cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Pyruvate Carboxylase VI. THE PRESENCE OF TIGHTLY BOUND MANGANESE

Abstract The presence of a paramagnetic metal ion in pyruvate carboxylase has been shown by the effect of this enzyme on the longitudinal relaxation rate of the protons of water as measured by pulsed nuclear magnetic resonance. The metal ion shows an enhanced effect on the proton relaxation rate (ϵb = 4.2) when bound to the enzyme as compared to that of the free metal ion in the presence of denatured enzyme. This observation suggested that the metal ion is manganese, and the presence of manganese in the purified enzyme is confirmed by chemical, neutron activation, emission spectral, and atomic absorption spectral analyses. Quantitative analysis by various methods has given the metal content as 2.5 to 4.3 moles of manganese per mole of enzyme or 0.6 to 1.1 moles of manganese per mole of biotin. 54Mn is incorporated into pyruvate carboxylase in vivo. When the enzyme is isolated from chicken liver mitochondria, a good correlation is obtained between radioactivity and enzymic activity at all stages of purification subsequent to the initial mitochondrial extract. Correlation between total manganese content and enzymic activity has also been shown at various stages of purification. Studies on the 54Mn-labeled enzyme have shown that release of 54Mn and reduction in the enhancement of the proton relaxation rate occur only after irreversible denaturation of the enzyme. Neither the 54Mn content nor the proton relaxation rate is affected by exposure of the enzyme to cold or ethylenediaminetetraacetate. No exchange of the bound metal ion with added manganese can be shown. Although the protein-bound manganese possesses magnetic properties consistent with divalent manganese ion, higher valency states cannot be excluded.
CICATRIZATION OF WOUNDS II. MATHEMATICAL EXPRESSION OF THE CURVE REPRESENTING CICATRIZATION.

The cicatrization of sterile wounds may be studied in the same way as an ordinary physicochemical phenomenon. It is possible, therefore, to express the law of cicatrization by a mathematical equation as soon as an accurate measure of the wound can be obtained. By means of the equation, a curve is obtained which represents the theoretical evolution of the cicatrization of a wound. This curve, being an expression of what should happen on a normal wound, healing aseptically, on a normal man, is a daily point of comparison to what appears actually on the observed wound, and allows one to study accurately the fluctuations of cicatrization on a given individual, and the action of different dressings and antiseptic substances.
An analysis of 1,146 cases of internal podalic version and extraction☆

Abstract We find ourselves in the unique position of advocating a procedure which is in disrepute in most of the country and the use of which is declining in our own institution. This report is a continuation of a study made a few years ago when an analysis of 534 patients delivered by internal podalic version and extraction was reported. 1 The conclusions at that time were (1) the procedure should not be performed routinely, but (2) that many cases of inertia, failure of descent, transverse arrest, and persistent posterior are best managed by version and extraction. With our series now increased by 612, making a total of 1,146 cases, we wish to evaluate the present status of internal podalic version and extraction and see if our former conclusions are justified. In other words, is internal podalic version and extraction worthy of remaining an integral part of our obstetric armamentarium or should it be discarded like symphysiotomy, pubiotomy, bougie induction of labor, etc.?
Coupling an HCN2-expressing cell to a myocyte creates a two-cell pacing unit

We examined whether coupling of a ventricular myocyte to a non-myocyte cell expressing HCN2 could create a two-cell syncytium capable of generating sustained pacing. Three non-myocyte cell types were transfected with the mHCN2 gene and used as sources of mHCN2-induced currents. They were human mesenchymal stem cells and HEK293 cells, both of which express connexin43 (Cx43), and HeLa cells transfected with Cx43. Cell–cell coupling between heterologous pairs increased with time in co-culture, and hyperpolarization of the myocyte induced HCN2 currents, indicating current transfer from the mHCN2-expressing cell to the myocyte via gap junctions. The magnitude of the HCN2 currents recorded in myocytes increased with increasing junctional conductance. Once a critical level of electrical cell–cell coupling between myocytes and mHCN2 transfected cells was exceeded spontaneous action potentials were generated at frequencies of ∼0.6 to 1.7 Hz (1.09 ± 0.05 Hz). Addition of carbenoxolone (200 μm), a gap junction channel blocker, to the media stopped spontaneous activity in heterologous cell pairs. Carbenoxolone washout restored activity. Blockade of HCN2 currents by 100 μm 9-amino-1,2,3,4-tetrahydroacridine (THA) stopped spontaneous activity and subsequent washout restored it. Neither THA nor carbenoxolone affected electrically stimulated action potentials in isolated single myocytes. In summary, the inward current evoked in the genetically engineered (HCN2-expressing) cell was delivered to the cardiac myocyte via gap junctions and generated action potentials such that the cell pair could function as a pacemaker unit. This finding lays the groundwork for understanding cell-based biological pacemakersin vivo once an understanding of delivery and target cell geometry is defined.
Morphology of growth: The effects of country size, structural characteristics and linkages

