cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Measuring and Comparing Accuracy of Emissions Analyzers for Use With IC Engines

Automotive emission analyzers vary in price from under $1000 to well over $100,000. Different analyzers use various technologies to detect exhaust concentrations, and differ in how they condition the sample — leading to a difference in price and performance. Manufacturer claims on accuracy from less expensive analyzers are often similar to much more expensive analyzers. With a variety of analyzers available in the Small Engine Research Facility (SmERF) at the University of Idaho, this often leads to confusion in reporting accuracy of exhaust gas measurements. This study benchmarks the performance of three different analyzers: A portable 5-gas analyzer using NDIR and electrochemical cells which costs ∼$5000, a portable 7-gas analyzer using separate sensors for each gas which costs ∼$10,000, and a FTIR spectrometer which costs ∼$100,000. High and low concentrations of single-species calibration gases (methane, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide, hydrogen, and oxygen) were run through each machine. Initial findings showed that all species measured by the 5-gas analyzer were precise around the point of calibration, with CO and CO2 quite accurate across their whole range. The 7-gas analyzer was less accurate than the 5-gas when measuring CO, CO2, and O2, but was far more accurate for THC, NO, and NO2 measurements. The FTIR was very precise provided that water vapor was effectively removed and sample lines were adequately heated. Both of the less expensive analyzers showed reduced accuracy the further away from their calibration points. Because of high setup time, use of the FTIR should be limited to detailed emissions studies, and is not recommended for coarse tuning of an engine.Copyright © 2009 by ASME
Calibration and testing of upland hillslope evolution models in a dated landscape: Banco Bonito, New Mexico

[1] In this study we tested upland hillslope evolution models and constrained the rates of regolith production, colluvial transport, and eolian deposition over geologic time scales in a dated volcanic landscape in northern New Mexico using field measurements of regolith thickness; geochemical analyses of regolith, bedrock, and regional dust; numerical modeling of regolith production and transport; and quantitative analyses of airborne light detection and ranging (lidar) digital elevation models (DEMs). Within this volcanic landscape, many topographically closed basins exist as a result of compressional folding and explosion pitting during eruption. The landscape has evolved from an initial state of no regolith cover at 40 ± 5 ka to its modern state, which has highly weathered regolith ranging from 0 to 3+ m, with local thickness values controlled primarily by topographic position. Our models constrain the maximum rate of regolith production in the study area to be in the range of 0.02 to 0.12 m kyr ! 1 and the rate of colluvial transport per unit slope gradient to be in the range of 0.2 to 2.7 m 2 kyr ! 1 , with higher values in areas with more aboveground biomass. We conclude that a depth! dependent colluvial transport model better predicts the observed spatial distribution of regolith thickness compared to a model that has no depth dependence. This study adds to the database of estimates for rates of regolith production and transport in the western United States and shows how dated landscapes can be used to improve our understanding of the coevolution of landscapes and regolith cover.
Observations of heisenberg spin exchange between reactive free radicals

Abstract We report measurements of the ratio of Heisenberg spin exchange and self-recombination rates for a series of small free radicals in aqueous solution. In all cases, the exchange rate is greater than the reaction rate. The critical exchange distance is between one and three times the hard-sphere encounter distance, in agreement with recent theoretical predictions.
Enslaved Africans’ Rivalry with White Overseers in Plantation Culture An Unconventional Interpretation

Conventional wisdom about the Old South excludes slaves from the ranks of plantation overseers. However, a preference for restrictive types of evidence and a race-sensitive system for assigning tit...
Live-Load Test Comparison and Load Ratings of a Posttensioned Box Girder Bridge

This paper presents a comparison of two live-load tests performed on a posttensioned, box-girder bridge. The initial live-load test was performed more than 20 years before the most recent test. Strain gauges were placed at the same location for both tests. In each case, the bridge was subjected to nearly identical loads so that changes in strain could be correlated as a heavy truck drove across the instrumented bridge. A comparison of the bridge behavior based on the two load tests is presented. The changes in recorded strain were also used to validate a detailed finite-element (FE) model using primarily shell elements. From this calibrated FE model, the live-load distribution factors for moment were obtained. These factors were used to calculate both the inventory and operating rating factors of the bridge. These values were compared with those calculated in accordance to the AASHTO LRFD specifications for distribution factors. It was found that the rating factors could be increased by 26% because of the partial fixity caused by the integral abutments.
Reproductive Success of Sympatric Northern Pike and Muskellunge in an Upper St. Lawrence River Bay

