cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Full scale self-propulsion computations using discretized propeller for the KRISO container ship KCS

Abstract Self-propulsion computations of the KCS containership are performed in full-scale with direct discretization of the propeller. A dynamic overset approach is used, which allows for arbitrary rotational speed of the propeller during the computation. The self-propulsion point is obtained using a controller to modify the propeller RPS until the target speed is reached. To obtain propulsion coefficients the open-water curves of the propeller and a towed, unpropelled case are also computed. Together, these computations provide for a complete CFD prediction of self-propulsion factors at full scale. The main differences with a similar model scale simulation following the ITTC procedures are identified and reported. The effect of these differences in the propeller operation point and performance are thoroughly studied and discussed. It is concluded that for this case the propeller operates more efficiently in full scale and is subject to smaller load fluctuations.
Practical precautionary resource management using robust optimization.

Uncertainties inherent in fisheries motivate a precautionary approach to management, meaning an approach specifically intended to avoid bad outcomes. Stochastic dynamic optimization models, which have been in the fisheries literature for decades, provide a framework for decision making when uncertain outcomes have known probabilities. However, most such models incorporate population dynamics models for which the parameters are assumed known. In this paper, we apply a robust optimization approach to capture a form of uncertainty nearly universal in fisheries, uncertainty regarding the values of model parameters. Our approach, developed by Nilim and El Ghaoui (Oper Res 53(5):780–798, 2005), establishes bounds on parameter values based on the available data and the degree of precaution that the decision maker chooses. To demonstrate the applicability of the method to fisheries management problems, we use a simple example, the Skeena River sockeye salmon fishery. We show that robust optimization offers a structured and computationally tractable approach to formulating precautionary harvest policies. Moreover, as better information about the resource becomes available, less conservative management is possible without reducing the level of precaution.
Intestinal absorption of choline in the chick

Abstract The intestinal absorption of choline in the chick has been studied in 1-min incubations using a tissue-accumulation method. There are two processes involved in choline absorption, mediated route with an apparent Km of 100 μM and a maximum velocity V of 25 nmoles/ml tissue water per min and a diffusion mechanism. Lowering the external Na+ concentration leads to an increase in apparent Km but to no change in V. Mediated choline entry is not sensitive to anaerobiosis, ouabain or oligomycin. The transport of choline can be competitively inhibited by structural analogs, the best inhibitors being hemicholinium-3 and N,N-dimethylethanolamin which also cause trans-inhibition. Choline influx, however, is independent of intracellular choline. Although the transports of choline and thiamine are mutually antagonistic, results of a kinetic test indicate that there probably is not a single common site for choline and thiamine absorption.
Genetic and morphological similarity of two California gull populations with different life history traits

California Gulls nesting at Mono Lake (ML) have a modal clutch size of two eggs, while at Great Salt Lake (GSL) the mode is three. We used starch gel electrophoresis to determine whether the populations are genically different. Average individual heterozygosity at ML averages 2.67% and at GSL 2.95%, both slightly below the average for other birds. The average number of alleles per locus is 1.2 for both sites. Variation between sites is insignificant, with a genetic distance of 0.001 and an FST of 0.0044. Therefore, the clutch size differences are without genic correlates. In fact, at the loci studied, the two samples are indistinguishable from two random samples drawn from a panmictic unit. Five morphological characteristics also exhibited little between-site difference, in agreement with the electrophoretic analysis. A marked historical reduction (bottleneck) in the Mono Lake population seems not to have affected levels of genetic variation. We conclude that the clutch size differences are either recently evolved, and determined by loci not surveyed by us, or they are environmentally induced. At the population level, these gulls are similar to passerines in terms of heterozygosity and among population differentiation.
Head movements during optokinetic stimulation in the alert rabbit.

Pigmented rabbits with their heads free to move about the vertical axis were seated inside a rotating optokinetic drum in order to evoke the optocollic reflex (OCR). At drum velocities below 5°/s, head movements were inconsequential, and eye velocity generally matched drum velocity. At velocities between 5–15°/s head movements were irregular and slight; head velocity was less than 20% of drum velocity, and gaze was undercompensatory by 1–3°/s (retinal image motion of 1–3°/s). At drum velocities above 15°/s, and especially above 30°/s, head movements were substantial (more than 20% of the drum velocity), but gaze was undercompensatory by 60–70% of the stimulus velocity. In the same rabbits in the same test periods and conditions, the vestibulo-collic reflex (VCR) was evoked with vision with minimal gaze undercompensation relative to a stationary surround; however, when deprived of vision the VCR gain dropped. The present results support the notion that with vision, the OCR does not contribute significantly to the improvement of the VCR response, since massive undercompensation of the gaze relative to the rotating drum was required in OCR testing to evoke head movements similar to those seen in VCR tests. Due to many differences in operating characteristics of the vestibular and optokinetic systems, and due to the nature of OCR testing, there were several unexpected results: in some cases head movements did not result in summation of vestibular and optokinetic reflexes, and with sinusoidal drum rotations of about 2°/s2 peak acceleration there was overcompensation (gaze moves faster than the drum) for intervals up to 20 s. Thus, optokinetically generated active head movements could produce behavior strongly contrasting with passively induced head movements in visualvestibular tests. It is tentatively concluded that in mammals there is a vestigial and specific optokinetic control of gaze and that the optokinetic control of the head is weak (relative to the eyes). However, other non-reflex mechanisms controlling head movements — such as stimulus entrainment and temporal asymmetries in the vestibular and optokinetic reflexes — must also be considered to explain all, facets of the data.
Neuropeptide Y and somatostatin inhibit stimulated cyclic AMP production in rabbit ciliary processes

