cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Role of alpha-1-antichymotrypsin deficiency in promoting cirrhosis in two siblings with heterozygous alpha-1-antitrypsin deficiency phenotype SZ.

Background: Alpha-1-antitrypsin (A1AT) deficiency is the most common inherited metabolic disorder with the potential to cause injury in the lung and liver. Recent reports suggested that alpha-1-antichymotrypsin (A1AC) deficiency may also be a possible cause of chronic liver disease. However, it has received little attention and is rarely investigated in the clinical setting. Aims: To assess the role of A1AC deficiency in the pathogenesis of chronic liver disease in two siblings with heterozygous A1AT phenotype Pi SZ. Patients: Two adult siblings with an A1AT Pi SZ phenotype and reduced levels of A1AC consistent with heterozygosity who developed cirrhosis and underwent liver transplantation. Methods and results: A1AT and A1AC levels in plasma measured by electroimmunoassay were 74 mg/dl and 90 mg/dl (140–470) and 0.12 mg/ml and 0.14 mg/ml (0.173–0.46), respectively. Immunohistochemistry revealed an apparent accumulation of both A1AT and A1AC in hepatocytes. A previously reported point mutation in exon III (Pro 229 to Ala substitution) of the A1AC gene was not detected by polymerase chain reaction amplification and a single strand conformation polymorphism analysis. Conclusions: Our report represents the first case of two siblings with A1CA phenotype Pi SZ who developed cirrhosis and underwent liver transplantation. Both siblings were heterozygous for A1AT and A1AC deficiency suggesting that combined deficiency of these two major serine protease inhibitors may enhance the risk of developing liver disease.
An Acousto-Optic Switch With a Near Rectangular Passband for WDM Systems

Large-scale WDM systems contain wavelength-selective filters, switches and multiplexers which must be tolerant of moderate wavelength channel misalignment and can be cascaded without severe accumulated shrinkage of the effective passband width. These requirements demand that wavelength-selective components possess nearly rectangular spectral profiles. In this paper, we describe the flattest acousto-optic wavelength-routing switch yet reported. A multi-cycle SAW directional-coupler-weighted AOTF was fabricated on XY lithium niobate which posessed a 3-dB width of 2.52 nm and a -20-dB width of 0.89 run. For comparison, an ideal apodized AOTF with the same 3-dB width would have a -20 dB width of only 0.33 nm. In this paper we describe WDM switch ; requirements for transmission band flatness, present our filter design and device evaluation and compare our results with the work of previous authors.
Recurrence rates of basaltic volcanism in SP cluster, San Francisco volcanic field, Arizona

A new compilation of 23 K-Ar and 40 Ar- 39 Ar radiometric ages, stratigraphic and paleomagnetic correlations, and cone morphology from the SP cluster, San Francisco volcanic field, Arizona, is used to illustrate a quantitative approach to long-term volcanic hazards assessment for basaltic volcanic fields. SP cluster is a group of 67 basaltic cinder cones, tuff rings, spatter cones, and lava flows, all predominantly younger than 1700 ka. Relatively steady-state volcanic activity (1 volcano per 15 k.y.) has characterized the SP cluster since 780 ka. This activity has been concentrated in an ∼250 km 2 area since about 300 ka. We estimate that the chance of an eruption in the SP cluster during the next 1000 yr has an upper bound (95% confidence level) of 13%. Spatial and temporal probability models further indicate with 90% confidence that an eruption will take place within this 250 km 2 area of the SP cluster within the next 22–26 k.y., a rate of activity significantly greater than predicted by field-wide averages. Thus, spatial variations in recurrence rate of basaltic volcanism, such as those recognized in the SP cluster, should be considered in the formulation of hazard assessments.
Apnea Of Prematurity, Length Of Stay and NICU Admission in 31-34 Weeks Gestational Age Multiple Births † 994

Apnea Of Prematurity, Length Of Stay and NICU Admission in 31-34 Weeks Gestational Age Multiple Births † 994
Real-time wavelet-based target tracking

One of the most widely used applications of digital imaging in manufacturing is product inspection. Real-time control of robot motion is second emerging area. In both applications, detection and tracking of moving targets in the image are desirable and in some cases necessary abilities. Current hardware equal to this task is still extremely expensive, limiting its application in low-end manufacturing venues. Despite dramatic increases in processing speed for digital images, tracking moving targets in high-resolution images is still difficult for personal computer based systems. Various forms of image sampling have been used over the years to overcome this problem, allowing processing of a smaller number of pixels by localized searches, multiresolution processing, and other methods. Recently wavelet analysis has become popular as a powerful means of image compression and processing. In this work. Daubechies wavelets are used as basis functions for compressing sequences of images containing targets which include motion in three-dimensions (x and y translations plus rotation) against background clutter. The wavelet coefficients are used as an alternative representation of the image, and analysis is carried out to identify and track targets in the wavelet space. Inverse transformations to Cartesian space will be used to characterize the target motion once it has been determined in the wavelet domain. Preliminary results of the research are shown.
Irradiation as a pretreatment to thermal processing.

