cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Eddy Energetics in the Upper Equatorial Pacific during the Hawaii-to-Tahiti Shuttle Experiment

Abstract Eddy energetics in the central equatorial Pacific Ocean is examined using Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler velocities and CTD densities collected during the Hawaii-to-Tahiti Shuttle Experiment, in 1979–80. Three distinct sources of eddy energy are identified with varying degrees of statistical reliability, and are interpreted as evidence for three separate instabilities of the mean flow field. An instability at and just north of the equator occurs primarily in boreal summer and fall. It arises from the cyclonic shear between the Equatorial Undercurrent and the South Equatorial Current (SEC) north of the equator. The instability is present only when and where both currents are well developed, and there is little involvement of the shear between the SEC and the North Equatorial Countercurrent (NECC). The instability is characterized by local maxima in zonal and meridional eddy velocity variance, strong U*V* Reynolds stress, and large mean flow to eddy kinetic energy conversion. Despite seasonal va...
A study of diverse clinical decision support rule authoring environments and requirements for integration

Efficient rule authoring tools are critical to allow clinical Knowledge Engineers (KEs), Software Engineers (SEs), and Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) to convert medical knowledge into machine executable clinical decision support rules. The goal of this analysis was to identify the critical success factors and challenges of a fully functioning Rule Authoring Environment (RAE) in order to define requirements for a scalable, comprehensive tool to manage enterprise level rules. The authors evaluated RAEs in active use across Partners Healthcare, including enterprise wide, ambulatory only, and system specific tools, with a focus on rule editors for reminder and medication rules. We conducted meetings with users of these RAEs to discuss their general experience and perceived advantages and limitations of these tools. While the overall rule authoring process is similar across the 10 separate RAEs, the system capabilities and architecture vary widely. Most current RAEs limit the ability of the clinical decision support (CDS) interventions to be standardized, sharable, interoperable, and extensible. No existing system meets all requirements defined by knowledge management users. A successful, scalable, integrated rule authoring environment will need to support a number of key requirements and functions in the areas of knowledge representation, metadata, terminology, authoring collaboration, user interface, integration with electronic health record (EHR) systems, testing, and reporting.
A simple model for the effects of receptor-mediated cell—substratum adhesion on cell migration

The migration of mammalian blood and tissue cells over surface substrata is mediated by specific biochemical binding and dissociation reactions between cell membrane receptors and complimentary ligands attached to the substratum. Although in a number of systems these receptors and ligand molecules have been isolated and identified, there is a need for a theory capable of predicting the effect of receptor and ligand properties on cell migration behavior. This paper presents a very simple dynamical mathematical model directed toward elucidating the dependence of cell speed on receptor and ligand number densities and receptor—ligand binding constants. Clear theoretical predictions are made, which can be compared to quantitative experimental observations.
Camera calibration with lens distortion using weakly localized image features

Camera calibration is a crucial problem for many industrial applications that incorporate visual sensing. In this paper, we present an approach to computing the intrinsic and extrinsic camera parameters taking into account radial lens distortion. The approach consists of directly searching for the camera parameters that best project 3D points of a calibration pattern onto intensity edges in a 2D image of this pattern without explicitly extracting the edges. Our approach can be considered an extension of Robert's method to obtain a more accurate camera model that adjusts for lens distortion. This approach tolerates less accuracy in the image features and avoids heavy dependence on individual, strongly-localized features since feature localization is instead included as part of the error measure used in the optimization process. After describing the details of our approach, the paper shows some experiments to evaluate the approach performance in terms of accuracy, sensitivity to initial conditions and reliability.© (1999) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Adenoviral Transfer of Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide (VIP) Gene Inhibits Rat Aortic and Pulmonary Artery Smooth Muscle Cell Proliferation

Abstract Vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP), a 28 amino acid peptide, has been shown to inhibit proliferation of vascular smooth muscle cells. In previous studies VIP and VIP analogs have been used to study the effects of the peptide on vascular smooth muscle cell function. In this study an adenovirus encoding the VIP gene was used to investigate the mechanism of the antiproliferative action of VIP in vascular smooth muscle cells. Primary cultures of aortic and pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells from male Sprague–Dawley rats were transfected with varying concentrations of serotype 5 adenovirus encoding human VIP (Ad5CMVhVIP). Transfection efficiency and subsequently VIP gene expression were confirmed by western blot analysis and immunohistochemistry. In this study a decrease in vascular smooth muscle cell proliferation at vector concentrations of 150, 300 and 600 MOI (multiplicity of infection) was observed. In addition, there was increased production of cAMP in pulmonary artery and aortic smooth muscle cells transfected with VIP. Treatment of cells with a PKA inhibitor (Rp-8-BrcAMPs) restored proliferation to about 80% of control whereas treatment with the PKG inhibitor Rp-8-BrcGMPs had no significant effect suggesting the involvement of the PKA pathway in the antiproliferative actions of VIP.
Meteoritic and non-meteoritic trace elements in Luna 16 samples.

