cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Uncertainty analysis related to oil spill modeling

Abstract Spill response is a complex operation that demands the consideration of a great number of varied interests. The planning of operations during a spill event requires an estimate of the future distribution of the pollutant. These are typically obtained by computational algorithms, database references, numerical modeling, or more generally the techniques of trajectory analysis. Since the results of the trajectory analysis are a critical factor in the formulation of operational decisions, the consequences of uncertainty in the forecasts must be analyzed in terms of the response activities they must support. The uncertainty in the forecast results from trajectory analysis must be evaluated in the broadest possible sense. Beginning with the way to solve hydrodynamic flow equations in a sparse data environment, then proceeding to models of geophysical forcing which are the result of additional forecasting, and thus are also uncertain. Finally the contribution of the trajectory analysis to the chain of decision logic that is actually used to formulate response must be considered. Once the uncertainty associated with trajectory analysis results is understood, a use strategy can be formulated on how best to present and use the information. Operations research and game theory methods suggest that ‘minimum regret’ strategies provide a powerful and understandable procedure for the delivery of forecast information into the spill response system. A digital standard has been developed for implementing this ‘minimum regret’ strategic approach and has been operational for nearly three years. During this time the response community has used it on over 100 spills and drills with a high level of acceptance.
A Sensor Network for Buildings Based on the DALI Bus

This paper discusses a method of expanding the standard DALI lighting network into a general purpose sensor network. The DALI (digital addressable lighting interface) was originally intended for communication between a controller and building lighting devices. It is a two-wire bus which allows control of individual lights on the network. A redesigned DALI controller supports both standard DALI devices and environmental sensors on the same bus, thus providing the economy of using a single bus for building lighting, HVAC and environmental monitoring and control. An IEEE 1451 TEDS and method of interfacing with the more general IEEE 1451.0 protocol is provided.
Aspirin Resistance: A Clinical Review Focused on the Most Common Cause, Noncompliance

Aspirin is an inexpensive, readily available medication that reduces the risk of subsequent vascular disease by about 25% in patients with known occlusive vascular disease. Aspirin’s beneficial effect is mediated via inhibition of arachidonic acid (AA) activation of platelets and is detected by demonstrating a decrease in platelet function and/or a decrease in prostaglandin metabolites. Patients who are assumed to be taking their aspirin, but who do not demonstrate an aspirin effect are labeled as, “aspirin resistant.” This is an unfortunate designation as the vast majority of patients labeled as “aspirin resistant” are noncompliant. Noncompliance is demonstrated in multiple studies that use repeat testing for platelet inhibition in patients with an initial inadequate response to aspirin. When the test is repeated under condition where ingestion of the test aspirin is assured, the patients' platelets are inhibited. Instead of using the term “aspirin resistance,” this review will use “inadequate response to aspirin.” Patients with an inadequate aspirin response have an increased likelihood for subsequent vascular events. Detection and treatment of an inadequate aspirin response would be facilitated by the development of a bedside assay that uses whole blood, is technically simple, inexpensive, sensitive, specific, reproducible, and provides an answer in a few minutes. Future research in patients with an inadequate response to aspirin should focus on mechanisms to improve compliance, which should decrease their risk of future vascular events.
Finite element adaptive mesh analysis using a cluster of workstations

Parallel computation on clusters of workstations is becoming one of the major trends in the study of parallel computations, because of their high computing speed, cost effectiveness and scalability. This paper presents studies of using a cluster of workstations for the finite element adaptive mesh analysis of a free surface seepage problem. A parallel algorithm proven to be simple to implement and efficient is used to perform the analysis. A network of workstations is used as the hardware of a parallel system. Two parallel software packages, P4 and PVM (parallel virtual machine), are used to handle communications among networked workstations. Computational issues to be discussed are domain decomposition, load balancing, and communication time. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Enhancing CRFP panels with silicon monoxide to improve as-replicated figure accuracy

We have been able to utilize silicon monoxide (SiO) as a refractory coating to improve on the replicated figure of composite optics made from carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP) sandwich panels. We apply an evaporative coating of SiO to the surface of the mirror and polish that coating to obtain the desired figure for the complete mirror. We have developed this technique to allow the use of CFRP optics which are both stable and have a low areal density. This represents a novel use of thin film vacuum coating to produce an optical substrate rather than a simple reflective or protective overcoating and represents an advance in producing thick SiO coatings (10 - 40 micrometers) over large areas (25 - 60 cm).© (1997) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Computational efficiency circuitry for detecting shadows in hexagonal array of compound eye

