cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Risk of nonfatal venous thromboembolism in women using a contraceptive transdermal patch and oral contraceptives containing norgestimate and 35 μg of ethinyl estradiol

Abstract Context There is concern that a new transdermal contraceptive patch containing ethinyl estradiol (EE) and the progestin norelgestromin increases the risk for venous thromboembolism (VTE) compared to previously marketed oral contraceptives (OCs). Objective Quantitative information was obtained on the risk of nonfatal VTE in women using the contraceptive patch in comparison to women using OCs, norgestimate (either monophasic or triphasic) and 35 μg EE (norgestimate-35), an OC that has been marketed for over a decade. Design, Setting and Participants Nested case-control design based on information from PharMetrics, a US-based company that collects and organizes information on claims paid by managed care plans. The study was nested among all women aged 15 to 44, who started either the contraceptive patch or norgestimate-35 after April 1, 2002. Cases were women with current use of one of these two study drugs and a documented diagnosis of VTE in the absence of identifiable clinical risk factors (idiopathic VTE). Up to four controls were matched to each case by age and calendar time. Main Outcome Measures Odds ratios (ORs) comparing the risk of nonfatal VTE in new users of the two contraceptives and incidence rates of nonfatal VTE for new users of each of the study contraceptives. Results We identified 68 newly diagnosed, idiopathic cases of VTE in the study population. In the case-control analysis, the OR comparing the contraceptive patch to norgestimate-35 was 0.9 (95% CI 0.5–1.6). The overall incidence rate for VTE was 52.8 per 100,000 women-years (95% CI 35.8–74.9) among users of the contraceptive patch and 41.8 per 100,000 women-years among users of norgestimate-35 (95% CI 29.4–57.6), and the age-adjusted VTE incidence rate ratio (IRR) for current use of the contraceptive patch vs. norgestimate-35 was 1.1 (95% CI 0.7–1.8). Conclusions The risk of nonfatal VTE for the contraceptive patch is similar to the risk for OCs containing 35 μg ethinylestradiol and norgestimate.
A model for resin flow during composite processing part 2: Numerical analysis for unidirectional graphite/epoxy laminates

In this paper numerical results are presented for resin flow during processing of unidirectional graphite/epoxy laminates. Resin pressure and velocity profiles, as well as resin loss, specific permeability, and resulting thickness changes, were computed to examine the effects of one and two-dimensional flow, initial laminate thickness, and various cure cycles. Input data to the model are also discussed in detail. Analysis of the input data on the stress-strain behavior of graphite fiber beds showed that the bed consolidation behavior can be divided into three regions. “Free-bleeding” (O psig and negligible bleeder resistance to flow at the boundaries) during two-dimensional resin flow leads to rapid decay in resin pressure. Comparison of the predicted results for the resin mass loss and the average final thickness per ply with experimentally determined values shows good agreement.
Epidemiology and Risk Factors for Spine Pain

Low back and neck pain is a common problem and one of enormous social, psychologic, and economic burden. It is estimated that 15% to 20% of adults have back pain during a single year and 50% to 80% experience at least one episode of back pain during a lifetime. Low back pain afflicts all ages, from adolescents to the elderly, and is a major cause of disability in the adult working population. Risk factors for developing spine pain are multidimensional; physical attributes, socioeconomic status, general medical health and psychologic state, and occupational environmental factors all contribute to the risk for experiencing pain.
Transgenic Enrichment of Mouse Embryonic Stem Cell-derived Progenitor Motor Neurons

Embryonic stem cells (ESCs) hold great potential for replacing neurons following injury or disease. The therapeutic and diagnostic potential of ESCs may be hindered by heterogeneity in ESC-derived populations. Drug selection has been used to purify ESC-derived cardiomyocytes and endothelial cells but has not been applied to specific neural lineages. In this study we investigated positive selection of progenitor motor neurons (pMNs) through transgenic expression of the puromycin resistance enzyme, puromycin N-acetyl-transferase (PAC), under the Olig2 promoter. The protein-coding region in one allele of Olig2 was replaced with PAC to generate the P-Olig2 cell line. This cell line provided specific puromycin resistance in cells that express Olig2, while Olig2(-) cells were killed by puromycin. Positive selection significantly enriched populations of Olig2(+) pMNs. Committed motoneurons (MNs) expressing Hb9, a common progeny of pMNs, were also enriched by the end of the selection period. Selected cells remained viable and differentiated into mature cholinergic MNs and oligodendrocyte precursor cells. Drug resistance may provide a scalable and inexpensive method for enriching desired neural cell types for use in research applications.
Efficient selection of 3′-terminal exons from vertebrate DNA

Identification of expressed sequences within genomic DNA is a hurdle in the characterization of complex genomes. We developed an exon trapping scheme that provides a positive selection for vertebrate 3'-terminal exons. A copy of the trapped exon sequence is obtained by RT/PCR amplification. The technique detects valid terminal exons without interference from partial exons or non-specific sequences, including simple human repeated sequences. Application to random human cosmids yielded one unique trapped terminal exon per cosmid on average. Because vertebrate terminal exons average 600-700 nucleotides in length, the technique provides transcribed sequences of sufficient length to assist further mapping efforts.
Explicit finite element schemes for first order symmetric hyperbolic systems

