cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Perioperative morbidity following total knee arthroplasty among obese patients.

To study the relationship between patient weight and perioperative morbidity, 512 total knee arthroplasties performed in 406 patients were reviewed. Patient height, weight, medical history, length of hospital stay, discharge destination (home versus rehabilitation facility), and all complications were recorded. Height and weight were used to calculate a body mass index (BMI) for each patient. Examination of patient data ordered by BMI established positive correlations between BMI and a cardiac history (P=.02), a history of diabetes mellitus (P=.006), postoperative hospital stays >7 days (P=.03), discharge to a rehabilitation facility (P=.02), and the risk of a postoperative complication (P=.004). Further statistical examination revealed the greatest differences in patient data exist between patients with a BMI >35 and patients with a BMI 35) had significantly higher rates of cardiac conditions (56% versus 33%, P=.0001) and diabetes mellitus (10.5% versus 4.1%, P=.03) than patients with a lower BMI (< or = 35). Although there were no significant differences in the rates of specific complications between the two groups, patients in the heavier group were more likely to experience a complication (38% versus 25%, P=.002) and multiple complications (9.3% versus 6.2%, P=.03) than patients in the lighter group.
Baryogenesis from Electroweak Strings

One implication of the standard hot big bang cosmology is that from the relics of the early universe we should in principle expect the universe to contain the same abundance of baryons and antibaryons. However there exist compelling empirical evidence that the universe is made out of matter with relative few antimatter. From the present asymmetry we can extrapolate that at the energy scale of the electroweak phase transition there was one part in 108 more matter than antimatter in the universe. The goal of baryogenesis is to explain why there is this asymmetry between the amount of matter and antimatter i.e. there is a nonbanishing ratio between the net baryon number density and entropy density (nB/s) in the universe.
DNA Binding Proteins and Their Roles in Controlling Tissue Specific Gene Expression and Responses to Second Messengers

Transcriptional control is extensively used by mammalian cells to modulate the level of gene expression in response to various environmental, hormonal, developmental and nutritional signals. By modulating the rate of transcription of various genes, the cell can adapt to new nutritional requirements and adverse environmental conditions. The turning on and off of specific genes allows the cell to change its phenotype, assume new functions and progress along its developmental pathway. While the biosynthesis of any RNA molecule includes several distinct steps such as initiation, elongation and termination, in almost all cases transcriptional control occurs at the initiation step. Like other eukaryotes, mammalian cells contain three different RNA polymerases, usually abbreviated as Pol I, Pol II and Pol III. Each of these RNA polymerases is assigned to transcribe a different class of RNA molecules: e.g. Pol I is responsible for transcription of the genes coding for the 28S and 18S ribosomal RNAs; Pol II transcribes protein coding genes and Pol III is used for transcription of 5S ribosomal RNA, tRNAs, and several other small RNA species such as the small nuclear RNAs (Hansen and Sharp 1987; Heintz and Roeder 1982; Manley 1983). We will limit our discussion to the control of transcription of protein coding genes by Pol II.
Differentiable Group Actions on Homotopy Spheres. I. Differential Structure and the Knot Invariant.

In several previous papers numerous results conserning smooth group actions on homotopy spheres not bounding parallelizable manifolds have been obtained [5, 13, 21, 23-26, 31, 32, 35, 39, 42-50]. This paper is a first step towards placing such results in a more unified setting; we shall concentrate our attention on semifiee actions to avoid book-keeping problems with various orbit types, postponing these considerations to later papers in the series. When combined with appropriate homotopy-theoretic machinery, this setting yields new proofs and substantial strengthenings of many known results. The basic underlying problem of this paper is the following: Given a homotopy (n +2k)-sphere 22, does it admit a semifree G-action with an n-dimensional fixed point set'? Our techniques show that the answer depends on the decomposition of the Pontrjagin-Thom invariants of 22 (which form a coset in the stable homotopy of spheres) in terms of lower-dimensional stable homotopy classes. In a subsequent paper we shall illustrate this by studying certain low-dimensional homotopy spheres in detail, obtained virtually complete information. On the other hand, the new non-existence theorems obtained in this paper also fall into this pattern indirectly; for if one knows that some specific composition operation (ordinary or higher order) on a stable homotopy class is nontriviat, such information often implies the class cannot be decomposed in the "right" way for an action to exist. Presumably some appropriate global information about the stable homotopy of spheres (perhaps resembling the Kahn-Priddy Theorem) is needed to fully answer questions such as the existence of smooth Zp actions on every homotopy sphere. The general viewpoint of this paper is derived from the work of Browder, Petrie, Rothenberg, and Sondow that classified certain semifree actions on homotopy spheres ([8, 10, 11, 39, 40]; also see [48]). A general motivating problem was the determination of the underlying differential structure on the ambient G-manifold from the classification information presented in the above papers; the insight needed to study this problem evolved from consideration of the examples in [45-47] where the differential structure was determined by entirely different methods. Our basic result (Theorem 3.4) establishes a strong relationship between the differentiable structure on 2" and an invariant that vaguely measures the knottedness of the fixed point set (the knot invariant of Section 2, which agrees with the internal normal invariant of [49]). This relationship exists because the
TP53 missense mutation is associated with increased tumor-infiltrating T cells in primary prostate cancer