Abstract Compound eyes in invertebrates are mostly arranged in hexagonal array for computational efficiency. Hexagonal arrangement provides geometric symmetry for efficient local computation of light-intensity level between adjacent ommatidia (photodetecting elements). Shadow motion detection circuitry for detecting critical velocity of light shadows for flight escape reflex is explored using a set of light-intensity comparers and time-delay circuitry. Motion of shadows is detected by comparing the light-intensity level between adjacent cells (ommatidia) using light-intensity difference comparers. Predation escape reflex is triggered by a critical velocity detector for shadow movements. We show that a time-delay local circuitry can be used in a hexagonal array to process local differences of light intensity efficiently for flight escape reflex in flying insects.
Distinguishing post-treatment changes from recurrent disease in cholangiocarcinoma: a case report

Three-dimensional techniques for radiotherapy have expanded possibilities for partial volume liver radiotherapy. Characteristic, transient radiographic changes can occur in the absence of clinical radiation-induced liver disease after hepatic radiotherapy and must be distinguished from local recurrence. In this report, we describe computed tomography changes after chemoradiotherapy for cholangiocarcinoma as an example of collaboration to determine the clinical significance of the radiographic finding. Because of improved three-dimensional, conformal radiotherapy techniques, consultation across disciplines may be necessary to interpret post-treatment imaging findings.
12(S)-hydroxy-5,8,10,14-eicosatetraenoic acid is a more potent nutrophil chemoattractant than the 12(E) epimer in the rat cornea

Abstract 12(R)-hydroxy-5,8.10.14-eicosatetraenoic acid [12(R)-HETE] is reported to be more potent than its epimer 12(S)-HETE as a chemoatractant for human neutrophils in vitro and following topical applicaton to the skin. To assess the in vivo neturophil chemoattractant potencies of 12(S)-HETE and 12(R)-HETE in the rat, we injected 1 μg, 5 μg, or 10 μg of these eicosanoids into teh corneal stroma. Rats were killed 12–15 hours after injection, and the number of neutrophils in the stroma was counted in a histological section of the cornea including the injection site. The number of neutrophyls was significantly increased in corneas injected with 5 μg (+103% of control) or 10 μg (+456% of control) of 12(S)-HETE and in those injected with 10 μg of 12(R)-HETE (+11% of control). The neutrophilic infiltrate in corneas injected with 1 μg or 5 μg of 12(S)-HETE was not significantly different form that in corneas injected with 1 μg of leukotriene BE4. The data for the 10 μg injections indicate that 12(S)-HETE is a more potent neutrophil chemoattractant than 12(R)-HETE in the rat cornea. Our results suggest that species or 12-HETE epimers as chemoatractans for neutrophils and that 12(S)-HETE may be an important inflammatory mediator in the rat cornea.
Rapid prototyping of multiphase microfluidics with robotic cutters

Microfluidic devices offer novel techniques to address biological and biomedical issues. Standard microfluidic fabrication uses photolithography to pattern channels on silicon wafers with high resolution. Even the relatively straightforward SU8 and soft lithography in microfluidics require investing and training in photolithography, which is also time consuming due to complicated thick resist procedures, including sensitive substrate pretreatment, coating, soft bake, expose, post-exposure bake, and developing steps. However, for applications where low resolution (>200 μm) and high turn-around (> 4 designs/day) prototyping are met with little or no lithography infrastructure, robotic cutters [1] offer flexible options for making glass and PDMS microfluidics. We describe the use of robotics cutters for designing microfluidic geometries, and compliment it with safe glass etching, with depths down to 60 μm. Soft lithography patterning of 200 μm thick PDMS membrane was also explored. Without high equipment investment and lengthy student training, both glass and PDMS microfluidics can be achieved in small facilities using this technique.
Some thoughts on the use of simulation in the health services sector

Simulation has been used in a number of modes in conducting studies for the health care industry. This paper briefly presents these usage modes and references each to more extensive write-ups of studies performed by teams which included the author of this article.
Constructing a Constitution for Trade in Services

HE NEED for some kind of international coordination and cooperation concerning trade in services across borders has become apparent. While there exists an international legal framework (albeit troubled and evolving) for trade in goods, there is very little such framework for trade in services, except in certain specific industries. Services make up a greater percentage of the gross national product (GNP) of major industrialized countries than the production of goods and they also comprise a significant percentage of world trade. These considerations were among those which led the contracting parties to the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) to include provisions for negotiating agreements on trade in services in the declaration issued after the special ministerial meeting, held in September 1986 at Punta del Este, that launched the Uruguay Round of multilateral trade negotiations, the eighth such round in the forty-year history of the GATT. ’ Because of the great variety of service activities, because they often do not involve tangible property and because it is sometimes difficult or impossible to identify when a service ‘crosses a border’, the national or international regulation of service activities is very difficult. For similar reasons, it will be very difficult to develop a new legal framework for trade in services. The GATT model is often cited as a possible approach. Because of the great differences between trade in services and trade in goods, however, it is quite doubtful whether the GATT model could be followed very closely. The purpose of this article is to explore, in the context of the Uruguay Round negotiations, the possible legal-institutional structure which could be used to develop an international discipline on trade in services and to compare such a structure with the GATT model. The ideas and reflections expressed in the article stem partly from considerable discussion about trade in services with other scholars, government officials and policy makers. No special claim to originality for many of these ideas is made,
Neurologic involvement in glucagonoma syndrome. Response to combination chemotherapy with 5‐fluorouracil and streptozotocin

