cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
3-D seismic interpretation of late Tertiary structural heterogeneities in the mature giant oil field La Cira-Infantas, Middle Magdalena Valley Basin (Colombia).

Summary La Cira-Infantas oil field is characterized by a series of structural heterogeneities associated with early and late Tertiary tectonic events. An intensely folded, faulted, and eroded Cretaceous sequence underlies the Tertiary cover below the Eocene unconformity. The west flank of a large antiform, elongated in north-south direction, is highly fractured by thrust faults that generate a series of asymmetric secondary folds. Late Tertiary structural heterogeneities comprise La Cira and Infantas anticlines and two groups of associated faults. The first group includes a set of low-angle reverse faults with east- and west-vergence. Moreover, there are a number of important normal faults, which compartmentalize La Cira and Infantas anticlines into a set of reservoir blocks. Two different patterns of normal faults were identified in plan view: longitudinal and oblique. The structural interpretation of 3-D seismic data, based on a set of closely spaced measurements of the fault slip, allows also an accurate mapping and analysis of the distribution of cumulative slip on across normal faults. These faults, formerly interpreted as continuous fault planes, consist of several overstepping segments. A simple parallel and small-displacement wrench zone poorly developed during the Miocene-Pliocene explains the folding, thrusting, and normal faulting of the Tertiary deposits in the La Cira-Infantas structure. The new model of structural heterogeneities provides a clear delineation of the field production boundaries and compartments, and a structural configuration concordant with the tectonic history of the basin.
The blind lead the blind

Medical interests have long been fascinated with the eye, if for no other reason than for the diseases and anomalies it exhibits. More recently, much interest has been concentrated on the areas of psychology and neurophysiology, for which the eye, particularly the retina, offers the opportunity for intimate study of the input region for perception and cognitive processes. The physiology of the eye has been thoroughly examined and its optical nature is well understood. Recently, distinguished work in molecular biology has progressed toward a rather complete story of the light response of the retina. Yet neurophysiological data pertaining to the visual perception of man and other species appears to be only in the early stages of investigation. As the depth of neural processing becomes greater, exploring the mystery becomes more complicated, even with today's sophisticated experimental techniques. With such a brief summary of our understanding of seeing, let me deal with the visual aspects of computer work that relates to our perceptual behavior. Then perhaps we can return to consider our extraordinary abilities in a new light. Most of the developments I will describe have been efforts to solve the problem of having the computer communicate with men as efficiently as possible. The eyes have long been recognized as the richest source of man's knowledge of his world; yet we severely limit this faculty when reading. We compromise the vast capabilities of vision when following text, because of the production techniques that have evolved to produce a linear symbol string. Language is the outgrowth of auditory signaling, later recorded in pictures. The sounds we make are resonant modifications of the noise produced by the vocal cords; we generate graphics with arm and hand motions, guided by touch and sight. Thus the rather primitive muscle systems of the throat, mouth, arm, and hand limit language, and the scope of what we can hear and see is compiomised. Here technology may perhaps offer instruments which, by extending our productive capabilities, may improve upon our present languages, if only we were not so blind to our own perceptual potentialities. There appears to be a natural division into two categories of computer functions in the visual arts. We can refer to them variously as production and recognition, or roughly output and input. First let us consider production of visual material, then the cognitive processes which are currently being explored with computers, and finally examples of those cases where the two are closely coupled.
Musings on 20 years of RNA.

It's hard to believe it has been 20 years since RNA was first published. I still recall picking up that first issue as a graduate student and thumbing through its pages. I could not then have imagined or predicted that in the following 20 years I would publish 13 papers in the journal, serve on the Editorial Board, and be one of the Editors of RNA. Needless to say, the journal has become an important facet of my life, and I believe a cornerstone of the RNA Society and the RNA field in general. Here I reminisce about how my career in RNA evolved, reflect on the journal, and outline what I consider to be some of the biggest changes in the field over the past 20 years and some of the most exciting things we have to look forward to.
Application of Semantic Feature Analysis as a Treatment for Aphasic Dysnomia

Despite agreement that dysnomia affects virtually every aphasic patient, there is no consensus about the purpose and effectiveness of techniques to treat it. Semantic Feature Analysis (SFA) is a treatment technique designed to improve retrieval of conceptual information by accessing semantic networks. This paper reports the application of SFA as a treatment for aphasic dysnomia to a subject with Broca's aphasia. SFA was effective for improving confrontation naming and for generalizing the improvement to untreated pictures. However, no generalization to connected speech was seen on the measures used in this study. Discussion will focus on possible reasons for these results.
Combined mode I-mode III fracture toughness of a spherodized 1090 steel

