cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Participant perspectives from a cortical vision implant study: Ethical and psychological implications

A total of thirteen individuals were interviewed and asked to describe their experiences of participating in a cortical vision implant study conducted by William Dobelle between 2000 and 2005. The transcripts from the interviews were analyzed using MAXQDA software and themes that resulted from the interviews such as motivation to participate, sensory substitution expectations, decision-making process, experience of artificial vision and functional use of artificial vision is described in depth. Emotional experiences of participating in the study result in ethical and psychological implications for future research.
Inverse Force/End-Point Control, Zero Dynamics and Stabilization of Constrained Elastic Robots

We treat the question of position and force control of three-axis elastic robotic systems on a constraint surface based on nonlinear inversion of an input-output map and linear feedback stabilization. Unlike the rigid robots, the feedback linearizing control of end point motion gives rise to unstable zero dynamics. Instability of zero dynamics is avoided by controlling a parameterized output vector corresponding to a point close to the end point of the arm. Zero dynamics are stable or almost stable as long as the parameter in the output vector does not exceed a critical value. Using the inverse controller the position and force control of the end point is possible while the end effector moves on the constraint surface, however, this excites the elastic modes. For the final capture of the terminal state and vibration suppression, a linear stabilizer is designed. Simulation results are presented to show that in the closed-loop system trajectory and force control on the constraint surface is accomplished
THE CONVERGENCE OF THE FOURIER INTEGRAL OF A UNIMODAL DISTRIBUTION

We show that the characteristic function of a unimodal probability distribution function can be inverted by the Fourier transform a.e. if and only if the distribution is absolutely continuous. The result complements Khintchine's criterion for unimodal distributions. The distribution function F(x) = Pr(X 0. Some examples of unimodal distributions are: i) the standard normal, exponential and Cauchy probability densities; ii) the class of stable distributions; iii) the class of symmetric infinitely divisible distributions. According to Khintchine's criterion ([6]), F is unimodal if and only if X = UZ where U, Z are independent random variables and U is uniform on [0,1], or equivalently, the characteristic function W (t) of F is the integral average over [0, t] of a characteristic function +/(t). The purpose of this note is to prove the following inversion Theorem for the characteristic function of a unimodal distribution. Medgyessy [8], Dharmadhikari and Kumar [2], and Bertin, Cuculescu and Theodorescu [1] provide an extensive survey on univariate and multivariate unimodal distributions. Theorem. (a) The Fourier integral of an absolutely continuous unimodal distribution F for x #& 0 is convergent to (F'(x + 0) + F'(x 0))/2, and to F'(x) except for a countable number of points. (b) If the Fourier integral of a unimodal distribution is convergent a.e., then it is absolutely continuous. Proof. Let o be the characteristic function of a unimodal distribution function F on the real line, and define (t-1 forO< x?t<t<oo, K(x, t)= -t-1 for -oo<t<x<0, t 0 otherwise. Received by the editors December 14, 1994 and, in revised form, March 10, 1997. 1991 Mathematics Subject Classification. Primary 42A38; Secondary 60E10.
Transiti di genere nell’Italia postmoderna

Forty years after transsexual coming out, from the beginning of a physical, cultural and historic transit, what has changed in Italy today? It is certainly the visibility that filled a historical vacuum. It allows us to speak, understand, read the trans experience: for some, as a phenomenon, for others, as category, pathology, gender incongruity. Open questions are several about a complex and varied experience on a socio-cultural contexts at same time complex and varied. One answer is certain: we can no longer talk about transsexualism / transgender in the singular, but rather about plural transsexualism. The Transsexualism is different, various, diversified according to several possible variations that the Post-modern presents us.
Statistical significance for dna motif discovery

The identification of transcription factor binding sites, and of cis-regulatory elements in general, is an important step in understanding the regulation of gene expression. To address this need, many motif-finding tools have been described that can find short sequence motifs given only an input set of sequences. In this dissertation, we will begin by discussing why a reliable significance evaluation should be considered an essential component of any motif finder. We will introduce a biologically realistic method to estimate the reported motif's statistical significance based on a novel 3-Gamma approximation scheme. Furthermore, we show how the reliability of the significance evaluation can be further improved by incorporating local base composition information to its null model. We then demonstrate its reliability by applying GIMSAN/MOTISAN — de novo motif finding tool that incorporates this novel significance evaluation technique — to a well-studied set of Saccharomyces cerevisiae motif input data. Our results also reveal that an ensemble method based on our significance evaluation can substantially improve the actual motif finding task. Finally we will present ALICO (Alignment Constrained) null set generator: a framework to generate randomized versions of an input multiple sequence alignment that preserve some of its crucial features including its dependence structure. In particular, we will show that, on average, ALICO samples approximately preserve the PIDs (percent identities) between every pair of input sequences as well as the average Markov model composition. We will demonstrate its utility in phylo-genetic motif finders — motif finding tools that leverage conservation information — in terms of both reliability of statistical significance and improvement of motif finding task through ensemble method.
Abstract P033: Sugar Sweetened Beverage Intake, Chromosome 9p21 Variants, and Risk of Myocardial Infarction in Hispanics

