cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Does the Value of PET-CT Extend Beyond Pretreatment Staging? An Analysis of Survival in Surgical Patients with Esophageal Cancer

Studies of positron emission tomography (PET) have focused mainly on tumor staging. The role of PET in predicting survival has received less attention. We sought to assess the relationship of pretreatment maximum standard uptake value (SUVmax) to survival in surgical patients with esophageal cancer. The study consisted of 72 esophagectomy patients (60 with adenocarcinoma) undergoing resection between July 2005 and April 2009. PET combined with computed tomography (PET-CT) was performed at a single center, and SUVmax was recorded prior to any therapy. Survival was assessed at a median follow-up of 19 months. The median SUVmax was 6.25. A receiver operating characteristic curve identified SUVmax 4.5 to optimally discriminate survival. Patients with low SUVmax (<4.5) had significantly (p = 0.0003) better survival than those with high SUVmax (≥4.5). Stage 3 patients with low SUVmax had significantly better survival (p = 0.0069) than those with high SUVmax. Likewise, N1 disease patients with low SUVmax had significantly better survival (p = 0.008) than those with high SUVmax. Multivariate analysis identified SUVmax to be an independent predictor of survival (p = 0.0021). Pretreatment PET-CT SUVmax independently predicts survival in patients with esophageal carcinoma undergoing resection. SUVmax may be a valuable marker of tumor biology that could potentially be exploited for prognostic and therapeutic purposes.
Near-infrared optical responses in feline brain and skeletal muscle tissues during respiratory acid-base imbalance

Abstract The effects of hyper- and hypocapnia on oxidative metabolism were evaluated by near-infrared (NIR) multiwavelength spectroscopy in intact brain and skeletal muscle tissues of the anesthetized cat. A 3-wavelength NIR algorithm was used to monitor cytochromea,a3 oxidation state, regional blood volume, and tissue oxyhemoglobin and O2 stores simultaneously in brain and muscle in ventilated animals. Incremental hypercapnia was produced in 10 cats by raising arterialpCO2 from27.0 ± 1.3to95.1 ± 1.9mmHg with inspired CO2. Hypercapnia produced progressive increases in cerebral HbO2, blood volume, and cytochromea,a3 oxidation state (P
Analytical treatment of MOSFET source&#8212;Drain resistance

Series resistance in the metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor becomes increasingly important as design rules shrink. Material properties associated with the interconnect metal, the semiconductor, and the interface separating the two regions thus assume greater importance. An analytical formulation of the resistance in terms of these material properties is thus quite desirable. We formulate and solve a two-dimensional model of current flow by the method of matched asymptotic expansions. The major utility of this solution is provided by higher order corrections to the standard transmission line model of current flow in the ohmic contact region. We find that present methods for the extraction of material properties from experimental measurements with a transmission line model analysis would be enhanced by the inclusion of higher order terms we present here.
Working to Make It Work: The Role of Parents in the Youth Mentoring Process.

Theoretical and empirical work on youth mentoring relationships has been largely focused on the mentor-youth dyad, with little attention to the larger context within which such relationships form and develop. The perspectives of parents have been absent for the most part from the mentoring literature to date. In-depth, semistructured, qualitative interviews were conducted with parents (n=13) of youth who were participating in a community-based mentoring program. Four major themes were identified: parents' (a) hopes and expectations for the mentoring relationship, (b) trust in the mentor and satisfaction with the relationship, (c) roles in the mentoring relationship, and (d) reflections on and experiences with cultural differences between their child and the mentor. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Estimation of Local Viscoelasticity of Lungs Based on Surface Waves

The viscoelastic properties of lung tissue are of interest in medicine as they have been shown to be affected by various pathologies. Identifying the mechanical properties of lung tissue first requires a means of quantitatively measuring phenomena, such as mechanical wave motion, that are affected by these properties. In the present study, lung surface motion is measured on excised pig lungs to determine suitable viscoelastic models. The relation between the surface wave speed and the frequency is analyzed and different viscoelastic models are used to fit this relation. Also a more comprehensive method to evaluate the frequency-dependent shear modulus of the pig lung measuring the propagation of surface waves on the surface of the lung is presented and viscoelastic models (both of integer and fractional order) are compared to experimental results over the frequency range of 100–500 Hz.Copyright © 2011 by ASME
Increased risk of distal ventriculoperitoneal shunt obstruction associated with slit valves or distal slits in the peritoneal catheter

