cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A pilot study of genetic structure of Porphyra umbilicalis Kützing in the Gulf of Maine using SNP markers from RNA-Seq

The red alga Porphyra umbilicalis Kutzing has a broad distribution within the North Atlantic. In the Northeast Atlantic, P. umbilicalis is dioecious and reproduces both sexually and asexually, while in the Northwest Atlantic, only asexual reproduction has been observed. In this study, transcriptomes were mined to identify putative single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) markers. A computational pipeline was developed that accounts for the specific characteristics of transcriptome dataset, filtered against the available red alga Chondrus genome and P. umbilicalis EST library to eliminate microbial contamination. Five hundred forty-nine putative SNPs were detected within a single population (Schoodic Point, ME, USA). Five of the validated SNP markers were applied in a pilot study of genetic diversity and population structure of seven P. umbilicalis populations within the Gulf of Maine. Results of this study revealed the genetic diversity and structure of P. umbilicalis populations in the Gulf of Maine. Novel genotypes were found in the open coastal populations at Reid State Park, Schoodic Point, and the estuarine tidal rapid population at Wiscasset. Our study represents the first attempt to develop suitable bioinformatic pipeline for RNA-seq to detect SNP markers for red alga Porphyra umbilicalis and successfully used these SNP markers for population study.
Follicular Lymphoma Diagnostic Caveats and Updates.

Context.— Follicular lymphoma is a common small B-cell lymphoma, likely to be encountered by any practicing pathologist, regardless of specialty. Although the features of typical follicular lymphoma are well known and in most instances easily identifiable, there are lesser-appreciated morphologic appearances that can raise alternative diagnostic possibilities. The limited tissue available in core needle biopsies can make it additionally challenging to thoroughly evaluate those features in the context of architecture. Furthermore, ancillary testing including immunohistochemistry and molecular/genetic analysis do not always show classic findings and may pose additional challenges to interpretation. Objectives.— To review the morphologic features of follicular lymphoma with a discussion of morphologic variants and mimics; to discuss pitfalls of ancillary testing and provide the practicing pathologist with an appropriate context for interpretation of immunohistochemical and molecular/genetic studies when foll...
Abstract WP119: Leukoaraiosis Attenuates Diagnostic Accuracy of Large Vessel Occlusion Scales

Background and Purpose: Preclinical stroke scales may help identify patients likely to have large vessel occlusion (LVO) to facilitate rapid triage to thrombectomy-capable stroke centers. Scale mis...
Hospital cost and clinical effectiveness of robotic-assisted versus video-assisted thoracoscopic and open lobectomy: A propensity score-weighted comparison.

Abstract Objective To compare cost and perioperative outcomes of robotic, video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS), and open surgical approaches to pulmonary lobectomy. Methods Patients who underwent pulmonary lobectomy between 2012 and 2017 at a single tertiary referral center were reviewed. Propensity score adjustment by inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW) was used to balance baseline patient characteristics. The primary outcomes of the study were direct hospital cost and perioperative outcomes, including operative time, complications rates, and length of stay. Indirect cost and charges were secondary financial outcomes. Results A total of 697 patients underwent pulmonary lobectomy by robotic (n = 296), VATS (n = 161), and open thoracotomy (n = 240). In the IPTW-adjusted analysis, open thoracotomy had the shortest mean operating room time (robotic 278 minutes vs VATS 298 minutes vs open 265 minutes, P = .05), and lowest operating room costs (robotic $9,912 vs VATS $9491 vs open $8698, P = .001). Length of stay was significantly shorter after robotic and VATS lobectomy (robotic 3.8 days vs VATS 3.8 days vs open 5.4 days, P Conclusions Robotic and VATS lobectomy were associated with similar cost and improved clinical effectiveness as compared with the open thoracotomy approach. Increased procedural cost of minimally invasive lobectomy can be recovered by postoperative costs reductions, associated with improved postoperative outcomes and shorter hospital stay.
Predialysis Nephrology Care and Incident Atrial Fibrillation in Older Patients With ESKD Initiating Dialysis.

Background Atrial fibrillation (AF) is common in patients with end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) on dialysis. Whether pre-ESKD nephrology care associates with AF is uncertain. Methods We conducted a retrospective cohort study of older US patients (≥67 years) with Medicare A&B who initiated dialysis (1996–2013) without a prior diagnosis of AF. Patients were categorized by the duration and number of predialysis nephrology outpatient visits. Patients were followed for 1 year for a new diagnosis of AF. We used multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression while accounting for the competing risks of kidney transplantation and death. Results We identified 316,067 patients with ESKD initiating dialysis between 1996 and 2013 who had no prior AF diagnosis. In this cohort, 66.9% had any pre-ESKD outpatient nephrology care, with the first outpatient nephrology visit before dialysis initiation occurring at ≤6 months in 17.9%, 7 to 12 months in 9.4%, and >12 months in 39.6%. Outpatient pre-ESKD nephrology care for ≤6, 7 to 12, and >12 months versus none yielded adjusted cause-specific hazard ratios (HRs) of 0.87 (95% CI: 0.84–0.89), 0.83 (95% CI: 0.81–0.86), and 0.85 (95% CI: 0.83–0.87) for incident AF, respectively. Further, having 1 to 4 pre-ESKD outpatient nephrology visits, 5 to 9 visits, and ≥10 visits versus none yielded adjusted cause-specific HRs of 0.89 (95% CI: 0.86–0.91), 0.86 (95% CI: 0.83–0.88), and 0.81 (95% CI: 0.79–0.83), respectively. Conclusions Having any predialysis nephrology care before initiation of dialysis was associated with slightly lower adjusted rates of incident AF over the first year of dialysis. The optimal timing and intensity of nephrology care to reduce the incidence of AF and other adverse health events requires further study.
MILK AND MILK PRODUCTS