The Paired Equivalent Isothermal Exposures (PEIE) method was used to quantify the impact of irradiation pretreatments (0, 1.0 and 3.0 kGy) on thermal sensitivity of Bacillus stearothermophilus spores in canned pea puree. Mean rate constants, k 121.1C and activation energy values, E a , for spore inactivation were 0.26, 0.28 and 0.38 min 21 and 250, 200 and 200 kJ/mol for 0, 1.0 and 3.0 kGy, respectively. These parameters were used to simulate thermal processes that achieve equivalent sterilizing values. Computer retort simulations demonstrated the poten- tial of irradiation pretreatment to reduce overall thermal exposures by about 10% and 25% for product pretreated with 1.0 and 3.0 kGy, respectively.
Optimal proxy management for multimedia streaming in content distribution networks

The widespread use of the Internet and the maturing of digital video technology have led to an increase in various streaming media applications. As broadband to the home becomes more prevalent, the bottleneck of delivering quality streaming media is shifting upstream to the backbone, peering links, and the best-effort Internet. In this paper, we address the problem of efficiently streaming video assets to the end clients over a distributed infrastructure consisting of origin servers and proxy caches. We build on earlier work and propose a unified mathematical framework under which various server scheduling and proxy cache management algorithms for video streaming can be analyzed. More precisely, we incorporate known server scheduling algorithms (batching/patching/batch-patching) and proxy caching algorithms (full/partial/no caching with or without caching patch bytes) in our framework and analyze the minimum backbone bandwidth consumption under the optimal joint scheduling and caching strategies. We start by studying the optimal policy for streaming a single video object and derive a simple gradient-descent-based cache allocation algorithm to enable management of multiple heterogeneous videos efficiently. We then show that the performance of our heuristic is close to that of the optimal scheme, under a wide range of parameters.
Aging Consumer Vulnerabilities Influencing Factors of Acquiescence to Informed Consent

Rapid growth in the older population raises concerns about increasing demands that aging consumers experience in service encounters. In particular, they face challenges of informed consent that require them to make decisions that support their well-being. Building on current knowledge of factors that diminish decision-making capacity with age, this study examines conditions under which aging consumers acquiesce to informed consent, when not fully informed. The conceptual framework and research propositions regarding the key factors influencing consumer vulnerability during the informed consent process are (1) cognitive changes, (2) sensory factors, (3) financial changes and (4) sender and receiver interaction. Theoretical and practical implications of the framework are discussed.
Brain MRI in global hypoxia-ischemia: a map of selective vulnerability.

Hypoxic–ischemic injury to the brain is a devastating occurrence that frequently results in death or profound long-term neurologic disability. In this report, we describe the neuroradiological findings of a patient suffering from a global brain hypoxic–ischemic injury. Our findings clearly display that the areas of the brain with the highest metabolic activity, such as basal ganglia, thalami, and occipital and perirolandic cortex, are most susceptible to hypoxic injury. The MRI images delineate a map of the brain areas with selective vulnerability to hypoxia.
Algorithms for the design of network topologies with balanced disjoint rings

We define the Balanced Disjoint Rings (BDR) problem as developing a method to partition of the nodes in a network to form a given number of disjoint rings of minimum total link length in such a way that there is almost the same number of nodes in each ring. The BDR problem has potential applications in the design of survivable network structures in telecommunications as well as in the identification of local distribution/collection routes in logistics. The BDR problem can also be considered a generalization of the traveling salesman problem since we are interested in multiple tours instead of a single tour. We develop an efficient heuristic solution methodology that involves various GRASP-based randomized solution construction routines that allow a multi-start framework and a n effective combination of cyclic-exchange and single-move neighborhoods in a local search improvement procedure. The algorithms perform very well in our numerical studies, providing encouraging optimality and lower bound gaps with very reasonable runtimes.
Foreign- vs US-born Asians and the association of type I uterine cancer

Objective The purpose of this study was to determine the association of type I endometrioid uterine cancer in US-born vs immigrant Asian women. Study Design Data were obtained from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Program from 2001-2009. Chi-squared, Kaplan-Meier, and binomial logistic regression analyses were used for statistics. Results Of 4834 Asian women with uterine cancer, 62% were US-born and 38% were immigrants. Of these women, 2972 (61%) had type I (grade 1 or 2, endometrioid histologic type) uterine cancer. Compared with patients with type II disease (grade 3, clear cell and serous histologic type), patients with type I disease were younger (age 55 vs 59 years; P P P P P Conclusion US-born Asian women are more likely to be diagnosed with type I uterine cancer compared with immigrants. Over the study period, there was a trend towards an increase in type I cancers among US-born Asian women.
Seasonal biology and management of the maple shoot borer, Proteoteras aesculana (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae), in production nurseries.

