cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Factors controlling the establishment of fremont cottonwood seedlings on the upper Green River, USA

Declines in cottonwood (Populus spp.) recruitment along alluvial reaches of large rivers in arid regions of the western United States have been attributed to modified flow regimes, lack of suitable substrate, insufficient seed rain, and increased interspecific competition. We evaluated whether and how these factors were operating during 1993–1996 to influence demographics of Fremont cottonwood (P. deltoides Marshall subsp. wislizenii (Watson) Eckenwalder) along reaches of the Green and Yampa Rivers near their confluence in northwestern Colorado. We examined seedling establishment, defined as survival through three growing seasons, at three alluvial reaches that differed primarily in the level of flow regulation: a site on the unregulated Yampa, an upper Green River site regulated by Flaming Gorge Dam, and a lower Green River site below the Green–Yampa confluence. Seed rain was abundant in all sites, and led to large numbers of germinants (first-year seedlings) appearing each year at all sites. The regulated flow in the upper Green River reach restricted germination to islands and cut banks that were later inundated or eroded; no seedlings survived there. Mortality at the lower Green River site was due largely to desiccation or substrate erosion; 23% of 1993 germinants survived their first growing season, but at most 2% survived through their second. At the Yampa River site, germinants appeared on vegetated and unvegetated surfaces up to 2.5 m above base flow stage, but survived to autumn only on bare surfaces at least 1.25 m above base flow stage, and where at least 10 of the upper 40 cm of the alluvium was fine-textured. Our studies of rooting depths and the stable isotopic composition of xylem water showed that seedlings in the most favorable locations for establishment at the Yampa site do not become phreatophytic until their third or fourth growing season. Further, the results of experimental field studies examining effects of shade and competition supported the hypothesis that insufficient soil moisture, possibly in combination with insufficient light, restricts establishment to unvegetated sites. Collectively, the demographic and experimental studies suggest that, in arid regions, soil water availability is at least as important as light level in limiting establishment of Fremont cottonwood seedlings. We hypothesize that in cases where arid land rivers experience large spring stage changes, recruitment is further constrained within bare areas to those sites that contain sufficient fine-textured alluvium, saturated during the spring flood, to provide the flood-derived soil moisture normally necessary for late-summer seedling survival. Copyright © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Banding pattern and fibrillogenesis of ceratotrichia in shark fins.

Study by light microscopy, scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy of the distribution, structure and growth of ceratotrichia in the anterodorsal fin of a lemon shark, Negaprion brevirostris, and in the tailfin of a nurse shark, Ginglymostoma cirratum, shows that the ceratotrichia are large collagen fibers which develop in bilateral rows within the dermis. Surrounding each ceratotrichium is a layer of peritrichial fibroblasts containing secretory vesicles, which appear to be the source of matrix constituents. The peritrichial matrix contains bundles of fine, unbanded collagen fibrils as well as larger, banded fibrils like those in the matrix of ordinary connective tissue. The structure of the peritrichial fibroblasts and of the subjacent peritrichial matrix is the same as that of the fibroblasts and matrix of the conventional connective tissue throughout the fin dermis. Ceratotrichia grow by apposition of collagen fibrils from the peritrichial matrix. In cross section the ceratotrichia appear layered, evidently because of close packing of constituent fibrils in lamellae. In longitudinal section the ceratotrichia exhibit the conventional a, b, c, d and e bands of collagen. The e bands of show two distinct subbands, and the b bands three subbands. Periodicity of the banding pattern is approximately 640 A like that of conventional collagen fibrils.
Identification of the interactions between cytochrome P450 2E1 and cytochrome b5 by mass spectrometry and site-directed mutagenesis.

The reaction cycles of cytochrome P450s (P450) require input of two electrons. Electrostatic interactions are considered important driving forces in the association of P450s with their redox partners, which in turn facilitates the transfer of the two electrons. In this study, the cross-linking reagent, 1-ethyl-3-[3-dimethylaminopropyl]carbodiimide hydrochloride (EDC), was used to covalently link cytochrome P450 2E1 (CYP2E1) with cytochrome b5 (b5) through the formation of specific amide bonds between complementary charged residue pairs. Cross-linked peptides in the resulting protein complex were distinguished from non-cross-linked peptides using an 18O-labeling method on the basis that cross-linked peptides incorporate twice as many 18O atoms as non-cross-linked peptides during proteolysis conducted in 18O-water. Subsequent tandem mass spectrometric (MS/MS) analysis of the selected cross-linked peptide candidates led to the identification of two intermolecular cross-links, Lys428(CYP2E1)-Asp53(b5) and Lys434(CYP2E1)-Glu56(b5), which provides the first direct experimental evidence for the interacting orientations of a microsomal P450 and its redox partner. The biological importance of the two ion pairs for the CYP2E1-b5 interaction, and the stimulatory effect of b5, was confirmed by site-directed mutagenesis. Based on the characterized cross-links, a CYP2E1-b5 complex model was constructed, leading to improved insights into the protein interaction. The described method is potentially useful for mapping the interactions of various P450 isoforms and their redox partners, because the method is relatively rapid and sensitive, and is capable of suggesting not only protein interacting regions, but also interacting orientations.
The effect of massage on heart rate variability in preterm infants