This chapter discusses the physical properties, components, flavor, and functional properties of milk and of products made from cow's milk. Milk is a complex physicochemical system whose various constituents differ in molecular size and solubility. The smallest molecules of salts, lactose, and water-soluble vitamins are in true solution. The proteins, including enzymes, are in colloidal state because of the large size of their molecules. The fat in nonhomogenized milk is present as the globules of larger than colloidal size. Milk is slightly acidic, having a pH of 6.6 at 25°C. It is well buffered by proteins and salts, especially the phosphates. The pH of milk is temperature dependent. Skim milk and whole milk are Newtonian fluids. Therefore, the viscosity of a given sample depends only on temperature, whereas the viscosities of the non-Newtonian creams, concentrated milks, and butter depend also on shear rate. Prior to the consumption of milk as fluid milk or as a product prepared from fluid milk, milk is subjected to one or more treatments that may influence the characteristics of the product. Dairy-based ingredients are used to improve flavor and nutritive value of products.
Application of analytical chemistry in the quality evaluation of Glycyrrhiza Spp

Licorice, one of the oldest traditional Chinese medications, is widely used in the treatment of various diseases. With the development of science and technology, an increasing amount of analytical ...
Endosidin2-14 Targets the Exocyst Complex in Plants and Fungal Pathogens to Inhibit Exocytosis.

The evolutionarily conserved octameric exocyst complex tethers secretory vesicles to the site of membrane fusion during exocytosis. The plant exocyst complex functions in cell wall biosynthesis, polarized growth, stress responses, and hormone signaling. In fungal pathogens, the exocyst complex is required for growth, development, and pathogenesis. Endosidin2 (ES2) is known to inhibit exocytosis in plant and mammalian cells by targeting the EXO70 subunit of the exocyst complex. Here we show that an analog of ES2, ES2-14, targets plant and two fungal EXO70s. A lower dosage of ES2-14 than of ES2 is required to inhibit plant growth, plant exocytic trafficking, and fungal growth. ES2-14 treatments inhibit appressorium formation and reduce lesion sizes caused by Magnaporthe oryzae. Inhibition of EXO70 by ES2-14 in Botrytis cinerea also reduces its virulence in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana). Interestingly, ES2-14 did not affect EXO70 localization or transferrin recycling in mammalian cells. Overall, our results indicate that a minor change in ES2 affects its specificity in targeting EXO70s in different organisms and they demonstrate the potential of using ES2-14 to study the mechanisms of plant and fungal exocytosis and the roles of exocytosis in fungus-plant interactions.
Enantiomeric syntheses of conformationally restricted D- and L-2', 3'-dideoxy-2',3'-endo-methylene nucleosides from carbohydrate chiral templates.

D- and L-2',3'-dideoxy-2',3'-endo-methylene nucleosides were synthesized as potential antiviral agents. The key intermediates 5-O-tert-butyldiphenylsilyl-D- and L-2,3-dideoxy-2, 3-endo-methylenepentofuranoses (20 and 33, respectively) were obtained by selective protection of the D- and L-2,3-dideoxy-2, 3-endo-methylenepentose derivatives 19 and 32 which were prepared from 1,2:5,6-di-O-isopropylidene-D-mannitol and L-gulonic gamma-lactone, respectively, and converted to 5-O-tert-butyldiphenylsilyl-D- and L-2,3-dideoxy-2, 3-endo-methylenepentofuranosyl acetates (21 and 34, respectively) or the chlorides 22 and 35. The acetates and chlorides were condensed with pyrimidine and purine bases by Vorbruggen conditions or S(N)2-type condensation. Vorbruggen conditions using the acetates gave mostly alpha-isomers. In contrast, S(N)2-type condensation using the chlorides greatly improved the beta/alpha ratio. From the synthesis, several D- and L-2',3'-dideoxy-2',3'-endo-methylene nucleoside analogues have been obtained, and their structures have been elucidated by NMR spectroscopy and X-ray crystallography. The synthesized D- and L-adenine derivatives were tested as substrates of adenosine deaminase, which indicated that the D-adenosine derivative 4a was a good substrate of a mammalian adenosine deaminase from calf intestinal mucosa (EC 3.5.4.4) while its L-enantiomer 10a was a poor substrate. Either the D-adenine derivative 4a or its L-enantiomer 10a did not serve as an inhibitor of the enzyme.
False Claims Act Liability for Overtreatment

