cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Economic Model of Mobility Control Methods for CO2 Flooding

A levelized cost procedure is used to determine the profitability of carbon dioxide flooding in non-waterflooded fields, and of the use of thickening agents for mobility control. The effects on production of changing the mobility of the injected CO/sub 2/ are estimated by use of a correlation developed by Claridge (1) from his analysis of the literature on developed five-spot patterns. The procedure shows that mobility control can be applied profitably to carbon dioxide floods. Greater profits result from operating at lower mobility ratios. The effect of varying critical operation and financial parameters on the profitability of carbon dioxide floods is investigated. The profitability of the project is highly dependent on the cost of carbon dioxide. The oil price, oil price escalation rate, carbon dioxide cost escalation rate, and discount rate for discounting future cost and revenue streams affect the profitability of the project by an order of magnitude less than the cost of carbon dioxide. However, for conventional carbon dioxide floods, carbon dioxide recycling is important and the recycling affects profits more than the parameters just mentioned previously. The cost, concentration, and escalation rates of mobility control agents are also important factors which affect the profitability of mobility controlledmore » carbon dioxide floods. The fixed charge rate for capital and the operation and maintenance cost escalation rate affect the profitability of the flood but these parameters play a far less significant role than any of the other factors described above.« less
Semiconducting lead-sulfur-organic network solids.

The reactions of Pb(OAc)2 with 1,2,4,5-benzenetetrathiol, 1,4-benzenedithiol, and benzenehexathiol in ethylenediamine yield bright yellow [Pb2(S2C6H2S2)(en)]n, orange-red [Pb3(SC6H4S)3(en)2]n, and brown [Pb3C6S6]n, respectively. The structures of [Pb2(S2C6H2S2)(en)]n and [Pb3C6S6]n were solved by synchrotron X-ray powder diffraction, while the structure of [Pb3(SC6H4S)3(en)2]n was solved by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. The bonding in [Pb2(S2C6H2S2)(en)]n indicates the presence of “molecular” units, while in [Pb3C6S6]n, the bonding most resembles that in an inorganic solid such as PbS. The differences in bonding are reflected in the optical and electrical properties of the materials; [Pb3C6S6]n is a semiconductor.
Icelike Melting of Hexagonal Columnar Crystals

We study the possibility of reentrant melting of a hexagonal columnar crystal of flexible charged polymers at high enough densities. The Lindemann criterion is employed in determining the melting point. Lattice fluctuations are calculated in the Debye model, and an analogy with the Abrikosov vortex lattice in superconductors is exploited in estimating both the elastic constants of the hexagonal lattice and the appropriate Lindemann constant. We also discuss the unusual functional integral describing the statistical mechanics of a single polymer in an Einstein cage model using the path-integral formulation. A crossover as a function of an external field along the column axis is also discussed.
A short and efficient synthesis of L-5,5,5,5',5',5'-hexafluoroleucine from N-Cbz-L-serine.

5,5,5,5‘,5‘,5‘-Hexafluoroleucine (6), a fluorous analogue of leucine, is of considerable interest as a building block in the design of fluorous proteins and peptides. We report a short and efficient synthesis of 6, which is obtained from N-Cbz-l-serine (1) in 50% overall yield, 99% enantiomeric excess, and in multigram quantities. Key steps are addition of a serine-derived organozincate to hexafluoroacetone to construct the hexafluoroleucine side chain, followed by radical-mediated deoxygenation of the resulting tertiary alcohol.
The systems sciences: What are they? are they one, or many?

Abstract What is the significance of the recent appearance of new Institutes, Departments, and even Schools bearing the name ‘system science?’ What relationship might this new discipline have to established systems-level specialties like operational research? This article argues that the four major domains of the systems approach and their products are regions in a single spectrum that might be usefully considered ‘the systems sciences’. The spectrum is described using a dozen characteristics that show gradual, continuous variation across the domains and therefore might serve as pathways for information transfer and cross-fertilization, as well as a descriptor of what the domains might contribute to each other. An overview of the potential ‘special knowledge’ of systems science and a ‘morphology’ of the 33 established fields involved is presented. The use of the terms ‘systems’ and ‘science’ in the phrase ‘systems sciences’ is critically examined and the systems sciences are described as a ‘meso-science’ like some of the biological sciences. Finally, possible interconnections between the long-term futures of general systems science and operational research are considered.
Public Efforts to Redevelop American Cities

Never before, perhaps, has government at all levels been lobbied in behalf of the same cause by both liberals and conservatives, haves and have-nots, welfare statists and rugged individualists… All these have embraced the same vague, but virile, objective: the salvage and renewal of American, cities.2
MATERNAL PULMONARY ADENOCARCINOMA METASTATIC TO THE FETUS: FIRST RECORDED CASE REPORT AND LITERATURE REVIEW