Introduction: Chromosome 9p21 variants are among the most robust genetic markers for coronary heart disease (CHD). Our previous study showing that intake of sugar-sweetened beverages (SSB) interacts with genetic factors to affect risk of obesity, a major CHD risk factor, suggests that SSB could modify the effect of chromosome 9p21 variants on CHD. SSB are the main source of added sugar in the diet among Hispanics living in the United States and Latin America. Thus, this study is aimed to test whether SSB intake modifies the association between chromosome 9p21 variants and CHD risk in Hispanics. Methods: The study population included 1,603 incident cases of non-fatal myocardial infarction (MI) and 1,778 population-based controls living in Costa Rica. Three independent single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) at chromosome 9p21 locus were genotyped. SSB intake was defined as the frequency of daily servings of commercially available and home-made sweetened beverages, and fruit juice assessed using a food-frequ...
Age Trajectories of Functional Activation Under Conditions of Low and High Processing Demands: An Adult Lifespan fMRI Study of the Aging Brain

Abstract We examined functional activation across the adult lifespan in 316 healthy adults aged 20–89 years on a judgment task that, across conditions, drew upon both semantic knowledge and ability to modulate neural function in response to cognitive challenge. Activation in core regions of the canonical semantic network (e.g., left IFG) were largely age-invariant, consistent with cognitive aging studies that show verbal knowledge is preserved across the lifespan. However, we observed a steady linear increase in activation with age in regions outside the core network, possibly as compensation to maintain function. Under conditions of increased task demands, we observed a stepwise reduction across the lifespan of modulation of activation to increasing task demands in cognitive control regions (frontal, parietal, anterior cingulate), paralleling the neural equivalent of “processing resources” described by cognitive aging theories. Middle-age was characterized by decreased modulation to task-demand in subcortical regions (caudate, nucleus accumbens, thalamus), and very old individuals showed reduced modulation to task difficulty in midbrain/brainstem regions (ventral tegmental, substantia nigra). These novel findings suggest that aging of activation to demand follows a gradient along the dopaminergic/nigrostriatal system, with earliest manifestation in fronto-parietal regions, followed by deficits in subcortical nuclei in middle-age and then to midbrain/brainstem dopaminergic regions in the very old.
Soil microbial diversity and the sustainability of agricultural soils

Many world ecosystems are in various states of decline evidenced by erosion, low productivity, and poor water quality caused by forest clearing, intensive agricultural production, and continued use of land resources for purposes that are not sustainable. The biological diversity of these systems is being altered. Little research has been conducted to quantify the beneficial relationships between microbial diversity, soil and plant quality, and ecosystem sustainability. Ecosystem functioning is governed largely by soil microbial dynamics. Differences in microbial properties and activities of soils have been reported but are restricted to general ecological enumeration methods or activity levels, which are limited in their ability to describe a particular ecosystem. Microbial populations and their responses to stresses have been traditionally studied at the process level, in terms of total numbers of microorganisms, biomass, respiration rates, and enzyme activities, with little attention being paid to responses at the community or the organismal levels. These process level measurements, although critical to understanding the ecosystem, may be insensitive to community level changes due to the redundancy of these functions. As microbial communities comprise complex interactions between diverse organisms, they should be studied as such, and not as a “black box” into which inputs are entered and outputs are received at measured rates. Microbial communities and their processes need to be examined in relation to not only the individuals that comprise the community, but the effect of perturbations or environmental stresses on those communities.
Photochemical Decomposition of N2O by Lyman-α Radiation: Scientific Basis for a Chemical Actinometer

A novel IR method for measuring the kinetics of N2O photodecomposition has been devised and used to calibrate the flux of Lyman-α (10.2 eV) radiation from a H2/Ar microwave discharge lamp. The phot...
Token attempt: the misrepresentation of website privacy policies through the misuse of p3p compact policy tokens

P3P compact policies (CPs) are a collection of three-character and four-character tokens that summarize a website's privacy policy pertaining to cookies. User agents, including Microsoft's Internet Explorer (IE) web browser, use CPs to evaluate websites' data collection practices and allow, reject, or modify cookies based on sites' privacy practices. CPs can provide a technical means to enforce users' privacy preferences if CPs accurately reflect websites' practices. Confirming the accuracy of CPs would require first-hand knowledge of each site's practices. However, through automated analysis we can identify CPs that are erroneous due to syntax errors or semantic conflicts. We collected CPs from 33,139 websites and detected errors in 11,176 of them. We found large numbers of sites using identical invalid CPs that had been recommended as workarounds for IE cookie blocking. Other sites had CPs with typos in their tokens, or other errors. Most invalid CPs resulted in cookies remaining unblocked by IE under it's default cookie settings. It appears that large numbers of websites that use CPs are misrepresenting their privacy practices, thus misleading users and rendering privacy protection tools ineffective.
Extracellular Mg2+ regulates the intracellular Na+ concentration in rat sublingual acini