Abstract The aim of this investigation was to determine the fracture behavior of a spherodized 1090 steel under combined mode I-mode III loading conditions. Suitably defined formulations of the J integral denoted Jic and Jiiic were used to characterize the elastic-plastic fracture of this steel. As the mode III component in the system is increased, the resolved mode I J integral at initiation decreases, its mode III counterpart increases and the total J value remains nearly a constant. This implies a constant energy requirement for fracture initiation under mixed mode loading. As the crack plane becomes less inclined to the load line, the slopes of the mode I and total J resistance curves increase from their pure mode I values until a crack inclination angle of about 65° is reached. Somewhere in the region of 65-55°, a maximum in these values is reached and they fall off rapidly for larger mode III components. This drop is accompanied by the breakup of the crack front into mode I and mode III steps, which is shown to be an energetically more favorable process for this steel.
The Relationship Between Speech-Language Impairments and Reading Disabilities

A group of children with speech-language impairments was identified in kindergarten and given a battery of speech-language tests and measures of phonological awareness and rapid automatized naming. Subjects were followed in first and second grades and administered tests of written word recognition and reading comprehension. The children with speech-language impairments were found to perform less well on reading tests than a nonimpaired comparison group. Subjects’ performance on standardized measures of language ability in kindergarten was observed to be closely related to reading outcome, especially reading comprehension. Measures of phonological awareness and rapid automatized naming, on the other hand, were found to be the best predictors of written word recognition. The implications of these findings for the early identification and remediation of reading disabilities are discussed.
Benefit of Adjustability When Depalletizing: A NIOSH Lifting Equation Assessment

Manual material handling is very prevalent in warehousing and large home improvement stores. Product is often shipped on pallets and then loaded to carts or pallet jacks. The objective of the current study was to evaluate two potential interventions: an adjustable pallet carousel and adjustable cart, using the NIOSH lifting index. Thirteen experienced males completed de-palletizing tasks under 4 conditions: pallet to flat cart, pallet to adjustable cart, carousel to flat cart, and carousel to adjustable cart. The carousel reduced the LI by about 20% while the adjustable cart had limited impact. Based on the NIOSH LI, the carousel provide a reduction in risk but remained elevated (e.g. LI>3.0) and the adjustable cart was less effective (LI>4.6). Caution is needed to interpret these results as the spine loads may be significantly reduced and provide a different picture.
The relationship between posttraumatic growth and substance use in homeless women with histories of traumatic experience.

Posttraumatic growth (PTG)—namely, the experience of positive change in oneself or one's life following trauma—is particularly relevant for homeless women because they have greater trauma exposure than the general population, as well as higher rates of substance use. The present study examined PTG and substance use in this population. Fifty homeless women with trauma histories participated. In line with predictions, more current substance use was related to less PTG, more reliance on avoidant coping once approach coping was accounted for, and greater PTSD symptomatology. Levels of growth were comparable to those found in samples with less trauma exposure.
Molecular assemblies that control rhodopsin transport to the cilia.

Abstract This review will focus on the conserved molecular mechanisms for the specific targeting of rhodopsin and rhodopsin-like sensory receptors to the primary cilia. We will discuss the molecular assemblies that control the movement of rhodopsin from the central sorting station of the cell, the trans-Golgi network (TGN), into membrane-enclosed rhodopsin transport carriers (RTCs), and their delivery to the primary cilia and the cilia-derived sensory organelle, the rod outer segment (ROS). Recent studies reveal that these processes are initiated by the synergistic interaction of rhodopsin with the active form of the G-protein Arf4 and the Arf GTPase activating protein (GAP) ASAP1. During rhodopsin progression, ASAP1 serves as an activation platform that brings together the proteins necessary for transport to the cilia, including the Rab11a–Rabin8–Rab8 complex involved in ciliogenesis. These specialized molecular assemblies, through successive action of discrete modules, cooperatively determine how rhodopsin and other rhodopsin-like signaling receptors gain access to primary cilia.
Expression, Delivery and Function of Insecticidal Proteins Expressed by Recombinant Baculoviruses

Since the development of methods for inserting and expressing genes in baculoviruses, a line of research has focused on developing recombinant baculoviruses that express insecticidal peptides and proteins. These recombinant viruses have been engineered with the goal of improving their pesticidal potential by shortening the time required for infection to kill or incapacitate insect pests and reducing the quantity of crop damage as a consequence. A wide variety of neurotoxic peptides, proteins that regulate insect physiology, degradative enzymes, and other potentially insecticidal proteins have been evaluated for their capacity to reduce the survival time of baculovirus-infected lepidopteran host larvae. Researchers have investigated the factors involved in the efficient expression and delivery of baculovirus-encoded insecticidal peptides and proteins, with much effort dedicated to identifying ideal promoters for driving transcription and signal peptides that mediate secretion of the expressed target protein. Other factors, particularly translational efficiency of transcripts derived from recombinant insecticidal genes and post-translational folding and processing of insecticidal proteins, remain relatively unexplored. The discovery of RNA interference as a gene-specific regulation mechanism offers a new approach for improvement of baculovirus biopesticidal efficacy through genetic modification.
Viral interference by defective particles of vesicular stomatitis virus measured in individual cells

