cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Output and performance measurement in outpatient care

Abstract This paper presents a method for measuring output and overall performance in health service organizations. Performance is defined as aggregate output adjusted for quality and administrative efficiency. Output is measured in terms of patient visits weighted by the level of resource consumption required to produce different types of visits. Compared with the traditional method of performance evaluation, the proposed method offers a more objective and consistent approach for comparing the relative performance of competing health service organizations. Although the model is developed with a focus on outpatient health care agencies, it can also be easily adapted to measure the output and overall performance of other public service enterprises engaged in the same line of business.
Jupiter's zone-belt structure at radio wavelengths: II. Comparison of observations with model atmosphere calculations

Model atmosphere calculations are presented which simulate high-resolution maps of Jupiter's radio emission. They are compared with observations recently obtained at the Very Large Array at 1.3, 2.0, 6.1, and 20.5 cm with resolutions ranging from 0.075 to 0.218 Jovian radii (I. de Pater and J. R. Dickel (1986). Jupiter's zone-belt structure at radio wavelengths. I. Observations. Astrophys. J., in press). The models indicate that ammonia gas is strongly depleted in the upper atmosphere with respect to the solar value both in zones and belts. At very high levels in the atmosphere (P < 0.3−0.5 bar) the gas is undersaturated and distributed uniformly over the planet. In the cloud formation region (0.5 < P < 2 bar), the ammonia depletion is largest in the belts, where it extends down to depths corresponding to 1.8–2 bar. In the zones, the lower ammonia abundances are found down to pressures of 1 bar. Deeper into the Jovian atmosphere, at pressures ≥2.2 bar, the gas is overabundant relative to the solar value by nearly a factor of 2 in both zones and belts. The altitude distribution of the ammonia gas is explained in terms of chemistry, cloud physics, and atmospheric dynamics. The undersaturation at high levels in the atmosphere is attributed to photodissociation of ammonia gas under influence of solar UV photons, coupled with Jupiter's meteorology (up- and downward drafts in the atmosphere). The general depletion of this gas throughout Jupiter's upper atmosphere may be caused by trapping of the gas in a layer of NH4SH particles, and/or in an aqueous ammonia cloud. The cloud deck responsible for trapping ammonia gas is thicker above zones than belts. If the observed depletion of ammonia gas is entirely due to trapping in an NH4SH cloud, the difference in thickness of this cloud between zones and belts gives rise to a temperature difference of 3–4°K between the two regions. This temperature difference may trigger the zonal wind motions in Jupiter's atmosphere near the cloud tops.
Strain Relief by Tilting of Epitaxial GaAs Films on Si

In this paper, a general formula is calculated relating the misalignment of a heteroepitaxial overlayer with respect to the substrate to the defects at the interface. High-resolution TEM studies are presented which show that the density of dislocations along the interface of GaAs grown on vicinal Si(100), with Burgers vector perpendicular to the interface, is consistent with the amount of tilt observed in ion-channeling studies. Arguments are also presented which demonstrate that the tilt observed is an effective form of strain relief but that this mechanism can only operate when the heteroepitaxial growth is nucleated by island growth. One significant conclusion is that the lower bound observed on the threading dislocation density in GaAs on Si is due to this mechanism of strain relief by tilting.
Translation Planes and Derivation Sets

Using ideas from algebraic coding theory, a general notion of aderivation set for a projective plane is introduced. Certain geometric codes are used to locate such sets. These codes also lead to upper bounds for thep-ranks of incidence matrices of translation planes in terms of the dimensions of the associated codes.
Estimation of interfacial tension between organic liquid mixtures and water.

Knowledge of IFT values for chemical mixtures helps guide the design and analysis of various processes, including NAPL remediation with surfactants or alcohol flushing, enhanced oil recovery, and chemical separation technologies, yet available literature values are sparse. A comprehensive comparison of thermodynamic and empirical models for estimating interfacial tension (IFT) of organic chemical mixtures with water is conducted, mainly focusing on chlorinated organic compounds for 14 ternary, three quaternary, and one quinary systems. Emphasis is placed on novel results for systems with three and four organic chemical compounds, and for systems with composite organic compounds like lard oil and mineral oil. Seven models are evaluated: the ideal and nonideal monolayer models (MLID and MLNID), the ideal and nonideal mutual solubility models (MSID and MSNID), an empirical model for ternary systems (EM), a linear mixing model based on mole fractions (LMMM), and a newly developed linear mixing model based on ...
Work in Progress: Cataloging Instructional Design Patterns that Facilitate Generative Learning

Our project evaluates the general structure of "anchored inquiry", or inductive, instructional models and the learning activities associated with the instructional sequences used in undergraduate engineering courses. We are generalizing these learning activities into design patterns that can be associated with specific learning outcomes and based on theories of knowing and learning. Our assumption is that authors of instruction (and instructors) can learn to develop effective learning environments by using these patterns when supported by relevant examples illustrating the intent of the patterns. This paper describes our initial assumptions and criteria for identifying design principles and learning activities that exemplify these principles in engineering education.
Synthesis and reactivity of η5-germacyclopentadienyl complexes of iron

