cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Crystallography of human tooth enamel: Initial structure refinement

Abstract A first crystal structure refinement of human tooth enamel, per se, has been achieved. For this, both x-ray and neutron powder diffraction data were analyzed with the Rietveld method of whole-pattern fitting. The dense fraction (sp.g. >2.95) of pooled human tooth enamel was used. Refinement in space group P63/m led to a = 9.441(2) A , c = 6.878(1) A and locations of the principal atoms similar to those in hydroxyapatite. The observed scattering density distributions along the hexad axis, including the differences between x-ray and neutron measures, would accommodate H2O in some orientational disorder centered at z= 0.11 to 0.14 and the known small quantity of Cl− ions partially substituting for OH− (e.g. 1 in 20). This structure refinement constitutes the first direct evidence of both similarity and differences in the atomic-scale structural details of hydroxyapatite and human tooth enamel.
The arrival of behavioral economics: from Michigan, or the Carnegie School in the 1950s and the early 1960s?

Abstract The essay discusses the rise of (modern) behavioral economics during the last few decades. In contrast to Louis Uchitell’s assertion, in his Feb. 11, 2001, NY Times essay, that behavioral economics began in 1994, I would try to argue that it began during the 1950s and early 1960s, although some aspects of it had even emerged in the works of Marshall, Wesley Mitchell, J.M. Clark and others, before WWII. Although contributions of many writers have helped the rise of behavioral economics including psychologists Kahneman and Tversky, I regard the works of George Katona and Herbert Simon instrumental in its rise. While the works of Katona and his colleagues at Michigan University led to the use of survey method in economics and its utilization in measuring the impact of consumer expectations on macroeconomic activity, the work of Simon at Carnegie Tech.(a tremendously stimulating intellectual environment for economic theorizing then) resulted in the important theoretical foundations of behavioral economics, such as the concept of bounded rationality. Interestingly enough, that stimulating environment also led to the many contributions of Franco Modigliani, M. Miller, and others, and the start of the rational expectations hypothesis by John Muth—a student of Simon and Modigliani. The essay also provides the characteristics of behavioral economics, which include the utilization of the theoretical findings of psychology and other social sciences; its concentration on real observed behavior of economic agents; its rejection of the simplistic model of rational maximizing agents and its replacement with Simon’s bounded rationality; and its emphasis on the utilization of an indisciplinary approach in economics.
Fault Detection and Diagnosis for Component-based Robotic Systems

In the software engineering domain, much work has been done for fault detection and diagnosis (FDD) and many methods and technologies have been developed, especially for safety-critical systems. In the meantime, component-based software engineering has emerged and been widely adopted as an effective way to deal with various issues of modern systems such as complexity, scalability, and reusability. Robotics is one of the representative domains where this trend appears. As technology advances, robots are beginning to inhabit the same physical space as humans and this makes the safety issue more important, even critical. However, the safety of recent component-based robotic systems has not been extensively investigated yet. One effective way to achieve system safety is fault tolerance based on FDD which recent robot systems can benefit from. For this purpose, we propose a FDD scheme for component-based software systems with the requirements of flexibility, extendability, and efficiency. The proposed FDD scheme consists of three main components: filter and history buffer, filtering pipeline, and FDD pipeline. We implemented this scheme using the cisst framework and show how it can be systematically deployed in an actual system. As an illustrative example, a FDD pipeline is set up to detect a thread scheduling fault on various operating systems (Linux, RTAI, and Xenomai) and experimental results are presented. Although the target of this example is only one type of fault, it demonstrates how the proposed FDD scheme can be introduced to component-based environments in flexible and systematic ways and how system designers can define a fault and FDD pipeline for it. It is obvious that the importance of dependability���especially safety���of robots will significantly increase as robots are deployed in our daily lives, directly operate on us, or interact closely with us. Thus, the FDD scheme proposed in this paper can be a useful basis for robot dependability research in the future.
Isolation, localization, and characterization of gastrointestinal peptides

Increasing numbers of peptides have been found in the gastrointestinal tract. Some of these are localized primarily in endocrine cells in the gastrointestinal epithelium (e.g., gastrin, secretin) or pancreatic islets (e.g., insulin, glucagon), and function chiefly as circulating hormones. Other peptides, e.g., VIP, are principally neuropeptides present mainly in nerve cells, nerve fibres and nerve terminals; they function mainly as neurotransmitters or neuromodulators. The isolation of gut peptides has usually depended on the use of characteristic bioassays. More recently, some peptides have been isolated on the basis of unique terminal amino-acid composition. Certain chemical structures are associated with typical biological actions, and several “families” of related peptides are recognized.
The microchemical detection of carbonic anhydrase in corneal epithelia

