cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Patellar instability treated with distal femoral osteotomy

Abstract Background Patellar instability can cause significant disability in both pediatric and adult patients, and it is associated with several factors including genu valgum. In this study, we describe the role of a lateral opening wedge distal femoral osteotomy (DFO) combined with lateral retinacular release in addressing genu valgum with associated patellar instability. The rationale for this approach is to medialize the patellar tendon insertion and decrease the Q angle with DFO. Methods A consecutive series of patients were studied, and our outcomes of interest included improvements in radiographic measures and patient outcomes. Radiographic improvement was assessed using patella congruency angle (PCA), mechanical axis deviation (MAD), and lateral distal femoral angle (LDFA). Patient outcomes were assessed using Oxford Knee scores, KOOS-PS scores, VAS pain scores, and Kujala scores. Results We studied eight patients (10 knees) that underwent a lateral opening wedge DFO for genu valgum and patellar instability. Mean follow-up duration was 27 months. PCA improved from 30.4° lateral preoperatively to 5.7° lateral postoperatively (p = 0.016). Similarly, MAD improved from 33.1 mm lateral to 6.5 mm medial, and LDFA improved from 82.4° to 92.7° after surgery (p = 0.002). There were significant improvements in VAS pain and Kujala scores after surgery (p Conclusion There is an important relationship between mechanical alignment and patellar instability. Lateral opening wedge DFO is an effective treatment for patellar instability in patients with genu valgum.
Challenges in educating patients and parents about differences in sex development

This article reviews practical approaches to talking with parents and youth about Differences in Sex Development (DSD) which are conditions that affect chromosomal, gonadal, or anatomic sexual development, one of the most personal, and in our society, private areas of life. Talking with parents and patients about these conditions can be challenging given the complexity of sexual development and the sensitive nature of the information being shared. Changing approaches to disclosing or communicating information about conditions, such as DSD are reviewed as well as factors leading to revision in the diagnostic nomenclature. Building on these developments, strategies used by an established DSD team to enhance shared decision making and partnership with families and patients are presented followed by examples of how some particularly challenging, but not uncommon clinical situations were approached. The paper concludes by endorsing the importance of understanding the social and cultural needs and beliefs of the parents and patients with DSD to set the stage for effective disclosure of medical facts. To be most useful to parents and youth, medical disclosure needs to include discussion of practical implications and strategies to help families and patients digest, understand, and work with the information provided.
The Temple of Peace in Rome

In this magisterial two-volume book, Pier Luigi Tucci offers a comprehensive examination of one of the key complexes of Ancient Rome, the Temple of Peace. Based on archival research and an architectural survey, his research sheds new light on the medieval, Renaissance, and Baroque transformations of the basilica, and the later restorations of the complex. Volume 1 focuses on the foundation of the complex under Vespasian until its restoration under Septimius Severus and challenges the accepted views about the ancient building. Volume 2 begins with the remodelling of the library hall and the construction of the rotunda complex, and examines the dedication of the Christian Basilica of SS Cosmas and Damian. Of interest to scholars in a range of topics, The Temple of Peace in Rome crosses the boundaries between classics, archaeology, history of architecture, and art history, through Late Antiquity, the Middle Ages, and the early modern period.
The Data-Driven δ-Generalized Labeled Multi-Bernoulli Tracker for Automatic Birth Initialization

The δ-generalized labeled multi-Bernoulli (δ-GLMB) tracker is the first multiple hypothesis tracking (MHT)-like tracker that is provably Bayes-optimal. However, in its basic form, the δ-GLMB provides no mechanism for adaptively initializing targets at their first appearance from unlabeled measurements. By introducing a new multitarget likelihood function that accounts for new target appearance, a data-driven δ-GLMB tracker is derived that automatically initializes new targets in the tracker measurement update. Monte Carlo results of simulated multitarget tracking problems demonstrate improved multitarget tracking accuracy over comparable adaptive birth methods.
A 1-Week Intensive Ultrasound Course for Second-Year Medical Students

We describe the curriculum of a 1-week ultrasound course for second-year medical students integrating didactics, bedside scanning, high-fidelity simulators, and a “Sonolympics” and evaluate its effectiveness. All students’ subjective confidence in using and interpreting ultrasound significantly increased, and students obtained and correctly interpreted ultrasound images in 86% of simulated cases.
The Gospel Comes of Age

By the middle of the second century, Garroway shows, the original association of the word gospel with Paul had been lost. Gospel had come to refer to the preaching of Jesus, to Christian proclamation in general, and increasingly to narratives about Jesus known as Gospels. Garroway traces the origin of this last phenomenon from Mark through Marcion, demonstrating that Marcion was not, as it is often claimed, the first Christian to call a written narrative about Jesus a Gospel. Both the Didache and the letters of Ignatius use euangelion with reference to such a narrative, probably the written work known to us as the Gospel According to Matthew.
Quantum Control of Femtosecond Multiphoton Absorption via Chirp

We show both experimentally and theoretically how multiphoton absorption in a molecular system can be significantly affected by the phase structure of a single femtosecond pulse.
The contributions of Ranger photographs to understanding the geology of the Moon

