cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Methodology to Measure the Benefits and Costs of Rural Road Closure: A Kansas Case Study

While rural roads are essential to state economies, increasing farm size and the corresponding increase in farm vehicle size coupled with declining rural population have stressed the rural road system. As county population declines the financial ability of counties to maintain and rebuild the road and bridge system isn’t keeping up with the rate of deterioration. If counties can’t maintain the rural road system as it currently exists, reducing the size of the system should be considered. The overall objective of the paper is to estimate the economic impact on selected county road systems from reducing the size of the system. The specific objectives include (a) for a sample of three Kansas counties, measure the benefits and costs of keeping the road system as it currently exists and (b) for the same sample of Kansas counties, measure the benefits and costs of several scenarios of county road closure. The main conclusion is that rural counties will be able to save money by closing some relatively low traffic volume roads and redirecting the savings toward increasing the quality of other county roads. Counties with relatively extensive road systems (miles of road per square mile) and relatively high population density are less likely to realize savings from road closure. In contrast, counties with less extensive road systems and relatively low population density are more likely to realize significant savings from closure of relatively low volume roads.
The Properties of Surface Oxide Layers of Metallic Ultra-Fine Particles

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the behavior of surface oxide layers on ultrafine particles (UFPs). Metals become oxidation resistant when an oxide layer forms on their surface. Many studies have been done on the oxidation processes and resultant oxides that are formed on nickel. The surface of nickel UFPs slowly oxidized in air had surprisingly complex morphology and composition. It was found that suppression of the oxidation of the surface layer is due to the formation of hydroxides. These phenomenon are, however, not unique to the UFPs, but are instead in common with those of bulk materials. Thermal analysis was used to investigate the reactivity of the samples towards oxygen. Emission spectroscopy was used to determine the dynamic chemical properties of the samples. The use of Fourier-transform infrared photoacoustic spectroscopy (FT-R/PAS) for the analysis of the surface oxide layer was successful and demonstrated the potential for this method in surface studies. The data gathered by these methods are not for individual UFPs but for ultrafine powders or coagulated UFPs.
Chemical Abundances in Planetary Atmospheres

Chemical abundances in planetary atmospheres based on spectroscopic determinations, considering terrestrial and Jovian planets
Treatment of Hazardous Organic Wastes Using Silent Discharge Plasmas

Non-equilibrium plasmas have been applied to the chemical processing of gaseous media for over a century. Two major applications are chemical synthesis, exemplified by ozone generation (von Siemens 1857) and the removal of undesirable compounds from flue gases, exemplified by the electrostatic precipitator developed by Lodge (Oglesby & Nichols 1978). During the past two decades, interest in applying non-equilibrium plasmas to the removal of hazardous chemicals from gaseous media has been growing, in particular from heightened concerns over the pollution of our environment and a growing body of environmental regulations. These more-recent applications have involved efforts to destroy toxic chemical agents (Clothiaux et al 1984; Mukkavilli et al 1988, Tevault 1992), to remove harmful greenhouse gases, such as sulfurous and nitrous oxides — SOx and NOx (Masuda 1988; Sardja & Dhali 1989; Dinelli et al 1990; Masuda & Nakao 1990; Chang, M.B. et al 1991; Higashi et al 1992), and to treat other environmentally-hazardous hydrocarbon and halocarbon compounds (Neely 1985; Fraser & Sheinson 1986, Yamamoto et al 1990; McCulla et al 1991; Rosocha & McCulla 1991; Rosocha et al 1992; Storch & Kushner 1992).
Qualitative synthesis and systematic review of otolaryngology in undergraduate medical education.

Objective Although 25% of primary care complaints are otolaryngology related, otolaryngology instruction is not required in most medical schools. Our aim was to systematically review existing literature on the inclusion of otolaryngology in undergraduate medical education. Data Sources PubMed, Embase, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, and Education Resources Information Center. Study Design/Review Methods Our search encompassed all indexed years through December 29, 2014. Inclusion criteria were English language, original human data, and a focus on medical student education. Data regarding study design, teacher, educational topic, educational methods, and setting were extracted from each article. Two investigators independently reviewed all articles. Results Our initial search yielded 436 articles; 87 underwent full-text evaluation and 47 remained in the final review. The majority of studies were conducted in the United States (40%), United Kingdom (23%), and Canada (17%) and represented a single institutional experience. Studies were classified as needs assessments (36%), curriculum descriptions (15%), educational methods (36%), and skills assessments (32%); 81% were levels of evidence 3 or 4. Most reports indicated that otolaryngology rotations are not compulsory. Conclusions Studies indicated the need for increased exposure to otolaryngology. Educational methods such as team-based learning, simulation, online learning, and clinical skills assessments may offer ways to increase exposure without overburdening clinical faculty and require further study. Data suggest that a universal otolaryngology medical student curriculum would be valuable and aid in resource sharing across institutions. We recommend that an assessment be performed to determine topics and skills that should comprise this curriculum. Level of Evidence NA Laryngoscope, 125:2695–2708, 2015
The Unintended, Pernicious Consequences of "Staying the Course" on the United States' No Child Left Behind Policy

The phrase “no child left behind” has become a familiar expression in American education circles and in popular culture. The sentiment implied by these four words is noble. However, the effects of the top-down implementation of the high-stakes testing provisions of the law have been anything but salutary for public school children, teachers, and administrators. This claim is supported by data describing many of the ways in which well-intentioned but desperate educators, from the statehouse to the schoolhouse, have been driven to game the system in ironic defense of the children, teachers, and administrators least equipped to defend themselves. It is argued herein that, instead of reauthorizing the stronger accountability tenet of NCLB, it might do very well to let it fade away.
The comparative genetics and genomics of cancer: of mice and men.

