cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Analysis of a Feedback Assessment Loop in Engineering Sciences Core Curriculum

A formal two-loop learning outcomes assessment process has been evaluated in the mechanical engineering department at Rochester Institute of Technology. This initiative, originally called the Engineering Sciences Core Curriculum (ESCC), provided systematic course learning outcomes and assessment data of student performance in Statics, Mechanics, Dynamics, Thermodynamics, Fluid Mechanics and Heat Transfer. This paper reports detailed analyses with some important observations in the Statics-Dynamics sequence to determine obstacles in student performance. New data shows that students’ mastery of Dynamics is affected largely by incorrect interpretations and weak retention of fundamentals in Statics. Further evidence of students’ behavioral influences are discussed requiring a future focus in this area. This report completes the 5 year feedback loop designed to achieve the ESCC goals on the Statics-Dynamics sequence.Copyright © 2013 by ASME
AN INTRODUCTION TO INFORMATION THEORY OF SYSTEMS (in Russian), by A. V. Shileiko, V. F. Kocznev and F. F. Khimushin, Radio i Sviaz, Moscow, 1985, 278 pages.

(1989). AN INTRODUCTION TO INFORMATION THEORY OF SYSTEMS (in Russian), by A. V. Shileiko, V. F. Kocznev and F. F. Khimushin, Radio i Sviaz, Moscow, 1985, 278 pages. International Journal of General Systems: Vol. 15, No. 2, pp. 170-171.
THE COUNSELOR-CONSULTANT AND THE EFFEMINATE BOY

This article presents a case study of an effeminate boy in an elementary school. Rather than counseling the boy directly, the counselor consulted the child's teachers regarding strategies for change. Following experimental procedures, significant changes were recorded in behavior and attitude as measured by pre- and post-experimental measures: playground behavior, lunchroom behavior, physical education activities, class sociogram, and a Semantic Differential. The case demonstrates how deviant children, such as this effeminate boy, can be aided through consultation with teachers and through learning experiences within the regular school program.
Electrical self-stimulation of single and multiple loci: Long term observations

Abstract Rats with chronic hypothalamic electrodes were allowed continuous access to self-stimulation, food and water in a 3 lever chamber. A prolonged burst of self-stimulation, with little food and water intake, was followed by bursts of activity on all 3 levers. A 12 hr light-dark cycle imposed a diurnal periodicity on all behaviors except in animals self-stimulating at the highest daily rates where self-stimulation was equal in dark and light. Under constant light conditions there was a 30 min daily shift in the peak periodicity of all behaviors. Increasing the current by 10 μA led to another continuous self-stimulation session for one day, with a subsequent decline and stabilization after three days. Reduction of the current to its original setting abolished self-stimulation for one day, but within 5 days rates returned to control values. Animals with electrodes in the septal, anterior and posterior hypothalamic areas allowed continuous access to self-stimulation on all 3 electrodes displayed similar behavior in that after a long initial self-stimulation session alternating on all 3 electrodes, periodic bursts of activity occurred on all three electrodes. The diurnal periodicity of self-stimulation seemed to be determined by the current intensity. The similarity of self-stimulation to normal drive mechanisms is discussed.
The δ2-opioid receptor antagonist naltriben reduces motivated responding for ethanol

Rationale: Given that alcoholics drink for different reasons, it is not likely that a single pharmacotherapeutic agent will be equally effective for all alcoholics. Hence, the development of new pharmacotherapeutic agents that are capable of reducing alcohol intake remains an important focus in the field of alcohol research. Objective: The objective of the present study was to examine the effects of the δ2 receptor antagonist naltriben (0.60–4.0 mg/kg) on operant responding maintained by the presentation of ethanol (EtOH) or saccharin in alcohol-preferring (P) rats. Methods: P rats were trained under a concurrent schedule [fixed ratio (FR)4–FR4] to press one lever for EtOH (10% v/v) and another for saccharin (0.0125–0.05% w/v) during a 60-min session. Naloxone, a non-specific opioid receptor antagonist, served as a reference antagonist. Results: When responding maintained by EtOH and saccharin were equated under baseline conditions, naloxone (0.003125–0.75 mg/kg) reduced levels of EtOH-maintained responding by 46–82%. None of the naloxone doses significantly reduced responding maintained by saccharin. Naltriben (0.9–4.0 mg/kg) reduced EtOH-maintained responding by 44–76%, while saccharin-maintained responding was reduced only by the highest dose of naltriben (4.0 mg/kg). Analysis of the EtOH within-session response pattern revealed that naloxone suppressed EtOH-maintained responding during the entire operant session and led to early termination of responding. Low doses of naltriben (0.90 mg/kg and 1.2 mg/kg) suppressed responding during the latter portion of the operant session, while higher doses (2.0, 3.0, 4.0 mg/kg) decreased responding during the entire session and led to early termination of responding. Conclusions: The results of the present study strengthen previous reports from our laboratory suggesting that naltriben, the selective δ2 opioid receptor antagonist, suppresses EtOH self-administration in rats selectively bred for high EtOH consumption. The results also suggest that naltriben may be a potential candidate for use as a pharmacotherapeutic agent in the treatment of EtOH dependence.
Reduced medicolegal risk by compliance with obstetric clinical pathways: a case--control study.