A 34-year-old man presented with classic glucagonoma syndrome manifested by weight loss, dermatitis, stomatitis, anemia, and mild diabetes mellitus. The diagnosis of glucagonoma was made by light and electron microscopic demonstration of a metastatic alpha cell carcinoma in a liver biopsy specimen. Plasma glucagon concentration was abnormally high. The patient also had symptoms and signs of involvement of the central nervous system. Radionuclide and CAT scans of the brain, negative CSF cytology and myelography excluded the possibility of metastases or other space-occupying lesions. Glucagon was demonstrated in the CSF. We postulate that the neurologic symptoms were due to direct or indirect effect of this hormone on the brain. Following therapy with streptozotocin and 5-fluorouracil, the patient had a subjective and objective clinical and hormonal remission of his disease including amelioration of his neurological impairment.
The structural biology of CRISPR-Cas systems

Prokaryotic CRISPR-Cas genomic loci encode RNA-mediated adaptive immune systems that bear some functional similarities with eukaryotic RNA interference. Acquired and heritable immunity against bacteriophage and plasmids begins with integration of ∼30 base pair foreign DNA sequences into the host genome. CRISPR-derived transcripts assemble with CRISPR-associated (Cas) proteins to target complementary nucleic acids for degradation. Here we review recent advances in the structural biology of these targeting complexes, with a focus on structural studies of the multisubunit Type I CRISPR RNA-guided surveillance and the Cas9 DNA endonuclease found in Type II CRISPR-Cas systems. These complexes have distinct structures that are each capable of site-specific double-stranded DNA binding and local helix unwinding.
Hydrogeologic role of geologic structures. Part 2: analytical models

Abstract This paper is the second of two papers that address the influence of geologic structures on ground water flow at various scales in fractured rocks. The ultimate purpose of this research is to investigate the feasibility of grouting preferentially permeable zones as a strategy to minimize the production of acid mine drainage in underground hard rock mines in which the major permeability is structure and fracture controlled. The aim of grouting is to reduce permeability around mined-out openings, to minimize the rate of inflow of ground water into such openings via the structurally controlled preferentially permeable pathways. A series of hydraulic stress tests were conducted to help characterize the role of geologic structures in controlling the ground water flow system in the vicinity of the Bunker Hill Mine in north Idaho. The results of these tests indicate that most of the ground water that flows from the underground drillholes used for hydraulic stress testing is derived from a few discrete, structurally produced fracture zones that are more or less connected through smaller-scale fractures. Four types of analytical models are considered as a means of analyzing the results of multiple drillhole hydraulic stress tests, as follows: cross-hole equivalent porous media; double-porosity equivalent porous media; a solution to flow in and around a single vertical fracture; leaky equivalent porous media, partial penetration. The estimation of hydraulic coefficients in complex fractured rock environments involves the combined application of a number of deterministic analytical models. The models to be used are selected dependent on the location of the drawdown observations relative to the water-producing zone and the length of the test. The result of the tests can be related to the permeability hierarchy discussed in our first paper.
On the effective thermal conductivity of a random suspension of spheres

Abstract We consider the effective thermal conductivity, λ∗, of a random suspension of spheres in the limit of small concentrations. The results are also directly applicable to a variety of other transport properties, e.g. electrical or magnetic. We study the problem using an iterative procedure and introduce nearest neighbor probability density functions. To lowest order we find the expression for a well separated geometric arrangement. To next order we obtain the effects of sphere interaction. We treat a number of probability density functions and consider the effect of clustering. The results are then studied in relation to the bounds for λ∗ which have been found previously.
The effect of cooling and low molecular weight dextran on blood sludging

Summary o 1. If canine blood is cooled to 10° C. by the technique described, blood sludging will appear which usually disappears when the blood is rewarmed to a normal temperature. 2. Low molecular weight dextran (10% solution) administered in a dosage of 12 cc. per kilogram while the blood is cold decreases the blood sludging. Normal saline in similar or larger quantities apparently has no effect on the degree of blood sludging.
Circumcision in the United States: medical and nonmedical attitudes

