cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
What factors are driving summer phytoplankton blooms in the North Pacific Subtropical Gyre

[1] Annually recurrent summer to fall surface blooms of the dinitrogen (N2) fixing genera Trichodesmium and Richelia have a significant impact on biogeochemical cycling in the North Pacific Subtropical Gyre (NPSG). Yet the environmental determinants of these blooms have not been thoroughly resolved. Here, we combine remote sensing of ocean color, sea surface temperature (SST), sea surface height anomalies (SSHa), wind forcing, and integrated irradiance with the vessel-based time series of the Hawaii Ocean Time-series (HOT) program at Station ALOHA (22.75°N, 158.00°W) and mooring data derived from the National Data Buoy Center (NDBC) buoy 51001 (23.42°N, 162.2°W). With these data sets we attempt to constrain the environmental window under which blooms of large cell-sized N2 fixing organisms increase in abundance in NPSG surface waters using phycoerythrin (PE) as a proxy. For identified blooms, our analyses indicate that these events are confined to the months of June–October, SST in the range of 25°–27°C, and mixed layer depths less than 70 m. Neither wind forcing nor SSHa are correlated (directly or time-lagged) with increases in PE concentrations. Furthermore, blooms do not consistently result in increases of in situ or remotely sensed chlorophyll a. Additional higher-resolution data sets of physical forcing, diazotroph abundance, and biochemical properties, sampled on the timescale of bloom development (days-weeks), will be necessary to the environmental conditions supporting annual summer-fall blooms.
A “Mark I” measurement methodology for pollution prevention progress occurring as a result of product design decisions

A methodology for assessing progress in pollution prevention resulting from product redesign, reformulation or replacement is described. The method compares the pollution generated by the original product with that from the modified or replacement product, taking into account, if desired, the various lifecycle stages of the product. The pollution prevented (or sometimes increased) as a consequence of the redesign is delineated with respect to the media affected (water, air, or soil/groundwater) and with respect to three “categories” of pollution impact (human health impacts, use impairment impacts and disposal capacity impacts). The method also provides information as to the specific “classes” of pollution prevented such as toxic organics, heavy metals, global warmers, nutrients, aquatic life toxicants or hazardous wastes. The methodology is extendable to pollution prevention projects of all types, not just product redesign.
Transmission Zeros of Flexible Spinning Spacecraft

This paper shows that the transmission zeros of flexible spinning spacecraft exhibit properties entirely analogous to those of undamped, non-spinning flexible space structures. Thus, the extensive results concerning the zeros in the undamped case (relationships to the poles; sensitivites; computation) apply without change to the zeros of spinning flexible spacecraft.
Maternal obesity and risk of stillbirth: a metaanalysis

We conducted this metaanalysis to summarize the available epidemiologic evidence on the relationship between maternal overweight and obesity and the risk of stillbirth. We identified studies from 3 sources: (1) a PubMed search of relevant articles that were published between January 1980 and September 2005, (2) reference lists of publications that were selected from the PubMed search, and (3) reference lists of review articles on obesity and maternal outcomes that were published between 2000 and 2005. We used a Bayesian random effects model to perform the metaanalysis and metaregression. Nine studies were included in the metaanalysis. The unadjusted odds ratios of a stillbirth were 1.47 (95% CI, 1.08-1.94) and 2.07 (95% CI, 1.59-2.74) among overweight and obese pregnant women, respectively, compared with normal-weight pregnant women. The metaregression analysis found no evidence that these estimates were affected by selected study characteristics. Maternal obesity is associated with an increased risk of stillbirth, although the mechanisms to explain this association are not clear.
TIGHT-BINDING CALCULATIONS OF (111) SURFACE DENSITIES OF STATES OF Ge AND GaAs

Abstract We have used the tight-binding method to calculate the local densities of states of unreconstructed Ge (111) and GaAs (111), ( 111 ) surfaces. In the unrelaxed surface configuration we find two types of states for each surface. The effects of relaxation on Ge surface states are also discussed.
Chemical Transformations During Aging of Zerovalent Iron Nanoparticles in the Presence of Common Groundwater Dissolved Constituents

Nanoscale zerovalent iron (NZVI) that was aged in simulated groundwater was evaluated for alterations in composition and speciation over 6 months to understand the possible transformations NZVI could undergo in natural waters. NZVI was exposed to 10 mN of various common groundwater anions (Cl−, NO3−, SO42−, HPO42−, and HCO3−) or to dissolved oxygen (saturated, ∼9 mg/L). Fresh and exposed NZVI samples, along with Fe-oxide model compounds, were then analyzed using synchrotron radiation X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) to yield both relative oxidation state, using the X-ray absorption near edge structure (XANES), and quantitative speciation information regarding the types and proportions of mineral species present, from analysis of the extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS). Over 1 month of aging the dissolved anions inhibited the oxidation of the NZVI to varying degrees. Aging for 6 months, however, resulted in average oxidation states that were similar to each other regardless of the anion use...
ISOTOPE SHIFT IN THE ARC SPECTRUM OF NICKEL