Context Overtreatment is costly, but is it fraud? In a growing number of False Claims Act cases, the Department of Justice has sought and received multimillion dollar settlements from providers accused of billing Medicare for unnecessary care. This article evaluates the use of the False Claims Act as a tool for reducing overuse. Methods The author reviewed (1) recent cases where litigants sparred over the applicability of the False Claims Act to overtreatment, and (2) criticisms of the expanding use of the False Claims Act in health care. Findings Some judges have dismissed suits on the grounds that expert testimony regarding the necessity of treatment is insufficient for concluding Medicare claims were false or fraudulent. Other judges have let cases proceed, especially in instances where clinicians appear to have overstated the severity of patients' illnesses to justify treatment. Cases that lead to changes in medical practice may result in substantial savings to the Medicare program. Conclusions Courts have struggled with how to apply the False Claims Act to overtreatment. False Claims Act cases that address unnecessary care are potentially less problematic than other types of cases that address technical violations with few implications for costs or quality.
Abstract 6396: Sarcoma treatment using HSP90 inhibitors in combinatorial synergy with doxorubicin

Synovial sarcoma, a rare muscle cancer, has few targeted therapies, and is most commonly treated using doxorubicin (DOX). Even as a primary treatment agent, successful treatment and remission rates are low, and the significant cardiotoxicity of DOX limits dosage options. Synovial sarcoma, and other sarcomas, have a high expression of HSP90, a protein that acts as a chaperone molecule to stabilize and help fold other proteins within the cellular matrix. Under high stress situations, HSP90 is upregulated and acts to stabilize other more thermally labile proteins, including many oncogenes. Using FDA approved drug panels, it was determined that HSP90 is a suitable target for treatment. We look to use a novel HSP90 inhibitor (HS10) compound, to target the high expression of HSP90 within synovial sarcoma and osteosarcoma in combination with the chemotherapy standard DOX to determine if a synergistic effect is observed. This synergistic effect would allow for an overall decreased dose to induce effective cancer cell targeting, reducing overall systemic toxicity within patients. Our results indicate such synergism does occur between DOX and HS10, at a dosage of 5-25 nM DOX and 1000 nM HS10, reducing cell survival to 37-68%, dependent on cell line. DOX dosage alone reduced cell survival to 74% in the most effective case, with no reduction in the least effective case, at a dose of 100 nM. This dose is four times stronger than the highest DOX synergistic dose. It can be concluded, then, that synergistic combination does exist between DOX and HS10, and dosage of DOX can be reduced with more effective targeting for synovial and osteosarcoma cell lines. Protein expression was evaluated using immunoblotting to isolate protein fractions within the cytoplasm and cell membrane, showing high expression within the cytoplasm. Isolated blood plasma from mice with and without tumors was analyzed through ELISA, showing elevated HSP90 presence in mice with tumors (236.4±190pg) vs mice without tumors (6.5±3.5pg). This confirmation of elevated HSP90 expression within sarcoma patients suggests targeting using HS10 to induce synergy to be a viable approach for advanced sarcoma treatment. Citation Format: Matt Kirkham, Sarah Luelling, Kaniz Fatema, Jared Barrott. Sarcoma treatment using HSP90 inhibitors in combinatorial synergy with doxorubicin [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research 2020; 2020 Apr 27-28 and Jun 22-24. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2020;80(16 Suppl):Abstract nr 6396.
Payout policies and closed-end fund discounts: Signaling, agency costs, and the role of institutional investors

Abstract The adoption of a managed distribution policy or plan (MDP) by closed-end funds appears effective in dramatically reducing, even eliminating, fund discounts. We investigate two possible explanations: the signaling explanation proposed in the literature, that the MDP serves as a positive signal of future fund performance, and an alternative explanation based on agency costs. Our results indicate that signaling is, at best, only part of the explanation and that the evidence is generally more consistent with the agency cost hypothesis. For funds adopting aggressive payout targets of 10% (median target) and above, discounts tend to disappear, though there is no discernible improvement in NAV performance. Consistent with the agency cost hypothesis, it is often pressure from institutions/large shareholders that leads to the adoption of aggressive payout policies. Moreover, aggressive-MDPs are associated with a decrease in fund size and managerial fees. Suggestive of their activist role in MDP adoptions and/or informed trading, institutions – especially ones that are Value oriented – tend to build-up their holdings in a fund prior to the adoption of an aggressive-MDP, and liquidate their positions once the price rises.
Complex Structure of Molten NaCl–CrCl3 Salt: Cr–Cl Octahedral Network and Intermediate-Range Order

The resurgence of the molten-salt nuclear reactors (MSRs) creates interesting problems in molten-salt chemistry. As MSRs operate, the composition and physical properties of salts change because of ...
(More) On the Precative Qatal in Lamentations 3.56-61: Updating the Argument:

The rhetorical movement throughout Lamentations 3 is difficult to describe and scholars disagree on how to characterize the acrostic poem. Much hinges on how we interpret the sequence of qatal verb...
Creative Conflict in African American Thought: Booker T. Washington and the Meanings of Progress

