cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Longitudinal Changes in Right Ventricular Function in Tetralogy of Fallot in the Initial Years after Surgical Repair.

Background Right ventricular (RV) dysfunction is associated with adverse long-term outcomes in patients with tetralogy of Fallot. Little is known about RV function in the first years after surgical repair. The aim of this study was to investigate perioperative changes in myocardial deformation using global longitudinal strain. Methods A retrospective analysis of patients with surgically repaired tetralogy of Fallot was performed. Global longitudinal peak systolic RV strain was measured on early postoperative echocardiograms, two subsequent postoperative echocardiograms through 2 years postoperatively, and preoperative echocardiograms, when available. Preoperative and late follow-up strain was compared with strain in 0- to 8-month-old and 1- to 4-year-old control subjects, respectively. Results Forty-seven patients were included. Compared with postoperative strain (7 ± 7 days postoperatively), strain at follow-up 1 (8.3 ± 4 months postoperatively) was significantly improved (−12.3 ± 3.3% vs −18.8 ± 2.5%, P P = .12). Postoperative strain was worse than preoperative strain ( n = 25, −12.5 ± 3.6% vs −18.4 ± 2.9%, P P = .30), though late follow-up strain was significantly worse (−27.7 ± 2.8% vs −19.8 ± 3.1%, P Conclusions RV global longitudinal strain worsens in the early postoperative period following surgical repair of tetralogy of Fallot but recovers through 2 postoperative years. Despite recovery to preoperative values, the presence of RV dysfunction compared with control subjects suggests that long-term dysfunction may begin early. The trajectory of RV dysfunction through the later years needs further study.
Lochner, Lawrence, and Liberty

Many of the states of the United States have statutes, constitutional provisions, and court decisions that deny individuals the right to have a family, specifically a spouse and children, based on sexual orientation. Advocates have made a wide variety of arguments attacking such restrictions. Scholars and litigants frequently argue that such acts violate constitutional guarantees of equal protection or invade a constitutional right to privacy. However, such arguments are often defeated by counter arguments presented with religious, moral, and even emotional fervor. This article presents and defends a new analytical framework based on liberty of contract to advance gay rights. The context explored in this article for this new paradigm is the area of gay rights to family. Thus, this article will begin in Part I by presenting a survey of the primary encroachments on the liberty of gay people to enter into formal arrangements to create a family. Part II of this article will discuss the Lochner decision and develop its potential for renewed application. Part II will also discuss the philosophy and history that led up to that decision and certain other decisions from that era. Finally, Part II will present critical analyses of the downfall of Lochner and its analytical framework. The goal of this part is to explain the meaning of the Lochnerian liberty of contract interest. Part III will explain that many of the traditional criticisms of Lochner are unfounded and are currently being re-considered by scholars. Part III will admit to certain shortcomings of the traditional Lochner framework but will set forth more fully the modification to that framework outlined briefly a bove, making the framework more balanced and appropriate for use by modern courts. Part III will then apply that approach to gay rights to family, hypothesizing the results in each of the three main areas under inquiry here: rights to marry, adopt, and enter into surrogacy arrangements. Finally, this article will conclude in part with a summary of what has been considered. It will then make some final remarks about the potential usefulness of a modified Lochnerian approach to liberty of contract, and thus to liberty itself.
On the plant growth hormone produced by Rhizopus suinus

Since it was first discovered that cell elongation in the Avena coleoptile is controlled by a hormone, our understanding of the nature and role of this substance has progressed considerably. Apart from the elucidation of its functions in promoting growth, tropisms, and other reactions of the plant, the chemical nature of the substance has been extensively studied. The active substance produced by cultures of the mold Rhizopus suinus was shown by Nielsen (1930) to be ether-soluble, and by Dolk and Thimann (1932) to be an unsaturated organic acid, decomposed by strong acids but not by alkalies, and readily inactivated by oxidation. Its dissociation constant, as measured by Dolk and Thimann, is 10^-4.75. Previously, Went (1928) had shown the molecular weight of the active substance in Avena coleoptiles to be about 376. The active substance in human urine was isolated by Kogl and Haagen-Smit (1931) and by Kogl, Haagen-Smit, and Erxleben (1933), and shown to be an acid, C17H28O(OH)COOH (auxin A), whose lactone is also active, while from malt these workers later isolated (1933) a ketohydroxy acid, C17H28O(OH)COOH (auxin B), which had the same activity per unit weight. On account of the rather small amount of substance available from Rhizopus cultures, and also since the bulk of the partially purified product was lost through spontaneous inactivation (see section, “Concluding stages”), the chemical investigation of the active substance, begun earlier, was dropped. However, the many experiments on purification which had meanwhile been carried out showed that the active substance from Rhizopus did not behave in quite the same way as that from urine. Recently, however, it was shown by Kogl, Erxleben, and Haagen-Smit (1934) that there is in urine a second active substance, identical with β-indolylacetic acid, and Kogl and Kostermans (1934) showed that the molecular weight of the substance produced by Aspergillus and by Rhizopus is that of β-indolylacetic acid rather than that of the C18 compounds. Since preparations from Rhixopus have been extensively used for physiological work, both in this laboratory and elsewhere, the exact nature of the active substance is of considerable interest. The present paper will give evidence that the active substance produced by Rhizopus suinus is in fact β-indolylacetic acid. Identification by the preparation of derivatives and by mixed melting points with the pure synthetic substance was not possible on account of the small amount of material available. Nevertheless, the evidence given below is fairly conclusive. The method of purification, since it differs to some extent from that adopted by Kogl and his coworkers, will also be outlined. Finally, it will be shown that some of the peculiar conditions previously found to be necessary for the production of this growth substance (Thimann and Dolk, 1933) find a simple explanation on this basis.
Coxiella-like Endosymbionts