Two Luna 16 soils have been analyzed for Ag, Au, Bi, Br, Cd, Co, Cs, Cu, Ga, Ge, In, Ur, Ni, Rb, Re, Sb, Se, Te, Tl, and Zn. A meteoritic component similar to that in Apollo 11 and 12 soils seems to be present, corresponding to about 1.5 to 2% Cl chondrites or equivalent. It probably consists largely of micrometeorites. Three elements show strong enrichments compared to Apollo 11 and 12 soils: Cd (5 x to 200 x), Ag (5 x to 10 x), and Bi (3 x). Presumably these elements were brought in by Cd-Ag-Bi rich material, similar to that in Unit VI of Apollo core 12028.
Strongly correlated electron phenomena in filled skutterudite compounds

Abstract A rich variety of strongly correlated electron phenomena are found in filled skutterudite compounds. Selected examples of these phenomena and the skutterudite compounds in which they occur are briefly described in this paper. Examples considered include “hybridization gap” semiconductivity (“Kondo insulator” behavior), ferromagnetism, valence fluctuation phenomena, heavy fermion behavior, non-Fermi liquid behavior, and heavy fermion superconductivity.
Amino acid sequence of rubredoxin from Desulfovibrio desulfuricans strain 27774

The amino acid sequence of a rubredoxin from Desulfovibrio desulfuricans (strain 27774) has been determined. Comparison with rubredoxins from other species reveals pervasive homology, including the regions known to provide the cysteine ligands to the iron atom in several rubredoxins. Neither an extra cysteinyl residue nor a unique histidyl residue in the new sequence is located in the sequence in such a way that, by homology, a functional role in the structure is suggested.
Solid-State Deuterium NMR of Imidazole Ligands in Cytochrome c Peroxidase

We have measured hyperfine shifted NMR signals associated with deuterated imidazole bound to the high-spin Fe3+ state of cytochrome c peroxidase using deuterium magic angle spinning solid-state NMR. These experiments were performed on a mutant of cytochrome c peroxidase, CcP(H175G), for which replacement of the proximal histidine with glycine produced a cavity that can bind a variety of substituted imidazoles including imidazole or 2-methylimidazole. The mutant with imidazole bound is inactive; specifically its reaction with H2O2 is blocked. We observed deuterium NMR signals from the methyl-d3 group of the perdeuterated 2-MeIm sample bound to H175G CcP. The signal displayed an upfield chemical shift and exhibited non-Curie temperature dependence, indicating the existence of low-lying excited electronic states. Upon introducing a nondeuterated competitive ligand, imidazole, a decrease in the intensity of this signal was detected, consistent with the assignment of the deuterium signal to the bound 2-methyli...
Therapeutic strategies in Friedreich's Ataxia

First established as a diagnosis by Nikolaus Friedreich in 1863, Friedreich's ataxia (FA) is an autosomal recessive progressive neurodegenerative disorder cause by a trinucleotide repeat expansion. FA begins with the functional absence of the FXN gene product frataxin, a protein whose exact function still remains unknown. This absence results in impaired intracellular antioxidant defenses, dysregulation of iron-sulfur cluster proteins, depression of aerobic electron transport chain respiration, massive mitochondrial dysfunction, and ultimately cell death in the brain, spinal cord and heart. Herein, we review the molecular and cellular pathogenesis leading to widespread organ system dysfunction, as well as current therapeutic research aimed at preventing the debilitating effects of frataxin loss and preventing the signs and symptoms associated of FA. We also discuss the ongoing treatment strategies employed by our laboratory to prevent mitochondrial damage using synergistic effects of 17β-estradiol and methylene blue, previously shown by our group and others to have protective effects in human FA fibroblasts. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled Hormone Therapy.
The Mere-Measurement Effect: Why Does Measuring Intentions Change Actual Behavior?

Recent research has demonstrated that merely measuring an individual's purchase intentions changes his or her subsequent behavior in the market. Several different alternative explanations have been proposed to explain why this “mere-measurement effect” occurs. However, these explanations have not been tested to date. The purpose of this article is to test several competing explanations for why measuring general intentions to purchase (e.g., How likely are you to buy a car?) changes specific brand-level behavior (e.g., which specific brand of car is purchased). The results provide a clearer understanding of the cognitive mechanism through which the mere-measurement effect operates. The results show that when asked to provide general intentions to select a product in a given category, respondents are more likely to choose options toward which they hold positive and accessible attitudes, and are less likely to choose options for which they hold negative and accessible attitudes, compared to a control group of participants who are not asked a general intentions question. These results provide support for the conjecture that asking a general purchase intent question influences behavior by changing the accessibility of attitudes toward specific options in the category.
Noninvasive vascular testing--a 35-year reflection.