BACKGROUND:Proteoteras aesculana (Riley), a caterpillar that causes tip dieback and kills the central leader of maples, is an important nursery pest. The authors sought to develop a pheromone lure, use it to clarify the pest's seasonal biology, determine when and where infestations originate and extend the management window. RESULTS: Gas chromatography, electroantennographic detection and trapping showed that (Z)-dodec-8-en-1-ol (Z8-12:OH) is the major sex pheromone component. Flight began in March, peaking in early spring. Larvae developed during April and May, giving rise to moths active in late May and June. No additional larvae were found in maples following that flight. Sporadic moth captures occurred into November, suggesting that adults overwinter. Three parasitoid species, all new host records, were documented. A different tortricid, Episimus tyrius Heinrich, caused leaf-tying damage in late summer. Maples shipped from Oregon were free of shoot borers, refuting speculation that larvae overwinter in buds. One bifenthrin spray applied from just before bud break at onset of moth flight to just after peak flight when shoots had two pairs of leaves reduced infestation by 96–100%. CONCLUSION: Maples are infested soon after planting in Kentucky nurseries via eggs laid in early spring. The temporal window for preventive control is broader than previously thought. Copyright © 2008 Society of Chemical Industry
A factorial experiment quantifying the influence of parrotfish density and size on algal reduction on Hawaiian coral reefs

Abstract Large parrotfishes are thought to play a greater role per unit biomass than smaller parrotfishes in controlling algae on coral reefs. Although there is circumstantial evidence of this from the Caribbean, it has not been empirically demonstrated. I used a factorial designed experiment to test the effects of parrotfish density and size on reduction rates of algae grown inside fish exclusion cages and then exposed to grazing. Experiments were conducted on three Hawaiian reefs with different densities of reef-excavating parrotfishes. Treatments at each site were designed so that exposed algal plots were grazed by either (1) all parrotfishes in the natural assemblage or (2) only small (
Murine Mammary Tumour Cells In Vitro. I. the Development of A Quiescent State

Three mouse mammary tumour lines (66, 67, and 68H) derived from a single mouse mammary tumour were investigated for their growth kinetics and development of quiescent cells in unfed monolayer cultures. All three lines develop pure quiescent populations when grown in unfed plateau cultures. A dramatic cell-cycle redistribution accompanied the proliferating (P) to quiescent (Q) transition, with the percentage of cells having a G1 DNA content increasing from 50% in the P state to greater than 97% in the Q state. As the cultures progressed from exponential to plateau growth, a decrease of greater than or equal to 50% in cellular RNA was observed in all three lines. This property enables the clear identification of P v. Q cells by flow cytometry using the two-step acridine orange assay. Autoradiographic data verified that these plateau cells were quiescent since less than 2.5% of the cells incorporated [3H]TdR when labelled for approximately two doubling times. Further comparison of the P and Q cells showed that: (a) the Coulter volume of Q cells was approximately half that of P cells in all three lines; (b) viability, as measured by dye exclusion was greater than 95% in all cultures regardless of their proliferative state; and (c) colony-forming ability decreased as the cells entered the quiescent state. In each of these cell lines the development of Q-cell populations was marked by similar changes in all measured parameters. These quiescent tumour cells provide a relatively simple model to evaluate what, if any, important differences exist between the response of P v. Q cells to various therapeutic agents.
Formula fortified with live probiotic culture reduces pulmonary and gastrointestinal bacterial colonization and translocation in a newborn animal model.

Abstract Background/Purpose Acidified diets are protective against intestinal bacterial colonization and translocation. Probiotic diets are designed to modulate the intestinal flora to enhance mucosal immunity. This study was designed to determine if formula acidified with live probiotic decreases bacterial gut colonization and translocation, and is equally tolerated as other acidified diets. Methods One hundred twenty-eight rabbit pups delivered via cesarean section [cesarean delivery, cesarean birth, abdominal delivery] were randomly assigned to 4 feeding groups: NAN Nestle (control, pH 7.0), NAN acidified with citric acid (pH 4.55), biologically acidified Pelargon (pH 4.55), and NAN with live Lactococcus lactis culture (pH 4.2). Pups were gavage fed every 12 hours with Enterobacter cloacae challenges of 10 colony-forming units/mL per feed and killed on day of life 3. Lungs, liver, spleen, mesenteric lymph nodes (MLNs), stomach, and cecum were cultured and quantitatively analyzed for target organism growth. Results were analyzed using χ 2 tests. Results NAN with live probiotic culture, when compared with Pelargon, acidified NAN, and NAN, significantly reduced the incidence of Enterobacter pulmonary colonization ( P P P P Conclusion Probiotic-fortified formula provides superior protection against pulmonary and gastrointestinal bacterial colonization and translocation compared with neutral and acidified formulas, and is equally tolerated.
Staging for Cutaneous Squamous Cell Carcinoma as a Predictor of Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy Results: Meta-analysis of American Joint Committee on Cancer Criteria and a Proposed Alternative System

