cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
210Po implanted in glass surfaces: Calibration and improved performance for retrospective radon reconstruction

Publisher Summary This chapter studied the implanted 210 Po– 210 Pb activities and cumulative radon gas exposure of glass surfaces in two groups of homes to establish an authentic calibration for retrospective radon gas reconstruction and to identify factors that affect the calibration. Sixty-seven glass objects from 24 Minnesota homes were analyzed. The radon gas concentrations in these homes were measured repeatedly with annual, yearlong detectors over a two-decade span while the glass was being exposed to radon progeny. The surface activity–radon exposure correlation was better than in studies where only contemporary radon concentrations had been measured. Implanted surface activities provide a good measure of cumulative radon exposure. A measurement of the contemporary deposition rate and radon gas can improve the predictive accuracy of the technique. Since surface activities can be measured rapidly, they are an attractive alternative for future home radon screening assessments or epidemiologic studies involving lung cancer where estimates of retrospective radon exposure are required.
Credible Disclosure of Industry-Wide Information Through Trade Associations: Evidence from the Semiconductor Industry

Prior analytical research suggests that competitive firms within an industry may not voluntarily share their private market information through a trade association. Given legal restrictions which preclude trade associations from compelling participation or accurate reporting by firms or revealing their proprietary data, it is uncertain whether trade associations can design and implement systems to collect and transmit useful market information. This paper documents significant stock price movements on release dates of aggregate industry data on new orders and shipments by the Semiconductor Industry Association (SIA) each month which are positively associated with changes in the numbers disclosed. The industry information released is positively correlated with earnings changes in the subsequent quarterly earnings announcements of firms within the industry. Additional tests indicate that semiconductor firms? stock prices respond significantly to their quarterly earnings announcements, and that the prior disclosure of aggregate industry information does not materially reduce the valuation relevance of earnings reports of semiconductor firms . Overall, these findings support the hypothesis that trade associations are able to obtain reliable data from firms, aggregate it into statistics that do not reveal a specific company?s information, and then distribute aggregate statistics back to participating firms in a timely manner. Our analysis further suggests that while the aggregate industry data are informative for investors in high-tech stocks, they do not reduce the valuation impact of semiconductor firms? quarterly earnings.
Learning time-based presence probabilities

Many potential pervasive computing applications could use predictions of when a person will be at a certain place. Using a survey and GPS data from 34 participants in 11 households, we develop and test algorithms for predicting when a person will be at home or away. We show that our participants' self-reported home/away schedules are not very accurate, and we introduce a probabilistic home/away schedule computed from observed GPS data. The computation includes smoothing and a soft schedule template. We show how the probabilistic schedule outperforms both the self-reported schedule and an algorithm based on driving time. We also show how to combine our algorithm with the best part of the drive time algorithm for a slight boost in performance.
Mental Health Treatment for Juvenile Offenders in Residential Psychiatric and Juvenile Justice Settings

In this chapter, we discuss the mental health treatment options for juvenile offenders placed in residential psychiatric or juvenile justice settings. After discussing the effectiveness and potential risks of residential care, we then discuss the unique treatment, behavioral management, and service delivery issues arising in residential settings and the importance of service integration and aftercare. We conclude with directions for future research and program development in the residential treatment of juvenile offenders.
Alemtuzumab as Compared to Alternative Contemporary Induction Regimens

Between 1/1/02 and 12/31/07, our center performed 1687 adult renal transplants. A retrospective analysis was performed to compare outcomes between patients receiving alemtuzumab (n=632) and those receiving either basiliximab (n=690) or thymoglobulin (n=125). Patients receiving alemtuzumab were younger (49 vs. 51 years, p=0.02), had fewer HLA matches (1.7 vs. 2.0, p<0.0001), were more likely to have a CMV donor(+)/recipient(−) transplant (22% vs. 17%, p=0.03) and were less likely to receive a living donor allograft (32% vs. 37%, p=0.04). Alemtuzumab recipients were less likely to receive tacrolimus (35% vs. 47%, p<0.0001). The 1-, 3-, and 5-year cumulative incidence of antibody-mediated rejection (AMR) in alemtuzumab-treated patients was 19%, 24%, and 27%, versus 11%, 15%, and 18% for the other group (p<0.0001). The 1-, 3-, and 5-year allograft survival in the alemtuzumab group was 88%, 75%, and 67%, versus 91%, 82%, and 74% for the other group (p<0.0001). Patient survival was equivalent. Alemtuzumab was an independent risk factor for living donor allograft loss (HR 2.0, p=0.004), opportunistic infections (HR 1.3, p=0.01), CMV infections (HR 1.6, p=0.001), and AMR (HR 1.5, p=0.002). The significantly worse graft survival in the alemtuzumab cohort may be due to the increased rates of AMR and infectious complications.
GRANDPARENT VISITATION RIGHTS

