cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Contributions of the founders of Craig Colony to epileptology and public care of epileptics: 1890-1915.

Abstract Craig Colony in Sonyea, New York, was America's first comprehensive public epilepsy center. The background to its establishment (the first patients were admitted in 1896) and its role as a model for other institutions is described. The history of the first 25 years of the Colony is recounted and the contributions to epileptology, and the legacy to health care, of the founders ‐ William Pryor Letchworth, Frederick Peterson, Roswell Park, William P. Spratling and Frederick Munson ‐ are assessed.
Mothers' reports of their three-year-old children's control over foods and involvement in food-related activities

Abstract Data were collected from 104 mother-child pairs enrolled in the longitudinal Western Massachusetts Growth Study. Dietary and anthropometric data for these children had been collected at regular intervals, and when they reached 3½ years of age, the study was expanded to address their participation in food-related decisions and activities. Maternal questionnaires assessed the level of control these children had over their food choices and the amounts of foods consumed, the degree to which they were involved in food-related activities, maternal attitudes about nutrition, and demographic variables. The children were also questioned to evaluate their early awareness of nutrition. Results showed that more educated mothers, mothers employed outside the home, and more permissive mothers tended to give their children more control over foods and to involve them more in food-related activities. Children who had more control over foods consumed were significantly more aware of the role of foods in energy balance. Those who were more involved in food-related activities had significantly higher nutrition awareness scores. This study reaffirms the value of allowing children more control over foods and involvement in food-related activities as a way of educating them about nutrition.
Implementation and verification of adaptive longitudinal traction control

Human in the loop (HIL) simulation has experienced a significant increase in popularity in recent years. In this work, a novel approach to traction control is developed and implemented in a HIL environment, exploiting the significant advantages of framing the problem in a manner that more closely matches how a human expert drives a vehicle. An adaptive gradient ascent algorithm is at the heart of the proposed solution to longitudinal traction control. A real-time implementation of the gradient ascent algorithm is developed using linear operator techniques, even though the tyre–ground interface is highly non-linear. The adaptive traction control algorithm is based on two separate, but related, estimation algorithms that estimate both the instantaneous traction force and a unique predictive traction force model. This adaptive control algorithm, the necessary estimation algorithms and their real-time implementation are described in this work. The results, when implemented as a driver assist application on a ...
Mistrials and diatribulations: a reply to Joan Hoff

Abstract Joan Hoff's rehearsal of the plagues of poststructuralism in her article, ‘Gender as a postmodern category of paralysis’, women's History Review, 3, pp. 149-168, breaks no new intellectual ground, but for anti-intellectualism, disingenuousness, and sheer incivility, her article stands apart. What she describes is not an accurate portrayal either of the variety of post-modern theory or of the important and thoughtful criticism that has been brought to bear upon it; she has caricatured and misrepresented the positions gender historians hold. Hoff's claim of poststructuralism's essential misogny, based upon an insupportable association of deconstruction and pornography, is, simply, irresponsible. Moreover, she has ignored the work of scholars who have sought to challenge the view that the poststructuralist critique of the myth of a stable, unitary subject obviates a feminist politics.
Does Physical Activity Prevent Peripheral Vascular Disease?: The Framingham Experience

PURPOSE: Physical activity (PA) has been shown to prevent many conditions and treat many others. While it is an effective treatment for peripheral vascular disease (PVD), no studies have analyzed the effect of PA in preventing PVD. METHODS: Men and women in the Framingham Heart Study have been examined biannually since 1948 for the presence of PVD and other cardiovascular diseases (CVD) as well as for CVD risk factors (smoking, Metropolitan weight, cholesterol level, systolic blood pressure, glucose intolerance, and left ventricular hypertrophy). PA was assessed in 1956–58 using the previously validated Framingham Physical Activity Index. Subjects were ranked based on weighted PA levels, then grouped into quartiles. We examined the incidence of PVD at 20 and 36 years of follow-up, adjusting for baseline levels of CVD risk factors and for the presence of other CVD. We included the 1745 men and 2220 women free of PVD and CVD at baseline who answered the physical activity questions and survived to at least the first follow-up. RESULTS: Among those free of other CVD, the incidence of PVD at 20 and 36 years of follow-up was 4.3% and 5.3% in men and 2.3% and 4.5% in women. Including those who developed other CVD first, the incidence of PVD at 20 and 36 years of follow-up was 6.6% and 11.1% in men and 3.9% and 7.9% in women. For both men and women, there was no difference in the incidence of PVD between the least active quartile and any of the three more active quartiles. This lack of a difference held up in both the analyses adjusted only for age and in those adjusted for CVD risk factors. There was also no difference whether or not patients with other CVD were included in the analysis. CONCLUSION: We conclude that while PA may be an effective treatment for PVD, it does not appear to prevent PVD.
Learning from streambank failures at bridge crossings: A biotechnical streambank stabilization project in warm regions