Carbonic anhydrase (CA) activity has been detected and quantified in the corneal epithelia of various mammlian species using a microchemical assay. The highest levels were found in the rabbit, followed by man, dog, sheep, and cat. Enzyme levels in the rabbit epithelium were approximately one-third the amount found in the endothelium, perhaps explaining earlier failures to find CA in the epithelium. Selective inactivation of CA-II in tissue homogenates with bromopyruvic acid allowed determination of CA-I/CA-II ratios. The ratios in corneal epithelia from two species (rabbit and dog) approximated that in the erythrocyte. Although CA levels in the epithelium are low they are perhaps functional in the transfer of CO2 across the cornea.
Mindicators: A Scalable Approach to Quiescence

We introduce the Mindicator, a new shared object that is optimized for querying the minimum value of a set of values proposed by several processes. A mindicator may hold at most one value per process. This interface is designed for use in shared memory runtime systems, such as garbage collectors, software transactional memory (TM), and operating system kernels. We introduce linearizable and relaxed mindicator implementations, both of which are lock-free. Our algorithms employ a tree structure, where querying the minimum element takes constant time, and adding and removing elements from the set does not hinder scalability. In microbenchmarks and a synthetic TM workload, we show that both provide good scalability on the x86 and SPARC platforms.
Massive Stellar Content of Giant H II Regions in M33 and M101

Far-ultraviolet (900-1200 A) spectral synthesis of nine giant extragalactic H II regions in M33 and M101 is performed to study their massive stellar content. Several parameters are quantified, predicted, and compared to the literature: age, stellar mass, initial mass function (IMF) slope, number of O-type and Wolf-Rayet stars, and Hα and 5500 A continuum fluxes. The results of this particular technique are consistent with other methods and observations. This work shows that a total stellar mass of a few 103 M⊙ is needed to populate the IMF bins well enough at high masses to obtain accurate results from the spectral synthesis technique in the far-ultraviolet. A flat IMF slope seems to characterize better the stellar line profiles of these objects, which is likely the first sign of a small number statistics effect on the IMF. Finally, the H II region NGC 5461 is identified as a good candidate for hosting a second generation of stars, not yet seen at far-ultraviolet wavelengths.
Discovery and synthetic refactoring of tryptophan dimer gene clusters from the environment.

Here we investigate bacterial tryptophan dimer (TD) biosynthesis by probing environmental DNA (eDNA) libraries for chromopyrrolic acid (CPA) synthase genes. Functional and bioinformatics analyses of TD clusters indicate that CPA synthase gene sequences diverge in concert with the functional output of their respective clusters, making this gene a powerful tool for guiding the discovery of novel TDs from the environment. Twelve unprecedented TD biosynthetic gene clusters that can be arranged into five groups (A–E) based on their ability to generate distinct TD core substructures were recovered from eDNA libraries. Four of these groups contain clusters from both cultured and culture independent studies, while the remaining group consists entirely of eDNA-derived clusters. The complete synthetic refactoring of a representative gene cluster from the latter eDNA specific group led to the characterization of the erdasporines, cytotoxins with a novel carboxy-indolocarbazole TD substructure. Analysis of CPA syntha...
YIG-tuned transferred electron oscillator using thin-film microcircuits

A YIG-tuned bulk GaAs oscillator which is electrically tunable from 4-12 GHz with a minimum of +4 dBm power output will be described. Tuning power is less than 0.75 W at 12 GHz.
Effects of estrous cycle and season on ultrasonic uterine anatomy in mares

The morphological changes in ultrasound images of the uterus at various times of the year were characterized in nonbred mares, using a linear-array scanner. The uterus was recorded as having an ultrasonic morphology characteristic of diestrus (uterine score 1, endometrial folds not visible), estrus (score 3, distinct endometrial folds), or an intermediate stage (score 2). In Experiment I, uterine scores for the first ovulatory period of the year were compared to scores for the second period in 23 pony mares. More mares (P<0.05) showed endometrial folding prior to the second ovulation of the year (14 23 ) than prior to the first (5 23 ). Mean uterine scores were higher (P<0.05) on Day -10 (ovulation = Day 0) and tended to be higher (P<0.1) on Days -14, -13, and -11 of the first ovulatory period than on the corresponding days of the second period. Uterine scores for the first ovulatory period were lower (P<0.05) on Days -5, -4, -3, -2, -1, and 0 and tended to be lower (P<0.01) on Day -6. In addition, the pattern of change in uterine scores paralleled the pattern of change in the intensity of estrous behavior. In Experiment II, in 20 horse mares, the curve for uterine scores during interovulatory intervals in May-June, but not in September-October, was bimodal due to a small rise (P<0.05) and subsequent return to baseline between Days +3 and +6. The mean uterine scores for both May-June and September-October began to increase on Day -7 or -8, reached maximum on Day -3, declined between Days -2 and 0, continued to decline after Day 0, and reached a value characteristic of diestrus by Day +2. Results indicated that the ultrasonic characteristics of the uterus may provide an instant indicator of estrogen exposure and may have practical value in judging the optimal time to breed.
A comparison of hierarchical Pt@CeO2/Si–Al2O3 and Pd@CeO2/Si–Al2O3