Human tumors accumulate a remarkably diverse spectrum of recurrent genomic abnormalities thought to reflect functional reprogramming of the cancer cell phenotype. However, the causes and consequences of many of these abnormalities are unknown. We describe here several mouse-model-based approaches to functional interpretation of these aberrations. Specifically, we demonstrate that integration of information on recurrent aberrations in human breast tumors with information on regions of susceptibility in mice and/or recurrent genomic abnormality in breast tumors that arise in transgenic mice indicates regions of particular importance in human tumors. We also present evidence from analyses of genomic abnormalities in tumors that arise in 'RIP-Tag' transgenic mice that both the genetic background and the temporal dynamics of the initiating oncogenic event significantly affect the spectrum of abnormalities that arises during tumorigenesis.
Social knowledge for a world in transition: Sociocybernetics and the contemporary transformation of the structures of knowledge

Purpose – To provide an overview of the historical development of non‐reductive currents in science that underpinned the sociocybernetic movement and from that perspective assess the importance of the movement for social science.Design/methodology/approach – Examines the principles of general system theory, cybernetics, and sociocybernetics, in a relevant selection of the founding literatures as an outgrowth of the long‐term development of the structures of knowledge in the modern world and as related to contemporary geopolitics and the world‐economy.Findings – Indicates how sociocybernetics, as a holistic alternative, may be a part of the solution to the crisis of analytic approaches in applications targeting an understanding and interpretation of human reality.Originality/value – Suggests how scholars may confront today's world as active agents without losing their status as producers of authoritative knowledge.
Real-World Dosing Patterns of Atomoxetine in Adults with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder.

Summary Aims The aim was to investigate the dosing patterns of atomoxetine monotherapy in adult patients with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in a retrospective analysis. Methods Adult (≥18 years) patients with ADHD newly initiated on atomoxetine with ≥1 outpatient pharmacy claim for atomoxetine between January 2006 and December 2011 were selected from the Truven Health MarketScan® Commercial database. After a 30-day titration period, dosing patterns of atomoxetine monotherapy were analyzed in the 12 months following initiation. In addition, patient demographic and clinical characteristics were compared to identify characteristics associated with suboptimal versus recommended dosing. Results Of the 12,412 adult patients with ADHD newly initiated on atomoxetine, 4548 (36.6%) were suboptimally dosed, whereas 3323 (26.7%) were treated at recommended dose. Overall, study patients were treated at a mean (standard deviation [SD]) dose of 68.5 (44.9) mg/day. The suboptimal dosing cohort included significantly more females (54% vs. 44%, P < 0.001) and had fewer patients with pre-index use of other ADHD medications (17% vs. 20%, P < 0.001) compared with the recommended dosing cohort. Conclusions Adult patients with ADHD receiving atomoxetine therapy in a real-world setting are often dosed suboptimally. Increasing the awareness on optimal dosing strategy among clinicians and patients is warranted to maximize the therapeutic benefits of atomoxetine among adult patients with ADHD.
A simple local sensitivity analysis tool for nonignorable coarsening: application to dependent censoring.

Summary Right- and interval-censored data are common special cases of coarsened data (Heitjan and Rubin, 1991, Annals of Statistics19, 2244–2253). As with missing data, standard statistical methods that ignore the random nature of the coarsening mechanism may lead to incorrect inferences. We extend a simple sensitivity analysis tool, the index of local sensitivity to nonignorability (Troxel, Ma, and Heitjan, 2004, Statistica Sinica14, 1221–1237), to the evaluation of nonignorability of the coarsening process in the general coarse-data model. By converting this index into a simple graphical display one can easily assess the sensitivity of key inferences to nonignorable coarsening. We illustrate the validity of the method with a simulated example, and apply it to right-censored data from an observational study of cardiac transplantation and to interval-censored data on time to detectable viral load from a clinical trial in HIV disease.
15- to 30-year follow-up of patients undergoing repair of ruptured congenital aneurysms of the sinus of Valsalva.