Abstract A change in the use of spawning habitats linked with water-level management may explain differences in reproductive success among sympatric St. Lawrence River northern pike Esox lucius and muskellunge Esox masquinongy. Reproductive success in a shared spawning and nursery bay was compared based on egg (embryo) and age-0 abundance estimates before the fall emigration of young. Historically, northern pike were noted to commence spawning runs in shallow flooded areas soon after ice-out. I found that more than 87% of the estimated northern pike egg deposition in 1994 occurred in offshore, deep-water habitats (2–5 m) and that 99% did in 1995. Northern pike began spawning 17 d before muskellunge in 1994 and 31 d earlier in 1995. Spawning peaks occurred during the interval of 16–23 May. Muskellunge mostly spawned near shore (<1.5-m depth) in submerged aquatic vegetation growth that was absent during northern pike spawning. Muskellunge spawning began and peaked between 23 May and 4 June in 1994 and betwe...
Generalized Estimating Equations (GEE) for Mixed Logistic Models

In this article, the problem of estimating the fixed effects parameters and the variance components in logistic mixed models is considered. It is well known that estimating these parameters by the method of maximum likelihood faces computational difficulties. As an alternative, we propose the Generalized Estimating Equations approach (denoted, GEE) defined by Liang and Zeger. The estimators obtained are consistent and asymptotically normal. We illustrate this method with simulations and with an analysis of real data in quality of life.
Making genomics functional: deciphering the genetics of acute lung injury

Acute lung injury (ALI) is a common and frequently devastating illness characterized by acute hypoxemic respiratory failure, profound inflammation, and flooding of the alveoli. Despite recent advances in ALI care, the morbidity and mortality of ALI continues to be unacceptably high. ALI-inciting events (e.g., sepsis, trauma, aspiration, pneumonia) are quite common, yet only a fraction of patients develop the syndrome. This heterogeneity of patients presenting with ALI has sparked interest in identifying the role of genetic factors that contribute to ALI susceptibility and prognosis. Recent advances in high-throughput sequencing and expression technologies now provide the tools to perform large-scale genomic analyses in complex disorders such as ALI; gene expression profiling and pathway analysis provide further insight into previously described molecular pathways involved in the syndrome. In this article, we describe the use of genomewide association studies, ortholog in silico techniques, utility of consomic rat methods, and candidate gene approaches using expression profiling and pathway analyses. These methods have confirmed suspected ALI candidate genes (e.g., IL-6 and MIF), but more impressively have identified novel genes (e.g., GADD45alpha and PBEF) not previously suspected in ALI. The analysis of the molecular pathways (e.g., the cytoskeleton in vascular barrier regulation) has identified additional genes contributing to the development and severity of ALI (e.g., MLCK), thereby providing therapeutic targets in this devastating illness.
Analysis of marginal cost of durability and cost per day: a first step towards a rational choice of durability

Abstract This paper makes the case that the analysis of the marginal cost of durability is a pre-requisite for addressing the durability choice problem. This observation is sometimes forgotten in the economic literature on durable goods, or dismissed by making an unrealistic assumption of zero marginal cost of durability. The details of a marginal cost of durability analysis are system specific. A satellite example is discussed to illustrate the essence, and to provide a quantitative application of said analysis. First, the impacts of the durability requirement on different subsystems onboard the spacecraft are quantitatively explored; that is, how the different subsystems (power, propulsion, thermal, etc.) scale with increased durability. Second, the effects of durability on the different subsystems are integrated and a typical satellite cost profile is provided as a function of durability. The result represents the marginal cost of durability of a satellite. In addition to the satellite example, two rel...
Dietary effects on the need for glycine by the chick.

SummaryThere was no difference in the activity of serine hydroxymethyltransferase in the liver of chicks fed a 24% casein diet and 1.2% L-arginine compared with 0.4% L-arginine-HCl. The presence of L-serine or glycine in an amino acid mixture diet increased the plasma glycine or serine level respectively and the presence of L-serine in the same diet increased the ratio of plasma cystine to methionine. A level of 1.9% L-serine failed to improve the growth of chicks fed a 24% casein diet while the level of 3.36% L-serine supported growth of chicks equal to that of 1.2% glycine.
The factors controlling species density in herbaceous plant communities: an assessment

