cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Comparative lure response, dispersal, and survival of male melon flies (Diptera: Tephritidae) from wild and genetic sexing strains in Hawaii

The Sterile Insect Technique is an important component of area-wide programs to control invading or established populations of pestiferous tephritids. The sterile insect technique involves the release of large numbers of mass-reared, sterilized males to achieve sterile male × wild female matings, which yield infertile eggs and thus suppress the pest population. The development of male-only strains (also termed genetic sexing strains) has resulted in more effective control of wild populations than standard bisexual releases. A genetic sexing strain based on sex-linked pupal color exists for Zeugodacus cucurbitae (Coquillett) (Diptera: Tephritidae), an important agricultural pest worldwide, but how this strain might perform in a sterile insect technique program has not been thoroughly investigated. As documented for several tephritid species, artificial selection imposed via mass-rearing, particularly over long periods, may have negative effects on various biological parameters of the released flies, including flight ability and dispersion, life span, and mating competitiveness. The goal of the present study was to compare lure responsiveness, dispersal, and survival between males from genetic sexing strains and wild strains of Z. cucurbitae. Our results indicate that males of the 2 strains differed significantly in dispersal ability, but not in lure attraction or survival ability. The potential usefulness of the genetic sexing strains in sterile insect technique programs for control of Z. cucurbitae is assessed based on these findings.
Post-Earnings-Announcement Drift: The Role of Revenue Surprises

The study reported here consisted of estimating earnings and sales (or revenue) surprises either with historical time-series data or with analyst forecasts. Post-earnings-announcement drift was found to be stronger when the revenue surprise was in the same direction as the earnings surprise. This result proved to be robust to various controls, including the proportions of stock held by institutional investors, arbitrage risk, and turnover (prior 60-month average trading volume). This finding is consistent with prior evidence that earnings surprises have a more persistent effect on future earnings growth when they consist of higher revenue surprises than when they consist of lower expense surprises.
Minimally Invasive Approach for Total Temporomandibular Joint Replacement

Purpose This article describes a novel technique for replacing the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) with a prosthesis. The technique applies a simple endaural incision to approach the temporomandibular joint in order to place a total joint prosthesis. This is followed by small trochar site incisions for plating of the prosthesis. The technique was performed on 4 patients (8 TMJs). The potential benefits and complications of this approach are discussed throughout the article. Methods The single endaural approach was performed to replace bilateral TMJs in 4 patients in the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio. All 4 patients were followed up and examined once immediately after the procedure on postoperative day 1, 1 week postoperatively, and at varied times for up to 6 months. Results Postoperative exams were scheduled for 1-week and consecutive 1-month evaluations until symptoms resolved. Full head and neck exams were performed at each appointment. All patients had increased maximal interincisal opening (MIO) with very minimal swelling on day 1 of postoperative evaluation. They also reported a decrease in myofascial pain and headache. All 4 patients had temporary bilateral frontal and zygomatic facial nerve dysfunction that resolved with a mean time of 110 days. Conclusion All 4 patients in the research study had complications presenting as temporary bilateral frontal and zygomatic facial nerve dysfunction resolving within 4 months postsurgery. Directly after procedures were performed, the patients demonstrated increased function including greater mouth opening and conveyed experiencing diminished pain sensations. Although the preauricular endaural combined with a submandibular approach is considered the standard for temporomandibular joint (TMJ), the endaural only approach was adequate in this case providing immediate increases in MIO and decreases in patient perceived disability after the procedure. The single endaural method only created minor small incisions through the skin to extend to and increase the visibility of the appropriate area. It is a less invasive technique resulting in minimal tissue disturbance with immediately functional and aesthetically preferable results.
Synthetic Cannabinoids/K2 :Recognizing the neurotoxicity of a legal but potentially lethal substance of abuse (S53.004)