Abstract Objective To estimate whether guideline compliance affected medicolegal risk in obstetrics and whether malpractice claims data can provide useful information on guideline noncompliance by focusing on the claims experience of a large health system delivering approximately 12,000 infants annually. Methods We retrospectively identified 290 delivery-related (diagnosis-related groups 370–374) malpractice claims and 262 control deliveries at the health system during the period from 1988 to 1998. Clinical pathways for vaginal and cesarean delivery implemented in 1998 were used as a “standard of care.” We compared rates of noncompliance with the pathways in the claims and control groups, calculated an odds ratio for increased risk of being sued given departure from the guideline standards, and calculated the elevated risk of litigation introduced by noncompliance. We also compared the frequencies of different types of departures across claims and control groups. Results Claims closely resembled controls on several descriptive measures (mother’s age, location of delivery, type of delivery, and complication rates), but noncompliance with the clinical pathway was significantly more common among claims than controls (43.2% versus 11.7%, P Conclusion In addition to reducing clinical variation and improving clinical quality of care, adherence to clinical pathways might protect clinicians and institutions against malpractice litigation. Malpractice data might also be a useful resource in understanding breakdowns in processes of care.
The moderating effects of strategy, visibility, and involvement on allocation behavior: An extension of Staw's escalation paradigm.

Abstract The present study extends Staw's research on allocative behavior following setbacks. Using the methodology employed by B. M. Staw and J. Ross ( Administrative Science Quarterly , 1978 , 23 , 40–64), this study examined the previously demonstrated effect of the foreseeability/persistence of a setback as moderated by subjects' usage of a calculative or noncalculative strategy. The additional antecedents of allocator visibility and involvement are also examined in light of their potential importance to cognitive consistency effects on allocations. The results suggest a powerful moderating effect of problem solving strategy on the foreseeability/persistence, visibility, and involvement effect. Most importantly, the strategy variable was shown to reverse the earlier findings of Staw and Ross. Suggestions are made for the reframing of escalation from a cognitive consistency related phenomenon to a specific instance of human problem solving within which a limited set of strategies may intervene.
Changes in HL-60 cell deformability during differentiation induced by DMSO

Abstract We have investigated changes in cellular deformability during promyelocytic leukemic HL-60 cell maturation. HL-60 cells were induced to mature with 1.25% dimethyl sulfoxide. Cellular deformability was evaluated by single-cell micropipette aspiration at one day, four days and seven days after induction. HL-60 cells were found to decrease in size and increase in deformability with maturation. When tested under the same aspiration pressures (0.5–1.3 kPa), cytoplasmic viscosity was found to vary from 210 to 85 Pa·s for cells prior to induction; it varied from 85 to 40 Pa·s for cells seven days after induction. Further, cytoplasmic viscosity exhibits power-law dependence on shear rate, μ = μ c (γ m /γ c ) −b , where μ is cytoplasmic viscosity, γ m is mean shear rate during cell entry, μ c is the characteristic viscosity at the characteristic shear rate, γ c , and b is a material coefficient. Cells of all maturities showed similar dependence on shear rate (b0.5), but the characteristic viscosity decreased with maturation except for Day 1. When γ c was set to 1 s −1 , μ c = 236 ± 5 Pa·s for cells prior to induction, μ c = 239 ± 7, 209 ± 7 and 175 ± 14 Pa·s for cells on Days 1, 4 and 7 of induction, respectively.
High-temperature fiber optic sensors for harsh environment applications

Luna Innovations is developing a high temperature sensor suite based on novel metal oxide transducers and patented fiber optic sensor technology. This suite will include pressure, temperature, acceleration, and skin friction sensors. Luna has demonstrated prototype ceramic fiber optic pressure sensors with a range of 2000 psig and +/- 0.1 psig absolute accuracy and 0.01 psig dynamic resolution. By applying advanced materials and packaging technologies, designs that will support pressure measurements up to 1400°C have been produced. Fiber optic temperature sensors have been tested up to 1100°C. A ceramic accelerometer has also been developed that will enable high-temperature vibration measurements. A shear stress sensor is in the early stages of development that is expected to reach 850°C. The high temperature sensor suite will provide previously unobtainable measurements in advanced air-breathing propulsion systems, as well as in high-temperature industrial applications.
The primary structure of rat ribosomal protein S20.