The authors describe a relationship between the presence of distal shunt catheter side-wall slits and distal catheter obstruction in a single-surgeon series of ventriculoperitoneal (VP) shunt revisions. Between 1985 and 1996, 168 operations for VP shunt revision were performed by the senior author (J.W.C.) in 71 patients. Indications for shunt revision included obstruction in 140 operations; overdrainage or underdrainage requiring a change of valve in 17 operations; inadequate length of distal shunt tubing resulting in the distal end no longer reaching the peritoneum in five operations; the ventricular catheter in the wrong ventricle or space, requiring repositioning in five operations; and a disconnected or broken shunt in one operation. Of the 140 instances of shunt obstruction, the blockage occurred at the ventricular end in 108 instances (77.1%), the peritoneal end in 17 (12.1%), the ventricular and the peritoneal end in 14 (10%), and in the valve mechanism (not including distal slit valves) in one (0.8%). Thus, the peritoneal end was obstructed in 31 (22.1%) of 140 cases of shunt malfunction. In every case in which the peritoneal end was obstructed, some form of distal slit was found: either a distal slit valve in an otherwise closed catheter or slits in the side of an open catheter. No instances were found of distal peritoneal catheter obstruction when the peritoneal catheter was a simple open-ended tube with no accompanying side slits (0 of 55). It is concluded that side slits in the distal peritoneal catheters of VP shunts are associated with a greater incidence of distal shunt obstruction.
Mysteries about mysteries

Giancarlo De Cataldo (2002) Romanzo criminale (Turin: Einaudi), 628 pp., [euro]16.00, ISBN 88-06-16096-6, paperback Giancarlo De Cataldo (2007) Nelle mani giuste (Turin: Einaudi), 333 pp., [euro]15...
Recursive Equivalence Types and Groups

Let e and Λ denote the sets of all nonnegative integers and isols respectively. Let σ be any subset of e. Following [6], we shall denote the recursive equivalence type of a by Req(σ) and write σ≃τ when Req(σ) = Req(τ).
Spectroelectrochemical Sensing Based on Multimode Selectivity Simultaneously Achievable in a Single Device. 17. Improvement in Detection Limits Using Ultrathin Perfluorosulfonated Ionomer Films in Conjunction with Continuous Sample Flow

We report herein an attenuated total reflectance (ATR) absorbance-based spectroelectrochemical sensor for tris(2,2'-bipyridyl)ruthenium(II) ion [Ru(bpy)(3)(2+)] that employs ultrathin (24-50 nm) Nafion films as the charge-selective layer. This film serves to sequester and preconcentrate the analyte at the optically transparent electrode surface such that it can be efficiently detected optically via electrochemical modulation. Our studies indicate that use of ultrathin films in tandem with continuous flow of sample solution through the cell compartment leads to a 100-500-fold enhancement in detection limit (10 nM) compared to earlier absorbance-based spectroelectrochemical sensors ( approximately 1-5 microM); markedly shorter analysis times also result. We report the dependence of the measured absorbance on sample flow rate and Nafion film thickness, and also provide calibration curves that illustrate the linear range and detection limits of the sensor using a 24 nm film at a constant sample flow rate of 0.07 mL/min.
When is the probability ranking principle suboptimal

The probability ranking principle retrieves documents in decreasing order of their predictive probabilities of relevance. Gordon and Lenk (1991) demonstrated that this principal is optimal within a signal detection-decision theory framework, and it maximizes the inquirer's expected utility for relevant documents. These results hold under three conditions: calibration, independent assessment of relevance by the inquirer, and certainty about the computed probabilities of relevance. We demonstrate that the probability ranking principle can be suboptimal with respect to expected utility when one of these conditions fails to hold.
The effects of stimulation of substantia innominata and sensory receiving areas of the forebrain upon the activity of neurons within the amygdala of the anesthetized cat

Abstract The present study investigated the response characteristics of individual neurons in the amygdala following stimulation of the substantia innominata (SI), and compared these responses with those elicited by stimulation of insular and temporal polar cortices and the lateral olfactory tract (LOT). Recordings were made from single units within the medial, central, basal, and lateral amygdaloid nuclei of anesthetized, male cats. Stimulating electrodes were located in the SI, LOT, and sylvian cortex (SG). Unit responses were classified as either excitation or inhibition. Excitatory responses were further divided into fixed latency excitation (FLE) and variable latency excitation (VLE) based on the variability of the onset latency of the response. The majority of responses to SI stimulation were of the FLE type, implying a direct orthodromic, monosynaptic activation of amygdaloid units. Proportionally more FLE responses were recorded laterally, especially in the magnocellular basal nucleus, compared to VLE responses which were common in the medial and central nuclei. SI stimulation consistently affected the activity of many more units than did SG or LOT stimulation. The onset latencies of the population of cells exhibiting excitatory responses elicited by SI stimulation were distributed bimodally, and this may reflect a dual projection pathway of amygdaloid afferents from this basal forebrain region. This correlates with anatomical descriptions indicating that SI projections to amygdala pass via the ventral amygdalofugal pathway as well as in the stria terminalis. Excitatory onset latencies of responses to SI stimulation were the shortest in the lateral and magnocellular basal nuclei and the longest in the parvocellular basal nucleus. Amygdaloid units exhibited convergent input from the stimulus sites. A clear topographical distribution of units was not demonstrated. The data suggests that units receiving a convergent input were rarely driven monosynaptically by more than one stimulus site. The basal nucleus contained the smallest fraction of units exhibiting a convergent input. A small population of antidromic responses was recorded and indicates that within the system studied the caudal aspect of the basal nucleus is a major source of amygdaloid efferents. Antidromically driven units did not exhibit transynaptic responses following stimulation of any of the test sites.
A cyber-physical approach for stochastic hybrid control and safety verification of smart grids

