cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Digital image-processing activities in remote sensing for earth resources

The United States space program is in the throes of a major shift in emphasis from exploration of the moon and nearby planets to the application of remote sensing technology toward increased scientific understanding and economic exploitation of the earth itself. Over one hundred potential applications have already been identified. Since data from the unmanned Earth Resources Technology Satellites and the manned Earth Resources Observation Satellites are not yet available, the experimentation required to realize the ambitious goals of these projects is carried out through approximation of the expected characteristics of the data by means of images derived from weather satellite vidicon and spin-scan cameras, Gemini and Apollo photographs, and the comprehensive sensor complement of the NASA earth resources observation aircraft. The extensive and varied work currently underway is reviewed in terms of the special purpose scan and display equipment and efficient data manipulation routines required for high-resolution images; the essential role of interactive processing; the application of supervised classification methods to crop and timber forecasts, geological exploration, and hydrological surveys; the need for nonsupervised classification techniques for video compaction and for more efficient utilization of ground-control samples; and the outstanding problem of mapping accurately the collected data on a standard coordinate system. An attempt is made to identify among the welter of "promising" results areas of tangible achievement as well as likely bottlenecks, and to assess the contribution to be expected of digital image-processing methods in both operational and experimental utilization of the forthcoming torrent of data.
Effects of exposure to ozone on susceptibility to experimental tuberculosis

Abstract Exposure of mice to 1.96 mg m 3 ozone (O3) 3 h day , 5 days/week, for up to 8 weeks beginning at 1 or 2 weeks after challenge with Mycobacterium tuberculosis R 1Rv resulted in significant enhancement of bacterial titers in the lungs at 5 through 8 weeks after challenge when compared to mice exposed to filtered air. Exposure to lower concentrations of O3 did not produce any significant changes compared to controls. Exposure of guinea pigs to 2.9 mg m 3 O3 for 3 h immediately after challenge with M. tuberculosis resulted in a suppression of the cutaneous delayed hypersensitivity response, without affecting the serum hemagglutination antibody titers. However, exposure of guinea pigs to 0.98 mg m 3 O3 3 h day for 5 days, initiated within 3 h after the infectious challenge, enhanced hemagglutination antibody titers initially, but the delayed hypersensitivity reaction did not differ from controls.
GENDER STRATIFICATION IN THE SCIENCE PIPELINE: A Comparative Analysis of Seven Countries

This study uses a “science pipeline” model and cross-national data to examine women's participation in science education and occupations in seven countries. Gender stratification in later science education and in science occupations is found in every country examined. Young women's participation in science education decreases with each stage in the science pipeline, but there is considerable cross-national variation in the extent of gender stratification in science. Findings show greater gender stratification in science occupations than in science education, suggesting factors other than training help maintain inequality in high-status science occupations.
Comparison of Spreading of Beams of Different Kinds in Free Space and in the Turbulent Atmosphere

Depending on the beam type, a criterion is used to estimate the distance of propagation up to which a beam preserves its beam like form both in free space and in the turbulent atmosphere.
Syndromic craniosynostosis, fibroblast growth factor receptor 2 (FGFR2) mutations, and sacrococcygeal eversion presenting as human tails

There have been 23 previously published cases of patients with syndromic craniosynostosis and human tails. In many of these, the tail was composed of prominent coccygeal and sacral vertebrae, curved in a retroverted instead of in the normal anterograde fashion. This has been termed sacrococcygeal eversion. In those cases in which genetic testing results are reported, there were fibroblast growth factor receptor 2 (FGFR2) mutations. We present three patients with Pfeiffer syndrome and sacrococcygeal eversion. Two had genetic testing and both had FGFR2 mutations, one of them a novel mutation in patients with syndromic craniosynostosis and sacrococcygeal eversion. We also briefly review the literature on craniosynostosis and human tails. All but one reported patient has had either Pfeiffer, Crouzon, or Beare-Stevenson syndrome. Most patients, including ours, have had severe manifestations of their syndrome. Although the pathogenesis of sacrococcygeal eversion is unknown, a similarly posteriorly curved tail bud develops in normal human embryos during the second month of gestation. Perhaps increased FGFR2 activation during this embryonic period leads to abnormal differentiation or regression of the tail bud and, in turn, sacrococcygeal eversion, in certain patients with severe syndromic craniosynostosis.
Extraction of hemicellulose from ryegrass straw for the production of glucose isomerase and use of the resulting straw residue for animal feed

The hemicellulose fraction of ryegrass straw was extracted with NaOH and used for the production of glucose isomerase by Streptomyces flavogriseus. The level of hemicellulose extracted increased proportionately with increasing NaOH concentration up to about 4%, then the rate of increase slowed down. Hemicellulose extraction was facilitated by the combined application of heat and NaOH. Approximately 15% hemicellulose (12% as pentosan) could be obtained by treating straw with 4% NaOH for either 3 hours at 90/sup 0/C or 24 hour at room temperature. The highest level (3.04 units/ml culture) of intracellular glucose isomerase was obtained when the organism was grown at 30 degrees Centigrade for two days on 2% straw hemicellulose. The organism also produced a high yield of glucose isomerase on xylose or xylan. The NaOH treated straw residue, after removal of hemicellulose, had approximately 75% higher digestibility and 20% higher feed efficiency for weanling meadow voles than untreated straw, but almost the equivalent to that obtained by NaOH treatment without removal of the hemicellulose. Thus, the residue could be used as animal feed. A process for the production of glucose isomerase and animal feed from ryegrass straw was also proposed.
DETERMINATION OF ACETALDEHYDE IN APPLE TISSUE BY 2,4‐DINITROPHENYLHYDRAZONE FORMATION

