cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Deep Mining Optimization of Rock Burst Mines

To prevent threaten of impact disaster, high-pressure water is injected into coal face, which is most widely used in impact-type mine. In such cases, by analyzing the rock burst tendency of a particular type of deep mining pit and occurrence of the mining process, rock samples drilled from the coal mine were taken for the conventional mechanical properties test and rock burst tendency test respectively under dry and wet state. Cuttings volume indicator affected by injection has been optimized to improve the prediction sensitivity. "One shift anti-impact, two-shift production "patterns labor organization model, adjusted development system layout and cut drilling index optimizations, as well as the allocation of high-pressure water injection drilling means, greatly improving the water injection effect, which probably provide a reference for similar mines to safe and efficiently mining.
A New Species of Pediomeryx from the Late Miocene of Florida, and Its Relationships within the Subfamily Cranioceratinae (Ruminantia: Dromomerycidae)

A new species of Pediomeryx , represented by a large sample from the late Miocene (late Clarendonian) Love Bone Bed in Florida, establishes an association between Yumaceras -like ossicones and Pediomeryx -like dentitions, thus indicating subjective synonymy between these genera. The sample also provides the basis for recognizing the subfamily Cranioceratinae within the Dromomerycidae. The included genera, Barbouromeryx, Bouromeryx, Cranioceras (including subgenus C. [ Procranioceras ]), and Pediomeryx (including subgenus P. [ Yumaceras ]) form a simple stratigraphic succession through the medial and late Miocene. This subfamily is most readily characterized by the presence of a median occipital ossicone in presumed male skulls. Pediomeryx is distinguished from Cranioceras by its longer paired frontal and median occipital ossicones, each about 250 mm long, shorter premolar row, “closed” P4, absence of Palaeomeryx -fold from the lower molars, mesodont (not brachydont) molars, and mandible with nearly straight ventral border. The subgenus P . ( Yumaceras ) ranged from late Clarendonian through early Hemphillian. In late Hemphillian time it was succeeded by P . ( Pediomeryx ) characterized by smaller size, nearly hypsodont molars, and more abbreviated premolars. Procoileus is a synonym of P . ( Pediomeryx ) . Pediomeryx , the last of the Dromomerycidae, disappeared during the late Hemphillian, shortly before the first appearance of the true Cervidae in North America.
Long-Range Cooperativity in Molecular Recognition of RNA by Oligodeoxynucleotides with Multiple C5-(1-Propynyl) Pyrimidines

A heptamer composed of C5-(1-propynyl) pyrimidines (Yp's) is a potent and specific antisense agent against the mRNA of SV40 large T antigen (Wagner, R. W.; Matteucci, M. D.; Grant, D.; Huang, T.; Froehler, B. C. Nat. Biotechnol. 1996, 14, 840−844). To characterize the role of the propynyl groups in molecular recognition, thermodynamic increments associated with substitutions in DNA:RNA duplexes, such as 5‘-dCCUCCUU-3‘:3‘-rGAGGAGGAAAU-5‘, have been measured by UV melting experiments. For nucleotides tested, an unpaired dangling end stabilizes unmodified and propynylated duplexes similarly, except that addition of a 5‘ unpaired rA is 1.4 kcal/mol more stabilizing on the propynylated, PODN:RNA, duplex than on the DNA:RNA duplex. Free energy increments for addition of single propynyl groups range from 0 to −4.0 kcal/mol, depending on the final number and locations of substitutions. A preliminary model for predicting the stabilities of Yp-containing hybrid duplexes is presented. Eliminating one amino group, an...
Popular Culture, Kitsch as Camp, and Film

In his article, "Popular Culture, Kitsch as Camp, and Film," Benton Jay Komins argues that at the crossroads of kitsch, between the irresistibly human and total spuriousness (Milan Kundera's and Clement Greenberg's respective definitions), lies the first serious glimmer of camp. Komins evaluates the connections between the phenomenon of kitsch and the phenomenon of camp through a theoretical discussion and the cinematic language of Percy Adlon's Rosalie Goes Shopping (1989-90). Critics like Susan Sontag and Andrew Ross, as well as Adlon's film, ask us to consider if camp is a pretentious expression of kitsch that belongs to the "artsy" demimonde. As Komins argues, two questions lie at the heart of the camp phenomenon: How does the camp sensibility contribute to contemporary interpretations of art and what promise of change does it playfully conceal? Benton Jay Komins, "Popular Culture, Kitsch as Camp, and Film" page 2 of 8 CLCWeb: Comparative Literature and Culture 3.1 (2001):
Candidate Cues and Voter Confidence in American Elections

A primary objective of election administration is ensuring voter confidence. Logically, this entails meeting two conditions: procedures should insure that elections are fair and accurate, and voters should be aware of the procedures. Yet American election procedures such as ballot access and design, post-election audits and recounts, voter registration, and polling place operations are complex and highly decentralized. Given the complexity of the information environment and the relatively limited information most voters have about politics, what (if any) connection is there between election administration and voter confidence? We consider whether candidates fill the gap between election administration and voter confidence in elections. We test several hypotheses using an experimental design with multiple measures of voter confidence. The results show that candidates have a significant effect on voter confidence.
Circumventing the Slater conundrum in countably infinite linear programs

