cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Fluid flow imaging by means of wide-band diffraction tomography

The problem of reconstructing a two-dimensional distribution of fluid flow from wide-band scattering measurements is considered. Reciprocal scattering measurements are employed, meaning that scattered waves are recorded between a source and receiver, and again with the source and receiver interchanged. As shown, such measurements allow the reconstruction of a fluid flow image separate from that of a distribution of stationary acoustic velocity inhomogeneities.
Dobutamine stress echocardiography in patients undergoing orthotopic liver transplantation: a pooled analysis of accuracy, perioperative and long term cardiovascular prognosis

Pre-transplant evaluation for orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) commonly includes a cardiac evaluation using dobutamine stress echocardiography (DSE). We performed a quantitative systematic review assessing DSE’s use in detecting coronary artery disease (CAD) and predicting perioperative and long term cardiac events in patients undergoing OLT. Published studies in pubmed were accessed using keyword searches and bibliographic review. Included studies evaluated the use of DSE in patients undergoing OLT, including its accuracy for detection of CAD, and in predicting perioperative and long term cardiac prognosis for both hard (myocardial infarction, cardiac death, cardiac arrest, and asystole) and soft cardiac events (all other events that were cardiovascular in nature). We calculated DSE’s sensitivity, specificity, negative predictive value (NPV), and positive predictive value (PPV) in the above areas. We identified 7 studies, including a total of 580 patients, which included 4 accuracy studies (n = 110 patients), 4 perioperative studies, and 3 long term studies. Accuracy for CAD included a sensitivity of 0.32, specificity of 0.78, PPV of 0.37, and NPV of 0.75. Accuracy for prediction of perioperative hard and soft cardiac events was a sensitivity of 0.20 and 0, specificity of 0.99 and 0.99, PPV of 0.33 and 0, and NPV of 0.98 and 0.89, respectively. For long term hard and soft cardiac events, sensitivity was 0.5 and 0, specificity 0.99 and 0.98, PPV 0.33 and 0, and NPV 0.99 and 0.96, respectively. DSE has a limited accuracy for the detection of CAD in candidates for OLT. However, among those patients selected for OLT, the negative predictive value of DSE for both perioperative and long term cardiac events is high.
Performance of a spiral ground heat exchanger for heat pump application

A high-efficiency ground heat exchanger has been developed for use with ground-source heat pumps. The exchanger is made of copper tubing, shaped in the form of a spiral, which can be installed in a vertical borehole backfilled with sand. Thermal performance of a full-scale prototype indicated that this heat exchanger can achieve very high heat extraction rates if subfreezing operating temperatures are used. For most soil types cyclic freezing and thawing is not a problem; however, for the sensitive Leda clay in which the prototype tests were conducted, substantial settlement occurred after the first freeze-thaw cycle owing to initial collapse of the soil structure.
Effects of a Conditioner on Soil Physical Properties

Agri-SC, a soil conditioner manufactured by Four Star Agricultural Services, Inc., Bluffton, IN, was applied to a fallow Stoy silt loam (fine-silty, mixed, mesic Aquic Hapludalf) at rates of 0, 0.15, 0.30, and 0.60 L/ha for two successive years. After application, the following soil parameters were measured: organic matter content, mean aggregate diameter, porosity, 48-h aeration porosity, sorptivity, saturated hydraulic conductivity, liquid limit, plastic limit, in situ infiltration and drainage rates, and soil water retention (up to 240 cm of suction). (…)
Geology of the granitic terrane, south-west Stewart Island (note)

Abstract Field, petrographic, and geochemical data are reported for the granite terrane at Port Pegasus, Stewart Island. Granodiorites predominate but some local variation to tonalite and granite may be recognised. Chemical data suggest emplacement and crystallisation from water-saturated melts at depths of 10–16 km. The granites are locally garnetiferous and an analysis of one such garnet is reported. A mylonite zone transects the western portion of the area and the Tin Range schist belt appears to continue SW as a train of amphibolitic xenoliths. These may be interpreted as a xenolith “screen” between deep level plutons rather than a coherent roof pendant as suggested by earlier workers.
Transport piece in the urines of premature infants.

IN 1965 Tomasi et al.1 presented evidence that the IgA in saliva and colostrum are similar but differ from serum IgA in that they have a higher sedimentation coefficient and an additional antigenic determinant. Later, South et al.2 confirmed and extended the discoveries of Tomasi et al. and observed that IgA can be selectively transported from serum into saliva and that salivary IgA can be dissociated into two antigenically distinct components by reduction with 2-mercaptoethanol. One of the components was immunochemically similar to serum IgA, and the other immunochemically identical to a protein, the transport piece demonstrable in saliva of patients lacking both serum and salivary IgA. They noted that transport piece is present in an unbound form in the saliva of most children and some adults. During the course of a longitudinal study carried out to determine the nature of proteins in urine of premature and full-term infants (our unpublished work) the experiments described here were carried out to determine if transport piece is present in the urine of premature infants.
Taurodeoxycholic acid stimulates rabbit gallbladder eicosanoid release

