cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A transient response method for a simple evaluation of mass transfer in liquids and dispersions: Experimental test of a mathematical model for an ensemble of bubbles

Abstract A transient response method has been developed for simple and fast physical measurement of concentration and volumetric mass-transfer coefficients in gas-liquid dispersions. The method involves the use of a transient response in the form of a step change in the composition of the feed gas. The resulting change in the composition of the liquid phase of the dispersion is measured by means of a Clark Electrode [26]which permits rapid and accurate analysis of oxygen and carbon dioxide concentrations in gas, blood or any liquid mixture. Experimental volumetric mass-transfer coefficients are calculated from K L a = dξ dθ(θ) ξ sat −ξ)(θ) where ξ is the electrode output (or recorder reading in any arbitrary units) and ξsat is the final reading of the electrode at saturation. The method was applied to test a simple mathematical model that permits the estimation of kLa values for an ensemble of bubbles. Simultaneous measurements of gas holdup fractions were also made since knowledge of average bubble residence time and gas holdup is necessary to predict kLa values with the aid of this model. The mathematical model predicts lower kLa values than the observed ones but in general gives the lower bound for the behavior of the dispersion as a function of the operating variables.
Cyclical dumping: The case of steel products

Abstract Recently a number of studies have argued that foreign steel manufacturers use their export prices in relation to their domestic prices to smooth out fluctuations in home market demand. This phenomenon is called cyclical dumping. It is shown that the price discriminating monopolist model explains dumping, but its predictions with respect to cyclical dumping are ambiguous. Tests are performed for the United States, Japan and the European Community for each of three representative steel products. At conventional significance levels, the cyclical dumping hypothesis is rejected in all cases.
5-Methylthioribose. Its effects and function in mammalian cells.

The growth responses of 5-deoxy-5-methylthioribose on a 5'-deoxy-5'-methylthioadenosine phosphorylase containing cell line (BW5147) and the methylthioadenosine phosphorylase-deficient cell line (L1210D) were examined. Methylthioribose was shown to dramatically affect these cells, increasing their growth rate, saturation density, and viability. It was also found that methylthioribose could satisfy the methylthio dependence of the enzyme-deficient cell line, L1210D. A model is proposed to explain the selective growth of methylthioadenosine phosphorylase-deficient cells in medium lacking a methylthio donor but containing fetal calf serum. It is hypothesized that cellularly exported methylthioadenosine is degraded to methylthioribose in the presence of medium containing serum of high methylthioadenosine phosphorylase activity (i.e. fetal calf serum). The resultant methylthioribose can then be used to satisfy the methylthio requirement of these cells. To test this theory, various purified preparations of bovine liver methylthioadenosine phosphorylase were used to artificially increase the specific activity of methylthioadenosine phosphorylase in horse serum. In each case, it was demonstrated that only medium containing serum of enzyme activity nearly equal to that of the glutathione-stimulated fetal calf serum activity, supported the growth of methylthio-dependent cells in the absence of methylthio compounds. The data suggest that the degradation of methylthioadenosine and subsequent formation of methylthioribose represents an essential process in the growth of mammalian cells.
Evaluation of headstarting and release techniques for population augmentation and reintroduction of the smooth green snake

Headstarting is a conservation technique for improving survival of species with high juvenile mortality by accelerating growth rate and increasing body size of captive-born young. With reptiles, headstarts are often kept active year-round to achieve body size goals and increase survival, omitting overwintering (brumation). As brumation is part of the life cycle of reptiles, there may be tradeoffs related to temperature response post-release when reptiles are kept active. Upon release into habitats, reptiles are either soft released, where acclimation is provided with in situ enclosures, or hard released without acclimation, directly into habitat. Soft releases have resulted in greater survival and site fidelity than hard releases, but evaluations with snakes are rare. We used a comparative approach to examine effects of brumation versus year-round activity on prerelease growth and survival of smooth green snake Opheodrys vernalis headstarts. We estimated short-term post-release daily survival rates of headstarts and compared movements of hard and soft released snakes. Despite decreases in body mass during brumation, prerelease body size, growth rate and survival did not differ among brumation treatments. Brumated headstarts exhibited rapid compensatory growth, attaining the size of active headstarts within 2 months of brumation. We observed qualitative evidence of reproductive potential in brumated snakes with the production of spermatozoa and unfertilized eggs, which was absent in active headstarts. The short-term survival rate of all headstarts during post-release tracking was 0.83 (±0.01), but we lacked power to examine differences in survival among release treatments. Daily movements did not differ among release treatments. Soft releases had slightly greater recaptures, facilitating monitoring. Although brumation comparisons produced equivalent prerelease growth and survival, as a precautionary measure for post-release survival, we recommend incorporating brumation into headstarting efforts. While further study with other reptiles is warranted, we recommend a comparative framework in planning headstarting efforts with additional species.
Towards a theory of strategic use of information resources: an inductive approach

