cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A direct proof of the existence of pure strategy equilibria in games with a continuum of players

In this note we provide a direct and simple proof of the existence of pure strategy Nash equilibria in large finite action games when the payoffs depend on own action and the average response of others. The result is then extended to the case where the action set of each player is a compact subset of ℜn.
Plasma LH and Progesterone Concentrations in the Turkey Hen During the Ovulatory Cycle

Abstract Progesterone and luteinizing hormone (LH) were measured in the plasma of Large White turkey hens at frequent intervals during the ovulatory cycle and during the periods when ovulations did not occur. The hormones were quantitated at the beginning and the end of the reproductive season to follow the change in patterns and concentrations of these hormones. Radioimmunoassay procedures were used to assay both hormones. Both progesterone and LH reached a peak amount at about 8 to 2 hours before ovulation. At no time did the progesterone peak precede that of LH. On the other hand, the peak of progesterone was observed to last somewhat longer than the LH peak. Progesterone and LH concentrations demonstrated no peak during the non-ovulatory periods. The patterns of both hormones at the end of the reproductive season was about the same as at the beginning of the season, but with lower concentrations.
EvIdent TM : a functional magnetic resonance image analysis system

EvIdent(TM) (EVent IDENTification) is a user-friendly, algorithm-rich, exploratory data analysis software for quickly detecting, investigating, and visualizing novel events in a set of images as they evolve in time and/or frequency. For instance, in a series of functional magnetic resonance neuroimages, novelty may manifest itself as neural activations in a time course. The core of the system is an enhanced variant of the fuzzy c-means clustering algorithm. Fuzzy clustering obviates the need for models of the underlying requisite biological function, models that are often statistically suspect.
Delayed and Unsuccessful Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography Are Associated With Worse Outcomes in Patients With Acute Cholangitis

Background & Aims Acute ascending cholangitis usually is treated with antibiotics, and biliary drainage is treated by endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP). We investigated the effects of the timing of ERCP on outcomes of patients with acute cholangitis factors that predict prolonged hospital stays, increased costs of hospitalization, and composite clinical outcomes (death, persistent organ failure, and admission to the intensive care unit). Methods We performed a retrospective analysis of data from 90 patients (mean age, 60 y; 48% female) admitted to Johns Hopkins Hospital from January 1994 to June 2010 who were diagnosed with acute cholangitis and underwent ERCP. A delayed ERCP was defined as one performed more than 72 hours after admission. Electronic and paper medical records were reviewed, and relevant data were abstracted. Results ERCP was performed successfully in 92% of the patients, at a mean time period of 38 hours after admission (14% of ERCPs were delayed). Factors that were associated independently with prolonged length of hospital stay (top 10%) included unsuccessful ERCP (odds ratio [OR], 52.5; P = .002) and delayed ERCP (OR, 19.8; P = .008). Factors associated with increased hospitalization cost (top 10%) included unsuccessful ERCP (OR, 33.8; P = .004) and delayed ERCP (OR, 11.3; P = .03). Factors associated with composite clinical outcome included age (OR, 1.1; P = .01), total level of bilirubin (OR, 1.36; P = .002), and delayed ERCP (OR, 7.8; P = .04). Conclusions Delayed and failed ERCP are associated with prolonged hospital stays and increased costs of hospitalization. Delayed ERCP is associated with composite clinical outcome (death, persistent organ failure, and/or intensive care unit stay). Older age and higher levels of bilirubin also are associated with patients' composite end point.
Achiral and chiral analysis of camazepam and metabolites by packed-column supercritical fluid chromatography

Supercritical fluid chromatography, using carbon dioxide as the mobile phase and ethanol as a modifier, has been applied to the analysis of products formed in rat liver microsomal metabolism of racemic camazepam, a hypnotic/anxiolytic drug in clinical use. An achiral (amino) column and a chiral (Chiralcel OD-H) column were used. The results suggest that achiral and chiral packed-column supercritical fluid chromatography gives a shorter analysis time and higher selectivity and efficiency than achiral and chiral stationary-phase high-performance liquid chromatography in the analysis of camazepam and its derivatives.
Advances and Future Directions in the Study of Children’s Neurobiological Responses to Trauma and Violence Exposure:

One of the most exciting developments to emerge from the field in the past 20 years is the increasing attention to neurobiological responses to violence and trauma exposure. Although researchers have yet to identify a consensual pattern of neurobiological response to violence and trauma exposure, it does appear that some type of alteration in the hypothalamic pituitary adrenal (HPA) axis is likely. This article briefly reviews the multiple moderating factors that help account for the divergent patterns in HPA function as well as methodological advances that will continue to improve the assessment of HPA function in youth exposed to violence and trauma.
Endothelial Cell Counts with and without Phacoemulsification

Many criteria, such as overall visual acuity and complication rates, have been used to compare the two methods of cataract removal. Since the effect of both procedures on the corneal endothelium is important, we applied our vertical cell disparity photography of the endothelium to a series of eyes operated on by both procedures. A preliminary report of vertical cell disparity was published in January 1978.1 A more comprehensive follow-up report was presented at the American Intra-Ocular Implant Society's 1978 meeting.2 In both reports, a definite disparity was documented between the endothelial cell density of the superior cornea and that of the central and inferior cornea. These studies consisted of 84% lens implant cases and 16% without lens implant. Figure 1 is a graphic demonstration
Attenuation of homeostatic responses to hypotension and glucoprivation after destruction of catecholaminergic rostral ventrolateral medulla neurons.