Abstract In a biotechnical streambank stabilization project, researchers visited and assessed 22 bridge and stream crossings in east half of Texas of the United States. Researchers rarely observed streams in dynamic equilibrium if bridge structures severely interfered with the streams. Numerous streambank failures were observed and documented. A primary problem noted was the treatment of the edge between the built and natural environment. Failure sites almost always have rigid treatments such as concrete armor on the boundary between the bridge structure and the stream. Such a fixed, rigid treatment could not allow any self-adjustment of stream dimension or profile, which in turn resulted in failures on the bridge structures including piers and abutments. Biotechnical engineering offers an alternative to treat the edge between built and natural environment and provide a buffer to absorb erosive forces from the flow onto built structures. While these techniques are often used in the cooler areas of the United States, there are significant challenges to the application of this technology in warm regions, specifically in the Plant Hardiness Zones 8–10 defined by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. It is primarily because short dormant periods in warm regions restrict the construction period for implementing the live cutting technique, an important method in biotechnical engineering. This paper describes a streambank stabilization project implemented in Texas of the United States, where the research team assessed and analyzed streambank failure causes at bridge crossings in warm regions, and addressed warm region construction issues encountered during the project. The paper further discusses the design process, implemented result, and monitoring of the built biotechnical streambank stabilization project.
The Social Dimensions of Interpersonal Dispute Resolution: A Test of a General Theoretical Framework with Survey Data

Studies of social control most often focus on the deterrent effects of informal or formal social control mechanisms. In this study I draw on theory designed to explain variation in the form of social control itself. Arguing that most social control is exercised in the context of interpersonal disputes, I attempt to explain variation in the form of social control used to resolve disputes. The theoretical model posits that both the social reality of the conflict and the social location of the aggrieved party will condition the social control response. I test propositions drawn from this model with individual-level survey data on a sample of respondents from a metropolitan parish in the south central United States. The results for the empirical test of the theoretical model are mixed. I conclude with suggestions for future research.
The assessment of work-related activities and limitations in knee disorders.

The success of knee treatment programs and surgery must be assessed, in part, by both the ability to return patients to work and the documentation of any work- related limitations. Existing occupational rating scales do not rate, in a valid manner, the effect of altered knee function on work activities. We performed a prospective randomized clinical trial in which two different occupa tional rating systems were tested on 50 patients. One system used job titles and an arbitrary numeric scale for rating occupations; the other used specific criteria for rating job functions according to the intensity, fre quency, and duration of certain tasks. The results showed that an effective and valid rating format should consist of five specific objectives: 1) evaluation of dif ferent knee functions that typically occur in the work environment; 2) evaluation of work activities separately from sports activities; 3) detection of patients who may have remained at an occupation but who have signifi cantly modified work act...
Single and multidimensional same-different judgments

Abstract A probabilistic, multidimensional Thurstonian model for treating same-different judgments was tested in an experiment in which subjects made single-dimensional and two-dimensional same-different judgments. Strong asymmetries in the data required adding temporal bias parameters to the model. The model, with bias parameters, accounted for the single- and two-dimensional judgments reasonably well, but the parameters were not invariant between the different solutions. The two-dimensional judgments were more variable than expected on the basis of the single-dimensional judgments.
Abolition of plasma growth hormone response to stress and of the circadian rhythm in pituitary-adrenal function in female rats with preoptic-anterior hypothalamic lesions.

Abstract The chronic effects of lesions placed in the medial or lateral preoptic-anterior hypothalamic area (PO-AHA) on plasma growth hormone (GH) and corticosterone (cpd B) responses to stress, non-stress levels of these hormones and somatic growth were studied in adult female rats. Responses to 3-min immobilization-blood withdrawal stress were tested at 2 and 11 weeks and to 3-min ether-blood withdrawal at 5 weeks after surgery. Non-stress plasma GH levels were further assessed in serial blood samples collected at 4-h intervals during a 24-h period at 15 weeks, and cpd B levels were studied similarly for a 44-h period at 22 weeks. Rats with lateral PO-AHA lesions showed normal GH suppression and cpd B elevation in response to both stress procedures. In contrast, neither stressor suppressed plasma GH levels in rats with medial PO-AHA lesions, but both produced normal increments in cpd B. The 24-h mean non-stress level of plasma GH in the group with medial lesions was higher and that of the group with lateral lesions was lower than those of controls. Cpd B levels were reduced during the 44-h study, and circadian rhythmicity was abolished in rats with medial lesions. The group with lateral lesions showed normal rhythmicity in plasma cpd B levels. Linear growth was not affected in either lesioned group. The GH findings suggest that the medial but not lateral PO-AHA is essential for stress-induced inhibition of GH secretion and that this region may exert a tonic inhibitory influence on non-stress GH secretion. The data also suggest that the medial PO-AHA is importantly involved in producing the circadian rhythm in pituitary-adrenal function.
US Cultural Studies: Oxymoron?