The isotope shift in 31 spectral lines in the nickel arc spectrum was determired by the use of a Fabry-Perot interferometer. Ths normal mass shifts were calculated ( approx equal +O 025 cm/sup -1/ between Ni/sup 58/ and Ni/sup 64/ ) and subtracted fr om the observed isotope shifts. The differences were attributed to the specific mass and field effects. The relative shifts of levels of four configurations were deduced from the observed line shifts, these being the "complex" corfigurations 3d/sub 8/4s/sub 2/ and 3d/sub 8/4s4p and the two- electron configurations 3d/sup 9/4s and 3d/sup 9/4p. It was shown that the shifts due to the specific mass effect are a significant part of the observed shifts. Perturbations due to interconfiguration interactions were postalated to explain some of the observed shifts. The isotops shift to be expected between Ni/ sup 58/ and Ni/sup 64/ on the basis of fleld effect calculations is about -0.01 cm/sup -1/ for a single 4s electron, while the shifts observed are as large as +0.190 cm/sup -1/. A large fraction of this shift must thsrefore be attributad to the specific mass effect. By noting the deviations of the relative shifts between adjacent pairs of even isotopesmore » from those predicted by mses effect theory, it was possible to deduce the relative field effect. The relative level shift resulting from the field effect is nearly the same for the adjacent isotope pairs 60-61 and 62-64 while the relative level shift for the isotope pair 58-60 is approximately 0.004 cm/sup -1/ larger than that for the other adjacent isotope pairs. The arrangement of neutrons in the outermost nuclear shells is believed to account for this difference. Within the experimental error the level shift of the Ni/sup 81/ relative to the neighboring even isotopes is such that there is no oddeven staggering of the levels. (auth)« less
The insulin-like growth factor-II (IGF-II) receptor of rat brain: regional distribution visualized by autoradiography.

The presence of insulin-like growth factor-II (IGF-II) in brain and cerebral spinal fluid prompted us to investigate the distribution of receptors for this peptide in rat brain slices. Human 125I-IGF-II (10 pM) was incubated for 16 h at 4 °C with thaw-mounted slices of rat brain from 11 different brain regions. Incubations in the absence or presence of excess unlabeled human IGF-II or insulin were performed and the labeled tissues were exposed to X-ray film for 4–7 days. Autoradiographs showed dense labeling in the granule layers of the olfactory bulbs, deep layers of the cerebral cortex, pineal gland, anterior pituitary, hippocampus (CA1–CA4, and dentate gyrus), and the granule cell layers of the cerebellum. Unlabeled IGF-II eliminated most of the binding in these brain regions while insulin produced only a minimal reduction in the amount of 125I-IGF-II bound. These results indicate that a neural receptor for IGF-II is uniquely distributed in rat brain tissue supporting the notion that this peptide might play an important role in neuronal functioning.
A 320mV-to-1.2V on-die fine-grained reconfigurable fabric for DSP/media accelerators in 32nm CMOS

Computationally intensive DSP/media processing applications require specialized hardware accelerators to enable higher energy-efficiency on microprocessor platforms. On-die reconfigurable arrays enable flexible accelerators with dynamic on-the-fly programmability while amortizing die area and time-to-market costs across a wide range of workloads. An ultra-low-voltage fine-grained reconfigurable fabric consisting of a hybrid configurable logic block (CLB) array with process/voltage/temperature (PVT) variation-tolerant register file (Fig. 18.2.1), targeted for on-die acceleration of DSP/media algorithms on power-constrained mobile microprocessors, is fabricated in 32nm high-k/metal-gate CMOS [1]. The CLB combines self-decoded look-up tables (LUTs) for random logic with reconfigurable arithmetic building blocks, hybrid 3∶2 compressors with integrated partial product generation, configurable adder/multiplier carry propagation and optimized CLB input/output multiplexers to achieve peak energy-efficiency of 2.6TOPS/W measured at 340mV, 50°C. The register file includes programmable stacked shared keepers and interruptible operation of both write memory cells and set-dominant latches (SDLs), improving V cc -min by 300mV across PVT variations with a wide dynamic operating range of 320mV–1.2V, enabling simultaneous dynamic supply/frequency optimization across target workloads and power budgets. These features also achieve: (i) nominal CLB performance of 2.4GHz, 5.3mW measured at 1.0V, (ii) robust CLB functionality measured at 260mV, 27MHz (sub-threshold) consuming 12µW, (iii) scalable register file performance up to 8.2GHz, 125mW measured at 1.2V, 50°C with low-voltage near-threshold operation at 320mV, 252MHz consuming 430µW, (iv) 4-tap FIR filter, radix-2 FFT butterfly and 16b string-match algorithms with peak throughput of 2.1GSamples/s, 2.4GSamples/s and 100Gbps respectively, and (v) application-dependent dual-supply power savings up to 34%.
ICRF-edge plasma investigations in phaedrus-B

Abstract We describe experiments which investigate the characteristics of a test ICRF coupler. The RF magnetic fields near the antenna are measured in vacuum and in plasma. Results are modelled using the code ANTENA in plasma; details of the vacuum fields are modelled with the code ARGUS. For the plasma experiments, the antenna is mounted in the central cell of the Phaedrus-B tandem mirror. ICRF modification of the edge plasma potential at the Faraday shield and coupling to electrostatic modes are also investigated.
An efficient C-H oxidation protocol for alpha-hydroxylation of cyclic steroidal ethers.