In recent years, legislators in all fifty states have given grandparents rights to petition for visitation privileges with grandchildren that can be enforced over parental objections. Grandparent visitation rights reflect an effort to protect meaningful relationships children enjoy with nonparental caregivers, enlist the assistance of extended family when the child's nuclear family is disrupted, and defend the interests of grandparents themselves. This psycholegal analysis explores the direct and indirect consequences of grandparent visitation statutes for family functioning. Statutory provisions are summarized, and the effects of these statutes are evaluated in light of what is known about the role of grandparents in child development, how courts evaluate children's “best interests” in grandparent visitation disputes, and how these statutes can alter family functioning in informal ways. The authors conclude that there are risks as well as benefits to children and families in grandparent visitation statutes, and suggest directions for procedural and statutory reform.
Risk of Nonmelanoma Skin Cancer Associated With the Use of Immunosuppressant and Biologic Agents in Patients With a History of Autoimmune Disease and Nonmelanoma Skin Cancer

Importance Immune dysfunction underlies the pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Immunosuppressive therapy is the standard of care for these diseases. Both immune dysfunction and therapy-related immunosuppression can inhibit cancer-related immune surveillance in this population. Drug-induced immunosuppression is a risk factor for nonmelanoma skin cancer (NMSC), particularly squamous cell tumors. For patients with a history of NMSC, data are limited on the effect of these drugs on the risk of additional NMSCs. Objective To determine the relative hazard of a second NMSC in patients with RA or IBD who use methotrexate, anti–tumor necrosis factor (anti-TNF) therapy, or thiopurines after an initial NMSC. Design, Setting, and Participants In this retrospective cohort study, we studied 9460 individuals with RA or IBD enrolled in Medicare from January 1, 2006, through December 31, 2012. Exposures Exposure to methotrexate, thiopurines, anti-TNFs, sulfasalazine, hydroxychloroquine, abatacept, or rituximab after the incident NMSC surgery. Main Outcomes and Measures A second NMSC occurring 1 year or more after the incident NMSC using Cox proportional hazards regression models. Results Among 9460 individuals (6841 with RA and 2788 with IBD), the incidence rate of a second NMSC per 1000 person-years was 58.2 (95% CI, 54.5-62.1) and 58.9 (95% CI, 53.2-65.2) in patients with RA and IBD, respectively. Among patients with RA, methotrexate used in conjunction with other medications was associated with an increased risk of a second NMSC (hazard ratio [HR], 1.60; 95% CI, 1.08-2.37). Adjusted for other medications, the risk of NMSC increased with 1 year or more of methotrexate use (HR, 1.24; 95% CI, 1.04-1.48). Compared with methotrexate alone, the addition of anti-TNF drugs was significantly associated with risk of NMSC (HR, 1.49; 95% CI, 1.03-2.16). Abatacept and rituximab were not associated with increased NMSC risk. The nonsignificant HRs for 1 year or more of thiopurine and anti-TNF use for IBD were 1.49 (95% CI, 0.98-2.27) and 1.36 (95% CI, 0.76-2.44), respectively. Conclusions and Relevance Methotrexate use is associated with an increased risk of a second NMSC. Anti-TNF use may increase the risk of a second NMSC when used with methotrexate for RA. Further long-term studies are required before one can conclude that thiopurine and/or anti-TNF do not increase the risk of a second NMSC in patients with IBD.
Paper chromatographic analysis of selenium, tellurium, polonium, and bismuth

Abstract The chromatographic analysis of 210Po, 210Bi, 127,129Te, and 75Se in hydrochloric acid and hydrofluoric acid developing media is described. This method of isolation of 210Po from bismuth targets gives in a single operation clean samples at 100 % yield. The solutions of 210Po were obtained in very small volume and were suitable for high resolution α-pulse analysis.
The Fate of Lower Extremities with Failed Free Flaps

This study reviews the outcome of patients with failed free flaps to lower extremities. The failure rate was 10 percent (41 of 413 flaps) over a 13-year period. Trauma patients (83 percent of all patients) had a failure rate of 11 percent, while nontrauma patients had a failure rate of 6.7 percent. The most common cause of failure was venous thrombosis (34 percent). Eight of 36 patients (22 percent) went on to amputation after the failed free flap; all were trauma patients. Patients with tibia-fibula fractures had a 35 percent amputation rate (6 of 17 patients) after a failed free flap. Seventy-eight percent of the patients (28 of 36) had salvage of their extremities by split-thickness skin graft, local flaps, or a second free flap. Long-term follow-up was available in 24 of 36 patients (67 percent), 20 of whom were salvaged without amputation. Of the patients whose limbs were salvaged, none had undergone an amputation at a mean follow-up of 6.2 years. All were ambulating, but 7 (35 percent) had intermittent wound breakdown. Despite an initial free-flap loss, the majority of extremities can be salvaged with subsequent procedures. However, on long-term follow-up, a large percentage of patients continue to have wound problems.
Differential effects of diuresis and beta-adrenoreceptor blockade during angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibition in patients with severe hypertension.