Abstract Duality results on countably infinite linear programs are scarce. Subspaces that admit an interior point, which is a sufficient condition for a zero duality gap, yield a dual where the constraints cannot be expressed using the ordinary transpose of the primal constraint matrix. Subspaces that permit a dual with this transpose do not admit an interior point. This difficulty has stumped researchers for a few decades; it has recently been called the Slater conundrum. We find a way around this hurdle. We propose a pair of primal-dual spaces with three properties: the series in the primal and dual objective functions converge; the series defined by the rows and columns of the primal constraint matrix converge; and the order of sums in a particular iterated series of a double sequence defined by the primal constraint matrix can be interchanged so that the dual is defined by the ordinary transpose. Weak duality and complementary slackness are then immediate. Instead of using interior point conditions to establish a zero duality gap, we call upon the planning horizon method. When the series in the primal and dual constraints are continuous, we prove that strong duality holds if a sequence of optimal solutions to finite-dimensional truncations of the primal and dual CILPs has an accumulation point. We show by counterexample that the requirement that such an accumulation point exist cannot be relaxed. Our results are illustrated using several examples, and are applied to countable-state Markov decision processes and to a problem in robust optimization.
Raman Spectroscopy under Extreme Conditions

We report the results of Raman measurements of various materials under simultaneous conditions of high temperature and high pressure in the diamond anvil cell (DAC). High temperatures are generated by laser heating or internal resistive (ohmic) heating or a combination of both. We present Raman spectra of cubic boron nitride (cBN) to 40 GPa and up to 2300 K that show a continuous pressure and temperature shift of the frequency of the transverse optical mode. We have also obtained high-pressure Raman spectra from a new noble metal nitride, which we synthesized at approximately 50 GPa and 2000 K. We have obtained high-temperature spectra from pure nitrogen to 39 GPa and up to 2000 K, which show the presence of a hot band that has previously been observed in CARS measurements. These data have also allowed us to constrain the melting curve and to examine changes in the intramolecular potential with pressure.
Parametric Hammerstein-Wiener model estimation via dual Hammerstein identification

In this paper, we propose an approach to identify parametric Hammerstein-Wiener models. The approach identifies two Hammerstein models alternately, recovering the intermediate signal and parameters in both linear dynamic blocks and static nonlinear blocks. Identification of Hammerstein models can be implemented by using the iterative method or the two-stage over-parametrization method, both leading to efficient computations. Simulation results show that our approach converges fast, and is robust when the input or output blocks are highly nonlinear.
Failure of protein synthesis inhibition to block progesterone desensitization of lordosis in female rats

Progesterone's desensitization effect on lordosis has been shown to correlate with a decreased concentration of hypothalamic progestin receptors after progesterone injection. In a recent study, one group of investigators found that the protein synthesis inhibitor anisomycin appeared to block progesterone's desensitization effect. Despite decreased levels of cytoplasmic progestin receptors, progesterone + anisomycin-treated rats exhibited a high level of lordosis four hr after a second progesterone injection. Because this finding conflicts with a progestin receptor model of progesterone's desensitization effect, we investigated it further. In the first experiments, ovariectomized rats were injected with estradiol benzoate followed 24 hr later by either progesterone or vehicle. Anisomycin injected 3 hr after progesterone, at a dose that causes inhibition of hypothalamic protein synthesis for at least 4 hr, was without effect on progesterone desensitization a day later. In other experiments silastic implants containing estradiol were inserted into ovariectomized rats. Forty-five hr later, rats received progesterone or vehicle, followed by injections of anisomycin or saline. Rats receiving anisomycin + progesterone were still highly receptive at 30 hr while saline + progesterone controls were not. Furthermore, the results were similar 4 hr after a second injection of progesterone at 30 hr. In a related experiment, we confirmed that anisomycin delayed dramatically termination of the period of sexual receptivity. In this laboratory anisomycin does not seem to block progesterone's desensitization effect. However, with certain procedures anisomycin delays the termination of sexual receptivity. Thus it is important in investigations of the mechanism of progesterone's desensitization effect that animals be tested prior to the second progesterone injection to determine if they are actually responding to the progesterone.
A model for repeat paired comparison preference tests

A model is proposed that describes subject behavior on repeat paired comparison preference tests. The model extends prior work in this area in that it explicitly allows for abstentions and permits the derivation of individual true scores for discrimination ability as well as conditional estimates of proportionate preference. With these results, the properties of a paired comparison test can be thoroughly explored. An empirical example is presented, and test design issues are considered. In particular, repeat paired comparison preference tests are shown to be inherently less efficient discrimination tests than are pick 1 of 2 tests.
Prevalence of pigmented lens striae in a black population: a potential indicator of age-related pigment dispersal in the anterior segment.