Vidicon photographs returned to earth by Rangers 7, 8, and 9 in 1964 and 1965 were used to study the details of lunar geologic units previously recognized from earth-based telescopic photographs and to make geologic maps at a variety of scales. The photographs from each mission changed continuously in scale as the spacecraft approached impact. The final frames had resolutions some 1,000 times better than the best earthbased photographs. Lunar stratigraphic units mapped at a scale of 1:1,000,000 displayed, at these larger scales, differences in properties and, possibly, in ages, but a clear-cut stratigraphic succession of subunits was not apparent. The plains-forming materials in both terra and mare were divisible into units mainly on the basis of the differences in the total number of superposed craters and in the relative number of craters of various morphologic types.
Historical Perspectives of Functional Bowel Disease

A 31-year-old white housewife complained of persistent diarrhea for 18 months. Her stools were semiliquid to mushy, and often contained visible mucus but never blood. They were passed from three to eight times daily, but never at night; and though often accompanied by great urgency, they were usually small.
Structural and Quantitative MRI in Epilepsy

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a critical component of the basic clinical assessment of epilepsy. Detection of abnormalities on MRI is essential to establishing an initial diagnosis (idiopathic, cryptogenic, or symptomatic) and determining options for treatment. MRI studies are especially critical in focal epilepsy, as resective surgery of an epileptogenic lesion has the potential to render many patients seizure-free (Engel, 1996; Wiebe, Blume, Girvin, & Eliasziw, 2001). Improvements in high-resolution MRI and quantitative post-processing methods now permit detection of structural abnormalities in patients that are not otherwise visually apparent. This is especially important as an MRI-identified lesion is associated both with poorer response to medications (Cardoso et al., 2006; Spooner, Berkovic, Mitchell, Wrennall, & Harvey, 2006) and with a greater likelihood of seizure freedom following resective surgery (Berkovic et al., 1995; Jeha et al., 2007).
Meta-analysis and systematic review of interventional therapy versus anticoagulation for isolated femoropopliteal deep venous thrombosis.

Abstract Objective Percutaneous endovenous intervention (PEVI) is gaining acceptance for select patients with symptomatic proximal lower extremity deep venous thrombosis (DVT), but the benefits are uncertain in patients with isolated femoropopliteal DVTs. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of the literature to assess the safety and effectiveness of PEVI vs systemic anticoagulation for patients with isolated femoropopliteal DVT. Methods We systematically searched PubMed, Embase, and the Cochrane Library from inception to March 2018. All studies comparing clinical outcomes between PEVI and systemic anticoagulation were included. The main end points were post-thrombotic syndrome and bleeding complications. Secondary outcomes included femoropopliteal patency rate, venous obstruction, and recurrent DVT. Results No studies directly comparing PEVI with systemic anticoagulation in isolated femoropopliteal DVTs were identified by the systematic review. A traditional literature review identified one randomized controlled trial comparing the two, which found no difference in rates of post-thrombotic syndrome in PEVI vs systemic anticoagulation (risk ratio, 0.96; 95% confidence interval, 0.82-1.11; P = .56). We additionally identified five retrospective case series containing patients with isolated femoropopliteal DVTs, of which two reported on patency rates (46%-100% at 2 years). Conclusions More data are required to definitively state that PEVI should be the preferred intervention for patients with isolated femoropopliteal DVTs, although the initial evidence is promising.
Measuring resolution degradation of long-wavelength infrared imagery in fog

The scattering of light in fog is a complex problem that affects imaging in many ways. Typically, imaging device performance in fog is attributed solely to reduced visibility measured as light extinction from scattering events. We present a quantitative analysis of resolution degradation in the long-wave infrared regime. Our analysis is based on the calculation of the modulation transfer function from the edge response of a slant edge blackbody target in known fog conditions. We show higher spatial frequencies attenuate more than low spatial frequencies with increasing fog thickness. These results demonstrate that image blurring, in addition to extinction, contributes to degraded performance of imaging devices in fog environments.
Modeling Single-Phase PQ Inverter for Unbalanced Power Dispatch in Islanded Microgrid

For a three-phase islanded microgrid with non-stiff grid-supporting or grid-forming distributed generators (DGs), unbalance power dispatch from these DGs can negatively influence the voltage quality, stability, and lifespan of the DGs. One way to solve such unbalance is to have DGs that can compensate for the load unbalance by being able to dispatch unbalance power. In this work, single-phase controlled PQ inverter interfaced DGs are modeled for this purpose. A detailed control model of the single-phase PQ inverter is derived from which we approximate the power stage of the inverter to a voltage-controlled source. Simulation studies in PSCAD showed that the voltage-controlled model gives an accurate representation of the elaborate switching model of the single-phase PQ inverter. Coordination of unbalanced power dispatch is realized by stacking the single-phase inverter in a manner similar to the three-bridge four wire shunt active filter and dispatch setpoint are sent to the PQ inverters from the secondary and tertiary control level of the microgrid for load compensation purpose. Case studies of balanced, unbalanced and load compensated systems are presented and evaluated with two unbalance indices: phase voltage unbalance rate (PVUR) and true voltage unbalance factor (VUF). The studies showed that in an islanded microgrid with a non-stiff reference source, the primary source of voltage unbalance across three phase nodes is unbalanced loading and that by dispatching unbalanced power to the PQ inverters to compensate for load unbalance, a significant improvement in system balancing could be realized.
(336) Gender Differences in Cardiovascular Reactivity to Experimental Pain Assessment in Pain-Free Adults

