cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Estimates of the Seasonal Mean Vertical Velocity Fields of the Extratropical Northern Hemisphere

Indirect methods are employed to estimate the wintertime and summertime mean vertical velocity fields of the extratropical Northern Hemisphere and intercomparisons are made, together with comparisons with mean seasonal patterns of cloudiness and precipitation. Twice-daily NMC operational analyses produced general circulation statistics for 11 winters and 12 summers, permitting calculation of the seasonal NMC averages for 6 hr forecasts, solution of the omega equation, integration of continuity equation downward from 100 mb, and solution of the thermodynamic energy equation in the absence of diabatic heating. The methods all yielded similar vertical velocity patterns; however, the magnitude of the vertical velocities could not be calculated with great accuracy. Orography was concluded to have less of an effect in summer than in winter, when winds are stronger.
A novel PON based UMTS broadband wireless access network architecture with an algorithm to guarantee end to end QoS

In this paper we proposes a novel Passive Optical Network (PON) based broadband wireless access network architecture to provide multimedia services (video telephony, video streaming, mobile TV, mobile emails etc) to mobile users. In the conventional wireless access networks, the base stations (Node B) and Radio Network Controllers (RNC) are connected by point to point T1/E1 lines (Iub interface). The T1/E1 lines are expensive and add up to operating costs. Also the resources (transceivers and T1/E1) are designed for peak hours traffic, so most of the time the dedicated resources are idle and wasted. Further more the T1/E1 lines are not capable of supporting bandwidth (BW) required by next generation wireless multimedia services proposed by High Speed Packet Access (HSPA, Rel.5) for Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) and Evolution Data only (EV-DO) for Code Division Multiple Access 2000 (CDMA2000). The proposed PON based back haul can provide Giga bit data rates and Iub interface can be dynamically shared by Node Bs. The BW is dynamically allocated and the unused BW from lightly loaded Node Bs is assigned to heavily loaded Node Bs. We also propose a novel algorithm to provide end to end Quality of Service (QoS) (between RNC and user equipment).The algorithm provides QoS bounds in the wired domain as well as in wireless domain with compensation for wireless link errors. Because of the air interface there can be certain times when the user equipment (UE) is unable to communicate with Node B (usually referred to as link error). Since the link errors are bursty and location dependent. For a proposed approach, the scheduler at the Node B maps priorities and weights for QoS into wireless MAC. The compensations for errored links is provided by the swapping of services between the active users and the user data is divided into flows, with flows allowed to lag or lead. The algorithm guarantees (1)delay and throughput for error-free flows,(2)short term fairness among error-free flows,(3)long term fairness among errored and error-free flows,(4)graceful degradation for leading flows and graceful compensation for lagging flows.
A window on information systems technology in China

Abstract The status of information technology in China is important to Western firms contemplating cooperative commercial arrangements with Chinese firms. This paper discusses the characteristics of the information technology environment in China. It presents the results of an open-ended questionnaire administered in 1986, and two structured questionnaires administered in 1990 and 1992, to a group of Chinese managers about the introduction and diffusion of computer-based management information systems in their respective organizations. The study presents managers' perspectives across multiple layers of organizational structures. The particular managers who shared their views can be best described as ambitious fast-track individuals who are open to new ideas. They are perhaps representative of the future industrial leaders of China. Of more immediate importance, they typify the type of manager currently involved in China's ‘open market’ sector. These managers are critical employees of import/export divisions, members of joint venture teams and spokespersons for branch offices of foreign firms. In other words, they represent the type of Chinese manager with whom Western firms currently deal, and will be dealing with in the future. Other implications for firms contemplating joint venture relationships with Chinese firms are also given in light of the authors' experience and the results of the survey.
An electron beam pseudoarc technique for irradiation of large areas of chest wall and other curved surfaces

An electron beam technique has been developed for the treatment of large areas of the chest wall and other curved surfaces employing the stationary field electron beam mode ordinarily available on a linear accelerator. The technique simulates an arc through the use of multiple fixed fields. The electron collimator is not used. Field shaping is achieved through the combined effects produced by the photon jaw settings, the arc limits, and secondary lead shielding on the patient's skin. Thus, there is no limitation on the circumferential extent of the field size that can be used. Electron beam energies of 6 MeV, 9 MeV, 12 MeV, 15 MeV and 18 MeV have been studied. Our findings indicate that, for these energies, this technique produces isodose curves parallel to the cylindrical surface at all depths beyond maximum build-up. This paper discusses the physical characteristics of the single beams, the degree of dose homogeneity achieved with the multiple fields, and the dosimetry technique developed to implement the therapy.
Coronary angioplasty of anomalous coronary arteries: Notes on technical aspects

Five patients with significant atherosclerotic lesions of anomalous coronary arteries underwent coronary angiopiasty of the anomalous vessel. Four patients had anomalous circumflex artery and 1 had an anomalous right coronary artery. Angiographic and clinical success was achieved in all 5 patients. To ensure adequate equipment selection special consideration should be given to angiographic characteristics of these vessels, such as the orifice configuration, exit angulation, the route the artery traverses and the location of the stenotic lesions. Major determinants for successful angioplasty in these patients are guiding catheter selection and advancement of the balloon catheter to the very proximal portion of the anomalous vessel to subsequently facilitate guide wire advance ment. This data indicates that balloon angioplasty can be successfuily utilized in patients with significant atherosclerotic disease of anomalous coronary arteries.
Glucose metabolism in the crab, Hemigrapsus nudus.

