cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Potential Cost-Effectiveness of Schistosomiasis Treatment for Reducing HIV Transmission in Africa – The Case of Zimbabwean Women

BACKGROUND: Epidemiological data from Zimbabwe suggests that genital infection with Schistosoma haematobium may increase the risk of HIV infection in young women. Therefore the treatment of Schistosoma haematobium with praziquantel could be a potential strategy for reducing HIV infection. Here we assess the potential cost-effectiveness of praziquantel as a novel intervention strategy against HIV infection. METHODS: We developed a mathematical model of female genital schistosomiasis (FGS) and HIV infections in Zimbabwe that we fitted to cross-sectional data of FGS and HIV prevalence of 1999. We validated our epidemic projections using antenatal clinic data on HIV prevalence. We simulated annual praziquantel administration to school-age children. We then used these model predictions to perform a cost-effectiveness analysis of annual administration of praziquantel as a potential measure to reduce the burden of HIV in sub-Saharan Africa. FINDINGS: We showed that for a variation of efficacy between 30-70% of mass praziquantel administration for reducing the enhanced risk of HIV transmission per sexual act due to FGS annual administration of praziquantel to school-age children in Zimbabwe could result in net savings of US$16-101 million compared with no mass treatment of schistosomiasis over a ten-year period. For a variation in efficacy between 30-70% of mass praziquantel administration for reducing the acquisition of FGS annual administration of praziquantel to school-age children could result in net savings of US$36-92 million over a ten-year period. CONCLUSIONS: In addition to reducing schistosomiasis burden mass praziquantel administration may be a highly cost-effective way of reducing HIV infections in sub-Saharan Africa. Program costs per case of HIV averted are similar to and under some conditions much better than other interventions that are currently implemented in Africa to reduce HIV transmission. As a cost-saving strategy mass praziquantel administration should be prioritized over other less cost-effective public health interventions.
Dual ARC Chamber Heavy Ion Source

A dual-arc-chamber heavy-ion source has been installed on ORIC. This source has exhibited a substantial improvement in performance for beams below mass 20. A 42 pA beam of 1605+ was extracted from ORIC using the dual-arc-chamber source and a 2.5 ?A beam of 2ONe5+ was obtained 1.5 minutes after turning on the arc voltage.
Quantum-mechanical evaluation of Np-incorporation into studtite

Radionuclide incorporation into the alteration products of corroded UO2 in used nuclear fuel may control the release and mobility of key radionuclides, such as the very long-lived minor actinide, 237Np (τ ½ = 2.1 Ma). Studtite, [UO2(O2)(H2O)2](H2O)2, may form in the presence of peroxide produced by radiolysis of water in contact with the spent fuel. Experiments have indicated that the studtite structure can incorporate Np; however, due to the low concentrations in the solid, the incorporation mechanism could not be determined. In this study, density functional theory is used to calculate an optimized structure, determine the electronic density of states, and calculate the energetics of the incorporation of Np 6+ vs. Np5++H+ into the studtite structure. The definition of the source/sink phase (reference phase) for the cations involved in the incorporation process greatly affects the final incorporation energy. The incorporation energy of Np into studtite based on the 4+ oxide reference phases (e.g., source/sink = NpO2/UO2) results in lower incorporation energies (-0.07 and 0.63 eV for Np6+ and Np5+ incorporation, respectively) than the incorporation energy calculated using higher-oxide reference phases (e.g., Np2O5/UO3), where the incorporation energies for Np5+ and Np5+ into studtite are 0.42 and 1.12 eV, respectively. In addition,more » Np6+-incorporation into studtite is energetically more favorable than Np5+-incorporation as assessed from the lower incorporation energy. Estimates of the solid-solution behavior from a combination of quantum-mechanical calculations and Monte-Carlo simulations indicate that the Np6+- and U6+-studtite solid solution is completely miscible at room temperature with respect to a hypothetical Np6+-studtite structure. The Np-studtite structure was calculated to be stable with respect to the corresponding oxides, but its formation may be kinetically hindered. Knowledge of the electronic structure provides insight into Np-bonding in the studtite structure. The Np 5f orbitals are within the band gap of studtite, which results in the narrow band gap of Np-incorporated studtite (1.09 eV), as compared with the band gap of studtite alone (2.29 eV).« less
Desert shrub responses to experimental modification of precipitation seasonality and soil depth: relationship to the two‐layer hypothesis and ecohydrological niche

