cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Effect of chronic oral anticoagulation with warfarin on the durability and outcomes of endovascular aortic aneurysm repair

Objective Endoleak after endovascular aortic aneurysm repair (EVAR) can affect the durability of the repair and lead to continued sac expansion, rupture, and the need for further endovascular or open surgical interventions. The purpose of this study was to determine whether chronic anticoagulation therapy with warfarin is associated with an increased incidence of endoleak and thus increased need for reintervention after EVAR. Methods We reviewed the records of 401 consecutive patients who underwent EVAR at a single institution from 2003 until 2011. Patients on warfarin were compared with a control group not on warfarin. Primary endpoints included reintervention, defined as rupture, explant, or angiography; death from any cause; and a composite outcome of reintervention or death. The presence of an endoleak at last follow-up, identified by computed tomography or ultrasound scan, and increase of more than 5 mm in aneurysm sac size were secondary endpoints. Cox proportional hazards models were used to estimate the effect of warfarin use on the primary and secondary outcomes, controlling for age, gender, obesity, specific comorbidities, antiplatelet drugs, statin use, and urgency of EVAR. Results Three hundred sixty-three patients with a median follow-up period of 29 months had sufficient data for analysis. Warfarin use was not associated with an increased risk of any of the primary endpoints. Controlling for covariates and length of observation via proportional hazards models, the effect of warfarin remained insignificant. It was found, however, on regression analysis, that adverse outcomes were more prevalent after emergency EVAR and in patients deemed unfit for open surgical repair. Conclusions Chronic oral anticoagulation does not appear to affect the incidence of endoleak after EVAR, nor does it impact the need for reintervention or degree of sac regression. We feel that warfarin may be safely used in post-EVAR patients. It appears that adverse long-term outcomes are more likely after emergency EVAR and in patients deemed unfit for open surgery.
Research Investigation of Information Access Methods

Abstract This study investigates the satisfaction of library users at Wayne State University who utilize alternative information access methods. The LibQUAL+™ desired and perceived that satisfaction ratings are used to determine the user's ‘superiority gap’. By focusing limited library resources to address ‘superiority gap’ issues identified by each user community, user satisfaction with library personnel and library operations should improve. This study provides library administrators with a guide for a data-based organizational change resulting in improved user access, higher user satisfaction, and increase library operational efficiency.
Legislating Women's Sexuality: Cherokee Marriage Laws in the Nineteenth Century

During the first half of the nineteenth century, the Cherokee Nation passed many laws to regulate marriage and sex. This essay first contemplates the gendered aspects of such laws by exploring the importance of Cherokee women's marital choices and official response to those choices. In particular, Cherokee women's choice of non-Cherokee marital partners, most frequently whites, and the concomitant introduction of outsiders into the Nation forced the Cherokee legislative branch to reformulate Cherokee women's relationship to the production of new citizens in the Nation. Then the essay turns more explicitly to the laws' racial implications and examines who could marry in the Cherokee Nation and why by first examining Cherokee laws regulating marriage with people of African descent. Cherokees increasingly excluded people of African descent from membership in the Nation through legislation prohibiting legal marriage between Cherokees and people of African descent. Lastly, this essay considers Cherokee legislative provisions to include whites as marriage partners and citizens in the Cherokee Nation. Ultimately, this essay finds that Cherokee officials were redefining Cherokee Indians racially and used marriage laws to write and reinforce this new definition.
Signal Processors Based Upon GaAs ICs: The Need for a Wholistic Design Approach

Advances in the development of digital GaAs ICs have progressed to the point that designers of signal and data processors and of analog conversion modules can begin to discern the systems applications for which they are best suited. The high electron mobilities of GaAs transistors result in very fast electron transit times across their active regions and hence generate the potential for extremely short gate propagation delays. So-called first-generation GaAs gates using FET structure (both depletion-mode MESFETs, or D-MESFETs and enhancement-mode junction FETs, or EJFETs) similar to those fabricated in silicon have exhibited switching delays as low as 100ps at 1-3 mW power dissipation. First-generation GaAs components that have been manufactured at reasonable yield levels are currently in the 1000-2000 gate range, with components of 5000-6000 gate density presently in development and demonstration.
Highly dispersive photonic band-gap prism

We propose the concept of a photonic band-gap (PBG) prism based on two-dimensional PBG structures and realize it in the millimeter-wave spectral regime. We recognize the highly nonlinear dispersion of PBG materials near Brillouin zone edges and utilize the dispersion to achieve strong prism action. Such a PBG prism is very compact if operated in the optical regime, ~20 mm in size for lambda ~ 700 nm, and can serve as a dispersive element for building ultracompact miniature spectrometers.
Ion Mixing of Ni and Pt Layers on Si