Abstract Some carbohydrates of the crab, Hemigrapsus nudus , were investigated. A polysaccharide fraction was isolated which gave glucose, galactose, and fucose on hydrolysis. Free maltose, maltotriose, and maltotetraose were found to be present in the crab also. Administration of uniformly labeled glucose-C 14 into intermolt crabs resulted in the labeling of respiratory carbon dioxide but not chitin. The polysaccharide moiety, sugar phosphates, and nucleotides were also labeled. The results indicated that carbohydrate metabolism in the crab is not radically different from that in other organisms.
Multiply charged heavy ions produced by energetic plasmas

Abstract Intense multiply charged heavy ion beams may be produced through single-impact ionization with subsequent shakeoff of electrons when heavy elements are introduced into presently available mirror-contained contained energetic electron plasmas. Uniform steady-state currents of 6 mA of Xe12+ over a 300 cm2 area appear likely.
Serological characterization of a ribonuclease from Hordeum vulgare

Abstract Specific rabbit antisera against purified Hordeum vulgare seedling RNase I from two winter barley cultivars each formed a single precipitin band when reacted with the homologous crude tissue extract. RNase antigen from either cultivar was equally reactive with both antisera when evaluated by immunodiffusion and immunoelectrophoresis. A small but consistent difference in anti-RNase specificity between cultivars was shown by passive hemagglutination inhibition, suggesting that molecular differences may exist between the two RNase antigens. Immunodiffusion and rocket immunoelectrophoresis were used to qualitatively test the cross-reactivity of protein preparations from various members of the genus Hordeum and species from other related grass genera. Neither antiserum showed cross-reactivity with soluble protein preparation from species outside the genus Hordeum . A few species within the genus Hordeum were cross-reactive. A modification of rocket immunoelectrophoresis was developed to determine the amount of RNase in unpurified tissue extracts. The technique involved a template-reservoir which allowed detection of 250 ng RNase in tissue extract volumes of 50 μl. The amount of RNase in unpurified protein extracts from the two cultivars of barley was similar.
Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibition in congestive heart failure: Benefit and perspective

Therapy with angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors was developed approximately 15 years ago as a novel therapeutic approach to hypertension. Although ACE inhibitor therapy was initially reserved for patients with severe hypertension, extensive clinical experience has broadened its use. These agents should now be considered as cornerstone therapy for patients with symptomatic heart failure and are of proved value in preventing the development of this syndrome. This article reviews the key studies that have documented the efficacy of ACE inhibitors in improving clinical outcome for patients with overt congestive heart failure, as well as for those with asymptomatic left ventricular dysfunction.
Autophagy, exosomes and drusen formation in age-related macular degeneration

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the leading cause of loss of vision in developed countries. AMD is characterized by a progressive degeneration of the macula of the retina, usually bilateral, leading to a severe decrease in central vision. An early sign of AMD is the appearance of drusen, which are extracellular deposits that accumulate on Bruch's membrane below the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE). Drusen are a risk factor for developing AMD. Some of the protein components of drusen are known, yet we know little about the processes that lead to formation of drusen. We have previously reported increased mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) damage and decreased DNA repair enzyme capabilities in the rodent RPE/choroid with age. In this study, we used in vitro modeling of increased mtDNA damage. Under conditions of increased mtDNA damage, autophagy markers and exosome markers were upregulated. In addition, we found autophagy markers and exosome markers in the region of Bruch's membrane in the retinas of old mice. Furthermore, we found that drusen in AMD donor eyes contain markers for autophagy and for exosomes. We speculate that increased autophagy and the release of intracellular proteins via exosomes by the aged RPE may contribute to the formation of drusen. Molecular and cellular changes in the old RPE may underlie susceptibility to genetic mutations that are found in AMD patients.
Role of tissue factor in a mouse model of thrombotic microangiopathy induced by antiphospholipid antibodies

Using different mouse monoclonal and human antiphospholipid (aPL) antibodies, we developed a new animal model of renal injury that shares many features with thrombotic microangiopathy (TMA). We found that more than 1 mechanism/signaling pathway is involved in glomerular injury induced by aPL antibodies in this model. Both complement-dependent and complement-independent pathways were identified that lead to glomerular endothelial cell damage and renal function impairment. We also found that C5a-C5aR interaction is a crucial step for the activation of the coagulation cascade and glomerular injury induced by complement-activating antibodies. In addition, our studies demonstrated complement-independent mechanisms in which reactivity with β 2 glycoprotein I (β2GPI) plays an important role in aPL-induced glomerular damage and renal failure. Independently of the mechanism responsible for aPL-induced TMA, mice that express low levels of tissue factor (TF) were protected from glomerular injury. That genetic reduction of TF prevents renal injury induced by different aPL antibodies indicates that TF is a common mediator of glomerular damage and a possible target for selective pharmacologic intervention. Treatment with pravastatin, which down-regulates glomerular TF synthesis, prevents aPL-induced TMA in this mouse model, thus emphasizing that targeting TF might be a good therapeutic intervention in patients with TMA.
Cathepsin E promotes pulmonary emphysema via mitochondrial fission

