cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Matrix cracking of cross-ply ceramic composites

Abstract A micromechanics study is presented of the matrix cracking behavior of laminated, fiber-reinforced ceramic cross-ply composites when subject to tensile stressing parallel to fibers in the 0° plies. Cracks extending across the 90° plies are assumed to exist, having developed at relatively low tensile stresses by the tunnel cracking mechanism. The problem addressed in this study is the subsequent extension of these initial cracks into and across the 0° plies. Of special interest is the relation between the stress level at which matrix cracks are able to extend all the way through the 0° plies and the well known matrix cracking stress for steady-state crack extension through a uni-directional fiber-reinforced composite. Depending on the initial crack distribution in the 90° plies, this stress level can be as large as the uni-directional matrix cracking stress or it can be as low as about one half that value. The cracking process involves a competition between crack bridging by the fibers in the 0° plies and interaction among multiple cracks. Crack bridging is modeled by a line-spring formulation where the nonlinear springs characterize the sliding resistance between fibers and matrix. Crack interaction is modeled by two representative doubly periodic crack patterns, one with collinear arrays and the other with staggered arrays. Material heterogeneity and anisotropy are addressed, and it is shown that a homogeneous, isotropic average approximation can be employed. In addition to conditions for matrix cracking, the study provides results which enable the tensile stress-strain behavior of the cross-ply to be predicted, and it provides estimates of the maximum stress concentration in the bridging fibers. Residual stress effects are included.
Axion-packed superconductors

Abstract A theory of superconductivity which describes the behavior of a large class of materials is introduced. The new theory generalizes the Ginzburg-Landau theory and shares with it many properties. In a sense made precise in the paper, the generalization is unique. Depending on the magnitude of one of the parameters of the theory, the predicted effects could be dramatic.
A Meta-Analysis of Ethics Instruction Effectiveness in the Sciences

Scholars have proposed a number of courses and programs intended to improve the ethical behavior of scientists in an attempt to maintain the integrity of the scientific enterprise. In the present study, we conducted a quantitative meta-analysis based on 26 previous ethics program evaluation efforts, and the results showed that the overall effectiveness of ethics instruction was modest. The effects of ethics instruction, however, were related to a number of instructional program factors, such as course content and delivery methods, in addition to factors of the evaluation study itself, such as the field of investigator and criterion measure utilized. An examination of the characteristics contributing to the relative effectiveness of instructional programs revealed that more successful programs were conducted as seminars separate from the standard curricula rather than being embedded in existing courses. Furthermore, more successful programs were case-based, interactive and allowed participants to learn and practice the application of real-world ethical decision-making skills. The implications of these findings for future course development and evaluation are discussed.
Integrating views on ethical behavior for computer professionals in an interdisciplinary environment

This poster explores the connections among the ideas presented in several well-known papers and shows that, taken together, they provide a justification and guideline for the creation of a new standard of practice for those involved in the production of complex systems.
The Court's Effectiveness in Protecting the Rights of Juveniles in Delinquency Cases

During the 1960s and 1970s, the Supreme Court issued a number of decisions guaranteeing certain procedural rights to juveniles. This article assesses the impact of these decisions on the actual practices of the delinquency jurisdiction of the juvenile court. Studies show that, by and large, the procedural mandates have not been met. A key example is the fact that a significant percentage of juveniles still do not receive effective legal representation. This article also explores the potential disadvantages to juveniles of no constitutional right to a jury trial in juvenile court, waivers into the adult criminal court system, and diversion programs. Because of the juvenile court's resistance to reform, a number of juvenile justice scholars are advocating the abolition of its jurisdiction over delinquency cases. The article concludes with various viewpoints on this current controversy.
Real options evaluation of financial investment in flexible manufacturing systems in the automotive industry

With increasing technology advancement and global economic cooperation and competition, leading companies in the automotive industry are now refocusing on better operational performance through advanced technology, as well as being competitive, flexible and responsive to changing market conditions. Flexible Manufacturing Systems (FMSs) have once again become highly desirable in the configuration of high performance manufacturing systems for strategic manufacturing capability planning to achieve sustainable growth and market responsive production. Due to large investment requirements and long-term implications, the economic evaluation of financial investment in FMSs remains an important and challenging issue for strategic business planning and capital allocation. The research within illustrates an economic evaluation process for financial investments in an automobile engine plant for flexible production capability. Because of the application of advanced manufacturing technology and equipment with FMSs, the initial investment is relatively large and additional investment is needed to expand production capability to capture future growth opportunities. Since traditional Net Present Value (NPV) analysis alone may not fully justify the investment decision, real options analysis was, therefore, applied to evaluate the investment project in two phases, with the expansion investment viewed as a real option. Its exercise will depend on the initial investment and future market developments.
EXPERIMENTS ON THE STABILITY OF FeOOH ON THE SURFACE OF THE MOON

