cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Strain Mapping by Digital laser Speckle Correlation, Validation and Comparison

This Paper introduces a new Non-Contact, Optical method for displacement measurements, and strain mapping as well as comparing it to traditional Digital Image correlation (DIC) and laser interferometry measurement method. This Method incorporates diffracted laser speckle images from the surfaces through DIC to track displacement and locate strain values. In order to evaluate the feasibility of the method, various experiments were done and results were compared to laser interferometry based and traditional DIC. All the experiments were designed and done with affordable equipment, while they resulted in displacement as small as 30 micro-meter detection. Results presented by this paper are showing that DilSIC is an economic, accurate, rapid and applicable method for the mentioned purpose. Since it does not require any artifact speckle pattern, it can be used on the non-accessible area, limits and difficulties for creating speckle pattern is not applicable for this technique. In this research, various magnitude of strains have been examined within the range of [0-10%]. As this technique is a hybrid method of DIC and Laser speckle measurement it could eliminate some of the limits that everyone has. Those removed restrictions include but not limited to being able to measure strain within range of [0-10%] while using fringes on laser speckle does not let the measurement exceed 2%. Also using laser speckle pattern can end all the challenges to achieve the qualified speckle pattern as they can be adjusted to match the requirement easily.
Understanding female veterans' experiences and perspectives of firearms.

Objectives Although firearms are the leading suicide means among female veterans, firearm research in this population remains limited. This study explored female veterans' firearm-related experiences and perspectives. Method Sixteen cisgender female veterans (ages 27-69) participated in qualitative interviews. Results Participants gained initial firearm knowledge and exposure in childhood and adolescence through older male family members. Military service led to broader exposure to firearms, which were perceived as important for survival and protection in a male-dominated environment, predominantly due to the risk for sexual violence. Following military service, the desire for self-protection motivated firearm ownership and storage practices. Participants perceived trust as essential to firearm discussions, preferring for family members to initiate such conversations. Conclusions This study provides insight into the context in which female veterans' firearm-related beliefs and practices develop. Interpersonal factors and various lifespan experiences appear to play a vital role in female veterans' firearm access, ownership, and storage practices.
Population and Urban Dynamics in Drylands of China

The drylands region of Northwest China is an extensive, vulnerable environment and has experienced dynamic migration patterns along with dramatic urban expansion in the past six decades. This chapter assesses migration and urbanization of this region from the middle of the twentieth century until 2015, with a particular focus on the period following the economic reforms. We found that from 1950 to 2015, China’s drylands region increased its total population by 3.6 times, from 22 million in 1950 to 81 million in 2015 and experienced migrant inflow with the exception of a few years after the 2000s. Three provinces, i.e., Gansu, Inner Mongolia, and Xinjiang, experienced a huge outflow of migrants in the late 1950s and early 1960s. After the economic reform, Inner Mongolia had two extended periods, a total of 16 years, which experienced net out-migration, whereas Gansu province experienced continuous net outmigration from 2000 to 2015. Furthermore, urbanization of the drylands region generally followed China’s urbanization trend, but switched from being above the national average from 1965 to 1999 to falling behind the national average after 2000. Urban built-up land in the region expanded by 3.5 times from 1975 to 2014. All four provincial capitals of the drylands region experienced rapid expansions but showed a lower expansion rate than that of their respective provinces, with divergent urban environmental changes.
Opportunities at the intersection of work and health: Developing the occupational data for health information model.

Objective The study sought to develop an information model of data describing a person's work for use by health information technology (IT) systems to support clinical care, population health, and public health. Materials and methods Researchers from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health worked with stakeholders to define relationships and structure, vocabulary, and interoperability standards that would be useful and collectable in health IT systems. Results The Occupational Data for Health (ODH) information model illustrates relationships and attributes for a person's employment status, retirement dates, past and present jobs, usual work, and combat zone periods. Key data about the work of a household member that could be relevant to the health of a minor were also modeled. Existing occupation and industry classification systems were extended to create more detailed value sets that enable self-reporting and support patient care. An ODH code system, available in the Public Health Information Network Vocabulary Access and Distribution System, was established to identify the remaining value sets. ODH templates were prepared in all 3 Health Level 7 Internationalinteroperability standard formats. Discussion The ODH information model suggests data elements ready for use by health IT systems in the United States. As new data elements and values are better defined and refined by stakeholders and feedback is obtained through experience using ODH in clinical settings, the model will be updated. Conclusion The ODH information model suggests standardized work information for trial use in health IT systems to support patient care, population health, and public health.
Interleukin-17 receptor D (Sef) is a multi-functional regulator of cell signaling.