Finite element methods of up to fourth order accuracy admitting explicit discrete equations are constructed for linear symmetric first order hyperbolic equations having sufficiently smooth solutions. Lumping of the mass matrix at the forward time level is achieved by the addition of a differential operator, which for smooth spline spaces is dissipative and strongly enhances the stability properties of the resulting scheme.
Shear wave splitting and crustal anisotropy at the Mid‐Atlantic Ridge, 35°N

[1] Shear wave splitting observed in microearthquake data at the axis of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge near 35°N has a fast polarization direction that is parallel to the trend of the axial valley. The time delays between fast and slow S wave arrivals range from 35 to 180 ms, with an average of 90 ms, and show no relationship with ray path length, source-to-receiver azimuth, or receiver location. The anisotropy is attributed to a shallow distribution of vertical, fluid-filled cracks, aligned parallel to the trend of the axial valley. Joint modeling of the shear wave anisotropy and coincident P wave anisotropy results, using recent theoretical models for the elasticity of a porous medium with aligned cracks, suggests that the crack distribution that causes the observed P wave anisotropy can account for at most 10 ms of the shear wave delay. Most of the shear wave delay thus likely accrues within the shallowmost 500 m (seismic layer 2A), and the percent S wave anisotropy within this highly fissured layer is 8–30%. Isolated, fluid-filled cracks at 500 m to 3 km depth that are too thin or too shallow to be detected by the P wave experiment may also contribute to the shear wave delays. The joint analysis of P and S wave anisotropy is an important approach for constraining the crack distributions in the upper oceanic crust and is especially suited for seismically active hydrothermal systems at slow and intermediate spreading mid-ocean ridges.
Design criteria for reflection polarizers and analyzers in the vacuum ultraviolet

Reflection polarizers and analyzers for the extreme uv spectral region are discussed. The conditions for optimum polarization are presented, and the polarization characteristics of a number of metal coatings, including gold and some of the platinum metals, are given. The performance of three- and four-mirror polarizers, using these metal coatings, is discussed. The properties required of a polarization analyzer are presented, and the performance of single and three- and four-reflection analyzers are discussed in terms of the optical properties of coating materials that might be useful for analyzers.
Rational design, synthesis, and X-ray structure of renin inhibitors with extended P1 sidechains

Abstract Structural information from a complex of a tetrapeptide renin inhibitor, CP-85, 339, with human renin, led to the design of inhibitors with extended P1 groups that span the S1-S3 active site pocket. A m-biphenyl sidechain at P1 and glycine at P3 led to a 160X increase in potency over the analogous phenyl compound. A crystal structure of this compound in complex with recombinant human renin (rHR) was solved.
Effect of crown lengthening and ferrule placement on static load failure of cemented cast post-cores and crowns☆

Abstract Statement of Problem: Restoration of mandibular second premolars with completely missing clinical crowns in the Kennedy Class I and II arches is costly and the risk of failure is high. Should the dentist choose crown-lengthening to allow the addition of a ferrule, despite incurring the disadvantage of an increased crown/root ratio? Purpose: This in vitro study determined the combined effect of crown lengthening and placement of a ferrule on the failure resistance to static load of decoronated and restored mandibular second premolar analog teeth. Material and Methods: An extracted mandibular second premolar of average dimensions was selected to form molded composite root analogs and metal crowns. Ten specimens prepared with no-ferrule root and negligible axial wall lengths and 10 specimens with ferrule root, apically repositioned finish lines, were made. Cast gold alloy post and cores and complete crowns were made and cemented. Each root was placed in bone-simulating resin located 3 mm from the finish line. Crown lengthened/ferrule and no-crown lengthened/no-ferrule groups were equally subdivided, whereby 5 crowns were compressively loaded on the buccal cusp tip and 5 were compressively loaded on the mesial marginal ridge. A testing machine applied force until failure occurred. Failure loads were examined with 2-way ANOVA. Significant differences were accepted at P ≤.05. Results: Mean failure loads for the crown lengthened/ferrule and no-crown lengthened/no-ferrule groups were as follows: buccal load, 0.61 kN (SD ± 0.11) and 0.83 kN (SD ± 0.08); mesial load, 0.70 kN (SD ± 0.08) and 1.00 kN (SD ± 0.15), respectively. Crown lengthened/ferrule and no-crown lengthened/no-ferrule groups were significantly different ( P Conclusion: The combination of simulated surgical crown-lengthening and more apical crown margin placement to provide a 2-mm crown ferrule on a decoronated mandibular second premolar analog resulted in a reduction of static load failure for the restored analog tooth. (J Prosthet Dent 2000;84:169-79.)
First-row diatomics: Calculation of the geometry and energetics using self-consistent gradient-functional approximations.