This study determined the effect of destruction of rostral ventrolateral medulla (RVLM)-C1 cells on integrated sympathetic and hormonal responses to hypotension or glucoprivation. Injection of anti...
Uniform olivocerebellar conduction time underlies Purkinje cell complex spike synchronicity in the rat cerebellum.

1. The issue of isochronicity of olivocerebellar fibre conduction time as a basis for synchronizing complex spike activity in cerebellar Purkinje cells has been addressed by latency measurement, multiple-electrode recording and Phaseolus vulgaris leucoagglutinin (PHA-L) tracing of climbing fibres in the adult rat. 2. The conduction time of the olivocerebellar fibres was measured by recording Purkinje cell complex spike (CS) responses from various areas of the cerebellum. The CSs were evoked by stimulating the olivocerebellar fibres near the inferior olive. In spite of a difference in length, as determined directly by light microscopy, the conduction times of different climbing fibres were quite uniform, 3.98 +/- 0.36 ms (mean +/- S.D., n = 660). 3. Multiple-electrode recording of spontaneous Purkinje cell CS activity was employed to study the spatial extent of CS synchronicity in the cerebellar cortex. Recordings of CS were obtained from Purkinje cells located on the surface and along the walls of lobule crus 2a. The rostrocaudal band-like distribution of simultaneous (within 1 ms) CS activity in Purkinje cells extended down the sides of the cerebellar folia to the deepest areas recorded (1.6-2.6 mm deep). As shown in previous experiments, the distribution of simultaneous CS activity did not extend significantly (500 microns) in the mediolateral axis of the cerebellar cortex. 4. In two animals a detailed determination of the length of the olivocerebellar fibre bundles was performed by staining the fibres with PHA-L injected into the contralateral inferior olive. This measurement included fibre bundles terminating in twenty-six different areas, ranging from the tops of the various folia to the bottoms of the fissures in both the hemisphere and the vermis. There was a 47.5% difference between the length of the longest measured fibre bundle (15.8 mm, terminating in lobule 6b, zone A) and the length of the shortest measured fibre bundle (8.3 mm, terminating in the cortex at the base of the primary fissure, zone D), after correction for tissue shrinkage. To attain an isochronous conduction time the conduction velocities for these two fibre bundles were calculated to be 4.22 m/s and 2.37 m/s, respectively. 5. By interpolating between measured points a simple formula was derived to estimate the average length of olivocerebellar fibres terminating in any given area of the cerebellar cortex, excluding the paraflocculus, the flocculus and the most lateral regions of the hemisphere. 6. We investigated the most likely mechanisms by which conduction velocity variations with length could result in global isochronicity.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
Modulation of single Ca2+-dependent K+-channel activity by protein phosphorylation.

There is considerable evidence that cyclic AMP can modulate the electrical activity of excitable cells1–10 and that protein phosphorylation by the catalytic subunit (CS) of cAMP-dependent protein kinase is a necessary step in these modulatory effects11–21. In analogy to alterations in enzyme activities following phosphorylation12, it seems possible that direct phosphorylation of ion-channel proteins may alter their gating properties, giving rise to the observed changes in electrical activity. However, the results obtained so far do not indicate whether it is ion channels themselves that are phosphorylated, or whether phosphorylation is simply an early step in some cascade of events which leads ultimately to modulation of channel activity. The development of single-channel recording techniques22 has provided a way to investigate this question. Here we describe effects of CS on the activity of individual Ca2+-dependent K+ channels from the nervous system of the land snail Helix measured in isolated membrane patches and in artificial phospholipid bilayers. The results demonstrate that cAMP-dependent protein phosphorylation produces long-lasting changes in the activity of individual channels, and indicate that the relevant phosphorylation site is closely associated with the channel.
Influence of an electric field on the plastic deformation of fine-grained MgO at high homologous temperatures

Abstract The effect of a dc electric field up to 385 V/cm on the stress–strain behavior in tension of fine-grained MgO (do=5.3 μm) was determined at 1500–1600°C. The field produced a decrease in the flow stress and an increase in the elongation. The reduction in flow stress was reversible and proportional to the field strength, amounting to ∼50% of the flow stress for E=220 V/cm. The field had only little, if any, influence on the stress exponent n=∂ ln e /∂ ln σ , which had a value of ∼1.0, indicating that it did not change the rate-controlling mechanism. The decrease in flow stress produced by the field is given by Δσ ∗ E =Z e Ex sc /Ω where Z=+2 is the charge on the rate-controlling Mg2+ ions, e is the electron charge, E is the field strength, xsc is the width of the space charge region and Ω is the atomic volume. The present results are the first of their kind which provide experimental support for the use of an electrochemical potential in diffusion flux equations pertaining to the plastic deformation of ceramic materials.
β-Endorphin: Effect on thermoregulation in aged monkeys

