cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Elements of an Interface Standard for Knowledge Sources in Knowledge-Based Engineering

Software architectures for knowledge-based engineering often separate applications from their knowledge sources. We propose elements for a new standard for the resulting interface. The fully automatic transfer of knowledge would require a shared engineering ontology. We suggest something less ambitious, namely to make only part of the knowledge machine-intelligible, such as a number embedded in a rule. This proposal still requires a human to code the knowledge from the source into the application. However, it would allow the application to automatically handle some updates to the knowledge sources. We discuss the details of a formalism to describe the machine-intelligible part of the knowledge; we suggest some meta-data; and we clarify the relationship of the proposal to existing standards.
Healing environments: for patients and providers

Abstract Health care leaders are continually seeking ways to optimize their care services, become financially viable, and retain quality caregivers. Such goals seem impossible in today’s intensely competitive environment. The incorporation of a healing environment into the health care setting not only optimizes clinical care and outcomes, it also optimizes staff satisfaction, morale, retention, and fosters repeat business. It has been shown that views of nature, natural light, soothing colors, therapeutic sounds, and the interaction of family members can enhance healing. These elements must be balanced with staff needs when designing critical care environments.
Superimpositional assessment of treatment-associated changes in the temporomandibular joint and the mandibular symphysis

This article analyzes differences in the measured displacement of the condyle and of pogonion when different vectors of force are delivered to the maxilla in the course of non-full-banded, Phase 1, mixed-dentition treatment for the correction of Class II malocclusion. The 238-case sample is identical to that for which changes in other parameters of facial form have been reported previously.37–39 Relative to superimposition on anterior cranial base and measured in a Frankfort-plane-determined coordinate system, we have attempted to identify and quantitate (1) the displacement of each structure which results from local remodeling and (2) the displacement of each structure which occurs as a secondary consequence of changes in other regions of the skull. We have also attempted to isolate treatment effects from those attributable to spontaneous growth and development. At the condyle, we note that in all three treatment groups and in the control group there is a small but real downward and backward displacement of the glenoid fossa. This change is not treatment induced but, rather, is associated with spontaneous growth and development. (See Fig. 5.) Some interesting differences in pattern of “growth at the condyle” were noted between samples. In the intraoral (modified activator) sample, there were small but statistically significant increases in growth rate as compared to the untreated group of Class II controls. To our surprise, similar statistically significant increases over the growth rate of the control group were noted in the cervical sample. (See Table III, variables 17 and 18.) Small but statistically significant differences between treatments were also noted in the patterns of change at pogonion. As compared to the untreated control group, the rate of total displacement in the modified activator group was significantly greater in the forward direction, while the rate of total displacement in the cervical group was significantly greater in the downward direction. There were no statistically significant differences in the rate of total displacement of pogonion between the high-pull sample and the control sample. (See Table IV, variables 21 and 22.)
Have We Gone From a Post‐War to a Pre‐War World?

In 1990, right after the Berlin Wall fell, NPQ published our Spring edition, titled “The New World Disorder,” about the nationalistic chaos and up-in-theair sensibility of that fraught new historical moment. Nearly a quarter of a century later, the regime of globalization that had supplanted the Cold War world of blocs is itself coming apart at the seams. Even Henry Kissinger these days says “the world order is crumbling.” Will this New World Disorder 2.0 revert to a system of conflicting blocs, as during the Cold War, or will we be mature enough to save the interdependence of plural identities that is the foundation of a new global civilization? In this section our contributors offer their perspectives on what the future holds.
A mouse embryo culture system for quality control testing of human in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer media and fetal cord sera

Swiss white mice were superovulated, mated, and sacrificed to recover two-cell embryos that were cultured in Ham's F-10 supplemented with 15% fetal serum. In 16 experiments, media enriched with fetal bovine serum (FBS) supported blastocyst development from 80% ± 19% (mean ± S.D.) of two-cell embryos. Culture media + FBS was the positive control when 74 batches of heat-inactivated human fetal cord serum (hFCS) were tested. Statistical analyses indicated two distinct populations: 49 hFCS promoted blastocyst formation and 25 hFCS grew fewer blastocysts. In five studies, 35/47 two-cell embryos recovered from mice oviducts in media + FBS and immediately incubated formed blastocysts (75% ± 10%). In six comparison studies where the recovered embryos stood at room temperature for 30 minutes before incubation, only 18/57 (29% ± 21%) became blastocysts. When the colony was housed for 1 week in rooms with Shell No Pest Strips as treatment for mites, only 11/125 two-cell embryos became blastocysts (9%). In contrast, animals housed in quarters decontaminated with chlorine bleach had reduced breeding efficiency and produced fewer two-cell embryos. We conclude that (1) Ham's F-10 + FBS is an excellent positive control to test new batches of hFCS; (2) hFCS that supports blastocyst formation from ≥75% of two-cell embryos is adequate for human use; (3) pesticide treatment of breeding colonies and cooling of murine embryos during harvest both impaired in vitro blastocyst development; and (4) chlorine bleach cleansing of animal quarters reduced the number of successful matings.
Metabolism: Comparison of Outcome: Inborn and Outborn Infants Weighing Less Than 1,500 Grams