There is a broad literature indicating gender differences in cardiovascular heart diseases. However, gender differences in cardiovascular reactivity to experimental pain have revealed conflicting results. Therefore, we aimed to establish gender differences to experimental pain assessment in cardiovascular reactivity. Cardiovascular reactivity was measured by the change in Central Blood Pressure (CBP), Peripheral Arterial Stiffness (PAS), and Heart Rate Variability (HRV) before and after experimental pain assessment in 28 healthy subjects (12 males, age = 43.7046±6 years; 16 females, age= 49.31±7). CBP and PAS were determined non-invasively by pulse wave analysis (XCEL, SyphgmoCor). High-frequency (HF) and low-frequency (LF) bands were explored as a HRV parameter during each of the phases as an index of vagal cardiac control and sympathetic cardiac activation (MP-150, Biopac). Thermal stimuli were applied to the forearm by a contact thermode to assess thermal pain Tolerance. Repeated measures ANOVA showed a significant interaction term between gender and central diastolic blood pressure [F(1,25)=4.66, p=0.04], where males experienced a significantly steeper increase than females (males ΔCBP 11.35 mm Hg vs. females ΔCBP 2.21 mm Hg) . The Central Augmented pressure and the AIX@HR75 (PAS indicators) increased significantly between baseline and pain tolerance with a significant main effect of gender, where females had a higher central augmented pressure and AIX@HR75 than males. No interaction term was observed between HRV variables and gender. These preliminary results imply that in general males have a higher cardiovascular reactivity due to pain induction than females. However, females showed larger PAS, which could produce a ceiling effect on their cardiovascular reactivity. Further studies in a larger sample and in patients with chronic pain could provide stronger evidence about the relationship between chronic pain and cardiovascular risk.
Successful mitraclip transcatheter mitral valve repair in the setting of an interatrial mass

MitraClip procedure is an emerging minimally invasive technique for patients with severe mitral regurgitation (MR) who are at high risk for surgery. Transseptal puncture is a key step in MitraClip procedure that is usually performed superiorly and posteriorly in the interatrial septum for optimal MitraClip placement. The presence of interatrial masses such as patent foramen ovale closure device or thrombus makes transeptal puncture more challenging. Safety and efficacy of MitraClip transcatheter mitral valve repair in the presence of intracardiac masses have not been described in the literature. This case describes a 65-year-old woman deemed high-risk for surgery, with symptomatic, severe primary MR and an unusual interatrial mass who underwent a successful MitraClip procedure with the use of three-dimensional (3-D) transesophageal echocardiography (TEE).
Oral phenylalanine loading profiles in symptomatic and asymptomatic gene carriers with dopa-responsive dystonia due to dominantly inherited GTP cyclohydrolase deficiency.

Autosomal dominantly inherited GTP cyclohydrolase (GTPCH) deficiency (McKusick 233910), known as hereditary progressive dystonia or dopa-responsive dystonia, classically presents as a dystonic gait disorder in childhood, with an average age of onset of symptoms of 5-6 years (Nygaard 1993; Segawa et al 1976). There is, however, incomplete penetrance and currently there is no simple way of identifying asymptomatic gene carriers (Nygaard 1993). Molecular analysis can be used in situations where a mutation has been defined in an affected family member, but in many pedigrees defects cannot be identified in the GTPCH gene (Bandmann et al 1996; Ichinose et al 1994, 1995). GTP cyclohydrolase (EC 3.5.4.16) catalyses the first reaction in the biosynthesis of tetrahydrobiopterin, which acts as a cofactor for phenylalanine hydroxylase in the liver (Kaufman 1967). We previously demonstrated that individuals with dominantly inherited GTPCH deficiency do not metabolize phenylalanine at the normal rate and that examination of plasma phenylalanine-to-tyrosine ratios following oral phenylalanine loading can be used as a test to aid in the identification of these patients (Hyland et al 1997). We show here that oral phenylalanine loading can also be used to identify asymptomatic gene carriers of dominantly inherited GTPCH deficiency.
Design, Code Generation and Simulation of a BLDC Motor Controller usuuing PIC Microcontroller

Brushless Direct Current (BLDC) motor are one of the electrical drives that are continually gaining popularity in motion control applications due to their high efficiency, good dynamic response and low maintenance. Unlike DC motors and Induction motors, BLDC motors needs a controller as the motor runs in 3 phases but takes DC input. The controller converts DC power to 3 phase AC power suitable for the motor. This paper propose a design, code generation method and digital logic control of a BLDC motor controller for turning the rotor clockwise or counter clockwise. A Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) speed control strategy is performed to adjust the rotor speed. The framework is modelled and simulated by using Proteus software.
Gradient-morph LiCoO2 single crystals with stabilized energy density above 3400 W h L−1