Abstract This paper investigates the extent to which tests concerning the influence of various kinds of structural imbalance indexes on the overall rate of economic growth may be sensitive to (1) differences in the extent to which various country characteristics are reflected in the normal growth path and hence in the imbalance indexes, (2) differences in the level of disaggregation or part of the economy at which imbalance is measured, and (3) the type of countries to which the analysis is applied. The results based on imbalance indexes and growth rates for a sample of 42 countries 1960–1970 and 1970–1978 are shown to be sensitive to all three of these considerations.
Religion and Secular Utility: Happiness, Truth, and Pragmatic Arguments for Theistic Belief

This article explores “pragmatic arguments” for theistic belief – that is, arguments for believing in God that appeal, not to evidence in favor of God’s existence, but rather to alleged practical benefits that come from belief in God. Central to this exploration is a consideration of Jeff Jordan’s recent defense of “the Jamesian wager,” which portrays itself as building on the case for belief presented in William James’s essay “The Will to Believe.” According to Jordan, religious belief creates significant gains in this-worldly happiness (i.e. gains in “secular utility,” I shall say), and provided the individual does not have decisive evidence against God’s existence, these gains give the individual sufficient reason to strive to believe in God. In its exploration of this argument, the article presents an overview of recent social scientific work on the this-worldly effects of religious belief. It canvases several challenges to pragmatic arguments, namely, a challenge according to which happiness rooted in false belief is worth less than that rooted in truth, a perfectionistic challenge alleging that one should strive for personal excellence rather than happiness, and a challenge alleging that any happiness gains of religious belief are outweighed by the potential harms brought about by religious belief.
The Discovery potential of supersymmetry at CMS within the mSUGRA model using same-sign di-muons

A detailed study of the same-sign muon signature within the mSUGRA model is described. Selection criteria based on the missing transverse energy in the events and the jet and muon transverse momenta are applied. The results indicate that an excess of SUSY events over the Standard Model background processes can be statistically significant for an integrated luminosity of less than 10 fb^-1 for many benchmark points with m_1/2 up to 650 GeV/c^2.
Stress relaxation and recovery in tendon and ligament: Experiment and modeling

Accurate joint models require the ability to predict soft tissue behavior. This study evaluates the ability of constitutive equations to predict the nonlinear and viscoelastic behavior of tendon and ligament during stress relaxation testing in a porcine model. Three constitutive equations are compared in their ability to model relaxation, recovery and reloading of tissues. Quasi-linear viscoelasticity (QLV) can fit a single stress relaxation curve, but fails to account for the strain-dependence in relaxation. Nonlinear superposition can fit the single relaxation curve and will account for the strain-dependent relaxation behavior, but fails to accurately predict recovery behavior. Schapery's nonlinear viscoelastic model successfully fits a single relaxation curve, accounts for strain-dependent relaxation behavior, and accurately predicts recovery and reloading behavior. Comparing Schapery's model to QLV and nonlinear superposition, Schapery's method was uniquely capable of fitting the different nonlinearities that arise in stress relaxation curves from different tissues, e.g. the porcine digital flexor tendon and the porcine medial collateral ligament (MCL), as well as predicting subsequent recovery and relaxation curves after initial loads.
Alcohol and Memory Impairment

The effects of ethanol on the human body appear to be accumulative. Almost all the physiological systems of the body are affected by alcohol. Chronic consumption of alcohol causes diseases of the liver, pancreas, brain, gastrointestinal tract, and cardiovascular system. Organ sensitivity to alcohol varies widely. A few drinks a day, without producing acute intoxication, may cause liver disease in some persons while others may show no apparent effect. The nervous system, however, appears to be very sensitive to the toxic effects of alcohol.
Adolescents’ Aggressive and Prosocial Behaviors: Links With Social Information Processing, Negative Emotionality, Moral Affect, and Moral Cognition

ABSTRACT. The goal of this study was to examine whether moral affect, moral cognition, negative emotionality, and attribution biases independently predicted adolescents’ prosocial and aggressive behavior in adolescence. A total of 148 adolescents completed self-report measures of prosocial and aggressive behavior, moral affect, moral cognition, negative emotionality, and attribution biases. Although in general all 3 factors (emotional, moral, and social cognitive) were correlated with adolescent social behavior, the most consistent independent predictors of adolescent social behavior were moral affect and cognition. These findings have important implications for intervention and suggest that programs that promote adolescent perspective taking, moral reasoning, and moral affect are needed to reduce aggressive behavior and promote prosocial behavior.
Potentiation of monoaminergic activity in peripheral ganglia by tricyclic antidepressants

Abstract Modification of neuromodulator activity by tricyclic antidepressants was evaluated on the basis of changes in transmission in the cat superior cervical ganglion. Intra-arterial doses of 30 μg of desipramine, 90 μg of protriptyline and 120 μg of nortriptyline were equipotent in facilitating the ganglionic depressive action of epinephrine. At these doses, the ganglionic inhibitory effect of norepinephrine was potentiated to a greater extent by protriptyline than by desipramine and nortriptyline; depression of postganglionic potentials by 5-hydroxytryptamine was augmented by desipramine and protriptyline, whereas dopamine was potentiated only by protriptyline. Propranolol, 200 μg, intra-arterially, enhanced the ganglionic suppressive effect of epinephrine but not norepinephrine. Simultaneous administration of propranolol, 200 μg, and desipramine, 30 μg, potentiated the action of epinephrine to a greater extent than either agent alone.
Surface crystallization-A limitation on the magnetic properties of amorphous metal ribbons

