cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Buried carbonate paleosols developed in Pliocene-Pleistocene deposits of the Pasco Basin, south-central Washington, U.S.A.☆

Abstract Carbonate-rich paleosols represent a small volume of material at the Hanford Site in south-central Washington state, U.S.A., but their position below highly permeable Missoula-flood deposits and above the water table makes them an important component of contaminant remediation plans. Previous work indicated that these buried carbonate paleosols constitute a relatively continuous, low-permeability paleosurface. The distribution of the Pliocene-Pleistocene deposits containing the paleosols depends in part on erosion of the underlying Miocene-Pliocene fluvial/lacustrine Ringold Formation and post-depositional erosion by the catastrophic Missoula floods. The character of the ‘caliche’ layer(s), as determined from cores, varies across the study area: from 0–20 m in thickness; at depths of 20 m in the south, to 65 m in the northwest; bounded above and below by irregular surfaces with as much as 25 m relief; and in general co-varies in number of carbonate layers with the thickness of the deposits. These carbonate layers reflect the geomorphology and hydrology existing during the time they developed. I interpret these carbonate layers as paleosols but recognize morphologic features that indicate modification may have occurred after initial development at the surface. These include the absence of associated soil horizons; no apparent decrease in carbonate content with depth in some of the carbonate layers; and unusual Bk horizon fabrics (including crystalline or popcorn-like forms). These features and fabric differences influence potential flow pathways of waste fluids.
Obtaining precise estimates in coliform enumeration

Abstract Commonly used procedures for coliform enumeration are limited in both accuracy and precision. This study showed how the use of proper experimental design along with improved techniques of coliform enumeration can lead to a great improvement in the quantitative use of coliforms as water quality indicators. Water samples from a moderately polluted beach were analyzed by the membrane filtration technique and the density estimates analyzed by a nested analysis of variance. This analysis showed that up to 95% of the variation in coliform density could be ascribed to actual temporal changes in density when replicated determinations are made. By decreasing the variance of the density estimates, replicated determinations allowed the construction of confidence intervals about the estimates which were considerably smaller than with single determinations. The need for increased precision has significance for routine water quality surveys as well as for research situations but is too often overlooked in such studies. The theoretical superiority of the membrane filtration technique over the multiple tube fermentation method was discussed.
Functional Impairment and the Economic Consequences of Female Breast Cancer

Recent trends in breast cancer diagnosis and mortality suggest that long-term survivors are now more likely to be functionally impaired and, hence, more likely to experience adverse economic outcomes. This study tests whether women who have survived breast cancer for at least five years exhibit more, or more severe, functional impairments than otherwise similar women without breast cancer. It also tests whether women with more severe impairments experience poorer economic outcomes attributable to their functional status. A group of 105 breast cancer survivors was interviewed to obtain data on health and economic changes in the five-year period since diagnosis and initial treatment. An age- and work-matched group of 105 women without cancer was also interviewed to obtain the same data over the same time period. Key changes in the functional status of the subjects as well as economic outcomes such as changes in market earnings, household income, and insurance coverage were measured. Whether impairment is more severe in the breast cancer group than the comparison group was then tested statistically; whether economic outcomes are more adverse in more impaired than less impaired women regardless of their breast cancer status was also tested. The analysis turned up statistically significant evidence in regard to each of these relationships. Breast cancer survivors were more likely than controls to be functionally impaired at the five-year benchmark. Impaired women, in turn, were more likely to reduce work effort and experience downturns in market earnings, among other things. Policy and research implications are discussed.
Islamic gunpowder empires: Ottomans, Safavids, and Mughals (Essays in world history)

Islamic gunpowder empires: Ottomans, Safavids, and Mughals (Essays in world history), by Douglas E. Streusand, New York, Westview Press, 2011, xviii + 390 pp., US$42.00 (paperback), ISBN 978-081331...
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy in Practice: Treatment Delivered by Trainees at an Outpatient Clinic Is Clinically Effective.

Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) is known to be effective for a number of disorders, and can be delivered effectively by trainees in controlled settings. However, the effectiveness of trainee therapists in general practice compared to that of more experienced therapists is unknown. In this study, the authors used a benchmarking strategy to compare the outcomes of naturalistic CBT delivered by trainee therapists to those of efficacy and effectiveness studies using primarily professional therapists. Patients (N=249) with mood and anxiety disorders were treated by trainees (primarily by interns and postdocs) using nonstandardized nonmanualized CBT at an outpatient clinic in an urban academic medical center. Changes in anxiety and depression were assessed using effect sizes, reliable and clinically significant change, and benchmarked to efficacy and effectiveness studies. Symptoms of anxiety and depression significantly improved from start to end of treatment. Rates of improvement and recovery compared favorably to those achieved in other studies, with the exception of recovery rates in severe depression. Effect sizes were in the medium to large range, but generally lower than those achieved in other studies. Results suggest that CBT can be delivered effectively by trainees in an outpatient setting.
PHOTOSTATIONARY STATE COMPOSITIONS OF RETINAL AND RELATED COMPOUNDS INCLUDED IN BETA -LACTOGLOBULIN. EFFECTS OF PROTEIN HOST ON ISOMER DISTRIBUTION OF POLYENE SUBSTRATES