Reaction of 2 equiv of the previously reported germolyl anion Li[C4Me4GeSi(SiMe3)3] with FeCl2(THT)1.5 (THT = tetrahydrothiophene) at low temperature gave the new bis-η5-germolyl complex [η5-C4Me4G...
The Relationship of Defensiveness to Rating Scale Bias

(1955). The Relationship of Defensiveness to Rating Scale Bias. The Journal of Psychology: Vol. 40, No. 2, pp. 431-435.
Demographics, Economics, and Technology: Background to the North African Revolutions

This article examines the interlocking roles that demographic change, economics, and Internet and cellular telephone technology played in fomenting and accelerating revolutionary and reform movements in North Africa in 2011. Although the bulging populations of youth in North Africa—with their access to the Internet and cell phones and their frustrations regarding both political liberty and economic mobility—came together in 2011 to demand revolutionary change, demographic projections indicate that as fertility continues to decline in all North African states except Libya, the region is likely to become more stable approximately twenty years from now, when these nations' populations have become older.
A two-step method for permeabilization of Drosophila eggs.

Abstract As a first step in developing a procedure for the cryopreservation of Drosophila melanogaster embryos, we have established a method for permeabilization of the eggcase and have initiated studies of the hydraulic conductivity of permeabilized embryos and the permeation of selected cryoprotective agents. The eggcase of D. melanogaster embryos has a wax layer that precludes any flux of water. A two-step procedure employing organic solvents was developed to effect removal of the wax layer with minimal deleterious effects on the embryos. Dechorionated embryos (Oregon-R strain P2, 12 to 13 hr old) were rinsed sequentially in isopropanol and hexane. After removal of solvent, embryos were held in a modified cell culture medium for further manipulation. This procedure routinely yielded 80 to 95% of the eggs permeabilized (as determined by osmotic contraction in 1 M sucrose) and 75 to 90% survival (incidence of hatching). Hydraulic conductivity of permeabilized embryos and permeation of cryoprotectants were determined using a microdiffusion chamber and computerized video microscopy. Regression analysis of the volumetric data from individual embryos yielded the Boyle-van't Hoff function FVeq = 0.124 (osm−1) + 0.541 with the standard deviations of slope and intercept (Vb) being 0.010 and 0.040, respectively. Permeabilized embryos exhibited ideal osmotic behavior over the range of 0.265 to 2.00 osm. The mean hydraulic conductivity coefficient (Lp) was 0.722 ± 0.366 (μm/(min · atm) at 20 °C, based on observations of contraction following a step change in concentration of Ringer's solution. The time course for the transient volumetric change of permeabilized embryos subjected to a step change to isotonic Drosophila Ringer's solution containing 1 M DMSO, ethylene glycol, propylene glycol, or glycerol demonstrated that all four cryoprotectants permeated the embryos. DMSO permeated embryos at the highest rate, followed closely by ethylene glycol and propylene glycol, while glycerol permeated very slowly.
Measuring the soft X-ray quantum efficiency of charge-coupled devices using continuum synchrotron radiation

Abstract We have measured the soft X-ray (250–4500 eV) quantum efficiency of a charge-coupled device using continuum synchrotron radiation. The spectrum of the synchrotron radiation can be calculated accurately, so the observed pulse height spectrum is a direct measure of the detector efficiency over the synchrotron bandpass. A key function in modeling the efficiency is the energy dependence of the fraction of detected single pixel events. We find that a model including the effects of charge drift and diffusion plus two different depletion depths (corresponding to the collection and barrier phases under the gates) is required. With this model the absolute QE can be determined to within ∼5% everywhere over the 500 to 4500 eV bandpass.
Fermi-level pinning on ideally terminated InP(110) surfaces.

The deposition of one monolayer of Sb followed by annealing of about 300 \ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}C gives nearly the flat-band condition for both n- and p-type InP(110). Schottky barriers were formed on these surfaces by using nonreactive metals, Au and Ag, and the surface-Fermi-level positions measured by photoemission spectroscopy converge at about 0.52 eV above the valence-band maximum (VBM) for both n- and p-type InP. A defect model using a donor level due to phosphorus deficiency at 0.55 eV (\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.05 eV) above the VBM is proposed as a most probable candidate responsible for this Schottky-barrier formation. However, it is also noted that the Sb interlayer could shift the metal-induced gap state's pinning position.
The Effects of Antipsychotic and Antiparkinsonian Medication on Psychosocial Skill Learning

Although research suggests that therapeutic outcomes for schizophrenic patients are enhanced when antipsychotic medication is combined with psychosocial skill learning, the manner by which the two approaches combine has not been well delineated. The combination is described in this article in terms of mediating cognitive variables. Two bodies of research were examined: (a) studies that investigated the relationship between information processing deficits of schizophrenia and psychosocial skill learning and (b) studies that examined medication effects on cognitive functioning. Research suggests that psychosocial skill learning is significantly related to visual vigilance and verbal recall. Research also suggests that low to moderate doses of antipsychotic medications improve vigilance of schizophrenic patients but have not been shown to consistently improve verbal memory; high doses, on the other hand, may significantly diminish vigilance. Anticholiner-gic medication, but not dopamine agonists, seems to exacerbate the verbal memory deficits of schizophrenia. The combined evidence suggests that low to moderate doses of antipsychotic medication may improve psychosocial skill learning. However, high-dose antipsy-chotics or anticholinergic medication may actually diminish skill learning.
Effect of histamine H2 and H3 receptor modulation in the septum on post-training memory processing