Backscattering spectrometry is used to investigate the depth dependence of NiSi atomic mixing induced by 300 keV Xe+ ions. Nickel films with thicknesses of 40, 64, 68, and 97 nm are deposited on 〈100〉 Si substrates and irradiated at various temperatures. The numbers of metal atoms per unit area mixed with the silicon substrates are calculated from the backscattering spectra. The results show that the ion mixing process takes place at a depth much greater than that of the ion-induced cascade, even at about −180 °C. The temperature dependence of the ion mixing is measured for 64 nm Ni on 〈100〉 Si and for 40 nm Pt on 〈100〉 Si between −180 and 160 °C. The results suggest that the formation of compound phases plays an important role in the atomic mixing, even at −180 °C. La dependance en profondeur du mixage ionique de NiSi induit par des ions Xe+ de 300 keV est etudiee par retrodiffusion coulombienne. Des films de nickel d'epaisseurs 40, 64, 68 et 97 nm ont ete deposes sur un substrat de silicium d'Orientation 〈100〉, a differentes temperatures. Le nombre d'atomes metalliques par unite de surface, melanges avec les substrats de silicium, a ete calcule a partir du spectre de retrodiffusion. Les resultats montrent que le processus de mixage ionique a lieu a une profondeur bien plus grande que celle correspondant au phenomene de cascade, et ce, měme a −180 °C. L'influence de la temperature sur le mixage ionique a ete etudiee pour des films de Ni de 64 et de Pt 40 nm sur un substrat de silicium d'Orientation 〈100〉 entre −180 et 160 °C. Les resultats suggerent que la formation de phases composees joue un rǒle important dans le processus de mixage ionique, et ce, měme a −180 °C.
An improved electricity market model on demand response considering distribution loss sensitivities

This study examines the North American electricity wholesale market design concerning the Demand Response (DR) resources. It shows that the competitiveness of DR bids is underrepresented when the DR impacts on distribution network losses are neglected. The study further proposes changes to the current market design by incorporating the loss sensitivities of DR resources in the market clearing algorithms. The quantities and prices of the resultant market clearing outcomes will correctly represent the market's incentives for the DR resources. This study also describes an effective method for computing distribution network loss sensitivities, which can be applied to study large-scale practical distribution system networks. This method can help facilitate the practical implementation of the proposed market design changes, with necessary collaboration from the local distribution system operators.
Recovery of renal function in a dialysis-dependent patient following gastric bypass surgery.

There is increasing evidence that obesity, independently from other comorbidities such as diabetes and hypertension, can cause renal dysfunction. While this indolent dysfunction may be asymptomatic, it can render patients more susceptible to renal insufficiency when the kidneys are further injured by other pathological processes. Here, we present a morbidly obese patient whose type-A aortic dissection was complicated by acute renal failure that subsequently progressed into end-stage renal disease. However, his renal function improved dramatically following substantial weight reduction after gastric bypass surgery obviating the need for dialysis and transplantation. The potential mechanisms by which a patient’s obesity may lead to renal dysfunction are discussed. This case and other similar reports suggest that obese patients with renal failure can safely undergo bariatric surgery and that bariatric surgery may have a role in treating chronic kidney disease in select morbidly obese patients.
The dynamism and tension in the anthropocosmic vision of Mou zongsan: ‐A reflection on confucian concept of tianren heyi

Analyse du concept confucianiste de Tianren Heyi qui designe l'idee anthropocosmique de l'union entre le ciel et l'humanite, entre l'immanence et la transcendance, et qui constitue le theme central de la philosophie chinoise. Au-dela de sa signification spirituelle pour la philosophie comparative et la theologie, l'A. souligne la caractere dynamique et tragique que peut prendre la notion dans le neoconfucianisme comme dans sa reception en Occident
Interaction of Iron Compounds and Starch Granules

The adsorption of several iron compounds by unmodified and modified tapioca, corn and waxy maize starch was studied using transmission electron microscopy and atomic absorption spectrophotometry. Starch was incubated in an iron-containing solution. After centrifugation the amount of iron remaining in solution was compared to the original concentration to determine the quantity bound by the starch. Only iron in the form of colloidal ferric chloride showed significant binding. Long, cigar shaped structures, probably β-ferric oxyhydroxide crystals, were seen embedded in the surface of the granule. It is postulated that the oxygen and hydroxide groups surrounding the iron are responsible for binding to the carbohydrate. The study of the interaction of starch and metal compounds may lead to greater insight into methods of fortifying food products.
The way it was: A renowned educator gives a firsthand account of the decades that shaped EE education

An educator gives a first-hand account of the decades that shaped EE education. Following a brief look at the period from 1900 to 1930, the author then considers the electronic revolution that began during the 1930s, the curriculum during World War II, the challenge of the computer, and the liberal education of the engineering student.
Thermodynamic Nonequilibrium Phase Change Behavior and Thermal Properties of Biological Solutions for Cryobiology Applications