— The UV-visible absorption spectra and photostationary state compositions of retinal (or the related C-18 ketone, 3-dehydroretinal and the C-22 aldehyde) imbedded in the binding cavity of (3-lactoglobulin (BLG) are consistent with the view that the carbonyl group of these polyenes are hydrogen-bonded with the protein host, most likely with the lone protonated lysine residue in the binding pocket. Patterns of variation in photochemical behavior of the imbedded chromophore versus that in solution are discussed in terms of possible specific protein-substrate interactions. The results are also compared with that of the methyl ether of retinol where similar hydrogen bonding is not possible.
A study of the catalytic oxidation of benzene to maleic anhydride

Rate data are presented for the catalytic oxidation of benzene to maleic anhydride, CO and CO2 on a vanadia-molybdena catalyst. The catalyst is well defined by physical and chemical analysis including X-ray diffraction studies, titration of vanadium, EPR examination, surface area, and pore volume. A first order rate law is obeyed over the first 75% of reaction for several temperatures in the range 319 ° to 377 °C. It is concluded that benzene is oxidized in two independent ways, one path leading to oxides of carbon and the other to maleic anhydride, which is further oxidized. First order rate constants and apparent activation energies are given for the three paths. A partial mechanism accounting for the results is suggested by the use of absolute rate theory. It is proposed that in the rate-limiting step benzene can add molecular oxygen either in a 1,2- or 1,4- fashion to yield activated complexes possessing considerable mobility.
A three-dimensional in vitro model of angiogenesis in the airway mucosa.

Abstract Bronchial asthma is an inflammatory disease characterized by chronic intermittent bronchoconstriction. A key feature of the disease is structural changes in the airway wall (airway remodeling) consistent with tissue growth and chronic wound healing including angiogenesis. The epithelium directs mesenchymal processes during both embryogenesis and wound healing, and thus we hypothesized that the bronchial epithelium plays a critical role in directing angiogenesis. To study angiogenesis in the airways, we have developed a three-dimensional (3-D) in vitro model of the airway mucosa that consists of normal differentiated human bronchial epithelial cells (NHBE), normal human lung fibroblasts (NHLF), and human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC). The HUVEC are coated on dextran beads and suspended in a fibrin gel approximately 2 mm beneath a confluent monolayer of NHLF which are just beneath the confluent monolayer of differentiated NHBE. In the presence of fibroblasts, visible capillaries reaching lengths of up to 1 mm sprout from the HUVEC-coated beads. Over 11 days in culture, the bronchial epithelium produces transforming growth factor- β 2 (TGF β 2, 60 pg/ml), significantly increases vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) more than 6-fold to a concentration of 1.85 ng/ml, but does not significantly impact total network formation. Exogenous TGF β 2 stimulates VEGF production in a dose-dependent fashion (0–400 pg/ml) through a MAPK-dependent pathway, but also inhibits capillary network formation. We conclude that the bronchial epithelium produces biologically relevant concentrations of VEGF and TGF β 2 in a 3-D model of the airway mucosa that may be useful in probing mechanisms of angiogenesis in asthma.
Retinotopy and orientation columns in the monkey: A new model

A model is presented in which orientation columns arise directly out of retinotopy. According to the model, iso-orientation lines are arrayed radially around nodal centers which correspond to cytochrome oxidase patches. The nodal centers form a square matrix superimposed upon the map of ocular dominance stripes. In the supragranular layers horizontal iso-orientation lines run down the centers of ocular dominance stripes, with vertical iso-orientation lines crossing perpendicularly. Diagonal orientations (45° and 135°) are represented as alternating iso-orientation zones at the centers of the interstices in the matrix (internodal centers). Preferred orientations in the infragranular layers are reversed with respect to the supragranular layers. The model is consistent with new data concerning ocularity and preferred orientation in systematic penetrations through striate cortex, and helps to explain some previously puzzling features of the relationship between ocular dominance columns, orientation columns and retinotopy.
Learned or innate production of acoustic signals in fishes : a test using a cyprinid

No information on the inheritance of the ability to produce sounds exists for fishes. In birds, which usually provide extensive post-hatching parental care, acoustic signals are learned in some species but are innate in others. Almost no fishes provide extensive post-hatching parental care and, consequently, the offspring have little opportunity to hear and learn sounds produced by the parents (usually the male in fishes); they may, however, be exposed to acoustic signals of conspecifics in the same habitat. We used a cyprinid, Codoma ornata, to test whether sound production is learned from the parents or whether it is innate. Fertilized eggs of this species were raised in isolation from adults. Upon maturity, these fish were tested for sound production in aggressive and reproductive contexts. Fish which had no contact with adults, and therefore no opportunity to hear the acoustic signals of their species, produced sounds that were similar to those produced by their parents, and they produced these in the same contexts. Significant differences were observed in dominant frequency for one context, with the smaller F1 fish having signals of higher frequency than parental fish. Since no opportunity for learning existed, this provided evidence that the ability to produce sounds is innate in this minnow species.
Uncovering errors: the cost of detecting silent data corruption