We compared the effects of modulating the postsynaptic histamine receptor subtype 2 (H2) and inhibitory presynaptic autoreceptor subtype 3 (H3) on memory processing in the septum. Mice were partially trained on footshock avoidance in a T-maze. Immediately after training, saline or a drug solution was infused into the septum. One week later, retention was tested by continuing training until the mice made five avoidance responses in six consecutive trials. The results indicate that dimaprit, an H2 agonist, facilitated retention (25 and 50 pg) with a U-shaped dose-response curve typical of drugs acting at postsynaptic receptors. Cimetidine, an H2 antagonist, impaired retention (15–50 ng). The H3 agonist, imetit, impaired retention (25–200 ng), while the H3 antagonist, thioperamide, facilitated retention (10–400 ng). An unusual feature of the dose-response curve for thioperamide was that it did not appear to yield a U-shaped curve as occurs with drugs acting postsynaptically, but facilitated retention to approximately the same degree from 50 to 400 ng. As histamine neurons project to various limbic system structures involved in memory processing, it may play an important role in regulating the activity of structures such as the septum, hippocampus and amygdala.
An outbreak of Candida parapsilosis prosthetic valve endocarditis

Candida parapsilosis, an important nosocomial pathogen and the most common species of Candida found on the hands of health care workers, is a rare cause of prosthetic valve endocarditis (PVE). From March through June 1994, four cases of C. parapsilosis PVE were diagnosed at a 400-bed community hospital. The mean time to presentation after valve replacement surgery was 148 days (range, 20 to 345). Three of the four patients died of complications of PVE. Multiple environmental cultures were performed, and only one was positive for C. parapsilosis. Cultures from the bypass pump, cell saver, cardioplegia solution, and subsequent valves were all negative. All valve replacements were performed by the same operating room team. Interviews with the surgeon and physician assistant, the only personnel involved in all cases, revealed that their hypoallergenic gloves were subject to frequent tears during valve replacement procedures, often requiring several glove changes per procedure. Hand cultures of personnel were obtained, and cultures from 20 individuals (26%) were positive for C. parapsilosis. Hand cultures of the surgeon and physician assistant obtained 8 months after the last case had surgery were negative for yeasts. Molecular typing of the 3 available case isolates, 14 epidemiologically unrelated patient isolates, 1 environmental isolate, and 20 hand isolates was performed by electrophoretic karyotyping and restriction endonuclease analysis of genomic DNA using restriction enzymes BssHII and EagI followed by pulsed field gel electrophoresis. The three case isolates were identical by restriction endonuclease analysis of genomic DNA, and two of the three shared the same electrophoretic karyotyping profile. The remaining patient, environmental, and hand isolates represented 29 different DNA types and were distinctly different from the case isolates. All of the isolates tested were susceptible to amphotericin B, 5FC, fluconazole, and itraconazole. The circumstantial evidence suggests the probability of glove tears during valve replacement surgery and subsequent transmission of C. parapsilosis to patients.
The Perception of Pathologically-Disordered Phonation by Gujarati, English, and Spanish Listeners.

This study investigates the influence of linguistic experience on the perception of pathologically-disordered voices using 18 listeners of American English, which has allophonic breathiness, 12 listeners of Gujarati, which contrasts breathy and modal vowels, and 18 listeners of Spanish, which has neither allophonic nor phonemic breathiness. Listeners rated the similarity of pairs of pathologically-disordered voices. Multidimensional scaling was used to determine the properties that were most correlated with perception for each listener group. Results showed that Gujaratis' perception was correlated with the difference between the amplitude of the first (HI*) and second (H2*) harmonic (HI*-H2*), which is associated with the production of phonation in Gujarati. English listeners' judgments were correlated with the measure HI*-H2* and cepstral peak prominence, and Spanish listeners' judgments were correlated with HI*-H2 and HI*-AI* (the amplitude of the principal harmonic near the first formant). When compared to Esposito (2006), which asked the same listeners to rate the similarity of breathy and modal vowels from Mazatec, results showed that Gujarati listeners classified the pathologically-disordered stimuli in the same way that they classified the Mazatec stimuli, while English and Spanish listeners perceived the pathologically-disordered stimuli and the Mazatec stimuli in slightly different ways.
An accelerated senescence response to radiation in wild-type p53 glioblastoma multiforme cells

