cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Shed whole blood autotransfusion during aortic aneurysm operation with a modified collection infusion system

We describe a modified shed whole blood collection and autotransfusion system that allows several options for the processing and autotransfusion of shed blood: use of the Cell Saver (Haemonetics, Braintree, MA) or the ultrafiltration of collected blood, and the autotransfusion of unprocessed shed whole blood. The system has proved useful for transfusion in the setting of thoracic aortic operations, and we describe here our experience in 5 patients undergoing resection of a descending thoracic aortic aneurysm in whom this system was used.
Multiphoton photoluminescence from GaN with tunable picosecond pulses

UV photoluminescence ~PL! from GaN thin films was observed by multiphoton excitation. The two-photon PL excitation spectrum near the band gap agrees with the theoretical two-photon-absorption spectrum. The pump-intensity dependence and the PL excitation spectrum in the infrared indicate the existence of midgap defect states around 1 eV above the valence band. This is confirmed by the PL excitation spectrum obtained with a two-color, two-photon excitation process. @S0163-1829~97!51708-5#
Albuminuria is independently associated with cardiac remodeling, abnormal right and left ventricular function, and worse outcomes in heart failure with preserved ejection fraction.

Abstract Objectives The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between albuminuria and cardiac structure/function in heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF). Background Albuminuria, a marker of endothelial dysfunction, has been associated with adverse cardiovascular outcomes in HFpEF. However, the relationship between albuminuria and cardiac structure/function in HFpEF has not been well studied. Methods We measured urinary albumin-to-creatinine ratio (UACR) and performed comprehensive echocardiography, including tissue Doppler imaging and right ventricular (RV) evaluation, in a prospective study of 144 patients with HFpEF. Multivariable-adjusted linear regression was used to determine the association between UACR and echocardiographic parameters. Cox proportional hazards analyses were used to determine the association between UACR and outcomes. Results The mean age was 66 ± 11 years, 62% were female, and 42% were African American. Higher UACR was associated with greater left ventricular mass, lower preload-recruitable stroke work, and lower global longitudinal strain. Higher UACR was also significantly associated with RV remodeling (for each doubling of UACR, RV wall thickness was 0.9 mm higher [95% confidence interval: 0.05 to 0.14 mm; p = 0.001, adjusted p = 0.01]) and worse RV systolic function (for each doubling of UACR, RV fractional area change was 0.56% lower [95% confidence interval: 0.14 to 0.98%; p = 0.01, adjusted p = 0.03]. The association between UACR and RV parameters persisted after the exclusion of patients with macroalbuminuria (UACR >300 mg/g). Increased UACR was also independently associated with worse outcomes. Conclusions In HFpEF, increased UACR is a prognostic marker and is associated with increased RV and left ventricular remodeling and longitudinal systolic dysfunction. (Classification of Heart Failure With Preserved Ejection Fraction; NCT01030991 )
One day of estradiol treatment enhances platelet aggregation at the site of microvascular injury without altering aggregation ex vivo.

Mice were implanted subcutaneously with a pellet containing 0.5 mg estradiol placebo. On the day following implantation platelet aggregation was produced in arterioles on the brain surface (pial arterioles) by injuring their endothelium in vivo with a noxious light/dye stimulus. The time between the onset of the noxious stimulus and the appearance of platelet aggregates was significantly shortened (p less than .01) in the estradiol treated mice. In contrast to this enhancement of aggregation, when platelets were tested ex vivo in platelet rich plasma (PRP), aggregation to sodium arachidonate or to ADP was not altered in estradiol treated mice. Thus the enhanced aggregation observed in injured pial arterioles of estradiol treated mice may not reflect direct effects of estradiol on the platelet itself. Rather enhanced aggregation may reflect an effect of estradiol on endothelium or adjacent tissue. This effect was produced within 24 hours of achieving pregnancy levels of estradiol. The rapidity of the effect is of interest in light of earlier studies showing a similar in vivo action following 7-14 days of high estradiol levels. The rapid effect suggests that an action on megakaryocytes is an unlikely explanation for the results.
Open instillation of formalin for hemorrhagic cystitis in a child

Abstract A child with massive hematuria was treated with open instillation of formalin in his bladder. Insertion of Fogarty catheters in both ureters was used to prevent vesicoureteral reflux, demonstrated on a previous cystogram.
Bone Mineral Density Discordance and Exploration of One of its Causes

Abstract Discordances between hip and spine areal density T-score values are common and incompletely understood. In a cohort of 1157 postmenopausal women, discordances of greater than 10% occurred in 91%, with spine bone mineral density (BMD) T-scores significantly less negative than femoral neck (FN) T-scores ( p
Influence of diammonium sulfate and other salts on glyphosate phytotoxicity