The interaction of adrenergic and peptide receptors linked to adenylate cyclase and the inhibition by bioactive peptides of stimulated cyclic AMP production has been investigated in intact, excised rabbit ciliary processes. Cyclic AMP production stimulated by isoproterenol, vasoactive intestinal peptide, or forskolin was inhibited by the biologically active peptides neuropeptide Y, somatostatin, and the synthetic somatostatin analogue SMS 201-995. IC50s determined from dose-response curves of inhibition are consistent with the known abilities of these ligands to modulate cyclic AMP and physiological responses in other tissues. Inhibition by neuropeptide Y or SMS 201-995 was unaffected by the specific alpha 2-adrenergic antagonist yohimbine, which shows that peptide inhibition is not occurring via peptide binding to the inhibitory alpha 2-adrenergic receptor. These results suggest that endogenous peptides may participate in modulation of cyclic AMP production and subsequent physiological events influenced by cyclic AMP levels in rabbit ciliary processes by inhibiting stimulated cyclic AMP synthesis.
The ward round.

The pirate white coat sped on, followed furiously by duckling medical students. "Breast cancer, the signs!" The sardine cluster separated. "Speak up, boy! Bang! Bang!" Pistol finger shot the first casualty with humiliation. Silence, then peeps of protestation and chirps of fluffy facts escaped the startled gaggle. The piper followed, cried, "Chronic obstructive airways disease, name the types!" Consultant eyes flashed laser beams. "Come on, I'm waiting!" A marooned student suffocated in his burning face, patting at the fire with his damp palms. "D-d-don't know, sir!" "Tut! Tut!" Triggerhappy criticism melted the boy, dripping to the sheltered aft. "You!" I was unearthed from my white linen camouflage. "What are the features of thyrotoxicosis?" Sensing a field ofneurotic mines, I navigated the reply. Weight loss; increased appetite; tremor; lid lag; exophthalmos; heat intolerance; irritability; oligomenhorrhoea; my reply was concise. The posse, stunned by brilliance, was rapidly outmanoeuvred by an imminent new case.
Development of a simplified bubble growth model for flash boiling sprays in direct injection spark ignition engines

Abstract Accurate modeling of bubble growth is needed to design fuel injectors that take full advantage of the potential of flash boiling sprays to reduce drop sizes and to promote fuel vaporization in direct injection spark ignition (DISI) engines. A new simplified bubble growth model has been developed to substantially reduce the computational cost of capturing the bubble size and growth rate distributions at the fuel injector exit. These distributions have important effects on the formation and breakup of droplets. The simplified bubble growth model makes a parcel approach for simulating the bubble growth in a flash boiling fuel injector affordable. A parcel approach makes it possible to capture the distributions of large numbers of bubbles forming under different conditions within the fuel injector. The simplified bubble growth model was validated for experimental data of bubble growth in superheated water. The model showed excellent agreement with experimental data at more than 100 times less computational cost than coupling the bubble growth equation with the conservation of energy equation numerically. The model was applied to the simulation of a flash boiling spray from a swirl atomizer, and the simulated flashing spray resulted in smaller droplets and faster vaporization than a non-flashing spray at ambient conditions of 0.445 MPa and 430 K.
Differential alterations of the circulating prosomatostatin-derived peptides during insulin-induced hypoglycemia in man.

Insulin-induced hypoglycemia stimulates a rise of somatostatin-like immunoreactivity (SLI) in the venous circulation of man. Plasma SLI is comprised of a heterogenous group of peptides including somatostatin-28 (SS-28) somatostatin-28-(15-28), somatostatin-28-(16-28), and prosomatostatin (Pro-SS). To determine which of these Pro-SS related peptides is released after hypoglycemia, we developed an immunoadsorption method that rapidly and accurately separates SS-28 from the other somatostatins. This method involves the selective retention of SS-28 on a conjugate of agarose with immunoglobulins that recognize an epitope in the NH2-terminal region of SS-28. Pro-SS, SS-28-(15-28), SS-28-(16-28), henceforth referred to collectively as SS-28-(15-28), and SS-28, once separated, were then analyzed by RIA with a COOH-terminal antibody. Ten normal men were studied after an overnight fast. Pork insulin (0.05 U/kg) was injected iv, and blood was collected before and after the onset of hypoglycemia. The mean basal SS-28...
Reintervention for endograft failures after thoracic endovascular aortic repair