Rabbit common bile duct ligation has been shown to concomitantly increase levels of gallbladder taurodeoxycholic acid and gallbladder eicosanoid release. This study examines the hypothesis that taurodeoxycholic acid, a known chemical mediator of gallbladder inflammation, stimulates endogenous gallbladder eicosanoid release. Male New Zealand white rabbits were anesthetized, gallbladders removed and perfused in vitro with Krebs-Henseleit buffer (pH 7.4, 37 degrees C) at 1 ml/min with increasing doses of taurodeoxycholic acid (0, 10, 30 and 100 mM) added to the perfusate. The effluent was collected at 15, 30, 60 and 120 min of perfusion and assayed for 6-keto-PGF1 alpha (PGI2 metabolite), PGE2, and thromboxane B2 (TXB2) by enzyme immunoassay. Taurodeoxycholic acid increased gallbladder eicosanoid release in a dose-related manner with 6-keto-PGF1 alpha and PGE2 release 10-fold higher than TXB2. Indomethacin (1.5 mM) decreased gallbladder eicosanoid release by 50% in the gallbladders perfused with 30 mM taurodeoxycholic acid, demonstrating that the increased gallbladder eicosanoid release was due to de novo synthesis. These findings suggest that the increased release of gallbladder PGI2 and PGE2 described in animal models of cholecystitis may, in part, be related to increased gallbladder bile levels of taurodeoxycholic acid.
Continuous health monitoring of the thermal protection system for future spacecraft

The thermal protection system (TPS) represents the greatest risk factor after propulsion for any transatmospheric mission. Any damage to the TPS leaves the space vehicle vulnerable and could result in the loss of human life as what happened in the Columbia accident. Aboard the current Space Shuttle no system exists to notify the astronauts or ground control if the thermal protection system has been damaged. The goal of this project is to add self-diagnostic capability to future spacecraft through the use of a fiber-optic network embedded in the TPS. This system of sensors would allow for the detection of region fracture, optical temperature measurement at different depths within the region, communication with neighboring regions, and detection of communication loss. The hardware that would be added to each region consists of a radiation-hardened microcontroller, fiber-optic sensors and power. Each region would have the ability of reporting its own damage as well as reporting a loss of communication with any of its neighboring regions. Such a network would provide continuous health monitoring of the TPS in real-time. The developed intelligent region technologies are readily adaptable to ablative thermal protective systems.
New ice core record shows climate variability in West Antarctica

A 308-year ice core record provides new data on climate variability in coastal West Antarctica and shows that a clear warming trend has occurred in recent decades. To study climate over the past 3 centuries, Thomas et al. analyzed stable isotopes in the ice core, which provide a record of past temperatures. They observed that climate variability in coastal West Antarctica is strongly driven by sea surface temperatures and atmospheric pressure in the tropical Pacific.
NORTHERN SKY VARIABILITY SURVEY: PUBLIC DATA RELEASE

The Northern Sky Variability Survey (NSVS) is a temporal record of the sky over the optical magnitude range from 8 to 15.5. It was conducted in the course of the first-generation Robotic Optical Transient Search Experiment (ROTSE-I) using a robotic system of four comounted unfiltered telephoto lenses equipped with CCD cameras. The survey was conducted from Los Alamos, New Mexico, and primarily covers the entire northern sky. Some data in southern fields between declinations 0° and -38° are also available, although with fewer epochs and noticeably lesser quality. The NSVS contains light curves for approximately 14 million objects. With a 1 yr baseline and typically 100–500 measurements per object, the NSVS is the most extensive record of stellar variability across the bright sky available today. In a median field, bright unsaturated stars attain a point-to-point photometric scatter of ~0.02 mag and position errors within 2''. At Galactic latitudes |b| < 20°, the data quality is limited by severe blending due to the ~14'' pixel size. We present basic characteristics of the data set and describe data collection, analysis, and distribution. All NSVS photometric measurements are available for on-line public access from the Sky Database for Objects in Time-Domain (SkyDOT) at Los Alamos National Laboratory. Copies of the full survey photometry may also be requested on tape.
Potential for Improved Glycemic Control with Dietary Momordica charantia in Patients with Insulin Resistance and Pre-Diabetes

Bitter Melon (Momordica charantia) is a widely used traditional remedy for hyperglycemia. While the medicinal properties of this plant have been studied extensively using in vitro and animal models, the clinical efficacy and safety in humans is largely unknown. This review discusses the benefits and limitations of bitter melon supplementation in the context of epidemic levels of insulin resistance and pre-diabetes throughout the world.
Bavarian experiences with computers in education: Implications for a policy

The ‘Zentralstelle’ (Centre for programmed instruction and instructional computer application) was created in 1968. In 1981 the Bavarian Government decided to strive for multifunctional use of the computer in secondary education. At present over 60% of schools have one or more micro-computers. They receive instruction and assistance from the Zentralstelle. Other activities include organising inservice courses and developing and testing of programmes.
Density waves in gravity-driven granular flow through a channel

