cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Pituitary-Adrenal Functional Abnormalities in Corticogenic Adrenal Atrophy

Hypothalamo-pituitary and adrenocortical function were studied in 3 patients with Cushing's syndrome before and after removal of a unilateral adrenocortical adenoma. Postoperatively, the response in each patient to sustained ACTH stimulation and to intermittent ACTH stimulation for periods of 6 weeks to 1 year were studied. Both hypothalamo-pituitary and adrenocortical dysfunction were demonstrated in all, as evidenced by low basal urinary steroid excretion and abnormal responses to ACTH or to Su-4885 administration during the first 4–9 months postoperatively. These data indicate that adrenocortical atrophy of the corticogenic type is a complex lesion involving abnormalities of both the hypothalamo-pituitary axis and the adrenal cortex. The recurrence of Cushing's syndrome in one patient due to autonomous multinodular adrenal cortical hyperplasia in the remaining adrenal gland 4 years after unilateral adrenalectomy, we believe, represents the second example of this syndrome.
Variational time integrators for finite‐dimensional thermo‐elasto‐dynamics without heat conduction

This paper focuses on the formulation of variational integrators (VIs) for finite-dimensional thermo-elastic systems without heat conduction. The dynamics of these systems happen to have a Hamiltonian structure, after thermal displacements are introduced. It is then possible to formulate integrators by taking advantage of standard methods in VI. The class of integrators we construct have some remarkable features: (a) they are symplectic, (b) they exactly conserve the entropy of the system, or in other words, they exactly satisfy the second law of the thermodynamics for reversible adiabatic processes, (c) they nearly exactly conserve the value of the energy for very long times and (d) they exactly conserve linear and angular momentum. We first describe how to adapt any VI for the classical mechanical systems to integrate adiabatic thermo-elastic ones, and then formulate three new types of integrators. The first class, based on a generalized trapezoidal rule, gives rise to two first order, explicit integrators, and a second order, implicit one. By composing then the two first-order integrators we construct a second order, explicit one. Finally, we formulate a fourth order, implicit integrator, which is a symplectic partitioned Runge–Kutta method. The performance of these new algorithms is showcased through numerical examples. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Nonproportionality of Scintillator Detectors. IV. Resolution Contribution from Delta-Rays

This paper is the fourth in a series of articles published on the light yield nonproportionality of scintillators and its impact on the detector’s energy resolution. Herein, we focus on modeling the resolution degradation induced by delta-rays. To do this, we begin with Moller’s classic equation to describe collisions between incident high-energy electrons and those in the scintillator medium, which lead to the delta-rays. The trajectories of delta-rays having energies above a specified cut-off value are further analyzed to determine the resolution degradation induced by fluctuations in their light yield and ionization density. Our conclusion is that the delta-ray contribution to resolution is typically smaller but comparable to that arising from the primary electron. We have considered the cases for two illustrative scintillators: NaI(Tl) and LSO(Ce).
Two-group interfacial area transport in vertical air–water flow -II. Model evaluation

Abstract In a companion paper, mechanistic models of major fluid particle interaction phenomena involving two bubble groups have been proposed. The prediction of interfacial area concentration evolution using the one-dimensional two-group transport equation and evaluation with experimental results are performed in the paper. These evaluations are based on solid databases for a 2-inch air–water loop with sufficient information on the axial development and the radial distribution of the local parameters. Model evaluation strategies are systematically analyzed. The predictions for the interfacial area concentration evolution demonstrate satisfactory accuracy. The proposed model predicts a smooth transition across the bubbly-to-slug flow regime boundary and demonstrates mechanisms for the generation and development of the cap/slug bubble group. The two-group interfacial area transport equation covers a wide range from bubbly, slug, to churn turbulent flow regimes for adiabatic air–water upward flow in moderate diameter pipes. The generality of the interfacial transport model is also discussed.
Computing total energies in complex materials using charge self-consistent DFT+DMFT

We have formulated and implemented a fully charge self-consistent density functional theory plus dynamical mean-field theory methodology which enables an efficient calculation of the total energy of realistic correlated electron systems. The density functional portion of the calculation uses a planewave basis set within the projector augmented wave method enabling study of systems with large, complex unit cells. The dynamical mean-field portion of the calculation is formulated using maximally localized Wannier functions, enabling a convenient implementation which is independent of the basis set used in the density functional portion of the calculation. The importance of using a correct double-counting term is demonstrated. A generalized form of the standard double-counting correction, which we refer to as the ${U}^{\ensuremath{'}}$ form, is described in detail and used. For comparison, the density functional plus $U$ method is implemented within the same framework including the generalized double counting. The formalism is validated via a calculation of the metal-insulator and structural phase diagrams of the rare-earth nickelate perovskites as functions of applied pressure and A-site rare-earth ions. The calculated density functional plus dynamical mean-field results are found to be consistent with experiment. The density functional plus $U$ method is shown to grossly overestimate the tendency for bond disproportionation and insulating behavior.
Distribution of Sticholonche (Radiolaria) in the upper 800 m of the waters in the Equatorial Pacific