Importance The appropriate clinical setting for the application of sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) in the management of cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC) is not well characterized. Numerous case reports and case series examine SLNB findings in patients who were considered to have high-risk cSCC, but no randomized clinical trials have been performed. Objective To analyze which stages in the American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) criteria and a recently proposed alternative staging system are most closely associated with positive SLNB findings in nonanogenital cSCC. Design, Setting, and Participants Medical literature review and case data extraction from private and institutional practices to identify patients with nonanogenital cSCC who underwent SLNB. Patients were eligible if sufficient tumor characteristics were available to classify tumors according to AJCC staging criteria and a proposed alternative staging system. One hundred thirty patients had sufficient data for AJCC staging, whereas 117 had sufficient data for the alternative system. Exposure Nonanogenital cSCC and SLNB. Main Outcomes and Measures Positive SLNB findings by cSCC stage, quantified as the number and percentage of positive nodes. Results A positive SLN was identified in 12.3% of all patients. All cSCCs with positive SLNs were greater than 2 cm in diameter. The AJCC criteria identifed positive SLNB findings in 0 of 9 T1 lesions (0%), 13 of 116 T2 lesions (11.2%), and 3 of 5 T4 lesions (60.0%). No T3 lesions were identified. The alternative staging system identified positive SNLB findings in 0 of 9 T1 lesions (0%), 6 of 85 T2a lesions (7.1%), 5 of 17 T2b lesions (29.4%), and 3 of 6 T3 lesions (50.0%). Rates of positive SLNB findings in patients with T2b lesions were statistically higher than those with T2a lesions ( P = .02, Fisher exact test) in the alternative staging system. Conclusions and Relevance Our findings suggest that most cSCCs associated with positive SLNB findings occur in T2 lesions (in both staging systems) that are greater than 2 cm in diameter. The alternative staging system appears to more precisely delineate high-risk lesions in the T2b category that may warrant consideration of SLNB. Future prospective studies are necessary to validate the relationship between tumor stage and positive SLNB findings and to identify the optimal staging system.
Nasal valve suspension revisited.

Objectives: Nasal valve suspension (NVS) is a simple technique to correct nasal valve obstruction or collapse by providing a lateral vector of pull on the nasal sidewall. The purpose of this research was to review our experience with NVS in a cohort of patients with nasal valve collapse, including a subset of patients with facial paralysis. The objectives were to determine patient satisfaction and complication rates after NVS. Study Design: A retrospective review of patients 18 years and older who had NVS from 2003 to 2006 with a follow-up of at least 1 month was performed. Methods: Data were collected on diagnosis, surgical outcomes, complications, and treatments required. Complications included adverse outcomes, infections, and the need for repeat surgery or treatments. Results: In 17 charts reviewed, 9 patients (53%) had nasal valve collapse as a result of facial paralysis, and 8 (47%) had previous nasal surgery. Follow-up ranged from 1 to 30 months, with a mean of 16.5. Moderate to complete resolution of obstruction was reported by 82% of patients, or for 88% of procedures. Sustained relief was observed in two of eight patients who had previous nasal surgery and six of nine who had no previous nasal surgery (P = .1). Infection occurred in four (24%) patients and five (21%) total suspensions and ranged from 1.5 to 7 months. Six (35%) patients experienced a loss of suspension at 6 to 22 months. Conclusions: NVS is a technically straightforward, relatively reversible procedure particularly useful in the patient with facial paralysis. The efficacy is excellent in the short term yet appears to diminish with time.
Cellulose Studies: XII. The Degree of Polymolecularity of Acid-Modified Celluloses

For the determination of the degree of polymolecularity in acid-modified celluloses the nitrates of hydrocelluloses from native cotton, surgical cotton, and viscose rayon were frac tionated from dilute acetone solutions. The results indicate that a large proportion of the hydro celluloses are uniform in that almost 33% of the methanolyzed native cotton consists of mole cules with D.P. 252, about 70% of the hydrocellulose from surgical cotton has D.P. 260, and some 36% of the material from viscose rayon possesses D.P. 62. Moreover, the most important fractions were found to be integral multiples of the assumed "limit hydrocellulose" with D.P. 64. Integral- and mass-distribution curves were constructed from the experimental data according to the procedure outlined by Schulz and were compared with the theoretical mass-distribution curves calculated on the basic assumption of random hydrolysis of a long-chain molecule with uniform hydrolyzable bonds. In all three cases the experimental curves show pronounced ...
Marginality, Role Conflict, and Status Inconsistency as Forms of Stressful Interaction

Many sociologists have hypothesized that persons who possess inconsistent or conflicting attributes will tend to experience stress and manifest certain psychological characteristics which are markedly different from those who possess ordinary combinations of attributes. This problem has been regarded from three theoretical perspectives, the "theories" of the marginal man, role conflict, and status inconsistency. After examining the ways in which each perspective has been employed, this paper discusses several points of convergence and specifies implicit assumptions each makes about the nature of the interaction involved. Some conclusions are offered which indicate the usefulness of a reductionist approach in the formulation of sociological theory and in the conduct of research.
Index selection for OLAP

On-line analytical processing (OLAP) is a recent and important application of database systems. Typically, OLAP data is presented as a multidimensional "data cube." OLAP queries are complex and can take many hours or even days to run, if executed directly on the raw data. The most common method of reducing execution time is to precompute some of the queries into summary tables (subcubes of the data cube) and then to build indexes on these summary tables. In most commercial OLAP systems today, the summary tables that are to be precomputed are picked first, followed by the selection of the appropriate indexes on them. A trial-and-error approach is used to divide the space available between the summary tables and the indexes. This two-step process can perform very poorly. Since both summary tables and indexes consume the same resource-space-their selection should be done together for the most efficient use of space. The authors give algorithms that automate the selection of summary tables and indexes. In particular, they present a family of algorithms of increasing time complexities, and prove strong performance bounds for them. The algorithms with higher complexities have better performance bounds. However, the increase in the performance bound is diminishing, and they show that an algorithm of moderate complexity can perform fairly close to the optimal.
Quantization to maximize SNR in non-orthogonal subband coders