To test the hypothesis that massage would improve autonomic nervous system (ANS) function as measured by heart rate variability (HRV) in preterm infants. Medically stable, 29- to 32-week preterm infants (17 massage, 20 control) were enrolled in a masked, randomized longitudinal study. Licensed massage therapists provided the massage or control condition twice a day for 4 weeks. Weekly HRV, a measure of ANS development and function, was analyzed using SPSS generalized estimating equations. Infant characteristics were similar between groups. HRV improved in massaged infants but not in the control infants (P<0.05). Massaged males had a greater improvement in HRV than females (P<0.05). HRV in massaged infants was on a trajectory comparable to term-born infants by study completion. Massage-improved HRV in a homogeneous sample of hospitalized, medically stable, preterm male infants and may improve infant response to exogenous stressors. We speculate that massage improves ANS function in these infants.
Generations of Catholics in Eastern Africa: A Practice‐Centered Analysis of Religious Change

This article considers how well Martin Riesebrodt's practice-centered theory of religion addresses religious change among Catholics in eastern Africa. Two arguments are advanced using a generational change scheme. First, Riesebrodt's focus on religious practices assists in understanding many changes that African Catholics and their communities have experienced over time. It acknowledges believers’ perspectives and the impact of missionaries, and it generates comparative insights across different cases. However, Riesebrodt's approach has limitations when developing a comparative perspective on historical transformation in these communities. Therefore, his focus on the objective meaning of interventionist religious practices needs supplementing: (1) capturing religious change within a given religion requires attention both to practices and their subjective appropriation by believers, and (2) in the forging of collective identities, theological reflection by elites helped connect Catholic practices to preexisting worldviews and Catholic practices marked generational change by distinguishing Catholics from other African Christians.
Potato and Human Exploration of Space: Some Observations from NASA-Sponsored Controlled Environment Studies

Future space exploration by humans will require reliable supplies of food, oxygen and clean water to sustain the expeditions. Potato is one of several crops being studied for such a “life support” role. Tests sponsored by the US National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) confirmed the well-known short day tendencies for tuberisation, but also revealed that some cvs. (e.g., Norland, Denali and Russet Burbank) could tuberise well under continuous high light. Horticultural tests showed that plants grew well and tuberised readily using a nutrient film technique (NFT). CO2 enrichment studies with potato showed typical C3 responses in photosynthesis and yield, with maximum rates occurring near 1000 μmol mol−1. The highest tuber yields from these controlled environment studies reached 19.7 kg FM m−2 or equivalent to nearly 200 t ha−1. This equated to a productivity of 38 g m−2 DM m−2 day−1. Stand evapotranspiration (ET) rates ranged from 3.4 to 5.2 l m−2 day−1 throughout growth, while maximum ET rates for canopies could approach 10 l m−2 day−1. Harvest indices (tuber DM/total DM) typically ranged from 0.7 to 0.8, indicating that waste (inedible) biomass from potato would be less than that from many other crops. An experiment was conducted in 1995 on NASA’s Space Shuttle using excised potato leaves to study tuber formation at axillary buds during spaceflight. The results showed that tubers formed equally well in space as in the ground controls, indicating that reduced gravity should not be an impediment to tuberisation.
Band-offset engineering in organic/inorganic semiconductor hybrid structures

Control over the electronic structure of organic/inorganic semiconductor interfaces is required to realize hybrid structures with tailored opto-electronic properties. An approach towards this goal is demonstrated for a layered hybrid system composed of p-sexiphenyl (6P) and ZnO. The molecular orientation can be switched from “upright-standing” to “flat-lying” by tuning the molecule–substrate interactions through aggregation on different crystal faces. The morphology change has profound consequences on the offsets between the molecular frontier energy levels and the semiconductor band edges. The combination of ZnO surface dipole modification through molecule adsorption and the orientation-dependence of the ionization energy of molecular layers shift these offsets by 0.7 eV. The implications for optimizing hybrid structures with regard to exciton and charge transfer are discussed.
Narrow Diffused Stripe GaAs/GaAIAs Lasers For High Speed Integrated Optical Transmitters

Deep Zn diffused stripe GaAs/GaAlAs double heterostructure lasers grown by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition for fiber optic transmitter applications are reported. Stripe widths of 2, 4, and 8 pm are examined in terms of laser threshold currents and far-field radiation patterns. For lasers with a 4 pm stripe, threshold currents as low as 40 mA, a characteristic temperature as large as 170°C, and external differential quantum efficiencies as high as 80-90% are obtained. Single mode operation of these lasers is observed. Preliminary results on the device uniformity and high-speed modulation characteristics are includded.© (1982) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Hydrological properties of Topopah Spring tuff under a thermal gradient—Laboratory results