: The orally administered blocker of angiotensin-converting enzyme, captopril, was given to 16 patients with moderate to severe hypertension in whom blood pressure could not adequately be controlled by combination treatment with a vasodilator (hydralazine 200 mg daily), a beta-blocker (propranolol 320 mg daily), and a diuretic (hydrochlorothiazide 100 mg daily). Captopril (450 mg daily) alone maintained blood pressure at the same levels as during previous administration of the combination, although in the absence of the diuretic and the beta-blocker there were increases in body weight of 1.8 ± 0.5 (S.E.) kg (P<0.01) and in supine heart rate of 10 ± 4 beats/min (P < 0.01). After hydrochlorothiazide (100 mg daily) was added to the captopril, the supine mean blood pressure of 122 ± 5 mm Hg was significantly lower than during captopril alone (134 ± 4 mm Hg, P<0.01). Heart rate increased from 79 ± 3 to 90 ± 5 beats/min (P<0.05). In 13 of the 16 patients, in whom supine diastolic blood pressure still remained higher than 90 mm Hg, the addition of propranolol (120–360 mg daily) to the captopril-hydrochlorothiazide combination decreased heart rate from 88 ± 5 to 65 ± 3 beats/min (P < 0.01), but failed to produce a further blood pressure decrement. However, the supine mean blood pressure during the captopril-hydrochlorothiazide-propranolol combination of 120 ± 5 mm Hg was significantly lower (P < 0.05) than that (132 ± 6 mm Hg) during the hydralazine-hydrochlorothiazide-propranolol combination. Despite similar diuretic doses in the two regimens, serum potassium concentration was significantly higher during treatment with the captopril combination (4.3 ± 0.2 vs. 3.6 ± 0.2 mEq/l., P<0.01). It seems likely that converting enzyme inhibition by captopril increases the sensitivity of the blood pressure response to diuretic therapy, in part by blocking the countervailing effects of the reactive rise in renin release that is stimulated by sodium depletion. In these renin-blocked patients, however, addition of propranolol does not appear to produce any further antihypertensive effect.
In vivo fluorescence, extracted fluorescence, and chlorophyll concentrations in algal mass measurements

Abstract In vivo fluorescence is applicable to both field and laboratory measurement of chlorophyll concentration. However, in the laboratory, the ratio of chlorophyll a concentration to in vivo fluorescence changed in value during the course of bioassays. It was found, therefore, that a conversion factor for in vivo fluorescence to chlorophyll a concentration should be calculated at the beginning and end of each algal bioassay. The in vivo fluorescence values can be used without conversion for calculations of the maximum specific growth rate ( μ b , day −1 ). The ratio of chlorophyll a concentration to in vivo fluorescence was also found to be highly variable for in situ samples. The fluorescence ofdissolved substances varied widely at different sampling locations and contributed to but were not the only substances in the water responsible for the observed ratio changes. Correction of the ratio by subtraction of soluble fluorescence from total fluorescence did not result in a uniform ratio. Extracted fluorescence can be used for measuring chlorophyll when concentrations are below the detectability of in vivo fluorescence. In contrast to the variable chlorophyll a to in vivo fluorescence ratio. The relationships found between chlorophyll a and extracted fluorescence was linear; once the ratio was established for a specific fluorometer, the conversion was reasonably constant regardless of the source of the water sample.
Analysis of grain boundaries by HREM

Abstract The analysis of grain boundaries by HRTEM has shown that there are important differences between the structure of these defects in ceramic materials and similar defects in semiconductors and metals. These differences are illustrated by a new analysis of such defects in Mg-Al spinel. Spinel has a relatively large lattice parameter (0.809 nm) and can, therefore, be studied using a conventional 125 kV transmission electron microscope. It is shown that significantly greater detail will be accessible using the new generation of electron microscopes which have a point-to-point resolution of better than 0.2 nm. The defects discussed include coherent and incoherent twins and the {110} stacking faults. Experimental results at the lower resolution of 0.32 nm are compared with computer-simulated images for both the 125 kV and the new 400 kV transmission electron microscopes. The analysis of these defects in spinel is compared with both experimental and simulated images of closely related defects in germanium.
Blood Lead Misclassification Due to Defective LeadCare® Blood Lead Testing Equipment

In May, 2005, a partial recall of LeadCare® portable blood lead testing kits was initiated after proficiency testing revealed a negative error (mean, −25%; 95% CI, −15% to −35%) in blood lead concentrations (often called blood lead level in the US) analyzed with this device (1)(2). This bias exceeded previously recommended 95% error thresholds established with graphite furnace atomic absorption spectroscopy (3). The recall included 8 lots of defective sensors containing enough material for an estimated 500 000 patient tests distributed between September 2003 and May 2005. The LeadCare device uses an anodic stripping voltammetry method to measure lead. Capillary sampling by fingerstick is the most common method of specimen collection. Assessments of the portable units by testing of venous samples from occupationally exposed workers have demonstrated that measurements obtained with these units show an insignificant positive error that decreases as blood lead concentrations increase (4). A blood lead concentration ≥10 μg/dL (100 μg/L) has been established as the …
CW Single-Frequency Tunable, CW Multi-Watt Polycrystalline, and CW Hot-Pressed-Ceramic Cr 2+ :ZnSe Lasers

We demonstrate CW ultrafast-tunable (4 mum/s), 150 mW, single-longitudinal-mode (120 MHz); and CW multi-watt (2.7 W at 2.5 mum), highly efficient (39% real efficiency) polycrystalline Cr :ZnSe lasers; and CW hot-pressed ceramic Cr2+ :ZnSe laser.
Guest Editors' Introduction: Ultrascale Visualization