Abstract The amino acid sequence of the rat 40 S ribosomal subunit protein S20 was deduced from the sequence of nucleotides in two recombinant cDNAs. Ribosomal protein S20 has 119 amino acids and has a molecular weight of 13 364. Hybridization of the cDNA to digests of nuclear DNA suggests that there are 16–19 copies of the S20 gene. The mRNA for the protein is about 600 nucleotides in length. Rat S20 is homologous to Xenopus laevis S22 and is related to Mycoplasma capricolum S10 and to Escherichia coli S10. The protein contains a possible internal duplication of seven residues.
Kripke submodels and universal sentences

We define two notions for intuitionistic predicate logic: that of a submodel of a Kripke model, and that of a universal sentence. We then prove a corresponding preservation theorem. If a Kripke model is viewed as a functor from a small category to the category of all classical models with (homo)morphisms between them, then we define a submodel of a Kripke model to be a restriction of the original Kripke model to a subcategory of its domain, where every node in the subcategory is mapped to a classical submodel of the corresponding classical model in the range of the original Kripke model. We call a sentence universal if it is built inductively from atoms (including ⊤ and ⊥) using ∧, ∨, ∀, and →, with the restriction that antecedents of → must be atomic. We prove that an intuitionistic theory is axiomatized by universal sentences if and only if it is preserved under Kripke submodels. We also prove the following analogue of a classical model-consistency theorem: The universal fragment of a theory Γ is contained in the universal fragment of a theory Δ if and only if every rooted Kripke model of Δ is strongly equivalent to a submodel of a rooted Kripke model of Γ. Our notions of Kripke submodel and universal sentence are natural in the sense that in the presence of the rule of excluded middle, they collapse to the classical notions of submodel and universal sentence. (© 2007 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
New silyl ether reagents for the absolute stereochemical determination of secondary alcohols.

Herein we report a new set of silyl ether reagents for determining the enantiomeric purity and absolute stereochemistry of secondary alcohols. These derivatives are easily synthesized, provide straightforward spectroscopic results, and allow for facile recovery of the original chiral alcohol.
95-GHz third-harmonic slotted gyro-TWT amplifier

The design of a 95 GHz, 70 kV, 5 A, (alpha) equals 1.5, (Delta) (upsilon) z/(upsilon) z equals 7%, six-vane, (pi) mode, third-harmonic gyro-TWT is presented which is predicted by a nonlinear self-consistent simulation code to yield a peak output power of 90 kW and 26% efficiency, a saturated gain of 61 dB and 3% constant-drive bandwidth. The stability of the device is examined using linear theory and a multimode time dependent PIC code. In addition, the wideband input coupler and output mode converter are also described.© (1993) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Functional Impact Comparison of Common and Innovative Products

Innovation has been touted as a means toward providing sustainability. Innovations in materials, manufacturing, and product design can lead to a reduction of global environmental impacts while helping to realize the goals of a sustainable society. This research aims to explore whether or not product functionality has an effect on environmental impact and if the flow of energy, materials, and signals (EMS) have an effect on product environmental impact. Innovative and common products are identified and life cycle assessment is performed for each product at the component level. Using function impact matrices, the environmental impacts of the product components are propagated back to the functional level, where their impacts are compared. The innovative products of the comparisons conducted appear to be more environmentally impact; more work must be done to understand whether the result is generalizable. The intended use of this research is during the conceptual design phase when little is known about the final form of a product. With approximate impacts of functions known, designers can better utilize their design efforts to reduce overall product environmental impact.Copyright © 2013 by ASME
An assessment of historical change in two northern Minnesota lakes

Two northern Minnesota lakes that had been studied in detail 22 years earlier (1958) were restudied to determine the extent of alteration in ecological conditions. Approximately one year after the original investigation, a coal-fired power plant, which incremented sulfate loading by about 6 kg/ha-yr, began operation nine miles away. These lakes lie within a region judged susceptible to acidic precipitation, though each lake, based on its buffering capacity, would be judged only moderately sensitive. In spite of the influence of this plant and other anthropogenic inputs, the change in lake ecology was apparently minimal. Water clarity decreased in both lakes and some alteration in zooplankton community structure was observed. The long-term utility of lake surveys depends upon how carefully and completely conditions can be reconstructed from records and reports. Past surveys generally omit measures of variability for the data, allowing only qualitative comparisons to be drawn. In order to judge the graded responses of aquatic ecosystems, necessary to sound management, quantitative measures are needed.
Equity, Heterogeneity and International Environmental Agreements

