cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Estrogen disrupts chemokine-mediated chemokine release from mammary cells: implications for the interplay between estrogen and IP-10 in the regulation of mammary tumor formation.

Chemokines are pro-inflammatory cytokines that function to attract immune cells to the sites of tissue inflammation, injury or infection. We have formulated the hypothesis that release of one chemokine can serve, in a local paracrine or endocrine fashion, to induce the release of other chemokines from neighboring mammary cells. We set out to investigate whether specific chemokines could promote the release of other chemokine members from mammary cells, and whether estrogen could serve to disrupt the release of these chemokines from mammary cells. We found that treatment with the chemokine IP-10 resulted in significant increases in the amount of MIP-1α and MCP-1/JE released from murine mammary cells. Estrogen co-treatment significantly blocked the ability of IP-10 to trigger the release of MIP-1α and MCP-1/JE. Suppressive effects of estrogen were reversed upon co-treatment with 4-hydroxytamoxifen. Estrogen treatment significantly decreased expression of proteins corresponding to the chemokine receptors CXCR3 and CCR5 on mammary cells. Exposure of female mice to IP-10 in vivo significantly decreased the ability of estrogen to support the growth of CCL-51-based tumors in mammary tissue. Our results suggest that exposure of mammary tissue to estrogen may decrease the release of local chemokines from mammary cells, potentially increasing the risk of tumor growth through decreased immune surveillance. Ongoing studies are investigating the possible mechanisms through which IP-10 stimulates the release of chemokines from mammary cells, and how the action of IP-10 may serve to decrease mammary tumor formation.
Aggressive primary splenic CD5 positive/Cyclin D1 negative B-cell lymphoma in a patient with chronic hepatitis B virus infection.

Primary splenic lymphomas are uncommon and represent less than 1% of all lymphomas. We describe an unusual case of aggressive primary splenic lymphoma in a patient with hepatitis B virus infection ...
A systematic approach to evaluate and validate the spatial accuracy of farmers market locations using multi-geocoding services

The USDA National Farmers Market Directory is the largest and most comprehensive directory of farmers markets in the United States. It is the only farmers market directory that provides the geographical coordinates of market locations and allows the public to download the dataset at no cost. The geographic coordinates of the market locations in the directory were collected through a web-based GIS data collection form. This form allows market managers to navigate, review, and adjust market locations on the web-based map, and to save the coordinates of the market locations into the database. However, market location addresses and descriptions provided by users are in an open-ended format, which did not allow automatic verification of the accuracy of a market location. In using the web-based GIS to capture market coordinates, deficiencies in users' computer literacy skills, attention to details, Internet speed, etc. means spatial errors in market locations coordinates were possible. Hence, the directory data, including market location coordinates, has to be validated before it is delivered to the public. This study developed a method to verify the coordinates of farmers market locations by comparing user-generated market coordinates against the geocoded coordinates from multiple geocoding services based on user-submitted market addresses. Using the USDA 2012 National Farmers Market Directory as a test dataset, three-quarters of the market locations generated by farmers market managers were verified as the ground-truth locations. This study suggests that multiple geocoding services provide a feasible and practical method for validating user-generated farmers market locations.
Numerical modeling of glacial erosion and headwall processes in alpine valleys

Abstract How rock relief is developed by glacial erosion in alpine landscapes is a key question in understanding the controls on mountain range topography. Any generation of relief by glaciers at the highest elevations in mountain ranges can affect the distribution of precipitation in alpine landscapes, creating feedbacks between glacier mass balance and glacial erosion. Relief production at high-elevation mountain crests is addressed using a numerical model that incorporates glacier dynamics and subglacial erosion, as well as relevant hillslope processes. Blowing snow from a valley-bounding plateau, and avalanching onto the accumulation zone of the glacier is included in the model. Furthermore, temperature-dependent frost cracking is used as a proxy for headwall backwearing. The parameterization of subglacial erosion produces about 500 m of erosion over the 400 ka of each numerical simulation. In steady and varying climate scenarios, valley floors flatten as headwalls increase in height and retreat headward over time. Headwall slopes increase in simulations in which quarrying is explicitly incorporated; rates of quarrying are high near the base of the headwall, increasing headwall length and slope as a result of valley floor lowering. High rates of subglacial erosion and production of headwall relief also result when elastic flexural uplift occurs in response to mass unloading. Small overdeepenings form at the base of the headwall in steady-climate simulations, when the glacier is small at the end of the model run. While the final profiles are relatively insensitive to the erosion rule used, quarrying is most effective near the head of the glacier, whereas rates of abrasion reflect the instantaneous pattern of integrated ice discharge, or ice flux. In simulations in which cirques are formed, the equilibrium line altitude is hundreds of meters above the cirque floor; however, the time-averaged horizontal position of the equilibrium line corresponds well with the downvalley position of the cirques.
Thiamine status of rainbow smelt (Osmerus mordax) eggs in the Great Lakes, USA

