cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Cardwell's Law and the political economy of technological progress

Abstract This paper concerns the interaction between technological creativity and political competition. The paper is based on the observation that technological progress encounters resistance from various groups that believe they stand to lose from innovation. These pressure groups will try to manipulate the political system to suppress successful innovation. Modelling this political struggle as a stochastic process with endogenous institutional adaptation is attempted using a simulation based on urn models. Under fairly general conditions, it can be shown that the single economy will move inexorably to an absorbing barrier of technological stagnation. This process is referred to as Cardwell's Law. The paper then proceeds to show whether Cardwell's Law also holds in a world in which a number of separate economies compete with each other. It is shown that in a world with multiple economies Cardwell's Law does not hold even if it holds for each economy separately. This is consistent with the historical observation that political competition may be conducive to technological progress.
HIV-1 among inner city dually diagnosed inpatients.

The objectives of this study were to investigate HIV-1 seroprevalence and risk factors, disease progression, and awareness of HIV-1 serostatus in a population of inner city, substance using, psychiatric inpatients. To pursue these goals, we tested 118 (103 M, 15 F) dually diagnosed, acute care inpatients for HIV-1 antibodies and administered structured interviews. Twenty-seven (23%, including 24 M and 3 F) of the subjects were HIV-1 seropositive. Seropositivity was twice as great among intravenous drug users and men who had sex with other men as among patients not belonging to either of these two groups. Logistic regression analysis among male subjects revealed a significantly elevated HIV-1 risk associated with a primary diagnosis of depression (odds ratio adjusted for age, race, and presence of an AIDS risk behavior = 4.2, 95% confidence interval = 1.1, 16.5; p = 0.04). Less than half of the seropositives knew their HIV-1 status prior to this study, one had AIDS and four had two or more constitutional s...
Essential fatty acids and eicosanoids in cutaneous inflammation.

Eicosanoides et acides gras essentiels jouent un role dans l'inflammation cutanee. Le role va prendre d'autant plus d'importance que les deux voies metaboliques font actuellement l'objet de manipulations pharmacologiques, notamment dans le domaine des pathologies dermatologiques, ceci d'autant que la voie metabolique de l'acide arachidonique ne suffit pas a expliquer la pathogenie de l'acne du psoriasis et de la dermatite atopique et que des traitements affectant le metabolisme des Eicosanoides et des acides gras essentiels peuvent entrainer une reponse de ces dermatoses
A Typology of Virtual Communities: A Multi-Disciplinary Foundation for Future Research

Despite the growing popularity of virtual communities, there is no consensus among researchers regarding the appropriate definition or types of virtual communities. In this paper, a virtual community is defined as an aggregation of individuals or business partners who interact around a shared interest, where the interaction is at least partially supported and/or mediated by technology and guided by some protocols or norms. The central objective of developing this typology was to develop a classification system that would be useful to researchers from various disciplinary perspectives such that the classification system might be used as a foundation for theory construction. The proposed typology serves its intended purposes and is evaluated against criteria put forth by Hunt (1991). The proposed typology uses establishment type and relationship orientation as the key categorization variables, reconciling problems posed by other researchers who attempt to use attributes as categorization variables. It is simple, pragmatic for practitioners and useful for researchers seeking to develop an understanding of the virtual community phenomenon.
The elision of the french mute-e within complex consonantal clusters

Abstract The French mute-e preceded by two pronounced consonants is not always completely stable; it has many degrees of stability depending upon its environment. To establish what the articulatory factors are and how they operate, the writer has borrowed a technique from psychophysics to obtain pertinent information from French speakers. It appears that the mute-e is easily and frequently dropped when the articulations for the two consonants preceding the [ϵ] and the one immediately following lie in a back-to-front sequence, and when the first has a larger aperture than the second. The amount of that difference of aperture and the interaction of this factor with the sequence of articulations account for the varying degrees of mute-e stability.
APONEUROSIS LENGTH AND FASCICLE INSERTION ANGLES OF THE BICEPS BRACHII

Magnetic resonance images and ultrasound images were used to examine the architecture of the distal biceps brachii muscle in 12 unimpaired subjects. The distal biceps brachii tendon continued as an internal aponeurosis that spanned 34± 4% of the length of the biceps brachii long head muscle on average. The distal muscle fascicles inserted at angles to this aponeurosis; fascicles anterior to the aponeurosis inserted at a significantly greater (p ≤ 0.05) angle (17°) than the fascicles posterior to the aponeurosis (14°) in the distal 2 cm of muscle when the elbow was extended. Mean fascicle insertion angles were on average 3–4° greater with the elbow flexed 90° against a 5% maximum voluntary contraction load as compared to their values with the elbow extended. These data provide the basis for designing experiments to measure muscle and tendon motion in vivo.
Movies, Politics, and Censorship: The Production Code Administration and Political Censorship of Film Content

