cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Osteomeatal complex obstruction is not associated with adjacent sinus disease in chronic rhinosinusitis with polyps.

BackgroundIt is universally accepted that osteomeatal complex (OMC) disease is linked to the subsequent development of chronic rhinosinusitis without nasal polyps (CRSsNPs) via postobstructive mech...
REACTIONS OF FE(II)-ATP AND FE(II)-CITRATE COMPLEXES WITH T-BUTYL HYDROPEROXIDE AND CUMYL HYDROPEROXIDE

Rate constants for the reactions of cumyl hydroperoxide and t-butyl hydroperoxide with ferrous complexes of ATP and citrate were measured at pH 7.4. These ligands are potential chelators of iron(II) in the low-molecular weight iron pool that may catalyze oxidative degradation of biomolecules. The second-order rate constants for the reduction of cumyl hydroperoxide and t-butyl hydroperoxide by ferrous ATP are 3.1 × 103 and 1.3 × 103 M−1·s−1, respectively, at 25°C and 0.11 M ionic strength. Rates of reduction by ferrous citrate are similar. Activation enthalpies for these reactions average 10 kcal/mol.
SU (n) symmetry breaking by rank three and rank two antisymmetric tensor scalars

Abstract We study SU ( n ) symmetry breaking by rank three and rank two antisymmetric tensor fields. Using tensor analysis, we derive branching rules for the adjoint and antisymmetric tensor representations, and explain why for general SU ( n ) one finds the same U ( 1 ) generator mismatch that we noted earlier in special cases. We then compute the masses of the various scalar fields in the branching expansion, in terms of parameters of the general renormalizable potential for the antisymmetric tensor fields.
A program for perspective views of open surfaces

Description d'un programme pour afficher les perspectives de surfaces parametrisees dans chacune des coordonnees cylindriques ou polaires spheriques
Clinical use of the ‘das-angel wings’ septal occluder device in children

Abstract Transcatheter closure of secundum type atrial septal defects is undergoing extensive clinical evaluation. In this paper, we review the application of the new Das-Angel Wings occluder device. This device consists of two square disks attached in the center via a conjoint ring. First we review the preselection protocol, based on transesophageal two and three-dimensional echocardiography. Then we review the specific device design, and delivery catheter. To date 24 patients with secundum atrial septal defect/patent foramen ovale associated with transient ischemic attacks have undergone closure. The initial results are encouraging, phase I has thus been completed and phase II is about to commence.
Implantable LVAD infections: Implications for permanent use of the device

Background. Infection in implantable left ventricular assist device (LVAD) patients is common and has serious implications regarding permanent use of the LVAD. Methods. Thirty-three patients had HeartMate LVAD insertion as a bridge to heart transplantation. The mean length of hospital stay was 8 days before LVAD insertion. Before insertion 6 patients (18%) had positive pulmonary cultures and 5 patients (15%) had bacteremia. Results. During LVAD support 18 patients (55%) had bloodstream infection. Of 24 patients (73%) successfully bridged to transplantation, 12 (50%) had positive blood cultures including Staphylococcus species (n = 9), Candida (n = 3), Pseudomonas (n = 2), and Enterococcus (n = 2). Infectious complications encountered in this series included driveline infection requiring surgical revision, septic embolus, "cleared" device infection, "suppressed" device infection, and LVAD infection treated by device removal in 1 patient and device exchange in another. Conclusions. Infection in implantable LVAD patients is common, especially in patients in whom multiple organ failure develops, requiring prolonged stay in the intensive care unit. Strategies are needed to prevent these infections in recipients of the permanent LVADs because treatment of an established infection is difficult and expensive.
Introduced northern pike consumption of salmonids in Southcentral Alaska

The impacts of introduced northern pike (Esox lucius) on salmonid populations have attracted much attention because salmonids are popular subsistence, sport and commercial fish. Concern over the predatory effects of introduced pike on salmonids is especially high in Southcentral Alaska, where pike were illegally introduced to the Susitna River basin in the 1950s. We used pike abundance, growth, and diet estimates and bioenergetics models to characterise the realised and potential consumptive impacts that introduced pike (age 2 and older) have on salmonids in Alexander Creek, a tributary to the Susitna River. We found that juvenile salmonids were the dominant prey item in pike diets and that pike could consume up to 1.10 metric tons (realised consumption) and 1.66 metric tons (potential consumption) of juvenile salmonids in a summer. Age 3–4 pike had the highest per capita consumption of juvenile salmonids, and age 2 and age 3–4 pike had the highest overall consumption of juvenile salmonid biomass. Using historical data on Chinook salmon and pike potential consumption of juvenile salmonids, we found that pike consumption of juvenile salmonids may lead to collapsed salmon stocks in Alexander Creek. Taken together, our results indicate that pike consume a substantial biomass of juvenile salmonids in Alexander Creek and that coexistence of pike and salmon is unlikely without management actions to reduce or eliminate introduced pike.
The Effect of Tariffs on International and Domestic Prices

I. The restrictive nature of conventional analysis, 65. — II. The derivation of the international offer curve without these restrictive assumptions, 69. — III. The income-subsidy case, 71. — IV. The possible changes in domestic and international prices, 73. — V. Summary, 78.
THE POLITICS OF ISLAM AND DEMOCRACY IN PAKISTAN