Noninvasive vascular testing has made a major contribution to the care of vascular surgery patients. This article a reflection on a 35-year corroborative association with Doctor Norman Rich, during which many of the advances in noninvasive vascular testing have been witnessed and effected. I served my vascular surgery fellowship under Doctor Rich in 1967–68 at Walter Reed Army Hospital. The only noninvasive vascular equipment then was a pencil probe Doppler. The value of the Doppler in the management of peripheral vascular disease that year and in determining limb viability in combat surgery in Vietnam the following year was established, and both experiences were published. Later, Doctor Rich established the annual Military Vascular Surgery Meeting and was appointed as the first Chair of the Department of Surgery at the Uniformed Services University for Health Sciences (USU). I entered private practice in Central California in 1976, and ultrasonic imaging was developed which allowed noninvasive examination of the carotid arteries. I then developed a protocol to screen for the three silent, immediate causes of stroke, employing a “a quick carotid scan” for carotid artery disease, a lead II rhythm strip for atrial fibrillation, and blood pressure determination for hypertension so that these common causes of strokes could be recognized and treated, and potentially prevent the majority of strokes. My association with USU, Doctor Rich, and others involved proved instrumental in initiating implementation of stroke prevention screening. The structure established at USU provides a means of establishing the protocol nationally. Noninvasive vascular testing is an addition to Medical Science that has led to significant improvements in individual patient care and that has the potential of allowing a major reduction in death and disability from stroke and other vascular diseases. Throughout a 35-year collaborative association with Doctor Norman M. Rich, I have witnessed and developed many of these advances. These contributions to noninvasive vascular testing reflect the value of our collaboration.
Dynamic progression of contractile and endothelial dysfunction and infarct extension in the late phase of reperfusion.

Background. Myocardial injury during early reperfusion (R) has been well documented. However, the extent and time course of myocardial injury during late R are still unclear. The purpose of this study was to determine the extent of regional contractile and endothelial dysfunction and myocardial blood flow (MBF) defect as well as extension of infarction in association with neutrophil (PMN) actions during R. Materials and methods. A total of 29 dogs underwent a protocol of 1 h LAD ischemia followed by 6, 24, 48, and 72 h of R, respectively. Regional contractile function (sonomicrometry), MBF (colored microspheres), infarct size (triphenyltetrazolium chloride staining), and PMN localization (immunohistochemistry) were determined. Results. Percentage segmental shortening at 6, 24, 48, and 72 h of R was significantly blunted (−1.8 ± 1.2,* − 0.37 ± 0.6,* 0.04 ± 0.2,* and 5.9 ± 1.2* vs baseline 17.7 ± 0.8). MBF (ml/min/g) was attenuated at 24 (0.27 ± 0.03*), 48 (0.46 ± 0.07*), and 72 h of R (0.48 ± 0.06*) vs 6 h of R (0.65 ± 0.06). Infarct size increased from 6 (27 ± 2%) to 24 h of R (41 ± 2%*) with no further increase at 48 and 72 h of R, consistent with a peak of creatine kinase activity. PMN adherence (mm2 endothelium) to left anterior descending coronary artery (LAD) segments was increased after 6 h of R (63 ± 3*) vs nonischemic left circumflex coronary artery (LCX) segments (42 ± 2) with a peak at 48 h of R (111 ± 5*). Endothelium-dependent vascular relaxation in the LAD was also blunted at 6, 24, and 48 h of R. Immunostaining revealed CD18-positive PMNs were mainly accumulated in intravascular space during 6 h of R with an increase in migration of PMNs seen at 24 h of R, consistent with a peak of myeloperoxidase release. Myeloperoxidase activity in a given area at risk sample was significantly correlated with infarct extension during the first 24 h of R. Conclusions. These results provide pathologic evidence for myocardial injury during the extended R and a basis for exploration of interventions designed to limit myocardial injury after ischemia. (*P < 0.05 vs Baseline, 6 h of R and LCX segments.)
In-situ observation of nickel oxidation using synchrotron based full-field transmission X-ray microscopy

An in situ imaging-based approach is reported to study chemical reactions using full-field transmission x-ray microscopy (TXM). Ni particles were oxidized at temperatures between 400 and 850 °C in the TXM to directly observe their morphology change while the chemical composition is monitored by x-ray absorption near edge spectroscopy. Reaction rates and activation energies are calculated from the image data. The goal of this effort is to better understand Ni oxidation in electrode materials. The approach developed will be an effective technique for directly studying chemical reactions of particles and their behavior at the nano-scale.
Mobile hydraulic power supply: Liquid piston Stirling engine pump

