cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Trends in United States Tidal Datum Statistics and Tide Range

Yearly tidal datum statistics and tide ranges for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration/National Ocean Service long-term stations in the United States tide gauge network were compiled and used to calculate their trends and statistical significance. At many stations, significant changes in the tide range were found, either in the diurnal tide range @mean higher high water ~MHHW!2mean lower low water ~MLLW!#, or mean tide range @mean high water ~MHW!2mean low water ~MLW!#. For example, at San Francisco, the diurnal tide range increased by 64 mm from 1900 to 1998, while at Wilmington, N.C., the mean tide range increased at a rate of 542 mm per century from 1935 to 1999. This analysis suggests that any studies concerned with present or future water levels should take into account more tidal datum statistics than just mean sea level ~MSL!. For example, coastal flooding and storm damage studies should consider trends in high water levels, since it is the peak values that cause flooding and determine the design of coastal structures. For habitat restoration planning, mean low water and tide range changes should be considered.
Atmospheric Oscillations and the Temperature Profile of the Upper Atmosphere.

Abstract A linearized dynamical theory of the tides is invoked to account for the observed magnification of the surface-pressure oscillations with periods of 12 and 10.5 hrs. The fundamental equations of the problem are set up, and their boundary conditions are discussed for different assumed types of atmosphere. Numerical and mechanical integration of these equations is undertaken on the basis of suitable continuous temperature profiles of the terrestrial atmosphere. It is found that both the standard National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics profile as well as the V-2 profile are inadequate to account for the observed dynamical properties of the atmosphere; but another mean profile is established which agrees with the direct temperature measurements in the lower atmosphere, is consistent with the results pertaining to the upper atmosphere within the limits of their uncertainty, and, in addition, leads to sufficiently large pressure oscillations with periods of 12 and 10.8 hrs. Surface-pressure oscilla...
The case for a new approach for documenting platelet viability

Methods of radiolabeling platelets (PLTs) have been available since 1958 ( 51 Cr) and 1979 ( 111 In) and have been used to assess candidate PLT products for transfusion by infusion into autologous volunteers. No minimum criteria defining acceptable results for licensing have been agreed to, however. In vivo recoveries of fresh PLTs in normal volunteers vary from 40 to 80 percent, and individual volunteers tend to repeat a low or high recovery in subsequent studies. It has become standard to compare test and control products in individual donors at the same time with the two isotopes. The current procedure of use of a currently licensed product at the end of its licensed storage interval as the control has problems. It has been proposed to use fresh PLTs as the control and to express the test results relative to that control. It is also proposed to have the fresh control collected, labeled, and infused on the same day as the test product is infused. I have proposed that test PLT recovery be at least 66 percent of control and survival be at least 50 percent of control.
Dexamethasone therapy of triethyltin induced cerebral edema.

Abstract After administration of 1.25 mg/kg triethyltin bromide daily to rats for 7 days, cerebral edema results characterized by increased brain water and sodium, normal brain potassium, decreased cerebral blood volume, and without evidence for increased microvascular permeability to albumin and pertechnetate. Concurrent administration of dexamethasone diminishes mortality and the severity of brain edema and also significantly decreases brain, liver, and blood levels of triethyltin. It seems likely that the beneficial effect of steroid therapy in this model is at least in part due to enhanced excretion or catabolism of triethyltin bromide.
The Flexner Report and the Standardization of American Medical Education

1MEDICAL EDUCATION IN THE UNITED STATES TODAY IS STRIKinglystandardizedanddemanding.Itwasnotalwaysso.Prior to the widespread implementation of educational reforms, medical training was highly variable and frequently inadequate. It was not until the early decades of the 20th century that a “uniformly arduous and expensive” system of medical education was instituted nationally. Inthe19thcentury,mostmedicaleducationintheUnited States was administered through 1 of 3 basic systems: an apprenticeshipsystem,inwhichstudentsreceivedhands-on instruction from a local practitioner; a proprietary school system, in which groups of students attended a course of lectures from physicians who owned the medical college; orauniversitysystem,inwhichstudentsreceivedsomecombination of didactic and clinical training at universityaffiliated lecture halls and hospitals. These medical schools taught diverse types of medicine, such as scientific, osteopathic, homeopathic, chiropractic, eclectic, physiomedical, botanical, and Thomsonian. 2 In addition, wealthy and industrious medical students supplemented their education with clinical and laboratory training in the hospitals and universities of Europe, primarily in England, Scotland, France, and Germany. Because of the heterogeneity of educational experiences and the paucity of licensing examinations, physicians in America at the turn of the 20th century variedtremendously intheir medical knowledge, therapeutic philosophies, and aptitudes for healing the sick. 3,4 Throughoutthesecondhalfofthe19thcentury,theAmerican Medical Association (AMA) lobbied for the standardization of American medical education. These efforts were largely unsuccessful, both because political traditions in America dissuaded national regulation of professions and because the American public and much of the medical professionwerenotconvincedthatanyparticularbrandofmedi
Two Prasun Notes

