cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Obeticholic Acid Decreases Intestinal Content of Enterococcus in Rats With Cirrhosis and Ascites.

The intestinal microbiome and bacterial translocation (BT), the passage of microorganisms from the gut lumen to mesenteric lymph nodes and other extra-intestinal sites, are main mechanisms implicated in liver injury and further decompensation in patients with cirrhosis. We hypothesized that obeticholic acid (OCA), a semisynthetic bile acid, would change the microbiome composition and reduce bacterial translocation in experimental cirrhosis. Rats with cirrhosis induced by carbon tetrachloride inhalation (a nonseptic model) with ascites present for at least 7 days were randomized to receive a 14-day course of OCA at a dose of 5 mg/kg/day (n = 34) or placebo (n = 34). Stool was collected at days 1 (randomization), 8, and 14 (sacrifice) for analysis of intestinal microbiome using the V4 hypervariable region of the bacterial 16S gene amplified by polymerase chain reaction. Bacteriological cultures of mesenteric lymph nodes, blood, and ascites were performed at end of study. Twenty-four animals in each group reached the end of study. Compared with placebo, rats treated with OCA had decreased relative abundance of Enterococcus in both ileum content (P = 0.02) and in stool (P < 0.001). BT from pathogenic bacteria was not different between groups. At end of treatment, rats on OCA had a significantly lower aspartate aminotransferase (AST) (266 vs. 369 IU/L; P < 0.01) and higher serum albumin (0.9 vs. 0.7 g/dL; P < 0.01) than rats on placebo. Conclusion: Although OCA did not appear to reduce BT by pathogenic bacteria, the reduction in intestinal content of Enterococcus, which has been associated with hepatocyte death, in OCA-treated animals is consistent with our observed improvements in AST and in liver function, as evidenced by higher serum albumin.
Quantitative image features from radiomic biopsy differentiate oncocytoma from chromophobe renal cell carcinoma.

Purpose: To differentiate oncocytoma and chromophobe renal cell carcinoma (RCC) using radiomics features computed from spherical samples of image regions of interest, "radiomic biopsies" (RBs). Approach: In a retrospective cohort study of 102 CT cases [68 males (67%), 34 females (33%); mean age ± SD, 63 ± 12 years ], we pathology-confirmed 42 oncocytomas (41%) and 60 chromophobes (59%). A board-certified radiologist performed two RB rounds. From each RB round, we computed radiomics features and compared the performance of a random forest and AdaBoost binary classifier trained from the features. To control for overfitting, we performed 10 rounds of 70% to 30% train-test splits with feature-selection, cross-validation, and hyperparameter-optimization on each split. We evaluated the performance with test ROC AUC. We tested models on data from the other RB round and compared with the same round testing with the DeLong test. We clustered important features for each round and measured a bootstrapped adjusted Rand index agreement. Results: Our best classifiers achieved an average AUC of 0.71 ± 0.024 . We found no evidence of an effect for RB round ( p = 1 ). We also found no evidence for a decrease in model performance when tested on the other RB round ( p = 0.85 ). Feature clustering produced seven clusters in each RB round with high agreement ( Rand index = 0.981 ± 0.002 , p 0.00001 ). Conclusions: A consistent radiomic signature can be derived from RBs and could help distinguish oncocytoma and chromophobe RCC.
Maritime Transport Efficiency to Inform Demand-Driven User Fees for Harbor Infrastructure

Abstract A dredging backlog in American harbors has produced inefficiencies, delays, and lost revenues for waterway-based logistics and trade. Policymakers have called for increased spending to add...
Soviet Economic Reform: The Transition Issue

In the first part of this chapter, the problems inherent in the transition from central planning to a market system are discussed. Essentially they stem from the interrelated nature of an economic system that requires that a bundle of changes have to be made simultaneously for any meaningful reform to get started. This creates a dilemma in that a large bundle of simultaneous changes in the old system will lead to a danger of significant economic, social, and political destabilization. In the second part of the chapter, Soviet reform measures from 1987 through 1990 are described and analyzed.
Effect of Processing Conditions on Thermal Conduction in Alumina

Thermal conductivity versus temperature data, in the temperature range 77 to 500 K, is presented for a series of seven alpha alumina samples sintered at temperatures varying from 1273 K to 1873 K. Peaks in thermal conductivity are observed for the five samples sintered at < 1773 K. A shift in the magnitude and location of the peaks and an increase in the overall magnitude of thermal conductivity over the entire temperature range are observed with increasing sintering temperature. It is concluded that the temperature dependence of thermal conductivity of these materials is determined by two contributing factors: a) An increase in density as the sintering temperature is increased which leads to the removal of internal thermal barriers and an increase in the effective cross sectional areas of the samples b) An increase in the phonon mean free path for samples sintered at higher temperatures. This may be due in part to an increase in the intrinsic thermal conductivity of the grains.
Supply chain (SC) production planning with dynamic lead time and quality of service constraints