Various C-16 hydroxy steroids have been prepared with the aid of CrO3/Bu4NIO4. Out of the two possible reaction courses, transition state B is favored because of less steric interference between substrate and CrO4. Thus, C−H bonds at C-16 are oxidized selectively.
The Drosophila Bcl-2 family member dBorg-1 functions in the apoptotic response to UV-irradiation

Abstract As with all metazoans, the fly makes extensive use of selective programmed cell death (PCD) to remove excess cells and properly sculpt developing tissues. Several core components of the cell death machinery have been identified in flies, including caspases and an Apaf-1 ortholog [1–4]. One missing component has been a member of the Bcl-2 family of proteins, which act either pro- or anti-apoptotically as upstream regulatory proteins. Here, we report the identification of Bcl-2 family members in Drosophila — dBorg-1 ( Drosophila Bcl-2 ortholog), also identified by Igaki et al. [5], and dBorg-2. Removal of dBorg-1 function during Drosophila embryonic development resulted in excess glial cells, demonstrating its pro-apoptotic function. In cell culture assays, dBorg-1 efficiently induced apoptosis but, remarkably, also demonstrated protective activity when death stimuli were introduced. Finally, ectopic expression of dBorg-1 in the eye led to subtle defects that were strongly potentiated by ultra violet (UV) irradiation, resulting in a dramatic loss of retinal cells.
How Employment Law Became a Major Issue for Hotel Operators

In the wake of new statutes and case law, issues relating to discrimination have expanded in the past twenty-five years to absorb a substantial amount of management time and attention. The basic law of discrimination is the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which created specific protect classes. That law was revised and expanded in 1991, and other causes of discrimination were added by such laws as the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Age Discrimination in Employment Act. Supreme Court decisions have clarified and expanded certain aspects of the laws, notably the definition of sexual harassment. Perhaps the fastest-growing complaint involves retaliation, in which employees seek to claim that unwanted employer actions result from some aspect of a civil rights complaint. While considerable confusion remains over certain aspects of discrimination law, employers should make every effort to properly instruct their supervisors and follow court-outlined procedures.
Dynamics of Transboundary Groundwater Management: Lessons from North America

Transboundary groundwater management in the North American countries of Canada, the United States of America, and Mexico is truly dynamic. Institutions such as the International Boundary and Water Commission (US-Mexico) and the International Joint Commission (US-Canada) were originally established to consider surface water. However, they have been adapted to consider groundwater, and the North American Free Trade Agreement, implemented in 1994, may prove to be applicable to groundwater, although in some cases may eventually prove inimical to the interests of border regions as the three countries attempt to manage their transboundary groundwater resources. These institutions, coupled with the ad hoc approach of individual stakeholder groups, illustrate that transboundary groundwater management is functioning quite well in North America. Eight case studies, involving both water quality and quantity, illustrate our premise. Seven of the studies describe very specific issues; the final one involves the groundwater resources of the Great Lakes basin of the US and Canada, and provides a brief discussion of some of the issues that might arise in this region.
Double-stage frequency down-conversion system for distribution of ion-photon entanglement over long distances

Generating entangled states of quantum memories over a long distance is an essential component for scalable quantum communication and its application such as quantum key distribution. Generation of entangled ion pairs mediated by photonic qubits has been demonstrated with trapped ytterbium (Yb) ions [1] and is a promising approach. However the wavelength of a single photon emitted by most trapped ions is in the ultraviolet (UV) or short-wavelength visible range where the maximum distribution distance of the photons is severely limited due to high absorption coefficient in a single mode optical fiber. To overcome this limitation, we are currently developing a frequency down-conversion scheme [2,3] which can coherently transfer a qubit stored in a 370 nm photon emitted by a Yb ion to another photon at 1310 nm which coincides with the low loss window of a telecom fiber.
Effects of Mackenzie River discharge and bathymetry on sea ice in the Beaufort Sea

Mackenzie River discharge and bathymetry effects on sea ice in the Beaufort Sea are examined in 2012 when Arctic sea ice extent hit a record low. Satellite-derived sea surface temperature revealed warmer waters closer to river mouths. By 5 July 2012, Mackenzie warm waters occupied most of an open water area about 316,000 sq km. Surface temperature in a common open water area increased by 6.5 C between 14 June and 5 July 2012, before and after the river waters broke through a recurrent landfast ice barrier formed over the shallow seafloor offshore the Mackenzie Delta. In 2012, melting by warm river waters was especially effective when the strong Beaufort Gyre fragmented sea ice into unconsolidated floes. The Mackenzie and other large rivers can transport an enormous amount of heat across immense continental watersheds into the Arctic Ocean, constituting a stark contrast to the Antarctic that has no such rivers to affect sea ice.
Study on Measurement Error Test Method of On-Line Insulation Monitoring Device for Capacitive Equipment