The cycling stability of LiCoO2 under high voltages (>4.5 V) was plagued by hybrid anion- and cation-redox (HACR) induced oxygen escape and uncontrolled phase collapse. With DEMS and in situ XANES mapping at the NSLS-II, we demonstrate that oxygen escape triggers irreversible transformations into “bad” surface phases that rapidly propagate inward. Enabling HACR but stopping global oxygen migration is key to a stable high-energy cathode. Therefore, we developed ∼10 μm single crystals with LiCoO2 in the bulk smoothly transitioning to Co-free LiMn0.75Ni0.25O2 at the surface. By means of initial electrochemical formation, a semi-coherent LiMn1.5Ni0.5O4 spinel-like shell was established in operando with little oxygen loss to integrally wrap the LiCoO2 bulk. Then we obtained gradient-morph LiCoO2 single crystals to prevent the percolating migration of oxygen out of the particle and achieved enhanced HACR reversibility at high voltages. The gradient-morph HACR cathode undergoes substantially stabilized cycling when charged to above 4.6 V, and hence a stable cyclic volumetric energy density of >3400 W h L−1 has been achieved in a pouch full-cell coupled with a commercial graphite anode and lean electrolyte (2 g A h−1), exhibiting up to 2906 W h L−1 even after 300 cycles.
Environmental risk mapping of potential abandoned uranium mine contamination on the Navajo Nation, USA, using a GIS-based multi-criteria decision analysis approach

The Navajo Nation (NN), a sovereign indigenous tribal nation in the Southwestern United States, is home to 523 abandoned uranium mines (AUMs). Previous health studies have articulated numerous human health hazards associated with AUMs and multiple environmental mechanisms/pathways (e.g., air, water, and soil) for contaminant transport. Despite this evidence, the limited modeling of AUM contamination that exists relies solely on proximity to mines and only considers single rather than combined pathways from which the contamination is a product. In order to better understand the spatial dynamics of contaminant exposure across the NN, we adopted the following established geospatial and computational methods to develop a more sophisticated environmental risk map illustrating the potential for AUM contamination: GIS-based multi-criteria decision analysis (GIS-MCDA), fuzzy logic, and analytic hierarchy process (AHP). Eight criteria layers were selected for the GIS-MCDA model: proximity to AUMs, roadway proximity, drainage proximity, topographic landforms, wind index, topographic wind exposure, vegetation index, and groundwater contamination. Model sensitivity was evaluated using the one-at-a-time method, and statistical validation analysis was conducted using two separate environmental datasets. The sensitivity analysis indicated consistency and reliability of the model. Model results were strongly associated with environmental uranium concentrations. The model classifies 20.2% of the NN as high potential for AUM contamination while 65.7% and 14.1% of the region are at medium and low risk, respectively. This study is entirely a novel application and a crucial first step toward informing future epidemiologic studies and ongoing remediation efforts to reduce human exposure to AUM waste.
Brainstorming for Sensemaking in a Multimodal, Multiuser Cognitive Environment

This paper discusses a user study conducted on a brainstorming tool for brainstorming in intelligence analysis, situated in a cognitive and immersive system. The cognitive and immersive room is comprised of gesture technology, voice input, tablet input, and a 360 display to allow for group discussion and interaction. The brainstorming tool design is informed by sensemaking theory as defined by Pirolli and Card [1]. The basis for the digital brainstorming tool in our cognitive immersive environment is a structured analytic tool already in use by the intelligence analysis domain. We anticipate that this design will capitalize on cognitive familiarity to enable a more approachable design and facilitate a smoother and more useful tool. The user study (n = 26) is an A/B study conducted to compare the capabilities of the analog brainstorming tool with the digital brainstorming tool, and understand how the multimodal interaction system impacts brainstorming.
Projected expansion in climatic suitability for Trypanosoma cruzi, the etiological agent of Chagas Disease, and five widespread Triatoma species by 2070

Abstract The vector-borne parasite Trypanosoma cruzi infects seven million individuals globally and causes chronic cardiomyopathy and gastrointestinal diseases. Recently, T. cruzi has emerged in the southern United States. It is crucial for disease surveillance efforts to detail regions that present favorable climatic conditions for T. cruzi and vector establishment. We used MaxEnt to develop an ecological niche model for T. cruzi and five widespread Triatoma vectors based on 546 published localities within the United States. We modeled regions of current potential T. cruzi and Triatoma distribution and then regions projected to have suitable climatic conditions by 2070. Regions with suitable climatic conditions for the study organisms are predicted to increase within the United States. Our findings agree with the hypothesis that climate change will facilitate the expansion of tropical diseases throughout temperate regions and suggest climate change will influence the expansion of T. cruzi and Triatoma vectors in the United States. Author summary Trypanosoma cruzi is a vector-borne parasite and the etiological agent of Chagas disease, which is an emerging infectious disease in the United States. Current trends suggest climate change can influence the distribution of vector-borne diseases through increases in suitable climatic conditions for vectors and pathogens. This influence can lead to tropical disease emergence in temperate regions. Currently, the best method for estimating distributional changes and potential disease emergence in both well studied and underrepresented areas is ecological niche modeling. We developed an ecological niche model to better understand the potential future T. cruzi and Triatoma distribution in the United States and in Oklahoma, which is an underrepresented state. Our ecological niche model incorporated 546 published localities and 19 bioclimatic variables. Our model predicts a potential range expansion of T. cruzi and widespread Triatoma vectors throughout Oklahoma and the United States. Our model presents a better understanding of the future epidemiology of T. cruzi and Triatoma vectors in Oklahoma and the United States and contributes to disease surveillance efforts by predicting areas of potential range expansion.
Association of dual and poly tobacco use with depressive symptoms and use of antidepressants.