Diammonium sulfate is commonly used as an adjuvant with glyphosate, but reports vary regarding its effect on weed control, and its possible function in enhancing glyphosate phytotoxicity is not fully understood. Several experiments were conducted in the glasshouse to determine glyphosate phytotoxicity to various species as influenced by diammonium sulfate in distilled water and in the presence of antagonistic salts. Diammonium sulfate overcame sodium hydrogen carbonate, calcium chloride, and 2,4-D antagonism of glyphosate phytotoxicity to wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). Sulfate anions were important for overcoming calcium antagonism, possibly by forming calcium sulfate
Total Pelvic Exenteration: Effective Palliation of Perineal Pain in Patients With Locally Recurrent Prostate Cancer

ABSTRACTPurpose: Locally recurrent prostate cancer can be a debilitating disease. Perineal pain associated with rectal involvement by prostate cancer is difficult to palliate by conventional methods. We describe a group of patients who had intractable perineal pain due to locally recurrent prostate cancer and underwent total pelvic exenteration for palliation.Materials and Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the data for men who underwent total pelvic exenteration with urinary and colonic diversion at our institution between October 1995 and October 2002 for the relief of perineal pain from prostate cancer. Patients were selected for consideration for surgical extirpation on the basis of the presence of biopsy proven recurrent prostate cancer and evidence of rectal invasion on sonography. All patients received radiation therapy and hormonal therapy and had intractable perineal or pelvic pain resistant to narcotics.Results: A total of 14 men underwent total pelvic exenteration for palliation during the 7-...
Effects of Calcium Binding on the Side-chain Methyl Dynamics of Calbindin D9k: A 2H NMR Relaxation Study

The effects of Ca2+ binding on the side-chain methyl dynamics of calbindin D9k have been characterized by 2H NMR relaxation rate measurements. Longitudinal, transverse in-phase, quadrupolar order, transverse anti-phase and double quantum relaxation rates are reported for both the apo and Ca2+-loaded states of the protein at two magnetic field strengths. The relatively large size of the data set allows for a detailed analysis of the underlying conformational dynamics by spectral density mapping and model-free fitting procedures. The results reveal a correlation between a methyl group's distance from the Ca2+ binding sites and its conformational dynamics. Several methyl groups segregate into two limiting classes, one proximal and the other distal to the binding sites. Methyl groups in these two classes respond differently to Ca2+ binding, both in terms of the timescale and amplitude of their fluctuations. Ca2+ binding elicits a partial immobilization among methyl groups in the proximal class, which is consistent with previous studies of calbindin's backbone dynamics. The distal class, however, exhibits a trend that could not be inferred from the backbone data in that its mobility actually increases with Ca2+ binding. We have introduced the term polar dynamics to describe this type of organization across the molecule. The trend may represent an important mechanism by which calbindin D9k achieves high affinity binding while minimizing the corresponding loss of conformational entropy.
Cardiac Magnetic Resonance for Paravalvular Leaks in Post-Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement

An 80-year–old man with known coronary artery disease presented with progressively worsening shortness of breath over the past few weeks. On transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) examination he was found to have severe aortic stenosis with an aortic valve area of 0.8 cm2. Maximum aortic valve velocity was 4.25 m/s, peak gradient was 72.2 mm Hg with a mean gradient of 43.0 mm Hg, and mild aortic valve insufficiency was noted. He was deemed a surgical candidate and was randomly assigned to transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) as part of the Placement of Aortic Transcatheter Valve Trial II trial. An Edwards Sapien 29-mm XT bioprosthetic valve was placed through left-sided transfemoral access uneventfully. Within a day of the procedure, the patient reported worsening dyspnea. A postprocedural TTE revealed mild anterior and posterior paravalvular leak (PVL) by color Doppler (Figure 1 and Movie I in the online-only Data Supplement). Given the clinical and imaging findings, a higher-grade PVL was suspected, prompting further evaluation with cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging. Figure 1. Post-transcatheter aortic valve replacement transthoracic echocardiogram showing paravalvular defect and leak. A , B-mode parasternal long axis view showing 29-mm Sapien valve in the aortic position (yellow arrows). B …
Macroscopic sum rules in natural optical activity

The optical constants of linear media satisfy some well known sum rules. The proofs of these rules are commonly given from a microscopic viewpoint that employs matrix multiplication and closure. A generalized proof of these rules is presented here from a macroscopic point of view that employs causality. The results are applied to natural optical activity. When the limiting behaviour of the macroscopic susceptibility is known at zero and at infinite frequency, several new sum rules are obtained. The relationship between the microscopic and macroscopic derivations is discussed.
Kinetoplast DNA of Crithidia