What oldest star the fame can save Of races perishing to pave The planet with a floor of lime? Dust is their pyramid and mole: Who saw what ferns and palms were pressed Under the tumbling mountain's breast, In the safe herbal of the coal … But when the quarried means were piled, All is waste and worthless, till Arrives the wise selecting will, And, out of slime and chaos, Wit Draws the threads of fair and fit. Then temples rose, and towns, and marts, The shop of toil, the hall of arts; Then flew the sail across the seas To feed the North from tropic trees; The storm-wind wove, the torrent span, Where they were bid, the rivers ran; New slaves fulfilled the poet's dream, Galvanic wire, strong-shouldered steam. … Ralph Waldo Emerson, in the above lines, outlined a seemingly conventional version of the meaning of “Progress,” based on Charles Lyell's historical geology, and dynamic applications of other sciences, on economic and industrial frontiers. The underlying metaphysic of the poem was one of constant change, represented by exploration, invention, and cycles of boom and bust. Overwhelmingly pervasive attitudes of commercial exuberance and industrial euphoria prepared Emerson and his contemporaries to think of progresss and change as normal conditions of the universe. Emerson was born during the presidency of Thomas Jefferson, whose contrasting metaphysic defined progress very differently, as movement toward a more perfect understanding of self-evident and stable truths – the unalterable laws of nature and nature's God.
Sociology and Evaluation Research: My Chicago School Training and Subsequent Career

This is a brief account of the author’s career beginning with his student days in the Department of Sociology, University of Chicago and the School of Public Health, University of Michigan. The following evaluation projects are summarized: the impact of an interstate highway on the Detroit Orthodox Jewish Community funded by the Michigan Department of Transportation; Healthy University Health Promotion Project funded by the W. K. Kellogg Foundation; Drug Use and Alcohol Abuse Prevention Demonstration funded by the DHHS Center for Substance Abuse; utilization of the Ryan White Care Act (HIV-AIDS) funded by DHHS Heath Resources and Services Administration; and National Environmental Health Action Plans in Europe funded by the World Health Organization/Europe.
The neurobiology of neural networks

This timely overview and synthesis of recent work in both artificial neural networks and neurobiology seeks to examine neurobiological data from a network perspective and to encourage neuroscientists to participate in constructing the next generation of neural networks. Individual chapters were commissioned from selected authors to bridge the gap between present neural network models and the needs of neurophysiologists who are trying to use these models as part of their research on how the brain works.Daniel Gardner is Professor of Physiology and Biophysics at Cornell University Medical College.Contents: Introduction: Toward Neural Neural Networks, Daniel Gardner. Two Principles of Brain Organization: A Challenge for Artificial Neural Networks, Charles F. Stevens. Static Determinants of Synaptic Strength, Daniel Gardner. Learning Rules From Neurobiology, Douglas A. Baxter and John H. Byrne. Realistic Network Models of Distributed Processing in the Leech, Shawn R. Lockery and Terrence J. Sejnowski. Neural and Peripheral Dynamics as Determinants of Patterned Motor Behavior, Hillel J. Chiel and Randall D. Beer. Dynamic Neural Network Models of Sensorimotor Behavior, Eberhard E. Fetz.
State-Based Discovery and Verification of Propositional Planning Invariants

Planning invariants are formulae that are true in every reachable state of a planning world. We describe a novel approach to the problem of discovering such invariants in propositional form—by analyzing only a set of reachable states of the planning domain, and not its operators. Our system works by exploiting perceived patterns of propositional covariance across the set of states: It hypothesizes that strongly-defined patterns represent features of the planning world. We demonstrate that, in practice, our system overwhelmingly produces correct invariants. Moreover, we compare it with a well-known system from the literature that uses complete operator descriptions, and show that it discovers a comparable number of invariants, and moreover, does so orders of magnitude faster. We also show how an existing operator-based invariant finder can be used to verify the correctness of the invariants we find, should operator information be available. We show that such hybrid systems can efficiently produce verifiably true invariants.
*A Tritium-Compatible Piezoelectric Valve for the Tokamak Fusion Test Reactor

A commercial peizoelectric valve has been modified to enhance its tritium compatibility, enabling it to provide about 125 tritium gas injections planned for Princeton’s Tokamak Fusion Test Reactor ...
Structure-from-motion by tracking occlusion boundaries

Active visual tracking of points on occlusion boundaries can simplify certain computations involved in determining scene structure and dynamics based on visual motion. The author describes two such simplifications, both involving the tracking of edge points corresponding to occlusion boundaries. The first technique determines local depth orderings by recognizing which side of a boundary corresponds to an occluding surface. The second technique is able to estimate the direction of observer motion in a simpler manner than most other, previously proposed approaches. The analysis is based on optical flow in the image near the tracked edge element. >
Parallel Multi-channel Biologic Signal Processing

We are building a prototype intelligent cardiovascular monitor (ICM) using the process trellis software architecture for parallel, real-time monitors. This paper describes our experience with the signal processing portion of the ICM. We implemented two versions of the multi-state Kalman filtering algorithm for simultaneous, multi-channel, biologic signal processing. One version had a separate process for each signal. This paper concentrates on a version which parallelized the analysis of a single signal. Unfortunately, unresolvable data dependencies within the Kalman filtering algorithm severely limited the performance gains. The process trellis is a software framework for combining heterogeneous, black-box processes (written in C) into a realtime monitor that executes on a parallel computer [6]. The process trellis itself is implemented in the machine-independent parallel programming language C-Linda@ [7].
Endogenous nitric oxide enhances coupling between O2 consumption and ATP synthesis in guinea pig hearts

Endogenous nitric oxide (eNO) modulates tissue respiration. To test whether eNO modulates myocardial O2 consumption (MV˙o 2), ATP synthesis, and metabolic efficiency, we used isolated isovolumic gu...
Centrally-administered opioid selective agonists inhibit drinking in the rat.