A molecular-dynamic computer simulation is used to examine rapid granular flow in a vertical channel. A two-dimensional event driven algorithm is used with periodic boundary conditions in the flow direction and solid walls in the lateral direction. Flow in the channel leads to an inhomogeneous distribution of the particles and two distinct types of density waves are identified: An S-shaped wave and a clump. The density waves are further characterized by quantifying their temporal evolution using Fourier methods and examining local and global flow properties of the system, including velocities, mass fluxes, granular temperatures, and stresses. A parametric study is used to characterize the effect of the system parameters on the density waves. In particular we are able to show that the dynamics of large systems are often qualitatively and quantitatively different from those of small systems. Finally, the types of density waves and dominant Fourier modes observed in our work are compared to those that are predicted using a linear stability analysis of equations of motion for rapid granular flow.
TU-FF-A2-03: Effects of CT Calibration On Tissue Inhomogeneity Correction in Radiotherapy

Purpose: To quantify the effect of CTcalibration on tissue inhomogeneity correction in radiotherapy.Method and Materials: Materials with known electron densities relative to water ranging from 0 to 2.34 were scanned with two GELight Speed CTs at the four available KVs of 80, 100, 120 and 140 KV and a GE 9800 CT. The effect of using mismatched calibration curves on calculation of tissue inhomogeneity corrections were evaluated using the effective TMR method. Results: All CTcalibration curves agree with each other between air and water region. Above the density of water, the calibration curves for lower kV were significantly higher than those for higher kV, by up to 560 HU for cortical bone (ρe= 1.69). Thus, using a generic calibration curves would lead to an error in the determination of electron density and hence the tissue inhomogeneity correction. The effect of CT number error (ΔHU) on dose calculation is approximated as ΔD/t [%/cm] = TMR′* ΔHU/2000, for HU > 1000, where t is the physical thickness of the dense material layer and TMR′ is the TMR gradient. For example if a cortical bone is scanned with GELight Speed at 80 KV but the CTcalibration curve of 140 KV is used in dose calculation and the treatmentradiation beam is the 6 MV at field size of 1×1 cm2, the dose calculation error down stream of the bone layer will be about 1.2% per cm of bone. The effect is smaller for the 18 MV beam due to the smaller TMR gradient. Conclusion: For best accuracy of tissue inhomogeneity correction, the KV specific, instead of a generic, CTcalibration curve should be used.
Dietary trans-monounsaturated fatty acids negatively impact plasma lipids in humans: critical review of the evidence.

Trans fatty acids (t-FA) are geometrical isomers of unsaturated fatty acids that assume a saturated fatty acid-like configuration. Human diets contain t-FA derived from animal sources (e.g., dairy products and ruminant meats), but most are supplied by products containing industrially hydrogenated vegetable oils (e.g., margarines, shortenings and baked goods). Typical intake of t-FA in American diets has been estimated to be between 8-15 g/day, although wide variation exists between individuals. Human clinical studies since 1990 have revealed that relative to cis-monounsaturated fatty acids (i.e., oleic acid), t-FA increase total cholesterol (TC) and low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), and tend to decrease high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) concentrations. Additionally, t-FA tend to increase the atherogenic lipoprotein (a). Thus, t-FA induce an adverse plasma lipid profile (increased ratios of TC/LDL-C and LDL-C/HDL-C), which represents increased risk for coronary heart disease. The effe...
Finite-difference modeling of borehole induction data in the presence of 3D electrical conductivity anisotropy using coupled scattered potentials

We describe a novel finite-difference (FD) forward modeling method to simulate borehole electromagnetic (EM) fields in arbitrary three-dimensional (3D) electrically anisotropic media. This novel simulation method is based on the boundary-value problem of coupled scattered vector-scalar potentials. We solve the ensuing boundary-value problem with a central FD approximation on a Yee’s staggered grid. Such an approximations produces a linear system of equations that is sparse and complex non-symmetrical. The final linear system is iteratively solved using a Krylov subspace solver—the improved stabilized complex bi-conjugate gradient method (BICGSTAB (L)). This solver significantly accelerates the converge rate compared to conventional conjugate gradient, the bi-conjugate gradient (BICG) methods and BICGSTAB. In addition, we make use of an efficient optimal grid refinement strategy that considerably reduces memory requirements without sacrifice of accuracy. We provide examples of the numerical simulation of borehole EM induction instruments to assess the validity, efficiency, and accuracy of the new numerical formulation. All numerical examples considered in the benchmark study indicate that the scattered potential FD method successfully competes with alternative finitedifference methods used to simulate borehole EM logging responses in the presence of 3D inhomogeneous anisotropic media.
954-6 Evidence of Deterministic Chaos in Atrial Fibrillation as Demonstrated by Fourier Spectral Analysis of Left Atrial Appendage Doppler Flow

Theories of deterministic chaos have been applied to mammalian systems and specifically to arrhythmogenesis however controversy persists as to whether fibrillation [atrial (AF) or ventricular] obey...
The Catholic Bishops Conferences of the United States and France: Engaging Immigration as a Public Issue

The secularization paradigm in the social sciences led many scholars to presume that religious organizations no longer had a public role in society. The author argues that one pressing public issue today, immigration, has become a strategic site on which the Catholic church has reasserted its prophetic voice in society, in particular calling for more humane treatment of undocumented immigrants and greater intercultural dialogue. The author compares evidence from the Catholic Bishops Conferences in the United States and France to show how the Catholic church is defining its role as a public religion in modern democratic states.
Particle ordering in colloidal thin films deposited by flow‐coating