Hollywood. The name was magical. The lure was overwhelming. Generations of Americans spent untold hours in darkened theaters captivated by this fantasy world. Girls swooned over the latest Hollywood heartthrob while boys dreamed about a life of adventure and glory. As their pioneer ancestors before them, thousands trekked westward to Hollywood in search of fame. Most were rejected, but a lucky few were “discovered” and became “stars”—the royalty of the twentieth century.
Effects of pull-out on the mechanical properties of ceramic-matrix composites

Abstract The influence of fiber pull-out on the mechanical properties of fiber reinforced ceramics has been analyzed using an approach based on weakest-link statistics. The essential physics contributed by the statistics is the establishment of a relationship between the fiber failure site, which governs the pull-out length, and the properties of the fibers, the matrix, and the interface. This analysis involves the development of a stress/displacement law for fibers in the bridging zone of a matrix crack, thereby permitting a discussion of the crack growth resistance and its dependence on relevant microstructural variables.
STUDIES CONCERNING THE MECHANISM CONTROLLING THE INITIATION OF LACTATION AT PARTURITION II. WHY LACTATION IS NOT INITIATED DURING PREGNANCY1,2

LACTATION is NOT INITIATED during pregnancy principally because the amount of lactogenic hormone produced by the pituitary is too low to support lactation. Thus in the rat (1) and guinea pig (2) the lactogen content of the pituitary is no higher during pregnancy than in the nonpregnant state. The same is true for the pregnant rabbit, although a slight rise in the lactogenic hormone occurs just a few days prior to parturition (2). Within two to five days post partum, however, there is a 200 to more than 400 per cent increase in the lactogenic hormone of the pituitaries of these animals. Also in parturient women, the amount of lactogenic hormone found in the urine is 8 to 16 times as much as can be obtained during pregnancy (3). It is the object of this paper to determine, if possible, why the secretion of lactogenic hormone remains at a low level during pregnancy.
Carcinogenic Activity of the Cholanthrenes and of other 1:2—Benzanthracene Derivatives

Collaborative studies of the relationship between carcinogenic activity and structure have reached the point where a significant contribution can be made to this phase of the general problem. At the Royal Cancer Hospital, London, Cook, Kennaway, and associates (1–5) discovered that certain l:2-benzanthracene derivatives, particularly those having carbon substituents at the 5 and 6 positions, possess the remarkable property of producing malignant tumors in test animals. These workers isolated from coal tar the potent carcinogen 3:4-benzpyrene3 (6) and they discovered (3, 7) that methylcholanthrene (8) surpasses even this substance in the rapidity of tumor induction. Both 3:4-benzpyrene and methylcholanthrene contain the l:2-benzanthracene ring system, and it seemed significant that the latter hydrocarbon carries substituents in the 5 and 6 positions. As one phase of the work undertaken at Harvard on the basis of these important advances, an attempt was made to define further the features of structure responsible for the pronounced activity of these two hydrocarbons, and it is with this problem that the present report is concerned. In tests conducted by one of us (9) with methylcholanthrene produced by synthesis (10) or from cholic acid (11), with 3:4-benzpyrene prepared by an improved process (12), and with the more common 1:2:5:6-dibenzanthracene, the order of potency for the three hydrocarbons indicated by the results obtained in London was fully confirmed. Using the technic of injecting the crystalline material subcutaneously in 5- to 10-mg. dosage into pure-strain mice, and testing the malignant nature of the tumor tissue in representative cases by transplantation, he observed significant differences in the rapidity of action of the hydrocarbons, although they all eventually produced tumors in a large proportion of the animals tested.
Database Abstractions for Managing Sensor Network Data

Sensor networking hardware, networking, and operating system software has matured to the point that the major challenges facing the field now have to do with storing, cleaning, and querying the data such networks produce. In this paper, we survey several research systems designed for managing sensor data using declarative database-like abstractions from the database community and specifically the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT, Cambridge) database group. The systems we discuss are designed to help prioritize data collection in the face of intermittent bandwidth, clean and smooth data using statistical models stored inside the database, and run declarative queries over probabilistic data.
Future trends in terrorism and political violence

Within this editorial, I provide my view of significant areas of future concern which can and need to be addressed aggressively by members of the behavioral science community. I identify a number of specific areas which need significant input but may require the traditional community to reach beyond its comfort zone in addressing these difficult and sometimes messy challenges. These areas include: failed nation states, internal separatist movements, immigration issues, cyberterrorism, lone wolf terrorism, single issue extremist groups, nuclear weapons spread, electromagnetic pulse risk, environmental terrorism, network‐sponsored violence, financial disruption and privacy issues.
Transmurality mapping of left ventricular scar: impact of spatial resoluton