Abstract In previous experiments small doses of the opiate morphine produced greater hyperthermia in aged than in younger sub-human primates. To test whether this augmented response is due to enhanced sensitivity of CNS opioid receptors with age. β-endorphin (0.625–5 μg), an endogenous opioid peptide, was injected into the lateral cerebral ventricle (ICV) of young ( 9 years) squirrel monkeys. Significantly greater hyperthermias developed in the older primates after each dose. In the aged monkeys, all but the smallest dose increased core temperature about 1.5°C within 1 hr after injection. Mean rectal temperature in the y younger animals rose 0.5–0.7° after all but the largest dose (1–1.5°C rise). Both groups maintained an elevated body temperature after central β-endorphin throughout the 5 hr recording period. 1.25 μgβ-endorphin given ICV in a hot environment (30°C) caused greater hyperthermia in older animals. This dose given in the cold (18°C) caused large changes in temperature of the aged monkeys, either hyperthermia or marked decreases, whereas the young primates developed only moderate rises in body temperature. The same dose of morphine sulfate (1.25 μg) ICV produced similar changes in core temperature in the two age groups in each ambient temperature. These results indicate that: (1) stimulation of CNS opioid receptors influences thermoregulation and (2) aging increases responsiveness to such stimulation.
Causal relatedness and importance of story events

Abstract The question of what makes a statement “important” in a story was studied. Causal relations were identified between all pairs of events in six folktales, using context-dependent, logical criteria of necessity, and counterfactual tests of the form: If event A had not occurred, then, in the circumstances of the story, event B would not have occurred. Causal networks were derived from these identifications for each story and two properties of them were found to predict judgments of importance: (1) the number of direct causal connections and (2) whether or not an event was in a causal chain from the opening to the closing of the story. The judged importance of a statement increased with the number of causal connections and causal chain membership. Regression analyses showed that substantial proportions of variance were accounted for jointly by both properties and uniquely by causal connections. The importance of a statement, whether identified by structural analysis or judged by naive subjects, seems to be determined by analogous assessments of the statement's causal and logical relations to other statements in the text.
Linkage analysis of autosomal dominant atrio ventricular canal defects: exclusion of chromosome 21

The association between trisomy 21 and a high incidence of atrioventricular canal defects (AVCDs) indicates that a locus on chromosome 21 is involved in this congenital heart defect. We have investigated whether a genetic locus on chromosome 21 is also involved in familial nonsyndromic AVCDs. Short tandem repeat polymorphisms (STRPs) from chromosome 21 were used for linkage analysis of a family having multiple members affected with AVCDs. In this family, the gene for AVCDs is transmitted as an autosomal dominant with incomplete penetrance. The affected family members are nonsyndromic and have normal karyotypes. Two-point and multipoint linkage analyses produced significantly negative LOD scores for all informative markers. A comparison of the overlapping exclusion distances obtained for each marker at LOD equal -2.0 with the 1000:1 consensus genetic map of the markers, excludes chromosome 21 as the genetic location for AVCDs in this family. The exclusion of chromosome 21 indicates that another gene, not located on chromosome 21, is involved in atrioventricular canal defect formation.
Kinship structures revisited

The present work adds new dimensions of power and flexibility to an earlier formulation of a programming system that could generate and query kinship structures. The use of the associative memory, parallel processing language, AMPPL-II, and particularly its definitional capability, have proved to be of great help in programming.
Ownership Structure and Performance of Japanese Firms: Horizontal Keiretsu, Vertical Keiretsu, and Independents

Financial economists have devoted substantial effort to describing and analyzing the governance structures of the Japanese keiretsu, or business groups, to explain how their features serve to improve group performance. The governance mechanisms described provide an informative contrast to the market based monitoring mechanisms of the Anglo-American governance system. In this paper we compare the performance of Japanese keiretsu member firms with that of independent Japanese firms, whose governance structure is more market based. We also compare the performance of different types of keiretsu group members. Two results emerge. First, we find no support for the hypothesis that the overall set of governance structures of keiretsu firms are more effective at maximizing shareholder wealth than are those of independents. In addition, we document significant performance differences among different types of group member firms.
Insights into the mechanism of anti-tumor immunity in mice vaccinated with the human HER2/neu extracellular domain plus anti-HER2/neu IgG3-(IL-2) or anti-HER2/neu IgG3-(GM-CSF) fusion protein