Understanding the phase change behavior of biomaterials during freezing/thawing including their thermal properties at low temperatures is essential to design and improve cryobiology applications such as cryopreservation and cryosurgery. However, knowledge of phase change behavior and thermal properties of various biomaterials is still incomplete, especially at cryogenic temperatures (< or = -40 degrees C). Moreover, in these applications, chemicals are often added to improve their outcome, which can result in significant variation in the phase change behavior and thermal properties from those of the original biomaterials. These chemical additives include cryoprotective agents (CPAs), antifreeze protein (AFP), or cryosurgical adjuvants like sodium chloride (NaCl). In the present study, phase change behavior and thermal properties of saline solutions--either water-NaCl or phosphate buffered saline (PBS)--with various chemical additives were investigated. The chemical additives studied are glycerol and raffinose as CPAs, an AFP (Type III, molecular weight = 6500), and NaCl as a cryosurgical adjuvant. The phase change behavior was investigated using a differential scanning calorimeter (DSC) and a cryomicroscope. The specific and latent heat of these solutions were also measured with the DSC. The saline solutions have two distinct phase changes--water/ice and eutectic phase changes. During freezing, eutectic solidification of both water-NaCl and PBS are significantly supercooled below their thermodynamic equilibrium eutectic temperatures. However, their melting temperatures are close to thermodynamic equilibrium during thawing. These eutectic phase changes disappear when even a small amount (0.1 M glycerol) of CPA was added, but they are still observed after the addition of an AFP. The specific heats of these solutions are close to that of ice at very low temperatures (< or = -100 degrees C) regardless of the additives, but they increase between -100 degrees C and -30 degrees C with the addition of CPAs. The amount of latent heat, which is evaluated with sample weight, generally decreases with the addition of the additives, but can be normalized to approximately 300 J/g based on the weight of water which participates in the phase change. This illustrates that thermal properties, especially latent heat, of a biomaterial should be evaluated based on the understanding of its phase change behavior. The results of the present study are discussed in the context of the implications for cryobiology applications.
The persistence of regional divisions in American electoral politics

(1999). The persistence of regional divisions in American electoral politics. Regional & Federal Studies: Vol. 9, No. 3, pp. 157-179.
The effect of ganglioside on oxidation-induced permeability changes in lens and in epithelial cells of lens and retina.

Abstract Several recent reports have indicated that ganglioside treatment both in vivo and in vitro has a protective effect on the loss of membrane permeability resulting from inhibition of transport enzyme(s) in different experimental models. In this study we have investigated the effect of monosialoganglioside on oxidation-induced changes in organ-cultured rabbit lenses and in cultured dog lens epithelium and human retinal pigment epithelial cells. Exposure of organ-cultured lenses to 0·5 mM hydrogen peroxide for 1 hr increased the efflux of 86Rb from intact lenses and loss of myoinositol from the capsule epithelium. Pretreatment of the lenses with monosialoganglioside significantly reduced the efflux rate of 86Rb and loss of myoinositol. Monosialoganglioside also prevented morphological changes induced by 0·1 mM hydrogen peroxide in dog lens epithelium and loss of cell viability caused by docosahexaenoic acid in dog lens epithelium and in human retinal pigment epithelial cells. In contrast to the protective effect of monosialoganglioside on permeability and morphological changes in cultured cells, it had no effect against single-strand breaks of DNA in dog lens epithelium resulting from exposure to hydrogen peroxide. X-ray and UV-B radiation. Although the molecular mechanisms by which monosialoganglioside prevents permeability and morphological changes induced by hydrogen peroxide and docosahexaenoic acid are not known, it appears that this ganglioside serves as a membrane stabilizer rather than as a free-radical scavenger.
Processing of functionally graded WC/Co/diamond nanocomposites

Abstract A new method of processing functionally graded WC/Co/diamond nanocomposites has been developed. The starting particle size of WC grains is ∼100nm. The critical step in processing is the generation of pore size gradient using electrochemical etching of cobalt. This leads to the generation of larger pores on the surface. After etching; Pores are filled with carbon by chemical vapor infiltration; Using catalytic decomposition of methane. This carbon rich sample is then subjected to a high pressure/high temperature treatment to convert carbon into diamond. The resulting functionally graded nanocomposite contains higher amount of diamond on surface leading to higher wear resistance; And higher amount of WC/Co in the core leading to higher toughness.
The FEAR network.

