response of Isolated Bullfrog Gastric Mucosa to a Gastrin-like Pentapeptide

Gregory and Tracy1 have isolated and with their colleagues2,3 have synthesized the antral hormone, gastrin, which has proved to be the most potent stimulant of gastric acid secretion. Tracy and Gregory4 showed in the dog that all the physiological actions of the heptadecapeptide gastrin molecule could be produced by the carboxy-terminal tetrapeptide amide try.met.asp.phe-NH2. Morley, Tracy and Gregory5 showed that several derivatives of this tetrapeptide also exhibited the full range of physiological activities of natural gastrin.
Spatially varying effective mass effects on energy level populations in semiconductor quantum devices

Abstract For the analysis and design of semiconductor intersubband devices, accurate values for the Fermi energy and the subband electron population are needed. The effect of the position-dependent electron effective mass m * ( z ) is commonly neglected in the determination of these two intersubband device parameters. This approach is nearly valid for single-well devices in the GaAs/Al x Ga 1 − x As material system. However, in multiple-coupled-well devices, the variable nature of the effective mass must be taken into account. In material systems other than the ones based on GaAs, failure to include the position-dependence of the electron mass may give rise to significant errors in the values of the Fermi energy and other device parameters such as the intersubband absorption coefficient. In this paper, the effects of m * ( z ) on the Fermi level and the intersubband charge distribution are explored and quantified. Theoretical formulation for the intersubband Fermi energy and the subband electron distribution, with the inclusion of position-dependent electron mass, is presented. The eigenenergies of the intersubband structures are obtained by solving the single-band effective-mass Schroedinger equation using the argument principle method. The electron distribution and the Fermi energy are calculated using both the approximate method ( m 0 * ) and the rigorous formulation [ m * ( z )], and the relative differences in the corresponding values are presented. It is demonstrated that these differences are small in the GaAs/Al x Ga 1 − x As material system, but can become very significant in other materials. In addition, the variable nature of carrier effective mass plays an important role in other types of devices such as interband quantum well photodetectors and lasers that employ optical transitions between the valence and the conduction bands. Electronic devices such as the resonant tunneling diode are also affected by the position-dependence of carrier mass and thus the results are applicable to both optoelectronic and electronic quantum devices.
Gear and Seasonal Bias Associated with Abundance and Size Structure Estimates for Lentic Freshwater Fishes

Abstract All freshwater fish sampling methods are biased toward particular species, sizes, and sexes and are further influenced by season, habitat, and fish behavior changes over time. However, little is known about gear-specific biases for many common fish species because few multiple-gear comparison studies exist that have incorporated seasonal dynamics. We sampled six lakes and impoundments representing a diversity of trophic and physical conditions in Iowa, USA, using multiple gear types (i.e., standard modified fyke net, mini-modified fyke net, sinking experimental gill net, bag seine, benthic trawl, boat-mounted electrofisher used diurnally and nocturnally) to determine the influence of sampling methodology and season on fisheries assessments. Specifically, we describe the influence of season on catch per unit effort, proportional size distribution, and the number of samples required to obtain 125 stock-length individuals for 12 species of recreational and ecological importance. Mean catch per unit ...
Branch aggregation and crown allometry condition the precision of randomized branch sampling estimators of conifer crown mass.

Characterizations of conifer crown biomass are important for assessing forest fuel loadings, bioenergy supplies, carbon stocks, and growth and yield. There is considerable variation in conifer crown mass, but to guide sampling programs, there is little quantitative information available concerning its structure or extent. This research examines several randomized branch sampling (RBS) strategies adapted for excurrent crown forms, as well as the impact of allometric relationships on their precision. The RBS strategies differ in terms of how primary branches (those attached directly to the bole) are aggregated into selection nodes and are evaluated using destructively sampled Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirb.) Franco) and western larch (Larix occidentalis Nutt.) trees. Strong linear relationships between branch mass and basal area improve the precision of RBS relative to simple random sampling. Yet because the sample trees exhibited area-increasing branching patterns, the RBS strategies could not achieve the same precision as two-pass probability proportional-to-size methods. For the same reason, aggregation of branches improved the precision of RBS. For practical reasons, we recommend aggregating branches by 1 m intervals along the stem. This strategy brought the relative standard errors for crown mass below 20% with sample sizes of four to eight branches, with smaller sample sizes yielding this result for more slender trees. We also report results on the variability of branch area and mass, as well as results that recommend against the practice of allocating equal numbers of sample branches to crown strata of equal length.
“A Champion Had Come”: William Pitt Fessenden and the Republican Party, 1854–60

