cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A continuously monitored spectrophotometric assay of glycosidases with nitrophenyl glycosides.

Abstract A general method for a continuously monitored spectrophotometric assay of glycosidases at all values of pH using p -nitrophenyl glycosides is presented. The method is demonstrated specifically by the development of a routine assay for α-galactosidase from fig and Mortierella vinacea using p -nitrophenyl galactopyranoside (NPG) at pH 3.9 and 5.8, respectively, and also for jack bean meal β- N -acetylhexosaminidase using p -nitrophenyl-β-2-acetamido-2-deoxy- d -glucopyranoside (NPADG) at pH 5.0. A number of different wavelengths may be used for the assay depending upon the criterion of the user; maximum sensitivity at a selected pH, determination of enzyme pH optima with a pH-independent difference extinction coefficient, or the reduction of background absorbance for kinetic studies at high substrate concentrations.
A modified measure of need for cognition.

A study was conducted to evaluate a shorter version of Cacioppo and Petty's 34-item measure of an individual's need for cognition. Based on factor loadings from the original scale, 16 items were se...
Using Three-Class BANN Classifier in the Automated Analysis of Breast Cancer Lesions in DCE-MRI

The purpose of this study is to investigate three-class Bayesian artificial neural networks (BANN) in dynamic contrastenhanced MRI (DCE-MRI) CAD in distinguishing different types of breast lesions including ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS), invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC), and benign. The database contains 72 DCIS lesions, 124 IDC lesions, and 131 benign breast lesions (no cysts). Breast MR images were obtained with a clinical DCE-MRI scanning protocol. In 3D, we automatically segmented each lesion and calculated its characteristic kinetic curve using the fuzzy c-means method. Morphological and kinetic features were automatically extracted, and stepwise linear discriminant analysis was utilized for feature selection in four subcategories: DCIS vs. IDC, DCIS vs. benign, IDC vs. benign, and malignant (DCIS + IDC) vs. benign. Classification was automatically performed with the selected features for each subcategory using round-robin-by-lesion two-class BANN and three-class BANN. The performances of the classifiers were assessed with two-class ROC analysis. We failed to show any statistically significant differences between the two-class BANN and three-class BANN for all four classification tasks, demonstrating that the three-class BANN performed similarly to the two-class BANN. A three-class BANN is expected to be more desirable in the clinical arena for both diagnosis and patient management.
Evidence for a deconstructed “even” flat phase on the Pd(110) + K 1 × 2 surface

Abstract The existence of a 1 × 2 missing row reconstruction on fcc metal (110) surfaces leads to a particularly rich variety of possible disordered phases. Five distinct disordering scenarios have been predicted for the 1 × 2 missing row reconstruction, differentiated by the relative energy cost to generate the different types of defects that can form on this surface. In this work we present high resolution LEED data for the alkali coverage driven 1 × 2 → 1 × 1 transition on Pd (110) + K. Superlattice and integer diffraction peaks as a function of potassium coverage have been analyzed. The width and shift of the superlattice diffraction peaks are found to be consistent with a transition to the deconstructed “even” phase. This transition is driven by the formation of bound steps. No evidence of isolated step formation is found in the coverage range 0 θ
The structure of phosphqlipids and triacylglycerols containing long-chain iso acids in the porpoise tursiops gilli

Abstract Phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylethanolamine and phosphatidylserine from the melon of the porpoise Tursiops gilli were shown to contain 7.9,7.2, and 0.8 moles % of long-chain iso acids (C14-C16), respectively. The occurrence of the long-chain iso acids is an anomalous finding in the phospholipids of higher animals. Isovaleric acid was not detected in the melon phospholipids, despite the presence of large amounts of neutral lipids rich in this short-chain, branched acid. Both isovaleric and the longchain iso acids were virtually absent from the phospholipids of the post-cranial blubber. The positional distribution of the acids in phosphatidylcholine indicated that the iso acids show a strong preference for position 2. This finding is consistent with the general rule that structural modifications in the acyl chains of phospholipids are usually accommodated at position 2, rather than at position 1. The long-chain triacylglycerols (C10-C18 acyl chains) contained 31.6 moles % of iso acids which were confined to chain lengths of C12-C16. These iso acids may replace C16-C20 monoenoic acids commonly present in the lipids of other mammalian systems. Positional analyses of these glycerides revealed that, with the exception of isopentadecanoic acid, no distinct tendency existed to deposit the iso acids at position 2 in preference to positions 1 and 3. Moreover, no preference was shown for the deposition of the polyenoic acids at position 2. Such a lack of positional specificity is shown by the polyenoic acids in triacylglycerols of some marine mammals
Categorizing with overlapping categories