We report the first maternal pulmonary adenocarcinoma metastatic to the fetus as well as an updated literature review. Review of the literature revealed that there have been only 67 cases of maternal malignancy metastatic to the products of conception. These were mostly malignant melanoma and hematopoietic tumors. A 46-year old multiparous woman with metastatic pulmonary adenocarcinoma, diagnosed at 23 weeks gestation, delivered a male infant who appeared normal at birth. The mother died 2 days after delivery. The child developed multiple scalp tumors a 2 weeks of age. The tumors recurred rapidly after initial resection. Wide local excision of the involved scalp and skin graft coverage was performed at 14 weeks of age. Histopathology of these tumors was identical to that of the maternal tumor. The maternal origin of these tumors was confirmed by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH). The child is now 5 years old and free of disease.
SU-GG-J-06: A Comparison of Repositioning Accuracy for Three Image-Guided Systems

Purpose: For fractionated stereotactic radiotherapy (FSRT), target localization requires sub‐millimeter accuracy and real time patient position monitoring. Three image‐guided systems for target positioning are presented: (1) 3‐D surface cameraimaging‐Align RT (ART), (2) Elekta kV cone beam computed tomography(CBCT), and (3) optical marker tracking‐RadioCameras (RC). The repositioning accuracy of ART was validated by comparison to RC and CBCT.Method and Materials: A custom head and neck Rando phantom was designed with a bite plate and four infrared reflective markers. Using the three systems, phantom images were acquired for 70 random locations over a range of couch positions and within a 3‐D range of ±20 mm and/or ±5°. Acquired phantom images from each system were registered to their reference images with algorithms specific to each imaging device. For each system, the accuracy of calculated repositioning values was assessed for specific phantom positional shifts. Results: The differences in relative iso‐center positions for each system with respect to CBCT are 1.33 ± 0.27 mm for ART, and 1.23 ± 0.34 mm for RC. Variations in composite vectors of translational shifts between ART and RC, ART and CBCT, and RC and CBCT were 0.50 ± 0.47, 0.30 ± 1.44, and 0.55 ± 1.37 mm, respectively. Maximum difference of rotational shifts in each direction between the three systems was −0.10° ± 0.23°, 0.66° ± 0.24°, and −0.56° ± 0.23°. CBCTimages cannot be acquired at couch position beyond ±10°. For couch rotations of ±10° to ±90°, the maximum difference between ART and RC was −1.03 ±0.56 mm translation and −0.48° ± 1.63° rotation. Conclusion: The results showed that smaller differences in shift values when comparing ART to RC than to CBCT. This study suggests that CBCT reconstruction uncertainty is greater than 1 mm.
An author-reader influence model for detecting topic-based influencers in social media

This work addresses the problem of detecting topic-based influencers in social media. For that end, we devise a novel behavioral model of authors and readers, where authors try to influence readers by generating ``\emph{attractive}" content, which is both \emph{relevant} and \emph{unique}, and readers can become authors themselves by further citing or referencing content made by other authors. The model is realized by means of a content-based citation graph, where nodes represent authors with their generated content and edges represent reader-to-author citations. To find the top influencers for a given topic, we first profile the content of authors (nodes) and citations (edges) and derive topic-based similarity scores to the topic, which further model the unique and relevant topic interests of users. We then present three different extensions of the Topic-Sensitive PageRank algorithm that exploit the similarity scores to find topic-based influencers. We evaluate our solution on a large real-world dataset that was gathered from Twitter by measuring information diffusion in social networks. We show that, overall, our methods outperform several state-of-the-art methods. This work further serves as an evidence that the topic uniqueness aspect in user interests within social media should be considered for the influencers detection task; this is in comparison to previous works that have solely focused on detecting topic-based influencers using the combination of link structure and topic-relevance.
Effect of Acid and Neutral Pyrophosphates on the Natural Bacterial Flora of a Cooked Meat System

The microbiological effects of selected pyrophosphates were studied in cooked, vacuum-packaged pork sausage stored at 7°C for 21 days, or at 20–22°C for 24 and 48 hr. Neutral trisodium pyrophosphate (PYRO-3) and sodium acid pyrophosphate (SAPP) were tested at 0 and 0.4% meat weight, separately or in combinations. Both phosphates had an effect after 21 days refrigerated storage (7°C), with lower mesophilic counts than controls with no phosphate. Both phosphates also resulted in significantly lower counts of mesophilic and facultative anaerobic microorganisms in sausage after 48 hr elevated temperature (20–22°C) holding. The organisms affected were mainly streptococci.
Reduction of surgical site infections by use of pulsatile lavage irrigation after prolonged intra-abdominal surgical procedures

Abstract Background Surgical site infections cause significant postoperative morbidity and may be reduced by pressurized irrigation of high-risk laparotomy wounds before closure. This was a retrospective review (June 2007 to May 2008) from a surgical unit at a tertiary care center. Methods Patients undergoing laparotomy extending beyond 4 hours, when a standard wound management strategy was instituted by either simple irrigation or pressurized pulsatile lavage ( Results The median surgical time for the patients was 8 hours, with 34 wounds managed by simple irrigation and 42 wounds managed by pulse irrigation. Both groups had similar characteristics. Overall there were 15 (20%) surgical site infections. Significantly fewer infections occurred in the pulse irrigation group (10% vs 32%; P = .019). The use of a pulse irrigation device was the only factor associated with a reduction in wound infections (P = .019). Conclusions Surgical site infections appear to be reduced with pulsatile lavage irrigation of wounds before skin closure in patients undergoing prolonged intra-abdominal surgeries.
Fast object-precision shadow generation for area light sources using BSP trees