SYNOPSIS. The results of physiochemical and electron microscope studies on the structure of the kinetoplast DNA of Crithidia are discussed. The molecular weight of isolated kinetoplast DNA is approximately 41 × 109 daltons. The basic unit of organization of this DNA is a covalently closed circular molecule 0.8 μm in contour length (molecular weight 1.54 × 106 daltons). An average of 33 such circles are held together in a group by topological interlocking of each circle with a large number of other circles in the group. An average of 804 groups are held together into a structure termed an association. A group of circles is attached to several adjacent groups. This is accomplished by 1 or more circles each interlocking with many circles in 2 (but never more) of the groups. The groups of circles are arranged in such a way that the association, comprising about 27,000 circles, has a topologically 2-dimensional form. A model is presented for the in situ arrangement of the kinetoplast DNA association. Data which we have obtained is consistent with the view that all of the circular molecules of kinetoplast DNA of one organism carry the same genetic information. The transcription product is a single RNA molecule of approximately the size of a single circular DNA molecule. From studies involving density shift experiments using deuterium oxide, buoyant density ultracentrifugation and electron microscopy we have determined the following concerning replication of kinetoplast DNA: (a) doubling of the kinetoplast DNA results from the replication of each circular molecule rather than from extensive replication of a small number of circular molecules; (b) replication of kinetoplast DNA is a semi-conservative rather than a conservative process and there is recombination at an undefined time during the cell cycle; (c) a portion of a kinetoplast DNA association is in the form of long linear molecules during the replicative phase of that association.
Exuberance out of left field: Do sports results cause investors to take their eyes off the ball?

Abstract This study investigates whether stock price performance contains a sizeable component that emanates from local sports sentiment. We measure sports sentiment by the performance of sports teams from the four major professional sports leagues (NFL, MLB, NBA, and NHL) that are based nearby firms’ headquarters. We find that concurrent stock returns and sports performances associated with the same locality are highly correlated. Consistent with the notion that mispricing is indeed caused by sports sentiment, we also determine that sentiment is related to a subsequent gradual return reversal, which occurs over the following three year period. In addition, we confirm that local comovement is more pronounced in the presence of sports sentiment in support of the view that local stock preference of relatively less sophisticated retail investors can be driven by factors that are not information-based. Finally, we devise investment strategies based on recent past observations of sports sentiment and find that they generate sizable abnormal returns, especially in cases of firms located in areas where fan base support appears to be stronger.
Canonical Form and Synthesis of Cellular Cascades

Cascades of two-input, one-output general function cells have been studied previously with the restriction that no external variable may drive more than one cell. Upon relaxing this restriction, it is shown that a variable that drives more than one cell in a cascade need never drive more than one cell that is not an EXCLUSIVE-OR cell, and that cell must be the first cell driven by the variable in the cascade. From this it follows that there exists a canonical form for cellular cascades with repeated inputs. Furthermore, the length of a cascade required to produce an n-variable function is bounded by (n2+n-4)/2, and there are functions that meet this bound for all n. Derived from knowledge of the canonical form, a realizability and synthesis algorithm is described that is an extension of previously described algorithms. The algorithm has been used to test the 402 Harvard functions, and a table of minimal-length cascades of realizable functions is included in the paper. Although the number of realizable functions is greatly increased when the input restriction is relaxed, it is shown that the fraction of n-variable functions that are realizable becomes vanishingly small as n grows large. In particular, for example, of the 2n+1 symmetric functions of n-variables, precisely 12 are realizable for all n?3.
Cholesterol vehicle in experimental atherosclerosis part 5. Influence of fats and fatty acids on pre-established atheromata

Summary If rabbits are returned to their normal diet for 8 weeks after 8 weeks on an atherogenic regimen (2 % cholesterol in 6 % corn oil) their atheromata become more severe than those observed at the end of the atherogenic regimen. Addition of 5 % of neutral fat (either relatively unsaturated, iodine value 85.7 or highly unsaturated, iodine value 125.7) to the diet in the post-cholesterol phase yielded lesions of “intermediate” severity, being more advanced than those lesions observed at the end of the atherosclerosis induction period, but less severe than the lesions observed in rabbits fed the normal regimen. The differences in severity of atheromatous lesions were observed only in the aortic arch; there were no differences in the extent of progression of the thoracic lesions. Addition of 0.5 % of free fatty acid to the fat-augmented diet increased the severity of the pre-established lesions to levels observed in rabbits fed normal diet during the post-cholesterol phase of the experiment. The possibility that the presence of the free fatty acid interfered with normal utilization of neutral fat is being investigated.
Congestion clusters-based markets for transmission management

This paper offers two contributions: first, it introduces a method for effective grouping of system users according to their impact on the transmission constraints of interest into congestion clusters. Second, it shows how the method introduced could be used for facilitating either a spot transmission management market (independent of the electricity market), or an entirely decentralized (bilateral) transmission market. Possible applications of the proposed market would be for on-line transmission loading relief (TLR) in normal operation. The concepts proposed are illustrated on the large size New England power network.
A line segment curve-fitting algorithm related to optimal encoding of information*

Suppose that it is required to store as much information as possible concerning a function g(x) defined over a given interval (α, β), given that a specified amount of storage is available. This problem is closely related to that of storing N + 1 line segments joining the successive points (α, Y0), (u1, Y1), ···, (uN, YN), (β, YN+1), given N, the uj and Yj being determined such that the lines give the best least squares fit to the curve. A computational algorithm is determined for solving this problem in general, and it is shown how the points are determined when the uj and Yj are constrained, for example, to integer values. The method used is similar to that used in recent line-segment curve-fitting papers by Bellman and by Gluss. Finally, the information encoding aspects of the model are discussed.
Immunocytochemical distribution of WARP (von Willebrand A domain-related protein) in the inner ear