Left ventricular (LV) scar is associated with ventricular tachycardia (VT), related to regions of slow conduction. Endocardial LV voltage maps reveal regions of low voltage near the site of VT origin, corresponding to myocardial fiber bundles trapped in areas of extensive fibrosis. Scar transmurality (i.e. the percent of myocardial wall thickness which is scarred, measured in 6-12 sectors around the LV myocardium) is an indicator of myocardial viability after reperfusion (1). Intermediate infarct transmurality has been correlated with non-ischemic VT (2). Furthermore, lower voltages are found in regions of more transmural scarring (3). We have expanded the transmurality concept to generate LGE transmurality maps of the LV.
Pinhole scanning in tumors and tumorous conditions of bone: A new imaging approach to skeletal oncology

Tumors and tumorous conditions of bone are one of the most important and diagnostically challenging diseases, and their primary imaging diagnostic means is radiography. As the clinical situation dictates radiography may be supplemented with conventional X-ray tomography, computed tomography (CT) scan, and magnetic resonance (MR) imaging. Bone scan is another important adjunct whose usefulness and exquisite sensitivity are well established. Recently, the use of pinhole bone scan (PBS) has been extended in the imaging of virtually the entire spectrum of bone diseases, including tumors and tumorous conditions, proving its tremendous value. Thus, the extended application of PBS now permits: (1)Anatomical andchemical profile study of bone tumors; (2) evaluation of involutional changes in benign bone tumors and some tumorous conditions; (3) delineation of individual lesions in polyostotic diseases, such as fibrous dysplasia, enchondromatosis, multiple exostosis, osteopetrosis, and others; (4) detection of occult metastasis and osteoid osteoma nidus; (5) portrayal of intramedullary skip metastasis in osteosarcoma and conventional giant cell tumor; (6) assessment of tumor extent and watershed phenomenon; (7) and clarification of unexplained bone pain and altered serum phosphates. It appears that PBS is an economical, practicable, potent solution to the dilemma of not only the low specificity but also the relatively low sensitivity of the conventional planar scan and even single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) is the diagnosis of bone tumors and tumorous conditions.
Paraspinal mapping: Quantified needle electromyography in lumbar radiculopathy

In the diagnosis of low back pain, the presence of a high percentage of false positive findings on radiologic imaging studies has lead to a more definitive role for electrodiagnosis as a confirmatory test. The paraspinal muscles are a crucial part of the electrodiagnostic examination for radiculopathy. To date, no technique for paraspinal evaluation has been validated. Based on previously documented anatomical techniques, we have designed a method of paraspinal examination termed “paraspinal mapping” (PM). Electromyographic (EMG) needles are placed in five carefully chosen locations and inserted in multiple directions. Individual scores for these insertions are added to determine a total PM sensitivity score. The first 50 studies using PM were compared to peripheral EMG, imaging studies, and pain drawings. Results indicate that the technique is easy to perform. Sensitivity scores relate well with these tests. In this limited and uncontrolled population, PM had higher sensitivity for abnormalities than either peripheral EMG or imaging studies. Because of the anatomical validity of PM, future studies may show it to be useful in localizing the level of radiculopathy independently from peripheral EMG, and to support clinical findings and imaging studies. © 1993 John Wiley & Soncs, Inc.
Impedance Shaping for Improved Feel in Hydraulic Systems

Applying haptic control to mobile hydraulic equipment presents a practical yet challenging application. One criticism of newer electro-hydraulic system is a lack of “feel.” To a haptics researcher this sounds like a call for haptic feedback in the human-machine interface. However, for an operator the “feel” of the system likely has more to do with how the actual system responds to forces or higher work port pressures. At some point, the high pressures slow down the system or naturally redirect flow to lower pressure circuits in a hydro-mechanical system. How this is done plays a large part in the “feel” of the system. In this paper, a paradigm is presented that tries to merge these two concepts of “feel.” Instead of trying to make the system transparent, the goal is to make the system react to forces acting on the system then use haptic feedback to help alert the operator to these forces. This is done by shaping this impedance so that the system provides a response or “feel” that is closer to a typical excavator. A haptic interface is used to enhance the haptic feel. Performance is evaluated using data from human-in-the-loop testing.Copyright © 2007 by ASME
Psychogenic Seizures in Children: Long-Term Analysis of 43 Cases

Forty-three patients exhibiting psychogenic seizures with onset before the age of 16 years were studied. All patients underwent intensive electroencephalography and video-electroencephalography monitoring. Thirty-two were female and 11 male. Mean age of the population at seizure onset was 12.4 years (range, 5 to 16 years). Twenty-one patients (48.8%) were taking anticonvulsants. Neurologic past history was abnormal in nine cases. Family history of epilepsy was found in 15 cases (34.9%). Median seizure frequency was one seizure every 5 days. Clinical characteristics of the seizures varied. However, unresponsiveness with generalized violent and uncoordinated movements involving the whole body (n = 19) or with generalized trembling (n = 11) were the most common features. Neuropsychological testing, carried out in 22 cases, failed to show major abnormalities in most of the cases. Significant personal and family distress was found in most of the cases. An important impact on patient's quality of life was evident when the seizures were present as compared to the seizure-free periods. There were no statistically significant predictors of clinical outcome.
Editorial: quantifying the comparison of two groups