Smart grid defines an innovative research dimension in the area of power systems. Modern power systems are based on highly integrated, flexible networked and communicative cyber-physical infrastructure. This type of approach is extremely helpful in solving various reliability and security issues that arise due to the complexity of these systems. Utilizing different control mechanisms for optimal control of a system under different operating conditions and in different operating states, a hybrid control technique puts forth an active paradigm for control design of such a system. This paper presents a unique approach for modeling, control and safety verification of a smart grid considering its hybrid and complex nature. A model of smart grid has been designed in MATLAB and hybrid control is implemented for operation under different physical conditions. The stochastic nature of system for fault condition is also taken into account. Finally, the design scheme has been verified to give the desired results in which a reliable, efficient and safe operation is the output.
An integrated open-cavity system for magnetic bead separation and manipulation

Superparamagnetic beads are generally used in biomedical assays to manipulate, maneuver, separate, and transport bio-materials. We present a low-cost integrated system designed in bulk 0.5μm process to automate the manipulation and separation process of magnetic beads. The system consists of an 8×8 coil-array suitable for a single bead manipulation, or collaborative manipulation using pseudoparallel executions. The size of a single coil is 30μm × 30μm and the driver DC current source supports 8 different levels up to 1.5mA. The total power consumption of the entire system is 9mW when running at full power and it occupies an area of 248μm × 248μm.
Magnetic phase transitions in nanocrystalline erbium

Nanocrystalline samples of 99.9% pure erbium with particle sizes between 10 and 70 nm have been produced by the inert gas condensation technique. Magnetic susceptibility measurements on samples compacted to between 50% and 75% of bulk density indicate a modification in the high‐temperature phases and superparamagnetic behavior at low temperatures. ESR signals near g=10 are probably due to Er compounds which may form during the production process.
Detection of ras oncogene point mutations and simultaneous proliferative fraction estimation in gallbladder cancer.

SUMMARY Gallbladder cancer is notorious for its poor clinical evolution; so, a study of parametres with any prognostic potential is of particular interest. In this study, we investigated 23 adenocarcinomas regarding both the presence ofpoint mutations in the ras gene family and the quantitative expression of Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen (PCNA). We respectively used molecular biology techniques and immunohistochemistry. Our results were related to several clinicopathologic determinators as well as to patients' survival. Mutations in codon 12 of the K-ras gene were detected in four gallbladder neoplasms (17%). This specific type of mutation is likely to be partially involved in this organ's tumourigenesis, particularly since no H-ras codon 12 or K-ras codon 13 (aspartic acid) mutations were detected in any of our specimens. PCNA immunoreactivity was generally limited in all tumours studied except for those morphologically characterized as being particularly aggressive. Notably, the four tumours in which K-ras mutation was detected, demonstrated relatively high PCNA positive immunoexpression in their malignant cells. This finding reinforces a possible correlation between the presence of ras mutations and increased cell growth. Staging was the only factor which was statistically associated with survival (p
Effect of baseline anxious depression on initial and sustained antidepressant response to Ketamine

Objective Patients with anxious depression are typically more difficult to treat with monoaminergic antidepressants compared to those with nonanxious depression. Although novel research has shown that the N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonist ketamine has rapidly acting, relatively sustained effects in treating depression, we predicted that, consistent with the existent literature on traditional antidepressants, patients with anxious depression would have a poorer antidepressant response. Method Twenty-six inpatients with treatment-resistant major depressive disorder (MDD) (DSM-IV criteria) received a single infusion of ketamine (0.5 mg/kg over 40 minutes) from January 2006-March 2013 and were followed for 28 days. A post hoc analysis compared treatment response and relapse using the Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) in patients with anxious versus nonanxious depression. Anxious depression was defined as MDD plus a Hamilton Depression Rating Scale anxiety/somatization factor score ≥ 7. Results Both anxious and nonanxious depressed patients responded positively to ketamine. A linear mixed model controlling for baseline with the MADRS revealed a significant group main effect (P = .03) and group-by-time interaction (P = .01). Post hoc tests indicated that patients with anxious depression had significantly fewer depression symptoms compared to those with nonanxious depression at days 1 through 5, 9 through 12, 15 through 17, and 25, with no significant group differences in dissociative (P = .62) or psychotic (P = .41) side effects. Regarding responders, patients with anxious depression relapsed significantly later than those with nonanxious depression (median ± SE = 19.0 ± 17.9 vs 1.0 ± 0.0 days to relapse, respectively; χ² = 9.30; P = .002). Conclusions Unexpectedly, patients with anxious depression responded better to ketamine than those with nonanxious depression, with longer time to relapse and no side effect differences. This finding gives promise for the role of novel glutamatergic medications for the treatment of those with anxious depression, a traditionally difficult-to-treat subgroup of depressed patients. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT00088699.
Location and sequence of the todF gene encoding 2-hydroxy-6-oxohepta-2,4-dienoate hydrolase in Pseudomonas putida F1.