Iron-base amorphous metal ribbons are exceedingly stress sensitive since their magnetostriction is comparable to that of crystalline alloys while the anisotropy induced by annealing in a magnetic field is small. Because of this stress sensitivity, the magnetic properties are strongly affected by surface crystallization, which causes a compressive stress in the interior of the ribbon. The occurrence and effects of surface crystallization were examined in 1.27 cm wide ribbons cast from five Fe-B-Si alloys and one Fe-B-Si-C alloy. Surface crystallization of the as-cast ribbon is most pronounced on the top side, and while the extent is affected by casting parameters and metalloid content, other elements, unidentified, may trigger surface crystallization as does aluminum. During annealing, surface crystallization preceeds bulk crystallization, and is most pronounced on the wheel side. It does not appear to be related to surface defects or composition gradients in the as-cast ribbon, since removing an appreciable fraction of the thickness by etching does not change the behavior.
Vinculin Contributes to the Passive Stiffness of Myocardium

In cardiomyocytes, the costamere links the Z disc to the surrounding extracellular matrix. Proteins at these junctions include integrins, talin, and vinculin (Vin). Vin is also found in the intercalated discs. Cardiac-specific Vin knockout (VinKO) mice have a sudden death phenotype early in life (<12 weeks of age) with a progressive dilated cardiomyopathy leading to 100% mortality by 32 wks. At 7 weeks of age, systolic ventricular function is normal.We hypothesize that deletion of the costameric protein Vin leads to changes in passive stiffness prior to the onset of systolic dysfunction. Vin deletion may disrupt the normal force transmission pathways from ECM to cytoskeleton through the integrin-based costamere or cell-to-cell force transmission along the myocyte axis, which may manifest in altered passive material properties of the myocardium.To test the mechanical properties of myocardial tissue, a system was developed in which murine right ventricular papillary muscles could be passively strained in the axial direction while simultaneously measuring force. Papillary muscles from 7 week old VinKO mice and WT controls were isolated and stretched. Stress-strain analysis was used to measure passive stiffness in the direction of myocardial fibers.Stress-strain curves were significantly different between WT and VinKO papillary muscles (p<0.05). The slope of the VinKO curve was less than in the WT curve, indicating that VinKO muscles are more compliant in the fiber direction. This data suggests that Vin contributes to the passive mechanical properties of the myocardium, and disrupting the mechanical linkage between the cytoskeleton and the cell membrane reduces the overall stiffness of the myocardium.
In the hour of victory: the Royal Navy at war in the age of Nelson

In October 1805, two massive fleets met off the south-west coast of Spain for what became the best known and most celebrated naval battle in the history of the Atlantic World. In 2005, Britain cele...
Multicenter Analysis of Effect of High Biologic Effective Dose on Biochemical Failure and Survival Outcomes in Patients With Gleason Score 7–10 Prostate Cancer Treated With Permanent Prostate Brachytherapy

Purpose To investigate the biochemical control rates and survival for Gleason score 7–10 prostate cancer patients undergoing permanent prostate brachytherapy as a function of the biologic effective dose (BED). Methods and Materials Six centers provided data on 5,889 permanent prostate brachytherapy patients, of whom 1,078 had Gleason score 7 ( n = 845) or Gleason score 8–10 ( n = 233) prostate cancer and postimplant dosimetry results available. The median prostate-specific antigen level was 7.5 ng/mL (range, 0.4–300). The median follow-up for censored patients was 46 months (range, 5–130). Short-term hormonal therapy (median duration, 3.9 months) was used in 666 patients (61.8%) and supplemental external beam radiotherapy (EBRT) in 620 (57.5%). The patients were stratified into three BED groups: n = 645), 200–220 Gy ( n = 199), and >220 Gy ( n = 234). Biochemical freedom from failure (bFFF) was determined using the Phoenix definition. Results The 5-year bFFF rate was 80%. The bFFF rate stratified by the three BED groups was 76.4%, 83.5%, and 88.3% ( p p p = 0.048). Conclusion These data suggest that permanent prostate brachytherapy combined with EBRT and hormonal therapy yields excellent bFFF and survival results in Gleason score 7–10 patients when the delivered BEDs are >220 Gy. These doses can be achieved by a combination of 45-Gy EBRT with a minimal dose received by 90% of the target volume of 120 Gy of 103 Pd or 130 Gy of 125 I.
Templated Self‐Assembly of Block Copolymers: Top‐Down Helps Bottom‐Up