We present a computationally tractable framework for decentralized, yet coordinated, management and control of supply chains (SCs) capturing the salient dynamics of production systems. The SC is modeled as a network of super nodes representing production facilities. Each facility is modeled as a stochastic queueing network of workstations operated by a general material flow/routing policy. Each facility's stochastic dynamics are fast (they vary hourly) relative to the planning horizon's deterministic dynamics (they vary weekly). This enables a time scale based decomposition to assign facility-specific performance and sensitivity evaluation tasks to a decentralized sub-problem layer, while SC production planning is assigned to a centralized deterministic mathematical programming layer. We optimize weekly production schedules that minimize inventory and backlog costs subject to non-linear constraints on production imposed by weekly varying dynamic lead-times and inter-facility quality of service driven inventory hedging policies. Extensive computational experience demonstrates significantly faster supply chain velocity relative to static lead-time state of the art industry practices.
Comparative Leaching Behavior of SYNROC B and A Borosilicate Glass

Specimens of SYNROC B were fabricated under a variety of conditions and doped with simulated radwaste species. Two of the component phases of SYNROC B, perovskite and zirconolite, doped with stront...
Membranous Inclusions of Pseudomonas aeruginosa

Abstract Electron microscopy of sectioned cells of Pseudomonas aeruginosa treated with a double fixative in N-2-hydroxyethylpiperazine-N-2-ethanesulfonic acid revealed a number of membranous inclusions varying in size and morphology. One round, electron transparent form was frequently observed which did not routinely appear to be attached to the cytoplasmic membrane and varied in size from 120 to 300 nm in diameter. However, in one case, several tubular structures between an inclusion and the cytoplasmic membrane was observed. On rare occasions, a large and unusual multilayered inclusion consisting of three thick and distinct layers was also encountered. In addition, two small mesosomal structures were singly observed in cells and were situated proximal to the cytoplasmic membrane. One type appeared to consist of a single thin membrane, whereas the other type consisted of a delicate, multilayered structure.
At the Nexus of Science and Religion: UFO Religions

The modern period has witnessed a rise of religious interest in extraterrestrial life and visitations, which although dating back to the 18th century, culminated during the 20th century in the emergence of the ‘UFO religions’. This article highlights the manner in which the founders and members of unidentified flying object (UFO) religions have sought to operate at the nexus of science and religion in the modern world. The article first considers definitional questions and explains the origin of the concept of UFOs, ufology, and UFO religions. The article then traces the history of the development and rise of several of these religions, providing case studies of the major UFO religions and religious movements. Finally, the article considers recent scholarship and research issues involving UFO religions.
Power electronics for military vehicles

Power electronics hold great promise for use in integrated electrical power systems for military vehicles. While some applications are uniquely military, quite a few could be carried over into the civilian sector. These include electric drives, electric actuators and onboard power generation management. Strictly military application include defense and armament. >
Functioning patterns among older adolescents in foster care: Results from a cluster analysis

Abstract Older adolescents in foster care represent a heterogeneous population, though such heterogeneity is often underemphasized in research and practice. This study employed a cluster analysis to identify subpopulations in a large, national sample of 17-year-old youth based on the following indicators: educational attainment, connection to a supportive adult, adolescent parenthood, homelessness, substance abuse referral and incarceration. Data from the National Youth in Transition Database (NYTD) and Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System (AFCARS) were used in the analysis. Results revealed five subpopulations defined by specific strengths, vulnerabilities and child welfare experiences. The largest group identified (39%) functioned successfully in all domains, whereas an additional group (15%) exhibited consistent maladaptation. The remaining groups evidenced variable adaptation patterns, with strengths in some domains and challenges in others. Entry to foster care for reasons other than child's problem behaviors, and placement in stable, family-based settings were associated with belonging to the most adaptive group. Findings emphasize heterogeneity among older adolescents in foster care, and call for better design and targeting of child welfare services and programs as appropriate to the needs of specific subgroups.
Mass-Spectrometric Approaches for DNA-Based Genetic Screening

In the current issue of Clinical Chemistry , Braun et al. (1) describe a mutational analysis method that combines pr imer o ligo b ase e xtension (PROBE) and m atrix- a ssisted l aser d esorption i onization t ime- o f- f light m ass s pectrometry (MALDI-TOF-MS). This application further extends the use of MS for genetic analysis and suggests a possible role in the clinic. However, what is the long-term potential for MALDI, based on the relative strengths and weaknesses of MS analysis of DNA (2)? The development of soft-ionization techniques for MS has, without question, revolutionized protein chemistry. MS is now one of the definitive methods for characterization of synthetic and isolated peptides and proteins. In addition to accurately determining an intact mass, one can obtain primary structure information by several different MS sequencing strategies, and secondary and tertiary structure can be evaluated by hydrogen-exchange experiments. The use of MS for DNA analysis, although first demonstrated for nucleosides in 1962 (3), is far less advanced. Potential applications of MS are (a) detection of DNA modifications, (b) DNA fragment mass determination, and (c) DNA sequencing. Both fast atom bombardment (FAB) and electrospray ionization (ESI) collision-induced dissociation/tandem MS have been applied for identification of DNA modification sites. For example, the …
Spatial resolution enhancement of terrestrial features using deconvolved SSM/I microwave brightness temperatures