The basic components of the epithelial, perineural and perivascular basement membranes in the inner ear have been well-documented in several animal models and in the human inner ear. The von Willebrand A domain-related protein (WARP) is an extracellular matrix molecule with restricted expression in cartilage, and a subset of basement membranes in peripheral nerves, muscle and central nervous system vasculature. It has been suggested that WARP have an important role in maintaining the blood-brain barrier. To date no studies on WARP distribution have been performed in the inner that is equipped with an intricate vasculature network. In the present study we determined the distribution of WARP by immunocytochemistry in the human inner ear using auditory and vestibular endorgans microdissected from human temporal bones obtained at autopsy. All subjects (n=5, ages 55-87 years old) had documented normal auditory and vestibular function. We also determined the WARP immunolocalization in the mouse inner ear. WARP-immunoreactivity localized to the vasculature throughout the stroma of the cristae ampullaris, the maculae utricle and saccule in the human and mouse. In the human and mouse inner ear, WARP-immunoreactivity delineated blood vessels located in the stria vascularis, spiral ligament, sub-basilar region, stromal tissue, and the spiral and vestibular ganglia. The distinct localization of WARP in the inner ear vasculature suggests an important role in maintaining its integrity. In addition, WARP allows delineation of microvessels in the inner ear allowing the study of vascular pathology in the development of otological diseases.
Isolation and characterization of genetic variants of the Kunitz soybean trypsin inhibitor.

Abstract Three genetically related forms of the Kunitz soybean trypsin inhibitor have been isolated by ion-exchange chromatography. The three variants have different electrophoretic mobilities and have been designated Ti a , Ti b and Ti c . An enzyme assay system was used to determine the association equilibrium constant of each variant for trypsin at pH 8.1 and values of 2 · 10 9 M −1 , 2 · 10 7 M −1 and 3 · 10 10 M −1 were found for Ti a , Ti b and Ti c respectively. The hydrolysis equilibrium constant at pH 6.0 for the reactive site peptide bond hydrolysis for each variant was also determined and found to be 4, 9 and 3 for Ti a , Ti b and Ti c , respectively.
Weak and strong off-axis beam scintillations and beam wander for propagation in turbulence

We extend the theory of the on-axis beam scintillations for the off-axis case beam points for weak and strong scintillation conditions. Theory is based on the parabolic equation for the beam wave propagation and Markov approximation for the calculation of the statistical moments of the beam intensity. We use the Feynman path integral technique and asymptotic analysis to analyze the dependence of the scintillation index on the distance from the beam axis for collimated beams under weak and strong scintillation conditions. Both strong and weak scintillation cases are considered. Beam scintillation index naturally separates in the uniform (axial) and inhomogeneous (radial) components that can be examined separately. Axial component carries most of the diffractive scattering effects whereas the radial component is mostly related to the pure geometrical perturbation. We examine the contribution of the beam wander to the scintillation index at the different parts of the beam cross section and show that beam wander alone cannot account got the expected magnitudes of the scintillation index.
Changes in gene expression of matrix constituents with respect to passage of ligament and tendon fibroblasts.

Trauma to the knee joint often results in injury to one or more supporting soft tissue structures, such as the medial collateral (MCL) and anterior cruciate (ACL) ligaments. Also, a portion of the patellar tendon (PT) is frequently used as a replacement graft for the ACL, resulting in a PT defect. The healing responses of these tissues are dramatically different and range from spontaneous healing to little or no healing. Studies have suggested that native cell behavior could be responsible for differences in healing potential. However, it is difficult to make comparisons as the reported results are based on different cellular passages which could have a dramatic effect on their potential to form healing tissues. Therefore, the objective of this study was to quantify the gene expression of collagen and other matrix constituents of fibroblasts from the MCL, ACL, and PT to document how they change with cell passage. We hypothesized that MCL fibroblasts would possess higher potential for matrix production through passages than ACL and PT cells because the MCL mounts a robust healing response unlike the ACL and PT. These differences in matrix expression would be dependent on passage because at earlier passages all cells would mostly be proliferating while at later passages they would tend to become senescent. Cells were isolated from the MCL, ACL, and PT of three rats and passaged a total of five times (Passage 1 to Passage 5). Using real time RT-PCR, expression of all genes of interest (Collagen Type I (ligament/tendon’s main matrix constituent), Collagen Type III, Fibronectin, Metalloprotease-13 [MMP-13], and Tissue Inhibitor of Metallopreotease-1 [TIMP-1]) were quantitatively assessed. It was found that cell number for all three fibroblast types remained high from Passage 1 to Passage 5. There was a statistically significant increase in Collagen Type I of rat MCL fibroblasts throughout passage (p < 0.05). This was evident in the higher relative abundance (to GAPDH) at Passages 3 and 4 (14.5 ± 2.2 fold and 15.3 ± 6.9 fold, respectively) than at Passage 1 (3.3 ± 2.6 fold) (p < 0.05). On the other hand, Collagen Type I expression for ACL and PT fibroblasts were lower than that of MCL fibroblasts and remained at 2.5 ± 2.0 fold and 1.7 ± 0.8 fold, respectively. Interestingly, the gene expressions of Collagen Type III, Fibronectin, MMP-13, and TIMP-1 for MCL, ACL, and PT fibroblasts were all relatively constant throughout passage and were not significantly different from one another. The findings of this study indicate that passage does affect the Collagen Type I gene expression of rat MCL fibroblasts and further show that for in vitro ligament tissue engineering efforts, MCL fibroblasts have a more robust potential for ligament remodeling and repair due to the increase in collagen gene expression.
The Man of Professional Wisdom