The fetal mortality, neonatal mortality and developmental outcome of 690 less than 1,500 gram infants born during 1974–78 in Denver, Colorado, USA, was studied. Comparisons were made of 393 babies born at University Hospital (UH) where an intensive intrapartum care program was established and 297 babies born in five metropolitan Denver hospitals (MDH) who did not have intensive care capability. They were usually transported to The Children's Hospital (CH), Denver, for neonatal intensive care. Fetal mortality was lower in the UH population than the MDH population; neonatal mortality in the UH and. MDH babies was not different above 700 grams; neonatal delay was least(8%) in the babies born to mothers transported to UH for delivery (UH-MT) and highest (21%) in the MDH babies who were transported to CH for neonatalintensive care. The authors conclude that fetal survival improved at UH andthat mental delay is least in babies born to mothers who are transported to UH for perinatal intensive care.
Beam Spread of Laser Light Propagating in a Random Medium

We consider here the beam spread of laser light when it propagates in a random medium. The analysis is given in terms of the coherence function. Explicit results are obtained principally for the region of multiple scatter. In this region, it is shown that the irradiance pattern is always gaussian and that the characteristic beam diameter increases at a rate proportional to z32, where z is the propagation distance. The proportionality constant is determined for an arbitrary index-of-refraction spectrum, and the Kolmogorov spectrum is given as a special case. The results obtained are considered in atmospheric and oceanographic applications.
Diabetes mellitus is associated with impaired response to antiviral therapy in chronic hepatitis C infection.

Insulin resistance may promote hepatic fibrosis in chronic hepatitis C (HCV) and has emerged as a cofactor in failure to achieve sustained viral response (SVR). Aims (1) To assess the association of diabetes mellitus (DM) in HCV patients to the severity of hepatic fibrosis and to the response to antiviral treatment. (2) To assess the safety of pegylated interferon and ribavirin combination therapy (Peg IFN/RBV) in diabetic HCV patients. Methods HCV diabetics (n = 61) were identified. A 2:1 matching control group was used to identify independent factors of advanced fibrosis and treatment failure. Results Compared to HCV non-diabetics, HCV diabetics were more likely to have steatosis (P < 0.0001) and advanced fibrosis (P = 0.003). Patients’ age, Caucasian ethnicity, obesity, and histologic activity index were independently associated with advanced fibrosis (P < 0.05). Only 23% of HCV diabetics achieved SVR compared to 46% of HCV non-diabetics (P = 0.003). DM, genotype 1, high baseline viral load, and African-American ethnicity were independently associated with less SVR (P < 0.05). Significant adverse events were more common in HCV diabetics compared to HCV non-diabetics (P = 0.001). Side effects did not increase in patients receiving PEG IFN/RBV and insulin sensitizers. Conclusion DM was associated with impaired virologic response to PEG IFN/RBV in HCV patients. Adverse events during therapy were more frequent in diabetic compared to non-diabetic HCV patients.
Structural models and occupational aspirations: Black-white variations among deep-south adolescents

Abstract Multivariate techniques for attribute data and the backward elimination procedure developed in regression analysis were utilized in an analysis of the occupational aspirations of deep-south adolescents. An examination of the models constructed revealed that: (1) social class indicators accounted for the largest effect estimates; (2) residence was associated with a smaller, yet statistically significant portion of the variation; and (3) the effect of race was negligible when controls were applied. Application of the most efficient model to black and white subsamples revealed race variations in both composite effect estimates and the rank order of effect estimates. Implications of these findings are discussed in terms of the developmental model of occupational choice and suggestions for further research are presented.
Examining the Technical Corporate Entrepreneurs’ Motivation: Voices from the Field:

Prior research has proposed five conditions that support corporate entrepreneurship: rewards, management support, resources including time, organizational structures (at the macro level), and risk ...
Solvatochromic Shifts: A Reconsideration

Solvatochromic shifts in molecular spectra are often used to determine excited-state dipole moments. In comparing results with the more accurate gas-phase Stark effects studies, large discrepancies are obtained in the few cases in which both types of studies have been carried out. We attempt to reconcile the two techniques by reanalyzing solvatochromic shift measurements in the situation in which a field-induced perturbation by a nearby state is possible. It is found that, in the high field limit, if we reinterpret solvatochromic shift studies as measuring an effective dipole moment which is a function of the dipole moments of both states and the transition moment between the two states, a possible explanation of the discrepancy is obtained. This is demonstrated to be reasonable in the only case (aniline) for which sufficient data are available. We also include examination of field-induced intensity borrowing as well as certain cavity-induced resonances and magnetic field induced effects. Finally we sugge...
Fault-Detection Design for Uninhabited Aerial Vehicles