A method for enhancing the 19-, 22-, and 37-GHz measurements of the SSM/I (Special Sensor Microwave/Imager) to the spatial resolution and sampling density of the high-resolution 85-GHz channel is presented. An objective technique for specifying the tuning parameter, which balances the tradeoff between resolution and noise, is developed in terms of maximizing cross-channel correlations. Various validation procedures are performed to demonstrate the effectiveness of the method, which, it is hoped, will provide researchers with a valuable tool in multispectral applications of satellite radiometer data. >
GAME SENSE AND INTELLIGENCE

A test of game sense in badminton which contained 10 test items patterned after existing intelligence tests was proposed (Thorpe & West, 1969); and studies of the reliability and validity of the game-sense tesr are in process. The purpose of the present study was to determine, as a prologue to a study of predictive value, whether or not the game-sense test might be related to general intelligence. Thorpe (1967) found that Otis scores were not significant in differentiating success for 375 college women engaged in tournament play. Ninety-two Ss who were college women took the Otis test and the game-sense test. Pearson product-moment correlations were computed for the total score on the game-sense test and each of the Otis sub-tests. Multiple linear regression analyses were employed to study the prediction of Otis scores from game-sense scores. Results appear in Table 1. All of the rs (except that for the Blocks test) were significant at the .O1 or .O5 level. The mean Otis IQ of the group was 115; and the mean score on the game-sense test was 117. Standard deviations were 9.1 and 19.8, respectively. The regression analysis indicated that the total game-sense test or any of the sub-tescs (except the Blocks) could significantly predict Otis scores. General intelligence, as measured in this study, must be considered, therefore, in the validation of the game-sense test.
Histone Deacetylase--A Regulator of Transcription

Histones are DNA binding proteins that bind without regard to the sequence of the DNA and help determine the three-dimensional organization of the chromatin into chromosomes. A paper in this week's issue (Taunton et al ., [p. 408][1]) reports the cloning of histone deacetylase, an ezyme that modifies histones by removing an acetyl group. In his Perspective, Wolffe explains how the action of this enzyme can lead to the regulation of the transcription of certain genes. [1]: /lookup/doi/10.1126/science.272.5260.408
Evolution of Kelvin-Helmholtz billows in nature and laboratory

A mixing mechanism prevalent in natural flows is the formation and breakdown of vortical billows known as Kelvin-Helmholtz (K-H) instabilities. Here we present field examples of K-H billow occurrences in the atmosphere and oceans. Laboratory experiments aimed at studying certain key features of K-H billows are also discussed, wherein the billows were generated in a two-layer stratified tilt-tank. It is shown that small-scale turbulent mixing is present within billows from the early stages of their evolution, but mixing becomes intense and the billows are destroyed as they achieve a maximum height and initiate collapse at a non-dimensional time of ΔUtλ ≈ 5, where ΔU is the velocity shear and λ is the wavelength. When TUtλ < 5, the Thorpe scale LT and the maximum Thorpe displacement (LT)max, normalized by the local billow height Lb, are independent of both the horizontal location within the billow and time with LTLb ≈ (0.49 ± 0.03) and (LT)maxLb ≈ (0.89 ± 0.02). After the collapse starts, however, the pertinent lengthscale ratios in the ‘core’ of the billow show values similar to those of fully developed turbulent patches, i.e., LTLb ≈ (0.29 ± 0.04) and (LT)maxLb ≈ (0.68 ± 0.04). The field observations were found to be in good agreement with laboratory-based predictions.
High Power Multi-Cavity Phase-Locked Gyrotron Oscillator Experiment

A high-peak-power 35 GHz multi-cavity phase-locked gyrotron based on a solid 1 MeV, 100 Amp, 30 nsec electron beam has been designed. The required beam transverse momentum is produced by a helical wiggler and increased to a beam pitch ratio 04.75 by magnetic field compression. The locking signal, provided by a 20 kW magnetron, drives a slotted cylindrical TE 111 prebunching cavity. The azimuthal phase bunching of the beam, is enhanced by means of a second passive bunching cavity. The TE121 output cavity, which will self-oscillate in the absence of beam prebunching, is expected to produce output powers of -10 MW and have a locking frequency bandwidth of 0.1 percent.
Thermodynamics of mixing of liquids in the system Ca3(PO4)2CaCl2CaF2Ca(OH)2