Sampling involved maceration of apple tissue in acidified 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazine, followed by extraction of the carboxyl-2,4-DNP-hydrazones with benzene. Acetaldehyde-2,4-DNP-hydrazone was separated and purified by TLC and quantitatively determined by UV spectroscopy at 354 nm. The identity of acetaldehyde-2,4-DNP-hydrazone was confirmed by mass spectroscopy and gas-liquid chromatography.
The effect of dietary exposures on recurrence and mortality in early stage breast cancer

We studied the effect of diet and body weight on recurrence and death in 472 women diagnosed with early-stage breast cancer in 1982–1984. From Cox proportional hazards regression models we found that the strongest effects were observed in premenopausal women. For example, after accounting for disease stage and age, reported baseline consumption (times/day) of butter, margarine, and lard (risk ratio (RR)=1.67; 95% confidence interval (CI)=1.17–2.39) and beer (drinks/day) (RR=1.58; 95% CI=1.15–2.17) increased the risk of recurrence. There also appeared to be an increased risk associated with consumption of red meat, liver, and bacon, corresponding to about a doubling of risk for each time per day that foods in this category were consumed (RR=1.93; 95% CI=0.89–4.15). Relative body weight increased risk at the rate of 9% (RR=1.09; 95% CI=1.02–1.17) for each kg/m2 (equivalent to about 5.8 pounds for a woman 5′4″ tall). For death, the results were similar, but relative weight was more strongly associated, increasing risk by 12% per kg/m2 (RR=1.12; 95% CI=1.03–1.22).
Effects of olfactory experience on aggression in Mus musculus and Peromyscus maniculatus

Groups of Mus musculus and Peromyscus maniculatus were raised from birth either in the presence or absence of odors of the other species. In later tests of interspecific aggression it was found that individuals raised in the presence of the odor of nonconspecifics won more encounters than did members of groups raised only with conspecific odors.
RNA-seq analysis of the rat placentation site reveals maternal obesity-associated changes in placental and offspring thyroid hormone signaling

Introduction In animal models, maternal obesity (OB) leads to augmented risk of offspring OB. While placental function is influenced by maternal habitus, the effect of maternal obesity on the interacting zones of the placenta [the labyrinth (LZ), junctional (JZ) and metrial gland (MG)] remains unknown.
Differential Regulation of Primitive Myelopoiesis in the Zebrafish by Spi-1/Pu.1 and C/ebp1

The zebrafish has become a powerful tool for analysis of vertebrate hematopoiesis. Zebrafish, unlike mammals, have a robust primitive myeloid pathway that generates both granulocytes and macrophages. It is not clear how this unique primitive myeloid pathway relates to mammalian definitive hematopoiesis. In this study, we show that the two myeloid subsets can be distinguished using RNA in situ hybridization. Using a morpholino-antisense gene knockdown approach, we have characterized the hematopoietic defects resulting from knockdown of the myeloid transcription factor gene pu.1 and the unique zebrafish gene c/ebp1. Severe reduction of pu.1 resulted in complete loss of primitive macrophage development, with effects on granulocyte development only with maximal knockdown. Reduction of c/ebp1 did not ablate initial macrophage or granulocyte development, but resulted in loss of expression of the secondary granule gene lys C. These data reveal strong functional conservation of pu.1 between zebrafish primitive my...
Dexamethasone, melphalan, actinomycin D, cytosine arabinoside (DMAC) protocol for dogs with relapsed lymphoma.

Background:In general, treatment of relapsed lymphoma is associated with a lower probability of response and shorter duration of remission. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of the combination chemotherapy protocol DMAC (dexamethasone, melphalan, actinomycin D, and cytosine arabinoside) for reinduction of remission in dogs with relapsed lymphoma. Hypothesis:That DMAC would be an effective reinduction protocol for dogs with relapsed lymphoma. Animals:Fifty-four dogs. Results: Seventy-two percent of the dogs achieved remission (44% complete remission [CR] and 28% partial remission [PR]), 11% had stable disease (SD), and 17% had progressive disease (PD). The median remission duration was 61 days (range, 2–467+ days). The median remission durations for dogs with CR, PR, and SD were 112, 44, and 27 days, respectively. Factors that affected the response rate were previous treatment with doxorubicin and an inability to achieve remission with the previous protocol. Thrombocytopenia occurred in 56% of the dogs (grade 1 in 3 dogs, grade 2 in 6 dogs, grade 3 in 7 dogs, and grade 4 in 7 dogs) and neutropenia in 17% of the dogs (grade 2 in 1 dog, grade 3 in 2 dogs, and grade 4 in 4 dogs). Gastrointestinal toxicosis occurred in 22% of the dogs (grades 1 in 5 dogs, grade 2 in 3 dogs, and grade 3 in 1 dog). Conclusions and Clinical Importance: The DMAC protocol is an effective rescue protocol for dogs with relapsed multicentric lymphoma. Although thrombocytopenia is a common manifestation of toxicity, in general, the protocol is well tolerated.
Blowoff characteristics of bluff-body stabilized conical premixed flames under upstream velocity modulation