Abstract Rupture of a congenital aneurysm of the sinus of Valsalva is a rare congenital cardiac malformation. Between 1956 and 1971, we operated on 14 patients aged 9 to 36 years (median, 20 years) for repair of a ruptured aneurysm of the sinus of Valsalva, and have followed each patient to the present. Two operative and 4 late deaths occurred, 3 following a second cardiac operation and the other from dysrhythmia. Late complications have included development of complete heart block in 2 patients (necessitating permanent pacemaker insertion 11 and 24 years after initial repair), progression of aortic regurgitation in 2 (necessitating valve replacement 9 and 13 years after initial repair), and endocarditis in 1 patient 20 years after repair. Four of the 8 remaining long-term survivors (followed for 15 to 30 years [mean, 23.6 years]) are in New York Heart Association (NYHA) Class 1, and the other 4 are in NYHA Class II. Three of the 5 patients with suture closure (no pledgets or adjacent ventricular septal defect repair) of the ruptured aneurysm of the sinus of Valsalva sustained recurrent rupture and required repeat closure. Whether the lack of prosthetic material to bolster the repair or inadequate resection of redundant aneurysmal fibrous tissue was responsible for these recurrences cannot be stated. Operative management of patients with ruptured congenital aneurysms of the sinus of Valsalva is discussed.
The impact of raising the U.S. investment rate on the wage of low-educated labor☆

Abstract We estimate the quantitative impact of an increase in the U.S. investment rate on the real and relative wage of low-educated labor. Using a three-factor translog production function, we find that the elasticity of the real wage (marginal product) of low-educated labor with respect to capital is positive, but smaller than the elasticity of high-educated labor. Simulating the impact of a phased 20% increase (from 15% to 18%) in the U.S. gross investment rate, we find that in year 20 the real wage of low-educated labor would be 4.3% higher, and the relative wage would be 4.7% lower, on the high investment path than on the low investment path.
Harmonic measure of curves in the disk

A powerful tool for studying the growth of analytic and harmonic functions is Hall's Lemma, which states that there is a constantC>0 so that the harmonic measure of a subsetE of the closed unit disk\(\bar {\mathbb{D}}\) evaluated at 0 satisfies\(\omega \left( {0,E,\mathbb{D}\backslash E} \right) \geqslant C_\omega \left( {0,E_{rad} ,\mathbb{D}} \right)\) whereE rad is the radial projection ofE onto\(\partial \mathbb{D}\). FitzGerald, Rodin and Warschawski proved that ifE is a continuum in\(\bar {\mathbb{D}}\) whose radial projection has length at most π then (*) is true withC=1, and they asked how large the length, |E rad|, can be in order for their result to be valid. We prove that (*) holds withC=1 for every continuum\(E \subset \bar {\mathbb{D}}\) satisfying\(\left| {E_{rad} } \right| \leqslant \theta _c \simeq 2\pi \left( {\frac{{350}}{{360}}} \right)\) and θc cannot be replaced by a larger number. Fuchs asked for the largest constantC so that (*) holds for allE. We show that for every continuum\(E \subset \bar {\mathbb{D}}\), (*) holds withC=C 2π≅.977126698498665669…, whereC 2π is the harmonic measure of the two long sides of a 3∶1 rectangle evaluated at the center. There are Jordan curves for which equality holds in (*) withC=C 2π.
Particle size analysis of dilute environmental colloids by flow field-flow fractionation using an opposed flow sample concentration technique.

An on-line concentration method has been developed for the analysis of dilute suspensions of macromolecules and particles by flow field-flow fractionation (FFF). This method, termed opposed flow sample concentration (OFSC), uses two opposing flowstreams to focus sample into a narrow band near the inlet of the flow FFF channel. Large sample volumes (up to 1 L) have been successfully loaded, concentrated, and separated in a 1 mL volume flow FFF channel. Concentration factors as high as 105 have been achieved. The effectiveness of OFSC flow FFF was demonstrated using mixtures of monodispersed standards such as proteins and polystyrene latex beads. Retention times, peak areas, and resolution are comparable for a 10 mL and a typical 10 μL injection volume. The applicability of the method to environmental studies was demonstrated by a separation of river water colloids.
Chemoselective enrichment for natural products discovery

Natural products account for a significant proportion of modern day therapeutic agents. However, the discovery of novel compounds is hindered by the isolation process, which often relies upon extraction and chromatographic separation techniques. These methods, which are dependent upon the physicochemical properties of the compounds, have a limited ability to both purify and concentrate the minor components of a biological extract. We have devised an isolation strategy based upon an orthogonal chemical feature, namely, functional group composition. Development of a functional group-targeted method is expected to achieve exceptional resolution given the large number of distinct moieties present in natural product extracts. Here, we describe the generation of controllably reversible covalent enrichment tags for the chemoselective isolation of alcohol-containing natural products from complex mixtures.
Theorizing an Emerging Discipline: Philanthropic Studies

Philanthropic studies has made impressive gains in recent decades in terms of its research achievements and its curriculum and program offerings. That success creates the pressure for it to develop...
Analyses of advanced iterated tour partitioning heuristics for generalized vehicle routing problems

Theoretical analyses of a set of iterated-tour partitioning vehicle routing algorithms applicable to a wide variety of commonly used vehicle routing problem variants are presented. We analyze the worst-case performance of the algorithms and establish tightness of the derived bounds. Among other variants, we capture the cases of pick-up and delivery and multiple depots. We also introduce brand new concepts such as mobile depots, partitioning of customer nodes into groups, and potential opportunistic under-utilization of vehicle capacity by only partially loading the vehicle, among others, which arise from a printed circuit board application. The problems studied are of critical importance in many practical applications. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. NETWORKS, 2013
Developmental Differences in Catalase Activity and Hypoxic-Hyperoxic Effects on Fluid Balance in Isolated Lamb Lungs