Abstract Hydrological properties of a naturally fractured Topopah Spring welded tuff sample from Yucca Mountain at the Nevada Test Site, Nevada, have been studied. Confining pressure, sample temperature and pore pressure were held at values that simulated the in situ near-field conditions expected shortly after emplacement of a high-level waste container. Water permeability of the sample was determined as functions of temperature and time. Electrical resistivity and electrical impedance tomographs were used to infer the distribution of moisture in the sample during dehydration and rehydration processes. During the almost 5 month duration of the experiment, water permeability decreased about three orders of magnitude, from 1.3 × 10 −14 m 2 to about 10 −17 m 2 . Scanning electron microscope images and chemical composition of the water that flowed through the sample suggest that both dissolution and deposition of silica occurred on the fracture surface. These processes may have smoothed the fracture surface, decreasing overall effective aperature. This possibility is consistent with our findings at isothermal conditions. The distribution of electrical resistivity, and electrical impedance tomographs taken at the midplane of the sample indicate that, as under isothermal conditions, during the dehydration water first left the matrix adjacent to the fracture, then escaped through the fracture aperture. Rehydration was not the reverse of the dehydration process. In this case, fracture did not dominate the rehydration. Under the thermal gradient, dehydration of the sample was very nonuniform.
Examination of the Two Types of ENSO in the NCEP CFS Model and Its Extratropical Associations

AbstractTwo types of El Nino–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) simulated by the National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP) Climate Forecast System (CFS) model are examined. The model is found to produce both the eastern Pacific (EP) and central Pacific (CP) types of ENSO with spatial patterns and temporal evolutions similar to the observed. The simulated ENSO intensity is comparable to the observed for the EP type, but weaker than the observed for the CP type. Further analyses reveal that the generation of the simulated CP ENSO is linked to extratropical forcing associated with the North Pacific Oscillation (NPO) and that the model is capable of simulating the coupled air–sea processes in the subtropical Pacific that slowly spreads the NPO-induced SST variability into the tropics, as shown in the observations. The simulated NPO, however, does not extend as far into the deep tropics as it does in the observations and the coupling in the model is not sustained as long as it is in the observations. As a ...
Sorting Out a Consensus: Analysis in Support of Multiparty Decisions

One way to tailor analysis to the special information needs of multiparty decisionmaking processes is discussed. A scenario-based multiattribute trade-off analysis framework is described that parallels the stages in negotiated decisionmaking, focusing on the key task of evaluating trade-offs among choices en route to a consensus decision. Sorting techniques with carefully managed normative content are employed to reveal overlapping preferences regarding choices among alternatives in spite of widely divergent views about fundamental issues. The same techniques are also shown to be useful for closing gaps in negotiating positions. These concepts are illustrated with data from a recent energy and environmental planning application.
Analytic Tools for Evaluating Variability of Standard Errors in Large-Scale Establishment Surveys

Large-scale establishment surveys often exhibit substantial temporal or cross-sectional variability in their published standard errors. This article uses a framework defined by survey generalized variance functions to develop three sets of analytic tools for the evaluation of these patterns of variability. These tools are for (1) identification of predictor variables that explain some of the observed temporal and cross-sectional variability in published standard errors; (2) evaluation of the proportion of variability attributable to the abovementioned predictors, equation error and estimation error, respectively; and (3) comparison of equation error variances across groups defined by observable predictor variables. The primary ideas are motivated and illustrated by an application to the U.S. Current Employment Statistics program.
Modeling the complexation of substituted benzenes by a cyclophane host in water.

Abstract Monte Carlo statistical mechanics simulations have been used to study the complexation of disubstituted benzenes by Diederich's octamethoxy tetraoxaparacyclophane host. Relative free energies of binding were obtained in water at 25 degrees C for benzene, p-xylene, p-cresol, p-dicyanobenzene, and hydroquinone from statistical perturbation theory. The computed results agree well with experimental data, including the binding affinity of benzene, which was determined after the calculations were completed. The computed structures for the complexes reveal details that are important for understanding the order of binding affinities. It is found that hydroquinone protrudes from one side of the complex and participates in hydrogen bonds between one hydroxyl group and two water molecules and in an intracomplex hydrogen bond between the other hydroxyl group and ether oxygens. The calculations also show a clear preference for binding p-cresol with the hydroxyl group hydrated rather than inside the host's cavity.
Assessment of local changes of cerebral perfusion and blood concentration by ultrasound harmonic B-mode contrast measurement in piglet