Fault Detection (FD) plays a vital role in ensuring the safety of a flight-control system, especially that of an uninhabited aerial vehicle. An FD algorithm is designed to detect a situation in which a faulty condition has occurred in the system. The main theoretical contribution of this work is a new residual threshold function, which is input dependent and enhances the FD capabilities of highly uncertain systems. The combined FD algorithm and new threshold function were simulated in the laboratory, in a high-fidelity hardware-in-the-loop environment, and flight tested as part of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) Software Enabled Control (SEC) Program. The DARPA SEC program is a research initiative designed to provide flight-control engineers with a reusable interface for the implementation of flight-control algorithms and flight management software on embedded systems.
Nervous system antigen-5, an antigenic cell surface component of neuroectodermal origin.

Summary The antigenic cell surface component NS-5 (nervous system antigen-5) is recognized by antiserum raised in C3H.SW/Sn mice against cerebellum of 4-day-old C57BL/6J mice. When analyzed in the cytotoxicity test the antiserum detects a cell surface antigen or set of antigens present not only an cerebellum but also other parts of the central nervous system, including retina, as well as on mature spermatozoa and to a lesser degree on kidney. All other non-neural tissues tested, liver, spleen, thymocytes, muscle, testis, adrenal gland and epidermis do not express detectable amounts of the antigen. Among seven murine tumors of the nervous system, medulloepithelioma shows high levels of NS-5 expression, whereas neuroblastoma C1300, glioma G26, glioblastoma, ependymoblastoma, ependymoblastoma EPA and glioblastoma G261 do not carry detectable NS-5. All mouse strains tested (C57BL/6J, C3H.SW/Sn, C3H/HeDiSn, A/J, AKR/J, BALB/cJ and DBA/2) express similar levels of NS-5. The antigen is demonstrable not only on postnatal day 4 neural tissue, but also in lower amounts on adult nervous system. On embryonic day 9, the earliest stage tested, and at all subsequent stages during embryonic development, NS-5 is already present in brain and spinal cord, but not in gut.
The influence of total knee arthroplasty geometry on mid-flexion stability: an experimental and finite element study.

Fluoroscopic evaluation of total knee arthroplasty (TKA) has reported sudden anterior translation of the femur relative to the tibia (paradoxical anterior motion) for some cruciate-retaining designs. This motion may be tied to abrupt changes in the femoral sagittal radius of curvature characteristic of traditional TKA designs, as the geometry transitions from a large load-bearing distal radius to a smaller posterior radius which can accommodate femoral rollback. It was hypothesized that a gradually reducing radius may attenuate sudden changes in anterior–posterior motion that occur in mid-flexion with traditional discrete-radius designs. A combined experimental and computational approach was employed to test this hypothesis. A previously developed finite element (FE) model of the Kansas knee simulator (KKS), virtually implanted with multiple implant designs, was used to predict the amount of paradoxical anterior femoral slide during a simulated deep knee bend. The model predicted kinematics demonstrated that incorporating a gradually reducing radius in mid-flexion reduced the magnitude of paradoxical anterior translation between 21% and 68%, depending on the conformity of the tibial insert. Subsequently, both a dual-radius design and a modified design incorporating gradually reducing radii were tested in vitro in the KKS for verification. The model-predicted and experimentally observed kinematics exhibited good agreement, while the average experimental kinematics demonstrated an 81% reduction in anterior translation with the modified design. The FE model demonstrated sufficient sensitivity to appropriately differentiate kinematic changes due to subtle changes in implant design, and served as a useful pre-clinical design-phase tool to improve implant kinematics.
An overview of research on Eulerian-Lagrangian localized adjoint methods (ELLAM).

Abstract For problems of convection–diffusion type, Eulerian–Lagrangian localized adjoint methods provide a methodology that maintains the accuracy and efficiency of Eulerian–Lagrangian methods, while also conserving mass and systematically treating any type of boundary condition. In groundwater hydrology, this framework is useful for solute transport, as well as vadose-zone transport, multiphase transport, and reactive flows. The formulation was originated around 1990 by the authors, Herrera and Ewing, in a paper that appeared in Advances in Water Resources [Adv. Water Resour. 13 (1990) 187]. This paper reviews the progress in the development, analysis, and application of these methods since 1990, and suggests topics for future work.
Intermittent hypercapnia enhances CO2 responsiveness and overcomes serotonergic dysfunction

