cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Resource allocation with lumpy demand: To speed or not to speed?

In the classical EPQ model with continuous and constant demand, holding and setup costs are minimized when the production rate is no larger than the demand rate. However, the situation may change when demand is lumpy. We consider a firm that produces multiple products, each having a unique lumpy demand pattern. The decision involves determining both the lot size for each product and the allocation of resources for production rate improvements among the products. We find that each product's optimal production policy will take on only one of two forms: either continuous production or lot-for-lot production. The problem is then formulated as a nonlinear nonsmooth knapsack problem among products determined to be candidates for resource allocation. A heuristic procedure is developed to determine allocation amounts. The procedure decomposes the problem into a mixed integer program and a nonlinear convex resource allocation problem. Numerical tests suggest that the heuristic performs very well on average compared to the optimal solution. Both the model and the heuristic procedure can be extended to allow the company to simultaneously alter both the production rates and the incoming demand lot sizes through quantity discounts. Extensions can also be made to address the case where a single investment increases the production rate of multiple products. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Naval Research Logistics, 2004.
A Concept Analysis: The Grieving Process for Nurses

The concept of the grieving process has been explored extensively in families losing a loved one or in a patient grieving over a terminal diagnosis. The patients and families live through this experience one time. What about the nurse who lives it several times a week by caring for these patients and families? How does a nurse grieve? Little publication and research have been done surrounding the grieving process for nurses. This is a concept analysis that clarifies the grieving process for nurses. Clarifying this process will enable further development of nursing research and education, ultimately benefiting nursing practice and retention.
Anomalies as precursors of field failures

Reproducing and learning from failures in deployed software is costly and difficult. Those activities can be facilitated, however, if the circumstances leading to a failure are properly captured. In this paper, we empirically investigate how various anomaly detection schemes can serve to identify the conditions that precede failures in deployed software. Our results expose the tradeoffs between different detection algorithms applied to several types of events under varying levels of in-house testing.
Laparoscopic Assisted Reconstructive Surgery:: A 7-Year Experience

ABSTRACTPurpose: Laparoscopic assisted surgery results in an improved cosmetic appearance by allowing complex reconstruction without a midline upper abdominal incision. We report technique and outcomes in patients undergoing laparoscopic assisted reconstruction during a 7-year period.Materials and Methods: A total of 31 consecutive patients with a mean age of 14 years (range 1 to 36) underwent laparoscopic assisted reconstructive surgery through a lower midline or Pfannenstiel incision by a single surgeon (SGD) between June 1995 and July 2002. Diagnoses included myelomeningocele (17), sacral agenesis (2), posterior urethral valves (2), classic bladder exstrophy (5), complicated ectopic ureter with ureterocele (1) and quadriplegia due to trauma (4). A total of 29 patients had 39 continent stomas (antegrade continence enema [ACE] or Mitrofanoff) created as part of the reconstruction. One case was converted to an open procedure due to dense adhesions and was excluded from the study. Continent stoma construct...
Chest Pain, Dyspnea on Exertion, and Exercise Induced Asthma in Children and Adolescents

The contribution of maximal exercise tests to the evaluation of 180 patients with chest pain associated with exercise (n = 147) or dyspnea on exertion (DOE, n = 33) was examined. The ages ranged from 5 to 22 (mean 13.2) years, and 68 patients were females. All patients had a normal cardiovascular examination, electrocardiogram, chest x-ray, and 2D-echocardiogram. Maximal exercise tests were performed on a treadmill or bicycle ergometer, and flow volume loops were performed before and after exercise (n = 65). Exercise tests did not reveal any cardiovascular abnormalities, but 14 patients with chest pain (9.5%) and seven patients with DOE (21.2%) developed exercise-induced asthma. Postexercise decrease in peak expiratory flow rate was 26.2 ± 3.7 percent in patients with chest pain and 39.4 ± 8.9 percent in those with DOE. Only five patients had a personal history and four others had a family history of asthma. Seven patients had a personal or family history of allergies. Implications: 1) exercise-induced as...
Measurement of surface recombination velocity on heavily doped indium phosphide

Surface recombination velocity (SRV) on heavily zinc doped (>10/sup 18/ cm/sup -3/) n-type and p-type InP was measured as a function of surface treatment. For the limited range of substrates and surface treatments studied, SRV and surface stability depend strongly on the surface treatment. SRVs of approximately 10/sup 5/ cm/sec in both p-type and n-type InP are obtainable, but in n-type the low-SRV surfaces were unstable, and the only stable surfaces on n-type had SRVs of >10/sup 6/ cm/sec. >
Characterization of phosphorus species in biosolids and manures using XANES spectroscopy.