Abstract This paper evaluates both the ideas and empirical evidence pertaining to the control of species density in herbaceous plant communities. While most theoretical discussions of species density have emphasized the importance of habitat productivity and disturbance regimes, many other factors (e.g. species pools, plant litter accumulation, plant morphology) have been proposed to be important. A review of literature presenting observations on the density of species in small plots (in the vicinity of a few square meters or less), as well as experimental studies, suggests several generalizations: (1) Available data are consistent with an underlying unimodal relationship between species density and total community biomass. While variance in species density is often poorly explained by predictor variables, there is strong evidence that high levels of community biomass are antagonistic to high species density. (2) Community biomass is just one of several factors affecting variations in species density. Multivariate analyses typically explain more than twice as much variance in species density as can be explained by community biomass alone. (3) Disturbance has important and sometimes complex effects on species density. In general, the evidence is consistent with the intermediate disturbance hypothesis but exceptions exist and effects can be complex. (4) Gradients in the species pool can have important influences on patterns of species density. Evidence is mounting that a considerable amount of the observed variability in species density within a landscape or region may result from environmental effects on the species pool. (5) Several additional factors deserve greater consideration, including time lags, species composition, plant morphology, plant density and soil microbial effects. Based on the available evidence, a conceptual model of the primary factors controlling species density is presented here. This model suggests that species density is controlled by the effects of disturbance, total community biomass, colonization, the species pool and spatial heterogeneity. The structure of the model leads to two main expectations: (1) while community biomass is important, multivariate approaches will be required to understand patterns of variation in species density, and (2) species density will be more highly correlated with light penetration to the soil surface, than with above-ground biomass, and even less well correlated with plant growth rates (productivity) or habitat fertility. At present, data are insufficient to evaluate the relative importance of the processes controlling species density. Much more work is needed if we are to adequately predict the effects of environmental changes on plant communities and species diversity.
Dynamics of Complex Phthalate Liquids. 2. Structural Effects of Side Chains

In this paper, the second of a series of two presenting the structural effects on the dynamic properties of complex liquids, we discuss the effect of structural changes in the alkyl side chain on t...
The Microcytic Red Cell and the Anemia of Inflammation

A recent description of an alternative messenger RNA transcript of the iron-export protein ferroportin opens the door to understanding how duodenal cells maintain dietary-iron absorption when the body is iron deficient and how mean corpuscular volume is regulated in the contexts of iron deficiency and inflammatory disorders.
Methodological limitations for the use of expert systems techniques in science education research

The use of the expert-novice technique in science education is examined critically. Four techniques that have been associated with expert-novice investigations are discussed with respect to their methodological limitations: intact groups comparisons, think-aloud procedure, retrospective studies, and naturalistic inquiries. All four, it is suggested, have serious limitations in their capability to inform instructional research. It is argued that experimental design is still the most appropriate method of use in assigning cause in instructional research involving novices and change in novices. Another question is raised regarding the appropriate target populations for expert-novice research, and it is suggested that the concept of competence should be substituted for expertise. Appropriate populations under this construct are students who have moved from novice to competence.
Inhibitory Effect of "Isocholesterol" on the Absorption of Cholesterol

The presence on carbon-3 of a free hyclroxyl group that may be esterified is a common characteristic of the known sterol inhibitors of cholesterol absorption. The 30-carbon sterols found in wool fat possess such a group, but differ from the previously demonstrated inhibitors of cholesterol absorption in that they do not form insoluble precipitates with digitonin. To determine whether these substances would influence cholesterol absorption, "isocholesterol," a mixture of 30-carbon wool fat sterols, has been fed to the albino rat alone and in combination with cholesterol.
Diet is a major factor governing the fecal butyrate-producing community structure across Mammalia, Aves and Reptilia

Butyrate-producing bacteria have an important role in maintaining host health. They are well studied in human and medically associated animal models; however, much less is known for other Vertebrata. We investigated the butyrate-producing community in hindgut-fermenting Mammalia (n=38), Aves (n=8) and Reptilia (n=8) using a gene-targeted pyrosequencing approach of the terminal genes of the main butyrate-synthesis pathways, namely butyryl-CoA:acetate CoA-transferase (but) and butyrate kinase (buk). Most animals exhibit high gene abundances, and clear diet-specific signatures were detected with but genes significantly enriched in omnivores and herbivores compared with carnivores. But dominated the butyrate-producing community in these two groups, whereas buk was more abundant in many carnivorous animals. Clustering of protein sequences (5% cutoff) of the combined communities (but and buk) placed carnivores apart from other diet groups, except for noncarnivorous Carnivora, which clustered together with carnivores. The majority of clusters (but: 5141 and buk: 2924) did not show close relation to any reference sequences from public databases (identity <90%) demonstrating a large ‘unknown diversity’. Each diet group had abundant signature taxa, where buk genes linked to Clostridium perfringens dominated in carnivores and but genes associated with Ruminococcaceae bacterium D16 were specific for herbivores and omnivores. Whereas 16S rRNA gene analysis showed similar overall patterns, it was unable to reveal communities at the same depth and resolution as the functional gene-targeted approach. This study demonstrates that butyrate producers are abundant across vertebrates exhibiting great functional redundancy and that diet is the primary determinant governing the composition of the butyrate-producing guild.
Estrogen for women at varying risk of coronary disease

Abstract Many epidemiological studies show that women who use estrogen therapy after menopause have significantly lower rates of heart disease than postmenopausal women who do not take estrogen. However, few studies have assessed the impact of estrogen use among women with a distinctly higher cardiovascular risk. Seven studies of estrogen therapy in women with established coronary heart disease (such as, coronary stenosis and prior myocardial infarction) are briefly reviewed. These studies all find fewer recurrent cardiovascular events and an improved survival in the estrogen group when compared to the non-estrogen group. Analyses of the effect of estrogen within different risk factor categories in the 16-year follow up of the Nurses' Health Study confirms that although relevant risk estimates are highly similar, the magnitude of the protective effect of estrogen is more pronounced among women with high baseline risk of disease.
Induction of PGHS-2 mRNA in response to cerebral hypoperfusion in late-gestation fetal sheep