In the past two decades, many Coxiella-like bacteria have been found in hard ticks and soft ticks as well as in vertebrate hosts. It is interesting to note that many ticks harbor Coxiella-like bacteria with high prevalence. Coxiella-like bacteria and virulent Coxiella burnetii have high homology to each other; they form a monophyletic clade based on 16S rRNA sequence data and subsequent phylogenetic tree analyses. In this chapter, methods of detection, phylogeny, prevalence and density, distribution in tick organs, transmission routes, bacteria-host interactions, and putative functions of the Coxiella-like bacteria are reviewed.
Sensitivity Studies in the Outgassing of Spacecraft Composites

A systematic approach is described for analyzing outgassing in spacecraft composites. Simplifications that apply to practical cases are listed then used to derive tractable mathematical expressions. The boundary condition in the model is related to temperature and surface treatment.
Fabric Filtration of Gas–Solid Mixtures

Fabric filtration is a cake filtration process involving the forced flow of air–particle mixtures through woven and felted material in the shape of a tube and can be readily described by the conventional cake filtration theory described previously. However, there are differences between the cake formed from liquid solid mixtures and that from fabric filtration, and their differences are described.
Person-Supervisor Fit in Sales: An Application of Self-Determination Theory: An Abstract

As social beings, we strive to fit into our environment (Kaplan 1983), and this phenomenon extends into organizational environments. In the context of sales, person-supervisor (P-S) fit is critical as salespeople’s livelihood depends substantially on sales managers (Strutton et al. 1993). Linking the decisive factors that align salespeople with their managers and organizations relies on understanding the basic motivations of the individuals. Accordingly, in this research, utilizing self-determination theory (SDT), we present antecedents for P-S fit and show how in turn P-S fit decreases turnover intention.
Extracellular Vesicles Secreted in Response to Cytokine Exposure Increase Mitochondrial Oxygen Consumption in Recipient Cells.

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are small, membrane-bound nanoparticles released from most, if not all cells, and can carry functionally active cargo (proteins, nucleic acids) which can be taken up by neighboring cells and mediate physiologically relevant effects. In this capacity, EVs are being regarded as novel cell-to-cell communicators, which may play important roles in the progression of neurodegenerative diseases, like Alzheimer's disease (AD). Aside from the canonical physical hallmarks of this disease [amyloid β (Aβ) plaques, neurofibrillary tangles, and widespread cell death], AD is characterized by chronic neuroinflammation and mitochondrial dysfunction. In the current study, we sought to better understand the role of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), known to be involved in inflammation, in mediating alterations in mitochondrial function and EV secretion. Using an immortalized hippocampal cell line, we observed significant reductions in several parameters of mitochondrial oxygen consumption after a 24-h exposure period to TNF-α. In addition, after TNF-α exposure we also observed significant upregulation of two microRNAs (miRNAs; miR-34a and miR-146a) associated with mitochondrial dysfunction in secreted EVs. Despite this, when naive cells are exposed to EVs isolated from TNF-α treated cells, mitochondrial respiration, proton leak, and reactive oxygen species (ROS) production are all significantly increased. Collectively these data indicate that a potent proinflammatory cytokine, TNF-α, induces significant mitochondrial dysfunction in a neuronal cell type, in part via the secretion of EVs, which significantly alter mitochondrial activity in recipient cells.
Treatment of malignant pleural effusions: the case for localized immunotherapy

Malignant pleural effusions (MPE) are a common terminal pathway for many cancers, with an estimated United States incidence of more than 150,000 cases per year. MPE is an aggressive disease with a uniformly fatal prognosis and a life expectancy of only 3 to 12 months. The development of an effective targeted therapy represents a pressing unmet need. This commentary focuses on how cellular and humoral components condition the pleural space as a tumor-promoting, wound-healing environment. Despite an abundance of potential antigen presenting and effector cells in the pleura, their physical isolation by the mesothelial barrier, the concentration of cytokines and chemokines driving the epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) and M2 /Th-2 polarization, suppress tumor-specific immune effector responses. We argue that local immune repolarization must precede either immune checkpoint or cellular therapy to successfully eradicate pleural tumor. We further hypothesize that, because of its cellular content, a repolarized pleural space will provide an effective immune environment for generation of systemic anti-tumor response.
The interactive effect of emotional reactivity and maladaptive metacognitive beliefs on anxiety.