Objective Thoracic endovascular aortic repair has emerged as an effective therapy for a variety of thoracic aortic pathologic entities. However, endograft failure remains a concern, and its treatment is often challenging. We examined our experience with endograft failure and its treatment by endovascular and open repair. Methods From January 2000 to January 2012, 680 patients underwent thoracic endovascular aortic repair at the University of Pennsylvania, and their charts were reviewed for the late outcomes and follow-up data. Results Of the 680 patients, 73 underwent 80 reinterventions (11.7%) during follow-up. The indications for index thoracic endovascular aortic repair were thoracic aortic aneurysms in 381, type A dissection with frozen elephant trunk in 52, type B dissection in 111, hybrid arch repair in 46, traumatic transection in 37, infection in 10, penetrating atherosclerotic ulcer in 25, and others in 18. The median interval from index thoracic endovascular aortic repair to reintervention was 210 days. Endograft failures included endoleak in 45, proximal aortic events in 11, distal aortic events in 15, endograft infection in 3, and others in 6. Endovascular reintervention (n = 80) was performed in 60 patients. In 20 patients, open aortic reconstructive procedures were performed. The overall 30-day mortality was 8.7% (7/80). During follow-up, 10 late deaths occurred. The overall survival in all patients was 81%, 60%, and 52% at 1, 5, and 7 years, respectively. The late survival for patients after reintervention for endograft failure was similar that for the patients who did not require reintervention ( P = .31). Conclusions Reintervention for endograft failure can be performed with acceptable early outcomes. The mid-term survival for patients requiring reintervention for endograft failure was similar to that of the patients without endograft failure. Thus, reintervention for endograft failure should be aggressively considered when indicated.
Abstract 142: Novel tumor suppressor role of microRNA-205 in melanoma via regulation of E2F1

Proceedings: AACR 102nd Annual Meeting 2011‐‐ Apr 2‐6, 2011; Orlando, FL MicroRNAs (miRNAs) regulate gene expression by repressing translation or directing sequence-specific degradation of complementary mRNA. Altered miRNA expression has been demonstrated in several human cancers. Limited information is available concerning the expression and role of miRNAs in melanoma. Here, we report that expression of miR-205 is significantly suppressed in melanoma tumor samples when compared with nevi, and is correlated inversely with melanoma progression. miR-205 expression was also significantly downregulated in a panel of melanoma cell lines when compared to a normal melanocyte line. miRNA target databases predicted a conserved target site for miRNA-205 in the 3’ untranslated region (UTR) of E2F1 and E2F5. The expression levels of E2F1 and E2F5 were inversely correlated with that of miR-205 in melanoma cell lines. miR-205 significantly suppressed the luciferase activity of reporter plasmids containing the 3’UTR sequences complementary to either E2F1 or E2F5, which was abolished by mutations in these 3’UTR regions. Overexpression of miR-205 in melanoma cells reduced E2F1 and E2F5 protein levels without alteration of mRNA expression. The proliferative ability of melanoma cells was suppressed by miR-205, mediated by E2F-regulated AKT phosphorylation. Transient overexpression of miR-205 in melanoma cells resulted in induction of apoptosis, as indicated by increases in cleaved caspase-3, poly-(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) and release of cytochrome-c. Stable overexpression of miR-205 suppressed cell proliferation and colony formation, and resulted in inhibition of tumor cell growth in vivo and induction of a senescence phenotype accompanied by elevated p16INK4A expression and other markers for senescence. These results demonstrate a novel role for miR-205 as a tumor suppressor in melanoma. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 102nd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2011 Apr 2-6; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2011;71(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 142. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2011-142
Semiparametric information bound of dynamic discrete choice models

Abstract We develop a simulation based approach that can determine whether the semiparametric efficiency bound of a dynamic discrete choice model with fixed effects is zero or not. We illustrate the usefulness of our approach by considering a simplified version of Keane and Wolpin's (1997) model, where we show that the semiparametric information is zero.
Electrolytes for solid oxide fuel cells

The high operating temperature of solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs), as compared to polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs), improves tolerance to impurities in the fuel, but also creates challenges in the development of suitable materials for the various fuel cell components. In response to these challenges, intermediate temperature solid oxide fuel cells (IT-SOFCs) are being developed to reduce high-temperature material requirements, which will extend useful lifetime, improve durability and reduce cost, while maintaining good fuel flexibility. A major challenge in reducing the operating temperature of SOFCs is the development of solid electrolyte materials with sufficient conductivity to maintain acceptably low ohmic losses during operation. In this paper, solid electrolytes being developed for solid oxide fuel cells, including zirconia-, ceria- and lanthanum gallate-based materials, are reviewed and compared. The focus is on the conductivity, but other issues, such as compatibility with electrode materials, are also discussed.
Quantifying the effect of disruptions to temporal coherence on the intelligibility of compressed American Sign Language video