The effects of intracerebroventricular injection of mu (morphine), kappa (dynorphin-(1–13), ethylketocyclazocine, and U50,488H), and delta ([D-Pen2,D-Pen5]enkephalin) opioid agonists on water intake of 14 hr water deprived rats was studied. All agonists caused a dose related decrease in time spent drinking, with a rank order potency of dynorphin-(1–13) > morphine > ethylketocyclazocine >[D-Pen2,D-Pen5]enkephalin = U50,488H. With the exception of morphine, all of the compounds increased the latency to begin drinking, but only at the highest doses tested. The rank order potency for this endpoint was dynorphin-(1–13) = ethylketocyclazocine > [D-Pen2,D-Pen5]enkephalin > U503, 488H. The potent inhibition of drinking following centrally-given dynorphin-(1–13), at doses that did not affect the latency to begin drinking, supports a role for endogenous dynorphin in the homeostatic control of water balance. This function may not be primarily mediated through activation of a kappa opioid receptor since dynorphin-(1–13) was 80–230 times more potent than the selective kappa agonist, U50,488H or ethylketocyclazocine.
Full length article: On the size of incoherent systems

This paper concerns systems with small coherence parameter. Simple greedy-type algorithms perform well on these systems, which are also useful in the construction of compressed sensing matrices. We discuss the following problems for both R^n and C^n. How large can a dictionary be, if we prescribe the coherence parameter? How small could the resulting coherence parameter be, if we impose a size on the dictionary? How could we construct such a system? Several fundamental results from different areas of mathematics shed light on these important problems with far-reaching implications in approximation theory.
The boys who would be princesses: playing with gender identity intertexts in Disney Princess transmedia

Using data from a 3-year ethnographic study in US early childhood classrooms, I examine two kindergarten boys’ classroom play with their favourite Disney Princess transmedia to see how they negotiated gender identity layers clustered in the franchise's commercially given storylines and consumer expectations. This analysis contributes necessarily syncretic methods of analysis that enable critical examination of the complexity in children's play interactions with popular media artefacts as collaborative and heteroglossic negotiations of gender. Mediated discourse analysis of action and multimodality in boys’ Snow White princess play makes visible how children pivoted and anchored their performances as they negotiated, played, and blurred boundaries among gender identity intertexts.
A physical basis for red cell membrane elasticity

Abstract An estimate is made of the effect of lipid-water interactions at the membrane surface on observed membrane elasticity in the red blood cell. It is shown that elastic effects are expected to result from these interactions even in a completely fluid membrane. A simple statistical model is described and used to estimate the magnitude of the resultant elasticity. The estimate thus derived is compared with results of experiments during which a biaxial stress is applied to the membrane. The derived elasticity is sufficient to account for the results of these studies. Other properties of the red cell membrane are discussed in the light of this result.
Natural propane cryogen for frozen‐hydrated biological specimens

The properties of natural propane, mixed with 0–4% isopentane, as a cryogen suitable for rapid freezing of this layers of aqueous biological specimen suspensions are discussed. Although natural propane has rather variable properties, its freezing point can be depressed below the temperature of liquid nitrogen by adding a smaller amount of isopentane than is required for depressing the freezing point of pure propane.
Desalination coupled with salinity-gradient solar ponds

Thermal desalination by salinity-gradient solar ponds (SGSP) is one of the most promising solar desalination technologies. Solar ponds combine solar energy collection with long-term storage and can provide reliable thermal energy at temperature ranges from 50 to 90°C. Solar-pond-powered desalination has been studied since 1987 at the El Paso Solar Pond Project, El Paso, Texas. From 1987 to 1992, the research mainly focused on the technical feasibility of thermal desalination coupled with solar ponds. Since 1999, the research has focused on long-term reliability, improvement of thermodynamic efficiency, and economics. During this period, a small multi-effect, multi-stage flash distillation (MEMS) unit, a membrane distillation unit, and a brine concentration and recovery system (BCRS) were tested over a broad range of operating conditions. The most important variables for the MEMS operation were flash range, concentration level of reject brine, and circulation rate of the first effect. The brine concentration and recovery system is part of the goal of developing a systems approach combining salinity-gradient solar pond technology with multiple process desalination and brine concentration. This systems approach, called zero discharge desalination, proposes concentrating brine reject streams down to near NaCl saturated solutions and using the solution to make additional solar ponds. In addition to presenting the test results on the MEMS and BCRS units, this paper also presents a summary of solar pond operation experiences obtained from the 16-year operation at the El Paso solar pond.
Tracking the incidence of formulaic expressions in everyday speech: methods for classification and verification