This paper introduces an efficient object-precision shadow generation algorithm for static polygonal environments directly illuminated by convex area light sources. Penumbra and umbra regions are calculated analytically and represented as a pair of BSP trees for each light source. As the trees are built, convex scene polygons are filtered down the trees, and split into fragments that are wholly lit, in penumbra, or in umbra. The illumination due to the light source is calculated at selected points within the wholly lit and penumbra regions by contour integration with the visible parts of the light source. We use a fast analytic algorithm to compute the fragments of the area light source visible from a point in penumbra. Rendering is done using hardwaresupported linear interpblated shading on a 3D graphics workstation. Because the scene itself is represented as a BSP tree, visible-surface determination may be performed by using either workstation-supported hardware (e.g., a z-buffer) or software BSP-tree traversal. We provide sample images created by our implementation, including timings and polygon counts. CR
Matrix metalloproteinase inhibition improves survival in an orthotopic model of human pancreatic cancer.

Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) have been implicated in the growth and invasiveness of primary and metastatic tumors. Hypothesizing that MMP inhibition would slow cancer growth, the MMP inhibitor BB-94 (batimistat) was evaluated in an orthotopic animal model of human pancreatic carcinoma. Ten million human pancreatic cancer cells were surgically implanted into the pancreata of 30 athymic nu/nu mice. Intraperitoneal administration of 30 mg/kg BB-94 or vehicle control began 7 days after tumor implantation (13 mice with confirmed implantations in each group) and continued daily for 21 days, and then three times weekly until death or sacrifice at day 70. Representative tumors harvested from mice in each group were analyzed for presence and activity of MMP-2 and MMP-9. Animal weights were significantly higher in the BB-94-treated group at sacrifice (mean 58.4 ±7.9 g vs. 39.8 ±6.2 g; P<0.05, Student’s t test). The likelihood of survival to 70 days was significantly higher in the treated group (4 of 13 vs. 0 of 13, P <0.05, Z-test for end points) than in the control group as was overall survival (P = 0.03, Wilcoxon test). Nine mice in the control group developed metastases to the liver, peritoneum, abdominal wall, or local lymph nodes, whereas only two mice in the BB-94 group had evidence of metastatic disease (P <0.02, Fisher’s exact test), in both instances confined to the abdominal wall. Tumors from treated mice manifested lower MMP activity than those from control animals. These reports support the use of MMP inhibitors alone or as an adjunct in the treatment of pancreatic cancer.
Differentiation of the contribution of the two subunits of lutropin to its in vivo activity.

Abstract Porcine and ovine lutropins were acetimidated at amino groups to various degrees and the effects of the modification on the induction of ovarian ornithine decarboxylase activity were examined. A drastic (84%) loss of biological activity was observed upon modification of two amino groups in porcine lutropin. The results with ovine lutropin derivatives were quite similar. Circular dichroism measurements showed no conformational changes and dissociation into subunits was not observed in the derivatives. Accordingly, the loss of biological activity was not a by-product of conformational changes. It was concluded that lutropin carries a single binding site which is constructed by surface residues or regions located on both the α- and β-subunits of the hormone.
THE INTRAUTERINE DEVICE AND PELVIC INFLAMMATORY DISEASE: THE WOMEN'S HEALTH STUDY REANALYZED

Abstract The Women's Health Study (WHS) was a large, widely accepted and influential case-control study of the relationship between the use of intrauterine contraceptive devices (IUDs) and pelvic inflammatory disease (PID). The data were collected at 16 hospitals in 9 cities across the U.S.A. from October 1976 through August 1978. The first paper on this research was published in 1981 and concluded that IUDs increase the risk of PID. The report cited an estimated RR (relative risk) of PID for current IUD users vs nonIUD users of 1.6 with a 95% confidence interval of (1.4, 1.9). However, careful examination of the report reveals that the data support conclusions antithetical to those at which the author arrived. When the second report on the WHS was published in 1983, it was anticipated that many of the shortcomings of the first report would be corrected, but they were not. In 1983 we undertook a complete reanalysis of the same WHS data using more appropriate criteria and the results were compared to the first two published reports. The reanalysis revealed an RR of 1.02 (0.86, 1.21) for current IUD users compared to noncontraceptors. The conclusion of the WHS should have been that IUDs do not increase the risk of PID .
The distribution of zinc-65 in the rat pancreas.