Abstract A comparison of catalytic and adsorption properties for Pt@CeO2/Si–Al2O3 (1-wt% Pt and 9-wt% CeO2) and Pd@CeO2/Si–Al2O3 (1-wt% Pd and 9-wt% CeO2) core–shell catalysts indicates that the CeO2 shell is stable for Pd but not for Pt. Following calcination at 773 K, Pt@CeO2/Si–Al2O3 exhibits water–gas-shift (WGS) rates in 3% H2O and CO that are similar to rates found on conventional Pt/CeO2, implying that there is good contact between the Pt and CeO2 phases, even at the relatively low CeO2 loading. WGS rates on Pt@CeO2/Si–Al2O3 were also reasonably stable with time and unaffected by pre-reduction of the catalyst. By comparison, WGS rates over Pd@CeO2/Si–Al2O3 declined rapidly due to reduction of CeO2 and were suppressed by pre-reduction of CeO2. After calcination to 1073 K, large metal particles were observed with Pt@CeO2/Si–Al2O3, but not on Pd@CeO2/Si–Al2O3. Coulometric titration measurements on these two materials suggest stronger interactions between CeO2 and Pd and these are likely responsible for the higher stability of the core–shell structure in Pd@CeO2 compared to Pd@CeO2.
Colored polymer microparticles through carbon dioxide-assisted dyeing

A new procedure is described for dyeing polymer beads using liquid carbon dioxide as a plasticizer to facilitate transport of dye into the particle phase. Aqueous latexes consisting of monodisperse polystyrene particles with surface-grafted poly(N-vinylpyrrolidone) were dyed with Sudan Red 7B using CO{sub 2} at 25 C and 310 bar. Adding CO{sub 2} to the headspace above the latex resulted in some dyeing of the polymer, but better results were obtained by forming an emulsion of CO{sub 2} in the aqueous latex phase. Emulsions were formed with both a fluorinated and a hydrocarbon-based surfactant. It was found that the carbon dioxide emulsion greatly enhances the transfer of dye into the polystyrene without altering the size or morphology of the particles.
Devising a quick-running heuristic for an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) routing system

UAVs provide reconnaissance support for the US military and often need operational routes immediately; current practice involves manual route calculation that can involve hundreds of targets and a complex set of operational restrictions. Our research focused on providing an operational UAV routing system. This system required development of a reasonably effective, quick running routing heuristic. We present the statistical methodology used to devise a quick-running routing heuristic that provides reasonable solutions. We consider three candidate local search heuristic approaches, conduct an empirical analysis to parameterize each heuristic, competitively test each candidate heuristic, and provide statistical analysis on the performance of each candidate heuristic to include comparison of the results of the best candidate heuristic against a compilation of the best-known solutions for standard test problems. Our heuristic is a component of the final UAV routing system and provides the UAV operators a tool to perform their route development tasks quickly and efficiently.
Geometrical properties of a digital beam attenuator system

A digital beam attenuator system has been developed to automatically generate patient‐specific compensating filters for chest radiography. An initial low‐dose test image is used to generate the attenuator, which is fabricated by overprinting multiple layers of a heavy‐metal material onto a nonattenuating substrate. The attenuator is subsequently inserted into the x‐ray beam for a final compensated radiograph. The effects of focal spot blurring and limited attenuator resolution result in the final compensated image containing only high‐spatial frequency information. The frequency response of the process is not strictly describable by a modulation transfer function, but an approximation of the frequencies remaining in the compensated image is obtained for low‐contrast conditions. It is found that a 4×4 blurring function on the original 64×64 test image is required for the attenuator to give appropriate compensated image appearance. A proposed attenuator printing scheme prints the attenuator in a 16×16 matrix, staggering successively printed layers to achieve the required 64×64 sampling with appropriate blurring. The resulting compensated image has good anatomical definition and contains a frequency response similar to that obtained by compensation techniques being investigated by Plewes and Sorenson.
Does use of tangible rewards with individual children affect peer observers

The common assumption that employing tangible rewards with individual children will have adverse effects upon peer observers was studied in the preschool setting. Multiple-subject, multiple-baseline procedures were applied to two classes of children, aged 3.5 to 6 yr. In each group, three consecutive children with low base rates of in-seat behavior received a verbal contingency and food rewards for sitting, while peers (with either low or high rates of in-seat behavior) received neither food nor teacher attention for sitting. Peer reactions measured were in-seat behavior, aggression, nonaggressive disruptive behavior, and complaints. The procedures neither decreased the in-seat behavior of peer observers, nor increased their aggressive or disruptive behavior. On the contrary, peers with low base rates of sitting initially displayed an abrupt, but temporary, increase in sitting. Moreover, although no compensatory attention was delivered, all children exhibited improved sitting by the end of the study. Complaints, which consisted mainly of requests for rewards, decreased in frequency with successive program phases, and within each phase. It is suggested that the class improvement in sitting behavior and the absence of negative effects on observers may be partially due to the high frequency of attention the teacher maintained for other desired behavior and the lack of attention to children's complaints.
Classifying topoi and the axiom of infinity