An important aspect of the categorization process is that an item can be assigned membership in more than one semantic category. Previous work examining how subjects decide an item’s membership in one of several alternative categories has most often used categories having a strict hierarchical relationship (e.g., bird-canary). Four experiments are reported that examine how subjects decide membership of simple pictorial stimuli in partially overlapping categories (e.g., high and very high). Experiment 1 was a rating task designed to identify items as members, nonmembers, or as falling on the fringes for several overlapping categories. In Experiments 2–4, this information was used to predict subjects’ mean reaction time in speeded categorization tasks using the same pictorial stimuli. Subjects interpreted the categories in one of two very different ways. According to the first interpretation, there was a strict set-subset relationship between categories such as “high” and “very high.” According to the second, the entailment relationship did not hold; membership in the category “very high” did not imply membership in “high.” Even when subjects used a set-subset interpretation of the category labels, their reaction times were affected by a form of semantic response competition. Subjects took longer to verify an item’s membership in a category when there was another more appropriate category descriptor for that item included in the experiment.
The role of physical activity and fitness in children in the prevention of adult cardiovascular disease

Research data in adults have provided convincing evidence that regular exercise creates a protective effect against the complications of coronary artery disease. Given that the atherosclerotic process begins during the pediatric years, improved physical activity and fitness has been promoted in children and adolescents as a means of preventing cardiovascular disease in adulthood. Although intuitively compelling, direct proof of this rationale for improving exercise habits of children is not available. Scientific data examining the effects of activity and fitness on coronary artery disease risk factors in the growing years do provide some evidence that promoting exercise in children might serve as a means of preventing future cardiovascular disease.
Shedding light into the black box of childhood cholestatic liver disease.

This work details the histologic findings in 84 liver biopsy specimens from 28 patients with progressive familial intrahepatic cholestasis (PFIC), who met the clinical criteria of early onset of chronic unremitting cholestasis, exclusion of any known metabolic or anatomic etiology, and low serum γ-glutamyl transpeptidase (GGTP) values. Hepato-canalicular cholestasis and disruption of the liver cell plate arrangement were early, uniform findings, and giant cell transformation was found in 56% of initial biopsies. Duct loss was a prominent finding; 70% of patients had ductal paucity, and many had abnormal bile duct epithelium, suggesting degeneration. Fibrosis was seen in the samples from 16 patients, including bridging fibrosis in specimens obtained from six patients during the first 2 years of life. Proliferating ductules at the margins of portal tracts increased as fibrosis progressed and were especially prominent in end-stage histology. Cirrhosis developed in nine of these patients and had a characteristic histologic pattern, consisting of biliary cirrhosis with diffuse stellate lobular fibrosis associated with severe cholestasis and pseudoacinar transformation. Mallory hyalin and hepatocellular carcinoma were observed in materials from some patients with advanced cirrhosis. The constellation of histologic findings in PFIC forms a recognizable pattern, and the liver histology appears to have a predictable progression. Key Words: Familial cholestasis—Byler disease—Giant cell hepatitis—Ductal paucity—Cirrhosis—Hepatocellular carcinoma. The clinical findings in 33 patients with progressive familial intrahepatic cholestasis (PFIC) are presented. Symptoms developed almost invariably before 6 months of age with severe pruritus and moderate jaundice. Other clinical findings included wheezing and nosebleeds, fat-soluble vitamin deficiency states, and cholelithiasis. Lower values for γglutamyl transpeptidase, averaging 15 IU/L before the administration of phenobarbital, and cholesterol, which averaged 156 mg/dl, are helpful in distinguishing PFIC from other pediatric cholestatic liver diseases. Autosomal recessive inheritance is probable. Twenty-six patients are alive at 12.9± 6.7 years of age, all having had successful surgical treatment, either partial biliary diversion (n = 17) or orthotopic liver transplantation (n = 10). Seven patients died at a mean age of 3.9 ± 2.4 years, as a result of liver failure in two, hepatocellular carcinoma in two, and complications of liver transplantation in three. Key Words: Byler disease-Ductal paucity-Surgical therapy for cholestatic liver disease-γGlutamy1 transpeptidase.
Under Household Government: Sex and Family in Puritan Massachusetts. By M. Michelle Jarrett Morris. (Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 2013. Pp. xiv, 310. $49.95.)

Historians have long known that neighbors protected and policed each other in colonial New England. Yet because they have paid scant attention to who these neighbors were, they have often implied t...
Dissection of the ascending aorta after previous cardiac surgery: Differences in presentation and management

Abstract Objective: This study was undertaken to determine the impact of previous cardiac surgery on the presentation, management, and outcome of late dissection of the ascending aorta. Patients and methods: From 1976 to 1998, type A dissection developed in 56 patients with a history of previous cardiac surgery. Interval from first operation to type A dissection was 49 ± 47 months (0.3-180 months). Previous operations were coronary artery bypass grafting (n = 40), aortic valve replacement (n = 8), and other (n = 8). Results: Type A dissection was acute in 34 patients and chronic in 22. In acute dissection, aortic insufficiency occurred in 50%, malperfusion in 12%, and rupture in 18%; 2 patients (6%) were in hemodynamically unstable condition because of rupture. Of patients with previous coronary bypass grafting, 98% had preoperative coronary angiography. Type A dissection was treated by supracoronary tube graft (84%), Bentall procedure (14%), or local repair (2%). Strategies for managing previous coronary bypass grafting included reimplantation of proximal anastomoses with a button of native aorta (29 patients), interposition graft to pre-existing saphenous vein grafts (9 patients), and new saphenous vein grafts (20 patients). Eight hospital deaths occurred (14%). Conclusions: We conclude that (1) patients having type A dissection late after cardiac surgery infrequently have cardiac tamponade and hemodynamic collapse; (2) patients with previous coronary bypass grafting require coronary angiography, because operative management must account for pre-existing coronary artery disease; and (3) operative mortality is low, and this may be attributable to preoperative hemodynamic stability, delineation of coronary anatomy in those with previous coronary bypass grafting, and operative treatment of coronary artery disease. (J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg 1999;117:252-60)
INDUCTION OF ORNITHINE TRANSCARBAMYLASE ACTIVITY IN FETAL RAT LIVER BY THE BY-PRODUCTS OF PROTEIN METABOLISM