Received for publication March 10, 2006. Identification of the chemical P species in biosolids or manures will improve our understanding of the long-term potential for P loss when these materials are land applied. The objectives of this study were to determine the P species in dairy manures, poultry litters, and biosolids using X-ray absorption near-edge structure (XANES) spectroscopy and to determine if chemical fractionation techniques can provide useful information when interpreted based on the results of more definitive P speciation studies. Our XANES fitting results indicated that the predominant forms of P in organic P sources included hydroxylapatite, PO{sub 4} sorbed to Al hydroxides, and phytic acid in lime-stabilized biosolids and manures; hydroxylapatite, PO{sub 4} sorbed on ferrihydrite, and phytic acid in lime- and Fe-treated biosolids; and PO{sub 4} sorbed on ferrihydrite, hydroxylapatite, {beta}-tricalcium phosphate ({beta}-TCP), and often PO{sub 4} sorbed to Al hydroxides in Fe-treated and digested biosolids. Strong relationships existed between the proportions of XANES PO{sub 4} sorbed to Al hydroxides and NH{sub 4}Cl- + NH{sub 4}F-extractable P, XANES PO{sub 4} sorbed to ferrihydrite + phytic acid and NaOH-extractable P, and XANES hydroxylapatite + {beta}-TCP and dithionite-citrate-bicarbonate (DCB)- + H{sub 2}SO{sub 4}-extractable P ({gamma}{sup 2} = 0.67 [Pmore » = 0.01], 0.78 [P = 0.01], and 0.89 [P = 0.001], respectively). Our XANES fitting results can be used to make predictions about long-term solubility of P when biosolids and manures are land applied. Fractionation techniques indicate that there are differences in the forms of P in these materials but should be interpreted based on P speciation data obtained using more advanced analytical tools.« less
Science ethics as a bureaucratic problem: IRBs, Rules, and Failures of control

“Institutionalized science ethics” refers to the statutory, professional and institution-based ethical standards that guide and constrain scientists' research work. The primary institution responsible for implementing institutionalized science ethics is the Institutional Review Board. We examine the limitations of IRBs and institutionalized science ethics, using bureaucratic theory and, especially, theory related to the development and enactment of rules. We suggest that due to the very character of rules-based systems, improvements in IRB outcomes are unlikely to be achieved through either more or better rules or even by bureaucratic reform. Instead, we suggest that improvements in human subject protection can best be advanced through increased participation. Ours is not a call for more participation by the general public but participation, via “Participant Review Boards” of persons who are eligible, by the protocols of the research in question, to serve as subjects. This provides a level of legitimacy and face validity that cannot be obtained by IRB affiliates, even by “external representatives.” In making these points, we review a recent science ethics controversy, the KKI/Johns Hopkins lead paint study. In spite of being approved by IRBs, the study resulted in a civil lawsuit that reached the Maryland Court of Appeals. The case illustrates the limits of institutionalized science ethics and the bureaucracies created for their enactment. The case also underscores the complex and equivocal nature of the ethical guidelines established under the National Research Act.
Adaptive Failover for Real-Time Middleware with Passive Replication

Supporting uninterrupted services for distributed soft real-time applications is hard in resource-constrained and dynamic environments, where processor or process failures and system workload changes are common. Fault-tolerant middleware for these applications must achieve high service availability and satisfactory response times for client applications. Although passive replication is a promising fault tolerance strategy for resource-constrained systems, conventional client failover approaches are non-adaptive and load-agnostic, which can cause system overloads and significantly increase response times after failure recovery.This paper presents four contributions to the study of passive replication for distributed soft real-time applications. First, it describes how our Fault-tolerant Load-aware and Adaptive middlewaRe (FLARe) dynamically adjusts failover targets at runtime in response to system load fluctuations and resource availability. Second, it describes how FLARe's overload management strategy proactively enforces desired CPU utilization bounds by redirecting clients from overloaded processors. Third, it presents the design and implementation of FLARe's lightweight middleware architecture that manages failures and overloads transparently to clients. Finally, it presents experimental results on a distributed Linux testbed that demonstrate how FLARe adaptively maintains soft real-time performance for clients operating in the presence of failures and overloads with negligible runtime overhead.
Characterization of Microbial Population Shifts during Sample Storage.

The objective of this study was to determine shifts in the microbial community structure and potential function based on standard Integrated Ocean Drilling Program storage procedures for sediment cores. Standard long-term storage protocols maintain sediment temperature at 4oC for mineralogy, geochemical, and/or geotechnical analysis whereas standard microbiological sampling immediately preserves sediments at -80oC. Storage at 4oC does not take into account populations may remain active over geologic time scales at temperatures similar to storage conditions. Identification of active populations within the stored core would suggest geochemical and geophysical conditions within the core change over time. To test this potential, the metabolically active fraction of the total microbial community was characterized from IODP Expedition 325 Great Barrier Reef sediment cores prior to and following a three-month storage period. Total RNA was extracted from complementary 2, 20, and 40 m below seafloor sediment samples, reverse transcribed to cDNA and then sequenced using 454 FLX sequencing technology, yielding over 14,800 sequences from the six samples. Interestingly, 97.3% of the sequences detected were associated with lineages that changed in detection frequency during the storage period including key biogeochemically relevant lineages associated with nitrogen, iron and sulfur cycling. These lineages have the potential to permanently alter the physical and chemical characteristics of the sediment promoting misleading conclusions about the in situ biogeochemical environment. In addition, the detection of new lineages after storage increases the potential for a wider range of viable lineages within the subsurface that may be underestimated during standard community characterizations.
Heuristics, rules of thumb, and the 80/20 proposition