Previous studies have demonstrated that cerebral ischemia stimulated the increased abundance of immunoreactive PGHS-2, but not PGHS-1, in brain tissue homogenates in late-gestation fetal sheep. The goal of the present study was to detect PGHS-1 and PGHS-2 mRNA in specific fetal brain regions, and to semi-quantitatively detect changes in the abundance of the respective mRNA's in response to cerebral hypoperfusion. Fetal brain tissues were collected from control fetuses and from fetuses 30 min and 2 h after cerebral hypoperfusion (produced by brachiocephalic occlusion). Messenger RNA was studied by RT-PCR, and expressed semiquantitatively as a ratio of PGHS-1 or PGHS-2 mRNA abundance to beta-actin mRNA abundance. PGHS-2 mRNA was only detected in the fetal hippocampus, hypothalamus, and brain stem and it was induced by cerebral hypoperfusion. In contrast, PGHS-1 mRNA was detected in all fetal brain tissues but was not induced. We conclude that cerebral hypoperfusion induced PGHS-2 gene expression in hippocampus, hypothalamus, and brainstem, and we speculate that the increased abundance of the enzyme is likely to be important for control of reflex responses to hypotension in the fetus.
Age differences in hopelessness and toe pain in persons with insulin-dependent and non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus.

Background: Several studies have established an association between diabetic neuropathy and depressive symptoms. There is a link between depression and peripheral neuropathy in diabetic patients, suggesting an increased likelihood that diabetic patients will experience depressive symptoms related to lower-extremity peripheral neuropathy and arthritis during middle age and later life. The goal of this investigation was to determine whether there are age differences between insulin-dependent and non-insulin-dependent diabetic patients regarding their feelings of hopelessness and toe pain. Methods: A large population-based sample of 32,006 adults from the 1998 National Health Interview Survey was analyzed with multivariate statistical procedures. We performed χ2 and correlation procedures to test the null hypothesis that there are no age or sex differences between insulin-dependent and non-insulin-dependent diabetic patients in their reporting of feelings of hopelessness and toe pain symptoms in the previous...
Comparison of microsomal lipid peroxidation in fish and rats

Abstract Lipid peroxidation, which is promoted in animal tissues by a variety of toxic agents, is believed to be associated with disruption of cell membranes and loss of activity of membrane-bound enzymes. While the process of lipid peroxidation has been well studied in mammals, only a few non-mammalian species have been examined.1 In the present study, in vitro assays for lipid peroxidation were performed using microsomes prepared from the livers of rats (Rattus rattus) and a marine fish, mullet (Mugil cephalus). Although lipid peroxidation was observed in microsomes prepared from both mullet and rat tissues, and was stimulated by xenobiotics, the mechanisms of generation appeared to be different. In contrast to rats, NADH was much more effective than NADPH in stimulating lipid peroxidation in mullet liver microsomes. The results suggest that NADH-dependent, as well as NADPH-dependent, lipid peroxidation may be important in vertebrate tissues.
Inverse cascades and α effect at a low magnetic Prandtl number

Dynamo action in a fully helical Arn'old-Beltrami-Childress flow is studied using both direct numerical simulations and subgrid modeling. Sufficient scale separation is given in order to allow for large-scale magnetic energy buildup. Growth of magnetic energy obtains down to a magnetic Prandtl number ${P}_{M}={R}_{M}∕{R}_{V}$ close to 0.005, where ${R}_{V}$ and ${R}_{M}$ are the kinetic and magnetic Reynolds numbers. The critical magnetic Reynolds number for dynamo action ${R}_{M}^{c}$ seems to saturate at values close to 20. Detailed studies of the dependence of the amplitude of the saturated magnetic energy with ${P}_{M}$ are presented. When ${P}_{M}$ is decreased, numerical experiments are conducted with either ${R}_{V}$ or ${R}_{M}$ kept constant. In the former case, the ratio of magnetic to kinetic energy saturates to a value slightly below unity as ${P}_{M}$ decreases. Examination of energy spectra and structures in real space reveals that quenching of the velocity by a large-scale magnetic field takes place, with an inverse cascade of magnetic helicity and a force-free field at large scale in the saturated regime.
Gender-specific orexigenic and anorexigenic mechanisms in rats.