This special issue highlights five articles covering several topics in ultrascale data visualization, including extreme-scale production software, ghost-data generation, biomedical-image segmentation and remote viewing, in situ visualization, and display-rich global collaborative cyberinfrastructure. Underlying the different research focuses is a common theme: how to prepare ourselves to address the challenges brought by supercomputers that will soon include one million cores and beyond. Besides presenting new research ideas, the articles in this issue discuss current visualization software's limitations, the major bottleneck in future hardware architectures that will prevent us from developing scalable visualization solutions, the unification of software and hardware to enable remote collaboration, the future trend of biomedical imaging, and the need to create seamless workflows for data generation and analysis.
Direction of shear

Abstract The direction of the maximum shear stress on any plane can be determined graphically from the traction vector. The orientation and magnitude of this vector are found from a fundamental property of symmetric tensors of second rank. Exactly the same method can be used to find the direction of the shear strain associated with any line.
Ag2SeGa2Se3 pseudobinary phase diagram

Abstract The pseudobinary Ag 2 Se-Ga 2 Se 3 phase diagram has been redetermined by differential thermal analysis, x-ray diffraction, and crystal growth studies. A new ternary phase, Ag 9 GaSe 6 , has been observed, and the phase boundaries of the solid solutions based on AgGaSe 2 and Ga 2 Se 3 have been measured. The optical scattering observed in slow-cooled crystals of AgGaSe 2 is due to precipitates of a Ga 2 Se 3 -based solid solution, which has the approximate composition AgGa 7 Se 11 . The new Ag 2 Se-Ga 2 Se 3 diagram differs significantly from the one given by Palatnik and Belova but is qualitatively similar to the Ag 2 S-Ga 2 S 3 diagram recently reported by Brandt and Kramer.
Decay rate of concentration fluctuation of a binary mixture in the non-hydrodynamical regime

Abstract Decay rate of concentration fluctuation in the non-hydrodynamical regime is calculated and compared with the experiment.
Leaving group activation and pyrophosphate ionic state at the catalytic site of Plasmodium falciparum orotate phosphoribosyltransferase.

Plasmodium falciparum orotate phosphoribosyltransferase (PfOPRT) catalyzes the reversible pyrophosphorolysis of orotidine 5′-monophosphate (OMP). Transition-state analysis from kinetic isotope effects supports a dianionic orotic acid (OA) leaving group. Isotope-edited Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectrometry complemented by homology modeling and quantum chemical calculations were used to characterize the orotate hydrogen-bond network for PfOPRT. Bond stretch frequencies for C2═O and C4═O of OMP were established from 13C-edited FTIR difference spectra. Both frequencies were shifted downward by 20 cm−1 upon formation of the Michaelis complex. Hydrogen-bond interactions to the orotate moiety induce strong leaving group polarization by ground-state destabilization. The C2═O bond is 2.7 A from two conserved water molecules, and the C4═O bond is within 2.4 A of the NH2(ω) of Arg241 and the peptide NH of Phe97. Relative to free OMP, the N1 atom of PfOPRT-bound OMP indicates a ΔpKa of −4.6. The decreased ba...
A microscopic description of inelastic 12C scattering from 208Pb

Abstract Heavy-ion inelastic scattering is described microscopically by using an effective nucleon-nucleon interaction and RPA hole-particle wave functions. The relative cross sections for different multipoles can be sensitive to the range of the interaction. The strength is determined by fitting elastic scattering. The model is used to analyze 98 MeV 12C ions exciting 208Pb. The range required is shorter than that for the bare interaction between nucleons. Collective model fits are also presented for comparison.
Population genetic analyses reveal the African origin and strain variation of Cryptococcus neoformans var. grubii.

Cryptococcus neoformans is a ubiquitous, saprobic yeast and the cause of life-threatening infections. Humans acquire the infection by inhaling airborne cells from the environment. In the lungs, these cells become encapsulated yeasts and proliferate. In people with healthy immune responses, the infection may resolve or remain latent and subsequently cause disease. However, in immunocompromised people, such as HIV/AIDS patients, and less often in healthy hosts, the yeasts can disseminate to almost any part of the body; however, they are neurotropic, and meningoencephalitis is the most frequent and deadliest clinical manifestation [1]–[3]. An estimated 1 million new infections are acquired each year, and the majority of these cases occur in sub-Saharan Africa, which has the highest prevalence of patients with HIV/AIDS [4]. In this region, C. neoformans is the most common cause of meningitis, and mortality hovers around 50%. Others who succumb to cryptococcosis are apparently immunocompetent and exhibit no evidence of underlying disease. For example, 71% of cryptococcal infections in China occur in people without pre-existing conditions [5]. There are two varieties, C. neoformans var. grubii (Cng) and C. neoformans var. neoformans (Cnn), which are distinguishable by molecular markers or their capsular serotypes, A or D, respectively. Diploid AD hybrids also occur in the environment and patients [6]–[8]. In addition, a sibling species, Cryptococcus gattii, causes similar infections. However, isolates of both serotype D and AD hybrids, as well as C. gattii, are much less common. At least 90% of human cryptococcal disease and fatalities are caused by Cng (serotype A) [9]–[11].
Paradoxical response to sedative/hypnotics in patients with Self-injurious behavior and stereotypy

Paradoxical response to sedative medication has been reported previously among patients with Self-injurious (SIB) and Stereotypic (ST) Behavior (Barron and Sandman, 1983, 1985). The prevalence of this marker was examined in 648 consecutive developmentally delayed patients tested in the EEG laboratory. Several analyses compared response to sedative/hypnotics, assessment of the EEG, and behavioral profiles from the most recent annual comprehensive behavioral/medical evaluation (CDER). The presence of SIB and ST were significantly related to paradoxical response. The EEG was not related to paradoxical response, but had fewer epileptic foci in frequent or severe SIB and/or ST.
Diverse effects of residues 74-78 in ribosomal protein S12 on decoding and antibiotic sensitivity.