Abstract This article presents experimental findings on the blowoff characteristics of conical premixed flames anchored at their apex by three different flame holders (rod, disk, and cone) in the presence of upstream velocity oscillations. Experiments were performed with propane–air mixtures at mixture velocities approaching the flame holder of 5, 10, and 15 m/s. The flow speed was modulated sinusoidally at frequencies up to 400 Hz with a constant-velocity modulation amplitude of u rms / U m = 0.08 upstream of the flame holder. It was found that the blowoff equivalence ratio exhibits a dependence on the flow modulation frequency. Specifically, at low approach velocities (5 m/s), the effect of upstream flow modulation is to improve flame stability as evidenced by lower flame blowoff equivalence ratios for all three types of flame holders considered. At higher approach velocities (10 and 15 m/s), the disk- and cone-shaped flame holders exhibit less stability with increasing excitation frequency. The rod-shaped flame holder behavior is different at these higher velocities in that the flow modulation still provides enhanced flame stability. The flame stability results are supplemented with a detailed analysis of the flow field in the flame stabilization zone obtained by particle image velocimetry.
Dermabrasion for telangiectasia.

. A case of profuse yet distinct telangiectasia of the nose was successfully treated by light dermabrasion. Dermabrasion may be useful for treating superficial telangiectasia that are numerous and occupy a considerable area. A small test patch is recommended.
Consideration of chemical mechanisms for the nonphotochemical production of vitamin D3 in biological systems

Abstract Although most higher animals rely upon sunlight to convert 7-dehydrocholesterol into the prohormone vitamin D3, the mechanism(s) by which fish and subterranean animals generate this seco steroid are presently unknown. This article proposes four nonphotochemical mechanisms which could be operative in appropriate biological systems to support the production of this essential hormone.
Classical (Pavlovian) conditioning models of age-related changes in associative learning and their neurobiological substrates.

In the present paper, we will evaluate classical conditioning in both human and non-human animals as possible models for assersing the neurobiological mechanisms that underlie the learning and memory changes that occur in senescent organisms
The fixed charge facility location problem with coverage restrictions

Abstract This paper develops a fixed charge facility location model with coverage restrictions, minimizing cost while maintaining an appropriate level of service, in identifying facility locations. Further, it discusses the insights that can be gained using the model. Two Lagrangian relaxation based heuristics are presented and tested. Both heuristics use a greedy adding algorithm to calculate upper bounds and subgradient optimization to calculate lower bounds. While both procedures are capable of generating good solutions, one is computationally superior.
Shareholders' Perceptions on The Usefulness Of MD&AS

This paper reports the results of an extensive study of the effectiveness of MD&As. Our primary research question can be stated as follows: To what extent do MD&As, as currently issued, meet the self‐perceived needs of individual investors? To answer this question, we examine the responses to a survey questionnaire. The content of the questionnaire was based on an earlier survey conducted in 1973 by Epstein (1975). Our results are based on a random sample of shareholders owning at least 100 shares of one stock on either the New York Stock Exchange or the American Stock Exchange. We conclude that the MD&A section of annual reports is a potentially useful investment tool. In its current state, however, investors read it less, and rank it as less useful than the financial statements. Our survey indicates that it is not difficult to understand. We attribute its poor performance, in part, to a lack of credibility, and, to a larger extent, to a lack of prospective information. Evidence on the relationship between demographic characteristics and usefulness shows that wealthy, inexperienced investors are the only group of investors who are currently using the MD&A in any substantial way.
A Sparse Parametric Mixture Model for BTF Compression, Editing and Rendering

Bidirectional texture functions (BTFs) represent the appearance of complex materials. Three major shortcomings with BTFs are the bulky storage, the difficulty in editing and the lack of efficient rendering methods. To reduce storage, many compression techniques have been applied to BTFs, but the results are difficult to edit. To facilitate editing, analytical models have been fit, but at the cost of accuracy of representation for many materials. It becomes even more challenging if efficient rendering is also needed. We introduce a high-quality general representation that is, at once, compact, easily editable, and can be efficiently rendered. The representation is computed by adopting the stagewise Lasso algorithm to search for a sparse set of analytical functions, whose weighted sum approximates the input appearance data. We achieve compression rates comparable to a state-of-the-art BTF compression method. We also demonstrate results in BTF editing and rendering.
Repair of Sub-lethal Damage and Unscheduled DNA Synthesis in Mammalian Cells treated with Monofunctional Alkylating Agents