A fully self-consistent series of nonlocal (gradient) density-functional calculations has been carried out using the augmented-Gaussian-orbital method to determine the magnitude of gradient corrections to the potential-energy curves of the first-row diatomics, Li{sub 2} through F{sub 2}. Both the Langreth-Mehl-Hu and the Perdew-Wang gradient-density functionals were used in calculations of the binding energy, bond length, and vibrational frequency for each dimer. Comparison with results obtained in the local-spin-density approximation (LSDA) using the Vosko-Wilk-Nusair functional, and with experiment, reveals that bond lengths and vibrational frequencies are rather insensitive to details of the gradient functionals, including self-consistency effects, but the gradient corrections reduce the overbinding commonly observed in the LSDA calculations of first-row diatomics (with the exception of Li{sub 2}, the gradient-functional binding-energy error is only 50--12 % of the LSDA error). The improved binding energies result from a large differential energy lowering, which occurs in open-shell atoms relative to the diatomics. The stabilization of the atom arises from the use of nonspherical charge and spin densities in the gradient-functional calculations. This stabilization is negligibly small in LSDA calculations performed with nonspherical densities.
Burgess and Hoyt in Los Angeles: testing the Chicago models in an automotive-age American city

For much of the twentieth century, the “Chicago models” proposed by E. W. Burgess in the 1920s, Homer Hoyt in the 1930s, and Chauncy Harris and Edward Ullman in 1945 dominated discussions of the spatial form of cities in the United States. The changes that have subsequently occurred in American urban geography naturally raise questions about the continuing relevance of the models. In recent years, a “Los Angeles School” in geography and urban studies has dismissed the Chicago models as outdated. But the critics have provided little empirical evidence in support of their claims. Identifying exogenous amenities—those of distance from the city center, terrain, and waterfronts—as central elements in the Chicago models, we analyzed the relation of these factors to the patterns of income in Los Angeles and Chicago using spatial statistical regression. The newer, automobile-age city closely follows, while the older city of Chicago deviates substantially from, the patterns predicted in the classical Chicago model...
A Qualitative Evaluation of a Telemedicine‐Enhanced Emergency Care Program for Older Adults

Objectives: To document the experiences of patients, their caregivers, healthcare personnel, and staff members with a program that provides telemedicine-enhanced emergency care to older adults residing in senior living communities (SLCs) and to delineate perceived barriers and facilitators. Design: Qualitative study. Setting: A primary care geriatric medicine practice. Participants: Stakeholders associated with telemedicine visits: patients, family caregivers, telemedicine dispatcher, certified telemedicine assistants, telemedicine providers, and SLC staff. Measurements: Between June and August 2011, telemedicine encounters were observed, and field notes were recorded. After each telemedicine visit, all participants were interviewed using a semistructured guide. Discrete statements from interviews and field notes were coded and arranged into themes. Concordance or discordance in field notes and stakeholder responses were grouped for analysis. Results: After 10 telemedicine visits and 34 interviews from 21 unique participants, redundancy was achieved. Participants and their families overwhelmingly reported satisfaction with their care, remarking particularly on the convenience, speed, and completeness of the evaluation. Participants reported some unmet expectations regarding provider presence at home and visit length. Providers thought telemedicine made them more efficient overall and improved diagnostic certainty but considered in-person visits to be superior. All stakeholders, including patients, noted inadequate telemedicine technician training, leading to low confidence levels and performance difficulties. Participants, providers, and telemedicine technicians cited problems with the reliability, weight, and size of the equipment as serious challenges, decreasing their satisfaction and increasing their frustration. Conclusion: Telemedicine-enhanced emergency care is an acceptable method of providing emergency care to older adults in SLCs. Stakeholders report a number of advantages. Training and technology barriers require particular attention.
A National Survey on the Current Status of General Internal Medicine Residency Education in Geriatric Medicine

OBJECTIVES: The dramatic increase in the U.S. elderly population expected over the coming decades will place a heavy strain on the current health care system. General internal medicine (GIM) residents need to be prepared to take care of this population. In this study, we document the current and future trends in geriatric education in GIM residency programs.
Review of: Media and Religion: Foundations of an Emerging Field, by D. A. Stout

Stout, D. A. (2011). New York, NY: Routledge, 216 pp. $34.95 (paperback). Conduct an Internet review of media and religion course syllabi and one is apt to find as many different approaches to the ...
Centrality dependence of v 2 in Au + Au at sqrt{s_{NN}}=200 GeV. Unidentified charged hadron v 2 with respect to the first harmonic ZDC-SMD event plane

One of the most striking results is the large elliptic flow (v2) at RHIC. Detailed mass and transverse momentum dependence of elliptic flow are well described by ideal hydrodynamic calculations for pT 6) between midrapidity and the ZDC-SMD could enable us to minimize possible non-flow contributions. We compare the results of v2{ZDC-SMD} with v2{BBC}, which is measured by event plane determined at |η|=3.1–3.9. Possible non-flow contributions in those results will be discussed.
Sex partnerships, health, and social risks of young men leaving jail: analyzing data from a randomized controlled trial.