Data integrity is pivotal to the usefulness of any storage system. It ensures that the data stored is free from any modification throughout its existence on the storage medium. Hash functions such as cyclic redundancy checks or check-sums are frequently used to detect data corruption during its transmission to permanent storage or its stay there. Without these checks, such data errors usually go undetected and unreported to the system and hence are not communicated to the application. They are referred as "silent data corruption." When an application reads corrupted or malformed data, it leads to incorrect results or a failed system. Storage arrays in leadership computing facilities comprise several thousands of drives, thus increasing the likelihood of such failures. These environments mandate a file system capable of detecting data corruption. Parallel file systems have traditionally ignored providing integrity checks because of the high computational cost, particularly in dealing with unaligned data request from scientific applications. In this paper, we assess the cost of providing data integrity on a parallel file system. We present an approach that provides this capability with as low as 5% overhead for writes and 22% overhead for reads for aligned requests and some additional cost for unaligned requests.
Continuity and the Central Limit Theorem for Random Trigonometric Series

A Jensen type inequality on the non-decreasing rearrangement of a stochastic process enables an argument of 1-6] to be completed to yield a sufficient condition for the uniform convergence of random trigonometric series that is also necessary in many cases. In addition to extending the result in [6], in the case of random Fourier series, the sufficient condition is strictly weaker than the conditions of Salem and Zygmund [-11] and Kahane [9J. The inequality is also used to show that all pregaussian random Fourier series with independent terms satisfy the central limit theorem. Let f(x)>O, xe[0, 1]. For y > 0 define mz(y)=2{x: f ( x ) 0 let f ( x )=sup{y: ms(y)<x }. f (x) is called the non-decreasing rearrangement off(x) , w e state as Lemma 1.1 the inequality that we referred to above.
Fluorescent pH Indicator. Spectral Changes of 4-Methylumbelliferone

Abstract 4-Methylumbelliferone is a useful acid-base fluorescent indicator with a midpoint of its transition interval at pH 7.6. Both anionic and neutral forms fluoresce in the blue with high quantum yield (70%). The indicator properties are based on a blue shift of the absorption spectrum in acid. Depending on the excitation wavelength employed, one has the option of following either an increase or a decrease in fluorescence as the pH changes.
What is outcomes research and what can it tell us

In 1989, Congress enacted PL. 101-239, establishing the Agency for Health Care Policy and Research (AHCPR). Since then, practically every specialty society has developed practice guidelines for its practitioners, and every health care organization has embarked on some outcomes research. Outcomes research has become a fashion, meaning all things to all people, and runs the risk of becoming meaningless. This article attempts to reduce the confusion by clarifying what outcomes research is and delineating its several levels, along with the methods, tools, and examples appropriate to each level. The contributions of outcomes research to health care delivery innovation to date have been modest. Ultimately, we need community health information systems, which have not only the structural and process variables but also include the outcome results, to guide decision making with regard to the health of entire communities and the appropriate investment of resources to improve health.
Housing Attributes Associated with Capital Gain

Housing units are heterogeneous goods. Rates of change in housing prices are typically modelled as if they arise from factors unrelated to the housing unit itself. For example, housing price increases in the latter part of the 1970s and early 1980s are argued to have arisen primarily from demographic factors and the differential effects of inflation on the effective rate of taxation on income from corporate capital and on owner-occupied housing. Cross-sectional variation in price inflation is not addressed. Consumers who purchased housing units are not indifferent to their attributes. To the extent that expectations vary within regional housing markets as a consequence of variation in housing attributes, standard linear hedonic price regression may generate biased estimates of implicit prices. This paper identifies sufficient conditions for the estimates of implicit prices in linear hedonic price regressions to be unbiased and generate unbiased estimates of implied price changes. Finally, this paper identifies living space (house size) as a significant attribute related positively to the increase in individual housing prices in a regional market.
Lipid composition of the Golgi apparatus of rat kidney and liver in comparison with other subcellular organelles.