The issue of routine neonatal circumcision has continued to generate debate in the United States in recent years. In 1975, the Ad Hoc Task Force on Circumcision of the American Academy of Pediatrics concluded that there was no absolute medical indication for routine circumcision of the male newborn. This conclusion reconfirmed the findings of the Committee on Fetus and Newborn of the American Academy of Pediatrics in 1971. In the Task Force report, the various traditional arguments for circumcision such as prevention of phimosis, reduction of the incidence of carcinoma of the penis and carcinoma of the cervix, reduction of the incidence of carcinoma of the prostate, and elimination of balanitis were refuted. The 1975 Task Force felt that a program of education leading to continuing good personal hygiene would offer all the advantages of a routine circumcision without the attendant surgical risk. Specifically, proper penile hygiene appeared to be just as effective as circumcision in the prevention of carcinoma of the penis and cervix and in the elimination of balanitis [1]. However, during this same period, Burger and Guthrie presented a strong argument for routine neonatal circumcision shortly before the report of the Task Force [2]. These authors argued in favor of neonatal circumcision for the prevention of balanitis, phimosis and paraphimosis, carcinoma of the penis, and transmission of venereal diseases. In particular, they felt that the incidence of complications was so extremely low that the routine performance of this procedure was justified. These authors also felt that routine neonatal circumcision was reasonable from an economic point of view
Preliminary design of target area optical layout for the SG-III facility

A computer code has been developed and simulations have been conducted to design the target area optical layout according to the requirements of both the physical and the SG-III laser facility itself for both direct and indirect drive configurations, respectively. The number and location of the required 240 turning mirrors from the output lens of the transport spatial filter to the target chamber have been initially decided, and the mechanical interventions of optical paths have also been solved.
Initial approach to patient management after large-scale disasters

Abstract 2Preparedness for mass casualty incidents has taken on a new prominence in the United States since the events of September 11th, 2001. Large numbers of pediatric victims are possible in the future, which could overwhelm traditional triage systems in most hospitals. To help prepare the emergency physician for such a disaster, this article briefly outlines an organized approach to mass casualty incidents. Two triage algorithms, one for general disasters, and one for nuclear, biological, and chemical events, are discussed. Decontamination triage is also discussed. Finally, personal observations from the World Trade Center attacks and one hospital's experience are discussed.
Validity of anthropometric norms used in the assessment of hospitalized patients.

To assess the validity of standards for weight, arm circumference, triceps skinfold, and arm muscle circumference commonly used to assess the nutritional status of hospitalized patients, these standards were applied to data for the normal U.S. population. Moderate depletion was defined as a value between 60 and 90 percent of the standard; severe depletion was defined as a value below 60 percent of the standard. The standards themselves were found to differ substantially from the population averages, and this method of classifying an individual does not take into account the fact that there is more variation in the population for some measures than for others. As a result, the proportion of individuals classified as depleted varied greatly between measures and also between sexes and ages. Over half of all young women would be classified as moderately depleted based on the arm muscle circumference. Over half of young men would be classified as depleted based on the tricep skinfold, and half of these would be classified as severely depleted. It is recommended that the use of these standards and this method of interpretation be abandoned and replaced by the use of tables of percentiles for the U.S. population.
An intelligent knowledge-based system for robotic cell design

Abstract As research fields in AI accelerate and a greater number of experts are demanded by industry, Expert y tem play an important role in meeting the technological sophistication required in today's competitive world. Industries are demanding the assistance of human experts for solving complicated problems. However, there is a shortage of experts due to this demand. Expert Systems are rapidly becoming one of the major approaches to solve engineering and manufacturing problems. They have been implemented for several practical applications in many decision making problems. Expert Systems are helping major companies to diagnose processes in real time, schedule operations, maintain machinery and to design service and production facilities. Robots are an integral part of today's manufacturing environment. New tasks are being defined for robots in order to meet the challenges of Flexible Manufacturing Systems. Along with this growth there is an increasing variety of robots to choose from. One of the major problems facing the potential robot user will be his/her choice of an optimum robot for a particular task. Various parameters should be considered and the user should choose an industrial robot whose characteristics satisfy the requirements of the intended task. This paper will present a solution to the problem of selecting an optimum robot by building a Knowledge-Based Expert System. It uses the knowledge base and the rules to determine an optimum robot.
Modeling and analysis of exhaustive probabilistic search

This article explores a probabilistic formulation for exhaustive search of a bounded area by a single searcher for a single static target. The searcher maintains an aggregate belief of the target's presence or absence in the search area, concluding with a positive or negative search decision on crossing of decision thresholds. The measure of search performance is defined as the expected time until a search decision is made as well as the probability of the search decision being correct. The searcher gathers observations using an imperfect detector, that is, one with false positive and negative errors, and integrates them in an iterative Bayesian manner. Analytic expressions for the Bayesian update recursion of the aggregate belief are given, with theoretical results describing the role of positive and negative detections, as well as sensitivity results for the effect of the detection errors on the aggregate belief evolution. Statistical studies via design of simulation experiments provide insights into the significant search parameters, including imperfect sensor characteristics, initial belief value, search decision threshold values, and the available prior probability information. Regression analysis yields statistical models to provide prescriptive guidance on the search performance as a function of these search parameters.Copyright © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Naval Research Logistics 61: 164–178, 2014
Asymptotic output of compartmental systems