The author discusses perspectives in the quest for optimality in design. The author provides a perspective, indicates a new direction for optimization research, and supplies a rationale for the use of heuristics in decision making. The author submits that it pays to ask a softer question in a large category of complex problems. However, the author is not advocating a license to be sloppy and to stop the search for good heuristics. Indeed, the author's intentions are to point out the possibility of quantifying heuristics. >
Thigmotaxis in mealworms: Effects of barrier height and illumination

Twenty mealworms (Tenebrio molitor) were forced to encounter barriers of heights from 0 to 10 mm. Thigmotactic edge-following responses were affected by barrier height and illumination. When the barrier cast a shadow, edge following appeared at lower barrier heights and with less variability than when light source placement eliminated the shadow.
Satellite-derived coastal ocean and estuarine salinity in the Mid-Atlantic

Abstract Coastal salinity is a basic oceanographic property that is not routinely estimated by satellites. Efforts to measure ocean salinity from space are designed for large scale open ocean environments, not coastal regions. In the Mid-Atlantic coastal ocean, salinity is critical for understanding circulation patterns, river plumes, and transport, which in turn impact the status of the ecosystem. However, the spatial and temporal coverage of in situ salinity measurements in this region are sparse and do not synoptically capture salinity in the coastal ocean. We compiled ∼2 million salinity records from four regional research vessels between the years 2003–2008 and found ∼9 thousand salinity records that could be adequately matched to MODIS-Aqua data. We show that the spectral shape of water-leaving radiance and sea surface temperature are most correlated with in situ salinity. Four neural network models designed to predict salinity were developed for the Mid-Atlantic coastal region and three of its major estuaries (Hudson, Delaware, and Chesapeake). Our models predict salinity with RMS errors between 1.40 psu and 2.29 psu, which are much less than the null model ranges (4.87–10.08 psu) and the natural range of the system (0–32 psu). Seasonal climatologies for the Chesapeake, Delaware, and Mid-Atlantic regions based on these models are fresher than the existing NODC climatologies. We also found significant freshening trends in the Mid-Atlantic over a 6 year period.
The Later Stages of Ordinary Property Offender Careers

Few sociologists have studied the later stages of careers in deviance and criminality. This paper describes how 36 ordinary property offenders, released from confinement from four months to 28 years earlier, changed their perspectives toward life and criminal behavior as they got older. Changes in criminal behavior resulted from two types of occurrences in the men's lives: temporal and interpersonal. Some of the age-related changes differ little from those experienced by non-offenders. Consequently, the findings challenge critical assumptions about offenders employed by proponents of the death penalty and other repressive crime control measures.
A Theoretical Foundation for Cooperative Search, Classification, and Target Attack

Wide area search and attack using Unmanned Air Vehicles or autonomous munitions is considered. In order to build towards a multi-vehicle cooperative behavior scheme, task benefits for search and engagement need to be established. This chapter uses applied probability theory to formulate and solve for the probability of success in search and engagement. Average longevity for the munition and targets are also available using this formulation. A variety of multiple target/multiple false target scenarios are considered, with varying assumptions on the probability distributions of the target and false target vehicles. Area search through target attack is modelled, and the potential benefits accruing from cooperative target classification and cooperative target engagement are addressed. A general approach for defining task benefits for cooperative behavior algorithms is presented, and methods for implementation are discussed. While the discussion in this chapter is limited to a single warhead munition or Unmanned Air Vehicles, the results can be extended to include the multi-warhead case.
Experimental demonstration/analysis of fiber-bundle-based receiver performance

In order to track, acquire and maintain a free-space optical link between mobile platforms experiencing misalignment due to movement and atmospheric turbulence requires a different approach than traditional free-space optical transceivers. Recently, a fiber-bundle approach for beam steering at the transmitter was proposed and investigated that allowed tracking ot the receiver without the use of mechanical devices. A complimentary receiver using a collection of fibers behind an array of high power, small diameter lenses was found to allow lateral misalignments of up to 3 cm for a 1.2 cm array and up to 45 degrees of angular misalignment between the transmitter and receiver optical axes. This paper investigates methods for optimizing the receiver design, particularly in terms of maximizing throughput of the optical power to the electronic receiver. Theoretical and experimental analyses are used to examine two significant issues and suggest solutions. Maintaining alignment accuracy between the lens array and the collecting fibers is addressed by using a collimator array, thereby fixing each fiber to one lens, or specially constructed fiber array structures in a dedicated housing. A collimator array is preferable for ease of construction but presents trade-offs with respect to power collected and misalignment tolerance. Losses incurred when combining the signals from the many fiber elements is addressed using couplers, optical combining systems, and electronic summing. The advantages and difficulties of the methods are compared with regard to practical implementation.
Thermodynamic properties of the alkali metals at high pressures and high temperatures