Purpose. To determine the prevalence of pigmented striae of the anterior lens capsule, with or without associated glaucoma, in a black primary eye care population. Methods. Over a 16-month period, five practitioners searched for pigmented lens striae (PLS) among consecutive patients who underwent pupillary dilation during routine eye care provided within the primary care service of an urban eye clinic in Chicago, Illinois. Results. Meeting the inclusion criteria were 1608 blacks (mean age ± SD, 40.9 ± 23.7 years; range, 5 to 100; 1056 females, 552 males). Among the group, 29 (1.8%) subjects had PLS (mean age, 66.5 ± 11.3 years; range, 33 to 88; 25 females, 4 males). PLS were bilateral 89% of the time. Sixteen of the 29 (55%) blacks had central corneal endothelial pigment dusting (14 bilateral), frequently creating a well-formed Krukenberg’s spindle. Trabecular pigmentation varied among the PLS subjects from mild to heavy. Using multiple logistic regression, age (in years) (odds ratio, 1.05; 95% confidence interval, 1.02 to 1.07; p = 0.0003), female gender (odds ratio, 4.46; 95% confidence interval; 1.03 to 19.19; p = 0.045), and hyperopic refractive error (in diopters) (odds ratio, 1.35; 95% confidence interval; 1.09 to 1.67; p = 0.006) were significant predictors of PLS. Conclusions. PLS were present in about 1.8% (2.4% females, 0.7% males) of our black population, and they were frequently associated with other signs of intraocular pigment dispersion. Age, female gender, and refractive error were significant predictors for PLS. This is new information that is helpful for understanding a clinical sign that may be an indicator of age-related pigment dispersal within the anterior segment.
RR7. Improving Patient Selection for Limb Salvage versus Early BKA

Objectives: Advances in prosthetic technology have allowed below knee amputees an efficient and functional return to their pre-injury level of activity. Below knee amputation (BKA) can be a more functional option to limb salvage in select patients. Difficulty remains in patient selection. In order to improve patient selection for limb salvage versus early BKA, we reviewed our experience with BKAs and limb salvage to determine predictive variables for treatment success and ambulation. Methods: We performed a retrospective, institutional review boardapproved review of below knee amputations performed by the senior author between 2004 and 2011 in patients who ambulated pre-operatively. Results: 286 BKAs on 262 patients. Mean age 59.5 years. 69% were male. Mean follow-up 18.4 months. 4.9% of the BKAs were performed on patients with traumatic lower extremity injuries. 86% had diabetes. 25% were on dialysis. Ambulation rate was 77% after BKA, with 78% and 61% of unilateral and bilateral amputees ambulating, respectively. Pre-amputation variables found to be positively associated with post-amputation ambulation included female gender (P .002). Pre-amputation variables that approached significance for being negatively associatedwith post-amputation ambulation included elevated pre-operative serum creatinine level (P .053). 23% (n 67) of BKA patients required at least one operative revision with most being due to falls postoperatively. Conclusions: Following below knee amputation, regardless of etiology, most patients will go on to ambulate with a prosthesis. Additionally, our review indicated that women are even more likely to ambulate following a BKA. Given these successful outcomes following BKA, we believe BKA should be considered as a viable option for patients in whom a limb salvage effort will lead to a biomechanically compromised limb.
Anomalous and Non-equilibrium Breaks in Fused Salt Thermal Analysis Curves

An anomalous break in the cooling curves for the LiCl-LiH system is explained. Solid LiCl separates and collects on the walls of the sample cup. When the first LiCl appears, the centrally located thermocouple was recording a temperature somewhat ahove the true solid-liquid equilibrium temperature. The unexpected and sharp break appeared when the liquid salts trapped in the center of a shell of solid LiCl lost wet contact with the sample cup. The loss in contact caused an abrupt change in the rate of flow of heat from the liquid sample surrounding the thermocouple. Since no problems were encountered in studies of the LiH rich portion of the system, it was postulated that the thermal conduction characteristics of the two salts differ considerably. A new thermowell containing circular heat conducting fins 0.010 in. thick that extend to the wall of the sample cup was designed to correct the problem. This way accurate liquid-solid breaks were obtained both on heating and cooling. (P.C.H.)
Tradeoffs between chilling and forcing in satisfying dormancy requirements for Pacific Northwest tree species.

Many temperate and boreal tree species have a chilling requirement, that is, they need to experience cold temperatures during fall and winter to burst bud normally in the spring. Results from trials with 11 Pacific Northwest tree species are consistent with the concept that plants can accumulate both chilling and forcing units simultaneously during the dormant season and they exhibit a tradeoff between amount of forcing and chilling. That is, the parallel model of chilling and forcing was more effective than the sequential model and well chilled plants require less forcing for bud burst than plants which have received less chilling. Genotypes differed in the shape of the possibility line which describes the quantitative tradeoff between chilling and forcing units. Plants which have an obligate chilling requirement (Douglas-fir, western hemlock, western larch, pines, true firs) and received no or very low levels of chilling did not burst bud normally even with long photoperiods. Pacific madrone and western redcedar benefited from chilling in terms of requiring less forcing to promote bud burst but many burst bud normally without chilling. Equations predicting budburst were developed for each species in our trials for a portion of western North America under current climatic conditions and for 2080. Mean winter temperature was predicted to increase 3.2 to 5.5 °C and this change resulted in earlier predicted budburst for Douglas-fir throughout much of our study area (up to 74 days earlier) but later budburst in some southern portions of its current range (up to 48 days later) as insufficient chilling is predicted to occur. Other species all had earlier predicted dates of budburst by 2080 than currently. Recent warming trends have resulted in earlier budburst for some woody plant species; however, the substantial winter warming predicted by some climate models will reduce future chilling in some locations such that budburst will not consistently occur earlier.
Motion planning for a rigid body using random networks on the medial axis of the free space