LetL be an elementary topos. The axiom of infinity, asserting thatL has a natural numbers object, is shown to be necessary-sufficiency has long been known-for the existence of an object-classifying topos overL.
Diagnostic criteria in Dementia : A comparison of current criteria, research challenges, and implications for DSM-V

Planning is being initiated for the American Psychiatric Association's Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders 5th ed. (DSM-V). Therefore, the dementia diagnosis criteria in the American Psychiatric Association's DSM-IV-TR (4th ed, text revision, 2000) have been compared with the World Health Organization's International Classification of Diseases (10th revision, 1992). Critiques are based primarily on (a) internal consistency and validity of the classification, (b) historical development of the field, (c) conclusions of consensus conferences, and (d) current knowledge and practice. It is suggested that (1) the entire category be labeled "cognitive disorders," to better characterize this group of disorders, (2) there is no longer any scientific basis for the presenile versus senile dementia dichotomy at age 65, (3) Alzheimer's disease no longer should have unique status as a "diagnosis of exclusion," (4) future manuals should incorporate knowledge regarding the clinical manifestation and course of Alzheimer's disease and other dementias, and (5) the classification "Pick's disease" should be broadened to "frontotemporal dementias." DSM-V should incorporate continuing advances in the neuroscience knowledge base and understanding of these disorders.
104 Lack of referral bias in genetic studies of prostate cancer

Abstract PURPOSE: Men with prostate cancer identified through referral centers tend to be younger on average than those from population-based sources. This could potentially augment the proportion of men with a family history of prostate cancer and therefore bias insights about the role of genetic polymorphisms in case control studies. We sought to examine this hypothesis in the context of an ongoing case control study. METHODS: Cases were identified as the 6,352 consecutive candidates for radical prostatectomy at Mayo Clinic from 1966 to 1995. In 1995, 4,307 of the 5,486 men who were alive (78 percent participation) were queried about family history of prostate cancer and the distance of their home to Rochester, Minnesota was determined on the basis of ZIP code of residence. RESULTS: Among the 4,307 participants, there was a modest shift in age distribution towards younger ages with successively greater distance from Rochester. By contrast, the percentage of men reporting any first degree relatives with prostate cancer shifted very little by distance strata: 30, 30, 27, 27 and 26.5 percent for subjects living 0–100, 101–250, 251–500, 501–1000 and more than 1,000 miles from Rochester, respectively (p for trend = 0.09). The proportion reporting 3 or more first degree relatives differed very little, from 1.2 percent among local subjects to 1.1 percent among those most distant. CONCLUSION: The results from this surgical series provide little evidence of an increased prevalence of family history with increasing referral distance. While they provide some reassurance that referral bias should not overemphasize the contribution of genetic factors in case control studies conducted in referral centers, it would be prudent to investigate this in individual settings.
High incidence of postoperative bowel obstruction in newborns and infants

Abstract Background Postoperative bowel obstruction (PBO) plagues patients of all ages after intraabdominal surgery. We examined the incidence, risk factors, and the need for operative intervention of PBO. Methods We reviewed all children who underwent a laparotomy or laparoscopy. Parameters included age, diagnosis, type and number of procedures, complications, time interval to PBO, treatment of PBO, morbidity, and mortality. Results From 2001 to 2005, 2187 abdominal operations were performed. Overall, 61 patients (2.8%) developed a PBO; 43 (70.5%) required reoperation. Postoperative bowel obstruction was more common in patients younger than 1 year (28/601, 4.7%) compared with older children (33/1586, 2.1%; P = .01, β = .80). In infants, PBO was not influenced by initial diagnosis ( P = .26) or whether the initial operation was clean/clean-contaminated or contaminated/dirty ( P = .12). In children older than 1 year, nonoperative treatment was more likely to be successful if PBO occurred within 12 weeks of initial operation (12/16 vs 3/14; P = .01). In contrast, all but one infant (16/17) with early PBO required reoperation. Conclusion The incidence of PBO is significantly higher in newborns and infants than in older children (who have rates comparable to those reported in adults). Infants are significantly more likely to require operative intervention, particularly if PBO occurs early after the initial operation.
Void formation in irradiated Nickel 270

Abstract Nickel 270 (99.98 per cent nominal purity) was irradiated in EBR-II to fluences ranging from 1 × 1018 to 1.5 × 1022 neutrons/cm2 at temperatures between 375 and 525°C. Voids were observed in all specimens in concentrations of 1 to 3 × 1014/cm3, independent of temperature and fluence. At low fluences the voids were non-homogeneously distributed. These observations are interpreted in terms of void nucleation on sites existing in the material prior to irradiation. The results are compared with other observations on nickel of comparable and higher purity. Large differences exist not only in the magnitude of void concentrations but also in temperature and fluence dependencies. These differences indicate that a single, void nucleation mechanism is not operative and that impurities play an important role in determining the nature and amount of damage produced by neutron irradiation at elevated temperatures.
Quasi-Spherical Implosions on ZR as a Novel Source for Effects Testing