Interleukin-17 receptor D (IL17RD or IL-17RD) also known as Sef (similar expression to fibroblast growth factor), is a single pass transmembrane protein that is reported to regulate several signaling pathways . IL17RD was initially described as a feedback inhibitor of fibroblast growth factor (FGF) signaling during zebrafish and frog development. It was subsequently determined to regulate other receptor tyrosine kinase signaling cascades as well as several proinflammatory signaling pathways including Interleukin-17A (IL17A), Toll-like receptors (TLR) and Interleukin-1α (IL1α) in several vertebrate species including humans. This review will provide an overview of IL17RD regulation of signaling pathways and functions with emphasis on regulation of development and pathobiological conditions. We will also discuss gaps in our knowledge about IL17RD function to provide insight into opportunities for future investigation.
Sets, Topoi, and Internal Logic in Categories

Publisher Summary A recent development in category theory has been the description and study of a useful class of categories called “elementary topoi.” This class includes the ordinary category of sets: diagrams of sets and sheaves of sets on a topological space. The axiomatic description of these categories provides a formulation of axiomatic set theory wholly different from the usual set-theoretic axioms on the membership relation and the further study casts considerable light on a number of problems of foundations. Systematic developments of the properties of a topos from axioms are discussed in this chapter. Other categories with internal logic and quantifiers and their relations to standard logical systems are also described in the chapter. Given the basic geometric character of sheaf theory, this common development of ideas from geometry and concepts from set theory embodies exciting prospects.
WEIGHTED SHIFTS WITH PERIODIC WEIGHT SEQUENCES

Let {fl(n) n Z} be a sequence of positive numbers with/3(0) 1 and sup{fl(n + 1)/fl(n) n Z} < . We then define the Hilbert space L2(fl) by L2(fl) L2(Z, f12). We denotef L2(fl) byf E= f(n)z with the summand f(n)z indicatin that f(n) is the n-th term of the sequence. Thus we have Ilfll :=- [f(n)12(fl(n))2. We also use z 1. The set {Z n Z} can be thought of as an othogonal basis for L2(/3). For f, g L2(/3) we define the formal product h fg by
On the elliptic restricted three-body problem.

This article describes the most important features of the elliptic restricted three-body problem. The methods of numerical integration with recurrent power series are developed for both the equations of motion and the variational equations. The conditions for the existence of periodic orbits and families of periodic orbits are also outlined in detail, and finally illustrated with a family of symmetric periodic orbits.
Intracavity Far Infrared Laser Spectroscopy of Supersonic Jets: Direct Measurement of the Vibrational Motions in van der Waals Bonds

Molecules held together by van der Waals forces generally posess bond strengths which are ~0.1–1.0% of normal chemical bonds, i.e. 0.1–1.0 Kcal/mole (.35–350 cm−1). Such extremely weak bonds exhilgit vibrational frequencies which lie in the far-infrared, eq. 10–100 cm−1 (1000–1000). In order to measure vibration-rotation spectra of van der Waals bonds, one must devise a method which possesses very high sensitivity in this region of the spectrum, and which preferably also has very high resolution capabilities, such that the hyperfine interactions, which can provide important information on the potential surface of these clusters, can be resolved. In this paper we report the development of such a new spectroscopic technique for directly measuring vibrational absorption spectra of van der Waals bonds. In this method, van der Waals molecules are produced in a supersonic free jet expansion located inside the optical cavity of an optically pumped far infrared laser. Electric field tuning of dipole-allowed vibration-rotation transitions into coincidence with the laser frequency produces an extremely sensitive detection method which also possesses very high (~1 MHz) resolution. We shall describe this new technique and its initial application for the measurement of the bending (υ2) vibration in ArHC1 near 34 cm−1.
Selection of Phlebotomus papatasi (Diptera: Psychodidae) lines susceptible and refractory to Leishmania major infection.

Abstract Variation in susceptibility to infection with cultured promastigotes of Leishmania major was detected among 3 different geographic strains (ISRAEL, EGYPT, and INDIA) of the sand fly Phlebotomus papatasi. The ISRAEL strain showed the greatest susceptibility and was chosen for subsequent genetic selection experiments. After 13 generations of genetic selection in this strain, a stable refractory line was obtained in which only 7.5% of the insects could be infected. A highly susceptible line was also obtained in 5 generations of selection. Infection rates in the susceptible line were stabilized at about 94%. A description of the selection process and characteristics of the 2 lines are given.
Hydrocortisone effect on hyaluronate synthesis in a self‐assembled human dermal equivalent

Human dermal matrix is a 'self-assembled' dermal equivalent containing large amounts of the glycosaminoglycan hyaluronic acid (hyaluronate, hyaluronan, HA). We sought to investigate the actions of the hormone hydrocortisone on hyaluronate synthesis in the human dermal matrix. To this end, human dermal fibroblasts were cultured under serum-free conditions, and in the absence of a three-dimensional matrix, in the presence of varying amounts of hydrocortisone. The resultant human dermal matrices were characterized. We report that low concentrations of hydrocortisone enhance hyaluronate synthesis in the human dermal equivalent and higher concentrations cause inhibition of hyaluronate synthesis. Other glycosaminoglycan (chondroitin sulphate) synthesis is not affected by changing hydrocortisone concentrations up to 500× (200 µg/ml) of the base value. In order to gain preliminary insight into the molecular mechanism of hyaluronate inhibition, a differential gene array analysis was conducted of human dermal matrix grown in the presence of 200 µg/ml hydrocortisone and in a physiological concentration (0.4 µg/ml, normal conditions). The results of these experiments demonstrate the differential expression of 43 genes in the 500× (200 µg/ml) hydrocortisone construct as compared to the construct grown under normal conditions (0.4 µg/ml hydrocortisone). These preliminary experiments suggest that hydrocortisone at higher concentrations may exert its inhibitory effect on hyaluronate synthesis early in the glycolytic pathway, leading to HA biosynthesis by downregulation of phosphoglucomutase and glucose phosphate isomerase, possibly leading to depletion of the cellular pool of UDP-sugar precursors necessary for HA synthesis. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
M-estimation for general ARMA Processes with Infinite Variance.