Most of us are introduced to scientific knowledge by our schoolteachers, in classrooms and laboratories, using textbooks and lab manuals as guides. As beginners, we believe that the goal of science is “the growth of knowledge through new scientific discoveries.”1 We believe that the methods of science are the most rational that human kind has devised for investigating the world and that (practiced properly) they yield objective knowledge. It seems to us that because there is only one reality, there can be only one real truth, and that science describes those facts. Our teachers and our texts affirm this authority of scientific specialists.
Analysis of Student Feedback Improves Instructor Effectiveness

This study analyzes the student evaluation forms at the Darden Graduate School of Business. Through structural equation modeling, the author describes the relationships between “course effectivenes...
On-Orbit Performance of the CloudSat EIK and Future Space Missions

This paper presents on-orbit performance of the CloudSat extended interaction klystron (EIK) and reviews requirements, design and performance of EIK's for future space missions. The CloudSat mission provides cross-sectional view of clouds with information on their thickness, altitude, optical properties, water and ice content. It is concluded that following successful development and on-orbit operation of the CloudSat EIK, more flight models of W-band and Ka-band EIK's are currently under development.
Evolution, Ethics, and Equivocation: T. H. Huxley's Conflicted Legacy

Recent debates over evolutionary ethics have often circled around T. H. Huxley's late claim that “Social progress means a checking of the cosmic process at every step.” In writing “Evolution and Ethics” and its long Prolegomena, however, Huxley may instead be wrestling with the nature and origin of human agency. Early in his career he saw evolution and social progress as converging, but as he came to find cosmic process alien to human welfare, he found moral agency more essential but more problematic. Within “Evolution and Ethics,” evolution retreats into a cyclical stasis while ethical challenges end up submitting to it. Huxley implies, however, that in acknowledging these cycles as “natural,” ancient sages begged the question of whether resistance to them were possible. And when evolutionary ethicists delimit humanity's potential by its simian origins, Huxley invokes Hume's “naturalistic fallacy,” asking them how factual evidence can support their prescriptive conclusions. Both his naturalist and idealist reviewers then drove him to turn his Prolegomena into a rebuttal to the original essay. Here, advocating a balance between altruism and selfishness, Huxley works to relegate agency to a question of degree. In both essays, Huxley's epigrammatic prose demarcates the dead ends of much Victorian thought and points toward alternate paths not explored until the twentieth century.
An Outbreak of Listeriosis in a Breeding Colony of Chinchillas

Listeria monocytogenes is a facultatively anaerobic short gram-positive rod-shaped bacterium that infects a wide range of animals, including ruminants, monogastric animals, birds, fish, rodents, and humans. Infection with this obligate intracellular pathogen causes 3 distinct clinical entities, septicemia, encephalitis, and abortion, which rarely occur simultaneously in the same animal. The septicemic form affects the viscera with or without meningoencephalitis and is common in monogastric animals, whereas encephalitis and abortion occur principally in adult ruminants. Chinchillas are considered one of the species more susceptible to visceral listeriosis, especially when reared in confinement. Listeriosis in chinchillas has been described in many areas of the United States during a period (1949-1955) when chinchilla pelts were prized commodities in the fur industry. More recently, chinchillas have become a widely used animal model for studies of noise-induced hearing loss. An outbreak of disseminated visceral listeriosis occurred in a breeding colony of 130 chinchillas located in northern Idaho. The chinchillas in this operation were raised for pelts. Polygamous breeding was practiced; 1 male had access to 8 females. The feed, open sacks of commercially formulated chinchilla pellets and a bale of hay, was stored on a wood pallet. To promote maintenance of their hair coats, a dust bath pan was provided for the animals. During December 1995, there was an unusually large influx of mice into the chinchilla building, and on several occasions the owners noted mouse droppings in the feed. By January 1996, the colony experienced a 23% mortality (30 of 130) in breeding animals of various ages. Approximately 4 days prior to death, the animals were anorectic and hunched, and some had torticollis. Many animals were found dead without premonitory clinical signs. Four chinchillas (2 dead males, 1 dead female, 1 moribund female) were submitted to the Washington Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory for necropsy. All 4 chinchillas were emaciated and lacked subcutaneous and retroperitoneal fat. Consistent gross lesions in the 3 dead chinchillas included multifocal 0.1-0.3-cm-diameter whitetan foci affecting the capsular surfaces and parenchyma of the liver, mesenteric lymph nodes, and the serosa of the small and large intestines, particularly the cecum and colon. Individual differences in postmortem lesions are listed in Table 1. Animal A, a dead female, had a 2-cm rectal prolapse and colonic intussusception in addition to the visceral foci. The intussusception consisted of a 3-cm segment of dark red prox-
Neural evidence for reduced apprehensiveness of familiarized stimuli in a mere exposure paradigm