One of the key challenges in nanotechnology is to control a self-assembling system to create a specific structure. Self-organizing block copolymers offer a rich variety of periodic nanoscale patterns, and researchers have succeeded in finding conditions that lead to very long range order of the domains. However, the array of microdomains typically still contains some uncontrolled defects and lacks global registration and orientation. Recent efforts in templated self-assembly of block copolymers have demonstrated a promising route to control bottom-up self-organization processes through top-down lithographic templates. The orientation and placement of block-copolymer domains can be directed by topographically or chemically patterned templates. This templated self-assembly method provides a path towards the rational design of hierarchical device structures with periodic features that cover several length scales.
Carbon and carbon-coated electrodes for multistage depressed collectors for electron-beam devices&#8212;A technology review

The efficiency of multistage depressed collectors (MDC's) for electron-beam amplifier tubes is strongly affected by the secondary electron emission characteristics of the collector electrode surfaces. Specifically, to recover the maximum kinetic energy from the tube's spent electron beam and therefore to achieve high collector efficiency, the electrode surfaces must have low secondary electron emission properties. Copper, the most commonly used MDC electrode material, has relatively high emission properties. While several methods for reducing these emission properties have been applied with some success, graphite or carbon electrodes are currently being considered as much more promising electrode materials. Furthermore, experimental studies have demonstrated that the already low emission properties of these carbon forms can be reduced to the lowest levels observed thus far by ion texturing their surfaces under the proper conditions. Recently, a method of applying a highly textured carbon film on a copper substrate was developed that has a particularly significant potential for the MDC electrode application. This paper reviews important aspects of the carbon and carbon-coated MDC electrode technology developed at the NASA Lewis Research Center as well as related technology developed under NASA sponsorship. The following topics are included: electrode material properties, surface treatment procedures, surface physical characteristics, secondary electron emission measurements, and MDC fabrication methods. The performance of MDC's with untreated graphite electrodes, ion-textured graphite electrodes, and textured, carbon-coated copper electrodes is also discussed.
On a dynamic problem in finite elastic shear

Abstract Large amplitude oscillations of cylindrical and prismatic bodies are investigated resulting from a generalized shear deformation in the longitudinal direction. The medium is considered perfectly elastic, isotropic and incompressible. Several results applicable to the entire class of such materials are obtained. For the neo-Hookean body the equation of motion becomes linear so that the solution is easily gained by classical methods.
Biochemical Diagnostic Strategies in the Evaluation of Short Stature: The Diagnosis of Insulin-Like Growth Factor Deficiency

The cornerstones in the evaluation of short stature are auxology and biochemical testing. Traditionally, the diagnosis of growth hormone (GH) deficiency has been based upon measurement of serum concentrations of GH following either physiological or pharmacological stimulation, or determination of spontaneous GH secretory patterns. Assessment of pituitary GH secretion is, however, fraught with problems, including the nonphysiological nature of provocative testing, the reliance on arbitrary definitions of subnormal responses, the inadequate attention paid to age- and puberty-related variability, and the dependence upon assays with marginal concordancy. It is proposed that the evaluation of short stature is best pursued by careful auxology plus assessment of the insulin-like growth factor (IGF) axis, with particular attention to measurements of serum concentrations of IGF-I and IGF-binding protein-3. The diagnosis of IGF deficiency can then be readily established, and its etiology pursued logically.
Iridocyclitis in two Patients with Hypocomplementemic Cutaneous Vasculitis

Two patients, a 48-year-old woman and a 56-year-old man, had hypocomplementemic cutaneous vasculitis syndrome. The patients had ocular pain and photophobia and were found to have bilateral recurrent iridocyclitis. We treated the iridocyclitis with cycloplegia and topical corticosteroids, which relieved their symptoms and diminished the clinical signs. The bilateral iridocyclitis found in both patients may have been secondary to immune complex deposition in the eye.
Antigenic analysis of developmental stages of Ascaris scum I. comparison of eggs, larvae and adults

Antigenic analysis of developmental stages of Ascaris suum I. Comparison of eggs, larvae and adults. Experimental Parasitology, 27, 150–162. Antisera, produced in rabbits, against extracts of adult Ascaris suum were used in gel-diffusion, immunoelectrophoresis, and passive hem agglutination tests to compare the antigenic composition of eggs, second stage larvae, and third stage larvae of this parasite. A considerable sharing of antigens between larval stages and the adult worm was observed as well as a progressive acquisition of antigens during development. Antisera absorbed with extracts of adults of Toxocara cams and Toxascaris leonina detected “genus-specific” antigens in third stage larvae and in the adults of A. suum, but not in eggs and second stage larvae. Antisera from rabbits which had been infected orally several times with eggs of A. suum demonstrated antigens in second and third stage larvae that were absent in adults. Those present in third stage larvae were antigenically and electrophoretically distinct from those in second stage larvae, and were successfully separated by ammonium sulfate fractionation. The significance of these findings is discussed in terms of immunodiagnosis of ascariasis and the origin of protection-inducing antigens during infection with A. suum.
Internal and External Factors Impacting on Criminal Justice Curriculum Changes in Institutions of Higher Education