The wide applications of two-dimensionally ordered nanoscale features have stimulated the development of cheap and fast fabrication techniques in recent years. We achieved large area of uniform film of nanoparticles between 49.8 ± 8.7 and 117.6 ± 6.7 nm via flow-coating. However, the single crystalline domains of a close-packed monolayer remained limited. That motivated deposition of initially ordered colloidal dispersions, attained through deionized solutions to extend electrostatic double layers for long-range repulsion. Although the deposition agreed reasonably well with our power-law model, the initial order was destroyed at high shear. While the particle order was partially preserved during deposition at low shear, the domain size was not particularly extensive due to the high compression of double layers during evaporation. © 2014 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 60: 1287–1302, 2014
PTSD Symptom Severity and Family Adjustment Among Female Vietnam Veterans

This study examined relations between posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptom severity and several family adjustment variables among a sample of 89 female Vietnam veterans and their male relat...
Catecholamine content and histology of the adrenal glands of the nutria (Myocastor coypus)

Abstract 1. 1. The adrenal gland of the adult nutria ( Myocastor coypus ) contains low levels of epinephrine and norepinephrine. The adrenal levels of both catecholamines in immature animals were higher than those of the adult. 2. 2. The predominant catecholamine in the adult adrenal gland was epinephrine and in the young animals was norepinephrine. 3. 3. The ratio of adrenal weight to body weight for the adult nutria was greater than that reported for other adult mammals. 4. 4. In all of the animals in this study, there was marked dimorphism in shape and size between the left and right adrenal glands. 5. 5. The adrenal gland was composed mostly of cortical tissue.
Muscle response to pneumatic hand tool torque reaction forces.

Surface electromyography was used for studying the effects of torque reaction force acting against the hand, on forearm muscle activity and grip force for five subjects operating right angle, air shut-off nutrunners. Four tools having increasing spindle torque were operated using short and long torque reaction times. Nutrunner spindle torque ranged between 30 Nm and 100 Nm. Short torque reaction time was considered 0·5 s while long torque reaction time was 2 s. Peak horizontal force was the greatest component of the reaction force acting against the hand and accounted for more than 97% of the peak resultant hand force. Peak hand force increased from 89 N for the smallest tool to 202 N for the largest tool. Forearm muscle rms EMG, scaled for grip force, indicated average flexor activity during the Torque-reaction phase was more than four times greater than the Pre-start and Post Shut-off phases, and two times greater than the Run-down phase. Flexor EMG activity during the Torque-reaction phase increased fo...
Synthesis of (Diethyl-d10) coumaphos and related compounds.

Two deuterated insecticides were prepared for use as internal standards for gas−liquid chromatographic−mass spectrometric analyses. Diethyl chlorothiophosphate-d10 was prepared by reaction of ethanol-d6 with P2S5 to give labeled diethyldithiophosphoric acid, followed by chlorination. Treatment of the acid chloride with 3-chloro-4-methyl-7-hydroxycoumarin and potassium carbonate in acetone at reflux gave labeled coumaphos. An analogous reaction with 4-methyl-7-hydroxycoumarin gave labeled potasan, and the technique should be usable for synthesis of labeled forms of other dialkyl thiophosphate insecticides. Keywords: Coumaphos-d10; potasan-d10; deuterated pesticides; labeled pesticides
Richardson orbits for real classical groups

Abstract For classical real Lie groups, we compute the annihilators and associated varieties of the derived functor modules cohomologically induced from the trivial representation. (Generalizing the standard terminology for complex groups, the nilpotent orbits that arise as such associated varieties are called Richardson orbits.) We show that every complex special orbit has a real form which is Richardson. As a consequence of the annihilator calculations, we give many new infinite families of simple highest weight modules with irreducible associated varieties. Finally we sketch the analogous computations for singular derived functor modules in the weakly fair range and, as an application, outline a method to detect non-normality of complex nilpotent orbit closures.
Tumors express both unique TSTA and crossprotective 44 kDa oncofetal antigen

Abstract Tumors of inbred rodents and humans generally express a shared tumor-associated transplantation antigen (TATA)-like oncofetal antigen (OFA) and tumor-specific transplantation antigen (TSTA), which stimulate cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) tumor rejection responses. Immunoregulatory CD8 + OFA-specific suppressor T cells are also stimulated, which promote tumor development via interleukin 10 secretion, inhibiting CTL function. Here, Joseph Coggin and colleagues argue that future investigations must distinguish responses to OFA and TSTA.
The influence of processing instructions at encoding and retrieval on face recognition accuracy

Abstract Whereas previous research has demonstrated that trait ratings of faces at encoding leads to enhanced recognition accuracy as compared to feature ratings, this set of experiments examines whether ratings given after encoding and just prior to recognition influence face recognition accuracy. In Experiment 1 subjects who made feature ratings just prior to recognition were significantly less accurate than subjects who made no ratings or trait ratings. In Experiment 2 ratings were manipulated at both encoding and retrieval. The retrieval effect was smaller and nonsignificant, but a combined probability analysis showed that it was significant when results from both experiments are considered jointly. As in previous research, subjects who rated facial features at encoding performed less accurately than subjects who rated traits. In a third experiment exposure duration at retrieval, a potentially confounding factor in Experiments 1 and 2, had a nonsignificant effect on recognition accuracy, suggesting th...
Halobacillin: A cytotoxic cyclic acylpeptide of the iturin class produced by a marine Bacillus