This essay began in 1999 as an attempt to update my perceptions and experiences as a resident alien in the USA. Written expressly for what was then The UTS Review, it was intended to follow up my earlier piece published in 1997, ‘The Cultural Studies Thing You Do: In the USA after Sokal’. Just as the challenges initiated by that ‘affair’ seem to have evaporated, or been absorbed into the apparatus of systemic reinvention in the US academy, I am reinventing my correspondence.
Frequency and chronological distribution of dental enamel hypoplasia in enslaved African Americans: A test of the weaning hypothesis

The dentition of 27 enslaved African Americans from archaeological sites in Maryland and Virginia were examined. All 17 males and 7 of the 10 females in this study exhibited enamel hypoplastic defects indicative of systemic nutritional and disease stresses interfering with amelogenesis. Estimates of the ages of occurrence of these defects show that most occur between 1.5 and 4.5 years of age, 0.5-3.75 years later than historically documented weaning age (9-12 months of age) in similar plantation populations. Comparisons are made with studies of dental enamel hypoplasia in contemporaneous enslaved and free African American populations, including our data on 75 individuals from the First African Baptist Church cemetery in Philadelphia. These populations were highly stressed. While there appears to be a modest effect of early weaning stress, no direct relationship of peak frequencies to weaning age can be shown. These data raise questions about the attribution of peak hypoplasia frequencies to age at weaning or "post-weaning" stresses in previous paleopathological studies. High hypoplasia frequencies during the middle years of enamel development are more likely the result of a combination of 1) multiple environmental stresses, 2) differences in hypoplastic susceptibility in enamel, and 3) random factors.
Mediastinal mass due to Aspergillus fumigatus after lung transplantation: A case report

We report a rare case of mediastinal mass caused by Aspergillus fumigatus in a lung transplant recipient. The patient presented 9 months after bilateral lung transplantation for cystic fibrosis with intermittent fevers and new onset atrial fibrillation/flutter caused by a 7-cm mediastinal mass invading the left atrium. The mass was resected, and a prolonged course of voriconazole and caspofungin was given, which resulted in a complete clinical response. Despite long-term suppressive therapy with voriconazole, a relapse occurred 16 months after the initial diagnosis. This case highlights the challenges in the prevention and treatment of invasive aspergillosis in lung transplant recipients.
Dynamic and kinetic modeling of isotopic transient responses for CO insertion on Rh and Mn–Rh catalysts

Abstract Isotopic transient tracer techniques have been employed to study heterogeneous hydroformylation on Rh/SiO2 and Mn–Rh/SiO2. Pulse injection of D2 and 13 CO allowed tracing of the deuterium and CO incorporation pathway into the aldehyde product. The d1- and d2-propionaldehyde responses showed a double-peak, or two-hump, response to the D2 pulse, while C 2 H 5 13 CHO showed a single-hump response to the 13 CO pulse. Analysis of the product responses to the D2 pulse in CO/H2/C2H4 and CO/H2/C2H4/C2H5CHO suggests that the first hump of the d1- and d2-propionaldehyde responses was due to rapid H/D exchange with adsorbed propionaldehyde via enol intermediates. The decay of the second hump was due to reaction of adsorbed acyl with spillover hydrogen/deuterium. The C 2 H 5 13 CHO response was due to CO insertion followed by acyl hydrogenation. Compartment modeling of the product responses from the 13 CO and D2 pulse inputs allowed determination of residence times of adsorbed intermediates, surface coverages of adsorbed intermediates, and the elementary rate constants for acyl hydrogenation and CO insertion. Elementary rate constants for acyl hydrogenation determined from this study were consistent with the value calculated by transition state theory (TST). The addition of Mn promoter to Rh/SiO2 increased coverages of ∗ CO , ∗ C 2 H 5 , and ∗ C 2 H 5 CO and shifted the rate-limiting step for propionaldehyde formation. Acyl hydrogenation is the rate-limiting step on Rh/SiO2 while CO insertion and acyl hydrogenation are both kinetically significant on Mn–Rh/SiO2.
A geographical analysis of garage sales in Jonesboro, Arkansas

During the past few decades several scholars have studied garage sales. Recent works focus on certain time periods and/or gender issues, while others have examined the social implications and economic dimensions of sales. This study is a unique contribution to garage sale research because it is the first to analyze garage sales geographically. The project begins by offering a number of definitions for what is a garage sale and examines their connection to material culture. It also addresses why garage sales are held and who typically attends those events. Next, following the pattern set by other scholars the Jonesboro, Arkansas data are used to calculate new estimates for the number of garage sales held annually in the United States and the amount of money that changes hands at those venues. Chronologically, the greatest number of sales in Jonesboro occur in the late summer/early fall which coincides with the national garage sale season which peaks in early fall. Finally, the geographic distribution of ga...
Assessment of Left Ventricular Viscoelastic Components Based on Ventricular Harmonic Behavior

