cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
AFOS — Automation of Field Operations and Services

Abstract The National Weather Service of the U.S.A. is undertaking a major program to provide automated support to its field service offices. This program, called Automation of Field Operations and Services (AFOS), involves extensive use of minicomputers, video displays and high-speed communications to aid field personnel in their daily activities. In the next five years we plan to complete a National Distribution Circuit connecting all Weather Service Forecast Offices (WSFO's) and National Centers, plus 52 state distribution circuits connecting all lower-level stations with their parent WSFO's. Minicomputers at each of about 270 stations in the system will handle all communications, maintain the station data base, service the forecasters' data display requests and drive cathode-ray tube display units. Benefits expected from the AFOS system include more data, better forecasts, faster dissemination, greater productivity and dollar savings.
Comparing methods of respiratory event detection during the treatment of obstructive sleep apnea

Renewed focus on comparative effectiveness research presents a unique opportunity to develop optimal clinical management pathways for patients with obstructive sleep apnea. With this momentum comes the challenge of measuring treatment effect on sleep-disordered breathing, especially in large, multisite studies. In-laboratory polysomnography, the current gold standard sleep assessment of obstructive sleep apnea severity, is costly and imposes significant participant burden. Alternatives include home unattended sleep testing and overnight pulse oximetry recording. Research studies using positive airway pressure treatment have the additional option of using the information recorded by the patient's positive airway pressure device to assess treatment effectiveness. Recent research has shown relatively good agreement between manual identification of residual respiratory events in overnight in-laboratory polysomnography and the automatic event detection utilized in positive airway pressure machines. In addition to assessing the effects of interventions on sleep disordered breathing, obstructive sleep apnea-related comparative effectiveness studies need to assess the impact of the interventions on patient burden, cost of therapy, timeliness of care, improved quality of life and other clinically relevant outcomes.
WE-E-141-03: Comparative Study of Novel Versus Conventional Scanning Modalities for Radiochromic Film Dosimetry

Purpose: To compare the dose response of GAFCHROMIC(R) EBT3 film as measured using conventional document scanner readout to that of a custom‐built laser densitometry system (LDS), and to assess the intrinsic film orientation dependence to coherent light in order to optimize its use in radiation dosimetry. Methods: 108 1×1 cm2 pieces of EBT3 film were cut from a single sheet and read on an Epson 10000XL document scanner (DOC) and on a point‐to‐point LDS equipped with a 635nm diode laser and spectrally matched photodetector. Pixel values were converted to optical density (OD) using calibrated neutral‐density filters. Packets of six films were sealed and mounted at 5cm depth in water perpendicular to a 60Co beam, then exposed to one of 16 dose levels between 30 mGy and 10 Gy. Films were then re‐read to obtain net change in OD (NOD) using both readout modalities. The DOC readouts were repeated for two orthogonal film orientations, and for LDS, with the laser oriented at 9 evenly spaced angles between 0 and 180 degrees. Results: Four to five‐fold increases in NOD measured with LDS as compared to DOC were found over the full dose range. A sinusoidal relationship of NOD versus angle was found at each dose level, and its amplitude increased with dose. The ability for LDS over DOC to distinguish between films exposed to low doses was statistically significant, especially when optimized for scanning angle. Conclusion: This work indicates the potential of radiochromic film, in conjunction with novel scanning methods, to form a dosimetric standard by extending and improving the usable range as a Result of increased NOD, primarily through exploitation of the emulsion polarization to coherent light. Future work will attempt to quantify energy dependence in order to form a fully characterized dosimetry system that can be traced to primary dose standards. Acknowledgement: The authors wish to thank Dr. David Lewis of Ashland, Inc. of Wayne, NJ for making the EBT3 film available to us for these measurements.
Insulation Research and Testing at the University of Cincinnati

More and more, manufacturers are seeking outside advice in test selection for pre-evaluation of new materials.
International experience and CEO selection: An empirical study

This paper extends the upper-echelons theory by examining if observable demographic characteristics can be used to predict CEO selections. Based on an empirical analysis of recent successions at USA Fortune 200 companies, it identifies international experience as an important construct associated with accession to the CEO position of large corporations. The study also finds that CEO international experience is higher in firms that are highly international in terms of sales and assets. Firm and individual control variables are discussed and included in the empirical analysis. Managerial implications and suggestions for related future research are provided.
Risk analysis of GPS-dependent critical infrastructure system of systems

The Department of Energy seeks to modernize the U.S. electric grid through the SmartGrid initiative, which includes the use of Global Positioning System (GPS)-timing dependent electric phasor measurement units (PMUs) for continual monitoring and automated controls. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security is concerned with the associated risks of increased utilization of GPS timing in the electricity subsector, which could in turn affect a large number of electricity-dependent Critical Infrastructure (CI) sectors. Exploiting the vulnerabilities of GPS systems in the electricity subsector can result to large-scale and costly blackouts. This paper seeks to analyze the risks of increased dependence of GPS into the electric grid through the introduction of PMUs and provides a systems engineering perspective to the GPS-dependent System of Systems (S-o-S) created by the SmartGrid initiative. The team started by defining and modeling the S-o-S followed by usage of a risk analysis methodology to identify and measure risks and evaluate solutions to mitigating the effects of the risks. The team expects that the designs and models resulting from the study will prove useful in terms of determining both current and future risks to GPS-dependent CIs sectors along with the appropriate countermeasures as the United States moves towards a SmartGrid system.
Comments, with reply, on "A new control philosophy for power electronic converters as fictitious power compensators" by J.H.R. Enslin and J.D. Van Wyk