Several motion planning methods using networks of randomly generated nodes in the free space have been shown to perform well in a number of cases, however their performance degrades when paths are required to pass through narrow passages in the free space. In previous work we proposed MAPRM, a method of sampling the configuration space in which randomly generated configurations, free or not, are retracted onto the medial axis of the free space without having to first compute the medial axis; this was shown to increase sampling in narrow passages. In this paper we give details of the MAPRM algorithm for the case of a rigid body moving in three dimensions, and show that the retraction may be carried out without explicitly computing the C-obstacles or the medial axis. We give theoretical and experimental results to show this improves performance on problems involving narrow corridors and compare the performance to uniform random sampling from the free space.
Vascular surgery training after primary certification: where we go from here.

Program directors in vascular surgery have an increasingly complex set of responsibilities in the management of a vascular surgery residency, now that primary certification has been approved for vascular surgery and new training paradigms have been created in addition to the previous sequential training and certification in both general and vascular surgery. With the availability of new training paradigms, such as the 3+3 curriculum or entrance into a vascular residency program of 5 or 6 years directly out of medical school, the program director will become responsible for ensuring adequate training in basic surgical principals as well in the management of vascular pathology. Areas of added responsibility will include recruiting trainees, maintaining training case volumes, developing effective educational curricula and certifying the quality of the residents. This article discusses these tasks in detail, identifying special problem areas, such as changing lifestyle expectations, particularly in recruiting women, now approaching one half of medical students; expansion to meet the increasing need for vascular surgeons in the future as the population ages; funding vascular fellowship training; maintaining open surgical case loads while providing the facilities and supervision for adequate endovascular surgical training; providing a useful experience in both noninvasive vascular diagnosis and nonoperative management of vascular disease—in short, an experience that will result in Board certification and obtaining hospital privileges and a career that satisfies their choice of vascular surgery as a specialty.
ISEE observations of the dayside magnetosheath

Abstract A survey of the density profile near the stagnation streamline from the bow shock to magnetopause reveals the existence of a slow mode structure, in which the plasma density first increases and then decreases while the magnetic field strength changes oppositely, near the magnetopause. A case study with multiple spacecraft shows that this structure is locally generated and stands in the incoming solar wind flow. The flow speed changes from super-slow to trans-slow across the outer edge of the structure. The waves within the structure appear to be different from those upstream of the structure. The waves upstream are convective but the waves within the structure are propagating. In the plasma frame, the latter propagate upstream from the magnetopause. They are quasi-standing in the Earth's frame. These observations lead to an interpretation that this structure is formed from the slow mode waves launched at the magnetopause to enforce the final boundary condition at the magnetopause. The outer edge of the structure marks the greatest distance that slow modes can propagate upstream into the solar wind. A comprehensive discussion concerning the theoretical significance of this structure is given.
Review of Framing Faust: Twentieth-Century Cultural Struggles

Inez Hedges, Framing Faust: Twentieth-Century Cultural Struggles. Carbondale: Southern Illinois UP, 2005.241 pp. The scope of Framing Faust: Twentieth-Century Cultural Struggles is very ambitious, as Inez Hedges concedes at the outset. Rather than attempting to survey "the entire landscape of the Faustian," she narrows her focus to "the ways in which the Faustian rebel has surfaced in some of the most important cultural crises of the twentieth century" in order "to explore the Faustian myth in its various political, aesthetic, and social contexts" (xiii). While the topic appears very broad at first, the author skillfully demonstrates her expertise in European film and surrealism as she excavates little-known archival material and countless lesser-known Faust texts. Hedges begins with the history of film and Faust films. In the first chapter, "Faust and Early Film Spectatorship," she notes that the Faust theme was "the subject of over two dozen films in five different countries before 1913" (13). She offers a fascinating account of Georges Melies's Faust films produced between 1897 and 1904. Rather than documenting life as the Lumiere brothers did, he turned his camera toward the imaginary realm and quickly invented special effects. As Melies became more adept at these tricks, they played a larger role in his Faust films. In view of the early history of film, it is worth noting that Goethe had dreamt of a Faust film, according to Ulrich Gaier ("Goethes Traum von einem Faust-Film" Fausts Modernltat: Essays [Stuttgart: Reclam, 200O]). Hedges continues with a brief analysis of Richard Ridgely's 1915 film The Magic Skin and concludes with readings of well-known German Faust films. The next two chapters consider the Faust tradition within the political contexts of Nazi Germany, the German Democratic Republic, the Russian revolution, the French Popular Front, and Ecological Socialism. Chapter two, "German Fascism and the Contested Terrain of Culture," is devoted largely to Thomas Mann's Doctor Faustus and Klaus Mann's Mephisto, along with sections addressing "Goethe in the Cultural Battlefield," the use and abuse of fairy tales, and a brief discussion of the Else Lasker-Schuler play Ichundich.The third chapter, "Socialist Visions: Faust and Utopia," considers the works of Anatoli Vasilievich Lunacharski (.Faust and the City), Leon Blum {Nouvelles conversations de Goethe avec Eckermann), Georg Lukacs (Goethe und seine Zeit), Harms Eisler (Johannes Faustus), and Volker Braun (JHinze und Kunze, Hans Faust). While drawing attention to often overlooked Faust texts, the attempt to address these works, as well as their social and political contexts, within the span of twenty-three pages yields a more informative than thoroughly analytical result. …
Enzyme changes in the ageing periosteum.