Recent research in the design of filter banks has shown that non-orthogonal filter banks can potentially provide higher coding gains over orthogonal filter banks. The use of non-orthogonal filter banks, however, poses a difficulty in the quantization of subband signals. The conventional nearest-neighbor (NN) encoding rule for the quantization of subband signals is no longer optimal. We propose two schemes for the quantization of subband signals in non-orthogonal subband coders. An optimal scheme for quantization of subband signals is proposed first. The complexity of the optimal quantization scheme is shown to grow exponentially with the length of the synthesis filters, which motivates the development of low-complexity quantization schemes when the length of the filters in the synthesis filter bank is large. The second quantization technique uses an iterative method to quantize the subband signals such that the mean square error between the input and the reconstructed output signals is minimized.
Paulinus of Nola, Courtyards, and Canthari *

Some of the most elaborate and detailed descriptions of early Christian churches by a Latin writer are given by the nobleman Pontius Meropius Paulinus, who is usually known as Paulinus of Nola, after the city where he became bishop in the latter part of his life. He was born in Bordeaux around 353, of a wealthy family that had extensive properties in Aquitania, Gallia Narbonensis, Latium, and Campania. He received an education appropriate to his noble stature and became the prize student of Ausonius, also a native of Bordeaux, who was the tutor of the (future) emperor Gratian and a celebrated poet at court.
Use of imaging guides in preimplant tomography

Abstract Objectives. The objective of this study was to quantify the variation in use and type of imaging guides used by community-based specialists and general practitioners during dental implant treatment planning phases. The specific aim of this study was to test the hypothesis that specialists are more likely to use some form of cross-sectional imaging in conjunction with imaging guides during the preoperative assessment of dental implant procedures. Study Design. Records from 630 patients with implants (1640 implants) referred for cross-sectional tomography were reviewed. Imaging guide type and implant sites were noted. Results. The distribution of referring dentists by specialty was as follows: general practitioners (42.2%), periodontists (35.1%), oral and maxillofacial surgeons (13.3%), and prosthodontists (7%). Of patients referred for tomograms, 52% were referred without a surgical guide. Conclusion. Specialists ordered tomograms in conjunction with imaging guides more often than did general practitioners. Prosthodontists and periodontists preferred to use more restrictive guides than did general practitioners or oral and maxillofacial surgeons. (Oral Surg Oral Med Oral Pathol Oral Radiol Endod 2002;93:483-7)
Decreasing blood loss in patients treated with radical cystectomy: a prospective randomizes trial using a new stapling device.

ABSTRACTPurpose: Radical cystectomy has been associated with significant blood loss and the need for heterologous transfusion. We investigated the potential decrease in blood loss and/or in transfusion requirement using a new stapling device compared with the traditional suture ligation technique.Materials and Methods: We prospectively examined 70 patients with urothelial carcinoma who were scheduled for radical cystectomy. Each patient was randomized to traditional suture ligation or the Compact Flex Articulating Linear Cutter (Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Cincinnati, Ohio) stapling device. The 2 groups were prospectively compared with respect to estimated blood loss, transfusion requirement, operative time and complications.Results: The groups were equivalent in terms of demographic and clinical variables, indicating that randomization produced 2 comparable groups. The stapler group had significantly lower estimated blood loss during cystectomy (p = 0.007) and during the whole procedure (p = 0.02). This group ...
A Note on Naomi Rosenbaum's “Success in Foreign Policy: The British in Cyprus, 1878-1960”

"The labour which creates Use-Value, and counts qualitatively, is Work, as distinguished from Labour; that which creates Value and counts quantitatively, is Labour as distinguished from Work."13 This distinction between work and labour, which has many points of contact with that made by Miss Arendt, is only implicit in Marx's writings since he wrote in German. However, he consistently employs the distinction, and uses it in extremely key passages. For example, Marx writes: "Political Economy ... views the social division of labour only from the standpoint of manufacture, and sees in it only the means of producing more commodities with a given quantity of labour, and, consequently, of cheapening commodities and hurrying on the accumulation of capital. In most striking contrast with this accentuation of quantity and exchange-value, is the attitude of the writers of classical antiquity, who hold exclusively by quality and use-value. In consequence of the separation of the social branches of production, commodities are better made, the various bents and talents of men select a suitable field, and without some restraint no important result can be obtained anywhere. Hence both product and producer are improved by the division of labour."14
Active Surveillance for Adverse Events: The Experience of the Vaccine Safety Datalink Project