Mere familiarization with a stimulus increases liking for it or similar stimuli ("mere exposure" effects) as well as perceptual fluency, indexed by the speed and accuracy of categorizing it or similar stimuli ("priming" effects). Candidate mechanisms proposed to explain mere exposure effects include both increased positive affect associated with greater perceptual fluency, and reduced negative affect associated with diminished apprehensiveness of novel stimuli. Although these two mechanisms are not mutually exclusive, it is difficult for behavioral measures to disentangle them, since increased liking or other indices of greater positive affect toward exposed stimuli could result from increases in positive feelings or decreases in negative feelings or both. The present study sought to clarify this issue by building on research showing a dissociation at the neural level in which the lateral orbitofrontal cortex (LOFC) is activated more by negatively valenced than by neutral or positively valenced stimuli, with the reverse effect for medial orbitofrontal cortex (MOFC). Supporting the reduced apprehensiveness hypothesis, we found lower LOFC activation to familiarized faces and objects (repetition suppression). We did not find evidence to support the positive affect hypothesis in increased activation to familiarized stimuli in MOFC or in other parts of the reward circuit that respond more to positively valenced stimuli (repetition enhancement), although enhancement effects were shown in some regions.
C-Pack: A High-Performance Microprocessor Cache Compression Algorithm

Microprocessor designers have been torn between tight constraints on the amount of on-chip cache memory and the high latency of off-chip memory, such as dynamic random access memory. Accessing off-chip memory generally takes an order of magnitude more time than accessing on-chip cache, and two orders of magnitude more time than executing an instruction. Computer systems and microarchitecture researchers have proposed using hardware data compression units within the memory hierarchies of microprocessors in order to improve performance, energy efficiency, and functionality. However, most past work, and all work on cache compression, has made unsubstantiated assumptions about the performance, power consumption, and area overheads of the proposed compression algorithms and hardware. It is not possible to determine whether compression at levels of the memory hierarchy closest to the processor is beneficial without understanding its costs. Furthermore, as we show in this paper, raw compression ratio is not always the most important metric. In this work, we present a lossless compression algorithm that has been designed for fast on-line data compression, and cache compression in particular. The algorithm has a number of novel features tailored for this application, including combining pairs of compressed lines into one cache line and allowing parallel compression of multiple words while using a single dictionary and without degradation in compression ratio. We reduced the proposed algorithm to a register transfer level hardware design, permitting performance, power consumption, and area estimation. Experiments comparing our work to previous work are described.
Sonographic Detection of Mayer-Rokitansky-Küster-Hauser Syndrome

Mayer-Rokitansky-Kuster-Hauser syndrome is a disorder affecting the female reproductive system, which can result in an absent uterus and vagina or a partially absent vagina with a normal uterus. While this female reproductive disorder can be difficult to diagnose, transabdominal sonography is often the initial imaging modality used to evaluate the female pelvis in this patient population as many females are not diagnosed with the disorder until primary amenorrhea is noted around puberty. This case study presents a young female who is diagnosed with an absent uterus and vagina but normal ovaries and discusses the role that sonography plays in diagnosing Mayer-Rokitansky- Kuster-Hauser syndrome.
Kinematic Synthesis and Dynamic Analysis of the Dual-Rod Slider Rocker Mechanism: An Application to Modular Robotics

In mechanism theory and design, no work has been reported on the kinematic synthesis and dynamic analysis of the dual-rod slider rocker mechanism. By definition, this system is equivalent to two traditional slider-rocker mechanisms that share a common rocker, where the two sliders translate along two opposite directions of motion. Unlike a single slider-rocker mechanism, the dual-rod-based mechanism exhibits unique kinematic characteristics in which the two sliders do not travel the same distance for the same rocker rotation. This paper presents an optimal analysis that outlines the early investigations on the kinematic design and dynamic analysis of the dual-rod slider rocker mechanism. Because of the translation difference that exists between the two sliders, an expression for the relative position error is derived. This error is integrated as a cost function in an optimization problem which calculates the optimal rod length that allows the two sliders to meet terminal boundary conditions. These kinematics are validated experimentally through a case-study application in modular robotic docking.
Moral Hazard with Counterfeit Signals

In many moral hazard problems, the principal evaluates the agent's performance based on signals which the agent may suppress and replace with counterfeits. This form of fraud may affect the design of optimal contracts drastically, leading to complete market failure in extreme cases. I show that in optimal contracts, the principal deters all fraud, and does so by two complementary mechanisms. First, the principal punishes signals that are suspicious, i.e. appear counterfeit. Second, the principal is lenient on bad signals that the agent could suppress, but does not.
Maya Visions: The Quest for Autonomy in an Age of Globalization