. General autoregressive moving average (ARMA) models extend the traditional ARMA models by removing the assumptions of causality and invertibility. The assumptions are not required under a non-Gaussian setting for the identifiability of the model parameters in contrast to the Gaussian setting. We study M-estimation for general ARMA processes with infinite variance, where the distribution of innovations is in the domain of attraction of a non-Gaussian stable law. Following the approach taken by Davis et al. (1992) and Davis (1996), we derive a functional limit theorem for random processes based on the objective function, and establish asymptotic properties of the M-estimator. We also consider bootstrapping the M-estimator and extend the results of Davis & Wu (1997) to the present setting so that statistical inferences are readily implemented. Simulation studies are conducted to evaluate the finite sample performance of the M-estimation and bootstrap procedures. An empirical example of financial time series is also provided.
Genetic Control of Flagellation in Bacillus subtilis

Flagellation in Bacillus subtilis was shown to involve at least three loci: a gene H controlling the specificity of the flagellar antigen; a gene fla controlling the presence or absence of flagella; and a gene mot controlling the function of the flagella. The loci were shown to be nonallelic and unlinked in transformation tests. Strains W 23 and SB 108-b, a derivative of strain 168, were shown to differ in their major flagellar antigen.
Pyruvate Kinase Isozyme Changes in Parenchymal Cells of Regenerating Rat Liver

Parenchymal cells (hepatocytes) of adult mammalian liver normally contain only the type L isozyme of pyruvate kinase, whereas nonparenchymal cells of liver contain the M2 isozyme. A net shift in favor of type M2 pyruvate kinase has been seen in homogenates of rat liver during the 2 to 3 weeks of regeneration following partial hepatectomy. We have examined the isozyme content of parenchymal cells isolated during this regeneration period and find both type L and type M2 pyruvate kinases. However, we do not find intermediate hybrids of these two isozymes, even though such hybrids have been demonstrated in other tissues and produced in vitro. Hence, our results suggest that hepatocytes are capable of synthesizing type M2 pyruvate kinase during liver regeneration, and that synthesis of the L and M2 isozymes during this period may be mutually exclusive events for a given cell.
AN EXAMPLE OF AN ELLIPTIC CURVE WITH A POSITIVE DENSITY OF PRIME QUADRATIC TWISTS WHICH HAVE RANK ZERO

If p is prime, then let E p denote the elliptic curve over the rationals given by $${E_p}:{y^2} = {x^3} - 32{p^3}$$ . We prove that E P has only the trivial point (at infinity) for at least \(\frac{1}{3}\) of the primes p. In fact, we will show that for 1/3 of the primes p, L(E P ,1) ≠0.
Speaker Intelligibility of Black and White School Children for Black and White Adult Listeners under Varying Listening Conditions.

Word discrimination scores were obtained from 25 black and 25 white college students. Monosyllabic words were spoken by 24 black and 24 white children from a low socio-economic urban environment. L...
Performance of network formation and scheduling algorithms in the Bluetooth wireless ad-hoc network: 59

Bluetooth is a promising new technology for short range, low power, low cost, pico-cellular wireless connectivity between mobile devices. Efficient clustering or topology construction algorithms play a very important role in the fast connection establishment of such networks. The performance of these algorithms is mainly dependent on the device discovery time, i.e., the time taken by a node to discover and to connect to another node in its radio range, as well as the protocols used for organizing them into the required topology. We define metrics for device discovery performance and evaluate them by simulating the inquiry routine in Bluetooth for various ad-hoc scenarios. We indicate the scenario where device discovery in Bluetooth can become a bottleneck. We then describe some recent results on topology construction algorithms for Bluetooth. Data applications running over Bluetooth such as http, ftp and real audio will need transport layer protocols such as TCP and UDP to send packets over the wireless links. We propose and compare a number of MAC scheduling algorithms with the aim of improving the performance of asynchronous data traffic over a Bluetooth piconet that supports multiple active slaves. We study how the presence of circuit-switched voice impacts the performance of data traffic.
Emergency Department Reliance Among Rural Children in Medicaid in New York State