Changes are pervasive characteristics of American society. Human beings and the organizations they create have found that adaptation to and the management of changes are important skills that must ...
Hereditary neuropathy with liability to pressure palsies: A case report

Hereditary neuropathy with liability to pressure palsy is a rare autosomal dominant disorder characterized by multiple episodes of focal demyelinating neuropathies after minor trauma to peripheral nerves. It usually appears in early adulthood with recurrent attacks of pain, numbness, and muscular weakness along the distribution of the clinically affected nerve. Segmental demyelination and thickenings of the myelin sheath are the pathologic findings. Electrophysiologic studies show a nonuniform mild demyelinating neuropathy with prolonged distal latencies. Genetic tests are available to aid in diagnosis as molecular analysis has identified a deletion in the chromosome 17p11.2 in the majority of these patients. There is a paucity of information in the orthopaedic literature regarding hereditary neuropathy with liability to pressure palsy. A case report is presented of a patient with this disorder to promote awareness and recognition that this entity should be considered in patients with multiple nerve palsies.
Review of representative free-space quantum communications experiments

Worldwide free-space quantum communications (QC) experiments over the past decade are reviewed and discussed with attention to technological QC trends. Experiments reported in the open literature have included those conducted along horizontal propagation paths of varying distances, as well as communication paths from ground-to-aircraft, ground-to-space, and demonstrations in the laboratory. Available data characterize propagation distances, transmission speeds, quantum key distribution (QKD) protocols, and quantum bit error rates (QBER). While fiber optic implementations of quantum communications technologies are currently being tested for communications infrastructure it is important to also consider that free-space quantum communications will play an important role in securing such applications as earth-to-satellite, end of line connects, and defense implementations.
Pharmacologically induced Pulmonary Vasodilatation in Children and Young Adults with Primary Pulmonary Hypertension

To evaluate pulmonary vasoreactivity in children and young adults with primary pulmonary hypertension, we performed cardiac catheterizations on nine patients with primary pulmonary hypertension (nine months to 23 years old) and made hemodynamic measurements: before and after infusing prostacyclin, and before and after administering sublingual nifedipine. Based upon the response to prostacyclin, patients were divided into responders and nonresponders using the following criteria: 20 percent or greater decrease in mean pulmonary arterial pressure; an increase in cardiac index; and no change, or a decrease in the pulmonary vascular resistance to systemic vascular resistance ratio. By these criteria, five of the nine patients had a reactive pulmonary vascular bed and responded to prostacyclin administration. In addition, they all responded to nifedipine. The remaining four did not respond to either drug. There was a close correlation (r = 0.85, p less than 0.01) between the magnitude of the pulmonary vasodilator response to treatment with prostacyclin and nifedipine. There was also a significant inverse correlation between the age of the patient at the time of the study and the pulmonary vasodilator response to administration of prostacyclin (r = 0.91, p less than 0.01) and nifedipine (r = 0.82, p less than 0.01); ie, both drugs produced a greater fall in pulmonary arterial pressure in younger patients with primary pulmonary hypertension than in older ones.
Creating communities of reform: continuous improvement planning teams

Presents an analysis of the potential for continuous improvement planning teams to foster organizational learning and professional community in three school district teams. The findings of this three‐year study suggest that carefully orchestrated continuous improvement efforts can succeed in creating conditions responsive to the development of both learning and community. Organizational factors that influence development of both learning and community include: the development of leadership within and among faculty; ongoing focus on data‐driven decision making and the creation of venues for dense interpersonal dialogue related to issues of curriculum and instruction. The findings further suggest that the context of instruction and the work of instruction are important factors in sustaining learning and community.
Binge eating disorder: A need for additional diagnostic criteria

Abstract This study compares the core and associated features of binge eating disorder (BED) and bulimia nervosa (BN). One hundred twenty-nine adult females who were obese with BED (n = 51) or non-obese with BED (n = 32) or who had BN (n = 46) were compared using the Eating Disorder Examination-Questionnaire (EDEQ). The BED groups were older and had a higher body mass index (BMI). The 3 groups were similar in binge frequency, but BN subjects (by definition) purged regularly. The groups differed by dietary restraint, even after controlling for BMI and age, such that the BN group had significantly higher dietary restraint than both BED groups. Cognitively, the 3 groups were similar in the intensity of dysfunctional attitudes regarding eating, weight, and shape. The BMI and age were not associated with these dysfunctional attitudes. Our findings suggest the importance of and the need to consider cognitive-as well as behavioral-diagnostic criteria for BED.
Analytical solutions for sequentially coupled one-dimensional reactive transport problems – Part II: Special cases, implementation and testing

This is Part-II of a two-part article that presents analytical solutions to multi-species reactive transport equations coupled through sorption and sequential first-order reactions. In Part-I, we provide the mathematical derivations and in this article we discuss the computational techniques for implementing these solutions. We adopt these techniques to develop a general computer code and use it to verify the solutions. We also simplify the general solutions for various special-case transport scenarios involving zero initial condition, identical retardation factors and zero advection. In addition to this, we derive specialized solution expressions for zero dispersion and steady-state conditions. Whereever possible, we compare these special-case solutions against previously published analytical solutions to establish the validity of the new solution. Finally, we test the new solution against other published analytical and semi-analytical solutions using a set of example problems.
Impact of abdominal CT imaging on the management of appendicitis: an update.