Abstract Molten calcium halide and hydroxide salts may be used as flux and reactants in determining apatite exchange equilibria and solid solution behavior. New experimental data and published phase equilibria are used to determine a thermodynamic model of melts and solids along the binary joins of the anhydrous apatite system Ca3(PO4)2CaCl2CaF2Ca(OH)2. In this model, melt components are expressed as Ca0.5X, where X is hydroxide or a halogen, or as Ca1.5PO4. The derived binary interaction parameters (WG's) are sufficient to describe deviations from Raoultian behavior for the data. Standard state data are derived for molten Ca(OH)2 and Ca3(PO4)2, and for the intermediate compounds CaClF, CaClOH, and Ca2PO4Cl. Melts in the CaCl2CaF2 system show ideal mixing behavior, while the calcium hydroxide-bearing molten salts form asymmetric regular solutions. The hydroxide-bearing melts show the small positive enthalpies of mixing typical for mixed-anion salts. Similar behavior is measured in simpler molten salt mixtures. The positive deviations from Raoultian behavior are not a mathematical artifact of the model. Data are less extensive for the salt-phosphate systems but cover the essential portions of the systems where salt to phosphate ratios are high. The mixtures of the molten salts and phosphates salts show large negative enthalpy interaction parameters (WH), as is expected in eutectic systems which mix a high-melting-point crystal with a low-melting-point flux. Adequate reproduction of the data requires that some entropy interaction parameters be negative, although small. This implies the presence of ordering in the melt, which is manifested in more polymerized phosphate liquids and glasses as halogenated and hydroxylated orthophosphate and pyrophosphate species. Results of the model indicate that the quaternary system is a good choice for determination of activity-composition relations for the apatites. Comparison of common sources of standard state thermodynamic data ( Robie et al., 1979; JANAF, Chase et al., 1985; CODATA, Garvin et al., 1987) shows that the data for the salts are very similar where they are not identical. At temperatures below 900°C in the ternary systems, liquid compositions will be on or near the apatite-crystalline salt cotectics, and dissolve less than 1 mol% Ca3(PO4)2. This makes CaCl2CaF2 mixtures excellent candidates for determination of unambiguous apatite activity-compositional relations. Only the Ca(OH)2 liquidus is strongly affected by the addition of phosphate, but this effect is closely described by a regular solution model.
Cholesky, Toeplitz and the triangular factorization of symmetric matrices

The triangular factorization of symmetric matrices, usually ascribed to A. L. Cholesky, was (essentially) explicitly given by O. Toeplitz earlier, but rather parenthetically. Actually, the word ‘matrix’ does not appear in the report on Cholesky’s process; the matrix formulation seems due to Henry Jensen.
Linear systems analysis of the fMRI signal

In 1995 when we began our investigations of the human visual system using fMRI, little was known about the temporal properties of the fMRI signal. Before we felt comfortable making quantitative estimates of neuronal responses with this new technique, we decided to first conduct a basic study of how the time-course of the fMRI response varied with stimulus timing and strength. The results ended up showing strong evidence that to a first approximation the hemodynamic transformation was linear in time. This was both important and remarkable: important because nearly all fMRI data analysis techniques assume or require linearity, and remarkable because the physiological basis of the hemodynamic transformation is so complex that we still have a far from complete understanding of it. In this paper, we provide highlights of the results of our original paper supporting the linear transform hypothesis. A reanalysis of the original data provides some interesting new insights into the published results. We also provide a detailed appendix describing of the properties and predictions of a linear system in time in the context of the transformation between neuronal responses and the BOLD signal.
Fusion of caudal vertebrae in Late Jurassic sauropods

ABSTRACT Fusion of caudal vertebrae in the sauropod dinosaurs Apatosaurus, Diplodocus, and Camarasaurus is explained as the result of ossification of ligaments spanning consecutive centra. The ossification does not involve the intervertebral space or the annulus fibrosus of the disc and therefore represents true bridging. This is verified by not only the gross external appearance, but also by the use of CAT scans and longitudinal section of a fused pair of Diplodocus caudal vertebrae. Fusion of caudal vertebrae in Camarasaurus is reported here for the first time. It is concluded that the fusion is the result of the physiological phenomenon called diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis (DISH) and therefore is not a pathological response or due to a physical injury. Various proposed hypotheses to explain the function of the fused caudals, such as defense and postural support, are considered untenable. Fusion of caudal vertebrae probably aided in keeping the tail elevated and undoubtedly served a functiona...
Knowledge-based process control and diagnostics for orbital cryogen transfer

AFDex is a rule based system designed to provide intelligent process control, diagnosis, and error recovery for a Shuttle based cryogenic experiment, SHOOT (Superfluid Helium On-Orbit Transfer). This paper describes the AFDex system in the context of traditional associative, model-based, and qualitative systems and discusses the implications of this first expert system in space.
Mouse Kidney Androgen-Regulated Protein Messenger Ribonucleic Acid is Expressed in the Proximal Convoluted Tubules

Kidney androgen-regulated protein (KAP) mRNA represents the most abundant [∼4% of the total poly(A) RNA] mRNA species that is induced by androgens in the mouse kidney. Comparison of the expression of several androgen-regulated mRNAs in this tissue, revealed that the mRNAs were differentially regulated by the hormone. KAP mRNA exhibited unusual sensitivity to low concentrations of the androgen-receptor complex. Because of its unusual characteristics, it was of interest to determine in what cells of the kidney KAP mRNA was being produced. Using the technique of in situ hybridization with single stranded RNA probes, we have identified the epithelial cells of the renal proximal convoluted tubules as the site of synthesis of KAP mRNA. Interestingly, only a subpopulation of these cells, those located in the juxtamedullary region of the renal cortex, contain KAP mRNA in castrated males. After androgen treatment, cortical proximal tubules are also induced to express KAP mRNA. These results suggest that two types ...
Preferential scaling of certain selected distinctive features