Summary form only given. Quasi-spherical Z-pinch loads may be formed by an array of wires laid down on an appropriate path along the surface of a quasi-sphere. A 2-cm diameter quasi-spherical 18-mg, copper 160-wire-array or wire-basket has been designed as a load for ZR at 28-MA. Internal to this load is 4-mg of foam at a 1-cm diameter. 1D hydrodynamic simulation of the implosion of this load on ZR shows that the imploding quasi-spherical wire basket may compress the foam along conical glide planes a factor of 7 to produce a high temperature radiation source. The compression is nearly adiabatic and most of the 0D kinetic energy of the imploding copper is converted into internal energy of the foam. Radiation from the high temperature foam may be transmitted through a 1-mm diameter exit filter along the axis of ZR and used as a source of 5 to 9-keV photons for weapons effects testing. The exit filter is designed to trap photons with energies less than 5-keV inside the imploded copper quasi-sphere, and pass photons with 5 to 9-keV energies. A simple model including radiation loss out the exit filter shows that the radiated yield at energies above 5-keV may approach 100-kJ on ZR. This yield is emitted from a radiation cavity out along the axis into 3.14 steradians as opposed to cylindrical wire array implosions, which emit into 12.56 steradians. The internal quasi-spherical approach to producing an effects source may deliver more flux above 5-keV to test samples than cylindrical wire-arrays at machine currents greater than the 28-MA of ZR
Renal cell cancer among African Americans: an epidemiologic review

Incidence rates for renal cell cancer, which accounts for 85% of kidney cancers, have been rising more rapidly among blacks than whites, almost entirely accounted for by an excess of localized disease. This excess dates back to the 1970s, despite less access among blacks to imaging procedures in the past. In contrast, mortality rates for this cancer have been virtually identical among blacks and whites since the early 1990s, despite the fact that nephrectomy rates, regardless of stage, are lower among blacks than among whites. These observations suggest that renal cell cancer may be a less aggressive tumor in blacks. We have reviewed the epidemiology of renal cell cancer, with emphasis on factors which may potentially play a role in the observed differences in incidence and mortality patterns of renal cell cancer among blacks and whites. To date, the factors most consistently, albeit modestly, associated with increased renal cell cancer risk in epidemiologic studies among whites - obesity, hypertension, cigarette smoking - likely account for less than half of these cancers, and there is virtually no epidemiologic evidence in the literature pertaining to their association with renal cell cancer among blacks. There is a long overdue need for detailed etiologic cohort and case-control studies of renal cell cancer among blacks, as they now represent the population at highest risk in the United States. In particular, investigation of the influence on renal cell cancer development of hypertension and chronic kidney disease, both of which occur substantially more frequently among blacks, is warranted, as well as investigations into the biology and natural history of this cancer among blacks.
A comparison of parametric and semiparametric estimates of the effect of spousal health insurance coverage on weekly hours worked by wives

SUMMARY Health insurance in the USA for most of the non-aged population is provided as a fringe benefit that is received by an adult family member as part of his or her compensation package. In husband and wife households health insurance is more likely to be part of the husband's compensation package than the wife's compensation package. However, when a husband does not have employer-provided health insurance, his wife may seek health insurance through an employer. Because health insurance through one's employer typically requires that a worker is a full-time employee, spousal health insurance coverage for wives is predicted to influence their labour supply decisions. Parametric and semiparametric statistical models using March 1993 CPS data show wives without spousal health benefits are more likely to work full-time than those who do have spousal health benefits. ? 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Employer-provided health insurance is the dominant mechanism by which individuals in the USA under the age of 65 gain access to health care and insure their families and themselves against the financial burden caused by the costs of treating chronic and acute health conditions. The most recent published data from the Current Population Survey show that in 1995 84-6% of the US population was covered by public or private health insurance and employer-provided health insurance was the dominant form of coverage. In that year 70.3% of the population was covered by private health insurance and 87% of those individuals (61 1 % of the total population) gained health insurance benefits through a family member that received these benefits from a current or former employer (US Bureau of the Census, 1996). Relatively few part-time jobs provide health insurance benefits. In 1992 23% of employees working 34 hours per week or less received health insurance through their employer, whereas 70% of full-time (more than 34 hours/week) employees had employer provided health insurance. I hypothesize that wives who do not have health insurance coverage through their husband's employer are more likely to work full-time in order to obtain health insurance for themselves and for other family members than are wives who have health insurance through their husband's employer. Support for this proposition is found using both parametric and semiparametric estimation methods. Using CPS data from March 1993, I find women without spousal coverage were less likely to be out of the labour force than women with spousal coverage. Among working
A practical approach to multicolor flow cytometry for immunophenotyping