This study tested the hypothesis that changes in the blood concentration, and possibly in the perfusion, of different areas in the brain can be assessed by the use of ultrasound contrast agent (CA) and (linear) echo densitometry. The experiments were performed with piglets (n=3) under general anesthesia and artificial ventilation. Ultrasound CA was administered through a femoral vein as a short bolus. First passage wash-in curve was measured from image gray level during continuous low level (mechanical index<0.2) ultrasound imaging. This curve was obtained from 1-cm2 areas of the cortex (surface), the brain stem (inner) and the left carotid artery (vessel). Cerebral hemoglobin concentration changes were measured with near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS). This approach enabled a cross-validation of these techniques. The measurements were repeated under conditions of normocapnia, mild hypercapnia and deep hypercapnia. Several physiologic signals, as well as the carotid blood flow, were measured simultaneously and related to gray level by linear regression analysis. The most significant results found were a high R2-statistic of the regression of the percentage change of the peak of the surface and inner wash-in curves with the arterial carbon dioxide pressure (R2=0.63 and R2=0.70, respectively), the blood pH (R2=0.79 and R2=0.81), the carotid flow (R2=0.75 and R2=0.72) and the partial arterial oxygen pressure (R2=0.47 and R2=0.55). Finally, a high correlation of peak gray level with total hemoglobin concentration change, independently measured by NIRS, was found (R2=0.69). In conclusion, these experiments show a reasonable intersubject variability of various relative measures derived from gray level ultrasound wash-in curves. High sensitivity to physiologic changes related to hypercapnia was observed for the peak contrast of wash-in curves. For up-slope and area-under-the-curve (first passage) this was lower but still highly significant. The gray-level ultrasound measures are highly correlated to changes in regional hemoglobin concentration in brain tissue assessed by NIRS.
The Economist as Dean: An Investigation of the Academic Training of Business School Deans

This paper finds that the American Assembly of Collegiate Schools of Business-accredited business school deans in the United States are trained as economists at a disproportionately high rate. This paper searches for the reasons behind this seemingly contrarian finding. The research finds no evidence that economist deans differ significantly in background or personal characteristics from the non-economist deans. Demand- and supply-side theories to explain this finding are presented along with interviews with a sample of the business school deans.
Sites of Pain From Interstitial Cystitis/Painful Bladder Syndrome

Purpose: In interstitial cystitis/painful bladder syndrome multiple pain sites are common. We hypothesized that a careful and systematic description of the pain of interstitial cystitis/painful bladder syndrome might provide clues to its pathogenesis.Materials and Methods: Women with 12 months or greater of interstitial cystitis/painful bladder syndrome symptoms underwent a medical record review and interview. Each completed a questionnaire that included views of the female body and described up to 5 interstitial cystitis/painful bladder syndrome pains, noting 40 descriptors for each.Results: Two-thirds of the 226 patients reported multiple pains. Pain could be consolidated at 4 sites, including suprapubic, urethral, genital and nongenitourinary. Most descriptors were similar and little evidence indicated that 1 pain influenced pain at another site. Another 3 patterns were evident, including 1) a suprapubic > urethral > genital > nongenitourinary ranking in site distribution and at each site proportions t...
Sexual differentiation and the effects of alcohol on aggressive behavior in mice.

Abstract Male and female mice are differentially sensitive to the effects of alcohol on aggressive behavior. We investigated the role of testosterone during sexual differentiation in determining sex differences in alcohol effects on aggression. On the day of birth male mice were castrated or sham-operated. Neonatal female mice were injected with 250 μg of testosterone propionate (TP) or the oil vehicle. At approximately 75 days of age the mice which had not been gonadectomized at birth were gonadectomized. Control males and androgenized female mice then received 7.5 mm Silastic capsules containing testosterone, SC. Aggressive behavior toward an intruder was assessed following administration of ethanol (0.1–3.0 g/kg) or water, PO. Neonatally sham-gonadectomized male mice had a significant increase in aggressive behavior following administration of 1.0 g/kg alcohol, with no significant suppression of aggression at 3.0 g/kg. Neonatally androgenized female mice showed neither the male-typical response to adult testosterone and alcohol, nor did they show the female-typical response. Neonatally gonadectomized males showed an alcohol dose response curve that was similar to that of androgenized females. Postnatal testosterone did not appear to completely determine the male- and female-typical responses to alcohol on aggression. The critical period for this sexually dimorphic response to alcohol and testosterone may be primarily prenatal.
Introduced Species and Abiotic Factors Affect Longitudinal Variation in Small Fish Assemblages in the Wind River Watershed, Wyoming

ABSTRACT We assessed longitudinal variation in small fish assemblages in the Wind River watershed upstream from Boysen Reservoir, Wyoming and into the reservoir. Twenty-six species were found in the study area, and 12 of the species were believed to have been introduced since settlement by Europeans. Additions and losses of fish species occurred with downstream progression, especially the addition of introduced species. Introduced species increased from 25% of the total number of species in the upper-most river segment (31.5–35.3 km upstream from the reservoir), to 46% in the river segment immediately upstream from the reservoir, to 48% in the reservoir. The most abundant species in the riverine portion of the watershed was the introduced sand shiner (Notropis stramineus). The results suggest that cyprinid species introduced to the upstream watershed and Boysen Reservoir are influencing small fish assemblages upstream from the reservoir and may be impacting native fishes, particularly native cyprinids.
INPUT SHAPING FOR NONLINEAR DRIVE SYSTEMS