Mitosis is governed by the oscillation of cyclin dependent kinase (CDK) activity and ubiquitin-dependent proteolysis. Entry into mitosis is initiated by mitotic cyclin-CDK activation. Anaphase onset occurs upon activation of the Anaphase Promoting Complex/Cyclosome (APC/C), a ubiquitin ligase that promotes the destruction of the anaphase inhibitor Securin. Destruction of Securin initiates chromosome segregation by activation of the protease Separase, allowing it to cleave a subunit of the cohesin complexes that hold the duplicated sister chromatids together. Upon completion of nuclear division cells exit from mitosis, a process defined by the inactivation of CDKs, disassembly of the mitotic spindle, and cytokinesis. In the budding yeast S. cerevisiae, a signaling network known as the FEAR network is critical to ensure accurate anaphase chromosome segregation and the integration of this process with other anaphase events. Here, we summarize what is known about the regulation and function of the FEAR network in budding yeast and discuss the potential for conserved FEAR network functions in other eukaryotes.
An NMR method for elucidating the stereochemistry of protein farnesylation

Abstract The syntheses of the deuterium-labeled farnesylated peptides 11 and 12 are described. The 500 MHz NMR spectra of these two compounds exhibit clear differences in the signals of the two pro-chiral hydrogens on C-1 of the farnesyl moeity. This provides a method to determine the stereochemical course of the enzyme farnesyl:protein trasferase.
Chronic Sleep Restriction Disrupts Sleep Homeostasis and Behavioral Sensitivity to Alcohol by Reducing the Extracellular Accumulation of Adenosine

Sleep impairments are comorbid with a variety of neurological and psychiatric disorders including depression, epilepsy, and alcohol abuse. Despite the prevalence of these disorders, the cellular mechanisms underlying the interaction between sleep disruption and behavior remain poorly understood. In this study, the impact of chronic sleep loss on sleep homeostasis was examined in C57BL/6J mice following 3 d of sleep restriction. The electroencephalographic power of slow-wave activity (SWA; 0.5–4 Hz) in nonrapid eye movement (NREM) sleep and adenosine tone were measured during and after sleep restriction, and following subsequent acute sleep deprivation. During the first day of sleep restriction, SWA and adenosine tone increased, indicating a homeostatic response to sleep loss. On subsequent days, SWA declined, and this was accompanied by a corresponding reduction in adenosine tone caused by a loss of one source of extracellular adenosine. Furthermore, the response to acute sleep deprivation (6 h) was significantly attenuated in sleep-restricted mice. These effects were long-lasting with reduced SWA and adenosine tone persisting for at least 2 weeks. To investigate the behavioral consequences of chronic sleep restriction, sensitivity to the motor-impairing effects of alcohol was also examined. Sleep-restricted mice were significantly less sensitive to alcohol when tested 24 h after sleep restriction, an effect that persisted for 4 weeks. Intracerebroventricular infusion of an adenosine A1 receptor antagonist produced a similar decrease in sensitivity to alcohol. These results suggest that chronic sleep restriction induces a sustained impairment in adenosine-regulated sleep homeostasis and consequentially impacts the response to alcohol.
A molecular biomarker system for assessing the health of coral (Montastraea faveolata) during heat stress.

Using a novel molecular biomaker system (MBS), we assessed the physiological status of coral (Montastraea faveolata) challenged by heat stress by assaying specific cellular and molecular parameters. This technology is particularly relevant for corals because heat stress is thought to be an essential component of coral bleaching. This phenomenon is widely believed to be responsible for coral mortality worldwide, particularly during 1997–1998. Specific parameters of coral cellular physiology were assayed using the MBS that are indicative of a nonstressed or stressed condition. The MBS distinguished the separate and combined effects of heat and light on the 2 coral symbionts, a scleractinian coral and a dinoflagellate algae (zooxanthellae). This technology aids in the accurate diagnosis of coral condition because each parameter is physiologically well understood. Finally, the MBS technology is relatively inexpensive, easy to implement, and precise, and it can be quickly adapted to a high-throughout robotic system for mass sample analysis.
On the outage throughput capacity of hybrid wireless networks over fading channels

In this paper, we investigate the problem of how much information can be transported over hybrid wireless networks, in which a wired network of base stations is deployed to support long-range communications between wireless nodes. The main focus of this paper is the effect of fading on such hybrid wireless networks. To effectively overcome fading impairment, we introduce optimal multiple access technique allowing opportunistic sources to transmit concurrently with the scheduled source. All these sources share the entire bandwidth, much like a wideband CDMA system. A successive interference cancelation (SIC) strategy is then applied at the receiver to limit the intra-cell interference and achieve the maximum capacity. Close-form solutions for outage throughput capacity are derived under intra-cell transmission mode and infrastructure transmission mode, respectively. It is showed that, with opportunistic sources, the intra-cell mode effectively combats fading as wireless nodes increases; however, the infrastructure mode is bottlenecked by the downlink transmission since base station is the only transmitter in the cell during the downlink phase. The theoretical bounds obtained and proofs are instrumental to the future network modeling and design.
A chain decomposition theorem

Abstract It is proved that every chain-complete poset with the finite cutset property is the union of countably many chains.
Lower body mass index is associated with a higher prostate cancer detection rate and less favorable pathological features in a biopsy population.