Communication of American Sign Language (ASL) over mobile phones would be very beneficial to the Deaf community. ASL video encoded to achieve the rates provided by current cellular networks must be heavily compressed and appropriate assessment techniques are required to analyze the intelligibility of the compressed video. As an extension to a purely spatial measure of intelligibility, this paper quantifies the effect of temporal compression artifacts on sign language intelligibility. These artifacts can be the result of motion-compensation errors that distract the observer or frame rate reductions. They reduce the the perception of smooth motion and disrupt the temporal coherence of the video. Motion-compensation errors that affect temporal coherence are identified by measuring the block-level correlation between co-located macroblocks in adjacent frames. The impact of frame rate reductions was quantified through experimental testing. A subjective study was performed in which fluent ASL participants rated the intelligibility of sequences encoded at a range of 5 different frame rates and with 3 different levels of distortion. The subjective data is used to parameterize an objective intelligibility measure which is highly correlated with subjective ratings at multiple frame rates.
Different proportions of various prostate-specific antigen (PSA) and human kallikrein 2 (hK2) forms are present in noninduced and androgen-induced LNCaP cells.

BACKGROUND Human prostate-specific antigen (PSA) and human kallikrein 2 (hK2) are expressed primarily by prostate epithelial cells. PSA and hK2 both exist as free protein and complexed with protease inhibitors (e.g., α1-antichymotrypsin, ACT) in serum. The expression of PSA and hK2 in LNCaP cells is upregulated by androgen. METHODS LNCaP, a prostate cancer cell line that secretes both PSA and hK2, was used as a model to study the biosynthesis and processing of PSA and hK2 upon androgen induction. RESULTS Precursor (zymogen or pro) forms of both PSA and hK2 were detected in spent media of induced and noninduced LNCaP cells, indicating that PSA and hK2 are secreted as proPSA (pPSA) and prohK2 (phK2), respectively, and are converted to the mature forms extracellularly. A 3-fold higher ratio of mature to pPSA was detected in the spent media of mibolerone-induced LNCaP cells compared to noninduced cells. In addition to the inactive proform of PSA, more than half of the mature unclipped PSA present in the spent media did not complex with exogenously added ACT. Spent media of mibolerone-induced LNCaP cells contained nearly 100% mature hK2, whereas the spent media of noninduced cells contained mostly phK2. CONCLUSIONS These results indicate that androgens not only upregulate the expression of these kallikreins, but also have a significant effect on the processing of PSA and hK2. These results also show that LNCaP cells express a heterogeneous mixture of inactive PSA and hK2 forms that may serve as a model for the genesis of these forms in physiological fluids. These findings may also provide insights into the forms and ratios of PSA and hK2 in normal and malignant breast tissues. Prostate 44:248–254, 2000. © 2000 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
CHRONIC OBSTRUCTION OF THE SUPERIOR VENA CAVA DUE TO HISTOPLASMOSIS. A HEMODYNAMIC AND ANGIOGRAPHIC CORRELATION.

Selective angiography and indicator-dilution curves were employed to illustrate the fuctional anatomy of the collateral circulation in two patients with chronic obstruction of the superior vena cava. In both, clinical and laboratory evidence favored an etiologic diagnosis of histoplasmosis. In case 1, the transit time via the main collateral venous pathway, which comprised the left superior intercostal, accessory hemiazygos and azygos veins, was found to be a little greater than 25 seconds. In case 2, the superior vena caval obstruction was incomplete, but there was an associated severe narrowing of the right pulmonary artery. Distortion of the indicator-dilution curves provided evidence for an increased bronchopulmonary anastomotic circulation to the right lung. These observations illustrate how radiographic and hemodynamic technics may usefully be combined to assess the effects of acquired diseases of the major blood vessels.
Ergonovine-induced myocardial ischemia without epicardial coronary vasospasm: evidence for ischemia produced by small-vessel vasoconstriction.

Keprint requests: Morton J. Kern. MD, Director, d. Gerard Mudd Cardiac Catheterizat,ion Laboratory. St. Louis University Hospital, 3635 Vista Avenue at Grand. St. Louis, MO 63110. 4/4/2876X+ narrowing of epicardial vessels. Provocative ischemia is generally not attributed to small-vessel vasoconstriction.iv2 Although the incidence of ergonovine provocation of focal coronary spasm is generally low in North American patients with normal coronary arteries,2 many patients complain of chest discomfort or other symptoms without characteristic ischemic ECG changes or ST segment elevation during ergonovine administration. We observed a patient who experienced marked chest pain during testing with ergonovine, which reproduced his symptoms with ST segment depression but without focal coronary vasospasm. The ST segment depression was unrelieved by intracoronary nitroglycerin and other coronary vasodilators. This case demonstrates a unique response with persistent severe ergonovine-induced small-vessel vasoconstriction as a cause of myocardial ischemia in a patient who had angiographically normal epicardial vessels without focal largevessel spasm. The patient was a @-year-old white man who had recently experienced chest tightness and episodes of atria1 fibrillation. Chest pain did not typically occur with exertion. He also noted dyspnea on exertion without a previous history of cardiac disease. Medications at, the time of evaluation included digoxin (0.25 mg daily) and quinidine (325 mg orally, four times a day). The physical examination was unremarkable. Blood pressure was 140/80 mm Hg. ECG at rest (Fig. 1, A) showed normal sinus rhythm and nonspecific chagnes of ST segment alterations in leads Va to Ve.
Low-Reynolds-number motion of a deformable drop between two parallel plane walls