Assessment of left ventricular (LV) function with an emphasis on contractility has been a challenge in cardiac mechanics during the recent decades. The LV function is usually described by the LV pressure-volume (P-V) relationship. Based on this relationship, the ratio of instantaneous pressure to instantaneous volume is an index for LV chamber stiffness. The standard P-V diagrams are easy to interpret but difficult to obtain and require invasive instrumentation for measuring the corresponding volume and pressure data. In the present study, we introduce a technique that can estimate viscoelastic properties, not only the elastic component but also the viscous properties of the LV based on oscillatory behavior of the ventricular chamber and it can be applied non-invasively as well. Materials and Methods: The estimation technique is based on modeling the actual long axis displacement of the mitral annulus plane toward the cardiac base as a linear damped oscillator with time-varying coefficients. Elastic deformations resulting from the changes in the ventricular mechanical properties of myocardium are represented as a time-varying spring while the viscous components of the model include a time-varying viscous damper, representing relaxation and the frictional energy loss. To measure the left ventricular axial displacement ten healthy sheep underwent left thoracotomy and sonomicrometry transducers were implanted at the apex and base of the LV The time-varying parameters of the model were estimated by a standard Recursive Linear Least Squares (RLLS) technique. Results: LV stiffness at end-systole and end-diastole was in the range of 61.86-136 dyne/g.cm and 1.25-21.02 dyne/g.cm, respectively. Univariate linear regression was performed to verify the agreement between the estimated parameters, and the measured values of stiffness. The averaged magnitude of the stiffness and damping coefficients during a complete cardiac cycle were estimated as 58.63 ± 12.8 dyne/g.cm and 0 dyne.s/g.cm, respectively. Conclusion: The results for the estimated elastic coefficients are consistent with the ones obtained from force displacement diagram. The trend of change in the estimated parameters is also in harmony with the previous studies done using P-V diagram. The only input used in this model is the long axis displacement of the annulus plane, which can also be obtained non-invasively using tissue Doppler or MR imaging.
Computational simulation of a magnetic microactuator for tissue engineering applications

The next generation of tissue engineered constructs (TECs) requires the incorporation of a controllable and optimized microstructure if they are to chemically, mechanically, and biologically mimic tissue function. In order to obtain TECs with optimized microstructures, a combination of spatiotemporally regulated mechanical and biochemical stimuli is necessary during the formation of the construct. While numerous efforts have been made to create functional tissue constructs, there are few techniques available to stimulate TECs in a localized manner. We herein describe the design of a microdevice which can stimulate TECs in a localized, inhomogeneous, and predefined anisotropic fashion using ferromagnetically doped polydimethylsiloxane microflaps (MFs). Specifically, a sequential magneto-structural finite element model of the proposed microdevice is constructed and utilized to understand how changes in magnetic and geometrical properties of the device affect MF deflection. Our study indicates that a relatively small density of ferromagnetic material is required to result in adequate force and MF defection (175 μm ~7% TEC strain). We also demonstrate that MF to magnet distance is more important than inherent MF magnetic permeability in determining resulting MF deflection. An experimental validation test setup was used to validate the computational solutions. The comparison shows reasonable agreement indicating a 5.9% difference between experimentally measured and computationally predicted MF displacement. Correspondingly, an apparatus with two MFs and two magnets has been made and is currently undergoing construct testing. The current study presents the design of a novel magnetic microactuator for tissue engineering applications. The computational results reported here will form the foundation in the design and optimization of a functional microdevice with multiple MFs and magnets capable of stimulating TECs in nonhomogenous and preferred directions with relevant spatial resolution.
Ischemic preconditioning and Na+/H+ exchange inhibition improve reperfusion ion homeostasis.

Abstract Background . Intramyocyte sodium (Na + ) increases during ischemia and reperfusion, which causes myocardial calcium (Ca 2+ ) uptake and leads to myocyte injury or death. This study determines if ischemic preconditioning and myocyte sodium-hydrogen ion (Na + -H + ) exchange (NHE) inhibition decreases Na + gain that otherwise occurs with cardioplegic arrest and reperfusion. Methods . Pigs had 1 hour of cardioplegic arrest followed by reperfusion. Group 1 had no intervention (controls). Group 2 received dimethyl amiloride (DMA, an NHE inhibitor), and group 3 had ischemic preconditioning before cardioplegic arrest. Precardioplegia to postreperfusion change in intramyocyte ion content was measured with atomic absorption spectrometry. The time to initial electrical activity and number of defibrillations needed to establish an organized rhythm postreperfusion were used as electrophysiologic variables to measure ischemia-reperfusion injury. Results . Intramyocyte Na + content for group 1 increased from 45.9 ± 6.7 to 61.9 ± 22.5 μmol/g ( p = 0.02). Group 2 had an insignificant decrease in intramyocyte Na + of 27.7 ± 19.58 μmol/g ( p = 0.06), and group 3 had an insignificant decrease of 10.8 ± 46.33 μmol/g ( p = 0.48). Interstitial water increased significantly in all groups, but there were no significant increases in intramyocyte water content. Electrophysiologic recovery was similar for all three groups. Conclusions . The NHE inhibition and ischemic preconditioning each eliminated the increase in intramyocyte Na + content that otherwise occurred with cardioplegic arrest and reperfusion in this porcine model. Because their mechanisms are distinct, it is possible that an additive beneficial effect against ischemia-reperfusion injury can be achieved by using NHE inhibition together with a preconditioning stimulus as prereperfusion therapy.
Abnormal sexual behaviors in male Ay-bearing mice