Iftikhar Malik, Pakistan: Democracy, Terrorism, and the Building of a Nation. Northampton, Mass.: Olive Branch Press, 2010. 211 pp. Saadia Toor, The State of Islam: Culture and Cold War Politics in...
Feasibility studies on in-situ biological treatment of drilling muds at an abandoned site in Sicily

The ongoing production and bioaccumulation of drilling fluids and muds has resulted in an increased concern for reducing the environmental impact of contaminated sites. The use of bioremediation as a treatment option is an important focus of research. Objectives of this study were: (i) to assess initial toxicity of drilling mud from an agricultural setting in Galliano, Sicily (Italy) and (ii) to develop a low intervention bioremediation approach to ensure that US and international soil/ground water quality standards have been met. Total petroleum hydrocarbon content of the drilling mud was reduced to 617.0 ± 176.0, 446.0 ± 195.0, and 533.0 ± 138.0 mg kg−1, respectively, from 5000.0 ± 530.0 mg kg−1 after treatment via conventional ex-situ soil slurry reactor mixing (84.2–95% reduction). Using an in-situ approach with bioreactors placed vertically into the zone of contamination, hydrocarbon concentrations went from 217.12 ± 43.38 and 149.68 ± 45.51 mg kg−1 to 15.16 ± 3.35 and 34.27 ± 15.86 mg kg−1 for control test beds (85.1 ± 11.2% reduction), and from 89.20 ± 67.42, 141.71 ± 64.80, and 197.87 ± 77.38 mg kg−1 to 5.24 ± 6.15, 15.02 ± 10.20, and 9.65 ± 9.37 mg kg−1 for experimental test beds (92.9 ± 3.0% reduction), respectively. Cadmium (Cd) and Selenium (Se) had exceeded Italian and state soil leachability standards (0.005 mg dm−3 Cd) and (0.010, 0.050 mg dm−3 Se), at the conclusion of the study. In-situ treatment of drilling mud provided a framework for monitoring the fate of organic and residual metals toxicity in soils. Copyright © 2003 Society of Chemical Industry
Prebisch and UNCTAD -the unravelled myths

Abstract Raul Prebisch, Secretary-General of UNCTAD, signing the Final Act establishing UNCTAD in Palais des Nations, Geneva 16 June 1964 (top). A general view of the opening of UNCTAD V in Manila, May 1979 (below). Growing debt and plummeting export earnings have placed many third world countries in a desperate situation. Frederick Clairmonte looks at the background to this crisis with a critical emphasis on the role played by UNCTAD under the leadership of its first Secretary-General Raul Prebisch. RMR welcomes contributions to the debate opened by Dr Clairmonte.
Gibbsia archiuli (Apicomplexa, Eucoccidiorida) n. g., n. sp. from the millipede Archiulus moreleti

. Gibbsia archiuli n. g., n. sp. (Eucoccidiorida, Adeleidae) is named for the apicomplexan protozoon described by Gibbs (1952) from the blood cells of the South African garden millipede Archiulus moreleti. Merogony, gamogony, and sporogony all take place in the host's blood cells. The oocysts contain four sporocysts, each with one sporozoite. The microgametes are not flagellated.
Managing migraine: A women’s health issue

Three out of four migraine sufferers are women. Despite medical advances, migraines are underdiagnosed and undertreated—in fact, fewer than half of all sufferers seek a physician’s help. On the plus side, successful management of this debilitating condition is gratifying for physicians and patients alike.
Validation of the Polar Heart Rate Monitor for Assessing Heart Rate During Physical and Mental Stress

Abstract The Polar Vantage XL heart rate monitor provides an ambulatory, inexpensive method of continuously measuring heart rate. To examine the validity of the Polar monitor for measuring heart rate during resting periods and while engaging in two stressful tasks, 30 students participated in a 1-hour laboratory session. Heart rates were measured simultaneously using the Polar monitor and electrocardiography (ECG) during a hand grip exercise and a mental arithmetic task, each preceded by a 4-min resting period. Within-subject correlations between the two devices were significant (mean r = 0.98, P < .001). All correlations, except for three participants, exceeded r = 0.90. Between-task correlation analyses revealed high correlations (i. e., rs ≥ 0.98) between the Polar monitor and ECG. The Polar monitor obtained readings that were slightly, though significantly higher than readings obtained using ECG. The correspondence between observed mean heart rates from the Polar monitor and ECG suggest that the Polar...
Uterine rupture during induced or augmented labor in gravid women with one prior cesarean delivery