Through a series of novel developments in flow cytometry hardware, software, and dye-chemistry it is now possible to simultaneously measure up to 11 distinct fluorescences and two scattered light parameters on each cell. Such advanced multicolor systems have a number of advantages over current two- and three-color flow cytometric measurements. They provide a large amount of novel information for each sample studied, an exquisitely accurate quantitation of even rare cell populations, and allow identification and characterization of novel cell subsets. In particular, this technology is proving crucial to identifying functionally homogeneous subsets of cells within the enormously complex immune system; such identification and enumeration is important for understanding disease pathogenesis. However, multicolor flow cytometry comes with a new and sometimes difficult set of technical problems that must be overcome by users to derive meaningful results. In this manuscript, we describe the basic aspects of multicolor flow cytometry, including the technical hurdles and artefacts that may occur, and provide some suggestions for how to best overcome these hurdles. While inspired by the 11-color technology that we currently use, these principles apply to all flow cytometric experiments in which more than one fluorescent dye is used.
Numerical Investigation on Turbulent Flow and Heat Transfer of Rectangular Channels With Elliptic Scale-Roughened Walls

In the present paper, six new types of rectangular channels with elliptic scale-roughened walls for heat transfer enhancement, which include elongated scale cases (Pt/Pl = 0.3, 0.5, 0.7) and squeezed scale cases (Pt/Pl = 1.43, 2, 3.33), are proposed. Heat transfer and fluid flow characteristics for sixteen different scale-roughened models (with the scale height varying in the range from 1mm to 2.5mm) are predicted numerically using commercial CFD code, Ansys CFX, with the Reynolds number ranging from 5000 to 15000. The turbulent model employed is the k-ω based Shear-Stress-Transport (SST) model with automatic wall function treatment. It is found that the elliptic scales with their long axis oriented perpendicular to the flow direction enhance the heat transfer performance considerably, while the scales elongated in the flow direction have lower Nusselt numbers and pressure drops compared to the circular scale-roughened channels. It is also found that the scale-shaped roughness strongly spins the flow in the spanwise direction, which breaks the near wall boundary layers continuously and enhances the bulk flow mixing. With the flow marching in a spiral pattern, Nusselt number ratios between the squeezed scale-roughened and smooth channel flows (Nu/Nu∞) could be augmented to be within the range of 6.1 to 8.1, which is a 50% improvement over the circular scale-roughened channels.Copyright © 2012 by ASME
On the numerical solution of the Hill-Wheeler equation

A particular numerical method is discussed for solving the Hill–Wheeler equation, which is an integral equation that arises in the generator coordinate method analysis of problems in nuclear physics. The method is applicable to scattering problems with finite range potentials and exploits prior knowledge of the asymptotic form of the solution to convert the Hill–Wheeler equation into a Fredholm integral equation of the first kind. The resulting Fredholm equation is ill‐posed, which often results in numerically unstable solutions. The method of regularization is used to produce numerically stable, approximate solutions. Optimizing the choice of regularization parameter is discussed and calculations are presented for an example problem.
Long-term follow-up of brain-damaged children requiring feeding gastrostomy: Should an antireflux procedure always be performed?☆

Abstract Due to the frequent presence of latent gastroesophageal reflux (GER) in mentally impaired children, it is now standard to perform upper gastrointestinal contrast (UGI) and pH probe studies in all children referred for feeding gastrostomy, even if they are without clinical evidence for GER. For patients with documented GER, an antireflux operation performed in conjunction with gastrostomy is usually considered mandatory. Some authors have suggested that a “protective” antireflux operation be performed at the time of gastrostomy placement in all brain-damaged children, citing a high incidence of postoperative GER in this group of patients following gastrostomy, even with a negative preoperative evaluation for GER. To evaluate this theory, we prospectively studied, over the past 6 years, all mentally retarded children referred for feeding gastrostomy with UGI contrast and esophageal pH probe studies. In total, 148 children were studied; 105 had a positive evaluation for GER and underwent gastrostomy and antireflux surgery. Of the 43 children with a negative preoperative evaluation for GER, 37 are doing well following gastrostomy alone without clinical reflux at an average follow-up of 21 months. Six of the 43 (14%) developed symptomatic GER occurring at an average of 10 months following gastrostomy placement. Five of these children have been successfully treated with an antireflux operation and the sixth patient has been successfully man-aged nonoperatively. Given the significant morbidity and mortality that has been documented with antireflux operations in mentally retarded children, we conclude that a protective antireflux operation at the time of gastrostomy placement is not indicated because the data suggest that 86% of children with a negative preoperative evaluation for GER would undergo the operation needlessly.
Principles of Operations Research---6. The Screwdriver Syndrome

The following is the sixth in a series of articles on the principles of operations research by Robert Machol, past president of ORSA, which were formerly published on a regular basis in OR/SA Today. As the ready will note, these are somewhat different from similarly titled subjects in the usual textbooks. In this text the Screwdriver Syndrome---another term for a solution looking for a problem---is discussed.
Rational Development of β-Peptide Inhibitors of Human Cytomegalovirus Entry