Abstract Halobacillin (1), a new cyclic acylpeptide of the iturin class, has been isolated from cultures of a Bacillus species (culture # CND-914) obtained from a deep-sea sediment core. The structure of the new compound was assigned on the basis of comprehensive NMR studies of 1 and methyl halobacillin (2), and evaluation of the amino acids obtained by acid hydrolysis.
Left lobe adult‐to‐adult living donor liver transplantation: Small grafts and hemiportocaval shunts in the prevention of small‐for‐size syndrome

Adult-to-adult living donor liver transplantation (AA-LDLT) has better outcomes when a graft weight to recipient weight ratio (GW/RW) > 0.8 is selected. A smaller GW/RW may result in small-for-size syndrome (SFSS). Portal inflow modulation seems to effectively prevent SFSS. Donor right hepatectomy is associated with greater morbidity and mortality than left hepatectomy. In an attempt to shift the risk away from the donor, we postulated that left lobe grafts with a GW/RW < 0.8 could be safely used with the construction of a hemiportocaval shunt (HPCS). We combined data from 2 centers and selected suitable left lobe living donor/recipient pairs. Since January 2005, 21 patients underwent AA-LDLT with left lobe grafts. Sixteen patients underwent the creation of an HPCS between the right portal vein and the inferior vena cava. The portocaval gradient (portal pressure - central venous pressure) was measured before the unclamping of the shunt and 10 minutes after unclamping. The median actual graft weight was 413 g (range = 350-670 g), and the median GW/RW was 0.67 (range = 0.5-1.0). The portocaval gradient was reduced from a median of 18 to 5 mmHg. Patient survival and graft survival at 1 year were 87% and 81%, respectively. SFSS developed in 1 patient, who required retransplantation. Two patients died at 3 and 10 months from a bile leak and fungal sepsis, respectively. The median recipient bilirubin level and INR were 1.7 mg/dL and 1.1, respectively, at 4 weeks post-transplant. One donor had a bile leak (cut surface). This is the first US series of small left lobe AA-LDLT demonstrating that the transplantation of small grafts with modulation of the portal inflow by the creation of an HPCS may prevent the development of SFSS while at the same time providing adequate liver volume. As it matures, this technique has the potential for widespread application and could positively effect donor safety, the donor pool, and waiting list times.
Quantal size fits central synaptic depression

In this issue of PNAS, Chen et al . (1) report the first direct electrophysiological recordings from single visualized excitatory synapses and further define the elementary properties of chemical synaptic transmission. They show that single synapses of hippocampal neurons typically release one quantum of neurotransmitter and that presynaptic regulation of the size of this quantum contributes to short-term synaptic depression. Neural networks are defined by synaptic connections among neurons, typically chemical synapses, at which electrical signals are transmitted and received. The basic principles of chemical synaptic transmission were defined in pioneering studies of the neuromuscular junction and subsequently extended to synapses of the central nervous system (2–4). As illustrated in Fig. 1, axons often branch extensively before contacting postsynaptic targets where they form terminal compartments referred to as boutons. Presynaptic boutons contain many neurotransmitter-filled synaptic vesicles including a small, readily releasable pool docked at specialized plasma membrane structures called active zones (Fig. 1). After excitation of the presynaptic neuron, vesicle fusion and exocytosis of neurotransmitter is triggered by calcium influx through voltage-gated calcium channels. Subsequent activation of neurotransmitter-gated ion channels clustered within the postsynaptic density results in excitation or inhibition of the postsynaptic membrane. The vesicle hypothesis of neurotransmitter release provides a structural basis for the early observation that chemical synaptic transmission is quantal. One quantum likely corresponds to release of neurotransmitter from a single synaptic vesicle. Fig. 1. Overview of synaptic structure and identification of isolated visualized single synapses. A branched axon, presynaptic boutons, and single-synapse structure are illustrated. In cultured hippocampal neurons, most boutons form only one synapse. Chen et al . visualized synapses by loading synaptic vesicles with the membrane-associated fluorescent dye FM 1-43 (green). To avoid inclusion …
Rhythmic expression of Fos-related proteins within the rat suprachiasmatic nucleus during constant retinal illumination.

Abstract Within the retinorecipient or ventrolateral subfield of suprachiasmatic nuclei (SCN) in rodents, expression of the protein product of the c- fos proto-oncogene. Fos, is regulated by light. In the present study, the expression of Fos and Fos-related proteins within the SCN was examined immunocytochemically for evidence of rhythmic variation in rats sacrificed at different circadian times during exposure to constant retinal illumination (LL). In all animals, nuclear Fos immunoreactivity was mainly contined to an area of the SCN that was coextensive with neuropeptide Y-immunopositive fibers distinguishing the ventrolateral subfield of the nucleus. Moreover, Fos-immunostaining within the ventrolateral SCN of rats exposed to IL fluctuated over the course of the circadian cycle, such that the density of immunopositive cells within this subfield was 2 times greater during the subjective night than during the subjective day. Since Fos expression within the SCN oscillates in the absence of photoperiodic time cues and since the peak of this oscillation coincides with the circadian times when light modulates the periodicity of the SCN pacemaker, these data provide further evidence that expression of the c- fos gene may be a molecular signal in the circadian timekeeping mechanism in the SCN and its regulation by photic stimuli.
Predicting rehospitalization and outpatient services from administration and clinical databases.