Although the pancreas appears to be involved directly in zinc metabolism, little is known concerning the role of the metal in the various tissues of this organ. Sheline and his collaborators (1943) have found that injected radioactive zinc accumulates in relatively high concentrations in the pancreas. Excretion of a major part of the injected metal in the pancreatic juice (Montgomery, Sheline, and Chaikoff, 1943) and extraction of a zinc-containing enzyme from the pancreas (Vallee and Neurath, 1954) imply activity of the acinar tissue. On the other hand, numerous reports suggest that zinc might also be involved in islet cell function. It is well known, for example, that zinc facilitates the crystallization of insulin (Scott, 1934) and tends to prolong its biological action when present in suitable concentration (Hallas-Moller, et al., 1952). Furthermore, diabetogens such as alloxan and dithizone cause a decrease in islet zinc content as estimated by histological methods (Stampfel, 1951). Alloxan is also r...
Anaerobic biodegradation of explosives and related compounds by sulfate-reducing and methanogenic bacteria: A review

In recent years, research on microbial degradation of explosives and nitroaromatic compounds has increased. Most studies of the microbial metabolism of nitroaromatic compounds have used aerobic microorganisms. Ecological observations suggest that sulfate-reducing and methanogenic bacteria might metabolize nitroaromatic compounds under anaerobic conditions if appropriate electron donors and electron acceptors are present in the environment, but this ability had not been demonstrated until recently. Few review papers exist, and those deal mainly with aerobic bacterial degradation of explosives; none deals with anaerobic bacteria. In this paper, we review the anaerobic metabolic processes in the degradation of explosives and nitroaromatic compounds under sulfate-reducing and methanogenic conditions.
Water Flow Through Cotton Roots in Relation to Xylem Anatomy

Oosterhuis, D. M. and Wullschleger, S. D. 1987. Water flow through cotton roots in relation to xylem anatomy.—J. exp. Bot. 38: 1866-1874. The effect of root anatomy on water flow was studied in 7-d-old cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) seedlings grown in solution culture. The total water flux of the intact root system was measured using a pressure chamber. Then successive terminal root sections were removed at 2,6,10 and 12 cm behind the root tip and the flux was remeasured after each successive cut was made. Xylem development at different distances behind the root apex was studied with a microscope using sections cut free-hand and stained with toluidine blue. Water flux increased with the removal of successive terminal root sections and this coincided with the degree of basipetal primary xylem development. The large increase in water flux at 10 to 12 cm was associated with secondary xylem development and increased xylem vessel number. A comparison of water flow and xylem anatomy between roots with tetrarch (Stoneville 506 and Deltapine 41) and pentarch (T25 strain) vascular bundle arrangements showed no significant differences in the measured values of water flux for the primary root. Water flux, estimated using Poiseuille's equation and measured xylem dimensions, was greater for the tetrarch roots, primarily because of the larger diameter of individual vessel elements. The increased number of vessel elements in the pentarch primary root of T25 did not result in any apparent decrease in axial resistance to water flow.
Donor Marker Infidelity in Transgenic Hematopoietic Stem Cells

Transgenic marking approaches are increasingly used to evaluate the developmental potential of stem cells. However, cell fate mapping studies using different transgenic marking systems have produced conflicting results. These disparate findings may be due in part to the infidelity of donor marker gene expression. Analysis of hematopoietic stem cells (c-Kit+, Sca-1+, lineage marker- [KSL]) from a transgenic mouse (1Osb) engineered to ubiquitously express the enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) reveals two distinct populations. Forty percent of KSL cells demonstrate intermediate levels of EGFP fluorescence and differentiate into subpopulations of B cells, T cells, and myeloid cells that do not express EGFP. By contrast, progeny of the remaining 60% of KSL cells are almost exclusively EGFP bright. Long-term multilineage hematopoietic reconstitution and serial transplantation experiments show that these differences in EGFP are a property of self-renewing stem cells. Furthermore, both the transgene integration site and the activation status of a cell are important determinants of EGFP expression. These results indicate that a combination of donor cell markers is required to reliably track the full differentiation potential of transgenic stem cells.
Where did I come from? US parents' and preschool children's participation in sexual socialisation

This paper applies a sociology of childhood approach to the study of the sexual socialisation of young children in the USA. It examines both children's and parents' active participation in this dynamic and collaborative process through conversations between 49 parents and their 54 preschool children that were audio-recorded while they read books about ‘where babies come from’. Parents also participated in a brief survey. The authors found that, while parents do foreclose such conversations as previous research has indicated, they also use a variety of other tactics, including adding information and emotion management. These findings illustrate children's active engagement in their own sexual socialisation through their questions, confusions and distractions, which affected the amount and type of information that was elicited.
A low complexity approach for spread OFDM signal detection

In this paper, a high-dimensional detection problem of single input single output (SISO) spread OFDM system is attempted using low complexity approach. A combination of signal processing procedures is introduced to provide a low complexity detection algorithm with improved performance compared to existing linear detectors such as Minimum Mean Square Error (MMSE). Soft output MMSE is implemented first to provide a reliability measure of all bits in the received vector using an approximated Log Likelihood Ratio (LLR) information. The most reliable bits are deemed correctly received and the least reliable bits undergo Branch and Bound (BB) detection process in a sequential manner. Within this block of unreliable bits, BB starts with the most unreliable bits and then the second most unreliable bits and so on. Simulation results show that the proposed technique provides improved performance with a significant reduction in the computational complexity.
Daily fraction dose recalculation based on rigid registration using Cone Beam CT

