cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Mass Transfer and Solute Diffusion in Brined Cucumbers

The exchange of malic acid, lactic acid, NaCI, and sugar between cucumber and cover brine was monitored over a course of 16 days for 5 sizes of cucumbers. Experimental results showed that sugar exchange between cucumbers and cover brine was the slowest. In comparison to Ficks diffusion equation, the exponential equation better described the movement of solutes during the brine fermentation of cucumbers. Diffusion coefficient of sugar was estimated to vary from 1.80 x 10-9 to 9.18 x 10-9 m2/s. Solute sorption rate from the exponential model varied from 0.0204 to 0.233 h-1 and decreased with increase in cucumber size and solute molecular weight. Les echanges d'acide malique, d'acide lactique, de NaCl et de sucre entre les concombres et la saumure (melange d'acide lactique et de NaCl) recouvrante sont etudies. Les observations ont lieu sur 5 tailles de concombres et pendant 16 jours. Les mouvements de solute et de matiere sont modelises. C'est le sucre qui s'echange le moins vite. Un modele exponentiel decrit le mouvement du solute lors de la fermentation dans la saumure. La vitesse depend de la taille du fruit.
Novel collagen glomerulopathy in a homotrimeric type I collagen mouse (oim)

Novel collagen glomerulopathy in a homotrimeric type I collagen mouse ( oim ). Background: Oim/oim mice [osteogenesis imperfecta model; homozygous null for the proα2(I) collagen gene] synthesize exclusively the homotrimeric type I collagen isotype, α1(I) 3 , and are unable to synthesize the normal heterotrimeric type I collagen isotype, α1(I) 2 α2(I). Previous studies of the oim/oim mouse have focused on the musculoskeletal system, with no systematic evaluation of other organ systems. Methods: Multiple tissues from oim/oim , oim /+ (heterozygous) and +/+ (wild-type) mice were examined for gross and histological abnormalities. Tissues were stained with ( 1 ) hematoxylin and eosin (to assess lesion formation), ( 2 ) picrosirius red (collagen content), and ( 3 ) periodic acid methenamine silver (basement membrane). Kidneys were further evaluated ultrastructurally by electron microscopy and immunohistochemically with anti-α1(I) and anti-α1(III) collagen antibodies. Results: Histological analyses revealed accumulations of picrosirius red-positive material, consistent with collagen, in glomeruli of 28/29 oim/oim mice, with no evidence of mesangial cell proliferation. Only the most severely affected animals had evidence of increased capillary basement membrane thickening or mild inflammation around the affected glomeruli. Electron microscopy confirmed the presence of fibrillar collagen. Immunohistochemistry with anti-α1(I) collagen antibodies confirmed accumulation of type I collagen in the oim/oim glomeruli. The +/+ and oim /+ kidneys had normal mesangium with no evidence of infiltration of collagenous material. Conclusions This study demonstrates the first evidence, to our knowledge, of abnormal glomerular collagen deposition associated with a type I collagen defect. Further in vivo and in vitro studies are necessary to elucidate the mechanistic, functional, and pathological significance of the oim/oim collagen glomerulopathy.
A system simulation technique combining SPICE and SIMULINK tools

This paper presents a system simulation technique that combines the capabilities of two defacto standard tools. The SPICE tool that accounts for electronic device characteristics is seamlessly incorporated with SIMULINK, which is a more general purpose dynamic system simulation environment. The result is a simulation technique that has the general flexibility of SIMULINK while accounting for electronic device level characteristics. The proposed technique also gives greater flexibility to the SPICE tool by simplifying the description of nonlinear circuit effects. The technique is demonstrated on a magnetic levitation system. The simultation results are in closer agreement to experimental data than the original SIMULINK model used on the project.
Pharmacologically active substances in venoms of the bald-faced hornet, Vespula (Dolichovespula) maculata, and the yellow jacket, Vespula (Vespula) maculifrons.

Abstract Yellow jacket, Vespula ( Vespula ) maculifrons , and hornet, Vespula ( Dolichovespula ) maculata , venom sac extracts contain histamine, dopamine, noradrenaline, and histidine decarboxylase, an enzyme previously unreported in venom or sac extracts. In addition, a kinin-like peptide was found in the yellow jacket and 5-hydroxytryptamine in hornet sac extracts, respectively. Neither adrenaline nor acetylcholine was detected in either extract. The composition of these sac extracts is similar, but not identical to wasp, bee and other hornet venoms. Upon intravenous injection into rats of a saline extract of one venom sac of either species, there is an immediate and severe fall in blood pressure and a decrease in heart rate. A high incidence of death occurs in these rats. The factor(s) responsible for this hypotensive and lethal action has not been identified. It is likely that it is caused by the combined action of many constituents in the venoms.
Enhancement of kainate-gated currents in retinal horizontal cells by cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase

Dopamine, acting via cyclic adenosine 3':5'-monophosphate (cAMP), has been shown to enhance a kainate-gated ionic conductance in white perch retinal horizontal cells in vitro. To determine whether this effect involves stimulation of a protein kinase, kainate-gated currents were observed in cultured horizontal cells that were dialyzed with the catalytic subunit of cAMP-dependent protein kinase. Intracellular application of catalytic subunit or cAMP, but not heat-inactivated catalytic subunit, caused significant enhancement of the kainate-evoked currents. These results suggest that kainate-gated channels in horizontal cells may be modified by a phosphorylation event.
Noninvasive diagnosis of coronary artery bypass graft disease by dobutamine stress real-time myocardial contrast perfusion imaging.