The study tests whether psychiatric services utilization may be predicted from administrative databases without clinical variables equally as well as from databases with clinical variables. Persons with a psychiatric hospitalization at an urban medical center were followed for 1 year postdischarge (N=1384.) Dependent variables included statewide rehospitalization and the number of hours of outpatient services received. Three linear and logistic regression models were developed and cross-validated: a basic model with limited administrative independent variables, an intermediate model with diagnostic and limited clinical indicators, and a full model containing additional clinical predictors. For rehospitalization, the clinical cross-validated model accounted for twice the variance accounted by the basic model (adjusted R2=.13 and .06, respectively). For outpatient hours, the basic cross-validated model performed as well as the clinical model (adjusted R2=.36 and .34, respectively.) Clinical indicators such as assessment of functioning and co-occurring substance use disorder should be considered for inclusion in predicting rehospitalization.
Dispersions of oxide powders in organic liquids

Thirteen oxide powders, all of which are important in the making of capacitors, were dispersed in nineteen pure organic liquids and water. The dispersions were characterized according to sediment volume results. Further experiments were performed to qualify the effects of moisture, particle concentration, and particle size distribution. Scanning electron micrographs of centrifuge casts of each powder in their best and worst dispersing medium were used to characterize further the dispersions. Results showed that alcohols and aldehydes were the best pure liquid dispersing mediums and hydrocarbons, ketones, and ethers were poor. The best results were obtained for a narrow-sized zirconia powder dispersed in methanol.
Supervenience and infinitary logic

Etude de l'interaction entre la survenance et la logique infinie. Examinant l'usage restreint et l'usage non restreint de la logique infinie, ainsi que les problemes metaphysiques qui en resultent, l'A. met en evidence les dangers de la cloture infinie, et montre que la logique infinie souleve un nouveau paradoxe concernant le statut physique de l'univers.
Automated ultrasonic arterial vibrometry: detection and measurement

Since the invention of the stethoscope, the detection of vibrations and sounds from the body has been a touchstone of diagnosis. However, the method is limited to vibrations whose associated sounds transmit to the skin, with no means to determine the anatomic and physiological source of the vibrations save the cunning of the examiner. Using ultrasound quadrature phase demodulation methods similar to those of ultrasonic color flow imaging, we have developed a system to detect and measure tissue vibrations with amplitude excursions as small as 30 nanometers. The system uses wavelet analysis for sensitive and specific detection, as well as measurement, of short duration vibrations amidst clutter and time-varying, colored noise. Vibration detection rates in ROC curves from simulated data predict > 99.5% detections with = 0.5. Vibrations from in vivo arterial stenoses and punctures have been studied. The results show that vibration durations vary from 10 - 150 ms, frequencies from 100 - 1000 Hz, and amplitudes from 30 nanometers to several microns. By marking the location of vibration sources on ultrasound images, and using color to indicate amplitude, frequency or acoustic intensity, new diagnostic information is provided to aid disorder diagnosis and management.
Brugada electrocardiographic pattern in a postoperative patient.

Objective To report the development of the Brugada electrocardiographic (ECG) pattern in the immediate postoperative setting. Design Case report. Setting Postanesthesia care unit at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. Patient A 51-yr-old white male who developed new ST-segment elevation in leads V(1)-V(3) typical of the ECG changes of the Brugada syndrome immediately after undergoing head and neck surgery for cancer. The patient was asymptomatic, and the cardiac enzymes and echocardiogram were normal; therefore, electrophysiologic study was not performed. Conclusions We postulated that the Brugada ECG abnormalities were induced primarily by an increase in parasympathetic tone resulting from vagal nerve manipulation during deep neck dissection and partially by the fever he developed during the postoperative period. In addition to the more common causes of ST-segment elevation, the Brugada ECG pattern or syndrome should be considered in patients undergoing deep neck dissection who develop characteristic ECG changes in association with normal cardiac enzymes and echocardiogram.
The Role(s) of Cytokines/Chemokines in Urinary Bladder Inflammation and Dysfunction