Abstract Serotonergic dysfunction compromises ventilatory chemosensitivity and may enhance vulnerability to pathologies such as the Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). We have shown raphe contributions to central chemosensitivity involving serotonin (5-HT)-and γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA)-mediated mechanisms. We tested the hypothesis that mild intermittent hypercapnia (IHc) induces respiratory plasticity, due in part to strengthening of GABA mechanisms. Rat pups were IHc-pretreated (eight consecutive cycles; 5 min 5% CO2 – air, 10 min air) or constant normocapnia-pretreated as a control, each day for 5 consecutive days beginning at P12. We subsequently assessed CO2 responsiveness using the in situ perfused brainstem preparation. Hypercapnic responses were determined with and without pharmacological manipulation. Results show IHc-pretreatment induces plasticity sufficient for responsiveness despite removal of otherwise critical ketanserin-sensitive mechanisms. Responsiveness following IHc-pretreatment was absent if ketanserin was combined with GABAergic antagonism, indicating that plasticity depends on GABAergic mechanisms. We propose that IHc-induced plasticity could reduce the severity of reflex dysfunctions underlying pathologies such as SIDS.
Q-switched laser ablation of tissue: plume dynamics and the effect of tissue mechanical properties

A Q-switched Er:YAG laser was used to ablate skin, liver, and agar gel. The materials were chosen for their varying degrees of stiffness. It was seen that the varying mechanical properties effected the dynamics of the ablation process. The lower stiffness materials demonstrated a lower velocity of the ablated material and a longer post-pulse ablation duration. The effects were mediated by high ablation pressures causing elastic expansion of the crater during and after the pulse.
Thermal perturbations to bone mineral crystal structure studied by Raman and NMR spectroscopies

As part of an ongoing larger study of the molecular and supramolecular foundations of bone tissue biomechanics, we report thermal perturbations to bone mineral and related model compounds. The response of bone tissue to external mechanical and thermal loading under a variety of conditions is used to elucidate the response to physiologically relevant loads. Here NMR spectroscopy is used in conjunction with Raman spectroscopy to elucidate the mineral structure of the bone and track changes in the lattice due to temperature variation. Changes in the bone lattice are studied by examining the Raman spectral band widths and positions of the phosphate and carbonate bands. Expansion of the lattice leads to increased band widths as local ion motion is facilitated. Larger effects are found in undeproteinated bone powder than in deproteinated bone mineral powder. 1H MAS NMR is used to track the water content of deproteinated bone as a function of temperature. The differing effects observed in undeproteinated bone powder and deproteinated bone mineral powder suggest that mineral crystallite expansion may involve mechanical constraint by the bone matrix. 13C MAS NMR spectroscopy revealed a loss of carbonate in deproteinated bone mineral when heated to 225 C. This is a significantly lower temperature than previously reported for removal of carbonate from synthetic apatite material. The properties of bone mineral influenced by even small perturbations such as temperature elevation or reduction depend on the presence of matrix. It is reasonable to assume that bone tissue response to other external loads, including compression or bending under normal physiological conditions also depend on the interaction of mineral and matrix.
Drug abuse in the United States: the past decade.

Abstract The recent proliferation of so many specialty journals means that many will not survive as long as this journal. That Drug and Alcohol Dependence is healthy and thriving after 10 volumes signifies its importance as a means of communicating new knowledge in this old field. One might hope that the amelioration of these problems of drug dependence would no longer require such a journal, but if recent experience is any guide, the journal will have a long life. I should like, at this juncture, to consider some of the developments in drug and alcohol dependence in the United States during the past decade. My views are highly personal.
The Evaluation of Forecasting Methods at an Institutional Foodservice Dining Facility

ABSTRACT The purpose of this study was to identify the most appropriate method of forecasting meal counts for an institutional food service facility. The forecasting methods analyzed included: naive model 1, 2, and 3; moving average, double moving average, simple exponential smoothing, double exponential smoothing, Holt's, and Winter's methods; and linear and multiple regressions. The accuracy of the forecasting methods was measured using mean absolute deviation, mean squared error, mean percentage error, mean absolute percentage error, root mean squared error, and Theil's U-statistic. The result of this study showed that multiple regression was the most accurate forecasting method, but naive method 2 was selected as the most appropriate forecasting method because of its simplicity and high level of accuracy.
Automatic amino-acid-sequence determination in peptides

Amino-acid-sequence determination in peptides usin N-fatty acids, mass spectra of peptide derivatives and computer techniques
Heterograft Replacement of the Mitral Valve: Clinical, Hemodynamic, and Pathological Features

Seventeen patients had replacement of their diseased mitral valves with formalin-fixed, mounted porcine heterografts over a ten-month period with no operative or postoperative mortality. Hemodynamic studies early after operation indicate that patients with heterograft mitral valves behave no differently than patients who have had replacement of the mitral valve with ball valves. The early postoperative myocardial dysfunction present after mitral valve replacement is probably not related to the presence of a caged ball or other such device in the left ventricle. Late hemodynamic studies in two patients have shown complete competence of the valves and minimal mean diastolic and absent end-diastolic gradients at rest between the left atrium and left ventricle. Six of the valves became incompetent and were removed from 2 to 11 months after operation. Histological study of these valves suggests that the development of incompetence in five of them was related to absorption of muscle beneath the right coronary c...
Is health care a necessity or a luxury? Pooled estimates of income elasticity from US state-level data