ACID and alkaline phosphatase, cytochrome oxidase and succinic dehydrogenase activities of the periosteum of the femora of 100 normal and 100 traumatized animals were studied histochemically. The animals ranged from newborn to more than one year of age. Trauma was induced by drilling a hole in the midfemoral region.
Effects of exogenous somatostatin and antisomatostatin on serum parameters of the American eel

Abstract 1. 1. Bolus injections of a wide range of concns. of somatostatin and of antisomatostatin, in cardiac-cannulated eels had no specific effects on serum osmolality, sodium, potassium and chloride. 2. 2. A presumably physiological dose of somatostatin had a pronounced and sustained hyperglycemic effect beginning 160 min after the injection, which was absent at higher doses. However, an extremely high dose caused an early, temporary hyperglycemia. 3. 3. Antisomatostatin also caused a hyperglycemia, which appeared after 20 min and lasted less than 24 hr. 4. 4. It appears that, in the freshwater eel, somatostatin affects both hyper- and hypoglycemic mechanisms and that these effects depend on its concn and/or site of action.
3D FEA Modeling of Hard Turning

A practical explicit 3D finite element analysis model has been developed and implemented to analyze turning hardened AISI 52100 steels using a PCBN cutting tool. The finite element analysis incorporated the thermo-elastic-plastic properties of the work material in machining. An improved friction model has been proposed to characterize tool-chip interaction with the friction coefficient and shear flow stresses determined by force calibration and material tests, respectively. A geometric model has been established to simulate a 3D turning. FEA Model predictions have reasonable accuracy for chip geometry, forces, residual stresses, and cutting temperatures. FEA model sensitivity analysis indicates that the prediction is consistent using a suitable magnitude of material failure strain for chip separation, the simulation gives reasonable results using the experimentally determined material properties, the proposed friction model is valid and the sticking region on the tool-chip interface is a dominant factor of model predictions.
Synthesis of “capped porphyrins”

Abstract The synthesis of “capped porphyrins” ( 10 ), ( 18 ), and ( 28 ), and their (chloro)iron(III), iron(II), cobalt (II), and zinc(II) complexes is reported. These complexes serve as models for the active site of the oxygen binding haemoproteins. In addition to reversible binding of dioxygen by each of the iron (II) porphyrin complexes, the 1-methyl-imidazole-(“C3-capped porphyrin”) iron (II) complex ( 23 ) reacts reversibly with carbon monoxide, in solution at 25°C.
The Miscoding Potential of 5-Hydroxycytosine Arises Due to Template Instability in the Replicative Polymerase Active Site

5-hydroxycytosine (5-OHC) is a stable oxidation product of cytosine associated with increased C→T transition mutations. When this lesion escapes recognition by the base excision repair (BER) pathway and persists to serve as a templating base during DNA synthesis, replicative DNA polymerases often misincorporate dAMP at the primer terminus, which can lead to fixation of mutations and subsequent disease. In order to characterize the dynamics of DNA synthesis opposite 5-OHC, we initiated a comparison of unmodified dCMP to 5-OHC, 5-fluorocytosine (5-FC), and 5-methylcytosine (5-MEC) in which these bases act as templates in the active site of RB69 gp43, a high-fidelity DNA polymerase sharing homology with human replicative DNA polymerases. This study presents the first crystal structure of any DNA polymerase binding this physiologically important pre-mutagenic DNA lesion, showing that while dGMP is stabilized by 5-OHC through normal Watson-Crick base pairing, incorporation of dAMP leads to unstacking and instability in the template. Furthermore, the electronegativity of the C5 substituent appears to be important in the miscoding potential of these cytosine-like templates. While dAMP is incorporated opposite 5-OHC ~5 times more efficiently than opposite unmodified dCMP, elevated incorporation is also observed opposite 5-FC but not 5-MEC. Taken together, these data imply that the non-uniform templating by 5-OHC is due to reduced stacking capabilities, which allows dAMP incorporation to proceed in a manner similar to that observed opposite abasic sites.
Abortion: at the still point of the turning conscientious objection debate.