The melting temperatures of Li, Na, K, Rb, and Cs versus pressure were measured to 32 kbar in a piston cylinder apparatus with hydrostatic pressure medium and in situ pressure measurements. The accuracies in pressure and temperature are +/- 0.4% and +/- 0.25/sup 0/C, respectively. Substantial deviation from measurements using solid, non-hydrostatic pressure media is observed. The adiabat, (deltaT/deltaP)/sub s/, was measured to 32 kbar and 400/sup 0/C by adiabatic compression. Ln (deltaT/deltaP)/sub s/ is a linear function of volume with good consistency in the slopes. (deltaT/deltaP)/sub s/ changes insignificantly at the liquid-solid phase transitions. The Grueneisen parameters, calculated from ..gamma.. = B/sub s//T (deltaT/deltaP)/sub s/, decreases with pressure and temperature. B/sub s/ is the adiabatic bulk modulus. The ..gamma..-volume curves show strong curvature and ..gamma.. tends to become volume independent at compressions of about 30%. ..gamma.. increases by several percent at the liquid-solid transition.
Differential response of cardiac fibroblasts from young adult and senescent rats to ANG II

The intracardiac ANG II-forming pathway is activated in the senescent myocardium, raising the possibility of enhanced ANG II effects on cardiac fibroblasts. This study established an in vitro model...
Family Coping and Adaptation Among Grandparents Rearing Grandchildren

Guided by the Double ABCX Model of Family Adjustment and Adaptation, this study explored the coping strategies and adaptation processes employed by grandparent caregivers as they moved from the initial crisis phase of taking in their grandchildren to settling down and carrying out the daily tasks of childrearing. Using qualitative methods, we analyzed data from in-depth family life history interviews conducted with 26 grandfamilies. Our analyses revealed five themes: capturing grandparents' adaptation processes or shifts in roles, identities, relationships, resources, and perceptions of the situation in order to cope with their family transitions and stressors. We conclude with considerations for future research that are needed to identify and support positive adaptations within these complex family constellations.
SUICIDE AS MURDER AT COMMON LAW: Another Chapter in the Falsification of Consensus Theory

The debate among advocates of consensus, pluralist. and Marxist views of the origins of criminal law continues to occupy a central position in contemporary theoretical criminology. This article assesses these positions through a historical inquiry into the law-making and-enforcing processes surrounding self-murder or suicide. Historical data on the criminalization and depenalization of suicide indicate that economic and fiscal interests shaped suicide laws, but these laws were unenforceable because of popular resistance. The significance of these findings for criminological theory is that laws generally thought to be based on consensus were instead grounded in conflict and struggle.
Transrepression of c-jun Gene Expression by the Glucocorticoid Receptor Requires Both AP-1 Sites in the c-jun Promoter

The c-jun protooncogene encodes a nuclear protein, cJun, which is a major component of the AP-1 transcription factor. AP-1 regulates various aspects of cell proliferation and differentiation. As an immediate early response gene, the expression of the c-jun gene is affected by various extracellular stimuli, such as serum, phorbol esters, and glucocorticoids. In mouse L929 fibroblasts, dexamethasone (DEX) treatment caused a 60% reduction of c-jun mRNA levels. Previous studies indicated that this reduction is due to the alteration of the transcription rate of the c-jun gene. To further investigate the molecular mechanisms of transcriptional repression of c-jun by DEX, a full-length human c-jun promoter, from −1780 to +731, was amplified from genomic DNA using PCR and then linked to the luciferase reporter gene. To identify the regulatory elements responsible for the down-regulation, nested deletions spanning the promoter were generated, and the promoter/luciferase constructs were transiently transfected into...
Alterations in Ethanol-Induced Behaviors and Consumption in Knock-In Mice Expressing Ethanol- Resistant NMDA Receptors

Ethanol's action on the brain likely reflects altered function of key ion channels such as glutamatergic N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors (NMDARs). In this study, we determined how expression of a mutant GluN1 subunit (F639A) that reduces ethanol inhibition of NMDARs affects ethanol-induced behaviors in mice. Mice homozygous for the F639A allele died prematurely while heterozygous knock-in mice grew and bred normally. Ethanol (44 mM; ∼0.2 g/dl) significantly inhibited NMDA-mediated EPSCs in wild-type mice but had little effect on responses in knock-in mice. Knock-in mice had normal expression of GluN1 and GluN2B protein across different brain regions and a small reduction in levels of GluN2A in medial prefrontal cortex. Ethanol (0.75–2.0 g/kg; IP) increased locomotor activity in wild-type mice but had no effect on knock-in mice while MK-801 enhanced activity to the same extent in both groups. Ethanol (2.0 g/kg) reduced rotarod performance equally in both groups but knock-in mice recovered faster following a higher dose (2.5 g/kg). In the elevated zero maze, knock-in mice had a blunted anxiolytic response to ethanol (1.25 g/kg) as compared to wild-type animals. No differences were noted between wild-type and knock-in mice for ethanol-induced loss of righting reflex, sleep time, hypothermia or ethanol metabolism. Knock-in mice consumed less ethanol than wild-type mice during daily limited-access sessions but drank more in an intermittent 24 h access paradigm with no change in taste reactivity or conditioned taste aversion. Overall, these data support the hypothesis that NMDA receptors are important in regulating a specific constellation of effects following exposure to ethanol.
Abstract Pre-Orders