Morgenstierne ( NTS, 15.211 § 51, and 259) derives this from *ghana-tara, with a question-mark of doubt. In Prasun we expect a nasal cluster to lose its nasal to the following obstruent; still, such a vowel syncope is not entirely self-explanatory, and we might expect internal -t- to vanish. Besides, a closer connexion seems to be available.
Lack of allelic imbalance in APOE ϵ 3/4 brain mRNA expression in Alzheimer's disease

Abstract Although the APOE ϵ 4 allele is a strong risk factor for Alzheimer's disease (AD), it is not deterministic, as many APOE ϵ 3/4 individuals do not develop AD. It has been hypothesized that this incomplete penetrance is due, in part, to an imbalance of allele expression in heterozygous individuals. In this regard, Lambert et al. (1998) reported that AD individuals have a higher APOE ϵ 4/total APOE ratio than non-demented control subjects. We tested this hypothesis using radioactive RT-PCR to quantitate APOE ϵ 3 and ϵ 4 allele expression levels in AD and non-AD brain samples from APOE ϵ 3/4 individuals. Quantitative analyses of amplified products within the linear range of amplification (18–20 cycles) revealed no difference from the expected 1:1 ratio in genomic DNA and in cDNA from AD and control brains. Using high PCR cycle numbers (∼30), we observed an artificial elevation of the APOE ϵ 3/total APOE ratio in both DNA and cDNA samples, possibly due to DNA heteroduplex formation. Our results do not support the hypothesis that allelic imbalance contributes to the risk of developing AD among APOE ϵ 3/4 heterozygote individuals.
Breeding for Parthenocarpic Fruit Development in Blueberry

The USDA-ARS breeding program has identified a recessively-controlled genetic variant in highbush blueberry (V. corymbosum L.) that results in parthenocarpic fruit development. Current studies are ...
Social support as a predictor exhaled nitric oxide in healthy individuals across time.

Abstract Psychosocial factors such as social support and depression have long been associated with health outcomes. Elevated depressive symptoms are usually associated with worse health outcomes, whereas social support has been related to improvements in health. Nitric oxide levels are an important marker of both cardiovascular health and immune function. Research suggests that exhaled nitric oxide is affected by stress, negative affect, and depression; however, the effect of social support has not been previously explored. Thus, we sought to examine the association of social support, negative affect, and depression with exhaled nitric oxide in a group of 35 healthy individuals (10 males and 25 females) with a mean age of 20.5 years across five weekly assessments. Results showed that changes in social support within individuals were positively associated with levels of exhaled nitric oxide independent of other psychosocial factors. Further exploration of the health implications of this positive relationship between airway nitric oxide and social support is necessary.
Biogeochemical cycling in an organic-rich coastal marine basin: 11. The sedimentary cycling of dissolved, free amino acids

In the anoxic sediments of Cape Lookout Bight, NC, concentrations of total dissolved free amino acids (TDFAAs) are highest near the sediment-water interface (generally 20 to 60 μM), and decrease to non-zero, asymptotic concentrations (2 to 5 μM) at depths greater than 20 cm. TDFAAs in the overlying waters are <1 μM. Dissolved free amino acid (DFAA) profiles often show a secondary sub-surface maximum in the region between the 1 and 5 mM sulfate isopleths. This phenomenon appears to be related to the transition in the sediments of this region from sulfate reduction to methanogenesis. Aspartic acid, glutamic acid, β-aminoglutaric acid, glycine and alanine are the major DFAAs. With depth, β-aminoglutaric acid becomes the dominant DFAA, accounting for up to 50 mol%. The mole percentages of individual amino acids in the DFAA and sedimentary (I.E., acid hydrolyzable) pools show some similarities, although microbial and abiotic processes cause several differences to exist. A steady-state diagenetic model which quantifies the processes affecting DFAAs in these sediments yields rates of DFAA production and consumption that agree reasonably well with independent estimates of these quantities in Cape Lookout Bight and other anoxic marine sediments. The combined results of modelling pore water DFAA and sedimentary amino acid profiles indicate that significant exchange of amino acids occurs between the sediments and pore waters (I.E., there is a much larger gross flux through, or turnover of, the DFAA pool than there is a net change in the concentration of sedimentary amino acids). DFAAs produced as intermediates in the remineralization of sedimentary amino acids are both metabolized to inorganic nutrients as well as re-incorporated back into the sediments. This latter process appears most likely to occur by incorporation of DFAAs into sedimentary bacterial biomass, although abiotic processes (E.G., geopolymerization ) may also be of some importance. These results demonstrate that the biogeochemistry of dissolved free amino acids in the pore waters of Cape Lookout Bight sediments is dominated by ‘internal’ transformations (I.E., production from sedimentary amino acids, microbial remineralization, and reincorporation back into the sediments). There is some uncertainty in the magnitude of the flux of DFAAs across the sediment-water interface, although it appears to be of secondary importance when compared to the other sedimentary processes affecting DFAAs.
Effective radii and volumes for elements in A15 compounds