In the above titled paper (see ibid., vol.5, no.1 p.88-97, Jan. 1990) the authors develop concepts they suggested in an earlier paper (see IEEE Trans. Instrum. Meas., vol.IM-37, no.3, p.403-8, Sept. 1988). In these two papers, they draw conclusions regarding definitions of power quantities for systems with nonsinusoidal waveforms. They also show how the quantities suggested can be measured and compensated. The commenter points out that although the authors correct errors pointed out by himself and by P.S. Filipski in comments on the earlier paper, they repeat certain misconceptions in their definitions and add new ones. The commenter identifies these misconceptions. The authors refute the points raised by the commenters. >
Latency-optimized high performance Data Vortex optical switching network

Abstract This paper addresses the effect of latency optimization in large scale Data Vortex optical networks. A recently proposed strategy for path synchronization in Data Vortex networks allows for dramatic reduction of the physical delay. In particular, it can be shown that such optimization brings critical improvement to latency in large scale networks. In addition, several network enhancement techniques with additional resource have been proposed to reduce the routing hops and allows for overall better throughput. This paper explores the combination of both south-path-delay-optimization and enhancement techniques and provides a thorough examination of network performance in physical latency and throughput. As a result, a highly loaded network up to 10,000 I/O ports can maintain very small physical latency (
Non-Abelian gauge fields in two spatial dimensions

Generalizing an earlier work on the Abelian case the most general non-Abelian gauge theory in two spatial dimensions is derived. It is shown that local gauge invariance leads to a new term in the action which in turn requires that the gauge current operator have a part which is bilinear in the non-Abelian gauge field-strength tensor. Although a radiation (or axial) gauge quantization is possible, this approach is found not to yield the maximal set of commutation relations among the basic fields. The latter goal can be accomplished only by a rather unusual gauge choice which has not previously been studied. Quantization conditions on the coupling constant implied by invariance under large gauge transformations are also derived.
Exploring Sexual Minority Women’s Experiences of External and Internalized Heterosexism and Sexism and their Links to Coping and Distress

This study examined experiences of external and internalized heterosexism and sexism and their links to coping styles and psychological distress among 473 sexual minority women. Using an online sample of United States lesbian and bisexual women, the findings indicated that many participants experienced heterosexist and sexist events at least once during the past 6 months, and a number of participants indicated some level of internalized oppression. Supporting an additive multiple oppression perspective, the results revealed that when examined concurrently heterosexist events, sexist events, internalized heterosexism, and internalized sexism were unique predictors of psychological distress. In addition, suppressive coping and reactive coping, considered to be maladaptive coping strategies, mediated the external heterosexism-distress, internalized heterosexism-distress, and internalized sexism-distress links but did not mediate the external sexism-distress link. Reflective coping, considered to be an adaptive coping strategy, did not mediate the relations between external and internalized heterosexism and sexism and psychological distress. Finally, the variables in the model accounted for 54 % of the variance in psychological distress scores. These findings suggest that maladaptive but not adaptive coping strategies help explain the relationship between various oppressive experiences and psychological distress.
Do chimpanzee copulatory calls incite male-male competition?

Presentation de donnees sur les cris emis pendant la copulation par des femelles chimpanzees afin de tester l'hypothese de Cox-Lebœuf selon laquelle les vocalisations copulatoires des femelles favorisent la competition entre mâles
Enantioselective Decarboxylative Alkylation Reactions: Catalyst Development, Substrate Scope, and Mechanistic Studies

α-Quaternary ketones are accessed through novel enantioselective alkylations of allyl and propargyl electrophiles by unstabilized prochiral enolate nucleophiles in the presence of palladium complexes with various phosphinooxazoline (PHOX) ligands. Excellent yields and high enantiomeric excesses are obtained from three classes of enolate precursor: enol carbonates, enol silanes, and racemic β-ketoesters. Each of these substrate classes functions with nearly identical efficiency in terms of yield and enantioselectivity. Catalyst discovery and development, the optimization of reaction conditions, the exploration of reaction scope, and applications in target-directed synthesis are reported. Experimental observations suggest that these alkylation reactions occur through an unusual inner-sphere mechanism involving binding of the prochiral enolate nucleophile directly to the palladium center.
Multi-target antimicrobial actions of zinc against oral anaerobes