Summary Ecohydrological niches are important for understanding plant community responses to climate shifts, particularly in dry lands. According to the two-layer hypothesis, selective use of deep-soil water increases growth or persistence of woody species during warm and dry summer periods and thereby contributes to their coexistence with shallow-rooted herbs in dry ecosystems. The resource-pool hypothesis further suggests that shallow-soil water benefits growth of all plants while deep-soil water primarily enhances physiological maintenance and survival of woody species. Few studies have directly tested these by manipulating deep-soil water availability and observing the long-term outcomes. We predicted that factors promoting infiltration and storage of water in deep soils, specifically greater winter precipitation and soil depth, would enhance Artemisia tridentata (big sagebrush) in cold, winter-wet/summer-dry desert. Sagebrush responses to 20 years of winter irrigation were compared to summer- or no irrigation, on plots having relatively deep or shallow soils (2 m vs. 1 m depths). Winter irrigation increased sagebrush cover, and crown and canopy volumes, but not density (individuals/plot) compared to summer or no irrigation, on deep-soil plots. On shallow-soil plots, winter irrigation surprisingly decreased shrub cover and size, and summer irrigation had no effect. Furthermore, multiple regression suggested that the variations in growth were related (i) firstly to water in shallow soils (0–0.2 m) and secondly to deeper soils (> 1 m deep) and (ii) more by springtime than by midsummer soil water. Water-use efficiency increased considerably on shallow soils without irrigation and was lowest with winter irrigation. Synthesis. Sagebrush was more responsive to the seasonal timing of precipitation than to total annual precipitation. Factors that enhanced deep-water storage (deeper soils plus more winter precipitation) led to increases in Artemisia tridentata that were consistent with the two-layer hypothesis, and the contribution of shallow water to growth on these plots was consistent with the resource-pool hypothesis. However, shallow-soil water also had negative effects on sagebrush, suggesting an ecohydrological trade-off not considered in these or related theories. The interaction between precipitation timing and soil depth indicates that increased winter precipitation could lead to a mosaic of increases and decreases in A. tridentata across landscapes having variable soil depth.
Performing ergonomics analyses through virtual interactive design: Validity and reliability assessment

Virtual interactive design methodology was initially proposed as an integrated environment for digital human model–based ergonomics analysis of human–machine interactions, which uses a motion capture system and virtual environment to realize task simulation. The validity and reliability of this analysis methodology has not been systematically studied. In this article, potential errors are first investigated based on the technology used in the system structure and work process; then, three experimental integration levels are proposed to use different resources for creating manikin postures. Validity and reliability to use this integrated environment for static ergonomics analysis are then assessed by comparing the ergonomics analysis outputs achieved based on the three integration levels. The results indicate that the reliability of this methodology is good; however, the validity of the integrated system is affected by the limitation of the virtual environment used in the testing. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Molecular Evolution of the Intimin Gene in O111 Clones of Pathogenic Escherichia coli

Intimin is an important virulence factor in two groups of enteric pathogens: enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (EPEC), which is a major cause of infant diarrhea in the developing world, and enterohemorrhagic E. coli (EHEC), which has caused large food-borne outbreaks of hemorrhagic colitis in the United States and other developed countries. Intimin is encoded on a 35-kb pathogenicity island called the locus of enterocyte effacement (LEE). At least five antigenic types have been described for the highly variable gene, and each type is generally characteristic of particular evolutionary lineages. We determined the nucleotide sequences of intimin and other LEE genes in two O111 clones that have not been amenable to typing. The sequences from both O111:H8 and O111:H9 differed from the Int-β that is typical of other clones in the same evolutionary lineage. The sequence from the O111:H8 strains was a mosaic of divergent segments that alternately clustered with Int-α, Int-β, or Int-γ. The sequence from the O111:H9 clone consistently showed a close relationship with that from E2348/69, a distantly related strain that expresses Int-α. The results suggest that there have been multiple acquisitions of the LEE in the EHEC 2/EPEC 2 clonal lineage, with a recent turnover in either O111:H8 or its close relatives. Amino acid substitutions that alter residue charge occurred more frequently than would be expected under random substitution in the extracellular domains of intimin, suggesting that diversifying selection has promoted divergence in this region of the protein. An N-terminal domain that presumably functions in the periplasm may also be under positive selection.
Attachment Disturbances in Young Children. II: Indiscriminate Behavior and Institutional Care

Objective: To assess convergence among three different measures of indiscriminate behavior and to assess the relationship of indiscriminate behavior to having an attachment figure and to aggressive behavior among young children living in a Romanian institution. Method: Caregivers in the institution were interviewed with semistructured interviews regarding the behavior of 61 children with special emphasis on indiscriminate behavior. The study was conducted in Bucharest, Romania (1999). Results: Substantial convergence among measures of indiscriminate behavior was demonstrated. Indiscriminate behavior was common whether or not these children had a preferred attachment figure. Indiscriminate behavior was independent of aggressive behavior. Conclusions: Differing explanations for indiscriminate behavior in young children derive from differing interpretations of similar findings rather than different findings with different measures. Indiscriminate behavior was largely independent of aggression in these institutionalized young children. Indiscriminate behavior may represent an independent problem rather than a type of reactive attachment disorder as suggested by DSM-IV criteria. J. Am. Acad. Child Adolesc. Psychiatry, 2002, 41(8):983‐989. Key Words: reactive attachment disorder, disinhibited attachment disorder, indiscriminate behavior, indiscriminate sociability, indiscriminate friendliness.
Oral erythema multiforme: Clinical observations and treatment of 95 patients