Object Radiotherapy is one of the few treatment options available for glioblastoma multiforme (GBM); however, the basis for its overall ineffectiveness in GBM is not fully understood. The present study was designed to explore the nature of the response to ionizing radiation in GBM cells to gain insight into the basis for the general failure of radiotherapy in the treatment of this disease. Methods The response to fractionated radiotherapy was examined in GBM cell lines with differing p53 status. A viable cell number was determined during an 8-day period; accelerated senescence was based on β-galactosidase staining and cell morphology; apoptosis was evaluated by the terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase–mediated deoxyuridine triphosphate nick-end labeling assay and fluorescence-activated cell-sorter analysis, whereas the expression of cell-cycle regulatory proteins was monitored by Western blot analysis. Based on clonogenic survival, the wild-type p53 U87 cells and mutant p53 T98 cells demonstrated essenti...
Plausibility assessments in hypothesis generation

Abstract Our principle goal was to examine one aspect of predicisional behavior: how decision makers evaluate their feelings of certainty toward specified and unspecified hypotheses. Our experimental task permitted a comparison of subjective to veridical values. Subjects generally were overconfident for specified hypotheses and conservative for unspecified hypotheses. Subjects also expressed more confidence with specified hypotheses when evaluating them individually than as an aggregate. An explanation for our results may be that subjects underestimated the importance of unspecified hypotheses because they had difficulty recalling them.
Substrate specificity and kinetic mechanism of the Sir2 family of NAD+-dependent histone/protein deacetylases.

The Silent information regulator 2 (Sir2) family of enzymes consists of NAD+-dependent histone/protein deacetylases that tightly couple the hydrolysis of NAD+ and the deacetylation of an acetylated substrate to form nicotinamide, the deacetylated product, and the novel metabolite O-acetyl-ADP-ribose (OAADPR). In this paper, we analyzed the substrate specificity of the yeast Sir2 (ySir2), the yeast HST2, and the human SIRT2 homologues toward various monoacetylated histone H3 and H4 peptides, determined the basic kinetic mechanism, and resolved individual chemical steps of the Sir2 reaction. Using steady-state kinetic analysis, we have shown that ySir2, HST2, and SIRT2 exhibit varying catalytic efficiencies and display a preference among the monoacetylated peptide substrates. Bisubstrate kinetic analysis indicates that Sir2 enzymes follow a sequential mechanism, where both the acetylated substrate and NAD+ must bind to form a ternary complex, prior to any catalytic step. Using rapid-kinetic analysis, we hav...
Lytic skull metastasis from a follicular thyroid carcinoma in a child.

We present a case of solitary lytic skull metastasis from a follicular thyroid carcinoma in a child. Salient clinical features, radiological findings, and histological distinctions of the metastatic s
Size-dependent stability toward dissociation and ligand binding energies of phosphine ligated gold cluster ions

The size-dependent properties of ultra-small gold cluster ions ligated with phosphines are important to their scalable synthesis and potential applications in catalysis and energy production. However, the size distribution of clusters prepared in solution often makes it challenging to extract thermodynamic and kinetic parameters for species containing an exact number of gold atoms and phosphine ligands in a specific charge state. Here, we report for the first time the experimental determination of the stability toward fragmentation and ligand binding energies of mass-selected cationic gold clusters ligated with triphenylphosphine. Employing surface-induced dissociation Au7L62+, Au8L62+, Au8L72+ and Au9L72+ (L = triphenylphosphine) clusters are demonstrated to fragment through loss of a neutral ligand (AunLm2+ → AunL(m−1)2+ + L), asymmetric fission (AunLm2+ → Au(n−1)L(m−2)+ + AuL2+) and more symmetric fission (Au7L62+ → Au4L3+ + Au3L3+) involving charge separation of the gold core. It is shown that a cluster containing exactly eight gold atoms and six triphenylphosphine ligands, which is the predominant species formed during the early stages of reduction synthesis in solution, is exceptionally stable towards dissociation compared to the other clusters due in part to its large ligand binding energy.
sgk Is an Aldosterone-induced Kinase in the Renal Collecting Duct EFFECTS ON EPITHELIAL Na+ CHANNELS

The early phase of the stimulatory effect of aldosterone on sodium reabsorption in renal epithelia is thought to involve activation of apical sodium channels. However, the genes initiating this effect are unknown. We used a combination of polymerase chain reaction-based subtractive hybridization and differential display techniques to identify aldosterone-regulated immediate early genes in renal mineralocorticoid target cells. We report here that aldosterone rapidly increases mRNA levels of a putative Ser/Thr kinase,sgk (or serum- andglucocorticoid-regulated kinase), in its native target cells, i.e. in cortical collecting duct cells. The effect occurs within 30 min of the addition of aldosterone, is mediated through mineralocorticoid receptors, and does not require de novo protein synthesis. The full-length sequences of rabbit and mouse sgk cDNAs were determined. Both cDNAs show significant homology to rat and human sgk (88–94% at the nucleotide level, and 96–99% at the amino acid level). Coexpression of the mouse sgk in Xenopus oocytes with the three subunits of the epithelial Na+ channel results in a significantly enhanced Na+ current. These results suggest that sgk is an immediate early aldosterone-induced gene, and this protein kinase plays an important role in the early phase of aldosterone-stimulated Na+ transport.
Relation of body habitus to the severity of mitral stenosis in women.