During spring 2006–2009, eggs were collected for analysis of total thiamine from gravid rainbow smelt (Osmerus mordax) captured in each of the Great Lakes and two other waters as references for comparison. Mean standard length (mm ± standard error) of gravid females significantly differed between sample waters, with the Atlantic Ocean population being the longest (189 ± 12.3 mm) and Lake Michigan population the shortest (122 ± 0.3 mm). Mean thiamine concentrations (nmol/g ± standard error) for single-year samples for Lake Huron, Lake Michigan, and Little Clear Pond (New York) were 9.9 ± 0.8, 3.9 ± 0.7, and 8.1 ± 2.3 nmol/g, respectively. Thiamine concentrations for multiple-year samples ranged from 1.1 to 15.6 for Lake Ontario, from 2.6 to 3.3 for Lake Erie, from 5.0 to 9.9 for Lake Superior, and from 10.9 to 13.3 for the Atlantic Ocean (Fore River). Although highly variable within populations and across years, thiamine concentrations in most spawning adults appeared to be adequate in all the waters for t...
FACULTY PREFERENCES FOR INSTITUTIONAL DIRECTIONS FOR THE COMMUNITY COLLEGE

Faculty support of an institution's goals is vital if that institution is to achieve these goals. Presently several different institutional directions are being proposed for the community college, including the following: comprehensive community college, academically oriented two‐year college, community‐based learning center, and postsecondary occupational training center. To determine faculty support for these proposed directions, a sample of 323 faculty was systematically selected from the entire full‐time teaching faculty in the Virginia Community College System for 1982–83‐ Faculty in the sample received a researcher‐designed survey questionnaire, primarily asking them to rank order their preferences for four possible institutional directions for the VCCS and requesting information about specific faculty characteristics. Information derived from the completed questionnaires (70% usable responses) was statistically analyzed using multiple discriminant function analysis. The results showed that faculty ...
Nonlinear microscopy and population density modeling of tumor cell metabolism

Multiphoton fluorescence lifetime microscopy provides unique insights into cellular-level metabolic heterogeneities. We exploit these techniques along with population density modeling to monitor heterogeneities in tumor response to anti-cancer drug treatments in vivo and in vitro. Article not available.
Functional acetylcholine receptor in PC12 cells reacts with a monoclonal antibody to brain nicotinic receptors

The use of a variety of probes for neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptors has indicated that there are sites on neurons that bind the acetylcholine receptor antagonist alpha-bungarotoxin, but do not regulate cation channels in response to the binding of acetylcholine. Sites with high binding affinity for nicotine and for alpha-bungarotoxin also show different distributions in brain. A monoclonal antibody (mAb35) raised against acetylcholine receptors from Electrophorus electric organ has been used to purify receptors from chick brain. These receptors do not bind alpha-bungarotoxin but have a high affinity for nicotine and antibodies raised against them block the function of acetylcholine receptors in ciliary ganglia. We have raised a monoclonal antibody (mAb270) against acetylcholine receptors from chicken brain (P.J.W., R. Liu, S. Shimasaki, F. Esch, B. Morley & J.M.L., manuscript in preparation), which has been used to purify a similar receptor from rat brain. Here we show that this antibody identifies a functional nicotinic acetylcholine receptor in rat-neuron-like PC12 cells which is probably not encoded by the cDNA clone (lambda PCA48) previously suggested as a candidate for the acetylcholine receptor gene. Additionally, we show that mAb270 binds to the same areas of rat brain as nicotine.
Design and Synthesis of New Polymeric Materials for Organic Nonvolatile Electrical Bistable Storage Devices: Poly(biphenylmethylene)s

The synthesis of new polymers, poly(biphenylmethylene)s, derived from bistriflates of bisphenol-type monomers, by Ni(0)-mediated polymerization has been presented. These polymers are interesting because of the nature of the polymer backbone that contains biphenyl units separated by substituted methylene units. The solubility, mechanical properties, and electrical properties of the polymers can be altered by proper selection of the methylene substituents. Polymers and oligomers had molecular weights ranging from 2000 to 15 000 g/mol, as measured by calibrated gel permeation chromatography (GPC), though light scattering and MALDI studies indicate that GPC tends to underestimate the molecular weights of these polymers. The polymers have Tg's between 230 and 300 °C and have thermal stabilities ranging from 400 to 493 °C. Thermally cross-linkable, 4-phenylethenyl end-capped oligomers were synthesized and fabricated into thin-film electronic devices, and preliminary results on their characterization are discuss...
The shape of Eros

Monte Carlo simulations are presently used to optimize estimation, ascertain associated errors, and guide bias-correction procedures, for the Eros polar silhouette convex hull that has been estimated from radar echo spectra. This hull is trapezoidal; this nonaxisymmetric shape may account for odd harmonics in Eros' echo spectral signature as a function of rotation phase. Additional constraints have been obtained for the figure of Eros through the inversion of the optical lightcurve to estimate the asteroid's two-dimensional average of the three-dimensional shape. This 'mean cross-section' and the polar silhouette exhibit similar elongations.
Design considerations of a piezoelectric-on-silicon microrobot