Abstract Objective: Our purpose was to examine the risk of uterine rupture during induction or augmentation of labor in gravid women with 1 prior cesarean delivery. Study Design: The medical records of all gravid women with history of cesarean delivery who attempted a trial of labor during a 12-year period at a single center were reviewed. The current analysis was limited to women at term with 1 prior cesarean delivery and no other deliveries. The rate of uterine rupture in gravid women within that group undergoing induction was compared with that in spontaneously laboring women. The association of oxytocin induction, oxytocin augmentation, and use of prostaglandin E 2 gel with uterine rupture was determined. Logistic regression analysis was used to examine these associations, with control for confounding factors. Results: Of 2774 women in the analysis, 2214 had spontaneous onset of labor and 560 women had labor induced with oxytocin or prostaglandin E 2 gel. The overall rate of rupture among all patients with induction of labor was 2.3%, in comparison with 0.7% among women with spontaneous labor ( P = .001). Among 1072 patients receiving oxytocin augmentation, the rate of uterine rupture was 1.0%, in comparison with 0.4% in nonaugmented, spontaneously laboring patients ( P = .1). In a logistic regression model with control for birth weight, use of epidural, duration of labor, maternal age, year of delivery, and years since last birth, induction with oxytocin was associated with a 4.6-fold increased risk of uterine rupture compared with no oxytocin use (95% confidence interval, 1.5-14.1). In that model, augmentation with oxytocin was associated with an odds ratio of 2.3 (95% confidence interval, 0.8-7.0), and use of prostaglandin E 2 gel was associated with an odds ratio of 3.2 (95% confidence interval, 0.9-10.9). These differences were not statistically significant. Conclusion: Induction of labor with oxytocin is associated with an increased rate of uterine rupture in gravid women with 1 prior uterine scar in comparison with the rate in spontaneously laboring women. Although the rate of uterine rupture was not statistically increased during oxytocin augmentation, use of oxytocin in such cases should proceed with caution. (Am J Obstet Gynecol 1999;181:882-6.)
Mapping of Security Concerns in Design to Security Aspects in Code

By careful separation of concerns, security requirements and design for security services can be modeled separately from application concerns. This modeling approach reduces system complexity caused by mixing security requirements and designs with application requirements and designs This separation of concerns is also needed in the implementation phase to consistently reduce system complexity. This paper addresses separation of application and security concerns in the implementation phase of secure software development. Security components separated from application components in the software architecture are implemented via security aspects with aspect-oriented programming, whereas application components are implemented through application objects with object-oriented programming. The mapping scheme of security components to security aspects is described in terms of security requirements. A security aspect is committed whenever application objects need the security aspect. A business-to-business (B2B) electronic commerce system is used to validate the proposed approach using Java and Aspect J.
Bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells differentiate into functional cardiac phenotypes by cardiac microenvironment.

Abstract Heart attacks and congestive heart failure remain among the world's most prominent health challenges despite the many breakthroughs. Bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) have the potential to transdifferentiate into myocytes if an appropriate cardiac environment is provided. This study is meant to investigate the ability of BMSCs to differentiate into cardiomyocytes in a conditioned medium. BMSCs were isolated from rat femurs and tibias using Percoll gradient centrifugation method. Cells were expanded as undifferentiated cells in culture for more than 3 passages and their phenotypes were identified with flow cytometer. BMSCs were cocultured with neonatal rat ventricular myocytes in a rate of 1:10 separated by semipermeable membrane. BMSCs marker of CD29 were highly expressed (98.89 ± 1.2%); however, CD34 could hardly be identified (5.61 ± 0.1%). After coculturing with myocytes, some of BMSCs showed contraction which became more regular and more vigorous. As assessed by RT-PCR, SERCA2 and RyR2 were expressed by newly formed cells from 1 to 3 weeks. Immunostaining of newly differentiated BMSCs revealed positivity for cTnT. Some of these cells were positive for sarcomeric α-actinin, desmin, cTnT, and cTnI. Western blotting showed that cTnI protein expression was upregulated in these cells from 1 to 3 weeks. Newly formed BMSCs exhibited ultrastructural features of sarcomere formation and inward rectifier potassium current (IK1). It is concluded that BMSCs possess the potential to differentiate into cardiomyocytes in the cardiac environment. BMSCs provide an excellent model for development of stem cell therapeutics, and their potential in the cardiac repair under various pathological conditions.
Interfacial polymerization of thin film nanocomposites: A new concept for reverse osmosis membranes

Here, we report on a new concept for formation of mixed matrix reverse osmosis membranes by interfacial polymerization of nanocomposite thin films in situ on porous polysulfone supports. Nanocomposite films created for this study comprise NaA zeolite nanoparticles dispersed within 50–200 nm thick polyamide films. Hand-cast pure polyamide membranes exhibit surface morphologies characteristic of commercial polyamide RO membranes, whereas nanocomposite membranes have measurably smoother and more hydrophilic, negatively charged surfaces. At the highest nanoparticle loadings tested, hand-cast nanocomposite film morphology is visibly different and pure water permeability is nearly double that of hand-cast polyamide membranes with equivalent solute rejections. Comparison of membranes formed using pore-filled and pore-opened zeolites suggest nanoparticle pores play an active role in water permeation and solute rejection. The best performing nanocomposite membranes exhibit permeability and rejection characteristics comparable to commercial RO membranes. As a concept, thin film nanocomposite membrane technology may offer new degrees of freedom in tailoring RO membrane separation performance and material properties. © 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Freight Consolidation and Routing with Transportation Economies of Scale