Abstract Background. Abdominal computed tomographic scanning (ACTS) has recently been shown to be an accurate diagnostic tool for appendicitis and may improve the negative exploration rate in our patient population. Materials and methods. We reviewed 224 patients evaluated for appendicitis during 1998. Forty-two patients underwent appendectomy on clinical grounds alone (Group I), 182 patients underwent ACTS (Group II), and 79 patients in Group II were explored for appendicitis. Diagnostic errors, alternative diagnoses, and perforation rates were noted. Results. There were five negative explorations in Group I (11.9%) and five in Group II (6.3%), resulting in a combined negative rate of 8.3%. The negative exploration rate in women was 23.5% in Group I and 5.3% in Group II ( P = 0.07), producing a combined negative rate of 10.9%. Fifty-eight alternative diagnoses were made by ACTS. The ACTS made a critical difference in the management of 67% of patients over 50 years of age and in 79% of Group II patients. Conclusions. The negative exploration rate for appendicitis at our institution fell from 13.6 to 8.3% with selective use of ACTS. The most striking benefit occurred in women and in patients over 50 years of age.
Novel analog phase tracker for interferometric fiber optic sensor applications

A simple phase tracking circuit for interferometric fiber sensors is described. The scheme is based on the generation of sine and cosine dependent interferometric outputs using phase generated carrier homodyne detection, and cross-multiplication of these outputs with sine/cosine components of an electronically adjustable phase term. The use of the scheme for providing wide dynamic range sensing with an open loop fiber gyroscope is also reported.
Estimating the Removal of Anthropogenic Organic Chemicals from Raw Drinking Water by Coagulation Flocculation

A mathematical model was developed to estimate the efficacy of coagulation–flocculation treatment for removing neutral hydrophobic organic chemicals from raw drinking water. The model assumed that the only significant removal mechanism was the destabilization and settling of organic matter containing sorbed anthropogenic organic compounds. The model was validated with standard jar tests using compounds with a range of hydrophobicities (log Kow =1.89 to 5.48) , including contaminant candidate list chemicals, pesticides, pharmaceuticals, and endocrine disrupting chemicals. Final concentrations of test compounds after coagulation and flocculation were in good agreement with model estimations for synthetic waters composed of Aldrich (Milwaukee, WI) humic acid solutions. The final compound concentrations in coagulated natural waters from two drinking water reservoirs were about 80% lower than those estimated with the model. Overestimations of treated water concentrations by the model were attributed to an incr...
Considerations for the development of radiation resistant devices and VLSI circuits

The impact of radiation on Very Large Scale Integration (VLSI) silicon technology is discussed with a focus on Complimentary Metal-Oxide Semiconductor (CMOS). Effects of total dose, transient radiation, single event phenomena, and neutron fluence on devices and circuits are presented. General approaches to mitigating radiation effects are put forth. With proper considerations, VLSI CMOS can be enhanced to achieve several orders-of-magnitude increase in radiation tolerance.
Electronic imaging in a teaching hospital intensive care unit: evaluation of the clinical review system.

An intrahospital image-communication and display system was installed and is in continuous use. All images obtained in the medical intensive care unit (MICU) are digitized in the radiology department, then transmitted, stored and retrieved at the nurses’ station in the MICU. This unit was easy to install, required minimal user training, and has been in continuous use for 1 year with negligible down time. The details of this system are provided in this report.
A mechanistic approach to modeling single protein adsorption at solid-water interfaces

Abstract A kinetic model for single component protein adsorption which can be readily extended to adsorption from multi-protein solutions was developed, and used to simulate adsorption of site-directed, structural stability mutants of bacteriophage T4 lysozyme. The model allows for two different adsorbed “states,” distinguished by different binding strengths and different occupied areas. The presence of an increasing energy barrier to adsorption was incorporated into the model by formulating the adsorption rate constants as functions of time. Numerical analysis was performed using the Marquardt method. Estimated model parameters were consistent with the effect of structural stability on adsorption. In particular, kinetic parameters were such that adsorption into the more tightly bound, conformationally altered state was favored by less stable variants.
The Global Ecosystem: Environmental and Socioeconomic Challenges and Opportunities