ABSTRACT Purpose: Body mass index (BMI), calculated as weight in kg divided by the square of height in m, is used as an indicator of obesity. We assessed the relationship between BMI, and prostate cancer detection rates and biopsy features in a referral based biopsy population. Materials and Methods: A total of 787 consecutive patients referred for abnormal digital rectal examination and/or prostate specific antigen (PSA) greater than 4 ng/ml underwent systematic prostate biopsy. Three standard categories of BMI were considered, namely normal—less than 25, overweight—25 to 29.9 and obese—30 or greater kg/m 2 . The presence or absence of cancer, percent of core involvement and tumor grade were correlated with BMI. Additional analyses controlled for patient age, PSA and prostate volume. Results: For the entire population detection rates were highest in the normal BMI group compared to the overweight or obese group (52% vs 37% vs 42%, p=0.0026). When stratified by age, this observation was true for men younger than 70 years (49% vs 32% vs 37%, p=0.0042) but not for men 70 years or older. When only patients with PSA 10 ng/ml or less were considered, detection rates were highest in the normal BMI group (44% vs 28% vs 36%, p=0.0061). This observation also persisted in patients younger than 70 years with PSA 10 ng/ml or less, or when only patients younger than 70 years with a total prostate volume of less than 50 cc were included. Of patients with cancer those with a normal BMI had a greater length of needle core involvement on biopsy. Conclusions: Normal BMI correlates with a higher cancer detection rate and larger cancers in men undergoing prostate biopsy.
Empirical models of meat demand: How do they fit out of sample?

Out of sample tests were performed on two meat demand models: the linear, relative-price real-income specification and the almost ideal demand system. Variants of each model included seasonal effects and habit formation. Estimation procedures included single equation OLS, seemingly unrelated regression, and autocorrelation corrections. The models were tested over five different time periods. The study found that no particular model consistently outperformed the others. This was true over different time periods, across commodities, and across specifications and estimation techniques. A X2 goodness of fit test could not reject the hypothesis that outcomes were uniformly distributed by classes. There was little statistical difference between the top five model types. At the 5% level, the best predicting model was not significantly different from the top four contenders in a majority of the 15 test cases. © 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
The structure and transformation of the nanomineral schwertmannite: a synthetic analog representative of field samples

The phase transformation of schwertmannite, an iron oxyhydroxide sulfate nanomineral synthesized at room temperature and at 75 °C using H2O2 to drive the precipitation of schwertmannite from ferrous sulfate (Regenspurg et al. in Geochim Cosmochim Acta 68:1185–1197, 2004), was studied using high-resolution transmission electron microscopy. The results of this study suggest that schwertmannite synthesized using this method should not be described as a single phase with a repeating unit cell, but as a polyphasic nanomineral with crystalline areas spanning less than a few nanometers in diameter, within a characteristic ‘pin-cushion’-like amorphous matrix. The difference in synthesis temperature affected the density of the needles on the schwertmannite surface. The needles on the higher-temperature schwertmannite displayed a dendritic morphology, whereas the needles on the room-temperature schwertmannite were more closely packed. Visible lattice fringes in the schwertmannite samples are consistent with the powder X-ray diffraction (XRD) pattern taken on the bulk schwertmannite and also matched d-spacings for goethite, indicating a close structural relationship between schwertmannite and goethite. The incomplete transformation from schwertmannite to goethite over 24 h at 75 °C was tracked using XRD and TEM. TEM images suggest that the sample collected after 24 h consists of aggregates of goethite nanocrystals. Comparing the synthetic schwertmannite in this study to a study on schwertmannite produced at 85 °C, which used ferric sulfate, reveals that synthesis conditions can result in significant differences in needle crystal structure. The bulk powder XRD patterns for the schwertmannite produced using these two samples were indistinguishable from one another. Future studies using synthetic schwertmannite should account for these differences when determining schwertmannite’s structure, reactivity, and capacity to take up elements like arsenic. The schwertmannite synthesized by the Regenspurg et al. method produces a mineral that is consistent with the structure and morphology of natural schwertmannite observed in our previous study using XRD and TEM, making this an ideal synthetic method for laboratory-based mineralogical and geochemical studies that intend to be environmentally relevant.
FINGER-TIP SWEAT-GLAND ACTIVITY AND SALIVARY SECRETION AS INDICES OF ANTICHOLINERGIC DRUG EFFECT.

A modification of Wada's finger-tip counting technic for determination of palmar sweat-gland activity is described. The active sweat-gland count of the finger tip was found to be highly reproducible under the conditions of gastric analysis. The modified sweat-gland test and Mushin's salivary-flow technic were used to study the effects of varying doses of two anticholinergic drugs during gastric analyses on 12 patients. Significant correlations were found between the initial value and the maximum drug response for both sweat- and salivary-gland tests. There also was a significant correlation between sweat- and salivary-gland activities in both the basal period and during maximum drug inhibition. The results of this study indicate that the sweat-gland test is an excellent procedure for evaluation of “side effects” of anticholinergic drugs during studies of gastric secretion. This test also is a sensitive method for determining onset of action, peak effect, and duration of action of anticholinergic drugs.
A transmission delay and the effect of temperature at the triadic junction of skeletal muscle.