Abstract Considerable attention has recently been given to strategic applications of information resources. Numerous frameworks to identify and categorize such applications have been proposed, but a systematic theory has been glaringly missing. This article builds upon existing frameworks in an attempt to move towards a theory of strategic use of information resources. It systematically utilizes the wealth of information available in real world examples of strategic applications of information resources and takes a first step towards such a theory. Several useful propositions, “discovered” from success stories using an “inductive” approach for theory building, are provided for strategic use of information resources. These propositions should serve as a base for testable models and hyphotheses and should contribute significantly towards future empirical research.
A non-pseudocompact product of countably compact spaces via Seq

We show that under Martin’s axiom there are 22 ω spaces which are countably compact extremally disconnected homogeneous such that the product of any two them is not pseudocompact. The spaces are modeled on
Correlating sampling and intensity statistics in nanoparticle diffraction experiments

In a previous article [Ozturk, Yan, Hill & Noyan (2014). J. Appl. Cryst. 47, 1016–1025] it was shown that the sampling statistics of diffracting particle populations within a polycrystalline ensemble depended on the size of the constituent crystallites: broad X-ray peak breadths enabled some nano-sized particles to contribute more than one diffraction spot to Debye–Scherrer rings. Here it is shown that the equations proposed by Alexander, Klug & Kummer [J. Appl. Phys. (1948), 19, 742–753] (AKK) to link diffracting particle and diffracted intensity statistics are not applicable if the constituent crystallites of the powder are below 10 nm. In this size range, (i) the one-to-one correspondence between diffracting particles and Laue spots assumed in the AKK analysis is not satisfied, and (ii) the crystallographic correlation between Laue spots originating from the same grain invalidates the assumption that all diffracting plane normals are randomly oriented and uncorrelated. Such correlation produces unexpected results in the selection of diffracting grains. For example, three or more Laue spots from a given grain for a particular reflection can only be observed at certain wavelengths. In addition, correcting the diffracted intensity values by the traditional Lorentz term, 1/cos θ, to compensate for the variation of particles sampled within a reflection band does not maintain fidelity to the number of poles contributing to the diffracted signal. A new term, cos θB/cos θ, corrects this problem.
Beam aberration correction technique for a BWG antenna

A technique for a real-time beam aberration correction scheme for deep space uplink and downlink communications is presented. This technique provides a closed-form relationship between the beam aberration angles and the corresponding feed displacement for a reflector antenna with a beam waveguide (BWG) or multiple reflector system. This algorithm will enable one to accurately predict the movement of the feed in real time for a known beam deviation while the antenna is tracking a spacecraft. It is also useful to determine the feed offset position needed to correct for the beam deviation due to an imperfect antenna mechanical structure, and subreflector and mirror misalignments for a complex multiple reflector system.
Improving documentation and coding for acute organ dysfunction biases estimates of changing sepsis severity and burden: a retrospective study

Claims-based analyses report that the incidence of sepsis-associated organ dysfunction is increasing. We examined whether coding practices for acute organ dysfunction are changing over time and if so, whether this is biasing estimates of rising severe sepsis incidence and severity. We assessed trends from 2005 to 2013 in the annual sensitivity and incidence of discharge ICD-9-CM codes for organ dysfunction (shock, respiratory failure, acute kidney failure, acidosis, hepatitis, coagulopathy, and thrombocytopenia) relative to standardized clinical criteria (use of vasopressors/inotropes, mechanical ventilation for ≥2 consecutive days, rise in baseline creatinine, low pH, elevated transaminases or bilirubin, abnormal international normalized ratio or low fibrinogen, and decline in platelets). We studied all adult patients with suspected infection (defined by ≥1 blood culture order) at two US academic hospitals. Acute organ dysfunction codes were present in 57,273 of 191,695 (29.9 %) hospitalizations with suspected infection, most commonly acute kidney failure (60.2 % of cases) and respiratory failure (28.9 %). The sensitivity of all organ dysfunction codes except thrombocytopenia increased significantly over time. This was most pronounced for acute kidney failure codes, which increased in sensitivity from 59.3 % in 2005 to 87.5 % in 2013 relative to a fixed definition for changes in creatinine (p = 0.019 for linear trend). Acute kidney failure codes were increasingly assigned to patients with smaller creatinine changes: the average peak creatinine change associated with a code was 1.99 mg/dL in 2005 versus 1.49 mg/dL in 2013 (p <0.001 for linear decline). The mean number of dysfunctional organs in patients with suspected infection increased from 0.32 to 0.59 using discharge codes versus 0.69 to 0.79 using clinical criteria (p <0.001 for both trends and comparison of the two trends). The annual incidence of hospitalizations with suspected infection and any dysfunctional organ rose an average of 5.9 % per year (95 % CI 4.3, 7.4 %) using discharge codes versus only 1.1 % (95 % CI 0.1, 2.0 %) using clinical criteria. Coding for acute organ dysfunction is becoming increasingly sensitive and the clinical threshold to code patients for certain kinds of organ dysfunction is decreasing. This accounts for much of the apparent rise in severe sepsis incidence and severity imputed from claims.
Nondestructive evaluation of osteogenic differentiation in tissue-engineered constructs.