Conventional mobile hydraulic power supplies involve numerous kinematic connections and are limited by the efficiency, noise, and emissions of internal combustion engines. The Stirling cycle possesses numerous benefits such as the ability to operate from any heat source, quiet operation, and high theoretical efficiency. The Stirling engine has seen limited success due to poor heat transfer in the working chambers, difficulty sealing low-molecular weight gases at high pressure, and non-ideal piston displacement profiles. As a solution to these limitations, a liquid piston Stirling engine pump is proposed. The liquid pistons conform to irregular volumes, allowing increased heat transfer through geometry features on the interior of the working chambers. Creating near-isothermal operation eliminates the costly external heat exchangers and increases the engine efficiency through decreasing the engine dead space. The liquid pistons provide a positive gas seal and thermal transport to the working chambers. Controlling the flow of the liquid pistons with valves enables matching the ideal Stirling cycle and creates a direct hydraulic power supply. Using liquid hydrogen as a fuel source allows cooling the compression side of the engine before expanded the fuel into a gas and combusting it to heat the expansion side of the engine. Cooling the compression side not only increases the engine power, but also significantly increases the potential thermal efficiency of the engine. A high efficiency Stirling engine makes energy regeneration through reversing the Stirling cycle practical. When used for regeneration, the captured energy can be stored in thermal batteries, such as a molten salt. The liquid piston Stirling engine pump requires further research in numerous areas such as understanding the behavior of the liquid pistons, modeling and optimization of a full engine pump, and careful selection of materials for the extreme operating temperatures. Addressing these obtainable research quandaries will enable a transformative Stirling engine pump with the potential to excel in numerous applications.
New families of supermicroporous metal oxides: the link between zeolites and mesoporous materials.

Sol–gel hydrolysis reactions in propanol of two or more metal acetates or alkoxides in n-alkylamines have been found to yield porous mixed oxides with the presence of pores largely in the 10–20 A region.
Intercultural Communication and Management Factors and Their Impact to the Process of Global Software Development for Virtual and Non-Virtual Teams

This position paper presents the factors involved in the successful software development and what is the impact of some methodologies like Agile in this process. Global software development projects may be a total success or an anticipated disaster for simple reasons that usually have nothing to do with the technology involved, with the time differences, or the product being built, but because of subtle intercultural factors. How do the language, the race, the gender, the religion, and the location affects the software development process from analysis and design to implementation, testing and maintenance? Do all these factors impact in the same way if we are working with a local team, and offshore development team or even a global virtual team? Is any specific software development methodology better suited for your particular case? How could you decide what’s the better approach? What will be the results and what our goals? The issues at stake are not superficial matters of the ways how people dress, or how clear do they speak in our local language, or what they like to eat, or their small daily behaviors, but are based in the fundamental differences in the systems of values that govern our lives. So institutions, corporations and global companies have to raise the level of awareness of their employees worldwide on the cultural differences, through various programs for intercultural or diversity training. But this poor model of cultural awareness is not enough to overcome some of the obstacles that intercultural differences bring to the table. So this paper will list and describe this important intercultural factors that directly impact in the software development process and how certain software development methodologies could be used in order to have a more systematic look or set of guidelines that would allow the team managers to evaluate and to decide how theuse of each one of these software development methodologies for local teams, non local teams and virtual teams will affect positively or negatively the outcomes of software development practices.
ENDOSCOPIC ULTRASOUND AND FINE‐NEEDLE ASPIRATION FOR PANCREATIC CANCER

Background: Accurate staging of pancreatic cancer is essential for surgical planning, and identification of locally advanced and metastatic disease that is incurable by surgery. Advances in EUS, CT, and PET have improved the accuracy of staging and reduced the number of incomplete surgical resections. Tissue acquisition is necessary in non-surgical cases when chemo-radiotherapy is considered. The complex regional anatomy of the pancreas makes cytologic diagnosis of malignancy at this region difficult without exploratory surgery. Although CT-guided fine-needle aspiration (FNA) is used for this purpose, reports of an increased risk of peritoneal dissemination of cancer cells and a false negative rate of nearly 20% makes this a less than ideal choice. The ability to position the EUS-transducer in direct proximity to the pancreas by means of stomach and the duodenum, combined with the use of FNA, increases the specificity of EUS in detecting pancreatic malignancies. Methods: The current literature regarding the accuracy of EUS with FNA in the evaluation of pancreatic cancer is reviewed. Results: EUS accuracy for tumor (T) staging ranges from approximately 78–94% and nodal (N) stage accuracy between 64 and 82%. EUS also enables FNA of lesions that are too small to be identified by CT or MRI, or too close to vascular structures to safely allow percutaneous biopsy. The accuracy for detecting invasion into the superior mesenteric artery and vein is lower than that for detecting portal or splenic vein invasion, especially for large tumors. EUS permits delivery of localized therapy such as celiac plexus neurolysis for pain control and direct intralesional injection of antitumor therapy. Conclusions: EUS in combination with FNA is a highly accurate method of preoperative staging of pancreatic cancer especially those too small to characterize by CT or MRI, and has the ability to obtain cytological confirmation.
Subjects, speakers, and roles