Maya Visions: The Quest for Autonomy in an Age of Globalization. June C. Nash. New York: Routledge, 2001. 303 pp.
Total Systemic Vascular Compliance Measured as Incremental Volume-Pressure Ratio

We developed a method to measure the compliance, defined as ΔVΔP, of the total systemic vascular bed (Ct) without stopping systemic flow. In 10 open-chest dogs, venous return (and cardiac output) was maintained at a constant level by inserting a perfusion pump (with no reservoir) between the caval veins and the right atrium. About 5% of the estimated total blood volume was withdrawn from the dog within 45 seconds. Resultant changes in central venous pressure were measured 10, 30, 60, 120, and 180 seconds after the volume change. The bled volume was then reinfused to repeat similar venous pressure measurements for another 180 seconds. The measurements were repeated after slightly increasing the blood volume or sectioning the vagi. The mean value of Ct measured 10 seconds after hemorrhage or reinfusion was 1.96 ± 0.10 (SE) ml/mm Hg/kg body weight before vagotomy. Paired t -tests indicated no significant difference between measurements of bleeding and reinfusion, measurements with different initial venous pressures or blood volume, or measurements before and after vagotomy. However, Ct increased with time during the 2-minute period by about 25% of the initial 10-second value ( P <0.001) and remained constant thereafter.
Kindergarten Children’s Growth Trajectories in Reading and Mathematics Who Falls Increasingly Behind?

The authors used a large sample of children (N ≈ 7,400) participating in the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study–Kindergarten Cohort (ECLS-K) to estimate kindergarten children’s academic achievement growth trajectories in reading and mathematics. The authors were particularly interested in whether the growth trajectories of children with learning disabilities (LD) or speech language impairments (SLI)—as well as those of other groups of children—were consistent with a cumulative or compensatory developmental cycle. Both LD and SLI children displayed significantly lower levels of kindergarten reading achievement than nondisabled children. However, and over the subsequent 5 years of elementary school, only children with SLI lagged increasingly behind nondisabled peers in their reading skills growth. The authors observed a different pattern for mathematics achievement. Children with LD, but not SLI, lagged increasingly behind nondisabled children in their mathematics skills growth. The authors also observed so...
NMR and Temperature-jump Measurements of de Novo Designed Proteins Demonstrate Rapid Folding in the Absence of Explicit Selection for Kinetics

We address the importance of natural selection in the origin and maintenance of rapid protein folding by experimentally characterizing the folding kinetics of two de novo designed proteins, NC3-NCAP and ENH-FSM1. These 51 residue proteins, which adopt the helix-turn-helix homeodomain fold, share as few as 12 residues in common with their most closely related natural analog. Despite the replacement of up to 3/4 of their residues by a computer algorithm optimizing only thermodynamic properties, the designed proteins fold as fast or faster than the 35,000 s^(-1) observed for the closest natural analog. Thus these de novo designed proteins, which were produced in the complete absence of selective pressures or design constraints explicitly aimed at ensuring rapid folding, are among the most rapidly folding proteins reported to date.
Nonhomogeneous poisson processes as overhaul models

Hollander and Proschan (1974) studied nonhomogeneous Poisson processes as models for systems subject to overhauls. They did not postulate a functional form for the intensity, but showed that certain basic assumptions about the deterioration of the system implied that the mean function is superadditive. They studied tests of the null hypothesis that the intensity is constant with the alternative restricted to superadditive mean functions. For estimation purposes, the class of superadditive mean functions is too broad. We assume that the intensity is nondecreasing between overhauls and that at an overhaul it does not fall below its average prior to the overhaul. These two assumptions imply that the mean function is star-shaped. We obtain the restricted maximum-likelihood estimates under these two assumptions and under the star-shaped restriction. The two estimates are compared on a data set.
Respiratory Failure and Mechanical Ventilation

Acute lung injury develops in response to a variety of pulmonary and extrapulmonary disease processes, ultimately resulting in widespread alveolar-capillary leak with extravasation of protein-rich, non-cardiogenic pulmonary edema. This acute phase leads to atelectasis, consolidation, surfactant degradation, and ultimately decreased lung compliance with progressive hypoxemia. Further progression of lung injury leads to a chronic stage, also known as the fibroproliferative stage, characterized by improvement in compliance despite continued poor lung function. Poor compliance at this stage is due to fibrosis and thickening of the lung interstitium. If the patient survives, the acute and fibroproliferative (chronic) stages, his or her lung function can vary from complete recovery to substantial long-lasting pulmonary functional deficits.
Obesity Education Strategies for Cancer Prevention in Women’s Health

Obesity is the cause of up to one third of all cancers affecting women today, most notably endometrial, colon, and breast cancers. Women’s health providers are poised to advise women on obesity’s link to cancer development, but often lack resources or training to provide appropriate counseling. Here, we review obesity’s role in increasing the risk of several common reproductive system conditions faced by women, including polycystic ovarian syndrome, infertility, gynecologic surgical complications, and pregnancy complications. These events can be used as teachable moments to help frame the discussion of weight management and promote cancer prevention. We also review national guidelines and existing tangible weight-loss strategies that can be employed within the outpatient women’s health setting to help women achieve weight-loss goals and affect cancer prevention.
Body Water Indices as Markers of Aging in Male Masters Swimmers