Abstract Ribosomal protein S12 plays key roles in the ribosome’s response to the error-promoting antibiotic streptomycin and in modulating the accuracy of translation. The discovery that substitutions at His76 in S12, distant from the streptomycin binding site, conferred streptomycin resistance in the thermophilic bacterium Thermus thermophilus prompted us to make similar alterations in the S12 protein of Escherichia coli. While, none of the E. coli S12 mutations confers streptomycin resistance, they all have distinct effects on the accuracy of translation. In addition, a subset of the S12 alterations renders the cells hypersensitive to fusidic acid, an inhibitor of the translocation step of translation. These results indicate that the His 76 region of ribosomal protein S12 plays key roles in tRNA selection and translocation steps of protein synthesis, consistent with its interaction with elongation factors EF-Tu and EF-G, as deduced from structural studies of ribosomal complexes.
Determinants of fetal exposure to polyfluoroalkyl compounds in Baltimore, Maryland

Polyfluoroalkyl compounds (PFCs), such as perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoate (PFOA), are ubiquitous, man-made chemicals. Human data suggest that in utero exposures to these chemicals occur and some evidence of developmental toxicity in animals exists. To assess the distribution and determinants of fetal exposure to PFCs, we analyzed cord serum samples from 299 singleton newborns delivered between 2004 and 2005 in Baltimore, MD for 10 PFCs by employing on-line solid-phase extraction coupled with reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. PFOS and PFOA were detected in 99 and 100% of umbilical cord sera, with geometric mean concentrations of 4.9 and 1.6 ng/mL, respectively. PFOS and PFOA concentrations were highly correlated (Pearson's r = 0.64 after natural log transformation, p < 0.01). Eight other PFCs were detected less frequently and at lower concentrations than PFOS and PFOA. Geometric mean concentrations of PFOS for Asians (6.0 ng/mL) and Blacks (5.1 ng/mL) were higher than those for Whites (4.2 ng/mL), while PFOA levels were more evenly distributed by race. Other maternal demographic and socioeconomic characteristics, including age, education, marital status, and living in the city limits were not significantly associated with cord concentrations. Our findings suggest that in utero exposure to PFOS and PFOA is ubiquitous in a population of babies born in Baltimore, MD.
A regression analysis of the relationship of the thermal diffusivity of refractory concretes to temperature and technical factors

Multiple regression equations of the relationship of the thermal diffusivity of refractory concretes to temperature and technical factors convenient for practical use in calculations and the design of thermal equipment were obtained. Experimental data for quartz-clay and dinas concretes were used. In addition to the temperature the specific parameters investigated for quartz-clay concretes were the apparent density and the weight percentages of aluminophosphate binder and clay; for dinas concretes, the weight percentages of sodium silicofluoride, water glass, and finely ground quartzite were used. An analysis was made of the pair correlation of thermal diffusivity with the technical factors making it possible to predict the thermophysical properties of the refractory concretes in the production stage.
Initial surgical and pain management outcomes after Nuss procedure

Abstract Purpose The purpose of this article was to report surgical and pain management outcomes of the initial Nuss procedure experience at the Children's Hospital of Wisconsin (Milwaukee) and to place this experience in the context of the published literature. Methods The initial 118 consecutive Nuss procedures in 117 patients were retrospectively reviewed with approval of the Children's Hospital of Wisconsin human rights review board. Patient, surgical, complication, and pain descriptors were collected for each case. Statistical methods for comparison of pain strategies included the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test for normality, 1-way repeated measures analysis of variance, and paired t tests. Results Patient, surgical, and complication descriptors were comparable to other large series. Complication rates were 7% early and 25% late. Epidural success rate was 96.4%. There was 1 episode of recurrence 2 years postbar removal (n = 114). Conclusions The institution of the Nuss procedure provides a highly desired result with significant complication rates. The ideal approach would deliver this result with lower risk. A pain service-driven epidural administration of morphine or hydromorphone with local anesthetic provides excellent analgesia for patients after Nuss procedure. The success of epidural analgesia is independent of catheter site and adjunctive medications. Ketorolac was an effective breakthrough medication.
Acoustic imaging in bat sonar: Echolocation signals and the evolution of echolocation

Echolocating bats behave as though they perceive the crosscorrelation functions between their sonar transmissions and echoes as images of targets, at least with respect to perception of target range, horizontal direction, and shape. These data imply that bats use a multi-dimensional acoustic imaging system for echolocation with broadband, usually frequencymodulated signals. The perceptual structure of the echolocation signals used by different species of bats was investigated using the crosscorrelation functions between emitted signals and returning echoes as indices of perceptual acuity.
A Simple Poverty Scorecard for Pakistan