Background: Young men involved in the criminal justice system face disproportionately high rates of sexual risk behavior, drug, use, and violence. Little is known about how their involvement in sex partnerships might mitigate their unique health and social risks. This study explores whether sex partner experience protects against harmful sexual behaviors, drug problems, violence, and recidivism in 16-18-year-old Black and Latino men leaving a US jail. Methods: Data were drawn from the Returning Educated African-American and Latino Men to Enriched Neighborhoods (REAL MEN) study conducted between 2003-2007, which tracked 552 adolescents during their time in a New York City jail and 397 of them one year after their release. Logistic regression was used to examine the relationship between sex partner experience and sex behavior, drug use, violence, and recidivism. Results: This study indicates that young men who have long-term sex partners prior to incarceration are less likely to be inconsistent condom users (OR = 0.50, p ≤ 0.01), have sex while high on drugs/alcohol (OR = 0.14, p ≤ 0.001), use marijuana daily (OR = 0.45, p ≤ 0.001), and carry weapons during illegal activity (OR = 0.58, p ≤ 0.05), especially compared with peers who simultaneously are involved with long-term and casual “short-term” sex partners. However, the positive effects of having a long-term sex partner generally do not apply over time - in this case, one year after being released from jail. Aside from sexual partners, factors such as employment and housing stability predict whether these young men will experience positive or negative outcomes post-incarceration. Conclusions: This study highlights the importance and potential benefits of health interventions that engage young Black and Latino men who are involved in the criminal justice system in the US, as well as their sex partners, in health promotion programs. The study also confirms the need for programs that address the employment and housing needs of young men after they leave correctional facilities. Background
Human Thyroid-stimulating Hormone (hTSH) Subunit Gene Fusion Produces hTSH with Increased Stability and Serum Half-life and Compensates for Mutagenesis-induced Defects in Subunit Association

The human thyroid-stimulating hormone (hTSH) subunits α and β are transcribed from different genes and associate noncovalently to form the bioactive hTSH heterodimer. Dimerization is rate-limiting for hTSH secretion, and dissociation leads to hormone inactivation. Previous studies on human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) and human follicle-stimulating hormone had shown that it was possible by subunit gene fusion to produce a bioactive, single chain hormone. However, neither the stability nor the clearance from the circulation of such fused glycoprotein hormones has been studied. We show here that genetic fusion of the hTSH α- and β-subunits using the carboxyl-terminal peptide of the hCG β-subunit as a linker created unimolecular hTSH whose receptor binding and bioactivity were comparable to native hTSH. Interestingly, the fused hTSH had higher thermostability and a longer plasma half-life than either native or dimeric hTSH containing the hCG β-subunit-carboxyl-terminal peptide, suggesting that dimer dissociation may contribute to glycoprotein hormone inactivation in vivo. In addition, we show for the first time that synthesis of hTSH as a single polypeptide chain could overcome certain mutagenesis-induced defects in hTSH secretion, therefore enabling functional studies of such mutants. Thus, in addition to prolongation of plasma half-life, genetic fusion of hTSH subunits should be particularly relevant for the engineering of novel analogs where desirable features are offset by decreased dimer formation or stability. Such methods provide a general approach to expand the spectrum of novel recombinant glycoprotein hormones available for in vitro and in vivo study.
Different Effects of Water and Glycerol on Morphology and Properties of Poly(lactic acid)/Soy Protein Concentrate Blends

When containing extra water, soy protein concentrate (SPC) can behave like a plastic melt rather than particulate filler in blending process. In this study, blends of formulated SPC and poly(lactic acid) (PLA) were prepared. The effects of glycerol and water added to SPC on phase morphology, rheological, thermal, thermal-dynamic, and mechanical properties of the blends were investigated. The results demonstrated that water was more effective in gelating SPC and transforming it into a plastic than glycerol. With extra water added, SPC in the resulting blend existed as stretched threads with certain degree of interconnectivity between the threads. In contrast, with only glycerol added, SPC existed as large SPC agglomerates. Consequently, the blends made from extra water-containing SPC exhibited higher mechanical, thermal-dynamic, and rheological properties.
Post-crisis discourse and organizational change, failure and renewal

Purpose – To examine the post 9/11 communication of the bond‐trading firm, Cantor Fitzgerald and its CEO Howard Lutnick, according to the discourse of renewal framework.Design/methodology/approach – This case‐study of the discourse of renewal draws upon the messages and statements made by the company and its employees following the 9/11 attacks. The discourse of renewal framework emphasizes provisional responses, prospective statements, and the role of the leader as a symbol of stability in the face of a crisis.Findings – This study provides support for viewing crisis as change‐inducing events with the potential to fundamentally alter the form, structure and direction of an organization. Renewal discourse helped the company survive an attack where over 600 employees were killed and the company offices completely destroyed. While a crisis inevitably create severe harm, it also has the potential to serve as a renewing force for the organization.Research limitations/implications – Few examples of post‐crisis...
AN IMPROVED SYNTHESIS OF KETIMINES

(1970). AN IMPROVED SYNTHESIS OF KETIMINES. Organic Preparations and Procedures: Vol. 2, No. 2, pp. 149-156.
Adenyl cyclase in the human placenta

Abstract 1. 1. Particulate preparations obtained by centrifugation of human placental homogenates at 3000 × g possessed adenyl cyclase activity. 2. 2. This enzyme system of the human placenta was stimulated by NaF, l -epinephrine and l -norepinephrine. A concentration of 1·10 −4 M of each catecholamine was the maximally effective dose, at which the formation of cyclic AMP during the first 10 min was about 2-fold the control values. l -Epinephrine was 10 times as effective in the stimulation of placental adenyl cyclase as l -norepinephrine. NaF at a concentration of 1·10 −2 M produced an even more marked stimulation of this enzyme system. Propranolol at a concentration of 1·10 −5 M reduced the effect of 1·10 −4 M l -epinephrine by 95%.
Stimulus size and visual angle in a cue-reduced experimental setting