THE cell cycle of exponentially growing mammalian cells is arbitrarily divided into four phases1. During the S phase, the cells replicate their DNA in preparation for mitosis, but Rasmussen and Painter2 and later others3,4 have shown that ultraviolet and X-irradiation can cause cells in other phases of the cell cycle to initiate DNA synthesis. Such unscheduled DNA synthesis is non-conservative, as shown by density gradient experiments3,5. Because of the similarity between this and repair synthesis in bacteria after ultraviolet radiation (and also because of the reduced unscheduled synthesis in cells from patients suffering from the hereditary disease, xeroderma pig-mentosum, who are extremely sensitive to ultraviolet radiation5), unscheduled and repair syntheses have been equated. After ultraviolet radiation, however, repair of sub-lethal damage (measured by increased survival in split dose experiments) is not observed6 nor, at least in some cell lines, is the excision of thymine dimers7. The large doses of X-irradiation required to give a measurable amount of unscheduled DNA synthesis made correlation with survival difficult. For these reasons, some question has remained about the biological function of unscheduled DNA synthesis.
Origin of the Main Pulmonary Artery from the Left Coronary Artery in Complex Pulmonary Atresia

We describe a 22-year-old woman with a history of unrepaired pulmonary atresia with ventricular septal defect. This woman was interesting in that her main pulmonary artery and right pulmonary artery arose from the left main coronary artery. She developed significant pulmonary hypertension in addition to isolation of the left pulmonary artery following ductal closure, subsequent to which the majority of her pulmonary blood flow was coronary dependent.
Parameterizing fluctuations in solar photovoltaic generation using Hidden Markov Models

This paper parameterizes the distribution of fluctuations of generation from over 100 solar photovoltaic (PV) systems in the areas of San Jose, Los Angeles, and the Central Valley of California using a Hidden Markov Model (HMM) with Gaussian emissions. Emissions from the hidden states of the HMM, referred to as volatility states, have similar means and different variances, thus accounting for the high kurtosis of the general distribution. The resulting Gaussian shape of emissions from the HMM allows for simple prediction of the distribution shape of the sum of fluctuations from many systems. Geographic auto-correlation among fluctuations from neighboring systems is also assessed and is found to be highest for the volatility state with the second highest emission variance. Preliminary evidence shows that volatility states are dependent on cloud cover observations at a nearby ground station, indicating that distributions of these states may be predictable with commonly observed weather data.
The development of measures of the cost of quality for an engineering unit

This COQ project was originated with the objective of investigating measures of the cost of quality in engineering departments. The goal was to identify existing measures of the cost of quality in engineering operations and to recommend measures for possible use for the engineering unit of the client organization. To this end, information was obtained from the literature and telephone interviews with quality practitioners from major US corporations. Identifies a number of engineering measures of the cost of quality. More important, however, was the discovery that specific measures used to ascertain COQ were only part of what was needed. Also very important are the processes used to identify these measures and the requirement that engineering units tailor‐make a COQ programme. Describes the findings from a few of the interviews conducted as part of this project.
Robust stabilization of distributed systems

Abstract This paper is devoted to the problem of robust stabilization for a class of distributed plants. We consider the gain margin optimization problem and the robust stabilization problem for multiplicative perturbations. Using techniques from interpolation theory and complex variables, we obtain explicit necessary and sufficient conditions for robust stabilizability. A few examples are included to illustrate the results.
Lipid alterations in LLC-PK1 cells exposed to mercuric chloride

Lipid alterations in LLC-PK 1 cells exposed to mercuric chloride. We have studied the effects of HgCl 2 on the lipids of LLC-PK 1 (pig kidney) epithelial cells. Our results show that treatment of cells with HgCl 2 caused a rapid accumulation of unesterified fatty acids (particularly arachidonic acid) and lysophospholipids. A 27-fold increase in unesterified arachidonic acid and a 17-fold increase in lysophosphatidylethanolamine (LPE) was accompanied by a 26% decline in the mass of phosphatidylethanolamine as determined by gas chromatography and lipid phosphorus assay. Similar changes were seen following HgCl 2 treatment of cells whose lipids were labelled with 14 C stearic acid, 3 H arachidonic acid, or 14 C acetate, but the radiolabelling techniques also identified an increased content of label in lysophosphatidylcholine (LPC) and a corresponding decrease in phosphatidylcholine. These alterations were accompanied by the formation of blebs on the plasma membrane and irreversible injury as indicated by electron microscopy. The possible role of unesterified fatty acids in the pathogenesis of injury was studied by adding fatty acids to the cells. The addition of unsaturated fatty acids (oleic, linoleic, or arachidonic acids) to the cells caused plasma membrane blebbing and loss of viability. Similarly, the addition of LPC or LPE to the cells resulted in cell death; however, plasma membrane blebbing did not result.
Introductory Economics Textbooks and the Treatment of Issues Relating to Women and Minorities, 1984 and 1991.

As a follow-up to an earlier study, 16 principles of economics textbooks are examined for developments in their treatment of topics relating to race and gender.
Relational peer victimization and psychosocial adjustment: The mediating role of best friendship qualities

With a sample of 414 tenth-grade students (53% girls) from the Northeastern United States, the unique mediating roles that different dimensions of best friendship quality play in linking relational victimization and psychosocial maladjustment were examined. For both boys and girls, relational victimization was found to predict higher levels of internalizing behaviors directly and through partial mediation by greater conflict and weaker feelings of help within adolescents' best friendships. Increased conflict also partially mediated the association between relational victimization and higher levels of externalizing behaviors. Together, the results provide support for the significance of broader peer group functioning on both dyadic relationships and individual functioning.
Fuchs corneal dystrophy: aberrant collagen distribution in an L450W mutant of the COL8A2 gene.