Consolidating small freight shipments into vehicle loads allows more efficient and frequent shipping by concentrating large volumes onto relatively few transportation links. This paper analyzes three schemes for routing freight shipments via consolidation terminals in an idealized many-to-many logistics network where consolidation allows carriers to take advantage of transportation economies of scale. Average transportation costs are formulated for each scheme. The minimum cost routing for a shipment is shown to be a combination of two simpler routing schemes that minimize different components of the transportation distance. Optimal terminal locations are found analytically and shown to depend on the efficiency of the linehaul transportation between terminals. Transportation costs are compared and the effectiveness of each routing scheme is shown to depend on the number of consolidation terminals and the efficiency of the linehaul transportation.
The Notch pathway in podocytes plays a role in the development of glomerular disease

Albuminuria associated with sclerosis of the glomerulus leads to a progressive decline in renal function affecting millions of people. Here we report that activation of the Notch pathway, which is critical in glomerular patterning, contributes to the development of glomerular disease. Expression of the intracellular domain of Notch1 (ICN1) was increased in glomerular epithelial cells in diabetic nephropathy and in focal segmental glomerulosclerosis. Conditional re-expression of ICN1 in vivo exclusively in podocytes caused proteinuria and glomerulosclerosis. In vitro and in vivo studies showed that ICN1 induced apoptosis of podocytes through the activation of p53. Genetic deletion of a Notch transcriptional partner (Rbpj) specifically in podocytes or pharmacological inhibition of the Notch pathway (with a γ-secretase inhibitor) protected rats with proteinuric kidney diseases. Collectively, our observations suggest that Notch activation in mature podocytes is a new mechanism in the pathogenesis of glomerular disease and thus could represent a new therapeutic target.
Methylnaltrexone prevents morphine-induced kaolin intake in the rat

Opioids are frequently used analgesics, and emesis is a common opioid-induced adverse effect. Methylnaltrexone, a peripheral opioid antagonist, has the potential to block the undesired effects of opioids that are mediated by peripheral receptors while sparing the analgesic effect. We used a rat model of simulated emesis or pica to study if methylnaltrexone decreases morphine induced-kaolin consumption. We observed that after morphine administration, kaolin intake increased significantly compared to intake in the vehicle group, and the increase could be attenuated by ondansetron administration. Methylnaltrexone dose-dependently reduced kaolin ingestion induced by morphine. Morphine and methylnaltrexone did not significantly affect food intake and body weight in the experimental animals. Our data suggest that methylnaltrexone has therapeutic value in treating opioid-induced nausea and vomiting.
Managing the microbiological safety of blood for transfusion: a US perspective.

For many decades, infectious disease was considered to be an unfortunate but unavoidable consequence of transfusion. However, since the early 1970s, the sequential introduction of numerous donor screening and testing methods along with continuous improvements has almost, but not completely, eliminated the risk of the classic transfusion-associated infections – syphilis, hepatitis and retroviruses – at least in the developed world. This has, at least in part, led to an increasing focus upon emerging infections: indeed, in the USA over the last few years, testing for West Nile virus (2003) and for antibodies to Trypanosoma cruzi (2007) have been implemented. This article will outline the current status of these and other transfusion-transmissible infections and discusses anticipated developments in the field. The perspective and the majority of the information is derived from experience in the USA.
Optical hole burning and spectral diffusion in ruby

Frequency-domain optical hole burning of the ${\mathit{R}}_{1}$ line ${[}^{4}$${\mathit{A}}_{2}$(-1/2)\ensuremath{\leftrightarrows}E\ifmmode\bar\else\textasciimacron\fi{}(-1/2) transition] in dilute ruby is studied at 2 K and with a field of 3.6 kG applied along the c axis. A pump-probe (PP) technique is used with precise probe-frequency shifting obtained by an acousto-optic modulator. For sufficiently short PP pulses (50 \ensuremath{\mu}s), two holes (narrow and wide) are observed. The narrow (\ensuremath{\sim}20 kHz half width at half maximum at low power) hole-width dependence on Rabi frequency approximately agrees with that inferred from free-induction-decay measurements. For the present concentration (0.0034 wt. % ${\mathrm{Cr}}_{2}$${\mathrm{O}}_{3}$) and field, the narrow hole width is determined by fluctuating fields produced by Cr-Cr spin flips [A. Szabo, T. Muramoto, and R. Kaarli, Phys. Rev. B 42, 7769 (1990)]. When the PP delay time is varied, the amplitude of the narrow hole decays with a 1/e time constant of \ensuremath{\sim}300 \ensuremath{\mu}s compared to the E\ifmmode\bar\else\textasciimacron\fi{} fluorescence lifetime of 4 ms. The wide hole (\ensuremath{\sim}500 kHz half width at half maximum) is due to Al-Cr superhyperfine interactions and is created by a spectral diffusion mechanism driven by Al-spin flipping in the host lattice.
A Therapeutic Conceptualization of Adult Children of Alcoholics

This study revealed that problem drinking and an elevated need to control hinder college student ACoAs more than their non-ACoA peers. A multivariate analysis, using the Michigan Alcohol Screening Test (MAST) and Ego Grasping Orientation (EGO) as measures of the dependent variables of problem drinking and control, was used with a college freshman sample. Based on the results, routine problem drinking assessment of ACoAs by student services personnel was suggested. The manifestation of an elevated need to control was thought to range from the popular ACoA styles to the personality disorders. A method for determining an ACoA's place in this range, as well as the implications for psychotherapy, was outlined.
Hepatitis C from a needlestick injury.