In the present study, we demonstrate that a physical association between the extracellular domain of human HER2/neu receptor (ECDHER2) plus anti-HER2/neu IgG3-(IL-2) or anti-HER2/neu IgG3-(GM-CSF) was required to elicit the most effective anti-tumor immune response against a syngeneic tumor expressing rat HER2/neu. Immune effectors including CD4+, CD8+, and NK cells contributed to protection against tumor growth. Vaccinated B-cell deficient mice did not elicit tumor protection, suggesting a critical role for B-cells in a protective immune response. These results provide insights into the mechanisms responsible for the protective tumor immunity elicited when antibody-(IL-2 or GM-CSF) are used as enhancers of vaccines targeting tumor antigens.
PHYLOGENETICS OF THE GENUS CHIRONIUS FITZINGER, 1826 (SERPENTES, COLUBRIDAE) BASED ON MORPHOLOGY

I present a phylogeny of the Latin American snake genus Chironius based on 36 external morphological and hemipenal characters. Data from the literature for the 20 recognized species of Chironius were combined with data I collected from 20 outgroup taxa. I assessed the monophyly and in-group relationships of Chironius using both parsimony and methods. Two optimal trees were obtained using parsimony criteria; the genus Chironius is supported as monophyletic with 93% bootstrap support from six unambiguous synapomorphies, including an even number of scale rows at midbody. A Bayesian analysis of the data supports the monophyly of Chironius with a posterior probability of 100%. Both analyses inferred similar topologies; recognized species groups are partially supported, but this analysis suggests that revision of the genus is necessary. I propose elevation to full species status of taxa within the carinatus, fuscus, multiventris, and quadricarinatus species groups on the basis of morphological features unique t...
Heats of dehydration and specific heats of compounds found in concrete and their potential for thermal energy storage

Abstract Two classes of hydrated inorganic salts have been studied to assess their potential as materials for passive solar energy storage. The materials exist in the quaternary system CaOAl2O3SO3H2O and related chemicalsystems. The two classes of salt are typified by ettringite, a trisubstituted salt, and Friedel's salt, a monosubstituted salt, both of which are typically found in Portland cement concrete. The trisubstituted salts were studied to assess their potential for latent heat storage, utilizing a low-temperature dehydration reaction, and both classes were studied to assess their potential for sensible heat storage. The temperature at which dehydration begins, depending on composition of the phase, has been shown to range from 6 to 33°C, and the enthalpy change on dehydration has been shown to range from 0.3 to 0.8 kJ per g sample. Heat capacity values for all trisubstituted phases are approximately 1.3 J/(gK), and for the monosubstituted phases range from 1.0 to 1.2 J/(gK). Preliminary experiments indicate the dehydration of the trisubstituted salts is reversible, though additional tests are required. The thermal data demostrate that the trisubstituted salts have potential as latent heat storage materials and both classes of salts have potential as sensible heat storage materials; furthermore, it is noted that the materials may be contained in conventional Portland cement concrete, making them particularly attractive for thermal energy storage.
Dynamic Model Prediction of the Value of Reduced Solubility of Alfalfa Silage Protein for Lactating Dairy Cows

A net carbohydrate and protein system was used to develop model diets for lactating dairy cattle with various protein solubilities in the alfalfa silage component of the diet. The objective was to determine the level to which alfalfa silage could be used to replace supplemental protein sources as the silage protein solubility decreased and to estimate the value of silage treatments needed to reduce protein solubility. Four cow groups were considered: early lactation multiparous cows, primiparous cows, midlactation cows, and late lactation cows. Diets were balanced for metabolizable protein, metabolizable energy, and ammonia and peptides for rumen bacteria; limits on DMI and effective NDF were enforced. Lower protein solubility was predicted to increase the yield of bacteria per unit of alfalfa silage DM and the yield of metabolizable protein per unit of alfalfa silage CP. Because of reduced protein supplements, diet costs were decreased. The savings per unit of silage in these rations increased as alfalfa silage protein solubility decreased. For example, with a reduction in solubility from 61 to 51% of CP, the savings ranged from $2.96 to $3.26/tonne of silage across the four cow groups. The value of acid treatment of silage needed to effect these reductions exhibited diminishing returns as application rate increased and appeared to be most cost effective when used on high quality alfalfa fed to high producing cows with application rates less than 2 kg/tonne. Management practices that reduce silage temperatures were predicted to save $.50 to $1.50/tonne of silage when the diets were balanced to account for protein degradability.
Mode I fracture behavior of nonlinear materials

This paper concerns the finite element analysis of the Mode I fracture behavior of cracked plates (stationary crack) made of different nonlinear materials (elastoplastic or elastic locking). The assumed stress-strain behavior of the nonlinear materials was piecewise linear. For each given “stationary” crack size, the corresponding critical remote tensile stress was calculated based on the maximum crack-tip stress failure criterion. It was found that in the log-log plots of the critical remote stressversus critical crack length, the fracture data of the piecewise linear materials formed “stepwise” linear curves where each segment has a slope of −1/2. Namely, the piecewise linear materials obey a “stepwise-linear-inverse-square-root” fracture law. In addition, this paper shows how the fracture data of the piecewise linear materials can be fitted nicely by proper piecewise graphical shiftifing of the classical “inverse-square-root” fracture curve for the linearly elastic materials.
Long-range electrostatic interactions influence the orientation of Fos-Jun binding at AP-1 sites.