A description is given of an investigation which had been conducted to determine whether the water-bearing phase of FeOOH composition found in the study of lunar rocks could be of lunar origin. The reported experiments demonstrate that FeOOH of any structure cannot exist for any length of time on the surface of the moon. The investigation substantiates, therefore, the original proposal of Taylor et al. (1973) that the FeOOH in the Apollo 16 rocks is due entirely to terrestrial water vapor contamination.
The determinants of market share for the `dominant firm' in telecommunications

Abstract The present study examines the factors affecting the market share of the dominant firm in long-distance telecommunications, AT&T. A theoretical model is specified which includes competing long-distance rates (e.g., those of MCI and U.S. Sprint), price-cap regulation and advertising expenditures as determinants of the dominant firm's market share. Using intercity long-distance carrier charges for 1984–1994, this study points out the importance of AT&T's own rate structure, those of its major competitors, and government regulations in determining AT&T's market share over time.
Physician communication as a motivational tool for long‐term patient compliance: Reinforcement expectancy theory

Reinforcement Expectancy Theory (RET), based on the central premise that human behavior is driven by the need to gain rewarding stimuli and eliminate aversive ones, is presented to explain the most...
Immunogold localization of ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase in the nitrogen-fixing cyanobacterium,Plectonema boryanum

Antiserum against the Calvin cycle enzyme, ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carobxylase/oxygenase (RuBisCO), was used in conjunction with colloidal gold to localize RuBisCO in nitrogen-fixing (fix+) and nonfixing (fix−)Plectonema boryanum cells. RuBisCO antiserum consistently labeled the cytoplasm and polyhedral bodies (carboxysomes) in both fix+ and fix− cells. Through morphometry, it was determined that significantly less gold label (indicative of RuBisCO) was present in fix+ cells. This decreased RuBisCO content correlated with a decrease in net photosynthetic oxygen evolution also observed in fix+P. boryanum.
Dynamic local changes in sarcoplasmic reticulum calcium: Physiological and pathophysiological roles

Evidence obtained in recent years indicates that, in cardiac myocytes, release of Ca2+ from the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) is regulated by changes in the concentration of Ca2+ within the SR. In this review, we summarize recent advances in our understanding of this regulatory role, with a particular emphasis on dynamic and local changes in SR [Ca2+]. We focus on five important questions that are to some extent unresolved and controversial. These questions concern: (1) the importance of SR [Ca2+] depletion in the termination of Ca2+ release; (2) the quantitative extent of depletion during local release events such as Ca2+ sparks; (3) the influence of SR [Ca2+] refilling on release refractoriness and the propensity for pathological Ca2+ release; (4) dynamic changes in SR [Ca2+] during propagating Ca2+ waves; and (5) the speed of Ca2+ diffusion within the SR. With each issue, we discuss data supporting alternative viewpoints, and we identify fundamental questions that are being actively investigated. We conclude with a discussion of experimental and computational advances that will help to resolve controversies. This article is part of a special issue entitled "Local Signaling in Myocytes."
Effects of Generation and Sex on Dimensions of Life Success

Six dimensions of life success were assessed for three generations of U.S. working women and men: those under 26 years, those born between 1946–1964 (the baby-boom), and people over 43 years. Some ...
Near-fatal, antihypertensive medication overdose due to post-operative gastric ileus.

SummaryWhat is known and objective Post-operative gastrointestinal ileus is a common complication that can cause erratic absorption of oral pharmaceuticals. Case summary This is a case of near-fatal, antihypertensive medication overdose due to gastric ileus in a 40-year-old patient following combined kidney–pancreas transplant. After being transitioned from intravenous to oral antihypertensive medications, the patient sustained pulseless bradycardia requiring resuscitative measures. Suspicion of accumulated medication bolus due to gastric ileus was confirmed by supratherapeutic serum labetalol measurement of 493 ng/mL (therapeutic range: 30–180 ng/mL). What is new and conclusion Judicious use of oral pharmaceuticals, particularly those with relatively narrow therapeutic ranges, is warranted in patients with post-operative ileus.
Evaluating the tumorigenic potency of polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons

Abstract This research explored some underlying features of a newly developed method that allows for a model-free ranking of the carcinogenic potential of hazardous chemicals. The basis of the ranking technique is the integration of a wide variety of carcinogen bioassays and ultimately the comparison of the potencies of different compounds on a common scale. The value of the approach is that it allows for a ranking of the hazards represented by a list of compound when calibrated to a reference, such as benzo(a)pyrene or other chemical for which exposure guidelines are well developed. The presented research efforts indicate that the ranking of a variety compounds is independent of the reference compound used to standardize the information (p≤0.02 in 14 of the 15 replicates tested). The ranking technique is demonstrated using a variety of polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons. The method described can be of assistance to industrial hygienists and other health professionals who are required to set exposure limits for the workplace or elsewhere, prior to the substance undergoing extensive agency, committee, or association review.
Asymmetric synthesis of ageliferin