Abstract A compartmental system with constant inputs approaches a steady state, and the output approaches, asymptotically, a linear phase. This linear phase is characterized. The so-called “lag time” in establishing the linear phase is related to the appropriate residence time for the system. Parameters which can be estimated from the linear phase are discussed.
Cortical activation elicited by unrecognized stimuli

It is unclear whether a stimulus that cannot be recognized consciously, could elicit a well-processed cognitive response. We used functional imaging to examine the pattern of cortical activation elicited by unrecognized stimuli during memory processing. Subjects were given a recognition task using recognizable and non-recognizable subliminal stimuli. Unrecognized stimuli activated the cortical areas that are associated with retrieval attempt (left prefrontal), and novelty detection (left hippocampus). This indicates that the stimuli that were not consciously recognized, activated neural network associated with aspects of explicit memory processing. Results suggest that conscious recognition of stimuli is not necessary for activation of cognitive processing.
Trabeculectomy Using a Fornix-Based Conjunctival Flap and Tightly Sutured Scleral Flap

Trabeculectomy is classically and almost universally performed with a limbal-based conjunctival flap. This method has definite theoretic and practical disadvantages compared with a fornix-based conjunctival flap, including (1) poorer visualization and exposure of the area for surgical treatment; (2) a greater chance of button-holing the conjunctival flap; (3) a more anteriorly placed conjunctival bleb; and (4) a higher risk of a thin flap overhanging the cornea. The practical advantages of a fornix-based flap, the surgical results, and the surgical techniques are discussed. Because of its advantages, this method is preferred to the use of a limbus-based conjunctival flap.
Evaluation of a Wind-Wave System for Ensemble Tropical Cyclone Wave Forecasting. Part I: Winds

A wind-wave forecast system, designed with the intention of generating unbiased ensemble wave forecasts for extreme wind events, is assessed. Wave hindcasts for 12 tropical cyclones (TCs) are forced using a wind analysis produced from a combination of the North American Regional Reanalysis (NARR) and a parametric wind model. The default drag parameterization is replaced by one that is more in line with recent studies where a cap at weak-to-moderate wind speeds is applied.Quadrant-based significant wave height (Hs) statistics are composited in a storm-relative reference frame and stratified by the radius of maximum wind, storm speed, and storm intensity. Improvements in Hs are gleaned from both downscaling the NARR winds and tuning the wave model. However, the paradigm whereby the drag coefficient depends solely on the wind speed is limiting. Results indicate that Hs is biased low in the right quadrants (for all statistical subcategories). Conversely, Hs is high biased in the left-rear quadrant even though the analysis wind field is underforecast there. At radii less than 100 nautical miles, the model peak wave direction is offset from the observed, with the model (buoy) peak more in line with (to the left of) the direction of the tropical cyclone motion. As a result, the predominant storm-relative wind direction, which is northwesterly in the left-rear quadrant, opposes that of the buoy peak wave direction, while the model peak is more crosswise with respect to the wind. This will likely reduce the magnitude of the wind stress in the model.
Beyond Testing: Social and Psychological Considerations in Recruiting and Retaining Gifted Black Students.

For more than a half century, concerns have existed about the persistent underrepresentation of African American students in gifted education and Advanced Placement classes. Various recommendations...
Radial Growth Characteristics and Stand Density of Loblolly Pine in Relation to the Occurrence of the Southern Pine Beetle

Radial growth and stand density of 30 loblolly pine stands throughout southeast Texas which had been attacked by Dendroctonus frontalis Zimmerman were characterized by measurement of annual increment and basal area. Annual increment was found to be significantly reduced in the last 2 cm of growth, but not related to tree diameter classes which indicates the trees were in a declining condition. Stand density was found to be very high in the infestation spots and was suggested to enhance perpetuation of localized infestations. The combination of reduced radial growth and high stand density was suggested to represent an optimal condition, in terms of susceptible host type, for the development of D. frontalis .
Simulation in Cloud Computing Envrionment

With the development of cloud computing, simulation can use the sharing software resource which are provided by cloud. This paper designed the architecture and modules of simulation in cloud. The simulation cloud workflow and management were proposed. We designed and analyzed how to efficiently schedule the knowing and unknowing compute resources to support discrete simulation in cloud computing.
Experimental and numerical investigation of the kinematic theory of unsteady separation

We present the results of a combined experimental and numerical study of flow separation in the unsteady two-dimensional rotor-oscillator flow. Experimentally detected material spikes are directly compared to separation profiles predicted from numerical shear-stress and pressure data, using a recent kinematic theory of unsteady separation. For steady, periodic, quasi-periodic and random forcing, fixed separation is observed, and experimental observations and theoretical predictions are in close agreement. The transition from fixed to moving separation is also reported.
Preputial microflora of llamas (Lama glama) and alpacas (Vicugna pacos)