Conventional measurements of osteogenesis in tissue-engineered constructs are destructive to living cells and incapable to provide three-dimensional information. In the present study, noninvasive magnetic resonance (MR) microscopy was used to evaluate osteogenic differentiation in vitro in human mesenchymal stem cell-based tissue-engineered constructs. The constructs were prepared by seeding the cells (106cells/ml) on 4 × 4 × 4 mm gelatin sponge cubes and subsequently exposing them to osteogenic differentiation or basic medium. During the 4-week experiment, alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity and calcium content of differentiated constructs were significantly increased compared to the basic medium controls. The T1, T2, and apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) of differentiated constructs were significantly lower than those of the control group at each time point (p < 0.05). The MR parameters of constructs were significantly correlated to their ALP activities (r to T1, T2, and ADC = −0.57, −0.78, and −0.81, respectively) and calcium content (r to T1, T2, and ADC = 0.48, 0.90, and 0.92, respectively) measured by biochemical techniques. MR microscopy can be a promising tool for noninvasive assessment of osteogenic differentiation and to provide three-dimensional information about tissue-engineered constructs. © 2006 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Orthop Res
Surface area measurement in calcite grains by isotopic exchange with C14-labeled carbon dioxide

A method is presented for measuring the surface area of calcite grains by isotopic exchange with C14-labeled CO2. Tracer uptake is monitored by back-exchange of the surface activity into C14-free CO2. C14 activity is measured by direct liquid scintillation counting of 10 m-mole quantities of CO2 dissolved in toluene under pressure. At 200°–300°C reversible exchange of annealed calcite samples yields surface areas in good agreement with values determined by grain-size measurements. Exchange surface areas of unannealed grains are threefold higher than these “geometric” values. Although photomicrographs reveal that this excess “area” can be attributed in part to a rugged surface topography, internal surfaces, generated during the crushing of the sample, are also required. A measurable fraction of total exchange activity can only be recovered by dissolving the sample. This residual activity is probably the result of diffusion below the surface layer. The exchange reaction obeys a logarithmic rate law at 75° and 125°C. This suggests that the exchange mechanism involves the chemisorption of CO2 on a calcite surface of heterogeneous reactivity.
Lasting impressions: Motifs in protein-protein maps may provide footprints of evolutionary events

Imagine a paleontologist confronted with of a fossil of a single footprint. She could probably risk some conjectures about the imprinting creature, such as whether it possessed paws, claws, or feet, and estimate its weight, height, and other attributes. But the information contained in a single static print remains limited. The situation improves if a multitude of footprints from a population of creatures becomes available. Now, stride lengths can be calculated, variability between individuals can be assessed, and speeds can be estimated. Furthermore, correlating footprints from different geographies could lead to clues about the population's migration patterns. With appropriate assumptions, our paleontologist could begin to map how the population evolved over time. As this example illustrates, even though a footprint is a static entity, the sum of many footprints could in principle provide clues about the dynamics of a population. In this vein, the work of Middendorf, Ziv, and Wiggins in this issue of PNAS (1) seeks to understand the broad strokes of the evolutionary dynamics that shaped a species from a static network of protein–protein interactions. By way of “footprints,” Middendorf et al . (1) use substructures in the protein–protein network called network motifs whose count provides a window into the dynamics that left the record. These counts are the markers that the authors use to “learn” which motifs differentiate between competing hypothetical evolutionary schemes. The outcome of the study suggests a dominant evolutionary mechanism that shaped Drosophila melanogaster . Networks of all sorts evolve, and it is often possible to form hypotheses about such evolution by direct examination of the structure of the network (2–4). Consider the U.S. telephone network, which evolved over the past 100 years in response to changes in traffic load and advances in technology. The telephone network was originally engineered to carry …
Parallel computation of electromagnetic scattering from arbitrary structures

The method of moments is used to solve functional equations arising in electromagnetics. A specific area, scattering from conducting structures, is treated by developing techniques for reducing the CPU time using concurrent and vector processing. A noniterative and an iterative technique are used to solve the matrix equation. The algorithm developed was run on an Alliant FX180 parallel computer. >
Toward a Design of Affordable, Topical Microbicides: Acylcarnitine Analogues

Most heterosexual women want to reduce the risk of acquiring a sexually transmitted infection; many also want to control their fertility. Several chemical agents have been proposed to dramatically slow the spread of HIV infections. Ideally, vaginal microbicides, with or without contraceptive properties, should be safe, effective, and affordable for women everywhere. Amphiphiles, which are surfactants that can act as detergents, have a long history as microbicides against many pathogens. Amphiphiles have several desirable traits; e.g., they are inexpensive, fast-acting, and capable of a broad spectrum of activity. An "ideal" amphiphilic microbicide will rapidly and selectively inactivate pathogens and sperm without irritating tissue. In this review, we discuss a homologous series of amphiphilic acylcarnitine analogues as microbicides. Two homologues, Z-14 and Z-15, possess excellent spermicidal, anti-HIV, anti-chlamydial, anti-gonorrhea, and anti-Haemophilus activities; both have outstanding anti-Candida activity. A 4% Z-15 gel that is comprised of 3% carboxymethylcellulose in water gives a dramatically low score in a rabbit-vaginal-irritation study. The mechanisms of action of these compounds are not fully understood as yet, but we present several possibilities. Moreover, the results of our limited structure-activity study with a homologous series have stimulated additional questions and ideas for designing the next generation of microbicidal amphiphiles. The above studies support the idea that Z-14 and Z-15 can potentially serve as safe (non-irritating), effective topical microbicides.
Toxicity study of gemcitabine, oxaliplatin, and bevacizumab, followed by 5-fluorouracil, oxaliplatin, bevacizumab, and radiotherapy, in patients with locally advanced pancreatic cancer