Republican senator William Pitt Fessenden’s antebellum career has been largely misunderstood by scholars of nineteenth‐century United States history. Though labeled by historians as a moderate or conservative in his later years as chair of the Committee on Reconstruction, in the prewar years Fessenden was a fiery antislavery radical. As a young lawyer in Maine, he quickly became a leading antislavery Whig, fought the Slave Power alongside John Quincy Adams in the US House of Representatives, and created the antislavery coalition that would send him to the United States Senate and become that state’s first Republican organization. In the Senate, Fessenden played a vital role in the debates on Kansas and the expansion of slavery and led radical Republicans in the attack on leading doughfaces Douglas, Pierce, and Buchanan. Moreover, his speeches and debates were read widely, influencing Republicans such as Abraham Lincoln and garnering support for him in the 1860 nomination. A study of Fessenden’s antebellum...
The "new" immigration and the politics of cultural diversity in the United States and Japan.

Certain parallels between the recent experience of Japan and that of the United States with immigration from Third World countries are increasingly evident. In this discussion I shall focus on these key similarities rather than the obvious differences between the two countries in terms of culture economy political system and immigration profile. Aspects considered include the structural nature of the demand for foreign labor the composition of immigrant stocks and flows public tolerance and contradictions in government policies. (EXCERPT)
Priorities in prevention of chronic lung diseases.

We recorded the prevalence of respiratory symptoms as well as smoking habits, occupational and other environmental exposures, and lung function (maximum expiratory flow-volume [MEFV]) curves in 7,984 community residents (age 7 + years) and in 691 cotton textile workers (age 45 + years). Apart from a slight but significant excess among urban nonsmoking adults of usual cough, usual phlegm and dyspnea, but not of chronic bronchitis, there were no significant differences in respiratory health between residents of urban Ansonia, Connecticut, rural Lebanon, Connecticut, and rural Winnsboro, South Carolina. Lung function values, including flows on MEFV curves, did not differ significantly in nonsmokers, nor in smokers, in the three communities, after sex, race, age, height, and weight were taken into account. Smoking of cigarettes but not of pipes or cigars was associated with significant loss of lung function. Cotton textile workers had a significant excess of both symptoms and lung function loss; the effects of smoking and of cotton dust exposure were additive. Among the community residents, a history of asthma was most common in the least polluted rural town, Winnsboro. From our own data and from comparisons between our data and those of others in either more polluted or less polluted areas, we have concluded that control of air pollution outdoors is unlikely to decrease the health impact of chronic lung diseases. Prevention of cigarette smoking and of occupational exposures, on the other hand, deserves high priority as a public health problem. In particular, adequate control of exposures to dust and fumes in industry could completely prevent disabling chronic lung disease among groups of workers now at high risk, such as cotton textile workers.
Stability, repeatability, and the expression of signal magnitude in functional magnetic resonance imaging.

In 23 fMRI studies on six subjects, we examined activation in visual and motor tasks. We modeled the expected activation time course by convolving a temporal description of the behavioral task with an empirically determined impulse response function. We evaluated the signal activation intensity as both the number of activated voxels over arbitrary correlation thresholds and as the slope of the regression line between our modeled time course and the actual data. Whereas the voxel counting was strikingly unstable (standard deviation 74% in visual trials at a correlation of 0.5), the slope was relatively constant across trials and subjects (standard deviation <14%). Using Monte Carlo methods, we determined that the measured slope was largely independent of the contrast-to-noise ratio. Voxel counting is a poor proxy for activation intensity, with greatly increased scatter, much reduced statistical power, and increased type II error. The data support an alternative approach to functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) that allows for quantitative comparisons of fMRI response magnitudes across trials and laboratories. J. Magn Reson. Imaging 1999; 10:33–40. © 1999 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Dynamic behavior of a simple neoclassical model with wealth and capital unequal

Abstract The paper analyzes the standard one-good neoclassical dynamic model in which wages to consumer-workers are paid in IOU's issued by producers. The wealth of consumers consists of their accumulated IOU's and the model differs from the traditional one in that it is not assumed that consumers' wealth is exactly equal to the value of the capital stock. The dynamic behavior of this model turns out to be quite different from the traditional one, the main result being that, in the absence of “excessive savings” by consumers, the golden rule will always be the unique stable steady state.
Most reliable indices in differentiation between thalassemia trait and iron deficiency anemia