INDUCTION OF ORNITHINE TRANSCARBAMYLASE ACTIVITY IN FETAL RAT LIVER BY THE BY-PRODUCTS OF PROTEIN METABOLISM
Public Infrastructure Development in China

This paper shows that growth of several major infrastructures slowed down after the economic reform started in 1978, China's infrastructure development is quite uneven across regions, and local infrastructure development in many regions has lagged economic growth. It identifies three main reasons for the slower infrastructure growth: low government spending on infrastructures, decreased investment incentives of state enterprises, and the diminished ability of local government in mobilizing rural resources. The paper also discusses alternative ways for China to finance its infrastructures, including domestic and foreign debt, taxes, fees and user charges, profits of state enterprises, and labor services.
In vitro Kromoscopic analysis of glucose in blood

Four-channel Kromoscopic analysis is demonstrated for in vitro measurement of glucose in cow blood in the spectral range of the first overtone of CH stretching vibrations and also the short wavelength near infrared region. The sample set included 48 blood samples with glucose concentration randomly distributed in the range 4.55 -37.60 mM. Solid glucose was added to each blood sample to create a wide range of glucose concentrations. During the measurement procedure blood was circulated through a 1 mm path length cell at a flow rate of 3 m:/min. Regular pulsations on the order of 1% were observed and corresponded to periodic aggregation and disaggregation of red blood cells under these flow conditions. Glucose can be quantified with a standard error of prediction of 1 mM over all blood samples. The impact of scattering and absorption proceses are also discussed.
Formation of a new ordered structure of CaF2/Si(111) by ultraviolet irradiation.

A new ultraviolet-irradiation-induced ordered structure is observed for Ca${\mathrm{F}}_{2}$/Si(111) by angle-resolved photoelectron spectroscopy. The new structure can be viewed as an ordered array of surface $F$ centers and is characterized by a half-filled band extending 0.5 eV below the Fermi level.
The spontaneous neuron subject to tonic stimulation.

Abstract An examination of the consequences of several three-parameter models which have been proposed to account for the discharge patterns of spontaneous neurons has demonstrated that only one of these models is compatible, in detail, with the changes in regularity of discharge which have been observed in certain cells, as a function of intensity of tonic stimulation. This model involves an exponential (e − kt ) recovery of sensitivity, following discharge, and a “noise” process which is seemingly of large magnitude. It is suggested that the recovery process could be related to after-hyperpolarization; and that the noise may reside in extremely local (i.e. very small-scale) variations in membrane parameters. Two consequences of the model are derived: that the relationship between intensity of tonic input and frequency of discharge may be represented by either an exponential function or a logarithmic function, depending upon the initial state of the neuron; and that regularity of discharge is inversely related to sensitivity of the neuron to tonic stimulation.
Survival of Factor XI in Vitro and in Vivo

The rate of loss of factor XI was followed in ten units of whole blood during 21 days of storage at 4C. A rapid loss of 80 per cent of the total factor XI occurred during the first week of storage and correlated with the appearance of activated factor XI in the blood units. The in vivo survival of transfused factor XI was followed in two patients with a congenital deficiency of this factor who were given single infusions of 10 cc of fresh frozen plasma per kilo. A circulating half life of ten hours was found. Fresh whole blood or fresh frozen plasma should be used for replacement therapy of factor XI.
Communicable medicine: Cable television and health services

Abstract Cable television is here to stay. Moreover, it will develop into a widespread and sophisticated medium of communication, greatly surpassing its modest, rural beginnings. If this is so, how will the future delivery of health care be affected by this new technology? And more importantly, can the technology be harnessed to improve health services, perhaps even transform their very nature? These are the questions underlying this paper. Their discussion is separated into three potential application areas. Continuing professional education, public health information, and actual health services delivery. Specifically, the paper suggests that the most imminent applications will occur in the first area and the most consequential in the third. However, in none of the areas is the impact of cable technology likely to be insignificant. The paper also delineates many of the problems and uncertainties of implementing cable-based systems of telemedicine.
Design of pH Sensitive Binding Proteins from the Hyperthermophilic Sso7d Scaffold