Background The aim of this study was to assess the accuracy of real-time myocardial contrast perfusion imaging (MCPI) during dobutamine stress echocardiography, for the diagnosis of coronary artery bypass graft disease. Methods MCPI was performed using commercially available ultrasound contrast agents (Optison or Definity) at rest and at peak dobutamine-atropine stress in 64 patients with previous coronary artery bypass graft. Significant disease was defined as 70% or greater stenosis in one or more grafts or a native nongrafted coronary artery. MCPI was considered diagnostic in the presence of reversible perfusion abnormalities (RPA). Results Significant stenosis (≥70% by quantitative angiography) in one or more grafts was detected in 49 patients (77%). RPA were detected in 44 of these patients (sensitivity 90%, confidence interval [CI] 81-98). Significant stenosis was detected in 74 of the 176 bypass grafts (42%). RPA were detected in the distribution of 55 diseased grafts and 21 nondiseased grafts (regional sensitivity 74%, CI 64-84; specificity 79%, CI 71-87; and accuracy 77%, CI 71-84). RPA were detected in two or more vascular distributions in 25 of 33 patients with multivessel stenotic lesions and in 4 of 31 patients without (sensitivity 76%, CI 61-90; specificity 87%, CI 75-99; and accuracy 81%, CI 72-91). Conclusion Dobutamine stress MCPI is a useful technique for the evaluation of coronary artery bypass graft disease.
Progressive hearing loss following Haemophilus influenzae meningitis

Loss of hearing is a sequelae of meningitis. This hearing loss has been known to fluctuate for as long as one year following the acute infection. This paper presents a case of an 11-year documented downward fluctuating hearing loss following Haemophilus influenzae meningitis. The case indicates that patients should be followed audiologically for years following meningitis. A review of the literature of hearing loss in meningitis is presented with special emphasis on cases in which the hearing loss fluctuated. The cases in the literature were usually not followed for more than one year. In this case of acquired hearing loss secondary to Haemophilus influenzae meningitis, the patient's hearing fluctuated over 11 years, in a downward progression. It is not clear what type of mechanism is involved in the ongoing damage to the cochlea that could account for this gradual fluctuation. It is suggested that as the possibility of long-term fluctuation exists, patients with meningitis should be monitored audiologically for many years.
Age-related differences in parathion and chlorpyrifos toxicity in male rats: target and nontarget esterase sensitivity and cytochrome P450-mediated metabolism.

Juvenile rats are more susceptible to the acute toxicity of the phosphorothionate insecticides parathion and chlorpyrifos than are adult rats. Developmental changes in brain acetylcholinesterase and hepatic aliesterase (carboxylesterase), cytochrome P450, and the P450-mediated metabolism of these two phosphorothionate insecticides were investigated in male Sprague–Dawley rats. Specific activities of acetylcholinesterase in cerebral cortex, but not medulla oblongata, and of liver aliesterases increased with age, indicating the presence of both more target esterases and more protective esterases, respectively, in the adult compared to the juvenile animal. Sensitivity of the brain acetylcholinesterase to inhibition by paraoxon and chlorpyrifos-oxon, as measured by IC50 values, did not change significantly with age, whereas the hepatic aliesterase sensitivity to inhibition decreased with age. Progressive increases in activities of P450-mediated activation (desulfuration) (6- to 14-fold) and detoxication (dearylation) (2- to 4-fold), as well as concentrations of P450 (7-fold) and protein (2-fold), were observed between neonate and adult hepatic microsomes. Microsomal pentoxyresorufinO-dealkylase activity followed a developmental pattern similar to desulfuration and dearylation, displaying a 16-fold increase between neonates and adults. However, microsomal ethoxyresorufinO-deethylase activity increased until 21 days of age, displaying a 16-fold increase, then decreased in adulthood to a level 10-fold higher than neonates. These results indicate that target enzyme sensitivity is not responsible for age-related toxicity differences, nor is the potential for hepatic bioactivation, whereas lower levels of hepatic aliesterase-mediated protection and P450-mediated dearylation probably contribute significantly to the greater sensitivity of juveniles to phosphorothionate toxicity.
Explorations of the coping of adolescents with orofacial anomalies using the Cornell Medical Index.