Background Iron deficiency anemia (IDA) and thalassemia trait (TT) are the most common forms of microcytic anemia. Some discrimination indices calculated from red blood cell indices are defined and used for rapid discrimination between TT and IDA. However, there has been no study carried out in which the validity of all of the defined indices are compared in the same patient groups. Youden's index is the most reliable method by which to measure the validity of a particular technique, because it takes into account both sensitivity and specificity. Methods We calculated eight discrimination indices (Mentzer Index, England and Fraser Index, Srivastava Index, Green and King Index, Shine and Lal Index, red blood cell (RBC) count, red blood cell distribution width and red blood cell blood distribution width index (RDWI)) in 26 patients with IDA and in 37 patients with beta TT (betaTT). We determined the number of correctly identified patients by using each discrimination index. We also calculated sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive value and Youden's index of each discrimination index. Results None of the discrimination indices showed a sensitivity and specificity of 100%. Youden's indices of RBC count and RDWI were the highest with the value of 82 and 80%, respectively. Ninety percent and 92% of the patients were correctly identified with RBC and RDWI, respectively. Conclusions Red blood cell count and RDWI are the most reliable discrimination indices in differentiation between betaTT and IDA.
Cell lineage analysis by intracellular injection of fluorescent tracers

Cell lineages during development of the leech are revealed by injection of a fluorescent peptide, rhodamine-D-peptide, into identified embryonic cells. Use of this peptide together with a nuclear stain showed a stereotypic cleavage pattern of stem cells and their progeny. Combined injection of rhodamine-D-peptide and pronase demonstrated the arrest of stem cell production in the pronase-injected teloblast.
PRO/MECHANICA-based structural and random vibration analysis of picosatellite structure

This paper focuses on the structural and vibration analysis of a low-cost picosatellite structure to the launch load environment. This picosatellite complies with the CubeSat program design specifications, where the satellite is less than one kilogram in mass with a dimension of 10 cm3. The satellite structure is treated as a combination of beams and thin plate elements. A detailed finite element model is developed to observe its responses to the quasi-static accelerations induced by the launch vehicle. The natural frequencies of the prototype were computed numerically through finite element based methods and compared with the natural frequencies induced by the launch vehicle. It was also found that the maximum stress experienced by the structure during launch was well within the stress limits of the material.
The Effect of Weather on Road Construction: Applications of a Simulation MODEL1

Abstract A simulation model is applied to a long series (1918–65) of daily rainfall observations to produce an experimental series of operational records on the weather-sensitive portion of a road building project. These records are analyzed statistically for various periods of time within the normal construction season and the resulting statistics are examined for their potential usefulness in the management of road construction.
Quality and safety in outpatient laboratory testing.

Clinicians in practice depend on laboratory testing to assist in diagnosing, treating, and monitoring their patients. Family physicians order laboratory tests on approximately 29% of the patients they see; internists order tests on 38% [1]. Although an increasing number of tests are performed in physicians’ offices by their own staff, physicians still depend on outside laboratories for most of their testing needs. When it comes to the total testing process, most laboratory personnel have limited knowledge of the steps taken by physicians’ offices, and similarly, most physicians and staff in physicians’ offices have limited knowledge about the laboratory. We believe that improving testing quality begins with eliminating some of this ignorance. Key points for improving quality are as follows: Most laboratory errors originate in the pre- and postanalytic phases The greatest opportunity for improvement in quality exists in pre- and postanalytic processes Critical areas include specimen collection, labeling, transport, data entry, and communication of results Gains in quality can be achieved by collaboration between clinicians and laboratorians Most ‘‘laboratory errors’’ originate outside of the laboratory. They occur not in the analytic phase but in the pre- and postanalytic phases. Almost two
Suppression of ring-down in noise spectroscopy

Abstract Suppression of systematic noise artifacts which complicate the understanding of broadline NMR spectra remains a difficult problem. Many strategies for canceling noise have evolved; many appear designed for very specific hardware implementations. In this paper we address the problem of artifact suppression in noise-based (stochastic) NMR, where low power pulses applied at high duty cycle are used to probe the spectral frequencies found in an NMR or NQR experiment. While typical peak powers are reduced by four to six orders of magnitude as compared to conventional NMR experiments, this power reduction corresponds only to an approximate halving of the idealized electronic ring-down in a tuned circuit; where other systematic sources of noise contribute, the recovery time advantage of noise spectroscopy may be larger or smaller. We suggest a simple experimental modification which exploits the linear response properties of nuclear spins in the presence of small rotations to demonstrate how ring-down—from whatever source—can be substantially eliminated as a problem in noise spectroscopy. This should provide substantial improvements in quantitation and lineshape measurements in NMR spectra of many solid state systems.
Contingent Self-worth and Gender Differences in Adolescent Depression: A Commentary