Abstract A quantitative investigation of Sticholonche (Radiolaria) from water samples (0 to 800 m depth) in three vertical profiles from the Equatorial Pacific revealed that: (1) Sticholonche constitutes a substantial percentage of the total radiolarian standing stock, and hence can be regarded as an important marine protozoan group; (2) maximum standing stock occurs between 55 and 110 m depth; and (3) below 200 m the standing stock is relatively low and uniform throughout the sample depths compared to that above 200 m. Our evidence suggests that living forms can exist in water depths as great as a few thousand meters; however, skeletal disintegration seems to occur rapidly after death. An analysis of Sticholonche spines by energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy suggests an opaline composition for the skeletons. Fate of Sticholonche in the water column is of importance in the silica cycle in the oceans because of its great abundance and rapid dissolution en route to the bottom.
Maladie de Parkinson et ostéoporose

Resume La maladie de Parkinson, surtout a un stade avance, s'accompagne d'un risque de chutes. Ce risque est aggrave par d'autres facteurs, en particulier l'âge des patients. L'incidence des fractures est elevee dans cette population, en particulier au col femoral chez la femme âgee. Plusieurs facteurs de risque de fractures sont mis en evidence : indice de masse corporelle faible, diminution de l'exposition solaire et de la consommation en vitamine D, baisse de la 25-OH Vit D et reduction de la masse osseuse. Plusieurs etudes montrent l'existence d'une diminution de la densite minerale osseuse chez les patients parkinsoniens, aussi bien au col femoral qu'au rachis lombaire. Une partie des facteurs lies a cette diminution est commune a la population generale, a savoir âge avance et sexe feminin. D'autres facteurs sont lies a la maladie neurologique, en particulier un stade de maladie plus severe (stades III a IV de Hoehn etYahr).
Diagnostic tests for occult bacteremia: Temperature response to acetaminophen versus WBC count

A cohort of 484 febrile children were examined to (1) assess the utility of temperature response to acetaminophen as a diagnostic test for occult bacteremia (OB) and (2) compare it with the white blood cell (WBC) count. For a period of 18 months, the records of all febrile children seen in the emergency department were reviewed. Testing a response to acetaminophen of a or = 15,000/microL, the corresponding values were 76%, 65%, 15%, and 97%. Receiveroperator characteristic curves were constructed to compare temperature responses with WBC values. The difference was not significant (P > 0.05). The conclusion reached was that temperature response to acetaminophen has predictive values that are similar to the WBC count, and it may provide useful information. However, neither test is impressive, and the clinician cannot reliably predict which febrile children are at risk.
Ablation with a large fraction of solid removal

Experiments were performed comparing the ablation performance of a pure subliming substance to a substance with a large fraction of nonsubliming material. The subliming substance was solid carbon dioxide. Models with a large fraction of nonsubliming material were a composite of carbon dioxide and glass beads. The performance of the pure substance compared very favorably to theory. The composite models experienced a reduction in stagnation-point carbon dioxide mass loss and a departure from the predicted mass-transfer profile around the body. A more complete theoretical model of the composite surface helped explain the reduced stagnation-point mass flux.
The binding of the PDZ tandem of syntenin to target proteins

PDZ domains are among the most abundant protein modules in the known genomes. Their main function is to provide scaffolds for membrane-associated protein complexes by binding to the cytosolic, C-terminal fragments of receptors, channels, and other integral membrane proteins. Here, using both heteronuclear NMR and single crystal X-ray diffraction, we show how peptides with different sequences, including those corresponding to the C-termini of syndecan, neurexin, and ephrin B, can simultaneously bind to both PDZ domains of the scaffolding protein syntenin. The PDZ2 domain binds these peptides in the canonical fashion, and an induced fit mechanism allows for the accommodation of a range of side chains in the P(0) and P(-)(2) positions. However, binding to the PDZ1 domain requires that the target peptide assume a noncanonical conformation. These data help explain how syntenin, and perhaps other PDZ-containing proteins, may preferentially bind to dimeric and clustered targets, and provide a mechanistic explanation for the previously reported cooperative ligand binding by syntenin's two PDZ domains.
Surveying the Nation in Galdós' Ángel Guerra

In his study of the ‘geo-narrative systems’ of European novels between 1800 and 1900, Franco Moretti notes that the genre of the novel is unique in its ability to capture the abstract nature of pow...
In Vivo Confocal Microscopy in Dry Eye Disease and Related Conditions

A new era of ocular imaging has recently begun with the advent of in vivo confocal microscopy (IVCM), shedding more light on the pathophysiology, diagnosis, and potential treatment strategies for dry eye disease. IVCM is a noninvasive and powerful tool that allows detection of changes in ocular surface epithelium, immune and inflammatory cells, corneal nerves, keratocytes, and meibomian gland structures on a cellular level. Ocular surface structures in dry eye-related conditions have been assessed and alterations have been quantified using IVCM. IVCM may aid in the assessment of dry eye disease prognosis and treatment, as well as lead to improved understanding of the pathophysiological mechanisms in this complex disease. Further, due to visualization of subclinical findings, IVCM may allow detection of disease at much earlier stages and allow stratification of patients for clinical trials. Finally, by providing an objective methodology to monitor treatment efficacy, image-guided therapy may allow the possibility of tailoring treatment based on cellular changes, rather than on clinical changes alone.
Technology, privacy and the democratic process