How poor are participants in pro-poor programs in Pakistan? This study uses the 2005/6 Social and Living Standards Measurement Survey to construct an easy-to-use scorecard that estimates the likelihood that a Pakistani household has expenditure below a given poverty line. The scorecard uses 10 simple indicators that field workers can quickly collect and verify. Poverty scores can be computed on paper in the field in about 5 to 10 minutes. The scorecard’s accuracy and precision are reported for a range of poverty lines. The poverty scorecard is a practical way for pro-poor programs in Pakistan to monitor poverty rates, track changes in poverty rates over time, and target services.
Age of Luna 24 mare basalts based on crater studies

THE recent return of regolith material from Mare Crisium by Luna 24 has provided an opportunity to test our knowledge of lunar impact-flux history. This can be done by comparing crater density data for the landing site with a calibrated impact flux curve to estimate the absolute age of the sample before chemical analysis.
Epigenetic regulation by RARα maintains ligand-independent transcriptional activity

Retinoic acid receptors (RARs) α, β and γ are key regulators of embryonic development. Hematopoietic differentiation is regulated by RARα, and several types of leukemia show aberrant RARα activity. Through microarray expression analysis, we identified transcripts differentially expressed between F9 wild-type (Wt) and RARα knockout cells cultured in the absence or presence of the RAR-specific ligand all trans retinoic acid (RA). We validated the decreased Mest, Tex13, Gab1, Bcl11a, Tcfap2a and HMGcs1 transcript levels, and increased Slc38a4, Stmn2, RpL39l, Ref2L, Mobp and Rlf1 transcript levels in the RARa knockout cells. The decreased Mest and Tex13 transcript levels were associated with increased promoter CpG-island methylation and increased repressive histone modifications (H3K9me3) in RARα knockout cells. Increased Slc38a4 and Stmn2 transcript levels were associated with decreased promoter CpG-island methylation and increased permissive histone modifications (H3K9/K14ac, H3K4me3) in RARα knockout cells. We demonstrated specific association of RARα and RXRα with the Mest promoter. Importantly, stable expression of a dominant negative, oncogenic PML-RARα fusion protein in F9 Wt cells recapitulated the decreased Mest transcript levels observed in RARα knockout cells. We propose that RARα plays an important role in cellular memory and imprinting by regulating the CpG methylation status of specific promoter regions.
Reaction of [Ga2(tBu)4(neol-H)]2 with early transition metal chlorides and amides

Abstract The reaction of [Ga2(tBu)4(neol-H)2] (neol-H2=2,2-dimethylpropane-1,3-diol) with TiCl4, ZrCl4, or VCl4 in the presence of proton sponge, C10H6(NMe2)2, yields [(tBu)GaCl3][C10H6(NMe2)2H] (1). The reaction of [Ga2(tBu)4(neol-H)2] with M(NMe2)4 (M=Ti, Zr) in yields [(tBu)2Ga(μ-NMe2)]2 (2) along with multiple transition metal containing products. In contrast, Cr(NEt2)4 reacts with [Ga2(tBu)4(neol-H)2] to yield [Ga3(tBu)5(neol)2]. For the reaction with Ti(NMe2)4, the identity of the titanium containing products have been determined as [(tBu)2Ga(neol)2Ti(NMe2)] (3), [Ti(NMe2)2(neol)2] (4) and [Ti(neol)2] (5). In addition, following the reaction by 1H NMR allows for the observation of an additional gallium containing intermediate, [(tBu)2Ga(neol)2]2Ti(NMe2)2 (6) and [(tBu)2Ga]2(μ-neol) (7). Compounds 4 and 5 are also made by the direct reaction of Ti(NMe2)4 with neol-H2. Reaction of Ga(tBu)3 with HNMe2 yields (tBu)3Ga(HNMe2) (8). Compound 2 is also formed along with [Ti(NMe2)2(OiPr)2] (9) from the reaction of [(tBu)2Ga(μ-OiPr)]2 with Ti(NMe2)4. The formation of compound 6 is implied by the isolation of the hydration product, [(tBu)2Ga(neol)2Ti(μ-O)Ga(tBu)(HNMe2)] (10). The reaction of CpTi(NMe2)3 with [(tBu)2Ga(neol-H)]2 yields [(tBu)2Ga(neol)2TiCp] (11) and 2.
Reduced chromium in olivine grains from lunar basalt 15555 - X-ray Absorption Near Edge Structure (XANES)

The oxidation state of Cr in 200-micron regions within individual lunar olivine and pyroxene grains from lunar basalt 15555 was inferred using X-ray Absorption Near Edge Structure (XANES). Reference materials had previously been studied by optical absorption spectroscopy and included Cr-bearing borosilicate glasses synthesized under controlled oxygen fugacity and Cr-doped olivines. The energy dependence of XANES spectral features defined by these reference materials indicated that Cr is predominantly divalent in the lunar olivine and trivalent in the pyroxene. These results, coupled with the apparent f(02)-independence of partitioning coefficients for Cr into olivine, imply that the source magma was dominated by divalent Cr at the time of olivine crystallization.
477 DAILY AND MONTHLY PATTERNS OF INTENSIVE CARE NURSERY ADMISSIONS