We have engineered pH sensitive binding proteins for the Fc portion of human immunoglobulin G (hIgG) (hFc) using two different strategies – histidine scanning and random mutagenesis. We obtained an hFc-binding protein, Sso7d-hFc, through mutagenesis of the Sso7d protein from the hyperthermophilic archaeon Sulfolobus solfataricus; Sso7d-hFc was isolated from a combinatorial library of Sso7d mutants using yeast surface display. Subsequently, we identified a pH sensitive mutant, Sso7d-his-hFc, through systematic evaluation of Sso7d-hFc mutants containing single histidine substitutions. In parallel, we also developed a yeast display screening strategy to isolate a different pH sensitive hFc binder, Sso7d-ev-hFc, from a library of mutants obtained by random mutagenesis of a pool of hFc binders. In contrast to Sso7d-hFc, both Sso7d-his-hFc and Sso7d-ev-hFc have a higher binding affinity for hFc at pH 7.4 than at pH 4.5. The Sso7d-mutant hFc binders can be recombinantly expressed at high yield in E. coli and are monomeric in solution. They bind an epitope in the CH3 domain of hFc that has high sequence homology in all four hIgG isotypes (hIgG1–4), and recognize hIgG1–4 as well as deglycosylated hIgG in western blotting assays. pH sensitive hFc binders are attractive candidates for use in chromatography, to achieve elution of IgG under milder pH conditions. However, the surface density of immobilized hFc binders, as well as the avidity effect arising from the multivalent interaction of dimeric hFc with the capture surface, influences the pH dependence of dissociation from the capture surface. Therefore, further studies are needed to evaluate if the Sso7d mutants identified in this study are indeed useful as affinity ligands in chromatography.
Mechanical properties of epitaxial 3C silicon carbide thin films

Microscale tensile specimens of epitaxial 3C silicon carbide (3C-SiC) thin films were fabricated on Si substrates and tested to provide measurements of strength and elastic modulus. Samples were fabricated using both micromolding and reactive ion etching (RIE) processes to pattern the 3C-SiC films. All specimens were on the (100) plane with a tensile direction. Testing was performed on a microsample tensile testing machine previously used on other materials. The samples had a thickness of 0.5 to 2 /spl mu/m, a gauge length of 4 mm, and a minimum width of 600 /spl mu/m. Testing results show an average strength of 1.19 /spl plusmn/ 0.53 GPa and 1.65 /spl plusmn/ 0.39 GPa for micromolded and RIE patterned specimens, respectively. The elastic modulus was measured to be 424 /spl plusmn/ 44 GPa, which was consistent with but slightly lower than the elastic modulus calculated with single crystal elastic constants found by ab initio calculations.
Capacity Definitions of General Channels with Receiver Side Information

We consider three capacity definitions for general channels with channel side information at the receiver, where the channel is modeled as a sequence of finite dimensional conditional distributions not necessarily stationary, ergodic, or information stable. The Shannon capacity is the highest rate asymptotically achievable with arbitrarily small error probability. The outage capacity is the highest rate asymptotically achievable with a given probability of decoder-recognized outage. The expected capacity is the highest expected rate asymptotically achievable with a single encoder and multiple decoders, where the channel side information determines the decoder in use. Expected capacity equals Shannon capacity for channels governed by a stationary ergodic random process but is typically greater for general channels. These alternative definitions essentially relax the constraint that all transmitted information must be decoded at the receiver. We derive equations for these capacity definitions through information density. Examples are also provided to demonstrate their implications.
An Empirical Evaluation of Data-Driven Paraphrase Generation Techniques

Paraphrase generation is an important task that has received a great deal of interest recently. Proposed data-driven solutions to the problem have ranged from simple approaches that make minimal use of NLP tools to more complex approaches that rely on numerous language-dependent resources. Despite all of the attention, there have been very few direct empirical evaluations comparing the merits of the different approaches. This paper empirically examines the tradeoffs between simple and sophisticated paraphrase harvesting approaches to help shed light on their strengths and weaknesses. Our evaluation reveals that very simple approaches fare surprisingly well and have a number of distinct advantages, including strong precision, good coverage, and low redundancy.
Ratio Between Forced Expiratory Flow Between 25% and 75% of Vital Capacity and FVC Is a Determinant of Airway Reactivity and Sensitivity to Methacholine

Study objective: The ratio between forced expiratory flow between 25% and 75% of vital capacity (FEF25–75) and FVC is thought to reflect dysanapsis between airway size and lung size. A low FEF25–75/FVC ratio is associated with airway responsiveness to methacholine in middle-aged and older men. The current study was designed to assess this relationship in both male and female subjects over a broader range of ages. Study design: Data analysis of consecutive subjects who had a > 20% reduction in FEV1 after < 189 cumulative units of methacholine over a 7-year period. Setting: Pulmonary function laboratory in a university-affiliated hospital. Patients: A total of 764 consecutive subjects aged 4 to 91 years (mean SD age, 40.8 19.6 years). There were 223 male (29.3%) and 540 female (70.7%) subjects. Measurements and results: Airway reactivity was assessed as the dose-response slope of the reduction in FEV1 from baseline vs the cumulative dose of inhaled methacholine. The cumulative dose of methacholine causing 20% reduction in FEV1 (PD20) was used as the indicator of airway sensitivity. In a linear regression model that included age, height, and percentage of predicted FEV1, the FEF25–75/FVC ratio accounted for 7.6% of variability in airway reactivity (p < 0.0001, r 2 0.076). Subjects with higher airway sensitivity, indicated by lower PD20, also had a lower FEF25–75/FVC ratio. Conclusions: A low FEF25–75/FVC ratio, indicating small airway size relative to lung size, is associated with higher airway sensitivity and reactivity to methacholine in susceptible subjects. (CHEST 2003; 124:63– 69)
A secure stream multicasting architecture for 4K motion picture