Abstract The exponential relationship usually observed between the yield of infectious vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) as a function of multiplicity of interfering particles was interpreted by Bellett and Cooper to mean that in most cells infection by one interfering particle was sufficient to exclude totally the yield of infectious virus. We have tested directly this model for the action of defective-interfering particles (DIP) in blocking the replication of vesicular stomatitis virus by measuring the total yield of infectious virus from individual cells coinfected with several plaque-forming particles of vesicular stomatitis virus and various multiplicities of defective-interfering particles. Single cells were manipulated by the pecher (“fishing”) technique, a procedure which eliminates sampling error and the need to correct single-cell-yield data for the fraction of samples without cells. We established conclusively that in most cells one or a few DIP sufficed to interfere totally with the yield of infectious virus. Thus, interference can be so efficient that a single cell capable of producing over 5000 infectious particles will not yield any infectious virus when simultaneously infected with a single defective-interfering particle. We also observed a decrease in the efficiency of interference in cells infected with higher multiplicities of DIP-an interference with interference. The pecher procedure provides an extremely easy and rapid means for determining the effects of various conditions and reagents on the yield of virus from a single cell, and offers a simple technique for cloning defective-interfering particles.
Olanzapine treatment of anorexia nervosa: A retrospective study

Background Recent reports raise the possibility that olanzapine, which commonly causes weight gain in non–eating-disordered subjects, assisted weight gain and mood during refeeding in anorexia nervosa (AN) patients. Methods Eighteen AN subjects who engaged in open treatment with olanzapine were retrospectively questioned about their response. Results Subjects reported a significant reduction in anxiety, difficulty eating, and core eating disorder symptoms after taking olanzapine. Discussion These data lend support to the possibility that olanzapine may be useful in AN patients. Conclusion A controlled trial is necessary to prove that olanzapine is efficacious. © 2003 by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Eat Disord 33: 234–237, 2003.
Mining Medical Databases with Modified Gini Index Classification

Decision tree classification is a common method used in data mining. It has been used for predicting medical diagnoses. Among data mining methods for classification, decision trees have several advantages such as they are simple to understand and interpret; they are able to handle both numerical and categorical attributes. However, it is well-known that when Gini index is used for classification, the method biases multivalued attributes. In addition to having difficulty when the number of classes is large, the method also tends to favor tests that result in equal-sized partitions and purity in all partitions. In this paper, we modify the Gini-based decision tree method. To overcome the known problems, we normalize the Gini indexes by taking into account information about the splitting status of all attributes. Instead of using the Gini index for attribute selection as usual, we use ratios of Gini indexes and their splitting values in order to reduce the biases. We report our experiments with several benchmark medical data bases. Comparisons between our method and other known classification algorithms are provided.
Antisense inhibition of the renin-angiotensin system in brain and peripheral organs.

Abstract Antisense inhibition is a method of attenuating the target at the gene expression level. There are two main groups of molecular tools for this goal. The first includes the use of short synthetic stretches of DNA—antisense oligodeoxynucleotides. The second tool is the use of vectors (plasmids or viruses) containing the gene of interest subcloned in the antisense orientation, which in the cells produces the antisense RNA. Both antisense DNA and RNA can bind to the complementary sense mRNA and interfere with its translation. Effects are usually short lasting (days) for oligodeoxynucleotides and longer lasting (weeks or months) for vectors. In this article we briefly describe techniques of antisense inhibition in the context of the renin–angiotensin system.
Modeling construction manufacturing processes using foresight

An essential part of the planning and control of any manufacturing system is the development of a model of the key processes. The Critical Path Method (CPM) is the most widely used modeling method in construction due to its simplicity. Discrete-event simulation is more versatile than CPM and is well suited to modeling manufacturing processes since these tend to be repetitive, but it lacks the simplicity in use of CPM and thus has not been widely adopted in construction. This paper demonstrates an alternative modelling approach, Foresight, developed to provide the modeling versatility of simulation, and yet be relatively simple to use and visually insightful. Previous work demonstrated the application of Foresight to in-place construction work and compared its performance to conventional simulation. This paper extends this work, demonstrating the application of Foresight to manufactured construction processes whereby streams of jobs, with design variances, are executed within a factory.
Dietary fatty acids modulate host bacteriocidal response,microbial translocation and survival following blood transfusion and thermal injury

The effect of dietary lipids on bacterial translocation, killing of translocated organisms and host survival was studied in a burned animal model. Balb/c mice were fed with one of the three experimental AIN-76A diets (containing 15% of energy from fish oil, safflower oil or a 50:50 mixture), AIN- 76A without added lipids or a nonpurified stock diet. All animals were transfused on day 10. On day 15, the animals were gavaged with 10 l° 14C radiolabelled Escherichia coli and given a 20% burn injury. Survival was 84% in the fish oil group versus 36% in the safflower oil and 50:50 diet groups, and 25% and 20% in the two control groups (P< 0.0001). The numbers of viable translocating bacteria were reduced in all tested organs in the fish oil groups compared to the other groups. It is concluded that a diet enriched in fish oil has beneficial effects during gut-derived sepsis.
Enabling Clearance Predictions to Emerge from In Silico Actions of Quasi-Autonomous Hepatocyte Components