Although boundaries for large' and small' differences are needed to plan research and interpret results, the diverse indexes of descriptive contrast for the central indexes, A and B, of two groups, have not received intensive attention. For two means, the increment of | A - B | reflects the slope of a line showing the effect', but is altered by different units of measurement. Division of |A - B | by the common standard deviation produces the standardized increment (SI), which is sometimes called the 'effect size'. Despite many advantages, it does not contrast the relative magnitudes of A and B. For the latter contrast, the relative change or proportionate increment (|A - B|/B) is particularly easy to understand, and the relative translocation (|A - B|/[A + B]) produces a bounded range from - I to + 1. Nevertheless, all indexes of relative magnitude ablate the scales of measurement, thereby increasing difficulty in interpretation. Although seldom applied, proportionate reduction in overall system variance can be highly useful. Its square root leads to η, the analogue of a correlation coefficient, which corresponds to a standardized slope for the direct increment. The values of η usually approximate (SI)/2. Although arbitrary levels have been proposed for quantitative significance' of the SI, the proportionate reduction in overall system variance is often regarded as ineffectual unless ≥ 10 per cent. With this belief, minimum boundaries for quantitative significance can often be set at η ≥ 0.3 and SI ≥ 0.6. In indexes of relative magnitude for two proportions (or rates), p A and p B , confusion is produced if q A and q B are alternatively chosen for the denominators. The odds ratio, (p A q B /p B q A ), avoids these choices, but is often difficult to interpret. For easy understanding and communication, the preferred index is NNE, the number needed to produce one excess effect, calculated as the inverse of the direct increment, that is, 1/| p A - p B |. The standardized increment, I p A - p B |/√(PQ), (where P is the average of p A and p B and Q = 1 - P) could offer a single index applicable to both dimensional and binary data, but when P becomes quite small, that is, < 0.01, √(PQ) requires special calculations and also approaches the value of √P. Boundaries of quantitative significance' are particularly difficult to establish for comparisons of two rates, because of additional consequences in populational extrapolations and clinical implications. Nevertheless, the principles of quantitative significance can aid the ad hoc construction of boundaries that must be set for medical importance when sample sizes are calculated and when results are interpreted for studies of either efficacy or equivalence.
Ergonomics of ergonomic chairs: a study of adjustability features

The ease of adjustability of ‘ergonomic chairs’ was investigated. Twenty-six chairs were classified with respect to control features. There were 24 different types of control arrangements. Twenty subjects participated in a series of three experiments. The first experiment investigated what types of control mechanisms could be identified by naive users who had received no training or instruction in the use of control devices. The chairs were classified into five broad categories, and one chair from each category was tested. Two control design features, control discernibility and control feedback, significantly improved users' understanding of the adjustability controls. In the second experiment controls on 20 chairs were evaluated. Subjects were first trained in the operation of the controls for each chair; and then they performed a chair adjustability task. Six control evaluation criteria were used: reachability, force, ease of operation, preference, time to adjust, and number of control activations. Cont...
High resolution spectrometry for relativistic heavy ions

Abstract Several techniques are discussed for velocity and energy spectrometry of relativistic heavy ions with good resolution. A foil telescope with chevron channel plate detectors is described. A test of this telescope was performed using 2.1 GeV/A C 6+ ions, and a time-of-flight resolution of 160 ps was measured. Qualitative information on the effect of foil thickness was also obtained.
9-β-D-Arabinofuranosyladenine Inhibition of Chemically Induced Rat Embryo Cell Transformation

SummaryThe cancer chemotherapeutic and antiviral agent 9-β-D-arabinofuranosyladenine (ara-A) was examined for potential oncogenicity, using a serial line of Fischer rat embryo cells, which was previously shown to be a sensitive and accurate indicator of chemicals carcinogenic for rodents. We report here that at the concentrations tested, ara-A was not a transforming agent. Further, ara-A protected the cells from transformation induced by the known carcinogen, 3-methylcholan-threne.
The effect of variation in knee center location estimates on net knee joint moments

Abstract To test the sensitivity of knee flexion–extension moment patterns to variation in estimates of the knee center location (KCL), inverse dynamics analysis was performed using three different KCLs for data collected from 18 healthy adult subjects who walked at five different speeds (25%, 50%, 75%, 100% and 125% of 0.785 statures.s −1 ). The KCL, which was determined using data from static subject calibration trials, was varied in software by plus or minus 10 mm in the anteroposterior direction. The effect of this KCL variation on knee moments was similar across subjects and at all five walking speeds. The relative knee center variation effect, expressed as a percentage of the mean knee moment, was progressively greater at slower walking speeds, up to 123% of the first extensor peak at the slowest speed. The implication of these results is that, while KCL variation does not affect the general shape of the moment pattern at more natural walking speeds, it can change the sign of the moment—and thus the interpretation—when the moment magnitude is small (e.g. at the very slow speeds used by some patients). When knee moments are of magnitudes less than or equal to the KCL variation effect, one cannot confidently interpret them as representing either a net flexor or extensor knee control strategy.
Sexual Risk Behaviors with Female and Male Partners Met in Different Sexual Venues Among Non-Gay-Identified, Non-Disclosing MSMW.