Abstract The gene (todF) encoding 2-hydroxy-6-oxohepta-2,4-dienoate hydrolase in Pseudomonas putida F1 was shown to be located upstream of the todC1C2BADE genes. The latter form part of the tod operon and encode the enzymes responsible for the initial reactions in toluene degradation. The nucleotide (nt) sequence of todF was determined and the deduced amino acid (aa) sequence revealed that the hydrolase contains 276 aa with a Mr of 30753. The deduced aa sequence was 63.5 % homologous to that reported for 2-hydroxymuconic semialdehyde hydrolase which is involved in phenol degradation by Pseudomonas CF600.
Adherence to highly active antiretroviral therapy impact on clinical and economic outcomes for Medicaid enrollees with human immunodeficiency virus and hepatitis C coinfection

We examined the impact of antiretroviral treatment adherence among hepatitis C (HCV) coinfected human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) patients on survival and clinical outcomes. We analyzed Medicaid claims data from 14 southern states from 2005 to 2007, comparing survival and clinical outcomes and cost of treatment for HIV and HCV coinfected patients (N = 4115) at different levels of adherence to antiretroviral therapy (ART). More than one in five patients (20.5%) showed less than 50% adherence to antiretroviral treatment, but there were no racial/ethnic or gender disparities. Significant survival benefit was demonstrated at each incremental level of adherence to ART (one-year mortality ranging from 3.5% in the highest adherence group to 26.0% in the lowest). Low-adherence patients also had higher rates of hospitalization and emergency department visits. Relative to patients with high (>95%) ART adherence, those with less than 25% treatment adherence had fourfold greater risk of death (adjusted odds ratio 4....
Composition Dependence of the Hydrostatic Pressure Coefficients of the Bandgap of ZnSe(1-x)Te(x) Alloys

Optical absorption experiments have been performed using diamond anvil cells to measure the hydrostatic pressure dependence of the fundamental bandgap of ZnSe(sub 1-xTe(sub x) alloys over the entire composition range. The first and second-order pressure coefficients are obtained as a function of composition. Starting from the ZnSe side, the magnitude of both coefficients increases slowly until x approx. 0.7, where the ambient-pressure bandgap reaches a minimum. For larger values of x the coefficients rapidly approach the values of ZnTe. The large deviations of the pressure coefficients from the linear interpolation between ZnSe and ZnTe are explained in terms of the band anticrossing model.
The effects of ethanol on the transport of β-estradiol and other permeants in hairless mouse skin. II. A new quantitative approach☆

Abstract The influence of ethanol on the transport behavior of β-estradiol and other permeants in hairless mouse skin was investigated over a 0–100% ethanol/saline concentration range. At high ethanol levels (> 50%), there were significant increases in new pore formation in the stratum corneum component of the skin. With pure ethanol, pore pathway transport dominated the permeation for all solutes, irrespective of polarity. At low ethanol levels (
Application-specific Processor Architecture: Then and Now

We first relate the architecture of systolic arrays to the technological and economic design forces acting on architects of special-purpose systems some 20 years ago. We then observe that those same design forces now are bearing down on the architects of contemporary general-purpose processors, who consequently are producing general-purpose processors whose architectural features are increasingly similar to those of systolic arrays. We then describe some economic and technological forces that are changing the landscape of architectural research. At base, they are the increasing complexity of technology and applications, the fragmenting of the general-purpose processor market, and the judicious use hardware configurability. We describe a 2D architectural taxonomy, identifying what, we believe, to be a "sweet spot" for architectural research.
Expected efficiency ranks from parametric stochastic frontier models

In the stochastic frontier model, we extend the multivariate probability statements of Horrace (J Econom, 126:335–354, 2005) to calculate the conditional probability that a firm is any particular efficiency rank in the sample. From this, we construct the conditional expected efficiency rank for each firm. Compared to the traditional ranked efficiency point estimates, firm-level conditional expected ranks are more informative about the degree of uncertainty of the ranking. The conditional expected ranks may be useful for empiricists. A Monte Carlo study and an empirical example are provided.
Extending usability inspection techniques for collaborative systems