Input shaping is effective at eliminating vibration in many types of flexible systems. This paper discusses how input shaping is affected by actuators with unequal acceleration and deceleration dynamics. It is shown that traditional Unity Magnitude Zero Vibration (UMZV) shapers have degraded performance when used with such actuators. A new type of UMZV shaped input command is developed to compensate for the nonlinearity. Experiments on a portable bridge crane demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed approach.Copyright © 2006 by ASME
Digital image processing for the early localization of cancer

The prognosis for cancer patients becomes much better if a tumor is diagnosed, localized and treated early, in a precancerous stage. The difficulty lies in the localization of cancerous tumors. Carcinoma in situ (CIS) refers to a tumor which is approximately 100 microns thick and one which has not penetrated through the epithelium wall or become invasive (2). A tumor of this size cannot be detected by existing techniques such as x-ray, computer tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, nuclear medicine or conventional endoscopy under white-light illumination. However, these tumors can be localized and destroyed by photodynamic diagnosis and therapy. This research shows that digital image processing and the technique of digital image ratioing contribute to photodynamic diagnosis and the early localization of cancer. A software package has been developed as a result of this research. The software package quantifies the usefulness of digital image processing for tumor localization and detectability. System parameters such as the endoscope distance and angle variations, tumor size and tumor concentration, sensitivity and specificity of the system have been tested and quantified.© (1991) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Preconditioning Techniques for the Newton-Krylov Solution of Compressible Flows

In this paper, we study an efficient strategy for constructing preconditioners for the NewtonÂ?Krylov matrix-free methods without forming explicitly the higher order matrix associated with each linear step in the Newton iteration. These preconditioners are formed instead using an explicit derivation of a lower order matrix similar to that associated with a defect-correction procedure. Comparisons of this methodology with the more standard defect-correction procedures, namely, the approximate factorization (AF) for structured grids and the ILU/GMRES for general grids, are then performed. To illustrate the performance of our approaches, we present some numerical applications to the steady solution of a two-dimensional Euler flow.
Incidence of Inadvertent Parathyroid Removal During Thyroidectomy

Objectives To assess the incidence of unintentional parathyroid removal during routine thyroidectomy and to identify factors that might predict patients at high risk. Study Design Retrospective review of case records. Data analyzed for incidental finding of parathyroid gland(s) in the thyroidectomy specimen and postoperative temporary or permanent hypocalcemia. Methods The clinical records of 220 patients undergoing thyroidectomies between January 1997 and October 1999 were reviewed. Pathology reports were screened for information on the presence of parathyroid tissue along with the thyroid specimen. Operative reports were reviewed to exclude the possibility of intentional parathyroid gland removal. Case records were scrutinized to determine whether the patient developed symptomatic hypocalcemia postoperatively. Results Nine percent of the 220 patients were found to have had inadvertent removal of parathyroid tissue. The majority of patients (95%) had two or less parathyroid glands in their specimens. The size and histological nature of the thyroid lesion were not predictive of inadvertent parathyroid removal. Of the 25 repeat operations for recurrent or persistent malignancy, 5 (20%) were found to have unintentional parathyroid removal compared with 15 (7.7%) of 195 primary thyroidectomy cases (P <.05). Nineteen percent of patients who had tracheoesophageal groove node dissection had an incidental parathyroid in their specimen compared with 7% who did not undergo tracheoesophageal groove node dissection (P = .04). None of the patients with unintentional parathyroid gland removal developed either temporary or permanent postoperative hypocalcemia. Conclusions Inadvertent excision of a parathyroid gland(s) occurred in 9% of patients undergoing thyroidectomy in our experience. Reoperative thyroid surgery and tracheoesophageal node dissection were associated with a significantly higher risk of inadvertent parathyroid gland excision. Inadvertent parathyroidectomy did not result in symptomatic temporary or permanent hypocalcemia postoperatively.
The naming of the frontier: ՙAwā im, Thughūr, and the Arab geographers

The Arabic geographical literature of the Middle Ages used several terms to indicate limits and frontiers, including āfāq, ḥudūd and tukhūm. For the external frontiers of Islam itself the term most commonly used was thughūr (sg. thaghr). And among these it was the Arab-Byzantine frontier, which to some was the frontier par excellence, which came closest to having a nomenclature peculiar to itself. In this essay I wish to demonstrate that this nomenclature, and the picture which we have of this region, do not derive from administrative history so much as from a series of superimpositions made by medieval writers on geography and related subjects. I intend to follow Professor Wansbrough's lead, by showing the consequences of the ‘use by many of the same (limited) sources of information’. I also wish to emphasize that differences over how things are to be named reflect conflicts over who is to have power over them.
Health literacy and knowledge of chronic disease