Two experimental outcomes are presented. In both of them yellow Mus musculus (genotype Aya) show a disability in adjusting to a changed environmental situation. In one case, using former breeders, yellow males sought to copulate with non-yellow male partners. The reverse was not found. In the other case, yellow males of one genotype attacked estrous females while the non-yellow males mated normally. An explanation is advanced involving the single gene substitution, the genetic background, and the pretesting experience of the animals.
Laboratory simulation of Jupiter's Great Red Spot

Isolated large stable vortices have long been observed in the jovian atmosphere and more recently on Saturn. The existence of such stable vortices in strongly turbulent planetary atmospheres is a challenging problem in fluid mechanics. In a numerical simulation Marcus1 found that a single stable vortex developed for a wide variety of conditions in a turbulent shear flow in a rotating annulus. To test this we conducted an experiment on a rotating annulus filled with fluid pumped in the radial direction. The annulus rotates rigidly (there is no differential rotation), but the action of the Coriolis force on the radially pumped fluid produces a counter-rotating jet. Coherent vortices spontaneously form in this turbulent jet, and for a wide range of rotation and pumping rates the flow evolves until only one large vortex remains.
The effect of retinoic acid on collagen synthesis by human dermal fibroblasts

The effect of all-trans retinoic acid (RA) on cell proliferation and protein synthesis was examined using neonatal human dermal fibroblasts in culture. Incorporation of [3H]-methylthymidine showed that cell proliferation decreased in response to increasing concentrations of RA. Analysis of proteins secreted into culture medium showed a decrease in the synthesis of both collagen and non-collagenous proteins, paralleling the effect on cell proliferation. Secreted proteins showed increased enzymatic processing of type I procollagen. The enhanced appearance of pc collagens, intermediates in the enzymatic conversion of procollagen to collagen, indicated that retinoic acid increased the activity of procollagen aminoterminal protease. Electrophoretic mobility and mannosylation of fibronectin was unchanged at RA concentrations tested. Cell morphology was unchanged at all concentrations of retinoic acid. The inhibitory effect of RA on cell proliferation is consistent with previous observations. The enhanced activity of procollagen aminoterminal protease may be important in the overall influence of RA on the elaboration of connective tissue.
STATISTICAL BIAS IN MAXIMUM LIKELIHOOD ESTIMATORS OF ITEM PARAMETERS

Asymptotic formulas are derived for the bias in the maximum likelihood estimators of the item parameters in the logistic item response model when examinee abilities are known. Numerical results are given for a typical verbal test for college admission.
A comparative molecular analysis of four rat smooth muscle cell lines

Transcriptional regulation of smooth muscle cell (SMC) differentiation is a rapidly growing area of interest that has relevance for understanding intimal disease. Despite the wealth of data accumulating in vitro, however, no study has compared the cell-specific marker profile, transfectability, promoter activity, and growth characteristics among several SMC culture systems. Accordingly, we performed a comprehensive analysis of the marker profile, growth properties, transfectability, and SMC promoter activity in four rat SMC lines (A7r5, adult and pup aortic, and PAC1). Despite alterations in chromosomal number and structure, A7r5, adult aortic, and PAC1 cells express all SMC markers studied including SM alpha-actin, SM calponin, SM22, tropoelastin, and to a lesser extent, SM myosin heavy chain (SMMHC). In contrast, pup aortic cells express very low or undetectable levels of all the above markers except tropoelastin. Adult aortic, pup, and PAC1 cells display similar growth curves and levels of proto-oncogene transcripts, whereas those in the A7r5 line are comparatively less. All cell lines studied except pup cells show expression of SMC differentiation genes during active growth, indicating that growth and differentiation are not mutually exclusive in cultured smooth muscle. Transfection studies reveal dramatic differences in DNA uptake and SMC-restricted promoter activity between cell lines. Collectively, these results provide detailed information relating to SMC molecular biology in culture that should facilitate the selection of a cell line for studying the transcriptional regulatory mechanisms underlying SMC differentiation.
Epitaxial YBa2Cu3O7−x Thin Films: Scanning Tunneling Microscope Study of the Initial Stages of Epitaxial Growth, Growth Mechanism, and Effects of Substrate Temperature