To the Editors: Transfusion-associated non-A, non-B hepatitis has recently been shown to result usually from infection with the hepatitis C virus (HCV) (1). Although we recognize that non-A, non-B ...
Rheology of Concentrated Isotropic and Anisotropic Xanthan Solutions. 1. A Rodlike Low Molecular Weight Sample

The rheology of a rodlike xanthan sample (Fraction X13F3, Mw = 1.54 × 105 g/mol) has been studied in aqueous NaCl (0.01, 0.1, 1.0 M) in oscillatory and steady shear experiments. Polymer concentrations W (in weight percent) spanning the isotropic, biphasic, and fully anisotropic regimes of the lyotropic liquid crystalline phase diagram have been investigated. The rheological parameters increase as power law functions of W in the isotropic regime, decrease with higher power law exponents in the biphasic regime, and change very slowly in the fully anisotropic regime. The peak in plots of steady shear viscosity η against W shifts toward lower W with increasing shear rate γ, because of the shear-induced orientation. In contrast, peaks in the plots of the complex viscosity η*, storage modulus G‘, and loss modulus G‘ ‘ are independent of frequency ω, because shear-induced orientation is minimal under conditions of small strain. Power law curves fit to η*, G‘, and G‘ ‘ in the isotropic, biphasic, and anisotropic...
Social physique anxiety and disordered eating: what’s the connection?

Social physique anxiety (SPA) is highly correlated with other body image measures that have been considered to be important in understanding eating disorders. However, SPA has not been directly studied with respect to eating disorders. Thus, the purpose of this investigation was to examine the link between SPA and measures of eating disorder symptomatology to determine if SPA should be considered as an additional risk factor in the prediction of eating disturbances. One hundred and sixty female undergraduates completed questionnaires measuring body mass index (BMI), social physique anxiety (SPAS), anorexic symptoms (EAT), bulimic symptoms (BULIT-R), depression (CES-D), self-esteem (SES) and obligatory exercise (OEQ). Regression analyses revealed that SPA and depression were the psychological correlates that predicted bulimic symptomatology and that SPA, depression, and obligatory exercise predicted anorexic symptomatology; all variables were positively related to eating disorder symptoms. Overall, the results indicate that social physique anxiety appears to be a useful construct for understanding eating disorder symptoms in female undergraduates.
Flexible machine layout design for dynamic and uncertain production environments

Flexible manufacturing systems operate in a dynamic environment and face considerable uncertainty in production demands. The development of a flexible machine layout is a critical issue in creating a system that can respond effectively to these requirements. Unlike most existing methods for creating flexible layout designs, the procedure developed in this paper is not restricted to equal size machines. It optimizes the trade-offs between increased material handling costs as requirements change and machine rearrangement costs needed to adapt the layout to these changes. The proposed flexible machine layout design procedure formulates and solves a robust machine layout design problem over a rolling horizon planning time window. The formulation, details of the solution methodology, illustrative examples, and computational results are presented.
Ultrafast Photoswitched Charge Transmission through the Bridge Molecule in a Donor−Bridge−Acceptor System

A Donor−Bridge−Acceptor molecule, D−B−A, was synthesized to probe the effects of changing the electronic state of the bridge molecule, B, on the rates of electron transfer within D−B−A. Selective photoexcitation of D in a tetrahydrofuran solution of D−B−A with 400 nm, 130 fs laser pulses at t = 0 ps results in photoinduced electron transfer to yield the ion pair D+−B-−A with τ = 60 ps, which undergoes a subsequent charge shift with τ = 140 ps to yield the long-lived ion pair D+−B−A- (τ = 700 ns). Subsequent selective photoexcitation of B within D+−B−A- with a 520 nm, 150 fs laser pulse at t = 500 ps results in about 20% of the D+−B−A- population undergoing charge recombination with τ = 100 ps. This charge recombination rate is about 7000 times faster than the normal recombination rate of the ion pair. The results demonstrate that formation of the lowest excited singlet state of the bridge molecule B significantly alters the reaction pathways leading to charge recombination. Thus, D−B−A can be viewed as a ...
Effects of mounting imperfections on an x-ray lithography mask (Poster Paper)

Kinematically-mounted x-ray lithography masks are investigated to determine their response to imperfections in mounting, namely, misalignment of the clamping forces. Given the limited error budget for x-ray mask mounting, it is essential to minimize the mechanical distortions in the exposure area. Three-dimensional finite element models of the support ring, mask wafer and membrane are used to analyze the gravitational effects for both horizontal mounting (e- beam patterning) and vertical mounting (synchrotron exposure) coupled with the effects of misaligned clamping forces. In-plane distortions of the membrane are computed and the nodal displacements in the patterned area are uniquely mapped. Results of this study show the resultant membrane distortions due to imperfect mounting to be significant when considering 0.25 micrometers (or finer) technology.
Next-Generation X-Ray Astronomy

The future timing capabilities in X-ray astronomy will be reviewed. This will include reviewing the missions in implementation: Astro-H, GEMS, SRG, and ASTROSAT; those under study: currently ATHENA and LOFT; and new technologies that may enable future missions e.g. Lobster eye optics. These missions and technologies will bring exciting new capabilities across the entire time spectrum from micro-seconds to years that e.g. will allow us to probe close to the event horizon of black holes and constrain the equation of state of neutron stars.
Neural monitored revision thyroid cancer surgery: surgical safety and thyroglobulin response.