Abstract The motion of a three-dimensional deformable drop between two parallel plane walls in a low-Reynolds-number Poiseuille flow is examined using a boundary-integral algorithm that employs the Green’s function for the domain between two infinite plane walls, which incorporates the wall effects without discretization of the walls. We have developed an economical calculation scheme that allows long-time dynamical simulations, so that both transient and steady-state shapes and velocities are obtained. Results are presented for neutrally buoyant drops having various viscosity, size, deformability, and channel position. For nearly spherical drops, the decrease in translational velocity relative to the undisturbed fluid velocity at the drop center increases with drop size, proximity of the drop to one or both walls, and drop-to-medium viscosity ratio. When deformable drops are initially placed off the centerline of flow, lateral migration towards the channel center is observed, where the drops obtain steady shapes and translational velocities for subcritical capillary numbers. With increasing capillary number, the drops become more deformed and have larger steady velocities due to larger drop-to-wall clearances. Non-monotonic behavior for the lateral migration velocities with increasing viscosity ratio is observed. Simulation results for large drops with non-deformed spherical diameters exceeding the channel height are also presented.
On the decoupling of doubler fermions in the lattice standard model

Abstract We consider several proposals for putting the standard model on the lattice and find that in all but the model proposed by Borrelli et al. there are nondecoupling effects of the doublers at one loop. It is unclear wheter decoupling can be maintained at all loops in the model of Borrelli et al. The effects we study should be considered in any lattice model of a spontaneously broken chiral gauge theory with massive doubler fermions.
Identification of a Drosophila homologue to vertebrate Crk by interaction with MBC.

Abstract The vertebrate adapter protein termed Crk was initially identified from the chicken CT10 retrovirus on the basis of its transforming activity (Mayer et al., 1988. Nature 332, 272–275). We have identified a Drosophila protein with homology to vertebrate Crk, termed dCRK, by interaction with the protein encoded by the Drosophila myoblast city (mbc) gene. The dCRK protein has extensive homology to the both the Crk-II form of vertebrate Crk and the Crk-related protein CRKL, and includes one SH2 domain followed by two SH3 domains. A single protein of approx. 37 kDa is detected in extracts from embryos, and Northern analysis revealed a single transcript of 1.3 kb. The dCrk mRNA is abundant throughout embryogenesis, declines during the larval stages, and reappears during pupation. In addition, maternally-provided transcripts have been detected. During embryogenesis, the spatial distribution of this transcript is relatively broad and appears to include all germ layers. Finally, dCrk is located on the fourth chromosome, approximately at cytological position 101F-102A.
Nanofabrication by DNA self-assembly

Molecular self-assembly strategies involve the formation of nanometer scale objects and materials in the absence of significant external control. One increasingly popular self-assembly approach makes use of the unique properties of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) including its diminutive size and high capacity for information storage. For many applications, DNA stands alone as the top choice for the programmable construction of supramolecular materials due to its specific and well-understood base-pairing interactions. In this review, we will discuss recent advances in the fabrication of materials via DNA based self-assembly.
The Multipotent Nature of Hair Bulge Cells

Stem cells are hot, both in the media and in recent research. Although embryonic stem cells have been a focus of attention because of their near totipotent nature, ethical and practical concerns have limited their use. The bulge region, where arrector pili muscles insert into hair follicles, is a segment of the outer root sheath that contains stem cells and develops into epithelial cells and melanocytes (Akiyama et al., 1995; Yu et al., 2006). Yu and colleagues (2010, this issue) at the University of Pennsylvania further characterized stem cells from the bulge region and report a more accessible source of human stem cells: neural crest–like stem cells that are derived from human fetal and adult hair follicles. These cells were shown to be multipotent, as they differentiated into many neural crest cell types, including neurons. They were also found to be functional, and when placed in mouse brains they remained viable. This work represents an important step toward regenerating essential adult tissues in a safe and accessible manner.
Can Pseudo Entrainment Explain the Synchrony of Estrous Cycles among Golden Hamsters (Mesocricetus auratus)

Synchrony among golden hamsters is often cited in the menstrual-cycle synchrony literature and has recently become a paradigm for explaining menstrual synchrony in humans (L. Weller, A. Weller, and S. Roizman (1999), J. Comp. Psychol. 113, 261-268). It has also stimulated further research on synchrony in Djungarian hamsters, for which no evidence of synchrony was found (G. E. Erb, H. E. Edwards, K. L. Jenkins, L. C. Mucklow, and K. E. Wynne-Edwards (1993), Physiol. Behav. 54, 955-959). The case for synchrony in the golden hamster is reexamined in this paper. It is demonstrated, with the help of computer simulation experiments, that the experimental method used by G. Handelmann, R. Ravizza, and W. J. Ray (1980, Horm. Behav. 14, 107-115) for detecting synchrony has a critical flaw. It does not distinguish synchrony that can occur by chance (pseudo entrainment) from synchrony due to a process of entrainment. It is suggested that the apparent entrainment of estrous cycles in hamsters and the role of social dominance may be due to the stress caused by moving animals to different rooms or grouping them. Thus, because we cannot reject the possibility of pseudo entrainment as an explanation for these results, it must be concluded that there is no evidence that golden hamsters synchronize their estrous cycles. Finally, an approach is briefly outlined for testing synchrony in golden hamsters.
Computed tomographic confirmation of distally placed Essure∗ microinsert