Emotional reactivity has been implicated in the development and maintenance of anxiety. The metacognitive model suggests that maladaptive metacognitive beliefs (i.e. beliefs about thinking) may inc...
Listening to Frankenstein

ABSTRACTFrankenstein is a novel about the ethics of choosing to hear another’s call. In light of Frankenstein’s attention to the ear, how might we listen to this novel? Our listening remains perpet...
A Taxonomy of Functional Upper Extremity Motion.

Background: Functional upper extremity (UE) motion enables humans to execute activities of daily living (ADLs). There currently exists no universal language to systematically characterize this type of motion or its fundamental building blocks, called primitives. Without a standardized classification approach, pooling mechanistic knowledge and unpacking rehabilitation content will remain challenging. Methods: We created a taxonomy to characterize functional UE motions occurring during ADLs, classifying them by motion presence, temporal cyclicity, upper body effector, and contact type. We identified five functional primitives by their phenotype and purpose: reach, reposition, transport, stabilize, and idle. The taxonomy was assessed for its validity and interrater reliability in right-paretic chronic stroke patients performing a selection of ADL tasks. We applied the taxonomy to identify the primitive content and motion characteristics of these tasks, and to evaluate the influence of impairment level on these outcomes. Results: The taxonomy could account for all motions in the sampled activities. Interrater reliability was high for primitive identification (Cohen’s kappa = 0.95-0.99). Using the taxonomy, the ADL tasks were found to be composed primarily of transport and stabilize primitives mainly executed with discrete, proximal motions. Compared to mildly impaired patients, moderately impaired patients used more repeated reaches and axial-proximal UE motion to execute the tasks. Conclusions: The proposed taxonomy yields objective, quantitative data on human functional UE motion. This new method could facilitate the decomposition and quantification of UE rehabilitation, the characterization of functional abnormality after stroke, and the mechanistic examination of shared behavior in motor studies.
Impact of Poetry on Empathy and Professional Burnout of Health-Care Workers: A Systematic Review

Background:Narrative medicine (NM) interventions have positively influenced empathy and burnout to varying degrees in health-care workers. We systematically reviewed the impact of poetry, a form of...
A blind processing framework to facilitate openness in smart grid communications

Smart grid has diverse stakeholders that often require varying levels of access to grid state and measurements. At the distribution level (i.e., MAN), smart grid provides two way communication between households and utilities. At the transmission level (i.e., WAN), multiple organizations need to share the transmission lines and cooperate with participants in their region. In this paper, we propose secure communication and computation services for smart grid to transform the current "closed cyber architecture" to an "open cyber architecture". In order to ensure the privacy and integrity of communicating parties at the distribution level, we propose to utilize the smart meters as a gateway between intra-network (i.e., HAN) and inter-network (i.e., WAN) communications, and manage incoming and outgoing traffic and mediate household devices based on the instructions from the electric utility or contracted service providers. To enhance data sharing between operators at the transmission level, we propose an open cyber architecture that utilizes blind processing service, in which sensitive data is transmitted through the secured channel and used in computations running in an isolated environment while the outcome is rendered only to a dedicated user or process. The "open" communication between the smart substructures and "blind" computation at operation centers will increase data sharing, minimize human intervention, and mitigate cascading events. In the paper, we provide and discuss underlying mechanisms to achieve an open cyber architecture.
Introduction: Pharmacy Reimbursement.

DISCLOSURES: No funding supported the writing of this article. The author has nothing to disclose.
Performance improvement demonstration of an NMP system using sample and hold inputs

Earlier investigation analyzed the minimum-phase (MP) characteristics of a discrete-time system obtained by sampling a continuous-time non-minimum-phase (NMP) system using sample and hold inputs (SHIs). The proposed SHIs, compared to a conventional zero order hold, are able to increase the range of sampling rates for obtaining an MP discrete-time system. As a result, the negative effect of the NMP system can be reduced in discrete-time domain and controllers with high gains can be used to improve performance. This paper demonstrates the advantages of using the SHIs for the single inverted pendulum through simulations and experiments. In particular, it is shown that the performance of the stabilized closed-loop system can be improved by designing an outer-loop controller based on the MP discrete system obtained using the SHIs. Simulation results in the presence of Coulomb friction show that the additional controller reduces cart oscillations significantly; for a particular SHI, the steady state amplitude of oscillation was reduced by up to 68.95%. Experiments confirmed the results obtained in simulations.
Modified frailty index as an indicator for outcomes, discharge status, and readmission after lower extremity bypass surgery for critical limb ischemia.