PURPOSE. To characterize histologically Descemet’s membrane in an early-onset Fuchs corneal dystrophy (FCD) COL8A2 mutant and compare these findings with corneas from late-onset FCD and normal corneas. METHODS. A corneal explant from a patient with the L450W COL8A2 mutation and others with late-onset disease were studied with antibodies to collagens IV, VIIIA1, VIIIA2, fibronectin, and laminin. Transmission electron microscopy was performed on a portion of the explant. Control explants included eye bank corneas without known disease and surgical explants from unrelated conditions. RESULTS. In normal corneas, a regular array of colocalized COL8A1 and COL8A2 was observed in the anterior half of Descemet’s membrane. In the L450W mutant, Descemet’s membrane was several times thicker than normal and traversed by refractile strands and blebs that stained intensely for COL8A2, a feature also observed in late-onset FCD. Both the 1 and 2 subtypes of collagen VIII were observed at high levels along the anterior edge of Descemet’s, another abnormal feature also found in late-onset FCD. Ultrastructure of the L450W cornea revealed a well-formed anterior banded layer more than three times thicker than normal. An unusual, thin internal layer was rich in patches of wide-spaced collagen. The layer is a distinctive pathologic structure that is associated with FCD and is characterized by 120 nm periodicity and the presence of collagen VIII. Depositions of collagen IV, fibronectin, and laminin were also greatly increased in the of posterior Descemet’s membrane, yet another general feature shared between earlyand late-onset disease. CONCLUSIONS. Early-onset COL8A2 L450W disease involves massive accumulation and abnormal assembly of collagen VIII within Descemet’s membrane, a process that is presumed to begin during fetal development. Both early- and late-onset subtypes of FCD appear to be the result of abnormal basement membrane assembly rather than a primary defect in endothelial metabolism. (Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 2005;46:4504 – 4511)
Quantitation of polypeptides (glucagon and salmon calcitonin) in plasma samples by ‘high resolution’ on a triple quadrupole mass spectrometer

Background: Bioanalysis of large molecules can be challenging on LC–MS/MS due to multiply charged and endogenous interferences. While high sensitivity triple quadrupole systems (QqQ) have been commercialized recently, high-resolution MS (HRMS) systems are also available. HRMS provides alternative analysis methods, but more costly and with sensitivity lower than MRM on QqQ. Results: QqQ is generally operated at unit resolution; however, newer systems are able to practically tune to ‘high resolution’. Therefore, the advantages of both higher sensitivity of MRM on QqQ and better specificity on HRMS can possibly be combined on a QqQ to meet bioanalysis needs. Glucagon and salmon calcitonin were successfully quantified in high-resolution with fast cycle time on AB Sciex TripleQuad™ 5500. LLOQ (S/N) was increased and interferences reduced. Conclusion: For large molecules, the bioanalysis methods developed using high resolution on the QqQ are validated and used in preclinical and clinical studies.
Does real interest parity hold at longer maturities

Abstract This paper investigates the validity of Real Interest Parity (RIP) for long maturities across the US, Britain and Germany. A standard view, commonly referred to as the Fisher hypothesis, is that, over long horizons, movements in expected inflation dominate movements in nominal interest rates, or that real interest rates are equal. Over the 1973–1991 sample period, however, rejections of conditional RIP occur at all horizons, extending from a quarter to five years. The evidence indicates that there appears to be no tendency for expected real interest rates to be equalized over longer maturities.
Distribution of metaraminol and its relation to norepinephrine.

Abstract A modified fluorometric procedure of high specificity and sensitivity is described for the analysis of metaraminol (MET) in biological material. With this method the distribution of MET was studied in the rat. Except for brain, peripherally administered MET was well distributed. Organs with a large population of norepinephrine (NE) storage vesicles such as the heart, spleen and adrenal, took up relatively large amounts of MET and retained it longer than those tissues with few vesicles such as the liver, lung and kidney. MET had a longer blood half-life than described for NE in other species. In part, this can be attributed to the lack of metabolism of MET as well as our finding that MET, unlike NE, was concentrated in the cellular fraction of blood. Under the conditions of these experiments there was no close correlation on a concentration or time basis with respect to the appearance and disappearance of MET and NE in various organs. This was particularly evident in the adrenal gland where MET resembled reserpine in that one unit of drug displaced many units of catecholamines. In this case, however, we did not rule out a possible contributing effect via the CNS.
Elimination of medically unnecessary duplex venous scanning based on an established algorithm can result in significant cost savings under Medicare for the institution and the taxpayer.