The interrelationships among environmental quality, economic development, education ~and citizen enlightenment!, poverty, and global security are deep and profound. These cardinal factors are determinants of the global quality of life and will unfortunately continue to define the distribution and intensity of conflicts around the world for at least the remainder of this century. To environmental scientists and engineers who posture to commit their expertise and intellect to efforts aimed at addressing interwoven societal issues, a potpourri of factors that have socioeconomic, political, and technological dimensions presents several challenges. Indeed, there is the desirable tradition of ‘‘broadening out’’ of disciplinary interests of hard scientists and engineers ~including Nobel laureates exemplified by Albert Einstein! through their translation with some transformation, from scientific theorists to advocates for democracy, human rights, and environmental stewardship in their later lives. So, investment of thought and exploitation of opportunities by environmental professionals to make targeted improvements in the implementation of technologies and policies to better the human condition should not be viewed as a dilution of scientific strength but a call to more direct public service. For centuries, poverty has fueled conflicts between patricians and plebians, overlords and peasants, and earls and commoners. Indeed, such conflicts have proven to be most enduring when social stratification is along ethnic, racial, or religious lines. Often poverty, tinged with poor enlightenment, lowers the asking price for the recruitment of citizens into various causes ~wrong or noble!. Conflicts in the Balkans, East Africa, Northern Ireland, Mexico, and the Middle East have exemplified these factors. Interestingly, nations must create and manage wealth effectively before they can develop and maintain physical infrastructure and social services for their residents through programs that target peace and prosperity. Many experiments in democracy by several countries in the developing world have failed because of the inability of popularly elected governments to turn the wheels of democratic institutions fast enough to provide jobs and services to meet the requirements of an expectant population. In my humble opinion, resource control is the indirect objective of both intranational and international conflicts, some of which may have intermediate objectives such as national independence, religious freedom or imposition, and land reclamation or annexation. Freedom without resources for subsistence is hollow and can easily be washed away by an ebbing tide. This tends to apply to individuals as well as nation-states. Resource control and effective management are defining characteristics of stable democracies. Resource management cannot be effective unless it is transparent, participatory, and equitable,
A.C. behavior of damaged surface layers on CdS crystals

Abstract Damaged surface layers on the (0001) and (000 1 ) faces of CdS crystals display the high resistance and capacitance characteristic of large trap concentrations when measured over the frequency range from 10 2 to 10 6 c/s. Changes observed in the characteristic relaxation spectra as d.c. bias is increased are interpreted in terms of an exponential dependence of the escape frequency of trapped carriers on the electric field. Ambient effect data and their interpretation are also included.
Culturally Competent Communication With Refugees

This article explores the role of cultural competency for those who provide health care services to refugees. It illustrates how cross-cultural communication is a “receiver phenomenon,” placing a special burden on the sender to ensure effective cross-cultural communication by understanding the patients’ individual needs within a cultural context. The article also provides practical tips to improve cross-cultural communication and navigate the language barriers that occur when working with refugee populations.
Behaviour of Perforated Plates under Plane Stress

A theoretical method is developed for determining the elastic behaviour of end-loaded plates completely perforated with closely spaced circular holes forming a square or diagonal pattern. The gener...
Atmospheric scattering and decay of inner radiation belt electrons

[1] The dynamics of inner radiation belt electrons are governed by competing source, loss, and transport processes. However, during the recent extended solar minimum period the source was inactive and electron intensity was characterized by steady decay. This provided an opportunity to determine contributions to the decay rate of losses by precipitation into the atmosphere and of diffusive radial transport. To this end, a stochastic simulation of inner radiation belt electron transport is compared to data taken by the IDP instrument on the DEMETER satellite during 2009. For quasi-trapped, 200 keV electrons atL= 1.3, observed in the drift loss cone (DLC), results are consistent with electron precipitation losses by atmospheric scattering alone, provided account is taken of non-diffusive wide-angle scattering. Such scattering is included in the stochastic simulation using a Markov jump process. Diffusive small-angle atmospheric scattering, while causing most of the precipitation losses, is too slow relative to azimuthal drift to contribute significantly to DLC intensity. Similarly there is no contribution from scattering by VLF plasma waves. Energy loss, energy diffusion, and azimuthal drift are also included in the model. Even so, observed decay rates of stably-trapped electrons withL < 1.5 are slower than predicted by scattering losses alone, requiring radial diffusion with coefficient DLL ∼ 3 × 10−10 s−1 to replenish electrons lost to the atmosphere at low L values.
Microbial Upgrading of Shale Oils Removal of Nitriles

After prolonged incubation on shale oil as the sole source of nitrogen, microbial cultures were obtained that degraded nitriles. These cultures degraded aliphatic nitriles, but did not degrade hydrocarbons or heterocyclic nitrogen compounds found in this oil. Lower-molecular-weight nitriles were biodegraded more rapidly than were higher-molecular-weight nitriles. AP. aeruginosa strain, isolated from one of the enrichments, was able to utilize the pure nitriles, undecyl cyanide, undecanenitrile, and stearonitrile as sole sources of carbon and nitrogen, and was able to remove the series of nitriles from the oil in pure culture.
Transnational Urbanism Revisited