Frailty has been associated with poor postoperative outcomes. This study evaluated the 5-factor modified frailty index (mFI-5) to assess complications, mortality, discharge disposition, and readmission in patients undergoing lower extremity (LE) bypass for critical limb ischemia (CLI).The National Surgical Quality Improvement Program vascular module (2011–2017) was utilized to identify patients undergoing LE bypass for CLI. Adverse events included infectious complications, bleeding complications, prolonged ventilation, amputation, readmission, and death. Patients were divided into groups based on mFI-5 scores: mFI1 (0), mFI2 (0.2), mFI3 (0.4), and mFI4 (0.6–1). Data were analyzed using the Cochran-Mantel-Haenszel statistic for general association and multivariable logistic regression. About 11,530 patients undergoing bypass for CLI were identified (42% rest pain and 58% tissue loss; 23% mFI1, 31% mFI2, 27% mFI3, and 19% mFI4; 64% men and 36% women). An increase in mFI-5 was associated with higher 30-day mortality (mFI1 = 0.62%; mFI12 = 1.45%; mFI13 = 1.35%; and mFI14 = 3.09%; P
Collective action, opportunism, and class agency under ineffective state enforcement: Marx on English Factory Laws

The paper focuses on a previously unexamined aspect of Marx's discussion on the 19th century English Factory Acts, and highlights its broader relevance for contemporary discussions about the role of institutions in a market economy. The capitalists' enlightened self-interest was to better husband their work force by limiting the workday and curtailing child labor, but market competition put them in a Prisoner's Dilemma creating an opportunism hazard. The ‘Factory Acts’ addressed the problem, but the state lacked the capacity to enforce them effectively. Marx held that the organized power of workers played an essential role in how the Factory Laws could gain traction at a time when state enforcement was unreliable. Organized labor's threats of sanction were credible enough to lower the expected benefit of non-compliance, enabling capitalists to commit to acting in their long-term, collective self-interest.
Impacts of Genetically Engineered Crops on the Soil Microbiome, Biological Processes, and Ecosystem Services

Information on the impacts of genetically engineered (GE) crops on the soil microbial community, biological processes, soil health, and ecosystem services is limited. Assessments to acquire this information are challenged further because the necessary comparisons of GE crops with non-GE crops are practically nonexistent. The objectives of this chapter are to provide a background on the impacts of genetically engineered (GE) crops on soil health, with a focus on the soil microbiome and biological processes and on ecosystem services. Genetic materials and pesticide chemicals are released from GE crops into soil and impose variable effects on the soil microbiome and other soil organisms that can cause changes in plant nutrient availability, soil properties, and ecosystem services such as water quality. However, some studies show little effect of GE crops on soil biological and ecosystem processes suggesting the need for balanced research approaches to assure the fair monitoring of impacts of GE crops on the environment. Soil health and ecosystem processes may be maintained or improved under GE cropping only when sustainable management is integrated into these systems. Several vital action approaches are suggested for conducting critical examination and assessment of the potential risks of GE crops.
Institutional Design for Access to Justice

Decades of empirical research have confirmed the prevalence of troublesome situations involving civil legal issues in everyday life. Although these problems can be associated with serious financial and social harm, they rarely involve recourse to lawyers or formal legal institutions. Contemporary scholars and practitioners increasingly integrate this reality into the definition of access to justice. They understand access to justice to be concerned with equality in the ability of individuals to achieve just resolutions to the problems they experience, regardless of whether they pursue formal legal action. To achieve this goal, an emerging international set of best practices calls for access to justice interventions that are proactively targeted to those groups most in need of assistance, linked to other social service providers, aimed at addressing problems early to avoid escalation, and customized to the user’s capabilities. In stark opposition to such an outward-facing, multi-faceted approach, the civil justice system is structured to respond only to formal legal claims. We have few auxiliary institutions that provide alternative avenues to resolution, and several barriers that inhibit their ability to address civil legal problems. As a result, access to justice, as contemporarily understood, is largely an orphan issue—a social problem for which no institution bears responsibility. In this Article, I propose an agenda of institutional reforms to better align key social institutions with a contemporary, evidence-based understanding of access to justice. These institutional reforms would enhance individuals’ ability to access justice, within or without the courthouse walls.
Enantioselective Interactions of Anti-Infective 8-Aminoquinoline Therapeutics with Human Monoamine Oxidases A and B

8-Aminoquinolines (8-AQs) are an important class of anti-infective therapeutics. The monoamine oxidases (MAOs) play a key role in metabolism of 8-AQs. A major role for MAO-A in metabolism of primaquine (PQ), the prototypical 8-AQ antimalarial, has been demonstrated. These investigations were further extended to characterize the enantioselective interactions of PQ and NPC1161 (8-[(4-amino-1-methylbutyl) amino]-5-[3, 4-dichlorophenoxy]-6-methoxy-4-methylquinoline) with human MAO-A and -B. NPC1161B, the (R)-(-) enantiomer with outstanding potential for malaria radical cure, treatment of visceral leishmaniasis and pneumocystis pneumonia infections is poised for clinical development. PQ showed moderate inhibition of human MAO-A and -B. Racemic PQ and (R)-(-)-PQ both showed marginally greater (1.2- and 1.6-fold, respectively) inhibition of MAO-A as compared to MAO-B. However, (S)-(+)-PQ showed a reverse selectivity with greater inhibition of MAO-B than MAO-A. Racemic NPC1161 was a strong inhibitor of MAOs with 3.7-fold selectivity against MAO-B compared to MAO-A. The (S)-(+) enantiomer (NPC1161A) was a better inhibitor of MAO-A and -B compared to the (R)-(-) enantiomer (NPC1161B), with more than 10-fold selectivity for inhibition of MAO-B over MAO-A. The enantioselective interaction of NPC1161 and strong binding of NPC1161A with MAO-B was further confirmed by enzyme-inhibitor binding and computational docking analyses. Differential interactions of PQ and NPC1161 enantiomers with human MAOs may contribute to the enantioselective pharmacodynamics and toxicity of anti-infective 8-AQs therapeutics.
Comfort Women: The Economics of the Contracts and the Politics of the Dispute