ABSTRACT Despite considerable interest in the sexual behavior of nondisclosing men who have sex with men and women (MSMW), little is known about where they meet their male and female partners and whether their sexual risk behavior differs with partners met in different sexual venues (e.g., bars, Internet, parks). These issues were examined among 46 non-gay-identified MSMW who had not disclosed their same-sex behavior to female partners (i.e., men on the “down low”). The prevalence of unprotected vaginal sex was nearly identical with women met in bars/clubs as with women met through friends, work, or the neighborhood. In contrast, the prevalence of unprotected anal sex was higher with male partners met on the Internet, in bars/clubs, and through friends/work/neighborhood compared with partners met in parks/restrooms or gyms. This is largely due to MSMW avoiding anal sex in parks, restrooms, and gyms in favor of oral sex. These findings provide important insights into the role of venues on sexual risk and t...
New perspecties on the phusiology, chemistry, and pharmacology of memory

Considerable progress has been made in the analysis of learning and memory both at the level of the chemical processes involved in translating brief phusiological events into long-lasting changes in synaptic efficacy and at the level of the location of the changes responsible of behavioral phenomenon of memory. This review focuses primarily on recent findings concerning the phenomenon of long-term potentiation (LTP) of synaptic transmission elicited in hippocampal pathways by certain patterns patterns of electrial stimulation of various pathways. We first discuss the nature of the physiological events which are critically involved in LTP induction and indicate that these events are linked with naturally occurring patterns of activity in behaving animals. Detailed analysis of the physiological events taking place in the initial period of LTP induction points out a very specific sequence of biochemical/biophysical mechanisms that play a critical role in triggering LTP. We then briefly review the evidence indicting that LTP induction is accompanied by various types of structural modifications that have been proposed to be responsible for the long duration of the synaptic changes. This is followed by the description of a candidate biochemical mechanism that links the initial events triggered by LTP-inducing stimulations and the long-lasting modifications in synaptic structure and function. The final section presents our efforts to situate the analysis of the LTP phenomenon in the broader context of learning and memory and in particular indicates how the knowledge obtained at the biochemical and cellular level can be used to design new strategies for a pharmacological analysis of the memory processes.
The Unwieldy Time-Dimension of Space

: This paper introduces the concept of “time-indivisibility,” and suggests that it may interfere with optimal allocation of durable resources, and especially permanent resources. Space on the earth's surface is taken as a representative permanent resource. The limitations of leasing and lending as time-dividers are briefly sketched. A simple technique is advanced for analyzing on an annual basis the effects of time-indivisibility, and it is demonstrated that permanent goods do not tend to be allocated in keeping with the equimarginal ideal. The technique is further developed to analyze the effects on allocation of depreciation and appreciation, the latter tending to aggravate and the former to meliorate the diseconomies inherent in time-indivisibility.
Nature of the Fluorescent State of N−Arylcarbazole Derivatives as Derived from Directly Measured Values of the Excited State Dipole Moment

Laser-induced changes in microwave dielectric loss of benzene solutions of two electron donor−acceptor systems, N−(4-cyanophenyl)carbazole and N−(1-naphthyl)carbazole, have been quantitatively measured with a view to determining the dipole moments and hence the nature of the fluorescent states of these systems. The dipole moments so determined are found to be much lower than that expected for a twisted intramolecular charge transfer state. On the basis of the measured values and the results of AM1 calculations, it is concluded that, contrary to what is commonly believed, these donor−acceptor systems emit from a locally excited state.
A centralization procedure for radial clubhand

A modified centralization procedure for radial club hand caused by partial or total absence of the radius is presented. This technique differs from the methods presently used in that no carpal bones are resected. Adequate release of the wrist from the fibrotic radial anlage is provided through two Z-plasty incisions to allow the hand to move easily to the new position. Stabilization is then obtained with a Kirschner wire placed via the lunate and capitate into the long finger metacarpal and then directed in a retrograde fashion into the ulna. A total of 12 centralization procedures with the above technique have shown very good results. Long-term follow-up results demonstrate remodeling of the ulna, which becomes broad in its distal end, resembling a radius.
Mutant p53 expression in prostate carcinoma

The expression of the mutant p53 tumor suppressor gene was evaluated in 33 human prostate carcinomas. Using an immunohistochemical method with monoclonal antibodies PAb 1801 and PAb 240, 26 (79%) tumors demonstrated positive immunostaining for mutant p53. Only areas of glandular tumor were positive, with adjacent stromal elements and areas of glandular hyperplasia being negative. The predominant staining pattern was cytoplasmic. This pattern may be related to p53 binding to certain heat shock proteins (HSP 72/73), as a monoclonal antibody to these proteins demonstrated a cytoplasmic location as well. These results demonstrate that abnormal p53 expression is a frequent event in prostate cancer.
The invisibility of advanced practice nurses in popular magazines.