Purpose: This study examines variation in emergency department reliance (EDR) between rural and metro pediatric Medicaid patients in New York State for noninjury, nonpoisoning primary diagnoses and seeks to determine the relationship between receipt of preventive care and the likelihood of EDR. Methods: Rural/urban designations were based on Urban Influence Codes established by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Healthcare Effectiveness Data and Information Set (HEDIS®) well-visit measures were calculated using 2008 Medicaid claims and encounter data. Well-child numerator status and location of residence variables were then entered as independent variables in multivariate logistic regression models. Models controlled for the effects of Medicaid financing system (fee-for-service vs managed care), Medicaid aid type, race/ethnicity, gender, and 2008 clinical risk group category. Findings: The likelihood of EDR was higher in all age categories for rural compared to metro residing Medicaid children in New York State. Meeting HEDIS well-child criteria was protective against emergency department (ED) reliance in the adolescence age group (OR = 0.84). Conclusion: ED reliance is associated with rural residence. Increased access to primary and specialty care in rural settings could help reduce EDR, particularly among rural adolescents.
Conditioned adaptive behavior from Kalman filter trained recurrent networks

We demonstrate that a fixed-weight neural network can be trained with Kalman filter methods to exhibit input-output behavior that depends on which of two conditioning tasks had been performed a substantial number of time steps in the past. This behavior can also be made to survive an intervening interference task.
A numerical model for steady-state temperature distributions in solid-medium high-pressure cell assemblies

We present a numerical model for calculating the temperature distribution inside resistance-heated high-pressure solid-medium axi-symmetric cell assemblies that incorporates both composition- and temperature-dependent thermal conductivity. The code was validated using both analytic solutions of simplified thermal diffusion problems and comparisons to actual laboratory experiments and was found to be reliable in matching the temperature characteristics of multi-anvil experiments. Calculations for various cell assembly designs resulted in temperature fields that are consistent with experimental measurements of thermal gradients. These calculations also illustrated the influence of temperature-dependence of thermal conductivity, an important and often-overlooked property, on the thermal profiles. This model may be used to fine-tune the design of cell assemblies, either to minimize thermal gradients or to produce a desired temperature distribution. The four "typical" multi-anvil cells that we used to demonstrate this technique have temperature profiles across the sample that range from 25 to 75 °C when the thermocouple temperature is 1200 °C. The thermocouple in all four is in a region where the temperature gradient is on the order of 100 °C per millimeter, which could lead to experimental temperature uncertainties that are correlated with the thermocouple location.
Noradrenaline in the heart of the spontaneously hypertensive rat.

Abstract Studies of the fate of intravenously administered [ 3 H]-noradrenaline in normal and spontaneously hypertensive (S.H.) rats revealed an increased 24-hour accumulation in the heart of the S.H. animal. This increased accumulation was associated with a normal 5-minute uptake of [ 3 H]-noradrenaline and normal endogenous levels of cardiac noradrenaline. It is suggested that the increased accumulation reflects a reduced rate of noradrenaline release. These changes in noradrenaline metabolism do not explain the hypertension but rather appear to be secondary to the hypertension.
Hematopoietic stem cells in microgravity

Abstract Engraftment and progenitor expansion was compared after microgravity or conventional culture. Rotating Wall Vessels (RWV) were compared with Teflon flask cultures. Two systems were used: 1) Male BALB/c whole bone marrow was cultured with varying cytokines, time intervals ranging from 24 hours to 7 days at 10–40 RPM. The cultured marrow was competed with an equal amount of fresh female marrow into lethally ablated female BALB/c mice. 2) Male B6.SJL (CD45.1) marrow was cultured with varying time intervals ranging from 24 hours to 14 days at 10 RPM with FLT-3 ligand, steel factor, and thrombopoietin. Fresh C57BL/6J (CD 45.2) marrow (3 × 10 6 cells) was competed with 3 × 10 6 cultured B6SJL male cells in lethally ablated male C57BL recipients. Engraftment was analyzed at 3–10 weeks. Progenitor expansion increased over controls by 24 hours with significantly greater expansion in the RWV cultures by 48 hours. The dominant theme was a fluctuation in engraftment phenotype, which transcended cytokine combination and murine strain. A nadir of engraftable stem cells occurred between 36–44 hours in Teflon flask cultures and 30–48 hours in RWV cultures. There was a consistent phase shift of engraftment between culturing conditions of 4–6 hours. The engraftable stem cells in RWV showed superior support of short-term engraftment in multiple experiments up to 32 hours in culture. Slower rational speed improved RWV engraftment and in-vitro progenitor number. Longer culturing time gave similar engraftment results. Surrogate progenitors from both culture conditions did not reflect engraftment data, with an overall increase in progenitors over time compared with dramatic engraftment fluctuation. Enhanced plating efficiency and increased number of progenitors seen in the RWV cultures when compared with the Teflon flask cultures persisting after 24 hours in culture. The fluctuating engraftment phenotype persists with different strains and cytokine combinations, signifying that this is a crucial physiologic phenomenon.
Rational heuristics: the ‘simple rules’ that strategists learn from process experience