Erythema multiforme is a chronic, inflammatory mucocutaneous disease that can occur in both genders at any age. Although the cause remains obscure, a wide range of antigens and factors, including herpesvirus and other infections, has been suggested as triggering the disease. In the present study of 95 patients, we found that patients with oral involvement alone tend to predominate over those who have oral and lip, or oral, lip, and skin disease. There were also more women than men. Our study further confirmed that erythema multiforme cannot be characterized solely as a disease that is cyclical and self-limiting. The dramatic response to corticosteroids and to the immunoregulating agent levamisole, as well as the fact that patients with erythema multiforme are otherwise essentially healthy, suggests that erythema multiforme may be caused by a transient autoimmune defect, possibly triggered by multiple factors. Because 19 patients with oral candidiasis responded to antifungal therapy, a possible antigenic role for these organisms is suggested.
Resonant measurement techniques using backward wave oscillators

We discuss two types of resonant techniques for measuring the electrodynamic properties of conductors in the millimeter and sub-millimeter wave spectral ranges. Using a series of backward wave oscillator sources, we can obtain essentially complete coverage of the frequency range 30 - 1000 GHz. At 100 GHz and below, cylindrical cavity resonators operating the in their TE 011 mode are employed to measure both components of the complex surface impedance of bulk samples. Above approximately 100 GHz, a Fabry-Perot resonator, consisting of a sapphire plate with a conducting sample placed against one side, is used. Both thin film and bulk samples may be measured with this technique. We focus on measurement on thin film samples, where the complex conductivity can be obtained directly from the transmission spectra.
Concurrent acute exercise alters central and peripheral responses to physostigmine.

Abstract This study reports the modulatory effects of physostigmine (Phy) and concurrent acute exercise on the time course of cholinesterase (ChE) activity, the rate of decarbamylation ( K d ), and half-time of recovery of ChE in red blood cells (RBC) and various tissues of rats. Acute exercise equivalent to 80% VO 2 max (maximal oxygen consumption) transiently increased the RBC ChE activity, whereas Phy decreased ChE activity in RBC and various tissues. Physostigmine along with concurrent acute exercise increased the K d in RBC, brain, and heart by 56.4%, 66.7%, and 139%, respectively, compared to Phy alone. The K d in diaphragm and muscle decreased to 14.1% and 56.2%, respectively, compared to Phy alone. The variation in K d might be due to the effect of concurrent acute exercise on the redistribution of Phy in various tissues of rat as a result of changes in blood flow.
Adjuvant methotrexate in the radio‐therapeutic management of advanced tumors of the head and neck

Oral methotrexate (MTX) was administered to a group of 48 patients with advanced head and neck tumors prior to radiation therapy in a nonrandomized manner. A second group of 75 similar patients were randomized to intravenous (i.v.) MTX plus radiation or radiation alone. Three-year survival rates by life table analysis show no significant statistical difference between i.v. MTX plus radiation or radiation alone. Those treated with oral MTX plus radiation have a statistically significant improved survival. The degree of tumor regression in the oral MTX group was correlated with survival. No similar correlation could be found in the intravenous MTX group. The use of either form of MTX correlated with a lower rate of distant metastasis.
Iron-platinum-coated carbon nanocone probes on tipless cantilevers for high resolution magnetic force imaging.

High coercivity iron?platinum-coated carbon nanocones (CNCs) have been fabricated for magnetic force microscopy (MFM) by direct-current plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition growth of nanocones on tipless cantilevers followed by sputtering and annealing of the FePt film. The FePt-coated CNC probe has many localized magnetic stray fields due to the high-aspect-ratio geometry and small radius of the tip. The MFM imaging on magnetic recording media was performed using CNC probes and compared with the imaging by FePt-coated silicon probes. An image with 20?nm lateral resolution has been demonstrated.
Complimentary use of epicardial echo imaging and Doppler in quantification of coronary artery stenoses

As more advanced therapeutic procedures are performed on coronary arteries during open chest surgery more advanced diagnostic procedures will be required to define the location and severity of coronary artery disease. This manuscript describes our preliminary experiences in identifying human coronary artery stenoses using epicardial two-dimensional color flow Doppler. Once the lesions were identified we used standard echo Doppler and imaging techniques to define their severity. The accuracy of stenotic cross sectional area calculated using the continuity equation and pressure gradient calculated using the Bernoulli equation were defined using a pulsatile flow model of the coronary circulation. Suggestions about further hardware development required to allow easy clinical application of this technique are described. 1 - CLINICAL NEED FOR INTRA-OPERATIVE EVAUJATION OFCORONARY ARTERIES The severity of coronary artery disease in adults who require coronary bypass surgery has changed significantly in the last ten years. More effective medications used to control angina pectoris and the wide use of percutaneous y artery angioplasty have delayed the timing of surgery until atherosclerotic involvement is more extensive. In addition patients who have had initial coronary bypass operations are now reaching ages at which atherosclerotic involvement of their bypass grafts and native vessels has progressed and reoperation is required. To meet the challenge of coronary arteries with multiple lesions or diffuse disease intraoperative angioplasty devices are being developed. Whether bypass surgery for advanced lesions or reoperation of© (1990) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Determination of dopamine, serotonin, and their metabolites in pediatric cerebrospinal fluid by isocratic high performance liquid chromatography coupled with electrochemical detection.