This paper provides new evidence on the income elasticity of health care by combining stationarity and cointegration tests of health care expenditure and incomes with estimates of the cointegrating relationship between them. A recently updated dataset of health care expenditures and disposable personal income for the US states for the years 1966–1998 is used. The principal findings are that health care expenditures and incomes at the state level are non-stationary and cointegrated. Dynamic OLS cointegrating regressions of the pooled state time series estimate the income elasticity of health care at 0.817 to 0.844, well below unity, confirming that health care expenditure, even at the aggregate level, is a necessity good.
Granuloma formation induced by low-dose chronic silica inhalation is associated with an anti-apoptotic response in Lewis rats.

Chronic human silicosis results primarily from continued occupational exposure to silica and exhibits a long asymptomatic latency. Similarly, continued exposure of Lewis rats to low doses of silica is known to cause delayed granuloma formation with limited lung inflammation and injury. On the other hand, intratracheal exposure to large doses of silica induces acute silicosis characterized by granuloma-like formations in the lung associated with apoptosis, severe alveolitis, and alveolar lipoproteinosis. To ascertain similarities/differences between acute and chronic silicosis, in this communication, we compared cellular and molecular changes in established rat models of acute and chronic silicosis. In Lewis rats, acute silicosis was induced by intratracheal instillation of 35 mg silica, and chronic silicosis through inhalation of aerosolized silica (6.2 mg/m3, 5 d/wk for 6 wk). Animals exposed to acute high-dose silica were sacrificed at 14 d after silica instillation while chronically silica-treated anim...
Application of comprehensive simulation to pressurized fluidized bed hydroretorting of shale

A previously developed computer program for comprehensive simulation of fluidized bed boilers and gasifiers has been improved. A more general treatment for the gas-solid reactions that include drying and devolatilization, combined with a broader range of kinetics, has been implemented. This allowed application of the simulation program to pressurized fluidized bed hydroretorting of Eastern oil shale. The basic aspects of such an adaptation, and comparisons of simulation and experimental results are presented. Overall agreement between those results is reasonable. Deviations are explained and routes to improvements are discussed. This new version can be used as a tool in the preliminary designs of full scale reactors.
Design and Evaluation of a New General-Purpose Device for Calibrating Instrumented Spatial Linkages

Because instrumented spatial linkages (ISLs) have been commonly used in measuring joint rotations and must be calibrated before using the device in confadence, a calibration device design and associated method for quantifying calibration device error would be useful. The objectives of the work reported by this paper were to (1) design an ISL calibration device and demonstrate the design for a specific application, (2) describe a new method for calibrating the device that minimizes measurement error, and (3) quantify measurement error of the device using the new method. Relative translations and orientations of the device were calculated via a series of transformation matrices containing inherent fixed and variable parameters. These translations and orientations were verified with a coordinate measurement machine, which served as a gold standard. Inherent fixed parameters of the device were optimized to minimize measurement error. After parameter optimization, accuracy was determined. The root mean squared error (RMSE) was 0.175 deg for orientation and 0.587 mm for position. All RMSE values were less than 0.8% of their respective full-scale ranges. These errors are comparable to published measurement errors of ISLs for positions and lower by at least a factor of 2 for orientations. These errors are in spite of the many steps taken in design and manufacturing to achieve high accuracy. Because it is challenging to achieve the accuracy required for a custom calibration device to serve as a viable gold standard, it is important to verify that a calibration device provides sufficient precision to calibrate an ISL.
The burden of diabetes (care).

Now that there is a plethora of clinical trial data with clinically meaningful end points proving that the burden of diabetes can be improved by a variety of interventions, including glycemic, blood pressure, and lipid control; the use of statins, ACE inhibitors, and aspirin; appropriately timed laser therapy for diabetic retinopathy; and screening of feet at high risk for neuropathic ulcers, it is now time to evaluate just how well we do with our current level of care. Over the past few years, there have been a variety of surveys indicating that despite our evidenced-based clinical trial data, diabetes care in the U.S. has been abysmal. Several of these reports have focused on levels of diabetes care comparing how providers of different specialties (and their patients) performed when compared with each other (1–4) in addition to the national standards. The ensuing discussions and controversies did not really address the major problem: all of the providers provided less-than-optimal care, and although there are many reasons for this, perhaps the most important one is the fact that our current systems of diabetes care make outstanding management for all difficult, if not impossible. Unfortunately, many providers confuse the “burden of diabetes,” which refers to diabetes-related morbidity and mortality issues, with the “burden of diabetes care.” This latter concept is all too prevalent for too many physicians. These patients are complex, often do not take the best care of themselves, require multiple medications, and, importantly, often require follow-up between visits. For a primary care provider who may be allowed 10 or, at the most, 15 min to see this patient (an impossible task even with twice as much time), seeing many of these patients is truly …
Colombia: Changing strategy amidst the struggle