ObjectiveTo evaluate the postoperative complications and to evaluate and stratify thyroglobulin (Tg) response associated with revision surgery for thyroid malignancy.Study DesignCase series with chart review.SettingsAcademic, tertiary care center.Subjects and MethodsAll patients with regionally recurrent thyroid carcinoma and who underwent revision thyroid surgery by the senior author (GWR) during a 5-year period were identified. All patients had pre- and postoperative laryngeal examination and underwent surgery with standardized neural monitoring. Postoperative complications and thyroglobulin (Tg) response were recorded.ResultsOne hundred seventeen cases meeting the criteria for revision surgery for recurrent thyroid cancer were identified. Among this group, 30% presented for their third or higher revision procedure. Preoperative permanent vocal cord palsy was present in 14% (n = 16), and 19% (n = 22) had preoperative permanent hypocalcaemia. There were no new cases of either temporary or permanent vocal...
Spectral comparison of continuous Global Positioning System and strainmeter measurements of crustal deformation

Temporal power spectral density models of noise in continuous crustal deformation measurements obtained with the Global Positioning System (GPS) and high-quality strainmeters are compared. The crossover frequency at which GPS measurement noise is less than that of strainmeters is determined. Assuming GPS precision of 0.1 to 1 cm in horizontal components for baselines up to 100 km in length, local deformation monitoring with GPS may be preferable to strainmeters for observations of short-term deformation in under 6 months of continuous (at least daily) measurements. Short-period tropospheric path delays and multipath effects, which may obscure GPS-determined strain signals in local network measurements, also are discussed.
Myths and Realities of Social Investing

En reponse aux critiques methodologiques formulees par Jon Entine a l'encontre de la recherche sur l'investissement socialement responsable, l'A. rappelle l'etendue du champ de cette recherche et defend la fiabilite des indices developpes par Kinder, Lydenberg et Domini (KLD) comme reference en la matiere. Elle repond ensuite aux critiques d'ordre conceptuel (performance, ideologie) et, rappelant la complexite des parametres en jeu, elle souligne les progres que cette recherche doit encore accomplir
A pulsed Doppler echocardiographic study of the postnatal changes in pulmonary artery and ascending aortic flow in normal term newborn infants

Postnatal circulatory adaptations were studied with Doppler echocardiographic measures of flow velocity in the main pulmonary artery (PA) and ascending aorta (Ao) in 45 normal full-term neonates at 5 hours and at 27 hours after birth. PA flow velocity integral (FVI) was measured as the area under the systolic flow velocity curve and reflected total systemic flow in the presence of a left-to-right shunt through the ductus arteriosus. This index increased from 5 and 27 hours age, while Ao FVI, reflecting total pulmonary flow, remained unchanged. Evidence of a left-to-right ductal shunt demonstrated as diastolic retrograde flow in the main PA was detected in 42 neonates at 5 hours and in only four subjects after 27 hours of age, indicating a patent ductus arteriosus at 5 hours of age and its subsequent closure. In the PA, acceleration time (AT) increased while pre-ejection period to ejection time ratio (PEP/ET) decreased from 5 to 27 hours of age, reflecting the physiologic fall in PA pressure. In the Ao, FVI, AT, and PEP/ET remained unchanged, suggesting little change in left ventricular function.
Hypoxia and retrograde amnesia

Recent studies have questioned the phenomenon of hypoxia-produced RA on the premise that intracellular hypoxia cannot be produced rapidly enough to prevent the memory-consolidation process., Sixteen albino rats were trained to lever press for sucrose and were subjected to one of four treatments: shock only, hypoxia only, shock plus rapid decompression, and shock plus delayed decompression. Results showed that hypoxia following rapid decompression produced amnesia for the foot shock.
Fixing Letrec: A Faithful Yet Efficient Implementation of Scheme's Recursive Binding Construct

A Scheme letrec expression is easily converted into more primitive constructs via a straightforward transformation given in the Revised5 Report. This transformation, unfortunately, introduces assignments that can impede the generation of efficient code. This article presents a more judicious transformation that preserves the semantics of the revised report transformation and also detects invalid references and assignments to left-hand-side variables, yet enables the compiler to generate efficient code. A variant of letrec that enforces left-to-right evaluation of bindings is also presented and shown to add virtually no overhead.
Insight on the anatomy, systematic relationships, and age of the Early Cretaceous ankylopollexian dinosaur Dakotadon lakotaensis