The coupling process at the triadic junctions in skeletal muscle fibres is characterized by a significant latency between the depolarization of the transverse tubular membrane and the release of Ca from the sarcoplasmic reticulum. This time interval, the triadic delay, is sufficiently long to allow for the participation of a chemical process. The strong temperature dependence of the triadic delay (Q$_{10}$ near 2.7) suggests that a sequence of chemical steps may link the electical signal in the T-tubules to the opening of Ca channels in the terminal cisternae of the sarcoplasmic reticulum.
Opposing Effects of Reflective and Nonreflective Planetary Wave Breaking on the NAO

Planetary wave breaking (PWB) over the subtropical North Atlantic is observed over 45 winters (December 1958–arch 2003) using NCEP–NCAR reanalysis data. PWB is manifested in the rapid, large-scale and irreversible overturning of potential vorticity (PV) contours on isentropic surfaces in the subtropical upper troposphere. As breaking occurs over the subtropical North Atlantic, an upper-tropospheric PV tripole anomaly forms with nodes over the subtropical, midlatitude, and subpolar North Atlantic. The northern two nodes of this tripole are quite similar to the spatial structure of the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO), with positive polarity. Nonlinear reflection is identified in approximately a quarter of all PWB events. Following breaking, two distinct circulation regimes arise, one in response to reflective events and the other in response to nonreflective events. For reflective events, anomalies over the North Atlantic rapidly propagate away from the breaking region along a poleward arching wave train over the Eurasian continent. The quasi-stationary wave activity flux indicates that wave activity is exported out of the Atlantic basin. At the same time, the regional poleward eddy momentum flux goes through a sign reversal, as does the polarity of the NAO. For nonreflective events, the dipole anomaly over the North Atlantic amplifies. Diagnostics for nonreflective events suggest that wave activity over the Azores gets absorbed, allowing continued enhancement of both the regional poleward eddy momentum flux and the positive NAO.
Software quality assurance documentation for the release of NUFT 2.0s for SUN platforms

The purpose of this Individual Software Plan (ISP) is to plan and organize the activities required to certify the NUFT code for quality affecting work involving problems that include cross drift analysis of the Yucca Mountain Repository facility. NUFT is software for application to the solution of a class of coupled mass and heat transport problems in porous geologic media including Yucca Mountain Repository Cross Drift Problem (YMRCDP- also known as the Enhanced Characterization of the Repository Block (ECRB)). Solution of this class of problems requires a suite of multiphase, multi-component models for numerical solution of non-isothermal flow and transport in porous media with applications to subsurface contaminant transport problems.
Thoracoscopic construction of an intrathoracic esophagogastric anastomosis using a circular stapler: transoral placement of the anvil.

Purpose The purpose of this study is to describe a novel technique for thoracoscopic construction of an intrathoracic esophagogastrostomy using a circular stapler. Description Conventional method for construction of the esophagogastric anastomosis requires placement of the anvil through an esophageal stump and securing it with a pursestring suture. Advances in stapler technology now permit the anvil to be placed transorally and positioned at the esophageal stump without the need for a pursestring suture. Evaluation Ten patients underwent laparoscopic and thoracoscopic esophagectomy with construction of an intrathoracic esophagogastric anastomosis using a circular stapler technique. The anvil was placed transorally in all patients without difficulty. There were no operative complications or postoperative leaks. Conclusions The transoral placement of the anvil during thoracoscopic construction of an esophagogastrostomy is technically feasible and may facilitate the performance of the esophagogastric anastomosis using a circular stapler.
Statistics for Anthropology

Statistics for Anthropology. Lorena Madrigal. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1998. 238 pp.
Simple, intuitive calculations of free energy of binding for protein-ligand complexes. 2. Computational titration and pH effects in molecular models of neuraminidase-inhibitor complexes.

One factor that can strongly influence predicted free energy of binding is the ionization state of functional groups on the ligands and at the binding site at which calculations are performed. This analysis is seldom performed except in very detailed computational simulations. In this work, we address the issues of (i) modeling the complexity resulting from the different ionization states of ligand and protein residues involved in binding, (ii) if, and how, computational methods can evaluate the pH dependence of ligand inhibition constants, and (iii) how to score the protonation-dependent models. We developed a new and fairly rapid protocol called “computational titration” that enables parallel modeling of multiple ionization ensembles for each distinct protonation level. Models for possible protonation combinations for site/ligand ionizable groups are built, and the free energy of interaction for each of them is quantified by the HINT (Hydropathic INTeractions) software. We applied this procedure to the evaluation of the binding affinity of nine inhibitors (six derived from 2,3-didehydro-2-deoxy-N-acetylneuraminic acid, DANA) of influenza virus neuraminidase (NA), a surface glycoprotein essential for virus replication and thus a pharmaceutically relevant target for the design of anti-influenza drugs. The three-dimensional structures of the NA enzyme-inhibitor complexes indicate considerable complexity as the ligand-protein recognition site contains several ionizable moieties. Each computational titration experiment reveals a peak HINT score as a function of added protons. This maximum HINT score indicates the optimum pH (or the optimum protonation state of each inhibitor-protein binding site) for binding. The pH at which inhibition is measured and/ or crystals were grown and analyzed can vary from this optimum. A protonation model is proposed for each ligand that reconciles the experimental complex structure with measured inhibition and the free energy of binding. Computational titration methods allow us to analyze the effect of pH in silico and may be helpful in improving ligand binding free energy prediction when protonation or deprotonation of the residues or ligand functional groups at the binding site might be significant.
Understanding manufacturing process variation with multi-vari analysis