This report is a record of issues in the semantics of natural languages that have concerned me in the past few years, some of the things I have had to say about them, and some of the things that others have had to say about them. There is nothing new in these pages, and there is much that is borrowed. I use numbered paragraphs mostly to create favorable associations — but also to make it obvious that I do not expect the reader to perceive here any structure beyond that of sheer sequence.
I pledge thee my troth … contingently: commitment and the contingent work relationship

Abstract This paper examines work commitment outside of traditional and ongoing employer–employee relationships. In particular, attention is given to the commitment-related implications associated with the growth of various forms of “contingent” employment contracts. Of specific theoretical and practical concern is the applicability, overlap, and/or relative importance of various commitment foci (e.g., organization, job, occupation, and employment) for workers employed in both traditional arrangements and three illustrative forms of contingent employment. Implications for commitment theory, human resource management practices, and future research needs are discussed.
Galactose, glucose, and lactate concentrations in the portal venous and arterial circulations of newborn lambs after nursing.

ABSTRACT: We have used the newborn lamb prepared with chronic indwelling catheters to study carbohydrate metabolism in the unstressed, postprandial state. Lambs were fasted 5 h and then allowed to nurse ad libitum from their mothers for 20 min. Serial determinations of whole blood galactose, glucose, and lactate concentration were then made from the portal venous and arterial circulations. Portal venous galactose concentration increased significantly after milk ingestion, but arterial galactose concentration did not increase from baseline unless the portal venous galactose concentration exceeded 10–12 mg/dl suggesting a threshold effect for hepatic galactose clearance. Glucose concentration increased significantly in both circulations with portal venous galactose concentration > arterial galactose concentration in all cases. Galactose and glucose were absorbed from the intestine at approximately equal rates. Lactate was not absorbed into the portal venous circulation to any great extent after lactose ingestion.
An Educational Remediation Program Benefits Children With Sickle Cell Disease and Cerebral Infarcts.

The overall goal of this project was to determine the feasibility of an educational remediation program for children with sickle cell disease (SCD) and cerebral infarcts. Approximately 30% of children with SCD have cerebral infarcts before eighteen years of age, at least 60% of this group have been retained a grade in school, and 79% will have a cognitive deficit. We performed a prospective randomized pilot trial for children with SCD, cerebral infarcts and memory deficits. Participants were randomly allocated to either a control or intervention group to test the following hypothesis: Targeted memory strategy remediation will have a greater improvement in (1) memory skills and (2) academic achievement of children with SCD, cerebral infarcts, and memory deficits than in the same group of children who receive general tutoring. Both the control and intervention groups received general tutoring for four semesters; additionally, the intervention group received specific remediation strategies to improve their memory skills. In the first year, tutors met with students for one hour per week; this was increased to two-one hour sessions per week during the second year. Parents were asked to spend at least the same amount of time with their children each week. The primary outcome measure was assessment of memory performance before/after completion of the intervention. Secondary outcomes were Wechsler Individual Achievement Tests (reading, math, spelling). Nine of eleven children completed the two-year program. Children in the intervention group significantly improved their abilities in two measures of memory: delayed cued memory (19 point improvement, p=.01) and working memory (31 point improvement (2SD) in the digits backward measure, p=.04). Both groups had a range of improvement (1–26 points) in academic achievement tests, but these gains did not reach statistical significance. Unfortunately, most parents did not or could not follow through with tutorials or practicing memory drills at home. In conclusion, we have provided preliminary results that suggest memory remediation may be a feasible method to improve memory skills for children with SCD and cerebral infarcts and provide evidence for further studies in this area of investigation.
External facial symptoms resulting from indirect trauma in and about the infratemporal fossa

Abstract The etiology, importance, and clinical nature of a mild, subtle swelling of the face was described, and the primary physiologic mandibular articulation as it should be viewed clinically was outlined. This type of facial asymmetry is a clinical manifestation of some injury to part or all of the physiologic mandibular articulation. Further, a fascial pathway from this articulation to the orbit was described, suggesting the possibility that trauma in this area could be the cause of some eye irritation or other injury that could result from the presence of excessive fluid. Further, a potential path for drug application to the posterior part of the orbit of the eye through an oral approach was demonstrated.
Race/ethnicity and nonadherence to prescription medications among seniors: results of a national study.

BACKGROUND Nonadherence to prescription drugs results in poorer control of chronic health conditions. Because of significant racial/ethnic disparities in the control of many chronic diseases, differences in the rates of and reasons for medication nonadherence should be studied.
Deep-level defects in silicon and the band-edge hydrostatic deformation potentials.