Collaborative computer systems are in widespread use, but relatively little is known about how to evaluate their usability. My research focuses on extending usability inspection techniques for evaluating collaborative systems, using an iterative empirical approach. I am also looking for patterns in characteristics of collaborative systems that could provide guidance regarding the type of evaluation method that would be best applied to a given system. This project will add techniques, as well as guidance for using them, to the interactive software designer's toolkit, to help ensure that usable collaborative systems are delivered to the customer.
A Markovian reset problem

The optimal control of a system whose transitions through time are described by a finite state stationary Markov chain is studied. It is assumed that there are two boundary states which are to be avoided and a single calibration state to which the system is contolled by resetting. The determination of an optimal reset policy is formulated as an ordinary linear programming problem. It is shown that under certain symmetry and regularity conditions the optimal control rule has a simple and intuitive structure, while examples are given to show that relaxation of these conditions leads to the need for more complex control.
Quasi-static stress fields for a crack inclined to the property gradation in functionally graded materials

Quasi-static stress fields for a crack inclined to the direction of property gradation in functionally graded materials (FGMs) are obtained through an asymptotic analysis coupled with Westergaard's stress function approach. The elastic modulus of the FGM is assumed to vary exponentially along the gradation direction. The mode mixity due to the inclination of the property gradient is accommodated in the analysis through superposition of opening and shear modes. The first four terms in the expansion of the stress field are derived to explicitly bring out the influence of nonhomogeneity on the structure of the stress field. Using these stress field contours of constant maximum shear stress, constant maximum principal stress, constant first stress invariant and constant out of plane displacement are generated, and the effect of inclination of the property gradation direction on these contours is discussed.
Distribution of solar radiation in natural waters under field conditions

Abstract Using a submerged fiber optic probe detector, measurements of the radiation field have been made in the surface layers of an aqueous suspension under field conditions. Angular and depth distributions of the radiance were obtained, and in both cases the distributions were strongly influenced by radiation scattering from the collimated beam. For large values of the ratio of the collimated radiation to the total irradiation and for small to moderate values of the angle between the refracted collimated beam and the line of sight of the detector, the depth distribution was characterized by a maximum below the air-water interface. The directional distribution of the radiance, which exhibited a maximum in the direction of the collimated beam, approached isotropic conditions with increasing depth and with decreasing ratio of the collimated radiation to the total irradiation.
Characterization of tafazzin splice variants from humans and fruit flies.

The tafazzin gene encodes a phospholipid-lysophospholipid transacylase involved in cardiolipin metabolism, but it is not known why it forms multiple transcripts as a result of alternative splicing. Here we studied the intracellular localization, enzymatic activity, and metabolic function of four isoforms of human tafazzin and three isoforms of Drosophila tafazzin upon expression in different mammalian and insect systems. When expressed in HeLa cells, all isoforms were localized in mitochondria except for the B-form of Drosophila tafazzin, which was associated with multiple intracellular membranes. Among the human isoforms, only full-length tafazzin (FL) and tafazzin lacking exon 5 (Δ5) had transacylase activity, and only these two isoforms were able to restore a normal cardiolipin pattern, normal respiratory activity of mitochondria, and male fertility in tafazzin-deficient flies. Both FL and Δ5 were associated with large protein complexes in 293T cell mitochondria, but treatment with alkali and proteinase K suggested that the Δ5 isoform was more integrated into the hydrophobic core of the membrane than the FL isoform. Although all Drosophila isoforms showed transacylase activity in vitro, only the A-form supported cardiolipin remodeling in flies. The data suggest that humans express two mitochondrial isoenzymes of tafazzin that have similar transacylase activities but different membrane topologies. Furthermore, the data show that the expression of human tafazzin in flies creates cardiolipin with a Drosophila pattern, suggesting that the characteristic fatty acid profile of cardiolipin is not determined by the substrate specificity of tafazzin.
Accelerator Cavity and the Associated Radio Frequency System for the Zero Gradient Synchrotron Injector Booster

The RF accelerating cavity for the Zero Gradient Synchrotron (ZGS) injector booster utilizes a single gap and is filled with ferrite to allow permeability tuning.
Peripheral Nerve Injuries in the Athlete