Abstract Wood described wasting and lean body weight in patients with severe mitral stenosis (MS) who had congestive heart failure.1,2 Cardiac cachexia has been attributed to the catabolic effect of congestive heart failure and to the increased work of breathing.3 This report examines the relation between body habitus and the severity of MS in 79 women.
THE MARRIAGE LAW OF THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA

This article describes the Chinese laws of marriage and divorce under the People's Republic of China and traces their historical antecedents. The actual laws are included at the end of the article in the appendixes. Fascinating changes are occurring in China and are documented in this article.
Structural properties of frog muscle myosin

Abstract Frog myosin is a labile molecule, undergoing irreversible aggregation and rapid loss of ATPase; however, a procedure is described which provides highly purified myosin, with stable solubility and enzymatic properties, from skeletal muscle of Rana catesbeiana . Frog myosin contains heavy chains and light chains 1, 2, and 3. Light chain 3 is present in excess over light chain 1, and light chain 2 may occur as either, or both, of 2 closely migrating bands. On two-dimensional electrophoresis, light chain 1 generates an isoelectric component with p K 5.60; light chain 2 generates a complex pattern with 3 or 4 major components; and light chain 3 generates 2 major components with p K 5.00 and 4.92. The same subunit composition is obtained for frogs acclimated at 25 and 5°C; however, proteolytic artifacts may occur in myosin preparations purified in the absence of protease inhibitors, especially in warm-acclimated frogs.
Numb expression and asymmetric versus symmetric cell division in distal embryonic lung epithelium

Proper balance between self-renewal and differentiation of lung-specific progenitors is absolutely required for normal lung morphogenesis/regeneration. Therefore, understanding the behavior of lung epithelial stem/progenitor cells could identify innovative solutions for restoring normal lung morphogenesis and/or regeneration. The Notch inhibitor Numb is a key determinant of asymmetric or symmetric cell division and hence cell fate. Yet Numb proximal-distal expression pattern and symmetric versus asymmetric division are uncharacterized during lung epithelial development. Herein, the authors find that the cell fate determinant Numb is highly expressed and asymmetrically distributed at the apical side of distal epithelial progenitors and segregated to one daughter cell in most mitotic cells. Knocking down Numb in MLE15 epithelial cells significantly increased the number of cells expressing the progenitor cell markers Sox9/Id2. Furthermore, cadherin hole analysis revealed that most distal epithelial stem/progenitor cells in embryonic lungs divide asymmetrically; with their cleavage, planes are predicted to bypass the cadherin hole, resulting in asymmetric distribution of the cadherin hole to the daughter cells. These novel findings provide evidence for asymmetric cell division in distal epithelial stem/progenitor cells of embryonic lungs and a framework for future translationally oriented studies in this area.
Revisiting a Classic after Nearly a Half Century

Max Skidmore reviews Michael Harrington's 1962 Classic The Other America: Poverty in the United States, assessing the work's staying power over nearly two generations.
A Typology of Nursing Therapeutics

A typology of nursing therapeutics is proposed in relation to the intended level of alteration of patient responses, patterns, or life processes. Nursing therapeutics is described as single or multiple interventions by the nurse to alter life processes, life patterns, and functional health patterns.
The Contact Hypothesis: Social and Economic Contact and Generational Changes in the Study of Black Anti-Semitism

Studies indicate that respondents experiencing equal-status contact across ethnic lines are more likely to hold tolerant attitudes toward minorities than those not having been exposed to such interaction. This paper extends the research on this proposition in three ways. We examine: (1) responses of blacks reporting equal-status contact with Jews; (2) effects of equal-status contact compared with other types of reported associations with Jews such as perceived economic mistreatment; and (3) possible trends in the shifting effects of both types of reported contact over time. The findings indicate strong support for the contact hypothesis, particularly when equal-status contact is intimate and occurs in a noninstitutional setting. On the other hand, they show that perceived economic mistreatment is strongly related to heightened antipathy toward Jews. When the two types of reported contacts are compared for their predictive effects, the economic variable exerts by far the greater influence of the two. Last, we examine trends in the changing effects of these two types of reported contact on anti-Semitism. We observed two patterns. First, the younger generation of blacks exhibits a weaker inverse relationship between intimate, equal-status contact and anti-Semitism than older cohorts. Second, the positive association between perceived economic mistreatment and the dependent variable increases with each younger generation. These findings suggest that there are generational changes taking place in black-white relations. For at least 25 years, American sociologists have shown and stirred interest in the contact hypothesis (Deutsch and Collins; Ford, a, b; Williams). Examined in a number of different settings, findings of many studies indicate that respondents having equal-status contact across ethnic lines are more likely to hold tolerant attitudes toward minorities than those not having such contact. The present investigation reexamines this hypothesis from three neglected perspectives: (1) we reexamine the contact hypothesis, focusing on social and economic contact between blacks and Jews in the study of black anti-Semitism; (2) we examine the comparative effects of equal-status contact and the respondent's perceived economic mistreatment; and (3) we examine the shifting effects of the above two forms of contact over time. To date, most research on the contact hypothesis has focused on members of the dominant population. Few studies have examined this proposition from the perspective of minorities. One notable exception, however, is the study by Works *We gratefully acknowledge the constructive comments made on earlier versions of the paper by Marion Dearman, Norman Friedman, Gene N. Levine, James Yu, and anonymous reviewers for Social Forces.
An efficient finite-state machine implementation of Huffman decoders

We present an efficient hardware implementation of a Huffman decoding algorithm that is based on the prefix-free property of Huffman codes. The proposed method can be used to reduce tester memory requirements for integrated circuit testing.
Factor V Leiden mutation is a risk factor for hepatic artery thrombosis in liver transplantation.