The intracellular free Na+ concentration ([Na+]i) increases during muscarinic stimulation in salivary acinar cells. The present study examined in rat sublingual acini the role of extracellular Mg2+ in the regulation of the stimulated [Na+]i increase using the fluorescent sodium indicator benzofuran isophthalate (SBFI). The muscarinic induced rise in [Na+]i was approximately 4-fold greater in the absence of extracellular Mg2+. When Na+ efflux was blocked by the Na+,K+-ATPase inhibitor ouabain, the stimulated [Na+]i increase was comparable to that seen in an Mg2+-free medium. Moreover, ouabain did not add further to the stimulated [Na+]i increase in an Mg2+-free medium suggesting that removal of extracellular Mg2+ may inhibit the Na+ pump. In agreement with this assumption, ouabain-sensitive Na+ efflux and rubidium uptake were reduced by extracellular Mg2+ depletion. Our results suggest that extracellular Mg2+ may regulate [Na+]i in sublingual salivary acinar cells by modulating Na+ pump activity.
Information exchange centre for world tourism

Abstract A working party of the World Tourism Organization (WTO) met from 26–28 April 1989, in Madrid, Spain, to discuss the setting up of a World Tourism Information Exchange Centre (WTIEC) to coordinate the future development of tourism worldwide. Margaret Leighfield of the Bureau of Agricultural Economics, Wallingford, UK, reports on the recommendations arising from the meeting.
On Simplified Models for the Rate- and Time-Dependent Performance of Stratified Thermal Storage

In direct sensible thermal storage systems, both the energy discharging and charging processes are inherently time-dependent as well as rate-dependent. Simplified models which depict the characteristics of this transient process are therefore crucial to the sizing and rating of the storage devices. In this paper, existing models which represent three distinct classes of models for thermal storage behavior are recast into a common formulation and used to predict the variations of discharge volume fraction, thermal mixing factor, and entropy generation. For each of the models considered, the parametric dependence of key performance measures is shown to be expressible in terms of a Peclet number and a Froude number or temperature difference ratio. The thermal mixing factor for each of the models is reasonably well described by a power law fit with Fr2Pe for the convection-dominated portion of the operating range. For the uniform and nonuniform diffusivity models examined, there is shown to be a Peclet number which maximizes the discharge volume fraction. In addition, the cumulative entropy generation from the simplified models is compared with the ideally-stratified and the fully-mixed limits. Of the models considered, only the nonuniform diffusivity model exhibits an optimal Peclet number at which the cumulative entropy generation is minimized. For each of the other models examined, the cumulative entropy generation varies monotonically with Peclet number.
Instrument requirements for imaging the magnetosphere in extreme ultraviolet and energetic neutral atoms derived from computer-simulated images

Scientific requirements for He(+)(304 A) and energetic neutral atom (ENA) magnetospheric imaging, as well as the derived instrumental requirements are presented. Both ENA imaging of the hot plasma and EUV imaging of the cold plasma are highlighted. The question of the accuracy with which physically significant parameters can be extracted from actual images using computerized algorithms is addressed. An example of an ENA image analyzed by means of the Powell minimization algorithm is given. Automated unfolding of global magnetospheric images is also discussed. A Mercator projection of a model INA image is shown.
Numerical simulation and animation of head-disk-assembly dynamics

A general-purpose numerical simulation program for the dynamic response of the head-disk assembly (HDA) is presented. The HDA parts studied are the suspension assembly, the slider, the air-bearing, and the disk. The surface-roughness effects and slider-disk contact are also considered. By integrating every component of the HDA, the program can accurately predict the response of the HDA to various disturbances. Some of the results presented are a slider flying over a surface defect on the disk, track-accessing, and crash-stop. Furthermore, since the suspension assembly is analyzed using the finite-element method, any suspension assembly geometry can be analyzed. The method is based on the modal decomposition of the equations of motion. This method provides an efficient solution of the equation of motion of the head-disk assembly without requiring the finite-element mass and stiffness matrices. An animation program that uses the GL library routines available for the IBM RS/6000 workstations was developed to provide enhanced visual display of the simulation solutions. >
Cretaceous plate tectonic reconstructions

Abstract Plate tectonic reconstructions for each Cretaceous stage are produced as base maps for Cretaceous paleogeography and for oceanic and continental data. Both geologic and geophysical data are utilized to determine the relative rotations of Cretaceous plates with respect to North America. A sea-floor spreading history is generated from the relative rotations. This history is consistent with data from the Deep Sea Drilling Project. Paleolatitude lines are derived using average paleomagnetic pole positions. These reconstructions are significantly more comprehensive than previous global reconstructions, although there are still many areas which remain controversial.
Malignant lymphoma and malignant angioendotheliomatosis: One disease

A patient was diagnosed as having angioendotheliomatosis proliferans systemisata (APS) based on characteristic clinical and histologic features. A few days later, malignant lymphoma involving the gut was discovered. Immunohistochemical and electronmicroscopic studies confirmed the nonendothelial and lymphoid nature of intravascular tumor cells. This is the sixth case in which malignant lymphoma has been shown to involve the vessels of the skin (and probably of other organs) in a pattern identical to that seen in APS.
Nesiritide: Harmful or Harmless?