Purpose: To calculate the daily fraction dose for CBCT recalculations based on rigid registration and compare it to the planned CT doses. Methods : For this study, 30 patients that were previously treated (10 SBRT lung, 10 prostate and 10 abdomen) were considered. The daily CBCT images were imported into the Pinnacle treatment planning system from Mosaic. Pinnacle was used to re-contour the regions of interest (ROI) for the specific CBCT by copying the contours from the original CT plan, planned by the prescribing physician, onto each daily CBCT and then manually reshaping contours to match the ROIs. A new plan is then created with the re-contoured CBCT as primary image in order to calculate the daily dose delivered to each ROI. The DVH values are then exported into Excel and overlaid onto the original CT DVH to produce a graph. Results: For the SBRT lung patients, we found that there were small daily volume changes in the lungs, trachea and esophagus. For almost all regions of interest we found that the dose received each day was less than the predicted dose of the planned CT while the PTV dose was relatively the same each day. The results for the prostate patients were similar, showing slight differences in the DVH values for different days in the rectum and bladder but similar PTV. Conclusion : By comparing daily fraction dose between the re-contoured CBCT images and the original planned CT show that PTV coverage for both prostate and SBRT, it has been shown that for PTV coverage, a planned CT is adequate. However, there are differences between the dose for the organs surrounding the PTV. The dose difference is less than the planned in most instances. ----------------------- Cite this article as: Bosse C, Tuohy R, Mavroidis P, Shi Z, Crownover R, Gutierrez A, Papanikolaou N, Stathakis S. Daily fraction dose recalculation based on rigid registration using Cone Beam CT. Int J Cancer Ther Oncol 2014; 2 (2):020217. DOI : 10.14319/ijcto.0202.17
Nutrition Information and Children's Fast Food Menu Choices

An experiment with 236 children, ages 6 to 11, tested whether providing nutrition information (calories and fat grams) or healthy heart symbol on fast food menus influenced the calories and fat content of the items they chose to order. There was evidence that children exposed to menus with heart symbols chose healthier meals than children exposed to menus with calories and fat content or menus with no nutrition information. Children of parents with inaccurate perceptions of their child's weight tended to make poorer food choices, as did children who visited fast food restaurants more frequently.
Posterior reduction and fixation of an unstable Jefferson fracture with C1 lateral mass screws, C2 isthmus screws, and crosslink fixation: technical case report.

OBJECTIVE: We sought to describe a modified technique for the reduction and stabilization of unstable Jefferson fractures. CLINICAL PRESENTATION: We present the case of an isolated unstable Jefferson fracture in a 33-year-old woman. The patient was the victim of a motor vehicle accident. Her neurological examination was normal. A cervical computed tomographic scan revealed an isolated Jefferson fracture that we thought to be unstable when we applied the Spence criteria. TECHNIQUE: The fracture was treated by a technical variant of C1-C2 posterior fixation with compression on the rods by means of a crosslink connector, allowing the reduction of the atlantoaxial lateral mass overhanging. C1-C2 fusion with posterior iliac crest bone graft was added. CONCLUSION: The 1-year radiological follow-up evaluation showed a complete consolidation of the fracture lines and atlantoaxial stability. This technique could be an option for the reduction and stabilization of the unstable Jefferson fractures.
Linear and nonlinear scattering by a dielectric sphere

Linear and nonlinear time-dependent backscattering calculations for dielectric spheres are presented. The time-dependent backscattered linear fields depend upon: (1) the linewidth of the pulse and the linewidth of the resonance of the sphere, and (2) the frequency separation between the center frequency of the pulse and the resonance frequency of the sphere. When the refractive index or absorption of the sphere is intensity-dependent, then the backscattering also depends upon the intensity of the laser pulse. When the droplets have a large intensity- dependent index of refraction or a large saturable absorption, and are illuminated near a resonance with a high-intensity laser pulse, hysteresis may be seen in the back-scattered intensity.
Speech and language skills in children with Down syndrome

This article presents state-of-the art information on speech and language development and skills in infants, toddlers, children, and adolescents with Down syndrome. Research is cited in the areas of early speech and language development, receptive and expressive language, auditory and visual reception, processing and integration as they relate to language learning, semantics, syntax, morphology, pragmatics, and social interactive language. Research is also reviewed on oral motor strength and coordination, as well as oral-motor planning as they relate to articulation, phonology, and intelligibility. Strengths and challenges, assessment, and intervention research are discussed in relation to each speech and language area. © 1996 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Pulmonary blood flow alters nitric oxide production in patients undergoing device closure of atrial septal defects