Abstract A piezoelectric motor unit has been designed, which consists of a pair of cantilever beams of silicon, silicon nitride, polysilicon or other suitable material, on the top surfaces of which piezoelectric films have been deposited, whose free tips are connected by a structure that allows this pair of beams to ‘walk’, or if the structure is restrained, to exert a force. This force can be used to drive a circular gear or linear slider structure. This motor unit is expected to be able to provide an alternative to the electrostatic motor for the generation of motion in a micromechanical assembly. A piezoelectric film covering a cantilever beam is able to move the tip of the beam in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the beam. A set of two juxtaposed beams forms a motor unit; the individual beams can move in opposite directions, while a suitably designed rotatable structure between their tips is able to provide a motion in the plane of the beams and perpendicular to their length. These pairs of cantilever beams could be used to form ‘legs’ with which ‘gnat robots’ or microrobots could walk; alternatively they could be arranged to form ‘jaws’ or other tools with which the robot could grab objects and manipulate them. As these robots are made of silicon, they could have on-board processors to coordinate the movements of their limbs, and they could be powered by on-board solar cells, acoustic receivers, etc. and could obtain instructions by means of acoustic signals or otherwise. Designs of micromotors and instruments are presented, designs of microrobots that can make insect-like or caterpillar-like movements will be shown, and a numerical analysis of their expected performance will be given.
Mobile access to the Internet: from personal bubble to satellites

Mobile, wireless access and networking has emerged in the last few years as one of the most important directions of Internet growth. The popularity of mobile, and, more generally, nomadic Internet access is due to many enabling factors including: (a) emergence of meaningful applications tailored to the individual on the move; (b) small form factor and long battery life; (c) efficient middleware designed to support mobility; and, (d) efficient wireless networking technologies. A key player in the mobile Internet access is the nomad, i.e. the individual equipped with various computing and I/O gadgets (cellular phone, earphones, GPS navigator, palm pilot, beeper, portable scanner, digital camera, etc.). These devices form his/her Personal Area Network or PAN or personal bubble. The connectivity within the bubble is wireless (using for example a low cost, low power wireless LAN such as Bluetooth). The bubble can expand and contract dynamically depending on needs. It may temporarily include sensors and actuators as the nomad walks into a new environment. In this paper, we identify the need for the interconnection of the PAN with other wireless networks in order to achieve costeffective mobile access to the Internet. We will overview some key networking technologies required to support the PAN (eg, Bluetooth). We will also discuss an emerging technology, Ad Hoc wireless networking which is the natural complement of the PAN in sparsely populated areas. Finally, we will identify the need for intelligent routers to assist the mobile user in the selection of the best Internet access strategy.
Play and school work in the kindergarten curriculum: Attitudes of parents and teachers in Thailand

The purpose of this study was to examine parents’ and teachers’ attitudes about play and work activities in early childhood programs in Thailand. Eighty-one parents and thirty-eight teachers in ten kindergartens in Bangkok completed two sets of questionnaires: a demographic background questionnaire and a two-choice play-academic activity attitude questionnaire #opJohnson, 1983#cp. It was found that #op1#cp teachers were more favourable toward play than parents; #op2#cp parents in public schools were more favourable toward play than parents in private schools; and #op3#cp educational backgrounds were positively related to attitudes toward play.
Educational cost factors and student achievement in grades 3 and 6: Some new evidence

Abstract Per pupil spending on teachers' salaries, which is the largest component of instructional cost, is itself the product of four factors: the teacher/pupil ratio, the level of starting salaries, the steepness of the salary schedule above the minimum, and the actual placement of incumbent teachers on the salary schedule. Using California data on grades 3 and 6, this paper finds that using per pupil expenditure on teachers' salaries to predict student achievement gives very different results than by using these four factors. This implies that previous production function studies may have failed to discover relationships that existed in the data they analyzed. Results of these studies in the aggregate will not be clear until they are done in a common format which systematically accounts for the factors of instructional cost.
The measurement of aggression and violence in hospitalized psychiatric patients

Aggression and violence are significant clinical problems in psychiatric inpatient units. However, research exploring violent behavior is limited by the lack of an adequate research scale. This paper reports on the development and testing of the Violence Scale (VS), a behavioral rating scale which measures aggressive and violent behavior towards self, others and property. The VS has been tested in two studies of psychiatric inpatients (N = 162) and (N = 42). Tests of reliability included internal consistency, item analysis and stability. Tests of validity included content and construct validity. The psychometric results were evaluated through the application of standard statistical criteria [Carmines, E. G. and Zeller, R. A. (1979). Reliability and Validity Assessment. Sage University Press, Beverly Hills, CA; Cronbach, L. J. (1951). Coefficient alpha and the internal structure of tests. Psychometrika 16, 197-333; Nunnally J. (1978). Psychometric Theory, McGraw-Hill, New York]. Coefficient alpha was 0.91 (study 1) and 0.68 (study 2) and stability was r = 0.79 (study 1). The items met most of the established criteria for item analysis and internal consistency. In factor analysis, the items met the criteria for loading onto the three predicted factors (others, self and property). Results of predictive model testing indicated that three of the four predicted relationships were supported. Initial testing indicates the scale is moderately stable, is internally consistent, and has evidence of initial limited construct validity.
Covariant wave equations for massless particles