Nesiritide is the recombinant form of human B-type (brain) natriuretic peptide (BNP), and its amino acid sequence is identical to that of endogenous human BNP. Administration of nesiritide results in venous and arterial vasodilation, as well as enhanced diuresis. Given the many limitations of therapies previously available for the treatment of acute decompensated heart failure, the anticipation was that nesiritide would offer a safer and more effective therapeutic option. Recently, two meta-analyses raised the question of safety with nesiritide therapy, specifically an increased risk of renal dysfunction and mortality. Although several studies generated information regarding the potential role of nesiritide in various settings, the questions raised by the meta-analyses are concerning. Our hope is that future clinical trials will address the concerns raised and provide a better understanding of the role of nesiritide in the management of acute decompensated heart failure. Until these data are available, nesiritide use should be limited.
Indigenous constitutionalism and the death penalty: The case of the Commonwealth Caribbean

The Commonwealth Caribbean remains an obstinate holdout against the international trend limiting use of the death penalty. The death row population in the region per capita is about four times that of the United States. Widely debated in legal circles for a decade, capital punishment jurisprudence will be affected by the creation of the regional appellate court that was launched in April 2005. Modeled after the European Court of Justice, the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) will assume the constitutional jurisdiction currently exercised by the Judicial Committee of the London-based Privy Council. Critics claim the CCJ was created to undo the constraints on the death penalty decreed by the Privy Council and international human rights tribunals, while proponents maintain that the new court completes the region’s assumption of sovereignty. This article situates the debate in the constitutional history of the independence era, the current regionalization movement, and the interplay between international norms and domestic fundamental rights.
Romantic Relationships among Immigrant Adolescents1

We examine the importance of the family and friendship group as two crucial developmental contexts for adolescent relationship experiences. We focus particularly on immigrant adolescents who make up an increasing proportion of the youth population and who come from cultural contexts with stronger family traditions than native-born adolescents. Using data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health, we model the characteristics associated with having romantic relationships and participating in sex-related activities within relationships for immigrant adolescents, children of immigrants and adolescents in native-born families. First generation adolescents are less likely to enter romantic relationships than adolescents in native-born families, but those who do participate engage in similar sex-related activities as native-born youth. This evidence suggests that immigrant youth who enter romantic relationships are selective of the more assimilated to native adolescent norms of heterosexual behavior. The peer group is especially important for immigrant adolescents because it provides opportunities for romantic relationship involvement.
Arterio-enteric fistula following pelvic radiation: A case report

Abstract Two cases of arterial perforation into the small bowel are reported. Etiology was not determined in one case, but surgical trauma leading to localized infection in the irradiated tissue seemed responsible in the other. After the initial episode of hemorrhage, there was a symptom-free interval before its reappearance and vascular collapse. This is believed to be due to the distensibility of the large bowel. The site of arterial perforation was determined pre-operatively in one case by selective arteriography. Review of the recent literature relevant to transcatheter arterial embolization suggests that it may have potential in management of the arterio-enteric fistula as an alternative to or an aid in surgical correction by stabilizing the patient in a favorable condition.
Latency insertion method (LIM) for CMOS circuit simulations with multi-rate considerations

In this paper, we present an application of the latency insertion method (LIM) to the transient simulations of CMOS circuits and compare it to traditional SPICE based methods. In addition, we extend the multi-rate simulation technique and apply it to the simulation of CMOS circuits in the LIM environment and illustrate its computational efficiently over the basic LIM.
Using Social Network Theory to Influence the Development of State and Local Primary Prevention Capacity-Building Teams

This article examines the role that social network theory and social network analysis has played in assessing and developing effective primary prevention networks across a southeastern state. In 2004 the state began an effort to develop a strategic plan for the primary prevention of violence working with local communities across the state. The process included an analysis of how family service organizations and community collaborators networked to solve community problems. In 2005, the state joined the Center for Disease Control and Prevention's Enhancing and Making Programs Work to End Rape project to specifically focus on building capacity for primary prevention of perpetration of sexual violence.
The Prevalence of Mental Health Problems in Men Arrested for Domestic Violence