N ormal social interaction focuses attention to the face so that orofacial anomalies are extremely distracting. As a result it has been suggested that individuals with orofacial anomalies constitute a large proportion of the handicapped patients suffering psychologic disturbances.‘-4 This psychologic disturbance is not a direct function of the anomaly but a matter of faulty coping with self and societal expectations. Coping may be considered in a number of ways. MOOS’ believes coping techniques are not inherently adaptive or maladaptive. Rather, it is the appropriateness of a technique for a given situation which is important. Coping skills which are appropriate in one situation may not be useful in another. Lazarus and associate@ also assume situational variation in coping skills. Th ey view coping strategies as a “response to the perception of some threatening condition, and of potential avenues of solution or mastery, designed to actualize some promise or to take the organism out of jeopardy.“6 Several researchers and theorists of coping skills have emphasized the importance of social supports and self-esteem in the coping process. The patient’s family members and friends can provide positive models of coping support and the justification for a choice of specific coping techniques. Self-esteem can be viewed as a function of the feeling that one is &ccessfully coping with a situation. One of the difficulties in measuring coping is the choice among diverse operationalizations of this concept. The most popular approach is the focused semistructural interview or self-report measure. However, prior to defining coping in individuals with orofacial anomalies, it is necessary to collect
Motor and mental aspects of extrapyramidal syndromes

Neuroleptic-induced extrapyramidal syndromes (EPS) are major limitations to effective antipsychotic therapy. There are both motor (objective) and mental (subjective) components to EPS, which must be considered in the evaluation and differential diagnosis of treatment-related adverse events. In addition to causing motor impairment, these syndromes can also produce irritability, anxiousness and secondary negative symptoms of slow thinking and emotional blunting. The EPS of akathisia, dystonia, and parkinsonism have unique characteristics that are influenced by patient, drug and temporal aspects. With the advent of new and novel antipsychotic drugs that have low EPS liability, patients will have fewer side effects, be less non-compliant and more able to benefit from rehabilitation efforts.
Predictive modeling of pharmaceutical processes with missing and noisy data

Lack of knowledge of the first principles, that describe the behavior of processed particulate mixtures, has created significant attention to data-driven models for characterizing the performance of pharmaceutical processes—which are often treated as black—box operations. Uncertainty contained in the experimental data sets, however, can decrease the quality of the produced predictive models. In this work, the effect of missing and noisy data on the predictive capability of surrogate modeling methodologies such as Kriging and Response Surface Method (RSM) is evaluated. The key areas that affect the final error of prediction and the computational efficiency of the algorithm were found to be: (a) the method used to assign initial estimate values to the missing elements and (b) the iterative procedure used to further improve these initial estimates. The proposed approach includes the combination of the most appropriate initialization technique and the Expectation Maximization Principal Component Analysis algorithm to impute missing elements and minimize noise. Comparative analysis of the use of different initial imputation techniques such as mean, matching procedure, and a Kriging-based approach proves that the two former used approaches give more accurate, “warm-start” estimates of the missing data points that can significantly reduce computational time requirements. Experimental data from two case studies of different unit operations of the pharmaceutical powder tablet production process (feeding and mixing) are used as examples to illustrate the performance of the proposed methodology. Results show that by introducing an extra imputation step, the pseudo complete data sets created, produce very accurate predictive responses, whereas discarding incomplete observations leads to loss of valuable information and distortion of the predictive response. Results are also given for different percentages of missing data and different missing patterns. © 2010 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 2010
Penile calibration for nocturnal penile tumescence studies

Artificial penile erections were created in 23 impotent patients by infusion of heparinized saline solution into the corpora cavernosa. Penile circumference as related to rigidity was accurately assessed. The increase in circumference necessary to produce erection adequate for vaginal penetration varied from 7.5 to 35 mm, whereas for maximum rigidity the penile circumference increase varied between 10 mm and 40 mm. These were then compared with the changes during nocturnal penile tumescence studies. Even though 5 patients in the series had erection greater than 15 mm, 40 per cent of them did not achieve rigidity adequate for vaginal penetration. One patient had nocturnal tumescence of only 12 mm; this, however, was an erection adequate for vaginal penetration. The approach discussed in this article may allow the rational use of portable home tumescence monitoring.
Atmospheric SF6 near a large urban area

Sulfur hexafluoride (SF6) has the potential to be a valuable transient tracer for dating of young ground water. However, near urban areas, there are typically numerous point sources of SF6 which have a significant impact on the temporal evolution of its atmospheric mixing ratio, thereby complicating its use as an age-dating tool. Here, we present and discuss a 12-month record of atmospheric SF6 from a location near New York City. The data were obtained by gas chromatographic analyses performed at intervals of approximately 10 minutes yielding about 40,000 data points for the time series. Nearly all measured SF6 values are in excess of remote Northern Hemisphere (NH) atmospheric mixing ratios. Temporal trends in the baseline data from LDEO indicate that atmospheric SF6 at LDEO decreased at a rate of 0.4 ppt yr−1 over the 12-month period. The SF6 data are compared to records of CFCs obtained during the same period. Whereas the CFCs show daily, weekly, and seasonal patterns of variability near New York City, the SF6 data exhibit only a daily cycle. The observed SF6 excesses are far greater than those found for CFCs during the same time period. This indicates that in order to use SF6 as an age dating tool of groundwater near source regions, its input function, i.e., its concentration in soil air above the groundwater table, needs to be defined explicitly.
Are there extensions of thick filaments to the Z line in vertebrate and invertebrate striated muscle