The dielectric characteristic parameter, such as capacitance value, the dielectric loss tangent and leakage current values will change when insulation degradation occurs in capacitive equipment, thus the insulation on-line monitoring devices were used for the insulation state monitoring. At present, the monitoring mode, functional requirements, stability requirement, reliability requirement, and the access security impact has not been fully unified among different manufacturers. For the purpose of standardization of the design, production, testing and operation management of the device, studies were carried out in field of technical parameters and test methodology. Considering the structure and working principle of this kind device, key technical parameters of functional and technical requirements were put forward, and the measurement error performance testing method, as well as the detection circuit was also given under the laboratory conditions.
Locating the anomalous scatterers within a crystal using dual‐wavelength X‐ray diffraction measurements

A simple algebraic expression is used to calculate the structure-factor amplitudes of the anomalous scatterers within a protein crystal, using X-ray diffraction measurements made at two wavelengths and given a single type of anomalous scatterer within the crystal. The expression is exact and is readily derived from the standard algebraic equations for analyzing multi-wavelength anomalous diffraction data. Evaluation of the expression requires estimates for ^{\lambda}f' and ^{\lambda}f'', the real and imaginary components of the anomalous scattering, respectively. When these are not known at the wavelengths in question, a statistical procedure is suggested, applicable when the crystal space group has centrosymmetric projections, which allows the expression to be used regardless. The method may provide a useful alternative to existing procedures when ^{\lambda}f' and ^{\lambda}f'' are unknown or when data have been measured at a limited number of wavelengths.
Variational formulation of magnetostatic wave dispersion relations

A new variational formulation is described for the calculation of magnetostatic wave dispersion relations. Formulas are presented which should enable estimates of the effects of various inhomogeneities to be readily obtained, given a reasonable estimate of the magnetostatic potential Ψ. The results of numerical calculations are presented which demonstrate the relative insensitivity of the formulas to small errors in the trial function Ψ when applied to the well-known magnetostatic modes of an isolated ferrite slab.
Rhetorical criticism as the asking of questions

In this essay, an undergraduate course in rhetorical criticism is described that has as its purpose teaching students to think rhetorically—to make habitual the asking of questions about the nature and functions of symbols. The course is designed around three major questions students/critics are likely to ask: “What is the relationship between the rhetoric and its context?”; “How does the message construct a particular reality for the audience and the rhetor?”; and “What does the rhetoric suggest about the rhetor?”; Various critical methods are studied as appropriate for answering each question.
CUTANEOUS DELIVERY OF α-TOCOPHEROL AND LIPOIC ACID USING MICROEMULSIONS: INFLUENCE OF COMPOSITION AND CHARGE

Objectives To assess whether the composition and charge of microemulsions affect their ability to simultaneously deliver α-tocopherol and lipoic acid into viable skin layers. Methods α-Tocopherol and lipoic acid were added (1.1 and 0.5% w/w, respectively) to decylglucoside-based microemulsions containing mono-dicaprylin. Microemulsions containing surfactant : oil : water (w/w/w) at 60 : 30 : 10 (ME-O) and 46 : 23 : 31 (ME-W), as well as a cationic form of ME-W containing 1% phytosphingosine (ME-Wphy) were characterized, and their ability to disrupt the skin barrier and deliver the antioxidants in vitro in the skin was evaluated. Antioxidant activity in ME-Wphy-treated skin was assessed using the thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (TBARS) assay. Key findings The internal phase diameters of microemulsions ranged between 42 and 55 nm; phytosphingosine addition and pH adjustment to 5.0 increased zeta potential from −4.3 to +29.1 mV. ME-O displayed w/o structure, whereas ME-W and ME-Wphy were consistent with o/w. Microemulsions affected skin electrical resistance and transepidermal water loss, but did not affect lipoic acid penetration. α-Tocopherol delivery increased following the order ME-O < ME-W < ME-Wphy. ME-Wphy presented suitable short-term stability. The antioxidants delivered by ME-Wphy decreased TBARS cutaneous levels. Conclusions Even though microemulsion structure only affected tocopherol penetration, delivered levels of both antioxidants were sufficient for a decrease in TBARS, supporting their use for enhanced protection.
Organizational transformation: a systematic review of empirical research in health care and other industries.

Health care organization leaders and policy makers seeking ways to reform the delivery of health care have become increasingly interested in transformational change. To foster understanding of how ...
Migraine Intervention With STARFlex Technology Trial A Controversial Trial of Migraine and Patent Foramen Ovale Closure