This paper proposes a secure stream multicasting architecture for the 4 K stream, an ultra-wideband motion picture stream. The architecture consists of an authentication-based streaming tree construction mechanism and a streaming data encryption mechanism which generates unique data for each branching element. Their combination allows the user to realize a stream multicasting that is highly resistant to receiver spoofing and data tapping.
Triassic-Jurassic cenoceratids from New Zealand

Summary Evolution of nautiloids during the Triassic is a culmination of trends established in the late Paleozoic. In the late Triassic, the group suffered almost complete extinction. In New Zealand, the meagre fossil nautiloid fauna is extremely important because it includes representatives of the stock which survived into the Jurassic. Cenoceras trechmanni (Kummel) from the Otamitan Stage (upper Carnian) is redescribed and figured. Lower Jurassic nautiloids, recorded for the first time in New Zealand, are represented by two indeterminate species of Cenoceras from the Aratauran Stage (Lower Lias) of Southland.
Response of the Atlantic Thermohaline Circulation to Increased Atmospheric CO2 in a Coupled Model

Abstract Changes in the thermohaline circulation (THC) due to increased CO2 are important in future climate regimes. Using a coupled climate model, the Parallel Climate Model (PCM), regional responses of the THC in the North Atlantic to increased CO2 and the underlying physical processes are studied here. The Atlantic THC shows a 20-yr cycle in the control run, qualitatively agreeing with other modeling results. Compared with the control run, the simulated maximum of the Atlantic THC weakens by about 5 Sv (1 Sv ≡ 106 m3 s−1) or 14% in an ensemble of transient experiments with a 1% CO2 increase per year at the time of CO2 doubling. The weakening of the THC is accompanied by reduced poleward heat transport in the midlatitude North Atlantic. Analyses show that oceanic deep convective activity strengthens significantly in the Greenland–Iceland–Norway (GIN) Seas owing to a saltier (denser) upper ocean, but weakens in the Labrador Sea due to a fresher (lighter) upper ocean and in the south of the Denmark Strait...
Understanding Child Abuse and Violence Against Women A Life Course Perspective

Although the past 20 years have seen many advances in understanding the etiology and the consequences of child abuse and violence against women, most research has taken a fairly narrow focus. Different types of abuse have been studied, often in isolation. This article asserts that a life course perspective on family violence is needed and that such an approach bolsters arguments for methods and practice that pay attention to the overlap of multiple types of violence. To develop appropriate prevention programs and interventions for women, children, and families, we must draw out the connections between types of violence (physical, sexual, child, partner), between violence at different stages of the life course, and between different patterns of abuse (sporadic, cyclical). This article discusses these ideas and makes recommendations for research and practice.
Commentary: Implementation of the appropriate-use criteria will not increase Mohs micrographic surgery utilization.

cases (seen in an academic setting) and calculate that 72% of these tumors would have been appropriate for Mohs micrographic surgery, whereas only 29.7% actually received it. 1 The authors hypothesize that the adoption of the Mohs AUC may fuel increased referrals for Mohs micrographic surgery. I maintain that this effect should be modest, tempered by the discontinuation of unnecessary Mohs micrographic surgery. It must first be noted the Mohs AUC were developed to identify tumors that did not need Mohs micrographic surgery, not those that did. For example, in some areas of the country, many actinic keratoses are interpreted as ‘‘superficial squamous cell carcinoma, actinic keratosis type,’’ or ‘‘actinic keratosis with focal squamous cell carcinoma.’’ These lesions are no longer appropriate for Mohs micrographic surgery, so use should decrease. Superficial basal cell carcinoma on the trunk and extremities is no longer appropriate for Mohs micrographic surgery, even if recurrent. There are many other examples in the Mohs AUC of small, uncomplicated tumors that no longer are considered appropriate for Mohs. The Mohs AUC reflect the earlier principles embodied in the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) guidelines of care for nonmelanoma skin cancer. 3 The NCCN guidelines are part of the framework under which the Mohs AUC were developed. Most US dermatologists are not familiar with these guidelines. Briefly, the NCCN guidelines recommend excision with margin control for nonmelanoma skin cancers 6 mm or larger in the T zone of the face; 1 cm or larger on other parts of the face, and on the neck, hands, feet, and genitalia; and 2 cm or larger elsewhere. It should be noted that use of more than half of the existing destruction codes in the Current Procedural Terminology code book would result in a conflict with these guidelines. This is an area of significant potential medical liability. It should be emphasized that the NCCN guidelines do not specifically call for Mohs micrographic surgery, simply excision with margin control, for which Mohs is one available approach. Blechman et al 1 state that the Mohs AUC do not
Pain, disability, and depression in osteoarthritis: effects of race and sex.