The specific purpose of this study was to determine whether or not a hierarchical structure exists within the phonological domain of distinctive features. The secondary purpose was to determine whether the Chomsky and Halle (1968) Distinctive Feature System is relevant to and descriptive of the perceptual domain of subjects in a speech processing mode. For investigative purposes and based upon related research, an assumption of distinctive feature realization is nurtured. The evaluation of the subjects' responses was obtained through eliciting judgments of saliency on minimally contrastive members of stimulus sets. The CV-syllable was utilized in order to maximize acoustic and minimize semantic effects. Results indicate that a hierarchy exists with distinctive features. Voice was found least salient, coronal more salient, and strident most salient. In addition, the study revealed that memory is a crucial factor in saliency with coronal versus strident, while the feature contrasts are more important in judgments of voice versus coronal and voice versus strident.
Divergent Beliefs in “Bargaining and the Nature of War” A Reply to Fey and Ramsay

Mark Fey and Kristopher Ramsay (2006) take issue with the presentation of how players' beliefs diverge in “Bargaining and the Nature of War” (Smith and Stam 2004). In that article, the authors constructed a model of bargaining between two nations in which the nations have noncommon priors about the probability with which either nation would eventually prevail, should a war between them continue to a decisive conclusion. The players' divergent beliefs make up one of the fundamental potential causes of war in the model. Fey and Ramsay argue that Smith and Stam's departure from the standard common priors assumption is an unnecessary deviation from convention. The authors disagree, arguing that their different approach to modeling disagreement between rational actors provides a useful way to approach the empirical puzzle they set out to explore, namely, how rational actors with divergent beliefs might settle their disagreements in the context of war.
A resonant piezoelectric microphone array for detection of acoustic signatures in noisy environments

This paper reports a MEMS acoustic resonator array that improves Automatic Speech Recognition (ASR) and signature detection characteristics in environments with high levels of acoustic interference. The experiments with the acoustic resonator array show an increase of 62.7 percentage points in ASR transcription accuracy for signals buried under noise with −15 dB Signal-to-Noise Ratio (SNR). The results of this study support the development of resonant acoustic sensors for a variety of pattern recognition applications.
Provider competition and healthcare quality: More bang for the buck?

Abstract Public and private entities around the world are trying to induce the provision of higher-quality health care by adopting institutional arrangements intended to promote competition among care providers. I selectively survey and supplement the literature to show that an increase in competition—modeled either as a larger number of care providers or greater precision of signals available to consumers regarding provider quality—may result in lower equilibrium quality, holding prices fixed. These findings are an indication that considerable opportunities exist for industrial organization theorists to contribute to our understanding of healthcare markets.
ATOMIC OXYGEN BEAM SOURCE FOR ORBITAL ENVIRONMENT EXPERIMENTS

ABSTRACT We describe a new system for the production of high flux neutral beams of low energy (5-10 eV) atoms, for use in beam-surface interaction and surface modification studies. This source can recreate the flux of superthermal atomic oxygen and other neutral species to which spacecraft surfaces are exposed in low Earth orbit. The system is based upon a magnetically confined (3-4 kG) co-axial plasma source driven by 1 kW RF at 2.45 GHz. The beam is. produced by the acceleration of plasma ions onto a negatively biased plate of high-Z metal (Mo or Pt); the ions are neutralized and reflected by the surface, retaining a large fraction of their incident kinetic energy, forming a beam of superthermal atoms. The source can provide neutral flux > 5 × 10 16 /cm2 s and fluence > 1020 cm2 in a five hour exposure. Such a high fluence source can provide accelerated simulation testing of materials and coatings for space applications. To date, samples of carbon film, carbon-based paint (Z-302), Kapton, mylar, teflon,...
Boundary conditions at a dielectric-plasma interface

This letter comments on previous work by Fedorchenko on boundary conditions at a dielectric-plasma interface. It is indicated that the condition derived from the causality requirement is not independent and cannot be used as the third condition besides the continuity of the tangential E and Hcomponents. For the two-variable Laplace transformation, any choice of the third boundary condition will be equally acceptable.
Biological specialization in phytophthora infestans

Phytophthora infestans as it occurs in most parts of North America either is not biologically specialized or else the varieties of potatoes and tomatoes now grown are not kinds that reveal the presence of more than one form. The form prevalent in North America is the same as the one which occurred at Moscow in 1928 and at Munich in 1930. The demonstration of a biotype in Pomerania in 1932 may be attributed to a new form arising from the production of viable oospores of the fungus or to the fact that a hybrid possessingdemissum “blood” serves to bring out the existence of such a type.
Local Entropy Generation Analysis of a Rotary Magnetic Heat Pump Regenerator

The rotary magnetic heat pump has attractive thermodynamic performance but it is strongly influenced by the effectiveness of the regenerator. This study uses local entropy generation analysis to evaluate the regenerator design and to suggest design improvements. The results show that performance of the proposed design is dominated by heat transfer related entropy generation. This suggests that enhancement concepts that improve heat transfer should be considered, even if the enhancement causes a significant increase in viscous losses (pressure drop). One enhancement technique, the use of flow disrupters, was evaluated and the results showed that flow disrupters can significantly reduce thermodynamic losses.
Ubiquitous eddies of the eastern Bering Sea and their coincidence with concentrations of larval pollock