The surface microstructure of epitaxial YBa{sub 2}Cu{sub 3}O{sub 7-x} films grown by pulsed laser ablation on (001) MgO and SrTiO{sub 3} substrates has been studied at various growth stages, ranging in thickness from eight c-axis perpendicular unit cells to {approximately}220 nm. On MgO (lattice mismatch {approximately}9%) even the thinnest films grow unit cell-by-unit cell by an island growth mechanism. However, on SrTiO{sub 3} (mismatch {approximately}1%), a transition from a layer-like growth mode to island growth is observed as the film thickness increases. Islands with clear spiral growth structures are observed in even the thinnest films on MgO, but for films grown on SrTiO{sub 3} the spiral growth features are found only for film thicknesses slightly greater than the critical thickness for the switch to an island growth mode. The islands consist of stacks of atomically flat terraces whole step heights are multiples of the c-axis lattice parameter. This island density decreases significantly with increasing film thickness, while their diameters range from 50--400 nm, increasing with growth temperature. The terraced island grain morphology causes a surface roughness of from 10 to 30 nm (depending on growth temperature) in films {approximately}200 nm thick.
The influence of defect states on non-equilibrium carrier dynamics in GaN nanowires

Semiconductor nanowires have recently attracted much attention for their unique properties and potential applications in a number of areas, most notably in nanophotonics. However, the presence of defect states in these quasi-one-dimensional nanostructures can significantly detract from nanophotonic device performance. Here, we use ultrafast optical pump-probe spectroscopy to study the influence of defect states on carrier dynamics in GaN nanowires by probing carrier relaxation through the states responsible for yellow luminescence, an undesirable effect that plagues many GaN-based photonic devices. Faster relaxation is seen in nanowires grown at lower temperatures, which also exhibits higher lasing thresholds. We attribute this to rapid trapping of photoexcited carriers into additional impurity sites that are present at lower growth temperatures. In addition, excitation density-dependent measurements reveal a decrease in carrier lifetimes with increasing pump fluence. These results demonstrate the influence of both radiative and non-radiative defect states on carrier dynamics in GaN nanowires and indicate that relaxation rates can be controlled by varying the growth temperature, which should enable researchers to optimize nanowire properties for a given application.
Symptomatic ureteropelvic junction obstruction in children in the era of prenatal sonography-is there a higher incidence of crossing vessels?

Abstract Objectives. To determine whether prenatal sonography and early detection and correction of ureteropelvic junction obstruction (UPJO) has changed the incidence of crossing vessels as the etiology of obstruction in older children presenting with symptomatic UPJO. Methods. We reviewed the medical records of all children and adolescents who underwent pyeloplasty for symptomatic UPJO between 1986 and 1999, during the era of widespread use of prenatal sonography. Operative notes were used to determine which patients had obstruction due to lower pole crossing vessels. Results. Thirty-eight patients were identified who underwent pyeloplasty for symptomatic UPJO. Lower pole vessels were identified in 22 (58%) of 38 patients ( P Conclusions. Prenatal ultrasonography has increased the incidence of crossing vessels as the etiology of UPJO in young children and adolescents presenting with symptomatic UPJO compared with the historical incidence of 11% to 15%. This finding may impact treatment recommendations with respect to endourologic management of the obstruction in this patient population. Currently, we recommend open dismembered pyeloplasty for young children and adolescents presenting with symptomatic UPJO.
Rao's polynomial growth curve model for unequal-time intervals: a menu-driven GAUSS program.

Abstract For lack of alternatives, longitudinal data are often analyzed with cross-sectional statistical methods, for instance, t -tests, ANOVA and ordinary least-squares regression. Appropriate statistical software has been generally unavailable to investigators using serial records to study growth and development or treatment effects. In an earlier paper (Schneiderman and Kowalski, Am. J. Phys. Anthropol. , 67 (1985) 323–333.) we described a suitable method, Rao's polynomial growth curve model (Rao, Biometrika , 46 (1959) 49–58), and provided an SAS computer program for the analysis of a single sample of complete longitudinal data. This method included the computation of an average polynomial growth curve, its 95% confidence hand, its coefficients and corresponding confidence intervals. The present paper extends this method to accommodate a sample with observations made at unequal time-intervals. Significant improvements in the accessibility, operation and user-friendliness of the program have been made, facilitated by recent advances in microcomputer technology. This stand-alone GAUSS program (no compiler necessary) runs on PC-compatibles and is available at a nominal cost. In this report we provide an overview of the statistical model, the general structure of the program, and give an example in which a developmental variable (human upper incisor angulation) is analyzed. Ease of installation and use, speed of execution and color graphic displays of growth curves and confidence bands, and most importantly, suitability to longitudinal data, make this method/program a potentially valuable tool for those interested in growth, development, and treatment effects in humans and other species. Some areas in which this method will have immediate applications are orthodontics, maxillofacial surgery and pediatrics.
GASKELL'S DETOURS: HOW MARY BARTON, RUTH, AND CRANFORD REDEFINED “REDUNDANCY”

When the 1851 census reported an “excess” of some half-million women in Britain, feminists and anti-feminists quickly took to the press to debate the implications of the demographic imbalance. Yet Victorian novelists also wishing to convey and alter the “Condition of England” experienced something of a quandary: How should fiction respond to news of the imbalance, and what options could be suggested for resolving it?
Hydrogen bonding in sulfonamides.