We describe herein an asymmetric synthesis of ageliferin. A Mn(III)-mediated oxidative radical cyclization reaction was used as the key step to construct the core skeleton of this pyrrole–imidazole dimer. This approach resembles the biogenic [4 + 2] dimerization in an intramolecular fashion.
Drastic Changes in the Lifetime and Electron Transfer and Energy Transfer Reactivity of the Triplet Excited State of p-Benzoquinone by Complex Formation with Scandium Ion Salts

Metal-ion salts such as scandium triflate form strong complexes with the triplet excited state of p-benzoquinone, which have extremely long lifetimes as compared with the lifetime of the uncomplexed quinone triplet, whereas no complex is formed with metal-ion salts in the ground state. The absorption maxima (λmax) of triplet−triplet absorption of the metal-ion salt complexes are red-shifted from the λmax value of the uncomplexed quinone triplet and vary depending on the Lewis acidity of the metal-ion salts. The rate of the complexation of the triplet excited state with scandium triflate is determined, obeying pseudo-first-order kinetics. The pseudo-first-order rate constant increases linearly with increasing metal-ion concentration. The transient absorption spectra of donor radical cations produced by photoinduced electron transfer from N,N-dimethylanilines to the triplet excited state of p-benzoquinone are detected by laser-flash photolysis measurements, whereas no such radical cations are detected in th...
A Remote Operation Quadrupole Mass Spectrometer Using a Custom Radio-Frequency Link Approach

A commercial quadrupole mass spectrometer (residual gas analyzer, RGA) system has been modified to operate at large separations of its electronics console and sensing head. The methods implemented have made practical applications, as well as operation, of such a system possible for the first time. This advance was stimulated by a need for placing sensors at remote (45 or 60 m) chamber locations for space simulation testing of orbital flight spacecraft. Emphasis is placed on instrument functional requirements and describing the hardware changes and adjustment techniques necessary to assure operation at the extended cable lengths.
Response of sliding structures to earthquake support motion

To study the effectiveness of sliding supports in isolating structures from damaging earthquake ground motions, a mathematical model of a single degree of freedom structure supported on a sliding foundation and subjected to the N-S component of the El Centro 1940 earthquake is considered. Spectra for absolute accelerations, relative displacements, relative-to-ground displacements, sliding displacements and residual sliding displacements are evaluated for three mass ratios, four coefficients of friction and a damping of 5 per cent critical. It is observed that, for structures with periods less than 1-8 s, for the coefficients of friction considered, the suprema of relative-to-ground displacements, sliding displacements and residual sliding displacements are only of the order of 1–25 times the peak ground displacement. To study the response sensitivities, the spectra for absolute acceleration and sliding displacement of the 1949 Olympia earthquake (S86E component) are also presented. It is concluded that sliding supports can be quite effective in isolating structures from support excitations.
Cattle Grazing Impacts on Annual Forbs and Vegetation Composition of Mesic Grasslands in California

Livestock grazing represents a major human alteration of natural disturbance regimes in grass- lands throughout the world, and its impacts on plant communities have been highly debated. We investigated the impact of cattle grazing on the California coastal prairie plant community with a focus on native annual forbs, a number of which are of conservation concern. In spring 2000 and 2001, we surveyed the vegetation community composition, vegetation structure, and soil chemical parameters at 25 paired grazed and ungrazed sites over a 670-km range of the ecosystem. Native annual forb species richness and cover were higher in grazed sites, and this effect was concomitant with decreased vegetation height and litter depth. Soil properties explained less of the variation. Exotic annual grass and forb cover were higher in grazed sites. Native grass cover and species richness did not differ in grazed and ungrazed sites, but cover and species richness of native perennial forbs were higher in ungrazed sites. Our results suggest that cattle grazing may be a valuable management tool with which to conserve native annual forbs in the ecosystem we studied but that grazing differentially affects the various life-history guilds. Therefore, land managers must focus on creating a matrix of disturbance regimes to maintain the suite of species native to these mesic grasslands. The results of this and other studies highlight the importance of considering the adaptation of vegetation communities to disturbance in making recommendations for grazing management.
Academic demands related to listening skills

A literature review was conducted in order to identify various parameters underlying listening comprehension. The results of this review were used as a basis for a survey of faculty in six graduate...
Sensor network localization via boundary projections

This work considers localization of nodes in a sensor network using distance measurements. Recent methods favor projection onto convex sets (POCS), since it overcomes the multimodality problem that plagues least-squares formulations. Previous efforts in this direction require either that the sensor be located in the convex hull of the anchor nodes, or that complicated hyperbolic geometric calculations be employed. Here we propose a new algorithm which projects onto the boundary of convex sets, and features a computationally simple update procedure. Both cyclic and random projection schedules are considered, and initial convergence proofs are offered.
Statistical Method for Detection of Phase-Locking Episodes in Neural Oscillations