Abstract Atomic sized measured by radii and volumes are compared for elements in the A15 structures.
Human primary brain tumor cell growth inhibition in serum-free medium optimized for neuron survival

Glioblastoma is the most common primary brain tumor in adults from which about 15,000 patients die each year in the United States. Despite aggressive surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy, median survival remains only 1 year. Here we evaluate growth of primary human brain tumor cells in a defined nutrient culture medium (Neuregen) that was optimized for neuron regeneration. We hypothesized that Neuregen would inhibit tumor cell growth because of its ability to inhibit gliosis in rat brain. Tumor tissue was collected from 18 patients including 10 males and 8 females (mean age 60+/-12 years) who underwent craniotomy for newly diagnosed, histologically confirmed brain tumors. The tissue was shipped overnight in Hibernate transport medium. Tumor cells were isolated and plated in Neurobasal/serum or Neuregen on culture plastic. After 1 week, growth in Neuregen was significantly less in 9/10 glioblastoma multiforme cases, 5/5 meningioma cases and 3/3 cases of brain metastasis. Analysis of deficient formulations of Neuregen and formulations to which selected components were added back implicate no single active component. However, individual cases were sensitive to corticosterone, selenium, ethanolamine, fatty acids and/or antioxidants. Therefore, a defined culture medium that promotes neuron regeneration inhibits the growth of human primary glioblastoma, meningioma and metastatic tumor cells in culture. The possible in vivo efficacy of Neuregen for treatment of brain tumor resections remains to be determined.
A longitudinal study of residential differences in the composition of the helping networks of impaired elders

Abstract Using data from the longitudinal file of the 1982–1984 National Long-Term Care Survey, this study examines residential differences in the degree to which elders who are not receiving formal services add formal providers to their helping networks over time. A sample of impaired elders ( N = 2,417) who lived in noninstitutionalized settings in both 1982 (Time 1) and 1984 (Time 2) and received assistance from only informal sources of support at Time 1 were studied. The analysis indicated that residential differences in network composition did exist at Time 2 for those elders who remained in the community. Whereas small town and urban elders had approximately the same proportion of elders at Time 2 who had added a formal service provider to their network (18.0% and 17.4%, respectively), a considerably smaller proportion of rural elders received support from community-based formal sources (12.2%). In addition, a multivariate model was estimated that included ten sociodemographic and health-related characteristics of the elder known to influence the use of formal services. Residence differences persisted even after the effects of these variables were controlled. Specifically, among persons not receiving formal services at Time 1, urban elders were 1.60 times as likely as rural or small town elders to have added a formal service provider to their helping network by Time 2.
A study of stable thin film pressure and strain transducer materials

Abstract Thin film cermets and low density tantalum films are shown to exhibit strain gage factors of the order of 10–50 with good stability.
Hindered Diffusion in Polymeric Solutions Studied by Fluorescence Correlation Spectroscopy

Diffusion of molecules in the crowded and charged interior of the cell has long been of interest for understanding cellular processes. Here, we introduce a model system of hindered diffusion that includes both crowding and binding. In particular, we obtained the diffusivity of the positively charged protein, ribonuclease A (RNase), in solutions of dextrans of various charges (binding) and concentrations (crowding), as well as combinations of both, in a buffer of physiological ionic strength. Using fluorescence correlation spectroscopy, we observed that the diffusivity of RNase was unaffected by the presence of positively charged or neutral dextrans in the dilute regime but was affected by crowding at higher polymer concentrations. Conversely, protein diffusivity was significantly reduced by negatively charged dextrans, even at 0.4 μM (0.02% w/v) dextran. The diffusivity of RNase decreased with increasing concentrations of negative dextran, and the amount of bound RNase increased until it reached a plateau of ∼80% bound RNase. High salt concentrations were used to establish the electrostatic nature of the binding. Binding of RNase to the negatively charged dextrans was further confirmed by ultrafiltration.
Voluntary Auctions for Noxious Facilities: Incentives to Participate and the Efficiency of Siting Decisions

Abstract This paper explores the efficiency properties of a voluntary auction under which the city submitting the low bid hosts the region′s noxious facility and receives the high bid as compensation. In the Nash equilibrium of the auction game, the auction mechanism is individually rational (participation is rational for all values of the local environmental costs of the facility), incentive-compatible (the facility is located in the low-cost city), and revenue-neutral. If the compensation of the host city distorts location choices, participation in the auction is rational for all values of local environmental costs if the scale economies associated with the noxious facility are large relative to the average local environmental cost and the distortionary cost per dollar of compensation.
Preclinical evaluation of pharmacotherapies for treatment of cocaine and opioid abuse using drug self-administration procedures