OBJECTIVE: To describe the Vaccine Safety Datalink (VSD) project9s experience with population-based, active surveillance for vaccine safety and draw lessons that may be useful for similar efforts. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The VSD comprises a population of 9.2 million people annually in 8 geographically diverse US health care organizations. Data on vaccinations and diagnoses are updated and extracted weekly. The safety of 5 vaccines was monitored, each with 5 to 7 prespecified outcomes. With sequential analytic methods, the number of cases of each outcome was compared with the number of cases observed in a comparison group or the number expected on the basis of background rates. If the test statistic exceeded a threshold, it was a signal of a possible vaccine-safety problem. Signals were investigated by using temporal scan statistics and analyses such as logistic regression. RESULTS: Ten signals appeared over 3 years of surveillance: 1 signal was reported to external stakeholders and ultimately led to a change in national vaccination policy, and 9 signals were found to be spurious after rigorous internal investigation. Causes of spurious signals included imprecision in estimated background rates, changes in true incidence or coding over time, other confounding, inappropriate comparison groups, miscoding of outcomes in electronic medical records, and chance. In the absence of signals, estimates of adverse-event rates, relative risks, and attributable risks from up-to-date VSD data have provided rapid assessment of vaccine safety to policy-makers when concerns about a specific vaccine have arisen elsewhere. CONCLUSIONS: Care with data quality, outcome definitions, comparison groups, and length of surveillance are required to enable detection of true safety problems while minimizing false signals. Some causes of false signals in the VSD system were preventable and have been corrected, whereas others will be unavoidable in any active surveillance system. Temporal scan statistics, analyses to control for confounding, and chart review are indispensable tools in signal investigation. The VSD9s experience may inform new systems for active safety surveillance.
A three‐dimensional model of microbial transport and biodegradation at the Schoolcraft, Michigan, site

[1] Bioremediation can be a cost-effective approach to clean up groundwater contaminants, especially in cases where numerical models have been used to evaluate microbial processes and design remediation strategies. This paper describes the three-dimensional reactive transport modeling of carbon tetrachloride (CT) bioremediation at the Schoolcraft site in western Michigan. A “biocurtain” was created to remediate this site using a recirculation well gallery installed normal to groundwater flow, which was inoculated with nonnative microbes and fed with weekly additions of electron donor (acetate) and nutrients. The model simulates the transport and reactions of aqueous and sorbed phase CT, acetate, electron acceptor (nitrate), mobile and immobile microbes, and tracer (bromide). Simulated microbial processes include growth, decay, attachment, detachment, and endogenous respiration. This model was used to predict solute concentrations across the site using laboratory-based reaction parameters and to evaluate changes in rates from the laboratory to the field. A reasonable agreement was found between predicted and observed acetate and nitrate concentrations; however, a lower CT degradation rate was needed to describe the CT concentrations observed after the inoculation event.
Patterns of genetic variation in rare and widespread plant congeners

Rare species are typically considered to maintain low levels of genetic variation, and this view has been supported by several reviews of large numbers of isozyme studies. Although these reviews have provided valuable data on levels of variability in plant species in general, and rare species in particular, these broad overviews involve comparisons that may confound the effects of rarity with a multitude of other factors that affect genetic variability. Additionally, the statistical analyses employed assume the data to be independent, which is not the case for organisms that share a common phylogenetic history. As the role of evolutionary history and historical constraints has become better understood, more researchers have studied widespread congeners when investigating the genetic diversity of rare species in an effort to control for these effects. We summarize the available data from such studies, comparing for rare and widespread congeners (1) the levels of genetic variability at the population and species levels and (2) measures of population substructuring. At the population level, we summarized data for percentage polymorphic loci (%P(pop)), mean number of alleles per locus (A(pop)), and observed heterozygosity (H(o)). Species-level measures used were percentage polymorphic loci (%P(spp)), mean number of alleles per locus (A(spp)), and total genetic diversity (H(T)). Indices of population subdivision (either F(ST) or G(ST)) were also examined. Using Wilcoxon signed rank tests, we found significant, but small, differences between rare and widespread species for all diversity measures except H(T). However, there does not appear to be a difference between rare and widespread congeners in terms of how genetic variation is partitioned within and among populations. Levels of diversity, for all measures examined, between rare and widespread congeners are highly correlated.
Characterization of Ferric and Ferrous Iron Transport Systems in Vibrio cholerae

Vibrio cholerae has multiple iron acquisition systems, including TonB-dependent transport of heme and of the catechol siderophore vibriobactin. Strains defective in both of these systems grow well in laboratory media and in the infant mouse intestine, indicating the presence of additional iron acquisition systems. Previously uncharacterized potential iron transport systems, including a homologue of the ferrous transporter Feo and a periplasmic binding protein-dependent ATP binding cassette (ABC) transport system, termed Fbp, were identified in the V. cholerae genome sequence. Clones encoding either the Feo or the Fbp system exhibited characteristics of iron transporters: both repressed the expression of lacZ cloned under the control of a Fur-regulated promoter in Escherichia coli and also conferred growth on a Shigella flexneri mutant that has a severe defect in iron transport. Two other ABC transporters were also evaluated but were negative by these assays. Transport of radioactive iron by the Feo system into the S. flexneri iron transport mutant was stimulated by the reducing agent ascorbate, consistent with Feo functioning as a ferrous transporter. Conversely, ascorbate inhibited transport by the Fbp system, suggesting that it transports ferric iron. The growth of V. cholerae strains carrying mutations in one or more of the potential iron transport genes indicated that both Feo and Fbp contribute to iron acquisition. However, a mutant defective in the vibriobactin, Fbp, and Feo systems was not attenuated in a suckling mouse model, suggesting that at least one other iron transport system can be used in vivo.
Study of the undercooling of Pb-free, flip-chip solder bumps and in situ observation of solidification process