In many networks of oscillatory neurons, synaptic interactions can promote the entrainment of units into phase-coupled groups. The detection of synchrony in experimental data, especially if the data consist of single-trial runs, can be problematic when, for example, phase entrainment is of short duration, buried in noise, or masked by amplitude fluctuations that are uncorrelated among the oscillating units. In the present study, we tackle the problem of detecting neural interactions from pairs of oscillatory signals in a narrow frequency band. To avoid the interference of amplitude fluctuations in the detection of synchrony, we extract a phase variable from the data and utilize statistical indices to measure phase locking. We use three different phase-locking indices based on coherence, entropy, and mutual information between the phase variables. Phase-locking indices are calculated over time using sliding analysis windows. By varying the duration of the analysis windows, we were able to inspect the data at different levels of temporal resolution and statistical reliability. The statistical significance of high index values was evaluated using four different surrogate data methods. We determined phase-locking indices using alternative methods for generating surrogate data and found that results are sensitive to the particular method selected. Surrogate methods that preserve the temporal structure of the individual phase time series decrease substantially the number of false positives when tested on a pair of independent signals.
Heading Down the Wrong Pathway: on the Influence of Correlation within Gene Sets

Analysis of microarray experiments often involves testing for the overrepresentation of pre-defined sets of genes among lists of genes deemed individually significant. Most popular gene set testing methods assume the independence of genes within each set, an assumption that is seriously violated, as extensive correlation between genes is a well-documented phenomenon. We conducted a meta-analysis of over 200 datasets from the Gene Expression Omnibus in order to demonstrate the practical impact of strong gene correlation patterns that are highly consistent across experiments. We show that a common independence assumption-based gene set testing procedure produces very high false positive rates when applied to data sets for which treatment groups have been randomized, and that gene sets with high internal correlation are more likely to be declared significant. A reanalysis of the same datasets using an array resampling approach properly controls false positive rates, leading to more parsimonious and high-confidence gene set findings, which should facilitate pathway-based interpretation of the microarray data. These findings call into question many of the gene set testing results in the literature and argue strongly for the adoption of resampling based gene set testing criteria in the peer reviewed biomedical literature.
Longitudinal comparison of alternate versions of the symbol digit modalities test: Issues of form comparability and moderating demographic variables

Abstract A longitudinal examination of the comparability of two alternate versions of the Symbol Digit Modalities Test (SDMT) was undertaken on a large (N = 3,509), multiregional, healthy male sample. Significant differences were noted between the test scores of the two forms, both upon initial and longitudinal administration, with higher test scores generally being associated with the original version, and higher recall scores being associated with the alternate version. Due to these differences, it is recommended that comparisons between the forms be made only with standardized scores based on test-specific norms, such as those provided in the present study. It was determined that no significant practice effects were noted over the 2-year retest period, demonstrating the relatively stability of the two versions across time. Finally, the demographic characteristics of age, and estimated IQ were demonstrated to be significantly associated with test performance, emphasizing the importance of the stratifica...
Trends in Multiple Births Conceived Using Assisted Reproductive Technology, United States, 1997–2000

Objective. To examine trends in multiple births conceived using assisted reproductive technology (ART) in the United States between 1997 and 2000 and to estimate the proportion of all US multiple births attributable to ART use. Methods. We analyzed population-based data of 109 519 live-born infants who were conceived in the United States using ART and born between 1997 and 2000 and population-based data of 15 856 809 live-born infants who were delivered in the United States between 1997 and 2000. Multiple birth rates (the number of live-born infants delivered in multiple gestation pregnancies per 1000 live births) and the proportion of all US multiple births attributable to ART were evaluated. Results. The twin rate for ART patients increased between 1997 and 2000, reaching 444.7 per 1000 live births in 2000, whereas the triplet/+ rate declined substantially from 134.3 to 98.7 per 1000 live births from 1997–2000. From 1997–2000, the proportion of multiple births in the United States attributable to ART increased from 11.2% to 13.6%, whereas the proportion attributable to natural conception decreased from 69.9% to 64.5%. In 2000, the proportion of triplet/+ births attributable to ART and to natural conception was 42.5% and 17.7%, respectively. The contribution of ART to multiple births increased substantially with maternal age, from 11.6% for triplet/+ infants born to women aged 20 to 24 to 92.8% for women aged 45 to 49 years. Conclusions. The contribution of ART to twin birth rates continues to increase, but the contribution of ART to triplet/+ birth rates has declined.
Magnitudes of great shallow earthquakes from 1953 to 1977