Evidence for an energy reference level based on substitutional transition-metal defect levels in semiconductors is presented and used to obtain the values for the band-edge hydrostatic deformation potentials in silicon. From the pressure derivatives of Pt and Pd acceptors in silicon we derive values of ..gamma../sub d/ = -0.5 eV and a/sub v/ = +0.9 eV. These values are consistent with recent theoretical calculations and with the analysis of acoustic-phonon-limited electron and hole mobility.
Psychosocial development in the elderly: An investigation into Erikson's ninth stage

Abstract This study investigated Joan Erikson's suggestion [Erikson, E. H. (1998). The life cycle completed. Extended version with new chapters on the ninth stage by Joan M. Erikson . New York: Norton] that there is a ninth stage to Erik Erikson's [Erikson, E. H. (1963). Childhood and society (2nd ed.). New York: Norton.] Theory of Psychosocial Development to address the challenges of extreme later life. Questionnaires to measure resolution of Stages 8 and 9, compiled from original descriptions, were completed by 32 women aged in their 80s or 90s, and 32 women aged in their 60s. Results showed there to be a significant correlation between age and resolution of Stage 9 ( P =.01), but not for Stage 8, and a significant difference between the mean scores of the two age groups for Stage 9 ( P =.03), but not for Stage 8. Recognition that there could be a stage of psycho-social development applicable to people aged in their 80s and 90s, would be a source of comfort to aging individuals themselves, as well as invaluable to friends, relatives, and carers.
Experimental and theoretical study of counter-current oil–water separation in wells with in-situ water injection

Abstract The study investigates a counter-current gravity separation in a downwards-flowing mixture of (up to 3%) oil in water. At much higher oil fraction, the separation is a basis for the conventional downhole oil–water separation (DOWS) where the whole oil and water separate in the well. In contrast, the counter-current separation of a very small oil content is needed in the new “downhole water loop” technique (DWL) prior to injecting the oil-free water in-situ. In the DWL triple-completed wells, the top completion produces oil and only trace of the oil contaminates the water drained by the lower “water sink” completion and is re-injected in-situ using the (third) bottom completion. A drift-flux concept was used to develop an empirical model for predicting the oil droplets raise velocity at different water flow velocities. The model was derived from experiments using seven different oils with a wide range of density, viscosity and interfacial tension values. The experiments monitored oil droplets ejected from a single perforation into the stream of water flowing downwards at various velocities. The results show that the oil–water interfacial tension is the most important factor in the separation process, as it controls the oil droplet size. This observation significantly simplifies the model by replacing the droplet size (most difficult to measure) with a correlation based on interfacial tension developed using the experimental results. The new model also considers the effect of oil viscosity that has been ignored in the co-current separation studies. (Our results reveal over 10% contribution of the viscosity effect to the counter-current separation process.) A practical finding in this study is the 0.33 ft/s (0.1 m/s) value of critical maximum water velocity for counter-current oil separation. In a real DWL well, this value corresponds to a point in the perforated well section above which separation takes place. It is also shown how oil separation could be predicted from a given water sink completion length and drainage–injection rate.
On the Theory of Residual Analyses and Abnormal Performance Metrics

In spite of the proliferation of alternative API metrics, little interpretation and comparison of them has been conducted. Their relationship with the capital asset pricing model has remained obscure. This paper attempts to clarify these and other issues. The major conclusion is that API (or residual) analysis is not satisfactory for testing market efficiency and, therefore, it seems premature to conclude that available evidence is consistent with efficiency.
Ambulatory diagnosis and treatment of nonmalignant pain in the united states, 2000-2010

Background:Escalating rates of prescription opioid use and abuse have occurred in the context of efforts to improve the treatment of nonmalignant pain.Objective:The aim of the study was to characterize the diagnosis and management of nonmalignant pain in ambulatory, office-based settings in the Unit
Imaging of thymic disorders

Evaluation of the thymus poses a challenge to the radiologist. In addition to age-related changes in thymic size, shape, and tissue composition, there is considerable variability in the normal adult thymic appearance within any age group. Many different types of disorders may affect the thymus, including hyperplasia, cysts, and benign and malignant neoplasms, both primary and secondary; clinical and imaging findings typical for each disease process are described in this article. Whereas computed tomography is the mainstay for imaging the thymus, other imaging modalities may occasionally provide additional structural or functional information.
A statistical method for estimating rates of soil development and ages of geologic deposits: A design for soil-chronosequence studies