A method to rapidly measure dopamine (DA), dihydroxyindolphenylacetic acid, homovanillic acid, serotonin (5-HT) and 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid concentrations in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) has not yet been reported. A rapid, sensitive, and specific HPLC method was therefore developed using electrochemical detection. CSF was mixed with an antioxidant solution prior to freezing to prevent neurotransmitter degradation. Separation of the five analytes was obtained on an ESA MD-150 × 3.2 mm column with a flow rate of 0.37 mL/min and an acetonitrile–aqueous (5 : 95, v/v) mobile phase with 75 mM monobasic sodium phosphate buffer, 0.5 mM EDTA, 0.81 mM sodium octylsulfonate and 5% tetrahydrofuran. The optimal electrical potential settings were: guard cell +325 mV, E1 −100 mV and E2 +300 mV. Within-day and between-day precisions were <10% for all analytes and accuracies ranged from 91.0 to 106.7%. DA, 5-HT, and their metabolites were stable in CSF with antioxidant solution at 4°C for 8 h in the autoinjector. This method was used to measure neurotransmitters in CSF obtained from children enrolled on an institutional medulloblastoma treatment protocol. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
A novel analysis of selective excitation and phase reversal

Abstract The Bloch equations are reanalyzed in a spherical coordinate system for shaped RF pulses applied in the presence of a static magnetic field gradient. In such a system the behavior of large angle-selective RF pulses can be better compared to small angle nutations and in particular the performance of 180° pulsed use for spin inversion and phase reversal can be better described. It is found that the major problem using conventional 180° sinc-shaped pulses is the phase change that arises when the magnetization passes through the transverse plane. Alterations in the magnetic field gradient compensate for such a phase change and thereby improve the performance of selective pulses for both spin inversion and phase reversal.
Knee Deep in the Big Muddy: The Survival of Emerging Market Firms in Developed Markets

This study of Latin American banks located in the United States employs a resource-based framework to explain how subunits of emerging market firms can overcome the challenges of operating in a developed market.
Reserpine enhances amphetamine stereotypies without increasing amphetamine-induced changes in striatal dialysate dopamine

Abstract Indirect evidence suggests that amphetamine (AMPH) releases dopamine (DA) from an extravesicular, cytoplasmic pool. Disruption of vesicular DA storage by reserpine has been hypothesized to increase the concentration of extravesicular DA available for release by AMPH, which is consistent with the observation that reserpine does not prevent but augments the behavioral response to AMPH. In order to more directly test this hypothesis, the in vivo microdialysis technique was used to concurrently examine the behavioral and striatal dopaminergic response to AMPH (1.25 or 2.5 mg/kg) 24 h following reserpine pretreatment (2.5 mg/kg). Reserpine decreased tissue levels of DA by approximately 90% and reduced baseline dialysate DA concentrations by approximately 80%. Reserpine augmented the behavioral effects of AMPH, particularly increasing the occurrence and intensity of stereotypies. In contrast, reserpine did not alter the amount or duration of AMPH-induced DA release. This observation confirms that DA release by AMPH does not depend on vesicular stores but is inconsistent with the hypothesis that augmentation of behavior by reserpine results from increased striatal DA release.
OPTICAL DYNAMIC NUCLEAR POLARIZATION IN INP SINGLE CRYSTAL : WAVELENGTH AND FIELD DEPENDENCE OF NMR ENHANCEMENT

The magnetic field and optical excitation wavelength dependence of the In-115 nuclear spin polarization enhancement due to optical pumping in undoped, n-type InP single crystal, is reported. In the optical wavelength dependence, the enhancement drops sharply when the excitation energy exceeds the luminescence energy due to impurities near the band edge, but remains roughly constant as the energy is increased above the band gap. The 0--25-T magnetic field dependence exhibits a maximum In-115 NMR enhancement at 1.7 T, while negligible enhancement is observed at $g15 \mathrm{T}.$ In comparison with the previously reported field dependence of the NMR enhancement in GaAs, the maximum NMR signal enhancement in InP is found at lower magnetic field. According to hyperfine relaxation theory, this observation is consistent with the larger g factor of InP. Furthermore, the enhanced In-115 NMR signal using unpolarized optical excitation is emissive in phase with respect to the thermal equilibrium absorptive signal. This observation is consistent with a hyperfine cross-relaxation mechanism that is dipolar, rather than scalar in nature.
Statistical dynamics of a classical particle in the continuous potential of randomly fixed scatterers