Summary The makeup of the tumor immune microenvironment may be associated with tumor somatic genomic alterations and plays a key role in tumor progression and response to immunotherapy. We examined the association of tumor-infiltrating T-cell density with TP53 status in surgically treated primary prostate cancer using 3 independent tissue microarray sets, including one set of tumors from grade-matched patients of European American or African American ancestry (n = 391), a retrospective case-cohort of intermediate- and high-risk patients enriched for adverse outcomes (n = 267), and a set of tumors with primary Gleason pattern 5 (n = 77). The presence of TP53 missense mutation, indicated by p53 nuclear accumulation using a genetically validated assay, was significantly associated with increased CD3+ T-cell density (median, 341 versus 231 CD3+ T cells/mm2; P = .004) in the matched European American and African American ancestry patient sets. The same association was present in patients of both ancestries when analyzed separately, despite the fact that p53 nuclear accumulation was less frequent among African American compared with European American tumors (7% versus 3%, P = .2). The validation cohorts of intermediate/high-risk and primary Gleason pattern 5 patients corroborated the association of increased CD3+ T-cell density with presence of p53 nuclear accumulation. In a pooled analysis of all sets, adjusting for clinicopathological variables, CD3+ and CD8+, but not FOXP3+, T-cell densities remained significantly higher in tumors with p53 nuclear accumulation compared with those without. TP53 mutation is associated with higher tumor-infiltrating T-cell density, which may be relevant in future clinical trials of immunotherapy in prostate cancer.
Pharmacological Overview in Geriatrics: Pharmacodynamics, Pharmacokinetics, Laboratory Monitoring

The goal of pharmacological treatment in geriatric psychiatry is to reduce adverse effects and maximize effectiveness, with the fewest number of medications. To achieve this goal, one must recognize the many pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic changes of aging that have a significant impact on geriatric psychopharmacology in the inpatient setting. Pharmacological treatment within the inpatient geriatric psychiatry unit or medicine unit, should include reconciliation of medication lists, along with the review/revision/rationalization of medication regimens. Guidelines specific to prescribing for the geriatric inpatient are reviewed in this chapter, including parsimonious prescribing, appropriate laboratory testing, recognizing the impact of medical co-morbidities, and vigilance for drug-drug interactions and adverse effects.
On the Complexity of Computing the Shannon Outer Bound to a Network Coding Capacity Region

A new method is presented, consisting of exclusively simple linear algebra computations, for computing the linear programming Shannon outer bound to the network coding capacity region of a directed hypergraph network. This linear algebraic formulation enables a new upper bound on the worst case complexity of computing the Shannon outer bound to a network coding capacity region to be determined.
Infrastructure-Aided Networking for Autonomous Vehicular Systems

We study infrastructure-aided data communication networking for autonomous transportation system. The infrastructure consists of Roadside Units (RSU) which are placed along the side of a highway segment and are connected by optical fiber. The infrastructure provides full communication coverage of the segment’s vehicles. We present a data networking protocol enabling packet flows to be disseminated to all vehicles within a specified span. We study the performance behavior of the synthesized data network as a function of the number of employed RSU nodes. For each case, we configure the structure of the medium access control scheduling scheme, and configure the employed Modulation Coding Schemes (MCS) and corresponding data rates, the transmit power levels and the spatial-reuse factors. We aim to obtain high throughput rates under prescribed packet delay limits. In addition, we impose high packet successful reception rate requirements for assuring reliable dissemination of packet flows.
Changes in Strength of Recommendation and Perceived Barriers to Human Papillomavirus Vaccination: Longitudinal Analysis of Primary Care Physicians, 2008-2018.

Objectives To evaluate among pediatricians and family physicians human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination recommendation practices for 11- to 12-year-old youth; report parental refusal/deferral of HPV vaccination; and report barriers to HPV vaccination changed over time. Study design We surveyed nationally representative networks of pediatricians and family physicians in 2008, 2010, 2013-2014, and 2018. Male vaccination questions were not asked in 2008; barriers and parental vaccine refusal questions were not asked in 2010. Results Response rates were 80% in 2008 (680/848), 72% in 2010 (609/842), 70% in 2013-2014 (582/829), and 65% in 2018 (588/908). The proportion of physicians strongly recommending HPV vaccination for 11- to 12-year-old patients increased from 53% in 2008 to 79% in 2018 for female patients and from 48% in 2014 to 76% in 2018 for male patients (both P Conclusions Between 2008 and 2018, more primary care physicians reported recommending HPV vaccination for adolescents, fewer reported barriers, and more physicians reported parents who had vaccine safety or moral/religious concerns.
Fine-tuned repression of Drp1 driven mitochondrial fission primes a ‘stem/progenitor-like state’ to accelerate neoplastic transformation