The hydrogen-bond connectivity in 39 sulfonamide crystal structures has been deciphered and described using graph set notation. The hydrogen-bond connectivity observed is used to gain information on hydrogen-bond preferences of specific donor and acceptor atoms of related sulfonamide molecules. The amido protons show a greater preference for hydrogen bonding to amidine nitrogens and cocrystal guests, whereas the amino protons show a greater preference for hydrogen bonding to sulfonyl oxygens, forming the only dominant hydrogen-bond pattern, a chain with an eight atom repeat unit. Preferential hydrogen bonding between the amidine group and the guest carboxyl group was observed in five cocrystal structures of sulfamethazine. Sulfamoxole displays a conformation and a hydrogen-bond motif not seen in any other structures. Sulfamerazine and sulfamethazine, differing by a methyl group, show no similarity in hydrogen-bond pattern, whereas sulfamethoxydiazine and sulfamethoxymethazine, which have sterically similar but chemically different heterocycles, show a striking similarity in hydrogen-bond pattern. Sulfamethoxydiazine, sulfamethoxymethazine, and sulfamethoxazole also show a large variation in hydrogen-bond pattern between polymorphs. Studies such as this, by revealing details of hydrogen-bonding patterns in closely related organic crystal structures, can potentially provide predictive capability among the crystal structures of pharmaceutical solids.
Belowground carbon allocation in forests estimated from litterfall and IRGA-based soil respiration measurements

Allocation of C to belowground plant structures is one of the most important, yet least well quantified fluxes of C in terrestrial ecosystems. In a literature review of mature forests worldwide, Raich and Nadelhoffer (1989) suggested that total belowground carbon allocation (TBCA) could be estimated from the difference between annual rates of soil respiration and aboveground litterfall. Here we analyze new measurements of soil respiration and litterfall, including data from the Ameriflux network. Our results generally agree with Raich and Nadelhoffer’s previous work. A regression analysis of data from mature forests produced the following relationship: annual soil respiration = 287 + 2.80 × annual litterfall. This regression slope indicates that, on average, soil respiration is roughly three times ab oveground litterfall-C, which further implies that TBCA is roughly twice annual aboveground litterfall-C. These inferences are based on the uncertain assumption of soil C stocks being at steady state. Nevertheless, changes in soil C would have to be very large to modify the conclusion that TBCA is generally much larger than litterfall. Among only mature temperate hardwood forests, however, the correlation between litterfall and soil respiration was poor, and the correlation among years for a single site was also poor. Therefore, the regression cannot be relied upon to provide accurate estimates of soil respiration or TBCA for individual sites. Moreover, interannual variation in TBCA, short-term changes in C stocks, or different temporal scales controlling leaf litter production and soil respiration may cause important deviations from the global average. The regression slope for data from young forests is steeper, possibly indicating proportionally greater TBCA, but the steady-state assumption is more problematic for young forests. This method
Autonomy and Performance in Teams: The Multilevel Moderating Effect of Task Interdependence

The author predicts that the interaction between individual- and team-level autonomy influences team performance and that their combined effects are contingent on the level of task interdependence. Multiple regression analysis of data from 89 teams in a manufacturing setting confirm these expectations, demonstrating that team performance depends on the combination of individual and team autonomy. These findings suggest that the optimal combination of individual and team autonomy depends on the level of task interdependence in a team. Implications for future research, particularly in the areas of cross-level analyses and contingency theory, are discussed as well.
FINE STRUCTURE OF THE ZEROS OF ORTHOGONAL POLYNOMIALS, I. A TALE OF TWO PICTURES

Mhaskar-Saff found a kind of universal behavior for the bulk structure of the zeros of orthogonal polynomials for large n. Motivated by two plots, we look at the finer structure for the case of the Verblunsky coefficients and for what we call the BLS condition: αn = Cb^n + O ((bΔ)^n). In the former case, we describe the results of Stoiciu. In the latter case, we prove asymptotically equal spacing for the bulk of zeros.
Listening to Modernity: Creativity and Cultural Reproduction in American Postsecondary Jazz Education

Keywords: commentary, modernity, creativity, aurality, cultural reproduction, jazz music, music education
WuKong: automatically detecting and localizing bugs that manifest at large system scales