Recent epidemiological data suggest that up to 18% of women and 6% of men worldwide have suffered a migraine headache.1,2 Despite its common occurrence, our understanding of both migraine pathophysiology and the optimal means by which to control or abate symptoms remains severely limited.1 For many years, the care of patients with migraines was left in the capable hands of general practitioners and neurologists. As information surfaced on the potential link between migraines and patent foramen ovale (PFO), however, some cardiologists became involved in the care of patients with migraines and were quickly humbled by the often debilitating nature of the disease process. Personally witnessing such intense suffering, the inconsistent effect of rescue medications, and the subsequent reliance on powerful intravenous narcotic agents to achieve some means of comfort until the storm subsides has been a sobering experience. With the development of implantable devices used to close potentially enabling PFOs, however, came a newfound hope in our ability to help these suffering people. Article p 1397 The potential causative link between migraines and PFO became apparent between 2000 and 2004, during which period many single-center reports demonstrated precipitous improvements in migraine frequency in patients undergoing percutaneous PFO closures for nonmigraine indications.3–5 When these preliminary reports surfaced, professional and media interest in this potential association escalated rapidly. This awareness established the groundwork for the Migraine Intervention With STARFlex Technology (MIST) trial, which, by incorporating important elements in trial design (eg, prospective, double-blinded, inclusion of a sham procedure), was viewed as an exciting and bold clinical investigation. The reports of thousands of patients with migraines calling to participate in MIST reaffirmed the notion that large numbers of patients were frustrated by being inadequately treated with both conventional (ie, medications) and unconventional (ie, acupuncture, Botox injections) means. The fact that …
Expert system security

Computer risk exposures and security in general are reviewed, and factors suggesting that expert system security is a unique problem are examined. Security requirements associated with the unique characteristics of expert systems are investigated. They include technical aspects of knowledge (certainty factors, symbolic information and special fixes), structure (user interface, knowledge base, inference engine and database), design methodology (prototyping) and the current delivery environment (e.g., PCs and expert system shells). The security of working expert systems as discussed in the literature is examined. Rationales for the current apparent lack of expert system security are analyzed and the impact of possible security controls on expert system users and developers is assessed. >
JOURNAL CLUB: Radiologists' Perceptions of Computerized Decision Support: A Focus Group Study From the Medicare Imaging Demonstration Project.

OBJECTIVE. The purpose of this study was to discern radiologists' perceptions regarding the implementation of a decision support system intervention as part of the Medicare Imaging Demonstration project and the effect of decision support on radiologists' interactions with ordering clinicians, their radiology work flow, and appropriateness of advanced imaging. SUBJECTS AND METHODS. A focus group study was conducted with a diverse sample of radiologists involved in interpreting advanced imaging studies at Medicare Imaging Demonstration project sites. A semistructured moderator guide was used, and all focus group discussions were recorded and transcribed verbatim. Qualitative data analysis software was used to code thematic content and identify representative segments of text. Participating radiologists also completed an accompanying survey designed to supplement focus group discussions. RESULTS. Twenty-six radiologists participated in four focus group discussions. The following major themes related to the r...
Robust feature-estimation and objective quality assessment for noisy speech recognition using the Credit Card corpus

The introduction of acoustic background distortion into speech causes recognition algorithms to fail. In order to improve the environmental robustness of speech recognition in adverse conditions, a novel constrained-iterative feature-estimation algorithm is considered and shown to produce improved feature characterization in a variety of actual noise conditions. In addition, an objective measure based MAP estimator is formulated as a means of predicting changes in robust recognition performance at the speech feature extraction stage. The four measures considered include (i) NIST SNR; (ii) Itakura-Saito log-likelihood; (iii) log-area-ratio; (iv) the weighted-spectral slope measure. A continuous distribution, monophone based, hidden Markov model recognition algorithm is used for objective measure based MAP estimator analysis and recognition evaluation. Evaluations were based on speech data from the Credit Card corpus (CC-DATA). It is shown that feature enhancement provides a consistent level of recognition improvement for broadband, and low-frequency colored noise sources. As the stationarity assumption for a given noise source breaks down, the ability of feature enhancement to improve recognition performance decreases. Finally, the log-likelihood based MAP estimator was found to be the best predictor of recognition performance, while the NIST SNR based MAP estimator was found to be poorest recognition predictor across the 27 noise conditions considered. >
The Impact of Mandatory Relocation on Female Maximum Security Inmates

Astute observations, as well as psychological research, have suggested that environmental changes are often stressful events, particularly if out of one s control. This study empirically investigated the responses of female maximum security inmates to a mandatory and permanent relocation from one facility to another (a distance of approximately 80 miles). The findings indicate that inmates who experienced anxiety prior to the move had more difficulty adjusting to the new facility than those who did not have anxiety prior to the move. More specifically, anxiety and anger prior to the move predicted depression after the move. Anxiety and focusing on the perceived problem (i.e., the move) predicted anger after arrival at the new facility.
Minimally invasive oesophagectomy more expensive than open despite shorter length of stay.