ABSTRACT The opposing processes of mitochondrial fission and fusion are emerging as crucial regulators of stemness. Gene knockout of the master regulator of mitochondrial fission, Drp1, prevents neoplastic transformation. However, stem/progenitor cells maintaining repressed mitochondrial fission are primed for self-renewal and proliferation. Here, we demonstrate that only fine-tuned repression of Drp1 establishes a ‘stem/progenitor-like state’ towards supporting carcinogen driven neoplastic transformation of keratinocytes, while more complete Drp1 repression prevents it. Only fine-tuned Drp1 repression maintains small networks of fused mitochondria to sustain a unique gene-expression profile with elevated stem/progenitor cell functional markers (Krt15, Sox2 etc) and their regulators (Cyclin E). Cells with such a mitochondria-primed state are slow cycling, susceptible to transformation, and when enriched by mild carcinogen exposure sustains elevated self-renewal/proliferation to form less differentiated tumors. Therefore, our data for the first time highlights a ‘goldilocks’ level of Drp1 repression that supports stem/progenitor state dependent neoplastic transformation.
Matching Solid-State to Solution-Phase Photoluminescence for Near-Unity Down-Conversion Efficiency Using Giant Quantum Dots.

Efficient, stable, and narrowband red-emitting fluorophores are needed as down-conversion materials for next-generation solid-state lighting that is both efficient and of high color quality. Semiconductor quantum dots (QDs) are nearly ideal color-shifting phosphors, but solution-phase efficiencies have not traditionally extended to the solid-state, with losses from both intrinsic and environmental effects. Here, we assess the impacts of temperature and flux on QD phosphor performance. By controlling QD core/shell structure, we realize near-unity down-conversion efficiency and enhanced operational stability. Furthermore, we show that a simple modification of the phosphor-coated light-emitting diode device–incorporation of a thin spacer layer–can afford reduced thermal or photon-flux quenching at high driving currents (>200 mA).
Early TIMP gene expression after corneal infection with Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

PURPOSE. To evaluate the expression of tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases (TIMP) mRNA in corneal tissues before and at early time points (6 and 12 hours and 1, 3, and 5 days) after corneal infection with Pseudomonas aeruginosa. METHODS. Ribonuclease protection assays were used to detect and quantitate TIMP mRNA expression in uninfected (wounded and unwounded) and in wounded corneas inoculated with P. aeruginosa. RESULTS. Expression of TIMP-I mRNA was undetectable in either wounded or unwounded, uninfected corneal tissues, but it increased in a time-dependent manner with peak expression occurring at 3 days after corneal wounding and bacterial inoculation. Constitutive low-level mRNA expression of TIMP-2 was detected in both groups of uninfected corneal tissues; these groups remained essentially unchanged after corneal abrasion and bacterial inoculation. TIMP-3 mRNA was detected in uninfected (wounded and unwounded) corneal tissues and appeared to decrease in a time-dependent manner after corneal abrasion and bacterial inoculation. CONCLUSIONS. The evidence indicated that TIMPs were expressed in infected and in uninfected (wounded and unwounded) corneal tissues. In addition, these data suggested that TIMP expression appeared to be independently regulated.
VIOLENCE AFTER IMPERIAL COLLAPSE: A STUDY OF CRANIAL TRAUMA AMONG LATE INTERMEDIATE PERIOD BURIALS FROM THE FORMER HUARI CAPITAL, AYACUCHO, PERU

AbstractThis study documents the frequency and patterning of cranial fractures to evaluate the role of violence after Huari imperial collapse. These Late Intermediate Period burials were interred at the Monqachayoq sector at Huari, the former capital of the Huari empire. Twenty-two of 31 adults exhibit healed cranial fractures (71%). Perimortem cranial fractures were observed on 42% of adults (n=31) and 30% of children (n=10). Men, women, and children all suffered from lethal attacks, suggesting that they may have been victims of raids and killing sprees. Although the skeletal sample is not wholly representative of all LIP communities in the former imperial heartland, the data indicate that the post-Huari period was a violent time for numerous individuals, regardless of their age or sex.
The Bovine Papillomavirus Replicon

The bovine papillomavirus genome contains two cis-acting sequences which can serve as signals for replication. At least three virally encoded genes seem to be involved in plasmid replication: E6, E6/7 and E1. Mutations in either the E6 or the E7 open reading frame create plasmids that are maintained at a low copy number per cell. Mutations in the E1 open reading frame are absolutely lethal to replication. Complementation experiments show that these mutations define separate genes. Experiments are described which show that cells harbouring plasmids with mutations in either the E6 or the E7 open reading frame acquire an immunity to high copy-number plasmids. We suggest that either the cell or the virus encodes a repressor. The positive action of E6 and E6/7 modulates the activity of this repressor to allow for the high copy-number state. Though the viral oncogenes are capable of transforming cells separately when they are expressed as part of certain recombinant DNA expression systems, it is clear that, in the context of the entire viral replicon, interactions between the transforming functions and replication functions must exist.
Microstructure And SCC of Alloy X-750