Heterodimeric transcription regulatory proteins that bind palindromic DNA sequences can potentially bind their recognition sites in two opposite orientations. The orientation of transcription factor binding can control transcriptional activity by altering interactions with proteins that bind to adjacent regulatory elements. Fos-Jun heterodimers bind to AP-1 sites with different flanking sequences in opposite orientations. A gel-based fluorescence resonance energy transfer assay, gelFRET, was used to define the mechanism whereby amino acid residues and nucleotide base-pairs outside the Fos-Jun-AP-1 contact interface determine the orientation of heterodimer binding. Exchange of three amino acid residues adjacent to the basic DNA contact regions between Fos and Jun reversed the binding orientation. The effects of these amino acid residues on the orientation of heterodimer binding depended on base-pairs flanking the core AP-1 recognition sequence. Single amino acid and base-pair substitutions had parallel effects on DNA bending by Fos-Jun-AP-1 complexes and on heterodimer orientation. The binding orientation exhibited a close correspondence with both the difference in bending propensities of opposite sides of the AP-1 site as well as the difference in bending potentials of the Fos and Jun subunits of the heterodimer. The influence of flanking DNA sequences on heterodimer orientation was attenuated in the presence of high concentrations of multivalent cations. Base substitutions up to one helical turn from the center of the AP-1 site affected the binding orientation. Modification of flanking base-pairs with positively or negatively charged functional groups had opposite effects on the orientation of heterodimer binding. These changes in DNA charge had converse effects on the orientation preferences of heterodimers in which charged amino acid residues adjacent to the basic regions were exchanged between Fos and Jun. These results indicate that the orientation of heterodimer binding is determined primarily by minimization of the electrostatic free energy of the Fos-Jun-AP-1 complex. Consequently, long-range electrostatic interactions influence the architecture of nucleoprotein complexes.
Enterohepatic circulation of nonconjugated bilirubin in rats fed with human milk.

To test the hypothesis that enhanced intestinal absorption of bilirubin may contribute to prolonged nonconjugated hyperbilirubinemia in human milk-fed infants, we studied a cross-section of 36 healthy infants and mothers. Milk from mothers and serum from infants were collected at 16.3±2.4 days. Milk was studied for its effect on the absorption of bilirubin labeled with carbon 14 in rats and compared with buffer and iron-fortified infant formula (Similac With Iron). The percentage of a 1 mg bilirubin dose absorbed by the rat was 25.29±4.0% when it was administered into the duodenum with buffer, 4.67±2.4% with Similac formula, and 7.7±2.9% with human milk. Linear regression analysis, using the infant's serum nonconjugated bilirubin level as the dependent variable and the percentage of ( 14 C)bilirubin absorbed by the rat with the corresponding mother's milk as the independent variable, revealed a significant correlation ( r =0.40; p =0.016). Inspection of the data suggested that absorptive permissiveness correlated closely with infant serum bilirubin values >24 μ mol/L (1.4 mg/dl) ( r =0.55; p =0.007), whereas in those with bilirubin values ≤24 μ mol/L, there was no apparent correlation. Milk was also analyzed for β -glucuronidase, nonesterified fatty acids, and the ability to inhibit glucuronosyltransferase activity of rat liver microsomes in vitro, none of which correlated with the infant's serum bilirubin. These data support the theory that enhanced intestinal absorption of bilirubin contributes to the jaundice associated with breast-feeding.
Clinical significance of extended-spectrum beta-lactamases

Extended-spectrum beta-lactamases (ESBLs) have now been described in many hospitals worldwide. While they have been detected in many pathogenic gram-negative bacteria, they are particularly prevalent inKlebsiella isolates. Known risk factors for colonization and/or infection with organisms harboring these enzymes include admission to an intensive care unit, recent surgery, instrumentation, prolonged hospital stay and antibiotic exposure, especially exposure to extended-spectrum beta-lactam agents. In this report three recent epidemics from the USA will be described in which the role of selective antibiotic pressure seems clear. Data from two hospital epidemics, one from New York and another from Stanford, California, will be reviewed briefly. In addition, recent studies describing the spread of extended-spectrum beta-lactamases among nursing home patients in Chicago, Illinois, will be outlined. The limited data available on treatment options for patients infected with ESBL-containing strains will be reviewed, focusing on the activity of piperacillin/tazobactam and imipenem against these otherwise broadly resistant strains. Lastly, attempts to control these organisms, including infection control measures and selective bowel decontamination, will be reviewed.
Plain Language in Environmental Policy Documents: An Assessment of Reader Comprehension and Perceptions:

Several government agencies are seeking quality improvement in environmental policy documents by asking for the implementation of Plain Language (PL) guidelines. Our mixed-methods research examines...
Three-Dimensional Steady Flow Through A Bifurcation

Steady flow of an incompressible, Newtonian fluid through a symmetric bifurcated rigid channel was numerically analyzed by solving the three-dimensional Navier-Stokes equations. The upstream Reynolds number ranged from 100 to 1500. The bifurcation was symmetrical with a branch angle of 60 deg and the area ratio of the daughter to the mother vessel was 2.0. The numerical procedure utilized a coordinate transformation and a control volume approach to discretize the equations to finite difference form and incorporated the SIMPLE algorithm in performing the calculation. The predicted velocity pattern was in qualitative agreement with experimental measurements available in the literature. The results also showed the effect of secondary flow which can not be predicted using previous two-dimensional simulations. A region of reversed flow was observed near the outer wall of the branch except for the case of the lowest Reynolds number. Particle trajectory was examined and it was found that no fluid particles remained within the recirculation zone. The shear stress was calculated on both the inner and the outer wall of the branch. The largest wall shear stress, located in the vicinity of the apex of the branch, was of the same order of magnitude as the level that can cause damage to the vessel wall as reported in a recent study.
Electrical Constants of Dielectrics for Radio Frequency Currents

The source of power losses in a condenser may be considered as a resistance in series or in parallel with the condenser. If the resistance is considered as in series, the capacity must be considered as the effective capacity, and the power factor is given by a simple formula. If the resistance is considered as in parallel, the capacity must be considered as a pure capacity, and knowing the pure capacity with the given dielectric, and with air in turn between the plates of the condenser, the quotient of the former by the latter is the dielectric constant. The dielectric constants of several solid dielectrics were found to be approximately constant over the band of frequencies investigated, and the power factors changed according to no apparent law. A table of electrical constants for a number of materials and for a frequency of 1,000,000 cycles per second is given.
Higher education research, policy, and the challenges of reform

Postsecondary institutions always have been in a state of change. The author discusses four key areas of higher education – systems of tertiary education, privatization, academic work, and technology – that demand careful analysis that have always been of concern but now are entering a new phase of change. The author offers an interpretation of the current state of American higher education in general, and in California in particular.
New High-Pressure Fiber-Optic Cell for Time-Resolved Emission and Absorbance Measurements in Near- and Supercritical Solvents

A new fiber-optic high-pressure cell for time-resolved absorbance and fluorescence measurements in near- and supercritical solvents is presented. It consists entirely of commercial components, thus facilitating ease of construction and maintenance and facilitating component exchange to incorporate materials that can withstand a broad range of pressures and temperatures. The adaptability of the cell and the applicability of the pressure-sealing technique to a variety of emission and fast kinetic measurements are discussed.
Receiving hospital characteristics associated with survival after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest

Aim Survival after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OOHCA) varies between regions, but the contribution of different factors to this variability is unknown. This study examined whether survival to hospital discharge was related to receiving hospital characteristics, including bed number, capability of performing cardiac catheterization and hospital volume of OOHCA cases.
Mutual consistency in decentralized distributed systems

In this paper we set forth a simple and efficient algorithm for managing replicated data in a decentralized distributed system, which allows for inserts, deletes, updates, and synonyms and which achieves a high degree of availability in the face of node or communication failures. We focus on the approach developed recently by Fischer and Michael and exploit the knowledge of the semantics of the database operations.
Evaluation of New Methods for the Assessment of Used Frying Oils

Three methods recently introduced for quality assessment of frying oils were compared. These were: column chromatography of polar components, dielectric constant measurement, and GLC of triglyceride dimers. For a given frying operation all three methods correlated well with each other and with time of frying, while large differences were obtained for samples of unknown history. The dielectric readings were found to represent a net balance of opposing effects from two groups of compounds. The GLC method was found to be simpler and more specific than the column technique.
MeSH: a window into full text for document summarization

Motivation: Previous research in the biomedical text-mining domain has historically been limited to titles, abstracts and metadata available in MEDLINE records. Recent research initiatives such as TREC Genomics and BioCreAtIvE strongly point to the merits of moving beyond abstracts and into the realm of full texts. Full texts are, however, more expensive to process not only in terms of resources needed but also in terms of accuracy. Since full texts contain embellishments that elaborate, contextualize, contrast, supplement, etc., there is greater risk for false positives. Motivated by this, we explore an approach that offers a compromise between the extremes of abstracts and full texts. Specifically, we create reduced versions of full text documents that contain only important portions. In the long-term, our goal is to explore the use of such summaries for functions such as document retrieval and information extraction. Here, we focus on designing summarization strategies. In particular, we explore the use of MeSH terms, manually assigned to documents by trained annotators, as clues to select important text segments from the full text documents. Results: Our experiments confirm the ability of our approach to pick the important text portions. Using the ROUGE measures for evaluation, we were able to achieve maximum ROUGE-1, ROUGE-2 and ROUGE-SU4 F-scores of 0.4150, 0.1435 and 0.1782, respectively, for our MeSH term-based method versus the maximum baseline scores of 0.3815, 0.1353 and 0.1428, respectively. Using a MeSH profile-based strategy, we were able to achieve maximum ROUGE F-scores of 0.4320, 0.1497 and 0.1887, respectively. Human evaluation of the baselines and our proposed strategies further corroborates the ability of our method to select important sentences from the full texts. Contact: ude.awoiu@ayrahcattahb-artimnas; ude.awoiu@nasavinirs-inimdap
Envisioning a robust, scalable metacognitive architecture built on dimensionality reduction