Drug abuse is a major public health problem, and the relationship between intravenous drug abuse and AIDS underscores the need for more effective treatment medications. Animal models of drug self-administration are useful to systematically evaluate new treatment medications and predict clinical efficacy. This review summarizes the status of preclinical evaluations of medications for treatment of cocaine and opiate abuse. The basic drug self-administration methodology and the rationale for experimental designs and outcome criteria are described. Studies of the effects of dopamine or opioid receptor agonists and antagonists as well as medications used clinically for other indications on drug self-administration are critically examined. Where possible, the degree of concordance between clinical and preclinical studies of drug abuse treatment medications is discussed. We conclude that drug self-administration models are valuable for preclinical assessment of medication efficacy, and we recommend some strategies to further improve evaluation procedures. The discovery of more effective medications for substance abuse treatment should be facilitated by recent advances in behavioral science, pharmacology, neurobiology and medicinal chemistry.
Geographic Variability of Rainfall Erosivity Estimation and Impact on Construction Site Erosion Control Design

The Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (RUSLE) is used often by erosion control planners to estimate the soil loss from urban construction sites when sizing sediment ponds and determining the soi...
Splenic hemangioma detection on a technetium-99m mdp bone scan

Abstract While relatively rare, the most common benign tumor of the spleen is the hemangioma. We report a case of a noncalcified splenic hemangioma found incidentally on a technetium-99m methylene diphosphonate (Tc99m MDP) bone scan. Tc-99m MDP may have been accumulated by iron, which was deposited extensively within the hemangioma.
Therapeutic role of a psychiatric intensive care unit in acute psychosis.

Abstract We report the results of the first two days of treatment of 62 subjects with acute psychosis (37 with mania and 25 with schizophrenia), some in a traditional open, volutary unit (n = 38) and others in a psychiatric intensive care unit (PICU) (n = 24). Psychiatric intensive care unit patients who had significantly better response, received treatment which focused on seclusion, restraints, and decreased stimulation, in addition to comparable doses of psychotropics to the open, voluntary unit patients. We recommend that further research focus on non-pharmacological issues, including treatment settings, in the resolution of acute psychosis.
Topography, nanomechanics, and cell surface components of cancer cells examined by combined atomic force microscopy and Raman microspectroscopy

The investigation of the nanostructures and hydrophobic properties of cancer cell membranes is of importance for elucidating the plasma membrane roles in protein folding, membrane fusion, and cell adhesion that are directly related to cancer cell biophysical properties, such as aggressive growth and migration. On the other hand, the chemical component analysis of the cancer cell membrane could be potentially applied in the clinical diagnosis of cancer by the identification of specific biomarker receptors expressed on cancer cell surfaces. In the present work, a combined atomic force microscopy (AFM) and Raman microspectroscopy technique was applied to detect the difference in nanomechanics and membrane chemical components between two cancer cell lines, human lung adenocarcinoma epithelial cells (A549) and human breast cancer cells (MDA-MB-435 with and without expression of BRMS1 metastasis suppressor). The membrane surface adhesion forces for these cancer cells acquired in culture medium were measured using AFM at 0.478±0.091 nN for A549 cells, 0.253±0.070 nN for 435 cells, and 1.114±0.281 nN for 435/BRMS1 cells, and the cell spring constant was measured at 2.62±0.682 mN/m for A549 cells, 2.105±0.691 mN/m for 435 cells, and 5.448±1.081 mN/m for 435/BRMS1 cells. Raman spectral analysis indicated similar peaks between the A549 cells and the breast cancer cell lines 435 and 435/BRMS1 including ~720 cm -1 (guanine band of DNA), 940 cm -1 (skeletal mode polysaccharide), 1006 cm -1 (symmetric ring breathing phenylalanine), and 1451 cm-1 (CH deformation). Slight variations were observed between ~780 - 985 cm -1 (DNA/RNA and proteins) and 1035 - 1210 cm -1 (lipid and proteins).
Discovery of 2-arylthiazolidine-4-carboxylic acid amides as a new class of cytotoxic agents for prostate cancer.

To improve the selectivity and antiproliferative activity of previously reported serine amide phosphates (SAPs), we designed a new series of 4-thiazolidinone amides, in which the 4-thiazolidinone moiety was introduced as a phosphate mimic. However, these 4-thiazolidinone derivatives demonstrated less cytotoxicity in prostate cancer cells despite improved selectivity over RH7777 cells. To further optimize the thiazolidinone analogues in terms of cytotoxicity and selectivity, we made closely related structural modifications, which led us to the discovery of a new class of 2-arylthiazolidine-4-carboxylic acid amides. These compounds were potent cytotoxic agents with IC50 values in the low micromolar concentration range and demonstrated enhanced selectivity in receptor-negative cells compared to SAPs and 4-thiazolidinone amides.
Cobalt-induced polycrystalline silicon film growth

Abstract Cobalt (Co)-induced crystalline silicon (Si) growth was investigated. The Co catalyst reacted to dc magnetron sputtered Si at 600 °C forming a Co silicide layer. The polycrystalline Si (poly-Si) was epitaxially grown above the Co silicide template, which has a small lattice misfit to Si. Annealing followed to improve the Si crystallinity. X-ray diffraction was performed to trace Co silicide phase formation and transition. The Co-rich silicide phase transitioned to CoSi2 by annealing. The crystallinity of Si films was identified using reflection absorption Fourier transform-infrared spectroscopy, which detected unique peaks at 689 and 566 cm−1 after the annealing process. The thin poly-Si film was used to fabricate a Schottky diode to prove the electronic quality. A good quality Si thin film was achieved by the metal-induced Si growth.
Phase-Dependent Photocatalytic Ability of TiO2: A First-Principles Study