Peripheral nerves are susceptible to injury in the athlete because of the excessive physiological demands that are made on both the neurological structures and the soft tissues that protect them. The common mechanisms of injury are compression, traction, ischaemia and laceration. Seddon's original classification system for nerve injuries based on neurophysiological changes is the most widely used. Grade 1 nerve injury is a neuropraxic condition, grade 2 is axonal degeneration and grade 3 is nerve transection. Peripheral nerve injuries are more common in the upper extremities than the lower extremities, tend to be sport specific, and often have a biomechanical component. While the more acute and catastrophic neurological injuries are usually obvious, many remain subclinical and are not recognised before neurological damage is permanent. Early detection allows initiation of a proper rehabilitation programme and modification of biomechanics before the nerve injury becomes irreversible. Recognition of nerve injuries requires an understanding of peripheral neuroanatomy, knowledge of common sites of nerve injury and an awareness of the types of peripheral nerve injuries that are common and unique to each sport. The electrodiagnostic exam, usually referred to as the 'EMG', consists of nerve conduction studies and the needle electrode examination. It is used to determine the site and degree of neurological injury and to predict outcome. It should be performed by a neurologist or physiatrist (physician specialising in physical medicine and rehabilitation), trained and skilled in this procedure. Timing is essential if the study is to provide maximal information. Findings such as decreased recruitment after injury and conduction block at the site of injury may be apparent immediately after injury but other findings such as abnormal spontaneous activity may take several weeks to develop. The electrodiagnostic test assists with both diagnosis of the injury and in predicting outcome. Proximal nerve injuries have a poorer prognosis for neurological recovery. The most common peripheral nerve injury in the athlete is the burner syndrome. Though primarily a football injury, burners have been reported in wrestling, hockey, basketball and weight-lifting as a result of acute head, neck and/or shoulder trauma. Most burners are self-limiting, but they occasionally produce permanent neurological deficits. The axillary nerve is commonly injured with shoulder dislocations but is also susceptible to injury by direct compression. The sciatic and common peroneal nerves can be injured by trauma. The suprascapular, musculocutaneous, ulnar, median and tibial nerves are susceptible to entrapment. The long thoracic and femoral nerves can be injured by severe traction.
Ductility of filled polymers

The ductility of a calcium carbonate-filled amorphous copolyester PETG in a uniaxial tensite test was examined as a fiction other filler volume fraction. A ductile-to-quasibrittle transition occurred as the volume fraction of filler increased. This transition was from propragation of a stable neck through the entire gauge length of the specimen to fracture in the neck without propagation. The draw stress (lower yield stress) did not depend on the filler content and was equal to the draw stress of the unfilled polymer. It was therefore possible to use a simply model to predict the dependence of the fracture strain on the filler volume fraction. It was proposed that when the fracture strain decreases to the draw strain of the polymer the fracture mechanism changes and the fracture strain drops sharply. The critical filler content at which the fracture mode changes is determined primarily by the degree of strain-hardening of the polymer. © 1994 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Effect of Temperature and Pressure on the Sorption of Water Vapor by Freeze-Dried Food Materials

SUMMARY The equilibrium isotherms and the rates of adsorption and desorption of water vapor by selected freeze-dried food materials were studied between −20 and 50°C with a spring-balance sorption apparatus. In simple freeze-dried gels (starch, gelatin) the quantity of adsorbed water at equilibrium increased as the temperature was lowered from 50 to 0°C, and it remained almost constant below 0°C. In freeze-dried foods (potato, peach, and raw beef) and sugar-containing starch gel, adsorption was maximum at between 10 and 30°C. The equilibrium vapor pressure of simple gels followed the Clausius-Clapeyron equation throughout the temperature range studied, and the same relationship applied to the foods at the high and low temperature regions, with a change of slope at about 20°C. The rates of adsorption and desorption at a pressure of 0.1 mm Hg remained constant at temperatures below 0°C, and they increased linearly as the temperature was increased from 0 to 50°C. As the pressure was raised from 0.1 mm Hg to atmospheric, the rates of adsorption at 30°C decreased by a factor of about 100. The adsorption rates at atmospheric pressure increased exponentially with the temperature between 0 and 50°C. The results are discussed in relation to the freeze-drying operation.
Lead effects on neurobehavioral development in the neonatal rhesus monkey (Macaca mulatta).

Effects of lead exposure on behavioral development during the first month of postnatal life were examined in rhesus monkeys using a multi-item assessment scale developed for the evaluation of neonatal rhesus monkeys. Lead was administered daily beginning at day 8 postpartum at levels that produced blood lead levels of about 20 μg/dl by week 4 (n = 48); controls were treated identically but given vehicle only (n = 24). All monkeys were tested once a week for the first 4 weeks postpartum. The first principal component explained a substantial portion of the variance and was relatively consistent across ages for both groups. Analyses of the individual items and of both conceptually derived and empirically defined summary scores yielded no significant effects of lead. Furthermore, there were no systematic relationships between blood lead level and performance on the test. Correlation coefficients indicated more similarity across age for control monkeys than for lead-exposed monkeys suggesting that continuity of development, as measured by this test, was disrupted by lead. The relationship between outcome on these early assessments and later behavior will be explored in subsequent studies of these monkeys.
Detecting rotation using wave mixing in an ultra-dispersive medium

We theoretically demonstrate possibility of detecting rotation by measurement of frequency of generated field via wave mixing. It potentially allows one to "enhance" the rotation frequency by several order of magnitude. Using an ultra-dispersive medium here takes advantage of strong nonlinear properties of the coherent medium as well as steep dispersion that provides frequency shift.
Visions of Victory: The Hopes of Eight World War II Leaders . By Gerhard L. Weinberg. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. 2005. Pp. xxiv+292. $28.00. ISBN 978-0-521-85254-8.