The effect of stimulus size and visual angle on the perception of luminescent objects was studied. Forty subjects were asked to estimate the size of one of four stimulus objects viewed through a pinhole eyepiece. Their estimates corresponded to the retinal angle, rather than the metric size of the stimuli. The probable roles of the specific distance tendency and aerial perspective as perceptual anchors that govern these estimates were discussed.
Electrostatic Binding among Equilibrating 2-D and 3-D Self-Assemblies

Six organic additives, each bearing a different number of anionic charges, were added to a large excess of cationic surfactant (dodecyltrimethylammonium bromide, DTAB). The surface-tension vs log [DTAB] plot for solutions containing DTAB/trianion = 15:1 showed an abrupt break (routinely taken as the critical micelle concentration, CMC) at 2.9 mM. This constitutes a 5-fold decrease compared with a CMC of 15 mM for pure aqueous DTAB. There is a 10-fold decrease in the break-point concentration caused by a mere 3 mol % of hexanion. Corresponding CMC values from DTAB/trianion mixtures, measured by both conductivity and diffusion NMR, gave normal values of 14 mM. The unusual discrepancy between the CMC based on surface tension and on the two “bulk” methods was attributed to saturation of the air/water interface by a DTAB/trianion complex far below the concentration at which the micelles form. Thus, the sharp break seen in surface-tension “CMC plots” need not in fact attest to actual micelle formation as is alm...
Privatization of Military Capability Has Gone Too Far A Response to Lindy Heinecken’s “Outsourcing Public Security: The Unforeseen Consequences for the Military Profession”

This article is a response to Lindy Heinecken’s “Outsourcing Public Security: The Unforeseen Consequences for the Military Profession.” Heinecken asks the question of whether privatization in our a...
Nixon's Southern Strategy Revisited

Recently, the story of President Richard M. Nixon's “southern strategy” and its relationship to school desegregation has become a ripe topic for historical revision. Ever wary of the shifty-eyed Nixon, contemporary critics argued that the president had retreated from civil rights to win the votes of conservative white southerners. Modifying this thesis, recent scholars have concluded that the president was neither a segregationist nor a conservative on the race question. These writers have shown that Nixon desegregated more schools than previous presidents, approved a strengthened Voting Rights Act, developed policies to aid minority businesses, and supported affirmative action.
Management of symptomatic hypercalcemia and hypocalcemia.

Symptomatic hypercalcemia is a medical emergency. Knowledge of the alteration in the factors that control normal calcium homeostasis permits selection of a plan of treatment, which includes general supportive measures along with therapeutic agents directed at the specific alteration in calcium homeostasis. The rationale for the selection of various modes of treatment and treatment schedules and the untoward side effects of the therapeutic agents are reviewed.
Using Multi-Topology Routing to improve routing during geographically correlated failures

During large geographic events in networks, the routing churn that occurs has been shown to cause significant impacts in routing stabilization following the event. This work proposes a set of algorithms that is based on Multi-Topology Routing (MTR) for pre-planning for geographically correlated failures. Thus, in the event of a failure, our approach, Geographic MTR, switches to virtual topologies that reduce the impact of routing changes that can result in dropped connections until a new link state and shortest path trees can be established. We propose two algorithms to generate virtual topologies, Geographic Coverage MTR (gcMTR) and Geographic Targeted MTR (gtMTR). The first method, gcMTR, is to create virtual topologies taking a network wide coverage approach, while gtMTR is a targeted approach that can be used in anticipation of a specific event where knowledge of that event exists. A third algorithm proposed in this work specifies a way to detect a geographic event and select a topology to use. We evaluated our approach on two network topologies and observed that the number of connections that are dropped during a geographic event can be reduced significantly, thereby reducing the impact to the non-affected part of the network.
NEWER CARDIOTONIC AGENTS – BENEFICIAL EFFECTS ON NEWBORN MYOCARDIUM

Previous data has suggested a deleterious action of Amrinone (Am) on newborn (NB) myocardium. An investigation of the relationship between dose, age, and contractility has been undertaken using isolated right ventricular papillary muscles from NB (0-5 days), juvenile (J) (18-29 days), and adult (A) New Zealand white rabbits. At least six rabbits were studied in each age group using four sequential concentrations of Am (30, 100, 200, 500 mcg/ml). Peak tension (PT), maximum rate of tension development (+dP/dt) and maximum rate of relaxation (-dP/dT) were measured after a fifteen minute equilibration period at each concentration. Repeated measures analysis was used to compare dose response data between age groups. T-tests were used to compare normalized data from the various age groups at a given concentration. Adult heart demonstrated an increase in PT, +dP/dt and -dP/dT with each increase in Am concentration. NB and J heart demonstrated a significant (P<0.05) decrease in PT and +dP/dt for only the lowest dose of An. In contrast to NB the lowest dose did not depress -dP/dT In J. Above 200 mcg/ml, NB and J hearts demonstrated a significant (P<0.05) increase in PT, +dP/dt, and -dP/dt. These results suggest that higher concentrations of Am enhance contractility in NB and J myocardium. While the dose dependence of A heart is monotonic, the NB and J response is biphasic, suggesting multiple and age dependent mechanisms of action. The differential effect of Am on -dP/dT In NB and J hearts implies a developmentally determined action of Am on Ca sequestration in addition to its positive inotropic effect.
A new role for planners: Working with community residents in formulating alternative plans for street patterns—Before decision making