The problem of male perpetrated intimate partner violence (IPV) is widespread. In an effort to identify risk factors for perpetrating IPV, researchers have examined mental health problems among perpetrators. However, the majority of research in this area has examined personality psychopathology and/or limited their investigation to posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or depression. Thus, the present study examined self-reported Axis I psychopathology among men arrested for domestic violence (N = 308). Results replicated past research showing high rates of PTSD and depression. In addition, the prevalence of generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), panic disorder, social phobia, and alcohol and drug disorders were very high. All types of mental health problems were positively associated with aggression perpetration. Males meeting probable diagnostic classification reported significantly more frequent aggression than males not meeting diagnostic classification, even after controlling for social desirability. Directions for future research and implications of these findings are discussed.
Ultrasoft microgels displaying emergent platelet-like behaviours

Deformable synthetic microgel particles bearing molecular-recognition motifs for fibrin fibres are shown to augment clotting in vitro and mimic in vivo clot contraction, thus recapitulating the functions of natural platelets. Efforts to create platelet-like structures for the augmentation of haemostasis have focused solely on recapitulating aspects of platelet adhesion1; more complex platelet behaviours such as clot contraction2 are assumed to be inaccessible to synthetic systems. Here, we report the creation of fully synthetic platelet-like particles (PLPs) that augment clotting in vitro under physiological flow conditions and achieve wound-triggered haemostasis and decreased bleeding times in vivo in a traumatic injury model. PLPs were synthesized by combining highly deformable microgel particles with molecular-recognition motifs identified through directed evolution. In vitro and in silico analyses demonstrate that PLPs actively collapse fibrin networks, an emergent behaviour that mimics in vivo clot contraction. Mechanistically, clot collapse is intimately linked to the unique deformability and affinity of PLPs for fibrin fibres, as evidenced by dissipative particle dynamics simulations. Our findings should inform the future design of a broader class of dynamic, biosynthetic composite materials.
Effects of Light Environment and Population Density on Growth Performance of Male Turkeys

Abstract This study was designed to determine the effects of various light environments on the growth performance of male turkeys reared under two extremes of population density. Environmental lighting had subtle but persistent effects on growth performance. Low-intensity illumination consistently improved body weight gains during early growth periods while highintensity illumination improved body weight gains during the later growth period. Intermittent lighting, especially at a light intensity of 86.1 lx, caused precocious sexual development and appeared to stimulate growth after 18 weeks of age during cool weather and after 12 weeks during warmer weather. Diurnal, blue-filtered light improved weight gains during early growth periods compared to either white- or red-filtered diurnal light, while white- or red-filtered light tended to improve weight gains during the later growth period. Floor space allowances studied had no significant effect on growth or feed efficiency prior to 12 weeks of age. At that time, high population density caused lower body weight gains, lower feed efficiency, poorer feathering, a higher incidence of downgrading, and higher mortality than did a relatively low population density. Different light environments [intermittent (2L:2D) white light and diurnal (12L:12D), white-, red-, or blue-filtered light] were ineffective in altering the responses of turkeys to crowding. There was, however, a significant interaction of light intensity with population density. This interaction indicated that high light intensity allowed maximum expression of growth potential in a low population density environment but reduced growth under high population density pressures.
Galacto-oligosaccharides and colorectal cancer: Feeding our intestinal probiome

Prebiotics are ingredients selectively fermented by the intestinal microbiota that promote changes in the microbial community structure and/or their metabolism, conferring health benefits to the host. Studies show that β (1-4) galacto-oligosaccharides [β (1-4) GOS], lactulose and fructo-oligosaccharides increase intestinal concentration of lactate and short chain fatty acids, and stool frequency and weight, and they decrease fecal concentration of secondary bile acids, fecal pH, and nitroreductase and β-glucuronidase activities suggesting a clear role in colorectal cancer (CRC) prevention. This review summarizes research on prebiotics bioassimilation, specifically β (1-4) GOS, and their potential role in CRC. We also evaluate research that show that the impact of prebiotics on host physiology can be direct or through modulation of the gut intestinal microbiome, specifically the probiome (autochtonous beneficial bacteria), we present studies on a potential role in CRC progression to finally describe the current state of β (1-4) GOS generation for industrial production.
Saphenous Nerve Injury Following Medial Knee Joint Injection: A Case Report

Knee joint injection is a procedure commonly performed for pain management of osteoarthritis. Although several techniques have been described, it is usually performed by either medial or lateral approach with the lower limb extended on the examination table. We present the case of a patient who developed saphenous neuropathy following knee joint injection via medial approach. The clinical picture suggests that the needle pierced the nerve during the procedure. The patient was moderately obese. This is the first case report in the literature of saphenous nerve injury following medial knee joint injection. Practitioners should be aware of this complication in choosing an approach to the knee joint injection, especially when the patient is obese and the anatomic landmarks are obscured.
Bootstrapping p Values and Power in the First-Order Autoregression: A Monte Carlo Investigation

The small-sample behavior of the bootstrap is investigated as a method for estimating p values and power in the stationary first-order autoregressive model. Monte Carlo methods are used to examine the bootstrap and Student-t approximations to the true distribution of the test statistic frequently used for testing hypotheses on the underlying slope parameter. In contrast to Student's t, the results suggest that the bootstrap can accurately estimate p values and power in this model in sample sizes as small as 5–10.
The antihypertensive efficacy of nifedipine alone and in combination in general practice.