While much research indicates that organizational processes are learned from experiences, surprisingly little is known about what is actually learned. Using a novel method to measure explicit learning, we track the learned content of six technology-based ventures from three diverse countries as they internationalize. The emergent theoretical framework indicates that firms learn heuristics. These heuristics have a common structure centered on opportunity capture and are learned in a specific developmental order. This results in a deliberately small, yet increasingly strategic, portfolio of heuristics. Broadly, we contribute to the psychological foundations of strategy by highlighting the rationality of heuristics as strategy, capability creation as the cognitive transition from novice to expert heuristics, and simplification cycling as a critical dynamic capability for sustaining competitive advantage. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
OIL-SPILL IN BERMUDA: A CASE STUDY OF EFFECTIVE LITIGATION

In 1976, a small oil spill occurred in Hamilton Harbor, Bermuda. Oil samples from the harbor and holds of 3 suspect ships were taken immediately and analyzed by GC. The shape of the unresolved complex and the heights of the small peaks were the identifying factors in this analysis. Circumstantial and chemical evidence were strong in this case, and the captain of the cruise liner Statendam admitted to discharging polluted ballast into the harbor. The captain was found guilty of violating the Oil Pollution Act of 1973 by a lower court; upon appeal to the Bermuda Supreme Court, the conviction was upheld, the decision imposing absolute liability on the master of a vessel for any polluting discharges. The case sets a precedent for how swift sampling, use of uncomplicated analysis, and strong circumstantial evidence were used to get a conviction. The recent extention of territorial water to 200 nautical miles may make stringent pollution control more possible than in the past.
A circle packing algorithm

A circle packing is a configuration P of circles realizing a specified pattern of tangencies. Radii of packings in the euclidean and hyperbolic planes may be computed using an iterative process suggested by William Thurston. We describe an efficient implementation, discuss its performance, and illustrate recent applications. A central role is played by new and subtle monotonicity results for "flowers" of circles.
Improving 3D PET imaging by restoration: a phantom study

Abstract The main objective of our work is to improve 3D PET imaging. Compared with 2D PET, 3D PET imaging has slightly worse axial resolution and a significantly higher contribution of scatter and randoms, but 3D PET has much better sensitivity than 2D PET imaging. A Jaszczak deluxe phantom was acquired in 3D mode on our GE Advance PET system. Activity of 333 MBq of 18 F was uniformly distributed. Prior to the emission scan, blank and transmission scans had been acquired. They were used for attenuation correction. The duration of the emission scan was 20min, transmission 10min, and blank 20min. Standard FBP reconstruction software provided by the vendor was used to obtain slice images. Point spread function was also acquired in a 21cm diameter cylinder phantom filled with water 6.0cm from the center and used to create restoration filters. Two restoration filters were applied, medium and sharp. Results showed significant improvement in resolution, contrast and detectability of the cold rods. The artifacts outside the phantom were also significantly reduced. For 11.1mm rods, average contrast was 0.49±0.02 in the original image, 0.52±0.04 in the medium restored image, and in the sharply restored image 0.75±0.05. For 7.9mm rods, average contrast was 0.07±0.01 in the original image, 0.21±0.03 in the medium restored image, and 0.50±0.04 in the sharply restored image. The amount of noise in the uniform slices, measured as the coefficient of variation (COV), was 5.5, 7.1 and 10.8% in the original image and in the images restored with medium and sharp filters, respectively. In conclusion, restoration can significantly improve the resolution and contrast of 3D PET imaging.
An analysis of alternative fuel credit provisions of US automotive fuel economy standards

Abstract In the United States, alternative fuel vehicles are treated favorably in the calculations that are used to determine compliance with automotive fuel efficiency standards. We estimate that this favorable treatment is worth approximately $550–$1100 per alternative fuel vehicle in terms of avoided penalties. We use a dynamic simulation model to examine the implications of this favorable treatment of alternative fuel vehicles for the goals of oil displacement contained in the United States Energy Policy Act. Welfare analysis shows that the favorable treatment of alternative fuel vehicles costs $66 million or about 84 cents per gallon of gasoline displaced in the base case. Policy scenarios show greater costs. Whether this money is well spent depends on one's views of the need to build alternative fuel and vehicle infrastructure and the goal of oil displacement.
Defrauding Cyril Burt: A reanalysis of the social mobility data

Abstract In the last comprehensive review by Mackintosh et al. Cyril Burt, Fraud or Framed? (London: Oxford University Press, 1995) of the fraud charges posthumously leveled against the once eminent psychologist Sir Cyril Burt, Mackintosh and Mascie-Taylor asserted that statistical anomalies they detected in his social mobility data of 1961 provided crucial evidence of guilt. The anomalies included apparent departures from normality in some parts of the data, incommensurate cell totals, and suspicious uniformity within IQ bands across fathers and sons. It is shown here that the departures from normality were a natural consequence of unavoidable rounding when inverting the cumulative normal distribution to construct the class IQ bands used in the tables. Elementary procedures are given, known since at least the 1930s, which could have been used by Burt to simultaneously preserve both the normality of his IQ data and the desired population proportions of occupational classes. Other anomalies first noticed by the statistician Donald Rubin are explainable as artifacts produced by fixing marginal totals in the presence of rounding to IQ scores, then using the same weighting procedures to conform to margins. The grounds given by Mackintosh and Mascie-Taylor for finding fraud in Burt's social mobility data are therefore dismissed.
Rates of pharmacokinetic literature obsolescence