Abortion is the central issue in the conscientious objection debate. In this article I demonstrate why this is so for two philosophical viewpoints prominent in American culture. One, represented by Patrick Lee and Robert P. George, holds that the fundamental moral value of being human can be found in bare life and the other, represented by Tom Beauchamp and James Childress, holds that this fundamental value is found in the life that can choose and determine itself. First, I articulate Lee and George’s philosophical theory and demonstrate how the fundamental moral value of their theory, personhood, is represented in the issue of abortion. Second, I examine Beauchamp and Childress’ theoretical vision and demonstrate how their fundamental moral value, the right to autonomous self-determination, is represented in abortion. Third, I sketch the theoretical and practical dynamics of the conscientious objection debate as well as each author’s understanding of conscience. Fourth, I demonstrate how abortion, which represents their respective fundamental value, shapes each perspectives’ approach to the conscientious objection debate. I conclude that because each theory finds its fundamental value represented in the issue of abortion, each perspective is bound to engage the conscientious objection debate in a way that centers on the issue of abortion.
Pancreatic pseudocyst mimicking idiopathic achalasia

Abstract Pseudoachalasia or secondary achalasia is commonly recognized and sought for in the context of an elderly patient presenting with weight loss and brief duration of symptoms. The majority of cases are caused by adenocarcinomas of the fundus or the cardia. It is accepted by gastroenterologists that endoscopy with “routine retroflexion” and biopsy are necessary in any newly diagnosed case of achalasia. Benign causes of pseudoachalasia are extremely rare in this country. In developing countries and South America, Chaga's Disease may mimic achalasia. Herein, we present a case of secondary achalasia linked to an unrecognized mediastinal pancreatic pseudocyst that resolved with appropriate treatment of the underlying cause.
Mutagenic activity of airborne particulate organic pollutants

Abstract Organic extracts of airborne particulates collected at eight urban locations and one nonurban site in Southern California were analyzed for mutagenic activity using Ames' Salmonella typhimurium assay system. All urban samples exhibited mutagenic activity, confirming initial findings. The activity was observed with strains susceptible to frameshift mutation and was not enhanced by the addition of a mammalian metabolic activation system, thus suggesting the presence of mutagens other than benzo(a)pyrene and other polycyclic hydrocarbons which require metabolic activation. Assay of 0.1 to 1 mg of the samples resulted in a 5- to 20-fold increase in his + revertants above the background level, with the number of revertants per plate ranging from 0.10 to 0.44 per μg of organic carbon tested.
IDENTIFICATION OF A NOVEL INHIBITOR OF MITOGEN-ACTIVATED PROTEIN KINASE KINASE

The compound U0126 (1,4-diamino-2,3-dicyano-1,4-bis[2-aminophenylthio]butadiene) was identified as an inhibitor of AP-1 transactivation in a cell-based reporter assay. U0126 was also shown to inhibit endogenous promoters containing AP-1 response elements but did not affect genes lacking an AP-1 response element in their promoters. These effects of U0126 result from direct inhibition of the mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase family members, MEK-1 and MEK-2. Inhibition is selective for MEK-1 and -2, as U0126 shows little, if any, effect on the kinase activities of protein kinase C, Abl, Raf, MEKK, ERK, JNK, MKK-3, MKK-4/SEK, MKK-6, Cdk2, or Cdk4. Comparative kinetic analysis of U0126 and the MEK inhibitor PD098059 (Dudley, D. T., Pang, L., Decker, S. J., Bridges, A. J., and Saltiel, A. R. (1995) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci U. S. A.92, 7686–7689) demonstrates that U0126 and PD098059 are noncompetitive inhibitors with respect to both MEK substrates, ATP and ERK. We further demonstrate that the two compounds bind to ΔN3-S218E/S222D MEK in a mutually exclusive fashion, suggesting that they may share a common or overlapping binding site(s). Quantitative evaluation of the steady state kinetics of MEK inhibition by these compounds reveals that U0126 has approximately 100-fold higher affinity for ΔN3-S218E/S222D MEK than does PD098059. We further tested the effects of these compounds on the activity of wild type MEK isolated after activation from stimulated cells. Surprisingly, we observe a significant diminution in affinity of both compounds for wild type MEK as compared with the ΔN3-S218E/S222D mutant enzyme. These results suggest that the affinity of both compounds is mediated by subtle conformational differences between the two activated MEK forms. The MEK affinity of U0126, its selectivity for MEK over other kinases, and its cellular efficacy suggest that this compound will serve as a powerful tool for in vitro and cellular investigations of mitogen-activated protein kinase-mediated signal transduction.
Bronchopneumonia in terminally ill patients.