Emphysema is characterized by loss of lung elasticity and irreversible air space enlargement, usually in the later decades of life. The molecular mechanisms of emphysema remain poorly defined. We identified a role for a novel cathepsin, cathepsin E, in promoting emphysema by inducing mitochondrial fission. Unlike previously reported cysteine cathepsins, which have been implicated in cigarette smoke-induced lung disease, cathepsin E is a nonlysosomal intracellular aspartic protease whose function has been described only in antigen processing. We examined lung tissue sections of persons with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, a clinical entity that includes emphysematous change. Human chronic obstructive pulmonary disease lungs had markedly increased cathepsin E protein in the lung epithelium. We generated lung epithelial-targeted transgenic cathepsin E mice and found that they develop emphysema. Overexpression of cathepsin E resulted in increased E3 ubiquitin ligase parkin, mitochondrial fission protein dynamin-related protein 1, caspase activation/apoptosis, and ultimately loss of lung parenchyma resembling emphysema. Inhibiting dynamin-related protein 1, using a small molecule inhibitor in vitro or in vivo, inhibited cathepsin E-induced apoptosis and emphysema. To the best of our knowledge, our study is the first to identify links between cathepsin E, mitochondrial fission, and caspase activation/apoptosis in the pathogenesis of pulmonary emphysema. Our data expand the current understanding of molecular mechanisms of emphysema development and may provide new therapeutic targets.
Mini-revisión: Variantes genéticas del transportador de serotonina en trastornos neuropsiquiátricos

Resumen es: ...>>>en: The SLC6A4 gene encodes the serotonin transporter SERT. Since the discovery of the role of SLC6A4 polymorphisms on human behavior, there is an ...
Antoine Faivre and the Study of Esotericism

Antoine Faivre, Theosophy, Imagination, Tradition: Studies in Western Esotericism. Albany, SUNY Press, 2000, xxxv+259 pp., $73.50 (hardback) ISBN 0 7914 4435 X, $24.95 (paperback) ISBN 0 7914 4436 ...
Comment on "Ambiguities in the up-quark mass".

Creutz [hep-ph/0312225] has argued that nonperturbative effects in QCD lead to an additive ambiguity in the up quark mass, and that "this calls into question the acceptability of attempts to solve the strong CP problem via a vanishing mass for the lightest quark." We show that if the determinant of the light quark mass matrix vanishes at any scale, then it is real at all scales.
Evaluation of a Tourist Brochure

Abstract Even with advances in tourism information search technology, brochures are still popular information sources for tourists. The purpose of this paper is to describe tourist evaluations of a brochure, and to better understand how such evaluations influence visitation interest levels and actual visitation. A mail survey was conducted using a sample of individuals who requested travel information from Glendale, Arizona. Results suggest that the brochure did significantly increase respondents' interest in visiting Glendale and subsequent visitation, and that evaluation of the brochure was related to actual visitation. Visitors, prospective visitors, and non-visitors differed with respect to brochure evaluation. There were also some differences between respondents who had visited the community before and those who had not, as well as several demographic segments.
Prosodic Contrasts in Ironic Speech

Prosodic features in spontaneous speech help disambiguate implied meaning not explicit in linguistic surface structure, but little research has examined how these signals manifest themselves in real conversations. Spontaneously produced verbal irony utterances generated between familiar speakers in conversational dyads were acoustically analyzed for prosodic contrasts. A prosodic contrast was defined as a statistically reliable shift between adjacent phrasal units in at least 1 of 5 acoustic dimensions (mean fundamental frequency, fundamental frequency variability, mean amplitude, amplitude variability, and mean syllable duration). Overall, speakers contrasted prosodic features in ironic utterances with utterances immediately preceding them at a higher rate than between adjacent nonironic utterance pairs from the same interactions. Across multiple speakers, ironic utterances were spoken significantly slower than preceding speech, but no other acoustic dimensions changed consistently. This is the first aco...
A Home Obstetric Service With Expert Consultation and Back‐Up

: The medical literature comparing home and hospital obstetric outcomes is reviewed. A home obstetric service with hospital and obstetrician back-up is described, including screening, care during pregnancy and delivery and management of complications. Of 495 women who were accepted for home delivery, 77 miscarried or moved, 49 changed to hospital delivery, 19 had premature labor, and 61 were transferred to the hospital during labor. Maternal and perinatal mortality and morbidity are described. In this well-selected low risk population, careful prenatal and intrapartum care resulted in outcomes which are comparable to those of hospital programs.
Is severity of necrotizing pancreatitis increased in extended necrosis and infected necrosis