This article revisits the research optic proposed in Transnational Urbanism to take stock of the field. Social relations ‘from the middle’ are conceived in two distinct ways in the field. Transnationalism ‘from in-between’ refers to actors who mediate between transnational actors ‘from above’ and ‘from below’. ‘Middling transnationalism’ refers to the transnational practices of middle-class social actors. Both are useful and potentially complementary. Research on transnational urbanism is aware of the socially situated subjectivity of human agents while also providing a way to study spatially distanciated social relations. Research has begun to attend to the emplacement of mobile subjects and the embodiment of their everyday practices and mobilities. Future studies need to attend to the power-knowledge venues by which states, institutional channels and other actors broker mobile subjects’ cross-border interconnectivity.
Probability of fracture for HFIR pressure vessel caused by random crack size or by random toughness

The probability of fracture (or the fracture fragility) for a range of internal pressure-pulses for the HFIR pressure vessel is obtained. The fracture is assumed to be caused by randomly distributed cracks and by fracture toughness of variable magnitudes. The probability curve is applied to estimate the vessel fracture strength against the pressure-pulses of hypothetical accident. Both the crack population and the fracture toughness are assumed to be random variables of given distribution functions. Possible hoop stress is based on the numerical solution of the vessel response after a point pressure-pulse is applied at the center of the reactor vessel. The fluid-structure interaction and radiation embrittlement are both considered in the analysis. Only elastic fracture mechanics is used. The probability of vessel fracture for a single crack caused by either a variable crack depth or a variable toughness is first derived. Then the probability of fracture with multiple number of cracks is obtained. The probability of fracture is further extended to include different levels of confidence and variability.
MFM studies of interlayer exchange coupling in Co/Ru/Co films: Effect of Ru layer thickness.

Abstract Antiferromagnetically coupled magnetic thin films are promising candidates for the design of new magnetic storage and logic devices. The ability to control the interlayer thickness, therefore the magnetic reversal response, of exchange-coupled magnetic layers is of paramount importance in nanotechnology, especially in magnetic sensing element design and applications. In this work, magnetic force microscopy (MFM) with improved sensitivity and high spatial resolution probes was used to obtain a more detailed view of magnetization reversal behavior and domain evolution in the indirect exchange-coupled trilayer system: Co/Ru/Co. The effect of the variable Ru interlayer thickness on the exchange coupling and thus the magnetic domain structure during the ferromagnetic (FM)/antiferromagnetic (AF) coupling transition in Co/Ru/Co films is well demonstrated. The MFM images display a distinct signature of AF coupling for the films with Ru thickness of 0.4 nm. MFM has proven to be an effective tool for detecting FM/AF interlayer coupling and exploring magnetic domain structures in exchange-coupled layered thin films.
Increased Baseline Sway Contributes to Increased Losses of Balance in Older People Following Triazolam

OBJECTIVE: Although it has been stated frequently that older people are more sensitive to benzodiazepines, the relative roles of impaired baseline performance, impaired elimination, and altered responsiveness have not been defined. We evaluated postural sway and plasma triazolam concentrations after administration of placebo and triazolam 0.375 mg in both young and older healthy subjects. DESIGN: Double-blind placebo-controlled trial. PARTICIPANTS: Nine young and nine older healthy men. INTERVENTION: All subjects received triazolam 0.375 mg or placebo on different study days, which were separated by at least 48 hours. MEASUREMENTS: Postural sway, visual analog scale of drowsiness, and plasma triazolam levels. RESULTS: The older subjects swayed more during triazolam than did the younger subjects, and this resulted in an increased number of losses of balance. This difference appeared to be caused by greater baseline sway in the older subjects rather than higher concentrations or increased responsiveness. A subset of older people had a much greater number of losses of balance during triazolam than did the rest of the subjects, and these individuals could be identified from their baseline sway. CONCLUSIONS: In this study, the increase in drug effect seen in the older subjects was of similar magnitude to that of the young, but it resulted in greater postural sway after drug administration than was seen in the young. The higher postural sway and the corresponding increased instability seen in the older subjects may put these older persons at increased risk of drug-related falls. This study also suggests that it should be possible to develop techniques that will identify individuals at particular risk of drug-induced postural instability. J Am Geriatr Soc 44:300–304, 1996.
Fluid simulation as a tool for painterly rendering

We follow in the tradition of stroke based non-photorealistic rendering pioneered by Haelberi [1990]. Inspired by expressionistic paintings such as Van Gogh’s Starry Night, we have begun experimenting with fluid simulation as a tool for brush stroke alignment. Using simulated fluid fields in the context of stroke based nonphotorealistic rendering allows us to produce stroke behaviors which are visually appealing, and which offer expressive potential beyond that of gradient based techniques (such as those used in [Litwinowicz 1997] and [Hertzmann 1998]).
Psychosocial Problems Associated With Homelessness in Sexual Minority Youths

Sexual minorities are overrepresented among homeless youths, and this is often related to reactions to their status as sexual minorities. While on the streets, they are at increased risk for victimization, substance and alcohol use, sexual risk behaviors, and mental health issues compared to homeless heterosexual youths. This article uses ecological systems theory to examine psychosocial problems associated with homelessness among sexual minority youths and reviews empirical literature examining outcomes related to homeless sexual minority youths including mental health, substance use, and sexual risk behavior. Implications for social work are discussed including practice, policy, and suggestions for future studies.