Abstract Feeding dysregulation may manifest as either under-nourishment (e.g., anorexia) or excessive eating leading to obesity. Recent studies have suggested a gender-related variance in weight maintenance in response to chronic disease or obesity-related dietary regimens. However it is unclear whether these gender differences in weight management are secondary to appetite-mediated food intake or alternative mechanisms (e.g., exercise, metabolism). In this study, we explored gender-dependent feeding and hormonal responses to dietary restriction (12-h fast) or to an inflammatory stimulus (LPS, 100 μg/kg b.w.; i.p.) in rats. In response to a 12 h fast, female rats increased ( p p p
Rotation measurement techniques for alignment in PCB automated inspection

Part alignment is an essential element of automated inspection of printed circuit boards. The objective of a part alignment procedure is to measure the global rotation of the part under inspection and the location of its center to properly orient and position the part prior to inspection. This paper describes a set of techniques that effectively accomplishes this task. We describe techniques to rapidly detect fiducials and to accurately measure their location. Measurement of rotation is obtained by mapping a quadrilateral in 2-D measurement space onto a rectangle. This solution compensates for minor global variations in part height and provides an analytical equation to measure the rotation of the part that is independent of knowledge of the physical coordinates of the fiducials.© (1992) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Un-Shocked High Amplitude Standing Waves in Wave-Shaped Resonators

A numerical study of non-linear, high amplitude standing waves in non-cylindrical circular resonators is reported here. These waves are shock-less and can generate peak acoustic overpressures that can exceed the ambient pressure by three/four times its nominal value. A high fidelity compressible computational fluid dynamic model is used to simulate the phenomena in cylindrical and arbitrarily shaped axisymmetric resonators. A right circular cylinder and frustum of cone are the two geometries studied. The model is validated using past numerical and experimental results of standing waves in cylindrical resonators. The non-linear nature of the harmonic response of the frustum of cone resonator system is investigated for two different working fluids (carbon dioxide and argon) operating at various values of piston amplitude. The high amplitude non-linear oscillations demonstrated can be used as a prime mover in a variety of applications including thermoacoustic cryocooling.Copyright © 2012 by ASME
Efficacy and Safety of Aflibercept and Its Role in the Treatment of Metastatic Colorectal Cancer

Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and related pathway elements are critically important in the pathogenesis, growth, and development of solid tumors. Inhibiting the VEGF signaling pathway is being investigated as a therapeutic strategy for cancer, either by blockade of VEGF ligand binding or inhibition of the VEGF receptor. Aflibercept is a VEGF inhibitor that has been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of macular degeneration and metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC). A search of PubMed and MEDLINE from January 2000 to August 2013 was performed using the following terms (or combination of terms): VEGF, colorectal cancer, mCRC, aflibercept, ziv-aflibercept. Studies were limited to those published in English. Phase 1 and 2 clinical trials of aflibercept in advanced non-hematological cancer showed acceptable safety and provided justification for further investigation. Four phase 3 clinical trials were conducted to evaluate aflibercept for the treatment of different cancers. The VELOUR trial evaluated aflibercept with FOLFIRI in patients with mCRC. The addition of aflibercept resulted in improved median overall survival (OS, 13.5 vs. 12.1 months, p = 0.0032). The VITAL trial evaluated docetaxel plus aflibercept vs. docetaxel plus placebo in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) who had progressed after first-line platinum-based chemotherapy; there was no significant difference between the two treatment groups in terms of OS. The VANILLA trial in patients with metastatic pancreatic adenocarcinoma was terminated because addition of aflibercept to gemcitabine failed to demonstrate improved OS in an interim analysis. In patients with metastatic androgen-independent prostate cancer, the VENICE trial also failed to demonstrate an increase in OS when aflibercept was combined with standard first-line chemotherapy. The most common adverse events associated with aflibercept in these trials were hypertension, venous and arterial thromboembolic events, hemorrhage, and proteinuria. In patients with mCRC, aflibercept demonstrated an improvement in OS when added to FOLFIRI. However, it has failed to show similar benefits in other tumor types. Further investigation is needed to improve patient selection and to distinguish patients who may benefit best from aflibercept from those who will require other anti-angiogenic agents.
ADULT-TYPE GRANULOSA CELL TUMOR, PRESENTING AS EXTRAOVARIAN METASTASES : ULTRASTRUCTURAL DIAGNOSIS

All granulosa cell tumors have the potential to recur locally or metastasize, in spite of apparent complete surgical excision. Long-term follow-up is particularly important in these tumors, since recurrences may occur many years after the initial diagnosis. This report highlights the ultrastructural findings that led to the diagnosis of metastatic granulosa cell tumor in two patients presenting with extraovarian masses. In patient 1 the information about an ovarian granulosa cell tumor removed 9 years before the current admission was obtained only after the metastatic tumor was correctly diagnosed. In patient 2 the ovarian primary was found after abdominal wall involvement by granulosa cell tumor was diagnosed. Thus, in both cases the clinical circumstances were atypical and electron microscopic examination of the tumors was essential to make the diagnosis of granulosa cell tumor with confidence. Based on the features observed in these two extraovarian tumors as well as eight other primary ovarian granulosa cell tumors from our files, a consistent ultrastructural profile is identified that can be very useful for diagnosis.
Estimated phytanic acid intake and prostate cancer risk: a prospective cohort study.