Purpose Platinum compounds or bevacizumab, in combination with gemcitabine, achieved good response rates in early studies in advanced pancreatic cancer. This prompted an evaluation of an aggressive approach to allow better local control and resectability in locally advanced disease.
Multi-scale remote sensing sagebrush characterization with regression trees over Wyoming, USA: Laying a foundation for monitoring

Abstract Sagebrush ecosystems in North America have experienced extensive degradation since European settlement. Further degradation continues from exotic invasive plants, altered fire frequency, intensive grazing practices, oil and gas development, and climate change – adding urgency to the need for ecosystem-wide understanding. Remote sensing is often identified as a key information source to facilitate ecosystem-wide characterization, monitoring, and analysis; however, approaches that characterize sagebrush with sufficient and accurate local detail across large enough areas to support this paradigm are unavailable. We describe the development of a new remote sensing sagebrush characterization approach for the state of Wyoming, U.S.A. This approach integrates 2.4 m QuickBird, 30 m Landsat TM, and 56 m AWiFS imagery into the characterization of four primary continuous field components including percent bare ground, percent herbaceous cover, percent litter, and percent shrub, and four secondary components including percent sagebrush (Artemisia spp.), percent big sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata), percent Wyoming sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata Wyomingensis), and shrub height using a regression tree. According to an independent accuracy assessment, primary component root mean square error (RMSE) values ranged from 4.90 to 10.16 for 2.4 m QuickBird, 6.01 to 15.54 for 30 m Landsat, and 6.97 to 16.14 for 56 m AWiFS. Shrub and herbaceous components outperformed the current data standard called LANDFIRE, with a shrub RMSE value of 6.04 versus 12.64 and a herbaceous component RMSE value of 12.89 versus 14.63. This approach offers new advancements in sagebrush characterization from remote sensing and provides a foundation to quantitatively monitor these components into the future.
Order of Information Affects Clinical Judgment

Family practice physicians read a case vignette describing a patient with a history of lung cancer, a new transient neurological disturbance, and a normal computerized tomographic (CT) scan of the head. They then estimated the probabilities of two diagnoses: transient ischemic attack (TIA) and brain tumor. Probability estimates of TIA were lower if the history of lung cancer was presented at the end of the case rather than at the beginning. This recency effect was found for both more and less experienced physicians and whether subjects were prompted for a single end-of-sequence probability judgment or multiple step-by-step judgments after each piece of information. These results are inconsistent with Hogarth and Einhorn's (1992) belief-adjustment model, which predicts a recency effect for the step-by-step condition but a primacy effect for the end-of-sequence condition.
Ultrastructure of the haustoria of Meliola sandwicensis

Transmission electron microscopy of leaves of Hedyotis bearing mycelium of Meliola sandwicensis showed fungal structures embedded in the walls of the epidermal cells and connected to the external hyphae by slender penetration hyphae. The fungal structures were surrounded by thickened elements of the host wall and were not characteristic of the haustorial apparatus shown by other fungi.
The specialist-generalist income gap: can we narrow it?

How do we characterize the current era in US health care? Perhaps “a time of increasing costs and decreasing health insurance”. Equally accurate would be “the age of specialism”. Hospitals have reorganized into specialty service lines;1 profitable specialist-owned surgicenters, endoscopy units, and imaging centers have multiplied;2 market-dominant single-specialty groups can negotiate high fees from commercial insurers.3 The gap between the income of many specialists and that of primary care physicians is wide and growing wider, leading a growing number of US medical school graduates to avoid primary care careers.4
Advantage of autograft and homograft valve replacement for complex aortic valve endocarditis.