Objective: To promote wider recognition and further understanding of the neurological complications associated with synthetic cannabinoids’ use. Background: Synthetic cannabinoids (SCB) are marketed as herbal incense under various brand names including “Spice” or “K2” offering legal alternatives to cannabis, as they are undetectable in routine urine drug screens. They are a public health concern due to increasing use, abuse potential, and unpredictable toxicity. K2 is an herbal blend containing multiple synthetic cannabinoids and non-cannabinoid ingredients in varying composition. While cannabis contains delta-9-tetra-hydro-cannabinol(Δ9-THC) as the active component, K2 contains “Naphthoylindoles”. Design/Methods: We report twelve patients admitted at an urban hospital with dramatic neuropsychiatric symptoms and fulminant decline all linked to K2 exposure. There was either witnessed use just prior to the event or K2 was found in possession at the scene, suggesting a rapid onset of deleterious effects. Results: Three patients died. Brain imaging reflected diffuse cerebral edema in all three with one having evidence of diffuse vasospasm/vasculitis possibly related to the toxic ingestion. More than half of the patients required intensive care. Of the nine who recovered, three had presented with status epilepticus. Agitation, confusion, and paranoia were the most common CNS manifestations while status-epilepticus and stroke, the most severe. Conclusions: Our experience reflects a higher mortality rate than previously reported, which is concerning. Our findings also corroborate with previous reports of a possible reversible cerebral vasoconstriction mechanism for cerebral injury. Severe adverse effects with SCBs are possibly because of their different chemical structure and that they are full agonists at the cannabinoid receptors, compared to THC which is only a partial agonist. Lack of easy access to a commercially available test for K2 compounds also hinders early diagnosis. We anticipate that reported injuries and deaths will significantly increase as detection, and thus recognition improves. Disclosure: Dr. Sheharyar has nothing to disclose. Dr. Jayaraman has nothing to disclose. Dr. Prabhu has nothing to disclose. Dr. Roby has nothing to disclose.
Longitudinal Analysis of Food Insufficiency and Cardiovascular Disease Risk Factors in the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults Study

Introduction Most previous studies on food insecurity and cardiovascular disease risk factors are cross-sectional. Without longitudinal data, it is unclear whether food insecurity precedes poor health and how exposure timing impacts these relationships. Methods Data from 2000 to 2001, 2005 to 2006, and 2010 to 2011 of the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults study were used. Food insufficiency—a screener measure related to food insecurity—was assessed in 2000–2001 and 2005–2006 using a single item. Cardiovascular disease risk factors were objectively assessed in 2010–2011. Impacts of food insufficiency patterns (food sufficient, food insufficient in 2000–2001 only, food insufficient in 2005–2006 only, food insufficient in both 2000–2001 and 2005–2006) on cardiovascular disease risk factors were estimated using inverse probability weighting of marginal structural models. Covariates that change over time were adjusted for using stabilized weights; baseline covariates were adjusted for in the marginal structural models. Analyses were conducted in 2020–2021. Results The baseline sample included 2,596 participants (56% women, 47% White). In unadjusted analyses, all food insufficiency patterns were associated with higher BMI, waist circumference, and blood pressure than food sufficiency. After accounting for covariates, estimates were attenuated but still consistent with adverse effects of food insufficiency, particularly among women. Conclusions After covariate adjustment, food insufficiency was associated with several cardiovascular disease risk factors. Findings from this study should be replicated in other settings and populations. If verified, this evidence could provide justification for intervening in food insecurity to reduce future cardiovascular disease risk.
Robert Cover and Legal Pluralism - Redux

This short essay meditates on and reconsiders Robert Cover’s distinct vision of legal pluralism in the light of today’s political and legal environment. In a 2013 talk, https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=3302988, I discussed three dimensions of Cover’s legal pluralism: its centering of narrative, its frank focus on state violence and non-state resistance in the encounter of legal orders, and its important insight that non-state communities could articulate and defend their own distinct accounts of the state’s legal order. Each of these ideas looks different today than it did even a few years ago. The narrative of the moment is a specific form of polarization that threatens to hollow out whatever nomos comes within its expanding orbit. The state today is no longer just an imperial ruler asserting its will over smaller scale, paedeic communities, but an increasingly fragile legal order that has become deeply vulnerable to a jurispathy from below. And the scholarly effort to chart the complex dynamics of legal encounter can verge on looking precious in the light of our current brokenness. Nevertheless, it remains vital to take up Robert Cover’s challenge and continue to try to search for an account of nomos and narrative that can make sense of both richly thick communities and atavistic teams, of both imperial states and fragile polities.
Strengthening Social Policies in Behalf of Children and Families(1)

The myth that we are a child-oriented society continues to exist in this country. Yet the condition of our nation’s children is poor and getting worse. This condition is substantiated by a host of disturbing social indicators documented in several sources, such as the Carnegie council report, All Our Children (Keniston, 1977), and the 1976 report of the Advisory Committee on Child Development of the National Academy of Sciences (note 1). Problems faced by parents and children in four areas—health, child abuse, child care, and out-of-home child placements—will be described to highlight the invalidity of the myth.
Pesticide sorption and leaching potential on three Hawaiian soils