The surface-wave magnitudes M_s are determined for 30 great shallow earthquakes that occurred during the period from 1953 to 1977. The determination is based on the amplitude and period data from all available station bulletins, and the same procedure as that employed in Gutenberg and Richter's “Seismicity of the Earth” is used. During this period, the Chilean earthquake of 1960 has the largest M_s, 8.5. The surface-wave magnitudes listed in “Earthquake Data Reports” are found to be higher than M_s on the average. By using the same method as that used by Gutenberg, the broad-band body-wave magnitudes m_B are determined for great shallow shocks for the period from 1953 to 1974. M_B is based on the amplitudes of P, PP and S waves which are measured on broadband instruments at periods of about 4–20 s. The 1-s body-wave magnitudes listed in “Bulletin of International Seismological Center” and “Earthquake Data Reports” are found to be much smaller than m_B on the average. Through the examination of Gutenberg and Richter's original worksheets, the relation between m_B and M_s is revised to m_B = 0.65 M_s + 2.5 which well satisfies the m_B and M_s data for M_s between 5.2 and 8.7.
EXPLORER: a retargetable and visualization-based trace-driven simulator for superscalar processors

The quantitative approach to computer architecture and processor design requires extensive experimentation to assess the potential performance benefits of individual techniques. Using trace-driven simulation (TDS) tools in conjunction with optimizing compilers, a designer can quickly characterize the dynamic behavior and the resultant performance of a candidate machine running a realistic benchmark. Most current TDS tools have two shortcomings, namely the lack of retargetability and the lack of visualization support. The authors present the development of a highly retargetable TDS tool suite, called EXPLORER, that incorporates powerful visualization and interactive capabilities. A prototype of EXPLORER has been implemented and examples of retargeting and visualization-based simulation of the RS/6000 and the MPC 601 have been performed to demonstrate its effectiveness. >
A self-organizing composition towards autonomic overlay networks

Overlay management systems face the challenges of increased complexity and heterogeneity because of the many elements involved in providing overlay services. In dynamic networks, the challenge and complexity is increased. Service composition allows simple services to be dynamically combined into more complex services in order to provide new services. In this paper, we deal with the problem of composing multiple autonomic elements to achieve system wide goals. Using a self-organizing approach, autonomic entities are dynamically and seamlessly composed into service-specific overlay networks. The paper describes and discusses the details of the composition approach. Results of extensive simulation are presented.
Designer receptor manipulations reveal a role of the locus coeruleus noradrenergic system in isoflurane general anesthesia

Mechanisms driving emergence from general anesthesia are not well understood. The noradrenergic brain nucleus locus coeruleus (LC) modulates arousal and may have effects on general anesthetic state. Using virally delivered designer receptors to specifically control LC norepinephrine (NE) neurons, we investigated the causal relationship between LC-NE activity and general anesthetic state under isoflurane. Selective activation of LC-NE neurons produced cortical electroencephalography (EEG) activation under continuous deep isoflurane anesthesia. Specifically, LC-NE activation reduced burst suppression in EEG and drove a rightward shift in peak EEG frequency with reduced δ EEG power and increased θ EEG power, measures of cortical arousal. LC-NE activation also accelerated behavioral emergence from deep isoflurane anesthesia; this was prevented with β or α1 noradrenergic antagonists. Moreover, these adrenoreceptor antagonists alone were sufficient to markedly potentiate anesthetic duration when delivered centrally or peripherally. Induction of anesthesia also was retarded by LC-NE activation. Our results demonstrate that the LC-NE system strongly modulates the anesthetic state, and that changes in LC-NE neurotransmission alone can affect the emergence from isoflurane general anesthesia. Taken together, these findings extend our understanding of mechanisms underlying general anesthesia and cortical arousal, and have significant implications for optimizing the clinical safety and management of general anesthesia.
Amplification of Ultrawideband Signals

One of the main implementation challenges in the ultrawideband (UWB) radio is the design of efficient amplifiers. The difficulty in amplifying an UWB signal stems from its bandwidth being a large fraction of the amplifier gain-bandwidth product. This paper describes a methodology and the tradeoffs associated with the design of UWB amplifiers. The amplifiers are designed to minimize a new performance metric, which we refer to as the effective noise figure (NF). The effective NF measures the degradation caused by the amplifier in the achievable receiver performance after the digital decoding process, which is ultimately the most relevant measure of performance.
Understanding DNA Damage Response and DNA Repair Pathways: Applications to More Targeted Cancer Therapeutics

Radiation therapy and many of the commonly used cancer chemotherapeutic drugs target DNA for cytotoxicity. Indeed, the subsequent DNA damage response (DDR) to these cancer treatments in both malignant and normal cells/tissues determines the therapeutic index (TI) of the treatment. The DDR is a complex set of cell processes involving multiple DNA repair, cell cycle regulation, and cell death/survival pathways (or networks) with both damage specificity and coordination of the DDR to different types of DNA damage. Over the last decade, significant progress has been made in elucidating these complex cellular and molecular networks involved in the DDR in human tumor and normal tissues. Based on what has been learned about these processes using experimental in vitro and in vivo models, DDR and DNA pathways are now potential targets for cancer therapy. This article presents an overview of our current understanding of the DDR, including the key DNA repair pathways involved in determining the cytotoxicity to several classes of chemotherapy drugs (CT) as well as ionizing radiation (IR). Since many different types of human cancers can arise from genetic or epigenetic changes in the DDR and DNA repair pathways, this article also covers recent developments in cancer therapeutics that attempt to target these specific tumor-related DDR/DNA repair defects as monotherapy or, more commonly, when combined with conventional cancer treatments.
An approach for supporting aspect-oriented domain modeling