Summary Objective: Zinc is used in oral care products as an antiplaque/antigingivitis agent. Our objective was to assess the antimicrobial actions of zinc against oral anaerobes associated with gingivitis, specifically Fusobacterium nucleatum and Prevotella intermedia, with focus on catabolism and oxidative metabolism. Methods: The oral anaerobes were grown in complex medium in an anaerobic chamber, harvested by centrifugation and used directly for experiments with suspensions. Biofilm growth involved super-infection by F. nucleatum of an initial biofilm formed by Streptococcus sanguis. Results: Zn2+ inhibited catabolism of glutamate, glutamyl-glutamate, glucose and fructose by F. nucleatum cells in suspensions with ID50 values, respectively, of 0.05, 0.005, 0.01 and 0.01 mM. The ID50 value for inhibition of glutamate catabolism by biofilms was 0.10 mM. Inhibition of glutamate catabolism could be related to inhibition of substrate uptake and of 2-oxoglutarate reductase. Zn2+ also inhibited catabolism of aspartate or aspartyl-aspartate by P. intermedia with ID50 values of 0.07 and about 0.03 mM, respectively. Respiration of intact cells of F. nucleatum and NADH oxidase in cell extracts were sensitive to zinc with ID50 values, respectively, of about 1.0 and 1.4 mM. Zinc also inhibited production of hydrogen peroxide by F. nucleatum (ID50 = ca. 0.04 mM.) but at high concentrations acted to potentiate and enhance peroxide killing of the anaerobe. Conclusion: Zn2+ is a potent inhibitor of catabolism by F. nucleatum and P. intermedia, including catabolism of peptides, which can be degraded to yield inflammatory metabolic end products. Zn2+ also inhibits O2 metabolism of F. nucleatum by about 50% and hydrogen peroxide production nearly completely but also enhances killing by peroxide added to cells.
Effects of Temperature on Early-Phase Transmission of Yersina pestis by the Flea, Xenopsylla cheopis

Sharp declines in human and animal cases of plague, caused by the bacterium Yersinia pestis (Yersin), have been observed when outbreaks coincide with hot weather. Failure of biofilm production, or blockage, to occur in the flea, as temperatures reach 30°C has been suggested as an explanation for these declines. Recent work demonstrating efficient flea transmission during the first few days after fleas have taken an infectious blood meal, in the absence of blockage (e.g., early-phase transmission), however, has called this hypothesis into question. To explore the potential effects of temperature on early-phase transmission, we infected colony-reared Xenopsylla cheopis (Rothchild) fleas with a wild-type strain of plague bacteria using an artificial feeding system, and held groups of fleas at 10, 23, 27, and 30°C. Naive Swiss Webster mice were exposed to fleas from each of these temperatures on days 1–4 postinfection, and monitored for signs of infection for 21 d. Temperature did not significantly influence the rates of transmission observed for fleas held at 23, 27, and 30°C. Estimated per flea transmission efficiencies for these higher temperatures ranged from 2.32 to 4.96% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.96–8.74). In contrast, no transmission was observed in mice challenged by fleas held at 10°C (per flea transmission efficiency estimates, 0–1.68%). These results suggest that declines in human and animal cases during hot weather are not related to changes in the abilities of X. cheopis fleas to transmit Y. pestis infections during the early-phase period. By contrast, transmission may be delayed or inhibited at low temperatures, indicating that epizootic spread of Y. pestis by X. cheopis via early-phase transmission is unlikely during colder periods of the year.
Regression of Abdominal Fat in Broilers on Abdominal Fat in Spent Parents

Abstract A total of 261 pedigreed broilers out of 10 sires and 27 dams from a high fat line and 378 pedigreed broilers out of 11 sires and 34 dams from a low fat line were probed in the vent at 8 weeks of age as an indirect measure of abdominal fat. The broilers were weighed alive, slaughtered, and eviscerated. Abdominal fat, eviscerated carcass without giblets, and carcass shell weights were taken for each chicken. The correlations between caliper measurements and abdominal fat were below +.2. The sires and dams of the two lines were weighed alive at 14 months of age, slaughtered, eviscerated, and the same carcass measurements taken as for their broiler progeny. Sixteen of 21 sires had no measurable abdominal fat. The dams averaged 3.44% abdominal fat of live body weight compared with 1.55% for their female broiler progeny. The coefficient of variation for abdominal fat as a percentage of live weight of dams was 28%. Regressions of daughters and sons on midpoint of parents for abdominal fat as a percentage of live weight was +.305 and +.204, respectively, and were significant (P≤.05). The regression of daughters on dams and of sons on dams for abdominal fat as a percentage of live weight was +.186 and +.154, respectively, and both were significant (P≤.01).
Theory of Diffusion and Equilibrium Position of Interstitial Impurities in the Diamond Lattice

A theory is developed for diffusion of interstitial impurities in the diamond lattice. For ionized impurities the theory is based on a model in which the interaction of the ion with the host atoms is given by an attractive potential produced by the polarization of the host atoms, and a repulsive potential due to overlap of nonbonding electrons. The interaction energy is calculated at two interstitial positions of symmetry, and the activation energy for diffusion is taken as the difference between the two. Good agreement with experiment is found for lithium, copper, and silver. The theory predicts an optimum impurity size for diffusion, and thus explains the great diffusivity of copper. It also claims that the interstitial position of lithium and copper is not one of tetrahedral symmetry.
Updated profile front minimization algorithm

An updated version of the Profile Front Minimization (PFM) nodal renumbering algorithm is presented. The new version is an order of magnitude faster and the resulting numbering produces improved profile and wavefront characteristics. The algorithm is compared to other commonly used algorithms. The comparisons are based on a set of standard test problems proposed by Everstine. The results indicate that PFM is competitive and a suitable alternative to these other methods. In addition, the new algorithm is efficient in terms of storage requirements and code size, making it easy to implement in existing finite element codes.
Properties of monoamine oxidase in control and Lesch-Nyhan fibroblasts.