Objective To highlight the use of CT scan to confirm proper placement of the Essure microinsert tubal occlusion device. Design Case report. Setting Community-based, outpatient setting. Patient(s) A 37-year-old woman (G2P2002) who desired permanent sterilization. Intervention(s) The patient underwent hysteroscopic placement of Essure microinserts, which was complicated by inability to confirm intraluminal placement of the left implant by hysteroscopic visualization. A CT scan performed that day confirmed intraluminal placement and ruled out intraperitoneal placement of the insert. Main Outcome Measure(s) Confirmation of correct insert placement. Result(s) A CT scan confirmed the placement of the Essure insert within the fallopian tube lumen and excluded perforation into the peritoneal cavity. Conclusion(s) Computed tomography is a reliable way to determine whether Essure microinserts are properly placed when this cannot be determined by hysteroscopic visualization. Follow-up hysterosalpingography continues to be required to confirm tissue ingrowth at 3 months' time.
Biodistribution and pharmacokinetics of vanadium following intraperitoneal administration of vanadocene dichloride to mice.

The biodistribution and pharmacokinetics of vanadium following i.p. administration of vanadocene dichloride (VDC), a representative of a new class of organometallic anticancer agents, is reported for Strain A mice. A convenient flameless atomic absorption spectroscopic assay is described and is used to determine kinetic profiles for vanadium in blood, kidney, liver, small intestine and brain tissue for times up to 24 h after administration. For a VDC dose of 80 mg/kg, vanadium concentration decreases rapidly from both the blood and small intestine, and the data can be fit to a phenomenological exponential function (blood: t1/2 = 118 +/- 43 min; small intestine: t1/2(alpha) = 18.10 +/- 0.14 min, t1/2(beta) = 341 +/- 45 min). In contrast, vanadium accumulates in both the kidney and liver up to a maximal concentration (1.12 +/- 0.06 mM and 0.56 +/- 0.06 mM after 12 and 8 h, respectively), and is then excreted with estimated half-lives of 7.9 +/- 0.7 and 12.1 +/- 0.1 h, respectively. No detectable levels of vanadium are found in the brain tissue over the temporal course of the experiment. These results are compared to previous mammalian studies with cis-dichlorodiammineplatinum(II) (CDDP) and related 'second generation' platinum derivatives; there are both qualitative similarities between the vanadium and platinum systems as well as important quantitative differences.
Aggregate Retention in Chip Seal

Chip seal is a widely used preventive maintenance treatment for flexible pavements. However, a major problem with chip seal is the damage caused by loose aggregates from newly placed seals, partly because of a lack of compatibility between aggregate and asphalt emulsion. In this study, limestone, crushed gravel, synthetic lightweight aggregates, and recycled asphalt pavement materials were studied in the laboratory with two polymer-modified asphalt emulsions to find the aggregate-emulsion combination that would result in maximum chip retention. Replicate specimens were tested in the ASTM D7000 sweep test for each aggregate-emulsion combination. Lightweight aggregates and gravel were also tested in a newly developed test setup for simulating the sweep test. Test results show that lightweight aggregates perform better than gravel. However, lightweight aggregate sources play an important role in chip retention. Emulsion is the most significant factor that affects chip loss. Statistical analysis identified th...
Free fall of the vacuum

Abstract An experiment is proposed to measure the effect of gravitational curvature on the vacuum field. On the surface of the earth the effect is expected to perturb the mass-tensor of a bound electron by a few parts in 10 13 . This is within reach of current experimental capabilities.
Epidemiological transitions in maternal and child health in Peru: 1990–2013