Phytanic acid is a saturated fatty acid found predominantly in red meat and dairy products and may contribute to increases in prostate cancer risk that are observed with higher intakes of these foods. We constructed a novel summary measure of phytanic acid intake and prospectively examined its association with prostate cancer risk in the Alpha-Tocopherol, Beta-Carotene Cancer Prevention Study—a cohort of Finnish male smokers aged 50–69 years. Diet was assessed at baseline in 27,111 participants using a validated 276-item dietary questionnaire. Since phytanic acid is not currently included in food composition tables, we used the published phytanic acid content of 151 major food items to estimate total daily intake. During up to 21 years of follow-up, a total of 1,929 incident prostate cancer cases (including 438 advanced cases) were identified. Higher phytanic acid intake, though unrelated to the risk of localized disease [relative risks (RR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for increasing quartiles of intake = 1.00 (ref), 0.83 (0.68–1.01), 0.76 (0.62–0.94) and 0.91 (0.74–1.13); p trend = 0.23], was associated with increased risks of advanced prostate cancer [RR and 95% CI = 1.00 (ref), 1.43 (1.09–1.89), 1.31 (0.99–1.75) and 1.38 (1.02–1.89); p trend = 0.06]. This association appeared to be driven predominantly by phytanic acid obtained from dairy products (particularly butter). Our study indicates that phytanic acid may contribute to previously observed associations between high-fat animal foods (particularly dairy products) and prostate cancer risk, although some caution is warranted as it may be acting as a surrogate marker of dairy fat.
Pneumococcal vaccines and public health policy. Consequences of missed opportunities.

It is a good time to ask what has been accomplished with pneumococcal vaccines, now 12 years after their licensure. Breiman et al 1 did just that by studying the incidence of pneumococcal bacteremia in Charleston County, South Carolina, for a second time. The first such study was done in the middle 1970s, a decade earlier. 2 Charleston is an isolated city with a self-contained medical community and is wellsuited to population-based epidemiologic studies. Pneumococcal bacteremia is a useful sentinel for most severe forms of pneumococcal disease. It is more accurately diagnosed than are most forms of pneumococcal disease and is easier to track. See also p 1401. Surprisingly, Breiman et al found that the annual incidence of pneumococcal bacteremia appeared to have increased 2.3-fold, from 8.5/10 5 in the middle 1970s to 18.7/10 5 more recently. The recent figure for Charleston County was higher than another estimate from the
Soft-tissue coverage of an extensive mid-tibial wound with the combined medial gastrocnemius and medial hemisoleus muscle flaps: The role of local muscle flaps revisited

The proper soft-tissue management for an extensive mid-tibial wound of the leg with a less aggressive surgical approach has rarely been discussed in the literature and the reliability and the usefulness of such an approach to this challenging clinical problem remains uncertain. In this series, four patients with an extensive mid-tibial wound (12x3 to 22x6 cm) of the leg underwent the combined medial gastrocnemius and medial hemisoleus muscle flaps for soft-tissue reconstruction. Both muscle flaps were elevated with emphasis on the preservation of the critical perforators from the posterior tibial vessels to the medial hemisoleus muscle flap as possible and on the possible preservation of foot planter flexion by reconstruction of the proximal Achilles tendon to minimise functional loss. All patients except one had primary healing of their tibial wounds. One patient developed insignificant distal flap necrosis of the medial soleus flap and was treated with debridement and flap re-advancement. Three patients with tibial fracture also had evidenced healing of their tibial fractures. Limb salvage was achieved in all four patients during follow-up. Thus, the combined medial gastrocnemius and medial hemisoleus muscle flaps can be a valid option for soft-tissue coverage of an extensive mid-tibial wound of the leg when both local muscle flaps are not traumatised. Such an approach offers relatively simple but more cost-effective way to manage this complex clinical problem and should be revisited by reconstructive surgeons.
Low-temperature behavior of the correlation length and the susceptibility of a quantum Heisenberg ferromagnet in two dimensions.