Abstract OBJECTIVE To determine the effect of pulmonary blood flow (Qp) on nitric oxide (NO) production in patients with increased Qp due to an atrial septal defect (ASD). BACKGROUND Alterations in pulmonary vascular NO production have been implicated in the development of pulmonary hypertension secondary to increased Qp. In vitro, acute changes in flow or shear stress alter NO production. However, the effect of Qp on lung NO production in vivo is unclear. METHODS Nineteen patients (2.4–61 years of age, median 17) with secundum ASD undergoing device closure were studied. Before, and 30 min after ASD closure, exhaled NO and plasma nitrate concentration were measured by chemiluminescence (NOA 280, Sievers, Boulder, Colorado). RESULTS Before ASD closure, all patients had increased Qp (Qp: systemic blood flow [Qs] of 2.0 ± 0.7) and normal mean pulmonary arterial pressure (13.4 ± 3.1 mm Hg). Atrial septal defect device closure decreased Qp from 6.0 ± 2.5 to 3.6 ± 1.3 L/min/m2(p CONCLUSIONS These data represent the first demonstration that acute changes in Qp alter pulmonary NO production in vivo in humans. Exhaled NO determinations may provide a noninvasive assessment of pulmonary vascular NO production in patients with congenital heart disease. Potential correlations between exhaled NO, pulmonary vascular reactivity and pulmonary hypertension warrant further study.
A study of successful educational strategies in three entry-level graduate programs

A naturalistic investigation in the area of Occupational Therapy (O.T.) graduate education was conducted. It examined the instructional strategies being employed at three existing graduate entry-level occupational therapy educational programs. The purpose of this study was to determine the educational strategies and approaches deemed most effective by the students and teachers at these institutions. On-site interviews were the key means of data collection. The results of the study show that students and faculty members value a number of facets and approaches to O.T. education. These include: (a) communication among students and faculty, (b) faculty clinical practice, (c) student participation and group experiences, (d) hands-on learning, (e) guest speakers, (f) fieldwork, (g) visual learning experiences, (h) theory, (i) purposeful activity, (j) research, and (k) medical/scientific knowledge.
Generation of a vinylidene carbene from an α-chlorovinylsilane

Abstract The reaction of 1-chloro-1-trimethylsilyl-2-methylpropene with anhydrous tetramethylammonium fluoride in the presence of carbenophiles affords dimethylvinylidene insertion products.
The Faith/History Problem, and Kierkegaard's A Priori ‘Proof’

What has become known as the ‘faith/history’ problem for historical religions like Christianity centres on the attempt to combine the ontological decisiveness, for faith, of an historical event characterized as an actual Incarnation of God with the epistemological indifference, or irrelevance, of historical information about that event which is decisive for faith. Without the former there is nothing to be related to or personally appropriated; without the latter faith is rendered vulnerable to the vagaries of historical research. Soren Kierkegaard's Climacus writings – the Philosophical Fragments and the Concluding Unscientific Postscript – provide a classic formulation of the inherent tension. Twentieth-century variations on the same theme are found in the writings of Paul Tillich and Rudolf Bultmann, among others. In what follows I want to highlight an element in Kierkegaard's Climacus account which crucially distinguishes his attempt to deal with the faith/history relation from other attempts to deal with it, and thus offers what I suggest is a novel approach to overcoming the tension. This element – effectively a kind of a priori or conceptual proof – has been neglected, and whatever one's final judgement on its contribution to the problem as a whole, a consideration of it and its implications is, at the very least, integral to a full understanding of the thought-experiment in the Fragments. Moreover, in the process, useful light can be shed indirectly on twentieth-century attempts to deal with the faith/history problem.
Flat-top / distortionless tunable filters based on liquid crystal multi cavities for DWDM applications

Tunable Alters are one of the essential components in the DWDM systems. In this paper two types of tunable Alters are discussed. First the multi cavities coupled Fabry-Perot band pass Alters using liquid crystal are investigated to achieve tunable Aat top Altering performance across the C and L bands with a ripple less than 0.01 dB, and wide overall tuning range of 172 nm. Several designs are shown with comparable performance to the commercial Axed single channel Alters. The second one is the tunable liquid crystal optical interleaver Alter based on the combined Michelson interferometer (MI) and the Gires-Tournois interferometer (GTI). Liquid crystal is used to achieve the center wavelength shift of the interleaver Alter with less than 0.1 dB ripples in the pass band.
Alfarabi and the Foundation of Islamic Political Philosophy. By Muhsin S. Mahdi. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2001. 240p. $37.50.

Mahdi's book marks a watershed in scholarship on medieval political philosophy. For the specialist, chapter 5, on the Book of Religion, alone would be worth the price of the book as a whole. The same could be said for the most synoptic chapter, chapter 7. For the more general reader and, especially, the teacher of political philosophy, the introductory section of the book will prove to be an indispensable resource. Introductions to medieval Islamic philosophy have appeared in great profusion in recent years. Part One of this book constitutes the best introduction to medieval Islamic political philosophy and may do the same for Islamic philosophy as a whole. Until now, no one has explained sufficiently why the first truly great efflorescence of philosophy within the Islamic world should be so deeply political. The peculiar character of this founding of medieval Islamic (political) philosophy has much to do with the relative inattention to Alfarabi in Western scholarship, despite his towering role in medieval Islamic and Jewish thought. With this book, we have reason to hope that Alfarabi will begin to garner the attention he deserves.
Identification and Validation of Spatio-Temporal Associations in Wireless Sensor Networks