The electronic properties of defected TiO2 were investigated using the first-principles calculations based on density functional theory and generalized gradient approximation. Three typical defects, oxygen vacancy, titanium interstitial, and titanium vacancy, were considered in three TiO2 polymorphs, anatase, rutile, and brookite, respectively. Our calculations demonstrated that the defect band is formed by removing an oxygen atom from or inserting an interstitial Ti atom into the TiO2 lattice, which is responsible for the improvement of photocatalytic ability due to the enhanced visible-light absorption. Our calculations further revealed that the defect formation energy increases as following brookite, anatase, and rutile, indicating that defects are easy to be created in brookite TiO2. The relatively high defect density and wide defect band contribute to the better photocatalytic performance of brookite TiO2 in visible light.
Sulfonation and Characterization of Poly(styrene-isobutylene-styrene) Triblock Copolymers at High Ion-Exchange Capacities

Abstract In this study, a triblock copolymer, poly(styrene-isobutylene-styrene), was sulfonated to eight different levels ranging from 0.36 to 2.04 mequiv./g (13 to 82 mol% of styrene; styrene is 19 mol% of the unsulfonated block copolymer). These sulfonated polymers were characterized with elemental analysis and infrared spectroscopy to confirm sulfonation and determine accurate sulfonation levels. Infrared analysis revealed four additional stretching vibrations as a result of sulfonation. Also, a linear relationship between absorbance at 1006 cm −1 (stretching of the aromatic ring in styrene caused by the para -substituted sulfonic acid) and sulfonation level (measured by elemental analysis) was found. The density and water solubility of all the sulfonated polymers were measured and increased with increasing sulfonation level, as high as 1.31 g/cm 3 and 351 wt%, respectively. In addition, a sulfonated triblock copolymer at 79 mol% sulfonation was neutralized with a cesium cation and revealed an increase in density, but a reduction in water solubility. This study demonstrates the resulting unique properties of sulfonated styrene-based block copolymers at higher ion-exchange capacities than previously reported.
Rate Limits in Sensorimotor Synchronization With Auditory and Visual Sequences: The Synchronization Threshold and the Benefits and Costs of Interval Subdivision

Synchronization of finger taps with an isochronous event sequence becomes difficult when the event rate exceeds a certain limit. In Experiment 1, the synchronization threshold was reached at interonset intervals (IOIs) above 100 ms with auditory tone sequences (in a 1:4 tapping task) but at IOIs above 400 ms with visual flash sequences (1:1 tapping). Using IOIs above those limits, the author investigated in Experiment 2 the reduction in the variability of asynchronies that tends to occur when the intervals between target events are subdivided by additional identical events (1:1 vs. 1:n tapping). The subdivision benefit was found to decrease with IOI duration and to turn into a cost at IOIs of 200-250 ms in auditory sequences and at IOIs of 450-500 ms in visual sequences. The auditory results are relevant to the limits of metrical subdivision and beat rate in music. The visual results demonstrate the remarkably weak rhythmicity of (nonmoving) visual stimuli.
Handedness asymmetry of spiral galaxies with z<0.3 shows cosmic parity violation and a dipole axis

Abstract A dataset of 126,501 spiral galaxies taken from Sloan Digital Sky Survey was used to analyze the large-scale galaxy handedness in different regions of the local universe. The analysis was automated by using a transformation of the galaxy images to their radial intensity plots, which allows automatic analysis of the galaxy spin and can therefore be used to analyze a large galaxy dataset. The results show that the local universe ( z 0.3 ) is not isotropic in terms of galaxy spin, with probability P ∼ 5.8 ⋅ 10 − 6 of such asymmetry to occur by chance. The handedness asymmetries exhibit an approximate cosine dependence, and the most likely dipole axis was found at RA = 132 ° , DEC = 32 ° with 1σ error range of 107°–179° for the RA. The probability of such axis to occur by chance is P 1.95 ⋅ 10 − 5 . The amplitude of the handedness asymmetry reported in this Letter is generally in agreement with Longo, but the statistical significance is improved by a factor of 40, and the direction of the axis disagrees somewhat.
Better preservation of endocrine function after central versus distal pancreatectomy for mid-gland lesions.