OBJECTIVES: The minimally invasive oesophagectomy (MIO) approach offers a number of advantages over open approaches including reduced discomfort, shorter length of stay and a faster recovery to baseline status. On the other hand, minimally invasive procedures typically are longer and consume greater disposable instrumentation, potentially resulting in a greater overall cost. The objective of this study was to compare costs associated with various oesophagectomy approaches for oesophageal cancer. METHODS: An institutional Resource Information Management System (RIMS) was queried for cost data relating to hospital expenditures (as opposed to billings or collections). The RIMS was searched for patients undergoing oesophagectomy for oesophageal cancer between 2003 and 2012 via minimally invasive, open transthoracic (OTT) (including Ivor Lewis, modified McKeown or thoracoabdominal) or transhiatal approaches. Patients that were converted from minimally invasive to open, or involved hybrid procedures, were excluded. RESULTS: A total of 160 oesophagectomies were identified, including 61 minimally invasive, 35 open transthoracic and 64 transhiatal. Costs on the day of surgery averaged higher in the MIO group ($12 476 ± 2190) compared with the open groups, OTT ($8202 ± 2512, P< 0.0001) or OTH ($5809 ± 2575, P< 0.0001). The median costs associated with the entire hospitalization also appear to be higher in the MIO group ($25 935) compared with OTT ($24 440) and OTH ($15 248). The average length of stay was lowest in the MIO group (11 ± 9 days) compared with OTT (19 ± 18 days, P= 0.006) and OTH (18 ± 28 days P= 0.07). The operative mortality was similar in the three groups (MIO = 3%, OTT = 9% and OTH = 3%). CONCLUSIONS: The operating theatre costs associated with minimally invasive oesophagectomy are significantly higher than OTT or OTH approaches. Unfortunately, a shorter hospital stay after MIO does not consistently offset higher surgical expense, as total hospital costs trend higher in the MIO patients. In an increasingly strained health care economy, efforts to reduce costs associated with the minimally invasive approach should address the inpatient hospitalization as well as operating theatre expenses.
Symbol-Processing Theories and the SOAR Architecture

Allen Newell believes that psychology is data-rich and theory-poor, and argues that it is time to redress this imbalance (Newell, 1990). Newell's framework for cognition and his particular proposal, SOAR, are here evaluated in the context of the present state of the art. Although SOAR has not yet shown it can avoid the charge of being programmed for each new task nor demonstrated human-scale power in problem solving or learning, it seems possible that it will be able to overcome these problems, but not soon. However, Ne well's fundamental assumption of the necessity for a uniform representational medium and single learning process raises the deeper issue of accounting for the development of specialized representations for space, time, the physical world, and even simple mental models. The ability of SOAR to learn these things or do without them is an open question. Other unsolved problems include the representation of continuous processes, homeostatic goals, avoidance of negative interference among tasks, computational efficiency, and the relations among cognition, perception, and motor systems. At the very least we must credit SOAR with making these important issues explicit and presenting a worthy if ambitious candidate. For these reasons, Newell's work will be a watershed in psychology.
Extending objects to support multiple interfaces and access control

A mechanism, called views, that allows programmers to specify multiple interfaces for objects and to control explicitly access to each interface is described. This mechanism provides a simple and flexible means of specifying enforceable access restrictions at many levels of granularity. It also results in system organization that supports browsing based on a number of different criteria. Views is defined, some examples of its uses are given, the impact of views on system organization is discussed, and five approaches to implementing views are outlined. >
PHARO—Propellant harvesting of atmospheric resources in orbit

Collection and storage of propellant on-orbit has the potential to dramatically reduce launch mass for future exploration missions.12 A proposed method for this collection utilizes an orbiting vehicle that collects ambient air at a high altitude and uses a fraction of the air for orbital maintenance while storing the remainder for exploration propellant. The derivation of the relations governing propulsion requirements of thrust and specific impulse is presented. Initial requirements for the collector are defined through design maps based on a notional Mars mission.
Environmental Mutagenesis and Disease in Human Populations

Environmental chemicals can affect the genetic material and cause a variety of different mutations. Mutations in somatic tissues can lead to cancer while germinal mutations can cause various genetic diseases. The impact of germinal nutations on health will depend upon their frequency; their nature (point mutation vs. chromosomal change, dominant vs. recessive); and upon the mechanisms maintaining a given mutation in the population. Mutations causing early prenatal lethality have fewer public health effects than genetic diseases associated with prolonged medical and social problems. Differences between and within species in metabolism of environmental chemicals and in DNA repair make mutational estimates in humans imprecis?. Results on mutation frequency in somatic cells cannot be readily transferred to conclusions regarding germinal mutations until appropriate comparisons have been made. Studies on atom bomb survivors suggest an increased mutational frequency but such results failed to reach conventional statistical significance. Current estimates of the role of induced germinal mutation in human populations have wide confidence limits. An accurate assessment of the potential hazards of environmental human mutagenesis requires better fundamental understanding of human genetics and continued attention to studies on humans and their tissues and fluids. Crash programs on environmental mutagenesis at the expense of other biomedical research appear unwarranted.
Comparative Ecophysiology of Grain Sorghum and Abutilon theophrasti in Monoculture and in Mixture