Between 1988 and 1993, 12 satellite-tracked buoys were deployed in four eddies in the south-eastern Bering Sea. Our success in finding eddies resulted from placing buoys in high concentrations of walleye pollock (Them-gra chalcogramma) larvae. We utilize data from hydro-graphic surveys, satellite-tracked buoys and moored current meters to describe the eddies. Small (< 25 km diameter) eddies likely transit along the slope of the eastern Bering Sea every 45–60 days. In previous studies such small features were not observed because their size fell within typical separation of hydrographic stations and the weak sea surface temperature gradients are not resolved by satellite-borne infrared imagery.
Orientation Anisotropy in the Ternus Phenomenon

The Ternus display is an ambiguous, multi-element, apparent-movement animation which can be perceived in two alternative organizations. One of these involves the simultaneous movement of several elements and is called group movement. The other involves the movement of one element only and is called element movement. The present study examined the influence of retinal eccentricity and organizational orientation on the percentage of group-movement reports obtained across a range of interstimulus intervals. Six participants observed 48 variations of the Ternus display over 100 replications and judged the type of movement seen on each trial. Analysis showed that retinal eccentricity had no effect on the appearance of the display. However, compared with horizontally organized elements, obliquely organized and vertically organized elements yielded progressively more group movement across all but the shortest interstimulus intervals. These results represent an orientational anisotropy in the processing of Ternus apparent movement.
Surgical Issues in Lung Transplantation: Options, Donor Selection, Graft Preservation, and Airway Healing

To present an overview of the surgical issues in lung transplantation, including the historical context and the rationale for choosing a particular procedure for a specific patient, we reviewed and summarized the current medical literature and our personal experience. Several surgical options are available, including single lung transplantation; double lung transplantation; heart-lung transplantation; bilateral, sequential single lung transplantation; and (recently) single lobe transplantation. Although single lung transplantation is preferred for maximal use of the available organs, bilateral lung transplantation is necessary for septic lung diseases and may be appropriate for pulmonary hypertension and bullous emphysema. Heart-lung transplantation is performed for Eisenmenger's syndrome and for primary pulmonary hypertension with severe right ventricular failure. General factors for consideration in assessment of compatibility of the donor and potential recipient include ABO blood group, height (the donor should be within +/- 20% of the recipient's height), and length of the lungs (determined on an anteroposterior chest roentgenogram). Graft preservation and minimal duration of ischemia are important. Complications associated with airway healing are related to ischemia of the donor bronchus. We have addressed the issue of donor bronchial ischemia by direct revascularization of the donor bronchial arteries with use of the recipient's internal thoracic artery. Currently, lung transplantation offers a realistic therapeutic option to patients with end-stage pulmonary parenchymal or vascular disease.
THE SYNTHESES AND STRUCTURES OF SALTS OF THE OCTACHLORODIRHENATE(III) AND OCTACHLORODIOSMATE(III) ANIONS WITH THE 1,2-BIS(TRIPHENYLPHOSPHONIUM)ETHANE CATION

Abstract The reactions of cis-Re2(O2CCH3)2Cl4(py)2 or (n-Bu4N)2Re2Cl8, with PR, (R = Cy or Ph) in refluxing 1,2-dichloroethane afford the bis-phosphonium salts (R3PCH2CH2PR3)Re2Cl8; the crystal structure of the derivative where R = Ph shows that this is only the second example of a salt of the [Re2Cl8]2 anion in which a 3-fold orientational disorder of the ReRe units is encountered. A cation exchange reaction between (Ph3PCH2CH2PPh3)CI2 and (n-Bu4N)2Os4Cl8 affords (Ph3PCH2CH2PPh3)Os2Cl8,, which possesses an OsOs bond distance of 2.1896(3) A and is the second example of a crystal structure of a [Os2Cl8]2− salt in which a fully staggered rotational geometry is present.
Effects of flow and chemistry on OH levels in premixed flame-vortex interactions

The transient response of OH during laminar flame-vortex interactions is studied experimentally forpremixed CH4-air flames. Quantitative measurements of OH laser-induced fluorescence are performed for this purpose. The effect of flow geometry is investigated by comparing a line-vortex/V-flame interaction and a toroidal-vortex/counterflow-flame interaction. At an equivalence ratio of =1.2, a N2-diluted V-flame exhibits an abrupt increase in peak OH signal. This increase is not observed in the axisymmetric configuration for comparable flame chemistry and vortex size. The two-dimensional flame surface contour, as traced by the peak OH signal, is also topologically matched for the two geometries. Under richer conditions, an increase in OH is observed during toroidal vortex-counterflow-flame interactions. The distribution and temporal evolution of excess OH along the vortex contour are quite different for the two geometries. Results suggest a strong coupling between chemistry and flame stretch. Distributions of stretch along the vortex contour differ for the two geometries. The effect of chemistry is investigated for lean and rich conditions. An undiluted rich flame (=1.4) is compared with a diluted rich flame (=1.3, 10% N2 dilution) with similar adiabatic flame temperature and laminar flame speed. Under the richest conditions (=1.4), an OH increase is observed for undiluted flames, indicating that the mechanism for increasing OH during a flow transient is present even without high levels of N2 dilution. An undiluted lean flame (=0.6) is compared with a diluted rich flame (=1.2, 25% N2 dilution) with similar laminar flame speed. For the lean flame, the counterflow flame-vortex interaction exhibits a decrease in the peak OH signal, which is consistent with previous studies of both V-flames and freely propagating axisymmetric flames.
Checked Coverage and Object Branch Coverage: New Alternatives for Assessing Student-Written Tests