Abstract Background Hepatic artery thrombosis (HAT) after orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Factor V Leiden (FVL) mutation is the most common genetic defect that predisposes to thrombosis. The reconstruction of hepatic artery with arterial graft is a documented risk factor for HAT. However, the relationship among FVL mutation, arterial graft, and HAT remains to be determined. Methods We randomly genotyped 485 patients who underwent OLT from April 2002 to January 2011 and studied the incidence of Hepatic artery thrombosis in the presence of FVL mutation. Results Of 485 patients, 21 patients (4.3%) developed HAT (13 male, 8 female); 10 patients (4 male, 6 female) were heterozygous for the FVL mutation. The incidences of HAT in patients without versus with the FVL mutation were 3.8% and 30% (P = .007). Of patients with HAT, 8 hepatic arteries were reconstructed with infrarenal aortic conduits. All 3 patients (100%) with vs 5 (28%) without FVL who received arterial grafts developed HAT (P = .042). Conclusion Our study suggested that the FVL mutation may be a risk factor for HAT in liver transplantation; the risk is augmented in the presence of an arterial graft.
An experimental study of the heat transfer between near-fluidized particles and an oscillating immersed surface

Abstract A novel heat transfer probe was developed to evaluate heat transfer coefficients between nearfluidized particles and a vibrating heat transfer surface. The periodic motion of the surface caused fluctuations in the instantaneous heat transfer coefficient, h. The parameter affecting the fluctuating amplitude of h was the vibration amplitude of the surface (0.2 and 0.5 mm). The frequency of the applied motion (0, 2, 6 and 10 Hz) affected the frequency of h. At higher frequencies h varied at the applied frequency. However, at the lowest oscillation frequency, 2 Hz, h varied at approximately twice the applied frequency.
Cytosolic and membrane-bound methemoglobin reductases in erythrocytes of the opossum, Didelphis virginiana.

Abstract 1. 1. NADH- and NADPH-dependent methemoglobin reductases were found to be present in opossum erythrocytes at approximately the same level as in human erythrocytes. 2. 2. Electrofocusing studies reveal that both enzymes differ from their human counterpart with respect to pI value. 3. 3. Increased amounts of both enzymes are observed following solubilization with either Triton X-100 or cathepsin-D. 4. 4. Thus each activity appears to have a membrane-bound component in opossum erythrocytes as well as in the human erythrocytes.
Phase I trial of simultaneously administered GM-CSF and IL-6 in patients with renal-cell carcinoma: Clinical and laboratory effects

ADepartment Clinical Pathology, iDepartment of Bwstatistics and Epidemiology, The Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, Ohio. USA Summary Background: Metastatic renal-cell carcinoma is a neoplasm that is minimally responsive to cytotoxic chemotherapy. Tumor regression following therapy with cytokines such as interferon alpha and/or interleukin-2 is seen in selected subsets of patients. Investigations with other immunomodulatory cytokines, such as GM-CSF and IL-6 are therefore of interest. Patients and methods: A phase I trial of concomitantly administered granulocyte macrophage-colony stimulating factor (3.0 mcg/kg/day s.c dl—14) and escalating doses of interleukin-6 (1.0, 5.0 or 10.0 ug/kg/day dl—14) was conducted in patients with metastatic renal-cell carcinoma to explore the toxicity of the combination and its hematologic effects. Results: The most common side effects seen were fever, fatigue and arthralgias. Dose limiting toxicity included thrombocytosis and hyperbilirubinemia in patients receiving 10 ug/kg/day of IL-6. The hematologic effects of IL-6 and GM-CSF included leukocytoses and thrombocytosis, with increases in peripheral blood progenitors (BFU-E, CFU-GM, and CFU-GEMM). Evidence of platelet activation demonstrated by increased platelet expression of CD62 was found. No clinical responses were observed. Conclusions: The combination of IL-6 and GM-CSF has pleotropic hematologic effects. Further studies with this combination for the treatment of renal-cell carcinoma are not recommended.
Safety of percutaneous patent ductus arteriosus closure: an unselected multicenter population experience.