This essay reviews accelerating trends in the development and distribution of information. It argues that the promises of the information age and the “television of abundance” brings not the emancipation of diversity, but the rapid disintegration of an already weakened right to privacy that threatens the very foundations of participatory democracy. After reviewing emerging technologies for the delivery of information and entertainment, this article examines the dramatically improved technology for combining information from a variety of diverse sources to construct models of audience segments which are then used for the delivery of specialized propaganda. Contemporary privacy law, as well as regulations agreed to as part of cable franchise agreements, are seen to be inadequate because of their limited scope. While the increase in public concern with privacy is portrayed as positive, the tendency of privacy protections to focus on “individually identifiable information” is seen as ignoring trends in the co...
Span of apprehension in mentally retarded children: an initial investigation

The present investigation is the first to apply Estes' (1965) span of apprehension task to the study of attentional functioning in mentally retarded persons. Detection accuracies of 25 children diagnosed as mildly mentally retarded and 25 non-retarded children were compared under conditions of 100-ms exposure duration, and either two, four, six or eight distractor letters. Significant main effects of subject group and distractor number were found, with no interaction. These results provide converging evidence in support of previous positions that posit a structural deficit in mentally retarded individuals with respect to centrally mediated processing.
Living with Boredom

‘It is like dust. You go about and never notice. . . . But stand still for an instant and there it is, coating your face and hands’ — George Bernanos (Winokur 2005, p.18). ‘I have never been so bored as when I was in the process of completing a large dissertation after several years of work. The work bored me so much that I had to mobilize all my will in order to continue, and all that I felt in doing so was a tremendous tiredness’ (Svendsen 2005, p. 35). ‘When I get real bored, I like to drive downtown and get a great parking spot, then sit in my car and count how many people ask me if I’m leaving’ — Steven Wright (Winokur 2005, p. 133).
An exploratory study of a three-dimensional shock wave turbulent boundary layer interaction in a corner

Three-dimensional shock wave turbulent boundary layer interactions in a corner have been studied at M about 3. The first phase, detailed mean wall static pressure distributions, has shown the interaction of a two-dimensional flow on one wall with the three-dimensional flow generated by a fin. Major three-dimensional effects on both flows were observed, extending from the interaction of the initial region of the three-dimensional flow and the corner. A large part of the resulting corner flow has little resemblance to either the two-dimensional or three-dimensional interacting flows.
Nietzsche-Deleuze: The Aesthetics and Ethics of Chance

L'A. etudie la lecture que fait G. Deleuze de Nietzsche, dans le sens kantien d'une pensee non-representationnelle, ethique et esthetique, de la difference, qui apparait au fondement d'une philosophie de l'etre en devenir. Selon Deleuze, la volonte de puissance est la difference qui constitue les forces actives ou reactives; leurs relations dependent uniquement du hasard. L'existence se definit donc comme un lance de des ou l'etre affirme sa difference
Measuring Implosion Dynamics through ρ R Evolution in Inertial-Confinement Fusion Experiments

The areal density ($\ensuremath{\rho}R$) of $\mathrm{D}^{3}\mathrm{H}\mathrm{e}$ filled plastic capsules imploded at OMEGA has been measured at shock coalescence (1.7 ns) and, 400 ps later, during compressive burn, through the energy downshift of 14.7-MeV $\mathrm{D}^{3}\mathrm{H}\mathrm{e}$ protons. In this time interval, the azimuthally averaged $\ensuremath{\rho}R$ changes from $13\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}2.5$ to $70\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}8\text{ }\text{ }\mathrm{m}\mathrm{g}/{\mathrm{c}\mathrm{m}}^{2}$. The experiments demonstrate that fuel-shell mix is absent in the central regions at shock coalescence, and that the shell has no holes during compressive burn. We conjecture that $\ensuremath{\rho}R$ asymmetries measured during compressive burn may be seeded by the time of shock coalescence.
La política exterior norteamericana desde la óptica educativa del vecino del Sur / From a neighbor to the south: mexican educators and their teaching of current united states policies

En este estudio los investigadores analizan las percepciones de profesoras, profesores, personal administrativo y estudiantes en una ciudad nortena de Mexico, en relacion con la politica exterior de los Estados Unidos de Norteamerica. Esta investigacion tiene lugar en un momento en que las relaciones entre ambos paises son tensas a raiz de la autorizacion de la construccion del muro fronterizo entre las dos naciones. El objetivo del estudio es generar una mayor comprension acerca de las recientes politicas estadounidenses, y su impacto en el extranjero. Ademas, compara y contrasta la perspectiva de profesores y estudiantes mexicanos sobre los mensajes trasmitidos por los medios de comunicacion norteamericanos. Finalmente, se presenta una serie de recomendaciones en las que se enfatiza en la construccion de puentes de entendimiento en un tiempo en el que al parecer los muros van ganando la batalla. Researchers analyze the perceptions and pedagogies of educators and students in northern Mexico with regard to United States foreign policies. The key objective of the research is to provide additional insight to the impact abroad of recent actions taken by the United States government. Furthermore, this study compares and contrasts the viewpoints of Mexican educators and students with coverage provided by the mainstream United States media and United States educational systems. Educators and future teachers in both the United States and Mexico benefit from broader understandings of educators’ roles and students’ perceptions in a bi-national community.
Platelet activating factor antagonism reduces the systemic inflammatory response in a murine model of acute pancreatitis.