A statistical method that allows for simplicity of design and complements other statistical methods called multi-vari analysis (MVA) is described. MVA can be applied to virtually any manufacturing process. The results produced from this type of study give the engineer a good understanding of the manufacturing process. With this technique, engineers can determine manufacturing process capability and decide what steps need to be taken for further process control or improvement. The steps in performing a MVA process characterization study are given. MVA graphing and graph analysis and other uses for MVA data are discussed. >
The Regulatory C-Terminal Determinants within Mycobacterial Heat Shock Protein 65 Are Cryptic and Cross-Reactive with the Dominant Self Homologs: Implications for the Pathogenesis of Autoimmune Arthritis

The 65-kDa mycobacterial heat shock protein (Bhsp65) has been invoked in the pathogenesis of both adjuvant arthritis (AA) in the Lewis rat (RT.1l) and human rheumatoid arthritis. Arthritic Lewis rats in the late phase of AA show diversification of the T cell response to Bhsp65 C-terminal determinants (BCTD), and pretreatment of naive Lewis rats with a mixture of peptides representing these neoepitopes affords protection against AA. However, the fine specificity and physiologic significance of the BCTD-directed T cell repertoire, and the role of homologous self (rat) hsp65 (Rhsp65), if any, in spreading of the T cell response to Bhsp65 have not yet been examined. We observed that T cells primed by peptides comprising BCTD can adoptively transfer protection against AA to the recipient Lewis rats. However, these T cells can be activated by preprocessed (peptide) form of BCTD, but not native Bhsp65, showing that BCTD are cryptic epitopes. The BCTD-reactive T cells can be activated by the naturally generated (dominant) C-terminal epitopes of both exogenous and endogenous Rhsp65 and vice versa. Furthermore, certain individual peptides constituting BCTD and their self homologs can also induce protection against AA. These results support a model for the diversification of T cell response to Bhsp65 during the course of AA involving up-regulation of the display of cryptic BCTD coupled with spontaneous induction of T cell response to the cross-reactive dominant C-terminal epitopes of Rhsp65. The identification of disease-regulating cryptic determinants in Ags implicated in arthritis provides a novel approach for immunotherapy of rheumatoid arthritis.
Predicting Souvenir Purchase Intentions

Structural equation modeling was used for predicting souvenir purchase intentions of 277 U.S. female tourists traveling to Mexico. The respondents evaluated five textile products and described their travel behaviors. Findings suggested a sequence of significant relationships between hedonic values, world-mindedness, recreational and ethnic tourism, attitude toward souvenirs, and purchase intentions.
A NEW SPECIMEN OF ANKALAGON (MAMMALIA, MESONYCHIA) AND EVIDENCE OF SEXUAL DIMORPHISM IN MESONYCHIANS

ABSTRACT A new, relatively complete and well-preserved mandible and dentition of the mesonychian Ankalagon saurognathus from the early Paleocene (Torrejonian) of the San Juan Basin, New Mexico, provides evidence of sexual dimorphism in dentary depth and canine size in Mesonychidae. The new specimen has a particularly well-preserved postcanine dentition, and ml and m2 differ little in morphology or size from those in the holotype. The p3-p4 and m3 in the new specimen are smaller in length and width than in the holotype, but the size differences fall within the intraspecific range of variation exhibited in extant carnivorans. The holotype differs from the new specimen in having a canine that is approximately 1.5 times greater in length and width, as well as a dentary that is substantially deeper and larger. It has been suggested that two other mesonychians, Hapalodectes and Dissacus, also exhibit sexual dimorphism but evidence for this remains equivocal. We discuss the phylogenetic and behavioral implicatio...
What gives rise to the perception of motion