Abstract Background There is an established link between depression and tobacco use among adults; however, to date, research has not explored the association of use of dual/poly tobacco products with symptoms and use of medication for depression. Methods Data were derived from a 2018 Texas population health assessment survey (n = 2034). Multivariable logistic and multinomial regressions were used to examine for associations between self-reported symptoms of depression and use of prescription medications for depression with use of dual/poly tobacco products. Results About 20% of adults used one tobacco product, while 9.7% used two or more products. Compared to those without depressive symptoms, those with depressive symptoms had greater odds of single (aOR: 1.66, 95% CI; 1.21 – 2.29) or dual/poly (aOR: 3.09, 95% CI; 1.92 – 4.96) tobacco product use relative to non-users; and relative to single product use, those with depressive symptoms had greater odds of dual/poly tobacco product use (aOR: 2.07; 95% CI, 1.30 – 3.32). Compared to those not using medication for depression, use of medication for depression was associated with a 1.80 (95% CI: 1.15 – 2.84) greater odds of dual/poly tobacco product use relative to non-users; and a 1.91 (95% CI: 1.14 – 3.19) greater odds of dual/poly product use relative to single product users. Conclusions Study findings call for primary care providers and psychiatrists to expand screening of individuals experiencing depressive symptoms and using medication for depression, to include assessment for dual/poly tobacco product use.
Swaying gel: chemo-mechanical self-oscillation based on dynamic buckling

Summary Self-oscillating systems are powerful tools for transducing static energy inputs into repetitive motions without the aid of external control units. The challenge in sustaining the far-from-equilibrium motion of an oscillating material is to avoid the tendency of reaching thermodynamic equilibrium or get pinned at steady states in the dynamic process. While living organisms present elegant strategies in myriad self-oscillations (e.g., peristalsis, cilia motion, homeostasis), current synthetic self-oscillating systems often rely on a fast actuation/reaction, to maintain the far-from-equilibrium motion, which prescribe highly specific chemical reactions and a material microstructure with limited stimuli and movement modes. Here, we present a dynamic buckling-based design for creating self-oscillating systems. The oscillation arises from the self-driven snap-through of a responsive hydrogel between bi-/multi-stable buckling configurations governed by a feedback loop. With broad choices of materials, tunable mechanics, and physical simplicity, this system opens a new venue for unlimited autonomous-oscillating materials applications.
Conscientious Objection in Health Care: An Ethical Analysis

Historically associated with military service, conscientious objection has become a significant phenomenon in health care. Mark Wicclair offers a comprehensive ethical analysis of conscientious objection in three representative health care professions: medicine, nursing and pharmacy. He critically examines two extreme positions: the 'incompatibility thesis', that it is contrary to the professional obligations of practitioners to refuse provision of any service within the scope of their professional competence; and 'conscience absolutism', that they should be exempted from performing any action contrary to their conscience. He argues for a compromise approach that accommodates conscience-based refusals within the limits of specified ethical constraints. He also explores conscientious objection by students in each of the three professions, discusses conscience protection legislation and conscience-based refusals by pharmacies and hospitals, and analyzes several cases. His book is a valuable resource for scholars, professionals, trainees, students, and anyone interested in this increasingly important aspect of health care.
Localized bumps of activity sustained by inhibition in a two-layer thalamic network.

Based on head direction experiments in rats, the existence of localized bumps of thalamic activity has been proposed. We computationally demonstrate the existence of a novel class of localized bump solutions in a two-layer conductance-based thalamic network and analyze the mechanisms behind these stable patterns. In contrast to previous models of bump activity, here inhibition plays a crucial role in initially spreading neuronal firing and in subsequently sustaining it. In our model, we incorporate local strong, fast GABAA inhibition and diffuse weak, slow GABAB inhibition, based on previous biophysical experiments. These forms of inhibition contribute in different, yet complementary, ways to the observed pattern formation.
Fast, Adaptive Expectation-Maximization Alignment for Cryo-EM