Monoamine oxidase activity of the A type was measured in homogenates of cultured human skin fibroblasts. Twenty-four control lines had activities ranging over fifty-fold with an apparent bimodal distribution. Activity in fibroblasts from 20 patients with the Lesch-Nyhan syndrome fell in the low portion of the normal distribution with a mean activity about 50% that of the control mean (p<0.05). In a subgroup of control and Lesch-Nyhan lines with levels of enzyme activity from 0.9 to 179 pmol/min/mg protein, monoamine oxidase was similar with respect to apparent Km for tryptamine, thermal stability at 56 C, and sensitivity to clorgyline. Thus the lower mean levels of activity observed in the Lesch-Nyhan as compared to control fibroblasts were not associated with other altered properties of the enzyme. The bimodal distribution of enzyme activity suggests that a genetic polymorphism for monoamine oxidase may control levels of activity expressed in fibroblasts.
Expectations vs. fundamentals-driven bank runs: When should bailouts be permitted?

Abstract Should policy makers be permitted to intervene during a financial crisis by bailing out financial institutions and their investors? We study this question in a model that incorporates two competing views about the underlying causes of these crises: self-fulfilling shifts in investors' expectations and deteriorating economic fundamentals. We show that – in both cases – the desirability of allowing intervention depends on a tradeoff between incentives and insurance. If policy makers can correct incentive distortions through effective regulation and supervision, then allowing intervention is always optimal. If regulation is imperfect and the risk-sharing benefit from intervention is absent, in contrast, it is optimal to prohibit intervention. Our results show that, in some cases, it is possible to provide meaningful policy analysis without taking a stand on the contentious issue of whether financial crises are driven by expectations or fundamentals.
Temperature dependence of [3H]dihydroalprenolol binding in rat myocardium.

Abstract The β-adrenergic antagonist, [ 3 H]dihydroalprenolol, was used to label binding sites in crude rat myocardial plasma membranes. The specificity of binding was dependent on the temperature of the assay. Specific binding at 22 and 37°C and at concentrations of radioligand less than 5 nM was consistent with binding to the myocardial β-receptor. Binding sites labeled at 4°C possessed quite different properties. Binding was non-stereoselective and of lower affinity. Agonist compounds were much less effective at competing for the labeled myocardial sites at 4°C than at 22°C. Those β-antagonists which additionally possess pharmacological ‘quinidine-like’ activity (e.g. propranolol, alprenolol) were potent competitors at 4°C, but competition was non-stereoselective. In contrast atenolol, a β-antagonist devoid of ‘quinidine-like’ activity was ineffective at 4°C. Furthermore, procaine, and quinidine itself were potent competitors of [ 3 H]dihydroalprenolol binding at 4°C. Thus the specificity of [ 3 H]dihydroalprenolol binding to rat heart membranes at 4°C appears to be directed non-stereoselectively at that portion of the competing molecule which recognized ‘quinidine-like’ as opposed to adrenergic activity.
When giants collide: strategic analysis and application

On June 4, 1942, a small US naval force defeated a much bigger Japanese fleet off Midway Island. This was the first defeat suffered by the heretofore invincible Japanese military, and changed the course of the Pacific war. The Battle of Midway provides an informative case study of strategic decision‐making processes, because of its unexpected outcome and volatile environmental factors. Building from Daft and Weick’s (1984) “interpretation system” model, this paper develops an analytical framework to study the formulation of strategic decisions at the Battle of Midway. The three interacting components of the framework – decision parameters, decision processes, and decisions and implementation – are examined, with emphasis on how bounded rationality, cognitive biases, leadership styles, management structures, and organizational cultures combine to impact strategy formulation. Research and strategic implications are highlighted.
Chemical changes in freeze-dried foods and model systems

Summary Lipid oxidation is one of the major reactions limiting the stability of freeze-dried foods. Water has an inhibitory effect on the reaction. Studies conducted in model systems containing cellulose, methyl linoleate, and cobalt resulted in confirmation of the hypothesis that the effects of water are due to: 1) hydrogen bonding of hydroperoxides with a resultant delay in the onset of the rapid bimolecular decomposition of hydroperoxides and 2) inactivation, through hydration, of metal catalysts, such as cobalt. Studies were also conducted on a more complicated model system consisting of egg albumin, linoleate, and myoglobin, and on freeze-dried salmon. The results obtained are in agreement with those observed in the simpler model systems.
Reference materials for the radionuclide program – performance evaluation samples