The association of age and weekly swim training distance with body water, lean tissue, fat mass and regional adiposity was examined in 27 male masters swimmers. Subjects ranged in age from 25.3 to 73.1 years (mean age = 47.7 ± 11.1 years). Weekly swim distances, estimated from self-reported swim logs, were from 3 400 to 17 500 m and averaged 10 016 ± 4 223 m. Total body water (TBW), and extracellular water (ECW) were predicted from multi-frequency bioelectrical impedance analysis and intracellular water was estimated by difference. Lean soft tissue, bone mineral content, fat mass, and percent body fat were estimated from dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. Measures of skinfold thickness, waist circumference, and abdominal sagittal diameter provided an indication of regional adiposity. Total body water, ECW, and ICW mean values (ranges) were as follows: 47.4 ± 4.6 L (37.9-56.9 L), 19.6 ± 1.8 L., (16.4-24.8 L), and 27.8 ± 3.2 L (21.5-34.4 L). Mean percent body fat levels were 21.9 ± 6.6% and ranged from 10.3 to 34.9%. Age was negatively associated with ICW (p = 0.02) and with the ICW/TBW ratio (p = 0.00). Multiple-linear regression analysis backward method suggested that both lean tissue and fat mass were predictors of ICW although the association with fat mass did not reach statistical significance (p = 0.00 and p = 0.06 for lean and fat mass respectively). There was a tendency for greater lower abdominal thickness with increasing age (p = 0.08), but no other associations were observed between age or with swimming and body composition variables. Changes in ICW and the ration of ICW to TBW appeared to be the strongest marker of aging in this group of adult male competitive swimmers. Key Points Subject age was negatively associated with the volume of intracellular water and with the intracellular-to-total body water ratio. There was a trend for age to be positively related to lower abdominal thickness. Weekly swim training distance was not associated with body water, lean tissue, fat mass or regional adiposity. Lean tissue mass appeared to be a strong positive predictor of total body water and the intra- and extracellular fractions. There was a trend for fat mass to be a negative predictor of intracellular water volume.
Dietary restriction increases insulin sensitivity and lowers blood glucose in rhesus monkeys

Insulin sensitivity and glucose tolerance typically decline during later life. In a multidimensional randomized trial of the effects of dietary restriction started in adulthood on the processes of ...
Frederick Law Olmsted: Landscape Architecture as Conservative Reform

HE coincidence in 1972 of Frederick Law Olmsted's one hundred and fiftieth birthday with a revival of environmentalist concern over the plight of the city won for America's greatest landscape architect a splash of deserved national attention. But some of his celebrants had trouble locating Olmsted as a participant in the history he lived through. Journalists linked him vaguely with Jeffersonian agrarianism, with the New England village green, and in one instance with Edgar Allan Poe.' A serious effort was made to tie the young Olmsted of the 1850s to Fourierite utopian socialism and the aging Olmsted of the 1890s to Edward Bellamy's utopian nationalism.2 One result of all this was a certain historical deracination of the man. His reputation "took off." Lauded for his long vision, Olmsted became a visionary for the 1970s-a planner who shaped the future by transcending his own environment, casting aside its blinders and inhibitions to bring hope and wisdom to the present. "It is against this American," one breathless sesquicentennial enthusiast concluded, "that we must measure the captains who must now guide spaceship Earth."3 Historians know Olmsted from his travels through the antebellum South and his work with the U. S. Sanitary Commission in the Civil War as well as his contributions to park design and urban planning. The several facets
Clarifying the causal relationship in women between childhood sexual abuse and lifetime major depression

Background Childhood sexual abuse (CSA) is strongly associated with risk for major depression (MD) but the degree to which this association is causal remains uncertain. Method We applied structural equation modeling using the Mplus program to 1493 longitudinally assessed female twins from the Virginia Adult Twin Study of Psychiatric and Substance Use Disorders. Results Our model included (i) retrospective self- and co-twin reports on CSA, (ii) major potentially confounding covariates, (iii) assessment of lifetime history of MD at two separate interviews, and (iv) mood-congruent recall (implemented by allowing current depressive symptoms to predict reporting of CSA). In a model with only measurement error, CSA explained 9.6% of MD. Including four key covariates reduced the variance explained to 5.3%, with the largest effects found for parental loss and low parental warmth. Adding the effect of mood-congruent recall to a final well-fitting model reduced the percentage of variance explained in lifetime MD (LTMD) by CSA to 4.4%. In this model, current depressive symptoms significantly predicted recall of CSA. Conclusions In a model correcting for measurement error, confounding and the impact of mood-congruent recall, CSA remains substantially associated with the risk for LTMD in women. These findings strongly suggest, but do not prove, that this association is causal, and are consistent with previous results in this sample using a co-twin control design, but also indicate that more than half of the uncorrected CSA-MD association is probably not causal. Traumatic life experiences contribute substantially to the risk for LTMD.