Abstract Background . There are advantages to using homografts and autografts as aortic valve replacements, particularly in patients with infective endocarditis. To better define these advantages, we reviewed our 13-year experience with the surgical management of infective endocarditis involving the aortic valve and root. Methods . From 1986 through 1998, 81 adults with aortic valve endocarditis underwent valve replacement (AVR). The mean age of the 65 men and 16 women was 44 ± 14 years. Sixty-three (78%) patients had active endocarditis at the time of operation. Non-native valve endocarditis was present in 29 (36%) patients, in 9 of whom the infection was a recurrence. Aortic valve replacements were performed with 46 homografts (homo-AVR), 25 autografts (Ross-AVR), and 10 prosthetic valves (prosth-AVR). Among Ross-AVR and homo-AVR patients, 11 required mitral valve replacement or repair (homo-Ross DVR). Follow-up was 90% complete within 2 years of the end of the study with a mean of 3.7 ± 3.4 years. Results . Early mortality was 16% (13 of 81 patients). This was 12% (3 of 25 patients) for Ross-AVR, 17% (8 of 46 patients) for homo-AVR, and 20% (2 of 10 patients) for prosth-AVR. Overall late mortality was 10% (7 of 68 patients) with a valve-related late mortality of 7% (5 of 68 patients). Actuarial survival at 5 years was 88% ± 9% in Ross-AVR, 69% ± 11% in homo-AVR, and 29% ± 22% in prosth-AVR ( p = 0.03). Endocarditis recurred in 12.5% (1 of 8 patients) with prosth-AVR and 3% (2 of 60 patients) in homo-Ross AVR. Conclusions . Valve replacement in the presence of native and prosthetic endocarditis remains a formidable challenge. Autografts and homografts are the preferred replacement aortic valves for these patients even if concomitant mitral valve replacement is required, and risk of valve-related death or recurrent endocarditis is low at medium-term follow-up.
OPTIMALITY AND STATE PRICING IN CONSTRAINED FINANCIAL MARKETS WITH RECURSIVE UTILITY UNDER CONTINUOUS AND DISCONTINUOUS INFORMATION

We study marginal pricing and optimality conditions for an agent maximizing generalized recursive utility in a financial market with information generated by Brownian motion and marked point processes. The setting allows for convex trading constraints, non-tradable income, and non-linear wealth dynamics. We show that the FBSDE system of the general optimality conditions reduces to a single BSDE under translation or scale invariance assumptions, and we identify tractable applications based on quadratic BSDEs. An appendix relates the main optimality conditions to duality.
Supernova Modeling: Progress and Challenges

Abstract Neutrinos play important roles in the pre-collapse evolution, explosion, and aftermath of core-collapse supernovae. Detected neutrino signals from core-collapse supernovae would provide insight into the explosion mechanism and unknown neutrino mixing parameters. Achieving these goals requires large-scale, multiphysics simulations. For many years, several groups have performed such simulations with increasing realism. Current simulations and plans for future work of the Oak Ridge group are described.
Evaluation of the rotational stiffness and visco-elasticity of the low back and improving the low back visco-elasticity

An automated anatomical torsion monitor (A-ATM) is developed to evaluate the stiffness and visco-elasticity of the low back as a static load is applied and removed from the pelvis. The resulting hysteresis loop area (HLA) is used to evaluate the mechanical properties of the low back. Also a technique for improving the low back dysfunction by imparting oscillations to the low back is presented. The before and after HLAs are compared for objective evaluation. It is observed that providing oscillations to the low back for five minutes at a frequency of 20 cycles per minute results in improved elasticity of the low back for those subjects whose BMI is 25 or less and an insignificant change in stiffness for all the subjects. However the correct displacement amplitude, frequency, and duration of treatment will depend upon individual medical and physical conditions.
Tectonics of the San Andreas Fault System strain studies

The recording of surface displacement and tilts that appear to occur prior to large earthquakes offers one of the more promising approaches to the problem of earthquake prediction. Strain and in-situ stress studies are fundamental to solving the problem of the mechanics of faulting. The U. S. Geological Survey has installed a network of monuments for measurement of displacements and strains along the San Andreas fault system (Figure 1). The measurements taken are of three types: 1. Trilateration and triangulation with geodimeter and theodolite on quadrilateral figures spanning the fault and having side lengths of 1 to 10 km. Measurements of two of these figures, at San Andreas Lake and Black Mountain, have been repeated several times over the last 2½ years. Three additional figures have recently been installed, two along the San Andreas fault and one on the Calaveras fault. 2. Alignment on monument arrays 100–200 meters in length crossing the active trace of the fault. The measurement yields the horizontal component of motion parallel to the fault trace for 10 to 20 monuments in each array. 3. A precise level line at San Andreas Lake.
Microsurgery of Inner Cell Mass of Mouse Blastocysts

MOUSE eggs can be immobilized for injection1,2 or for microsuction3, and rabbit blastocysts can be held to permit excision of trophoblast cells4. I describe here the use of a microsuction system3 to manipulate the inner cell mass of the mouse blastocyst.
Ambient-pressure vapor deposition of octanethiol self-assembled monolayers.