The undercooling of flip-chip Pb-free solder bumps was investigated by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) to understand the effects of solder composition and volume, with and without the presence of an under bump metallurgy (UBM). A large amount of the undercooling (as large as 90 °C) was observed with Sn-rich, flip-chip size solder bumps sitting in a glass mold, while the corresponding undercooling was significantly reduced in the presence of a wettable UBM surface. In addition, the solidification of an array of individual solder bumps was monitored in situ by a video imaging technique during both heating-up and cooling-down cycles. Data obtained by the optical imaging method were used to complement the DSC thermal measurements. A random solidification of the array of bumps was demonstrated during cooling, which also spans a wide temperature range of 40–80 °C. In contrast, an almost simultaneous melting of the bumps was observed during heating.
Shear Strength of Chemically Based Self-Consolidating Concrete Beams: Fracture Mechanics Approach versus Modified Compression Field Theory

AbstractAn experimental investigation was conducted to study the shear strength of full-scale beams constructed with both chemically based self-consolidating concrete (SCC) and conventional concrete (CC). This experimental program consisted of 12 beams without stirrups with three different longitudinal reinforcement ratios. The beams were tested under a simply supported four-point loading condition. The experimental shear strengths of the beams were compared with the shear provisions of both U.S. and international design codes. Furthermore, the shear strengths of the beams were evaluated based on fracture mechanics approaches, modified compression field theory (MCFT), and a shear database of CC specimens. Results of this study show that the SCC possesses comparable shear strength to the CC.
Parallel interference cancellation MIMO decision feedback equalization based on recursive least square algorithm

We present a new receiver structure able to deliver high data rates in a multi-input-multi-output (MIMO) frequency selective wireless environment. The parallel interference cancellation MIMO decision feedback equalization based on recursive least square algorithm (RLS-PIC-DFE) is obtained by canceling decided symbols from the received symbols parallel with the decision feed-forward equalizer (DFE) solution as a well known expression encountered in fast recursive least squares (RLS) adaptive algorithms, and the decision feedback equalizer as a convolution of the decision feed-forward equalizer with the channel. The RLS-PIC-DFE algorithm avoids the interference of the decided symbols and improves the detection performance. Under the environment of multiple scattering wireless communication, the simulation experiment results show that compared to the traditional decision feedback equalization based on recursive least square algorithm (RLS-DFE), the detection performance of proposed algorithm is improved dramatically.
Profiles of Urban, Low SES, African American Girls’ Attitudes Toward Science A Sequential Explanatory Mixed Methods Study

The purpose of this study was to increase the science education community’s understanding of the experiences and needs of girls who cross the traditional categorical boundaries of gender, race and socioeconomic status in a manner that has left their needs and experience largely invisible. A first of several in a series, this study sought to explore how African American girls from low SES communities position themselves in science learning. We followed a mixed-methods sequential explanatory strategy, in which two data collection phases, qualitative following the quantitative, were employed to investigate 89 African-American girls’ personal orientations towards science learning. By using quantitative data from the Modified Attitudes toward Science Inventory to organize students into attitude profiles and then sequentially integrating the profile scores with year-long interview data, we found that the girls’ orientations towards science were best described in terms of definitions of science, importance of sc...
In Vitro Double and Triple Bactericidal Activities of Doripenem, Polymyxin B, and Rifampin against Multidrug-Resistant Acinetobacter baumannii, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and Escherichia coli

In vitro double and triple bactericidal activities of doripenem, polymyxin B, and rifampin were assessed against 20 carbapenem-resistant clinical isolates with different mechanisms of carbapenem resistance. Bactericidal activity was achieved in 90% of all bacteria assayed using combinations of polymyxin B, doripenem, and rifampin against five each of the carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae, Acinetobacter baumannii, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Escherichia coli isolates studied. Combinations with these antibacterials may provide a strategy for treatment of patients infected with such organisms.
An inviscid model of the solar wind

Inviscid model of solar wind assuming total energy transported by kinetic energy convection at infinity
Effect of NaCl and Desoxycorticosterone on Body Weight and Carbohydrate Stores of Adrenalectomized Rats.