During the Second World War, fraudulent recruiters sometimes promised young Korean women factory jobs but sent them instead to war-zone brothels called "comfort stations." Western historians take it on faith that the Japanese military forced Korean women into brothels as well. Unfortunately, in doing this they do not just ignore the role that politics (Korean, Japanese, and Western academic) have played in the dispute. They also ignore the contracts that the rest of the -- not defrauded -- young women actually concluded. In the article that follows, I examine the employee-level contracts in the market for sexual services within the Japanese empire. The contracts reflect the straightforward logic of "credible commitments" so basic to elementary game theory. Realizing that the brothel owners had an incentive to exagerrate their future earnings, the women demanded a large portion of their pay upfront. Realizing that they were headed to the war zone, they demanded a relatively short maximum term. And realizing that the women had an incentive to shirk, the brothels demanded provisions that gave women incentives to work hard. Ultimately, the women and brothels concluded identure contracts that coupled a large advance with one or two year maximum terms, and an ability for the women to return early if they generated sufficient revenue. Crucial to the current dispute, the Japanese military did not force -- or even recuit -- Korean women into prostitution. Instead, the brothels surrounding the bases began and remained as privately owned and operated enterprises. They employed contracts that reflected these game-theoretic principles of promissory credility. The women were poor, they were young, and they were born into the bad circumstances. But basic principles of market economics apply to poor young people too -- and we would do well to recognize how resourcefully the women used those principles to respond to their plight.
Risk of Total Wrist Arthrodesis Following Proximal Row Carpectomy: An Analysis of 1,070 Patients.

PURPOSE Proximal row carpectomy (PRC) is a motion-sparing procedure with good patient-reported and clinical outcomes. Although some studies have investigated the risk of conversion to total wrist arthrodesis (TWA) after PRC, additional larger studies evaluating the specific risk factors that lead to failure are required. This study aimed to investigate the patient and procedure factors that are associated with increased risk for conversion to TWA in a large cohort of patients who underwent PRC. METHODS The current procedural technology codes identified patients in a National Veteran's Health database undergoing a PRC over a 26-year period. Risk factors of interest comprised age, posterior interosseous nerve neurectomy, wrist arthritis pattern, bilateral surgery, smoking, comorbidities, and preoperative opioid use. The primary outcome was the rate of conversion to TWA. Cox proportional hazard regression was used to create hazard ratios of selected factors for reoperation. RESULTS There were 1,070 PRCs performed, with a mean follow-up of 79.8 ± 59.6 months. A total of 5.3% (57/1,070) wrists underwent conversion to TWA. Younger age at the time of PRC (<50 years) significantly increased the risk of TWA (hazard ratio, 3.8; 95% confidence interval, 2.2-6.6). With every 1-year increase in age, there was a reduction of 4% (hazard ratio, 0.96; 95% confidence interval: 0.94-0.98) in the hazard of conversion to TWA. No other factors, including concomitant posterior interosseous nerve neurectomy or bilateral PRC, increased the risk of conversion to TWA. CONCLUSIONS Proximal row carpectomy is a motion-preserving salvage procedure with a low rate of conversion to wrist arthrodesis. Younger patient age increases the risk of conversion to arthrodesis, whereas posterior interosseous nerve neurectomy, bilateral PRCs, and comorbidity status do not appear to have an impact on the risk of arthrodesis. TYPE OF STUDY/LEVEL OF EVIDENCE Prognostic II.
The estrogen component of OCs: cardiovascular benefits and risks.

The relationship of oral contraceptive (OC) use to risk of venous thrombolism, stroke, and myocardial infarction continues to be evaluated. The estrogen component of combination OCs, which is primarily responsible for maintaining the endometrium and minimizing breakthrough bleeding (BTB) and spotting, was the initial focus of clinical and epidemiologic interest following early reports of an increased risk of vascular events with high-estrogen-dose formulations. OC estrogen continues to hold attention; current areas of interest include the relationship of estrogen to laboratory changes in hemostatic, lipid/lipoprotein, and carbohydrate variables, and, more important, to their possible clinical consequences. The historical view that OC-induced lipoprotein changes are responsible for observed increases in vascular risk in OC users is being debated, but the preponderance of evidence suggests that OC-related vascular disease is most likely due to thrombosis rather than atherosclerosis. This issue is made somewhat moot, however, by cumulative epidemiologic data indicating that although some combination OCs containing <35 μg estrogen appear to produce a slight increase in the risk of venous thromboembolism, they have no adverse effect on the risk of myocardial infarction and minimal, if any, effect on the risk of stroke. The risks that may be associated with cigarette smoking and concomitant OC use have recently emerged as a somewhat contested issue relative to estrogen dose. Critical examination of the available information suggests that women over 35 years of age who smoke should be advised to use non-estrogen contraceptive methods and that smokers under age 35 may use any OC containing <50 μg estrogen.
Genetic dissection of a major Fusarium head blight QTL in tetraploid wheat.