The experiments conducted were designed to determine the presence or absence of extensions of the thick, myosin-containing filaments to the Z lines in vertebrate and invertebrate muscle. Traditionally these possible extensions have been referred to as “connecting” filaments; more recently (in vertebrate muscle) as “gap” filaments. We performed serial cross sections of stretched frog sartorius and chameleon tongue muscles, and of flight muscles of the Belostomatid water bug. From these serial sections, we achieved entire myofibrillar filament counts at the level of the A band, and at the I-Z junctional area. Based on our results we conclude that thick filament extensions do not exist in vertebrate muscle, but that they are present in invertebrate flight muscle.
Energy Sensitive Thin-Film Counters for Ultra-Relativistic Particles

The problem of devising energy-dependent detectors for the ultra-relativistic region is discussed from the point of view of thin film devices. Ionization loss, secondary electron emission, and transition radiation are proposed mechanisms for producing an energy-dependent signal from thin films.
Using state-wide multiple measures for school leadership and management: costs incurred vs. benefits gained

In this article, we examine the utility and value of multiple measures of school performance for school leaders and managers. The research was conducted within the context of the state of California through an investigation of how operators, managers and authorisers of autonomous ‘charter’ (publicly financed but privately operated) schools use data to inform decision-making. Users valued data that were transparent in derivation, included an array of schooling dimensions, were longitudinal, and allowed for benchmarking with other schools.
A Fisher type inequality

In this paper we study subsets of a finite set that intersect each other in at most one element. Each subset intersects most of the other subsets in exactly one element. The following theorem is one of our main conclusions. Let S"1,... S"m be m subsets of an n-set S with |S"1| >= 2 (l = 1, ...,m) and |S"i @? S"j| = j; i, j = 1, ..., m). Suppose further that for some fixed positive integer c each S"i has non-empty intersection with at least m - c of the remaining subsets. Then there is a least positive integer M(c) depending only on c such that either m =< n or m =< M(c).
Cadmium produces a delayed mitogenic response and modulates the EGF response in quiescent NRK cells

Recent studies have shown that cadmium, at subtoxic levels, may induce a response characteristic of that elicited by a type of growth factor that supports the anchorage independent growth of cells that are not fully transformed. That is, Cd++ was found to replace transforming growth factor beta in supporting soft agar growth of NRK-49F cells. To tes the extent to which Cd++ further mimics transforming growth factor beta in its effects and to establish response patterns that suggest possible molecular mechnisms of action, we have determined the effects of Cd++ and/or epidermal growth factor (EGF) on DNA synthesis in quiescent NRK-49F cells. We found that subtoxic doses of Cd++ modulate EGF-induced DNA synthesis in a dose-dependent fashion. Although Cd++ effects on early (16–24 hr) EGF-induced DNA synthesis are primarily inhibitory, later effects involve stimulation as well. Subtoxic doses of Cd++ did not stimulate DNA synthesis in quiescent cells within 24 hr of addition. At later times (40 or 64 hr), however, an increase in DNA synthesis of up to threefold was induced by 0.25 μM Cd++. This pattern of mitogenic response, involving inhibition of early growth-factor induced DNA synthesis and stimulation of late DNA synthesis, is consistent with that reported to be effected in some instances by transforming growth factor beta. Because a defined pattern of gene expression also is associated with the mitogenic responses to transforming growth factor beta, future studies at the molecular level can definitively test the degree to which Cd++ and transforming growth factor beta effects are common.
LOCKED DOORS AND GLASS WALLS: FAMILY VISITING AT A LOCAL JAIL

Utilizing an ecologically grounded loss framework, this study examines the experience of parents and children visiting an imprisoned family member. Current trends emphasizing harsh criminal sanctions for even nonviolent criminal offenders have far-reaching effects on families and children, yet empirical documentation remains scant. Fifty-six parent/caregivers visiting an incarcerated family member during children's visiting hours were interviewed at a local jail in Virginia. Data sources included participants' quantitative and qualitative reports of their visiting experience as well as field notes from three members of the research team responsible for interviewing. Overall, families participating in the study reported the visiting experience at this particular facility to be difficult, with concerns about how the lack of physical contact with the inmate was affecting their children during "no contact" visits. Other issues that emerged within the context of visiting at thejail included various obstacles a...
On the interactions of nuclear spin with electrons in neighboring molecules

Abstract The interactions of the nuclear spin with the orbital and spin angular momenta of electrons in neighboring molecules have been examined and expressions for the coupling energy have been derived. The gradual transition from scalar (I·L) to dipolar (I·L) — 3R−2 (I·R)(L·R) type coupling is traced as the center of the electron charge distribution is moved away from the nucleus. The usual formula for the Fermi contact interaction is shown to be valid even if the nucleus is not at the center of the electronic charge distribution, provided ∥ψ∥2 be evaluated at the nucleus. Applications of the results to the nuclear resonance experiments are discussed. One effect is a shift of the nuclear resonance lines in case the nucleus is overlapped by the charge distribution of the neighboring paramagnetic atoms.
Exploring Geotagged images for land-use classification