This paper describes a technique for improving separation of concerns at the level of domain modeling. A contribution of this new approach is the construction of support tools that facilitate the elevation of crosscutting modeling concerns to first-class constructs in a type-system. The key idea is the application of a variant of the OMG Object Constraint Language to models that are stored persistently in XML. With this approach, weavers are generated from domain-specific descriptions to assist a modeler in exploring various alternative modeling scenarios. The paper examines several facets of Aspect-Oriented Domain Modeling (AODM), including: domain-specific model weavers, a language to support the concern separation, an overview of code generation issues within a meta-weaver framework, and a comparison between AODM and AOP. An example of the approach is provided, as well as a description of several future concepts for extending the flexibility within AODM.
The efficacy of curettage in delineating margins of basal cell carcinoma before Mohs micrographic surgery.

Background. Curettage may be helpful as a preliminary step to outline the gross subclinical extensions of high-risk basal cell carcinomas (BCCs) before the first stage of Mohs micrographic surgery. Although many Mohs surgeons use curettage in the Mohs surgical setting, no prospective studies have as yet been performed that demonstrate the efficacy of curettage in delineating tumor margins before Mohs surgery. Objective. To document the efficacy of curettage in delineating BCC margins before Mohs micrographic surgery. Methods. This was a prospective evaluation of 599 patients with biopsy-proven BCCs treated with Mohs surgery. The preoperative dimensions of each tumor, the curetted dimensions before the first surgical stage, the proposed excisional margins before each surgical stage, and the final defect dimensions after each surgical stage were measured. The maximum curetted margin around each tumor was calculated and compared with typical Mohs excisional margins of 1, 2, 3, and 4 mm. A hypothetical 1-, 2-, 3-, or 4-mm excisional margin was added to the preoperative X and Y dimensions of each tumor, and the actual final defect sizes were compared with the hypothetical final defect sizes to determine whether an additional surgical stage would have been needed had curettage not been performed. The amount of tissue stretch occurring after specimen removal was calculated to determine whether tissue stretch falsely elevated the number of instances in which an additional surgical stage would have been needed had curettage not been performed. Results. The curetted margin around the observed extent of each tumor exceeded 1 mm in 87.6% of cases, 2 mm in 47.1% of cases, 3 mm in 19.7% of cases, and 4 mm in 5.7% of cases. The mean curetted margin was 1.7 mm. Taking a 1-mm margin in the first stage of Mohs surgery without first performing curettage would have necessitated an extra surgical stage in 99.2% of cases, whereas taking a 2-, 3-, or 4-mm margin would have necessitated an extra surgical stage in 93.0%, 88.1%, and 49.4% of cases, respectively. After calculating and eliminating the effects of tissue stretch, it was found that a 1-mm excisional margin taken in the first stage of Mohs surgery without first performing curettage would have necessitated an extra surgical stage in 99.0% of the cases. Taking a 2-, 3-, or 4-mm margin would have necessitated an extra surgical stage in 87.5%, 57.9%, and 29.5% of cases, respectively. Conclusion. Careful debulking and palpation with the curette significantly reduce the number of Mohs surgical stages required for BCC clearance. Even after taking the effects of tissue stretch into consideration, a significant proportion of tumors would still require an additional stage for tumor clearance without aggressive presurgical curettage.
Optimal transformation for correcting partial volume averaging effects in magnetic resonance imaging

Segmentation of a feature of interest while correcting for partial volume averaging effects is a major tool for identification of hidden abnormalities, fast and accurate volume calculation, and three-dimensional visualization in the field of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The authors discuss the optimal transformation for simultaneous segmentation of a desired feature and correction of partial volume averaging effects while maximizing the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of the desired feature. It is proved that correction of partial volume averaging effects requires the removal of the interfering features from the scene. It is also proved that correction of partial volume averaging effects can be achieved merely by a linear transformation. It is shown that the optimal transformation matrix is easily obtained using the Gram-Schmidt orthogonalization procedure which is numerically stable. Applications of the technique to MRI simulation, phantom, and brain images are shown. It is shown that in all cases the desired feature is segmented from the interfering features and partial volume information is visualized in the resulting transformed images. >
Polymerization by oxidative coupling. IV. Polymerization of 4‐bromo‐ and 4‐chloro‐2,6‐dimethylphenol and preparation and decomposition of the silver and copper salts of certain other phenols