Much of the literature on international environmental agreements (IEA) considers the case of identical countries. There is a much smaller literature concerning the more complex but more realistic case of country heterogeneity. This paper involves modifying the standard static homogeneous country model of international environmental agreements. In particular, we consider two types of countries, differing in size as well as in marginal damage from pollution. Although the IEA does not have a unique size in this case, we do introduce two equilibrium refinements and explore the implications for coalition size. The two refinements include one based on efficiency and one based on equity.
Theory of flow and deformation of swelling porous materials at the macroscale

Abstract We develop a theoretical foundations for a macroscale model for flow and deformation for a highly interacting porous media, i.e. a swelling porous media such as expansive soils by assuming the properties of the fluid phase are a function of the liquid volume fraction. We assume the porous material consists of a solid phase and liquid phase, that it swells when whetted and shrinks when dried, and that the process is isothermal. This is of interest when modeling settling due to the pumping of water or oil when there is a high clay content, compaction due to construction, or, in other fields, modeling soft bio-tissue, bones, or man-made porous materials. Here we review the assumptions and thermodynamical framework used to arrive at a generalized Darcy’s law for flow and then derive a generalized Terzaghi’s principle of effective stress.
Potassium adsorption on co-covered Ru(0001) surfaces: A combined MQS and TDS study

Abstract We find that when potassium is deposited on a monolayer of CO on Ru(0001) at 100 K, the first layer of K goes through the CO layer to the Ru surface, becoming coadsorbed with CO. The second K layer then deposits on top of the first K + CO layer. Since the K atoms are too large to fit between the CO molecules of a CO monolayer on Ru, we propose that the K atoms on the CO layer are ionized by the metal forming the smaller K + ions, which are then pulled toward the metal by the image force.
Introduction to the Biological Monitoring and Abatement Program

This paper provides an introduction to a long-term biological monitoring program and the Environmental Management special issue titled Long-term Biological Monitoring of an Impaired Stream: Implications for Environmental Management. The Biological Monitoring and Abatement Program, or BMAP, was implemented to assess biological impairment downstream of U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) facilities in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, beginning in 1985. Several of the unique aspects of the program include its long-term consistent sampling, a focus on evaluating the effectiveness of specific facility abatement and remedial actions, and the use of quantitative sampling protocols using a multidisciplinary approach. This paper describes the need and importance of long-term watershed-based biological monitoring strategies, in particular for addressing long-term stewardship goals at DOE sites, and provides a summary of the BMAP’s objectives, spatial and temporal extent, and overall focus. The primary components of the biological monitoring program for East Fork Poplar Creek in Oak Ridge, Tennessee are introduced, as are the additional 9 papers in this Environmental Management special issue.
Depression, regulatory focus, and motivation

The present study examined relationships between chronic regulatory focus and motivation to improve upon academic outcomes in a sample of individuals varying in degree of hopelessness depression (HD) symptoms. Participants recalled a recent negative academic outcome, completed a measure of regulatory focus, reported their subsequent motivation to improve upon future academic outcomes, and then indicated whether their grades on examinations, assignments, and their GPAs had improved or worsened since the described outcome. Results indicate that degree of HD symptoms positively relates to prevention focus and negatively relates to promotion focus, and the negative relationships between HD symptoms and both motivation and performance outcomes are mediated by (lack of) promotion focus.
Measuring the Spatial Pattern of Residential Segregation

This paper discusses a new measure of residential segregation by race that incorporates spatial proximity among neighbourhoods into the calculation of the index. The basis for the measure is the Gi...
Value-cognizant speculative concurrency control for real-time databases

Abstract Speculative Concurrency Control (SCC) is a new concurrency control approach, especially suited for real-time databases. SCC capitalizes on the availability of unused resources in the system to ensure that serializable executions are discovered and adopted as early as possible, thus increasing the likelihood of the timely commitment of transactions with strict timing constraints. Using SCC, several shadow transactions execute on behalf of a given uncommitted transaction so as to protect against the hazards of blockages and restarts , which are characteristics of Pessimistic and Optimistic Concurrency Control algorithms, respectively. We describe the basic Order-Based SCC (SCC-OB) algorithm and demonstrate its excessive (exponential) use of shadowing. Next, we present SCC-kS, a more practical class of SCC algorithms that operate under a limited resources assumption. SCC-kS does not allow more than k shadows to execute on behalf of any given uncommitted transaction in the system. SCC-kS allows the system to constrain the level of speculation that each transaction is allowed to perform. This provides a straightforward mechanism for trading resources for timeliness. SCC-kS is proved correct by showing that it only admits serializable histories. Next, SCC with Deferred Commit (SCC-DC) is proposed. SCC-DC is a value-cognizant protocol because it utilizes information about transactions, such as deadline and criticalness , to improve timeliness through the controlled deferment of transaction commitments. We conclude our paper with an evaluation of the performance of SCC algorithms. We present simulation results, which show that SCC-based algorithms provide significant performance gains over other widely used concurrency control protocols for real-time databases.
Organized packaging of kinetoplast DNA networks