We demonstrate the feasibility of using in silico hepatocyte cultures (ISHCs) to provide predictions of the intrinsic clearance (CL) of compounds in hepatocyte cultures. We compare results with predictions obtained using a multiple linear regression method. Our expectation is that the method can be extended to predict in vivo clearance of new compounds in humans. Within ISHCs, mobile "compounds" carry information describing referent compound properties. We used an iterative refinement protocol for ISHC refinement and development of parameterization methods. Quasi-autonomous "hepatocytes" and their components (including "transporters" and "enzymes") use a small, event-specific subset of compound properties to decide how to interact with encountered compounds each simulation cycle. The probability of occurrence for each event is specified by a rule that uses a subset of compound properties known to influence that event in vitro. ISHC experiments mimic in vitro counterparts. In silico clearance is measured the same as in vitro clearance and is used to predict a corresponding CL value. For 39 of 73 compounds having calculated CL S.D.s, 79% of ISHC predictions and 23% of regression predictions were within CL ± 2 S.D. For all 73 compounds, 38% of ISHC predictions and 32% of regression predictions were within a factor of 2 of the referent CL values. ISHC details during simulations stand as a mechanistic hypothesis of how clearance phenomena emerge during in vitro experiments.
A petition to a woman at the Fatimid court (413–414 a.h. /1022–23 c.e. )

The Genizah of the Ben Ezra synagogue in Fustat preserved dozens of petitions addressed to the Fatimid and Ayyubid chanceries in Cairo and decrees that they issued in response. This article provides an edition, translation, and discussion of a petition housed among the Genizah documents of the Bodleian Library directed to Sitt al-Mulk, half-sister of the caliph al-Ḥākim (386–411/996–1021) and head of the Fatimid state between his death and her own in 414/1023. Geoffrey Khan had previously identified two petitions to a Fatimid princess housed in Cambridge and New York; it is likely that they, too, were addressed to Sitt al-Mulk. Such documents elucidate Sitt al-Mulk's role in government after her brother's death and provide evidence for the chronicler al-Musabbiḥī's claim that she received and responded to petitions from subjects. The article offers possible explanations as to why petitions such as this one, which concerns an Ismaili mosque, should have found their way to the Jewish community of Fustat whose members reused and preserved them. It also suggests some broader conclusions about the dispersal, survival, or disappearance of pre-Ottoman Middle Eastern archives and documents.
Reducing connected dominating set size with multipoint relays in ad hoc wireless networks

Broadcasting is an important communication mechanism in ad hoc wireless networks. The simplest way to do broadcasting is pure flooding, in which each node retransmits a packet after receiving it, thus generates many redundant retransmissions. The rule based on dominating sets can reduce the number of retransmissions. A dominating set is a set of nodes such that any node in the network is a neighbor of some element in the set. However, computing a minimum size connected dominating set is NP hard. Several existing algorithms use the idea of multipoint relays to reduce the size of the connected dominating set. The authors of this paper observed that these algorithms can be further improved. Thus, three improvements are introduced here. It is proved that these improvements can compute a connected dominating set of the network, and simulation results show that they can further reduce the size of the dominating set. Also, extensions to power-aware broadcasting algorithms are discussed.
Exact circuit analysis of spherical waves

A circuit representation for the impedance of spherical waves radiating from a spherical boundary was derived using a partial fraction expansion by Chu in order to establish gain bandwidth limitations for antennas. These circuits are derived directly from the recurrence relations for spherical Bessel functions. They provide an exact analog of the field solution both inside and outside of a spherical surface for any values of permittivity ( \epsilon ) and permeability ( \mu ). Since the circuits have the form of high-pass filters, they provide significant physical insight into scattering and radiation problems, suggest suitable asymptotic or approximate forms and allow circuit concepts and theorems to be brought to bear in order to solve specific configurations or to set general performance bounds. As an example of their application, compact computer programs for the radar cross section of conducting and dielectric spheres, the minimum Q 's for antennas, the Q 's and resonant frequencies of dielectric spheres and the induced current at the specular and shadow points of a conducting sphere are given. Other illustrative results are the short pulse responses of a solid dielectric and a dielectric-coated sphere computed using the circuit surge impedance and multiple reflection terms; and the response of a hypothetical scatterer in which the TE and TM modes are coupled.
On the effect of boundary conditions on resistive instabilities in rapidly rotating fluids