In the present paper it has been shown that the 4-halo-2,6-dimethylphenols can be polymerized to high molecular weight poly-2,6-dimethylphenylene ethers by the action of cupric ions, providing pyridine is also present. This reaction requires a stoichiometric amount of cupric ions and probably proceeds through complexed phenoxy radicals. Although the polymerization cannot be initiated by catalytic quantities of cupric ions, the same cupric salts which are active in the stoichiometric reaction will initiate the polymerization of the 4-halo-2,6-dimethylphenols in basic solution. Here too, the products are high molecular weight polyarylethers and this reaction probably involves the displacement of halide ions by phenoxy radicals. The presumed di-2,4,6-trihalophenolate–bispyridine–copper(II) complexes were prepared and characterized. These complexes were decomposed under a variety of conditions, yielding polyhalophenylene ethers, which are highly branched as evidenced by their low intrinsic viscosities. Moreover, they are also terminated, probably through dioxin formation, since they show little or no residual hydroxyl in the infrared. Similarly, the polyhalophenylene ethers prepared by decomposition of the silver salts are also branched and terminated. In this connection, however, silver 4-chloro- and silver 4-bromo-2,6-dimethylphenolates were prepared and decomposed to a poly-2,6-dimethylphenylene ether of molecular weight 1800–2200 possessing one halogen and one hydroxyl per polymer chain. The infrared spectrum of this polymer, with the exception of the hydroxyl region, agrees in detail with the infrared spectrum of high molecular weight poly-2,6-dimethylphenylene ether prepared by oxidation of 2,6-dimethylphenol and thus provides a proof for the gross structure of the polymer. Finally, it was found that the blue to blue-green solutions produced from the decomposition of certain of the copper complexes and the silver salts, respectively, are diamagnetic. This finding mitigates against the participation of phenoxy radicals as the active species in these polymerizations.
LS-SNP/PDB

Summary: LS-SNP/PDB is a new WWW resource for genome-wide annotation of human non-synonymous (amino acid changing) SNPs. It serves high-quality protein graphics rendered with UCSF Chimera molecular visualization software. The system is kept up-to-date by an automated, high-throughput build pipeline that systematically maps human nsSNPs onto Protein Data Bank structures and annotates several biologically relevant features. Availability: LS-SNP/PDB is available at http://ls-snp.icm.jhu.edu/ls-snp-pdb and via links from protein data bank (PDB) biology and chemistry tabs, UCSC Genome Browser Gene Details and SNP Details pages and PharmGKB Gene Variants Downloads/Cross-References pages. Contact: [email protected] Supplementary Information:Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Estimating digestibility and faecal output in lambs using internal and external markers

Twenty fine-wool, ruminally cannulated lambs (average weight 45–9 kg) were used in a completely random design to evaluate the ability of three internal markers to predict dry matter digestibility and two external markers to estimate faecal output. Lambs were allotted randomly to one of four diets: 100% prairie hay (PH), 100% lucerne hay (LH), 50% prairie hay:50% sorghum grain (PS) and 50% lucerne hay: 50% sorghum grain (LS). The trial consisted of a 14-day adaptation period followed by a 7-day total faecal collection period. Feed and faecal samples were subjected to 96 h ruminal fluid and 48 h acid-pepsin digestions, followed by extraction with acid detergent (IVADF) or neutral detergent (IVNDF) solution. Dry matter digestibility (DMD) calculated from feed:faeces ratios of IVADF, IVNDF and acid detergent lignin (ADL) was compared with in vivoapparent digestibility. Ytterbium-labelled forage (YLF) and dysprosium-labelled faeces (DLF) were pulse-dosed via ruminal cannulae, and faecal Yb and Dy excretion curves were fitted to a one-compartment, agedependent model for estimation of faecal output, paniculate passage rate (PPR) and mean gastrointestinal retention time. In vivoDMD in lambs fed PH was greater (P 005) from marker estimates. In vivoDMD for lambs fed PS did not differ from IVNDF or IVADF estimates but was greater than (P 005) were observed in recovery among the three internal markers for any of the diets. Faecal output for lambs fed PH did not differ {P >005) from marker estimates but was overestimated by 15 to 20% by YLF and DLF. Faecal output for lambs fed LH was similar to the estimate from YLF, but less than (P <0–05) the estimate with DLF. For lambs fed PS, faecal output did not differ from marker estimates, but YLF and DLF values were 16% lower and 17% higher, respectively. No significant differences were observed in actual and estimated faecal output for lambs fed the LS diet. Estimates of PPR with DLF were numerically greater than YLF estimates for all diets except LS. Correspondingly, mean gastrointestinal retention time was less (P <005) for DLF compared with YLF for all diets except LS.
Prioritization of the joint battle space infosphere (JBI) traffic and priority with reciprocity CAC protocol for the JBI network