The kinetoplast DNA (kDNA) of Trypanosoma equiperdum is organized as a complex structure of catenated circular DNA molecules. The major component of the kDNA network is the one kilobase minicircle that is present at about 10,000 copies per network. We have developed two assays to examine the structure of kDNA networks compacted in vitro with spermidine. Our results suggest that minicircles are arranged into a regular structure with an exposed domain which is DNAase I- and restriction-sensitive and a protected domain which is resistant to restriction endonucleases and DNAase I. This regularly packaged structure is dependent upon spermidine compaction and the circularity of the kDNA, but does not require supercoiled minicircles or catenated networks.
Cell cycle regulation in bacteria

Significant progress has been made in the study of ftsZ expression and the topology of FtsZ protein localization in Escherichia coli cells. Exciting results on the identification of new genes required for chromosome resolution and partitioning after the completion of DNA synthesis have also been reported. A recent area of study is asymmetric cell division and its role in differentiation in Bacillus subtilis and Caulobacter crescentus. Biochemical activities of bacterial cell division gene products are also beginning to be addressed.
Growth of Te on As-exposed Si(211): Electronic structure calculations

Electronic structure calculations are performed to obtain energetically favorable As-exposed Si(211) and Te adsorbed As-exposed Si(211) surfaces. Arsenic-exposed Si(211) may be obtained by adsorbing As on Si(211) or by replacing surface Si atoms by As. First, we carry out systematic investigations to obtain stable As-exposed Si(211) due to As adsorption at various coverages. We find that at $1∕2$ monolayer (ML) coverage of As, the highly terraced Si(211) surface becomes flat decorated with parallel As chains extending along the $[01\overline{1}]$ direction. At 1 ML coverage the Si surface essentially retains its ideal structure with an added layer of As. Motivated by the adsorption sequence in the HgCdTe (MCT) growth on Si, Te adsorption on such an As-exposed Si(211) is studied and $1∕2$ ML of Te coverage is found to be energetically feasible. Next, we explore a stable As-exposed Si(211) upon replacement of surface Si atoms by As. An energetic comparison reveals that the As-exposed Si(211) obtained by replacing surface Si atoms with As is more favorable compared to that obtained by adsorbing As on Si(211). In line with the adsorption sequence in the MCT growth on Si, Te is then adsorbed on the most favorable As-exposed Si(211) and in contrast to the earlier situation, Te coverage here is found to be $1∕4$ of ML which agrees with the experiment.
Temperature elevation during brachytherapy for carcinoma of the uterine cervix: adverse effect on survival and enhancement of distant metastasis.

Abstract Possible effects of fever during intracavitary radiation therapy on patient survival, local-regional control or metastatic spread of disease were analyzed in a group of 398 patients with previously untreated, invasive carcinoma of the uterine cervix, managed with a combination of external beam irradiation and intracavitary radium (ICR) applications at Yale-New Haven Medical Center and affiliated hospitals from January 1953 through December 1977. Cox step-wise proportional hazard models were used to test for the influence of elevated temperatures during ICR placements, controlling for the influence of other pretreatment patient parameters, including FIGO stage, age, blood count, prior supracervical hysterectomy and number of prior pregnancies. Increasing maximum temperatures noted during ICR placements were associated with: a) decreased patient survival ( p = 0.014) and b) increased frequency with time of distant metastasis as the initial sites of treatment failure ( p = 0.038). When patients were dichotomized on the basis of maximum temperature during ICR, distant metastasis as the initial site(s) of treatment failure was noted twice as frequently in patients with maximum temperatures greater than or equal to 101.0°F (12.5%; 10/80 patients) than in those with maximum temperatures less than 101.°F during ICR placement (6.3%; 20/318 patients). No statistically significant differences were noted between the two groups in their distributions by stage, age, histology, year of diagnosis, or pretreatment hemoglobin, and the sites of distant metastasis and time course for clinical detection were similar in both groups. These results are in agreement with prior clinical studies in cancer of the uterine cervix which noted a poor prognosis in patients with cancer of cervix who developed fever during treatment. In addition, the finding of an association between an increased frequency of distant metastasis and temperature elevation during the ICR provides, for the first time, clinical data supporting the reports of an alteration or enhancement of distant metastasis following the application of whole body hyperthermia in murine, rabbit and canine tumors.
1409 BRAIN BLOOD FLOW ALTERATIONS DURING PROLONGED RESPIRATORY ALKALOSIS (RA)