On-line photo sharing websites such as Flickr not only allow users to share their precious memories with others, they also act as a repository of all kinds of information carried by their photos and tags. In this work, we investigate the problem of geographic discovery, particularly land-use classification, through crowdsourcing of geographic information from Flickr's geotagged photo collections. Our results show that the visual information contained in these photo collections enables us to classify three types of land-use classes on two university campuses. We also show that text entries accompanying these photos are informative for geographic discovery.
Fourier transform methods for calculating action variables and semiclassical eigenvalues for coupled oscillator systems

Two methods for calculating the good action variables and semiclassical eigenvalues for coupled oscillator systems are presented, both of which relate the actions to the coefficients appearing in the Fourier representation of the normal coordinates and momenta. The two methods differ in that one is based on the exact expression for the actions together with the EBK semiclassical quantization condition while the other is derived from the Sorbie–Handy (SH) approximation to the actions. However, they are also very similar in that the actions in both methods are related to the same set of Fourier coefficients and both require determining the perturbed frequencies in calculating actions. These frequencies are also determined from the Fourier representations, which means that the actions in both methods are determined from information entirely contained in the Fourier expansion of the coordinates and momenta. We show how these expansions can very conveniently be obtained from fast Fourier transform (FFT) methods and that numerical filtering methods can be used to remove spurious Fourier components associated with the finite trajectory integration duration. In the case of the SH based method, we find that the use of filtering enables us to relax the usual periodicity requirement on the calculated trajectory. Application to two standard Henon–Heiles models is considered and both are shown to give semiclassical eigenvalues in good agreement with previous calculations for nondegenerate and 1:1 resonant systems. In comparing the two methods, we find that although the exact method is quite general in its ability to be used for systems exhibiting complex resonant behavior, it converges more slowly with increasing trajectory integration duration and is more sensitive to the algorithm for choosing perturbed frequencies than the SH based method. The SH based method is less straightforward to use in studying resonant systems, but good results are obtained for 1:1 resonant systems using actions defined in terms of the complex coordinates Q1±iQ2. The SH based method is also shown to be remarkably accurate in determining high energy eigenvalues (about three‐quarters of the dissociation energy).
Response to: ‘Does MOVES move the needle?’ by Dr Meyer

We thank Dr Meyer1 for his comments on the Glucosamine/chondroitin Arthritis Intervention Trial (GAIT)2 and the Multicentre Osteoarthritis interVEntion trial with SYSADOA (MOVES).3 In GAIT, carried out during 2000–2004, 1583 patients with symptomatic knee osteoarthritis (OA) were randomised to glucosamine, chondroitin sulfate, glucosamine plus chondroitin sulfate, celecoxib or placebo. As Dr Meyer pointed out, there was a strong placebo response; after 24 weeks, 60.1% of the placebo group had a 20% decrease in Western Ontario and McMaster Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) pain score (primary outcome). However, Dr Meyer said that ‘GAIT failed to show a difference for any treatment in the change from baseline’; the response rates in the four treatment groups were 64.0% for …
Multiple-Post Inductive Obstacles in Rectangular Waveguide

A complete analysis of multiple-post inductive obstacles in rectangular waveguide is presented. A moment method solution with exponential ( e/sup jnTheta/) expansion and weighting functions is used in a Galerkin solution. Post currents are expressed as a Fourier series. As many Fourier series terms (e/sup jn Theta/) as desired may be included. All higher order (cutoff) mode interactions between posts are taken into account. The solution is rapid and accurate, and errors maybe controlled (specified). Data are given for the triple-post obstacle and for a two-element filter.
Robust Tracking Control of Autonomous Underwater Vehicles in the Presence of Disturbance Inputs

An autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) is expected to operate in an ocean in the presence of poorly known disturbance forces and moments. The uncertainties of the environment makes it difficult to apply open-loop control scheme for the motion planning of the vehicle. The objective of this paper is to develop a robust feedback trajectory tracking control scheme for an AUV that can track a prescribed trajectory amidst such disturbances. We solve a general problem of feedback trajectory tracking of an AUV in SE(3). The feedback control scheme is derived using Lyapunov-type analysis. The results obtained from numerical simulations confirm the asymptotic tracking properties of the feedback control law. We apply the feedback control scheme to different mission scenarios, with the disturbances being initial errors in the state of the AUV.
Optical analog heterodyne FM link using a monolithically integrated balanced photodiode and WIRNA receiver

We demonstrate a 5 GHz analog heterodyne FM link with pre-emphasis having a noise figure of 20 dB and spurious free dynamic range (SFDR) of 100 dB-Hz/sup 2/3/, employing monolithically integrated balanced photodiode and wideband rectifier narrowband (WIRNA) receiver.
Ethics and "normal birth".