Wireless sensor networks (WSN) consist of largenumbers of sensor nodes embedded in physical space for continuously sensing/monitoring a specified physical phenomenon. Typically, WSN requires spatially dense sensor deployment to satisfactorily respond to the requirements of the application. The spatial proximity of nodes and the temporal behaviour of the sensing operation causes the observations sensed to be associated spatio-temporally. However, due to unfavourable environmental conditions and low energy resources available in WSN, there are instances when the nodes lie with in the same spatial space and measure the same attribute yet the observations sensed bythem are not related. No mechanism is present that identifies the degree of association or disassociation between them.In this paper we propose a methodology that uses conceptsfrom computational geometry to identify and isolate relevantspatially related subsets from a given universal set of nodes in WSN, and validate the existence of spatio-temporal associations among the observations sensed by them. The node identification process is achieved by employing classical object intersection solutions from computational geometry and the validation process is achieved by using similarity verification methods. By means of simulations on real time data we demonstrate the procedure for identification and validation by using Jaccard’s coefficient, Cosine similarity and Pearson product correlation coefficient.
Endoscopic therapy in acute recurrent pancreatitis

Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) has evolved from a largely diagnostic to a largely therapeutic modality. Cross-sectional imaging, such as computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and less invasive endoscopy, especially endoscopic ultrasound (EUS), have largely taken over from ERCP for diagnosis. However, ERCP remains the “first line” therapeutic tool in the management of mechanical causes of acute recurrent pancreatitis, including bile duct stones (choledocholithiasis), ampullary masses (benign and malignant), congenital variants of biliary and pancreatic anatomy (e.g. pancreas divisum, choledochoceles), sphincter of Oddi dysfunction (SOD), pancreatic stones and strictures, and parasitic disorders involving the biliary tree and/or pancreatic duct (e.g Ascariasis, Clonorchiasis).
Mixotrophic and photoheterotrophic metabolism in Cyanothece sp. ATCC 51142 under continuous light

The unicellular diazotrophic cyanobacterium Cyanothece sp. ATCC 51142 (Cyanothece 51142) is able to grow aerobically under nitrogen-fixing conditions with alternating light–dark cycles or continuous illumination. This study investigated the effects of carbon and nitrogen sources on Cyanothece 51142 metabolism via 13C-assisted metabolite analysis and biochemical measurements. Under continuous light (50 μmol photons m−2 s−1) and nitrogen-fixing conditions, we found that glycerol addition promoted aerobic biomass growth (by twofold) and nitrogenase-dependent hydrogen production [up to 25 μmol H2 (mg chlorophyll) −1 h−1], but strongly reduced phototrophic CO2 utilization. Under nitrogen-sufficient conditions, Cyanothece 51142 was able to metabolize glycerol photoheterotrophically, and the activity of light-dependent reactions (e.g. oxygen evolution) was not significantly reduced. In contrast, Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 showed apparent mixotrophic metabolism under similar growth conditions. Isotopomer analysis also detected that Cyanothece 51142 was able to fix CO2 via anaplerotic pathways, and to take up glucose and pyruvate for mixotrophic biomass synthesis.
Pancreatic carcinoma: what is the best imaging test?

Accessible online at: www.karger.com/journals/pan Based on a lecture at the combined meeting of the International Association of Pancreatology and the American Pancreatic Association, Chicago, 2000.
Ecology and Evolution of Food-storage Behavior in Conifer-seed-caching Corvids