Hypocarbic RA acutely reduces brain blood flow (BBF) by 40-50%, however, most evidence in adult subjects suggests BBF normalizes during prolonged hypocarbia. We investigated the time course of this change in hyperventilated (HV) newborn piglets. Cardiac output (C.O.) and BBF (n=8) were determined by the microsphere method and brain oxygen consumption (VO2) and extraction (EO2) measured from the sagittal vein. Following baseline (B) (PaCO2 35-40) determinations, RA (PaCO2 15-20) was induced by hyperventilation. Measurements were repeated at 30, 60 and 120 minutes. Similar timed measurements in control piglets (PaCO2 35-40) showed no significant variation over time. Acutely (30″), RA decreased BBF (40%), but this degree of vasoconstriction was not maintained. EO2 was maintained at a consistantly elevated level during RA. Thus, VO2 initially decreased but then returned to B. We speculate that RA induced a maximal increase in EO2, with the late increase in BBF representing a vascular escape phenomenon which serves to preserve VO2.
Intra-operative acute isovolemic hemodilution is safe and effective in eliminating allogeneic blood transfusions during right hepatic lobectomy: Comparison of living donor versus non-donors

Background. Multiple studies have shown acute isovolemic hemodilution (AIH) to be safe and effective during liver resection to limit the use of banked blood. However, no studies to date have studied AIH in living donor right hepatectomy. Conventional right hepatectomies for living donors is not identical to non-donor right hepatectomies. Since division of the parenchyma is often performed without devascularization of the right lobe, blood loss may be significantly higher. Methods. Ten consecutive patients undergoing living donor right hepatectomies (LDRH) and ten consecutive patients undergoing non-donor right hepatectomies (NDRH) were compared using AIH. Results. There was no mortality or morbidity related to the use of AIH. No allogeneic blood transfusions were required in either group, intra-operatively or post-operatively. There was no significant difference in post-operative hematocrit, average estimated blood loss, and average fluid replacement. Average hospital length of stay and operating room time were longer for the LDRH. Conclusion. AIH can be performed safely and effectively in both LDRH and NDRH without subjecting patients to unnecessary risks of allogeneic blood transfusions.
Design and implementation of numerical linear algebra algorithms on fixed point DSPs

Numerical linear algebra algorithms use the inherent elegance of matrix formulations and are usually implemented using C/C++ floating point representation. The system implementation is faced with practical constraints because these algorithms usually need to run in real time on fixed point digital signal processors (DSPs) to reduce total hardware costs. Converting the simulation model to fixed point arithmetic and then porting it to a target DSP device is a difficult and time-consuming process. In this paper, we analyze the conversion process. We transformed selected linear algebra algorithms from floating point to fixed point arithmetic, and compared real-time requirements and performance between the fixed point DSP and floating point DSP algorithm implementations. We also introduce an advanced code optimization and an implementation by DSP-specific, fixed point C code generation. By using the techniques described in the paper, speed can be increased by a factor of up to 10 compared to floating point emulation on fixed point hardware.
Local Ecosystem Service Use and Assessment Vary with Socio-ecological Conditions: A Case of Native Coffee-Forests in Southwestern Ethiopia

Ecosystem-based management requires the promotion and integration of locally relevant ecosystem services. This needs an understanding of which ecosystem services local people value and how local valuation varies with socio-cultural and market factors. We convened ten focus group discussions and performed 105 household surveys from major indigenous groups and recent settlers about local values of various forest-based ecosystem services in changing landscapes of southwest Ethiopia. We found that the extent of ecosystem service use and assessment depends on socio-cultural background and gender of the informants, as well as income and cultural contributions of these services. Ecosystem service values vary in space and time where local people reported that they increasingly value services as they become scarce or in response to increased demands due to emerging markets or changes in production systems. Local people mostly appreciated a few services of high market value while most ecosystem services are not traded in local markets and hence not highly valued. Some low-rated ecosystem services such as fodder and medicinal plants were nonetheless widely used demonstrating the need to also conserve low rated ecosystem services that are used universally. We suggest promoting socio-cultural and other non-marketable ecosystem services to reduce the over-exploitation or exclusion of specific biodiversity components in conservation activities.
Integrating PHC services: evidence from Narangwal, India

Integration of family planning services within primary health care is a concern which continues to be debated. The current advocacy for introducing selective and vertically organized health care interventions is the latest in a series of swings in the balance between integrated and vertical approaches. This paper reviews the findings from Narangwal in North India where a research project introduced combined health nutrition and population interventions into different sets of villages. Significant reductions occurred in morbidity and mortality in children their growth improved and family planning use increased all at a combined cost of about $US 2.00 per capita (1971 prices). Integrated or combined services generally performed at least as well as more selective approaches and because of their integrated nature were often more efficient. The major advantage of integrated services was that they provided multiple benefits an important consideration in areas with many competing causes of morbidity and mortality. Although it was not demonstrated conclusively that either womens and childrens health services or family planning services improved the utilization of the other the results tend to lend support to the value of integrating these services. It was concluded that Narangwal demonstrated the potential of an incremental approach to integration based on a process of learning by experience and supported by a continuous feedback of information from both formal and informal assessments. (authors modified)
Crystal structure of triphenylphosphine-(1-(di(trifluoromethyl)-hydroxymethyl)-cyclopentadienyl)-(1,2-di(carboxymethyl) ethylene-1-yl) ruthenium (0)