Abstract Background. The platelet activating factor (PAF) antagonist, Lexipafant, has been used in experimental models and clinical trials to treat severe acute pancreatitis (AP). The purpose of this study was to determine whether Lexipafant reduces the local and systemic components of AP in a murine model of mild, edematous AP. Materials and Methods. Forty-eight female Swiss-Webster mice were divided into four groups. Group 1 received 50 μl of saline ip every hour for 6 h (sham). Group 2 received saline treatment, plus Lexipafant (25 mg/kg dose ip, every 3 h starting 1 h after the first saline injection) (sham/Lex). Group 3 received cerulein (50 μg/kg dose ip, every hour for 6 h) (AP). Group 4 received AP, plus therapeutic treatment with Lexipafant (AP/Lex). Animals were sacrificed 3 h after the last injection. Serum cytokine levels were determined by ELISA. Standard assays were performed for serum amylase activity and lung myeloperoxidase activity (MPO). Histology was scored by two blinded investigators. Results. Serum cytokines (TNFα, IL-1β), lung MPO, and serum amylase activity were reduced by PAF antagonism. Histology showed a trend toward improvement with Lexipafant, but did not reach statistical significance. Conclusion. The PAF antagonism reduces the severity of systemic inflammation when given after the induction of mild AP in mice. These results suggest that Lexipafant may be useful in the treatment of mild pancreatitis after its clinical onset.
Photonic crystal sensor systems for sub-micron damage detection, quantification, and diagnosis

Photonic crystals (PC) are artificially fabricated crystals with a periodicity in the dielectric function. These crystals have the novel ability to mold and control light in three dimensions by opening a frequency region (bandgap) in which light is forbidden to propagate. We demonstrate using a simulation model that a photonic crystal sensor attached to a composite substrate will experience a significant change in its bandgap profile when damage is induced in the composite substrate. The frequency response of the photonic crystal sensor is modeled using the finite difference time domain (FDTD) method. A damage metric using principles of fuzzy pattern recognition is developed to evaluate and quantify the change in the frequency response in relation to the induced damage. Results for different damage scenarios are examined and reported with significantly high success rate. Successful developments of photonic crystal sensors will allow damage identification at scales not attainable using current sensing technologies.
Rotational dynamics of short DNAs

The fluorescence polarization anisotropies of ethidium intercalated in duplex DNAs containing 12 to 60 bp were measured and analyzed using a theory of deformable rods to obtain their hydrodynamic radii (R H ). The apparent R H is 10.0 +/- 0.2 angstroms for 12 and 24 bp, but increases to 11.5 - 12.0 angstroms between 40 and 60 bp. This variation in R H is attributed to the presence of slowly relaxing bends in the DNA. Consequently, the static equilibrium persistence length must be much smaller than the dynamic persistence length (P d ) defined by the dynamic (instantaneous) bending rigidity. We estimate that P d > 1000 angstroms. R H of a 48 bp duplex DNA is largely independent of NaCl concentration, which suggests that interionic forces do not much affect the rotational friction. However, R H depends significantly on the concentrations of other ions, especially Mg 2+ and Mn 2+ , which are believed to affect the hydration of DNA.
Differences in mucus-stimulating serum fractions of cystic fibrosis patients and controls

In nature, the urn cell complexes which swim in the coelomic fluid of the marine invertebrate,Sipunculus nudus, produce “tails” of mucus in response to bacterial pathogens. Since they produce measurable tails of mucus in vitro, suspensions of urn cell complexes provide a bioassay for mucus-stimulating substances (MSS) in biological fluids, including several human body fluids. Heat-activated seawater dilutions of human serum contain MSS.
Medical pearl: itchy red bump disease.

BACKGROUND The traditional method of securing a partial/full thickness skin graft is by means of multiple interrupted sutures securing the graft edge with the bed. One end of each stitch is left long and these ends of opposing sutures are tied over a bolster of cotton gauze (classic ‘Tie over dressing’). Additional ‘tacking’ sutures may be placed at the center of the graft securing it to the graft bed.
High-resolution measurements and analysis of 14 N 16 O 2 in the (001)-(000) and (011)-(010) bands