The statistical dynamics of a Lorentz system produced by freezing in a dynamical bath in thermal equilibrium with a tagged particle which continues to move in the static environment after the quench is described in terms of canonical ensemble averages over the phase-space variables of the system: scatterer positions and coordinates of the particle. A generalized hydrodynamics theory for the fluctuation spectra of the densities of particle number and energy, of their currents, and of their velocities is developed in terms of dispersion-relation representations for the above correlation functions. The coupling between number and energy-density fluctuations showing up via off-diagonal elements of the generalized diffusivity matrix is elucidated. The transition to the localized state and the accompanying slowing down of the zero-frequency relaxation rate of velocity fluctuations is investigated. Simple approximations based upon Lorentzian or Gaussian relaxation kernels are presented and the dependence of spectra and diffusivities on the ratio of mean potential fluctuations and mean kinetic energy is discussed. In the second part a kinetic equation is derived for the 2 \ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{} 2 correlation-function matrix of the two phase-space densities of the two constants of the motion, particle number, and energy. For its collision kernel a novel, systematic operator expansion is presented which is manifestly preserving both particle number and energy for arbitrary scatterer densities and interaction potentials. The correlation functions of the currents resulting from the leading order in the expansion are given explicitly in terms of incomplete gamma functions. They yield, in the long-wavelength limit, the proper dispersion-relation representation of the velocity-correlation matrix.
Sodium-water clusters and their role in radiation chemistry

Abstract Studies of sodium-water clusters are presented which could serve as models for the recently suggested intermediate species in the radiation chemistry of water. The ionization potentials and the lower excited states of sodium with n -water molecules are calculated by ab initio quantum chemistry methods. The ionization potential calculated at the SCF level for the water monomer is 4.10 eV, which becomes 4.34 at the MP2 correlation level. The experimental value is 4.379 ± 0.002 eV. Structural data is presented for the lower members of the sodium with n -water clusters. In addition the Hartree-Fock calculations indicate that there should be some strong charge transfer to solvent transitions at higher energies.
Statistical analysis of spectral data for vegetation detection

Identification and reduction of false alarms provide a critical component in the detection of landmines. Research at Georgia Tech over the past several years has focused on this problem through an examination of the signature characteristics of various background materials. These efforts seek to understand the physical basis and features of these signatures as an aid to the development of false target identification techniques. The investigation presented in this paper deal concentrated on the detection of foliage in long wave infrared imagery. Data collected by a hyperspectral long-wave infrared sensor provided the background signatures used in this study. These studies focused on an analysis of the statistical characteristics of both the intensity signature and derived emissivity data. Results from these studies indicate foliage signatures possess unique characteristics that can be exploited to enable detection of vegetation in LWIR images. This paper will present review of the approach and results of the statistical analysis.
Withdrawal, tolerance, and sensitization to dopamine mediated interoceptive cues in rats trained on a three-lever drug-discrimination task

In the present experiment rats were trained on a three-lever, drug-discrimination task to discriminate the cues associated with 0.30 mg/kg of the indirect dopamine (DA) agonist, amphetamine (AMPH), saline (SAL), and 0.03 mg/kg of the DA, D2 receptor antagonist, haloperidol (HAL). Choice behavior determined from tests on 0.30 and 0.15 mg/kg AMPH, SAL 0.03 and 0.015 mg/kg HAL provided a behavioral baseline presumed to represent changes along a continuum of DA mediated, interoceptive cues. Results from separate groups tested on 0.30 and 0.15 mg/kg AMPH, SAL, 0.03 and 0.015 mg/kg HAL, 24 h post-treatment with an acute 7.5 mg/kg dose of AMPH, showed rapid tolerance and withdrawal to the AMPH cue and sensitization to the HAL cue. The same tests 24 h following treatment with 1.0 mg/kg HAL showed rapid tolerance to the HAL cue, sensitization to the AMPH cue, but not AMPH-like withdrawal cues. Analysis of the results showed that tolerance to the AMPH and HAL cues reflected neuroadaptive baseline shifts and not weaker cue properties. These findings are consistent with predictions from opponent process theory of motivation and provide an animal model to study the motivational consequences that aversive symptoms of AMPH withdrawal such as dysphoria and anhedonia can have on drug-taking behavior.
Metabolism of apolipoprotein B in members of a family with accelerated atherosclerosis: Influence of apolipoprotein E-3/E-2 pattern

Abstract Familial combined hyperlipidemia (FCHL) appears to be the most common, simply inherited hyperlipidemia strongly associated with coronary heart disease. In the family examined in this study, two of the siblings who met diagnostic criteria for FCHL had extensive clinical atherosclerosis before age 30, unusually premature for this form of hyperlipidemia. Lipoproteins and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) apolipoprotein (apo) B metabolism were characterized in these siblings in an attempt to gain insight into the cause of the rapid atherosclerosis in the two siblings so affected. LDL apo B production rates were very high in all three siblings (25 to 30 mg/kg/d), consistent with FCHL. β-Very-low-density, lipoprotein- β (β-VLDL) was present in the plasma of both siblings with accelerated atherosclerosis. The isoapolipoprotein E pattern in both of these siblings was E-3/E-2. In the third sibling, who was free of premature clinical atherosclerosis and lacked plasma β-VLDL, the pattern was E-3/E-3. Thus, the heterozygote apo E-3/E-2 pattern may be related to the accumulation of β-VLDL in persons with a very high apo B production rate. The abnormal accumulation of β-VLDL may be one of the possible explanations for the rapid, premature atherosclerosis in the two siblings with FCHL in this kindred. Both male members in this kindred also had low levels of high-density lipoproteins, and thus may have had an additional risk of developing atherosclerosis due to this lipoprotein abnormality as well.
Amorphous poly[(alkoxy-n-alkyl)methylsilane]s and crystalline poly[bis(alkoxy-n-alkyl)silane]s : The effect of side-chain flexibility on the thermochromic transition