Abstract Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) is a pervasive and significant pathogen. At present, there is no HCMV vaccine, and the available drugs target only replication events. Thus, new therapeutic strategies are needed. HCMV fusion appears to require interactions of α-helical regions in viral surface glycoproteins gB and gH. Oligomers of β-amino acids (“β-peptides”) are attractive unnatural scaffolds for mimicry of specific protein surfaces, because β-peptides adopt predictable helical conformations and resist proteolysis. Here, we report the development of β-peptides designed to mimic the gB heptad repeat and block HCMV entry. The most potent β-peptide inhibits HCMV infection in a cell based-assay with an IC50 of ∼30 μm. Consistent with our structure-based design strategy, inhibition is highly specific for HCMV relative to other related viruses. Mechanistic studies indicate that inhibitory β-peptides act by disrupting membrane fusion. Our findings raise the possibility that β-peptides may provide a general platform for development of a new class of antiviral agents and that inhibitory β-peptides will constitute new tools for elucidating viral entry mechanisms.
Group therapy with Spanish-speaking clinic patients to enhance ego functioning

On the assumption that Spanish-speaking, culturally deprived female patients can profit from group psychotherapy, the author shares her experiences and findings with this population. After examining the differences between the Spanish-speaking psychiatric clinic patients in a large urban medical center and the traditional, verbal, motivated patient, the author suggests modification of treatment techniques in group therapy. She proposes various aproaches that take into account the disparate cultural orientation and value system of this group in order to meet their needs and provide a more effective treatment outcome.
Characteristics of clinicians likely to refer clients to 12-Step programs versus a diversity of post-treatment options

Abstract Most clients in substance abuse treatment are referred for continuing care. However, post-treatment services vary widely in their approaches to helping individuals achieve better substance use outcomes. This study examined the attitudes of outpatient treatment staff who refer clients exclusively to 12-Step groups ( 12-Step subgroup ) and staff who refer clients both to 12-Step groups and to other continuing care options ( Diversity subgroup ) toward seven mutual-aid and professional psychosocial post-treatment options: Twelve-Step Programs (12-Step), Cognitive–Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Moderation Management (MM), Smart Recovery ® (SMART), Psychodynamic-oriented Therapy (PSY), Secular Organizations for Sobriety (SOS), and Women for Sobriety (WFS). A large percentage of clinicians lacked knowledge about the effectiveness of all alternatives to 12-Step programs with the exception of CBT. Clinicians in the 12-Step subgroup were more likely than those in the Diversity subgroup to be unfamiliar with alternatives to 12-Step programs and to believe less strongly in the effectiveness of CBT and PSY. A logistic regression found beliefs about CBT effectiveness and clinician preference for the 12-Step model to be related to the likelihood of referring exclusively to 12-Step groups. Findings suggest that clinicians could benefit from information and training on assessing and referring clients to various options for continuing care.
Design and implementation of a computer vision-guided greenhouse crop diagnostics system

An autonomous computer vision-guided plant sensing and monitoring system was designed and constructed to continuously monitor temporal, morphological, and spectral features of lettuce crop growing in a nutrient film technique (NFT) hydroponics system. The system consisted of five main components including (1) a stepper motor-driven camera positioning system, (2) an image acquisition system, (3) a data logger monitoring root and aerial zone of the growing environment, (4) a dynamic SQL database module for data storage, and (5) a host computer running the collection, processing, storage, and analysis functions. Panoramic canopy images were dynamically created from the images collected by color, near-infrared (NIR) and thermal cameras. From these three images, the crop features were registered such that a single extracted crop (or a crop canopy) contained information from each layer. The extracted features were color (red---green---blue, hue-saturation-luminance, and color brightness), texture (entropy, energy, contrast, and homogeneity), Normalized Difference Vegetative Index (NDVI) (as well as other similar indices from the color and NIR channels), thermal (plant and canopy temperature), plant morphology (top projected plant and canopy area), and temporal changes of all these variables. The computer vision-guided system was able to extract these plant features and stored them into a database autonomously. This paper introduces the engineering design and system components in detail. The system's capability is illustrated with a one-day sample of the lettuce plants growing in the NFT system, presenting the temporal changes of three key crop features extracted, and identification of a stress level and locality detection as example applications.
Cross-tolerance studies distinguish morphine- and metkephamid-induced analgesia.

Abstract In vitro data demonstrate that metkephamid (LY127623), an analog of methionine enkephalin, has a high affinity for the δ opioid receptor, as well as the μ-receptor. Data generated utilizing two in vivo measures of receptor selectivity, furthermore, indicate that metkpehamid's analgesic activity is in part mediated by δ opioid receptors. The analgesic activity of metkephamid was investigated in the mouse writhing assay following chronic treatment with morphine, the prototypic μ agonist. Mice were treated chronically with increasing doses of morphine or saline and the inhibition of writhing measured in response to an acute injection of morphine or metkephamid. The dose response curve for morphine was shifted to the right 3- to 4-fold following chronic administration of morphine. In contrast, no such shift in the dose response curve for metkephamid was observed in these morphine-tolerant mice. In a further series of tests, a 50 mg/kg dose of naloxazone 20 hr prior to the assessment of morphine or metkephamid analgesia in the mouse hot plate test substantially shifted the dose-response curve for morphine to the right, while leaving the dose-response curve for metkephamid unchanged. These results suggest that δ-receptor activation contributes to the analgesia produced by metkephamid.
Genome-wide approaches to systematically identify substrates of the ubiquitin–proteasome pathway