Abstract Golgi apparatus isolated from both rat liver and rat kidney have been characterized with respect to their neutral and phospholipid content and their phospholipid composition and compared with mitochondria, rough endoplasmic reticulum and plasma membranes. In addition, the distribution of sulfatide in the subcellular fractions of rat kidney was determined. The Golgi apparatus from both sources has the highest content of neutral lipids which are rich in cholesterol esters and ubiquinone. Removal of about 75% of the cisternal contents of rat liver Golgi reduced its content of cholesterol esters but not of ubiquinone. The Golgi complex of liver most closely resembles endoplasmic reticulum in its phospholipid composition except for a higher content of sphingomyelin. Removal of most of the contents of the Golgi cisternae did not appreciably alter the phospholipid composition of the Golgi apparatus of liver. Golgi apparatus from kidney has a phospholipid composition which resembles liver Golgi much more closely than it does any other cell fraction from kidney. The sulfatide content of kidney Golgi, the cell fraction richest in this glycolipid, is about 14% of the total lipid present in this fraction. Sulfatide was present in plasma membranes, mitochondria and rough microsomes, but at about one-third the level found in Golgi. Sulfatide is the main glycosphingolipid present in all the cell fractions from kidney which were studied.
Evaluation of a Mathematical Model for Predicting the Relationship between Protein and Energy Intakes of Low-Birth-Weight Infants and the Rate and Composition of Weight Gain

A model for predicting the relationship between protein and energy intakes of low-birth-weight (LBW) infants and the rate and composition of weight gain is described. It is based on linear multiple regression equations summarizing the rates of weight gain, nitrogen retention, and energy retention of 101 previously studied LBW infants fed protein intakes ranging from 2.25 to 3.9 g.kg-1.d-1 and concomitant energy intakes ranging from 115 to 147 kcal.kg-1.d-1 plus current theory concerning nutrient retention and body composition. To test the validity of the model, three combinations of protein and energy intake predicted by the model to result in specific rates and compositions of weight gain were fed to 44 LBW infants, and the observed rates of weight gain, protein accretion, and fat accretion were compared with the rates predicted by the model. Differences in these and other outcome variables between two of the groups, the intakes of which differed only in energy, also were compared to provide additional insight into the effect of concomitant energy intake on protein utilization. Across groups, actual outcomes correlated closely with predicted outcomes, supporting the validity of the model for the total population. However, outcomes of individual infants deviated as much as 30% from predicted outcomes; the magnitude of the deviation was independent of birth weight, gestational age, or size for gestational age.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Benzedrine sulfate (amphetamine) in thetreatment of obese children and adolescents

Summary The effect of a uniform daily dosage of 10 mg. of benzedrine sulfate on the weight of twenty obese children and adolescents was studied. In order to evaluate the influence of suggestion and of regular clinic attendance, tablets resembling benzedrine sulfate but containing no drug were given in alternate periods of four weeks. The loss of weight during the periods of placebo was slightly lowerthan during benzedrine administration. The difference was not of statistical significance. The best loss in weight occurred during the first few weeks of treatment.This cannot be explained as drug action but is an unspecific effect depending on the patient's enthusiasm for a new therapy. The best loss of weight was observed in a control group of childrenwho showed good cooperation and regular clinic attendance without receiving medication. In evaluating the effect of any medicine on the appetite and weightof obese patients, the influence of other factors, such as suggestion and better cooperation, has to be differentiated from the true pharmacologic effect. Although this study did not show a significant influence of 10 mg. benzedrine sulfate upon the weight loss, the findings encourage further observations of the effect of larger dosage.
Recurrent embolic strokes and cardiac valvular disease in a patient with non-small cell adenocarcinoma of lung

The etiology and mechanisms of stroke could differ in cancer compared to non-cancer patients due to altered blood coagulability and/or non-bacterial thrombotic endocarditis (NBTE). These conditions could be either missed by using inappropriate diagnostic methods or misinterpreted. For instance, certain techniques (transthoracic echocardiography, TTE) may provide false-negative results and delay appropriate therapy. On the other hand, these patients, by having atypical findings, may challenge the differential between bacterial and sterile valvular heart disease. Cerebrovascular disease in cancer patients is often aggressive with tendency to recurrent events and rapid neurological devastation. Timely diagnosis is crucial. Current treatment approach to NBTE includes anticoagulation. We report a case of multiple embolic strokes in a patient diagnosed with lung cancer. Primary and secondary stroke prevention is discussed with relevant review of the literature.
Rapid, sensitive, and multiplexed on-chip optical sensors for micro-gas chromatography

We developed and characterized a rapid, sensitive and integrated optical vapor sensor array for micro-gas chromatography (μGC) applications. The sensor is based on the Fabry–Perot (FP) interferometer formed by a micrometre-thin vapor-sensitive polymer layer coated on a silicon wafer. The thickness and the refractive index of the polymer vary in response to the vapor analyte, resulting in a change in the reflected intensity of the laser impinged on the sensor. In our study, four different polymers were coated on four wells pre-etched on a silicon wafer to form a spatially separated sensor array. A CMOS imager was employed to simultaneously monitor the polymers' response, thus enabling multiplexed detection of a vapor analyte passing through the GC column. A sub-second detection time was demonstrated. In addition, a sub-picogram detection limit was achieved, representing orders of magnitude improvement over the on-chip vapor sensors previously reported.
Prior Misdemeanor Convictions as a Risk Factor for Later Violent and Firearm-Related Criminal Activity Among Authorized Purchasers of Handguns