Cryo-EM is a method for reconstructing 3D structure of proteins without crystallization. The Expectation-Maximization (EM) algorithm is used in the alignment stepof Cryo-EM reconstructions. The EM step is often a serious computational bottleneck for 3D reconstructions. This paper proposes a computationally adaptive version of the EM algorithm that speeds up the algorithm by a factor of 20 i¾? 30. Experiments with noisy real-world data are included to show that the algorithm achieves this speedup without any significant loss of accuracy. Such speed ups are significant, allowing the reconstruction to converge in cpu-days rather than cpu-months.
Modeling the Role of Second Language Proficiency and Topic Familiarity in Second Language Incidental Vocabulary Acquisition Through Reading

The study examines the impact of topic familiarity, second language (L2) reading proficiency, and L2 passage sight vocabulary on incidental vocabulary acquisition. Independent variables include (a) a topic familiarity questionnaire, (b) the Adult Basic Learning Examination, Spanish Battery(Karlsen & Gardner, 1990), and (c) a passage sight vocabulary test. A repeated-measures design was used with a cross-sectional sample. Participants read narratives (2 more and 2 less familiar) containing nonsense words. Two and 28 days after reading, 2 gain measures were administered: (a) translation production and (b) translation recognition. Analyses reveal robust effects of reading proficiency, differential effects of topic familiarity, and isolated effects of passage sight vocabulary. The discussion concerns the impact of these factors and plausibility of interactive compensatory processing.
Systemic lupus erythematosus and intestinal venulitis

Abstract A 22-yr-old woman with a 7-yr history of systemic lupus erythematosus presented with anasarca and a serum albumin of 0.8 g/dl. Renal and hepatic function were near normal; the major route of protein loss appeared to be the intestine. A full-thickness section of jejunum obtained at laparotomy demonstrated a severe, diffuse vasculitis involving the venules of the submucosa and muscularis externa with infiltration of polymorphonuclear leukocytes and macrophages, and deposits of C3. There was a similar focal damage of the walls of the small vessels in the lamina propria, and deposits of C3 and fibrinogen in a thickened basement membrane of the intestinal villi. This report documents that in systemic lupus erythematosus the intestine can be affected with a vasculitis similar to that seen in the skin and can cause thickening of the basement membrane of intestinal villi. These lesions may be responsible for protein-losing enteropathy.
Origin and evolution of the giant planets

Two major hypotheses concerning the origin of the giant planets are discussed: (A) a protoplanet forms in the solar nebula as a gravitationally unstable gaseous subcondensation and evolves as a chemically homogeneous object until a later stage when a solid core nay form; (B) a solid core forms first by accumulation of planetesimals, after which solar-composition gas accretes onto the core and eventually becomes unstable to collapse. In general, under either of these scenarios, the evolution falls into three phases: (1) an early cool phase in hydrostatic equilibrium, (2) a hydrodynamic collapse, and (3) a final phase of hydrostatic contraction and cooling to the present state. At the final stage the theoretical calculations may be fitted to present observed properties of the giant planets. The physical processes that are important in determining the evolutionary characteristics are discussed.
Verbalization of Decision Strategies in Multiple-Cue Probabilistic Inference

In multiple-cue probabilistic inference, people choose between alternatives based on several cues, each of which is differentially associated with an alternative's overall value. Various strategies have been proposed for probabilistic inference (e.g., weighted additive, tally, and take-the-best). These strategies differ in how many cue values they require to enact and in how they weight each cue. Do decision makers actually use any of these strategies? Ways to investigate this question include analyzing people's choices and the cues that they reveal. However, different strategies often predict the same decisions, and search behavior says nothing about whether or how people use the information that they acquire. In this research, we attempt to elucidate which strategies participants use in a multiple-cue probabilistic inference task by examining verbal protocols, a high-density source of process data. The promise of verbal data is in their utility for testing detailed information processing models. To that end, we apply protocol analysis in conjunction with computational simulations. We find converging evidence across outcome measures, search measures, and verbal reports that most participants use simplifying heuristics, namely take-the-best.
Workplace Drug Testing: SAMHSA and Non-SAMHSA Drugs

SAMHSA (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration), a federal agency, regulates federal workplace drug testing and requires testing for amphetamines, cocaine, cannabinoid (marijuana), opiates and phencyclidine (PCP). In addition to these abused drugs, many private employers also test for benzodiazepines, barbiturates, methadone and propoxyphene. Some employers also test for methaqualone and glutethimide. Usually immunoassays are used for screening the presence of these drugs in the urine. If any test is positive, then the presumptive positive drug is confirmed by a second analytical technique preferably by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS). Immunoassays suffer from cross-reactivity of other drugs or related substances and may show positive results. GC/MS is a more sophisticated analytical method and is considered as the gold standard for drug confirmation.
SDF-1α stiffens myeloma Bone marrow mesenchymal stromal cells through the activation of RhoA-ROCK-Myosin II