We establish a theory of pre-orders generalized to include, among other structures, metric spaces, and strong enough to support the solution of recursive domain equations. We do this by considering pre-orders defined internally in sheaves over a complete Heyting algebra Ω. When Ω is two-valued, pre-orders internally are pre-orders externally, but when Ω is the non-negative reals with suitable Heyting algebra operations, the internal pre-orders turn into generalized ultra-metric spaces externally. In the internal logic we define the concepts of chain, convergence, completeness, compactness, etc. and it turns out that Scott's theorem about the limit/colimit coincidence of chains of complete pre-orders with mediating continuous retractions generalizes to work for any cHa Ω. The external versions of this theorem then become its well known metric variations, and corresponding theorems for as yet unexplored structures.
Dimensions of Social Media Utilization Among College Sport Fans

As social media provide athletic departments and their constituents with an additional point of engagement with their fans, it is important to understand the social media audience. However, despite...
A novel therapeutic approach to the treatment of scleroderma-associated pulmonary complications: safety and efficacy of combination therapy with imatinib and cyclophosphamide

Objective. Scleroderma-related interstitial lung disease (SSc-ILD) has limited therapeutic options due to unclear pathogenesis. Recently, PDGF receptor (PDGFR) amplification has been postulated to cause fibrosis. We hypothesized that a combination of immunosuppressive agents, e.g. cyclophosphamide (CYC) and imatinib (PDGFR inhibitor), might be useful for treating SSc-related ILD. Our objective was to evaluate the safety and efficacy of this combination therapy in scleroderma-related pulmonary disease. Methods. Five patients with advanced SSc-ILD underwent comprehensive cardiopulmonary evaluation, followed by administration of oral imatinib (200 mg/day) and intravenous CYC (500 mg every 3 weeks). Safety was assessed by close monitoring of complete blood count, liver and cardiac functions. Efficacy was evaluated by measuring pulmonary functions at 6 and 12 months. Results. Of the five patients in the study, four had severe and one had mild restrictive lung disease. All patients tolerated the combination treatment without myelosuppression, deterioration of liver functions or cardiac status. Only one patient had mild fluid overload requiring diuretics. Two patients completed 1 yr of treatment. Only the patient with mild restrictive lung disease showed improvement in pulmonary function. Conclusion. The combination of intravenous CYC and oral imatinib was well-tolerated without major side effects. Clinical improvement was seen in only the patient with mild restrictive disease. To our knowledge, this is the first study examining the safety, tolerability and efficacy of imatinib in combination with CYC in scleroderma-related pulmonary disease. Large prospective trials are needed to further determine optimal timing, dose and duration of this regimen.
Why Don't Library Science Students Want to Become Managers?

Column Editor's NoteThis JLA column will consider issues of education and training for management positions in libraries and other information organizations from the perspectives of both the provider and the recipient. The column will appear in odd-numbered issues of the journal and focus on management education/training at various stages of the individual's career including the effectiveness of these efforts, their content, and the specific challenges of teaching and learning within the field of librarianship. The column will address both theoretical and practical concerns. Prospective authors are invited to submit articles for this column to the editor at aa3805@wayne.edu.Very few students who have taken Wayne State University's required management course from me have any interest in library careers in management. Some are even more firm in their decision after taking the course though most graduates will have management responsibilities in their first library position and some will manage a small libra...
Decoding Area Studies and Interdisciplinary Majors: Building a Framework for Entry-Level Students

Decoding disciplinary expertise for novices is increasingly part of the undergraduate curriculum. But how might area studies and other interdisciplinary programs, which require integration of courses from multiple disciplines, decode expertise in a similar fashion? Additionally, as a part of decoding area studies and interdisciplines, how might a sequential experience of library-based research practice support that curriculum? Finally, how might a program introduce students to fellowships and career opportunities in the field early in their studies? Area studies and interdisciplinary departments face particular challenges in this regard because of multiple entry points into the major and the lack of a consistent pattern of student movement through the major (due to students studying abroad or because of the array of different disciplinary courses comprising individual programs of study). A tested course designed to address these issues, and adaptable for other area studies or interdisciplinary programs, i...
Does antitrust policy promote competition

ABSTRACTUsing new measures of the scope and strength of antitrust policies, we find no evidence that more robust antitrust regimes correlate with more intense local competition or less corporate dominance. The results cast doubt on the common textbook assumption that antitrust policies improve levels of competition.
Post seizure mortality following electroshock convulsions in certain strains of mice.