The ubiquitin-proteasome system handles the majority of controlled proteolysis in eukaryotes. Defects in the ubiquitin-proteasome system have been implicated in diseases ranging from cancers to neurodegenerative disorders. However, the precise role of ubiquitin-proteasome-mediated degradation in health and disease is far from clear. A major challenge is to link specific substrates directly to a particular degradation pathway. Here, we review genome-wide approaches that have been developed in recent years to comprehensively identify ubiquitylated substrates of a particular pathway. Components of the ubiquitin-proteasome system are attractive drug targets, as illustrated by the efficacy of some proteasome inhibitors in the treatment of multiple myeloma. Information that has emerged from these studies could reveal novel drug targets and strategies for treating human diseases.
Entropy and symmetry — their relation to thought processes in the biological system

This paper addresses the topic of the electrophysiology of thought processes in a biological system. A classification and criticism of definitions of “intelligence” is presented. The engenderment of “intelligent” regulations of behavior is seen to involve stipulations concerning the relation of metron to logon informational content (MacKay, 1950). The relationship is of a nature similar to that hidden behind the Maxwell demon (Maxwell, 1871), and to certain difficulties already faced in quantum mechanics. As thought structures observe conservation of variety under transformations, the conservation of entropy in thermodynamics is investigated. Conservation occurs in a Carnot cycle (Carnot, 1824) and only under a Lorenz transformation subject to a symmetry group formation. The symmetry group is topic neutral and could be applied to informational structures. The need for the informational equivalents of a Carnot cycle and Lorenz transformations is described. To depict the interaction of energy and structure, equivalents of Einstein's field equations are needed. The study of symmetry groups by electrophysiological methods is seen to be at least feasible.
Rethinking Ethics in the Light of Jewish Thought and the Life Sciences

Judaism in the twentieth century began to return to its scriptural, communal roots after a centuries-long detour through Greek-influenced natural philosophy, a detour during which science and ethics were assumed to be partners and Jewish ethics drew heavily on natural philosophy and science. Twentieth-century philosophical ethics and science, particularly biological science, have developed in such a way as to make any continuation of that historical partnership problematic. This is not altogether regrettable because the problematizing of this long-standing partnership has driven Jewish ethics back to its real roots: covenantal relationship, and moral wisdom and discernment.
Classic signs of closed loop bowel obstruction

A 75-year-old man presented to this hospital with abdominal pain. The patient described the sudden onset of: left lower quadrant pain nine-out-of-ten in severity, associated with multiple episodes of bilious vomiting. The patient had not had a bowel movement in 4 days. Physical examination was notable for tenderness to palpation and guarding in the left lower quadrant. Computed tomography of the abdomen and pelvis without contrast material was completed, and demonstrated a closed-loop bowel obstruction involving an ileal loop (Figs. 1, 2). The patient underwent an exploratory laparotomy, which confirmed an ischemic closed-loop obstruction. A small bowel resection was performed (Fig. 3), and the patient recovered uneventfully.
Molecular characterization of pig muscle phosphoglucose isomerase

Abstract As a corollary to X-ray crystallographic work performed by H. Muirhead, detailed studies on crystalline pig muscle phosphoglucose isomerase have been conducted to establish its basic physical and chemical properties. The enzyme species being investigated by X-ray diffraction has been determined to be isoenzyme III. Its molecular weight in the native state was found to be 132,000, its s020,w value to be 7·25 S. The enzyme is composed of two subunits of equal molecular weight (66,000). Its amino acid composition is largely similar to that of rabbit muscle phosphoglucose isomerase, with the significant exception that the pig muscle isomerase contains only three sulfhydryl groups per polypeptide chain (two of them accessible to titration with p-mercuribenzoate) as compared with twice that number for the rabbit muscle enzyme. This low number of sulfhydryl groups is interpreted as being responsible for the ease with which heavy-atom, isomorphous derivatives could be prepared for the pig muscle enzyme by Shaw & Muirhead (1977).
A Disconnect in Stakeholders' Perceptions from Emerging Realities of Teledensity Growth in Africa's Least Developed Countries

With the dynamic and meteoric rise in teledensity diffusion across Sub Saharan Africa, one would expect a departure in the perceptions of stakeholders as they relate to the Bernt and Weiss framework that identifies organizational, financial, technological, and geographical factors as the key impediments to teledensity growth. The findings of this research show that there is disconnect between current happenings and perception of stakeholders. Specifically, there is no change in stakeholdersâ€™ perceptions with respect to the framework mentioned above. However, historical and recent teledensity data from Africaâ€™s Least Developed Countries illustrate that the model is inconsistent with the emerging realities in these countries, and that it may be getting obsolete. This leads us to conjecture that in this new dispensation, there may be some emerging factors, issues, constraints, and opportunities that may be of greater importance to understanding telecommunications capabilities in these countries and the world at large.