The effect of microstructure, stress intensity factor, corrosion potential and water purity on stress corrosion crack growth rate behavior of Alloy X-750 was investigated in 288 °C water. This material was provided by a utility in the form of an unused stabilizer support bracket. Alloy X-750 has exhibited SCC in field components, and this study was designed to examine its microstructure and SCC response in some detail to determine the suitability of Alloy X-750 for long term reliable service in BWRs.
Wittgenstein and the Linguistic Turn

There are profound differences of opinion among contemporary philosophersboth about whether Wittgenstein is worth reading and about whatone can learn from him. They parallel disagreements about whether, and in what sense, philosophical problems are problems of language. In this paper, I shall describe three views of Wittgenstein, corresponding to threeways of thinking about the so-called “linguistic turn in philosophy”. Doingso will help me defend two claims for which I have argued in the past. First: there is no interesting sense in which philosophical problems areproblems of language. Second: the linguistic turn was useful nevertheless,for it turned philosophers’ attention from the topic of experience towards that of linguistic behavior. That shift helped break the hold of empiricism—and, more broadly, of representationalism.
Matrix mineralization in hypertrophic chondrocyte cultures. Beta glycerophosphate increases type X collagen messenger RNA and the specific activity of pp60c-src kinase.

Summary The phenomenon of chondrocyte hypertrophy is accompanied by the expression of type X collagen and the appearance of matrix mineralization. These events are also associated with changes in the phosphorylation of intracellular proteins. In this study the addition of 10 m M β-glycerophosphate to hypertrophic chondrocytes resulted in stimulation of type X collagen synthesis up to 10 days in culture and an increase in the expression of type X collagen mRNA. This was followed by the onset of mineralization and the appearance of calcium hydroxyapatite. In contrast, the addition of β-glycerophosphate to non-hypertrophic chondrocytes failed to induce expression of type X collagen or to produce changes in calcium and phosphate. The increased formation of type X collagen and of mineral in hypertrophic chondrocytes was accompanied by changes in the tyrosine kinase pp60 c-src . While the level of c-src protein decreased approximately 2.5-fold in hypertrophic chondrocytes after 17 days of β-glycerophosphate treatment, the specific activity of pp60 c-src kinase increased approximately 3-fold in the cells that could be induced to mineralize but remained unchanged in cells chat did not exhibit this property. Regulation of kinase activity may be an important event in endochondral ossification.
Early development of the first earth venture mission: How CYGNSS is using Engineering Models to validate the design

In response to the recommendations made in the National Research Council's Earth Science and Applications 2007 Decadal Survey, NASA has initiated the Earth Venture line of mission opportunities. The first orbital mission chosen for this competitively selected, cost and schedule constrained, Principal Investigator-led opportunity is the CYclone Global Navigation Satellite System (CYGNSS). The goal of CYGNSS is to understand the coupling between ocean surface properties, moist atmospheric thermodynamics, radiation, and convective dynamics in the inner core of a tropical cyclone. The CYGNSS mission is comprised of eight Low Earth Observing (LEO) microsatellites that use GPS bi-static scatterometry to measure ocean surface winds.
Accomplishing Meaning in a Stratified World: An Existential-Phenomenological Reading of Max Weber’s ‘Class, Status, Party’

This is an existential-phenomenological reading of Max Weber’s “Class, Status, Party” that seeks a fuller understanding of meaning accomplishment in a stratified World. I appropriate stratification as a single meaning structure ontically defined by domination, intersubjectivity, and life-chances and ontologically determined by the power-to-be (Seinkonnen), There-being-with-others (Mitdasein), and potentiality (Moglichkeit). I then discuss the significance of these structures in finite transcendence (There-being, Dasein) and describe ways they factually unfold in World achievement. I conclude with logotherapeutic reflections concerning meaning accomplishment in a stratified World and a summary of key questions facing existential-phenomenology in light of the likelihood that There-being must embrace, indeed, live, the inherent equality of Being (Gleichheit des Seins) among Daseins to accomplish its authenticity.
How many screens does a CT workstation need

A considerable number of prototype and commerical workstations have been developed during the last 10 years for electronic display of computed tomographic (CT) images during clinical interpretation. These CT workstations have varied widely in the number and size of monitors available for the display of the medical images ranging from a single 1,024×1,204-pixel monitor, to eight 2,500×2,000-pixel monitors. Image display times also have varied considerably, ranging from as fast as. 11 seconds, to as slow as 26 seconds to fill a single monitor. No consensus has formed in the workstation community with regard to display area and response time requirements. To address this issue, we have constructed a time-motion model of CT interpretation. Model accuracy is experimentally verified with three workstations as well as with the film alternator. In general, CT interpretations with an electronic workstation become faster as display area increases and display time decreases. Results can be used by workstation designers and purchasers to roughly estimate differences in interpretation speeds among contending CT workstation designs.
Quantitative Determination by Bioassay of Photoactive 8-Methoxypsoralen in Serum