Weinberg pursues a simple question: What “visions” of the postwar world did the principal leaders of the major belligerent powers develop during the war? Weinberg's unsurpassed mastery of World War II as a global war allows him to pen eight compelling portraits of Hitler, Mussolini, Tojo, Chiang, Stalin, Churchill, de Gaulle, and Roosevelt and their ideas for the future positions of their country. Each essay constitutes a minor masterpiece of concision and erudition in and of itself. My only quibble is that Weinberg exclusively concentrates on the top leadership and ignores the lower working levels of postwar planning—there may have been less “vision” there but most of the “grunt” work was done by those planners. Much information in these portraits is known to specialists, but there are some surprising insights, too.
Thermal selection by an amphisbaenian, Trogonophis wiegmanni

1. 1.|Trogonophis wiegmanni is a limbless, fossorial reptile of the order Amphisbaenia. 2. 2.|Body temperatures selected by these animals in a laboratory thermal gradient were higher in the afternoon and early evening (x = 23.2°C) than at other times x = 21.8°C). 3. 3.|The body temperatures selected by this species are lower than those of most other reptiles.
The intravenous administration of fat

Summary 1. It is possible to prepare fat emulsions that can safely be administered by vein. 2. Our experience confirms that of others, suggesting that these preparations are of value in parenteral feeding. 3. The possible limitations of their use are discussed.
Precise determination of critical features in radiohalo-type coloration of biotite

HIGH precision techniques of photomicrography and densitometry are here used to investigate the coloration of artificially α-irradiated biotite. A computer simulated spherical radiation pattern is found to produce coloration peaks, contrary to the negative results of earlier investigators. A clearer understanding of the relationship between the usually defined α ranges and ‘coloration ranges’ is obtained as well as the elucidation of several other features of radiohaloes. In spite of more than a half a century of investigation, the parameters of α-induced radiation damage in biotite are still only crudely known. The principal parameter, the ‘range’ of the α particle, has been studied primarily by means of the uranium radiohalo and its close relatives (ref. 1; see also, refs 2 and 5). The coloration rings of these haloes lend themselves to direct, though somewhat inexact, measurements of the ranges of α particles of various energies. Early investigators also made use of measured α ranges in air and then converted these to ranges in biotite. Recently, Gentry2,3 has made a substantial number of direct ‘range’ measurements in biotite and other minerals by bombardment with accelerator-produced α particles.
Basis set effects and gauge dependence of magnetic properties. A detailed study of carbon monoxide

Abstract The gauge dependence of the molecular magnetic susceptibility, of the 13 C and 17 O chemical shifts, and of their first-order dependence on an applied uniform electric field, has been examined in detail for carbon monoxide. We have calculated magnetic properties with a number of basis sets, ranging from double zeta to an extended set that was triple zeta, triply polarized with diffuse valence functions and a 4f function. The results show that the quality of gauge insensitivity may be achieved fortuitously for small bases for which the property values are not accurate. Criteria for optimal basis set choices for magnetic property calculations are presented.
The validity of the boussinesq approximation for liquids and gases

Abstract A new method for obtaining approximate equations for natural convection flows is presented. The systematic application of this method leads to explicit conditions for the neglect of various terms. It is shown that this method allows the specification of the conditions under which the traditional Boussinesq approximation applies to a given Newtonian liquid or gas. The method is applied to room temperature water and air.
Further negative findings on facilitated communication

To date, most studies of the efficacy of Facilitated Communication (FC) have been hampered by small samples, limited experience of the subjects with the FC, and diagnostically narrow samples. The present study has a comparatively large sample, and the subjects each had a minimum of one year's experience using FC. Diagnoses of the subjects were also arrayed across a broad spectrum. Pictorial stimuli that had been used as classroom teaching materials were presented to each subject and facilitator under three different conditions of five trials each. Responses were rated by independent judges who were not aware of the stimuli. Support for the communicative value of FC was not found.
The effect of parity-induced copayment reductions on adolescent utilization of substance use services.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to determine if the reduction in copayment amount by a large self-insured state employer increased utilization of adolescent services. Specifically, the study sought to discover if the number of unique adolescent users of substance use outpatient services increased as a result of reductions in cost-sharing arrangements. Method: The data utilized in this study were 31,585 records from administrative claims data on utilization of mental health and substance abuse services from members of a state indemnity plan fromJuly 1998 through December 2001, translating to 36 months of pre-intervention data and 6 months of postintervention data. Monthly longitudinal data before and after benefit design change were analyzed using a quasi-experimental time series design, using Box and Jenkins' autoregressive, integrated, moving-average time-series modeling methods. The primary outcome measure was the number of unique users of services. Results: The hypothesis that service utilizat...
Resection of Myocardial Aneurysms after Infarction during Temporary Cardiopulmonary Bypass