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) Radionuclides in Food Program was reinstituted in 1973, expanded in 1975 and again in 1990, to its present status. The need for reference materials for radionuclides in food samples was recognized as early as 1962. There were no available reference materials for these types of samples at that time. The materials developed to assure that the results being obtained were acceptable were primarily milk, water and food. The radionuclides of interest were iodine-131, cesium-137 and other short-lived radionuclides found in fission products. These were first issued through the then Health, Education and Welfare Department's Analytical Quality Control Program and, later, in 1970 through the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). In November 1998, the EPA discontinued this program. The FDA is proposing to reinstitute part of this program, as a primary laboratory, traceable to the National Institute of Technology (NIST) and included in this, the FDA proposes to supply the States and/or their contractors with low-level standards and with milk- and water intercomparison samples. It will also use these results where possible as collaborative studies to validate some of the more recent methods adopted by the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM), American Public Health Association (APHA) and Association of Official Analytical Chemists International (AOAC, Int'l.) The FDA will also supply low-level standards to compliment these programs as did the EPA. It is expected that these samples will serve as performance evaluation samples for the States programs.
Mapping of Explicit Atom onto United Atom Potentials

Reversible work, also known as the potential of mean force, is used to map explicit atom (EA) onto united atom (UA) potentials for CH, CH 2 , CH 3 , and CH 4 sites. These UA potentials are found to be temperature dependent and to be described by stretched exponential-6 functions. Although this is fairly dissimilar to the Lennard-Jones 6-12 potential, the one may be mapped onto the other by requiring that the second virial coefficients and locations of the potential minimum be equal for the two forms. When this is done, good agreement with standard UA potentials is found.
The diacylglycerol kinase inhibitor R59022 potentiates superoxide production but not secretion induced by fMet-Leu-Phe: effects of leupeptin and the protein kinase C inhibitor H-7.

Abstract The addition of low concentrations of the chemotactic factor fMet-Leu-Phe to rabbit neutrophils in the absence of cytochalasin B produces very little superoxide. This level of superoxide can be greatly increased in neutrophils pretreated for 30 min with 10 μM of the diacyl-glycerol kinase inhibitor R59022. This potentiation occurs also in the presence of cytochalasin B. In addition, while the small level of superoxide generated by fMet-Leu-Phe is not inhibited by the protein kinase C inhibitor 1-(5-isoquinoline-sulfonyl)-2-methyl piperazine (H-7), the increase by R59022 is completely abolished by this compound. In addition, this increase can be potentiated further by leupeptin. Unlike superoxide generation, the release of lysozyme or N-acetyl-β-glucosaminidase produced by fMet-Leu-Phe is not stimulated by R59022. The results presented here suggest that stimulation of the oxidative burst requires the generation and the maintenance of a sufficient amount of diacylglycerol and/or the rearrangement of the cytoskeleton such as the inhibition of actin polymerization. Furthermore, the membrane-associated form of protein kinase C is the one responsible for the activation of the oxidative burst. The relationship between protein kinase C activation and the stimulated oxidative burst and the physiological role of chemotactic factors in the functions of the neutrophils are discussed.
Following Reaction Pathways Using a Damped Classical Trajectory Algorithm

The study of reaction pathways is imperative to the investigation of potential energy surfaces. The intrinsic reaction coordinate is defined as the steepest descent path in mass weighted coordinates that connects the transition state to reactants and products. Various methods are available for following the intrinsic reaction coordinate. A potential energy surface may also be studied using classical trajectory calculations, and a dynamic reaction path method can be used to connect the transition state to reactants and products. We have modified a classical trajectory integration method such that the dynamic reaction pathway more closely resembles the intrinsic reaction coordinate. Specifically, a damped velocity Verlet algorithm incorporating a controlled time step is used. The efficiency of the present algorithm is on the same order as our earlier methods for relatively small systems and shows increasing efficiency as the large molecule limit is approached.
Fetal and maternal cocaine levels peak rapidly following intragastric administration in the rat.

On gestation day 22, plasma levels of cocaine and its metabolite, benzoylecgonine (BE), were determined over 90 min following either 30 or 60 mg/kg cocaine given via intragastric intubation to Wistar rats which had been given daily cocaine intubations since day 8 of pregnancy. Cocaine levels peaked at 15 min in both the maternal and fetal circulations. Sixty mg/kg produced a peak plasma level of 5384 ± 594 ng/ml in the dam and 2966 ± 503 ng/ml in the fetus. Maternal levels of cocaine were higher than fetal levels for the first fifteen min. Thereafter, maternal levels decreased more quickly than fetal such that at 30–90 min, fetal levels were higher than maternal levels. Cocaine levels also peaked at 15 min in fetal brain. At 90 min, however, fetal brain had between 26 and 42% more cocaine than fetal plasma. Therefore, fetal brain exposure to cocaine is somewhat prolonged. BE levels were less predictable. Together, these data indicate that the intragastric route of administration results in rapid uptake of cocaine by blood and produces highly reproducible, pharmacologically relevant levels of cocaine in maternal and fetal plasma and brain. In addition, the placenta does not act as a barrier to the delivery of cocaine to the fetus.
Shape-anisotropic particles at curved fluid interfaces and role of Laplace pressure: a computational study.