On the Hawaiian Islands, groundwater is the principal source of potable water and contamination of this key resource by pesticides is of great concern. To evaluate the leaching potential of four weak acid herbicides [aminocyclopyrachlor, picloram, metsulfuron-methyl, biologically active diketonitrile degradate of isoxaflutole (DKN)] and two neutral non-ionizable herbicides [oxyfluorfen, alachlor], their sorption coefficients were determined on three prevalent soils from the island of Oahu. Metsulfuron-methyl, aminocylcopyrachlor, picloram, and DKN were relatively low sorbing herbicides (K(oc) = 3-53 mL g(-1)), alachlor was intermediate (K(oc) = 120-150 mL g(-1)), and oxyfluorfen sorbed very strongly to the three soils (K(oc) > 12,000 mL g(-1)). Following determination of K(oc) values, the groundwater ubiquity score (GUS) indices for these compounds were calculated to predicted their behavior with the Comprehensive Leaching Risk Assessment System (CLEARS; Tier-1 methodology for Hawaii). Metsulfuron-methyl, aminocyclopyrachlor, picloram, and DKN would be categorized as likely leachers in all three Hawaiian soils, indicating a high risk of groundwater contamination across the island of Oahu. In contrast, oxyfluorfen, regardless of the degradation rate, would possess a low and acceptable leaching risk due to its high sorption on all three soils. The leaching potential of alachlor was more difficult to classify, with a GUS value between 1.8 and 2.8. In addition, four different biochar amendments to these soils did not significantly alter their sorption capacities for aminocyclopyrachlor, indicating a relatively low impact of black carbon additions from geologic volcanic inputs of black carbon. Due to the fact that pesticide environmental risks are chiefly dependent on local soil characteristics, this work has demonstrated that once soil specific sorption parameters are known one can assess the potential pesticide leaching risks.
Patterns of musculature as taxonomic characters for the Turbellaria Acoela

While turbellarians are generally assumed to have body-wall musculature consisting routinely of longitudinal, circular, and diagonal fibers, members of the Acoela examined by a fluorescence-microscopy technique specific for actin showed more complicated and distinctive arrangements of muscles, giving promise for better delimiting taxa within this taxonomically difficult order. Certain globose or tear-drop-shaped worms such as Convoluta pulchra and species of Pseudaphanostoma, Mecynostomum, and Otocelis, showed a complex pattern in which muscles longitudinal in the anterior half of the body arc diagonally across the posterior half; complex brushes of parenchymal muscles that cross at the level of the statocyst and arc postero-laterally also characterize these groups. The more elongate acoel Paratomella sp. was found to have musculature dominated by strictly longitudinal fibers and with relatively weak circular fibers and few fibers running diagonally to the body axis, yet the elongate mecynostomid Paedomecynostomum bruneum showed a crossing of antero-longitudinal fibers similar to that seen in the more globose Mecynostomum sp. A distinctive looping of muscles around the mouth is seen in P. bruneum and the Anaperidae. Such similarities and differences in pattern of musculature promise to provide easily recognizable characters for taxonomy of the Acoela at levels ranging from species to family.
On Purple Pills, Stem Cells and Other Market Failures: A Case for a Limited Compulsory Licensing Scheme for Patent Property

In an effort to balance the constitutional incentive of granting exclusive rights for "limited times" to inventors against the goal of furthering innovation and providing fair access to technology and knowledge, this paper explores options that provide greater leverage to accessing patented technology in a timely manner in situations where traditional licensing arrangements are an economic impossibility. The best illustrations of licensing bottlenecks are found in the areas of pharmaceutical/biotechnology and operations software. Here, patentees often stand to gain extraordinary profits from monopolizing the technology and little incentive to seek socially beneficial agreements in times of national crisis. With operations software, the patentee with the dominant system may delay licensing its technology and resist efforts that would result in opening the network to the entire marketplace, despite the fact that such activity would stimulate technological innovation and benefit consumers. Fair Use provisions, although attractive on the surface, lead to increased erosion of inventor incentives. This is particularly true in the area of biotechnology where start-up and research and development may become cost-prohibitive. However, the reverse doctrine of equivalents allows for infringing acts which produce radically pioneering inventions. Instead of attempting to mirror the Copyright Act's Fair Use Provisions, I advocate implementing some type of compulsory licensing scheme which can be triggered for public health, national emergency, or market failure situations. I posit that for pioneering inventions and certain types of basic research, such as stem cells, the transaction costs for negotiating and enforcing patent licenses becomes prohibitive and the incentive to abuse market pricing power is great. Overvaluing or undervaluing the market, market uncertainty, the desire to retain monopoly profits and differing goals of academic and corporate research are just a few of the scenarios which increase the costs of negotiating licenses and/or marketing patented inventions. Excessive transaction costs negate the Coasean "commons" theory that in the ideal universe of private property, minimal transaction costs will motivate parties to negotiate and share exclusive rights in a manner which leads to the most economically efficient use of resources. Instead, market failures often trigger monopoly pricing and/or an inability to negotiate traditional patent licenses. This creates a "bottle-neck" in natural free market competition, thereby preventing the true "progress and promotion" of the useful arts and science.
Denial of Service Attacks