Bladder pain syndrome (BPS)/interstitial cystitis (IC) is a chronic pain syndrome characterized by pain, pressure, or discomfort perceived to be bladder related and with at least one urinary symptom. It was recently concluded that 3.3–7.9 million women (>18 years old) in the United States exhibit BPS/IC symptoms. The impact of BPS/IC on quality of life is enormous and the economic burden is significant. Although the etiology and pathogenesis of BPS/IC are unknown, numerous theories including infection, inflammation, autoimmune disorder, toxic urinary agents, urothelial dysfunction, and neurogenic causes have been proposed. Altered visceral sensations from the urinary bladder (i.e., pain at low or moderate bladder filling) that accompany BPS/IC may be mediated by many factors including changes in the properties of peripheral bladder afferent pathways such that bladder afferent neurons respond in an exaggerated manner to normally innocuous stimuli (allodynia). The goals for this review are to describe chemokine/receptor (CXCL12/CXCR4; CCL2/CCR2) signaling and cytokine/receptor (transforming growth factor (TGF-β)/TGF-β type 1 receptor) signaling that may be valuable LUT targets for pharmacologic therapy to improve urinary bladder function and reduce somatic sensitivity associated with urinary bladder inflammation.
NEAR EDGE X-RAY ABSORPTION FINE STRUCTURE SPECTROSCOPY IN MATERIALS ANALYSIS

Near Edge X-ray Absorption Fine Structure (NEXAFS) Spectroscopy is a recently developed tool which is used to determine angular orientation and bond lengths of small molecules which adsorbed onto surfaces. Polarized soft x-rays from a synchrotron radiation source cause electronic transitions from core levels into unfilled molecular orbitals near the vacuum level. Many small molecules have unfilled it and a symmetry orbitals, and dipole selection rules cause these transitions to be highly polarization dependent. By rotating the sample with respect to the photon beam, one observes this polarization dependence, and from this the angular orientations of the chemical bonds are inferred. The technique is less model dependent than conventional techniques such as LEED and HREELS, and has been used to determine a number of orientations with confidence. The spectra also yield information about the lengths of the bonds from which structural models may be constructed for the surface + adsorbate system.
Comparison of Mouse Matrix Metalloproteinase 13 Expression in Free-Electron Laser and Scalpel Incisions During Wound Healing

Collagenase-3 (matrix metalloproteinase 13, MMP-13) was employed as a surrogate marker to compare the characteristics of incisional wound repair after surgery with the free-electron laser at 6.1 μm and the scalpel. Using a transgenic mouse strain with the MMP-13 or the COL1A2 promoter driving luciferase expression, we observed MMP-13 and COL1A2 expression, tensile strength, macrophage infiltration, and wound histology for up to 62 d. The scalpel incisions showed higher tensile strength than free-electron laser wounds from days 10 to 22 postwounding, despite minimal collateral thermal damage. After 45 d healing was similar. Trichrome staining confirmed that the scalpel incisions had more dense collagen deposition than free-electron laser incisions up to 36 d postinjury, but at day 45 they became similar. MMP-13 expression was biphasic, with peak activities at days 15 and 37 after injury, whereas free-electron laser wounds showed greater luciferase activity than scalpel wounds. Peak COL1A2 activity preceded the MMP-13 maximum. MMP-13 expression localized predominantly to dermal fibroblasts near the epidermis at day 15, and in the region of the deep dermis, muscle, and fascia at day 37 postwounding. Migrating muscle cells, but not all skeletal muscle cells, also expressed MMP-13. Free-electron laser incisions contained more macrophages than scalpel wounds at days 2 and 7 postinjury, suggesting that free-electron laser irradiation exacerbated the inflammatory response and thereby stimulated MMP-13 expression. These results revealed that MMP-13 was involved in a series of coordinated events during wound healing, not only the long-term remodeling of wound connective tissue, but also skeletal muscle repair. MMP-13 activity in vivo may correlate with the extent of tissue damage.
Development of mid-wavelength and long-wavelength megapixel portable QWIP imaging cameras

Abstract Mid-wavelength infrared (MWIR) and long-wavelength infrared (LWIR) megapixel quantum well infrared photodetector (QWIP) focal plane arrays have been demonstrated with excellent imaging performance. The MWIR detector array has shown noise equivalent temperature difference (NETD) of 17 mK at 95 K operating temperature with f/2.5 optics at 300 K background and the LWIR detector array has given NETD of 13 m K at 70 K operating temperature with the same optical and background conditions as the MWIR array. Two portable prototype infrared cameras were fabricated using these two focal planes. The MWIR and the LWIR prototype cameras with similar optics have shown background limited performance (BLIP) at 90 K and 70 K operating temperatures respectively, at 300 K background. In this paper, we will discuss their performance in quantum efficiency, NETD, uniformity, and operability.
Interatrial block - a novel risk factor for acute mesenteric ischemia

Interatrial block (IAB; P-wave duration ≥110 milliseconds) denotes a conduction delay between the two atria. IAB has been shown to have a strong correlation with atrial arrhythmias, left atrial enlargement, left atrial electromechanical dysfunction and cerebral thromboembolism. Our study sought to determine whether there was an increased incidence of IAB in patients with acute occlusive mesenteric ischemia. Medical records of patients admitted with a diagnosis of acute mesenteric ischemia (AMeI) from January 2009 to March 2011 were reviewed retrospectively. One hundred seventy-two out of 342 patients reviewed, qualified after excluding mechanical surgical obstruction, suspected non-occlusive mesenteric ischemia due to shock/hypoperfusion, and mesenteric venous thrombosis. Of 99 patients who were in normal sinus rhythm without prior history of atrial arrhythmia, 88 (88.9 %) had IAB. This was more than twice the average prevalence of IAB of two general hospital populations (41 % and 47 % as demonstrated by two previous studies). IAB may thus represent a novel risk factor for AMeI as it does for embolic stroke.
Bake stability of long-wavelength infrared HgCdTe photodiodes