Abstract The effect of boundary conditions on resistive instability is examined in a plane layer that rotates rapidly about an axis at an angle θ to vertical. A uniform, incompressible, inviscid fluid of density ρ, electrical conductivity [sgrave], magnetic permeability μ, is confined between two walls z = 0, d. The prevailing magnetic field, B 0(z), studied in this paper is a horizontal, sheared, force-free field of constant strength . The angular velocity ω of the layer is large: ω ≫ V A /d, where is the Alfven velocity. The (nondimensional) Elsasser number, λ = σℬ2/2ωρ, measures σ.
Application of fracture mechanics and half-cycle theory to the prediction of fatigue life of aerospace structural components

The service life of aircraft structural components undergoing random stress cycling was analyzed by the application of fracture mechanics. The initial crack sizes at the critical stress points for the fatigue crack growth analysis were established through proof load tests. The fatigue crack growth rates for random stress cycles were calculated using the half-cycle method. A new equation was developed for calculating the number of remaining flights for the structural components. The number of remaining flights predicted by the new equation is much lower than that predicted by the conventional equation.
A mathematical model of distal nephron acidification: diuretic effects.

Through their action on the distal nephron (DN), diuretics may produce systemic acid-base disturbances: metabolic alkalosis with thiazides or loop diuretics and metabolic acidosis with amiloride. E...
Using Idealized Coherent Structures to Parameterize Momentum Fluxes in a PBL Mass-Flux Model

In 2001, the authors presented a higher-order mass-flux model called assumed distributions with higherorder closure (ADHOC), which represents the large eddies of the planetary boundary layer (PBL) in terms of an assumed joint distribution of the vertical velocity and scalars such as potential temperature or water vapor mixing ratio. ADHOC is intended for application as a PBL parameterization. It uses the equations of higher-order closure to predict selected moments of the assumed distribution, and diagnoses the parameters of the distribution from the predicted moments. Once the parameters of the distribution are known, all moments of interest can be computed. The first version of ADHOC was incomplete in that the horizontal momentum equations, the vertical fluxes of horizontal momentum, the contributions to the turbulence kinetic energy from the horizontal wind, and the various pressure terms involving covariances between pressure and other variables were not incorporated into the assumed distribution framework. Instead, these were parameterized using standard methods. This paper describes an updated version of ADHOC. The new version includes representations of the horizontal winds and momentum fluxes that are consistent with the mass-flux framework of the model. The assumed joint probability distribution is replaced by an assumed joint spatial distribution based on an idealized coherent structure, such as a plume or roll. The horizontal velocity can then be determined using the continuity equation, and the momentum fluxes and variances are computed directly by spatial integration. These expressions contain unknowns that involve the parameters of the assumed coherent structures. Methods are presented to determine these parameters, which include the radius of convective updrafts and downdrafts and the wavelength, tilt, and orientation angle of the convective rolls. The parameterization is tested by comparison with statistics computed from large-eddy simulations. In a companion paper, the results of this paper are built on to determine the perturbation pressure terms needed by the model.
Observational Properties of the Orion Nebula Proplyds

?????Hubble Space Telescope Planetary Camera images have been used to quantitatively determine key parameters characterizing emission-line proplyds in the Orion Nebula. A previous conclusion that the objects are radiation-bounded ionization fronts is confirmed and found to be in excellent agreement with the observations. Only a very loose correlation of proplyd size with distance from the ionizing star ?1 Ori C was found. The brightness distribution around the bright cusp facing ?1 Ori C is found to not be in agreement with simple spherical models. The brightness distribution along radial lines passing through the center of the proplyds was subjected to careful analysis, including the finite resolution of the camera. It was found that the proplyd atmospheres are more compact than the r-3 relation expected for a freely expanding gas; rather, the best fit is to a surface brightness decreasing exponentially with a scale height of 7 ? 1014 cm. This observation argues that the proplyds are not rapidly losing material and hence may not be short-lived objects, a conclusion also reached through consideration of their frequency and location. This also requires a constraining force that is isotropic, since the scale height does not depend upon the orientation with respect to ?1 Ori C. Arguments are presented that this constraining force is provided by radiation pressure of nebular Ly? photons acting upon the dust mixed with the proplyd gas.
Scouting Methods for Detection of Thrips (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) on Dendrobium Orchids in Hawaii

Thrips are important pests of dendrobium orchid flowers in Hawaii primarily because of the risk that exported flowers found to be infested will be rejected by quarantine inspectors. Using nondestructive sampling, the population dynamics of thrips infesting dendrobium orchids was monitored at two farms on the Island of Hawaii over a period of 1 yr. Average thrips populations varied between 0 and 1.0 thrips per spray (flower spike). At both sites, adult thrips almost always outnumbered nymphs. The western flower thrips, Frankliniella occidentalis (Pergande), was the predominant species found. Using randomization tests, adult thrips were found to be randomly distributed on orchid sprays. The binomial probability distribution was used to graphically describe the accuracy of scouting results as a function of sample size and the proportion of thrips-infested flowers. Efficient methods for counting adult thrips included nondestructive field counts (direct observation), flower shakes, and extractions via Berlese funnels.
Medical management of adolescent drug overdoses.