The devastating effect of Fusarium head blight (FHB) caused by Fusarium graminearum has led to significant financial losses across the Upper Midwest of the USA. These losses have spurred the need for research in biological, chemical, and genetic control methods for this disease. To date, most of the research on FHB resistance has concentrated on hexaploid wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) lines originating from China. Other sources of resistance to FHB would be desirable. One other source of resistance for both hexaploid wheat and tetraploid durum wheat (T. turgidum L. var. durum) is the wild tetraploid, T. turgidum L. var. dicoccoides (T. dicoccoides). Previous analysis of the `Langdon'-T. dicoccoides chromosome substitution lines, LDN(Dic), indicated that the chromosome 3A substitution line expresses moderate levels of resistance to FHB. LDN(Dic-3A) recombinant inbred chromosome lines (RICL) were used to generate a linkage map of chromosome 3A with 19 molecular markers spanning a distance of 155.2 cM. The individual RICL and controls were screened for their FHB phenotype in two greenhouse seasons. Analysis of 83 RICL identified a single major quantitative trait locus, Qfhs.ndsu-3AS, that explains 37% of the phenotypic or 55% of the genetic variation for FHB resistance. A microsatellite locus, Xgwm2, is tightly linked to the highest point of the QTL peak. A region of the LDN (Dic-3A) chromosome associated with the QTL for FHB resistance encompasses a 29.3 cM region from Xmwg14 to Xbcd828.
Effects of ungulates and prairie dogs on seed banks and vegetation in a North American mixed-grass prairie

The relationship between vegetation cover and soil seed banks was studied in five different ungulate herbivore-prairie dog treatment combinations at three northern mixed-grass prairie sites in Badlands National Park, South Dakota. There were distinct differences in both the seed bank composition and the aboveground vegetation between the off-prairie dog colony treatments and the on-colony treatments. The three on-colony treatments were similar to each other at all three sites with vegetation dominated by the forbs Dyssodia papposa, Hedeoma spp., Sphaeralcea coccinea, Conyza canadensis, and Plantago patagonica and seed banks dominated by the forbs Verbena bracteata and Dyssodia papposa. The two off-colony treatments were also similar to each other at all three sites. Vegetation at these sites was dominated by the grasses Pascopyrum smithii, Bromus tectorum and Bouteloua gracilis and the seed banks were dominated by several grasses including Bromus tectorum, Monroa squarrosa, Panicum capillare, Sporobolus cryptandra and Stipa viridula. A total of 146 seedlings representing 21 species germinated and emerged from off-colony treatments while 3069 seedlings comprising 33 species germinated from on-colony treatments. Fifteen of the forty species found in soil seed banks were not present in the vegetation, and 57 of the 82 species represented in the vegetation were not found in the seed banks. Few dominant species typical of mixed-grass prairie vegetation germinated and emerged from seed banks collected from prairie dog colony treatments suggesting that removal of prairie dogs will not result in the rapid reestablishment of representative mixed-grass prairie unless steps are taken to restore the soil seed bank.
Basics of Hermitian Geometry

In this chapter we generalize the basic results of Euclidean geometry presented in Chapter 6 to vector spaces over the complex numbers. Such a generalization is inevitable, and not simply a luxury. For example, linear maps may not have real eigenvalues, but they always have complex eigenvalues. Furthermore, some very important classes of linear maps can be diagonalized if they are extended to the complexification of a real vector space. This is the case for orthogonal matrices, and, more generally, normal matrices. Also, complex vector spaces are often the natural framework in physics or engineering, and they are more convenient for dealing with Fourier series. However, some complications arise due to complex conjugation. Recall that for any complex number z ∈ \(\mathbb{C} \) , if z = x+iy where x, y ∈ ℝ, we let ℜz = x, the real part of z, and ℑz = y, the imaginary part of z. We also denote the conjugate of z = x+iy by \(\bar{z}\) = x-iy, and the absolute value (or length, or modulus) of z by |z|. Recall that |z|2 = z\(\bar{z}\) = x 2 +y 2. There are many natural situations where a map ϕ : E × E\(\mathbb{C} \) is linear in its first argument and only semilinear in its second argument, which means that ϕ(u,µv) = µ(u,v), as opposed to ϕ(u, \(\bar{\mu}\) v) = µϕ(u,v). For example, the natural inner product to deal with functions f : ℝ→ \(\mathbb{C} \) , especially Fourier series, is \(\langle{f,g}\rangle = \int\limits_{\pi}^{-\pi}f(x)\overline{g(x)}dx,\) which is semilinear (but not linear) in g.
The Relatedness Problem in Specific Jurisdiction