Purpose To determine the image portrayed in the media of nurses and particularly nurse practitioners (NPs) compared with other health care providers. Data sources An analysis of advertisements and articles in popular magazines aimed at female, male, and gender-neutral audiences was conducted between 12/99 and 06/00. Relationships between target audience and content of advertisements and articles, as well as portrayal of health care providers were also explored. Conclusions A review of 100 consecutive advertisements for health-related products and 96 consecutive health-related articles in popular magazines revealed that the media continues to overwhelmingly depict and promote physicians as the source of health care and health-related advice. Implications for practice Because when there are few references to a group, such as NPs, it is reasonable to assume group members have little influence, standing, and authority, NPs should be concerned about the implications of these findings. Strategies for increasing the visibility of NPs as credible and valuable members of the health care team are shared.
Region-based stereo image coding

A region-based stereo image coding algorithm is proposed and evaluated. Three types of regions are considered: occlusion, edge and smooth regions. The region in the right image that is occluded due to finite viewing area is estimated using a new approach. This region is independently coded. The non-occluded region is segmented into edge and smooth regions. Each region is composed of fixed size blocks. The disparity for each block in a non-occluded region is estimated using a block-based approach. The estimated disparity field is encoded employing a lossy residual uniform scalar quantizer and an adaptive arithmetic coder based on the segmentation information. The decoded vectors are used for the subspace projection technique, which is a combined disparity and illumination compensation algorithm. The proposed approach is shown to outperform standard block-based and independent coding algorithms.
Antioxidants in critical illness

Oxidative stress has been implicated in the manifestations of critical illnesses, including ischemia and reperfusion injury and systemic inflammatory states. This review describes the evidence for increased oxidative stress in critically ill patients and explores the data regarding antioxidant therapy for these conditions. Antioxidant therapies reviewed include N-acetylcysteine, selenium, vitamins E and C, superoxide dismutase, catalase, lazaroids, and allopurinol. We focus on the results of these interventions in animal models and human trials, when available.
Variations in Belowground Carbon Storage and Soil CO2 Flux Rates along a Wet Tropical Climate Gradient1

We used a humid tropical elevation gradient to examine the relationships among climate, edaphic conditions, belowground carbon storage, and soil respiration rates. We also compared open and closed canopy sites to increase the range of microclimate conditions sampled along the gradient, and determine the effects of canopy openings on C and P storage, and C dynamics. Total soil C, the light C fraction, and all of the component fractions of the P pool were significantly related to soil moisture, and all but total soil C were also significantly related to temperature. Both labile and recalcitrant soil P fractions were negatively correlated with the light C fraction, while the dilute HCl-extractable P pool, generally thought of as intermediate in availability, was positively correlated with light C, suggesting that P may play an important role in C cycling within these systems. Total fine root biomass was greatest at 1000 m elevation and lowest at 150 m, and was strongly and positively correlated with soil moisture content. Soil respiration rates were significantly and negatively correlated with fine root biomass and the light C fraction. In forested sites, soil respiration rates were strongly and negatively correlated with total belowground C pools (soils 1 roots 1 forest floor). Belowground C pools did not follow the expected increasing trend with decreases in temperature along the gradient. Our results indicated that in humid tropical forests, the relationships among soil C and nutrient pools, soil respiration rates, and climate are complex. We suggest that frequent and prolonged anaerobic events could be important features of these environments that may explain the observed trends.
Bacterial Species Diversity in Cigarettes Linked to an Investigation of Severe Pneumonitis in U.S. Military Personnel Deployed in Operation Iraqi Freedom

This report presents results from a study on the bacterial diversity of cigarette brands collected from military personnel during the U.S. Army's investigation of a series of cases of acute eosinophilic pneumonitis in military personnel deployed in Operation Iraqi Freedom. Eight species of Bacillus, including five new species, and one new species of Kurthia were isolated from the cigarettes. Some of these species have been identified elsewhere as causes of hypersensitivity pneumonitis and other respiratory syndromes. All of the isolates were facultative anaerobes, and many displayed mucoid growth under anaerobic conditions. In addition, many isolates also displayed the ability to form surface biofilms under liquid culture. Although biofilm formation and mucoid growth were not correlated, the former was found to be much more pronounced under anaerobic conditions as opposed to aerobic ones. The implications of these findings are discussed.
Thinning increases climatic resilience of red pine

Forest management techniques such as intermediate stand-tending practices (e.g., thinning) can promote climatic resiliency in forest stands by moderating tree competition. Residual trees gain incre...
Randomized controlled trial of transdermal secretin on behavior of children with autism