This chapter focuses on the very serious problem of denial of service (DoS) attacks against computer systems and networks. DoS attacks are attacks designed to disrupt, overwhelm, and/or damage computing resources and data. These attacks are aimed not against confidentiality of data or integrity of systems and data, but rather against availability of systems and data. Attackers launch DoS attacks for a wide variety of reasons. The probability of success is high, due in large part to the fact that the Internet itself has not been designed for security. The cost of DoS attacks is often high—several well-known attacks have reportedly cost organizations billions of dollars. Many types of DoS attacks have surfaced so far, including resource starvation attacks, buffer overflow attacks, and packet fragmentation attacks. Distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks, attacks in which programs planted in multiple systems cooperate, represent an even higher level of threat. Preventing DoS attacks is difficult in the first place due to a plethora of reasons; limiting the potential for damage and disruption is often the most cost-effective strategy. Hot sites, cold sites, use of uninterruptible power supplies (UPSs) and Redundant Array of Independent Drives (RAID) solutions, and other measures can limit the damage from DoS attacks. Using properly configured and maintained firewalls is one of the best single prevention measures. Additionally, using packet filters on systems, keeping up with patches, limiting services that run on these systems, and using other measures go a long way in helping prevent susceptibility to DoS attacks. Keywords: buffer overflow attacks; distributed denial of service (DDoS); packet fragmentation attacks; resource starvation attacks; spoofing; teardrop attack
GPS monitoring data for active volcanos available on Internet

Recent technological advances have now made it possible for volcanologists to continuously monitor active volcanoes with the Global Positioning System (GPS). These observations allow detection of large changes in surface strain near active volcanoes that may precede major volcanic eruptions by days, weeks or even months. They are therefore a critical component of programs designed to assess hazard and predict eruptions of active volcanoes. Researchers who are unfamiliar with GPS technology or who do not have facilities to process large amounts of GPS data may have difficulty obtaining GPS results, however. To address this problem, we recently initiated a “proof of concept” system that provides, to anyone with access to Internet, analyzed results from two permanent GPS sites in Long Valley Caldera in California.
RNA Secondary Structure Analysis Using RNAstructure

RNAstructure is a user-friendly program for the prediction and analysis of RNA secondary structure. It is available as a Web server, as a program with a graphical user interface, or as a set of command-line tools. The programs are available for Microsoft Windows, Macintosh OS X, or Linux. This unit provides protocols for RNA secondary structure prediction (using the Web server or the graphical user interface) and prediction of high-affinity oligonucleotide biding sites to a structured RNA target (using the graphical user interface).
Ideal Cardiovascular Health During Adult Life and Cardiovascular Structure and Function Among the Elderly.

Background— A higher American Heart Association cardiovascular health score (CVHS) predicts a lower incidence of cardiovascular disease (CVD). However, the relationship of CVHS attainment through midlife to late life with CVD prevalence and cardiovascular structure and function in late life is not well described. Methods and Results— The following 6 ideal cardiovascular health metrics were assessed in the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) study participants at 5 examination visits between 1987 and 2013: nonsmoking, body mass index 2 , untreated total cholesterol Conclusions— Greater attainment of, and improvements in, ideal cardiovascular health through midlife to late life are associated with lower CVD prevalence and better cardiovascular structure and function when elderly. These findings highlight the importance of consistent primordial and primary prevention efforts throughout midlife to late life as a potential intervention to decrease the burden of CVD among the elderly.
Estimation of time-varying channels with orthogonal matching pursuit algorithm

The adaptive matching pursuit (AMP) algorithm was proposed as a basis selection algorithm for time-varying dictionaries. We propose an adaptive orthogonal matching pursuit (AOMP) algorithm for estimation of time-varying channels with sparse impulse response samples. The performance of the AOMP algorithm is then compared with the AMP algorithm through mean squared identification error and by means of a decision feedback equalizer. It is shown, using simulation results, that the AOMP algorithm, by avoiding the re-selection problem that exists in the AMP algorithm, obtains more accurate channel estimates
A survey of accountability in computer networks and distributed systems

Security in computer systems has been a major concern since the very beginning. Although security has been addressed in various aspects, accountability is one of the main facets of security that is lacking in today's computer systems. The ability not only to detect errors but also to find the responsible entity/entities for the failure is crucial. In this paper, we intend to provide a comprehensive investigation of the state-of-the-art accountability research issues in current information systems. Also, we study the various accountability tactics that are available and how each one of them contributes to providing strong accountability of different aspects. Finally, we examine the various merits and tradeoffs. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Incidence and significance of pneumomediastinum after laparoscopic esophageal surgery.