This manuscript comments on Cambron, Acitelli and Pettit’s review of interpersonal contingencies (this issue). This commentary addresses the authors’ attention to the process by which self-worth is maintained—rather than the level or content of self-worth—as a risk for depression among females. We explore several possible explanations for the mixed diathesis-stress findings related to self-worth contingencies, including the measurement of contingencies and the conceptualization of domains of self-worth. Additional intra and interpersonal factors placing girls at risk for depression are reviewed, and possible underpinnings of interpersonal self-worth contingencies are presented. We explore ethnic differences in self-worth, diversity in cultural focus on the self, and possible biases in cultural frameworks in assessing self-worth contingencies. Links between self-worth contingencies and rumination are further elaborated, and clinical implications are presented.
The role of social capital in the Russian mortality crisis

Abstract Emerging evidence suggests that the degree of social cohesion is an important determinant of population health status. Citizens living in societies with a high degree of social cohesion — characterized by strong social networks and high levels of interpersonal trust — seem to be healthier than those living in socially disorganized societies. Epidemiologists have become interested in notions of civil society and social capital to explain variations in health across societies. The purpose of the present paper was to examine the role of social capital in the Russian mortality crisis. Social capital has been defined as those features of social organization — such as the density of civic associations, levels of interpersonal trust, and norms of reciprocity — that act as resources for individuals, and facilitate collective action. A civil society is one that is rich in stocks of social capital. Various scholars have argued that one of the distinguishing characteristics of the Soviet regime was the paucity of civil society. Using household survey data from the Ail-Russian Center for Public Opinion research (VTsIOM), we carried out a cross-sectional, ecologie analysis of the association between indicators of social capital and mortality rates across 40 regions of Russia. We found associations between indicators of social capital (mistrust in government, crime, quality of work relations, civic engagement in politics) and life expectancy, as well as mortality rates. In the absence of civil society, it is believed that far more people in post-Soviet Russia rely on informal sources of support (friends, family) to deal with their day to day problems. Those lacking such sources of support may have been especially vulnerable to the economic hardships following the transformation to a market economy.
China's exchange rate policy and the United States' trade deficits

Purpose – This paper aims to critically examine China's exchange rate policy debate and discuss Chinese financial and capital control reform of recent years. Furthermore, using the empirical results based on a regional general equilibrium model, alternative methods are suggested of addressing American concerns about China's role in contributing towards global financial stability and American trade deficits with China.Design/methodology/approach – Regional general equilibrium input‐output model.Findings – Sino‐American debate on exchange rate policy is a matter of difference of opinion in sequencing of policies China has adopted to reduce capital account control and make her exchange rate regime more flexible. Using the final demand elasticity of exports it is observed that Chinese expansionary fiscal stimuli do have powerful effects in inducing additional exports for the United States and other Chinese trading partners.Research limitations/implications – The model does not include rest‐of‐the‐world econom...
Quantitative analysis of thallium-201 uptake and washout before and after transluminal coronary angioplasty

Abstract Transluminal coronary angioplasty has become an important therapeutic modality in the treatment of coronary artery disease. The effects of coronary angioplasty on regional myocardial perfusion have been reported in only a small series of patients, employing subjective analysis of thallium-201 perfusion scintigrams. Thus, we studied 61 patients with quantitative analysis of thallium-201 uptake and washout before and after undergoing angioplasty. Prior to angioplasty, there were 105 areas in 47 patients with abnormal thallium-201 uptake during exercise, with a mean uptake of 49 ± 1.3%. The uptake of thallium-201 in these same areas increased to 71.3 ± 1.9% post angioplasty ( P P P P P Thus, quantitative analysis of thallium-201 uptake and washout provided objective evidence for improved myocardial perfusion after coronary angioplasty. Due to a fairly high prevalence of residual perfusion abnormalities after this procedure, optimal assessment of benefits requires quantitative comparison of thallium uptake and washout before and after coronary angioplasty.
Augmenting ureagenesis in patients with partial carbamyl phosphate synthetase 1 deficiency with n-carbamyl-l-glutamate

Identical studies using stable isotopes were performed before and after a 3-day trial of oral N-carbamyl-l-glutamate (NCG) in 5 subjects with late-onset carbamyl phosphate synthetase deficiency. NCG augmented ureagenesis and decreased plasma ammonia in 4 of 5 subjects. There was marked improvement in nitrogen metabolism with long-term NCG administration in 1 subject.