The structure of triphenylphosphine — (1 — (di(trifluoromethyl) — hydroxymethyl) — cyclopentadienyl) — (1,2 — di(carboxymethyl)ethylene — 1 — yl) — ruthenium (0) has been studied by single-crystal X-ray diffraction techniques. This compound, [C5 H4(CF3)2 COH] Ru(PPh3)C2(CO2Me)2H, crystallizes in the triclinic space groupP¯1 witha =10.131,b= 15.107,c= 10.798 A, α = 102.14,β = 107.04, γ = 89.64° andZ = 2. The structure was refined by block-diagonal least-squares methods to a finalR value of 0.042, including hydrogen atoms. The compound contains a dicarboxymethylethylene ligand coordinated to ruthenium both through a ketonic oxygen and through a metal-β-carbon σ-bond. An intramolecular hydrogen bond is observed. Details of the structure are reported, and the structures of several Ru(0) complexes are compared.
The influence of nano-particle tracers on the slip length measurements by microPTV

Direct measurement of slip length is based on the measured fluid velocity near solid boundary. However, previous micro particle image velocimetry/particle tracking velocimetry (microPIV/PTV) measurements have reported surprisingly large measured near-wall velocities of pressuredriven flow in apparent contradiction with the no-slip hypothesis and experimental results from other techniques. To better interpret the measured results of the microPIV/PTV, we performed velocity profile measurements near a hydrophilic wall (z = 0.25–1.5 μm) with two sizes of tracer particles (ϕ 50 nm and ϕ200 nm). The experimental results indicate that, at less than 1 μm from the wall, the deviations between the measured velocities and no-slip theoretical values obviously decrease from 93% of ϕ200 nm particles to 48% of ϕ50 nm particles. The Boltzmann-like exponential measured particle concentrations near wall were found. Based on the non linear Boltzmann distribution of particle concentration and the effective focus plane thickness, we illustrated the reason of the apparent velocity increase near wall and proposed a method to correct the measured velocity profile. By this method, the deviations between the corrected measured velocities and the no-slip theoretical velocity decrease from 45.8% to 10%, and the measured slip length on hydrophilic glass is revised from 75 nm to 16 nm. These results indicated that the particle size and the biased particle concentration distribution can significantly affect near wall velocity measurement via microPIV/PTV, and result in larger measured velocity and slip length close to wall.
Range of serum cholesterol values in the population developing coronary artery disease.

Blood lipids have been established as fundamental to atherogenesis, and there is a better understanding of the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis and of the various pharmacologic agents available to counter the mechanisms involved. However, more optimal lipid levels must be established for treatment of both the healthy population and persons already with coronary artery disease (CAD). In the Framingham Study cohort, those with elevated serum total cholesterol (>275 mg/dl) had an increased risk of adverse outcomes whether healthy or with CAD. Compared with persons with cholesterol levels 225 mg/dl (>5.82 mmol/liter) and >240 mg/dl (>6.21 mmol/liter), respectively, and LDL cholesterol levels >150 mg/dl (>3.88 mmol/liter) and >160 mg/dl (>4.14 mmol/liter), respectively. Also, at any level of serum total or LDL cholesterol, a total cholesterol to HDL cholesterol ratio ≥5 for women and ≥5.5 for men warrants treatment. An optimal ratio would be approximately 3.5. Data from ongoing trials are urgently needed to determine whether patients with CAD with moderate dyslipidemia (comprising most patients) benefit from treatment.
Transforming Growth Factor-β1 Promotes the Morphological and Functional Differentiation of the Myofibroblast

Abstract The myofibroblast is responsible for the generation of contractile force associated with wound contraction and pathological contractures and is characterized by the presence of α-smooth muscle (α-sm) actin-containing stress fibers, vinculin-containing fibronexus adhesion complexes, and fibronectin fibrils containing the ED-A splice variant. Transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) can promote the expression of α-sm actin in myofibroblasts, but the functional significance of this increased expression is unclear. In this study, we demonstrate, using the stress-relaxed collagen lattice contraction assay, that TGF-β1 promoted a dose-dependent increase in the generation of contractile force in myofibroblasts and a concomitant increase in the expression of α-sm actin. We also demonstrate that TGF-β1 enhanced the formation of the structural elements important in myofibroblast contractile force generation and transmission, including stress fibers, vinculin-containing fibronexus adhesion complexes, and fibronectin fibrils, and that this enhancement occurred prior to, and independent of, α-sm actin expression. This differentiated myofibroblast phenotype was not stable. Removal of TGF-β1 resulted in reduced expression of α-sm actin as well as a decreased assembly of stress fibers and vinculin-containing adhesion complexes; however, there was no reduction in fibronectin fibrils. We conclude that TGF-β1 promotes the morphological and functional differentiation of the myofibroblast by first enhancing the formation of the structural elements characteristic of the myofibroblast followed by increased expression of α-sm actin and contractile force generation.
The development of synaptic contacts in the cerebellum of Macaca mulatta.