Many educators currently use code coverage metrics to assess student-written software tests. While test adequacy criteria such as statement or branch coverage can also be used to measure the thoroughness of a test suite, they have limitations. Coverage metrics assess what percentage of code has been exercised, but do not depend on whether a test suite adequately checks that the expected behavior is achieved. This paper evaluates checked coverage, an alternative measure of test thoroughness aimed at overcoming this limitation, along with object branch coverage, a structure code coverage metric that has received little discussion in educational assessment. Checked coverage works backwards from behavioral assertions in test cases, measuring the dynamic slice of the executed code that actually influences the outcome of each assertion. Object branch coverage (OBC) is a stronger coverage criterion similar to weak variants of modified condition/decision coverage. We experimentally compare checked coverage and OBC against statement coverage, branch coverage, mutation analysis, and all-pairs testing to evaluate which is the best predictor of how likely a test suite is to detect naturally occurring defects. While checked coverage outperformed other coverage measures in our experiment, followed closely by OBC, both were only weakly correlated with a test suite's ability to detect naturally occurring defects produced by students in the final versions of their programs. Still, OBC appears to be an improved and practical alternative to existing statement and branch coverage measures, while achieving nearly the same benefits as checked coverage.
Commas and canaries: the role of punctuation in speech and writing

Just as spoken and written language change over time, so does the relationship between these two forms of linguistic representation. In the case of English, this relationship has undergone two major shifts. Before the 17th century, writing was predominantly a means of recording formal transactions or enabling readers to re-present speech at a future time. By the 18th and 19th centuries, writing achieved greater independence from the spoken word. However, in the second half of the 20th century, writing was increasingly redefined as a mirror of informal discourse. This paper argues that the history of punctuation in the English-speaking world offers tangible evidence for the evolving interplay between speech and writing.
Facing Facts: An Analysis of the Early “Nude Self-Portraits” by Robert Giard

Early in his career, photographer Robert Giard took on an elemental aesthetic “chore”: the self-portrait. The project was an amalgam; it was the self-portrait in the sense that he was the model, and it was the nude in the sense that he was naked. But in his handling of these 2 genres, Giard broke with these categories as they are typically understood. Grouping his “self-portraits” under 3 rubrics—“candid,” “headless,” and “neoclassical”—Giard appeared to toy with standard definitions. Words and images suggest tensions held in balance: disclosure vs. concealment; confession vs. secrecy; present vs. retrospective; identification vs. obfuscation; personal vs. impersonal. Indeed, these “self-portraits,” in which the subject concealed his face, encourage us, aware that Giard was a gay man, to wonder if these pictures are not an obvious metaphor for the status of homosexuals at the period in which they were made.
Induction of Collagen by Estradiol: Difference Between Sun-Protected and Photodamaged Human Skin In Vivo

Objective To evaluate the effectiveness of topical estradiol in stimulating collagen I and III production in naturally aged and photoaged human skin of postmenopausal women and age-matched men. Design Vehicle-controlled treatment followed by biochemical and immunohistochemical analyses of skin biopsy specimens. Setting Academic referral center. Participants Seventy healthy volunteers (40 postmenopausal women with a mean age of 75 years, and 30 men with a mean age of 75 years) with photodamaged skin. Interventions Topical application of estradiol, 0.01%, 0.1%, 1%, or 2.5% or vehicle on aged or photoaged skin, with biopsy specimens taken after last treatment. Main Outcome Measures De novo synthesis of collagen by quantitative polymerase chain reaction, immunohistochemistry, and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Results Topical estradiol increased procollagen I and III messenger RNA and collagen I protein levels in sun-protected aged hip skin in postmenopausal women and, to a lesser extent, in age-matched men. Surprisingly, no significant changes in production were observed in women or men after 2-week estradiol treatment of photoaged forearm or face skin, despite similar expression of estrogen receptors (ER-α, ER-β, and GPR30) in aged and photoaged skin. Estradiol treatment induced the estrogen-responsive gene GREB1 , indicating that penetration of topical estradiol and genomic response to estrogen were similar in the 3 anatomic sites. Conclusions Two-week topical estradiol treatment stimulates collagen production in sun-protected hip skin, but not in photoaged forearm or face skin, in postmenopausal women and aged-matched men. These findings suggest that menopause-associated estrogen decline is involved in reduced collagen production in sun-protected skin. Interestingly, alterations induced by long-term sun exposure hinder the ability of topical 2-week estradiol to stimulate collagen production in aged skin. Trial Registration clinicaltrials.gov Identifier:NCT00113100
Frequency-domain technique for optical property measurements in moderately scattering media

We demonstrate a reflection geometry frequency-domain technique that is suitable for measurement of the optical properties of a medium with moderate scatter and absorption (μs and μa∼1 m-1). Variations in absorption and scatter produce opposing tends in the amplitude signal and common trends in the phase signal, allowing unique determination of absorption and scattering coefficients for a given phase function. An analytical model based on single-scattering events gives good agreement with experimental measurements.
Sindbis virus glycoprotein E1 is divided into two discrete domains at amino acid 129 by disulfide bridge connections.