Context.— Under current federal law, many persons with prior convictions for misdemeanor offenses pass criminal records background checks and legally purchase handguns. Objective.— To determine whether authorized handgun purchasers with prior misdemeanor convictions are more likely than those with no criminal history to be charged with new crimes, particularly offenses involving firearms and violence. Design.— Retrospective cohort study. Setting and Participants.— A total of 5923 authorized purchasers of handguns in California in 1977 who were younger than 50 years, identified by random sample. Main Outcome Measures.— Incidence and relative risk (RR) of first charges for new criminal offenses after handgun purchase. Results.— Of the 5923 authorized purchasers, 3128 had at least 1 conviction for a misdemeanor offense prior to handgun purchase, and 2795 had no prior criminal history. Follow-up to the end of the 15-year observation period or to death was available for 77.8% of study subjects and for a median 8.9 years for another 9.6%. Handgun purchasers with at least 1 prior misdemeanor conviction were more than 7 times as likely as those with no prior criminal history to be charged with a new offense after handgun purchase (RR, 7.5; 95% confidence interval [CI], 6.6-8.7). Among men, those with 2 or more prior convictions for misdemeanor violence were at greatest risk for nonviolent firearm-related offenses such as weapon carrying (RR, 11.7; 95% CI, 6.8-20.0), violent offenses generally (RR, 10.4; 95% CI, 6.9-15.8), and Violent Crime Index offenses (murder or non-negligent manslaughter, forcible rape, robbery, or aggravated assault) (RR, 15.1; 95% CI, 9.4-24.3). However, even handgun purchasers with only 1 prior misdemeanor conviction and no convictions for offenses involving firearms or violence were nearly 5 times as likely as those with no prior criminal history to be charged with new offenses involving firearms or violence. Conclusions.— Handgun purchasers with prior misdemeanor convictions are at increased risk for future criminal activity, including violent and firearm-related crimes. JAMA. 1998;280:2083-2087
Accurate measurement of orientation from stereo using line correspondence

The author analyzes a stereo method which determines lines in space from the intersection of projected planar sheets. Object descriptions are built from information about linear features instead of by points. It is shown that there are major advantages to accurately determining the orientation of object lines and surfaces using this stereo method. In the absence of errors (apart from the baseline translation error), the measurement of the orientation of lines and surfaces from this stereo method is translation-invariant in the sense that the orientation measurement is completely independent of knowledge of the baseline. Computer simulations of realistic imaging configurations show that, even in the presence of errors from other camera parameters, this stereo method is nearly translation-invariant and can far outperform stereo methods based on the absolute correspondence of points. Another advantage of determining the orientation of lines and surfaces from stereo using intersecting planes is that orientation errors do not grow rapidly as the object distance from the baseline increases. >
Evidence for the Intrinsic Activity of Ovine FSH on Spermatogenesis, Ovarian Growth, Steroidogenesis and Ovulation in Lizards

An antiserum against LH was used to study the intrinsic properties of a highly purified ovine FSH in the lizard. Removal of residual LH contamination with this antiserum did not alter the broad spectrum of activities exhibited by FSH in the hypophysectomized lizard. The FSH stimulated all aspects of the reproductive system including testis growth, spermatogenesis and testosterone production in males; and ovarian growth, vitellogenesis, ovulation and oviducal growth (estrogen secretion) in females. It appears that the “primitive” role of FSH may have encompassed a great diversity of actions, including those often attributed to LH in mammals. The roles of the two pituitary gonadotropins, FSH and LH, have still not been fully elucidated, even in well studied mammalian species. In particular, use of highly purified preparations of the two hormones and new immunological techniques have raised considerable doubt about the actions of the two hormones. Some of the activities classically
CD1-Restricted T cells: T cells with a unique immunological niche.

Until recently, antigen presentation to T cells was defined only by proteins encoded within the MHC locus. That definition has now been expanded to include proteins encoded outside the MHC locus, most notably the CD1 family of proteins. The pathway of CD1-presented antigens diverges from that of MHC processing, indicating that the CD1 antigen-processing pathway may be complementary to the MHC pathways. The most surprising finding of the CD1 antigen-presenting system is that the antigens presented by CD1 are not peptides, but rather lipid and glycolipid in nature. The most compelling evidence for the role of CD1-restricted T cells in immune homeostasis stems from studies of mycobacterial infection and autoimmunity. These studies suggest that CD1-restricted T cells promote cell-mediated immune responses to intracellular infection and protect against anti-self responses.
Threonine biosynthetic genes are essential in Cryptococcus neoformans