Photoactive 8-methoxypsoralen (8-MOP) levels in human and animal sera were determined by bioassay with Staphylococcus aureus serving as the test organism. 8-MOP was extracted from sera with a 9:1 (V/V) ethyl acetate-n-hexane mixture and reconstituted in an aqueous medium following evaporation of the extractant. Bacterial suspensions containing extracted 8-MOP were irradiated for predetermined intervals with long-wave ultraviolet light (UVA) at an intensity of 2.1 mw/cm 2 . Cultures containing known amounts of 8-MOP were used as standards and cytotoxicity (i.e., drug levels) determined by colony counts. The detection limit for 8-MOP was 5ng/ml with an accuracy of ± 10% above 10ng/ml. Concomitant determinations of 8-MOP levels by high pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC) were in excellent agreement with the bioassay results.
Fundamental-Mode Pierce Oscillators Utilizing Bulk-Acoustic-Wave Resonators in the 250-- 300MHz Range (Short Papers)

Fundamental-mode Pierce oscillators in the 250-300-MHz range have been realized utilizing a unique form of a bulk-acoustic-wave (BAW) resonator. Phase noise greater than -100 dBc/Hz (1-kHz offset) has been extrapolated from data collected on oscillators operating at -22 and -24 dBm. Higher power levels to +6 dBm have been achieved. A linear-model design was used. The circuit topology used and resonator fabrication technique shows great promise for the creation of MMIC circuits in the 200-MHz-2-GHz range.
Absence of gastroesophageal reflux disease in a majority of patients taking acid suppression medications after Nissen fundoplication

Recent studies have shown that many patients use acid suppression medications after antireflux surgery. The aim of this study was to determine the frequency of gastroesophageal reflux disease in a cohort of surgically treated patients with postoperative symptoms and a high prevalence of acid suppression medication use. The study group consisted of 86 patients who had symptoms following Nissen fundoplication that were sufficient to merit evaluation with 24-hour distal esophageal pH monitoring. All completed a detailed symptom questionnaire. The mean postoperative follow-up period was 28 months (median 18 months). Thirty-seven patients (43%) were taking acid suppression medications after fundoplication. Only 23% (20 of 86) of all the patients and only 24% (9 of 37) of those taking acid suppression medications had abnormal esophageal acid exposure on the 24-hour pH study. Heartburn and regurgitation were the only symptoms that were significantly associated with an abnormal pH study. Endoscopic assessment of the fundoplication was the most significant factor associated with an abnormal pH study. Multivariable logistic regression analysis showed that patients with a disrupted, abnormally positioned fundoplication had a 52.6 times increased risk of abnormal esophageal acid exposure. Most patients who use acid suppression medications after antireflux surgery do not have abnormal esophageal acid exposure, and the use of these medications is thus often inappropriate. Because of the limited predictive power of symptoms, objective evidence of reflux disease should be obtained before prescribing acid suppression medication for patients who have undergone antireflux surgery.
Benders' partitioning scheme applied to a new formulation of the quadratic assignment problem

In this paper we present a new formulation of the quadratic assignment problem. This is done by transforming the quadratic objective function into a linear objective function by introducing a number of new variables and constraints. The resulting problem is a 0-1 linear integer program with a highly specialized structure. This permits the use of the partitioning scheme of Benders where only the original variables need be considered. The algorithm described thus iterates between two problems. The master problem is a pure 0-1 integer program, and the subproblem is a transportation problem whose optimal solution is shown to be readily available from the master problem in closed form. Computational experience on problems available in the literature is provided.
The State of Russian Science: Focus Groups with Nuclear Physicists

Two specialists on Russian society and politics examine the condition of Russian science and scientists based on secondary literature, official statistics, and focus groups conducted with 19 Russian nuclear physicists in October 2001. The article discusses the implications of their findings for international security and for Russia's economic and political trajectories.
Polyclonal mitogenesis of human lymphocytes by PWM: Two preprogrammed division cycles resulting in cells refractile to further mitogenesis

Abstract Pokeweed mitogen (PWM) is known to induce human peripheral blood lymphocytes to enter S phase as well as B lymphocytes to differentiate into plasmacytes. The proliferation induced by PWM was characterized by population size, mitotic index, and flow cytometric measurements. Analysis of these data using a mathematical model of induced proliferation shows that lymphocytes exposed to PWM undergo two division cycles. The first incorporates a long lag and is approximately 87 hr long. The second division cycle is shorter and is approximately 39 hr. Following the second division cycle, cell cycle transit is arrested in G 1 . The arrest is not due to nutritional deficiency or exhaustion of mitogen. Restimulation or feeding of proliferating cells fails to prolong this proliferation. Although the cells undergo two division cycles, the maximum increase in population size was only approximately twofold because of cell loss due to cell death. The analysis indicates that PWM-stimulated cells apparently execute a preordained program of two unequal division cycles followed by terminal quiescence in G 1 0 .
Economics and elections: Effects deep and wide

Introduction to a Special Edition of Electoral Studies, by the co-editors. Papers included in this special issue were originally presented at a pair of conferences on economic voting that were held at the University of Iowa and Texas A&M University in the spring of 2012.
An Experimental Investigation of the Motion of Gas-Liquid Displacement Interface in an Artificial Porous Medium