The low-temperature behavior of quantum Heisenberg models can be obtained by combining a renormalization-group analysis of the quantum models with a Monte Carlo simulation of the corresponding classical model, where the ``spins'' are represented by unit vectors defined on a lattice. In this approach renormalization-group equations for the quantum models lead to an effective classical O(3) nonlinear \ensuremath{\sigma} model in appropriate regimes of the parameter space. In the present work we apply this technique, which was recently used by Chakravarty, Halperin, and Nelson to discuss the low-temperature behavior of quantum antiferromagnets, to ferromagnets and calculate the correlation length and the susceptibility of a two-dimensional quantum ferromagnet at low temperatures. The results obtained with this method are then compared with those obtained from a direct simulation of the spin S=1/2 quantum ferromagnet. Excellent agreement between the two approaches leads us to believe that the analytic expressions obtained in the renormalization-group method are accurate at low temperatures. This strengthens the validity of the procedure adopted for antiferromagnets as well, where no such simulation results are yet known. The present paper also further substantiates recent work on the properties of solid $^{3}\mathrm{He}$ in two dimensions.
Irrational behavior in the AT&T investment game

Abstract We test for Nash equilibrium in the results of a nationwide investment game, and show that, at a very high confidence level, the hypothesis of Nash equilibrium can be rejected. Either players did not respond to the considerable incentives to win, or they failed to reach an equilibrium.
Enhancing real-time perception of quantum limited images from a doubly intensified SIT camera system

By a combination of three separate enhancing procedures, the visual perception of quantum limited images from a sensitive low-light camera system has been improved with significantly less image lag than is obtained using digital averaging alone. The camera system employed consists of a dual microchannel plate image intensifier optically coupled to a silicon-intensified target vidicon. With this camera system a major portion of the background noise can be removed by passing the video signal through an adjustable video slice circuit which excludes low level signals and represents signals above the slice threshold with a uniform white value. In addition, real image information can be integrated on the vidicon target by reducing the vidicon beam current to induce image lag of up to 2 s duration. Finally, the remaining noise which is characterized by lack of lag can be easily removed by moderate digital averaging. The enhancement obtained by these techniques is continuously variable allowing the user to select an enhancement level appropriate for the image under study.
Why Can't They Keep the Book Longer and Do We Really Need to Charge Fines? Assessing Circulation Policies at the Harold B. Lee Library: A Case Study

In response to a charge from the library administration, the Circulation Committee of the Harold B. Lee Library at Brigham Young University designed and implemented a thorough assessment of circulation policies. Using multiple assessment methods including surveys, focus groups, and statistical analysis, the committee determined that the undergraduate checkout period was not sufficient and that the fine structure needed to change. Using the information obtained through the assessment, they were able to successfully lobby for an extension to the undergraduate checkout period and for the elimination of fines for regular overdue materials.
Social Trinitarianism and polytheism

Social Trinitarians attempt to solve the logical problem of the Trinity by claiming that there are three numerically distinct divine persons. A common objection to this view is that it is seemingly committed to the existence of multiple Gods and is therefore polytheistic. I consider Edward Wierenga's response to this objection, as well as two other possible responses, and show that each faces serious philosophical problems. I conclude that, in the absence of a better method of distinguishing the property of being divine from that of being a God, Social Trinitarians are committed to the existence of more than one God.
Crystal structures of an N-terminal fragment from Moloney murine leukemia virus reverse transcriptase complexed with nucleic acid: functional implications for template-primer binding to the fingers domain

Reverse transcriptase (RT) serves as the replicative polymerase for retroviruses by using RNA and DNA-directed DNA polymerase activities coupled with a ribonuclease H activity to synthesize a double-stranded DNA copy of the single-stranded RNA genome. In an effort to obtain detailed structural information about nucleic acid interactions with reverse transcriptase, we have determined crystal structures at 2.3 A resolution of an N-terminal fragment from Moloney murine leukemia virus reverse transcriptase complexed to blunt-ended DNA in three distinct lattices. This fragment includes the fingers and palm domains from Moloney murine leukemia virus reverse transcriptase. We have also determined the crystal structure at 3.0 A resolution of the fragment complexed to DNA with a single-stranded template overhang resembling a template-primer substrate. Protein-DNA interactions, which are nearly identical in each of the three lattices, involve four conserved residues in the fingers domain, Asp114, Arg116, Asn119 and Gly191. DNA atoms involved in the interactions include the 3'-OH group from the primer strand and minor groove base atoms and sugar atoms from the n-2 and n-3 positions of the template strand, where n is the template base that would pair with an incoming nucleotide. The single-stranded template overhang adopts two different conformations in the asymmetric unit interacting with residues in the beta4-beta5 loop (beta3-beta4 in HIV-1 RT). Our fragment-DNA complexes are distinct from previously reported complexes of DNA bound to HIV-1 RT but related in the types of interactions formed between protein and DNA. In addition, the DNA in all of these complexes is bound in the same cleft of the enzyme. Through site-directed mutagenesis, we have substituted residues that are involved in binding DNA in our crystal structures and have characterized the resulting enzymes. We now propose that nucleic acid binding to the fingers domain may play a role in translocation of nucleic acid during processive DNA synthesis and suggest that our complex may represent an intermediate in this process.
Retreat of a Coastal Bluff in Pacifica, CaliforniaRetreat of a Coastal Bluff