SummaryA multi-centre study in general practice involving 3242 hypertensive patients, aged up to 70 years, was carried out to evaluate the efficacy and tolerability of nifedipine used alone or in combination with other antihypertensive agents in step-care treatment. Patients were treated for up to 8 weeks with one of four regimens: nifedipine monotherapy; diuretic and nifedipine; beta-blocker plus nifedipine; and nifedipine added to a combination of diuretic and beta-blocker. All patients received 20 mg nifedipine, in slow-release tablet form, twice daily; at Week 4, dosage was increased to 40 mg twice daily in 8.5% patients because their supine diastolic blood pressure still exceeded 95 mmHg. Changes in mean blood pressure of the total study group for systolic and diastolic, supine and standing, were highly significant both from baseline (Week 0) to Week 4 (p<0.0001) and from baseline to Week 8 (p<0.0001). Mean blood pressure reduction was 29/18 mmHg supine and 27/18 mmHg standing. Statistical difference...
Heroes as a Context for Teaching Ethics

Abstract Various external pressures from accrediting and regulatory bodies emphasize the importance of teaching ethics in business and accounting curricula. Traditional approaches to teaching ethics in accounting include philosophy-based approaches with case studies, critiques of unethical behavior, and study of the AICPA Code of Professional Conduct (1992). In the present study, a method that makes ethical behavior salient to the students is described. The study of ethics is introduced with an assignment that requires each student to identify his or her personal hero. The hero then serves as a personal model for ethical behavior in the formal study of professional ethics. Evidence suggests that heroes may be proxies for an individual's personal value system, externalizing a moral code that can be referred to time and again. Although presented here in an accounting context, the heroes approach is transferable to all business disciplines.
Observations and modeling of wave-supported sediment gravity flows on the Po prodelta and comparison to prior observations from the Eel shelf

Abstract A mooring and tripod array was deployed from the fall of 2002 through the spring of 2003 on the Po prodelta to measure sediment transport processes associated with sediment delivered from the Po River. Observations on the prodelta revealed wave-supported gravity flows of high concentration mud suspensions that are dynamically and kinematically similar to those observed on the Eel shelf [Traykovski, P., Geyer, W.R., Irish, J.D., Lynch, J.F., 2000. The role of wave-induced density-driven fluid mud flows for cross-shelf transport on the Eel River continental shelf. Continental Shelf Research 20, 2113–2140]. Due to the dynamic similarity between the two sites, a simple one-dimensional (1D) across-shelf model with the appropriate bottom boundary condition was used to examine fluxes associated with this transport mechanism at both locations. To calculate the sediment concentrations associated with the wave-dominated and wave-current resuspension, a bottom boundary condition using a reference concentration was combined with an “active layer” formulation to limit the amount of sediment in suspension. Whereas the wave-supported gravity flow mechanism dominated the transport on the Eel shelf, on the Po prodelta flux due to this mechanism is equal in magnitude to transport due to wave resuspension and wind-forced mean currents in the cross-shore direction. Southward transport due to wave resuspension and wind forced mean currents move an order of magnitude more sediment along-shore than the down-slope flux associated wave-supported gravity flows.
First-Principles Study of SI(lll) Homoepitaxy

Epitaxial growth on the Si(111) surface is studied using first-principles total-energy pseudopotential calculations. The energetics of added Si atoms essentially determines epitaxial growth modes under different growth conditions (surface temperature, Si flux rate, and surface step density). We have determined the surface adatom diffusion barriers and cluster formation energies; we use these microscopic energy parameters to address the possibilities for macroscopic morphological evolution of the surface under different conditions.
Possible problems of scale dependency in applications of the three-dimensional fractional advection-dispersion equation to natural porous media

[1] A three-dimensional (3-D) analysis of transport and macrodispersion at the Macrodispersion Experiment (MADE) site [Boggs et al., 1993] using the Fractional Advection-Dispersion Equation (FADE) developed by Meerschaert et al. [1999, 2001] shows that the Levy dispersion process is scale dependent. Levy dispersion may be superior to Gaussian dispersion on a sufficiently small scale; on larger scales, both theories are likely to suffer from the fact that because of depositional structures most flow fields display an evolving, nonstationary structure. Motion in such fields is advection-dominated, displays a lot of memory and therefore is not modeled well by Markov random processes which underlie the derivation of both the Gaussian and Levy advection-dispersion equations [Berkowitz et al., 2002]. To improve plume simulation of an advection-dominated transport process, one would have to bring in more advective irregularity while simultaneously decreasing the Levy dispersion coefficient. Therefore, on a 3-D basis, first-order Levy dispersion has limitations similar to Gaussian dispersion. However, this and related theories, such as the continuous time random walk (CTRW) formalism, are in the early stages of development and thus may be fruitful areas for further research.
The preparation and storage of cytochrome oxidase.