SummaryAn acute lethal effect from electroshock convulsions has been demonstrated to occur among mice of the DBA, CFW and C57 strains, and to a lesser extent the ICR strains. CF#1 mice were rarely susceptible. Death was ascribed to failure to resume breathing and appeared to be dependent upon occurrence of maximal seizure and independent of intensity of current employed to elicit the seizure. The mechanisms involved were not revealed, but attention was directed to the finding that strains susceptible to post-seizure electroshock death are identical to those which are susceptible to audiogenic seizures.
Mid Vowel Assimilation Across Mandarin Dialects

In Standard Mandarin, a mid vowel agrees in [back] and [round] features with adjacent glides. A mid vowel preceded by a front rounded glide, however, is only partially assimilated, resulting in a front unrounded [e] rather than the expected front rounded [o]. This process of Mid Vowel Assimilation varies across Mandarin dialects depending on the features involved, the direction of feature spreading, and whether or not a mid vowel is fully or partially assimilated. This article proposes a unified constraint-based account of the variation and typology of Mid Vowel Assimilation across Mandarin dialects. Couched within Optimality Theory (Prince and Smolensky 1993) and Feature Class Theory (Padgett 1995, 1996), the proposed analysis demonstrates (i) how the interaction of gradient assimilation-related constraints and markedness constraints on feature cooccurrence avoids marked segment types and produces partial assimilation effects, and (ii) how different rankings of the proposed set of constraints generate the variation pattern across Mandarin dialects. To fully account for the typology of Mandarin Mid Vowel Assimilation and the uneven distribution of different types of Mid Vowel Assimilation, I suggest that (i) some assimilation-related constraints can be categorically assessed as a marked option, and (ii) some constraint rankings on markedness, while not universally fixed, can be designated as universal default rankings.
EFFECT OF INTRAVENOUS ESTROGEN ON AN INHIBITOR OF HYALURONIDASE AND ON CLOTTING FACTORS IN BLOOD.

SummaryThe clotting mechanism in the human, as measured by conventional methods, appears to be unaffected by intravenous estrogen other than by a slight increase in factor V. Following estrogen, intradermal hyaluronidase wheals persist for a longer period than noted with placebos. These changes are confined to the male. Nonspecific serum hyaluronidase inhibitor increases in both sexes following I.V. estrogen. The peak effect is noted at one to two hours, but the changes persist for approximately 8 hours, usually approaching base line levels at 24 hours. These experiments indicated that I.V. estrogens affect the ground substance. We have not attempted clinical evaluation of the use of intravenous estrogens in control of hemorrhage.
Determination of dielectric thickness change in multilayer lamination

As the need for greater speed of electronic circuit operation accelerates, the determination of changes in the fabrication of multilayer interconnection boards (MIBs) becomes increasingly significant to the achievement of optimum circuit performance. Changes in the insulating layer thickness, for example, can affect design values such as those specified for: characteristic impedance of printed circuit conductor paths, signal pulse delay time, signal attenuation, built-in capacitance, and desired or undesired capacitive coupling within the printed circuits.
Some conspiracy and superconvergence properties of scattering amplitudes in the helicity formalism

It is shown how conspiracy conditions fors-channel helicity amplitudes may be obtained directly, without using crossing. It is also shown how superconvergence relations, usually interpreted as restrictions on the scattering amplitude at fixedt fors»∞, may be re-interpreted as restrictions on an equivalent set of amplitudes fors=s0(t, mi2). For equal massess0=0, and superconvergence and conspiracy conditions coincide. Problems of saturation are briefly discussed.
Thermal and mechanical properties of thermosetting polymers using coarse-grained simulation

We developed coarse-grained (CG) molecular representations of mixtures of diglycidyl ether of bisphenol-A (DGEBA) and poly(oxypropylene) diamine (POP-DA) for use in CG molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. In the CG representation, DGEBA is comprised of three beads of two types and POP-DA also by three beads of two types. Atomistic MD of liquid systems was performed to derive intra- and inter-bead potentials via Boltzmann inversion. While the bonded potentials, composed of bond stretching and angle bending, were parameterized directly from the distribution functions of all atomistic molecular dynamics trajectories, the non-bonded potentials were derived from the iterative Boltzmann Inversion with a given set of coarse-grained interactions. CG systems correctly reproduced liquid and crosslinked densities. Under uniaxial tension, the Young's modulus of the CG systems was much lower than the experimental value, and we show this arises from the assumed form of the extrapolated regions of the CG potentials. By stiffening these regions, we increased the CG Young's modulus of the crosslinked systems without sacrificing the correct prediction of density. This suggests that transferrable CG potentials can be optimized for use in non-equilibrium MD for property estimation.
Shallow subsurface detection of buried weathered hydrocarbons using GPR and EMI

Abstract Weathered hydrocarbons, commonly emulsified or in the form of tar balls, wash ashore along beaches due to natural oil seepages or offshore oil spills. They remain buried in the sand until a storm or erosion exposes them; therefore it is important to understand the progression and extent of these hydrocarbons. Elmer’s Island, Louisiana, a site known for having large amounts of oil washed ashore from the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill, was selected for a geophysical survey in order to detect the presence of buried weathered oil. Two survey trips to Elmers Island were carried out using 200 MHz, 400 MHz, and 900 MHz ground penetrating radar (GPR) antennas. The 400 MHz data show two distinct anomalous layers with positive amplitudes and 900 MHz data show anomalous features that also display positive amplitudes. An electromagnetic induction (EMI) tool, used over the same traverses as GPR, provided insight into subsurface conductivity. The conductivity maps from the first survey trip display rows of anomalies and two large anomalous zones. These anomalous zones correspond with the 400 MHz GPR data. During the second survey trip, a three-dimensional GPR survey was conducted over a small grid where similarities between the two instruments were evident. Field observations confirmed the existence of contaminated sand (beach sand that enclosed small aggregates of weathered hydrocarbons) and tar balls buried at the survey site in distinct layers. These contaminated sand layers are most likely associated with the anomalies found on both the GPR and EMI data. Thus, a strong correlation with GPR and EMI anomalies co-locating buried weathered hydrocarbons suggests they can be used in future oil spill clean up efforts to map the extent of these hazardous materials. This integrated technique also has implications for the investigation of other buried features.
Septic shock: a clinical perspective.