The bake stability was examined for HgCdTe wafers and photodiodes with CdTe surface passivation deposited by thermal evaporation. Electrical and electrooptical measurements were performed on various long-wavelength infrared HgCdTe photodiodes prior to and after a ten-day vacuum bakeout at 80°C, similar to conditions used for preparation of tactical dewar assemblies. It was found that the bakeout process generated additional defects at the CdTe/ HgCdTe interface and degraded photodiode parameters such as zero bias impedance, dark current, and photocurrent. Annealing at 220°C under a Hg vapor pressure following the CdTe deposition suppressed the interface defect generation process during bakeout and stabilized HgCdTe photodiode performance.
The uniformization property for ℵ2

We present S. Shelah’s result thatS 1 2 ={δ<ω 2: cf(δ)=ω 1} may have the uniformization property (cf., §1, or [3] for a definition) for “well-chosen sequences”, 〈η δ:δ∈S 1 2 ^η δ an increasingω 1-sequence of ordinals converging to δ〉. This implies that $$GCH\not \to \diamondsuit _{s_1^2 } $$ , which shows that Gregory’ result (cf., [2]), $$GCH \to \diamondsuit _{s_0^2 } $$ , is the best possible.
Sex-related patient and therapist effects on clinical judgment

The purpose of this investigation was to submit the claim of sex-related bias in clinical judgment to more thorough empirical testing than had been the case in previous research. Patient sex and stereotypic sex-role were factorially varied in a clinical protocol that was sent with related materials to 640 sex-stratified, randomly selected Members and Fellows of APA Division 29 (Psychotherapy). Approximately 30% (N=182) of those contacted returned usable data, including information about their own sex-role traditionalism and evaluation of the hypothetical patients' psychological well-being. Results confirmed the effectiveness of the stereotypic sex-role manipulation. However, no consistent effects were found for any of the four variables of interest considered in isolation or in combination, thereby refuting allegations of covert sex-related discrimination perpetrated under the aegis of psychological appraisal. Favorableness of clinical impressions was not mediated by therapists' self-reported attitudes toward the patients. The study's generally unexpected outcome was tentatively attributed to enhanced professional sensitization to the sociocultural barriers to full psychological functioning in women.
Gasoline rationing and market pricing: Public choice in political economy

An attempt is made to explain the apparent political support for the price control-rationing proposals over alternative policy choices. The public choice approach to the theory of economic policy is used to explain the behavior of politicians in terms of response to the interest of their constituents. Simplified models are used to develop arguments concerning consumer awareness in the current oil crisis. The first model considers a setting with identical consumers and the other, a more realistic model, allows for differences amoung consumers in quanities purchased. Potential compensation is discussed, and price control rationing and market adjustment alternatives are considered.
c-Maf rules the island

In this issue of Blood , Kusakabe et al make a compelling case that the transcription factor c-Maf is critical for erythroblastic island formation and fetal erythropoiesis. 1 The cell adhesion molecule VCAM-1 is a potential mediator of c-Maf activity.
Clinical and molecular characterization of vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium strains during establishment of endemicity.

To characterize the molecular epidemiology of vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium (VREF) in Tennessee, VREF isolates that were recovered from patients during a 3-year period at a tertiary care center and throughout the state were typed by means of pulsed-field gel electrophoresis. Clinical characteristics and outcomes of patients colonized or infected with different strain types were also examined. A total of 34 different strain types were identified. A single VREF strain (type O) predominated (63 [61%] of 103 single-patient isolates (i.e., 1 isolate per patient) obtained from 7 different health care institutions). There were no significant differences between patients harboring type O strains and those harboring non-type O strains (P> or =.05). The rate of recovery of type O subtypes and strains other than type O increased over the 3-year study period. Establishment of VREF endemicity was initially characterized by clonal spread of type O strains. Subsequently, polyclonal dissemination may have been due to microevolutionary changes among type O strains.
Universal moduli spaces of surfaces with flat bundles and cobordism theory

For a compact, connected Lie group G, we study the moduli of pairs (Σ, E) ,w hereΣ is a genus g Riemann surface and E → Σ is a flat G-bundle. Varying both the Riemann surface Σ and the flat bundle leads to a moduli space M G , parametrizing families Riemann surfaces with flat G-bundles. We show that there is a stable range in which the homology of M G is independent of g. The stable range depends on the genus of the surface. We then identify the homology of this moduli space in the stable range, in terms of the homology of an explicit infinite loop space. Rationally, the stable cohomology of this moduli space is generated by the Mumford–Morita–Miller κ-classes, and the ring of characteristic classes of principal G-bundles, H ∗ (BG). Equivalently, our theorem calculates the homology of the moduli space of semi-stable holomorphic bundles on Riemann surfaces. We then identify the homotopy type of the category of one-manifolds and surface cobordisms, each equipped with a flat G-bundle. Our methods combine the classical techniques of Atiyah and Bott, with the new techniques coming out of Madsen and Weiss’s proof of Mumford’s conjecture on the stable cohomology of the moduli space of Riemann surfaces.