The self-assembly behavior of shape-anisotropic particles at curved fluid interfaces is computationally investigated by diffuse interface field approach (DIFA). A Gibbs–Duhem-type thermodynamic formalism is introduced to treat heterogeneous pressure within the phenomenological model, in agreement with Young–Laplace equation. Computer simulations are performed to study the effects of capillary forces (interfacial tension and Laplace pressure) on particle self-assembly at fluid interfaces in various two-dimensional cases. For isolated particles, it is found that the equilibrium liquid interface remains circular and particles of different shapes do not disturb the homogeneous curvature of liquid interface, while the equilibrium position, orientation and stability of a particle at the liquid interface depend on its shape and initial location with respect to the liquid interface. For interacting particles, the curvature of local liquid interfaces is different from the apparent curvature of the particle shell; nevertheless, irrespective of the particle shapes, a particle-coated droplet always tends to deform into a circular morphology under positive Laplace pressure, loses mechanical stability and collapses under negative Laplace pressure, while adapts to any morphology and stays in neutral equilibrium under zero Laplace pressure. Finally, the collective behaviors of particles and Laplace pressure evolution in bicontinuous interfacially jammed emulsion gels (bijels) are investigated.
A pilot study of subclinical coronary atherosclerosis in systemic sclerosis: Coronary artery calcification in cases and controls

Objective Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is associated with vasculopathy and endothelial cell injury, which could potentially increase the risk of coronary atherosclerosis. Multidetector computed tomography, a noninvasive procedure, generates a coronary calcium score (CCS) as a marker for coronary atherosclerosis. Serum proinflammatory high-density lipoprotein (piHDL) is a potential novel marker of atherosclerotic risk. The objective of the pilot study was to determine 1) the prevalence of subclinical coronary atherosclerosis in SSc and 2) serum piHDL levels as a potential novel marker of atherosclerotic risk in SSc. Methods A cross-sectional study of 17 patients with SSc and 17 age-, sex-, and race-matched healthy controls in Cincinnati, Ohio, was conducted. Measurements included CCS; body mass index; lipid profile; and serum levels of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, homocysteine, and piHDL. Results Patients with SSc were slightly older (mean 52.8 years) than control subjects (mean 50.6 years; P = 0.01). Coronary calcium was found in 12 participants (9 with SSc, 3 controls; P = 0.03). The mean ± SD CCS in patients with SSc was significantly greater than the controls (126.6 ± 251.0 versus 14.7 ± 52.2; P = 0.003). Five patients with SSc (29%), but no controls, had detectable levels of piHDL (P = 0.06). Conclusion Prevalence of subclinical coronary atherosclerosis is greater in patients with SSc compared with healthy controls. These findings should be confirmed in a larger study.
An Overview of Cylindrical Water Tank Buckling Analysis Under Seismic Loading

A thin walled cylindrical liquid storage tank submitted to a large seismic excitation may exhibit buckling. Depending on the geometrical and dynamical characteristics of the tank, two buckling patterns are possible: • a bending buckling characterized by an “elephant foot bulge” at the bottom part, • a shear buckling characterized by oblique waves at the middle part of the tank. In a recent paper (Ref. [1]), Tomohiro I. et al. have presented the Japanese experience about bending buckling of cylindrical water tanks. Dynamic buckling experimental tests were performed using large scale water tank models simulating thin walled cylindrical water tanks in Nuclear Power Plants (NPP). Test results were compared with finite element simulations and the applicability of a simple analytical method included in the AIJ (Architectural Institute of Japan) design guide lines on the buckling of liquid storage tanks was also investigated. In Europe, in the frame of the preparation of Eurocodes, a simple analytical method has also been developed to assess the buckling resistance of liquid storage tanks against seismic solicitations. On the other hand, FRAMATOME-ANP has gained her own experience about buckling analysis of large thin tanks where boric water is stored in French NPP. In order to justify the buckling behaviour of these tanks under extreme seismic loadings (Safe Shutdown Earthquake), finite element elastic-plastic calculations on shell models were undertaken where the influence of manufacturing geometrical defects was taken into account and the results were compared with those given by the simple analytical method included in Eurocode 8. In this paper, French and Japanese methodologies will be recalled and applied to a representative example of nuclear industry. Finally, some advanced aspects of the problem like the post-buckling behavior of the tanks and the influence of a possible bottom uplifting will be developed.Copyright © 2004 by ASME
Laparoscopic bowel resection: advantages and limitations.