The focus of this study is the long-term evolution of a developed coastal bluff. The 1.4-km-long study site is located in Pacifica, California. Historic topographic maps and aerial photographs, geo-referenced within a geographic information system (GIS) framework, were employed to quantitatively characterize bluff retreat distances and rates. The most conservative estimate of bluff retreat for the study site results in an average rate of 0.5 m/yr, with a million cubic meters of sediment lost during a 68-year period. There is no question that the bluffs in Pacifica will continue to evolve. A better understanding of bluff retreat rates and processes for the study site will require data-intensive discovery in the form of committed long-term monitoring. The results herein provide a foundation for those in the decision-management arena.
TOO MUCH FOR TOO FEW: Problems of Indigenous Land Rights in Latin America

AbstractIn a number of countries in Latin America, recent changes in the constitutional and legislative environment under which indigenous people hold or claim land and natural resource rights have triggered a number of processes and projects to demarcate, legalize, or otherwise consolidate indigenous lands. This review begins with a look at Nicaragua and goes on to examine five of the South American processes, allegedly with the most favorable legal and policy environments, and concludes that they suffer from common problems related to (a) the amount of land and resources being claimed by relatively small numbers of people, (b) the contestation of the claims by non-indigenous sectors, and (c) the nature of indigenous organizations and the NGOs that support them. The confrontation between policy and reality yields some lessons for the future.
Calcium‐induced activation of the mitochondrial permeability transition in hippocampal neurons

The mitochondrial permeability transition (mPT) has been implicated in both excitotoxic and apoptotic neuronal cell death, despite the fact that it has not been previously identified in neurons. To study the mPT in hippocampal neurons, cultures were loaded with the mitochondrial dye JC-1 and observed with confocal and conventional microscopy. After pretreatment with 4Br-A23187 and subsequent calcium addition, the initially rodlike mitochondria increased in diameter until mitochondria became rounded in appearance. Morphological changes reversed when calcium was removed by EGTA. When neurons were loaded with both fura-2-AM and rhodamine 123, calcium loading produced an increase in cytosolic calcium, mitochondrial depolarization, and similar alterations in mitochondrial morphology. Smaller calcium challenges produced calcium cycling, delaying morphological changes until after secondary depolarization and calcium release to the cytosol. In neurons exposed to glutamate, confocal observation of JC-1 fluorescence revealed comparable changes in mitochondrial morphology that were prevented when barium was substituted for calcium, or following pretreatment with the mPT inhibitor, cyclosporin A. These experiments establish conditions in which the mPT could be observed in situ in neurons in response to calcium loading. In addition, the timing of changes suggested that induction of the permeability transition in situ represents a sequence of multiple events that may reflect the multiple open conformations of the mPT pore.
Hidden Floridian biodiversity : mitochondrial and nuclear gene trees reveal four cryptic species within the scorched mussel, Brachidontes exustus, species complex

The well-documented Floridian ‘Gulf/Atlantic’ marine genetic disjunction provides an influential example of vicariant cladogenesis along a continental coastline for major elements of a diverse nearshore fauna. We are engaged in a two-part study that aims to place this disjunction into a regional Caribbean Basin phylogenetic perspective using the scorched mussel Brachidontes exustus as an exemplar. Our first step, documented here, is to thoroughly characterize the genetic structure of Floridian scorched mussel populations using mitochondrial (mt) and nuclear markers. Both sets of markers recovered the expected disjunction involving sister clades distributed on alternate flanks of peninsular Florida and lineage-specific mt molecular clocks placed its origin in the Pliocene. The two sister clades had distinct population genetic profiles and the Atlantic clade appears to have experienced an evolutionarily recent bottleneck, although plots of the relative estimates of N through time are consistent with its local persistence through the last Ice Age Maximum. Our primary novel result, however, was the discovery that the Gulf/Atlantic disjunction represents but one of three cryptic, nested genetic discontinuities represented in Floridian scorched mussel populations. The most pronounced phylogenetic split distinguished the Gulf and Atlantic sister clades from two additional nested cryptic sister clades present in samples taken from the southern Florida tropical marine zone. Floridian populations of B. exustus are composed of four cryptic taxa, a result consistent with the hypothesis that the Gulf/Atlantic disjunction in this morphospecies is but one of multiple latent regional genetic breakpoints.
Continuous motion planning for information forecast

This paper addresses planning of continuous paths for mobile sensors to improve long-term forecast performance. With the information gain defined by the mutual information between the continuous measurement path and the future verification variables, two expressions for computing the information gain for a linear time-varying system are derived: the filter form and the smoother form. The smoother form, inspired by the conditional independence structure, is shown to be preferable, since it does not require integration of differential equations for long time intervals, it simplifies the process of calculating the accumulated information on the fly, and its time derivative extracts out the pure impact of sensing regardless of the process noise. Utilizing the spatial interpolation technique to relate the sensor movement to the evolution of the observation matrix, the optimal path planning formulation and the real-time steering law are presented. A numerical example of a simplified weather forecast validates the proposed methodology.