Abstract Background Millennium Development Goal (MDG) 4 set the target of reducing the under-5 mortality rate by two-thirds between 1990 and 2015. MDG 5 set the target of reducing the maternal mortality ratio (MMR) by three-quarters over the same time period, and also achieve universal access to reproductive health. The objective of this study is to analyse the epidemiological transitions in maternal and child health in Peru from 1990 to 2013. Methods We analysed the risk of child mortality by age, and MMR by cause, stage of pregnancy, and age from 1990–2013 in Peru using data from the Global Burden of Disease Study, 2013. Findings From 1990 to 2013, child deaths per 1000 livebirths in Peru dropped from 16 to 8·0 during the early neonatal period, 8·3 to 2·7 in the late neonatal period, 29 to 6·5 in the post-neonatal period, and 21 to 4·9 in those aged 1–4 years. MMR for Peru was 130 per 100 000 livebirths in 1990, 76 per 100 000 in 2003, and 64 per 100 000 in 2013. MMR, by cause, from 1990 to 2013 fell from 20 to 9·7 for sepsis, 7·3 to 2·9 for obstructed labour, 20 to 15 for late maternal deaths (up to a year after delivery), 12 to 8·5 for hypertension, 33·2 to 9·4 for haemorrhage, 13 to 6·9 for abortive outcomes, 15 to 7·3 for direct deaths, and 9·5 to 4·3 for indirect deaths (during pregnancy and within 6 weeks of delivery). MMR, by time period of pregnancy, from 1990 to 2013 fell from 17 to 8·5 during the antepartum period, 32 to 16 during the intrapartum period, 62 to 24 during the postpartum period, and 20 to 15 during the late period. MMR, by age, in Peru from 1990 to 2013 changed from 0·8 to 0·2 for ages 10–14 years, 12·0 to 5·7 for ages 15–19 years, 25·0 to 11·0 for ages 20–24 years, 25·0 to 8·0 for ages 25–29 years, 26·0 to 12·0 for ages 30–34 years, 24·0 to 13·0 for ages 35–39 years, 14·0 to 8·6 for ages 40–44 years, and 4·7 to 6·1 for age ≥45 years. Interpretation Peru has significantly improved child health, with a 70% decline in child mortality with an annualised rate of decline of 5.3% from 1990 to 2013. The ratios of maternal deaths due to haemorrhage and obstructed labour were reduced significantly by 72% and 60%, respectively, from 1990 to 2013. Deaths in pregnant women younger than 35 years dropped by more than 50%, but increased by 30% for women 45 years and older from 1990 to 2013. Postpartum deaths fell by 61% in the study period. The Peruvian government has prioritised access for pregnant women to health facilities and prenatal and postnatal care, including culturally adapted health services. UNICEF and the Ministry of Health in Peru partnered to establish the Mamawasi (mother's home in Quechua local language) project, to encourage women in rural areas who lack transportation to give birth in health centres. Furthermore, economic growth, diminishment of extreme poverty, focus on health initiatives, and political and social support have contributed to improvement of child health and achievement of the MDG 4 target. Although improvements in maternal health have been made, the MDG 5 target is unlikely to be met. Funding None.
Motivating a Productive Discussion of Normative Issues Through Debates

In this article, the author presents a way of using in-class debates to discuss contentious issues and help students develop critical thinking skills. Three elements were incorporated into an undergraduate public finance course: a presentation of ethical approaches in order to formally discuss normative issues, class debates which required students to work in groups and imaginatively occupy a perspective with which they were not personally comfortable, and individual reflection which forced students to reconcile their beliefs with academic evidence. The results show that even if students did not change their perspectives on economic policy, the reasons why they have those perspectives did change to be based in academic theory and evidence and not their blind adherence to specific political platforms.
Internal-Reflection-Spectroscopy Studies Of Thin Films And Surfaces

Internal-reflection spectroscopy has found considerable use in the infrared for studying vibration-band properties, optical constants, surface electromagnetic waves, and guided modes in thin-film channels. This paper discusses the principal ideas, including the forms of the evanescent waves and the effects of refractive indices and absorption coefficients of various magnitudes, for various prism-sample combinations--for example, prism pressed against bulk sample, prism separated slightly from sample and prism with thin film. Also discussed are examples of applications of the techniques to the studies of (a) vibration bands in opaque materials and thin films, (b) molecules adsorbed to surfaces, (c) Raman scattering in thin films, (d) fluorescence in thin films and (e) surface plasmons on bulk metal surfaces and on thin films.
Regime Change--Prospects for Community-Based Resource Management in Post-New Order Indonesia

In January 2001, Indonesia embarked on a historic effort to devolve many functions and responsibilities of government from the center to the district level. These changes are being attempted in the midst of the political and economic uncertainty that continue to bedevil Indonesia's government and population years after the "East Asian crisis" swept through the region in 1997-1998. After decades of centralized control of economic and political development, the country's more than 360 district and municipal governments are suddenly placed in charge of managing nearly all affairs of state, excluding foreign policy, monetary policy, religion, and security. This essay examines emergent natural resource and environmental management consequences of this momentous transformation. Long promoted by social scientists and development agencies, it now appears that decentralization brings with it a host of new worries and problems. Indonesia's decentralization effort is still in the initial stages, and many of the prob...
Verbal creativity in semantic variant primary progressive aphasia