Abstract We sought to examine the relationship between health literacy and knowledge of disease among patients with a chronic disease. A total of 653 new Medicare enrollees aged 65 years or older who had at least one chronic disease (115 asthma, 266 diabetes, 166 congestive heart failure, 214 hypertension), completed both the in-person and telephone survey. Health literacy measured by the short test of functional health literacy in adults (S-TOFHLA) and demographic information were collected during the in-person survey. Knowledge of disease was assessed by questions based on key elements in educational materials during a telephone survey. Overall, 24% of patients had inadequate and 12% had marginal health literacy skills. Respondents with inadequate health literacy knew significantly less about their disease than those with adequate literacy. Multivariate analysis indicated that health literacy was independently related to disease knowledge. There are many opportunities to improve patients’ knowledge of their chronic disease(s), and efforts need to consider their health literacy skills.
Abortion incidence and service availability in the United States, 2011

CONTEXT Following a long-term decline, abortion incidence stabilized between 2005 and 2008. Given the proliferation of state-level abortion restrictions, it is critical to assess abortion incidence and access to services since that time. METHODS In 2012–2013, all facilities known or expected to have provided abortion services in 2010 and 2011 were surveyed. Data on the number of abortions were combined with population data to estimate national and state-level abortion rates. Incidence of abortions was assessed by provider type and caseload. Information on state abortion regulations implemented between 2008 and 2011 was collected, and possible relationships with abortion rates and provider numbers were considered. RESULTS In 2011, an estimated 1.1 million abortions were performed in the United States; the abortion rate was 16.9 per 1,000 women aged 15–44, representing a drop of 13% since 2008. The number of abortion providers declined 4%; the number of clinics dropped 1%. In 2011, 89% of counties had no clinics, and 38% of women of reproductive age lived in those counties. Early medication abortions accounted for a greater proportion of nonhospital abortions in 2011 (23%) than in 2008 (17%). Of the 106 new abortion restrictions implemented during the study period, few or none appeared to be related to state-level patterns in abortion rates or number of providers. CONCLUSIONS The national abortion rate has resumed its decline, and no evidence was found that the overall drop in abortion incidence was related to the decrease in providers or to restrictions implemented between 2008 and 2011.
Exchange-rate determination: An equilibrium approach with imperfect capital substitutability

Abstract Two stylized facts of the open economy are often considered prima facie evidence of goods-market disequilibrium: persistent deviations of relative prices from purchasing power parity, and the higher variability of the nominal exchange rate relative to price levels. We develop an equilibrium model characterized by imperfect goods and asset substitutability across countries, and show how it is consistent with the aforementioned stylized facts. We also show that increases in the degree of risk aversion of speculators leads to higher exchange-rate variance if shocks are monetary.
A note on unsteady unidirectional flows of a non-Newtonian fluid

Abstract Exact solutions are established for a class of unsteady unidirectional flows of an in compressible second grade fluid wherein inertial effects are not ignored. Amongst the several interesting flows which belong to this class are the flow due to a rigid plate oscillating in its own direction, the flow between two rigid boundaries one of which is suddenly started and the time-periodic Poiseuille flow due to an oscillating pressure gradient.
Association between bilirubin and mode of death in severe systolic heart failure.

The bilirubin level has been associated with worse outcomes, but it has not been studied as a predictor for the mode of death in patients with systolic heart failure. The Prospective Randomized Amlodipine Evaluation Study (PRAISE) cohort (including New York Heart Association class IIIB-IV patients with left ventricular ejection fraction 0.6 to 1.2 mg/dl, group 2; and >1.2 mg/dl, group 3. Multivariate Cox proportional hazards models were used to determine the association of bilirubin with the risk of sudden or pump failure death. Total bilirubin was entered as a base 2 log-transformed variable (log 2 bilirubin), indicating doubling of the bilirubin level corresponding to each increase in variable value. The higher bilirubin groups had a lower ejection fraction (range 19% to 21%), sodium (range 138 to 139 mmol/L), and systolic blood pressure (range 111 to 120 mm Hg), a greater heart rate (range 79 to 81 beats/min), and greater diuretic dosages (range 86 to 110 furosemide-equivalent total daily dose in mg). The overall survival rates declined with increasing bilirubin (24.3, 31.3, and 44.3 deaths per 100 person-years, respectively, for groups 1, 2, and 3). Although a positive relation was seen between log 2 bilirubin and both pump failure risk and sudden death risk, the relation in multivariate modeling was significant only for pump failure mortality (hazard ratio 1.47, 95% confidence interval 1.19 to 1.82, p = 0.0004), not for sudden death mortality (hazard ratio 1.21, 95% confidence interval 0.98 to 1.49, p = 0.08). In conclusion, an increasing bilirubin level was significantly associated with the risk of pump failure death but not for sudden death in patients with severe systolic heart failure.
Focusing on Quality Reference Service.