The report consists of five patients with chronic postinfarct left ventricular aneurysms. The age distribution was between 47 and 63 years. The time lapse between the initial infarct and the appearance of the left ventricular aneurysm was 2 weeks to 2 years. The time interval between the initial infarct and surgery was 5 months to 6 years. Less than adequate bedrest following the infarct, multiple infarcts, and systemic hypertension were other factors present in this group. Right heart catheterization was performed in two patients and showed reduced cardiac output and elevated pulmonary pressures in one. The electrocardiograms were consistent with extensive old myocardial infarction and ventricular aneurysm. The diagnosis was suggested by electrocardiograms and roentgenography, supported by kymography, and confirmed by angiography. The world literature on surgically treated patients with ventricular aneurysms is briefly reviewed with emphasis on the varied surgical approaches to the problem in the past. T...
Vector competence of mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae) from Massachusetts for a sympatric isolate of eastern equine encephalomyelitis virus.

We tested susceptibility to per os infection and potential salivary transmission for eastern equine encephalomyelitis (EEE) virus in Aedes canadensis (Theobald), Aedes vexans (Meigen), Anopheles quadrimaculatus (Say), Anopheles punctipennis (Say), Coquillettidia perturbans (Walker), and Culex salinarius (Coquillett). Culiseta melanura (Coquillett), the documented enzootic vector of EEE virus, was our control. Based on these estimates of laboratory vector competence and other behavioral and ecological components of vectorial capacity, we ranked these 6 species from the most to least probable epidemic vectors: Cx. salinarius, An. quadrimaculatus, Ae. canadensis, Cq. perturbans, Ae. vexans, and An. punctipennis .
Chicago, Garveyism, and the history of the diasporic Midwest

This article analyses the dynamic history of Garveyism in Chicago, Illinois (USA). The Jamaican black nationalist Marcus Garvey's message of racial pride, African redemption, and black self-determination electrified black Chicagoans. Thousands of blacks in this Midwestern industrial city joined Garvey's Universal Negro Improvement Association (UNIA). At its peak in the early 1920s, the UNIA claimed six million members worldwide. Chicago was highly regarded in the transnational UNIA. Black women played a critical role in building this Pan-African movement in the Windy City. The Chicago UNIA spawned black nationalist political and religious movements in this city from the 1920s onward. Tracing the largely unknown story provides insight into the broader history of what I call the ‘diasporic Midwest’. I use the term as a theoretical and analytical framework to extend the geographical scope of the African Diaspora, to internationalize African-American history, to consider the gendered contours and paradoxes of...
Duality rotations in string theory

Abstract Global non-compact symmetries of four-dimensional string theories have their origin in duality transformations on the world-sheet which rotate field equations into Bianchi identities. Starting from a σ-model with target space coordinates x μ ( μ = 1,…, n ), we introduce a dual σ-model with coordinates y α ( α = 1,…, n ) for which the roles of field equations and Bianchi identities are interchanged. The hidden symmetries are then made manifest by considering a target space of double the dimension with coordinates Z M = ( x μ , y α ).
Determination of serum nadolol levels by GLC--selected ion monitoring mass spectrometry: comparison with a spectrofluorometric method.

A method to determine the serum concentration of the β-adrenergic receptor blocking agent, nadolol, by GLC–selected ion monitoring mass spectrometry of the tri(trimethylsilyl) ether derivative is described. A basic solution of serum was extracted, known amounts of internal standard were added to the extract, and the extract was backextracted into acidic media and lyophilized. The resulting solids were reacted with N-trimethylsilylimidazole. Coded serum samples of 12 subjects, given nadolol alone or in combination with a second drug, were analyzed. The ions at m/e 86 and 100 were monitored to establish the relative concentration ratio of nadolol and the internal reference Nmethylnadolol. No interferences from blood components or other administered drugs were observed. A detection level of 6.95 ng/ml of serum was found.
Uniformity of structural characteristics throughout the length of skeletal muscle fibers

Fresh-frozen, serial cross–sections of the transversus abdominis muscle of four mature chickens (98 fibers) were examined to determine structural and histochemical characteristics throughout the entire length of skeletal muscle fibers. Fiber diameter and nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide diaphorase (NAD-D) and myosin adenosine triphosphatase (ATPase) activities were used as criteria to classify fibers as Type I or II. Measurements were made at 10 to 22 locations along the length of the fibers. An unimodal distribution of mean fiber diameters ranging from 48 μ to 86 μ was found. Fibers did not appear larger in the belly of the muscle than near the ends. Although small fluctuations in fiber diameter occurred through the length of a fiber, large and small fibers tended to remain relatively large or small at each location. NAD-D activity was either consistently high or low throughout the length of a fiber. Likewise, myosin ATPase activity was either high or low for an entire fiber. It is concluded that skeletal muscle fibers maintain rather uniform structural and histochemical characteristics along their entire length.