Abstract To characterize the normal preputial microflora of healthy male New World camelids (NWC), samples were swabbed from the preputial mucosa of 23 intact and 7 castrated males including 17 llamas and 13 alpacas ranging from 1 day to 16 years of age. The swabs were streaked onto tryptose blood agar with 5% bovine blood, MacConkey's agar, Karmali Campylobacter selective agar and Saboraud's dextrose agar and cultured under aerobic, micro-aerophilic and/or anaerobic conditions. Bacteria but not fungi or Campylobacter were isolated from all 30 animals. The mean numbers of bacterial isolates obtained per male were 3.4 for alpacas (range 2–6), 4.0 for llamas (range 1–7) and 3.7 for both species combined. Of 22 bacterial genera identified from a total of 112 isolates, five were aerobes, 11 were facultative anaerobes and six were obligate anaerobes. Nine isolates failed to subculture and could not be identified. The most frequently isolated genera in descending order of frequency were Staphylococcus, Bacillus, Streptococcus, Bacteroides, Corynebacterium, Arcanobacterium and Actinomyces. This is the first description of the microflora present on the preputial mucosa of healthy llamas and alpacas. Most of the bacteria isolated from the prepuce are considered commensal organisms, but several could be opportunistic pathogens under appropriate conditions.
DIAGNOSTIC IMAGING MODALITIES DURING PREGNANCY

In order for a physician to discuss the treatment options for and the prognosis of a patient with malignancy, the stage of the disease must be known. Staging of malignancy in the pregnant patient is difficult because the pregnancy may hinder physical examination and because standard imaging techniques may harm the fetus. In the past, noninvasive imaging was not available. Current methods of ultrasound and magnetic resonance (MR) imaging do not require ionizing radiation or contrast agent enhancement. This article discusses which imaging techniques best demonstrate distant disease and how imaging in general may affect the fetus. Imaging strategies are presented for the most common malignancies occurring in pregnant women.
Rearing the egg parasite Ooencyrtus ennomophagus (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae) on eggs of Clostera inclusa (Lepidoptera: Notodontidae) kept below freezing

The preservation of host material in a state suitable for successful development of beneficial parasite or predator species is desirable for the mass culture of entomophagous species. Thus, Coppel and Mertins (1977) report the coddling of sawfly cocoons, and Fedde et al. (1979) chilled host eggs to keep them in a susceptible state for the egg parasite Telenomus alsophilae Viereck. Such techniques are also valuable to assure continuous rearing of parasites or predators during shortages of hosts.The latter situation pertained while we were studying factitious hosts of the thelyotokous, multivoltine egg parasite Ooencyrtus ennomophagus Yoshimoto (1975). This parasite cannot develop in embryonated eggs; therefore it is essential to hold hosts in the unembryonated condition. Faced with the loss of the typical host for 0. ennomophagus, the univoltine elm spanworm, Ennomos subsignarius (Hubner), we found that eggs of the multivoltine pipla tentmaker, Clostera inclusa (Hubner), would suffice. Field populations of the tentmaker crashed in 1979, leaving us dependent upon a small field-cage rearing of this insect for experimentation.
Flexible view update

As uninstantiated windows onto a relational database, views are modified only when the intended update can be realized by updates against the underlying database. Such a conventional restriction can, and must, be relaxed when some relations, as collections of predicates, are composed of both basic and derived facts. Therefore, this paper presents an extended formulation for the problem of view updating based on two notions: the internal state and the perceptible state of a database. Through a clear distinction between these two database states, a mechanism is proposed to facilitate those legitimate view updates that are not necessarily translatable. The proposed mechanism also relies heavily on the normalixation theory through functional dependencies.
On the audibility of distortion

Summary form only given, as follows. The distortion characteristics of microphones, recorders, amplifiers, and, loudspeakers will be cross-compared to arrive at a distortion budget. Better valve and, transistor anDlifiers make a negligible contribution to this budget. Loudspeakers can be (but usually are not) better than the tape recorder and this looks like the frontier for distortion reduction. Iethods for distortion measurement of each of the system two-ports will be d.iscussed. The characteristics and use of the human hearing system will be emphasized. A demonstration will be given to illustrate the ideas of this session.
Quantum renormalizations in one dimensional easy plane ferromagnets

Abstract We examine the quantum corrections to the spin wave energies of easy plane ferromagnets. We utilize a formalism developed by Villain, and we obtain the quantum corrections of orders S(S + 1) -1 2 . The experimentally determined spin wave spectra for CsNiF3 is used to find the bare exchange J and anisotropy parameter D. We compare our values with those obtained from other theories, which order the corrections in powers of S-1 and also neglect higher powers of D/J.
Isms and the structure of social attitudes

Social attitude measurement has been limited by inadequate structural models. In this study, broad, basic dimensions were sought, with the assumption that crucial variables are represented as terms ending in -ism (isms). 266 isms were extracted from a dictionary, and items were built from their definitions. In a sample of 500 college students, the most replicable item structure had 3 factors; one of these 3 factors split into 2 factors in the 4-factor structure. A replication study confirmed that Conservatism and Authoritarianism are subcomponents of the largest factor. The other factors, though highly meaningful, seem more sparsely represented in previous research. No factor was highly related to personality traits other than Openness to Experience. The factors can serve as content-validity benchmarks for developing improved measurement models in this consequential, discrete domain of individual differences.
Brain Trust. The Hidden Connection Between Mad Cow Disease and Alzheimer's Disease