Abstract A theory of covariant wave equations for massless particles is set up, based on wave functions transforming according to the finite-dimensional nonunitary representations (ab) of the homogeneous Lorentz group. For each λ = −a − b, −a − b + 1, …, a + b, there are sets of covariant subsidiary conditions which, subject to generalized gauge invariance, guarantee that the wave functions describe only particles of zero mass and helicity λ, and that an invariant scalar product exists, under which the representation of the inhomogeneous Lorentz group is unitary as well as irreducible. In this way it is proved that there are infinitely many covariant theories for a massless particle with any given helicity, and a procedure for constructing any such theory is given. The representations are extended to include negative energy, and a Foldy-Wouthuysen transformation derived. It is shown how to give covariant definitions of space and time inversion in the theory.
Prüfer angle asymptotics for Atkinson's semi-definite Sturm–Liouville eigenvalue problem

Atkinson's semi-definite Sturm–Liouville problem consists of the differential equation –(y ′/s )′ + qy = λry , with s , q , r integrable on [a , b ], q real-valued, s, r ≥ 0, and separated boundary conditions at a, b . The asymptotic behavior of the associated Prufer angle is determined as λ ±∞. This leads to existence theorems for eigenvalues λn with prescribed oscillation number n and their asymptotics. In general, λn grows faster than n2, and the order of the corresponding characteristic function is less than ½. (© 2005 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Gender and Power in American Legislative Discourse

In a modern democracy, all citizens theoretically are guaranteed an equal opportunity at political representation. This paper shows that democratic theory does not always hold in practice in the United States. Discourse analysis is applied to the language used in the 1990 hearings conducted by the U.S. Senate Committee on the Judiciary on the nomination of Judge David H. Souter to be Associate Justice of the Supreme Court Results show that while women are noticeably present as witnesses in hearings, they are not treated on an equal footing with men. Women's access to the political debate is limited, because they are given proportionally less time to speak than male witnesses. Further, empirical measures indicate that the effectiveness of women's testimony is undermined by senators' responses. Although women utilize what is defined as masculine language to compete within a male-dominated institution, gendered expectations can prevent them from being treated as authoritative witnesses.
Tracer diffusion and viscosity study at 25°C in benzene- N,N′ -dimethylformamide mixtures

Tracer diffusion and viscosity data are reported for the system benzene-N,N′-dimethylformamide at 25°C. These data are applied to an equation that had previously been shown to relate tracer diffusion coefficients to viscosity for nonpolar solvent mixtures. Good agreement was found in this case which involved an aprotic polar component.
Emphasizing professional skills and professional values: Investigating the role of faculty's gender and departmental gender diversity

Although the number of doctoral degrees awarded to women in engineering has increased substantially over the last half of the 20th century, women are still substantially underrepresented among engineering faculty. Operating from the premise that a "cultural mass" of an identity group might change organizational behavior, we explore the potential influence of gender composition on faculty's teaching decisions, specifically as they relate to workforce development. Our study utilizes data from a NSF-funded study from a nationally representative sample of 31 institutions representing over 120 programs in seven engineering disciplines. Using institutional-level controls, we were able to find several forms of organizational influence that played a significant role in instructional approaches, specifically gender balance within the organization. We determined that gender balance increases the likelihood that a faculty member will make instructional choices that emphasize professional values. Our initial results suggest that gender diversity in a department is significantly related to the inclusion of professional values in course content.
How accurate are resting energy expenditure prediction equations in obese trauma and burn patients

Background: While the prevalence of obesity continues to increase in our society, outdated resting energy expenditure (REE) prediction equations may overpredict energy requirements in obese patients. Accurate feeding is essential since overfeeding has been demonstrated to adversely affect outcomes. Objectives: The first objective was to compare REE calculated by prediction equations to the measured REE in obese trauma and burn patients. Our hypothesis was that an equation using fat-free mass would give a more accurate prediction. The second objective was to consider the effect of a commonly used injury factor on the predicted REE. Methods: A retrospective chart review was performed on 28 patients. REE was measured using indirect calorimetry and compared with the Harris-Benedict and Cunningham equations, and an equation using type II diabetes as a factor. Statistical analyses used were paired t test,± 95% confidence interval, and the Bland-Altman method. Results: Measured average REE in trauma and burn pat...
Nuclear protein phosphorylation in isolated nuclei from HeLa cells. Evidence that 32P incorporation from [γ-32P]GTP is catalyzed by nuclear kinase II