Background Traditional resections for benign and low-grade malignant neoplasms of the mid pancreas result in loss of normal parenchyma that can cause pancreatic endocrine and exocrine insufficiency. Central pancreatectomy (CP) is a parenchyma-sparing option for such lesions. This study evaluates a single institution’s experience with CP and compares outcomes with distal pancreatectomy (DP). Methods We retrospectively collected data on CP patients from 1997 through 2009 and evaluated outcomes. In a subset of 50 patients, we performed a matched-pairs analysis to directly compare the short- and long-term outcomes of CP and DP. Results Seventy-three patients underwent CP with a median operating room time of 254 minutes. Overall morbidity was 41.1% with pancreatic fistula in 20.5%. Mortality was 0%. There were no differences in fistula, morbidity, and mortality rates between the CP and DP groups. The CP group had resected for smaller lesions. CP patients had a lower rate of new-onset and worsening diabetes than DP patients (14% vs 46%; P = .003). Of new-onset and worsening diabetics, only 1 CP patient required insulin compared with 14 DP patients (P = .002). Conclusion CP is safe and effective for select neoplasms of the mid pancreas. Patients undergoing CP have markedly decreased insulin requirements compared with DP patients.
PROBABILISTIC SUBSET CONJUNCTION

The authors introduce subset conjunction as a classification rule by which an acceptable alternative must satisfy some minimum number of criteria. The rule subsumes conjunctive and disjunctive decision strategies as special cases.
Microstructure based modeling of β phase influence on mechanical response of cast AM series Mg alloys

Abstract Understanding the impact of microstructural features on bulk response is key to improving the properties of AM series cast Mg alloys for more widespread use and for moving towards truly predicting modeling capabilities. This study focuses on modeling the volume fraction and morphology of β phase within the microstructure of cast AM series Mg alloys and quantifying its impact on bulk performance. Finite element results are validated against experimental tensile tests of AM40 and AM70. Digital microstructures with fully connected β phase morphologies are shown to increase hardening versus less connected, clumped morphologies.
Strategic interactions between channel structure and demand enhancing services

In this paper, we investigate how opportunities to invest in demand enhancing services for a product line affect the interactions between a manufacturer and her dealer. Many demand enhancing services, e.g. after sales support, warranty repair etc. can be provided either by the manufacturer or they can be delegated to the dealer. We first show that when a manufacturer retains control of such services, the dealer will have an incentive to choose a decentralized organizational structure as a means of committing to non-product line pricing since this will encourage the manufacturer to invest more in demand enhancing services. We then consider a game that is played between the manufacturer and the dealer in which the dealer chooses between centralized (product line pricing) or decentralized (non-product line pricing) operations, and the manufacturer chooses between insourcing the services, i.e. providing them herself, or outsourcing them to the dealer. We find that the equilibrium depends on which, if any, channel partner has the ability to act as a Stackelberg leader. If the dealer can move first, then the equilibrium will always be outsourced services and centralized dealer operations. However, if either the manufacturer moves first or if neither partner can move first, then the equilibrium can be either insourced services and decentralized dealer operations or outsourced service and centralized dealer operations.
Comparison of non-prewhitening and Hotelling observer models

Recent investigations of human signal detection performance for noise limited tasks have used statistically defined signal or image parameters. The Bayesian ideal observer procedure is then nonlinear and analysis becomes mathematically intractable. Linear, but suboptimal, observer models have been proposed for mathematical convenience. Experiments by Rolland and Barrett involving detection of completely defined signals in white noise superimposed on statistically defined (Lumpy) backgrounds showed that the Fisher-Hotelling model gave a good fit while the simple nonprewhitening (NPW) matched filter gave a poor fit. Burgess showed that the NPW model can be modified to fit their data by adding a spatial frequency filter with response similar to the human contrast sensitivity function. New experimental results will be presented demonstrating that neither model is satisfactory. The results of our experiments done with a variety of spectral densities for the background can be described by a Fisher-Hotelling model modified to include simple circularly symmetric spatial frequency channels as proposed by Myers and Barrett. However, results of our variable viewing distance experiments do not agree with predictions of this simple channelized model. It will be necessary to use a more complex F model with physiologically reasonable spatial frequency channels.© (1995) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Electrostatic and diffraction analysis of a liquid-crystal device utilizing fringing fields: applications to three-dimensional displays

The development and modeling of a liquid-crystal phase grating for real-time diffractive three-dimensional displays are discussed. The system being developed, which is called the ICVision system, utilizes a number of ideas that will result in a rugged, low-power three-dimensional display offering both vertical and horizontal parallax and eventually full color. Fringing fields created between interdigitated electrodes formed on top of VLSI die will induce a diffraction pattern in a thin layer of liquid crystal that will cover the die. A detailed electrostatic and diffraction analysis of liquid-crystal phase-grating regions that will make up the final display is given here. The electrostatic analysis is developed by use of the method of moments. The diffraction analysis is developed by use of rigorous coupled-wave diffraction theory. The numerical results obtrained from the mathematical model are compared with experimental diffraction results from preliminary LCD cells that have been assembled as prototype ICVision devices.
Strong Magnetic Multi-Electron Excitations at the L-Edges in Rare Earths

In the magnetic or spin-dependent EXAFS (SPEXAFS), i.e. the magnetic counterpart to the conventional EXAFS, additional strong dispersive structures appear at the Gd, Tb and Ho L-edges within 200eV above the absorption threshold. These features are interpreted as magnetic multi-electron excitations. While similar effects in the EXAFS-profiles are seldom seen they are clearly visible in the dichroic signal due to their strong magnetic character. By the presented high accuracy of our SPEXAFS studies it is possible to separate these MMEE structures from the overlapping strong magnetic EXAFS for the first time and therefore obtain new insight into the physical origin of these effects.
Is TPO hemineglect the result of unbalanced inhibition