Objective The utility of duplex venous scanning (DVS) for suspected deep venous thrombosis in the emergency department (ED) remains controversial. We aimed to measure potential cost savings and economic impact in our institution and nationally for unnecessary DVS in Medicare patients seen in the ED. Methods We have previously calculated that 15.3% of DVS studies can safely be avoided in patients with suspected deep venous thrombosis in our ED with adherence to our protocol. The Medicare database was queried for the number of DVS studies performed in the ED and charges/payments made in 2011. Cost savings at our institution and nationally by Medicare were computed with the 15.3% number. Results In the study period, 2087 DVS studies were performed in our ED across all payers; 572 Medicare patients had 249 (43%) bilateral and 323 (57%) unilateral studies. Annual savings at our institution, with use of our protocol, were estimated at $113,778. Eliminating unnecessary after-hours DVS for 306,307 Medicare beneficiaries would result in $5,285,090 savings annually. Conclusions Increasing pressure for cost containment under a value-based payment model necessitates critical evaluation of resource utilization. Applying this schema for all noninvasive vascular tests is an opportunity for responsible management of finite resources, reducing wasteful care, and significant cost containment.
Isoleucine stereoisomers on the Earth

The amino acid L-isoleucine (L-Ile) undergoes epimerization at the α-carbon producing D-allo-isoleucine (D-aIle), an amino acid not generally found in living organisms. In fossils and oceanic sediments, this reaction has a half-life, that is, the time required to reach D-aIle/L-Ile ∼0.4, of 105–107 yr (ref. 1). Two other possible isoleucine stereoisomers, D-isoleucine (D-Ile) and L-allo-isoleucine (L-aIle), have not been previously detected in fossils or sediments. These amino acids could be produced by epimerization of L-Ile and D-aIle at the β-carbon2. However, the β-carbon is insulated from the amino and carboxy groups which by electron-withdrawing effects and resonance stabilization promote epimerization at the α-position3. Thus, the β-epimerization rates of the isoleucine stereoisomers are predicted to be extremely slow in comparison to their α-epimerization rates. However, no kinetic studies have been conducted. To assess whether the D-Ile and L-aIle could be produced on the Earth from β-epimerization of L-Ile and D-aIle, we have measured the β-epimerization rate at 250°C in aqueous solution, and determined the isoleucine stereoisomeric composition in fossil molluscs of various geological ages.
Role of laparoscopy in the prevention and in the treatment of adhesions

The formation of adhesions after abdominal surgery can lead to increased morbidity in children, increases the incidence of readmission, and may pose a significant challenge to subsequent surgical care over their lifetime. As the pathophysiology of peritoneal adhesion formation has been better understood, preventive strategies that minimize surgical trauma and contamination have been sought. Laparoscopy, over the past few decades, has become an increasingly utilized approach for many pediatric surgical problems and intuitively should have an advantage over open surgery in reducing adhesion formation. In this review, we examine the utility of laparoscopy in both the prevention and the treatment of intraabdominal adhesive disease in children.
X-pinch experiments on the UM 1-MA linear transformer driver

Summary form only given. X-pinch experiments are currently underway on the Linear Transformer Driver (LTD) at the University of Michigan. The MAIZE LTD can supply 1 MA, 100 kV pulses with 100 ns risetime into a matched load. The x-pinch consists of a single wire separated by conical electrodes1, between two current return plates. The LTD was charged to +/−70 kV resulting in approximately 0.5 MA passing through a 50 µ Mo wire. During initial tests a 12.5 µ Ti filter was placed in front of the film to screen out visible emission from the wire. Laser shadowgraphy is also used to diagnose the x-pinch plasma.
The effects of earthquake measurement concepts and magnitude anchoring on individuals' perceptions of earthquake risk

Abstract The purpose of this research is to explore earthquake risk perceptions in California. Specifically, we examine the risk beliefs, feelings, and experiences of lay, professional, and expert individuals to explore how risk is perceived and how risk perceptions are formed relative to earthquakes. Our results indicate that individuals tend to perceptually underestimate the degree that earthquake (EQ) events may affect them. This occurs in large part because individuals’ personal felt experience of EQ events are generally overestimated relative to experienced magnitudes. An important finding is that individuals engage in a process of “cognitive anchoring” of their felt EQ experience towards the reported earthquake magnitude size. The anchoring effect is moderated by the degree that individuals comprehend EQ magnitude measurement and EQ attenuation. Overall, the results of this research provide us with a deeper understanding of EQ risk perceptions, especially as they relate to individuals’ understanding...
Organizational Behavior and the New Biology

Although management theorists and practitioners have accepted the model of man which assumes an almost infinite capacity for education and adjustment, recent evidence from ethology studies suggests...
Body art practices among inmates: Implications for transmission of bloodborne infections.

Background Unsterile body art practices among inmates in prison have been implicated in the transmission of bloodborne viruses. The objectives of this study were to determine the prevalence of tattooing and body piercing among inmates, identify factors associated with receiving a tattoo in prison, and explore the contexts of tattooing and body piercing in prison. Methods A cross-sectional survey was conducted among randomly selected inmates in 17 state prisons in Illinois; a convenient sample of recently released exprisoners in Chicago, IL, participated in focus group discussions (FGDs). Results A total of 1819 (1293 men and 526 women) inmates participated in the survey, and 47 exprisoners participated in the FGDs. Sixty-seven percent of the survey sample had tattoos, and 60% had body piercings. More men (19.3%) than women (8.7%) had received tattoos in prison (odds ratio, 0.40; 95% confidence interval: 0.29-0.56); prevalence of body piercing in prison was low (1.3%) and similar for men and women. Factors associated with tattooing in prison include incarceration for 1 year or longer and having had sex in prison among both men and women; nonheterosexual identity for women only; and for men, being 30-39 years old; incarcerated 4 or more times; having a history of sharing needles, multiple vaginal sex partners, and inconsistent condom use in the 6 months before arrest. Focus groups provided information on body art practices in prison. Inmates had a variety of reasons for getting body art, equipment was often shared, and cleansing agents were not readily available. Conclusion Tattooing and body piercing practices exist in prison and could constitute risks for transmission of bloodborne viral infections. Interventions to reduce these risks are discussed.
Dynamics of density imbalanced bilayer holes in the quantum Hall regime