A RESEARCH PROJECT IN TRANSPORTATION PLANNING WAS CONDUCTED IN THE PICO-UNION NEIGHBORHOOD OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, IN ORDER TO DESIGN AND TEST METHODS FOR PRODUCING RELIABLE INFORMATION IN THE FORMULATION OF ALTERNATIVE PLANS BEFORE OFFICIAL DECISIONS ARE MADE. THE TRANSPORTATION PROBLEM OF MOST CONCERN TO THE RESIDENTS OF PICO-UNION WAS THE PATTERNS AND USES OF THEIR LOCAL STREETS, RATHER THAN THE USUAL TRIP-TO-WORK PROBLEM. TWO INDEPENDENT METHODS WERE DESIGNED FOR DETERMINING WHAT STREET PATTERNS AND USES WERE MOST PREFERRED BY THE RESIDENT: A HOME- INTERVIEW METHOD AND A PHOTOCOMPARISON METHOD. RESULTS OF THE TWO METHODS GENERALLY AGREED. HOWEVER, ONE PART OF THE RESEARCH REVEALED THAT SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCES IN DECISIONS OCCUR WHEN SIMPLE CHANGES ARE MADE IN THE ORIENTATION AND SEQUENCE OF THE SAME TWO PHOTOGRAPHIC SIMULATIONS.
Modes of Optical Maser Cavities with Roof-Top and Corner-Cube Reflectors

This paper describes some of the unique properties of Fabry–Perot cavities formed with roof-top and corner-cube reflectors and compares them with cavities formed with plane-parallel reflectors. Only simple geometrical and analytical considerations are used. The results have application in laser system design.
Preparedness to respond to elder abuse: a comparison of law enforcement and adult protective service workers

As the elderly population grows, cases of elder abuse are expected to increase. Two service agencies that will be responsible for handling elder abuse cases are adult protective services (APS) and law enforcement. This study surveyed members of both groups on their perception of knowledge needed and possessed by their colleagues related to processing elder abuse cases. Law enforcement officers reported a significant lack of knowledge on elements related to legal reporting requirements, collecting evidence, and obtaining services for elderly victims, and APS workers reported a significant lack of knowledge on several elements. In addition, APS workers reported significantly more knowledge than law enforcement officers on all elements. This suggests that increased, yet tailored training is needed for both groups and that APS can assist law enforcement agents in improving their ability to handle elder abuse cases.
Quantum theory of cosmological perturbations in R2 gravity

Abstract The scalar-type metric perturbations in the isotropic universe in R2 gravity are considered. The action for such perturbations in terms of gauge invariant variables is obtained and a self-consistent quantum theory is constructed. The spectrum of inhomogeneities in the inflationary universe is calculated.
Patterns of thyroxine and triiodothyronine in serum and follicle-bound oocytes of the tilapia, Oreochromis mossambicus, during oogenesis.

Abstract This study describes simultaneous measurements of thyroid hormones, thyroxine (T 4 ) and triiodothyronine (T 3 ), in the oocytes and serum of a female teleost fish over a complete reproductive cycle. We have identified patterns in circulating T 4 and T 3 levels as well as their accumulation into oocytes during the reproductive cycle of the tilapia ( Oreochromis mossambicus ). This is the first description of the patterns with which thyroid hormones accumulate in teleost oocytes. The sampling strategy used in the study eliminated the possible influences of covarying environmental factors that may affect thyroid hormone levels independently of reproductive events. Hormones in serum and oocytes were measured by radioimmunoassay utilizing miniature Sephadex columns. The total content of both thyroid hormones in the oocytes increased throughout most of the ovarian cycle as the oocytes increased in size from 4 and 13 ng/g for T 3 . Serum concentrations of T 4 and T 3 varied in cyclical patterns during oogenesis, dropping to lows of 3.4 ng/ml (T 4 ) and 2.7 ng/ml (T 3 ) when the oocytes were 1.5 and 2 mg, respectively, and then increasing to 6.5 ng/ml (T 4 ) and 4.8 ng/ml (T 3 ) when the oocytes reach ∼6 mg. The concentrations of both hormones decreased shortly before spawning. Maximum concentrations of thyroid hormones in the oocytes were reached approximately 10 days prior to those in the serum. Although the serum levels of T 4 were greater than those of T 3 , the reverse was found in the oocytes. Triiodothyronine appears to be accumulated selectively over T 4 and the patterns with which both thyroid hormones accumulate in the oocytes of the tilapia do not appear to be tied to serum levels.
The dimension of planar posets

Abstract A partially ordered set (poset) is planar if it has a planar Hasse diagram. The dimension of a bounded planar poset is at most two. We show that the dimension of a planar poset having a greatest lower bound is at most three. We also construct four-dimensional planar posets, but no planar poset with dimension larger than four is known. A poset is called a tree if its Hasse diagram is a tree in the graph-theoretic sense. We show that the dimension of a tree is at most three and give a forbidden subposet characterization of two-dimensional trees.
The Role of Lamotrigine in the Treatment of Short-Lasting Unilateral Neuralgiform Headache Attacks with Conjunctival Injection and Tearing Syndrome