The concept of “normal birth” has been promoted as ideal by several international organizations, although debate about its meaning is ongoing. In this article, I examine the concept of normalcy to explore its ethical implications and raise a trio of concerns. First, in its emphasis on nonuse of technology as a goal, the concept of normalcy may marginalize women for whom medical intervention is necessary or beneficial. Second, in its emphasis on birth as a socially meaningful event, the mantra of normalcy may unintentionally avert attention to meaning in medically complicated births. Third, the emphasis on birth as a normal and healthy event may be a contributor to the long-standing tolerance for the dearth of evidence guiding the treatment of illness during pregnancy and the failure to responsibly and productively engage pregnant women in health research. Given these concerns, it is worth debating not just what “normal birth” means, but whether the term as an ideal earns its keep. (BIRTH 39:4 December 2012)
Outpatient cardiac infusion units: impact in elderly patients with refractory heart failure.

BACKGROUND The use of intermittent intravenous infusions of inotropic drugs is under evaluation in the management of patients with refractory heart failure. OBJECTIVES We investigated the impact of intermittent outpatient infusions of inotropes on hospital admissions, emergency room visits, functional class, and symptom-free interval after administration of inotropes to elderly patients with advanced heart failure symptoms. METHODS This retrospective analysis involved 24 elderly outpatients with a New York Heart Association class of III or IV and refractory heart failure symptoms. RESULTS Seven patients with class III heart failure (age 74A+/-4 years; left ventricular ejection fraction 27A+/-9%) and 17 patients of class IV (age 73A+/-4 years; LVEF 21A+/-10%) were included. Twenty patients were males. A total of 365 outpatient treatment sessions were administered, with 15A+/-9 sessions per patient (range, 6-43). Eleven patients improved and were discharged; seven patients died; three discontinued treatment; two patients remain on therapy; and one patient required continuous infusion. During this treatment, there were only three emergency room visits and six hospital admissions due solely to heart failure. Fourteen patients required no emergency room visits or hospitalization. Of the patients discharged from the program, the interval without heart failure symptoms ranged from 60-356 days, with an improvement in NYHA class from 3.5A+/-0.6 to 1.4A+/-0.5 and no emergency room visits or hospital admissions. CONCLUSIONS This type of therapy is well tolerated among elderly patients with refractory heart failure symptoms and its use deserves further investigation.
The socially weighted encoding of spoken words: a dual-route approach to speech perception.

Spoken words are highly variable. A single word may never be uttered the same way twice. As listeners, we regularly encounter speakers of different ages, genders, and accents, increasing the amount of variation we face. How listeners understand spoken words as quickly and adeptly as they do despite this variation remains an issue central to linguistic theory. We propose that learned acoustic patterns are mapped simultaneously to linguistic representations and to social representations. In doing so, we illuminate a paradox that results in the literature from, we argue, the focus on representations and the peripheral treatment of word-level phonetic variation. We consider phonetic variation more fully and highlight a growing body of work that is problematic for current theory: Words with different pronunciation variants are recognized equally well in immediate processing tasks, while an atypical, infrequent, but socially-idealized form is remembered better in the long-term. We suggest that the perception of spoken words is socially-weighted, resulting in sparse, but high-resolution clusters of socially-idealized episodes that are robust in immediate processing and are more strongly encoded, predicting memory inequality. Our proposal includes a dual-route approach to speech perception in which listeners map acoustic patterns in speech to linguistic and social representations in tandem. This approach makes novel predictions about the extraction of information from the speech signal, and provides a framework with which we can ask new questions. We propose that language comprehension, broadly, results from the integration of both linguistic and social information.
Quasi-dielectrically isolated bipolar junction transistor with subcollector fabricated using silicon selective epitaxy

A novel quasi-dielectrically isolated bipolar junction transistor (QDI-BJT) was developed for intelligent power ICs. Using a combination of junction and dielectric isolation, the QDI-BJT was achieved by selective epitaxial growth (SEG) of single-crystal silicon in an oxide-lined trench. Buried collectors formed by ion implantation and in situ doped SEG silicon drastically reduce collector resistance with no detrimental effects on transistor performance. The emitter-base and collector-base ideality factors at 1.10 and 1.09, respectively, were very close to those of similar devices fabricated in the substrate in the same die, indicating excellent crystal quality of the SEG silicon. Due to the use of a trench structure to facilitate isolation and control the SEG thickness, the QDI process can be used for any application where the thickness and resistivity of the control and power areas are independently optimized. >
Catharine Beecher and the American Woman's Puritan Home

Catharine Beecher's publications on household management, published between 1841 and 1869, offered architectural designs with a surprisingly consistent feature: they promoted the long-forgotten center-chimney New England house plan. For Beecher, that remnant of the Puritan era promised a radically new lifestyle, one that profoundly undercut the domestic social rituals of her time.
Analysis and On-Chip Monitoring of Gate Oxide Breakdown in SRAM Cells