ABSTRACT: The effects of hypoxia (95% N2/5% CO2) followed by hyperoxia (95% O2/5% CO2) were determined in isolated lungs of premature (gestational age 128 to 135 d) and full-term (postnatal age 0 to 5 d) lambs perfused with autologous blood (100 mL·min−1·kg body weight−1). In full-term lungs, hypoxia-hyperoxia compared with hypoxia alone decreased pulmonary artery pressure and increased weight gain and extravascular lung water. In premature lungs, the increase in weight gain was greater and was associated with hemorrhage and increased pulmonary arterial and peak airway pressures. Papaverine eliminated reoxygenation-induced differences in pulmonary artery pressure, peak airway pressure, and weight gain in both age groups. Osmotic reflection coefficients for total protein and albumin, measured by a modification of the filtered volume technique, averaged 0.591 ± 0.054 (SEM) and 0.465 ± 0.054 (SEM), respectively, and were not altered by reoxygenation or age. Catalase activity in lung tissue and erythrocytes was lower in premature lambs, but there were no age-related differences in superoxide dismutase or glutathione peroxidase activities. These results demonstrate that hypoxia-hyperoxia in isolated lamb lungs increased lung weight due to edema formation in full-term lamb lungs and hemorrhage in premature lamb lungs and that this increase was greater in premature lamb lungs. We speculate that the weight gain caused by reoxygenation was due to a vasodilation-induced increase in surface area in full-term lamb lungs and a vasoconstriction-induced increase in vascular pressure in premature lamb lungs. The mediators of this developmental difference in vasomotor tone are unknown, but lower catalase activity in premature lungs suggests that hydrogen peroxide may have played a role.
Soybean lipoxygenase-1 enzymically forms both (9S)- and (13S)-hydroperoxides from linoleic acid by a pH-dependent mechanism.

Abstract Soybean lipoxygenase-1 produces a preponderance of two chiral products from linoleic acid, (13S)-(9Z,11E)-13-hydroperoxy-9,11-octadecadienoic acid and (9S)-(10E,12Z)-9-hydroperoxy-10,12-octadecadienoic acid. The former of these hydroperoxides was generated at all pH values, but in the presence of Tween 20, the latter product did not form at pH values above 8.5. As the pH decreased below 8.5, the proportion of (9S)-hydroperoxide increased linearly until at pH 6 it constituted about 25% of the chiral products attributed to enzymic action. Below pH 6, lipoxygenase activity was barely measurable, and the hydroperoxide product arose mainly from autoxidation and possibly non-enzymic oxygenation of the pentadienyl radical formed by the enzyme. The change in percent enzymically formed 9-hydroperoxide between pH 6.0 and 8.5 paralleled the pH plot of a sodium linoleate/linoleic acid titration. It was concluded that the (9S)-hydroperoxide is formed only from the nonionized carboxylic acid form of linoleic acid. Methyl esterification of linoleic acid blocked the formation of the (9S)-hydroperoxide by lipoxygenase-1, but not the (13S)-hydroperoxide. Since the hydroperoxydiene moieties of the (9S)- and (13S)-hydroperoxides are spatially identical when the molecules are arranged head to tail in opposite orientations, it is suggested that the carboxylic acid form of the substrate can arrange itself at the active site in either orientation, but the carboxylate anion can be positioned only in one orientation. These observations, as well as others in the literature, suggest an active-site model for soybean lipoxygenase-1.
Study of Loading Protocols in Light-Gauge Stud Partition Walls:

This paper examines the influence of two reversed cyclic loading protocols on the response of gypsum light-gauge metal-stud partition walls, which are common in office, hotel, and laboratory buildi...
Four Considerations for Dissemination of Intervention Innovations

The current paper offers four considerations related to Stirman, Crits-Cristoph, and DeReubis' (this issue) insightful review on general theories relevant to the dissemination of psychological interventions and major obstacles associated with the dissemination effort. Readers are asked to consider (a) the notion that the dissemination of a psychological intervention is not equivalent to unidirectional product delivery, (b) the importance of examining local uncontrolled evidence alongside controlled research evidence, (c) design strategies to facilitate adapting evidence-based interventions for community settings, and (d) fostering working partnerships between laboratories and the communities.
Airborne allergens associated with asthma: Particle sizes carrying dust mite and rat allergens measured with a cascade impactor