Selection of crop genotypes that are more competitive with weeds for light interception may improve crop yield stability in the presence of weeds. The effects of interference on ecophysiological characteristics of Abutilon theophrasti Medic. and three morphologically diverse grain sorghum hybrids was evaluated to determine the relative tolerance and suppressive ability of the three hybrids and specific traits that may contribute to those differ ences. A tall hybrid was more tolerant to A. theophrasti interference than two medium stature hybrids. Early leaf area growth of two medium-stature sorghum hybrids was reduced by A. theophrasti interference, whereas early growth of a tall hybrid was unaffected. The height of A. theophrasti was greater than two moderate-stature hybrids but lower than the tall hybrid. Greatest leaf area density (L D ) of the tall sorghum hybrid was above that of A. theophrasti, whereas greatest L D of medium-stature hybrids was below that of the weed. In monoculture, the partitioning of new biomass to various plant organs was similar among sorghum hybrids, whereas the tall sorghum hybrid partitioned less biomass to leaves and more to stems than medium hybrids in mixture. The results indicate that the three hybrids differ in their susceptibility to A. theophrasti competition. Crop traits that may contribute to greater crop competitiveness include greater maximum height and its growth rate and greater height of maximum leaf area distribution.
Bayesian analysis of gene expression levels: statistical quantification of relative mRNA level across multiple strains or treatments

Background: Methods of microarray analysis that suit experimentalists using the technology are vital. Many methodologies discard the quantitative results inherent in cDNA microarray comparisons or cannot be flexibly applied to multifactorial experimental design. Here we present a flexible, quantitative Bayesian framework. This framework can be used to analyze normalized microarray data acquired by any replicated experimental design in which any number of treatments, genotypes, or developmental states are studied using a continuous chain of comparisons. Results: We apply this method to Saccharomyces cerevisiae microarray datasets on the transcriptional response to ethanol shock, to SNF2 and SWI1 deletion in rich and minimal media, and to wild-type and zap1 expression in media with high, medium, and low levels of zinc. The method is highly robust to missing data, and yields estimates of the magnitude of expression differences and experimental error variances on a per-gene basis. It reveals genes of interest that are differentially expressed at below the twofold level, genes with high ‘fold-change’ that are not statistically significantly different, and genes differentially regulated in quantitatively unanticipated ways. Conclusions: Anyone with replicated normalized cDNA microarray ratio datasets can use the freely available MacOS and Windows software, which yields increased biological insight by taking advantage of replication to discern important changes in expression level both above and below a twofold threshold. Not only does the method have utility at the moment, but also, within the Bayesian framework, there will be considerable opportunity for future development.
Action of Multidimensional Dynamic Electric Fields on Coulomb Emitters

This chapter is mostly devoted to dynamic resonances in atomic (or ionic) spectra. In contrast to the usual resonance case in which a dynamic field resonates with an unperturbed (or slightly perturbed) atom, a dynamic resonance occurs only when the separation between the energy levels is strongly changed by the dynamic field. The second distinctive feature of the dynamic resonance is its multifrequency nature (in spite of the fact that the dynamic field is single-mode). In the last section of this chapter the opposite case is treated in which a dynamic field is too high-frequency or too strong to produce resonances [4.1–7].
Medial Patellofemoral Ligament Reconstruction Using a Femoral Loop Button Fixation Technique

Medial patellofemoral ligament (MPFL) reconstruction is a common procedure used to treat both acute and chronic patellar instability. Although many variations of MPFL reconstruction have been described, there is no consensus regarding the optimal surgical technique. We describe a technique for MPFL reconstruction with a looped gracilis tendon autograft using suture anchors to secure the graft to the patella and a suspensory loop button system for fixation to the femur. This technique replicates the native shape of the MPFL while minimizing the risk of patellar fracture and allowing for gradual tensioning of the graft.
Convicted sex offender residential movements

The social, economic, and cultural impacts of sex offender legislation are topics of considerable interest in recent years. Despite the number of studies evaluating the collateral consequences of these laws, the implications of spatial restrictions on housing availability and residential mobility for convicted sex offenders remain an empirical question. Because of the social implications, but also risks associated with recidivism, a better understanding of the spatio-temporal movements of sex offenders is critical for developing effective management policies and strategies aimed at promoting public safety. The purpose of this chapter is to analyze sex offender residential movement patterns over a 2.5 year period in Hamilton County, Ohio. Using geographic information systems and a developed exploratory system, SOSTAT, this study uncovers significant trends and behavioral patterns that shed light on offender reintegration, their residential mobility and the implications of residency restrictions on both offenders and community.
Large-Time Behavior of Solutions to the Multi-Dimensional Euler Equations with Damping

We consider the three-dimensional compressible Euler equations of isentropic gases with damping: $$ \begin{array}{*{20}{c}} {{{\rho }_{t}} + \nabla \cdot (\rho u) = 0,} \\ {\rho ({{u}_{t}} + u \cdot \nabla u) + \nabla P = - c\rho u,} \\ \end{array} $$ (1) where ρx, t) ∈ ℝ, u(x, t) ∈ ℝ3 represent the density, velocity of the gas, respectively; x = (x 1, x 2, x 3) ∈ ℝ3 is the space variable, t> 0 is the time variable; the pressure is P = P(ρ) = ργ/γ with γ ≥ 1 as the adiabatic exponent; c > 0 is a constant, and e = 1/c may be called the relaxation time for some physical flows. We study the Cauchy problem of (1) with the initial condition: $$ (\rho ,u){{|}_{{t = 0}}} = ({{\rho }_{0}}(x),{{u}_{0}}(x)). $$ (2) We are interested in the damping effect on the regularity and large-time behavior of the smooth solutions. It will be proved that the size of the smooth initial data in certain norms plays the key role. If the initial data are small in an appropriate norm, the damping can prevent the development of singularities in smooth solutions and the Cauchy problem has a unique global smooth solution. If the initial data are large in certain form, the damping is not strong enough to prevent the formation of singularities even though the initial data are smooth. This indicates that the smoothness of the solution will break down in a finite time.
Hierarchical Modeling of HLW Glass-Gel-Solution Systems for Stage 3 Glass Degradation