Scaling of device sizes has reduced gate oxide thickness to a few atomic layers, increasing the vulnerability of the gate oxide to breakdown. During breakdown, devices go through a gradual wearout process characterized by increased leakage. Using experimentally verified gate oxide breakdown models, a detailed analysis of the effect of progressive gate oxide breakdown on the performance of a conventional 6T SRAM cell is presented for 45-nm predictive technology. The DC margins (read, write, and retention) and access times (read and write) during wearout are analyzed, and a cell breakdown point due to degradation in each of these parameters is defined. A combination of these results is used to formulate a definition for the hard-breakdown point of a cell. An on-chip process, voltage, and temperature tolerant monitoring scheme is proposed to detect the gradual wearout of SRAM cells. The monitoring scheme enables the detection of impending cell failure, which in turn can trigger reconfiguration of the SRAM with redundant rows and/or columns prior to failure.
ARMISS: An Instruction Set Simulator for the ARM Architecture

The development efficiency of embedded systems is highly pressured due to the pursuit of short time-to-market of embedded products. In traditional design flow, although software can be developed in parallel with the hardware platform, it can only be tested and verified after the platform is fabricated. ARMISS, an Instruction Set Simulator for the ARM architecture, is developed to enable early software testing and verification. The ARM instruction set, MMU and interrupt handling are emulated in this tool. An instruction caching technique is designed to accelerate the interpretation-based instruction emulation. ARMISS is implemented in the C programming language, thus is highly portable across varies host operating systems for embedded system design.
Depth of focus of the human eye

Depth of focus of the human eye is determined by the loss of resolving power (visual acuity) with increase in out-of-focus blurring of the retinal image. An instrument is described which permits accurate measurement of these phenomena, using psychophysical methods with the checkerboard visual-acuity test chart. All test conditions are held constant, binocular vision is maintained, and time of exposure of the test target is limited to 0.2 second. Depth of focus was measured under the two following conditions: (1) increase in the angular size of the test target, and (2) increase and decrease of pupil size as effected by suitable drugs. With the angular size of the test target equivalent to 20/25 Snellen notation, for three subjects the mean total depth of focus was found to be 0.94 diopter at the 50% level of probable visual resolution of the target details and 0.63 diopter at the estimated 99% level. It was found that for each step of increase in target size (20/25 to 20/30, and so on) the total depth of focus increased by about 0.35 diopter. It was found also that over the range of pupil size from 2.5 to 8.0 mm the total depth of focus decreased about 0.12 diopter per millimeter of increase in the size of the pupil. These results were reviewed with respect to hyperfocal distance.
Pleistocene glacial refugia across the Appalachian Mountains and coastal plain in the millipede genus Narceus: Evidence from population genetic, phylogeographic, and paleoclimatic data

Species that are widespread throughout historically glaciated and currently non-glaciated areas provide excellent opportunities to investigate the role of Pleistocene climatic change on the distribution of North American biodiversity. Many studies indicate that northern animal populations exhibit low levels of genetic diversity over geographically widespread areas whereas southern populations exhibit relatively high levels. Recently, paleoclimatic data have been combined with niche-based distribution modeling to locate possible refugia during the Last Glacial Maximum. Using phylogeographic, population, and paleoclimatic data, we show that the distribution and mitochondrial data for the millipede genus Narceus are consistent with classical examples of Pleistocene refugia and subsequent post-glacial population expansion seen in other organismal groups. The phylogeographic structure of Narceus reveals a complex evolutionary history with signatures of multiple refugia in southeastern North America followed by two major northern expansions. Evidence for refugial populations were found in the southern Appalachian Mountains and in the coastal plain. The northern expansions appear to have radiated from two separate refugia, one from the Gulf Coastal Plain area and the other from the mid-Atlantic coastal region. Distributional models of Narceus during the Last Glacial Maximum show a dramatic reduction from the current distribution, with suitable ecological zones concentrated along the Gulf and Atlantic coastal plain. We found a strong correlation between these zones of ecological suitability inferred from our paleo-model with levels of genetic diversity derived from phylogenetic and population estimates of genetic structuring. The signature of climatic change, during and after the Pleistocene, on the distribution of the millipede genus Narceus is evident in the genetic data presented. Niche-based historical distribution modeling strengthens the conclusions drawn from the genetic data and proves useful in identifying probable refugia. Such interdisciplinary biogeographic studies provide a comprehensive approach to understanding these processes that generate and maintain biodiversity as well as the framework necessary to explore questions regarding evolutionary diversification of taxa.
A Bountiful Harvest: Genomic Insights into Crop Domestication Phenotypes

Human selection during crop domestication has resulted in remarkable transformations of plant phenotypes, providing a window into the genetic basis of morphological evolution. Recent progress in our understanding of the genetic architecture of novel plant traits has emerged from combining advanced molecular technologies with improved experimental designs, including nested association mapping, genome-wide association studies, population genetic screens for signatures of selection, and candidate gene approaches. These studies reveal a diversity of underlying causative mutations affecting phenotypes important in plant domestication and crop improvement, including coding sequence substitutions, presence/absence and copy number variation, transposon activation leading to novel gene structures and expression patterns, diversification following gene duplication, and polyploidy leading to altered combinatorial capabilities. The genomic regions unknowingly targeted by human selection include both structural and regulatory genes, often with results that propagate through the transcriptome as well as to other levels in the biosynthetic and morphogenetic networks.
Cell cycle regulation and interneuron production.