The study of flow and transport in porous media has relevance in many industrial, environmental (Geologic sequestration of CO2 ) and biological disciplines. In many engineering applications we require the knowledge of the velocity field for flow through porous objects. Historically, simplified models such as Darcy’s law [1,2], provide a reasonable description of the flow in the interior for single phase flow but require empirical coefficients to match the boundary conditions with the outer flow. The scientific basis for understanding flow and transport phenomena in porous media has largely been developed from experimental and theoretical studies in “bulk” or macroscopic systems in which coupled behavior at the pore scale is not measured or observed directly. To understand the flow behavior at the pore scale, flow characterization in porous media is very important. Multiphase, immiscible, low Re flow through a simulated porous media is studied experimentally. The experimental test cell, Figure 1, designed in collaboration with the Department of Energy, National Energy Technology Laboratory (DOE NETL), was manufactured from an optically clear polycarbonate material. It has a lattice type pattern of 2.5 mm pores bodies interconnected by angular capillary throats varying in size from 200 μm to 1000 μm. The experimental flow loop (Figure 2), utilizes air as the displacing fluid and sodium iodide (NaI) solution in water as the defending fluid. Air is provided at a constant pressure at the inlet. The refractive indices of the NaI solution and the optically clear test cell are matched to facilitate the observance of the air-liquid interface motion. Experimental data recorded with respect to time are the inlet gage pressure, delta pressure, inlet to outlet, across the test cell, volume flow rate at the outlet and the position of the displacement interface as the invading fluid, air, displaces the defending fluid, NaI solution. Parameters that can be varied in the experiment are viscosity ratio, micro and macro capillary number, the bond number and the volume flow rate. The details of the test loop are provided in Figure 2. The figure shows the piping arrangement to fill the test cell with the NaI solution and supplying the air for the tests. A CCD camera (Redlake ES 1.0 cross-correlation camera; resolution: 1008 × 1018 pixels) equipped with a 20 mm Micro Nikkor lens (Nikon) and a data acquisition system consisting of a PC and a PIXCI D2X frame grabber card (EPIX) is utilized to obtain a series of digital images as the invading air enters the test cell through the inlet manifold and makes way through the liquid until the breakthrough to the exit manifold. The pore scale velocity of the displacement interface is determined using a “Difference Threshold Technique” developed at Case Western Reserve University (CWRU), Laser Flow Diagnostics Lab (LFDL), Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering. The difference threshold technique developed to processing the images is described in the next section.Copyright © 2004 by ASME
Phenyl-Perfluorophenyl Synthon Mediated Cocrystallization of Carboxylic Acids and Amides

The significance of face-to-face π−π stacking of phenyl and perfluorophenyl rings (Ph-PhF), a robust supramolecular synthon in aromatic and perfluoroaromatic crystal structures, is studied in the cocrystallization of simple aromatic carboxylic acids and amides. X-ray crystal structures of C6H5COOH·C6F5COOH 1, C6H5CONH2·C6F5CONH2 2, and C6H5CONH2·C6F5COOH 3 are analyzed to understand the role of Ph-PhF synthon in directing self-assembly and hydrogen bonding in these cocrystals. The strong hydrogen bond donor acidity of C6F5COOH and C6F5CONH2 together with mixed stacks of phenyl and perfluorophenyl rings steer acid···acid and amide···amide hydrogen bonding in cocrystals 1 and 2. Acid···amide hydrogen bonding is sufficiently strengthened by donor acidity and acceptor basicity in 3 that the role of the Ph-PhF synthon is weaker because the aromatic rings stack with lateral offset. The complex C6H5COOH·C6F5CONH2 4 could not be obtained under similar crystallization conditions. The crystal structure of C6F5CONH2...
[The extra-renal ocular complications of diabetes mellitus. Current concepts of pathogenesis and management].

Diabetes mellitus may affect any part of the visual system. Common ocular complications of diabetes include blepharoptosis which may resolve spontaneously, respond to topical phenylephrine or eventually require surgical correction. Increased glucose content of the tears occurs in diabetes without any apparent structural abnormality. Fusiform and saccular aneurysms are a common finding in the bulbar conjunctiva of diabetics, in individuals suffering from other diseases and in persons who are apparently healthy. Decreased corneal sensitivity often with small epithelial pits and folds in Descemet's membrane are also common findings in diabetics. Open angle glaucoma appears to have only a chance association with diabetes while diabetic iridopathy, changes in refractive power and cataract are more closely allied with abnormalities in carbohydrate metabolism.Rubeosis iridis with secondary organization and occlusion of the aqueous humor outflow channels is one of the disastrous complications of diabetes mellitus. Diabetic ophthalmoplegia, another poorly understood phenomenon, may falsely suggest the presence of intracranial aneurysm, tumor or other space occupying mass resulting in needless diagnostic tests. The physician who manages diabetic patients should recognize these abnormalities, the fact that many are harmless and require no treatment, that some are easily treated by simple medical or surgical measures and that others are catastrophies for which no satisfactory therapy is at hand.
Psychoacoustics of female phonotaxis and the evolution of male signal interactions in Orthoptera