We report magnetotransport measurements on bilayer GaAs hole systems with unequal hole concentrations in the two layers. At magnetic fields where one layer is in the integer quantum Hall state and the other has bulk extended states at the Fermi energy, the longitudinal and the Hall resistances of the latter are hysteretic, in agreement with previous measurements. For a fixed magnetic field inside this region and at low temperatures $(T\ensuremath{\le}350\text{ }\text{mK})$, the time evolutions of the longitudinal and Hall resistances show pronounced jumps followed by slow relaxations, with no end to the sequence of jumps. Our measurements demonstrate that the jumps occur simultaneously in pairs of contacts $170\text{ }\ensuremath{\mu}\text{m}$ apart and appear to involve changes in the charge configuration of the bilayer. In addition, the jumps can occur with either random or regular periods, excluding thermal fluctuations as a possible origin for the jumps. Finally, while remaining at a fixed field, we warm the sample to above 350 mK, where the jumps disappear. Upon recooling the sample below this temperature, the jumps reappear, indicating that the jumps do not result from nearly dissipationless eddy currents either.
Black Band Disease Microbial Community Variation on Corals in Three Regions of the Wider Caribbean

Black band disease (BBD) is a pathogenic consortium of microorganisms that primarily affects massive framework-building scleractinian corals on reefs worldwide. There has been considerable debate concerning the microbial community composition of BBD. The aim of this study was to utilize microbial profiling to assess overall patterns of variation in the BBD bacterial community with respect to geographic location, host coral species, time, and nutrient regime. Length heterogeneity polymerase chain reaction (LH-PCR) was employed to differentiate BBD communities based on the natural variation in the sequence lengths within hypervariable domains of the 16S rRNA gene. Analysis of LH-PCR profiles of 97 BBD samples using multivariate ordination methods and analysis of similarity revealed significant clustering with respect to geographic region when comparing BBD sampled from reefs near Lee Stocking Island in the Bahamas' Exuma Chain, the Northern Florida Keys (NFK), and St. John in the US Virgin Islands. There was much variability in BBD community composition on a regional basis, between sites in the NFK, and in terms of coral host species. The observed differences among BBD microbial community profiles were driven primarily by variation in relative abundance of 313-316-bp amplicons, which correspond to cyanobacteria and alpha-proteobacteria. The results obtained in this study support previous reports of intrinsic variability and complexity of the BBD microbial community but also suggest that this variability has biogeographic patterns.
Universal properties of bulk viscosity near the QCD phase transition

Abstract We extract the bulk viscosity of hot quark–gluon matter in the presence of light quarks from the recent lattice data on the QCD equation of state. For that purpose we extend the sum rule analysis by including the contribution of light quarks. We also discuss the universal properties of bulk viscosity in the vicinity of a second-order phase transition, as it might occur in the chiral limit of QCD at fixed strange quark mass and most likely does occur in two-flavor QCD. We point out that a chiral transition in the O ( 4 ) universality class at zero baryon density as well as the transition at the chiral critical point which belongs to the Z ( 2 ) universality class both lead to the critical behavior of bulk viscosity. In particular, the latter universality class implies the divergence of the bulk viscosity, which may be used as a signature of the critical point. We discuss the physical picture behind the dramatic increase of bulk viscosity seen in our analysis, and devise possible experimental tests of related phenomena.
Migrations of Tagged Juvenile Atlantic Menhaden

Abstract From 1967 to 1971 over 80,000 juvenile Atlantic menhaden, Brevoortia tyrannus, were tagged from Florida to Massachusetts. Returns of the internal ferromagnetic body tags from the commercial menhaden fisheries indicate the juveniles migrate as far south as Florida in the fall and winter and then redistribute northward along the coast by size as age-I fish during the following spring and summer. Larger 1-year-old fish migrate north earlier and in greater numbers than small ones which remain in more southern waters where some are not available to the fisheries for part of the year. Some northward movement of age-I fish from the South Atlantic fishing area to Chesapeake Bay, evidently occurs through midsummer.
Contingency power for small turboshaft engines using water injection into turbine cooling air

Because of one engine inoperative requirements, together with hot-gas reingestion and hot day, high altitude takeoff situations, power augmentation for multiengine rotorcraft has always been of critical interest. However, power augmentation using overtemperature at the turbine inlet will shorten turbine life unless a method of limiting thermal and mechanical stresses is found. A possible solution involves allowing the turbine inlet temperature to rise to augment power while injecting water into the turbine cooling air to limit hot-section metal temperatures. An experimental water injection device was installed in an engine and successfully tested. Although concern for unprotected subcomponents in the engine hot section prevented demonstration of the technique's maximum potential, it was still possible to demonstrate increases in power while maintaining nearly constant turbine rotor blade temperature.
A Satellite Doppler Navigation System