Multiple myeloma (MM) is a B lymphocyte malignancy that remains incurable despite extensive research efforts. This is due, in part, to frequent disease recurrences associated with the persistence of myeloma cancer stem cells (mCSCs). Bone marrow mesenchymal stromal cells (BMSCs) play critical roles in supporting mCSCs through genetic or biochemical alterations. Previously, we identified mechanical distinctions between BMSCs isolated from MM patients (mBMSCs) and those present in the BM of healthy individuals (nBMSCs). These properties of mBMSC contributed to their ability to preferentially support mCSCs. To further illustrate mechanisms underlying the differences between mBMSCs and nBMSCs, here we report that (i) mBMSCs express an abnormal, constitutively high level of phosphorylated Myosin II, which leads to stiffer membrane mechanics, (ii) mBMSCs are more sensitive to SDF-1α-induced activation of MYL2 through the G(i./o)-PI3K-RhoA-ROCK-Myosin II signaling pathway, affecting Young's modulus in BMSCs and (iii) activated Myosin II confers increased cell contractile potential, leading to enhanced collagen matrix remodeling and promoting the cell-cell interaction between mCSCs and mBMSCs. Together, our findings suggest that interfering with SDF-1α signaling may serve as a new therapeutic approach for eliminating mCSCs by disrupting their interaction with mBMSCs.
The comparative glycemic effects of catecholamines in rats and mice.

Abstract Epinephrine, norepinephrine and isoproterenol were administered to either normally fed or 18 hr-fasted mice. While fasting did not alter the magnitude of epinephrine-induced hyperglycemia, it abolished norepinephrine-induced hyperglycemia. Isoproterenol produced hyperglycemia and depletion of liver glycogen in fed mice and hypoglycemia in fasted mice. In fed rats isoproterenol had no effect on blood glucose but elicited hyperglycemia in 24 hr-fasted rats. Isoproterenol also induced hyperglycemia in adrenalectomized normally fed mice. The results suggest that hyperglycemia in the fed mouse is a reflection of isoproterenol-induced glycogenolysis in the liver. It is suggested that the hypoglycemia in fasted mice is due to isoproterenol-stimulated insulin secretion. This study accents the criticality of the species employed as well as the pretreatment regimen with respect to data interpretation.
Lunar Occultation of Saturn II. The normal reflectances of Rhea, Titan, and Iapetus☆

An inversion procedure to obtain the reflectance of the central region of a satellite's disk from lunar occultation data is presented. The scheme assumes that the limb darkening of the satellite depends only on the radial distance from the center of the disk. Given this assumption, normal reflectances can be derived that are essentially independent of the limb darkening and the diameter of the satellite. The procedure has been applied to our observations of the March 1974 lunar occultation of Tethys, Dione, Rhea, Titan, and Iapetus. In the V passband we derive the following normal reflectances: Rhea (0.97 plus or minus 0.20), Titan (0.24 plus or minus 0.03), Iapetus, bright face (0.60 plus or minus 0.14). For Tethys and Dione the values derived have large uncertainties, but are consistent with our result for Rhea.
Psychosocial Functioning Improves Following Adolescent Bariatric Surgery

The aims of the present study were to examine changes in health-related quality of life (HRQOL) and depressive symptoms in adolescents with extreme obesity undergoing Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGBP) across the first postoperative year. A prospective longitudinal observational study of 31 adolescent patients undergoing RYGBP at a pediatric medical center (mean = 16.4 years; 64.5% females, mean BMI 63.5; 97% of study eligible and consecutive patients) was conducted. Participants completed two adolescent HRQOL measures, the PedsQL (generic) and the IWQOL-Kids (weight-related), the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), and height and weight were measured at three time points: baseline, and 6 and 12 months following RYGBP. Prior to RYGBP, significant impairments in HRQOL were documented and 38.7% reported depressive symptomatology in the clinical range. As expected, BMI and depressive symptoms decreased and HRQOL improved from baseline to 12 months post-RYGBP. Linear mixed modeling analyses detected several nonlinear slopes in BMI, depressive symptoms, and the majority of HRQOL domains over time with deceleration in these postoperative changes beginning at the 6th month time point. In contrast, the rate of change in weight-related social relations was linear (e.g., no deceleration), indicating continued improvement across the first postoperative year. Adolescent RYGBP results in significant improvement in HRQOL and depressive symptomatology over the first postoperative year. Longer-term follow-up will be critical to determine adolescent weight and psychosocial trajectories, their interrelations, and what role psychosocial status plays in continued weight loss, maintenance, and regain.
A third generation Smalltalk-80 implementation

A new, high performance Smalltalk-80™ implementation is described which builds directly upon two previous implementation efforts. This implementation supports a large object space while retaining compatibility with previous Smalltalk-80™ images. The implementation utilizes a interpreter which incorporates a generation based garbage collector and which does not have an object table. This paper describes the design decisions which lead to this implementation and reports preliminary performance results.
Rising to a New Paradigm: Infusing Health and Wellness into the Music Curriculum

Musicians, like athletes, daily face the stark reality of physical and psychological health issues that can negatively affect or end their careers. Research shows compelling reasons for making changes to the value systems and in the educational process under which musicians are trained to help alleviate these problems. Changes would include teaching from a person-centered approach, including a broader understanding of music and adding wellness training into the music curriculum. This article outlines the evidence from the literature, overviews the resources available to assist with these changes, and discusses the important role that music educators can play in creating this healthy paradigm shift within the profession.
The use of an intraoral training aid in the speech rehabilitation of laryngectomy patients