A nuclear system for studying nuclear protein phosphorylation is characterized, using as phosphate donor either low levels of [gamma-32P]GTP, low levels of [gamma-32P]ATP, or low levels of labeled ATP plus excess unlabeled GTP. Since nuclear casein kinase II is the only described nuclear protein kinase to use GTP with high affinity, low levels of GTP should specifically assay this enzyme. ATP should measure all kinases, and ATP plus unlabeled GTP should measure all kinases except nuclear casein kinase II (ATP-specific kinases). The results are consistent with these predictions. In contrast with the ATP-specific activity, endogenous phosphorylation with GTP was enhanced by 100 mM NaCl, inhibited by heparin and quercetin, stimulated by polyamines, and did not use exogenous histone as substrate. The GTP- and ATP-specific kinases phosphorylated different subsets of about 20 endogenous polypeptides each. Addition of purified casein kinase II enhanced the GTP-supported phosphorylation of the identical proteins that were phosphorylated by endogenous kinase. These results support the hypothesis that activity measured with GTP is catalyzed by nuclear casein kinase II, though other minor kinases which can use GTP are not ruled out. Preliminary observations with this system suggest that the major nuclear kinases exist in an inhibited state in nuclei, and that the effects of polyamines on nuclear casein kinase II activity are substrate specific. This nuclear system is used to determine if the C-proteins of hnRNP particles, previously shown to be substrates for nuclear casein kinase II in isolated particles, is phosphorylated by GTP in intact nuclei. The results demonstrate that the C-proteins are effectively phosphorylated by GTP, but in addition they are phosphorylated by ATP-specific kinase activity.
Observations with regard to massively parallel computation for Monte Carlo simulation of stochastic dynamical systems

Abstract The evolution of stochastic dynamical systems is governed by Fokker-Planck equations if the response process is Markovian. Analytical solutions for the transient response of multidimensional systems exist only for the simplest dynamical systems. The evolution of the transition probability density function over the phase space has been solved numerically for various low dimensional systems subjected to additive and multiplicative white noise excitations using the finite element method. Systems of higher order, however, pose difficulty when using standard finite element formulations due to memory requirements and computational expense. Direct Monte Carlo simulation (MCS), while often regarded as less elegant than other methods, can be used to solve problems of significantly higher complexity. The number of realizations required to accurately produce the transition probability density function over the entire phase space, especially in the tails, is large, but since each realization is entirely independent of the others, the Monte Carlo simulation is easily and efficiently adapted to parallel computation. The advent of high-speed, massively-parallel computers permits a large number of realizations of a complex dynamical system to be simultaneously determined. Consequently, Monte Carlo simulation may be more efficient for higher-dimensional systems than other solution methods currently in use. This investigation will examine some of these observations and compare the performance of MCS on various platforms, in the context of a four-dimensional linear oscillator and a Duffing oscillator subjected to band-limited white noise.
Thyrotropin receptor messenger ribonucleic acid is expressed in most brown and white adipose tissues in the guinea pig

High affinity TSH binding has been reported in a variety of tissues other than the thyroid, most commonly in adipocytes and lymphocytes. This extrathyroidal binding of TSH has been documented most carefully in the guinea pig epididymal fat pad, where it has been postulated to be due to the presence of the TSH receptor (TSH-R). Extrathyroidal TSH-R expression has also been theorized to account for the associated dermopathy and ophthalmopathy seen in some patients with Graves' disease. We have isolated a cDNA encoding a fragment of the guinea pig TSH-R and have used this as a probe to study the distribution of TSH-R mRNA in the guinea pig. We show here that TSH-R mRNA is expressed in most white adipose tissues and in all brown adipose tissues tested. However, no expression was detectable by Northern analysis or in most polymerase chain reaction experiments using guinea pig retroorbital tissues, bringing into question the proposed role of the TSH-R as an autoantigen in autoimmune ophthalmopathy. The presence...
New Guidelines for Maternal and Neonatal Resuscitation

New evidence has prompted changes in our national cardiopulmonary resuscitation guidelines for both neonates and adult patients. The purpose of this article is to provide an overview of the changes recommended by the American Heart Association, Academy of American Pediatrics, and the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology. In addition, a strategy for implementing these guidelines into practice is suggested.
The Representation of Seismic Displacements in Terms of Travelling Waves

Summary The Poisson sum formula is used to transform the standing wave representation of seismic displacements in a radially stratified sphere into a travelling wave representation. The terms in the sum can be given a physical interpretation, via the method of stationary phase, as classical wave packets making successive traversals of the great circle through epicentre and receiver. The travelling wave representation forms the basis for the retrieval of structural parameters and source mechanisms from the spectra of travelling wave groups.
Zinc Oxide Nanowire Interphase for Enhanced Interfacial Strength in Lightweight Polymer Fiber Composites

A novel functionalization method for aramid fibers is developed to enhance the bonding of a ZnO nanowire interphase grown on the fiber surface for interfacial strength enhancement. The nanowire interphase functionally grades the typically discrete interface and reduces the stress concentration between the fiber and matrix. The functionalization process is developed to improve the bonding between the ZnO nanowires and the aramid fiber and is validated through Fourier transform IR and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy studies. Mechanical testing shows significant improvement in the interfacial shear strength with no decrease in the base fiber strength. This is the only technique found in the literature for the growth of a nanowire interphase on polymer fibers for structural enhancement without degrading the in-plane properties of the bulk composite. Furthermore, it is firmly shown that the functionalization process is a necessary condition for enhanced interfacial strength, demonstrating that ZnO nanowires s...
Laparoscopic pomeroy: a comparison with tubal cauterization in a teaching hospital