Abstract Obsolescence may be defined as the decline over time in validity or utility of information. To investigate pharmacokinetic literature obscolescence, two discrete methodologies were utilized. In the first type, the age distribution of 12,836 periodical references from 766 pharmacokinetic papers published in 16 journals and bearing a 1982 publication date was analyzed (synchronous study). The median reference citation age was 4.52 years, and 54.4% of all citations were to articles published in the prior 5 years. Using non-linear regression analysis, two groups or types of literature were tentatively identified. The first or ‘ephemeral’ type comprised about 98.5% of the sample and obsolesced with a 2.94 year half-life. The second or 'classic' type comprised about 1.5% of the literature and obsolesced with a 21.6 year half-life (there was, however, considerable imprecision in this latter parameter estimate). A historical or diachronous study followed quantitative citation patterns to 6 classic pharmacokinetic articles published in the 1960s. Citation counts were normalized to eliminate the influence of pharmacokinetic literature growth. The harmonic mean obsolescence half-life was 2.24 years. The results of both the synchronous and diachronous studies strongly suggest pharmacokinetics is characterized by an unusually high degree of rigor in methodology and data analysis, i.e. pharmacokinetics is a relatively ‘hard’ discipline.
Use of the automatic stapler in urinary conduit diversions and pelvic exenterations.

Abstract Nine patients previously treated by pelvic irradiation underwent a urinary diversion procedure, four as part of total pelvic exenteration. The automatic surgical staplers used in these procedures, the gastrointestinal anastomosis device, and ligation and division stapler, greatly reduced operating time while preserving a better blood supply to the anastomotic site. The method of use and advantages of the autosuture instruments in urinary diversions are discussed.
Characteristics of trehalase in Candida tropicalis.

The trehalase content of different yeasts varies widely. A strain ofCandida tropicalis was found to be the best source of this enzyme among the yeasts tested. The trehalase activity in this yeast could be increased 8.5 times by growing it on trehalose rather than glucose. Thus trehalase is an adaptive enzyme inC. tropicalis.
PU.1 Is Essential for CD11c Expression in CD8+/CD8− Lymphoid and Monocyte-Derived Dendritic Cells during GM-CSF or FLT3L-Induced Differentiation

Dendritic cells (DCs) regulate innate and acquired immunity through their roles as antigen-presenting cells. Specific subsets of mature DCs, including monocyte-derived and lymphoid-derived DCs, can be distinguished based on distinct immunophenotypes and functional properties. The leukocyte integrin, CD11c, is considered a specific marker for DCs and it is expressed by all DC subsets. We created a strain of mice in which DCs and their progenitors could be lineage traced based on activity of the CD11c proximal promoter. Surprisingly, we observed levels of CD11c promoter activity that were similar in DCs and in other mature leukocytes, including monocytes, granulocytes, and lymphocytes. We sought to identify DNA elements and transcription factors that regulate DC-associated expression of CD11c. The ets transcription factor, PU.1, is a key regulator of DC development, and expression of PU.1 varies in different DC subsets. GM-CSF increased monocyte-derived DCs in mice and from mouse bone marrow cultured in vitro, but it did not increase CD8+ lymphoid-derived DCs or B220+ plasmacytoid DCs. FLT3L increased both monocyte-derived DCs and lymphoid-derived DCs from mouse bone marrow cultured in vitro. GM-CSF increased the 5.3 Kb CD11c proximal promoter activity in monocyte-derived DCs and CD8+ lymphoid-derived DCs, but not in B220+ plasmacytoid DCs. In contrast, FLT3L increased the CD11c proximal promoter activity in both monocyte-derived DCs and B220+ plasmacytoid DCs. We used shRNA gene knockdown and chromatin immunoprecipitation to demonstrate that PU.1 is required for the effects of GM-CSF or FLT3L on monocyte-derived DCs. We conclude that both GM-CSF and FLT3L act through PU.1 to activate the 5.3 Kb CD11c proximal promoter in DCs and to induce differentiation of monocyte-derived DCs. We also confirm that the CD11c proximal promoter is not sufficient to direct lineage specificity of CD11c expression, and that additional DNA elements are required for lineage-specific CD11c expression.
Whither Environmental Security in the Post–September 11th Era? Assessing the Legal, Organizational, and Policy Challenges for the National Security State