Abstract The importance in communication of speech formulas, idioms, proverbs and other formulaic expressions (FEs) has recently been recognized, but studies of their actual usage are still few, and methods of classification remain unrefined. The incidence of FEs in a screenplay, Some Like It Hot, was examined, and found to make up nearly 25% of the phrases in the text. These results are compared with other corpus studies. To verify the classification method used, a survey provided a quantification of native speakers' knowledge of FEs. These findings support a dual model of language ability that includes both configurational and combinatorial modes.
Changes in renal vein, renal surface, and urine oxygen tension during hypoxia in pigs

To determine whether ureteral urine oxygen tension could serve as a monitor of renal hypoxia and its relationship to other renal O2 tension parameters, we simultaneously measured femoral artery (PaO2), renal vein (Pr\(\bar v\)O2), renal surface (PrsO2), and ureteral urine (PuO2) oxygen tensions in 8 anesthetized pigs while incrementally decreasing the inspired oxygen concentration (FiO2) from 21% to 12%. Renal artery blood flow, measured by transit time ultrasound, renal oxygen consumption, and thermodilution cardiac output, was constant. Changes in PaO2, Pr\(\bar v\)O2, PrsO2, and PuO2 caused by decreasing FiO2 were evaluated by one-way analysis of variance. The relationships between PuO2 and the other O2 tension parameters were evaluated by correlation coefficient and linear regression statistics. Of six possible O2 decrements (combinations of 3, 6, and 9%), only Pr\(\bar v\)O2 significantly decreased with all six decrements. PuO2 decreased when FiO2 decreased 6% or more. PuO2 is not a sensitive indicator of systemic hypoxia. Under constant renal perfusion and oxygen consumption, PuO2 had a correlation coefficient of 0.80 and a regression equation of PuO2=0.84 (Pr\(\bar v\)O2)+11.6, with Pr\(\bar v\)O2. PuO2 is related to Pr\(\bar v\)O2 when renal perfusion is constant.
Assimilation of thorium isotopes into terrestrial vegetation

Vegetation and root zone soil from 17 locations within and near the boundaries of a former thorium processing plant were collected and analyzed for 232Th, 228Th and 230Th in order to evaluate the degree of movement of these radionuclides from soil to root tissue, as well as the extent of their translocation into above-ground plant compartments. Concentration ratio (CR) values ranged as follows: 232Th: 0.0003-0.3218 (shoots), 0.0065-0.9057 (roots); 228Th: 0.0038-0.3300 (shoots), 0.0183-0.7335 (roots); 230Th: 0.0007-0.4560 (shoots), 0.0076-1.252 (roots). Root/shoot ratios were 1.03-85.6 (232Th), 1.54-45.8 (228Th) and 1.36-54.5 (230Th). In nearly all instances, the CR values for 228Th exceeded those for 232Th, with the average 228Th/232Th CR ratios being 3.36 and 1.68 for shoots and roots, respectively. No discernable difference was observed between 230Th and 232Th concentration patterns. The increased 228Th/232Th CR ratio observed is presumably due to the intake of 228Ra into the plant structure, leading to subsequent production of 228Th, through decay, within the plant. It is estimated that approximately 80% of the resident 228Th in above-ground vegetation originates through this mechanism.
Endoscopic treatment of laryngeal and tracheal stenosis-has mitomycin C improved the outcome?

Abstract Objective The management of laryngeal and tracheal stenosis remains a challenging problem despite advances in endoscopic surgical techniques. Scar formation and restenosis is the main cause of failure, and this study assesses the efficacy of two adjuvant treatments: endoscopic steroid injection and topical mitomycin C application. Study design and setting This is a retrospective cohort study comparing the efficacy of 3 endoscopic techniques: (1) carbon dioxide (CO2) laser incisions with bronchoscopic dilatation, (2) CO2 laser with dilatation followed by steroid injection into the stenotic area, and (3) CO2 laser with dilatation followed by topical application of mitomycin C. Included in the statistical analysis were 47 procedures performed by the senior investigator in a tertiary medical center between 1994 and 2001 based on their success or failure. Results The percentages of successful outcomes in the study groups were 15%, 18.2%, and 75% with the CO2 laser, CO2 laser with steroid injection, and CO2 laser with mitomycin C, respectively. Statistical comparisons reveal that the differences in outcomes were statistically significant (P Conclusion These patient group results indicate a statistically significant increase, from Clinical significance Mitomycin C appears to be an effective and safe adjuvant treatment in the endoscopic management of laryngeal and tracheal stenosis.
Influence of inhaled corticosteroids on growth: a pediatric endocrinologist's perspective

Given the increasing advocacy for the use of inhaled corticosteroids as a treatment of choice for persistent asthma, growing numbers of children are being exposed to the possible growth-suppressing effects of glucocorticoids. Recent evidence strongly suggests that, when consistently administered at moderate doses, inhaled corticosteroids (IC) are capable of slowing growth in children. Whether such growth suppression would persist and ultimately affect final adult height remains unknown. Therapeutic goals which aim for uninterrupted inflammatory disease control rather than periodic symptom control may increase the occurrence of growth failure in children treated with IC. In this article, current information about the mechanisms of growth suppression by glucocorticoids and the effects of IC on growth is reviewed, and recommendations for designing studies to investigate the effects of drugs on growth are presented.
Ontogeny of hepatic bile acid conjugation in the rat.