Scanning tunneling microscopy was used to characterize self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) of octanethiol on Au(111), created using vapor deposition at elevated temperatures and ambient pressure. Monolayers contained large, close-packed (√3 × √3)R30° domains with sizes considerably larger than those typically formed from conventional solution-phase preparation and with crystallographically straight domain boundaries. New striped surface phases were also observed, including a 13 × √3 phase with a density that was 69% of the close-packed density; these striped phases appeared topographically higher in STM images than close-packed monolayers.
An instructor self‐disclosure scale

This ‐paper introduces the Instructor Self‐Disclosure Scale and reports on two initial studies that address the reliability and validity of the scale. The Instructor Self‐Disclosure Scale is an 18‐item measure of the amount of instructor self‐disclosure. In Study One, instructor self‐disclosure was positively related to the student motives of relational, excuse‐making, and sycophancy. In Study Two, instructor self‐disclosure was positively related to out‐of‐class communication, the student interest dimensions of meaningfulness and impact, and cognitive learning. Additionally, the Instructor Self‐Disclosure Scale appears to be a unidimensional, internally reliable measure.
Association between depressive symptoms and fibrosis markers: the Cardiovascular Health Study.

Objective Fibrosis plays an important role in heart failure (HF) and other diseases that occur more frequently with increasing age. Depression is associated with an increased risk of heart failure and other age-related diseases. This study examined the association between depressive symptoms and fibrosis markers in adults aged 65 years and above.
Improving Glycemic Control: The Role of Leisure Activities and Intrinsic Motivation in Older Type 2 Diabetic Men

Greater frequency of involvement with sedentary leisure activities may be associated with better disease outcomes. In this study, the frequency of engagement in sedentary leisure activities served as a construct employed to reflect the possible association between motivation and adherence with diabetic regimen. Up to a point, the higher frequency of leisure behaviors correlated with improved glycemic control and triglyceride levels in older type 2 diabetic male veterans (N = 49). Moreover, as the number of comorbidities increased, the positive association between the frequency of leisure behavior and long-term glucose control grew even stronger. Possibly, individuals with more comorbidities, who nevertheless have the resources to engage in a greater number of leisure activities, are also predisposed to adhere more effectively to medical regimen as reflected in more positive biomedical markers. Especially, those with more advanced disease-related complications benefit more from leisure activities in glycemic control.
Absorption and utilization of volatile fatty acids by the young calf.

Abstract Absorption and utilization of volatile fatty acids (VFA) by young milk-fed calves were studied using sodium salts of 14 C-labeled acids. In two trials acetate was administered orally; in four later trials, either acetate, propionate, or n-butyrate was administered into the extreme terminal portion of the ileum via a re-entrant fistula, followed several hours later by the same acid administered orally. Radioactivity was measured in expired CO 2 , ileal digesta, feces and, in one experiment, blood. Radioactivity in blood of a week-old calf peaked 90min after acetate feeding. In two other acetate trials radioactivity in expired CO 2 , peaked 3 hr after feeding. Peak activity in expired CO 2 appeared in 2 hr or less after ileal administration. Large amounts of the 14 C were eliminated as 14 CO 2 , primarily during the first 8 hr. Separate trials with propionate and butyrate indicated they also were efficiently absorbed and used. In all trials, only small amounts of 14 C appeared in feces, urine, or ileal digesta. These data indicate that the very young calf can absorb and metabolize VFA, whether the acids are produced in the forestomach or large intestine.
Impaired autophagy response in human hepatocellular carcinoma.

Abstract Background Autophagy is a cellular lysosomal degradation mechanism that has been implicated in chronic liver diseases and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Association of autophagy defect with the development of human HCC has been shown in transgenic mouse model. Aim We performed this study to verify whether a defect in autophagy would play a role in human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Methods Archival tissue sections of 20 patients with HCC with or without hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection were studied. All slides were immunostained using monoclonal antibodies to p62 and glypican-3 with appropriate positive and negative controls. The expression of p62 and glycican-3 in the HCC and the surrounding non-tumor was semiquantitated. The cytoplasmic staining was graded as negative, weak or strong. Results Positive p62 staining was found in 20 out of 20 (100%) HCCs and negative staining was observed in 20 out of 20 non-tumor areas and cirrhotic nodules. Positive glypican-3 staining was found in 70% of HCCs and negative staining was seen in all non-tumor areas. An autophagy defect leading to increased expression of p62 and glypican-3 was also seen in the HCC cell line (Huh-7.5), but not in the primary human hepatocytes. Activation of cellular autophagy in Huh-7.5 cells efficiently cleared p62 and glypican-3 expression and inhibition of autophagy induced the expression of p62 and glypican-3. Conclusions This study shows that p62 is increased in HCC compared to the surrounding non-tumorous liver tissue suggesting that human HCCs are autophagy defective. We provide further evidence that glypican-3 expression in HCC may also be related to defective autophagy. Our study indicates that p62 immunostain may represent a novel marker for HCC.
Fiscal Positions in Latin America: Have They Really Improved?