From 1965 to the present, Colombia has been confronted by the insurgency of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC). The threat reached a new level in 1996 with the advent of mobile warfare, whereby large units sought to neutralize the military in an effort to seize power and institute a Marxist-Leninist regime. Unlike Vietnam, what followed was a regaining of the strategic initiative by the government and a decimation of the insurgent threat. This was accomplished with US assistance but from first to last was driven by Colombian leadership and strategy. The strategy which led to this signal change, ‘Democratic Security’, unfolded under the leadership of President Alvaro Uribe. It was a civil–military partnership, which sought to expand the writ of Colombian democracy to all elements of society. Securing the population provided the shield behind which economic, social, and political life could occur as driven by the will of the people. It was the agreement upon legitimacy as the strategic goal a...
Transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunts for refractory ascites: Assessment of clinical and hormonal response and renal function

Abstract Cirrhosis is frequently complicated by ascites that may become resistant to diuretic therapy. Transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunts (TIPS) represent a new treatment for this debilitating condition. The aim of this study was to ascertain the clinical efficacy of TIPS, as well as its impact on renal function and on hormonal parameters. Five inpatients with refractory ascites were studied prospectively before TIPS, and 3 and 14 days after TIPS. After TIPS, ascites completely resolved or was minimal in all patients. Diuretics were discontinued in three subjects and decreased by at least 50% in two. One patient developed liver failure after TIPS and required liver transplantation; the others remained stable after a mean follow-up of 14 months. Mean urinary sodium excretion increased from 2.1 ± 0.6 mEq/ 24 hr before TIPS to 13.0 ± 4.3 mEq/24 hr 14 days after TIPS. Mean serum creatinine and glomerular filtration rate also tended to improve during the study period. With the exception of the patient who developed liver failure, plasma aldosterone concentration decreased from a mean of 126.0 ± 29.9 ng/dL to 22.8 ± 6.8 ng/dL ( P = .04), and plasma renin activity decreased from a mean of 9.0 ± 3.0 μg/L/h to 0.9 ± 0.1 μg/L/h ( P = .08). Additionally, 19 patients who underwent TIPS for refractory ascites outside of this protocol were followed prospectively for a mean of 282 days. Clinical improvement in ascites control was noted in 74%, and the mean dose of diuretics was decreased by more than 50%. Nonresponders more often had underlying renal disease. In conclusion, TIPS is an effective therapy for refractory ascites in most patients. TIPS improves renal function and in most patients reverses underlying hormonal derangements. TIPS may have an adverse effect on hepatic function, necessitating careful patient selection.
Transparency, wages, and the separation of powers: An experimental analysis of corruption

We conducted an experimental analysis of the causes of corruption, varying the ease of hiding corrupt gains, officials’ wages, and the method of choosing the law enforcement officer. Voters rarely re-elect chief executives found to be corrupt and tend to choose presidents who had good luck. Directly elected law enforcement officers work more vigilantly at exposing corruption than those who are appointed. Increasing government wages and increasing the difficulty of hiding corrupt gains both reduce corruption.
An overview of reliability methods in mechanical and structural design

An evaluation is made of modern methods of fast probability integration and Monte Carlo treatment for the assessment of structural systems' and components' reliability. Fast probability integration methods are noted to be more efficient than Monte Carlo ones. This is judged to be an important consideration when several point probability estimates must be made in order to construct a distribution function. An example illustrating the relative efficiency of the various methods is included.
Monotonically convergent iterative learning control for linear discrete-time systems

In iterative learning control schemes for linear discrete time systems, conditions to guarantee the monotonic convergence of the tracking error norms are derived. By using the Markov parameters, it is shown in the time-domain that there exists a non-increasing function such that when the properly chosen constant learning gain is multiplied by this function, the convergence of the tracking error norms is monotonic, without resort to high-gain feedback.
CD8+ T cell-mediated control of distant tumours following local photodynamic therapy is independent of CD4+ T cells and dependent on natural killer cells