IntroductionWe previously reported that organ failure occurs in 50% of patients with necrotizing pancreatitis, that extended pancreatic necrosis (greater than 50% necrosis) is not associated with an increased prevalence of organ failure or infected necrosis, and that the prevalence of organ failure
Eye Tracking Research to Answer Questions about Augmentative and Alternative Communication Assessment and Intervention

AbstractRecently, eye tracking technologies (i.e., technologies that automatically track the point of an individual's gaze while that person views or interacts with a visual image) have become available for research purposes. Based on the sampling of the orientation of the individual's eyes, researchers can quantify which locations within the visual image were fixated (viewed), for how long, and how many times. These automated eye tracking research technologies open up a wealth of avenues for investigating how individuals with developmental or acquired communication disabilities may respond to aided augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) systems. In this paper, we introduce basic terminology and explore some of the special challenges of conducting eye tracking research with populations with disabilities who might use AAC, including challenges of inferring attention from the presence of fixation and challenges related to calibration that may result from participant characteristics, behavioral idi...
A central region of Ku80 mediates interaction with Ku70 in vivo

Ku, the DNA binding component of DNA-dependent protein kinase (DNA-PK), is a heterodimer composed of 70 and 86 kDa subunits, known as Ku70 and Ku80 respectively . Defects in DNA-PK subunits have been shown to result in a reduced capacity to repair DNA double-strand breaks. Assembly of the Ku heterodimer is required to obtain DNA end binding activity and association of the DNA-PK catalytic subunit. The regions of the Ku subunits responsible for heterodimerization have not been clearly defined in vivo . A previous study has suggested that the C-terminus of Ku80 is required for interaction with Ku70. Here we examine Ku subunit interaction using N- and C-terminal Ku80 deletions in a GAL4-based two-hybrid system and an independent mammalian in vivo system. Our two-hybrid study suggests that the central region of Ku80, not its C-terminus, is capable of mediating interaction with Ku70. To determine if this region mediates interaction with Ku70 in mammalian cells we transfected xrs-6 cells, which lack endogenous Ku80, with epitope-tagged Ku80 deletions carrying a nuclear localization signal. Immunoprecipitation from transfected cell extracts revealed that the central domain identified by the GAL4 two-hybrid studies stabilizes and co-immunoprecipitates with endogenous xrs-6 Ku70. The central interaction domain maps to the internally deleted regions of Ku80 in the mutant cell lines XR-V9B and XR-V15B. These findings indicate that the internally deleted Ku80 mutations carried in these cell lines are incapable of heterodimerization with Ku70.
Infrared Detection Using Carbon Nanotube Field Effect Transistor

Carbon nanotube (CNT) based infrared (IR) detectors have been reported and shown promising properties taking advantage of its one dimensional structure and unique electrical properties. The CNT photodiodes detect IR signal through Schottky barriers that are formed when metal and semiconductor CNT come into contact due to the difference of the energy levels. However, the generated photocurrent was small due to the structure of the CNT photodiodes, consisting of two reversely connected Schottky diodes. In addition, the mechanism of the Schottky barriers of these photodiodes were not well understood. In this paper, a CNT Field Effect Transistor (CNTFET) is designed and used as an IR detector, improving the performance by tuning the doping level of the CNT through the gate.By introducing the gate as in CNTFET to the photodiodes, the Fermi levels of the CNTs are able to be adjusted by the electrostatic doping, as a result the dark currents of CNT photodiodes can be screened. On the other hand, the photocurrent is determined by the capability of Schottky barriers to separated photogenerated electron and hole pairs, thus gate can shift the Fermi level of a CNT to the most sensitive level in order to produce a maximum photocurrent. The test results from the proposed CNTFET IR detectors provided a better understanding of its working principle in order to inspire optimal design of a CNT photodetector. The experimental results showed the photocurrent was proportional to the depletion width of Schottky barriers.
Capacitive mixing power production from salinity gradient energy enhanced through exoelectrogen-generated ionic currents

Several approaches to generate electrical power directly from salinity gradient energy using capacitive electrodes have recently been developed, but power densities have remained low. By immersing the capacitive electrodes in ionic fields generated by exoelectrogenic microorganisms in bioelectrochemical reactors, we found that energy capture using synthetic river and seawater could be increased ∼65 times, and power generation ∼46 times. Favorable electrochemical reactions due to microbial oxidation of organic matter, coupled to oxygen reduction at the cathode, created an ionic flow field that enabled more effective passive charging of the capacitive electrodes and higher energy capture. This ionic-based approach is not limited to the use of river water-seawater solutions. It can also be applied in industrial settings, as demonstrated using thermolytic solutions that can be used to capture waste heat energy as salinity gradient energy. Forced charging of the capacitive electrodes, using energy generated by the bioelectrochemical system and a thermolytic solution, further increased the maximum power density to 7 W m−2 (capacitive electrode).
Co-linear, fringe-free, background-free third harmonic FROG