A key challenge in developing large scale applications is finding bugs that are latent at the small scales of testing, but manifest themselves when the application is deployed at a large scale. Here, we ascribe a dual meaning to "large scale"---it could mean a large number of executing processes or applications ingesting large amounts of input data (or both). Traditional statistical techniques fail to detect or diagnose such kinds of bugs because no error-free run is available at the large deployment scales for training purposes. Prior work used scaling models to detect anomalous behavior at large scales without training on correct behavior at that scale. However, that work cannot localize bugs automatically, i.e. cannot pinpoint the region of code responsible for the error. In this paper, we resolve that shortcoming by making the following three contributions: (i) we develop an automatic diagnosis technique, based on feature reconstruction; (ii) we design a heuristic to effectively prune the large feature space; and (iii) we demonstrate that our system scales well, in terms of both accuracy and overhead. We validate our design through a large-scale fault-injection study and two case-studies of real-world bugs, finding that our system can effectively localize bugs in 92.5% of the cases, dramatically easing the challenge of finding bugs in large-scale programs.
Body composition of adult cystic fibrosis patients and control subjects as determined by densitometry, bioelectrical impedance, total-body electrical conductivity, skinfold measurements, and deuterium oxide dilution

This study contrasts body compositions (by six methods) of eight cystic fibrosis (CF) subjects with those of eight control subjects matched for age, height, and sex. CF subjects weighed 84% as much as control subjects. Densitometry and two bioelectrical impedance-analysis methods suggested that reduced CF weights were due to less lean tissue (10.7, 9.5, and 10.4 kg). Total-body electrical conductivity (TOBEC) and skinfold-thickness measurements indicated that CF subjects were leaner than control subjects and had less fat (5.4 and 3.6 kg) and less lean (5.2 and 7 kg) tissue. D2O dilution showed a pattern similar to TOBEC (8.3 kg less lean, 2.7 kg less fat tissue). Densitometry estimates of fat (mass and percent) were not correlated (r less than 0.74, p greater than 0.05) with any other method for CF subjects but were correlated with all other methods for control subjects. CF subjects contained less fat and lean tissue than did control subjects. Densitometry by underwater weighing is unsuitable for assessing body composition of CF patients.
Josephson current through a short and narrow orifice in a p-wave superfluid

The Josephson current is calculated through a small-diameter zero-length orifice in a partition in /sup 3/He using the quasiclassical theory. More realistic weak links are discussed.
Residency training in pediatric and adolescent gynecology across obstetrics and gynecology residency programs: a cross-sectional study.

Abstract Study Objective To estimate the prevalence of Pediatric and Adolescent Gynecology formal training in the United States Obstetric and Gynecology residency programs. Design Prospective, anonymous, cross-sectional study. Participants United States program directors of Obstetrics and Gynecology residency programs, N = 242; respondents 104 (43%). Results 104 residency programs responded to our survey. Among the 104 residency programs, 63% (n = 65) have no formal, dedicated Pediatric and Adolescent Gynecology clinic, while 83% (n = 87) have no outpatient Pediatric and Adolescent Gynecology rotation. There is no significant difference in the amount of time spent on a Pediatric and Adolescent Gynecology rotation among residents from institutions with a Pediatric and Adolescent Gynecology fellowship (P = .359), however, the number of surgeries performed is significantly higher than those without a Pediatric and Adolescent Gynecology fellowship (P = .0020). When investigating resident competency in Pediatric and Adolescent Gynecology, program directors reported that residents who were taught in a program with a fellowship-trained Pediatric and Adolescent Gynecology faculty were significantly more likely to be able to interpret results of selected tests used to evaluate precocious puberty than those without (P = .03). Conclusions Residency programs without fellowship trained Pediatric and Adolescent Gynecology faculty or an established Pediatric and Adolescent Gynecology fellowship program may lack formal training and clinical exposure to Pediatric and Adolescent Gynecology. This information enables residency directors to identify deficiencies in their own residency programs and to seek improvement in resident clinical experience in Pediatric and Adolescent training.
Simulation Case Rehearsals for Carotid Artery Stenting

A case series of 5 patients is presented assessing the utility of simulation case rehearsals of individual patients for carotid artery stenting on an endovascular simulator. Simulated and operative device dimensions were similar. Results of subjective surveys indicated that face and content validity were excellent. The simulations predicted difficulty with vessel cannulation, however had difficulty predicting post-stent changes in bifurcation angulation. Our experience suggests that it may be feasible to use patient-specific CTA-derived data in the creation of a realistic case rehearsal simulation. The overall utility of this concept, including cost-benefit analysis, has yet to be determined.
On Developing a Robust Missile Guidance Algorithm

In this paper we consider the problem of exoatmospheric missile/target engagements with imperfect state information. We present a newly developed robust guidance algorithm which achieves better hit performance and less fuel consumption than a proportional navigation (pro-nav) guidance algorithm for certain engagement scenarios. These preliminary results lead us to believe that robust guidance algorithms can eventually be developed which will globally outperform existing guidance algorithms in dealing with uncertainties.