Objective: To compare laparoscopic Pomeroy tubal ligation to standard bipolar tubal cauterization for the outcome measures of failure rate, complication rate, and procedure duration. Methods: Retrospective study of patients presenting for interval sterilization between August 1998 and June 2000. Procedures were performed by junior residents using two surgical ports and endosutures. Data were analyzed with the t test, the Fisher exact test, and multiple regression analysis. Results: The characteristics of the laparoscopic Pomeroy (n = 99) and bipolar cautery (n = 62) patients, including BMI and past surgical history, were comparable. The mean procedure duration was 40.8 ± 14.6 minutes for laparoscopic Pomeroy and 39.6 ± 18.8 minutes for bipolar cautery (P <0.68). Multiple regression analysis revealed that procedure duration is a function both of months in residency (R2 = 0.098, P<0.007) and number of laparoscopic Pomeroy procedures performed (R2 = 0.082, P <0.01). One complication was attributed to each procedure (P <0.576). Two sterilization failures were noted after bipolar cautery and one after laparoscopic Pomeroy (P <0.33). The laparoscopic Pomeroy failure occurred in the shortest tubal segment obtained, 0.7 cm. The average segment length was 2.07 cm ± 0.79 cm. Conclusion: Laparoscopic Pomeroy did not differ from bipolar cautery for the outcome measures studied and has the advantage of obtaining a histologic specimen. Both time in residency and procedure-specific experience affect duration of laparoscopic Pomeroy. We suggest that a tubal segment length of 1 cm be obtained to limit sterilization failures.
Vituperation in Early Seventeenth Century Historical Studies

Abstract While insults and name-calling are no strangers to scholarly debate, exchanges between Gretser and the elder Junius, Scaliger and Petau, Casaubon and Baronio, and others in the early decades of the seventeenth century exhibit a remarkable level of bitter and insulting vituperation. The present paper presents some examples and suggests some motives for their violent rhetorical behavior
Evolutionary dynamics and spatial genetic structure of epizootic hemorrhagic disease virus in the eastern United States

Epizootic hemorrhagic disease virus (EHDV) is a significant pathogen of wild and domestic ungulates worldwide. In North America, serotype EHDV-2 is responsible for the majority of outbreaks, which are most commonly observed in white-tailed deer. A recent study by Murphy et al. [Murphy, M.D., Howerth, E.W., MacLachlan, N.J., Stallknecht, D.E., 2005. Genetic variation among epizootic hemorrhagic disease viruses in the southeastern United States: 1978-2001. Infect. Genet. Evol. 5, 157-165] examined the genetic relationships of EHDV-2 sequences from outbreaks across the eastern United States for evidence of temporal and spatial structure but found no evidence for either. Here, I present results of further examination of the same data using additional types of analysis. Contrary to the earlier assessment, I find that for outbreaks observed within the same year, genetic and spatial distances are in fact positively correlated and that the virus is evolving at a rate similar to that seen in other vector-born RNA viruses. Estimates of demographic history further revealed that population sizes of the virus had remained relatively stable over most of its history. A noticeable exception to this trend was a recent demographic bottleneck, possibly associated with a selective sweep, that affected one of the two viral genes examined. These results demonstrate that genetic variation accumulating at selectively neutral and measurably evolving sites in the EHDV-2 genome can be employed to gain insights into the spatial and temporal dynamics of this viral pathogen.
A programming system for doing asynchronous I/O on an 8K PDP-12

A programming system is described for the PDP-12 computer system. The system handles input-output requests from user-written routines.
5f state luminescence from Am3+ at moderate loading in a heavy metal fluoride glass

Abstract Luminescence has been observed following pulsed excitation of a multicomponent heavy metal fluoride glass (ZBLAN) sample containing 0.12 mol dm −3 AmF 3 at 295 K. Time- and wavelength-resolved laser-induced fluorescence studies have identified the seven observed emission bands as arising from two 5f electron states at Am 3+ that previously were found by Valenzuela and Brundage ( J. Chem. Phys., 93 (1990) 8469) to luminesce at 15 K in ZBLAN glass. Both emitting states exhibit non-exponential decay rates at 295 K that are approximately a factor of 2 larger than those reported at 15 K. Evidence is presented that the 5 D 1 state of Am 3+ in this relatively concentrated sample decays primarily via non-radiative decay processes other than multiphonon relaxation.
Forced Convection Heat Transfer Characteristics of Fluid Milk Products