We demonstrate background-free, fringe-free THG-FROG measurements at the focus of a high numerical aperture objective for the first time.
Input queued switches: cell switching vs. packet switching

Input Queued (IQ) switches have been very well studied in the recent past. The main problem in the IQ switches concerns scheduling. The main focus of the research has been the fixed length packet-known as cells-case. The scheduling decision becomes relatively easier for cells compared to the variable length packet case as scheduling needs to be done at a regular interval of fixed cell time. In real traffic dividing the variable packets into cells at the input side of the switch and then reassembling these cells into packets on the output side achieve it. The disadvantages of this cell-based approach are the following: (a) bandwidth is lost as division of a packet may generate incomplete cells, and (b) additional overhead of segmentation and reassembling cells into packets. This motivates the packet scheduling: scheduling is done in units of arriving packet sizes and in nonpreemptive fashion. In M.A. Marsan et al. (2001) the problem of packet scheduling was first considered. They show that under any admissible Bernoulli i.i.d. arrival traffic a simple modification of maximum weight matching (MWM) algorithm is stable, similar to cell-based MWM. In this paper, we study the stability properties of packet based scheduling algorithm for general admissible arrival traffic pattern. We first show that the result of Marsan et al. extends to general regenerative traffic model instead of just admissible traffic, that is, packet based MWM is stable. Next we show that there exists an admissible traffic pattern under which any work-conserving (that is maximal type) scheduling algorithm will be unstable. This suggests that the packet based MWM will be unstable too. To overcome this difficulty we propose a new class of "waiting" algorithms. We show that "waiting"-MWM algorithm is stable for any admissible traffic using fluid limit technique.
Effect of Condition of Animal on the Creatinine Excretion of Bovine Animals

Summary Creatinine excretion was studied with members of two sets of identical triplet bulls and one set of identical twin steers. The animals in each identical set were fed different amounts of energy so as to study creatinine excretion with identical animals differing in condition. The results indicate that fat bulls had higher creatinine coefficients than their thin mates. The work with steers showed that the fat steer had a slightly lower creatinine coefficient than his thin mate.
The effect of experience on the perception and representation of dialect variants

The task of recognizing spoken words is notoriously difficult. Once dialectal variation is considered, the difficulty of this task increases. When living in a new dialect region, however, processing difficulties associated with dialectal variation dissipate over time. Through a series of primed lexical decision tasks (form priming, semantic priming, and long-term repetition priming), we examine the general issue of dialectal variation in spoken word recognition, while investigating the role of experience in perception and representation. The main questions we address are: (1) how are cross-dialect variants recognized and stored, and (2) how are these variants accommodated by listeners with different levels of exposure to the dialect? Three claims are made based on the results: (1) dialect production is not always representative of dialect perception and representation, (2) experience strongly affects a listener’s ability to recognize and represent spoken words, and (3) there is a general benefit for variants that are not regionally-marked.
Distributed office by example (D-OBE)

The D-OBE (Distributed Office By Example) language for distributed office information systems is introduced. D-OBE is an extension of the OBE (Office By Example) and QBE (Query By Example) languages. A major problem was the design of a language simple enough for office workers and yet sufficiently powerful to handle the many facilities of a distributed office system. It is suggested that D-OBE achieves these goals by employing the proven user friendly QBE interface. Surprisingly few extensions to QBE were needed. The states of the servers are presented to the user as QBE tables that are manipulated by the familiar QBE operations. Another problem was to design D-OBE such that it would fit ‘any’ office. D-OBE is based on the observation that large offices divide their tasks among departments. Each department is made responsible for accomplishing its tasks, and is given control over the facilities to do it. A department will thus control its ‘D-OBE cluster’, which is a number of workstations connected to a database, mail, hardcopy and name server. Such a cluster may cooperate with other clusters. The use of logical ports help to reconfigure the network as the structure and goals of the office evolve. A naming server provides the ‘yellow pages’ of the network services. D-OBE identifies for each data object, workstation and server the person responsible for its proper handling.
A Randomized Placebo-Controlled Trial of Saccharomyces boulardii in Combination With Standard Antibiotics for Clostridium difficile Disease