Cancer survival rates decrease in the presence of disseminated disease. However, there are few therapies that are effective at eliminating the primary tumour while providing control of distant stage disease. Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is an FDA-approved modality that rapidly eliminates local tumours, resulting in cure of early disease and palliation of advanced disease. Numerous pre-clinical studies have shown that local PDT treatment of tumours enhances anti-tumour immunity. We hypothesised that enhancement of a systemic anti-tumour immune response might control the growth of tumours present outside the treatment field. To test this hypothesis we delivered PDT to subcutaneous (s.c.) tumours of mice bearing both s.c. and lung tumours and monitored the growth of the untreated lung tumours. Our results demonstrate that PDT of murine tumours provided durable inhibition of the growth of untreated lung tumours. The inhibition of the growth of tumours outside the treatment field was tumour-specific and dependent on the presence of CD8+ T cells. This inhibition was accompanied by an increase in splenic anti-tumour cytolytic activity and by an increase in CD8+ T cell infiltration into untreated tumours. Local PDT treatment led to enhanced anti-tumour immune memory that was evident 40 days after tumour treatment and was independent of CD4+ T cells. CD8+ T cell control of the growth of lung tumours present outside the treatment field following PDT was dependent upon the presence of natural killer (NK) cells. These results suggest that local PDT treatment of tumours lead to induction of an anti-tumour immune response capable of controlling the growth of tumours outside the treatment field and indicate that this modality has potential in the treatment of distant stage disease.
Ovals of Cassini for Toeplitz matrices

Both the Gershgorin and Brauer eigenvalue inclusion sets reduce to a single disc when applied to a matrix with a constant main diagonal. We show that a union of ovals of Cassini containing all the eigenvalues of such a matrix can nonetheless be derived and that this union is guaranteed to lie inside the Brauer set. We then apply our results to Toeplitz matrices.
Automating the design process - Progress, problems, prospects, potential.

The design process for large aerospace vehicles is discussed, with particular emphasis on structural design. Problems with current procedures are identified. Then, the contributions possible from automating the design process (defined as the best combination of men and computers) are considered. Progress toward automated design in the aerospace and other communities is reviewed, including NASA studies of the potential development of Integrated Programs for Aerospace-Vehicle Design (IPAD). The need for and suggested directions of future research on the design process, both technical and social, are discussed. Although much progress has been made to exploit the computer in design, it is concluded that technology is available to begin using the computer to speed communications and management as well as calculations in the design process and thus build man-computer teams that can design better, faster and cheaper.
Urethane polymers from hydroxylated fish oil

Alewife fish oil was hydroxylated by performic, peracetic and pertungstic acid methods. Products were compared with respect to yield, free acid, hydroxyl number, saponification value and peroxide value. Fish oils oxidized with performic acid resulted in high yields (83% to 95%), low acid values (0.12 to 0.19), high hydroxy (142 to 245) and saponification (247 to 271) numbers, and relatively low peroxide values (72 to 266). Performic acid hydroxylated alewife and menhaden oils were used to prepare urethane foams. These foams exhibited characteristic low compressive strengths at 10% deflection (6.4 to 9.5 psi), low density (1.45 to 1.65 pcf), high porosity (0.7 to 1.7% closed cells) and high water absorption compared to a conventional polyether urethane foam. Performic acid hydroxylated alewife oil was further refined, using cation and anion exchange resins, for use in the preparation of urethane elastomers. These polymers generally exhibited higher tensile and Graves tear strengths than a comparable castor oil elastomer used as a control. though dielectric strengths were similar for both fish oil and castor oil elastomers, tensile elongation at break point was greater for the castor oil elastomers. When the isocyanate index of the fish oil elastomers was increased from 105 to 156, the Graves tear strength exhibited the greatest change.
A versatile technique for patterning biomolecules onto glass coverslips.

Abstract A fast, inexpensive, and versatile technique for patterning the surface of glass coverslips with molecules of biological interest is described. The technique combines photolithographic, silane-coupling, and protein adsorption procedures to pattern coverslips with amines, alkanes, and proteins with micrometer spatial resolution. The attachment of amines and alkanes was verified using contact angle and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopic (XPS) measurements. XPS results showed that amines and alkanes were attached in 1–4 nm thickness covering approximately 20% and 45%, respectively, of the surface. Patterns of amines were visualized using fluorescent staining, and patterns of proteins were detected immunochemically. Patterned coverslips were used to investigate adhesion and neurite outgrowth of mouse neuroblastoma (NIE-115) cells. Cells were examined on the following patterns: alkane-glass, protein-glass, amine-alkane, and amine-protein. Cell attachment and neurite outgrowth on patterned coverslips displayed the following preferences: laminin, fibronectin, or collagen IV > amine or glass > alkane or bovine serum albumin. This patterning method should be useful for studies of cell-surface interactions, cell migration, nerve regeneration, and the formation of neural networks in vitro.
Does Fairness Matter More to Some than to Others? The Moderating Role of Workplace Status on The Relationship Between Procedural Fairness Perceptions and Job Satisfaction

Three field studies explored the relations among status, procedural fairness, and job satisfaction in the workplace. Study 1 revealed that status differences moderated the relationship between procedural fairness and job satisfaction such that there was a stronger relationship between procedural fairness and job satisfaction for individuals with higher perceived status than for those with lower perceived status. Study 2 examined a possible underlying psychological mechanism for the moderating effect of perceived status—the importance of procedural fairness deservingness—and found that higher levels of perceived status were associated with a greater sense of deservingness for procedural fairness. Extending the results of the first two studies, Study 3 found that procedural fairness deservingness mediated the moderating effect of status on the relationship between procedural fairness and job satisfaction. This research contributes to theories of fairness by further illuminating the role of status in affecting reactions to procedural fairness. This research also contributes to our understanding of status in organizations and shows that perceived status can lead to an increased sense of deservingness.
A Sensitive Assay for Superoxide Dismutase Based on the Autoxidation of 6-hydroxydopamine