A series of playback experiments conducted in a field arena showed that female tarbush grasshoppers, Ligurotettix planum (Orthoptera Acrididae), were attracted to male calls and that when given the choice of calls that differed only in relative timing, females oriented toward the leading calls. This psychoacoustic feature, known as a “precedence effect,” occurred when a 0.2 or 1.0-sec silent interval separated the leading and following calls. Preference for leading calls disappeared at separations longer than 2 sec and when calls overlapped; in the latter situation, females even failed to exhibit phonotaxis. Previous work demonstrated that neighboring L. planum males time their calls in an alternating fashion and that they achieve this chorusing format with an “inhibitory resetting” mechanism that averts calling during the 2-sec interval following onset of a neighbor's call. We propose that time constants in this inhibitory resetting mechanism evolved under selection pressure from the female precedence ef...
Adiantum viridimontanum, Aspidotis densa, Minuartia marcescens, and Symphyotrichum rhiannon: Additional Serpentine Endemics from Eastern North America

Abstract - Serpentine outcrops around the world are known to harbor disproportionately high rates of plant endemism. Remarkable cases of serpentine endemism occur in New Caledonia and Cuba, with 3178 and 920 endemic taxa, respectively, found solely on serpentine. Despite the patchy occurrence of serpentine in eastern North America from Quebec and Newfoundland south to Alabama, only one taxon, Cerastium velutinum var. villosissimum, has been broadly recognized as a serpentine endemic for the region. Based on reports in the literature, we suggest that Adiantum viridimontanum, Minuartia marcescens, and Symphyotrichum rhiannon be considered endemic to serpentine soils from the east coast of North America. Aspidotis densa, with several disjunct populations on and off serpentine in western North America, is known solely from serpentine soils where it occurs in eastern North America and should be considered endemic to the substrate there. The geobotany of eastern North America in general is poorly understood, an...
Prediction of agricultural implement draft using an instrumented analog tillage tool

Abstract A new approach to predict draft requirements of agricultural implements using a standard tillage tool was developed. The standard tillage tool acts as an analog device and characterizes the dynamic soil conditions. This approach was verified using three different implements (subsoiler, moldboard plow and chisel plow) and two different instrumented analog tillage tools. The prediction procedure requires several soil conditions (at least four or more) spanning a range of soil conditions where both the implement and the analog tool must be tested. Draft requirements of the implement can then be predicted in any desired soil condition based on the standard tillage tool draft obtained in that soil condition. This methodology eliminates the need to test every implement in every soil type and/or condition to estimate its draft requirements. Only the reference tillage tool needs to be tested at the desired location.
A study in applying case-based reasoning to engineering design: Mechanical bearing design

Case-based reasoning (CBR) is a promising methodology for solving many complex engineering design problems. CBR employs past problem-solving experiences when solving new problems. This paper presents a case study of how to apply CBR to a specific engineering problem: mechanical bearing design. A system is developed that retrieves previous design cases from a case repository and uses adaptation techniques to modify them to satisfy the current problem requirements. The approach combines both parametric and constraint satisfaction adaptations. Parametric adaptation considers not only parameter substitution but also the interrelationships between the problem definition and its solution. Constraint satisfaction provides a method to globally check the design requirements to assess case adaptability. Currently, our system has been implemented and tested in the domain of rolling bearings. This work serves as a template for application of CBR techniques to realistic engineering problems.
Consciousness and conflict (explained better

Integral Conflict presents a new map of conflict. Drawing on the work of James Mark Baldwin, William James, Ken Wilber, Leslie Combs, and others, we focus on the evolution of consciousness within the experience of conflict, refracting human experience into its four fundamental dimensions: individual and collective; internal and external. Using the River Conflict as a real-life case study, the authors illustrate how an integral approach to conflict analysis and action allows practitioners to choose among the most relevant and effective tools, techniques, and insights to more effectively support the constructive engagement of conflict.
A 16S rRNA‐based DNA probe and PCR method specific for Listeria ivanovii*

A 16S rRNA-based DNA probe and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method was developed for identification and rapid detection of Listeria ivanovii. The probe (R-1) is 5′-GTAGTGACGCATGTCATCAC-3′ corresponding to positions 185–204 in the L. ivanovii 16S rRNA sequence. DNA hybridization results indicated that R-1 probe only reacted with L. ivanovii, and not with six other species of Listeria or other bacteria tested. The PCR method using R-1 and reverse primer, R-2, was positive with all eight strains of L. ivanovii tested but was negative with six other species of Listeria, including nine strains of L. monocytogenes, and 20 other taxonomically related bacteria tested. In our PCR method, starting with whole bacterial cells, only 3 h were required for the PCR assay and 1 h for electrophoresis without any additional time for DNA isolation and DNA hybridization. This PCR method detected as few as 4 cells of L. ivanovii in pure cultures and 4–40 cells of L. ivanovii in inoculated and diluted mouse feed, blood, or faeces samples.
The Econometric Analysis of Hedge Fund Returns: An Errors-In-Variables Perspective.