Objective. —To determine the safety and efficacy of a new combination treatment for patients with Clostridium difficile —associated disease (CDD). The treatment combines the yeast Saccharomyces boulardii with an antibiotic (vancomycin hydrochloride or metronidazole). Design. —A double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, parallel-group intervention study in patients with active CDD. Patients received standard antibiotics and S boulardii or placebo for 4 weeks, and were followed up for an additional 4 weeks after therapy. Effectiveness was determined by comparing the recurrence of CDD in the two groups using multivariate analysis to control for other risk factors for CDD. Setting. —National referral study of ambulatory or hospitalized patients from three main study coordinating centers. Patients. —A total of 124 eligible consenting adult patients, including 64 who were enrolled with an initial episode of CDD, and 60 who had a history of at least one prior CDD episode. Patients who were immunosuppressed due to acquired immunodeficiency syndrome or cancer chemotherapy within 3 months were not eligible. Intervention. —Treatment with oral S boulardii (1 g/d for 4 weeks) or placebo in combination with a standard antibiotic. Main Outcome Measure. —Recurrence of active CDD. Results. —A history of CDD episodes dramatically increased the likelihood of further recurrences. Multivariate analysis revealed that patients treated with S boulardii and standard antibiotics had a significantly lower relative risk (RR) of CDD recurrence (RR, 0.43; 95% confidence interval, 0.20 to 0.97) compared with placebo and standard antibiotics. The efficacy of S boulardii was significant (recurrence rate 34.6%, compared with 64.7% on placebo; P =.04) in patients with recurrent CDD, but not in patients with initial CDD (recurrence rate 19.3% compared with 24.2% on placebo; P =.86). There were no serious adverse reactions associated with S boulardii . Conclusions. —The combination of standard antibiotics and S boulardii was shown to be an effective and safe therapy for these patients with recurrent CDD; no benefit of S boulardii was demonstrated for those with an initial episode of CDD. ( JAMA . 1994;271:1913-1918)
Fuzzy mixed integer programming: Approach to security-constrained unit commitment

This paper presents a formulation of fuzzy mixed integer programming (FMIP) solution for solving security-constrained unit commitment (SCUC) problem with emphasis on uncertainties in forecasted parameters in constraints. The proposed approach could be used by vertically integrated utilities as well as the ISOs in restructured power system. In this model, uncertainties in forecasted load demand, ancillary services and wind power are simulated in a fuzzy frame. Problem is finding a solution which satisfies the constraints and the objective with the maximum degree. The objective function will optimize while constraints have varying degree. The proposed model can be solved using a standard mixed integer-programming (MIP) solver. Case studies with the eight-bus system are presented in detail in this paper. We study the impact of uncertainty in forecasted parameters in SCUC solution and compare the results with those of crisp SCUC model.
THE SLIGHTED MOUNTAINS OF UPPER EAST TENNESSEE

ABSTRACT The United States of America owns nearly 150,000 hectares of mountain land in northeastern Tennessee. Administered as the northern half of the Cherokee National Forest, these lands were purchased primarily between 1915 and 1941 under Weeks Act authority. The United States Forest Service has not established the intensive forestry that it originally hoped to bring to this area, nor has it created the jobs that it once planned. But the land is in far better condition than it was eighty years ago. An urban forest more than a tree farm, this national forest is still to be appreciated.
Using ultra-wideband sensing technology for intestinal motility measurement

Clinically many methodologies, both invasive and non-invasive, have been applied on the assessment of intestinal function in vivo. In routine, there are two preferable non-invasive methods, including ultrasound imaging and stethoscope, to get insight of intestinal motility for clinical diagnosis. However, the operation of traditional monitors is relied on professionals' experience, and also the sensing probes needed to attach to the patient's abdomen directly. The measurement procedure is easy to cause infection and uncomfortable. To improve the issues of these measuring techniques, the non-contact physiological parameters measuring technology will become an important innovation. In this paper, the novel ultra-wideband (UWB) based sensing technology, which includes UWB radio frequency (RF) pulse transmission and a Vivaldi antenna connected to UWB transceiver via coaxial cable, is proposed to non-contact monitor intestine activity. To evaluate the performance, the proposed method was applied on intestine motility measurement in the experiment with with/without drinking milk. As a result, the proposed method is validated to perform the capability of long-term continuous monitoring to reveal intestinal motility information in real-time.
Thermal Analysis of Pu6Fe Synthesized from Hydride Precursor

The intermetallic Pu6Fe is a precipitate commonly found in standard-purity Pu alloys. We are interested in measuring thermophysical properties of this intermetallic, so we are developing methods for producing Pu6Fe with potential for being scaled up. We had success using a powder-based method, where finely divided PuH2 powder was mechanically mixed with Fe powder and reacted in vacuum. Differential scanning calorimetry was used to analyze the phase content of the product. We estimate ~90% yield of Pu6Fe by weight, with the remainder being Pu. Enthalpy of melting for Pu6Fe was measured to be 31.2 J/g, and the onset temperature was 411.5°C. The product was melted 3 times and appeared to become more homogeneous after each cycle.
Tunable short- to mid-infrared perfectly absorbing thin films utilizing conductive zinc oxide on metal

A simple thin-film perfect absorber structure is shown that can achieve greater than 99.9% absorption and is tunable throughout the short-wave and mid-wave infrared. This is attained by use of the tunable mobility and carrier concentration, which in turn tunes the complex refractive indices, of a gallium-doped zinc oxide (GZO) thin film, and by choice of the GZO film thickness. The structure takes advantage of a metal substrate with large k, i.e. is opaque, with silver shown to be one suitable choice. The metal layer supporting GZO can be deposited on any practical substrate. An experimental deposited GZO film underwent subsequent etch steps and demonstrated 99% absorption at a wavelength of 2.1 μm. Finally, designs are shown that enable near perfect absorption in the range of 1.5-4.7 μm, with similar structures also likely possible extending beyond this wavelength range by further tailoring the GZO optical parameters and layer thickness. The presented structure, which is polarization insensitive at normal and near-normal incidence, has potential applications in reflection band filters, infrared scene generators, photodetectors and photovoltaics.
Approximating x n efficiently