Knowledge regarding the early evolution within the dinosaurian clade Ankylopollexia drastically increased over the past two decades, in part because of an increase in described taxa from the Early Cretaceous of North America. These advances motivated the recent completion of extensive preparation and conservation work on the holotype and only known specimen of Dakotadon lakotaensis, a basal ankylopollexian from the Lakota Formation of South Dakota. That specimen (SDSM 8656) preserves a partial skull, lower jaws, a single dorsal vertebra, and two caudal vertebrae. That new preparation work exposed several bones not included in the original description and revealed that other bones were previously misidentified. The presence of extensive deformation in areas of the skull is also noted that influenced inaccuracies in prior descriptions and reconstructions of this taxon. In addition to providing an extensive re-description of D. lakotaensis, this study reviews previously proposed diagnoses for this taxon, identifies two autapomorphies, and provides an extensive differential diagnosis. Dakotadon lakotaensis is distinct from the only other ankylopollexian taxon known from the Lakota Formation, Osmakasaurus depressus, in the presence of two prominent, anteroposteriorly oriented ridges on the ventral surfaces of the caudal vertebrae, the only overlapping material preserved between these taxa. The systematic relationships of D. lakotaensis are evaluated using both the parsimony and posterior probability optimality criteria, with both sets of analyses recovering D. lakotaensis as a non-hadrosauriform ankylopollexian that is more closely related to taxa from the Early Cretaceous (e.g., Iguanacolossus, Hippodraco, and Theiophytalia) than to more basally situated taxa from the Jurassic (e.g., Camptosaurus, Uteodon). This taxonomic work is supplemented by field work that relocated the type locality, confirming its provenance from unit L2 (lower Fuson Member equivalent) of the Lakota Formation. Those data, combined with recently revised ages for the members of the Lakota Formation based on charophyte and ostracod biostratigraphy, constrain the age of this taxon to the late Valanginian to early Barremian.
Understanding the Context of Moral Dilemmas in Health Care Organizations Perspectives for Employee Training and Continuing Education

This article explores the relationship between early childhood moral development and moral dilemmas as it relates to employee training and continuing education in health care organizations. Additio...
Bladder neck pubovaginal slings

Over the past 30 years, the pubovaginal sling has surpassed retropubic and transvaginal suspensions as the most common surgical operation for correcting stress urinary incontinence. This resurgence has been due in part to innovative technological advances that have shortened operative times and expedited postoperative recovery. The introduction of novel allografts, xenografts and synthetic materials has also been accompanied by unique complications, previously not encountered with autologous materials. The aim of this review is to compare the available sling materials in the context of biocompatibility and efficacy.
Defects of the otoconial membranes in normal Guinea pigs

Otoconial membranes from a large number of normal albino and pigmented guinea pigs were examined by light microscopy. In more than 20% of the animals, microdissection revealed that the crystalline ...
Tracheal intubation in the emergency department: a comparison of GlideScope® video laryngoscopy to direct laryngoscopy in 822 intubations.

, Abstract—Background: Video laryngoscopy has, in recent years, become more available to emergency physicians. However, little research has been conducted to compare their success to conventional direct laryngoscopy. Objectives: To compare the success rates of GlideScope (Verathon Inc., Bothell, WA) videolaryngoscopy (GVL) with direct laryngoscopy (DL) for emergency department (ED) intubations. Methods: This was a 24-month retrospective observational study of all patients intubated in a single academic ED with a level I trauma center. Structured data forms were completed after each intubation and entered into a continuous quality improvement database. All patients intubated in the ED with either the GlideScope standard, Cobalt, Ranger, or traditional Macintosh or Miller laryngoscopes were included. All patients intubated before arrival were excluded. Primary analysis evaluated overall and first-attempt success rates, operator experience level, performance characteristics of GVL, complications, and reasons for failure. Results: There were 943 patients intubated during the study period; 120 were excluded due to alternative management strategies. DL was used in 583 (62%) patients, and GVL in 360 (38%). GVL had higher firstattempt success (75%, p = 0.03); DL had a higher success rate when more than one attempt was required (57%, p = 0.003). The devices had statistically equivalent overall success rates. GVL had fewer esophageal intubations (n = 1) than DL (n = 18); p = 0.005. Conclusion: The two techniques performed equivalently overall, however, GVL had a higher overall success rate, and lower number of esophageal complications. Inthe setting of ED intubations, GVL of
Hierarchical Matching of Deformable Shapes

We describe a new hierarchical representation for two-dimensional objects that captures shape information at multiple levels of resolution. This representation is based on a hierarchical description of an object's boundary and can be used in an elastic matching framework, both for comparing pairs of objects and for detecting objects in cluttered images. In contrast to classical elastic models, our representation explicitly captures global shape information. This leads to richer geometric models and more accurate recognition results. Our experiments demonstrate classification results that are significantly better than the current state-of-the-art in several shape datasets. We also show initial experiments in matching shapes to cluttered images.
Dosimetry for ocular proton beam therapy at the Harvard Cyclotron Laboratory based on the ICRU Report 59