This article outlines the current clinical approach to poisonings in the adolescent age group. Management issues are presented for several specific substances frequently abused by this population. The purpose of such a review is to stimulate self-education in the practitioner. A secondary goal is to promote awareness of the various manifestations of substance abuse problems to facilitate recognition and referral. Adolescence is often a critical point for effective intervention and prevention on the road from use to addiction. Long-term survival may depend more on substance use rehabilitation than on the initial medical management. Language: en
Performance Characteristics of Eggshell Co/SiO2 Fischer–Tropsch Catalysts: A Modeling Study

We investigate the performance characteristics of cobalt catalyst (Co/SiO2) pellets with eggshell morphology used in Fischer–Tropsch synthesis (FTS). An analytical strategy is developed first, to estimate the optimum thickness of active shell. When the system is strongly mass transfer limited (Thiele Modulus ≫ 1) it can be represented by slab geometry in order to determine the shell thickness. Otherwise, the analysis is done on a spherical geometry. In the latter case, the continuity equation simplifies into the Emden–Fowler equation which was solved via a numerical iterative technique based on prior investigations. A more accurate detailed numerical solution was also developed for this intrapellet model. This numerical result is compared with the analytical solution as well as with a previously published model. The sensitivity of the catalyst performance to temperature and pressure variations was also examined. Performance analysis was carried out considering both rate of reaction and α chain growth prob...
Histamine increases venular permeability via a phospholipase C-NO synthase-guanylate cyclase cascade

In this study, we hypothesized that histaminergic increases in venular permeability result from a cascade triggered by activation of phospholipase C (PLC), inducing the synthesis of nitric oxide (NO) and activating guanylate cyclase. The apparent permeability coefficient to albumin (Pa) was measured in isolated porcine coronary venules subjected to constant flow and hydrostatic and oncotic pressures. Histamine (2.5, 5, and 10 microM) transiently and progressively increased Pa. The PLC inhibitor 2-nitro-4-carboxyphenyl N,N-diphenylcarbamate (NCDC; 100 microM) decreased baseline permeability and abolished the effect of histamine. The NO synthase inhibitor NG-monomethyl-L-arginine (L-NMMA; 10 microM) and the guanylate cyclase inhibitor 6-anilinoquinoline-5,8-quinone (LY 83583; 10 microM) also blocked the histamine-induced hyperpermeability. L-Arginine (3 mM) reversed the inhibition by L-NMMA. NG-monomethyl-D-arginine did not influence the effect of histamine. Furthermore, sodium nitroprusside (10 microM) augmented Pa by two- to threefold; this effect was blocked in the presence of LY 83583 but not altered in the presence of NCDC. The results suggest that histamine increases coronary venular permeability by a direct action on the venular endothelial cells through a PLC-NO synthase-guanylate cyclase-signaling cascade.
Parasites of Green Cloverworm on Soybean in Arkansas

Field surveys in Arkansas soybean fields, 1974–76, indicated that Apanteles marginiventris (Cresson) is the most abundant parasite of green cloverworm larval populations and Rogas nolophanae Ashmead is a parasite of secondary importance. Research from other soybean areas in the U.S. report these 2 parasites in reverse order of abundance. It is possible that A. marginiventris has an advantage over R. nolophanae in Arkansas since both species attack the same larval stages of the host. A. marginiventris appears to be a very effective parasite of the green cloverworm in Arkansas.
FAULT TOLERANT DESIGN AND AUTONOMOUS SPACECRAFT

This paper describes some of the work related to the Air Force Systems Command Space Division satellite autonomy program including historical background, scope and present status. That aspect of autonomy dealing with onboard fault detection, isolation, and recovery is emphasized. Definitions are given of the concepts of fault-tolerant design and autonomy, together with the rationale of their importance. Also discussed is how fault tolerance relates to both autonomy and reliability. Finally, this Paper describes two important efforts in the development of the Space Division satellite autonomy program: 1) An Air Force Office of Scientific Research sponsored study on autonomous spacecraft maintenance.
In Return: Equality or Efficiency

In order to embody the justifiable principle of education and lighten the financial burden, the governments around the world have carried out the institution of students loan. But they are plunged in a difficult situation to make the choice between equality and efficiency. In the face of this, the governments have taken different measures: some put emphasis on equality, some on efficiency, others give both equal considerations. Some of them succeed, some fail. Whatever the outcome is, their experience and lessons can be a guidance to our practice in China.
Analysis of Location Problem and Innovation of Management of Scientific Research in Higher Education in the "2011 Project "

With the practice of the national "2011 project",new requirements to talent cultivation,discipline construction and research ability in universities are raised.Scientific research management in Colleges and universities is the key to implement the important link to explore actively in the relation of "talent,discipline and research.",so as to promote effectively the "2011 project" in the thought,mechanism and system innovation.
Abstract 8743: Assessment of Aortic Annulus Diameter with Three-dimensional Transesophageal Echocardiography: Implications for Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation

Background: Transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) relies on imaging of the aortic annulus for device sizing. 3D transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) may provide more accurate dimensions than 2DTEE because the annulus shape is oblong rather than circular. We compared 2DTEE and 3DTEE annular measurements and hypothesized that 3DTEE could impact strategy in TAVI by influencing the decision to implant a device and prosthesis size. Methods: Annular diameter was measured with 2DTEE and 3DTEE in 41 consecutive patients with severe aortic stenosis who underwent TAVI. 2DTEE measurements were taken at the leaflet insertion points in the long axis view. 3DTEE diameter was calculated as the mean of minor and major axes measurements of the annulus, which was located at the base of all 3 leaflets from reconstructed orthogonal long and short axis views. Device implantation and prosthesis size were chosen based on manufacturer guidelines (Edwards Lifesciences, Irvine, CA) using perioperative 3DTEE measurements. Agreements between 2DTEE and 3DTEE measurements were assessed. Impact on TAVI strategy was determined if the 2DTEE measurement would Results in exclusion or selection of a different prosthesis size than what was chosen during the actual procedure. Results: 3DTEE measurements of the annulus correlated well with 2DTEE (r = 0.77, p 2+) paravalvular or central aortic regurgitation. Conclusions: Use of 3DTEE during TAVI improves visualization of annulus shape and may have important clinical implications for device sizing. The low incidence of clinically significant postoperative valve regurgitation in our study suggests appropriate sizing was obtained using 3DTEE. 2DTEE led to larger measurements than 3DTEE and would have changed strategy in 1/3 of patients, including the exclusion of patients who successfully underwent device implantation.
MtDNA: The small workhorse of evolutionary studies.

Abstract The double-stranded, circular mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA), which is present in all eukaryotic life forms, was initially discovered and characterized in the last century and has been widely used in evolutionary studies. Since then, a large number of studies have taken advantage of the genetic information encoded in this genome. Because of its small size in animals (in general), the technical ease of manipulating mitochondrial genome and the dynamics of its evolutionary change, this genome has been the workhorse of evolutionary studies over the past three decades. However, the ease with which nuclear DNA can be manipulated due to next generation sequencing (NGS) methods, has recently caused an expected dip in the use of mtDNA in evolutionary studies. This review examines the future of mitochondrial DNA as a useful tool in studies centered around evolution.
Heterogeneity of Carbapenem Resistance Mechanisms Among Gram-Negative Pathogens in Lebanon: Results of the First Cross-Sectional Countrywide Study.

Carbapenem-resistant Gram-negative pathogens have progressively disseminated to different countries worldwide, presenting a serious public health concern. The aims of this study were to determine the prevalence of carbapenem resistance in Gram-negative bacteria in Lebanon, to elucidate molecular mechanisms, and to identify genetic relatedness of incriminated strains. Carbapenem nonsusceptible Enterobacteriaceae, Acinetobacter baumannii, and Pseudomonas were collected from 11 Lebanese hospitals in 2012. Antimicrobial susceptibility was assessed with phenotypic tests, genes encoding carbapenemases were screened via PCR-sequencing, and genetic relatedness was examined by PGFE and ERIC-PCR. A total of 398 nonrepetitive carbapenem nonsusceptible isolates were studied, of which 44 were Enterobacteriaceae, 142 were A. baumannii, and 212 were Pseudomonas. Among Enterobacteriaceae, 70.4% carried blaOXA-48-like gene on IncL/M-type plasmids, while acquired AmpC cephalosporinases, extended-spectrum-β-lactamases, and ...
Bespoke Recordings: The Limits of Intellectual Property and the Revival of the Music Industry

The recording industry and Hollywood in general have responded to declining music sales by attempting to expand excessively intellectual property protection, domestically through the proposed, yet indefinitely postponed, Stop Online Piracy Act and the Preventing Real Online Threats to Economic Creativity and Theft of Intellectual Property Act, and internationally through the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement and the intellectual property provisions of the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement. Such legislation restricts free speech, reduces innovation, and weakens due process rights on the internet. This paper proposes an alternative revenue-generating strategy—bespoke musical recordings that would be privately auctioned rather than publicly released. For example, a recording of Anne-Sophie Mutter playing a piece she has never publicly performed would be sold to a music lover or an investment fund as a one-of-a-kind recording, as unique as an Artemisia Gentileschi painting or a Camille Claudel sculpture. Besides providing the recording industry with additional revenue, bespoke recordings would generate more income for musicians, augment funds for music outreach programs and other music nonprofits, and increase the chances of discovering new musical talent. Similarly to many new markets, it would take time for such recordings to generate substantial revenue. To aid the development of a fluid market for bespoke recordings, numerous new legal and institutional arrangements would be established, including a bespoke recording registry, tailored contractual agreements, anti-counterfeit protections, and a secure bespoke recording storage facility. By facilitating an extreme form of ownership for isolated recordings, we might prevent the overall expansion of the intellectual property regime.
Evaluation of the "Angelina Jolie Effect" on Screening Mammography Utilization in an Academic Center.