A fast technique to evaluate xn to an accuracy of one part in N for 0.0 ⩽ x ⩽ 1.0 is discussed. Such approximations are useful in several scientific applications. The main features of the technique are as follows: Novelty: The fundamental and distinguishing contribution of our technique is the drastic reduction in the size of look-up tables used in the evaluation without a commensurate loss in performance or accuracy. Generality: The technique presented herein can be used in both hardware and software products depending on the performance requirements and amount of silicon available. The technique is illustrated more elaborately by discussing its use for computing light intensities in graphics modeling.
(Book Review) That the World May Know: Bearing Witness to Atrocity by James Dawes

This review is a critical look of James Dawes rich book - That We May Know: Bearing Witness to Atrocity - which is a deeply insightful work about human rights advocates. This is a class of social actors that devote their life to “doing good.” These actors are driven by a myriad of motives and agendas, but they are at the core incurable idealists. However, the road they travel is not always objectively helpful to victims of human rights abuses. Nor are they themselves immune from despair and moral torment. What Dawes does is unlock the pathologies in the human rights universe and give us a window into the minds and lives of the actors in the field. There are few, if any, books written with the empathetic distance of this work.
Computer mediation of collaborative mathematical exploration

Two central principles of contemporary learning science theory (Stahl, Koschmann & Suthers, 2006) are: • Student learning involves construction of meaning by the learners (constructivism). • Learning often takes place originally inter-subjectively (socio-cultural theory). For learning in the discipline of mathematics, these principles imply: • Student exploration of mathematical issues should play a significant role in math education. • Collaborative approaches should be incorporated, in which small groups of students build mathematical understanding together.
Rural-Urban Differences in Job Satisfaction: Further Evidence

The article focuses on a study which examined the impact of both size of place of socialization and place of current residence on rural-urban differences in job satisfaction. As far as the job leve...
Design and Actuator-Position Optimization for a Large-Scale Adaptive Grating

The design and optimization of the actuator layout for a 1.5-meter scale adaptive grating was performed using an integrated finite-element-analysis and genetic-optimization model. The optimization process, criteria, and an optimized design will be presented.
Investigation of Gravitational Effects On Fractal Loop Heat Pipe Performance

This study investigates inclined operational performance for a LHP that includes a fractal based evaporator design. The prototype Fractal Loop Heat Pipe was designed and manufactured by Mikros Manufacturing Inc. and validation tested at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center’s Thermal Engineering Branch laboratory. Heat input to the FLHP was supplied via cartridge heaters mounted in a copper block. The copper heater block was placed in intimate contact with the evaporator. The evaporator had a circular cross-sectional area of 0.88 cm. Twice distilled, deionized water was used as the working fluid. Thermal performance data was obtained for five different inclinations (evaporator elevation ranging 30° above and below the condenser/subcooler bottom) using a single condenser/subcooler temperature combination (i.e., 10°C/5°C) under degassed conditions (Psat of 25.3 kPa at 22°C). The FLHP demonstrated successful start-ups in each of the test cases performed and had a maximum heat flux of 89 W/cm with the evaporator elevated 15° above the condenser bottom.
Quinine decreases hepatocyte transmembrane potential and inhibits amino acid transport.

Effects of L-alanine, 2-(methylamino)isobutyric acid (MeAIB), and quinine on mouse hepatocyte transmembrane potential (Vm) are compared with effects of quinine on MeAIB transport into isolated mouse hepatocytes in primary monolayer culture. In liver slices, L-alanine (10 mM) decreased Vm 6 +/- 0.4 mV from control Vm (-37 +/- 0.2 mV). With L-alanine still present, Vm repolarized and stabilized at Vm of -2 +/- 0.5 mV greater than control Vm. Quinine (1 mM) decreased Vm reversibly by 7 +/- 0.9 mV. Depolarization was 11 +/- 1.5 mV when L-alanine and quinine were added together, but now Vm did not repolarize. Transient depolarization also resulted from addition of either L-alanine or MeAIB to isolated hepatocytes in primary culture. Moreover, quinine (1 mM) inhibited steady-state MeAIB uptake by 91%. Quinine decreased Vmax for MeAIB transport from 9.0 +/- 1.0 to 4.8 +/- 1.9 nmol MeAIB.mg protein-1.4 min-1, but it did not change Km of 0.60 mM. Quinine inhibition of MeAIB transport was reversible. Quinine also increased hepatocyte steady-state volume from 3.2 +/- 0.8 to 4.9 +/- 1.2 microliter/mg protein. Thus quinine may inhibit Na+-amino acid cotransport by blocking conductive K+ channels, thereby decreasing Vm and the transmembrane electrochemical Na+ gradient, and it may deplete the intracellular amino acid pool by disrupting hepatocyte volume regulation.
Exosome Migration Inhibitory Factor as a Marker and Therapeutic Target for Pancreatic Cancer