Objectives: A cross-sectional study examined how race and sex affect associations among osteoarthritis (OA) pain, disability, and depression in 363 older adults with diagnosed knee OA. Method: Afri...
Novel low temperature setting nanocrystalline calcium phosphate cements for bone repair: osteoblast cellular response and gene expression studies.

Low temperature setting calcium phosphate cements (CPC) formed from reactive calcium phosphate precursors are receiving great attention in the fields of orthopaedics and tissue engineering. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the mechanical properties and osteocompatibility of a novel calcium deficient hydroxyapatite (CDSHA) with a Ca/P ratio of 1.6 developed in our laboratories and compare it to a previously developed calcium deficient hydroxyapatite (CDHA) with a Ca/P ratio of 1.5. The results demonstrated that the calcium-deficient hydroxyapatites (HA) formed from the CPCs were similar to biological HA at physiological temperature and the elastic moduli of CDHA and CDSHA were found to be 174.42 ± 20.41 MPa (p < 0.05) and 115.86 ± 24.8 MPa (p < 0.05), respectively. The surface morphologies of the two calcium deficient HA's formed were identical with a micro/nano porous structure as evidenced from SEM. The cellular proliferation on CDHA, and CDSHA, was comparable to the control, tissue culture polystyrene (TCPS) (p < 0.05). Alkaline phosphatase activity was significantly elevated on CDHA and CDSHA matrices at early time points when compared with the control (TCPS) (p < 0.05). Osteoblast cells gene expression on CDHA, and CDSHA showed type I collagen, alkaline phosphatase, osteocalcin, and osteopontin activity at both 7 and 14 days of culture. Thus, novel calcium-deficient HAs, CDHA, and CDSHA formed at low temperature are promising candidates for orthopaedic applications based on their ability to promote osteoblast cell adhesion and gene expression in vitro. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res, 2007
Global Robust Asymptotical Stability of Generalized Recurrent Neural Networks with Mixed Time-Varying Delays

This paper is concerned with global robust asymptotical stability problem of a class of generalized recurrent neural networks with discrete and distributed time-varying delays. By employing a new Lyapunov-Krasovskii functional, aiming at the situation of the discrete and distributed time-varying delays without differentiability, a linear matrix inequality (LMI) approach is developed to establish a novel delay-dependent criterion for global robust asymptotical stability of the addressed neural networks. Additionally, the activation functions are assumed to be of more general descriptions. An example is given to show the proposed criterion is effective and less conservative than the previous ones.
Utilization of Intravenous Tissue-Type Plasminogen Activator for Ischemic Stroke at Academic Medical Centers The Influence of Ethnicity

Background and Purpose —We sought to measure the overall rate of usage of tissue-type plasminogen activator (tPA) for ischemic stroke at academic medical centers, and to determine whether ethnicity was associated with usage. Methods —Between June and December 1999, 42 academic medical centers in the United States each identified 30 consecutive ischemic stroke cases. Medical records were reviewed and information on demographics, medical history, and treatment were abstracted. Rates of tPA use were compared for African Americans and whites in univariate analysis and after adjustment for age, gender, stroke severity, and type of medical insurance with multivariable logistic regression. Results —Complete information was available for 1195 ischemic stroke patients; 788 were whites and 285 were African Americans. Overall, 49 patients (4.1%) received tPA. In the subgroup of 189 patients without a documented contraindication to therapy, 39 (20.6%) received tPA. Ten (20%) of those receiving tPA had documented contraindication.African Americans were one fifth as likely to receive tPA as whites (1.1% African Americans versus 5.3%; P =0.001), and the difference persisted after adjustment (OR 0.21, 95% CI 0.06 to 0.68; P =0.01). When comparison was restricted to those without a documented contraindication to tPA, the difference remained significant (OR 0.24, 95% CI 0.06 to 0.93; P =0.04).Medical insurance type was independently associated with tPA treatment. After adjustment for ethnicity and other demographic characteristics, those with Medicaid or no insurance were one ninth as likely to receive tPA as those with private medical insurance (OR 0.11, 95% CI 0.02 to 0.17; P =0.003). Conclusions —tPA is used infrequently for ischemic stroke at US academic medical centers, even among qualifying candidates. African Americans are significantly less likely to receive tPA for ischemic stroke. Contraindications to treatment do not appear to account for the difference.
Beta-Nitropropionic Acid Production by Aspergillus oryzae in Selected High Protein and Carbohydrate-rich Foods