High-resolution spectra of NO2 were recorded with a Fourier-transform spectrometer, covering transitions in the (001)-(000) and (011)-(010) bands from 1540 to 1662/cm. The measured line frequencies were used with additional data taken from studies at microwave and far-IR frequencies in an analysis to obtain spin-rotation constants and rotational energies of levels in the (001) and (011) states. Line strengths of these two bands were also measured and analyzed. The analyses included spin-rotation levels of the (001) state for Ka up to and including 13 and N to 73 and those of the (001) state for Ka up to and including 7 and N to 55. The study included observed and enhanced Ka = 5 - 6 transitions in the (020)-(000) band that interact, by means of a Coriolis-type interaction, with Ka = 5 transitions in the (011)-(000) band. Also observed and analyzed were the results of spin-rotation resonance interactions between two levels of the same state. These perturbations affected one or more levels of a given Ka and state and were observed for Ka = 0 with Ka = 2 and Ka = 1 with Ka = 3 for the (001) and (000) states and for Ka = 0 with Ka = 2 for the (011) and (001) states.
Common factors associated with osteonecrosis of the femoral head in young patients requiring total hip arthroplasty

Osteonecrosis of the femoral head is a pathologic condition that commonly affects young patients and requires treatment with total hip arthroplasty (THA). The most common factors associated with osteonecrosis in young patients have not been previously described in the literature. A retrospective study was conducted to describe the most common factors associated with osteonecrosis in patients aged 35 or younger requiring a primary THA. This study included 235 patients and found that the most common factor associated with osteonecrosis was corticosteroid use (61%), followed by idiopathic causes (11%), trauma (9%), other causes (8%), haemoglobinopathies (7%), and alcoholism (3%). There was no significant difference in age between risk groups (p-value = 0.35), however there were significant differences in sex (p-value = 0.02) and unilateral versus bilateral surgery (p-value<0.01). Several factors are associated with the development of osteonecrosis of the femoral head in young patients, and these factors shou...
Discordant detection of monosomy 7 by GTG banding and FISH in a patient with Schwachman-Diamond syndrome

Schwachman-Diamond Syndrome (SDS) is an inherited illness characterized by exocrine pancreatic insufficiency and by congenital neutropenia. Patients with SDS are at increased risk of developing myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) and acute myelogenous leukemia (AML). Bone marrow aspiration and biopsy can be used to detect MDS in a presymptomatic state. Monosomy 7 is a poor prognostic sign in MDS and AML, and therefore establishing its presence is important. However, different methods of detection may lead to different results in some patients. A three month old girl was referred to Rhode Island Hospital in 1988 with failure to thrive. White blood cell count was mildly depressed at 4 × 109 cells/L and pancreatic insufficiency was demonstrated. The diagnosis of SDS was made. In February of 1998, surveillance bone marrow cytogenetic analysis of a suboptimal specimen demonstrated the following karyotype by GTG banding: 45,XX,-C[3]/46,XX[45]/47,XX+C[1]. Fluorescent in Situ Hybridization (FISH) was performed with a chromosome 7 specific alpha-satellite probe (D7Z1). 373 of 376 cells exhibited only one chromosome 7 signal. A further marrow aspiration in August of 1998 showed an essentially normal karyotype by GTG-banding. FISH with the same chromosome 7 probe showed 230 of 250 cells to be monosomic for chromosome 7. A whole chromosome 7 painting probe demonstrated disomy for chromosome 7 in 90 out of 90 cells, but subtle heteromorphism in the centromeric regions of the two copies of chromosome 7 was noted in some cells. This case demonstrates that FISH can give results discordant with those of other methodologies and should not be used as a stand-alone cytogenetic test. The chromosome 7 variant detected in this patient may or may not be related to MDS. The relationship of the patient's karyotype to SDS is also not known. Thus, further investigation with repeated bone marrow examination in this patient and further characterization of the abnormalities in other SDS patients are warranted.
Migrating Large-Scale Air Traffic Modeling to the Cloud

Coordinating nationwide air traffic flow is a large-scale problem. The modeling process generally involves analysis of massive flight data, and its optimization involves computationally expensive algorithms. This paper uses Hadoop MapReduce, a big data processing model, to facilitate air traffic flow modeling and optimization, where computationally intensive tasks are automatically spread to Hadoop clusters for concurrent executions. The overall wall-clock time of computation is reduced. A nationwide traffic flow management problem that has been previously studied was restructured under the MapReduce framework. The problem aims at minimizing flight delays while respecting system capacities. Due to its temporal and spatial scope, the size of this problem grows to an extent where it is too big to be solved on standalone computers. Lagrangian relaxation was applied to decompose the original problem into a collection of solvable subproblems. The optimization proceeds in two iterative stages: solving subproble...
The Nature, Perception, and Impact of e-Mentoring on Post-Professional Occupational Therapy Doctoral Students

This retrospective study employed a descriptive, quantitative design to investigate the nature, perception, and impact of the e-mentoring experiences of 29 graduates of an online post-professional Doctor of Occupational Therapy (OTD) program. Study results highlight positive features of electronic mentoring (e-mentoring); how multi-modal e-mentoring supports the accessibility needs of participants; and students' preferences to engage in real-time e-mentoring communication by web camera or telephone, supplemented with e-mail. E-mentoring positively impacted the professional development of participants during and after the online OTD program. As online education continues to grow, a better understanding of e-mentoring will assist in providing exemplary education to meet the needs of adult learners.
Superconductivity in Ru 1 − x Sr 2 GdCu 2 + x O 8 − y compounds