One major challenge of implementing a metacognitive architecture lies in its scalability and flexibility. We postulate that the difference between a reasoner and a metareasoner need not extend beyond what inputs they take, and we envision a network made of many instances of a few types of simple but powerful reasoning units to serve both roles. In this paper, we present a vision and motivation for such a framework with reusable, robust, and scalable components. This framework, called Scruffy Metacognition, is built on a symbolic representation that lends itself to processing using dimensionality reduction and principal component analysis. We discuss the components of such as system and how they work together for metacognitive reasoning. Additionally, we discuss evaluative tasks for our system focusing on social agent role-playing and object classification.
Simultaneous, unilateral plugging of superior and posterior semicircular canal dehiscences to treat debilitating hyperacusis.

Objective:To describe a case of bilateral superior and posterior semicircular canal dehiscences, and the use of a unilateral transmastoid approach to address both right-sided defects simultaneously.Case report:In a patient with right-sided hyperacusis, bilateral dehiscence of both the superior and the posterior semicircular canals was identified, located adjacent to the common crus, together with a right-sided, anterosuperiorly positioned sigmoid sinus and a high-riding jugular bulb. Results for audiography and cervical vestibular evoked myogenic potential testing were consistent with right-sided semicircular canal dehiscence. At surgery, a right-sided transmastoid approach provided access to plug both defects simultaneously, following posterior mobilisation of the sigmoid sinus. The patient's hyperacusis was completely resolved, with a 10–30 dB improvement in his right ear air conduction hearing, without decrement in bone conduction.Conclusion:In properly selected patients, a transmastoid approach can be used to effectively manage superior semicircular canal dehiscence and posterior semicircular canal dehiscence simultaneously. Pre-operative computed tomography is recommended to evaluate the dehiscence sites and to identify complicating vascular anatomy.
Adjusting to the Post-U.S. Bases Era: The Ordeal of the Philippine Military's Modernization Program:

Despite facing a regional arms build-up and an emerging regional power (the People's Republic of China), the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) found it difficult to convince the Philippine gove...
CMOS photodetectors for correlation peak location

The design and operation of CMOS photodetectors for locating correlation peaks in an optical processor are discussed. The detectors, which are fabricated in silicon CMOS, employ analog position sensing and on-chip circuitry to sequentially find intensity peaks. Two test devices are described: a two element competitive array with 400 /spl mu/m/spl times/180 /spl mu/m 1-D sensors and a 400 /spl mu/m/spl times/400 /spl mu/m 2-D sensor. The 2-D sensor resolves beam displacements of 0.25 /spl mu/m and the two-element competitive array demonstrates combined circuit and photodetector response times down to 20 /spl mu/s. >
OESTROGEN RECEPTORS AND CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE

1. Animal and human studies indicate that female sex hormones are protective against the development of coronary atherosclerosis. 2. Experiments on vascular smooth muscle cells suggest a direct effect of oestrogen on vascular tissue. Although oestrogen receptors (ER) in vascular tissues and an association between ER stimulation and physiological effects have been demonstrated, the cellular mechanisms underlying the effects of oestrogen on the arterial wall remain to be defined. 3. Elucidation of the cellular mechanism underlying the effects of oestrogen on vascular smooth muscle will provide insights into coronary atherosclerosis and will provide an opportunity to apply the protective effects of oestrogen to women in older age groups and to the male population.
Molecular Genetics of Sarcoidosis

Sarcoidosis is a systemic inflammatory disorder characterised by the presence of noncaseating granulomas. The aetiology of sarcoidosis remains unknown. Although any organ system can be involved, the common cause of morbidity and mortality occurs from involvement of the lung, heart and nervous system. There has been extensive research, directed on the identification of candidate genes (both HLA and non-HLA) that lead to dysregulation of the T-cell response in sarcoidosis. However, most of these reported associations between these genes and susceptibility to sarcoidosis have not been replicated. Advances in genomics and proteomics, in concert with emerging technologies, are expected to provide further insight into pathogenesis and disease risk. Key Concepts: Sarcoidosis is a systemic inflammatory disorder characterised by the presence of noncaseating granulomas of unknown aetiology. Studies have revealed many candidate genes (both HLA and non-HLA) that lead to dysregulation of the T-cell response in sarcoidosis. A new strategy is to subgroup patients into distinct clinical phenotypes to help identify genes of importance for the disease. Gene expression profiling in BAL fluid and blood performed at the time of presentation may help to better predict disease resolution or progression. Advances in genomics and proteomics, in concert with emerging technologies, are expected to provide further insight into pathogenesis and disease risk. Keywords: sarcoidosis; molecular genetics; candidate genes; sarcoidosis and HLA; cytokine genes and sarcoidosis; genome wide association studies and sarcoidosis
A fuzzy rule-based safety index for landing site risk assessment