Background: Pneumomediastinum can be a sign of esophageal perforation. During laparoscopic esophageal surgery, the mediastinum is exposed to carbon dioxide gas under pressure that can cause pneumomediastinum.
Efficacy of the automatic implantable cardioverter-defibrillator in prolonging survival in patients with severe underlying cardiac disease

The ability of the automatic implantable cardioverter-defibrillator to prolong overall survival, particularly in patients with significantly depressed cardiac function, has not been well documented. Of 119 patients who received the implantable defibrillator in this institution, 40 had a left ventricular ejection fraction less than 30% (Group A) and 79 had an ejection fraction greater than or equal to 30% (Group B). For each group, cumulative survival was compared with the projected survival if the implantable defibrillator had not been used. Projected survival was based on the assumption that the first appropriate shock would have resulted in death without the defibrillator. For Group A, the 3 year cumulative survival rate was 67 +/- 12% versus a projected survival rate of 6 +/- 15% (p less than 0.001). For Group B, the 3 year cumulative survival rate was 96 +/- 3% versus a projected survival rate of 46 +/- 8% (p less than 0.001). Both the cumulative and projected survival rates for patients in Group A were significantly worse than for patients in Group B (p less than 0.01). The projected survival rates for both Groups A and B were comparable with the observed survival rate in similar patients treated without the implantable defibrillator. In summary, the implantable cardioverter-defibrillator significantly prolonged overall survival, even in patients with poor cardiac function. The technique of estimating projected survival appears to allow a realistic estimate of the reduction in mortality achieved by the defibrillator.
Active stereo vision and direct surface parameter estimation: curve-to-curve image plane mappings

The projection of structured light is a technique frequently used in computer vision to infer information about the surface structure of scene objects. Many traditional techniques compute a set of points on the object surface via triangulation, and then fit an appropriate surface model to them. The authors explore a new approach which avoids computation of individual 3-D surface points and allows a direct estimation of the parameters of second-order object surface models. The projection of lines onto a quadratic surface (quadric) yields quadratic curves (conics) in the passive image whose parameters can be estimated using a least-squares procedure. If the parameters of at least two passive image curves are known, another least squares fit can be used to estimate the visible 3-D object surface parameters. Computer simulations reveal that the estimation accuracy is moderate, and that the selection of the projected lines is critical. Future efforts are indicated.
The principal-agent problem with evolutionary learning

We extend agency theory to incorporate bounded rationality of both principals and agents. In this study we define a simple version of the principal-agent game and examine it using object-oriented computer simulation. Player learning is simulated with a genetic algorithm model. Our results show that players of incentive games in highly uncertain environments may take on defensive strategies. These defensive strategies lead to equilibria which are inferior to Nash equilibria. If agents are risk averse, the principal may not be able to provide enough monetary compensation to encourage them to take risks. But principals may be able to improve system performance by identifying good performers and facilitating information exchange among agents.
Risk-Reduction Strategies for Platelet Transfusion in the United States

Despite bacterial culture of platelets, transfusion-associated bacteremia/sepsis (TABS) may occur with a frequency of approximately 1/60,000 platelet transfusions, while an emerging transfusion-transmitted infection (TTI) could reproduce the epidemic of transfusion-transmitted human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in the future. As platelet pathogen-reduction (PR) systems licensed in Europe may eventually become licensed in the U.S., three alternative strategies for reducing the residual risks of TTIs and TABS may become available in the U.S. in the future: (1) transfusion of (already-available) non– pathogen-reduced single-donor (as opposed to pooled whole-blood-derived [PWBD]) platelets, (2) transfusion of pathogen-reduced single-donor platelets, or (3) transfusion of pathogen-reduced PWBD platelets (if trials of this component are conducted in the U.S. in the future). PR of platelets will increase the risk of mild and moderate (albeit perhaps not severe) bleeding complications and it cannot protect from all pathogens. Compared to PWBD platelets, single-donor platelets can reduce, by at least twofold, the risk of all known and emerging TTIs, as well as the risk of TABS, without incurring any risk. The fewer donor exposures secured by the use of single-donor platelets — especially if combined with collection of red blood cells and/or plasma from the same donation for transfusion to the same recipient through the use of multicomponent apheresis — may also reduce the risk of transfusion-related acute lung injury. To choose between pathogen-reduced and non–pathogen-reduced single-donor platelets, the increased risks of bleeding complications as well as other possible adverse events secondary to PR need to be quantified precisely and weighed against the competing risks of TABS and emerging TTIs.
The channel-storage method of determining effluent seepage