Abstract Literature from the service industries consistently defines quality service in terms of the user, whereas library literature rarely defines quality reference service other than in simple quantitative terms. Quality reference service meets user needs and expectations through appropriate staff behavior and communication skills, a user friendly environment, and suitable levels of staff morale and workload.
Numerical methods for calculating the fuzzy integral

Abstract A general procedure for calculating the fuzzy integral (FI) is developed for monotonic and single maxima functions. In the case of monotonic functions, an iterative algorithm based on the standard iteration method (SIM) is shown to converge to the FI independently of the initial value. An alternative Newton-type procedure can be applied for both monotonic and single maxima functions provided that an appropriate initial approximation is used.
Historical dictionary of Singapore

Entries in this dictionary highlight and trace Singapore's history from a legendary past and its modern founding in 1819 to its evolution to its emergence as a post-war battleground of communist, socialist, democratic, and colonial interests and ideologies. With bibliography, chronology, maps, index, and tables of government leaders, cabinet members, general election results, and population by ethnicity and Chinese dialect groups.
Use of activated charcoal to reduce elevated serum phenobarbital concentration in a neonate

The course of a neonate administered activated charcoal orally for elevated phenobarbital concentration is described. The neonate required a serum concentration of phenobarbital eventually exceeding 80 micrograms/mL for seizure control. However, due to the severe CNS injury as a result of the asphyxia at birth, a diagnosis of cerebral death by electroencephalogram and apnea test was pursued. This required the phenobarbital concentration to be less than 30 micrograms/mL. Serial phenobarbital concentrations during this time indicated a 250 hour half-life, which would require two weeks for the phenobarbital to drop below 30 micrograms/mL. With the administration of six doses of activated charcoal at 0.7 g/kg/dose, the phenobarbital serum concentration decreased to 22 micrograms/mL, giving an estimated phenobarbital half-life of 22 hours. This, and two other subsequent cases, indicates repeated doses of activated charcoal are effective in augmenting the clearance of certain drugs in the neonatal age group.
Automatic pavement distress detection system

Abstract Statistics published by the Federal Highway Administration indicates that maintenance and rehabilitation of highway pavements in the United States requires over $17 billion a year. Conventional visual and manual pavement distress analysis approaches that the inspectors traverse the roads, stop and measure the distress objects when they are found, are very costly, time-consuming, dangerous, labor-intensive, tedious, subjective, having high degree of variability, unable to provide meaningful quantitative information, and almost always leading to inconsistencies in distress detail over space and across evaluations. This paper introduces a new pavement distress image enhancement algorithm, and a new analysis and classification algorithm. The enhancement algorithm corrects nonuniform background illumination by calculating multiplication factors that eliminate the background lighting variations. The new pavement distress classification algorithm builds a data structure storing the geometry of the skeleton obtained from the thresholded image. This data structure is pruned, simplified, and aligned, yielding a set of features for distress classification: number of distress objects, number of branch intersections, number of loops, relative sizes of branches in each direction, etc. This skeleton analysis algorithm relies on two-dimensional geometrical parameters, which are understandable by both developers and users, unlike some methods that deal with abstract quantities not readily understood by ordinary users. The proposed analysis algorithm can precisely quantify geometrical and topological parameters, can quickly accept new classification rules for classification, and can estimate the distress severity from the thresholded image. The experimental results are satisfactory.
EFFECTS OF IN UTERO COCAINE EXPOSURE ON THE EXPRESSION OF MRNAS ENCODING THE DOPAMINE TRANSPORTER AND THE D1, D2 AND D5 DOPAMINE RECEPTOR SUBTYPES IN FETAL RHESUS MONKEY

The effects of in utero cocaine exposure on the development of the mRNAs encoding the dopamine transporter (DAT) and the D1, D2 and D5 dopamine receptor subtypes were determined in fetal monkey brains at day 45 and day 60 of gestation. Pregnant monkeys were treated with cocaine 3 mg/kg or saline i.m., four times a day from day 18 of gestation until the pregnancy was terminated at day 45 or day 60. The fetal brains were dissected, and tissue RNA extracted and quantified using ribonuclease protection assay analysis. In day 45 fetal monkeys, dopamine D1 and D2 receptor subtype mRNAs and DAT mRNA were found in low quantities both in control and cocaine-treated subjects. In day 60 fetal monkeys, D1 receptor mRNA levels were highest in the frontal cortex/striatal area, and low to moderate quantities were found in diencephalic and mesencephalic fetal brain regions. Dopamine D2 receptor mRNA levels were highest in the frontal cortex/striatal area, diencephalon and the midbrain, moderate in the brainstem and low in the caudal temporal lobe and surrounding cortical areas. Dopamine D5 receptor mRNA was expressed in low quantities throughout the day 60 fetal monkey brain, whereas DAT mRNA was found in the midbrain only. In utero cocaine exposure caused a significant increase in dopamine D1, D2 and D5 receptor subtype mRNAs in the frontal cortex/striatal area of day 60 fetal monkeys. These results support the hypothesis that dopamine synthesis and release may be reduced in cocaine-treated fetuses, which results in dopamine receptor up-regulation.
Differential equations with causal operators in a Banach space