Abstract The preparation of cytochrome oxidase by the method of Keilin and Hartree has been modified to give an increased yield and activity of the enzyme. The enzyme can be dried from the frozen state and stored for more than a year provided it is reconstituted in pH 9.5 buffer and treated with sound waves at 9,000 cycles/sec. This material is “soluble” in that it resists centrifugation at 11,000 × g for 2.5 hr. Its “solubility” depends in no way on autolysis of the heart muscle prior to extraction of the enzyme.
Recurrent urothelial tumors following surgery for transitional cell carcinoma of the upper urinary tract

A retrospective analysis of 74 cases of transitional cell carcinoma of the renal pelvis and ureter treated at this institution over the past 30 years is presented. When nephrectomy alone or incomplete nephroureterectomy was performed, subsequent transitional cell carcinoma developed in 30% of the ureteral stumps. Subsequent bladder carcinoma occurred in 25% of the patients with primary upper urinary tract carcinoma. The type of initial surgery performed did not appear to influence this incidence of subsequent bladder tumors. Contralateral upper urinary tract carcinoma developed in only one patient. When nephroureterectomy is performed for carcinoma of the renal pelvis and ureter, a cuff of bladder that includes the ureteral orifice should be removed to obviate recurrent disease in the ureteral stump. Since single-incision nephroureterectomy did not include the intramural ureter in 50% of the cases in which it was performed, a second incision may be required for adequate exposure.
Spatial discrimination in goldfish following bilateral tectal ablation

Goldfish retinal ganglion cells project to several small nuclei in the diencephalon and the pretectum but mainly to the optic tectum that forms the entire roof of the mesencephalon 4"1°. Bilateral ablation of the tectum produces decreased behavioral sensitivity to spot-of-light stimuli that are classically conditioned to electric shock 7'11, as well as blockade of whole body orientation responses to dorsal illumination, food objects and optomotor stimuli 8. These results show that nontectal brain areas can mediate memory of visual learning, but that the tectum may be necessary for perception of visual images and their location in space. The retinotopic distribution and laminar organization of the retinal connections and the extensive interconnections with other brain areas also suggest that the optic tectum is responsible for processing visual spatial information and integrating it with input from other sensory modalities. Non-tectal visual pathways may be organized for processing some kinds of spatial information. Studies in a cichlid, Haplichromis, show that individual visual nuclei in the diencephalon and pretectum vary in receiving axons from different sectors of the retina 6. A striking behavioral finding has been that tectum ablation blocks the swimming response to an optomotor stimulus but not optokinetic nystagmus 8. The implication is that the tectal ablate can detect moving images.
High temperature bias-stress-induced instability in power trench-gated MOSFETs

Abstract We report on the high-temperature reverse-bias (HTRB) stress reliability of trench-gated n-channel metal-oxide-silicon field-effect transistors (n-UMOSFETs). The degradation induced by the HTRB is examined using changes in transistor parameters, optical microscopy, and scanning electron microscopy. The HTRB causes degradations in the threshold voltage and drain leakage of the n-UMOSFET and these degradations are particularly large when the stress is applied in a humid ambient. The observations were interpreted in terms of water molecule diffusion into the gate oxide through passivation cracks in the edge termination of the n-UMOSFET during HTRB in a humid ambient. The water molecules catalyze proton (H + ) generation through electric-field assisted interactions and hole injection into the gate oxide at the bottom of the trench. Also, H + is observed to be very stable in the gate oxide and to migrate between the gate-oxide and oxide–Si interfaces driven by an applied gate-voltage. It is proposed that the employed HTRB configuration and level give rise to negative-bias temperature instability (NBTI) in a parasitic p-channel MOSFET structure occurring in the trench base of the n-UMOSFET, and that NBTI is a serious reliability concern in power UMOSFETs subjected to stress in a moist ambient.
NMR behavior of the clathrate hydrate of tetrahydrofuran. III. Effect of oxygen

Abstract The effect of dissolved oxygen on the proton resonance lineshape and second moment of tetrahydrofuran deuteriohydrate between 4.5 and 260 K is interpreted in terms of the magnetic fields of the electron spins of reorienting oxygen molecules located in nearest-neighbor cages. After sufficient equilibration time, spin-lattice relaxation in the presence of oxygen becomes exponential at temperatures between 50 and 250 K with T 1 almost independent of temperature. Examples are cited of clathrate hydrate studies in which lineshapes and relaxation were affected by the presence of oxygen. Because of its large solubility in clathrate hydrates (∼ 0.7 mol/liter · atm in structure II ), particular care is required to exclude oxygen.
A local level set method for paraxial geometrical optics