Abstract This study was undertaken to determine whether the speech of poorly rated esophageal speakers could be improved with the aid of a structured palatal prosthesis. Palatograms testing certain speech sounds critical to the plosive-injection technique for air intake showed that improvement resulted after one week of wearing the training prosthesis. All subjects showed some improvement in speech after wearing the prosthesis for one week. Eight out of 10 subjects showed marked improvement in speech. It is suggested that a physiologically structured palatal prosthesis can assist some esophageal speakers to improve their speech.
Optimization of fiber-optic coupling and alignment tolerance for coupling between a laser diode and a wedged single-mode fiber

Abstract The coupling and alignment tolerance are optimized based on a theoretical analysis for the coupling between a highly elliptical laser diode and a single-mode fiber with a wedge-shaped end face. The optimized design parameters including the working distance, wedged angle are obtained for various aspect ratios of the laser diode. It is demonstrated that the coupling efficiency is a strong function of initial tilt, i.e., pitch and yaw angular misalignments, and the angular misalignments strongly reduce the search efficiency for obtaining the initial coupling of light or the “first light”. In addition, a Monte Carlo analysis is performed to estimate the manufacturing yield.
Dipolar−Dipolar Interactions and the Crystal Packing of Nitriles, Ketones, Aldehdyes, and C(sp2)−F Groups

The Cambridge Structural Database is used to survey the relative orientations of neighboring intermolecular nitrile, carbonyl, or CF bonds in organic crystals. The observed orientations are directly compared to the distribution law which would be expected if these intermolecular interactions were governed solely by a purely electrostatic bond dipole−bond dipole effect. In the case of nitrile groups (and to a lesser extent carbonyl groups), at short distances (<3.6 A) there is a good correspondence between the observed orientation in crystals and the orientations predicted by such a bond dipole model. In the case of the C−F bond, steric and other factors appear to play an important role. A comparison to ab initio calculations at the MP2 level for a dimer of carbon dioxide molecules substantiates these findings. The accuracy of a bond dipole model in rationalizing nearest neighbor orientations in crystals is in accord with literature bond dipole moments of the nitrile, carbonyl, and C−F groups, values which...
Linear program synthesis for direct broadcast satellite phased arrays

Synthesis based on sampling functions in fixed positions was used to optimize the radiation pattern of antenna phased arrays for direct broadcast satellite applications. The synthesis procedure described obtains the antenna excitations required to create a shaped sector beam which uniformly illuminates a desired region and minimizes the maximum sidelobe level. The method begins with the composing functions from Woodward-Lawson synthesis. By fixing the position of these functions, a simplex formulation can be used rather than iterative methods. The simplex formulation is more computer-efficient because the algorithm is guaranteed to converge. Examples of synthesis using this procedure are given. >
Histopathology of the almond moth, Cadra cautella, infected with a nuclear-polyhedrosis virus

Abstract Preliminary observations on a nuclear-polyhedrosis virus newly isolated from the almond moth, Cadra cautella , showed it to be of the packet type, i.e., 2 to 24 virus rods of sizes 21 to 32 mμ × 235 to 300 mμ, enclosed within a unit membrane. Susceptible tissues for replication of the virus were nuclei of the hypodermis, fat body, tracheal matrix, Malpighian tubules, and the epithelium and connective tissues associated with reproductive organs. The virus apparently directed the biosynthesis of large numbers of protein crystals and spherical bodies in the cytoplasm of infected cells.
Learning and Intensive Instruction

In this note I report on the results of an intensive two-week Economics Institute conducted in June 1978 at Emory University under a grant from the National Science Foundation. In November 1976, the Georgia Board of Education required that in order to graduate from high school, students have to take a course in principles of economics, business, and free enterprise. In many cases, the faculty of the high schools had had little or no university training in economics, and were thus ill prepared to comply with this mandate. The institute was set up to help correct this deficiency by giving its thirty participants intensive instruction in general economics.
Seed and Pod Resistance to Callosobruchus Maculatus Among Various Vigna Species

Accessions of Vigna vexillata, Vigna oblongifolia, and Vigna unguiculata (subspecies unguiculata, dekindtiana, and pubescens) were evaluated under laboratory conditions to identify sources of seed and/or pod resistance to the cowpea weevil Callosobruchus maculaius. TVnu 37 and TVnu 88 (V. oblongifolia) and TVnu 72 (V. vexillata) possessed high levels of seed resistance. On mature, dry pods, seventeen-fold differences in mean eggs laid/cm2 were observed, suggesting that ovipositional nonpreference could be a practical form of resistance to C. maculatus. In infested pods, pre-establishment larval mortality (mortality before larvae become established in seeds) varied among accessions, ranging from 19.3% in Nl 778 (cv-gr. Biflora) to 91.3% in NI 816 (cv-gr. Textilis). The total percentage larval mortality in infested pods ranged from 34.6% in TN 88-63 (V. unguiculata) to 100% in TVnu 72 (V. vexillata) and NI 816 (cv-gr. Textilis) with the majority of accessions producing over 80% mortality. Higher levels and more durable forms of bruchid resistance might be achieved by combining seed and pod resistance.