Bronchopneumonia was found in one third of all autopsies at the VA hospital in Fayetteville, N.C. In about two thirds of the bronchopneumonia cases there was evidence of aspiration. The risk of bronchopneumonia is increased with old age, white race, length of hospital stay, and the presence of debilitating disease. This is particularly true in cases of cerebral arteriosclerosis, especially when associated with dysphagia. Aspiration due to dysphagia is a predominant cause of bronchopneumonia in these patients. The beginning of bronchopneumonia is usually insidious, the symptoms few, and the course often rapid. Meticulous preventive measures are more important than reliance upon diagnostic procedures and therapy.
Parallelism in computational chemistry: Applications in quantum and statistical mechanics

Abstract Often very fundamental biochemical and biophysical problems defy simulations because of limitation in today's computers. We present and discuss a distributed system composed of two IBM-4341 and one IBM-4381, as front-end processors, and ten FPS-164 attached array processors. This parallel system-called LCAP-has presently a peak performance of about 120 MFlops; extensions to higher performance are discussed. Presently, the system applications use a modified version of VM/SP as the operating system: description of the modifications is given. Three applications programs have migrated from sequential to parallel; a molecular quantum mechanical, a Metropolis-Monte Carlo and a Molecular Dynamics program. Descriptions of the parallel codes are briefly outlined. As examples and tests of these applications we report on a study for proton tunneling in DNA base-pairs, very relevant to spontaneous mutations in genetics. As a second example, we present a Monte Carlo study of liquid water at room temperature where not only two- and three-body interactions are considered but-for the first time-also four-body interactions are included. Finally we briefly summarize a molecular dynamics study where two- and three-body interactions have been considered. These examples, and very positive performance comparison with today's supercomputers allow us to conclude that parallel computers and programming of the type we have considered, represent a pragmatic answer to many computer intensive problems.
A self-assembling peptide acting as an immune adjuvant

The development of vaccines and other immunotherapies has been complicated by heterogeneous antigen display and the use of incompletely defined immune adjuvants with complex mechanisms of action. We have observed strong antibody responses in mice without the coadministration of any additional adjuvant by noncovalently assembling a T and B cell epitope peptide into nanofibers using a short C-terminal peptide extension. Self-assembling peptides have been explored recently as scaffolds for tissue engineering and regenerative medicine, but our results indicate that these materials may also be useful as chemically defined adjuvants. In physiological conditions, these peptides self-assembled into long, unbranched fibrils that displayed the epitope on their surfaces. IgG1, IgG2a, and IgG3 were raised against epitope-bearing fibrils in levels similar to the epitope peptide delivered in complete Freund’s adjuvant (CFA), and IgM production was even greater for the self-assembled epitope. This response was dependent on self-assembly, and the self-assembling sequence was not immunogenic by itself, even when delivered in CFA. Undetectable levels of interferon-gamma, IL-2, and IL-4 in cultures of peptide-challenged splenocytes from immunized mice suggested that the antibody responses did not involve significant T cell help.
Use of small animal models for screening immunoisolation approaches to cellular transplantation.

: It has been recognized for many years that immunoisolation strategies form an attractive approach to preventing the rejection of cellular allografts and xenografts. Although immunoisolation has proven dramatically successful in some cases, the results have tended to be somewhat variable. Although many advances have been made in the development of biocompatible materials for separating host immune cells from the transplanted tissues, much of the experimentation in this area has been outcome driven. That is, the nature of host reactivity and/or biomaterial design resulting in the failure of some immunoisolation strategies has mostly been undefined. A first premise of this discussion is that immunoisolation is primarily cell isolation and not antigen isolation, per se. That is, although varied membrane barriers are designed to prevent cell-cell contact between host and donor cells, soluble antigens derived from the transplant are likely to gain access to the host immune system. A key question centers on the degree and consequence of this type of antigen presentation in the host to the immunoisolated transplant. To address this and related concerns, this overview presents a simple paradigm for using defined rodent (mouse) models for systematically screening the efficacy of immunoisolated cellular transplants. The proposition is made that understanding the basis of graft failure will aid in the design of future immunoisolation technologies.
Optimization Algorithms for Energy-Efficient Data Centers

Real-time optimization algorithms for managing energy efficiency in data centers have been developed and implemented. For example, for a given cooling configuration (which is being measured and modeled in real-time using IBM’s Measurement and Management Technologies) an optimization algorithm allows identifying the optimum placement of new servers (or workloads) or alternatively where to remove servers (or workload) for different constraints. Another optimization algorithm optimizes performance of the data center without creating hotspots. The optimization algorithms use a physical model in junction with linear programming as well as linear least square methods.Copyright © 2013 by ASME
Evidence for protein absorption from the lumen of the seminiferous tubule and rete of the rat testis

As luminal fluid moves from the seminiferous tubule and enters the rete testis, its protein concentration declines from approximately 6 mg/ml to 1 mg/ml. It was therefore suggested that protein is either 1) utilized by the spermatozoa, 2) transported across the epithelium of the terminal segment of the seminiferous tubule, the tubuli recti or rete testis, or 3) absorbed and degraded by the epithelium. Horseradish peroxidase (HRP), a protein marker, was microperfused into single seminiferous tubules or perfused directly into the rete. After fixation, the HRP was localized histochemically and the tissue observed under the light- and electron microscope. HRP was taken up via pinocytotic vesicles into the cytoplasm of the Sertoli cells and germ cells but did not permeate extracellularly beyond the tight junctions. Similar results were obtained in the cells lining the terminal segment and the tubuli recti. The rete epithelium showed uptake of HRP into coated and noncoated vesicles, while some cells additionally revealed diffuse cytoplasmic distribution of HRP. The terminal segment, tubuli recti, and rete testis may be important routes by which proteins may leave the testicular fluid either to be degraded or to enter the blood.
Could power properties of three-phase systems be described in terms of the Poynting vector?