Temperature-dependent UV spectra of three isomeric, amorphous, ether-substituted polymethylsilanes, (RMeSi)n [R = (CH2)6OCH3, (CH2)5OC2H5, and (CH2)4OC3H7], show that, in the solid state, the thermochromic pattern and transition temperature depend on the nature of the ether substitutent. A discontinuous transition from 303 to 330 nm was observed for both methoxyhexyl and ethoxypentyl polymers, whereas the propoxybutyl polymer merely showed a gradually shifted absorption. As the oxygen atom is placed closer to the main chain, the glass transition temperature and 29Si spin-lattice relaxation time decrease, consistent with enhanced side-chain motions. Three symmetrical ether-substituted polysilanes, (R2Si)n [R = (CH2)6OCH3, (CH2)5OC2H5, and (CH2)4OC3H7], were also investigated. These polymers exist as hexagonal columnar mesophases above their transition temperatures; below the transition temperature, they crystallized and exhibited a distinct thermochromism from 320 to 352 nm.
A New Full Rate Full Diversity Orthogonal Space-Time Block Code for Three Transmit Antennas

We propose a new full rate space-time block code for a three transmit antenna system that is orthogonal when using a special modulation scheme, called "triple QPSK". This space-time block code achieves full diversity gain when used with "triple QPSK" modulation. The performance of this new space-time block code is evaluated by using Monte Carlo simulation and union bounding techniques. Simulation results match the results obtained from the union bound analysis very well at reasonable signal to noise ratios. We conclude that the new space-time block code achieves better performance when compared with conventional space-time block codes.
A Whole Cell Model of Mycoplasma Genitalium Elucidates Mechanisms of Bacterial Replication

A central challenge of biology is to understand how complex phenotypes are controlled by individual molecules and their interactions. We report the first computational model which explains the life cycle of an entire organism, Mycoplasma genitalium, including metabolism, macromolecule synthesis, and cytokinesis, from the chemical interactions of molecules. The model consists of submodels of 28 cellular processes integrated through 16 cellular states and accounts for every annotated gene function. Using the model we identified the molecular determinates of cellular replication. We found the M. genitalium cell cycle is 9.0 ± 0.5 h, and that most of its variance is due metabolism and thymidylate kinase expression. Additionally, we found that replication initiation and DnaA dynamics are a significant source of cell cycle variation among fast growing cells. We examined the genetic requirements of growth and found four distinct classes of single-gene deletion strains: wild-type indistinguishable, early growth cessation, slow growth decay, and non-dividing. The model correctly predicts the observed essentially of > 80% of genes. Gene-complete models will accelerate biomedical discovery and bioengineering by enabling rapid in silico experimentation, facilitating experimental design and interpretation, and guiding bioengineering and medicine.View Large Image | View Hi-Res Image | Download PowerPoint Slide
Rare-earth-doped materials with application to optical signal processing, quantum information science, and medical imaging technology

Unique spectroscopic properties of isolated rare earth ions in solids offer optical linewidths rivaling those of trapped single atoms and enable a variety of recent applications. We design rare-earth-doped crystals, ceramics, and fibers with persistent or transient "spectral hole" recording properties for applications including high-bandwidth optical signal processing where light and our solids replace the high-bandwidth portion of the electronics; quantum cryptography and information science including the goal of storage and recall of single photons; and medical imaging technology for the 700-900 nm therapeutic window. Ease of optically manipulating rare-earth ions in solids enables capturing complex spectral information in 105 to 108 frequency bins. Combining spatial holography and spectral hole burning provides a capability for processing high-bandwidth RF and optical signals with sub-MHz spectral resolution and bandwidths of tens to hundreds of GHz for applications including range-Doppler radar and high bandwidth RF spectral analysis. Simply stated, one can think of these crystals as holographic recording media capable of distinguishing up to 108 different colors. Ultra-narrow spectral holes also serve as a vibration-insensitive sub-kHz frequency reference for laser frequency stabilization to a part in 1013 over tens of milliseconds. The unusual properties and applications of spectral hole burning of rare earth ions in optical materials are reviewed. Experimental results on the promising Tm3+:LiNbO3 material system are presented and discussed for medical imaging applications. Finally, a new application of these materials as dynamic optical filters for laser noise suppression is discussed along with experimental demonstrations and theoretical modeling of the process.
Effectiveness of a Worksite Intervention to Reduce an Occupational Exposure: The Minnesota Wood Dust Study