ObjectiveTo evaluate the efficacy of lamotrigine for treatment of short-lasting unilateral neuralgiform headache attacks with conjunctival injection and tearing (SUNCT) syndrome.Data Sources:Literature was accessed through MEDLINE (1950-June 2010) using the terms lamotrigine, triazines, SUNCT, and trigeminal autonomic cephalgia.Study Selection And Data Extraction:All articles in English and studies conducted in humans were identified and evaluated.Data Synthesis:SUNCT syndrome can be an extremely challenging headache type to manage and has been considered refractory to pharmacotherapy. Many anticonvulsants have been evaluated as promising SUNCT treatments, with lamotrigine specifically reported as an effective first-line treatment option. There is a lack of randomized placebo-controlled clinical trials evaluating lamotrigine in SUNCT syndrome therapy; however, 2 observational studies, 3 case series, and 5 case reports were reviewed. Lamotrigine appears to decrease the frequency and severity of SUNCT attac...
Dynamic light scattering of polyethylene. I. Introduction and experimental procedures

An apparatus and procedures are described for the observation of the light-scattering changes during the periodic vibration of a polymer film sample. The relationship between static and dynamic scattering experiments is discussed as are the means for interpreting such experiments in terms of spherulite deformation and statistical theories. The performance of the apparatus is illustrated with some experiments on a medium-density polyethylene sample.
Preliminary steps toward the automation of induction

Rational inductive behaviour is strongly influenced by existing knowledge of the world. This paper begins to elucidate the formal relationship between the base-level induction to be attempted, the direct evidence for it (positive and negative instances) and the indirect evidence (higher-level regularities in the world). By constructing a program to search the space of forms of higher-level regularity we discover some important new forms which have direct application to analogy, single-instance generalization and enumerative induction in general. We outline a theory which we hope is the first step towards the construction of powerful and robust learning systems.
A Smoothing Regularizer for Recurrent Neural Networks

We derive a smoothing regularizer for recurrent network models by requiring robustness in prediction performance to perturbations of the training data. The regularizer can be viewed as a generalization of the first order Tikhonov stabilizer to dynamic models. The closed-form expression of the regularizer covers both time-lagged and simultaneous recurrent nets, with feedforward nets and one-layer linear nets as special cases. We have successfully tested this regularizer in a number of case studies and found that it performs better than standard quadratic weight decay.
Accumulation of Free Fatty Acids in Shortening During Chicken Frying Operation

Abstract The cooperation of two commercial fried chicken outlets was obtained. After 12 days of operation, 1246 and 1062 kg of raw chicken parts had been fried at Outlets A and B, respectively. The free fatty acid-(FFA) values of the shortening samples increased continuously throughout the observation period, and the increase was .11 and .25%/100 kg of raw chicken parts fried for Outlets A and B, respectively. In general, the increase of each individual fatty acid appeared to be linear to the quantity of chicken parts fried except for the palmitoleic acid. More than half of the FFA found in the shortening samples were oleic acid.
Impact of temperature cycle profile on fatigue life of solder joints

In this paper the influence of the temperature cycle time history profile on the fatigue life of ball grid array (BGA) solder joints is studied. Temperature time history in a Pentium processor laptop computer was measured for a three-month period by means of thermocouples placed inside the computer. In addition, Pentium BGA packages were subjected to industry standard temperature cycles and also to in-situ measured temperature cycle profiles. Inelastic strain accumulation in each solder joint during thermal cycling was measured by high sensitivity Moire interferometry technique. Results indicate that fatigue life of the solder joint is not independent of the temperature cycle profile used. Industry standard temperature cycle profile leads to conservative fatigue life observations by underestimating the actual number of cycles to failure.
Differential left ventricular remodelling and longitudinal function distinguishes low flow from normal-flow preserved ejection fraction low-gradient severe aortic stenosis.

Aims There is uncertainty in identifying patients with severe aortic stenosis (AS) with preserved left ventricular (LV) ejection fraction, low flow, and low gradients (LFLG). Prior studies propose that these patients demonstrate significant concentric remodelling and decreased survival, while others suggest that they have features and survival similar to moderate AS. Methods and results We compared the clinical characteristics, echocardiographic features, and overall survival of LFLG AS patients ( n = 38) to those with normal-flow, low-gradient (NFLG) severe AS ( n = 75) and moderate AS ( n = 70). Low-flow, low-gradient patients had the lowest end-diastolic volume index (43 vs. 54 vs. 54 mL/m2, P 50% (HR 3.28, 95% CI 1.33–8.1), and septal displacement <1.1 cm (HR 3.93, 95% CI 1.96–7.82) but not low flow were independent predictors of survival in Cox proportional hazards analysis. Conclusion Preserved ejection fraction, LFLG AS patients exhibit marked concentric remodelling and impaired longitudinal functional—features that predict their poor long-term survival. Normal-flow, low-gradient AS patients have outcomes similar to moderate AS.
Dendritic spine injury induced by the 8-hydroxy metabolite of Efavirenz