This article examines the types of contacts, both related and unrelated, parties must have with a forum before a State may exercise either general or specific jurisdiction over the party, and traces the Supreme Court’s efforts to specify distinctions among such contacts in its recent cases on these issues.
An experimental study of object detection in the wavelet domain

Most image and video data is stored or transmitted after compression for efficiency. Processes like pattern detection and localization typically include the extra expense of decompressing the data since most image and video processing requires access to the original pixel value in the spatial domain. It may, however, be more computationally efficient if we directly process the compressed bit stream or operate in the intermediate transform domain without fully decompressing the data. Coders like SPHIT and JPEG 2000 are built around the wavelet transform, so in this paper we study detection and localization in the wavelet domain.
Quasistatic nonlinear magnetic response of granular superconductors: Applicability of different models

Abstract Measurements of the harmonics in the magnetization response of granular high temperature superconductors Bi 2 Sr 2 Ca 1 Cu 2 O y , Y 1 Ba 2 Cu 3 O 7 , Ag-doped Y 1 Ba 2 Cu 3 O 7 and TlBa 2 Ca 3 Cu 4 O y are reported as a function of H m , the amplitude of the applied AC field in the range 10 −2 Oe ≤ H m ≤60 Oe. Detailed comparisons are made between the measurements and the predictions of different models that have been proposed in the literature. Different power law exponents observed earlier by us and by others, as well as some new features reported here are best described by the Kim-Anderson version of the critical state model.
Aerodynamics of Trajectory Control for Re-Entry at Escape Speed

Aerodynamics of Trajectory Control for Re-Entry at Escape Speed. The problems of range control during re-entry of lifting manned vehicles are analyzed from the aerodynamic point of view. The ability to reach a given destination from the extremities of the entry corridor using wholly atmospheric modes of operation is found to require moderately higher lift/drag ratios than skip modes. However, the atmospheric cases do not suffer from the inherently sensitive guidance and control problems of the skip modes. An atmospheric technique is discussed whereby lateral and longitudinal range can be varied independently, using only roll control. For the longer re-entries the earth’s sphericity is found to have major influences on attainable lateral range and on the shape of the maneuver envelope.
The influence of infection in obstetric and gynecologic patients upon increased urinary mucopolysaccharide excretion

Abstract The mucopolysaccharide (MPS)/creatinine ratio was determined from ninety-seven 24 hour urinary collections from 37 women with a clinical diagnosis of pelvic infection. Of 80 determinations obtained in gynecologic patients during the course of treatment, 66 exceeded the limits of normal. The elevated MPS ratio was not limited to time periods in which patients were febrile. An elevated MPS ratio occurred less frequently in postpartum patients receiving antibiotic therapy than in gynecologic patients. The significance of these findings in the evaluation of obstetric-gynecologic patients with infection is discussed.
Dust and Gas: Overview

Progress in the 50 years since the discovery of ionized gas in NGC 1052 is reviewed. As discovery has proceeded from H II to H I and recently to 107 K gas, the known amount of gas in ellipticals has increased dramatically: from 103–6 M ⊙ for H II, to 105–9 M ⊙ for H I in some 15% of E’s, to 109–10 M ⊙ for the X-ray emitting gas. Although a few ellipticals with dust have long been known, recent CCD surveys have revealed dust lanes in nearly half of all E’s. The cooler gas — as traced by H I, warm H II, and dust — is generally distributed in the form of a disk that often shows an outer warp. To deduce the true shapes of ellipticals from the geometry and kinematics of such disks has proven a challenging task. There is mounting evidence that many disks consist of gas accreted by mass transfers and mergers, and that some of them may not yet have reached dynamical equilibrium. Some of the major unsolved problems concern the atmospheric balance between sources and sinks of gas, and the importance of cooling flows and galactic winds.
Redefining Property Under the Due Process Clause: Town of Castle Rock v. Gonzales and the Demise of the Positive Law Approach

Since Board of &gents of State Colleges v. Roth, the U.S. Supreme Court has defined property for due process purposes as a legitimate claim of entitlement rooted in a, source of law independent from the Constitution and has recognized a broad variety of property interests. In 2005, however, the Court in Town of Castle Rock v. Gonzales reined in its due process property jurisprudence in determining that a courtordered restraining order did not create property because its language was discretionary. The Court also suggested that no police protection statute, however worded, could ever constitute property because its enforcement lacks ascertainable monetary value and only indirectly benefits the protected person. This Note argues that the Court should refine the definition of property as a benefit rooted in a source of law independent from the Constitution that is conferred on a specific class subject to specific conditions and terminable only tinder specific conditions.
Assessing speech recognition in noise for listeners with a signal processor hearing aid

Hearing aids with signal processors use advanced circuitry to enhance speech recognition in noise. The effectiveness of these processors has not been well established. The purpose of this study was to evaluate performance on a speech recognition in noise task for listeners wearing a Zeta signal processor aid with the processor turned on and with the processor turned off. In addition, comparisons were made to performance while unaided and aided with a conventional hearing aid. A simple adaptive procedure and a psychometric function were the procedures used. Results for normal-hearing subjects indicate performance was usually better without a hearing aid. Performance when aided was similar for the processor on and the conventional aid. Performance in both of these conditions was clearly better than with the signal processor off. Although results for the hearing-impaired subjects varied widely, there was a trend for better performance with the conventional aid and with the signal processor on than for the signal processor off condition.
Spinal cord ganglioglioma presenting as hydrocephalus