We report on the properties of new ruthenocuprates Ru{sub 1{minus}x}Sr{sub 2}GdCu{sub 2+x}O{sub 8{minus}y} (x=0, 0.1, 0.2, 0.3, 0.4, and 0.75) that extend the superconductivity found previously in RuSr{sub 2}GdCu{sub 2}O{sub 8}(T{sub c}=45K) to the solid solution with varied Ru/Cu ratios. The compounds have been synthesized in a high-pressure oxygen atmosphere. The maximum temperature of the superconducting transition is 72 K for the x=0.3 and 0.4 compositions. The reported behavior of magnetization at low temperatures can be qualitatively explained assuming a quasi-two-dimensional character of the superconducting regions in the compounds studied.
Production of males and gynoparae by apterous viviparae of Myzus persicae continuously exposed to different scotoperiods

Abstract At 18–19°C, apterous viviparae of a holocyclic strain of Myzus persicae raised from birth under constant scotoperiods of 9 hr 26 min–15 hr darkness per diem deposited apterous viviparae, alate viviparae, and males, in that sequence. Under the shortest scotoperiod (9 hr 26 min) in which males were recorded, only a few were deposited at the end of reproduction. With increasing duration of the scotoperiods, the aphids switched to the exclusive deposition of males progressively earlier in their reproductive lives. Thus more males and fewer females were produced; however the proportion of wingless females increased. Similar trends were recorded when the number of prenatal exposures to each scotoperiod was increased from 0 to 7. Alatae developed into gynoparae at scotoperiods of 10 hr 29 min or longer, and into virginoparae at 9 hr 40 min or shorter scotoperiods. Gynoparae and alate virginoparae, as well as alates that produced both oviparae and viviparae were found at 10 hr and 10 hr 15 min. When apterous viviparae were transferred to scotoperiods of 10 hr 29 min or 15 hr only when they attained adulthood, they also deposited males but only toward the end of their reproductive lives.
Effect of nutritional deficiencies, produced by antimetabolites, on the reproduction of Rhagoletis completa Cresson (Dipt., Tephritidae)

A series of 14 antimetabolites was tested on the walnut husk fly, Rhagoletis completa. At the dosages tested, male survival was reduced by L-canavanine and indole the antimetabolites of the aminoacids arginine and tryptophane, respectively. Fecundity was significantly reduced by the following antimetabolites, indicating in parenthesis the antagonized normal metabolites: α-picolinic acid (niacin), oxythiamin (thiamine), desoxypyridoxine (Vit. B6), aminoacetic acid (α-alanine), L-canavanine (arginine), DL-methionine sulfoxide (glutamic acid), indole (tryptophane), DL-p-fluorophenylalanine (phenylalanine), β-indole acrylic acid (tryptophane), and dehydrocholesterol (cholesterol). Hatchability was reduced by α-picolinic acid (niacin), DL-methionine sulfoxide (glutamic acid) and β-indole acrylic acid (tryptophane). Zusammenfassung Zum Einflus von Mangelernahrung, hervorgerufen durch Antimetabolite, auf die Reproduktion von Rhagoletis completa Cresson (Dipt. Tephritidae) Insgesamt wurden 14 Antimetabolite bei Rhagoletis completa getestet, wobei sich die folgenden Reaktionen zeigten. Die Lebensdauer der Mannchen wurde durch L-Canavanin und Indol (Antimetabolite der Aminosauren Arginin bzw. Trytophan) verkurzt. Die Fekunditat wurde durch die Zugabe der Antimetabolite α-Picolin-Saure (Niacin), Oxythiamin (Thiamin), Desoxypyridoxin (Vitamin B6), Aminoessig (α-Alanin), L-Canvanin (Arginin), DL-Methioninsulfoxid (Glutaminsaure), Indol (Typtophan), DL-p-Fluorophenylalanin (Phenylalanin), β-Indol-Acryl-saure (Tryptophan) und Dehydrocholesterol (Cholesterol) deutlich reduziert, was deren Einschaltung als Antagonisten bei den normalen Stoffwechselprodukten anzeigt. Die Schlupffahigkeit wurde durch α-Picolinic-Saure (Niacin), DL-Methioninsulfoxid (Glutaminsaure) und β-Indo-Acrylsaure (Tryptophan) reduziert.
Effects of the Growth of Managed Care on Academic Medical Centers and Graduate Medical Education.