Emergence of visual and musical creativity in the setting of neurologic disease has been reported in patients with semantic variant primary progressive aphasia (svPPA), also called semantic dementia (SD). It is hypothesized that loss of left anterior frontotemporal function facilitates activity of the right posterior hemispheric structures, leading to de novo creativity observed in visual artistic representation. We describe creativity in the verbal domain, for the first time, in three patients with svPPA. Clinical presentations are carefully described in three svPPA patients exhibiting verbal creativity, including neuropsychology, neurologic exam, and structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Voxel-based morphometry (VBM) was performed to quantify brain atrophy patterns in these patients against age-matched healthy controls. All three patients displayed new-onset creative writing behavior and produced extensive original work during the course of disease. Patient A developed interest in wordplay and generated a large volume of poetry. Patient B became fascinated with rhyming and punning. Patient C wrote and published a lifestyle guidebook. An overlap of their structural MR scans showed uniform sparing in the lateral portions of the language-dominant temporal lobe (superior and middle gyri) and atrophy in the medial temporal cortex (amygdala, limbic cortex). New-onset creativity in svPPA may represent a paradoxical functional facilitation. A similar drive for production is found in visually artistic and verbally creative patients. Mirroring the imaging findings in visually artistic patients, verbal preoccupation and creativity may be associated with medial atrophy in the language-dominant temporal lobe, but sparing of lateral dominant temporal and non-dominant posterior cortices.
Influence of environmental parameters on litter decomposition in wetlands in West Virginia, USA

Plant litter decomposition varies by species and environmental conditions. To study environmental controls of decomposition, we measured plant litter decomposition rates in six wetlands located in West Virginia, USA. Four common wetland litter species were used: broadleaf cattail (Typha latifolia L.), common rush (Juncus effusus L.), brookside alder (Alnus serrulata (Ait.) Willd.), and reed canary grass (Phalaris arundinacea L.). A fifth litter type was created from a mix of common rush, brookside alder, and reed canary grass. Litter bags were collected over two years, from December 2007 to December 2009, and environmental variables near litter bags were measured every two weeks. Nine environmental parameters and one study parameter were then used to construct and test the ability of 22 a-priori models to predict the decomposition rate of each litter type. The environmental variables that most influenced and, therefore, best predicted decomposition rate varied among litter types. Brookside alder decomposi...
Articulatory and lexical repetition effects on durational reduction: speaker experience vs. common ground

Speakers tend to reduce the duration of words that they have heard or spoken recently. We examine the cognitive mechanisms behind duration variation, focusing on the contributions of speaker-internal constraints and audience design. In three experiments, we asked speakers to give instructions to listeners about how to move objects. In Experiment 1, the instruction was preceded by an auditory prime, which elicited reduced spoken word duration on a target noun in a speaker-privilege condition, and additional reduction on a determiner in a mutual-knowledge condition. In Experiments 2a and 2b, we tested the related hypothesis that the speaker's experience articulating the target leads to fluent processing above and beyond fluency in other processing, such as lexical selection. While prior articulation of the target led to greater reduction than just thinking about the word (Experiment 2a), saying the prime led to equal reduction as hearing the prime (Experiment 2b). The pattern of results leads to the conclus...
Effect of BaO Morphology on NOx Abatement: NO2 Interaction with Unsupported and γ-Al2O3-Supported BaO

First-principles density functional theory calculations have been applied to study NO2 interaction with BaO in various morphologies, including extended BaO surfaces as well as unsupported and γ-Al2O3-supported BaO clusters. Adsorption of NO2 over BaO of different morphologies studied with the same method allowed a direct comparison of adsorption structures and energetics. In comparison with the flat BaO(100) surface, the presence of the low-coordinated sites on the small BaO clusters and at the edge of the stepped BaO(310) surface not only strengthens the binding of NO2 at these sites but also creates new NO2 binding modes. The adsorption of NO2 at the accessible edge oxygen sites on the BaO clusters and stepped BaO(310) surface led to the formation of a nitrate species with the new N−O (surface or cluster) bond length of 1.3−1.5 A. Furthermore, BaO(310) created an adsorption configuration with two oxygen atoms of the adsorbed NO2 bridging the step-edge and terrace Ba sites. This adsorption configuration ...
Load transient mitigation for solid oxide fuel cells

A load transient mitigation scheme is proposed in this paper for stand-alone solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC)-battery power systems. The scheme is based on low-pass filtering of load transients and fuel cell current control. The fuel cell is controlled in such a way to provide the steady-state load, while the battery will supply the transient load. The technique can be used to improve the output power quality of the overall system as well as the SOFC durability by mitigating the stresses on SOFC caused by the load transients. Simulation studies have been carried out to verify the proposed technique. Simulation results show the effectiveness of the proposed technique, which prevents the load transient to affect the fuel cell performance.Copyright © 2006 by ASME
7th international workshop on graphical documentation: documenting SOA-based systems

Service-Oriented Architecture (SOA) is a way of designing, developing, deploying, and managing enterprise systems when business needs and technical solutions are closely aligned. SOA-based systems can be so large and complex, so the role of documentation as a means of conveying information about them is very important. Unfortunately, there is currently little concrete guidance available on how to do so effectively. This workshop will explore the current state-of-the-art and state-of-the-practice in documenting SOA-based systems. The goal is to learn from past experience in documenting other software-intensive systems, including the use of graphical documentation techniques relying on the Unified Modeling Language (UML), but taking into account the unique features and challenges inherent in SOA-based systems (e.g., properly documenting issues related to governance). This workshop is the 7th in a series of events exploring graphical documentation in the context of aiding system understanding.