A review of The Econometric Analysis of Hedge Fund Returns: An Errors-in-Variables Perspective by Francois-Eric Racicot and Raymond Theoret.
An investigation of the impact of financial viability model selection on audit costs: logit, multivariate discriminant analysis and artificial neural networks

The purpose of this paper is twofold. Firstly, we provide evidence that relying on Type I, Type II and overall error rates to select a model for analysing the financial health of audit clients can result in greater costs than using our alternative approach. Secondly, we show that auditors who use an artificial neural network (ANN) as a tool to analyse the financial viability of audit clients need to consider the underlying ANN paradigm before developing a model in order to minimise audit costs. Our results show that a categorical learning neural network (CLN) minimises the overall cost associated with the auditor examination of audit client financial health. This ANN outperforms both statistical techniques and other ANN paradigms. Consequently, auditors who wish to minimise the total costs associated with their audits should use a CLN or similar type of ANN when assessing audit client financial health.
Factors governing subaqueous siliceous sinter precipitation in hot springs: examples from Yellowstone National Park, USA

Siliceous sinter precipitation within hot spring systems has been attributed to a variety of mechanisms: evaporative concentration, cooling, changes in pH and cation effects. Repetitive in situ (T, pH, alkalinity, etc.) and laboratory (major, minor and trace elemental, stable isotopic) analyses of the waters plus observations of silica precipitation on natural (e.g. twigs, pine cones) as well as artificial substrates (glass slides and copper plates) in the waters substantiate that subaqueous precipitation is occurring throughout the vent to distal end of flow in both Cistern Spring (Norris Geyser Basin) and Deerbone Spring (Lower Geyser Basin), Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming, USA. Quartz and sodium-potassium geothermometers indicate that Cistern Spring is fed by a subsurface reservoir that is between 232 and 272 °C. Calculated reservoir temperatures are significantly lower at Deerbone Spring (182-197 °C). Based on a suite of measured and theoretical saturation indices, downflow changes in the system resulting from evaporative concentration (e.g. Cl increases 10%), changes in pH (e.g. 5.6-7.1) and cation effects (Al and Fe) are of negligible importance in the subaqueous precipitation of hot spring opal-A. Similarly, at the macroenvironmental scale, potential biotic effects on opal-A precipitation appear to be minimal. Modelling of the two active siliceous sinter precipitating systems indicates that cooling (e.g. 80-17 °C) is the predominant process governing subaqueous mineral precipitation.
Correlates and Consequences of Exposure to Video Game Violence: Hostile Personality, Empathy, and Aggressive Behavior

Research has shown that exposure to violent video games causes increases in aggression, but the mechanisms of this effect have remained elusive. Also, potential differences in short-term and long-term exposure are not well understood. An initial correlational study shows that video game violence exposure (VVE) is positively correlated with self-reports of aggressive behavior and that this relation is robust to controlling for multiple aspects of personality. A lab experiment showed that individuals low in VVE behave more aggressively after playing a violent video game than after a nonviolent game but that those high in VVE display relatively high levels of aggression regardless of game content. Mediational analyses show that trait hostility, empathy, and hostile perceptions partially account for the VVE effect on aggression. These findings suggest that repeated exposure to video game violence increases aggressive behavior in part via changes in cognitive and personality factors associated with desensitization.
Utility of accurate monoisotopic mass measurements to confidently identify lambda exonuclease generated single-stranded amplicons containing 7-deaza analogs by electrospray ionization FT-ICR mass spectrometry

Abstract A 53-base pair region on the long arm of chromosome 22 was amplified using PCR with 7-deaza-modified deoxynucleotides. Increased amplification efficiency was achieved by doubling the concentration of the modified deoxynucleotide triphosphates. Incorporation of 7-deaza purines has been previously shown to selectively eliminate fragmentation pathways during gas-phase sequencing of nucleic acids by sustained off-resonance irradiation collision-induced dissociation (SORI-CID) and infrared multiphoton dissociation. However, 7-deaza analogs result in significant duplex stability precluding interrogation of the single-stranded species by tandem mass spectrometry. Herein, we demonstrate the use of lambda exonuclease to successfully overcome this problem and are able to obtain single-stranded PCR products containing 7-deaza adenine and guanine nucleobases. Mass accuracy was used as our metric to determine complete incorporation of 7-deaza residues in PCR products>15 kDa; ≤ 3 ppm neutral monoisotopic mass measurement accuracies were routinely achieved. High mass measurement accuracy was obtained using a dual electrospray source and subsequently, using an isotopic fitting algorithm, the best fit between the theoretical and experimental isotopic distributions was determined using a chi-square value. Theoretical isotopic distributions were generated using an average nucleotide ( averatide ) chemical formula developed herein which was based on the relative frequencies of AT and GC base pairs in the human genome. Single-stranded PCR products were fragmented using SORI-CID and as expected, cleavage at the 7-deaza modified sites was not observed. Collectively, this integrated approach can facilitate top–down sequencing of PCR products by a variety of tandem mass spectrometry methods.