What are the implications of the war on terrorism for the progress made to date and the likely future of environmental security efforts in the national security state? To put the evolving post–September 11th environmental security challenge facing the U.S. military in perspective, this article begins with a synopsis of the doctrinal, tactical, operational, and regulatory dilemmas faced by the U.S. military in the post–Cold War era. Next, the article reviews how and why the 1990s bequeathed a set of misaligned administrative systems that make existing and future progress in balancing national security with environmental and natural resources protection extremely vulnerable to shifts in the political economy surrounding this issue in the post–September 11th era. The article concludes with a review of how September 11th has affected the patterns of politics surrounding this issue since those tragic events. Despite recent increases in the defense budget, this analysis suggests that conflict over this issue will continue, rendering structural realignment a daunting challenge and further complicating the integration of national security and environmental and natural resources responsibilities in the post–September 11th era.
Differential Gene Expression of TGF-β Family Members and Osteopontin in Breast Tumor Tissue: Analysis by Real-Time Quantitative PCR

Several cytokines including members of the transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β) and tumor necrosis factor (TNF) families have been implicated in the homing mechanism of breast cancer metastasis. We hypothesize that primary breast tumor tissues differentially express modulators of bone cell function and that this expression pattern contributes to their aggressive and metastatic potential and to their capacity to establish and grow in bone. We, therefore, examined the gene expression pattern of the TGF-β family members (inhibin/activin βA subunit (activin βA), inhibin α subunit, and bone morphogenetic protein-2 (BMP-2)), the TNF family members (receptor activator of NF-κB ligand (RANKL) and osteoprotegerin (OPG)), and osteopontin (OPN) in normal, non-invasive, invasive, and metastatic human breast cancer specimens. The mRNA transcript levels of these genes were quantified by reverse transcription (RT) and fluorescent-based kinetic PCR in 18 normal breast tissues, five ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS), 24 primary breast tumor tissue, and five distant metastases. The mRNA transcript level of each gene was normalized to the amount of β-actin present in the samples. We observed differential gene expression of the selected TGF-β family members as well as OPN in breast cancer progression. The average gene expression of the putative tumor suppressor, inhibin α, did not significantly change in any of the tumor tissues examined compared to normal breast tissue. The mRNA level of BMP-2, a protein with anti-proliferative effects in breast cancer cell lines and involved in bone formation, significantly decreased in non-invasive, invasive, and liver metastatic breast tumor tissue compared to normal breast tissue. The gene expression of activin βA, a protein involved in cell proliferation and osteoclast induction, increased in invasive and bone metastatic tumor tissue compared to normal breast tissue. The mRNA level of OPN, a bone matrix protein associated with enhanced malignancy, increased in non-invasive, invasive, and liver and bone metastatic breast tumor tissue compared to normal breast tissue. In contrast, the average gene expressions of the TNF family members, RANKL and OPG, proteins involved in the regulation of osteoclastogenesis, were only slightly if at all changed in the different stage breast tumor tissues. These results suggest that differential gene expression of bone-related proteins, especially OPN, activin βA, and BMP-2, by primary breast tumor tissues may play a significant role in the invasiveness and metastatic potential of breast cancer.
Classroom foreign language learning and language variation: the notion of pedagogical norms

: This article comprises three parts. In the first part, a model of interlinguistic variation is developed which, unlike those presented heretofore, attempts to take into account inherent variation in the target language. In the second part are presented the results of a pilot study which suggests that advanced learners, including foreign language teachers, differ significantly from target language speakers in the way they handle variation. In the third part an argument is constructed for the establishment of special classroom replicas of the target language labelled pedagogical norms. Finally, the notion of pedagogical norm is illustrated with two variable features of French, the phonological ‘e’ variable and interrogative structures. These two examples illustrates the important point that pedogogical norms must take into account the full range of target language variability, including sociolinguistically stigmatized features. Although all the examples in this article are drawn from French, the model of interlinguistic variation that is developed and the notion of pedagogical norm that stems from the model are applicable to all types of foreign- and second-language learning, including that of English as a second language.
Velocity decay and acoustic characteristics of various nozzle geometries with forward velocity.

Utilizing a static test stand, 6- by 9-foot wind tunnel and 13-inch circular free jet, aerodynamic and acoustic data were obtained with a convergent circular nozzle, bypass nozzle, 6-tube mixer nozzle, and 6-tube mixer nozzle with an ejector. The aerodynamic data consist of velocity decay surveys with and without forward velocity. The acoustic data include total sound power, directivity and frequency spectra obtained statically and with forward velocity. The relation of aerodynamic and acoustic measurements statically and in forward flight for the various nozzle configurations are discussed.
Distribution of vasoactive intestinal polypeptide and substance P receptors in human colon and small intestine

Vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP) and substance P are found in neurons in the lamina propria and submucosa and muscularis propria of human small intestine and colon. VIP receptors coupled to adenylate cyclase are present on epithelial, smooth muscle, and mononuclear cells. This study analyzes the distribution of[125I]VIP binding and [125]substance P in human colon and small intestine using autoradiographic techniques. [125I]VIP binding was present in high density in the mucosal layer of colon and small intestine. [125I]VIP binding was not significantly greater than nonspecific binding in smooth muscle layers or the lymphoid follicles. In contrast, [125I]substance P binding was present in high density over the colonic muscle but was not present over the mucosal layer. In human colon cancer, [125I]VIP grain density over the malignant tissue was only slightly higher than background. These autoradiographic studies of [125I]VIP binding indicate that the highest density of VIP receptors was found in the small intestine and superficial colonic mucosa, whereas the density of substance P receptors was highest over the smooth muscle layers. These findings suggest a mismatch between immunochemical content of the peptide and autoradiographic density of the receptor.
Routing and flow control on the MetaNet: an overview

Abstract We review the underlying principles and design of the MetaNet, a LAN/MAN architecture with an “arbitrary topology” (i.e., a switch-based LAN). Its design provides on one hand a service in which every node can try to transmit asynchronously, in a bursty manner without reservation (as much as it can) as in shared-media LANs. On the other hand, the network access and flow control ensure the following properties: (1) no cell/packet loss due to congestion, (2) fair access to the network, (3) no deadlocks, (4) dynamic self-routing, and (5) broadcast-with-feedback. The switching over this network requires only a single buffer per link—as in buffer insertion rings. The dynamic self-routing on the MetaNet is a variant of deflection routing. It makes on-line routing decisions based on the local flow of traffic (load conditions). Unlike other deflection techniques the MetaNet routing is along a global sense of direction, which guarantees that packets will reach their destinations. Thus, we call this method convergence routing (previous deflection algorithms do not guarantee deterministic routing convergence, i.e., a cell/packet can be deflected indefinitely inside the network). A natural implementation of a global sense of direction is embedding a virtual ring in a tree that spans the network. The links of the virtual ring are numbered sequentially, such that the numbering establishes a linear measure of the distance to the destination.
Independent requirements for Hedgehog signaling by both the anterior heart field and neural crest cells for outflow tract development

Cardiac outflow tract (OFT) septation is crucial to the formation of the aortic and pulmonary arteries. Defects in the formation of the OFT can result in serious congenital heart defects. Two cell populations, the anterior heart field (AHF) and cardiac neural crest cells (CNCCs), are crucial for OFT development and septation. In this study, we use a series of tissue-specific genetic manipulations to define the crucial role of the Hedgehog pathway in these two fields of cells during OFT development. These data indicate that endodermally-produced SHH ligand is crucial for several distinct processes, all of which are required for normal OFT septation. First, SHH is required for CNCCs to survive and populate the OFT cushions. Second, SHH mediates signaling to myocardial cells derived from the AHF to complete septation after cushion formation. Finally, endodermal SHH signaling is required in an autocrine manner for the survival of the pharyngeal endoderm, which probably produces a secondary signal required for AHF survival and for OFT lengthening. Disruption of any of these steps can result in a single OFT phenotype.
Cancun’s tourism development from a Fordist spectrum of analysis

Tourism scholars in recent years have posited a global paradigmatic shift from Fordist to more post-Fordist and neo-Fordist modes of tourism production and consumption. This article provides a brie...
Variation in practice patterns among specialties in the acute management of atrial fibrillation

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is commonly managed by a variety of specialists. Current guidelines differ in their recommendations leading to uncertainty regarding important clinical decisions. We sought to document practice pattern variation among cardiologists, emergency physicians (EP) and hospitalists at a single academic, tertiary-care center. A survey was created containing seven clinical scenarios of patients presenting with AF. We analyzed respondent choices regarding rate vs rhythm control, thromboembolic treatment and hospitalization strategies. Finally, we contrasted our findings with a comparable Australasian survey to provide an international reference. There was a 78% response rate (124 of 158), 37% hospitalists, 31.5% cardiologists, and 31.5% EP. Most respondents chose rate over rhythm control (92.2%; 95% CI, 89.1% - 94.5%) and thromboembolic treatment (67.8%; 95% CI, 63.8% - 71.7%). Compared to both hospitalists and EPs, cardiologists were more likely to choose thromboembolic treatment for new and paroxysmal AF (adjusted OR 2.38; 95% CI, 1.05 - 5.41). They were less likely to favor hospital admission across all types of AF (adjusted OR 0.36; 95% CI, 0.17 - 0.79) but thought cardiology consultation was more important (adjusted OR 1.88, 95% CI, 0.97 - 3.64). Australasian physicians were more aggressive with rhythm control for paroxysmal AF with low CHADS2 score compared to US physicians. Significant variation exists among specialties in the management of acute AF, likely reflecting a lack of high quality research to direct the provider. Future studies may help to standardize practice leading to decreased rates of hospitalization and overall cost.
Invariant imbedding, iterative linearization, and multistage countercurrent processes. IV. A new approach to distillation column calculation☆

Abstract By treating the multicomponent distillation column as a nonlinear boundary value problem in difference equations, various different computational algorithms can be developed. Some of the typical algorithms are discussed and used to solve some examples. It is shown that this basic concept combined with quasilinearization form a powerful approach for solving multicomponent distillation column design problems.