The E1 membrane glycoprotein of Sindbis virus contains structural and functional domains, which are conformationally dependent on the presence of intramolecular disulfide bridges (B. A. Abell and D. T. Brown, J. Virol. 67:5496–5501, 1993; R. P. Anthony, A. M. Paredes, and D. T. Brown, Virology 190:330–336, 1992). We have examined the disulfide bonds in E1 and have determined that the E1 membrane glycoprotein contains two separate sets of interconnecting disulfide linkages, which divide the protein into two domains at amino acid 129. These separate sets of disulfides may stabilize and define the structural and functional regions of the E1 protein.
The Improving Efficiency Frontier of Religious Not-for-Profit Hospitals

Abstract. By using data-envelopment analysis (DEA), this study evaluates the efficiency of religious not-for-profit hospitals. Hospital executives, healthcare policy makers, taxpayers, and other stakeholders benefit from studies that improve hospital efficiency. Results indicate that overall efficiency in religious hospitals improved from 72% in 1998 to 74% in 2001. What is more important is that the number of religious hospitals operating on the efficiency frontier increased from 40 in 1998 to 47 in 2001. This clearly documents that religious hospitals are becoming more efficient in the management of resources. From a policy perspective, this study highlights the economic importance of encouraging increased efficiency throughout the healthcare industry.
Excitation Energy of Liquid Helium. II

The excitation spectrum of liquid Helium II is re-examined using the formalism de­ veloped by Sunakawa et a!. In this formalism, certain· divergent terms appear-a constant term and the terms involving products of two field operators. We show that it is necessary to retain them in order to obtain convergent results in pertubation calculations. Results for the energy spectrum and structure factor are derived in perturbation theory and are thus shown to be convergent in contrast to the earlier observations by Sunakawa et al. to the· contrary. Similar corrections are also derived for the temperature dependent formalism de­ veloped recently by Kebukawa. The new expression for the excitation energy is numerically evaluated in such a way as not to depend on model interatomic potentials and is found only to be in fair agreement with experimental result.
Ecological Studies and Mathematical Modeling of Cladophora in Lake Huron: 4. Photosynthesis and Respiration as Functions of Light and Temperature

Laboratory experiments were conducted with Cladophora glomerata isolated from Lake Huron near Harbor Beach, Michigan, to determine gross and net photosynthesis and respiration as functions of temperature and light intensity. Rates of net photosynthesis and respiration were measured in three replicate cultures at all combinations of eight temperatures (1° to 35° C) and eight light levels (12 to 1235 μE/m2•sec) using oxygen electrode techniques. Maximum net photosynthesis occurred between 13 and 17° C and 300 to 600 μE/m2•sec. The data were converted to specific rates of growth and respiration for use in a mathematical model, and three-dimensional response surfaces were generated for gross and net growth and respiration over the entire range of light levels and temperatures examined.
tau Assembly in Inducible Transfectants Expressing Wild-Type or FTDP-17 tau

Conditional expression systems for 4-repeat wild-type (WT) tau or the corresponding mutants V337M and R406W were established in human neuroglioma H4 cells to study the effect of tau mutations on the physicochemical properties of tau, and to develop a cellular model for the formation of filamentous tau characteristic of frontotemporal dementia with parkinsonism linked to chromosome 17 (FTDP-17) and Alzheimer’s disease. Upon induction tau expression increased, reaching maximal levels at 5 to 7 days. WT tau was phosphorylated at amino acids T181, S202/T205, T231, and S396/S404. The R406W mutation decreased tau phosphorylation at each of these sites as did the V337M mutation except for S396/S404 sites that increased. Most tau in postnuclear cell lysates was recovered in the supernatant fraction after centrifugation at 200,000 × g. The amount of tau in the pellet fraction increased more in mutant transfectants compared to WT when the induction was extended beyond 5 days. This particulate tau could be partially extracted with salt, Triton X-100, or sarkosyl. Of the transfectants, R406W had the highest proportion of sarkosyl-insoluble tau by day 7. This insoluble fraction was thioflavin S-positive and contained 15- to 5-nm-wide filaments with tau immunoreactivities. The R406W filaments were more abundant than those detected in similar preparations from WT or V337M transfectants. At the light microscopy level, most tau was found with microtubules, or diffusely distributed in the cytoplasm, but none of this appeared thioflavin S-positive. The results suggest that conditional tau transfectants are in a pretangle stage making them an attractive model system for studying intracellular tangle accumulation and for testing potential therapeutic agents as inhibitors for tau aggregation.