Some years ago the senior author, in collaboration with Norah Dowell Stearns, undertook to make a monthly inventory of the water-supply of the Pomperaug River Basin, in Connecticut, from a study of data obtained by A. J. Ellis from 1913 to 1916. For this purpose approximate determinations or estimates were made of the ground-water runoff, that is, of the part of the daily discharge of the river that consisted of water derived from the zone of saturation by effluent seepage. The determinations or estimates were essentially based on the assumption that after a week of fair weather the storm-water was all discharged and that until the next rain the runoff was essentially all ground-water (U.S. Geol, Surv. Water-Supply Paper 597, pp. 107–116 and pi. 19, 1929). In the discussion of the methods and results of this investigation, the following statement was made (Water-Supply Paper 597, pp. 145–146): “In this investigation the estimates of ground-water runoff were based on the discharge of the Pomperaug at Bennetts Bridge—that is, on the discharge during the periods between rains, when there was virtually no direct runoff left in the stream-system. Much better results could be obtained by basing the estimates on periods beginning as soon after rains as all of the direct runoff has reached the streams. With this method the ground-water runoff during any particular day would be the total runoff minus the decrease in stream-storage. The decrease in stream-storage could be estimated by maintaining gages at several points on the trunk-stream and on selected tributaries and making surveys of the stream-system showing the approximate water-areas of different parts of the system at different gage-heights.”
To Pool or Not to Pool: The Quality Bank Case

Abstract Drawing on a recent hearing before the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, this article illustrates how two statisticians on opposing sides, using two different approaches to the problem, arrived at the same estimator. The differences between the two approaches are highlighted and a proof for the equivalence of the two estimators is given.
Isolating the non-polar contributions to the intermolecular potential for water-alkane interactions

Intermolecular potential models for water and alkanes describe pure component properties fairly well, but fail to reproduce properties of water-alkane mixtures. Understanding interactions between water and non-polar molecules like alkanes is important not only for the hydrocarbon industry but has implications to biological processes as well. Although non-polar solutes in water have been widely studied, much less work has focused on water in non-polar solvents. In this study we calculate the solubility of water in different alkanes (methane to dodecane) at ambient conditions where the water content in alkanes is very low so that the non-polar water-alkane interactions determine solubility. Only the alkane-rich phase is simulated since the fugacity of water in the water rich phase is calculated from an accurate equation of state. Using the SPC/E model for water and TraPPE model for alkanes along with Lorentz-Berthelot mixing rules for the cross parameters produces a water solubility that is an order of magn...
PLATELET-DEPENDENT GENERATION OF CHEMOTACTIC ACTIVITY IN SERUM

A protein fraction extracted from the lysosomal granules of human platelets generated chemotactic activity for polymorphonuclear leukocytes when incubated with fresh serum. The platelet factor was also released during platelet aggregation with collagen or epinephrine and appeared to be released during blood clotting. Heated serum did not support the platelet-dependent generation of chemotactic activity. Treatment of fresh serum with antibody to the fifth component of complement also prevented development of activity. Purified human C5 but not C3 yielded chemotactic activity upon incubation with the platelet factor. Thus, human platelets are capable of stimulating chemotaxis via complement activation in a manner similar to leukocytes, and may therefore participate in the early stages of inflammation.
Computational Model of Optical Scattering by Elastin in Lung

Little is understood about the detailed micromechanical properties of lung in vivo. Attempts to improve imaging are hampered by heterogeneity of the tissue. One common ex vivo technique is optical coherence tomography (OCT). Simulated OCT with a Finite-Difference Time-Domain (FDTD) computer model elucidates the relationship between captured images and the physical geometry of the lung. Parallel computation and improved processing power make accurate coherent imaging models feasible. A previous FDTD model of pulsed laser wave propagation in the lung produced images that displayed many of the properties of experimental images. The model was improved with the addition of elastin and increased computational volume. Elastin plays an important role in the simulation because the combination of its fibrous structure and high index of refraction acts as an excellent scatterer of light. This strong scattering increases the signal reported by the simulated OCT scan in areas where elastin is most abundant, improving visualization of the structure as more light is reflected back from the heterogeneous elastin network. However, scattering by elastin decreases the depth of penetration and leads to images that are more difficult to interpret. Gaining a better understanding of how lung structures affect light propagation will lead to improved signal processing, instrumentation, and the development of new probing techniques. This image modeling technique can also be applied to other imaging modalities such as confocal and other laser scanning methods.
Carbon micro-ribbon and strip polarimeter targets for the AGS and RHIC

Abstract Current techniques used to produce carbon micro-ribbon targets 5 μm wide×3.7–4.5 μg/cm 2 ×25-mm long will be described. Developmental emphasis was to provide nearly identical micro-ribbons with the minimum number of atoms per unit of length, and to position them within ±0.5 mm of the desired location on C-shaped frames. The foil strip targets to be described were 200–600 μm wide×3.7–4.5 μg/cm 2 ×51 mm long. These were produced from 25-mm-wide carbon film deposits that were scribed using a jig prior to dissolving the betaine/sucrose release agent under ethanol. Both types of targets required methods and devices that differed significantly from those reported previously for substrate texturing, masking, vacuum deposition, releasing from the substrate, and mounting. Sets of 12–24 of the targets have been made for the 2006 run period at BNL.
The taste reactivity test. II. Mimetic responses to gustatory stimuli in chronic thalamic and chronic decerebrate rats