Patients with asthma may develop acute symptoms after exposure to domestic or laboratory animal allergens; however, they are usually not aware of a direct relationship between their acute attacks and exposure to pollen or dust mite allergens. The present experiments were designed to study whether the differences in symptoms could be explained by differences in the number or size of particles carrying airborne allergens. Airborne particles were collected with a filter or on the stages of a cascade impactor, and allergens were measured by use of inhibition radioimmunoassays. In rat rooms and during disturbance of rat litter, a large proportion of rat urinary allergen (45.9%) was collected on the second stage of the impactor (mean size approximately 7 microns diameter). When sampled 15 to 35 minutes after disturbance, 16% of these medium-sized particles were still airborne. By contrast, during disturbance of house dust, a significantly larger proportion of dust mite, antigen P1 (80.6 +/- 11.8%; p less than 0.001) was collected on the first stage of the impactor, and in keeping with the apparent size of these particles (diameter greater than 10 microns), very little of this allergen (less than 4%) was still airborne when sampled 15 to 35 minutes after disturbance. With nebulized diluted rat urine, approximately 75% of the allergen was collected on the fourth and final stages of the cascade impactor in keeping with the expected size, 0.5 to 3 microns in diameter. These results demonstrate that natural exposure to both allergens is strikingly different from the conditions used for bronchial provocation.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
On the scaling of congestion in the internet graph

As the Internet grows in size, it becomes crucial to understand how the speeds of links in the network must improve in order to sustain the pressure of new end-nodes being added each day. Although the speeds of links in the core and at the edges improve roughly according to Moore's law, this improvement alone might not be enough. Indeed, the structure of the Internet graph and routing in the network might necessitate much faster improvements in the speeds of key links in the network.In this paper, using a combination of analysis and extensive simulations, we show that the worst congestion in the Internet AS-level graph in fact scales poorly with the network size (n1+ω(1), where n is the number of nodes), when shortest-path routing is used to route traffic between ASes. We also show, somewhat surprisingly, that policy-based routing does not exacerbate the maximum congestion when compared to shortest-path routing.Our results show that it is crucial to identify ways to alleviate this congestion to avoid some links from being perpetually congested. To this end, we show that the congestion scaling properties of Internet-like graphs can be improved dramatically by introducing moderate amounts of redundancy in the graph in terms of parallel edges between pairs of adjacent nodes.
Coenzyme Q10 (ubiquinol-10) supplementation improves oxidative imbalance in children with trisomy 21.

Endogenous coenzyme Q10 is an essential cofactor in the mitochondrial respiratory chain, a potent antioxidant, and a potential biomarker for systemic oxidative status. Evidence of oxidative stress was reported in individuals with trisomy 21. In this study, 14 children with trisomy 21 had significantly increased (P
Paroxysmal tachycardia in an infant the fourth day of life—Recovery with digitalis

Summary Paroxysmal auricular and nodal tachycardia in the newborn is recognized by a heart rate of over 180 per minute and is most safely treated with digitalis. Good response was obtained with 1/2 cat unit followed in four hours by 1/4 cat unit in an infant weighing nine pounds four ounces. One cat unit is the upper limit of the safe amount to give a newborn infant. Five older children with this condition failed to show the tendency of the newborn to persistent high rate and congestive failure.
Brief heat shock increases stable integration of lipid-mediated DNA transfections.

1.Lin Cereghino, J. and J.M. Cregg. 2000. Heterologous protein expression in the methylotrophic yeast Pichia pastoris. FEMS Microbiol. Rev. 24:45-66. 2.Cregg, J.M., K.J. Barringer, A.Y. Hessler, and K.R. Madden. 1985. Pichia pastoris as a host system for transformations. Mol. Cell. Biol. 5:3376-3385. 3.Cregg, J.M. and K.A. Russell. 1998. Transformation methods, p. 27-39. In D.R. Higgins and J.M. Cregg (Eds.), Methods in Molecular Methods Molecular Biology, Vol. 103: Pichia Protocols. Humana Press, Totowa, NJ. 4.Ito, H., Y. Fukuda, K. Murata, and A. Kimura. 1983. Transformation of intact yeast cells treated with alkali cations. J. Bacteriol. 153:163-168. 5.Dohmen, R.J., A.W.M. Strasser, C.B. Honer, and C.P. Hollenberg. 1991. An efficient transformation procedure enabling long-term storage of competent cells of various yeast genera. Yeast 7:691-692.
Potassium Pallado Sulfite Detection of Carbon Monoxide in Exhaled Air as an Estimate of Carboxyhemoglobin

Abstract From 22 comparisons of COHb from blood with that calculated from exhaled CO after 20 seconds of breathholding using the potassium pallado sulfite method, the overall chi-square fit was exception]ally good (P > 0.99). However, the higher segment of the range (8-17% COHb) showed twice the deviation (3.0% COHb) as the 1-8% portion (1.5% COHb). This is because the potassium pallado sulfite technique has less accuracy above 50 ppm of CO, a fact evident from reproducibility data on exhaled CO samples. Though not advocated for critical research determinations, the technique has potential value for obtaining public health information.
Directional solidification in a AgCuSn eutectic alloy

An experimental study of microstructures in a directionally solidified, near-eutectic Ag-Cu-Sn alloy has been completed. This material is an important candidate for use as a lead-free solder, and the studies show the origin and velocity dependence of some of the microstructures seen in solder joints. Quantitative stereology and microstructural observation were completed for directional solidification experiments where the sample was moved through a gradient furnace at velocities between 0.826 and 500 µm/s.
Reconstruction of occluded thoracic duct for treatment of chylopericardium: A novel surgical therapy

Chylopericardium is an uncommon disease predominantly caused by trauma. Prolonged chyle depletion may result in nutritional, metabolic, and immunologic deficiencies due to loss of essential proteins, immunoglobulins, fat, vitamins, electrolytes, and water. Medical treatment includes a low-fat diet with medium-chain triglyceride restriction, cardiac support, diuretic medications, and drainage of the pericardial effusion. Conventional surgical therapy consists of pericardial fenestration and thoracic duct ligation. We report a case of massive secondary chylous pericardial effusion successfully treated with microsurgical lymphovenous anastomosis, reconnecting the occluded thoracic duct to the internal jugular vein. This case highlights features and management strategies of this perplexing clinical condition.
When a mother has cancer: myriad issues for children and adolescents.