Objectives. This study assessed the effectiveness of an intervention to reduce wood dust, a carcinogen, by approximately 26% in small woodworking businesses. Methods. We randomized 48 businesses to an intervention (written recommendations, technical assistance, and worker training) or comparison (written recommendations alone) condition. Changes from baseline in dust concentration, dust control methods, and worker behavior were compared between the groups 1 year later. Results. At follow-up, workers in intervention relative to comparison businesses reported greater awareness, increases in stage of readiness, and behavioral changes consistent with dust control. The median dust concentration change in the intervention group from baseline to follow-up was 10.4% (95% confidence interval = –28.8%, 12.7%) lower than the change in comparison businesses. Conclusions. We attribute the smaller-than-expected reduction in wood dust to the challenge of conducting rigorous intervention effectiveness research in occupat...
The atomic structure of silicon and metal surfaces

Etude par microscopie ionique a emission de champ de la structure atomique des surfaces equilibrees thermiquement. Observation par une technique de chauffage a laser pulse des reconstructions des surfaces de Ir, Pt. Analyse des images obtenues pour des surfaces de Si bien ordonnees et resolues
Densification of alkali silicate glasses at high pressure

The densification behavior of a number of alkali silicate glasses has been investigated using a Bridgman anvil high pressure device. The pressure range of the investigation was 10 to 60 kilobars; the temperature range was 100 to 400°C. In all cases, the densification was found to increase with increasing temperature and pressure. In the two systems where compositional variations were explored, Na2OSiO2 and K2OSiO2, a pronounced maximum in densification in the vicinity of 10 mole % alkali oxide was observed (for a given temperature and pressure). These maxima are taken to reflect a competition between two processes, one of which — the variation of molecular mobility with composition — should lead to increasing densification with increasing alkali concentration. Several possibilities are discussed for the decrease in densification with alkali oxide concentrations greater than about 10% (to values smaller than that of SiO2 in some cases). The present results are related to those obtained in previous investigations of the densification of oxide and polymeric glasses.
Case report – An acute presentation of lymphangiomatosis

Introduction Lymphangioma is an uncommon malformation of lymphatic system. Multiple colonic lymphangioma named as lymphangiomatosis is considered an extremely rare disease.
Rate process parameters of albumen.

Both egg white and egg yolk are excellent media for studying photocoagulation due to thermal response of tissue to laser light. They are readily available, consistently the same, and provide a standard biological medium for different labs to compare results. The irradiation parameters for laser coagulation of these media depend upon their optical properties and their temperature-dependent rate reactions. Estimates of the rate process damage coefficients were obtained from constant-temperature water bath experiments. The activation energy E for egg white was estimated to be 92,000 (cal/(M*K)) and the integration constant A was found to be 3.8 × 1057 (second−1).
Intimacy expressions in three cultures: France, Japan, and the United States

Abstract The purpose of this study was to examine cultural variability influence on intimacy expressions of love commitment, disclosure maintenance, ambivalence, and conflict in France, Japan, and the United States. The MANOVA analyses revealed significant main effects for culture type (France. Japan, and the United States) and for gender type (male versus female) on the intimacy expression patterns. No significant interaction effect was found for culture and gender. Respondents in France and the United States reported a significantly higher degree of love commitment and disclosure maintenance than the Japanese respondents. In addition, the U.S. respondents reported a higher degree of relational ambivalence than their Japanese counterparts. Further, the French respondents reported the lowest degree of conflict expression in comparison to the Japanese group and the United States group. In terms of gender differences, females reported a significantly higher degree of love commitment, disclosure maintenance and interpersonal conflict expressions than their male counterparts. The findings and the implications of the study along culture and gender lines are discussed.
Transportation of Pacific salmon carcasses from streams to riparian forests by bears

Predation on Pacific salmon by bears (genus Ursus L., 1758) can be an important ecosystem process because the spatial distribution of carcasses largely determines whether marine-derived nutrients c...
Statistical considerations in economic evaluations: a guide for cardiologists

The author reviews statistical methods commonly applied in economic evaluations that rely on individual patient-level data. The paper includes a review of foundational concepts, unique characteristics of health economic data, and methods developed to address them. The paper then highlights issues that should be considered in the interpretation of findings from economic evaluations.
Case adaptation in PROCASE: A case-based process planning system for machining of rotational parts

This paper presents an approach for the case adaptation, especially case repairing, in a case-based process planning system: PROCASE, for machining of rotational parts. In PROCASE, a new process plan is generated by adapting an existing similar process plan from its case library. Case adaptation is a crucial issue in achieving an automated case-based process planning system. This is because, usually, an existing process plan cannot necessarily produce an exact identical part as of the desired part. Adaptation is essential to tailor this existing plan to generate a new process plan for the new part. The case adaptation in this paper comprises case modification, case simulation, and case repairing. The modifier uses the knowledge extracted from case library to edit the retrieved similar plan. The simulator plays an important role in verifying the adapted plan as well as in directing the plan repairing. The repairing rules are indexed by the error messages obtained from the simulation. With the proposed case adaptation, the system will have the capability to repair the erroneous plans to achieve an automated and intelligent process planning system. This paper will first briefly introduce the case representation and case retrieval in PROCASE. Then the rest of the paper is dedicated to the case adaptation.
ACCOUNTANTS, TOO, COULD BE HAPPY IN A GOLDEN AGE: THE ACCOUNTANTS RATE OF PROFIT AND THE INTERNAL RATE OF RETURN