Background The technique and safety of transcatheter patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) closure have evolved during the past 20 years. We sought to report a multicenter experience of PDA closure with a focus on the rate of adverse events (AE) and a review of institutional practice differences. Methods and Results Outcome data on transcatheter PDA closure were collected at 8 centers prospectively using a multicenter registry (Congenital Cardiac Catheterization Project on Outcome Registry). Between February 2007 and June 2010, 496 PDA closures were recorded using a device in 338 (68%) or coils in 158 (32%). Most patients had an isolated PDA (90%). Fifty percent of patients were between 6 months and 3 years old, with only 40 patients (8%) P 2 mm (all P 1.5 mm. In 9% of cases (n=46), an AE occurred; however, only 11 (2%) were classified as high severity. Younger age was associated with a higher AE rate. Coil-related AEs were more common than device-related AEs (10% versus 2%, P Conclusions PDA closure in the present era has a very low rate of complications, although these are higher in younger children. Technical intervention-related events were more common in coil procedures compared with device procedures. For PDAs ≤2.5 mm in diameter, institutional differences in preference for device versus coil exist.
Performance-Based Incentives for Health: Conditional Cash Transfer Programs in Latin America and the Caribbean

In order to support poor families in the developing world to seek and use health care, a multi-pronged strategy is needed on both the supply and the demand side of health care. A demand-side program called Conditional Cash Transfers (CCTs) strives to reduce poverty and also increase food consumption, school attendance, and use of preventive health care. Since 1997, seven countries in Latin America have implemented and evaluated CCT programs with health and nutrition components. The core of the program is based on encouraging poor mothers to seek preventive health services and attend health education talks by providing a cash incentive for their healthy behavior (with healthy behavior representing performance). Evaluations of these programs measured outputs in the utilization of services; health knowledge, attitudes, and practice; food consumption; the supply and quality of services; as well as outcomes in vaccination rates; nutritional status; morbidity; mortality; and fertility. While CCT impact evaluations provided unambiguous evidence that financial incentives increase utilization of key services by the poor, the studies gave little attention to the impact on health-related behaviors, attitudes, and household decision-making or how these factors contribute to or limit impact on health outcomes. Recommendations include expanding the scope of future evaluations to study these effects, modeling program effects beforehand, and carefully selecting the conditions for payment so that they are not too burdensome yet not irrelevant. Continuing to focus on the extreme poor is recommended since findings show that the poorest households must reach a minimum level of food consumption before they are able to make other investments in their health and well-being. The Center for Global Development is an independent think tank that works to reduce global poverty and inequality through rigorous research and active engagement with the policy community. Use and dissemination of this Working Paper is encouraged, however reproduced copies may not be used for commercial purposes. Further usage is permitted under the terms of the Creative Commons License. This paper was made possible in part by funding from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The views expressed in this paper are those of the author and should not be attributed to the directors or funders of the Center for Global Development.
Deadly Force Programs Among Larger U.S. Police Departments

A police firearms training survey collected data on U.S. state and larger municipal and county police departments (N = 51) regarding in-service deadly force program staffing models and instructor d...
A comparative study utilizing open flap debridement with and without enamel matrix derivative in the treatment of periodontal intrabony defects: a 12-month re-entry study.

Background: Previous studies have demonstrated that enamel matrix derivative (EMD) has the ability to improve clinical parameters when used to treat intraosseous defects. The purpose of the present study was to compare at 12 months postsurgery sites treated with open flap debridement (OFD) alone to those treated with OFD and EMD. Methods: Twenty-three subjects with at least 2 intrabony defects were chosen. Fifty-three defects received EMD in conjunction with OFD. Thirtyone defects in these same 23 subjects were treated with OFD alone. Stents were fabricated to serve as fixed reference points. Re-entries were performed at least 1 year after initial surgery. Soft tissue measurements were recorded prior to initial surgery and prior to re-entry for gingival (GI) and plaque (PI) indices, probing depth (PD), gingival margin position, and clinical attachment level (CAL). Hard tissue measurements were recorded during the initial and re-entry surgery for level of crestal bone and depth of defect. Statistical analysis was conducted using the method of generalized estimating equations to determine changes in GI, PI, PD, CAL, fill of the osseous defect, and crestal resorption. Percent of defect fill was also calculated. Results: In all categories, treatment with EMD (test) was superior to treatment without EMD (control). Average PI and GI were not significantly different either initially or prior to re-entry. The average PD reduction was 2.7 mm greater with EMD than controls. The average CAL gains were 1.5 mm greater, and the average fill of osseous defect 2.4 mm greater with EMD than controls. The average percent of defect fill after adjusting for crestal bone loss was more than 3 times greater for EMD versus control-treated sites (74% defect fill with EMD versus 23% defect fill for control sites). Conclusions: This study indicates that treatment of periodontal intraosseous defects with EMD is clinically superior to treatment without EMD (open flap debridement) in every parameter evaluated. Re-entry data demonstrate that percent fill of osseous defects treated with EMD compares favorably with the treatment results utilizing bone grafts or membrane barriers, according to published literature. J Periodontol 2001;72:25-34.
Science, Worldviews, and Education

Whether science can reach conclusions with substantial worldview import, such as whether supernatural beings exist or the universe is purposeful, is a significant but unsettled aspect of science. For instance, various scientists, philosophers, and educators have explored the implications of science for a theistic worldview, with opinions spanning the spectrum from positive to neutral to negative. To delineate a mainstream perspective on science, seven key characterizations or “pillars” of science are adopted from position papers from the world’s largest scientific organization, the American Association for the Advancement of Science. Based on those pillars and an examination of scientific method, I argue that the presuppositions and reasoning of science can and should be worldview independent, but empirical and public evidence from the sciences and humanities can support conclusions that are worldview distinctive. I also critique several problematic perspectives: asserting that science can say nothing about worldviews and the opposite extreme of insisting that science decisively supports one particular worldview; weakening science so severely that it lacks truth claims; and burdening science with unnecessary presuppositions. Worldview-distinctive conclusions based on empirical evidence are suitable for individual convictions and public discussions, but not for institutional endorsements and scientific literacy requirements.
A Leaf Sequencing Software for Intensity-Modulated Radiation Therapy