Oncology nurses caring for women with cancer must be aware that many of these patients are mothers of young children and adolescents. Common issues for children dealing with a parent’s cancer include worrying about their family’s future and changes in their mother’s health status. Adolescents share these concerns, along with uncertainties over changes in their responsibilities and demands at home. Teens also deal with interference in maintaining their independence and the
On the Meaning of Statistical Interactions.

Abstract The problems which can arise in predicting the presence or absence of statistical interactions when a theoretical model is not set into correspondence with the experimental design model are considered in the context of a specific study of developmental differences in distractibility. It is concluded that intuitive or incomplete theoretical analyses often lead to incorrect prediction concerning statistical interactions and to spurious or ambiguous conclusions based on the confirmation or disconfirmation of those predictions and that the analysis of the relationship between a theoretical model and the experimental design model will offer considerable protection against such undesirable outcomes.
Ignition quality determination of diesel fuels from hydrogen type distribution of hydrocarbons

Abstract Hydrogen types of diesellike hydrocarbon fuels which have dominant effect on the ignition quality have been identified. A scheme of characterizing the chemistry of hydrocarbon fuels in terms of these hydrogen types using proton nuclear resonance spectrometry has been proposed. Using this analysis technique on 70 different diesel fuels, whose cetane numbers were determined on a number of standard cetane rating engines, an empirical expression which relates the ignition quality to the hydrogen type distribution of the fuels has been developed. The developed expression and the relationship between the ignition delay and cetane number imply that the effective activation energy term in the usual semiempirical ignition delay expression is not a constant for a given fuel but is a function of pressure and temperature as well as the fuel chemistry.
Cytophotometric evidence for the transformation of oocytes into nurse cells in Drosophila melanogaster.

A small proportion of ovarian chambers from females homozygous for theotu7 (forovariantumor) mutation contain an “oocyte” that in its nuclear morphology resembles a nurse cell. Such transformed oocytes also appear in colchicine-poisoned wild type ovaries. Cytophotometric estimates demonstrate that these oocytes have undergone 3–4 additional DNA replications, but that they lag behind the adjacent nurse cells by an average of 1.3 replication cycles. It follows that, under certain circumstances, the definitive oocyte can switch to the nurse cell developmental pathway and therefore that a mechanism normally exists for preventing the further replication of its DNA. In the case ofotu7, oocytes sometimes restart their endocyclic DNA replications and produce paired, polytene, homologous chromosomes.
Rules and realism redux: A reply to Hanna

L'A. repond a l'article precedent qui lui est consacre concernant «The World, the Elephant and the Tortoise», ou P. Hanna lui reproche de ne pas avoir bien compris l'argument du langage prive de Wittgenstein, ni le role que joue le monde dans le langage et la pensee; l'A. defend donc la legitimite et la validite de sa propre reflexion sans accorder grande importance a l'inspiration qu'il doit a Wittgenstein, dont il corrige la lecture qu'en fait P. Hanna
Control and Optimization of Apheresis Procedures in a COBE 2997 Cell Separator

To obtain more efficient operation of a COBE Model 2997 clinical cell separator using either a Single Stage II (SS II) or a Dual Stage separation chamber, modifications were made to allow complete computer control. Product cell density was detected using an optical sensor and controlled by automatic feedback through a microcomputer interface. Control was accomplished by automatically adjusting the red blood cell (RBC) and plasma product flow rates using a proportional-integral (PI) algorithm. Results show that, using either chamber, the product cell density can be maintained at a preselected value for extended periods of time without operator intervention. This system allowed investigation of optimal operating regions for plateletpheresis and leukapheresis procedures. The effects of centrifuge rpm and controller set point on centrifuge operation were investigated using a second order factorial experimental design. Theoretical significance of model parameters was assessed with the aid of a hindered settling model and simple reasoning about the interface position relative to the collection port. The results suggest that, in either chamber, the optimum operating region for plateletpheresis procedures occurs at moderate controller set points and high centrifuge rpm. The resultant operating efficiency and product purity values are approximately 63 percent and 0.65 respectively in the SS II chamber and approximately 70 percent and 0.70 respectively in the Dual Chamber. In the SS II, the optimum operating region for leukapheresis procedures occurred at high controller set point values for any centrifuge rpm above 1200 with an operating efficiency near 100 percent. However, in the Dual Chamber, the optimum operating region for leukapheresis procedures occurred at high controller set points and high centrifuge rpm's, again providing an operating efficiency near 100 percent.
End-users, mediated searches, and front-end assistance programs on dialog: a comparison of learning, performance, and satisfaction