The author offers insights into how the proliferation of competitive health care financing and service delivery systems based on managed care affects the financial support available to academic medical centers (AMCs), especially to their programs in graduate medical education (GME). The paper is based largely on case studies of AMCs conducted by the author in the summer of 1994 in the health care markets of San Diego, California, Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minnesota, and Washington, D.C., complemented by a review of the literature. In sum, the investigator found consensus among all parties that in the current market, managed care plans neither are willing nor feel able to pay much, if any, premium for the services of AMCs, particularly when established, respected alternatives exist, as they typically do for most services in major urban markets. Relatively few short-term adverse effects on AMCs were found from the growth of competitive systems, but AMCs are nevertheless very concerned that managed care will put them at a disadvantage. They are thus seeking ways to position themselves for the future. The AMCs are concerned that at some point, the cost reductions they are making will hinder the fulfillment of their unique traditional mission, since they believe that the costs of their GME programs can be reduced only so far without harming residents' training. Many managed care plans, however, question the AMC mission, taking issue particularly with the training AMCs provide and its relevance to current needs for primary and ambulatory care. The investigators also found considerable support for pooled funding for GME among diverse parties, but no consensus on how this funding should be structured, who should receive it, or what it should support. Potential conflicts were also identified between national, state, and market objectives for provider supply and specialty distribution because these objectives can embody different criteria for assessing the handling and locations of specialists' training. In addition, the findings indicate that it could be unwise to consider AMC policy independent of workforce objectives; doing so could create conflicts about the kinds of physicians who should be trained. The author concludes with a list of approaches to future research that may be constructive.
A structured approach to requirements specification for software-based systems using operational procedures

This paper describes a specification notation and specification methodology that use the operational procedure construct to formulate a complete description of a system. The specification that is generated captures the operation of the system, manages the evolution of the operation of the system, and facilitates the rapid formulation and adaptation of implementation models for software-based systems. >
Transdermal nitroglycerin for the treatment of preterm labor: a systematic review and metaanalysis.

Objective The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of transdermal nitroglycerin as a tocolytic agent in women with preterm labor. Study Design We conducted a systematic review and metaanalysis of randomized controlled trials. Results Thirteen studies were included (1302 women) comparing transdermal nitroglycerin vs placebo (2 studies; n = 186); β 2 -adrenergic receptor agonists (9 studies; n = 1024); nifedipine (1 study; n = 50); and magnesium sulfate (1 study; n = 42). There were no significant differences between transdermal nitroglycerin and placebo for delivery within 48 hours of the initiation of treatment or at 2 -adrenergic receptor agonists, transdermal nitroglycerin was associated with a significant reduction in the risk of preterm birth at Conclusion Although transdermal nitroglycerin appears to be more effective than β 2 -adrenergic receptor agonists, the current evidence does not support its routine use as a tocolytic agent for the treatment of preterm labor. Further double-blind placebo-controlled trials are needed.
A practical approach to modeling skin effect in on-chip interconnects

A compact modeling methodology for the skin effect in conductors with rectangular cross section is presented. Possible equivalent circuit topologies are reviewed, and their calibration on numerical simulation is discussed, highlighting the shortcomings of conventional calibration procedures. A new approach, based on the direct fitting of the impedance transfer function to numerical simulations, is shown to offer excellent accuracy for a wide range of cross-sectional wire aspect ratios. The new formulation also obviates the need for separating the wire internal and external inductances which is a prerequisite for all published models. Finally, a practical implementation of the model as an RL parallel network is presented.
The Limits of Housing Investment as a Neighborhood Revitalization Tool: Crime in New York City

Problem, research strategy, and findings: Local residents often oppose place-based affordable housing on the grounds that such housing will increase crime and decrease property values. New York City has actually used affordable housing investment as a neighborhood revitalization tool, leading to a positive impact on neighborhood property values. Households in distressed neighborhoods consistently cite crime as a problem, but we know little about the impact of housing investments on crime. Using a unique set of point-specific data on affordable housing and crime locations between 2002 and 2008 in New York City, I estimate a set of regression models to identify the effect that affordable housing investments have on crime on the block where they are situated. I find little evidence that affordable housing investments either reduce or increase crime on New York City blocks, suggesting there are limits to the revitalization effects of these subsidies and that crime fears about subsidized housing are unwarrante...
Plasticity of metal wires in torsion: Molecular dynamics and dislocation dynamics simulations

The orientation dependent plasticity in metal nanowires is investigated using molecular dynamics and dislocation dynamics simulations. Molecular dynamics simulations show that the orientation of single crystal metal wires controls the mechanisms of plastic deformation. For wires oriented along / 110 S, dislocations nucleate along the axis of the wire, making the deformation homogeneous. These wires also maintain most of their strength after yield. In contrast, wires oriented along / 111 S and / 100 S directions deform through the formation of twist boundaries and tend not to recover when high angle twist boundaries are formed. The stability of the dislocation structures observed in molecular dynamics simulations are investigated using analytical and dislocation dynamics models.
Peak temperature control and leakage reduction during binding in high level synthesis

Temperature is becoming a first rate design criterion in ASICs due to its negative impact on leakage power, reliability, performance, and packaging cost. Incorporating awareness of such lower level physical phenomenon in high level synthesis algorithms help to achieve better designs. In this work, we developed a temperature aware binding algorithm. Switching power of a module correlates with its operating temperature. The goal of our binding algorithm is to distribute the activity evenly across functional units. This approach avoids steep temperature differences between modules on a chip, hence, the occurrence of hot spots. Starting with a switching optimal binding solution, our algorithm iteratively minimizes the maximum temperature reached by the hottest functional unit. Our algorithm does not change the number of resources used in the original binding. We have used HotSpot, a temperature modeling tool, to simulate temperature of a number ASIC designs. Our binding algorithm reduces temperature reached by the hottest resource by 12.21/spl deg/C on average. Reducing the peak temperature has a positive impact on leakage as well. Our binding technique improves leakage power by 11.89%, and overall power by 3.32% on average at 130nm technology node compared to a switching optimal binding.
Modulation of Conduction Velocity by Nonmyocytes in the Low Coupling Regime