Pancreatic cancer is the seventh most common cancer worldwide and pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is the most common type, which accounts for >90% of cases. Almost 80% of the patients with pancreatic cancer are diagnosed when it has reached unresectable stages, and their 5-year survival rates are only 2%–7%. Even in patients with localized pancreatic cancer, the 5-year survival rates are 23%–26% (N Engl J Med 2014;371:1039–1049; CA Cancer J Clin 2015;65:5–29). Pancreatic cancer lacks symptoms at early stages, invades surrounding tissues, and rapidly metastasizes to other organs (mainly to the liver), which results in the poor prognosis. Because of the devastating effects of pancreatic cancer metastasis, the elucidation of the mechanisms involved and more sensitive biomarkers detecting the process are greatly needed. Exosomes, which are released from the plasma membrane of almost all cells including cancer cells, have been demonstrated to mediate intercellular and inter-organ communications (Nat Rev Immunol 2014;14:195–208). However, the details how exosomes are involved in the initiation and the direction of site-specific metastasis are poorly understood.
The Perception of History: Seeing Causal History in Static Shapes Induces Illusory Motion Perception

The perception of shape, it has been argued, also often entails the perception of time. A cookie missing a bite, for example, is seen as a whole cookie that was subsequently bitten. It has never been clear, however, whether such observations truly reflect visual processing. To explore this possibility, we tested whether the perception of history in static shapes could actually induce illusory motion perception. Observers watched a square change to a truncated form, with a "piece" of it missing, and they reported whether this change was sudden or gradual. When the contours of the missing piece suggested a type of historical "intrusion" (as when one pokes a finger into a lump of clay), observers actually saw that intrusion occur: The change appeared to be gradual even when it was actually sudden, in a type of transformational apparent motion. This provides striking phenomenological evidence that vision involves reconstructing causal history from static shapes.
Epidemiological analysis on outbreaks of brucellosis in Hancheng City,Shaanxi Province

The aim is to survey epidemic situation and influence factors of local outbreaks of brucellosis in Hancheng City of Shaanxi Province in 2011 and to evaluate the control measure for providing evidence for future study.The epidemiology investigation and laboratory test in high risk group were carried out,and such actions were taken to understand the condition of brucellosis infection among livestock,confirm the probable route of transmission,and adopt appropriate control measures.Results showed that 33 serum samples from 152 people were tested.The 6 samples were positive,and the positive rate was 18.18%.The attack rate was 3.29%.A total of 9 sheep were tested positive from all 43 sheep and 1 cattle,and all the positive ones were killed,buried or given non-hazardous treatment.Proper measures were taken to control the epidemic situation.By analyzing the sources of brucellosis infection,it's assumed that the major routes of transmission was breeding,production and other closely contact transmission.It's suggested that the measurements of animal quarantine and sick livestock elimination should be strengthened and health education should be intensified to prevent the rekindled outbreak of the epidemic.
Pharmacological evidence for two types of myocardial sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ release

Contractions of guinea pig papillary muscles were studied at 37 degrees C under a variety of conditions and stimulation rates that markedly alter the pattern of tension development. When rested-state contractions (RSCs) were enhanced by treatments that increase intracellular adenosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate (0.1-1 microM isoproterenol, 1-10 microM forskolin), a markedly enhanced late peak tension developed after a 100-ms delay. Such late peak tension was selectively depressed by local anesthetics (200-400 microM procaine, 4-10 microM tetracaine, or 0.5-1 mM ethyl aminobenzoate). In contrast, 0.1-1 microM ryanodine had little effect on late peak tension, whereas 5 mM caffeine reduced the delay before tension development. Inotropic interventions such as increased external Ca2+ concentration or the Ca2+ channel agonist BAY K 8644 did not elicit such distinct late peaking RSCs. Rapid initial tension development observed under a variety of situations (short cycle lengths, stimulation rates of 0.25 Hz plus isoproterenol, decreased external Na+ concentration) was markedly depressed by 0.01-1 microM ryanodine and by caffeine, whereas local anesthetics had little effect. These results suggest two pharmacologically distinct types of sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ release: 1) Ca2+ that accumulates during prior depolarizations is released immediately upon depolarization and decreased by ryanodine and caffeine; 2) extracellular Ca2+ that enters the myocyte is accumulated and released after an initial delay and is selectively depressed by low concentrations of local anesthetics.
Downtown Code: A History of the Uniform Commercial Code 1949-1954

My article studies a critical era in the history of the Uniform Commercial Code: the era in which the proposed Code of 1949, a product of the academic drafters, entered into the political world and changed to meet political realities.' Marking the end of this era was the start of the New York State Law Revision Commission's (NYLRC) study of the U.C.C. in 1954. In these few years, the drafters of the U.C.C. made several fundamental decisions about its nature which today form the basis of the nation's and the world's commercial jurisprudence