The maturation of various cerebellar cortical cells, the appearance of afferent fibers to the cerebellum, and the development of synaptic contacts in the cerebellar cortex and deep nuclei was investigated in the fetal macaque. Ultrastructural studies were done on cerebellum obtained from fetuses at 75, 100, 125 and 150 days after conception to interrelate the temporal development of these three systems. At 75 days, synaptic contacts were seen on somas and axons of neurons in the deep cerebellar nuclei, and climbing fibers formed pericellular baskets around Purkinje cells. By 100 days the climbing fibers synapsed with somatic spines of the Purkinje cells, and mossy fiber endings were present in the internal granule cell layer. Synaptic contacts were also seen on dendritic processes of neurons in the deep cerebellar nuclei at this time. In the 125 day cerebellum, Golgi cells were identified for the first time and climbing fibers and parallel fibers made synaptic contact with both Purkinje and Golgi cells. At 150 days parallel fibers made synaptic contact with superficial stellate cells and mature cerebellar glomeruli had appeared. At this stage, axosomatic contacts of climbing fibers on the soma of Purkinje cells had disappeared. The relationship of these anatomical observations to possible functional activity is discussed.
Aphids are unaffected by the elemental defence of the nickel hyperaccumulator Streptanthus polygaloides (Brassicaceae)

Nickel hyperaccumulation, resulting in plant Ni contents of >1000 mg kg−1 dry mass, has been shown to defend plants against folivorous herbivores. We determined whether this elemental defence tactic protected hyperaccumulating plants from attack by a phloem-feeding herbivore. We used the pea aphid, Acyrthosiphon pisum, and the Ni-hyperaccumulating plant Streptanthus polygaloides. Aphids were allowed to colonize mixed arrays of S. polygaloides in which plants either were hyperaccumulating Ni, not hyperaccumulating Ni and treated with a systemic insecticide, or not hyperaccumulating Ni. Aphid numbers g−1 dry mass of plant biomass were lowest for the insecticide treatment, intermediate for low-Ni plants, and highest for plants hyperaccumulating Ni. Artificial liquid aphid diet, amended with varying levels of Ni, resulted in decreased aphid survival at 2500 mg kg−1 Ni dry mass (or 5.03 mM Ni). We concluded that Ni levels in the phloem of hyperaccumulating plants of S. polygaloides were < 5.03 mM and, as a result, were not effective in defending plants against aphid attack.
Achieving mass customization through trust‐driven information sharing: a supplier's perspective

Purpose – Trust is essential for business relationships within a supply chain, and information sharing provides a key means to improve the efficiency of a supply chain. The purpose of this paper is to test empirically the relationship between trust and manufacturer‐supplier information sharing to determine its (positive) effect on mass customization.Design/methodology/approach – The data come from 208 firms in North America and China. Structural equation modeling supports the data analysis.Findings – The results suggest that high mutual trust can lead to free information sharing between suppliers and manufacturers, which in turn leads to improved mass customization capabilities. In addition, cultural differences have significant moderating effects on the relationship between trust and information sharing.Originality/value – The study described in this paper measures mutual trust between manufacturers and suppliers and regards information sharing as the free flow of information, both to and from the manufa...
Pigment epithelium-derived factor: neurotrophic activity and identification as a member of the serine protease inhibitor gene family.

Abstract Cultured pigment epithelial cells of the fetal human retina secrete a protein, pigment epithelium-derived factor (PEDF), that induces a neuronal phenotype in cultured human retinoblastoma cells. Morphological changes include the induction of an extensive neurite meshwork and the establishment of corona-like cellular aggregates surrounding a central lumen. The differentiated cells also show increases in the expression of neuron-specific enolase and the 200-kDa neurofilament subunit. Amino acid and DNA sequence data demonstrate that PEDF belongs to the serine protease inhibitor (serpin) family. The PEDF gene contains a typical signal-peptide sequence, initiator methionine codon, and polyadenylylation signal and matches the size of other members of the serpin superfamily (e.g., alpha 1-antitrypsin). It lacks homology, however, at the putative serpin reactive center. Thus, PEDF could exert a paracrine effect in the embryonic retina, influencing neuronal differentiation by a mechanism that does not involve classic inhibition of serine protease activity.