This paper explores the conditions under which non myocytes, when electrically coupled to myocytes, act as a passive load during the depolarization phase. Using theoretical arguments and numerical simulations in a tissue incorporating fibroblasts, the passive load approximation is shown to be accurate at low coupling conductances ( <2 nS). In this case, the effect on conduction velocity can be expressed as a function of the elevation in resting potential and the coupling only.
A general approach for the performance assessment of nanoscale silicon FETs

Various nonplanar, multigate field-effect transistors (FET) structures have been reported that offer better gate control than planar MOSFETs. In the nanometer regime, however, multigate (nanowire) structures also suffer strong quantum confinement, which causes deleterious effects such as large threshold voltage variation. In this paper, we propose a general approach to compare planar versus nonplanar FETs with the consideration of both electrostatic integrity (gate control) and quantum confinement (the so-called "EQ approach"). With this EQ approach, we show that the cylindrical wire FET and the planar double-gate MOSFET have approximately equal scaling capability for a [001]-oriented wafer, while the nonplanar wire structures are significantly better for other wafer orientations [e.g., (011)] where the effective mass in the confinement direction of the planar MOSFET is relatively small.
In vitro action of cortisone on vasoconstriction due to histamine.

Summary1. Cortisone accelerates the recovery of vascular smooth muscle from vasoconstriction due to histamine. 2. This probably represents an action of cortisone on the histamine inactivating enzyme systems.
Squashing code size in microcoded IPs while delivering high decompression speed

Microcoded customized IPs offer superior performance and direct programmability of micro-architectural structures compared to instruction-based processors, yet at the cost of drastically enlarged code sizes. Code compression can deliver size reductions but necessitates attention to performance issues, so that the performance benefits of microcoded IPs are not squandered in the process. To attain this goal, we propose in this paper a fast code compression technique through exploiting the fact that the microcodes contain a sizable amount of unspecified bits. Although the values and the positions of the specified bits are highly irregular, the proposed technique can still flexibly and precisely fill in these fully specified bits through utilizing a linear network. The linear property inherent in the compression strategy in turn enables the development of an extremely low-overhead decompression engine. At runtime, the decompressed code can be generated in such a way that all the specified bits can be filled as required by a fixed-bandwidth XOR network. The combination of the proposed flexible XOR-based network with a minimum two-level storage for highly specified fields, such as immediate values, offers utmost code compression, attained within a negligible amount of performance and hardware overhead.
Toward an understanding of consumer experience on the Internet: implications for Website design

The Internet is a fast growing medium that is quickly becoming a hub of communication, entertainment, and commerce. As the Internet's importance grows, marketers are eager to understand the medium in order to use it effectively to promote exchanges. First, the paper reviews the flow construct as a means to describe online consumer behavior. It proposes a new paradigm for looking at the Internet by comparing the Internet to both traditional ways of communicating information and marketplace mechanisms, which are traditional means used to perform marketing functions. The scheme presented uses criteria commonly found in communications literature and criteria developed specifically for this comparison. Thus, the paper opens a new line of thought by recognizing that the Internet is not only a form of media and a method of communication, but a marketplace instrument in itself. The comparison exercises show that the Internet shares many similarities with marketplace mechanisms, and validates the need to use a broad perspective when thinking about the Internet. Also, the comparison exercise helps demonstrate what characteristics of the Internet facilitate the flow state, and offers suggestions for optimal Web site design.
Studies of translational misreading in vivo show that the ribosome very efficiently discriminates against most potential errors

Protein synthesis must rapidly and repeatedly discriminate between a single correct and many incorrect aminoacyl-tRNAs. We have attempted to measure the frequencies of all possible missense errors by tRNA , tRNA and tRNA . The most frequent errors involve three types of mismatched nucleotide pairs, U•U, U•C, or U•G, all of which can form a noncanonical base pair with geometry similar to that of the canonical U•A or C•G Watson-Crick pairs. Our system is sensitive enough to measure errors at other potential mismatches that occur at frequencies as low as 1 in 500,000 codons. The ribosome appears to discriminate this efficiently against any pair with non-Watson-Crick geometry. This extreme accuracy may be necessary to allow discrimination against the errors involving near Watson-Crick pairing.
Motives and Methods of Under-Age Casino Gamblers

Numerous studies have documented that under-age gambling is quite common. The present study employs interviews of 48 university students who gambled under-age to determine the motives and methods associated with casino gambling by minors. The information gathered in these interviews indicates that access to casinos is easily attained, that the risk of exposure once gambling is minimal, and the motivations of under-age gamblers differ in important ways from that of adults, as access to alcohol, accompanying parents, and the desire to experience the “forbidden fruit” of casino gambling are commonly mentioned motivations by under-age gamblers.