Abstract In this paper, differential equations with causal operators in the framework of an arbitrary Banach space are studied. Basic results such as existence, uniqueness and global existence are proved. The theory of cones is employed to investigate the extremal solutions of such equations.
THE MECHANISM OF AERIAL DISINFECTION BY GLYCOLS AND OTHER CHEMICAL AGENTS I. DEMONSTRATION THAT THE GERMICIDAL ACTION OCCURS THROUGH THE AGENCY OF THE VAPOR PHASE

Theoretical analysis of the mechanism of action of chemical aerial disinfectants reveals that the rapid killing action which is obtained cannot be accounted for by a collision process between germicidal aerosol particles and the air-borne bacteria. However, a mechanism involving condensation of germicide molecules in the vapor state on to the bacteria-containing droplets results in a theoretical velocity of the correct order of magnitude. Experimental tests of this theory show that pure germicide vapors free of aerosol droplets are almost instantly lethal to air-borne bacteria. Conversely, pure germicidal aerosols in the absence of vapor, had no effect on air-borne bacteria within 20 minutes or more. Therefore, it may be concluded on both theoretical and experimental grounds that rapid air sterilization requires the existence of the germicide in the vapor state.
Characterization of dissolved organic matter in Lake Superior and its watershed using ultrahigh resolution mass spectrometry

Abstract With the advent of ultrahigh resolution mass spectrometry (MS), recent studies have begun to resolve molecular relationships between terrestrial and aquatic dissolved organic matter (DOM) in rivers, estuaries, mangrove swamps and their receiving oceans and lakes. Here, we extend ultrahigh resolution MS techniques to Lake Superior, the largest freshwater lake in the world by area. Solid-phase extracted samples from the western arm of the lake and its watershed, including swamp, creek, river, lake–river confluence and offshore lake sites were compared using electrospray ionization (ESI), Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance MS (FT-ICR-MS). Results were analyzed using cluster analysis and van Krevelen diagrams. Chemical similarity appears related to hydrological proximity, terrestrial impact and flow conditions. For example, higher and lower flow samples from the same stream differ from one another. Toivola Swamp, Lake Superior and the south shore river have diverse arrays of unique molecular formulae relative to the north shore river and stream sampled in the data set. The lake’s unique elemental formulae, relative to its watershed samples, are primarily in the lignin-like and reduced hydrocarbon regions of van Krevelen diagrams. The ESI-amenable lake DOM also has a higher proportion of formulae containing nitrogen or sulfur relative to the other samples. The degree of overlap among formulae within the data set is consistent with previous ESI FT-ICR-MS characterization of terrestrial, estuarine and marine OM. There appears to be a conserved portion of formulae across natural OM samples, perhaps because these compounds are intrinsically refractory or because they are commonly generated as products of natural reworking processes.
Linear response of a semi-infinite substrate with a two-dimensional conductive surface layer in the plasma-pole approximation

The current-current linear-response function for a semi-infinite compressible electron-gas substrate with a surface layer of zero thickness is evaluated by treating the substrate hydrodynamically. No assumptions are made regarding the current-current response of the surface layer, and retardation effects are fully included. Contact is made with Nakayama's paper on surface plasmons, and a discussion of the effects of a finite compressibility of the background electron gas on the surface modes is included. Angular distributions for Raman scattering by a simple type of surface plasmon are calculated as an application of these results.
Malignant MCA territory infarction in the pediatric population: subgroup analysis of the Greater Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky Stroke Study

Purpose Malignant middle cerebral artery (MCA) infarctions are thought to be rare in children. In a recent hospital-based study, only 1.3 % of pediatric ischemic strokes were malignant MCA infarctions. However, population-based rates have not been published. We performed subgroup analysis of a population-based study to determine the rate of malignant MCA infarctions in children.
In the Playing Ground of Consciousness

Dehaene summarizes two decades of experimentation and modeling in attempts to understand consciousness.
Molecular Dynamics Simulations of H2 Adsorption in Tetramethyl Ammonium Lithium Phthalocyanine Crystalline Structures

Tetramethyl ammonium lithium phthalocyanine is explored as a potential material for storage of molecular hydrogen. Density functional theory calculations are used to investigate the molecular structure and the dimer conformation. Additional scans performed to determine the interactions of a H2 molecule located at various distances from the molecular sites are used to generate a simple force field including dipole-induced-dipole interactions. This force field is employed in molecular dynamics simulations to calculate adsorption isotherms at various pressures. The regions of strongest adsorption are quantified as functions of temperature, pressure, and separation between molecules in the adsorbent phase, and compared to the regions of strongest binding energy as given by the proposed force field. It is found that the total adsorption could not be predicted only from the spatial distribution of the strongest binding energies; the available volume is the other contributing factor even if the volume includes r...