Previous trials of secretin for the treatment of autism have utilized a single or double dose administered intravenously. This is a report of a double-blind, randomized, controlled crossover trial of transdermally applied secretin in 15 children diagnosed with autism or pervasive developmental delay. Secretin or placebo was applied daily, in ointment form, to the backs of the children in randomized, successive 4 week periods with an intermediate 6 week washout period. Behavioral outcomes were measured by parents and teachers using the Autism Treatment Evaluation Checklist. Overall, there were no statistically significant differences in speech, sociability, sensory, and health scores for treatment versus placebo periods. In addition, there were no differences in such scores for children with a history of diarrhea. Severity of autism was significantly greater at baseline in children receiving concomitant medications. Improvement in speech was found during the treatment phase of the trial (p=0.0479 for secretin versus placebo) only in children not using other medications.
Synergy in the Antimicrobial Action of Penicillin and β-Chloro-d-Alanine In Vitro

β-Chloro-d-alanine and penicillin G acted on early and late steps, respectively, in the biosynthesis of the bacterial cell wall. In combination these compounds showed a synergistic effect on the growth of Salmonella typhimurium and of Escherichia coli in vitro.
A Peptide Mimetic of the Connexin43 Carboxyl Terminus Reduces Gap Junction Remodeling and Induced Arrhythmia Following Ventricular Injury

Rationale: Remodeling of connexin (Cx)43 gap junctions (GJs) is linked to ventricular arrhythmia. Objectives: A peptide mimetic of the carboxyl terminal (CT) of Cx43, incorporating a postsynaptic density-95/disks-large/ZO-1 (PDZ)-binding domain, reduces Cx43/ZO-1 interaction and GJ size remodeling in vitro. Here, we determined: (1) whether the Cx43-CT mimetic αCT1 altered GJ remodeling following left ventricular (LV) injury in vivo; (2) whether αCT1 affected arrhythmic propensity; and (3) the mechanism of αCT1 effects on arrhythmogenicity and GJ remodeling. Methods and Results: A cryoinjury model generating a reproducible wound and injury border zone (IBZ) in the LV was used. Adherent methylcellulose patches formulated to locally release αCT1 ( Conclusions: αCT1 increases Cx43-pS368 in vitro in a PKC-e–dependent manner and in the IBZ in vivo acutely following ventricular injury. αCT1-mediated increase in Cx43-pS368 phosphorylation may contribute to reductions in inducible-arrhythmia following injury.
Peer, family, and personality domains as related to adolescents' drug behavior.

Three models (interdependent, mediational, and independent) for examining the interrelations of personality and interpersonal (peer and family) factors and their effect on adolescents' drug behavio...
Development of poly(acrylamide)-hydroxyapatite composites as bone substitutes: Study of mechanical and blood compatible behavior

The Hydroxyapatite (HAp) serves as potential biomaterial in various biomedical applications. This study is a continuing attempt to design the biomimetic bone-like composite materials. The authors have tried to develop HAp/Polyacrylamide (PAm) composites with different weight ratios through a suspension polymerization method. The prepared composite materials were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction analysis, thermogravimetric analysis, scanning electron microscopy, optical microscopy techniques, and compressive strength tests. The composites were also studied for water sorption capacity and the water sorption data were used to evaluate network parameters revealing the internal chemical architecture of the composite. In vitro tests were carried out to study water uptake and dissolution profiles of HAp/PAm composites. Furthermore, in vitro blood compatibility of the composites was also judged using protein adsorption, percentage haemolysis, blood clot formation, and platelet adhesion tests. The results obtained fairly support the objectives of the study to meet physiochemical and biological concerns for a bone-like material. POLYM. COMPOS., 2009. © 2009 Society of Plastics Engineers
Optimizing Geographic Allotment of Photovoltaic Capacity in a Distributed Generation Setting

A multi-objective optimization was performed to allocate 2 MW of photovoltaic (PV) among four candidate sites on the island of Lanai, Hawaii, such that energy was maximized and variability in the form of ramp rates was minimized. This resulted in the Pareto-optimal set, an optimal solution set that provides a range of geographic allotment alternatives for fixed PV capacity. Within the Pareto-optimal set, a trade-off was found between energy produced and variability experienced, whereby a decrease in variability always necessitates a simultaneous decrease in energy. With this development, system designers have a method to select the preferred combination of energy generation and variability within the set of optimal alternatives to meet their needs. A design point within the optimal set was selected for study that decreased extreme ramp rates by more than 50% while decreasing annual energy generation by only 3% above the maximum generation allocation. To quantify the allotment mix selected, a new metric called the “ramp ratio” was developed. It compares ramping magnitude when all capacity is allotted to a single location to the aggregate ramping magnitude in a distributed scenario. The ramp ratio quantifies simultaneously how much more smoothing a distributed scenario would experience than single-site allotment and how much a single site is being underutilized for its ability to reduce aggregate variability. This paper creates a framework for use by cities and municipal utilities to reduce variability impacts while planning for high penetration of PV on the distribution grid, thereby maximizing the value of investments. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Optical beam wave propagation through complex optical systems