A neurophysiological hypothesis is offered, together with supporting literature, that hemineglect and/or extinction from a temporo-paneto-occipital lesion (and possibly other lesions) can be understood as the unavailability to consciousness of information well represented in brain, the unavailability being the consequence of temporarily suppressing tonic inhibition of corticothalamic interaction no longer balanced by facilitation from the damaged cortex.
Ice particle concentrations and precipitation development in small continental cumuliform clouds

Maximum ice particle concentrations (IM) in modest (≦3.7 km deep) continental cumuliform clouds, with tops with temperatures between −6 and −25 °C, were found to be better correlated with the broadness of the droplet spectrum near cloud top (r = 0.78) than with cloud-top temperature (r = 0.58). Also, the broader the droplet spectrum the warmer was the cloud top at which ice first appeared. Stratification into three cloud-base-temperature (TB) categories, cool (0 °C ≦ TB −8 °C), cold (−8°C < TB < 0°C), and very cold (TB ≦ −8°C), produced correlations between IM and cloud-top temperature (TT) of 0.71, 0.88, and 0.89, respectively. The best-fit lines for these relationships shift to higher IM values as TB increases; this also reflects the effect on IM of the broadness of the droplet spectrum, since the size of the largest drops increases as TB increases. When the clouds contained drops with diameters ≧25 μm, ice particle formation was sudden and prolific. High concentrations of ice particles appeared coincident with, or very soon after, the formation of graupel; these high concentrations were observed in clouds at ambient temperatures between -11 and −28°C, including some clouds with TB <0°C. For clouds with similar droplet spectra and TT, the width of the cloud also affected IM; narrow clouds (<2 km wide) formed less ice than wider, multi-turreted clouds. Continental cumulus clouds have to be about 50% wider and about 5 degC colder at their tops than maritime cumulus to have the same chance of producing a radar echo. However, the difference in width to produce a radar echo disappears for clouds with widths >4 km, although continental clouds still need to be about 5 degC colder at cloud top than maritime clouds to produce a radar echo. Several extant theories for high ice particle concentrations in clouds are examined but none provides a satisfactory explanation for the observations.
A pyramid of loci for partial resistance to Fusarium solani f. sp. glycines maintains Myo-inositol-1-phosphate synthase expression in soybean roots.

Myo-inositol 1-phosphate synthase (MIPS; EC 5.5.1.4) converts glucose 6-phosphate to myo-inositol 1-phosphate in the presence of NAD+. It catalyzes the first step in the synthesis of myo-inositol and pinitol, and is a rate limiting step in the de novo biosynthesis of inositol in eukaryotes. Therefore, MIPS is involved in biotic and abiotic stress via Ca2+ signalling. Seedlings of four soybean genotypes were inoculated with Fusarium solani f. sp. glycines, the causative agent of sudden death syndrome (SDS), and differentially abundant mRNAs were identified by differential display. The genotypes carried either zero, two, four or six alleles of the quantitative trait loci (QTLs) that control resistance to SDS in an additive manner. The mRNA abundance of MIPS did not decrease following inoculation in a recombinant inbred line (RIL 23) containing all six resistance alleles of the QTLs conferring resistance to SDS of soybean. However, the abundance of MIPS mRNA was decreased in genotypes containing four, two or no resistance alleles. The specific activity of the MIPS enzyme in vitro followed the same pattern across genotypes. The IP3 content in the inoculated roots of genotypes with two, four or six resistance alleles were higher compared to the non-inoculated root. The results suggests that a non-additive effect on transcription and translation of MIPS is established in RIL 23 roots by pyramiding six QTLs for resistance to SDS. A role of MIPS in the partial resistance or response of soybean roots to F. solani infection is suggested.
Application of advanced ultrasonic test techniques coupled with fatigue and leakage monitoring to assure integrity of BWR feedwater nozzles

Abstract As a result of feedwater nozzle cracking observed in Boiling Water Reactor (BWR) plants, several design modifications were implemented to eliminate the thermal cycling that led to crack initiation. BWR plants with these design changes have successfully operated for over ten years without any recurrence of cracking. To provide further assurance of this, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) issued NUREG-0619, which established periodic ultrasonic testing (UT) and liquid penetration testing (PT) requirements. While these inspections are useful in confirming structural integrity, they are time consuming and can lead to significant radiation exposure to plant personnel. In particular, the PT requirement poses problems since it is difficult to perform the inspections with the feedwater sparger in place and also leads to additional personnel exposure. Clearly, an inspection and monitoring program that eliminates the PT examination and still verifies the absence of surface cracking would be extremely valuable in limiting costs as well as radiation exposure. This paper describes a program involving the application of advanced UT techniques coupled with fatigue and leakage monitoring to assure integrity of BWR feedwater nozzles. The inspection methods include: (1) scanning with optimized transducers and techniques from the outside vessel wall surface to inspect the nozzle inner radius region, and (2) scanning from the nozzle forging outside-diameter to inspect the nozzle bore region. Methods of analyzing the data using 3-D graphics displays have been developed that show crack location, size, and maximum depth of penetration into the nozzle inner surface. These techniques have been developed to the point where they are now considered a reliable alternative to the liquid penetrant requirements of NUREG-0619. An important supplement to the UT program is the use of automated fatigue, leakage and crack growth monitoring to verify the absence of cracking. This approach provides for a continuous assessment of the integrity of the nozzle structure by tracking the actual fatigue duty, measuring thermal sleeve bypass leakage and performing crack growth predictions based on actual thermal duty. Collectively, the monitoring and inspection program provides technically sound assurance of nozzle integrity and a firm basis for plant operational planning.
The Emergence of Magnetic Flux Loops in Sunlike Stars