Analysis of temporal patterns of birth and intensive care nursery (ICN) admissions facilitates investigation of perinatal practice and administration of service units. 2,758 consecutive admissions between 1/1/76 and 12/31/79 to the two tertiary ICNs in Vermont and New Hampshire were classified by month and weekday of admission. Mean birth weight and gestational age were similar by month and day. No monthly pattern other than chance distribution for admissions and mortality was detected. However, admissions were distributed by day of the week in a pattern which differed significantly (p=0.004) from chance. Inborns (local and maternal-fetal transports) also differed significantly (p=0.012); outborns (infant transports) did not. Mortality rate by day of admission (not day of occurrence) does not differ significantly over the week (p=0.36). Length of stay was similar by weekday of admission. We speculate that these findings indicate that perinatal medical management is influencing day of birth of babies at risk for ICN admission without producing a negative effect on mortality.
The effect of refractive error on central and peripheral motion sensitivity at various exposure durations.

Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802 The influence of refractive error on movement sensitivity was determined for a range of stimulus durations in the fovea and periphery. At short durations, threshold is determined by a constant displacement of the stimulus. At longer durations, a constant velocity is required. The correction of peripheral refractive error increases movement sensitivity in the displacement (short duration) component, but does not influence sensitivity in the velocity (long duration) component of the motion threshold. Implications concerning the mechanisms underlying motion perception are discussed.
Asynchronous parallelism in steady-state genetic algorithms

Genetic algorithms (GAs) are becoming increasingly popular for signal detection, often in conjunction with neural networks. The time-intensive nature of these techniques has fostered an interest in parallel implementations. Genitor is a widely used algorithm belonging to the class of steady-state GAs which are generally believed to contain little exploitable parallelism. Parallel versions have involved fundamental changes to the algorithm by introducing islands. This paper describes how Genitor can be parallelized virtually as is, with nearly linear speedup, by rearranging the order of some of the genetic operations. An analytical method is derived which can be used for determining the amount of parallelism that can be achieved. An implementation for a shared-memory machine is described, and the resulting execution is shown to support the analysis.© (1994) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
SPATIAL AND TEMPORAL DIMENSIONS OF NEIGHBORHOOD EFFECTS ON HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION

Research into the effects of neighborhood characteristics on children’s behavior has burgeoned in recent years, but these studies have generally adopted a limited conceptualization of the spatial and temporal dimensions of neighborhood effects. We use longitudinal data from the Panel Study of Income Dynamics and techniques of spatial data analysis to examine how both the socioeconomic characteristics of extralocal neighborhoods—neighborhoods surrounding the immediate neighborhood of residence—and the duration of exposure to disadvantaged neighborhoods throughout the childhood life course influence the likelihood of graduating from high school. Among blacks and whites, socioeconomic advantage in the immediate neighborhood increases the likelihood of completing high school, but among whites higher levels of socioeconomic advantage in extralocal neighborhoods decrease high school graduation rates. Extralocal neighborhood advantage suppresses the influence of advantage in the immediate neighborhood so that controlling for extralocal conditions provides stronger support for the neighborhood effects hypothesis than has previously been observed. Exposure to advantaged neighborhoods over the childhood life course exerts a stronger effect than point-in-time measures on high school graduation, and racial differences in exposure to advantaged neighbors over the childhood life course help to suppress a net black advantage in the likelihood of completing high school.
100 Days, 100 Nights

Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings, 2007, Daptone DAP 012 Prior to rap there was sweet soul music. Beginning in the late '50s with the Drifters, Jackie Wilson, the Miracles, Etta James, and Clyde McPha...
Auger electron spectroscopy and inelastic electron scattering in the studies of metal surfaces

The Auger spectra and characteristic energy losses for aluminum titanium, and chromium have been measured for films that were evaporated under ultrahigh vacuum conditions. Except for the energies at which the Auger electrons appeared, the LMM-spectra of the latter two were similar. The similarities in the Auger spectra of titanium and chromium were used to determine the presence of oxygen on chromium, which represents a situation where the spectra of the elements of interest have Auger transitions in the same energy range. The interaction of oxygen with titanium and chromium surfaces was studied, and we found that Auger transitions from oxygen could be observed for coverages of less than a monolayer. Chemical effects due to oxygen chemisorption were observed for the M-level Auger transitions of these metals. The chemical shift for chromium showed an increase in the binding energy of the M-levels; this is a typical result for the formation of a metal-oxygen bond. The energy shift for titanium, on the other hand, showed a decrease in the M-level binding energies; we have interpreted this as an indication that oxygen donates electrons to the titanium d-band during chemisorption. We have observed the surface and bulk plasma excitations of titanium to occur at 7.5 eV and 12.5 eV, respectively, and for chromium the surface and bulk losses were found to be 8.0 eV and 10.0 eV, respectively. Since the surfaces were prepared under ultrahigh vacuum (a factor of 103 to 104 better than previous work) and the Auger spectra did not show the presence of impurities, we have concluded that the energy-loss spectra presented in this work are characteristic of clean surfaces of these metals. We have determined that the intensity of the surface plasma energy losses for titanium and chromium is sensitive to oxygen coverages as low as 0.04 monolayer. The sensitivity of the surface loss intensity to oxygen coverage was used to estimate the relative sticking probabilities of oxygen on aluminum, titanium, and chromium. The sticking coefficient of oxygen was found to be similar for chromium and titanium, whereas the sticking probability was found to be a factor of 30 lower for aluminum than for the other two metals.
Role of increased oxygen free radical activity in the pathogenesis of uremic hypertension