We identified and attempted to disrupt the Cryptococcus neoformans homoserine and/or threonine biosynthetic genes encoding aspartate kinase (HOM3), homoserine kinase (THR1) and threonine synthase (THR4); however, each gene proved recalcitrant to disruption. By replacing the endogenous promoters of HOM3 and THR1 with the copper-repressible CTR4-1 promoter, we showed that HOM3 and THR1 were essential for the growth of C. neoformans in rich media, when ammonium was the nitrogen source, or when threonine was supplied as an amino acid instead of a dipeptide. Moreover, the severity of the growth defect associated with HOM3 or THR1 repression increased with increasing incubation temperature. We believe this to be the first demonstration of threonine biosynthetic genes being essential in a fungus. The necessity of these genes for C. neoformans growth, particularly at physiologically relevant temperatures, makes threonine biosynthetic genes ideal anti-cryptococcal drug targets.
Magnetic bion condensation: A new mechanism of confinement and mass gap in four dimensions

In recent work, we derived the long-distance confining dynamics of certain QCD-like gauge theories formulated on small ${S}^{1}\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{\mathbb{R}}^{3}$ based on symmetries, an index theorem, and Abelian duality. Here, we give the microscopic derivation. The solution reveals a new mechanism of confinement in QCD(adj) in the regime where we have control over both perturbative and nonperturbative aspects. In particular, consider $SU(2)$ QCD(adj) theory with $1\ensuremath{\le}{n}_{f}\ensuremath{\le}4$ Majorana fermions, a theory which undergoes gauge symmetry breaking at small ${S}^{1}$. If the magnetic charge of the Bogomol'nyi-Prasad-Sommerfield (BPS) monopole is normalized to unity, we show that confinement occurs due to condensation of objects with magnetic charge 2, not 1. Because of index theorems, we know that such an object cannot be a two identical monopole configuration. Its net topological charge must vanish, and hence it must be topologically indistinguishable from the perturbative vacuum. We construct such non-self-dual topological excitations, the magnetically charged, topologically null molecules of a BPS monopole and $\overline{\mathrm{KK}}$ antimonopole, which we refer to as magnetic bions. An immediate puzzle with this proposal is the apparent Coulomb repulsion between the BPS-$\overline{\mathrm{KK}}$ pair. An attraction which overcomes the Coulomb repulsion between the two is induced by $2{n}_{f}$-fermion exchange. Bion condensation is also the mechanism of confinement in $\mathcal{N}=1$ SYM on the same four-manifold. The $SU(N)$ generalization hints a possible hidden integrability behind nonsupersymmetric QCD of affine Toda type, and allows us to analytically compute the mass gap in the gauge sector. We currently do not know the extension to ${\mathbb{R}}^{4}$.
A Feasibility Study of a Virtual Storage System for Large Organizations

The average PC contains increasingly large amounts of storage with an ever greater amount left unused. There is an opportunity for organizations to harness the vast unused storage capacity on their PCs to create a very large, low cost, shared storage system. What is needed is a virtual storage system to exploit and manage the unused portions of existing PC storage devices and make it reliably accessible to users and applications. We call our vision of such a virtual storage system Storage@desk (SD). This paper describes a study of machine characteristics and usage in a model organization as a first step towards exploring the feasibility of Storage@desk. This paper presents the results of our data collection efforts, our analysis of the data, our simulation results, and our conclusion that a Storage@desk system is indeed feasible and holds promise as a cost effective way to create massive storage systems.
Change in quality of life and immune markers after a stay at a raw vegan institute: a pilot study.

Summary Objective The purpose of this study was to explore changes in quality of life (QOL), anxiety, stress, and immune markers after a stay at a raw vegan institute. Design Prospective observational study. Setting English-speaking attendees at Hippocrates Health Institute (Florida, US), a raw vegan institute, were recruited on arrival and typically stayed 1–3 weeks. Main outcome measures Participants completed questionnaires assessing overall QOL (SF-36), dietary QOL (QOL related to dietary change), perceived stress (Perceived Stress Scale), anxiety, and depression (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale) upon arrival and 12 weeks later. C-reactive protein (CRP), lymphocytes, T cells, CD4 cells, CD8 cells, B cells, and NK cells were measured at baseline and 12 weeks in participants living in North America. Results Of 107 attendees eligible for the questionnaire study and 82 for the blood marker substudy, 51 and 38 participants, respectively, provided complete follow-up data. Overall QOL improved 11.5% ( p =0.001), driven mostly by the mental component. Anxiety decreased 18.6% ( p =0.009) and perceived stress decreased 16.4% ( p Conclusions A stay at a raw vegan institute was associated with improved mental and emotional QOL. Studies are needed to determine the feasibility of conducting a clinical trial of the raw vegan diet among healthy people, and subsequently among patients with specific diseases.
Traffic grooming in optical networks: Decomposition and partial linear programming (LP) relaxation