It is shown that a satellite Doppler navigation system can provide navigation to at least one-half mile accuracy from a single pass of a satellite, provided that proper use is made of the full Doppler curve. While not extensively discussed, a satellite Doppler navigation system is presented which conveniently provides navigators with all necessary inputs for position calculation, including up-to-date orbital data. The main body of the paper presents the results of a comprehensive error analysis which proves the feasibility of achieving navigational accuracies of one-half mile using such a system under realistic conditions.
Effect of Finite Thickness Flexible Boundary Upon the Stability of a Poiseuille Flow

The stability behavior, the stress, and velocity distributions for a plane Poiseuille flow bounded by a finite thickness elastic layer is studied. The analysis is performed by utilizing the coupled relationships between the Orr-Sommerfeld stability equation for the fluid and the Navier equations for the solid. This study focuses only on the Tollimen-Schlichting instabilities
Requirements of the membrane proximal tyrosine and dileucine-based sorting signals for efficient transport of the subtype C Vpu protein to the plasma membrane and in virus release

Abstract Previously, we showed that the Vpu protein from HIV-1 subtype C is more efficiently transported to the cell surface than the well studied subtype B Vpu (Pacyniak et al., 2005) and that a SHIV expressing the subtype C Vpu exhibited a decreased rate of CD4 + T cell loss following inoculation in macaques ( Hill et al., 2008 ). In this study, we examined the role of overlapping tyrosine-based (YXXΦ) and dileucine-based ([D/E]XXXL[L/I]) motifs in the membrane proximal region of the subtype C Vpu (EYRKLL) in Vpu intracellular transport, CD4 surface expression and virus release from the cell surface. We constructed three site-directed mutants of the subtype C vpu and fused these genes to the gene for enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP). The first mutation made altered the tyrosine (E A RKLL; Vpu SC EGFPY35A), the second altered the dileucine motif (EYRKL G ; Vpu SC EGFPL39G), and the third contained both amino acid substitutions ( E ARKL G ; Vpu SC EGFPYL35,39AG) in this region of the Vpu protein. The Vpu SC EGFPY35A protein was transported to the cell surface similar to the unmodified Vpu SC EGFP1 while Vpu SC EGFPL39G was expressed at the cell surface at significantly reduced levels. The Vpu SC EGFPYL35,39AG was found to have an intermediate level of cell surface expression. All three mutant Vpu proteins were analyzed for the ability to prevent cell surface expression of CD4. We found that both single mutants did not significantly effect CD4 surface expression while the double mutant (Vpu SC EGFPYL35,39AG) was significantly less efficient at preventing cell surface CD4 expression. Chimeric simian human immunodeficiency viruses were constructed with these mutations in vpu (SHIV SCVpuY35A , SHIV SCVpuL39G and SHIV SCVpuYL35,39AG ). Our results indicate that SHIV SCVpuL39G replicated much more efficiently and was much more cytopathic than SHIV SCVpu. In contrast, SHIV SCVpuY35A and SHIV SCVpuYL35,39AG replicated less efficiently when compared to the parental SHIV SCVpu . Taken together, these results show for the first time that the membrane proximal tyrosine-based sorting motif in the cytoplasmic domain of Vpu is essential for efficient virus release. These results also indicate that the dileucine-based sorting motif affects the intracellular trafficking of subtype C Vpu proteins, virus replication, and release.
Prostate and seminal vesicles after irradiation: MR appearance

Familiarity with the morphologic changes in the prostate and seminal vesicles (SV) after pelvic irradiation is important to the correct interpretation of follow-up magnetic resonance (MR) studies. A retrospective study of 38 patients with prostatic or other pelvic tumors treated with radiation showed that 31.6% had a normal prostatic zonal pattern (peripheral zone hyperintense to central gland) on T2-weighted images, and 7.9% showed reversal of the zonal pattern; among the rest, the entire gland was diffusely isointense to fat in 42.1%, hypointense to fat in 10.5%, and hyperintense to fat in 7.9%. Sixty-three percent of the SV had a normal appearance, 21% had fewer tubules but normal signal intensity (SI), 8% had diffuse loss of SI (hypointense to fat), and 8% were hypointense to muscle. Quantitative measurements of SI of the prostate and SV demonstrated a statistically significant lower mean value for the irradiated patients relative to 10 control patients. A decrease in the size of both the prostate and SV was observed in 33% of patients with baseline studies. Use of additional treatment modalities in patients with prostatic carcinoma appeared to correlate with increased likelihood of developing abnormal changes. The authors conclude that in the irradiated patient, the prostate and SV can develop several patterns of SI abnormalities; in particular, diffuse low SI in the prostate and SV should establish radiation fibrosis as an important differential diagnosis to consider.
The fascia iliaca block for postoperative pain relief after knee surgery.

: The fascia iliaca nerve block provides excellent postoperative pain relief after knee surgery. It is easy to perform, needle insertion is not directly next to nerves or vessels, and it is associated with minimal side effects. Instructive case reports as well as a description and discussion of the technique are presented.