We explore the latitude of emergence of flux tubes at the surface of G stars as a function of the rotation rate, magnetic flux, and injection latitude at the bottom of the convective zone. Our analysis is based on a thin flux tube evolution code that has been developed to study the emergence of magnetic flux in the Sun and is well calibrated by detailed comparisons with solar observations. We study solar models with rotation rates between $f {1}{3} $ --> and 10 times solar, injection latitudes I between 1° and 40°, and tubes with a range of field strengths, B0, and fluxes. For our range of input parameters, we find that the mean latitude of emergence, E, increases and its range decreases with higher rotation rates, that E ≤ 45° for stars with rotational periods ≥27 days, that E increases with B0 in rapid rotators, while the reverse is true for slow rotators, that the dependence of E on B0 decreases with increasing I, that tubes with higher flux emerge at larger E, and that the footpoint separation depends linearly on B0. We compare our results to other calculations and with observations of magnetic features on stars and suggest future observations and extensions of this research. Our results suggest that for near-polar starspots to occur, either active stars must have a larger range of I than inferred for the Sun, or differential rotation and meridional flows are more important for magnetic flux redistribution in these stars. Our models also imply that flux appearing near the equator of active stars may be generated by a distributed, rather than a boundary layer, dynamo.
Nutrient enrichment scarcely affects ecosystem impacts of a non‐native herbivore in a spring‐fed river

SUMMARY 1. Non-native invasive species (NNIS) are a global issue whose introduction into novel ecosystems can fundamentally alter nutrient recycling and storage. It is therefore important to understand factors that affect the abundance and distribution of NNIS and their effects on ecosystems. 2. We investigated how nutrient enrichment and herbivorous armoured catfish separately and in combination affect ecosystem processes in a subtropical spring-fed river (San Marcos, River, TX, U.S.A.). A replicated stream channel experiment in which nutrient enrichment was cross-classified with the presence and the absence of armoured catfish was conducted to evaluate how nutrient enrichment may affect the ecosystem and nutrient cycling effects of catfish. 3. The presence of catfish reduced periphyton biomass and altered detrital decomposition rates and, contrary to predictions, decreased periphyton N:P. In addition, the presence of catfish increased the severity of periphyton P-limitation. We found little evidence that adding nutrients altered the effects of armoured catfish on ecosystem dynamics. 4. Armoured catfish likely play an important role in the nutrient dynamics of the San Marcos River, but nutrient enrichment has little influence on determining the magnitude of ecosystem and nutrient cycling effects of this invasive and stoichiometrically unique consumer.
Spatio-temporal dynamics of replication and transcription sites in the mammalian cell nucleus

To study when and where active genes replicated in early S phase are transcribed, a series of pulse-chase experiments are performed to label replicating chromatin domains (RS) in early S phase and subsequently transcription sites (TS) after chase periods of 0 to 24 h. Surprisingly, transcription activity throughout these chase periods did not show significant colocalization with early RS chromatin domains. Application of novel image segmentation and proximity algorithms, however, revealed close proximity of TS with the labeled chromatin domains independent of chase time. In addition, RNA polymerase II was highly proximal and showed significant colocalization with both TS and the chromatin domains. Based on these findings, we propose that chromatin activated for transcription dynamically unfolds or “loops out” of early RS chromatin domains where it can interact with RNA polymerase II and other components of the transcriptional machinery. Our results further suggest that the early RS chromatin domains are transcribing genes throughout the cell cycle and that multiple chromatin domains are organized around the same transcription factory.
A performance and energy comparison of convolution on GPUs, FPGAs, and multicore processors

Recent architectural trends have focused on increased parallelism via multicore processors and increased heterogeneity via accelerator devices (e.g., graphics-processing units, field-programmable gate arrays). Although these architectures have significant performance and energy potential, application designers face many device-specific challenges when choosing an appropriate accelerator or when customizing an algorithm for an accelerator. To help address this problem, in this article we thoroughly evaluate convolution, one of the most common operations in digital-signal processing, on multicores, graphics-processing units, and field-programmable gate arrays. Whereas many previous application studies evaluate a specific usage of an application, this article assists designers with design space exploration for numerous use cases by analyzing effects of different input sizes, different algorithms, and different devices, while also determining Pareto-optimal trade-offs between performance and energy.