The assumption that displacement of the retinal image over the retina is the basis for all perception of motion is rejected. The reasons for the plausibility of this assumption are considered. It is part of the traditional theory that retinal sensations are entailed in visual perception. But it involves a misconception of how the eyes work. Another theory of the information for perceiving motion is proposed in terms of the ambient array of light. The registering of subjective bodily movements by vision is contrasted with the detecting of objective environmental motions. A number of century-old puzzles are resolved by this approach and a set of novel experiments is suggested. Experimental studies of the perception of motion in the past, especially of visual motion, have failed to resolve the old puzzles or to yield any kind of general explanation. The root of the trouble may be a persistent misconception of what gives rise to the perception—an erroneous but plausible assumption about the stimulus. What is the effective stimulus that always elicits a sensation or perception of motion? The physical motion of an object in the world, one might answer, but this is obviously not sufficient unless the object is illuminated or luminous, and unless it lies within the field of view of the observer. The motion must be specified somehow in the light to an organism and it must also enter an eye. When it is specified in the light and does enter the eye the animal almost always detects it, as the 1 This summary is based on a series of investigations over the last 10 years on the perception of motion and space carried out with the support of the Office of Naval Research under Contract NONR 401(14) with Cornell University. A bibliography of the published studies may be obtained from the author. This is the third summary of the project to be published in Psychological Review (Gibson, 1954, 1957). It is hoped that each summary makes some theoretical advance over the previous one. study of behavior shows. This is what is meant by saying that animals are very sensitive to "motion." But physical motion is not the same as optical motion.
The Effect of Surface Oxides on Cu/Ta Interfacial Interactions

We report results of Auger electron spectroscopy (AES) and temperature programmed desorption (TPD) studies under ultra high vacuum (UHV) conditions which demonstrate that even submonolayer coverages of oxygen on Ta significantly degrade the strength of Cu/Ta chemical interactions, and affect the kinetics of Cu diffusion into bulk Ta. On clean Ta, monolayer coverages of Cu will de-wet only above 600 K. A partial monolayer of adsorbed oxygen (3L O2 at 300 K) results in a reduction of the de-wetting temperature to 500 K, while saturation oxygen coverage (10 L O2, 300 K) results in de-wetting at 400 K. Diffusion of Cu into the Ta substrate at 1100 K occurs only after a 300-second induction period at this temperature. The induction period increases to 600 sec for partially oxidized Ta and to 1200 sec for saturation oxygen coverage. TPD studies indicate no desorption of Cu for temperatures below 1300 K. The higher desorption temperature of Cu (compared to the 1150 K sublimation temperature) indicates that all the Cu originally deposited is now chemically bound to Ta.
The influence of the direction of the geomagnetic dipole on the position of the neutral sheet

An analysis of neutral sheet crossings detected by the NASA-Goddard Space Flight Center magnetometer on the Explorer 34 satellite has shown that the diurnal wobble of the geomagnetic dipole measurably influences the position of the neutral sheet at 30 earth radii. Viewed in the solar-ecliptic coordinate system, the dipole wobble originates from the 11 deg angle between the earth's spin axis and the dipole axis, has a period of 24 hours, and can be resolved into components of motion perpendicular and parallel to the earth-sun line. The perpendicular component exerts a torque on the magnetotail and causes the neutral sheet to pivot about an axis approximately parallel to the solar wind direction. The parallel component encourages the neutral sheet to move above and below the solar-magnetospheric equatorial plane with an amplitude of 1 earth radius. This latter motion is consistent with the neutral sheet's being hinged at a geocentric distance of 5.25 earth radii.
Net Neutrality, Free Speech, and Democracy in the Internet Age

Professor Nunziato's book explains why the growth of the Internet as the most open forum for free expression in history is now threatened by the privatization of the Internet, the gatekeeper control over expression exercised by a handful of corporate owners, and their power to censor what we say and read online. She sets forth how we got to this place and what must be done about it to guarantee meaningful free speech rights in the Internet age.
A Novel Method to Synthesize Blue-Luminescent Doped GaN Powders

A new method to synthesize highly luminescent GaN:Mg powders has been developed. This method has a high control over the concentration of magnesium in the final product. The method consists of reacting a high purity (99.999 %) galliummagnesium alloy with ultra-high purity ammonia in a horizontal quartz tube reactor at high temperatures for several hours. Electron microscopy showed that the light-gray powders produced by this method consist of at least two different shaped crystallites; large columnar crystals sized around 10 μm and small platelets crystals between 1 and 2 μm. X-ray diffraction showed that those crystallites have a well defined wurtzite structure. Room temperature photoluminescence (PL) and cathodoluminescence (CL) showed a high intensity blue emission around 2.94 e V (422 nm). At helium temperature the well known Mg-related donor-acceptor pair band was observed at 3.25 e V (380 nm) by PL and CL.
Robustness and Distance Discrimination of Adaptive Near Field Beamformers

A robust adaptive beamformer is proposed using the near field regionally constrained adaptive approach that designs a set of linear constraints by filtering on a low rank subspace of the near field signal over a spatial region and a wide frequency band. This method can accurately control the beam-former response over the designed spatial-temporal region using a small number of linear constraint vectors and improve the robustness against target location errors. Meanwhile, this method enhances the capability of the near field beamformer in distance discrimination without additional constraints so that interference impinging at the same direction as the desired signal but at a different distance can be effectively suppressed.