Aspergillus oryzae (ATCC, 12892) was studied for its ability to produce Beta-Nitropropionic Acid (BNP) in selected high protein and carbohydrate-rich foods. Portions of 35 grams of white potato, yellow sweet potato, ripe banana, freshly made Indonesian tempeh, and Cheddar cheeses loosely packed in petri dishes were inoculated with a spore suspension of A. oryzae . In Blue and Camembert cheese samples, the test organism was added along with the penicillium molds during manufacture. Ten imported mold-ripened cheeses obtained from a retail outlet in New York City were also tested. All food specimen were assayed for BNP. The Aspergillus contaminant did not produce BNP in Camembert and Bleu cheeses; but in Cheddar, production occurred when mold contaminated cheese was maintained at approximately room temperature. Indonesian tempeh provided a poor substrate for the production of this mold toxin, but A. oryzae flourished on cooked sweet potato, white potato and ripe banana and produced BNP. Synthesis in yellow sweet potato was significantly less than in the other carbohydrates.
The Great Recession’s Impact on New York City’s Budget

Strong property tax growth and proactive policies – including beginning the recession with a substantial surplus of $5.3 billion (9 percent of revenues) – offset a severe contraction in income tax receipts, protecting the City’s budget such that it never contracted in absolute terms during or immediately following the Great Recession. Policymakers increased property and sales tax rates, utilized fund balances, cut agency budgets repeatedly, and re-appropriated retiree health benefits in response to the fiscal challenges brought about by the Great Recession. Whether one attributes it to compliance with a strong, state-mandated, balanced budget rule or adept leadership, New York City certainly appears to be dealing effectively with the Great Recession’s impact on its budget. However, City leaders have asked lower income residents to bear a substantial portion of the burden by favoring more regressive tax policies and by cutting the social service agency’s budget substantially. With forecast budget gaps of $3 billion and $4 billion in FY 2012 and FY 2013, the long-term impact of the Great Recession on New York City’s budget remains an open question.
Tax Discrimination: A Comparative Analysis of U.S. and EU Approaches

Both the United States and the European Union were founded in part because of the need for economic unity. Just as the U.S. Constitution established the dual sovereignty of the states and the federal government, the EU's Founding Treaty also divided competencies between the Community and the Member States. Both systems struggle to promote a subnational tax policy that balances state or Member State sovereignty against the needs of a Single Market. This article focuses on these two "federalist" systems and their respective approaches to thwarting tax discrimination. Unlike the EU where the Member States play a double role, decision-making in the U.S. Congress is currently independent from that of the fifty states. Originally, the U.S. Constitution required that two Senators be chosen by the legislatures of each respective state because the Framers wanted to safeguard the interests of the state governments. However, in 1913, the states ratified the 17th Amendment calling for the direct election of Senators. This article argues that one unfortunate consequence of this change is that special interests are overshadowing the needs of the state governments as Congress increasingly interferes with state tax legislation. The article details the three provisions of the Constitution that an individual taxpayer may use to challenge a discriminatory state tax: the Privileges and Immunities clause; the Equal Protection Clause; and the Commerce Clause. However, after 200 years of jurisprudence, the Supreme Court is increasingly resistant to hearing these cases. The article discusses the Supreme Court's most recent decision in Lunding v. New York Tax Appeals Tribunal and the ECJ's probable approach to the same case. The EU's Founding Treaty contemplated the removal of obstacles to the free movement of goods, persons, services, and capital between the Member States. The ECJ must determine whether a Member State's national tax law violates one of these "Four Freedoms." Because the ECJ does not have discretion as to whether to hear a case, the ECJ adjudicates a far greater number of tax cases compared to the U.S. Supreme Court. This article recommends that the ECJ accept more justifications of a Member State's tax law. Given the progress made towards the Internal Market, it is time for a more balanced approach that takes into account the Member States' needs to finance their governments. With respect to the U.S., the article recommends more judicial oversight and an additional procedural constraint on Congress to ensure less Congressional interference with state tax laws.
Patterns of Atypical Functional Connectivity and Behavioral Links in Autism Differ Between Default, Salience, and Executive Networks

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is characterized by atypical brain network organization, but findings have been inconsistent. While methodological and maturational factors have been considered, the network specificity of connectivity abnormalities remains incompletely understood. We investigated intrinsic functional connectivity (iFC) for four "core" functional networks-default-mode (DMN), salience (SN), and left (lECN) and right executive control (rECN). Resting-state functional MRI data from 75 children and adolescents (37 ASD, 38 typically developing [TD]) were included. Functional connectivity within and between networks was analyzed for regions of interest (ROIs) and whole brain, compared between groups, and correlated with behavioral scores. ROI analyses showed overconnectivity (ASD > TD), especially between DMN and ECN. Whole-brain results were mixed. While predominant overconnectivity was found for DMN (posterior cingulate seed) and rECN (right inferior parietal seed), predominant underconnectivity was found for SN (right anterior insula seed) and lECN (left inferior parietal seed). In the ASD group, reduced SN integrity was associated with sensory and sociocommunicative symptoms. In conclusion, atypical connectivity in ASD is network-specific, ranging from extensive overconnectivity (DMN, rECN) to extensive underconnectivity (SN, lECN). Links between iFC and behavior differed between groups. Core symptomatology in the ASD group was predominantly related to connectivity within the salience network.
Review of a Combined Steam and Gas Turbine Cycle for Pipeline Service

The combined steam and gas turbine cycle provides the highest efficiency turbine system available today. In view of the rapidly escalating value of fuel the combined cycle therefore merits a review for pipeline applications. Such a review reveals the combined cycle has a number of advantages. First, the combined cycle efficiency is significantly higher than the efficiency of a standard regenerative cycle gas turbine. Second, and contrary to the characteristics of a standard gas turbine, the efficiency at a given load improves significantly as the ambient temperature increases, so that the combined cycle would be applicable in hot climates. Third, the adjustable speed capability of the combined cycle meets the usual pipeline service requirements. This paper briefly presents the results of a preliminary study of a combined cycle single drive system as it might be utilized in a gas pipeline station.Copyright © 1975 by ASME
A simple method for the determination of urinary amino nitrogen.