The Poynting vector (PV) and Poynting theorem (PT) are fundamental mathematical tools for calculating energy flow, its dissipation, and storage in electromagnetic fields. Therefore, there are opinions that power properties of power systems should be described in terms of the PV and PT. This paper investigates whether or not the PV and PT provide an explanation of power properties and whether or not they enable calculation of powers in three-phase systems. It is demonstrated in this paper that only the instantaneous power and active power can be expressed in terms of the PV but not the reactive, apparent, and unbalanced powers as well as the power factor. Consequently, the PV and PT do not provide information useful for physical interpretations of power properties of power systems. Also, they are useless for practical applications of power theory to power system problems, such as compensation.
Enriching STEM education through personalization and teaching collaboration

Advances in databases, computational intelligence, and pervasive computing, which allow “anytime, anywhere” transparent access to information, provide fertile ground for radical changes in pedagogy. Cyberinfrastructure leveraging these technological advances can yield improvements in both instruction and learning, supporting a networked curricular model, facilitating collaboration within and among groups of students and instructors, and providing continuous access to instructional material. The trajectory followed by each student through the curriculum can be intelligently personalized, based on prior knowledge and skills, learning styles, and interests of the student, among other attributes. We propose to achieve these objectives by developing Pervasive Cyberinfrastructure for Personalized Learning and Instructional Support (PERCEPOLIS), which serves as the centerpiece of an experiment to create a community of faculty and students over a set of campuses, focusing on STEM disciplines. While numerous distance learning methods exist, we believe that the best way to provide STEM education is to use a blended approach - one that embraces both online components and classroom mentoring by qualified faculty members. The goal is to provide high-quality STEM education for the students, while raising the skill set of the entire community through teaching collaboration.
Managing Empty Container Flows through Short Sea Shipping and Regional Port Systems

This paper proposes a method for managing the flow of empty containers as an integral aspect in the application of short sea shipping and regional port system operational concepts. The paper finds support for the implementation of short sea shipping along the US West Coast and argues in favour of the establishment of regional port systems to provide an appropriate institutional framework for the coordination of public and private investments in short sea shipping. Overall, the paper finds that short sea shipping represents a viable tactic in the implementation of a regional port system development strategy on the West Coast of the USA and should be considered as a possible method for alleviating landside congestion stemming from commercial traffic in major urban corridors. Specific opportunities for the implementation of this method in Southern California are found with the redirecting of empty container flows to secondary ports, as well as with international movements to and from manufacturing regions on the USA-Mexico border.
Integrating probabilistic and rule-based systems for clinical differential diagnosis

CLAUDE is a hybrid expert system for differential diagnosis that combines a rule-based and probabilistic system, integrating their independent opinions with a neural network. CLAUDE's application was to classify 17 central auditory diagnostic areas by analyzing a client's case history. Two network structures were examined, one connecting only those nodes applying to the same class within a diagnostic area, and the other fully connected. CLAUDE performed much better than either a rule-based system or a probabilistic system and made correct judgments when neither system could provide a diagnosis. Furthermore, it was able to classify 75% correctly, even in the presence of incomplete data. Thus, two individual systems using different criteria and balanced by a neural network provided more accurate results than either a probabilistic or a rule-based system alone. >
Review: beta-blockers are less effective than other antihypertensive drugs for reducing risk for stroke in primary hypertension.

Source Citation Lindholm LH, Carlberg B, Samuelsson O. Should beta blockers remain first choice in the treatment of primary hypertension? A meta-analysis. Lancet. 2005;366:1545-53. 16257341
Data-centric Web Services Based on Business Artifacts

Existing Web services standards consider data primarily on the level of inputs and outputs specifications, with the major focus on functional aspects of interactions. Majority of applications rely on data sources, but such data sources are not part of the Web service specifications and cannot be accessed directly by clients. The fact that data are treated independently or as second-class citizens severely limits re-use, flexibility, customization and integration options of current Web services. In this paper we suggest to extend the WS specifications by introducing a data-centric Web services model that integrates functional and data perspectives in one coherent framework. The approach is based on Business Artifacts and in particular on the declarative modular Guard-Stage-Milestone (GSM) model. We introduce a Web Data- and Artifact- centric Service (W-DAS) model using GSM in its core which in addition to usual application specific WS operations defines a set of data access interfaces including CRUD operations, artifacts retrieval interface for querying, filtering and sorting data, and operations for arbitrary custom defined ad hoc run-time queries. We discuss W-DAS publish-subscribe mechanisms and implementation.