We consider the traffic grooming problem, a fundamental network design problem in optical networks. We review a typical integer linear program formulation considered in the literature, and we identify two challenges related to this formulation in terms of scalability and wavelength fragmentation. We then propose a new (to our knowledge) solution approach that decomposes the traffic grooming problem into two subproblems that are solved sequentially: 1) the virtual topology and traffic routing (VTTR) subproblem, which does not take into account physical topology constraints, and 2) the routing and wavelength assignment subproblem, which reconciles the virtual topology determined by VTTR with the physical topology. The decomposition is exact when the network is not wavelength limited. We also propose an algorithm that uses a partial linear programming relaxation technique driven by lightpath utilization information to solve the VTTR subproblem efficiently. Our approach delivers a desirable tradeoff between running time and quality of the final solution.
2.5D visual servoing with a fixed camera

In this paper, we investigate the translational and rotational motion of the end-effector of a robot under visual feedback from a fixed camera. We achieve an exponential stability result for the regulation of the end-effector to a desired location and orientation. Specifically, by utilizing visual information from one fixed camera, we capture the motion of 4 points located in a fictitious plane attached to the end-effector in Cartesian space. By assuming knowledge of the camera intrinsic parameters, we obtain the rotational motion of the end-effector through a homography decomposition while utilizing the pixel motion of one of the four points to obtain the translation information. The stability of the controller is proven through a Lyapunov-based stability analysis.
Effects of a Single Hit from the Alpha Hemolysin Produced by Escherichia coli on the Morphology of Sheep Erythrocytes

Scanning electron micrographs of sheep erythrocytes showed that attachment of the alpha hemolysin produced by Escherichia coli resulted in the formation of spherocytes, with 10 to 20 small projections spaced relatively evenly over the surface of the erythrocyte membrane. This shape change was induced within 5 min after treatment. If the hemolysin concentration was reduced to a level which would lyse only a fraction of the total erythrocytes, the affected cells were easily identified against a background of normal, unaffected cells. Unlike sodium lauryl sulfate and other amphipathic agents which enter cell membranes and increase their flexibility, low concentrations of hemolysin did not provide protection against hypotonic hemolysis. These findings indicate that the surface projections were not the result of membrane expansion caused by incorporation of hemolysin into the outer portion of the lipid bilayer. The ability of a given amount of hemolysin to release a constant amount of hemoglobin in the presence of increasing concentrations of red cells confirmed that a single hit is sufficient for lysis. These results suggest that a single hemolysin molecule can bind to a sheep erythrocyte and trigger internal reactions which result in the derangement of membrane integrity at multiple sites on the surface. Confirmation of one-hit kinetics indicates that measurement of E. coli hemolysin activity should be carried out at low ratios of hemolysin to erythrocyte to decrease the possibility of multiple hits on a single cell.
A Prospective Study of the Role of Depression in the Development and Persistence of Adolescent Obesity

Background. Adolescent obesity is a strong predictor of adult obesity, and adult obesity has been associated with depression, especially in women. Studies have also suggested an association between depression in adolescence and higher body mass index (BMI) in adulthood. Whether depression leads to obesity or obesity causes depression is unclear. Objective. To determine in longitudinal analyses whether depressed mood predicts the development and persistence of obesity in adolescents. Methods. A prospective cohort study of 9374 adolescents in grades 7 through 12 who completed in-home interviews for the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health. Assessments were made at baseline (1995) and at follow-up 1 year later. Depressed mood was assessed with the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale. BMI (kg/m2) was calculated from self-reported height and weight. BMI percentiles and z scores were computed using the 2000 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention growth charts. Obesity was defined as BMI ≥95th percentile, overweight as BMI ≥85th percentile and Results. At baseline, 12.9% were overweight, 9.7% were obese, and 8.8% had depressed mood. Baseline depression was not significantly correlated with baseline obesity. Among the 9.7% who were obese at follow-up, 79.6% were obese at baseline, 18.6% were overweight at baseline, and 1.8% were normal weight at baseline. Having depressed mood at baseline independently predicted obesity at follow-up (odds ratio: 2.05; 95% confidence interval: 1.18, 3.56) after controlling for BMI z score at baseline, age, race, gender, parental obesity, number of parents in the home, and family socioeconomic status. This finding persisted after controlling further for the adolescents’ report of smoking, self-esteem, delinquent behavior (conduct disorder), and physical activity. After controlling for all these same factors, depressed mood at baseline also predicted obesity at follow-up among those not obese at baseline (odds ratio: 2.05; 95% confidence interval: 1.04, 4.06) and follow-up BMI z score among those obese at baseline (β = 0.11; standard error β = 0.05). In contrast, baseline obesity did not predict follow-up depression. Conclusions. Depressed adolescents are at increased risk for the development and persistence of obesity during adolescence. Understanding the shared biological and social determinants linking depressed mood and obesity may inform the prevention and treatment of both disorders.
The detection probability computation of single stuck-at-faults in general combinational circuits