A statistical method for estimating rates of soil development in a given region based on calibration from a series of dated soils is used to estimate ages of soils in the same region that are not dated directly. The method is designed specifically to account for sampling procedures and uncertainties that are inherent in soil studies. Soil variation and measurement error, uncertainties in calibration dates and their relation to the age of the soil, and the limited number of dated soils are all considered. Maximum likelihood (ML) is employed to estimate a parametric linear calibration curve, relating soil development to time or age on suitably transformed scales. Soil variation on a geomorphic surface of a certain age is characterized by replicate sampling of soils on each surface; such variation is assumed to have a Gaussian distribution. The age of a geomorphic surface is described by older and younger bounds. This technique allows age uncertainty to be characterized by either a Gaussian distribution or by a triangular distribution using minimum, best-estimate, and maximum ages. The calibration curve is taken to be linear after suitable (in certain cases logarithmic) transformations, if required, of the soil parameter and age variables. Soil variability, measurement error, and departures from linearity are described in a combined fashion using Gaussian distributions with variances particular to each sampled geomorphic surface and the number of sample replicates. Uncertainty in age of a geomorphic surface used for calibration is described using three parameters by one of two methods. In the first method, upper and lower ages are specified together with a coverage probability; this specification is converted to a Gaussian distribution with the appropriate mean and variance. In the second method, “absolute” older and younger ages are specified together with a most probable age; this specification is converted to an asymmetric triangular distribution with mode at the most probable age. The statistical variability of the ML-estimated calibration curve is assessed by a Monte Carlo method in which simulated data sets repeatedly are drawn from the distributional specification; calibration parameters are reestimated for each such simulation in order to assess their statistical variability. Several examples are used for illustration. The age of undated soils in a related setting may be estimated from the soil data using the fitted calibration curve. A second simulation to assess age estimate variability is described and applied to the examples.
Influence of assimilating rainfall derived from WSR‐88D radar on the rainstorm forecasts over the southwestern United States

[1] In this study, the impact of rainfall assimilation on the forecasts of convective rainfall over the mountainous areas in the southwestern United States is investigated. The rainfall is derived from the U.S. Weather Surveillance Radar–1988 Doppler (WSR-88D) radar network, and the fifth-generation Mesoscale Model (MM5) Four-Dimensional Variational (4DVAR) system is employed in the study. We evaluate the rainfall assimilation skill through two rainstorm events (5–6 August and 11–12 September 2002) that occurred over the southwestern United States in 2002. A series of experiments for the two cases is conducted. The results show that the minimization process in the 4DVAR is sensitive to the length of assimilation window and error variance in the observation data. Assimilation of rainfall can produce a better short-range precipitation forecast. However, the time range of improved forecasts is limited to about 15 hours with the model resolution of 20 km. It is indicated that rainfall assimilation produces more realistic moisture divergence and temperature fields in the initial conditions for the two cases. Therefore the forecast of rainstorms is closer to observations in both quantity and pattern.
Influence of race and socioeconomic status on outcome of children treated for childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

Purpose of reviewOverall, childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia is associated with an excellent outcome. The improvement in survival achieved during the last three decades is partially attributed to the identification of risk factors predicting a poor outcome and risk-stratified treatment of patien
On the calculated cross-sections of fusion reaction

We discuss tlie reason why there is a discrepancy between the calculated and the experimental cross-section in heavy-ion-heavy-ion scattering problem such as in the fusion reaction of64Ni+64Ni. We show that the difference in the part of the binding energies together with a factor due to the different extent of contact can explain this.
Achievement motivation in high achieving Latina women

This study investigated achievement motivation in high achieving, Latina women. Sixty‐three Latina women (43 doctoral graduates, 20 completers of doctoral course work) were administered the Work and Family Orientation Questionnaire (WOFO) (Helmreich & Spence, 1978), Sex‐Role Traditionalism Scale (SRTS) (Soto, 1979), Fear‐of‐Success Scale (FOSS) (Cohen, 1974) and a demographic questionnaire. A 90‐minute interview was conducted on a subsample of 10 of these women. Varying strengths in intrinsic achievement motives of mastery, work, competitiveness, and personal unconcern; low levels of sex‐role traditionalism (SRT); and low to average levels of fear of success (FOS) were quantitatively supported in the overall sample. The motives of work and mastery, and an extrinsic motive of generativity, as well as a range of SRT, emerged prominently from the subsample. Various affective, behavioral and cognitive manifestations of FOS, and negative consequences associated with SRT and FOS were qualitatively indicated. A ...
Overcoming challenges in implementing a minimally invasive esophagectomy program at a Veterans Administration medical center.

Abstract Background Minimally invasive esophagectomy (MIE) is a technically demanding procedure that requires expertise in laparoscopy and esophageal surgery. The authors hypothesized that the safe and effective development of such a program could be performed at a Veterans Administration health care system using existing faculty members. Methods Length of stay, operative factors, and morbidity and mortality of patients undergoing MIE from December 2007 to August 2009 were reviewed. Results Eighteen consecutive patients underwent planned MIE. They were all men, with a median age of 60 years (range, 43–69 years) and a median American Society of Anesthesiologists score of 3. Eighty-three percent were able to undergo MIE resection. Eighty-nine percent of patients received neoadjuvant therapy. The median operative duration was 420 minutes (range, 300–480 minutes). There was 1 death within 30 days because of a pulmonary embolus and 1 anastomotic leak. Three patients had postoperative pneumonias. The median and mean length of stay were 10 and 13 days, respectively (range, 6–50 days). Negative margins were achieved in all patients. The mean number of lymph nodes resected was 15 (range, 6–30). Conclusions The development of an MIE program is feasible at a Veterans Administration hospital when combining the expertise of minimally invasive and esophageal surgeons.
The boundary layer on a flat plate moving transversely in a rotating, stratified fluid