Fiscal performance in Latin America looks much improved this decade compared to the 1980s or 1990s. Is this a "structural" improvement or likely to be transitory? This paper answers this question by estimating the relationship between non-commodity revenue and the economic cycle, and evaluating commodity revenues using alternative medium term commodity price projections. The main result is that structural revenues have indeed improved as a share of GDP, and structural primary balances are currently in surplus in many Latin American countries. However, the magnitude of these improvements is uncertain, in part due to uncertainty about the commodity price outlook.
Theoretical vs experimental rotordynamic coefficients of incompressible flow labyrinth seals

A detailed finite element-based perturbation analysis, initially developed for straight annular seals, is extended to the labyrinth seal rotordynamics problem. This particular seal category is frequently used in turbopumps, such as those of the Space Shuttle Main Engine, for its effectiveness as a leakage control device. The same seal configuration is also known to produce a net destabilizing force, which stems from the fluid/rotor interaction mechanism. The general objective here is to assess the effect of a design parameter, namely the number of tooth-to-tooth chambers, on the seal rotordynamic characteristics and relative stability. To this end, two representative cases of teeth-on-rotor labyrinth seals are selected for the purpose of comparison. The chosen seals share the same tooth-to-tooth chamber geometry, but are composed of one and five such chambers. The computed rotordynamic coefficients are compared to an existing set of experimental measurements concerning the same two seal configurations. The final outcome of the study is consistent with the general belief that labyrinth seals impart a rotordynamically destabilizing effect. In terms of relative stability, however, the five-chamber seal configuration offers less of this destabilizing effect, by comparison.
Chemically robust platform for optical solid-state conducting polymer sensor

Conjugated polymers are unique materials for use in the development of chemical and biological sensors because of their widely tunable optical and electrical properties that allow them dual functionality as both the sensing element and the signal transducer. Furthermore, as optical photoluminescence based sensors, electroactive polymers are found to exhibit high sensitivity due to the ability of the analyte of interest to quench the photoluminescence of the entire polymer chain. In order to produce a more chemically robust thin film for use as a "solid-state" optical sensor, we succeeded in grafting various poly (3-alkyl-thiophene)s to optically transparent substrates such as glass, quartz, and ITO coated glass. This was accomplished by first grafting a thiophene monomer to the surface then chemically growing the films via oxidative polymerization. XPS studies indicated that each chemical step was accurately understood. The polythiophene growth, unaltered by sonication and tape peeling tests, was uniform across the substrate and could be directed by selective silanization of the substrate. Film thicknesses range from 20 to 200 nm and exhibit varying degrees of surface roughness, depending on the polymerization process. The reaction times and solvents were varied in order to optimize the desired film properties. The absorption and photoluminescence properties of the thin films compared well with literature on spun-cast polythiophene films, as did the electrical conductivities of the doped and undoped material. The photoluminescence intensities of the films are found to be unaffected by paraquat in water but are sensitive to trace amounts of ferric chloride in acetonitrile with measurable Stern Volmer constants.
Immersion lithography; its potential performance and issues

Imaging performance and issues of immersion lithography are discussed with the results of the recent feasibility studies. Immersion lithography has advantage in the numerical aperture of optics by a factor of refractive index n of the liquid filled into the space between the bottom lens and wafer. In case of 193nm exposure, water (n = 1.44) has been found as the best liquid. It is shown, by using imaging simulations, that ArF (193nm) immersion lithography (NA=1.05 to 1.23) has equivalent performance to F2 (157nm) dry (NA=0.85 to 0.93) lithography. Six fundamental issues in the ArF immersion lithography are investigated and studied. Results of the study indicate that there are no “show stoppers” that prevent going into the next phase of feasibility study.
Plasmonics: Subwavelength imaging in colour

A chain of nanorods with weakly damped plasmon resonances is able to perform far-field colour imaging with subwavelength resolution, according to theoretical simulations.
Characterization and growth regulation of a rat intrahepatic bile duct epithelial cell line under hormonally defined, serum-free conditions

Bile duct epithelial cells, or cholangiocytes, proliferate in vivo under a number of pathologic (i.e., partial hepatectomy) and pathophysiologic (i.e., bile duct ligation, malignant transformation) conditions. However, little is known about the possible growth factors that modulate these proliferative responses, in part because an in vitro model to study proliferation of nontransformed, normal cholangiocytes is not available. We report here the development of a rat cholangiocyte cell line (MMRC, minimal media-requiring rat cholangiocytes) that grows under hormonally defined, serum-free conditions on plastic and maintains a cholangiocyte phenotype. Morphologic as well as functional studies indicate that the cell line is polarized and actively transports fluid and electrolytes in an apical to basolateral direction. MMRC, when cultured for 24 mo. and passaged 80 times, have not undergone malignant transformation, because the cell line failed to grow under anchorage-independent conditions or in nude mice. Cellular proliferation is accelerated 2–8-fold by insulin, insulin-like growth factor 1, epidermal growth factor, and hepatocyte growth factor, growth factors known to stimulate tyrosine kinase receptors, and inhibited 2–10-fold by TGFβ and IL-2. Glyco-conjugates of primary (i.e., cholic and chenodeoxycholic acid) and secondary bile acids (i.e., deoxycholic and lithocholic acid) do not alter proliferation at low concentration (1 µM), but are toxic at higher concentration (10 µM). In summary, we have developed and characterized a cholangiocyte cell line derived from normal rat liver, which grows under hormonally defined, serum-free conditions, maintains a nonmalignant, cholangiocyte phenotype, displays morphologic and functional features of polarity, and alters its proliferation rate in response to a variety of growth factors.
NEW VESSEL GROWTH IN THE ADULT SKIN