The necessity to a priori predict the durability of high level nuclear waste (HLW) glasses on extended time scales has led to a variety of modeling approaches based primarily on solution (leachate) concentrations. The glass composition and structure control the leachate and the gel compositions which in turn control what reaction products form: the leached layer is a hydrogel and reacts with the solution (leachate) to form secondary phases some of which cause accelerated glass dissolution which is undesirable. Glasses with molar excess alkali that is not bound to glass forming (Al,Fe,B)O4 structural groups in the glass resume accelerated leaching. The hydrogels of the glasses that resume accelerated leaching at long times contain excess alkali and the leachates contain excess strong base, [SB]ex. The [SB]ex further accelerates aluminosilicate gel aging into analcime with time. Glasses with no excess molar structural alkali do not resume accelerated leaching: the glass generates weak acids, [WA], in the leachate favoring hydrogel aging into clays. These data indicate that the gel layer transforms to secondary phases in situ in response to interactions with the chemistry of a continuously evolving leachate.
The Postmodern Condition and the Challenge of Rethinking the Foundations of Public Policy and Administration: A Critical Inquiry

(2005). The Postmodern Condition and The Challenge of Rethinking the Foundations of Public Policy and Administration: A Critical Inquiry. Administrative Theory & Praxis: Vol. 27, No. 3, pp. 552-560.
Inhibition studies with Streptococcus faecalis; xanthones and thiaxanthones.

Summary1. A series of xanthones and thiaxanthones initially prepared for tests against schistosomiasis was tested for toxicity with S. faecalis in the presence of limiting amounts of folic acid. Under these conditions 13 of the 16 xanthones and 35 of the 63 thiaxanthones tested were toxic. The toxicity of only one thiaxanthone could be abolished. 2. 6-Chloro-1-(2,-[ethyl (2-hydroxyproyl) amino] ethylamino)-4-methyl thiaxanthone was inert with thymidine in the medium. Thymine was not able to replace thymidine in this respect. 3. Separately, it may be indicated that no correlation was discerned between activity against S. faecalis and S. mansoni infection in mice.
Assessing the effect of different natural dissolved organic matters on the cytotoxicity of titanium dioxide nanoparticles with bacteria.

Abstract Titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO2 NPs) are among the most widely manufactured nanomaterials on a global scale. However, prudent and vigilant surveillance, incumbent upon the scientific community with the advent of new technologies, has revealed potentially undesirable effects of TiO2 NPs on biological systems and the natural environment during their application and discharge. Such effects are likely best evaluated by first assessing the fate of the TiO2 NPs in natural environments. In this study, the effects of terrestrial humic acid (HA) and tannic acid (TA), two major members of the collective: dissolved organic matter (DOM), on the cytotoxicity of TiO2 NPs to Escherichia coli were investigated in the presence and absence of natural sunlight. Qualitative (transmission electron microscopy (TEM)) and quantitative (LC50) analyses were employed in this study. In addition, the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the form of OH was further assessed—as HA or TA increased the production of ROS decreased. The inhibition of bacterial viability in the light treatment groups, with respective treatment organics at concentrations of 10 ppm, was less in TA than in terrestrial HA. SAS was used to analyze the treatment effect of individual factors of light irradiation, DOM, and concentration of TiO2 NPs.
Dynamic Channel Bonding: Enabling Flexible Spectrum Aggregation

To support applications that demand high-speed wireless communication, the fifth generation (5G) Wi-Fi increases the channel bonding from 40 MHz in 802.11n to 80, and even 160 MHz under certain conditions in 802.11ac. However, inefficiency and unfairness issues arise when devices that use different channel widths coexist in a contention domain. In this paper, we propose a dynamic channel bonding (DyB) protocol in which a node is allowed to start a transmission as long as there are some idle narrow channels and it gradually increases the channel width during transmission whenever new narrow channels become available. To enable communication over uncertain channels, a convolution method is introduced to achieve fast spectrum agreement between the transmitter and the receiver. In addition, DyB considers the severe contention in a wide band of spectrum. A compound preamble is designed to make collisions detectable in the frequency domain and a parallel bitwise arbitration is designed to quickly resolve the collisions in the time domain. We implement and evaluate the DyB through both the GNU Radio/USRP platform and ns-2 simulations. Experimental results and simulations show that DyB well addresses the inefficiency and unfairness issues caused by heterogeneous radio coexistence.
Closed tendon injuries of the hand in athletics.

Closed tendon injuries in athletes are common and frequently misdiagnosed and undertreated. The diagnosis and management of the mallet finger, boutonniere deformity, flexor digitorum profundus tendon rupture, and extensor hood rupture are discussed in this article.