We propose a local level set method for constructing the geometrical optics term in the paraxial formulation for the high frequency asymptotics of two-dimensional (2-D) acoustic wave equations. The geometrical optics term consists of two multivalued functions: a travel-time function satisfying the eikonal equation locally and an amplitude function solving a transport equation locally. The multivalued travel-times are obtained by solving a level set equation and a travel-time equation with a forcing term. The multivalued amplitudes are computed by a newEulerian formula based on the gradients of travel-times and takeoff angles. As a byproduct the method is also able to capture the caustic locations. The proposed Eulerian method has complexity of $O(N^2{\rm Log }N)$, rather than $O(N^4)$ as typically seen in the Lagrangian ray tracing method. Several examples including the well-known Marmousi synthetic model illustrate the accuracy and efficiency of the Eulerian method.
A historical perspective on climate change assessment

The arid lands controversy beginning in the late 19th century provides a unique perspective on the role that large scale climate assessments play in the policy process. Initially the climate of the western arid lands divided scientists, policy makers, and the public between those that believed new conditions would require specialized policies and adaptations and those that argued conditions would not be severe. The consensus eventually emerged for a large-scale response, a consensus based on the seminal Report on the Arid Lands of the United States and later scientific assessments that coupled the physical and human dimensions of climatic change. This earlier debate demonstrates how climate assessments in the United States play out in policy deliberations with public opinion and climatological events to ultimately control the fate of responses.
Cutaneous manifestations of endocrine disorders: a guide for dermatologists.

Thyrotoxicosis may lead to multiple cutaneous manifestations, including hair loss, pretibial myxedema, onycholysis and acropachy. In patients with hypothyroidism, there is hair loss, the skin is cold and pale, with myxedematous changes, mainly in the hands and in the periorbital region. The striking features of Cushing syndrome are centripetal obesity, moon facies, buffalo hump, supraclavicular fat pads, and abdominal striae. In Addison disease, the skin is hyperpigmented, mostly on the face, neck and back of the hands. Virtually all patients with acromegaly have acral and soft tissue overgrowth, with characteristic findings, like macrognathia and enlarged hands and feet. The skin is thickened, and facial features are coarser. Conditions leading to hyperandrogenism in females present as acne, hirsutism and signs of virilization (temporal balding, clitoromegaly). A prominent feature of hypopituitarism is a pallor of the skin with a yellowish tinge. The skin is also thinner, resulting in fine wrinkling around the eyes and mouth, making the patient look older. Primary hyperparathyroidism is rarely associated with pruritus and chronic urticaria. In hypoparathyroidism, the skin is dry, scaly and puffy. Nails become brittle and hair is coarse and sparse. Pseudohypoparathyroidism may have a special somatic phenotype known as Albright osteodystrophy. This consists of short stature, short neck, brachydactyly and subcutaneous calcifications. Some of the cutaneous manifestations of diabetes mellitus include necrobiosis lipoidica diabeticorum, diabetic dermopathy, scleredema adultorum and acanthosis nigricans.
Heat transfer to flow through porous passages using extended weighted residuals method - A Green's function solution

Abstract The Green’s function solution method is a direct and powerful tool for solving heat transfer problems associated with flow through passages. It is also an equally powerful tool when these passages are filled with saturated porous materials. The capability of the Green’s function solution is enhanced when it is used in conjunction with the method of weighted residuals extended for this type of application. This study discusses the calculation of heat transfer to fluids flowing through different porous passages by using this combined methodology. The numerical illustrations include the study of heat transfer in isosceles triangular passages. Also, this methodology is equally applicable when the boundary conditions are of the first, second, or third kind.
Functional Significance of the Therian Molar Pattern

THE molar morphology of therian mammals has interested zoologists for nearly a century. Its basic functional significance has been demonstrated by cinefluorographic studies of molar occlusion and jaw movements during mastication in the American opossum (Didelphis marsupialis)1,2, together with a comprehensive study of the molar teeth of Mesozoic mammals.
The Effects of Computer Use on L2 Japanese Writing.

: As computer-assisted language learning gains popularity, word processing is becoming standard in foreign language classrooms. However, for logographic languages, which have input processes different from those of English and other Indo-European languages, computer use by second language learners is relatively uncommon and its impact on writing is unknown. This study examined the effects of computers on writing efficiency and quality among intermediate learners of Japanese. Subjects corresponded with Japanese peers by e-mail, and took computer-written and handwritten tests. Response times, accuracy rates, and t-units were compared. There was no significant difference in response times for the two modes, but accuracy rates and number of kanji characters used were significantly different, indicating that learners benefited from computer writing. This was most evident among mid-skilled learners, suggesting that positive effects for computers may depend on level of linguistic skill.