Summary The forced convection heat-transfer characteristics of four milk products of from 8.8 to 20% SNF, and six products of from 3.8 to nearly 100% fat were investigated. A steam-jacketed, tubular heat exchanger was used, and standardized with water. The testing section was equipped with wall and stream thermocouples for temperature determinations, and mass flow rates were regulated. The product temperatures varied from 43–88C, and the wall temperature averaged 90C. The Reynolds number was from 3,200 to 210,000. Data were used to develop Nusselt-type equations which described the heat-transfer characteristics of each of the products, and were expressed by equations of the type, Nu=C Re a Pr b . They revealed marked differences in the heat-transfer characteristics of the various products, and showed that equations for water and other fluids do not describe accurately these characteristics for milk products. The expressions developed for each of the products follow: regular skimmilk, Nu=0.46 Re 0.535 Pr 0.4 ; reconstituted skimmilk, (8.8% SNF), Nu=0.41 Re 0.538 Pr 0.4 ; reconstituted skimmilk (12.5% SNF), Nu=0.056 Re 0.708 Pr 0.4 ; reconstituted skimmilk (20% SNF), Nu=0.0060 Re 0.896 Pr 0.4 ; fortified milk (10% fat; 12% SNF), Nu=0.17 Re 0.630 Pr 0.4 ; regular milk, Nu=0.27 Re 0.577 Pr 0.4 ; 10% milk (10% fat; 7.5% SNF), Nu=0.099 Re 0.680 Pr 0.4 ; 25% cream (25% fat; 6.7% SNF), Nu=0.034 Re 0.804 Pr 0.4 ; 40% cream (40% fat; 5.6% SNF), Nu=0.020 Re 0.863 Pr 0.4 ; butteroil Nu=0.0014 Re 1.170 Pr 0.4 .
Integrating `-omics' and natural product discovery platforms to investigate metabolic exchange in microbiomes

The microbiome is an abundance of microorganisms within a host (e.g. human microbiome). These microorganisms produce small molecules and metabolites that have been shown to affect and dictate the physiology of an individual. Functional knowledge of these molecules, often produced for communication or defense, will reveal the interplay between microbes and host in health and disease. The vast diversity in structure and function of microbiome-associated small molecules necessitate tools that will utilize multiple `-omics' strategies to understand the interactions within the human microbiome. This review discusses the importance of these investigations and the integration of current `-omics' technologies with tools established in natural product discovery in order to identify and characterize uncharacterized small molecules in the effort towards diagnostic modeling of the human microbiome.
Nonlocal two-point problem for partial differential equations with linearly dependent coefficients

In the Cartesian product of the time segment and a spatial multidimensional torus, we investigate a problem with nonlocal two-point boundary conditions for a typeless partial differential equation of the second order with constant linearly dependent coefficients. Conditions for the unique solvability of the problem in the scale of Sobolev spaces are established. Metric theorems on estimates from below for small denominators on linear manifolds are proved.
Electron diffraction study of the structure and internal rotation of cyclobutanecarboxylic acid chloride

Abstract The conformational equilibrium of (CH23CH-COCl in the vapor phase was studied as part of a broader investigation of molecules in the series R-COX. It was found that the cyclobutyl derivative exists almost entirely as gauche conformers, thereby closely resembling isopropyl and differing sharply from cyclopropyl homologues. The nonplanar ring can be bent toward the -COCl substituent (axial conformation) or away from it (equatorial conformation). A coupling between the ring bending and torsional displacements is suggested by the electron diffraction intensities such that conformations on the cis side of gauche favor the equatorial ring pucker, and those on the trans side favor the axial pucker. Bond lengths, bond angles, and amplitudes of vibration were determined and found to be normal.
COGNITIVE RESTRUCTURING AS AN EARLY STAGE IN PROBLEM SOLVING

This article examines the hypothesis that there are preliminary stages in problem solving which most chemists neglect when trying to teach their students how to solve problems in introductory chemistry courses. It is during these early stages that relevant information is disembedded from the question and the problem is restructured. Unless students can successfully complete these cognitive restructuring stages, they cannot proceed on to the more analytic stages in problem solving that have received more attention from chemists. Preliminary evidence for this hypothesis consists of linear correlations between student ability to handle disembedding and cognitive restructuring tasks in the spatial domain and their ability to solve chemistry problems.
A Social Medium: ASM's 5th Cell-Cell Communication in Bacteria Meeting in Review

ABSTRACT The 5th American Society for Microbiology Conference on Cell-Cell Communication in Bacteria (CCCB-5), which convened from 18 to 21 October 2014 in San Antonio, TX, highlighted recent advances in our understanding of microbial intercellular signaling. While the CCCB meetings arose from interests in pheromone signaling and quorum sensing, it was evident at CCCB-5 that the cell-cell communication field is continuing to mature, expanding into new areas and integrating cutting-edge technologies. In this minireview, we recap some of the research discussed at CCCB-5 and the questions that have arisen from it.
Development of collared lemmings, Dicrostonyx groenlandicus, is influenced by pre- and postweaning photoperiods.