SummaryAdrenalectomized rats given a 1% solution of sodium chloride to drink ad libitum in place of tap water for a 10-day period after operation gain in weight and are able to store fed glucose in amounts comparable to that of adrenalectomized rats given 0.5 mg desoxycorticosterone daily or to that of rats in which the adrenals are intact.
Lack of Pollinators Limits Fruit Set in the Exotic Lonicera japonica

Abstract The nonindigenous invasive, Lonicera japonica, is a woody vine with a well-documented capacity for vegetative spread. In contrast, few data exist on its potential for establishment by seed. Lonicera japonica is biotically pollinated and xenogamous, requiring pollen from a genetically distinct individual for fruit set. We conducted hand-pollinations to determine if the fruit set of L. japonica in Arkansas was pollinator limited. Naturally pollinated control shoots produced fruit from 17.4% of their flowers, but the hand-pollinated flowers had a fruit set of 78.7%. Shoots with pollinators excluded set fruit on only 2.1% of the flowers. To determine geographic patterns in fruit set we surveyed seven different sites along the western edge of the naturalized range of L. japonica. Average fruit set on primary shoots was 13 ± 4.1% (mean ± se), whereas the secondary shoots averaged 23 ± 6.7%. These results support our conclusion that sexual reproduction in populations of L. japonica along the western edg...
Field Tests of Long-Span Aluminum Culvert

A 28.5 ft (8.7 m) span, 17-ft 10-in. (5.4-m) high corrugated aluminum culvert was instrumented to obtain measurements of strain and displacement during backfilling and under static live load. Values of circumferential bending moment and thurst at 16 locations spaced around the structure’s circumference at mid-span are reported for each 2 ft (0.6 m) of backfill from the springline to 2 ft (0.6 m) over the crown. Despite bending moments, 70 percent of the fully plastic value, and stresses which exceed the nominal yield point of the aluminum, it is concluded that the structural behavior is satisfactory. Discrepancies between measured values and design prediction are discussed.
ADVANCED TOKAMAK OPERATION USING THE DIII-D PLASMA CONTROL SYSTEM

A271 ADVANCED TOKAMAK OPERATION USING THE DIII-D PLASMA CONTROL SYSTEM. The principal focus of experimental operations in the DIII-D tokamak is the advanced tokamak (AT) regime to achieve, which requires highly integrated and flexible plasma control. In a high performance advanced tokamak, accurate regulation of the plasma boundary, internal profiles, pumping, fueling, and heating must be well coordinated with MHD control action to stabilize such instabilities as tearing modes and resistive wall modes. Sophisticated monitors of the operational regime must provide detection of off-normal conditions and trigger appropriate safety responses with acceptable levels of reliability. Many of these capabilities are presently implemented in the DIII-D plasma control system (PCS), and are now in frequent or routine operational use. The present work describes recent development, implementation, and operational experience with AT regime control elements for equilibrium control, MHD suppression, and off-normal event detection and response.
LaZy superscalar

LaZy Superscalar is a processor architecture which delays the execution of fetched instructions until their results are needed by other instructions. This approach eliminates dead instructions and provides the necessary means to fuse dependent instructions across multiple control dependencies by explicitly tracking control and data dependencies through a matrix based scheduler. We present this novel redesign of scheduling, recovery and commit mechanisms and evaluate the performance of the proposed architecture. Our simulations using Spec 2006 benchmark suite indicate that LaZy Superscalar can achieve significant speed-ups while providing respectable power savings compared to a conventional superscalar processor.
Multiple Si–H Bond Activations by tBu2PCH2CH2PtBu2 and tBu2PCH2PtBu2 Di(phosphine) Complexes of Rhodium and Iridium

Reactions of the di(tert-butylphosphino)ethane complex (dtbpe)Rh(CH2Ph) with Ph2SiH2 and Et2SiH2 resulted in isolation of (dtbpe)Rh(H)2(SiBnPh2) (1; Bn = CH2Ph) and (dtbpe)Rh(H)2(SiBnEt2) (2), respectively. Both 1 and 2 feature strong interactions between the rhodium hydride and silyl ligands, as indicated by large 2JSiH values (44.4 and 52.1 Hz). The reaction of (dtbpm)Rh(CH2Ph) (dtbpm = di(tert-butylphosphino)methane) with Mes2SiH2 gave the pseudo-three-coordinate Rh complex (dtbpm)Rh(SiHMes2) (3), which is stabilized in the solid state by agostic interactions between the rhodium center and two C–H bonds of a methyl substituent on the mesityl group. The analogous germanium compound (dtbpm)Rh(GeHMes2) (4) is also accessible. Complex 3 readily undergoes reactions with diphenylacetylene, phenylacetylene, and 2-butyne to give the silaallyl complexes (dtbpm)Rh[Si(CPh═CHPh)Mes2] (5), (dtbpm)Rh[Si(CH═CHPh)Mes2] (7), and (dtbpm)Rh(Si(CMe═CHMe)Mes2) (8) via net insertions into the Si–H bond. The germaallyl compl...
PREVALENCE AND MANAGEMENT OF ASPIRIN ALLERGY IN AN AMBULATORY CARDIOLOGY PRACTICE AND IN PATIENTS UNDERGOING PERCUTANEOUS CORONARY INTERVENTION

The prevalence and management of aspirin (ASA) allergy are not well established. We conducted an electronic medical record review of 11375 individuals, 5052 (44%) in the ambulatory setting, and 6323 (56%) admitted for percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) from January 2012 to December 2013. The