SUMMARY.– Injury of the epidermis by various types of trauma stimulates the growth of new vessels in the injured areas. The morphology of the new vessels is the same as that of the vessels already present in the area prior to injury. Thus new vessels formed in normal skin, naevus flammeus, plaques of psoriasis or in areas of pigmented purpuric dermatoses show features characteristic of those disorders and are not necessarily influenced by a tendency to form different patterns in other areas.
The Metamorphosis of Managed Care: Implications for Health Reform Internationally

The conventional wisdom is that managed care's brief life is over and we are now in a post-managed care era. In fact, managed care has a long history and continues to thrive. Writers also often assume that managed care is a fixed thing. They overlook that managed care has evolved and neglect to examine the role that it plays in the health system. Furthermore, private actors and the state have used managed care tools to promote diverse goals. These include the following: increasing access to medical care; restricting physician entrepreneurialism; challenging professional control over the medical economy; curbing medical spending; managing medical practice and markets; furthering the growth of medical markets and private insurance; promoting for-profit medical facilities and insurers; earning bounties for reducing medical expenditures: and reducing governmental responsibility for, and oversight of, medical care. Struggles over these competing goals spurred the metamorphosis of managed care. This article explores how managed care transformed physicians' conflicts of interests and responses to them. It also examines how managed care altered the opportunities for patients/medical consumers to use exit and voice to spur change.
Trends in alcohol-related mortality among New Mexico's American Indians, Hispanics, and non-Hispanic whites

Reduction of alcohol-related mortality is a national goal for health promotion and disease prevention. We conducted this analysis to determine whether trends in New Mexico's Hispanics, non-Hispanic Whites, and American Indians were consistent with national trends in alcohol-related mortality, and whether differences in drinking patterns could account for racial and ethnic differences in rates. Age-adjusted, race-specific, and ethnic-specific alcohol-related mortality rates and 95% confidence intervals were calculated for 5-year periods for 1958-1991 using New Mexico vital statistics data. We estimated the prevalence of acute and chronic at-risk drinking behaviors and abstinence from data collected by the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) for the period 1986-1992. We found that alcohol-related mortality rates varied substantially by race, ethnicity, sex, age, and calendar period. American Indians had the highest rates for both sexes. Rates increased sharply from the period 1958-1962 until the late 1970s and the early 1980s, and then began to decrease rapidly. However, during the most recent decade, the rates have followed contrasting trends in the three ethnic and racial groups. Although rates have continued to decline among non-Hispanic Whites, rates for Hispanics and American Indians have not declined, and still remain substantially higher than rates during the 1958-1962 period. Differences in at-risk drinking behaviors reported to the BRFSS do not explain the contrast in race-specific and ethnic-specific mortality rates. Although progress has been made in reducing national per capita alcohol consumption and alcohol-related mortality, certain high-risk racial and ethnic groups may not be sharing in the progress. Language: en
Curcumin suppresses growth of mesothelioma cells in vitro and in vivo, in part, by stimulating apoptosis

Malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) is an aggressive, asbestos-related malignancy of the thoracic pleura. Although, platinum-based agents are the first line of therapy, there is an urgent need for second-line therapies to treat the drug-resistant MPM. Cell cycle as well as apoptosis pathways are frequently altered in MPM and thus remain attractive targets for intervention strategies. Curcumin, the major component in the spice turmeric, alone or in combination with other chemotherapeutics has been under investigation for a number of cancers. In this study, we investigated the biological and molecular responses of MPM cells to curcumin treatments and the mechanisms involved. Flow-cytometric analyses coupled with western immunoblotting and gene-array analyses were conducted to determine mechanisms of curcumin-dependent growth suppression of human (H2373, H2452, H2461, and H226) and murine (AB12) MPM cells. Curcumin inhibited MPM cell growth in a dose- and time-dependent manner while pretreatment of MPM cells with curcumin enhanced cisplatin efficacy. Curcumin activated the stress-activated p38 kinase, caspases 9 and 3, caused elevated levels of proapoptotic proteins Bax, stimulated PARP cleavage, and apoptosis. In addition, curcumin treatments stimulated expression of novel transducers of cell growth suppression such as CARP-1, XAF1, and SULF1 proteins. Oral administration of curcumin inhibited growth of murine MPM cell-derived tumors in vivo in part by stimulating apoptosis. Thus, curcumin targets cell cycle and promotes apoptosis to suppress MPM growth in vitro and in vivo. Our studies provide a proof-of-principle rationale for further in-depth analysis of MPM growth suppression mechanisms and their future exploitation in effective management of resistant MPM.
An extremal problem for antichains of subsets of a multiset

Abstract A multiset M is a finite set consisting of several different kinds of elements, and an antichain F is a set of incomparable subsets of M. With F and F denoting respectively the set of subsets which contain an element of F or are contained in an element of F, we find the best upper bound for min( | F |, | F | ), thus generalizing a result of D.E. Daykin [9] for ordinary sets. Extremal antichains are partially characterized.