Septic shock is the leading cause of death in nontrauma patients admitted to medical and surgical intensive care units. This article details the pathophysiology of sepsis and its therapeutic imperatives as well the basic principles of empiric antibiotic therapy. The role of the intensivist in shock management and its impact on mortality is discussed. New data are summarized that now appear to contraindicate the use of sterioids in septic shock.
64Cu-labeled inhibitors of prostate-specific membrane antigen for PET imaging of prostate cancer

Prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) is a well-recognized target for identification and therapy of a variety of cancers. Here we report five (64)Cu-labeled inhibitors of PSMA, [(64)Cu]3-7, which are based on the lysine-glutamate urea scaffold and utilize a variety of macrocyclic chelators, namely NOTA(3), PCTA(4), Oxo-DO3A(5), CB-TE2A(6), and DOTA(7), in an effort to determine which provides the most suitable pharmacokinetics for in vivo PET imaging. [(64)Cu]3-7 were prepared in high radiochemical yield (60-90%) and purity (>95%). Positron emission tomography (PET) imaging studies of [(64)Cu]3-7 revealed specific accumulation in PSMA-expressing xenografts (PSMA+ PC3 PIP) relative to isogenic control tumor (PSMA- PC3 flu) and background tissue. The favorable kinetics and high image contrast provided by CB-TE2A chelated [(64)Cu]6 suggest it as the most promising among the candidates tested. That could be due to the higher stability of [(64)Cu]CB-TE2A as compared with [(64)Cu]NOTA, [(64)Cu]PCTA, [(64)Cu]Oxo-DO3A, and [(64)Cu]DOTA chelates in vivo.
Comparison of Centrifugation and Noncentrifugation Methods to Cryopreserve Stallion Epididymal Semen

Abstract Most epididymal flushes are performed after a catastrophic injury, acute, or chronic illness and are the last chance to save genetic material from a valuable stallion; this not only prevents test freezing for the particular animal but also means that the starting semen quality is likely poor. This necessitates that the protocol used for epididymal flushes be optimized to achieve the best possible recovery of the least damaged sperm. The objective of this study was to compare the effects of direct flushing of the epididymis with freezing extender to flushing with cooling extender and centrifugation. Epididymides were dissected away from the testes, and each vas deferens was catheterized. For the centrifugation method, the epididymis was flushed using 5 mL of a skim milk–based extender, followed by 20 mL of air, and then, semen was diluted to 50 million/mL before centrifugation and processing. Epididymides used for the noncentrifugation method were flushed directly with a commercial semen freezing extender. Semen was loaded in 0.5-mL straws at 200 million/mL, cooled and frozen. Post-thaw samples were evaluated for total and progressive sperm motility using a computer-automated sperm analyzer. Additionally, post-thaw samples were stained with fluorescent probes and subjected to flow cytometry for assessment of sperm viability, mitochondrial potential, acrosome integrity, and chromatin stability. No significant differences were observed between the two groups for any of the sperm parameters evaluated. In conclusion, although centrifugation does not appear to be detrimental to epididymal sperm, it also does not seem necessary for semen processing.
Blood type, ABO genetic variants, and ovarian cancer survival

Objective Blood type A and the A1 allele have been associated with increased ovarian cancer risk. With only two small studies published to date, evidence for an association between ABO blood type and ovarian cancer survival is limited. Methods We conducted a retrospective cohort study of Tumor Registry confirmed ovarian cancer cases from the Vanderbilt University Medical Center with blood type from linked laboratory reports and ABO variants from linked Illumina Exome BeadChip data. Associations with overall survival (OS) were quantified by hazard ratios (HR) and confidence intervals (CI) from proportional hazards regression models; covariates included age, race, stage, grade, histologic subtype, and year of diagnosis. Results ABO phenotype (N = 694) and/or genotype (N = 154) data were available for 713 predominantly Caucasian (89.3%) cases. In multivariable models, blood type A had significantly better OS compared to either O (HR: 0.75, 95% CI: 0.60–0.93) or all non-A (HR: 0.77, 95% CI: 0.63–0.94) cases. Similarly, missense rs1053878 minor allele carriers (A2) had better OS (HR: 0.50, 95% CI: 0.25–0.99). Among Caucasians, this phenotype association was strengthened, but the genotype association was attenuated; instead, four variants sharing moderate linkage disequilibrium with the O variant were associated with better OS (HR: 0.62, 95% CI: 0.39–0.99) in unadjusted models. Conclusions Blood type A was significantly associated with longer ovarian cancer survival in the largest such study to date. This finding was supported by genetic analysis, which implicated the A2 allele, although O related variants also had suggestive associations. Further research on ABO and ovarian cancer survival is warranted.
Initial and Repetitive Yields from Proteins Blotted on PVDF Membranes