The motion of a horizontal plate moving in its own plane in a rotating, stratified fluid is studied to establish the parameter conditions specifying the onset of boundary-layer blocking for the entire range of Rossby and Russell numbers. Regimes in Rossby–Russell number space defining the range of applicability of the inertia–viscous, buoyancy–viscous, and Coriolis–viscous boundary-layer balances are presented, and similarity solutions valid over a limited region of that space are derived. The plate drag and heat transfer are computed from the similarity solutions.
Reconstruction of the human atrioventricular node.

The right atrioventricular junction and A-V node area in each of five human hearts was studied histologically in serial sections. The A-V node of a 54-year old female was reconstructed in four colors to provide a three-dimensional model of cardiac relationships, blood supply, and nodal configuration. The nodal fibers demonstrated two laminations. A superficial layer was composed of longitudinally oriented fibers, whereas a deeper layer was composed of oblique and transversely directed fibers. The atrioventricular bundle fibers were always continuous with nodal fibers of the deeper portion of the A-V node. Atrionodal fiber junctions occur along the superior, endocardial and inferior borders of the A-V node and impart to these surfaces a spiked appearance. The potential significance of A-V node structure to atrial cardiac conduction is presented.
New stereospecific syntheses and x-ray diffraction structures of (−)-D-- and (+)-L--4-fluoroglutamic acid

Abstract Stereospecific syntheses of (+)-L-threo and (−)-D-erythro-4-fluoroglutamic acid are based on the hydrolysis of methyl 1-acetyl-4-fluoro-L-pyrrolidin-5-one-2-carboxylate, prepared from trans- and cis-4-hydroxyprolines, respectively.
Contributions of Nuclear Cardiology to Diagnosis and Prognosis of Patients With Coronary Artery Disease

In the past decade, significant advances have been made in the ability to image the heart with radionuclide tracers under stress and resting conditions in patients with suspected or known coronary artery disease (CAD) for the detection of ischemia, determination of prognosis, assessment of myocardial viability, preoperative risk assessment for patients undergoing noncardiac surgery, and evaluation of the efficacy of revascularization in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass surgery or an interventional procedure.1 For many years, planar imaging and SPECT with 201Tl constituted the only scintigraphic techniques available for detecting CAD and assessing prognosis in patients undergoing stress perfusion imaging. The major limitation of 201Tl scintigraphy is the high false-positive rate observed in many laboratories, which is attributed predominantly to image attenuation artifacts and variants of normal that are interpreted as defects consequent to a significant coronary artery stenosis. Although quantification of 201Tl images improves specificity, the false-positive rate remains problematic, particularly in women and in obese patients. Breast attenuation artifacts in women are sometimes difficult to distinguish from perfusion abnormalities secondary to inducible ischemia or myocardial scar. In recent years, new 99mTc-labeled perfusion agents have been introduced into clinical practice to enhance the specificity of SPECT and to provide additional information regarding regional and global left ventricular systolic function via ECG gating of images. It was immediately apparent that the quality of images obtained with these new 99mTc-labeled radionuclides was superior to that of images obtained with 201Tl because of the more favorable physical characteristics of 99mTc imaging with a gamma camera. With 99mTc, doses of ≈10 to 20 times higher than those that are feasible with 201Tl can be administered, yielding images with higher count density. 99mTc demonstrates less scatter and attenuation than 201Tl, which is associated …
A Competitive Test for Uniformity of Monotone Distributions

We propose a test that takes random samples drawn from a monotone distribution and decides whether or not the distribution is uniform. The test is nearly optimal in that it uses at most O(n p logn) samples, where n is the number of samples that a genie who knew all but one bit about the underlying distribution would need for the same task. Conversely, we show that any such test would require ( n p logn) samples for some distributions.
Conservative management of a grade V injury to an ectopic pelvic kidney following blunt trauma to the lower abdomen: a case report

Ectopic pelvic kidneys represent an anatomic variant that remains clinically asymptomatic in most patients. While there is some literature to suggest that ectopic kidneys may be more predisposed to blunt trauma injuries, there are few examples to guide the management of these injuries. To our knowledge, we present the first case of a grade V renal injury to an ectopic pelvic kidney managed successfully with conservative measures. We present a case of grade V renal injury to an ectopic pelvic kidney in a 21 year-old African-American male. The clinical and radiographic findings are presented, along with the patient's conservative hospital course. We suggest that management of grade V renal injuries to ectopic pelvic kidneys can be treated similarly to that of kidneys in normal anatomic position. Conservative measures may be considered in properly selected patients.