Colm A. KelleherParaview: Pocket Books, 2004312 pp., $22.00ISBN 0-7434-9935-2Murray Waldman and Marjorie LambThomas Dunne Books; St Martin's Press, 2004304 pp., $24.95ISBN 0-312-34015-XAlong with o...
Stress in arthritis

Arthritic conditions are characterized by pain that contributes to functional impairments in physical, and often mental, health domains. The prevalence of arthritic conditions, including osteoarthritis (OA), rheumatoid arthritis (RA), and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) points to the importance of identifying and modifying factors that influence the development of and adaptation to arthritis. A prominent determinant of arthritic pain is stress. In this chapter, we adopt a biopsychosocial perspective to understand the relation between stress and health outcomes in individuals with OA, RA, and/or SLE. We begin by discussing the signs, symptoms, and demographic characteristics associated with OA, RA, and SLE. Next, we discuss the diathesis-stress process that links stress with health, including emotional, cognitive, and behavioral factors that moderate the relations between stress and outcomes in OA, RA, and SLE. Third, we review empirically-supported treatments and promising treatments that target stress-management and resilience resources in arthritis. Finally, future directions for research and practice are briefly discussed.
Effectiveness of Feedback During the Testing of Preschool Children, Elementary School Children, and Adolescents with Developmental Delays

Students in Grades 1, 3, 5, and 7 studied test materials presented within the context of a story, and then responded to a 10-item quiz using either a Scantron form or an Immediate Feedback Assessment Technique (IF AT) form (Study 1). The retention of these materials was examined 1 week later using IF AT forms. Students evaluated with the IF AT demonstrated an overall increase in scores on the follow-up quiz; students evaluated with Scantron forms demonstrated an overall decrease in scores. In Study 2, the acquisition and retention of basic academic readiness materials by children preparing to enter the educational system was evaluated using either the IF AT or a Scantron form. Five 10-item tests were completed by each child, 1 per week, with 2 items randomly selected from each week’s test for inclusion on the final examination. Children evaluated with the IF AT demonstrated significantly higher scores on the final examination and on readministrations of the final examination 1 and 3 months later. The enhancement of retention was particularly prominent when developmental status was considered. In Study 3, 4 adolescents with mild mental retardation studying 6 life-skills modules were tested with only IF AT forms, only Scantron forms, or with IF AT forms on 3 modules and Scantron forms on 3 modules. The distribution of performance on each module was overlapping; the student tested with only IF AT forms demonstrated the highest percentage of retention while the student tested with only Scantron forms demonstrated the lowest percentage of retention. The beneficial effects of corrective feedback observed in Studies 1-3 were similar to those observed previously in our laboratory, supporting the results of prior studies conducted with university students and highlighting the critical role of feedback during the assessment of children and adolescents, including those with developmental delays.
Hyperbaric Oxygen Treatment for Experimental Cyclophosphamide-Induced Hemorrhagic Cystitis

Abstract Acrolein is a toxic metabolite of cyclophosphamide that causes hemorrhagic cystitis in 2 to 40% of treated patients. Hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) is used to treat poorly healing wounds in conditions such as Fournier’s gangrene and radiation-induced cystitis. The present study was designed to evaluate the effects of HBO on acute acrolein-induced hemorrhagic cystitis in a rat model. Rats were divided into 4 groups. Group I served as a control and received only HBO prior to sacrifice. Group II received acrolein only, while groups III and IV received acrolein as well as HBO therapy. Hyperbaric oxygen (100% oxygen, 2.8 atmospheres, 90 minutes) was delivered twice a day for 4 days, with group III receiving a fifth HBO treatment just before acrolein and group IV receiving the fifth HBO treatment just after acrolein. After therapy, the amount of urothelial injury was determined morphometrically. Group II untreated rat bladders had only 33% of the urothelium intact after acrolein injury, whereas groups III and IV rat bladders had 93% (p
STIM1-Dependent CA2+ Signaling in Cardiac Myocytes