Abstract A simple, sensitive spectrophotometric assay system for superoxide dismutase (SOD) has been developed. This assay is based on the inhibitory effects of SOD on the initial rate of 6-hydroxydopamine autoxidation. The inhibition of 6-hydroxydopamine autoxidation was virtually linear to an SOD concentration of approximately 100 ng of SOD/ml (about a 50% inhibition at 100 ng/ml; there was a greater inhibition at higher SOD concentrations). With this assay system it was determined that SOD levels in rat brain, liver, and spinal cord were 84, 660, and 56 μg of SOD/g of tissue, respectively. These results agree very well with results obtained by other assays.
Supply disruptions with time-dependent parameters

We consider a firm that faces random demand and receives shipments from a single supplier who faces random supply. The supplier's availability may be affected by events such as storms, strikes, machine breakdowns, and congestion due to orders from its other customers. In our model, we consider a dynamic environment: the probability of disruption, as well as the demand intensity, can be time dependent. We model this problem as a two-dimensional non-homogeneous continuous-time Markov chain (CTMC), which we solve numerically to obtain the total cost under various ordering policies. We propose several such policies, some of which are time dependent while others are not. The key question we address is: How much improvement in cost is gained by using time-varying ordering policies rather than stationary ones? We compare the proposed policies under various cost, demand, and disruption parameters in an extensive numerical study. In addition, motivated by the fact that disruptions are low-probability events whose non-stationary probabilities may be difficult to estimate, we investigate the robustness of the time-dependent policies to errors in the supply parameters. We also briefly investigate sensitivity to the repair-duration distribution. We find that non-stationary policies can provide an effective balance of optimality (low cost) and robustness (low sensitivity to errors).
T cell epitope mimicry between Sjögren's syndrome Antigen A (SSA)/Ro60 and oral, gut, skin and vaginal bacteria.

This study was undertaken to test the hypothesis that Sjogren's syndrome Antigen A (SSA)/Ro60-reactive T cells are activated by peptides originating from oral and gut bacteria. T cell hybridomas generated from HLA-DR3 transgenic mice recognized 3 regions on Ro60, with core epitopes mapped to amino acids 228-238, 246-256 and 371-381. BLAST analysis identified several mimicry peptides, originating from human oral, intestinal, skin and vaginal bacteria, as well as environmental bacteria. Amongst these, a peptide from the von Willebrand factor type A domain protein (vWFA) from the oral microbe Capnocytophaga ochracea was the most potent activator. Further, Ro60-reactive T cells were activated by recombinant vWFA protein and whole Escherichia coli expressing this protein. These results demonstrate that peptides derived from normal human microbiota can activate Ro60-reactive T cells. Thus, immune responses to commensal microbiota and opportunistic pathogens should be explored as potential triggers for initiating autoimmunity in SLE and Sjogren's syndrome.
Coping With the Point of Entry Problem in Evaluating Projects.

Abstract In this article the so-called point of entry problem in evaluation work has been discussed. A summary of how this problem has been treated in the theoretical literature of evaluation has been presented. Some illustrations of the problem have been given, and it has been considered from both client and evaluator perspectives. A general rule calling for studies that assist in improving client services has been offered. And a chart for determining, in accordance with this rule, when to do what type of study has been introduced. It is hoped that the advice will assist evaluators and their clients to do a better job of planning evaluations. In addition, it is hoped that other students of the evaluation field will examine and possibly build on the work begun here. Both further conceptual analysis and empirical study are needed. In addition, the field could use some good workshops aimed at helping evaluators and their clients to better appreciate and deal with their evaluation point of entry problem.
Inference approaches for instrumental variable quantile regression

We consider asymptotic and finite sample confidence bounds in instrumental variables quantile regressions of wages on schooling with relatively weak instruments. We find practically important differences between the asymptotic and finite sample interval estimates.
Weathering studies of epoxidized and hydroxy-fluoroester pendent guayule rubber in powder coatings

Although numerous coatings have been synthesized from guayule rubber derivatives, there have been no studies detailing the weatherability of such coatings. We report herein the results of accelerated weathering tests on powder coatings synthesized from epoxidized guayule rubber (EGR) and hydroxy-fluoroester pendent guayule rubber (FGR) derivatives. Our studies indicate that EGR and FGR powder coatings exposed to alternating cycles of fluorescent UVA light and water condensation for 400 h exhibit reduced yellowing and a high degree of gloss retention. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 92: 493–497, 2004