We examined the role of pre- and postweaning photoperiod on postweaning development of collared lemmings. Lemmings were gestated and reared to weaning (19 days of age) in one of three photoperiods: 22L:2D (22 hr of light:2 hr of dark), 16L:8D, and 8L:16D. At weaning, lemmings were either maintained in their natal photoperiod or transferred to one of the other two photoperiods. At the termination of the experiment (10 weeks postweaning) data were collected on somatic characters (body weight, bifid claw width, pelage stage, and guard hair length), serum prolactin (PRL), and reproductive parameters (testes, seminal vesicle, and uterine weights). Somatic characters were predominately influenced by postweaning photoperiod, when that photoperiod was either long (22L:2D) or short (8L:16D). When lemmings were exposed to an intermediate postweaning photoperiod (16L:8D), development of somatic characters was significantly influenced by the preweaning photoperiod; animals reared in 8L:16D regarded 16L:8D as a long day, whereas those reared in 22L:2D regarded 16L:8D as a short day. Serum PRL responded to photoperiod changes, often reflecting either the increase or decrease in day length, rather than simply the absolute number of light hours per day. Whereas reproductive indices in both sexes were stimulated by transfer from short to long photoperiod, chronic exposure to long photoperiod inhibited male development. No other photoperiod manipulations significantly influenced reproductive parameters. These observations suggest that, in the collared lemming, the neural and/or humoral factors regulating somatic and reproductive characters differ in their response to photoperiod. These results also suggest that the postweaning responses to photoperiod are programmed by earlier (gestational and/or neonatal) photoperiod exposure of the mother and/or the neonates. © 1993 wiley-Liss, Inc.
Interoperability with C in Fortran 2003

One of the major new features in the Fortran 2003 is features for interoperability with C © Interop). The intrinsic module ISO_C_BINDING provides:• constants, mostly type parameters, C_NULL_CHAR, C_NULL_PTR, and others,• types, and in particular, TYPE(C_PTR) and TYPE(C_FUNPTR),• procedures, such as C_LOC, C_FUNLOC, C_F_POINTER, C_F_PROCPOINTER and C_ASSOCIATED.A Fortran interface can be specified for a C function with external linkage and used to invoke such a function. The interface has the characteristic BIND(C) label, and must also satisfy some additional restrictions.C Interop can be used to portably use multi-language codes in Fortran. Since most languages interoperate with C, the feature can actually be used to interoperate with other programming languages as well. C Interop can also be used to give access to Fortran programmers to the many standard libraries with widely-used and implemented C interfaces. This includes lower-level tasks such as interfacing with the OS on UNIX-based systems, or using special libraries like OpenGL.For simple API's, developing Fortran interfaces is practically trivial once one gets some experience. For more complicated API's whose full functionality/power is not needed, such as for example TCP/IP sockets or shared-memory segments on UNIX systems, it is often easier to develop a condensed C API/library that does the actual work, and is simpler to interface to from Fortran. However, for libraries like OpenGL, one should provide a full Fortran interface so that the whole API can be accessed. Doing this manually is not easy and is also error-prone due to the size of the OpenGL/GLU/GLUT interfaces. For certain libraries like MPI, a special Fortran interface may be defined for the purposes of efficiency, portability, ease-of-use, or to accommodate for language semantic differences.In this first paper, we will show how to develop a Fortran interface for a simple C API/library. In a second paper, we consider automating the process so that large and more complex API's, and in particular, OpenGL, can be handled. The source codes can be obtained at http://atom.princeton.edu/donev/F2x.Along the way, we identify some problems with the design of C Interop in Fortran 2003.
Production and recovery of polyunsaturated fatty acids-added lipids from fermented canola

Abstract Canola flake was investigated as a potential substrate for fungal conversion to produce polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs)-added oil in a 7 l fermenter. The results showed that yields of total oil were reduced 9–22% compared to initial oil in the canola flake, but as high as 445 mg/l arachidonic acid (ARA, C20:4n6) and 67 mg/l eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA, C20:5n3) were produced. The percentages of ARA and EPA of total fatty acids in this fermented oil were 15.5% and 2.3%, respectively. Supercritical CO2 extraction was then investigated for the lipid recovery from fermented canola flake, and extraction kinetics were modeled. The feasibility was demonstrated for production of PUFAs in a laboratory-scale fermentor using canola flake as a single nutrient, and for lipid extraction using supercritical CO2.
Reliability and redundancy assessment of ships under different operational conditions

Abstract This paper proposes a framework for the assessment of structural safety of ships under different operational conditions by evaluating performance indicators such as reliability and redundancy. Flexural failure mode for several ship cross-sections is investigated. Reliability and redundancy are based upon the evaluation of the flexural capacities associated with the ultimate hull failure and the failure of the first stiffened panel within a selected cross-section. Furthermore, aging effects due to corrosion phenomena are investigated. Polar representations of reliability and redundancy are obtained for different encountered sea states, ship speeds and headings, covering a large spectrum of operational conditions. Load effects due to waves are computed based on strip theory, while flexural capacity is simulated using Latin Hypercube sampling. The proposed approach is applied to a Joint High Speed Sealift.