Evaluation des performances de l'utilisateur final dans l'interrogation des bases de donnees (Eric, Inopec sur Dialog) suivant 3 types d'approches: en acces direct, par affichage de menus deroulants ou par l'intermediaire d'un specialiste. Les resultats montrent que l'utilisateur, apres formation, est capable de faire des recherches efficaces avec ou sans menu; les taux de reussite different neanmoins selon le sexe
Cretaceous phases of rapid sediment accumulation, continental shelf, eastern USA

Correlation of sedimentary rock thicknesses with radio-metric age dates permits identification of the occurrence of relatively rapid sedimentation on the mid-Atlantic margin of North America during late Aptian and (or) early Albian, Cenomanian, and Turonian time. To accommodate the sediment, the continental shelf experienced short periods of rapid strain. This activity was penecontemporaneous with phases of rapid sediment accumulation previously identified in cratonic basins; attention is drawn to the possible geodynamic significance of this apparent synchrony.
Controlled perfusion decreases reperfusion injury after high-flow reperfusion.

Abstract Introduction Some investigators have suggested that high pulmonary artery flow rates increase the risk of severe reperfusion injury after lung transplantation. We hypothesized that controlling the initial flow rate and pulmonary artery pressure would decrease the severity of lung dysfunction in the setting of high-flow reperfusion. Methods Using our isolated, ventilated, blood-perfused rabbit lung model, all groups underwent lung harvest, 4-hour storage (4°C), and blood reperfusion. We measured pulmonary artery pressure, peak inspiratory pressure, arterial oxygenation, and wet-to-dry weight ratio. Group 1 (control, n = 8) underwent reperfusion at 60 ml/min for 30 minutes. Group 2 (high flow, n = 8) underwent reperfusion at 120 ml/min for 30 minutes. Group 3 (controlled flow, n = 8) underwent initial reperfusion at 60 ml/min for 5 minutes, followed by reperfusion at 120 ml/min for 25 minutes. Results Group 1 had significantly improved pulmonary artery pressure, peak inspiratory pressure, arterial oxygenation, and wet-to-dry weight ratio measurements compared with groups 2 and 3 after 30 minutes of reperfusion. However, Group 3 had improved pulmonary artery pressure, peak inspiratory pressure, arterial oxygenation, and wet-to-dry weight ratio measurements compared with Group 2. Conclusions High-flow reperfusion results in severe reperfusion injury after lung transplantation. Controlled reperfusion using a low initial flow rate decreases the severity of reperfusion injury associated with high-flow rates.
Temporal regulation of Cat-1 (cationic amino acid transporter-1) gene transcription during endoplasmic reticulum stress

Expression of the Cat-1 gene (cationic amino acid transporter-1) is induced in proliferating cells and in response to a variety of stress conditions. The expression of the gene is mediated via a TATA-less promoter. In the present study we show that an Sp1 (specificity protein 1)-binding site within a GC-rich region of the Cat-1 gene controls its basal expression and is important for induction of the gene during the UPR (unfolded protein response). We have shown previously that induction of Cat-1 gene expression during the UPR requires phosphorylation of the translation initiation factor eIF2α (eukaryotic initiation factor 2α) by PERK (protein-kinase-receptor-like endoplasmic reticulum kinase), one of the signalling pathways activated during the UPR. This leads to increased translation of the transcription factor ATF4 (activating transcription factor 4). We also show that a second signalling pathway is required for sustained transcriptional induction of the Cat-1 gene during the UPR, namely activation of IRE1 (inositol-requiring enzyme 1) leading to alternative splicing of the mRNA for the transcription factor XBP1 (X-box-binding protein 1). The resulting XBP1s (spliced XBP1) can bind to an ERSE (endoplasmic-reticulum-stress-response-element), ERSE-II-like, that was identified within the Cat-1 promoter. Surprisingly, eIF2α phosphorylation is required for accumulation of XBP1s. We propose that the signalling via phosphorylated eIF2α is required for maximum induction of Cat-1 transcription during the UPR by inducing the accumulation of both ATF4 and XBP1s.
Rectification and 3D reconstruction of curved document images

Distortions in images of documents, such as the pages of books, adversely affect the performance of optical character recognition (OCR) systems. Removing such distortions requires the 3D deformation of the document that is often measured using special and precisely calibrated hardware (stereo, laser range scanning or structured light). In this paper, we introduce a new approach that automatically reconstructs the 3D shape and rectifies a deformed text document from a single image. We first estimate the 2D distortion grid in an image by exploiting the line structure and stroke statistics in text documents. This approach does not rely on more noise-sensitive operations such as image binarization and character segmentation. The regularity in the text pattern is used to constrain the 2D distortion grid to be a perspective projection of a 3D parallelogram mesh. Based on this constraint, we present a new shape-from-texture method that computes the 3D deformation up to a scale factor using SVD. Unlike previous work, this formulation imposes no restrictions on the shape (e.g., a developable surface). The estimated shape is then used to remove both geometric distortions and photometric (shading) effects in the image. We demonstrate our techniques on documents containing a variety of languages, fonts and sizes.
Abstract 4261: Anti-angiogenic effects of zoledronic acid on osteotropic breast cancer cells