Stromal Interaction Protein 1 (STIM1) is the intracellular component of the store operated calcium channels. It is a ubiquitous Ca2+ sensor, prevalently located in the sarcoplasmic reticulum. In non-excitable cells, STIM1 is a key element in the generation of Ca2+signals that lead to gene expression and cell proliferation. A growing body of literature now suggests that STIM1 is important for normal heart function and plays a key role in the development of pathological cardiac hypertrophy. However, the precise mechanisms involving STIM1 and the Ca2+ signaling in excitable cells are not clearly established. We show that in neonatal rat cardiomyocytes, the spatial properties of STIM1-dependent Ca2+ signals determine restricted Ca2+ microdomains that regulate myofilaments remodeling and spatially segregated activation of pro-hypertrophic factors. Indeed, in vivo data obtained from an inducible cardiac restricted STIM1 knockout mouse, exhibited left ventricular dilatation associated with reduced cardiac contractility, which was corroborated by impaired single cell contractility. Furthermore, mice lacking STIM1 showed less adverse structural remodeling in response to pathological pressure overload-induced cardiac hypertrophy (transverse aortic constriction, TAC). We further show that the Ca2+ pool associated with STIM1 is the ON switch for extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK1/2)-mediated cytoplasm to nucleus signaling. These results highlight how STIM1-dependent Ca2+ microdomains have a major impact on intracellular Ca2+ homeostasis, cytoskeletal remodeling, signaling and cardiac function, even when excitation-contraction coupling is present.
PselaphidÆ Collected by Dr. Alfons Dampf in Central America.

The material upon which this paper is based comprises collections of the Coleopterous family Pselaphidae made by Dr. Alfons Dampf, Chief Entomologist, Mexican Department of Agriculture, in various Central American countries. Dr. Dampf very kindly placed these collections in my hands for study and furnished with them very complete data which I have incorporated almost without change.
Propylparaben sensitizes heat-resistant Salmonella Enteritidis and Salmonella Oranienburg to thermal inactivation in liquid egg albumen.

Propyl p-hydroxybenzoic acid (propylparaben [PRPA]) is a phenolic antioxidant, known to occur in nature and used as a microbiostat in foods, feeds, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, and medications. The U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) requires that liquid egg white (LEW) be pasteurized at 56.7°C for 3.5 min. This study evaluated the effects of PRPA on the pasteurization sensitivity of Salmonella in LEW. When LEW (pH 7.8) was pasteurized under FSIS conditions, salmonellae declined by 0.5, 4.6, 4.5, > 7.0, and > 7.0 log CFU/ml, with 0, 125, 250, 500, or 1,000 ppm of PRPA, respectively, and D(56.7°C)-values were 2.99, 1.05, 0.68, 0.26 and ≤0.16 min. Albumen (pH 8.9) pasteurized under FSIS standards incurred salmonellae reductions of 3.3, 2.8, 5.2, > 7.0, and > 7.0 log CFU/ml, with 0, 125, 250, 500, or 1,000 ppm of PRPA, respectively, while D(56.7°C)-values were 0.87, 0.99, 0.66, 0.22, and 0.09 min. Adding 500 ppm of PRPA to albumen (pH 7.8) reduced D(56.7°C)-values more than 11-fold, and reduced the time to achieve a 5-log reduction from 15.0 to only 1.3 min. A 7-log reduction in plain LEW (pH 7.8) at 56.7°C required 20.9 min, versus only 1.8 and 1.1 min with 500 and 1,000 ppm of PRPA, respectively. Furthermore, a 7-log reduction in plain LEW (pH 8.9) required 6.1 min, versus only 1.5 and 0.6 min with 500 and 1,000 ppm of PRPA, respectively. This study is the first to report the efficacy of PRPA (pK(a) = 8.4) in sensitizing Salmonella in LEW to thermal pasteurization, while documenting that PRPA retains its antibacterial efficacy at pH levels as high as 8.9.
Stimulation by dopamine of adenosine cyclic 3',5'-monophosphate formation in rat caudate nucleus: effect of lesions of the nigro-neostriatal pathway.

Stimulation by dopamine of cyclic 39,59-AMP formation in slices and homogenates of caudate nucleus was studied in rats that exhibited apomorphine-induced contralateral circling following unilateral lesions of the nigro-neostriatal system. Electrothermic lesions or 6-hydroxydopamine injections were made in the ascending dopaminergic pathway, and resulted in 93-95% depletion of endogenous dopamine in the ipsilateral caudate nucleus. An increase in the ability of submaximal concentrations of dopamine to stimulate cyclic AMP formation was observed, 3-30 days after placement of the lesions, in slices prepared from the caudate nucleus on the lesioned side. In contrast to the results obtained with slices, the stimulation by dopamine of adenylate cyclase activity in homogenates of caudate nucleus was the same on the lesioned as on the control side. The data suggest that contralateral circling, induced by dopamine agonists in animals with unilateral lesions in the nigro-neostriatal pathway, may be due to an increased ability of the dopamine agonists to stimulate cyclic AMP formation on the lesioned side. This increased ability of dopamine agonists to raise cyclic AMP levels appears to result primarily from the lesion-induced destruction of presynaptic dopamine-containing nerve terminals in the caudate nucleus rather than from a change in dopamine-sensitive adenylate cyclase in the postsynaptic cells. The stimulation by dopamine of cyclic AMP formation in slices of caudate nucleus may be a useful biochemical model for the study of denervation supersensitivity in the nigro-neostriatal pathway.