ABSTRACT: We studied the postnatal development of hepatic bile acid conjugation in the rat. Overall conjugating activity (homogenate assay) and the activity of the individual enzymes involved in the two step conjugation reaction (coenzyme A-bile acid thioester formation by microsomal cholyl-CoA ligase and amino acid transfer to this intermediate mediated by cytosolic cholyl-CoA:taurine N-acyltransferase were measured on days 1, 7, 14, 21, and 56 of life. Cholic acid conjugation was significantly lower in the suckling rat on days 1, 7, and 14 compared to the adult rat on day 56. At weaning (21 days) there was a marked increase in homogenate activity to a level higher than at 56 days. This peak in conjugating activity could be precociously induced on day 14 by cortisone acetate injection on days 10 through 13. Both cholyl-CoA ligase and cholyl- CoA:taurine N-acyltransferase activities were significantly lower during the first 14 days of life in comparison with 56 days. At 21 days of age there was a sharp increase in cholyl-CoA ligase activity to 1.5 times the activity in the adult; however, cholyl-CoA:taurine N-acyltransferase activity remained less than half of that found in the adult. We conclude that 1) cholic acid conjugation, as assessed by determination of either total conjugating activity or by the individual enzymatic steps, is decreased in the suckling rat; 2) the peak in conjugating activity noted at weaning may be mediated by the hormonal milieu, and 3) cholyl- CoA ligase activity closely parallels the increase in total activity and appears to be rate-limiting during development.
Designing deductive databases

We consider the problem of designing schemas for deductive databases. The design problem is to construct a database schema that supports, at minimal expected cost, a given set of database transactions. Our results include a formal definition of both a deductive database schema and a schema transformation. A schema transformation is used in the design process to transform one schema into another, with the goal of reducing the expected database costs. Our design methodology defines the concept of a schema transformation within the context of the clause-based deductive database model. The IDB of the schema that results from the design process includes clauses sufficient for a theorem prover to map queries stated against the original schema into queries against the (more cost effective) resulting schema. This allows users to interact exclusively with the initial schema, while the schema that results from the design process specifies the actual structure of the implemented database. In other words, the initial schema serves as the logical schema for the database, and the result of the design process serves as its physical schema.
Sphere tracing: a geometric method for the antialiased ray tracing of implicit surfaces

Sphere tracing is a new technique for rendering implicit surfaces that uses geometric distance. Sphere tracing marches along the ray toward its first intersection in steps guaranteed not to penetrate the implicit surface. It is particularly adept at rendering pathological surfaces. Creased and rough implicit surfaces are defined by functions with discontinuous or undefined derivatives. Sphere tracing requires only a bound on the magnitude of the derivative, robustly avoiding problems where the derivative jumps or vanishes. It is an efficient direct visualization system for the design and investigation of new implicit models. Sphere tracing efficiently approximates cone tracing, supporting symbolic-prefiltered antialiasing. Signed distance functions for a variety of primitives and operations are derived.
Seismic evidence for widespread western-US deep-crustal deformation caused by extension

Morgan Moschetti and colleagues use ambient noise tomography data from the western United States to show that strong radial seismic anisotropy exists in the deep crust, confined mainly to the geological provinces that have undergone significant extension during the Cenozoic era, since about 65 million years ago. The coincidence of crustal radial anisotropy with these extensional provinces supports the hypothesis that the deep crust within these regions has undergone widespread and relatively uniform strain in response to crustal thinning and extension. Here a method of seismic wave imaging known as 'ambient noise' tomography is used to generate high-resolution images of seismic wave speeds in the crust and uppermost mantle. The observations reveal strong and uniform anisotropy — where waves travel through rock at different speeds depending on direction — in the deep crust in areas of the western United States that have undergone significant extension during the past 65 million years. Laboratory experiments have established that many of the materials comprising the Earth are strongly anisotropic in terms of seismic-wave speeds1. Observations of azimuthal2,3 and radial4,5 anisotropy in the upper mantle are attributed to the lattice-preferred orientation of olivine caused by the shear strains associated with deformation, and provide some of the most direct evidence for deformation and flow within the Earth’s interior. Although observations of crustal radial anisotropy would improve our understanding of crustal deformation and flow patterns resulting from tectonic processes, large-scale observations have been limited to regions of particularly thick crust6. Here we show that observations from ambient noise tomography in the western United States reveal strong deep (middle to lower)-crustal radial anisotropy that is confined mainly to the geological provinces that have undergone significant extension during the Cenozoic Era (since ∼65 Myr ago)7,8. The coincidence of crustal radial anisotropy with the extensional provinces of the western United States suggests that the radial anisotropy results from the lattice-preferred orientation of anisotropic crustal minerals caused by extensional deformation. These observations also provide support for the hypothesis that the deep crust within these regions has undergone widespread and relatively uniform strain in response to crustal thinning and extension9,10,11.
Parents’ Expectations to Receive Antibiotic Prescriptions for Children