Despite combination antiretroviral therapies (cARTs), a significant proportion of HIV-infected patients develop HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders (HAND). Ongoing viral replication in the central nervous system (CNS) caused by poor brain penetration of cART may contribute to HAND. However, it has also been proposed that the toxic effects of long-term cART may contribute to HAND. A better understanding of the neurotoxic potential of cART is critically needed in light of the use of CNS-penetrating cARTs to contend with the virus reservoir in the brain. The efavirenz (EFV) metabolites 7-hydroxyefavirenz (7-OH-EFV) and 8-hydroxyefavirenz (8-OH-EFV) were synthesized and purified, and their chemical structures were confirmed by mass spectrometry and NMR. The effects of EFV, 7-OH-EFV, and 8-OH-EFV on calcium, dendritic spine morphology, and survival were determined in primary neurons. EFV, 7-OH-EFV, and 8-OH-EFV each induced neuronal damage in a dose-dependent manner. However, 8-OH-EFV was at least an order of magnitude more toxic than EFV or 7-OH-EFV, inducing considerable damage to dendritic spines at a 10 nM concentration. The 8-OH-EFV metabolite evoked calcium flux in neurons, which was mediated primarily by L-type voltage-operated calcium channels (VOCCs). Blockade of L-type VOCCs protected dendritic spines from 8-OH-EFV-induced damage. Concentrations of EFV and 8-OH-EFV in the cerebral spinal fluid of HIV-infected subjects taking EFV were within the range that damaged neurons in culture. These findings demonstrate that the 8-OH metabolite of EFV is a potent neurotoxin and highlight the importance of directly determining the effects of antiretroviral drugs and drug metabolites on neurons and other brain cells.
Multiparameter adaptive process control via constrained objective functions

A method has been developed for applying classical minimization techniques to forms of algebraic performance indices for use in optimal adaptive control systems. Essentially, the derivative of a general objective function is constrained to be equal to the integrand of a desired integral performance index. This generates a set of linear algebraic equations, the solution of which results in an algebraic objective function which is explicit in the system parameters. Derivatives of this function can be taken with respect to the controllable parameters, set equal to zero, and solved for the settings which minimize the performance index over time. Alternatively, the function itself may be searched for its minimum on the controllable parameters. The method has been applied to a stirred tank chemical reactor with an exothermic first-order reaction in which heat removal was accomplished by cooling coils. The cooling water flow rate was controlled by a proportional-plus-integral controller and by a three-mode controller. The adaptive control system adjusted the controller settings periodically. The plant, which was third-order, was controlled to a second-order dynamic reference model. The responses to both initial offsets (start-up problem) and disturbances in system parameters were investigated. In all cases, the adaptive control system performance was markedly superior to that for the unadapted, ordinary feedback control system.
The IL-17A/IL-17RA Axis Plays a Proatherogenic Role via the Regulation of Aortic Myeloid Cell Recruitment

Rationale: Atherosclerosis is a disease of large- and medium-sized arteries that is characterized by chronic vascular inflammation. While the role of Th1, Th2, and T-regulatory subsets in atherogenesis is established, the involvement of IL-17A-producing cells remains unclear. Objective: To investigate the role of the IL-17A/IL-17RA axis in atherosclerosis. Methods and Results: We bred apolipoprotein-E-deficient ( Apoe −/− ) mice with IL-17A-deficient and IL-17 receptor A-deficient mice to generate Il17a −/− Apoe −/− and Il17ra −/− Apoe −/− mice. Western diet fed Il17a −/− Apoe −/− and Il17ra −/− Apoe −/− mice had smaller atherosclerotic plaques in the aortic arch and aortic roots, but showed little difference in plaque burden in the thoracoabdominal aorta in comparison with Apoe −/− controls. Flow cytometric analysis of Il17a −/− Apoe −/− and Il17ra −/− Apoe −/− aortas revealed that deficiency of IL-17A/IL-17RA preferentially reduced aortic arch, but not thoracoabdominal aortic T cell, neutrophil, and macrophage content in comparison with Apoe −/− aortic segments. In contrast to ubiquitous IL-17RA expression throughout the aorta, IL-17A was preferentially expressed within the aortic arch of WD-fed Apoe −/− mice. Deficiency of IL-17A or IL-17RA reduced aortic arch, but not thoracoabdominal aortic TNFα and CXCL2 expression. Aortic vascular IL-17RA supports monocyte adherence to explanted aortas in ex vivo adhesion assays. Short-term homing experiments revealed that the recruitment of adoptively transferred monocytes and neutrophils to the aortas of Il17ra −/− Apoe −/− mice is impaired in comparison with Apoe −/− recipients. Conclusions: The IL-17A/IL-17RA axis increases aortic arch inflammation during atherogenesis through the induction of aortic chemokines, and the acceleration of neutrophil and monocyte recruitment to this site.
Formalizing Java-MaC

Abstract The Java-MaC framework is a run-time verification system for Java programs that can be used to dynamically test and enforce safety policies. This paper presents a formal model of the Java-MaC safety properties in terms of an operational semantics for Middleweight Java, a realistic subset of full Java. This model is intended to be used as a framework for studying the correctness of Java-MaC program instrumentation, optimizations, and future experimentation with run-time monitor expressiveness. As a preliminary demonstration of this model's applicability for these tasks, the paper sketches a correctness result for a simple program instrumentation scheme.