Laparoscopic surgery has been successfully employed for many years by gynecologic surgeons. Over the last several years, a tremendous increase in the enthusiasm towards laparoscopic surgery has reached the general and colorectal surgical communities. This enthusiasm was initially directed towads laparoscopic cholecystectomy but subsequently has expanded to laparoscopic appendectomy and laparoscopic bowel resection. Currently, laparoscopic bowel surgery is undergoing critical appraisal. Through meaningful prospective data retrieval, answers are being obtained to questions dealing with the efficacy and utility of this technique for colorectal diseases. Specifically, although laparoscopic colorectal surgery is feasible, one cannot definitively attest to its superiority over or even equivalence to standard open laparotomy at the present time. However, in small select series, including our own, our preliminary experience indicates that laparoscopic surgery may well, in the near future, be an acceptable substit...
BonJour’s Abductivist Reply to Skepticism

The abductivist reply to skepticism is the view that commonsense explanations of the patterns and regularities that appear in our sensory experiences should be rationally preferred to skeptical explanations of those same patterns and regularities on the basis of explanatory considerations. In this article I critically examine Laurence BonJour’s rationalist version of the abductivist position. After explaining why BonJour’s account is more defensible than other versions of the view, I argue that the notion of probability he relies upon is deeply problematic, that he incorporates an implausible double-standard concerning a priori and a posteriori justification, and that his view is vulnerable to skepticism about the a priori. I suggest that some of these problems are due to idiosyncratic commitments BonJour makes and that abductivists would be better off without them. I conclude with some suggestions about how to improve BonJour’s abductivist response to skepticism.
Hepatitis B and liver transplantation: Molecular and clinical features that influence recurrence and outcome

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) continues to be a major cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. It is estimated that about 350 million people throughout the world are chronically infected with HBV. Some of these people will develop hepatic cirrhosis with decompensation and/or hepatocellular carcinoma. For such patients, liver transplantation may be the only hope for cure or real improvement in quality and quantity of life. Formerly, due to rapidity of recurrence of HBV infection after liver transplantation, usually rapidly progressive, liver transplantation was considered to be contraindicated. This changed dramatically following the demonstration that hepatitis B immune globulin (HBIG), could prevent recurrent HBV infection. HBIG has been the standard of care for the past two decades or so. Recently, with the advent of highly active inhibitors of the ribose nucleic acid polymerase of HBV (entecavir, tenofovir), there has been growing evidence that HBIG needs to be given for shorter lengths of time; indeed, it may no longer be necessary at all. In this review, we describe genetic variants of HBV and past, present, and future prophylaxis of HBV infection during and after liver transplantation. We have reviewed the extant medical literature on the subject of infection with the HBV, placing particular emphasis upon the prevention and treatment of recurrent HBV during and after liver transplantation. For the review, we searched PubMed for all papers on the subject of “hepatitis B virus AND liver transplantation”. We describe some of the more clinically relevant and important genetic variations in the HBV. We also describe current practices at our medical centers, provide a summary and analysis of comparative costs for alternative strategies for prevention of recurrent HBV, and pose important still unanswered questions that are in need of answers during the next decade or two. We conclude that it is now rational and cost-effective to decrease and, perhaps, cease altogether, the routine use of HBIG during and following liver transplantation for HBV infection. Here we propose an individualized prophylaxis regimen, based on an integrated approach and risk-assessment.
Fly on the wall

Inspired by the aerial prowess of flying insects, we demonstrate that their robotic counterpart, an insect-scale flapping-wing robot, can mimic an aggressive maneuver seen in natural fliers — landing on a vertical wall. Such acrobatic movement differs from simple lateral maneuvers or hover, and therefore requires additional considerations in the control strategy. Magnetic force was chosen to enable attachment to the vertical surface due to its simplicity. We show that by learning from previous failed attempts, the robotic fly could successfully perch on a magnetic wall after eight iterations.
No Organ Left Behind: Tales of Gut Development and Evolution

The function of an organ is dependent on its cellular constituents as well as on their assembly into a cohesive unit. The developing gut faces unique challenges as one of the longest and largest organs in the body and also because it is constantly interfacing with external factors through the diet. Its location deep within the body has until recently hampered investigation into its formation. The patterning of the gut along its longitudinal, dorsoventral, left-right, and radial axes is one of the fascinating issues that pertain to the development, function, and homeostasis of this understudied organ.
Food Deprivation and Restriction During late Gestation Affect the Sexual Behavior of Postpartum Female Meadow Voles, Microtus pennsylvanicus

In many species of small mammals, including meadow voles, Microtus pennsylvanicus, females come into postpartum estrus (PPE) within 12-24 h of giving birth, allowing them to mate and become pregnant while raising the current litter. PPE females show increases in attractivity, proceptivity, and receptivity, the three components of sexual behavior, relative to females not in PPE. Several studies have shown that food deprivation and restriction reduce attractivity, proceptivity, and receptivity of females not in PPE. We tested the hypothesis that food deprivation and restriction during late gestation causes deficits and decreases the attractivity, proceptivity, and receptivity of females when they enter PPE. Our data support the hypothesis. On day 1 of lactation, females that were food deprived and food restricted produced scent marks that were significantly less attractive as those produced by control PPE females. Food deprivation but not food restriction caused females to no longer display significant preferences for the scent marks of males over those of females (proceptivity). Food deprivation and food restriction were sufficient to induce females to become significantly less sexually receptive than control females. Eleven of 12 control PPE females mated, 4 of 12 food-restricted females mated, and 3 of 12 food-deprived females mated. Dams facing food deprivation or restriction during late gestation may have to balance the benefits of mating during PPE with the increased costs associated with getting pregnant while they are lactating.
A call for creation of medical ethics task force