In regard to brain development, one tends to think of the cell cycle as a molecular engine churning out the cellular bricks needed for brain construction. Cell divisions during brain morphogenesis are modulated by both intrinsic and extrinsic influences that play on cell cycle parameters like the duration of the cycle and its phases, and the timing of exit. But the rules of the molecular program and the role of cell cycle timing in the genesis of neurons are still incompletely understood. Much of the molecular-level cell cycle information currently in hand derives from oncological studies that have probed how cells may evade their proliferation constraints to become malignant. Here we discuss some recent studies that examine regulation of cell cycle protein levels and sub cellular specializations like centrosomes and mitotic spindles in forebrain neural progenitors that link proliferation behavior with outcomes including numbers and cell types. The medial ganglionic eminence (MGE) is becoming particularly interesting in this context, because disruption of normal cell cycle progression is associated with changing the balance of interneuron types generated from this ventral forebrain region.
A Comparative Study of Biofeedback and Progressive Relaxation in Anxious Patients

Two studies comparing electromyographic (EMG) levels and anxiety-symptom reduction with diverse relaxation training procedures were run by nurses. Both inpatients and outpatients suffering from anx...
D-WAVE ASYMPTOTIC NORMALIZA TION CONSTANTS FOR THE 3H AND 3He SYSTEMS

Trinuc1eon wave functions, based on the genera1ized R-matrix methodo1ogy of Lane and Robson, have been previously shown to provide representative binding energies, charge radii, and S-wave asymptotic normalization constants for the 3H and 3He sy tems. Iterein, R-matrix predictions of D-wave asymptotic norma1ization constants, asymptotic norma1ization constant ratios, and D-wave parameters are ca1culated in order to more fu1ly eva1uate the adequacy of mode1 wave functions. The R-matrix ca1cu1ations genera1ly reproduce the ranges of the data and suggest that model trinucleon wave functions are representative of the 3H and 3He systems and will be usefu1 in studies of (d,3H), (d,3He), and other transfer reactions invo1ving 3H or 3He•
Effect of regional hyperemia on myocardial uptake of 2-deoxy-2-[18F]fluoro-d-glucose

2-Deoxy-2-[18F]fluoro-d-glucose (FDG) may be used to predict glucose kinetics when the factor relating differences in transport and phosphorylation between compounds remains constant (“lumped const...
Ischemic necrosis of the intrinsic muscles of the hand after thermal injuries.

In twenty-nine consecutive autopsies after burns that involved an average of 61 per cent of the body surface, 62 per cent of the histological sections of the intrinsic muscles of both hands showed patchy or total destruction of the muscles in one or more intrinsic compartments. Considering all of the twenty-seven totally burned upper extremities, 70 per cent had severe necrosis of one or more intrinsic muscles. Of the eighteen totally burned upper extremities in which escharotomy had been performed 72 per cent had severe intrinsic-muscle necrosis, while in the nine without escharotomy 66 per cent showed severe necrosis.
Surface Heating Effect on Local Heat Transfer in a Rotating Two-Pass Square Channel With 60° Angled Rib Turbulators

The influence of uneven wall temperature on the local heat transfer coefficient in a rotating, two-pass, square channel with 60° ribs on the leading and trailing walls was investigated for Reynolds numbers from 2,500 to 25,000 and rotation numbers from 0 to 0.352. Each pass, composed of six isolated copper sections, had a length-to-hydraulic diameter ratio of 12. The mean rotating radius-to-hydraulic diameter ratio was 30. Three thermal boundary condition cases were studied: (A) all four walls at the same temperature, (B) all four walls at the same heat flux, and (C) trailing wall hotter than leading with side walls unheated and insulated. Results indicate that rotating ribbed wall heat transfer coefficients increase by a factor of 2 to 3 over the rotating smooth wall data and at reduced coefficient variation from inlet to exit. As rotation number (or buoyancy parameter) increases, the first pass (outflow) trailing heat transfer coefficients increase and the first pass leading heat transfer coefficients decrease, whereas, the reverse is true for the second pass (inflow). The direction of the Coriolis force reverses from the outflow trailing wall to the inflow leading wall. Differences between the first pass leading and trailing heat transfer coefficients increase with rotation number. A similar behavior is seen for the second pass leading and trailing heat transfer coefficients, but the differences are reduced due to buoyancy changing from aiding to opposing the inertia force. The results suggest that uneven wall temperature has a significant impact on the local heat transfer coefficients. The heat transfer coefficients on the first pass leading wall for cases B and C are up to 70–100% higher than that for case A, while the heat transfer coefficients on the second pass trailing wall for cases B and C are up to 20–50% higher.© 1993 ASME