IT is now generally accepted that the correct way to estimate the prospective yield from a project is to find that rate of discount at which the present value of the flow of receipts and expenditures attributable to the project is zero. When accountants assess the actual performance of an activity or a firm, however, the methods they use are very different. They subtract some rather arbitrary depreciation figure from the receipts to give a net profit figure, and they assess the value of the capital employed by cumulating expenditures and subtracting these depreciation allowances from them. The rate of return is then measured as the ratio of these two figures. It is recognized from time to time that these two rates of return concepts are rather different, and some analyses of the relationship between them exist.2 Their conclusions make rather depressing reading: Harcourt considers that 'as an indication of the realized rate of return, the accountant's rate of profit is greatly influenced by irrelevant factors, even under ideal conditions' :3 Solomon that 'book yield is not an accurate measure of true yield; the error in book yield is neither constant nor consistent' . Though there are some dissenting views,5 their arguments carry little conviction, and R. Turvey's dogmatic claim that 'the accounting rate of return on total assets of a public enterprise means little. In particular it does not approximate the average of the d.c.f. rates of return on past investments and so does not indicate whether these past investments were, on average, reasonably successful' is probably representative of the currently prevailing opinion.
A fingerprint verification system based on triangular matching and dynamic time warping

An effective fingerprint verification system is presented. It assumes that an existing reference fingerprint image must validate the identity of a person by means of a test fingerprint image acquired online and in real-time using minutiae matching. The matching system consists of two main blocks: The first allows for the extraction of essential information from the reference image off-line, the second performs the matching itself online. The information is obtained from the reference image by filtering and careful minutiae extraction procedures. The fingerprint identification is based on triangular matching to cope with the strong deformation of fingerprint images due to static friction or finger rolling. The matching is finally validated by dynamic time warping. Results reported on the NIST Special Database 4 reference set, featuring 85 percent correct verification (15 percent false negative) and 0.05 percent false positive, demonstrate the effectiveness of the verification technique.
Effect of pulsatile and nonpulsatile flow during cardiopulmonary bypass on left ventricular ejection fraction early after aortocoronary bypass surgery

Abstract Although aortocoronary bypass graft has successfully relieved angina in most patients, concern has been expressed about possible deterioration or failure of improvement of left ventricular performance. With use of intraaortic balloon pumping to produce pulsatile flow during cardiopulmonary bypass, left ventricular ejection fraction and end-diastolic volume index were compared in a consecutive series of 40 men undergoing elective aortocoronary bypass, 20 of whom had pulsatile flow and 20 who had mean flow during cardiopulmonary bypass. Left ventricular ejection fraction and end-diastolic volume index were measured before and 1 to 12 days after operation using a collimated scintillation probe and indium113m. In the group receiving nonpulsatile flow the ejection fraction decreased from 52.2 ± 2.9 percent (mean ± standard error of the mean) to 38.7 ± 3.2 percent on the first postoperative day and 43.0 ± 3.4 percent on the 10th day (P
Community attitudes towards culture-influenced mental illness: scrupulosity vs. nonreligious OCD among orthodox jews

Culture may particularly influence community attitudes towards mental illness, when the illness itself is shaped by a cultural context. To explore the influence of culture-specific, religious symptoms on Orthodox Jewish community attitudes, the authors compared the attitudes of 169 Orthodox Jews, who randomly viewed one of two vignettes describing either religious or nonreligious obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD). Results indicate that though participants were equally likely to perceive both vignettes as mental illness, they were less likely to endorse psychological/medical explanatory models and help-seeking, and conversely more likely to endorse social–religious explanations, religious help-seeking, and stigma in relation to religious OCD. Nevertheless, psychological/medical models and help-seeking were more strongly endorsed for both religious and nonreligious OCD. Beyond implications for Orthodox Jewish community actions, these findings suggest that attitudes towards mental illness may depend on how symptoms relate to community culture. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Effect of Energy Level and Laying House Temperature on the Performance of White Leghorn Pullets

Abstract INTRODUCTION CONSIDERABLE interest in the energy requirements of poultry has been evident since the importance of higher energy rations for broilers was demonstrated by Scott, Matterson and Singsen (1947). Several investigators have studied the energy requirements of laying hens, employing productive energy values of feed-stuffs established by Fraps (1946). Singsen, Matterson and Kozeff (1952) reported that hens fed a high corn diet (61.25%) required as much as 13 percent less feed per dozen eggs, were slightly heavier in body weight, and tended to have a higher rate of production than hens fed a corn—oats—middlings ration. Skinner, Quisenberry and Couch (1951) obtained similar results and also found that larger eggs were produced on a high-efficiency ration than on a conventional breeder mash. Hill, Anderson and Dansky (1956) reported that increasing energy intake resulted in greater efficiency of, and increased egg production during the winter months. Harms et al. (1957) …