The Massachusetts General Hospital, the Harvard Cyclotron Laboratory (HCL), and the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary have treated almost 3000 patients with ocular disease using high-energy external-beam protonradiation therapy since 1975. The absorbed dose standard for ocular proton therapy beams at HCL was based on a fluence measurement with a Faraday cup (FC). A majority of proton therapy centers worldwide, however, use an absorbed dose standard that is based on an ionization chamber (IC) technique. The ion chambercalibration is deduced from a measurement in a reference 60 Co photon field together with a calculated correction factor that takes into account differences in a chamber’s response in 60 Co and proton fields. In this work, we implemented an ionization chamber-based absolute dosimetry system for the HCL ocular beamline based on the recommendations given in Report 59 by the International Commission on Radiation Units and Measurements. Comparative measurements revealed that the FC system yields an absorbed dose to water value that is 1.1% higher than was obtained with the IC system. That difference is small compared with the experimental uncertainties and is clinically insignificant. In June of 1998, we adopted the IC-based method as our standard practice for the ocular beam.
The Impact of Housing Vouchers on Crime in US Cities and Suburbs

This paper tests the common belief that subsidised housing contributes to higher crime rates. To do this, panel data on over 200 US cities are used and fixed effects models are estimated to control for unobserved differences between cities that may affect both voucher use and crime. Additionally, models are estimated that focus on the suburbs, to see if the steady increase in vouchers there has had any effect on crime. In cities, it is found that vouchers have a weak, negative relationship with violent crime rates, although these estimates are not particularly robust. In suburban areas, there is no observed relationship between vouchers and crime, suggesting that controversies in those communities blaming voucher households for elevated crime rates are misguided.
An Overview of Floer Homology Theories

Floer homology theories are attempts to build in infinite dimensions the equivalent of the Morse-Smale-Witten chain complex (C * (f ), ∂ * ) The finite dimensional manifold M is replaced by an infinite dimensional manifold M and the Morse-Smale function f : M → ℝ is replaced by some ”functional” on M.
Using Learning Style Instruments to Enhance Student Learning

The emergence of numerous learning style models over the past 25 years has brought increasing attention to the idea that students learn in diverse ways and that one approach to teaching does not work for every student or even most students. We have reviewed five learning style instruments (the Kolb Learning Style Indicator, the Gregorc Style Delineator, the Felder–Silverman Index of Learning Styles, the VARK Questionnaire, and the Dunn and Dunn Productivity Environmental Preference Survey) in this article in order to describe the learning style modes or dimensions measured in the instruments; find the common measures and the differences; report on research on instrument validity, reliability, and possible improvement in student performance; suggest classroom activities that work with the different student learning styles; and recommend selection of models under several conditions. We also review one additional learning style instrument, the Revised Approaches to Studying Inventory, as a complementary approach to using one or more of the first five learning style instruments.
Ligand-Independent Effects of Estrogen Receptor β on Mouse Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone Promoter Activity

GnRH is the most upstream regulator of reproduction in vertebrates, and its synthesis and release are regulated by gonadal steroid hormones. The proposed sites of hormone action were historically thought to be upstream from GnRH neurons; however, the discovery of ERβ in a subset of GnRH neurons suggests that this hypothesis should be reevaluated. To determine a functional role for ERβ in GnRH neurons, we examined ERβ’s regulation of GnRH promoter activity. The GnRH-producing cell line, GT1–7, was cotransfected with expression vectors containing one of three ERβ splice variants and a luciferase-reporter construct containing the full-length mouse GnRH promoter sequence or one of two deletions upstream of the transcription start site (−225/−201; −184/−150). Transfected cells were treated with 100 nm 17β-estradiol (E2), diarylpropionitrile, raloxifene, or vehicle. There was a robust increase in GnRH-luciferase activity by all ERβ splice variants in the absence of hormone. Furthermore, E2 treatment abolished t...
Models for Global Synchronization in CPG-based Locomotion

Various forms of animal locomotion have been studied in the biological literature. Neuroscience research suggests the existence of central pattern generators (CPGs), neural networks that generate periodic signals for locomotion. We study simplified modular architectures based on CPGs for robotic applications, and show their global exponential stability using partial contraction analysis. The proposed architectures can reproduce periodic CPG signals for swimming or walking motion of various animals. They can be combined towards increasingly complex behaviors while preserving stability
The Fourth INTERMACS Annual Report: 4,000 implants and counting

The Fourth Annual Report of the Interagency Registry for Mechanically Assisted Circulatory Support (INTERMACS) summarizes and analyzes the first 5 years of patient and data collection. With more than 4,000 patients entered into the database, the evolution of pump technology, strategy at implant, and pre-implant patient profiles are chronicled. A risk factor analysis of the entire adult primary implant population is provided, and the recent composition of patient profiles is examined. Current actuarial survival with continuous-flow pumps exceeds 80% at 1 year and 70% at 2 years.
Optimal Land Development Decisions

Abstract This research models the development decision when net rents are growing geometrically and uncertainly, and capital intensity is variable. We derive simple rules for the optimal timing of land development projects based on the commonly used internal rate of return and net present value criteria. We show that, even under certainty, projects are optimally delayed beyond the point where net present value becomes nonnegative, if expected cash flows are growing. The ability to vary capital intensity also raises the specter of perverse responses where increases in interest rates accelerate investment decisions. The positive responses occur when growth rates are high or uncertainty is high.