A method of prioritizing the joint battle space infosphere (JBI) input traffic with respect to the importance of it's content to an operation, urgency, traffic characteristics, quality of service (QoS) requirement and network resources is presented. This method uses the Karnaugh map plot for the critical importance of the content of the JBI traffic from both the logistic and the operational aspects of a mission to classify the JBI input traffic into four priority groups.
EXPERIMENTAL INDUCTION OF EQUINE PROTOZOAN MYELOENCEPHALITIS (EPM) IN THE HORSE: EFFECT OF SARCOCYSTIS NEURONA SPOROCYST INOCULATION DOSE ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF CLINICAL NEUROLOGIC DISEASE

The effect of inoculation dose of Sarcocystis neurona sporocysts on the development of clinical neurologic disease in horses was investigated. Twenty-four seronegative weanling horses were subjected to the natural stress of transport and then randomly assigned to 6 treatment groups of 4 horses each. Horses were then immediately inoculated with either 10 2 ,1 0 3 ,1 0 4, 10 5 ,o r 10 6 S. neurona sporocysts or placebo using nasogastric tube and housed indoors. Weekly neurologic examinations were performed by a blinded observer. Blood was collected weekly for antibody determination by Western blot analysis. Cerebrospinal fluid was collected before inoculation and before euthanasia for S. neurona antibody determination. Horses were killed and necropsied between 4 and 5 wk after inoculation. Differences were detected among dose groups based on seroconversion times, severity of clinical neurologic signs, and presence of microscopic lesions. Seroconversion of challenged horses was observed as early as 14 days postinfection in the 10 6 sporocyst dose group. Mild to moderate clinical signs of neurologic disease were produced in challenged horses from all groups, with the most consistent signs seen in the 10 6 sporocyst dose group. Histologic lesions suggestive of S. neurona infection were detected in 4 of the 20 horses fed sporocysts. Parasites were not detected in equine tissues by light microscopy, immunohistochemistry, or bioassay in gamma-interferon gene knockout mice. Control horses remained seronegative for the duration of the study and had no histologic evidence of protozoal infection.
Comparison of Thermodynamic Data Obtained by Knudsen Vaporization Magnetic and Quadrupole Mass Spectrometric Techniques

The vaporization behavior of chromium silicides has been investigated by high temperature Knudsen effusion mass spectrometry in two laboratories, one employing a high resolution magnetic sector instrument, and the other a quadrupole instrument for mass analysis. The instrumentation differed also in cell design, furnace construction, temperature measurement and calibration, and experimental procedures. Chromium partial vapor pressures were based on calibrations with the pure element. The agreement of results from the two laboratories was found to be very good.
Processing of splanchnic and somatic input in thoracic spinal cord of the rat

To better understand the spinal transmission of visceral afferent information, we conducted neurophysiological studies of single spinal neurons that receive input from the greater splanchnic nerve (GSN). Extracellular single-neuron recordings were made in the thoracic spinal cord of chloralose-anesthetized, paralyzed, and artificially ventilated rats, some of which had undergone acute spinal transection at C1. Neurons were divided into four classes according to their responses to GSN stimulation: one-burst excitatory, two-burst excitatory, biphasic, and inhibited. We then studied the characteristics of the convergent somatic input to each class of neurons using either natural somatic stimuli or electrical stimulation of the iliohypogastric nerve (IHN). Most splanchnic input was mediated by unmyelinated fibers, whereas somatic input was mediated by both unmyelinated and small myelinated fibers. Most of the neurons exhibited somatic receptive fields, and the majority responded to both innocuous and noxious somatic stimuli. However, a small number could be excited only by GSN stimulation. Although a careful analysis of response characteristics indicated that there was a tendency for neurons to exhibit similar responses to electrical stimulation of the GSN and the IHN, we observed many combinations of somatic and visceral responses. We suggest that visceral afferent activity, in addition to being processed via convergent somatovisceral pathways, may be processed by neurons that convey only visceral information or by neurons in which visceral and somatic information is differentially coded.
Contraception: A Clinical Review for the Internist

Effective use of contraception allows couples to control their fertility and, in certain instances, is associated with important noncontraceptive benefits. Surgical sterilization offers safe, effective, and permanent contraception for women and men. Low-dose OCPs offer safe, effective contraception for most women able and willing to take pills consistently. In addition, their use confers a variety of important noncontraceptive benefits. The availability of long-acting progestin injectable and implantable methods has made highly effective and convenient birth control available for women who are not good pill takers as well as for those for whom contraceptive doses of estrogen are contraindicated. Barrier methods are readily available and provide protection against STDs; unfortunately, erratic use is all too often associated with inadequate contraceptive efficacy. IUDs offer convenient, highly effective contraception for appropriate candidates.
Matrix Solution of Beams with Variable Moments of Inertia

Using finite differences and matrix algebra, new formulas are developed which permit direct computation of bending moments, moment influence coefficients, deflections, and deflection influence coefficients of simply supported beams with variable moments of inertia; formulas are explicit in desired quantities and especially suitable for use in digital computer programs.