The conifer-seed-collecting, transporting and storage behavior of four western North American corvids are described. A simple mathematical model is presented which relates: 1) distance seeds are transported, 2) total harvest time, and 3) foraging adaptations, to the quantity of seeds stored. Comparison of the four corvids suggests a pathway along which specialized seed-caching corvids may have evolved. Zusammenfassung Fur das Sammeln von Koniferensamen sind Kiefernhaher und Pinonhaher relativ hoch spezialisiert, Schwarzkopfhaher und Buschhaher relativ unspezialisiert. Die Spezialisation des Kiefernhahers und des Pinonhahers umfast Verhaltensweisen und Schnabelformen, die ein wirksames Einsammeln der Samen gestatten, morphologische Strukturen fur den Transport der Samen, sowie Merkmale, welche die Kraft und Geschwindigkeit des Fluges erhohen. Dank dieser Spezialisationen konnen Kiefernhaher und Pinonhaher mehr Samen uber grosere Entfernungen tragen als Schwarzkopfhaher und Buschhaher. Mit Hilfe eines einfachen mathematischen Modells wird untersucht, wie sich die gesamte Sammelzeit und die Strecke, uber die die Samen transportiert werden, auf die Menge der versteckten Nahrung auswirken. Dieses Modell last auserdem drei Bereiche der Anpassung bei der Nahrungsuche erkennen: 1. die Wirksamkeit der Nahrungsuche, 2. die Menge der transportierten Samen und 3. die Flugfahigkeit. Der erste Bereich wirkt sich am starksten auf die Menge der Samen aus, die in der Nahe des Verstecks gesammelt werden (Nutzung ortlicher Ressourcen). Die beiden anderen Bereiche gewinnen an Bedeutung, wenn die Entfernung zwischen Sammel- und Versteckgebiet wachst (Nutzung entfernter Ressourcen). Die abgestuften Anpassungen in Morphologie und Verhalten, die von diesen vier Rabenvogelarten verkorpert werden, deuten an, uber welche Zwischenschritte die Evolution des Samenversteckens abgelaufen sein konnte. Nahrungsmangel zu bestimmten Jahreszeiten war sehr wahrscheinlich der entscheidende Faktor, der zu einem Selektionsdruck auf wirksames Sammeln und Anlegen von vorubergehend nutzbaren Ressourcen fuhrte. Spezialisationen in Morphologie und Verhalten, welche die Nahrungssuche ergiebiger machten, ermoglichten, grosere Samenvorrate anzulegen. Verstreut liegende Samenvorkommen waren vermutlich verantwortlich fur die Evolution von Strukturen, mit deren Hilfe man Samen transportieren und so diese Vorkommen wirkungsvoll ausnutzen konnte. Das Anlegen der Verstecke wurde nach und nach verandert, einerseits um zu verhindern, das Konkurrenten Vorrate stehlen, andererseits, um das Wiederfinden der Verstecke im Winter zu erleichtern. Wahrend sich Anpassungen entwickelten, die es moglich machten, mehr und mehr Samen zu verstecken, gewannen diese versteckten Samen auch in anderer Hinsicht immer mehr an Bedeutung, insbesondere 1. als Nahrung fur Erwachsene und Nestlinge, 2. fur den fruhen Beginn der Brutzeit und 3. fur das haufige Auswandern der spezialisierten Arten. Vorfahren dieser Rabenvogel waren wahrscheinlich die Transportmittel, mit denen wahrend des Pleistozans die Kiefern ihr Verbreitungsgebiet anderten.
Theory and Principle: Berthold Lubetkin's Highpoint One and Highpoint Two

Abstract Berthold Lubetkin, the Russian-born architect responsible for the design of two modern housing landmarks In London in the 1930s, Highpoint One and Highpoint Two, was modern architecture's most elegant apologist in England between the wars. Believing that architecture could improve society by transforming it, Lubetkin explored the role of ideology as a semantic and social foundation necessary for generating an architecture of social responsibility. A dialectical process underlying Lubetkin's ideology contributed to an evolution of the content expressed in Highpoint Two, questioning both fundamental principles of modern architecture and the cohesion of Lubetkin's own theoretical principles expressed earlier in Highpoint One. The ensemble of the two buildings poses teleological questions concerning the function of transformation within societal contexts governed by themes of continuity.
Defining Gene-Phenotype Relationships in Acinetobacter baumannii through One-Step Chromosomal Gene Inactivation

Rates of infection with hospital-acquired Acinetobacter baumannii have exploded over the past decade due to our inability to limit persistence and effectively treat disease. A. baumannii quickly acquires antibiotic resistance, and its genome encodes mechanisms to tolerate biocides and desiccation, which enhance its persistence in hospital settings. With depleted antibiotic options, new methods to treat A. baumannii infections are desperately needed. A comprehensive understanding detailing A. baumannii cellular factors that contribute to its resiliency at genetic and mechanistic levels is vital to the development of new treatment options. Tools to rapidly dissect the A. baumannii genome will facilitate this goal by quickly advancing our understanding of A. baumannii gene-phenotype relationships. We describe here a recombination-mediated genetic engineering (recombineering) system for targeted genome editing of A. baumannii. We have demonstrated that this system can perform directed mutagenesis on wide-ranging genes and operons and is functional in various strains of A. baumannii, indicating its broad application. We utilized this system to investigate key gene-phenotype relationships in A. baumannii biology important to infection and persistence in hospitals, including oxidative stress protection, biocide resistance mechanisms, and biofilm formation. In addition, we have demonstrated that both the formation and movement of type IV pili play an important role in A. baumannii biofilm. Importance: Acinetobacter baumannii is the causative agent of hospital-acquired infections, including pneumonia and serious blood and wound infections. A. baumannii is an emerging pathogen and has become a threat to public health because it quickly develops antibiotic resistance, making treatment difficult or impossible. While the threat of A. baumannii is well recognized, our understanding of even its most basic biology lags behind. Analysis of A. baumannii cellular functions to identify potential targets for drug development has stalled due in part to laborious genetic techniques. Here we have pioneered a novel recombineering system that facilitates efficient genome editing in A. baumannii by single PCR products. This technology allows for rapid genome editing to quickly ascertain gene-phenotype relationships. To demonstrate the power of recombineering in dissecting A. baumannii biology, we use this system to establish key gene-phenotype relationships important to infection and persistence in hospitals, including oxidative stress protection, biocide resistance, and biofilm formation.