This paper presents a leaf sequencing software called SLS (static leaf sequencing) for intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT). SLS seeks to produce improved clinical IMRT treatment plans by (1) shortening their treatment times and (2) minimizing their machine delivery errors. Our SLS software is implemented using the C programming language on Linux workstations and is designed as a separate module to complement the current commercial treatment planning systems. The input to SLS is discrete radiation intensity maps computed by current planning systems, and its output is (modified) optimized control sequences for the radiotherapy machines. Our SLS approach is very different from the commonly used planning methods in medical literature in that it is based on graph algorithms and computational geometry techniques. Comparisons of SLS with the CORVUS commercial planning system indicated that for the same set of discrete radiation intensity maps, treatment times can be shortened by over 30% by our SLS plans while maintaining the same treatment quality. We have used SLS in clinical applications at two cancer treatment centers. This paper discusses the various aspects of the implementation, installation, commissioning, and testing of our SLS software system.
The Book of Daniel in Recent Research (Part 1)

This is the first of two articles exploring recent research on the book of Daniel. The focus of Part 1 is the court tale narratives of Daniel 1—6, with particular attention to genre identification, sociological and ideological viewpoints, and textual and language issues. Other topics of interest are represented in the bibliography, which identifies important publications since 1993. Foundational works published prior to 1993 are also included. Historical-critical analysis of Daniel 1—6 has furthered understanding of important topics such as the nature of court tale literature and the context of conquest, exile and empire in the ancient Near East, and how those constructs affect the biblical writings. New explorations of Daniel 1—6 that focus on literary, multi-critical and interdisciplinary approaches to the study of this book suggest interesting answers to perennial debates over issues such as the language, genre and ideology of these court tales, and are a main focus of this survey article.Part 2 will e...
The Antifolate 10-Deazaaminopterin Inhibits Neutrophil Chemotaxis and Superoxide Generation

AbstractThe effect of the dihydrofolate reductase inhibitor 10-deazaaminopterin on several neutrophil functions was tested in vitro. At 100 uM it inhibited chemotaxis by 50% and reduced the generation of superoxide by 30%. It had no influence on phagocytosis and did not significantly change the secretion of s-D-glucuronidase, a marker enzyme of degranulation. After preincubation of white cells with various concentrations of 10-deazaaminopterin, followed by resuspension in drug-free medium, no inhibition of chemotaxis or superoxide generation was seen. Therefore, the effects on chemotaxis and NADPH oxidase appear to be reversible and not due to metabolic transformation of the dihydrofolate reductase inhibitor.
Low ballistic mobility in submicron HEMTs

Ballistic effects in short channel high electron mobility transistors (HEMTs) greatly reduce the field effect mobility compared to that in long gate structures. This reduction is related to a finite electron acceleration time in the channel under the device gate. As an example, the field effect mobility at room temperature in 0.15-/spl mu/m gate AlGaAs/GaAs HEMTs cannot exceed 3000 cm/sup 2//V-s. These predictions are consistent with the values of the field effect mobility extracted from the measured AlGaAs/GaAs HEMT current-voltage characteristics.
Thiophene based hyperbranched polymers with tunable branching using direct arylation methods

An efficient one-pot synthesis of branched poly(3-alkylthiophene)s (b-P3ATs) is achieved via a dehydrohalogenative polycondensation reaction. The structures of the b-P3ATs are assigned based on 1H NMR spectra by comparing them to a model dendritic polymer and oligo(3-hexylthiophene-2,4-diyl). The palladium-catalyzed dehydrohalogenative polycondensation of 2-bromo-3-alkylthiophenes was found to provide P3AT with tunable degree of branching (DB = 0–0.42) and high molecular weights. Viscosity measurements of the different b-P3ATs indicate that they display a more globular morphology compared to regiorandom P3AT and regioregular P3AT in solution, thereby confirming the branched structure.
Flavor Profiles of Vacuum Packaged and Polyvinyl Chloride Packaged Ground Beef: A Comparison of Cooked Flavor Changes Occurring during Product Display

Vacuum packaged (VP) ground beef was compared to polyvinyl chloride (PVC) packaged product by describing and quantifying via flavor profiling those flavor changes occurring during display. VP samples displayed for 24 days had a more constant profile than did PVC samples displayed for 5 days. The initial beefy, fresh impact of VP samples declined only slightly during display. The beefy note became briefer and was replaced by a lingering sourness. Bloody/serumy notes changed to metallic/sharp notes. After 3-day display, PVC samples were bland with a threshold amount of stale note. At 5-day display, beef identity and freshness of the PVC sample were very low. Bloody/serumy was not detected and blandness was replaced by a lingering stale note.