Abstract Purpose The aim of this study was to understand the impact on screening mammography at our institution, comparing weekly utilization in the 2 years before and the 2 years after Ms Angelina Jolie disclosed in the New York Times on May 13, 2013, that she had had a prophylactic double mastectomy. Methods All 48,110 consecutive screening mammograms conducted at our institution between May 16, 2011, and May 16, 2015, were selected from our electronic medical record system. We used interrupted time series statistical models and graphical methods on utilization data to understand utilization changes before and after Ms Jolie's news. Results The graphed trend of weekly screening mammogram utilization failed to show changes around the time of interest. Analytical models and statistical tests also failed to show a step change increase or acceleration of utilization around May 2013. However, graphical and time series analyses showed a flattening of utilization in the middle of 2014. Conclusions In our well-powered analysis in a large regional breast imaging center, we found no support for the hypothesis that this celebrity news drove increased screening.
Egalitarianism Under Siege? Swedish Refugee Reception and Social Trust

The large numbers of refugees arriving in Sweden in 2015 put a great strain on the welfare system. Initially the reception showed that the idea of the retraction of the welfare state was an exaggeration. State, regional, municipal and civil society organizations all showed they had the faculty to deal with arising problems. The chapter discusses the reception process and its transformation, showing how what was feared would grow into a crisis for the welfare system, instead grew into an initial integration process but with growing tensions between civil society and the state.
A DIGITAL COMPUTER MODEL OF FORCED EXHALATION

In this work a mathematical model is developed to provide a basis for determining relationships between forced exhalation flow volume loops and pulmonary airway characteristics. A sensitivity analysis was performed; it was found that the most sensitive parameters are: the diameters of all airway generations, the compliance of large airways and the aveolar compliance.
Cost-Effectiveness of Antibiotic Prophylaxis Strategies for Transrectal Prostate Biopsy in an Era of Increasing Antimicrobial Resistance.

Abstract Objectives To determine the optimal antibiotic prophylaxis strategy for transrectal prostate biopsy (TRPB) as a function of the local antibiotic resistance profile. Methods We developed a decision-analytic model to assess the cost-effectiveness of four antibiotic prophylaxis strategies: ciprofloxacin alone, ceftriaxone alone, ciprofloxacin and ceftriaxone in combination, and directed prophylaxis selection based on susceptibility testing. We used a payer's perspective and estimated the health care costs and quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs) associated with each strategy for a cohort of 66-year-old men undergoing TRPB. Costs and benefits were discounted at 3% annually. Base-case resistance prevalence was 29% to ciprofloxacin and 7% to ceftriaxone, reflecting susceptibility patterns observed at the Minneapolis Veterans Affairs Health Care System. Resistance levels were varied in sensitivity analysis. Results In the base case, single-agent prophylaxis strategies were dominated. Directed prophylaxis strategy was the optimal strategy at a willingness-to-pay threshold of $50,000/QALY gained. Relative to the directed prophylaxis strategy, the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio of the combination strategy was $123,333/QALY gained over the lifetime time horizon. In sensitivity analysis, single-agent prophylaxis strategies were preferred only at extreme levels of resistance. Conclusions Directed or combination prophylaxis strategies were optimal for a wide range of resistance levels. Facilities using single-agent antibiotic prophylaxis strategies before TRPB should re-evaluate their strategies unless extremely low levels of antimicrobial resistance are documented.
Preparticipation Screening of Young Athletes: Identifying Cardiovascular Disease

The most common cause of sudden cardiac death (SCD) in young athletes in the United States is "autopsy-negative sudden unexplained death." This makes it extremely difficult to screen for and diagnose predisposing cardiovascular conditions before athletic participation. The goal of the preparticipation physical examination is to detect risk factors for SCD, make risk-based decisions regarding the need for further workup, and ultimately recommend for or against participation. Current evidence recommends universal screening of young athletes using the 14-point American Heart Association preparticipation cardiovascular checklist. Electrocardiograms and echocardiograms are not currently recommended in the United States to screen athletes.
Complex networks reveal a glottochronological classification of natural languages

The success of humans cannot be attributed to language, but it is certainly true that language and modern humans are inseparable. This work focuses on revealing the structure of 20 Indo-European languages belonging to three sub-families (Romance, Germanic, and Slavic) from a chronological perspective. In order to find the chronological characteristic features of these languages, we use (1) Heaps’ law, which describes the growth of vocabulary (distinct words) in a corpora for each language to the total number of words in the same corpora and (2) structural properties of networks created from word co-occurrence in corpora of 20 written languages. Using clustering approaches and entanglement, we show that in spite of differences from years of being used separately and differences in alphabets, one can find language characteristics that lead to cluster of languages resembling the organization according to historical sub-families and chronological relations.