Conclusion1. Russell's colorimetric procedure for the determination of blood amino nitrogen has been adapted for urine. 2. A simple method has been described for removing the interfering substances, ammonia and uric acid, without altering the precision and accuracy of the colorimetric technic. 3. Recoveries of urinary amino nitrogen were attained with a mean value of 99%.
An Interaction Model for Estimating In Vitro Estrogenic and Androgenic Activity of Chemical Mixtures

There is a need to better understand and predict the biological activity and interaction of chemical constituents in mixtures. Many existing methods assume that the mixture components are additive, and in the case of endocrine disruption, deviation from additivity may occur and render predictions inconclusive. In this study, an alternate index, aRP, which enables the quantification of an antagonistic interaction from analytically derived concentrations of chemical constituents within a mixture that act upon the same molecular target is described. The index is calculated by measuring the degree to which the test compound modulates the activity of a standard hormone as a function of mixture proportions. The aRP was shown to be valid for additive mixtures. It theoretically estimates the product of the relative potential and the interaction index inverse for nonadditive mixtures. The aRP values were computed for agonists and antagonists of both the estrogen and androgen receptors by using yeast-based methods (YES and YAS). The resulting aRP estimates were then validated using higher order mixtures of agonists and antagonists. The use of aRP led to improved predictions compared to estimates based on the toxicity equivalent factor (TEF) approach. The aRP model yielded estimates that were statistically indistinguishable (α = 0.01) from the measured responses in 75% of the 32 mixtures tested. By the same criteria, the TEF approach successfully predicted 34% of the mixtures. Both the aRP and TEF approach correlated well with the observed responses (Pearson R = 0.98 and 0.84, respectively); however, the TEF estimates produced higher percent errors, particularly in mixtures with higher proportions of antagonists. It is suggested that the use of the aRP index allows for a better approximation of the net activity captured by the bioassays through the use of chemically derived concentrations.
rhIL-11 for the prevention of dose-limiting chemotherapy-induced thrombocytopenia.

In order to derive maximum benefit from treatment with chemotherapeutic agents, adherence to the established chemotherapy dose and schedule is imperative.
Foundations of the Calculus of Variations and Optimal Control

In this chapter, we treat time as a continuum and derive optimality conditions for the extremization of certain functionals.We consider both variational calculus problems that are not expressed as optimal control problems and optimal control problems themselves. In this chapter, we relie on the classical notion of the variation of a functional. This classical perspective is the fastest way to obtain useful results that allow simple example problems to be solved that bolster one’s understanding of continuous-time dynamic optimization.
Magnetically induced pulser-sustainer laser excitation

The successful development of high-output-energy self-sustained discharge-pumped excimer lasers has largely been due to the use of a low-inductance rail-spark-gap switch to provide a highly overvolted laser breakdown and a rapid transfer of energy stored in a pulse forming line (PFL) into the laser head.1 Efficient operation of a high-output-energy XeCl laser has recently been demonstrated by researchers at Northrop using a rail-gap transfer switch together with an auxiliary spiker circuit.2 The transfer gaps in all these lasers are required to hold off high voltages (50-100 kV) and transfer large PFL energies (100-300 J) making it very difficult to operate them repetitively. A new electrical excitation scheme is described which solves this problem without sacrificing the key features provided by the transfer gap.
Calibration and Integration of B-Mode Optical Coherence Tomography for Assistive Control in Robotic Microsurgery

During retinal microsurgery, surgeons cannot adequately visualize subsurface anatomical structures. In our previous work, a customized B-mode optical coherence tomography (OCT) probe was integrated into an ophthalmic robotic system to provide depth perception. This paper presents new approaches for implementing and achieving real-time feedback and assistive robotic control based on B-mode OCT imaging. The robotic system was comprised of a parallel robot, a micro-injection tool, and a telemanipulation master interface. A method for calibrating the B-mode OCT image scaling and distortion was presented using thin plate splines. Determining the OCT scanning plane relative to the robot base frame is presented through experiments and analyzed for sensitivity. A dual-rate controller using low frequency OCT feedback and high frequency position servoing was presented and tested for accuracy and latency. Three-dimensional assistive telemanipulation virtual fixtures based on microscope and OCT feedback are presented. The experimental evaluation demonstrated following target anatomy and semi-automated micro-injection. These results present the key steps towards achieving an integrated system for OCT feedback control using a miniature intraocular B-mode probe.