This paper presents a fuzzy rule-based safety index that quantifies the ease-of-landing a spacecraft on a planetary surface based on sensor-derived measurements of terrain characteristics. These characteristics include, but are not limited to, slope and roughness. The proposed representation of terrain safety incorporates an intuitive, linguistic approach for expressing terrain characteristics that is robust with respect to imprecision and uncertainty in the sensor measurements. The risk assessment methodology is tested and validated with a set of simulated data. These tests demonstrate the capability of the algorithm for perceiving hazards associated with landing on a planetary surface.
Use of Hypothermia to Allow Low-Tidal-Volume Ventilation in a Patient With ARDS

Low-tidal-volume ventilation reduces mortality in patients with ARDS, but there are often challenges in implementing lung-protective ventilation, such as acidosis from hypercapnia. In a patient with severe ARDS we achieved adequate ventilation with a very low tidal volume (4 mL/kg ideal body weight) by inducing mild hypothermia (body temperature 35–36°C).
Effects of Single Bouts of Walking Exercise and Yoga on Acute Mood Symptoms in People with Multiple Sclerosis

Background: Little is known about the acute or immediate effects of walking exercise and yoga on mood in people with multiple sclerosis (MS). Such an examination is important for identifying an exe...
Educational Technology Research Past and Present: Balancing Rigor and Relevance to Impact School Learning

Today, the exponential growth of technology usage in education, via such applications of distance education, Internet access, simulations, and educational games, has raised substantially the focus and importance of educational technology research. In this paper, we examine the past and present research trends, with emphasis on the role and contribution of research evidence for informing instructional practices and policies to improve learning in schools. Specific topics addressed include: (a) varied conceptions of “effective” technology uses in classroom instruction as topics for research, (b) historical trends in research approaches and topics of inquiry; (c) alternative research designs for balancing internal (rigor) and external (relevance) validity; and (d) suggested directions for future research. Attention is devoted to describing varied experimental designs as options for achieving appropriate rigor and relevance of research evidence, and using mixed-methods research for investigating and understanding technology applications in complex real-life settings.
Using spectral decomposition as a hydrocarbon indicator tool in the Norwegian Sea

Investigation of two deepwater gas accumulations in the Norwegian Sea indicate that phase and amplitude spectra derived using spectral decomposition can be used as hydrocarbon indicators. Specifically, this technique enhances the ability to evaluate phase and amplitude anomaly conformance to structure and complements the more traditional utilization of spectral decomposition for thin bed analysis. The 6707/10-1 Luva well on the Nyk High encountered a 156 m thick column of dry thermogenic gas and was the first deepwater discovery in Norway. Despite the fact that the accumulation is characterized by a well developed flat event, examination of partial stack broadband 3D reflectivity data proved inconclusive in substantiating the presence of an amplitude anomaly conformant with structure at all offset ranges. Amplitude and phase tuning cubes were derived using spectral decomposition from near, far and full offset-stack 3D seismic data. Strong amplitude anomalies most notably at frequencies less than 10 Hz, structurally conformant with the observed gas/water contact, are observed at all offset ranges. Phase instability, associated with rock property differences between the gas charged and brine saturated portions of the reservoir, results in an anomaly in the phase tuning cube that is also most evident at low frequencies and is also conformant with the observed gas/water contact. Similar spectral decomposition evaluation of seismic data over the Ormen Lange gas discovery gave equally dramatic results. Traditional amplitude extraction methodologies on the full stack broadband data set show an ambiguous amplitude anomaly with limited conformance to structure. Spectral decomposition of the same full stack data set show well defined anomalies at frequencies less than 12 Hz, in both amplitude and phase tuning cubes, conformant with the gas water contact proven by drilling. 3D forward models built using rock properties from the Luva and Ormen Lange wells have been processed with the same spectral decomposition software and substantiate observed results. Spectral decomposition analysis of untested prospects in other areas of the Norwegian Sea show both phase and amplitude anomalies at low frequencies that appear conformant with structure.
The Sexuality and Disability Unit: Applications for Group Training

In 1976, the Sex and Disability Unit of UCSF's Human Sexuality Program received two three-year grants from the National Institute of Mental Health and the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare to train two specific population segments. The NIMH grant funded the development and training of a year-long socio-sexual, peer counselor-educator project in the field of sexuality and disability. The DHEW family life education training module targeted nationwide participants working with special education populations in a four-day workshop format. In this presentation I will discuss those two projects and necessity for the existence of such projects in the field of sexuality and disability today.