PVDF (polyvinylidene difluoride) membranes have proven to be a useful support on which proteins or peptides can be immobilized during automated Edman degradation procedures (Matsudaira 1987). Several groups have reported that the initial and repetitive yields for samples electroblotted onto PVDF membranes (Baum et al 1987; Legendre and Matsudaira 1988; Moos et al 1988; Xu et al 1988; Yuen et al 1988) are much higher than samples blotted onto activated glass fiber filters (Vandekerchove et al 1985; Aebersold et al 1986). Since most of the measurements involved 100–500 pmole quantities of material, it would be valuable to evaluate the yields of < 100 pmole quantity of sample. In this study, I measured the initial and repetitive yields of 4–110 pmole quantities of 125I-s-lactoglobulin. The data suggests that both the repetitive and initial yields are independent of sample quantity and that sample loss during the sequencing cycles significantly affects the repetitive yields. Based on these results, it appears that sample detection is the major limit to routine sequence analysis of subpmole quantities of material.
Ambulance disinfection using Ultraviolet Germicidal Irradiation (UVGI): Effects of fixture location and surface reflectivity.

ABSTRACTAmbulances are frequently contaminated with infectious microorganisms shed by patients during transport that can be transferred to subsequent patients and emergency medical service workers. Manual decontamination is tedious and time-consuming, and persistent contamination is common even after cleaning. Ultraviolet germicidal irradiation (UVGI) has been proposed as a terminal disinfection method for ambulance patient compartments. However, no published studies have tested the use of UVGI in ambulances. The objectives of this study were to investigate the efficacy of a UVGI system in an ambulance patient compartment and to examine the impact of UVGI fixture position and the UV reflectivity of interior surfaces on the time required for disinfection. A UVGI fixture was placed in the front, middle, or back of an ambulance patient compartment, and the UV irradiance was measured at 49 locations. Aluminum sheets and UV-reflective paint were added to examine the effects of increasing surface reflectivity o...
Macrophage conditioned medium promotes colorectal cancer stem cell phenotype via the hedgehog signaling pathway.

Background There is conflicting data on the role of macrophages in colorectal cancer (CRC); some studies have shown that macrophages can exert an anti-tumor effect whereas others show that macrophages are tumor promoting. We sought to determine the role of conditioned medium (CM) from macrophages, in particular classically activated macrophages, on the development of the CSC phenotype in CRC cells, which is believed to mediate tumor growth and chemoresistance. Methods Murine (CT26) and human (HCP-1) CRC cell lines were treated with CM from lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-activated murine macrophages. The CSC population was assessed using the sphere-forming assay and aldehyde dehydrogenase assay. Chemoresistance studies were performed using the MTT assay. CSC transcription factors and SHH protein were analyzed by Western blotting. Results The results showed that LPS-activated macrophage CM induced the CSC phenotype in CRC cells. Further studies showed that the CSC phenotype was mediated by the sonic hedgehog (SHH)-Gli signaling pathway, which is known to drive self-renewal; these effects were blocked by depletion of SHH in macrophage CM. In addition, LPS-activated macrophage CM enhanced chemoresistance. Conclusions LPS-activated macrophages play an active role in promoting the CSC phenotype through activation of the SHH-Gli signaling pathway in CRC cells.
Abstract 14974: Reactive Oxygen Species Mediated Impairment of the Glycolytic Switch Required Mesenchymal to Endothelial Transition in Hyperglycemia

Purpose: Endothelial Mesenchyme Transition plays a major role in fibrotic disorders associated with diabetes. Recently, the reverse phenomenon i.e., Mesenchyme Endothelial Transition (MEndoT) has b...
Local Option: The Rational Use of Local Therapy in Patients at High Risk to Die of Metastatic Progression.

On occasion, clinicians may be motivated to offer local therapy (eg, surgery, radiation, ablation) to patients with advanced cancer in the hope of prolonging survival (as opposed to palliating a symptom). An appropriately informed discussion of risks and benefits should push clinicians to reflect on the rationale for use of local therapy in a patient who is far more likely to die as a result of systemic progression. Ultimately, the justification for local therapy in advanced cancer must be based on several assumptions of what a patient’s cancer will and will not do. The following is an attempt to provide the framework for patients and their care teams to collectively consider the assumptions surrounding the use of local therapy and the potential consequences of being wrong.
Changes in Sea Level

A number of methods have been developed for determining sea level changes. While they give similar results for the large-scale variations (>10–20 m.y.), there is disagreement over the magnitude of eustatic changes and over whether shorter-term variations are smooth or spasmodic.
It’s the journey not the destination: Maya New Year's pilgrimage and self-sacrifice as regenerative power:

This article examines Maya New Year's rites involving pilgrimage and bloodletting. We suggest that ceremonies today that center around the initiation of young men and involve self-sacrifice and lon...