Emerging data suggest the bisphosphonate, zoledronic acid (ZOL), exerts both indirect and direct anti-tumoral effects by decreasing tumor cell proliferation, increasing apoptosis, and inhibiting angiogenesis. Recent data indicate that anti-angiogenic factors exert cellular effects via suppression of mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation/respiration and elevation of intracellular ROS levels. This project intended to define proteins involved in response to ZOL-treatment of an osteotropic breast cancer cell line, MDA-231BO. Results demonstrate that MDA-231BO cells are more sensitive to ZOL cytotoxicity and salutary effects are both media- and calcium-dependent. To investigate pro-apoptotic mechanisms of ZOL, total RNA, whole cell protein lysates, or mitochondrial-enriched fractions were isolated from MDA-231BO cells and using a combination of RT-PCR, 1D/2D-PAGE separation and MALDI-MS/MS, we identified several angiogenesis inhibitors that were upregulated and pro-angiogenic factors that were downregulated after ZOL treatment. Functional studies demonstrate the improved efficacy of ZOL on MDA-231BO compared to MDA-MB-231 controls. Taken together, these results further support a model that ZOL tips the ‘angiogenic switch’ in favor of anti-angiogenic factors in cancer cells with a propensity for bone metastases. Partial research support came from NIH 5P20MD002732 Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 102nd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2011 Apr 2-6; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2011;71(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 4261. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2011-4261
Integration of structures and controls - some computational issues

This paper discusses issues related to the integration of the structural and control design processes for large scale structural systems. These issues are discussed in the context of vibration suppression for large space structures using linear regulator theory. The controlled system is modeled, via finite element analysis, as a system of linear differential equations in modal space. Attention is focused upon the specification of meaningful weighting matrices for the quadratic performance index, reduced order model selection and control design, and the combined optimization of structural and control designs. Numerical simulations for two and three bay trusses illustrate the concepts presented.
4 Towards non-enzymatic RNA replication

The direct path from prebiotic chemistry to the RNA World requires a plausible route for the synthesis of activated ribonucleotides and RNA templates, along with a means for the complete replication of potentially useful RNA sequences. However, many apparent roadblocks make non-enzymatic RNA replication look quite difficult, if not impossible. These problems include the slow rate, low accuracy and poor regioselectivity of non-enzymatic template copying, the hydrolysis of activated monomers and absence of good re-activation chemistry, the difficulty of strand separation after template copying, the rapidity of strand reannealing, the absence of primers in any realistic replication scenario, and the apparent incompatibly of RNA copying chemistry (which requires a high Mg2+ concentration) with fatty acid-based protocell membranes, which are destroyed by low Mg2+ concentrations. I will discuss recent progress from my laboratory on four of these issues. We have found that functional RNAs such as aptamers and ri...
An Ultrasonic sampler and sensor platform for in-situ astrobiological exploration

The search for existing or past life in the Universe is one of the most important objectives of NASA's mission. In support of this objective, ultrasonic based mechanisms are currently being developed at JPL to allow probing and sampling rocks as well as perform as a sensor platform for in-situ astrobiological analysis. The technology is based on the novel Ultrasonic/Sonic Driller/Corer (USDC), which requires low axial force, thereby overcoming one of the major limitations of planetary sampling in low gravity using conventional drills. The USDC was demonstrated to: 1) drill ice and various rocks including granite, diorite, basalt and limestone, 2) not require bit sharpening, and 3) operate at high and low temperatures. The capabilities that are being investigated including probing the ground to select sampling sites, collecting various forms of samples, and hosting sensors for measuring chemical/physical properties. A series of modifications of the USDC basic configuration were implemented leading an ultrasonic abrasion tool (URAT), Ultrasonic Gopher for deep Drilling, and the lab-on-a-drill.
Discursos coloniales: otros entrecruces teóricos de identidades y desplazamientos

Revisiting the Colonial Question in Latin America Eds. Mabel Morana y Carlos Jauregui Madrid/Frankfurt: Iberoamericana-Vervuert, 2008 296 pp. (ISBN: 9788484893233) Coloniality at Large. Latin Ameri...
Comparison of three explicit multigrid methods for the Euler and Navier-Stokes equations

Three explicit multigrid methods, Ni's method, Jameson's finite-volume method, and a finite-difference method based on Brandt's work, are described and compared for two model problems. All three methods use an explicit multistage Runge-Kutta scheme on the fine grid, and this scheme is also described. Convergence histories for inviscid flow over a bump in a channel for the fine-grid scheme alone show that convergence rate is proportional to Courant number and that implicit residual smoothing can significantly accelerate the scheme. Ni's method was slightly slower than the implicitly-smoothed scheme alone. Brandt's and Jameson's methods are shown to be equivalent in form but differ in their node versus cell-centered implementations. They are about 8.5 times faster than Ni's method in terms of CPU time. Results for an oblique shock/boundary layer interaction problem verify the accuracy of the finite-difference code. All methods slowed considerably on the stretched viscous grid but Brandt's method was still 2.1 times faster than Ni's method.