The taste reactivity test described in the preceding paper was used to begin determining the capacity of brain stem structures to execute and regulate ingestive behavior. Both chronic thalamic and chronic decerebrate rat preparations were examined repeatedly, and their gustatory mimetic responses compared through frame-by-frame videotape analysis with the responses of neurologically normal controls. In response to orally injected taste stimuli, chronic decerebrate rats executed the same mimetic response components, and very similar response sequences observed in intact rats. In contrast, all taste stimuli elicited a quinine-like rejection sequence from chronic thalamic rats. In thalamic rats mimetic responses associated with ingestion were completely absent. Based on the similarities in the ingestion and rejection responses of decerebrate and intact rats, it appears that discriminative responses to taste result from integrative mechanisms complete within, or caudal to, the midbrain. Since decerebrate rats have the capacity to execute both ingestion and rejection response sequences, neural mechanisms rostral to the midbrain in some way suppress ingestion and/or releaser ejection responses in the thalamic preparation.
Cytogenetics and fluorescence in situ hybridization studies of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma in children and young adults

Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL), the most common subtype of adult non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL), is infrequently seen in adolescents and is rare in children. Due to the infrequency of the disease, single institution-based cytogenetic and fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) studies of pediatric DLBCL have not been reported so far and, hence, the possible differences in pediatric and adult DLBCL have not been evaluated. We performed cytogenetic and FISH analyses of 7 pediatric and 5 young adult DLBCL cases referred to the University of Nebraska Medical Center. Karyotypic studies revealed numeric and structural chromosome abnormalities in all cases. Loss of chromosomes 2, 3, 4, 6, 12, 15, 16, and 17, and gain of 12, 18, and X were observed in more than 20% of the cases (#10878;3 cases). Sex chromosome abnormalities and cytogenetically unidentifiable chromosomes and/or segments were observed in 80% (10/12) of the cases. Recurrent breakpoints (observed in 3 or more cases) included 14q32 (IGH) and 17p13 (TP53), which clustered in the young adult group. The breakpoints 7q36, 9p24, 13q34, and 16q24 were noted in two cases each. We performed interphase FISH studies to verify the possible rearrangements of the breakpoints that are frequently implicated in adult DLBCL. Our results confirmed that the pediatric cases did not show rearrangements of 3q27 (BCL6), 14q32 (IGH), 18q21 (BCL2), 8q24 (CMYC), and 17p13 (TP53), except for one case with IGH;BCL2 dual fusion [t(14;18)(q32;q21)] and one with a 17p13 (TP53) deletion. Although 3q27 was noted to be rearranged by conventional cytogenetics in two young adult DLBCL cases, FISH investigations verified that BCL6 was not disrupted. The t(8;14)(q24;q32) with rearranged CMYC ascertained by FISH, was observed in a single young adult DLBCL case. These results highlight a distinctly different representation of cytogenetic abnormalities in pediatric versus adult DLBCL.
Dietary reconstruction from bones treated with preservatives

Abstract Pre-Historic diets may be reconstructed from the chemical and isotopic composition of human bone. Collections of human bone from archaeological contexts have been treated with resins, glues, and varnishes to consolidate and strengthen them. The use of such treated bone in chemical analysis for dietary reconstruction is evaluated. Results are presented of a study of a museum collection that had been treated with a common consolidant, Alvar. Treatments to remove Alvar from bone were successful. In addition, for one collagen preparation technique, such pretreatment was not necessary.
Current status of surgery for gastric cancer: a review

In the last three decades, considerable progress has been made in the diagnosis and management of gastric cancer. This was initiated by the Japanese and taken up by other focus groups in Asia, the United States, and Europe. Exciting prospects have been identified with the molecular characterization of the mutated gene causative for familial gastric cancer, and new developments in endoscopy and laparoscopy for diagnosis, management, and treatment continue. It is now clear that the extent of the gastric resection requires only that an R0 resection be performed and that total gastrectomy is not necessary for all patients with gastric adenocarcinoma. The extent of nodal dissection is defined as a major factor in staging and can influence outcome by stage. The recent development of defining adequate staging based on at least 15 nodes being sampled is a clear example of a simple system that can make major differences in overall management. The role of extended node dissection has been studied in prospective randomized trials showing no overall survival benefit but perhaps benefit to selected subgroups. The importance of the hospital and surgical experience in improving mortality and long-term survival is established. The role of adjuvant therapy, both pre- and postoperative, continues to be evaluated with some frustration that a single trial, as yet unconfirmed by subsequent trials, is considered the “standard of care” in the United States. The international gastric cancer community can help define the important issues that need to be answered in the coming decades.
The Role of Sodium in Photovoltaic Devices Under High Voltage Stress: A Holistic Approach to Understand Unsolved Aspects