We report a case of a 5 year old boy with a spinal cord ganglioglioma and hydrocephalus. The insidious onset with back stiffness and hamstring tightness, the diagnosis by magnetic resonance imaging, and the treatment by total excision is described. An adequate proven explanation for the hydrocephalus is lacking. Mechanisms which have been proposed include impaired cerebrospinal fluid absorption from increased cerebrospinal fluid protein, and arachnoiditis.
De novo morphogenesis of functional testis tissue after ectopic transplantation of isolated cells.

Development of the mammalian testis begins with sex specific differentiation of the bipotential gonad during fetal development, continues after birth with proliferation and differentiation of testicular somatic cells, and culminates at puberty with germ cell differentiation, meiotic divisions and production of sperm that continues throughout the adult life of the male. Recently, it was demonstrated that functional testicular tissue formed de novo when cells isolated from neonatal porcine or rodent testes were grafted ectopically to mouse hosts. The spermatogenic and interstitial compartments of the testis were regenerated form transplanted cells in a cell autonomous fashion and supported the production of functional haploid germ cells. This fascinating ability of testis cells to recreate the necessary structural and cellular associations to support tissue maturation and germ cell differentiation can now be harnessed to study aspects of mammalian spermatogenesis and testicular morphogenesis in an accessibl...
Letter regarding article by Ridker et al, "Should C-reactive protein be added to metabolic syndrome and to assessment of global cardiovascular risk?".

To the Editor: In calling for the addition of C-reactive protein (CRP) to global cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk prediction, Ridker et al1 have not considered standard tenets of evaluating screening tests. When making decisions about the predictive utility of new tests, the focus is not on relative risks. Rather, the best measure of the additional utility of a new test is to be found in comparing the areas under receiver operating characteristic curves (AUC) for risk scores calculated without and with the novel …
Tectonics of Western Permian Basin: ABSTRACT

The Permian basin of west Texas and southeastern New Mexico probably originated in late Precambrian time as a shallow geosynclinal trough on the southern edge of the North American craton. The extreme southern part of the region formed part of a subduction trough. By Late Cambrian time the seas in the southern part of the trough had advanced over part of the craton, and Paleozoic sedimentation began. Perhaps in late Precambrian a north-facing salient of the trough developed into an aulacogen with lateral dextral movement along steep faults in what later became the eastern part of the Delaware basin. During early and middle Paleozoic time the region was tectonically quiet. However by Middle Mississippian the Precambrian zones of weakness were reactivated and the Delaware and Midland subbasins began to form. At the same time the Marathon-Ouachita trough began to deepen. In early Middle Pennsylvanian time active tectonism with stresses from the northeast formed a small mountain chain between the two subbasins, on the site of the Central Basin platform. In later Pennsylvanian and Early Permian time renewed tectonism resulted in low-angle thrusting of early Paleozoic rocks northward from the Marathon trough. At the same time there was renewed vertical movement on the ancient lateral faults which formed the eastern edge of the Delaware basin. Middle and Late Permian was a quiet time tectonically with the only movement being slight subsidence, probably due to differential compaction in the basins. This regime continued through the early Mesozoic. By Early Cretaceous, however, a major change in paleogeography resulted in an advance of the sea over the region which was by then securely welded to the craton. The area was protected from severe deformation during the Laramide orogeny by the beam effect of the Matador and Amarillo uplifts on the north and the east-west folds of the Marathon belt on the south. Tectonic activity since the early Tertiary has been minimal. Tectonic style in the Delaware basin is characterized by eastward tilt in the Permian and younger rocks. The older rocks are folded and cut by steeply dipping faults. The Central Basin platform style comprises supertenuous draped structures in the younger rocks. These overlie closed folds with steeply dipping faults in the older rocks which trend north-northwest. The Midland basin contains en echelon faults and extension fracturing, reflecting moderate movement. The extreme southern part of the Permian basin consists of deep folded troughs bounded by thrust faults. The trend of these structures forms a large angle with the trends of the Central Basin platform. The long interval of tectonic stability in the region since the early Permian has undoubtedly contributed to the maturation and accumulation of the oil and gas resources of the basin. End_of_Article - Last_Page 762------------
A strategic plan for molecular electronics

This paper describes the background of microelectronics science and technology that influenced the development of molecular electronics (ME) and includes a description of some thoughts on the development of molecular circuit elements. Three basic principles are proposed and exemplified by a particular example of a suitable molecule. It is pointed out that as the size of electronic devices approaches molecular dimensions, ME promises to have distinct advantages over other technologies because the component function can be an outcome of the electronic structure of the molecule. A plan that can lead to the development of the ME concept with the scientific and technological knowledge of the present day is proposed.