Role of increased oxygen free radical activity in the pathogenesis of uremic hypertension. Earlier studies have demonstrated increased oxygen free radical (OFR) activity, diminished antioxidant capacity and reduced OFR-inactivating enzymes in chronic renal failure (CRF). Via inactivation of nitric oxide (NO), oxidation of arachidonic acid and a direct vasoconstrictive action, OFR can potentially raise blood pressure (BP). This study was designed to test the hypothesis that increased OFR activity may contribute to CRF hypertension. Four weeks after 5/6 nephrectomy rats were treated for two weeks with either lazaroid, a potent antioxidant and lipid peroxidation inhibitor (CRF-LZ group), or vehicle alone (CRF group) by daily gastric gavage. The control group was sham operated and placebo treated. The CRF group exhibited significant increases in BP and plasma lipid peroxidation product, malondialdehyde (MDA), indicating enhanced OFR activity. This was accompanied by decreased urinary nitrate/nitrite (NOx) excretion suggesting depressed NO production. LZ therapy normalized plasma MDA and significantly ameliorated CRF-induced hypertension. Both MDA and blood pressure (BP) rose to values seen in the untreated CRF group within two weeks after termination of LZ therapy. Intravenous administration of the hydroxyl radical scavenger, dimethylthiourea (DMTU), significantly lowered BP and raised urinary NOx excretion. However, no discernible effects were found with either superoxide dismutase or catalase (superoxide and H 2 O 2 quenchers). The results suggest that increased OFR activity is, in part, responsible for CRF-associated HTN. The study further points to hydroxyl radicals as the major source of OFR in CRF animals. If substantiated in humans, antioxidant therapy becomes a logical adjunct in the management of CRF.
Actin Re-Distribution in Response to Hydrogen Peroxide in Airway Epithelial Cells

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) disrupt the barrier function of airway epithelial cells through a mechanism that appears to involve remodeling of the actin cytoskeleton. Similarly, keratinocyte growth factor (KGF) has been shown to protect against ROS-induced loss of barrier function through a mechanism that may also involve the actin cytoskeleton. To further determine the role of the actin cytoskeleton in ROS-induced barrier injury, we quantified the relative amount of total actin associated with the cytoskeleton following exposure to hydrogen peroxide (H(2)O(2)) and pretreatment with KGF. We also determined the role of the actin-myosin contractile mechanism in the process by quantifying the relative amount of myosin heavy chain (MHC) associated with the cytoskeleton. While the transepithelial resistance (TER) of a monolayer of airway epithelial cells (Calu-3) decreased after 2 h of continuous exposure to 0.5 mM H(2)O(2), actin and MHC, both dissociated from the cytoskeleton within 15 min of H(2)O(2) exposure. The TER of the monolayers remained depressed although both actin and myosin returned to the cytoskeleton by 4 h after the initiation of H(2)O(2) exposure. Filamentous actin (f-actin) staining suggested that the re-associating actin took the form of short fibers associated with cortical actin rather than long stress fibers. Furthermore, pretreatment with KGF prevented the loss of actin and MHC from the actin cytoskeleton but did not prevent the decrease in TER. These studies suggest that actin disassembly from the cytoskeleton is important in the loss of barrier function, but that it is not the overall amount of actin that is associated with the cytoskeleton that is important, rather it is the contribution this actin makes to the architectural cohesiveness of the cell that contributes to the barrier function.
Virulence of Streptococcus pneumoniae serotype 6C in experimental otitis media.

Abstract Increases in colonization with serotypes of Streptococcus pneumoniae not contained within the 7-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV) have been reported among children following introduction. Serotype 6C has emerged as prevalent in nasopharyngeal colonization and acute otitis media (AOM), though it is uncommonly recovered from children with invasive pneumococcal disease. Vaccine serotypes within PCV7 have been replaced by nonvaccine serotypes without significant changes in the overall carriage rate. We hypothesize 1) that serotypes vary in their ability to evade host defenses and establish AOM following colonization and 2) the observed reduction in pneumococcal otitis results from a reduced disease potential by some ‘replacement serotypes’. We compared the capacity of S. pneumoniae serotypes 6C and 19A to produce experimental otitis media (EOM) in a chinchilla model. The proportion of chinchillas that developed culture positive EOM and density of middle ear infection was evaluated. EOM was found in 28/82 (34%) ears challenged with 6C compared to 13/18(72.2%) with 19A [p = 0.0003]. When disease due to 6C did occur, it was characterized by low-density infection. Our findings demonstrate that challenge with serotype 6C results in EOM less frequently than 19A. These data support the need for greater knowledge regarding differences among serotypes to produce AOM.