20We describe a novel formulation of light beam propagation through any complex optical system that can be described by an ABCD ray-transfer matrix. Within the paraxial approximation, optical propagation can be formulated in terms of a Huygens principle expressed in terms of the ray-transfer ABCD matrix elements of the optical system. We extend and generalize previous treatments to include the effects of finite-sized limiting apertures (i.e., diffractive screens) in the optical train, tilt and random jitter of the optical elements, and distributed random inhomogeneities along the optical path (e.g., clear air turbulence and aerosols). In the presence of limiting apertures the ABCD matrix elements of the optical system are complex. For the case of laser beam propagation and Gaussian-shaped limiting apertures in the optical train, we obtain analytical expressions for both the spot radius and the wave-front radius of curvature at an arbitrary observation plane and give illustrative examples of practical concern. In particular, analytical expressions for the fringe visibility obtained in a coherent laser interferometric system are presented. An analytical expression for the mean spot radius of a laser beam propagating through an optical system in the presence of tilt and random jitter is obtained. We also consider the propagation of partially coherent light through optical systems. In particular, we derive a generalized van Cittert–Zernike theorem that is valid for an arbitrary optical system that can be characterized by an ABCD ray-transfer matrix. Finally, the propagation of laser beams through a general optical system in the presence of distributed random inhomogeneities is considered. An explicit expression for the mean irradiance distribution of a Gaussian-shaped beam is derived that is valid for an arbitrary optical system. In addition, we derive an expression for the mutual-coherence function for wave propagation through an arbitrary optical system. In all cases the results are expressed in terms of the ABCD matrix elements of the complete optical system. The formulation of optical propagation presented here is a rather simple and straightforward way of determining the effects of finite-sized optical elements, tilt and random jitter, and distributed random inhomogeneities along the optical path. It is merely necessary first to multiply the relevant ray matrices together to find the complete system matrix and then to substitute this matrix into the expressions given in this paper.
Synchronous Growth of Enteric Bacteria

Helmstetter and Cummings devised a technique of synchronization in which cells are implanted on a membrane filter and the membrane is subjected to reverse flow of liquid medium. The cells in the effluent stream have predominantly the characteristics of newborn cells. The advantage of this technique is that the population experiences a minimum of physiological stress; hence, the behavior of the synchronous culture should reflect the normal divisional cycle. The disadvantage is that strains other than Escherichia coli B/r cannot be synchronized. We have found that a modification of the method makes it possible to synchronize several strains of E. coli, including both male and female strains, as well as Salmonella typhimurium LT2. The principal difference in technique is a prolonged period (>400 doublings) of cultivation in glucose minimal medium at 30 C and at low density (<5 × 106 cells/ml) prior to implantation. This precaution was taken to insure that the bacterial growth population is in a steady state of balanced growth. From the resulting synchronous growth, the distribution of interdivision times has been computed; these distributions have coefficients of variation in the range 0.18 to 0.22 and are not appreciably skewed.
Microassay of Pyridoxal Phosphate Using Tyrosine Apodecarboxylase

Pyridoxal 5′-phosphate (PLP) assay based on the coenzyme-dependent decarboxylation of L-tyrosine by tyrosine apodecarboxylase (EC 4.1.1.25) was the first enzymatic method developed in vitamin B-6 analysis. Originally isolated from Streptococcus faecalis and partially purified by Epps (1) in 1944, this apoenzyme was subsequently used by Umbreit et al. (2) and Baddiley and Gale (3) to identify the coenzyme role of PLP in decarboxylation reactions. In these early studies, manometry was employed to follow the generation of CO2 as a function of PLP and sensitivity was low. Although sensitivity was later improved by making certain rearrangements and mechanical changes in the assay system (4,5), it was still insufficient to detect PLP concentrations below 10 ng/ml of plasma.
Driving change: kidney proximal tubule CSF-1 polarizes macrophages

Macrophage colony-stimulating factor (CSF-1 or M-CSF) is important for kidney repair after acute kidney injury (AKI). CSF-1 is upregulated in tubule epithelial cells in response to kidney injury stimuli and binds to its sole receptor, CSF1R, in an autocrine and paracrine manner. Wang and colleagues used a genetic approach to constitutively delete Csf1 in proximal tubules to establish that proximal tubule production of CSF-1 is important for polarizing and skewing macrophages toward an M2 phenotype, and for recovery from AKI.
Glycogen in Rachitic Cartilage and Its Relation to Healing.

SummaryGlycogen is present in rachitic cartilage only in the most recently matured hypertrophic cells. The broad zone of hypertrophic cells beneath is devoid of glycogen. This localization coincides with the area where inorganic elements deposit during the initial stages of healing and furnishes further evidence for the relationship of glycogen, and possibly the glycogenolytic cycle, to the calcification mechanism.