The objective of this study was to evaluate whether parents’ level of expectations would change after manipulating their perceived barriers to visiting doctors without any expectations for antibiotic prescriptions and their perceived benefits of using antibiotics. A prospective experimental study was conducted using a data-collection instrument to manipulate perceived barriers and perceived benefits using four scenarios. Scenarios were developed with the help of pediatricians and by conducting an elicitation survey among parents. Each subject viewed four scenarios. Parents’ expectations to receive an antibiotic prescription associated with each scenario were measured on a scale of 0 (no expectation) to 100 (high expectation); a 100 mm visual-analog scale was used. Data were collected at public places (Houston, Texas, USA) from subjects who had at least one child (age ≤ 5 years) during the study. Descriptive and repeated measures mixed method analyses were performed using SAS v. 9.3 with a .05 significance...
An investigation into the cognitive domain of competence II: The relationship between communicative competence and interaction involvement

The purpose of this study was to continue the investigation into the cognitive domain of communicative competence (Duran & Kelly, 1984; McCroskey, 1982; Spitzberg, 1983). The relationship between interaction involvement (Cegala, 1981) and communicative adaptability (Duran, 1983), a communicative competence construct, was studied. Canonical correlation analysis produced three significant canonical roots. Root 1 was defined by social confirmation appropriate disclosure, and responsiveness. Root 2 was defined by social composure, social experience, andperceptiveness. Root 3 was defined by social experience, and attentiveness. The theoretical implications of the results as well as suggestions for future research are discussed.
Comment on Kahn and Davidson. The Reality of Type 2 Diabetes Prevention. Diabetes Care 2014;37:943–949

In the April 2014 issue, Kahn and Davidson (1) assert that implementing structured lifestyle programs to prevent diabetes in U.S. communities is not supported by science, nor justified economically. We interpret the same evidence differently and argue that integrating lifestyle programs in clinical and public health systems is necessary and good value. Following proof of concept established in five major diabetes prevention outcome trials, over 35 practical trials have tested community, clinical, and virtual/telephonic intervention delivery (2–4). These trials were not intended to measure diabetes incidence; rather, they aimed to identify feasible avenues to deliver interventions in the complex market-oriented U.S. health care system and test whether similar process and intermediate outcomes as observed in the principal outcomes trials could be achieved. Across these practical translation trials, an average 4% weight loss was observed at 1 year, which was comparable to that achieved in the Finnish Diabetes Prevention Study (DPS), less than the 7% in the U.S. Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP), …
Cataloging environmental impact statements and related documents

Abstract Environmental Impact Statements (EISs) have been published by federal agencies such as the National Marine Fisheries Service, the U.S. Forest Service, the U.S. Geological Survey, and the Environmental Protection Agency, since the 1970s. These government documents can be an important source of environmental information. Some EISs are depository items, but most are not. Only a small number of each EIS is printed, and they are not always easy to identify and acquire. Their important content and fugitive nature makes it essential to catalog them to make their existence widely known. This article uses the timber sale EISs published by the Forest Service as examples of the benefits, problems, and techniques of cataloging this material.
Optimal combinations of pattern classifiers

To improve recognition results, decisions of multiple classifiers can be combined. We study the performance of combination methods that are variations of the majority vote. A Bayesian formulation and a weighted majority vote (with weights obtained through a genetic algorithm) are implemented, and the combined performances of 7 classifiers on a large set of handwritten numerals are analyzed.
Some results for a superiority problem in misspecified restricted linear models

Razzaghi (1987) conjectured that a wrong choice of covariance matrix in a restricted linear model results in loss of efficiency. This conjecture was proved correct by Kabe and Gupta for a wrong choice of constant covariance matrix. The present paper demonstrates that this loss of efficiency persists even with an estimated covariance matrix, thereby resulting in inefficient estimation, prediction, and confidence intervals.
Linear and Bent Oxo-Bridged Dimers of Ruthenium Pyrazole Nitrosyls

The nitrosylation of RuCl3·(H2O)x in thionyl chloride affords anhydrous [RuCl3(NO)] which, when treated with a variety of ligands L, gives [RuCl3(L)2(NO)]. For L = 3,5-dimethylpyrazole (dmpH) it is possible to isolate and characterize the corresponding monomeric complex 1 as well as unusual oxo-bridged dimeric products with nitrosyl ligands trans to the oxo ligand with either a linear geometry, as in trans-O[RuCl2(NO)(dmpH)2] (2) and [Cl4(NO)Ru]O[Ru(NO)(dmpH)4] (4), or with a bent geometry, as in trans-O[RuCl(NO)(dmpH)(μ-dmp)]2(3). These compounds have been characterized by elemental analysis and vibrational and NMR spectroscopy, as well as by single crystal X-ray diffraction. Collectively the structural and spectroscopic data support a delocalized π-bonding model across the linear ON−Ru−O−Ru−NO framework.
Going for the long term: Increased automation in spacecraft power systems to lengthen the duration of voyages is being developed

A description is given of the AMPS (autonomously managed power system) program, which is developing a photovoltaic-based power system suitable for long-term space missions, particularly the US Space Station. The AMPS test facility is discussed, and the role of artificial intelligence is examined.