Abstract The detection probability problem of single faults at specified signal lines of a general combinational circuit C merits special interest. In this paper, a method is developed for such a purpose. The method has a computational complexity of O(2N), with N being the number of the non-fanout primary inputs plus the specified signal lines at the highest level of C. The applicability of the simple chain rule in the probability domain, whenever possible, is shown to reduce the computational time complexity. Moreover, all signal lines and gates within any subcircuit Ci of C with redundant output lines are shown to be redundant as well, excluding those subcircuits Cjs of Ci having fanout stems as output lines, provided that such stems do not converge in Ci
Toward the Development of Quasi-Indigenous Personality Constructs Measuring Los Cinco Grandes in Spain with Indigenous Castilian Markers

Can the Big Five be recovered in Spanish? Several recent cross-cultural studies indicate that imported (i.e., translated) Big Five measures replicate in Spanish but that existing indigenous Spanish personality taxonomies map only partially onto the Big Five domain. This article outlines a complementary midlevel approach that involves identifying a quasi-indigenous Spanish Big Five taxonomy, namely, a manageable set of indigenous Spanish (Castilian) personality descriptors that reliably measure the Big Five using local, culturally relevant terms. Results from the present study support the reliability, factorial robustness, and construct validity of the resulting quasi-indigenous Spanish Big Five scales defined by the Castilian markers. Results also suggest that humor, good nature, and unconventionality may be particularly salient aspects of personality description in Spain.
A Distinctive New Subspecies of Saperda lateralis F. (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) from the Southeastern United States

ABSTRACT Saperda lateralis rileyi, a new subspecies of Cerambycidae from parts of Louisiana, Mississippi, and Arkansas, is described, illustrated, and compared to the nominate subspecies. Intergradation between the two subspecies is described, and a map showing their distribution in the southeastern United States is provided. The synonymy of Saperda lateralis var. disconotata Pic, 1907 with Saperda tridentata Olivier, 1795 is confirmed.
Thermospray liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry of quaternary ammonium saltst†

Various esters of choline and carnitine have been shown to undergo fragmentation dependent on both the structures of the molecules and the vapor and block temperatures when subjected to thermospray ionization mass spectrometry. The fragments observed vary with the structure of the ester portion and the backbone of the molecules, and are consistent with the compounds undergoing three types of reactions: (1) carbon—nitrogen bond cleavage to tertiary amines and alkyl compounds, (2) hydrolysis of the ester linkage, forming alcohols and organic acids, and (3) deacylation of the molecules to form acids and the corresponding quaternary alkene. The general applicability of the carbon—nitrogen bond cleavage mechanism was studied with other classes of quaternary compounds, but the sole products consistently detected for pyridinium, benzyldimethyldodecylammonium and tetraalkylammonium salts were amines. The fragments observed for the esters of choline and carnitine and also the anticholinergic 2,2-diphenyl-4-diisopropylaminobutyramide methiodide suggest that the mechanism of the thermospray fragmentation pathway is similar to that of the Hofmann elimination reaction.
A Ka-band power amplifier based on a low-profile slotted-waveguide power-combining/dividing circuit

In this paper, a Ka-band power amplifier based on a resonant slotted-waveguide-to-microstrip power-dividing/combining circuit is presented. The advantages of this structure are its low profile, ease of fabrication, as well as its potential for high power-combining efficiency. In addition, efficient heat sinking of monolithic microwave integrated circuit (MMIC) devices is achieved. A slotted-waveguide power amplifier using eight MMIC amplifiers was designed and fabricated. The measured power-combining efficiency at 33 GHz is 72%. In addition, simulation results predicting the performance degradation of the slotted-waveguide power amplifier due to multiple device failure are presented.
Successful Online Teaching Using An Asynchronous Learner Discussion Forum

At Capella University online courses are offered using an asynchronous learner discussion forum. At the conclusion of each course, learners are requested to complete and electronically submit a course evaluation form. A document analysis of more than 3000 course evaluations from 154 courses conducted during the past 11 quarters was conducted. Each course folder was reviewed. The narrative responses were ultimately grouped into the following categories: Faculty Feedback, Learner Discussions and Course Requirements. General observations related to these categories were presented followed by several tips for successful teaching in an online environment using an asynchronous learner discussion forum. The tips were initially generated by the document analysis. Additional tips were added and the list was revised each quarter following the end-of-quarter teleconference with the instructors.
Luminescence and absorption studies of transition metal ions in host crystals, pure crystals and surface environments

In this review article vibronic spectra are presented for selected d0, d3, and d10 systems in a variety of environments such as pure crystals, mixed crystals and surfaces. In the d0 example, vanadium oxide on a SiO2 substrate, the relation between the vibronic structure and the V = O bond length in the lowest excited electronic state and the reactivity toward CO is discussed. In the d3 example, ReBr 6 2− and MnF 6 2− ions in single and mixed crystals, group theory selection rules are shown to be important for understanding the vibronic mechanism by which d → d transitions occur in an octahedral environment. In the final example, d10 Au(CN) 2 − and Ag(CN) 2 − ions in different pure crystals, the appearance of vibronic structure is related to the relative rates for radiative and non-radiative processes.