(2007). A call for creation of medical ethics task force. Libyan Journal of Medicine: Vol. 2, No. 1, pp. 15-15.
Rare z decays in composite models

Abstract Several rare decays of the Z boson are considered which are small according to the standard model but significant in composite models. These processes are likely to produce the first signals of compositeness at the new E + e − machines such as SLC and LEP.
Influence of pregnancy on oxygen consumption, heart rate and hematology in the garter snake: Implications for the “cost of reproduction” in live bearing reptiles

Abstract 1. 1. Oxygen consumption ( V O 2 ) was measured in pregnant (PR), postpartum (PP), nonpregnant (NP), neonatal and male garter snakes, Thamnophis sirtalis . Hematocrit, hemoglobin concentration and blood 0; carrying capacity were measured for all groups except neonates, and heart rate was measured in PR and PP snakes. 2. 2. Pregnancy significantly increased oxygen consumption, weight-specific V O 2 and heart rate relative to PP individuals. 3. 3. The magnitude of the increase in V O 2 in PR snakes was related to the number of fetuses. 4. 4. No differences in the measured hematological parameters were observed between any group. 5. 5. We propose that the V O 2 of PR snakes contains three major components: the females' resting V O 2 fetal V O 2 and the “cost of supporting the pregnancy”. At term, fetal V O 2 and the cost of supporting the pregnancy are nearly equivalent and we suggest that in the evolution of live bearing reproductive habits physiological energetics plays an important role.
RXTE and ASCA Constraints on Nonthermal Emission from the A2256 Galaxy Cluster

An 8.3 hr observation of the Abell 2256 galaxy cluster using the Rossi X-Ray Timing Explorer proportional counter array produced a high-quality spectrum in the 2-30 keV range. Joint fitting with the 0.7-11 keV spectrum obtained with the ASCA gas imaging spectrometer gives an upper limit of ~2.3×10−7 photons cm-2 s-1 keV-1 for nonthermal emission at 30 keV. This yields a lower limit to the mean magnetic field of 0.36 μG and an upper limit of 1.8×10−13 ergs cm-3 for the cosmic-ray electron energy density. The resulting lower limit to the central magnetic field is ~1-3 μG. While a magnetic field of ~0.1-0.2 μG can be created by galaxy wakes, a magnetic field of several microgauss is usually associated with a cooling flow or, as in the case of the Coma Cluster, a subcluster merger. However, for A2256 the evidence for a merger is weak and the main cluster shows no evidence of a cooling flow. Thus there is presently no satisfactory hypothesis for the origin of an average cluster magnetic field as high as greater than 0.36 μG in the A2256 cluster.
Two-Photon Induced Uncaging of a Reactive Intermediate. Multiphoton In Situ Detection of a Potentially Valuable Label for Biological Applications

Two-photon induced Wolff rearrangement of a terphenyl diazoketone 1 was achieved by using focused laser pulses of 532 nm from a Q-switched Nd:YAG laser. The nonfluorescent terphenyl diazoketone 1 was transformed into a fluorescent ester derivative 4, which can be detected in situ using the focused laser pulses at 532 nm. Laser power dependence studies show that the Wolff rearrangement is induced by two-photon absorption of the terphenyl diazoketone 1, but suggests that more than two photons of 532 nm are involved (a multiphoton process) in excitation of the ester derivative 4.
Wallace, Darwin, and the Practice of Natural History

There is a pervasive contrast in the early natural history writings of the co-discoverers of natural selection, Alfred Russel Wallace and Charles Darwin. In his writings from South America and the Malay Archipelago (1848–1852, 1854–1862), Wallace consistently emphasized species and genera, and separated these descriptions from his rarer and briefer discussions of individual organisms. In contrast, Darwin’s writings during the Beagle voyage (1831–1836) emphasized individual organisms, and mingled descriptions of individuals and groups. The contrast is explained by the different practices of the two naturalists in the field. Wallace and Darwin went to the field with different educational experiences and social connections, constrained by different responsibilities and theoretical interests. These in turn resulted in different natural history practices; i.e., different habits and working routines in the field. Wallace’s intense collecting activities aimed at a complete inventory of different species and their distributions at many localities. Darwin’s less intense collecting practice focused on detailed observations of individual organisms. These different practices resulted in different material, textual and conceptual products. Placing natural history practices at the center of analysis reveals connections among these diverse products, and throws light on Wallace and Darwin’s respective treatment of individuals and groups in natural history. In particular, this approach clarifies the relation between individuals and groups in Wallace’s theory of natural selection, and provides an integrative starting point for further investigations of the broader social factors that shaped Victorian natural history practices and their scientific products.