Abstract The paper reviews the role of sodium in the degradation of PV devices under high voltage stress with the purpose to identify issues still not solved and to introduce a comprehensive method of investigation. If a limited amount of Na diffusion into the CIGS cell structure is beneficial for the cell performance, on the other side when moving in the module structure it could create unpleasant effects, like corrosion and shunts. Soda-lime glass with a concentration of sodium around 13–15% is widely used both as cell substrate and as front layer in PV modules. Glass is not a static material and Na movement is easily activated by different triggering causes (stress, voltage bias, environmental variables). This paper is considered a prelude to further research. For this reason, a methodological approach is outlined, with emphasis on the consideration that PV devices, such as modules, are complex systems of systems. Recalling methodological discussions both in system engineering and in risk analysis, the proposed approach emphasizes the importance to study such complex systems adopting a holistic approach, thus taking into consideration interactions between system components and the surrounding environment. Probabilistic risk analysis (PRA) is suggested as a valid method for representing and understanding the interactions between different system components and environmental factors, while studying system reliability and risks for electricity supply.
The secret operations of the mind

David Hume is widely believed to be one of the founders of functionalism. His principles of association are seen as an early attempt to articulate a mechanics of the mind akin to Newtonian mechanics. It is argued that this view is based on a failure to appreciate that Hume's skepticism about reason extends to our ability to understand the representation of everyday knowledge. For Hume there are “secret operations” of the mind, operations for which functional explanations are not forthcoming. Hume's place in the history of cognitive science is reevaluated in light of his views on common sense knowledge and belief formation.
Comparison of methods for following alkaline phosphatase catalysis: Spectrophotometric versus amperometric detection

An amperometric method for alkaline phosphatase is described and compared to the most widely used spectrophotometric method. Catalytic hydrogenation of 4-nitrophenylphosphate (the substrate in the spectrophotometric method) gives 4-aminophenylphosphate (the substrate in the amperometric method). The latter substrate has the formula C6H6NO4PNa2.5H2O and a Mr of 323. The Michaelis constant for 4-aminophenylphosphate in 0.10 M, pH 9.0. Tris buffer is 56 microM, while it is 82 microM for 4-nitrophenyl phosphate. The amperometric method has a detection limit of 7 nM for the product of the enzyme reaction, which is almost 20 times better than the spectrophotometric method. Similarly, with a 15-min reaction at room temperature and in a reaction volume of 1.1 ml, 0.05 microgram/l alkaline phosphatase can be detected by electrochemistry, almost an order of magnitude better than by absorption spectrophotometry. Amperometric detection is ideally suited for small-volume and trace immunoassay.
Democritus on Visual Perception: Two Theories or One?

The bulk of our information on Democritus' theory of visual perception comes from Theophrastus' De Sensibus. The claim is made that Theophrastus' account provides the grounds for attributing to Democritus a theory of visual perception which involves the following: a thin atomic 'image' leaves the physical object on its way toward the pet cipient; at the same time a 'visual ray' leaves the eye of the percipient toward the physical object; the 'image' and the 'ray' meet in midair, compress, and impress the air between them to form a new atomic entity which then travels to the eye of the pei cipient, and is thus seen by him. One might note that the presence of air midway between the object and the percipient is essential to the operation of this process. Ak problem arises from the fact that Aristotle cites Democritus as claiming that a person could see an insect on the vault of the heavens accurately, if there were void in between the insect and the viewer et ykvovto xevv o'0 s u'.' If we take the word xtv6v strictly and naturally to exclude air, then Aristotle's account quite clearly implies that air intervening between the physical object and the percipient is not required by Democritus' theory. Thus, an apparent contradiction arises between these reports: Theophrastus seems to say that such air is essential, while Aristotle implies that it is not. Various devices have been adopted to cope with this apparent contradiction. One such device is to ignore it, to cite both accounts without even noting the apparent contradiction or explaining what is involved.2 As far as I know, the only serious attempt to leconcile these differences is the positing of two theories of vision for Democritus
Tropical cyclones in the spectral element configuration of the Community Atmosphere Model

This paper explores the evolution of idealized tropical cyclones in the Community Atmosphere Model CAM 5 with the spectral element (SE) dynamical core at grid spacings of 111, 55 and 28 km. Over 10 simulation days the storms become increasingly intense and compact with increasing resolution. The experiments reveal unrealistically strong tropical cyclone intensities of minimum surface pressures ranging from 845 to 865 hPa and absolute maximum wind speeds greater than 100 m s −1 at the highest resolution, especially when small physics time steps are used. This unphysical behavior is related to the manner in which the physics time step is applied in CAM 5. The analysis indicates that the behavior of the physics parameterizations, namely the partitioning between convective and large-scale precipitation, at small time steps contributes to this intensity. Copyright  2012 Royal Meteorological Society