cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Hadley cell trends and variability as determined from scatterometer observations: How rapidscat will help establishing reliable long-term record

Recent evidence suggests that the tropics have expanded over the last few decades by a very rough 10 per decade. Until now, understanding the mechanisms of that expansion has been confined to models and proxies because of the unavailability of systematic observations of the large-scale circulation. Scatterometer-derived ocean surface vector winds, provide for the first time, an accurate depiction of the large-scale circulation and allow the study of the Hadley cell evolution through analysis of its surface branch. In this study we determine the extent of the Hadley cell as defined by the subtropical zero-crossing of the zonally-averaged zonal wind component. We use scatterometer observations from a number of missions, covering ∼13 years. Our analyses reveal seasonal and interannual variability, as well as a long-term trend for expansion of the Hadley cell width. More interestingly, our results show an apparent discontinuity in the signal when the data source changes from one observing system to another. This raises the question about the significance of the unresolved diurnal signal. Indeed, analyses of observations from tandem missions support this notion. Fortunately, the RapidScat mission makes it possible to resolve, for the first time, the details of the diurnal signal. Our preliminary analyses of the RapidScat observations show the presence of a clear semidiurnal signal in the width of the Hadley cell. This helps explain previously found discrepancies. More importantly, this points to a clear need to understand and resolve the diurnal signal before merging wind observations from different missions to form a consistent climate record.
Integrated control of satellite payloads

The Stanford Satellite Systems Development Laboratory (SSDL) is currently investigating advanced satellite control technologies aimed at improved spacecraft system operations. One technique involves a unique real-time payload control strategy for satellites operating within a crosslinked constellation. This strategy effectively merges payload scheduling, traditionally considered a high level planning problem, with low level actuator control. The developed method utilizes attractive artificial potential fields of varying strength to exert `planning' forces on the payload. As the payload nears a particular goal, it is critically damped to that specific position. This approach has been simulated for the simple repositioning of a mechanically actuated space telescope. Applied to constellation operations, this strategy provides the basis for simple, efficient, and robust satellite cooperation in dynamic environments. This paper describes the strategy under consideration and discusses preliminary plans for its flight testing through the use of a small constellation of satellite quick research testbed (SQUIRT) micro satellites.© (1995) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Dispersion of a Passive Contaminant in Oscillatory Fluid Flows

Abstract We consider dispersion in an oscillatory boundary layer in an effort to ascertain the relative importance of velocity shear and phase. Although salt is not strictly a passive contaminant, the model considered is relevant to the induced transport of salt in a tidal estuary. The results indicate a transport directed toward higher concentrations near a boundary whenever the velocity phase near that boundary leads the interior flow.
Preparing for the Inevitable: Training Social Workers to Cope with Client Suicide

ABSTRACT Little attention has been given to educating and training social work students and professionals about working with suicidal clients. This article summarizes the literature on client suicide and the professional social worker, as well as presents results from a mixed methods study, which utilized both qualitative and quantitative data collected from a national study on client suicide among social workers. The results indicate that 55% of social workers will experience at least one client suicide attempt and 31% will experience a client suicide completion during the course of their career. Additionally, less than 50% of the social workers surveyed received previous training or education about client suicide in their MSW programs. Suggestions from social workers for the content of training classes on client suicide are included. Implications for practice and research are also discussed.
Within-Session Patterns of Pigeons' General Activity☆☆☆

Abstract The study investigates the idea that within-session changes in responding are produced by arousal and satiation. General activity, measured by the displacement of floor panels, was used as an index of these variables. In Experiment 1, pigeons pecked a key on a simple variable-interval schedule and general activity was also recorded. In Experiment 2, pigeons received response-independent reinforcers. In Experiment 3, the pigeons' general activity was reinforced on a variable-interval schedule. Although significant within-session changes in operant key pecking were observed in Experiment 1, within-session changes in general activity were seldom observed in either Experiment 1 or Experiment 2. Significant within-session changes in general activity were observed in Experiment 3, when activity was the operant. The present results can potentially be explained by arousal and satiation. However, the predictive power of this explanation is severely limited. Regardless of whether one accepts arousal and satiation as the theoretical explanation for within-session changes in responding, the present results suggest that aspects of the response–reinforcer relation may determine the within-session pattern of responding.
Extreme-scale UQ for Bayesian inverse problems governed by PDEs

Quantifying uncertainties in large-scale simulations has emerged as the central challenge facing CS&E. When the simulations require supercomputers, and uncertain parameter dimensions are large, conventional UQ methods fail. Here we address uncertainty quantification for large-scale inverse problems in a Bayesian inference framework: given data and model uncertainties, find the pdf describing parameter uncertainties. To overcome the curse of dimensionality of conventional methods, we exploit the fact that the data are typically informative about low-dimensional manifolds of parameter space to construct low rank approximations of the covariance matrix of the posterior pdf via a matrix-free randomized method. We obtain a method that scales independently of the forward problem dimension, the uncertain parameter dimension, the data dimension, and the number of cores. We apply the method to the Bayesian solution of an inverse problem in 3D global seismic wave propagation with over one million uncertain earth model parameters, 630 million wave propagation unknowns, on up to 262K cores, for which we obtain a factor of over 2000 reduction in problem dimension. This makes UQ tractable for the inverse problem.
An Automated Approach to Very High Order Aeroacoustic Computations in Complex Geometries

Computational aeroacoustics requires efficient, high-resolution simulation tools. And for smooth problems, this is best accomplished with very high order in space and time methods on small stencils. But the complexity of highly accurate numerical methods can inhibit their practical application, especially in irregular geometries. This complexity is reduced by using a special form of Hermite divided-difference spatial interpolation on Cartesian grids, and a Cauchy-Kowalewslci recursion procedure for time advancement. In addition, a stencil constraint tree reduces the complexity of interpolating grid points that are located near wall boundaries. These procedures are used to automatically develop and implement very high order methods (>15) for solving the linearized Euler equations that can achieve less than one grid point per wavelength resolution away from boundaries by including spatial derivatives of the primitive variables at each grid point. The accuracy of stable surface treatments is currently limited to 11th order for grid aligned boundaries and to 2nd order for irregular boundaries.
A Combined Screening/Risk Factor-Based Strategy for Prevention of Neonatal GBS Infection: Implementation and Impact on Disease

A Combined Screening/Risk Factor-Based Strategy for Prevention of Neonatal GBS Infection: Implementation and Impact on Disease
SU‐FF‐T‐282: Beam Modifier Design for Total Skin Electron Irradiations Using Monte Carlo Techniques

Purpose: Total skin electron irradiation (TSEI) requires large electron beams having good dose uniformity, d max at the skin surface, and low bremsstrahlung contamination. Energy degraders and scattering foils have to be specially designed for the given accelerator and treatment room. Method and Materials:Monte Carlo(MC) techniques based on EGS4 user codes (BEAM, DOSXYZ, and DOSRZ) guided the beam modifier design of our TSEI system. The dosimetric characteristics at the treatment distance of 382 cm SSD were verified experimentally using a linear array of 47 ion‐chambers, a parallel plate chamber, and radiochromic film. By matching MC simulations to standard beam measurements at 100 cm SSD, the parameters of primary electrons were determined to be mono‐energetic at 6.72 MeV, parallel, and circular beams having a Gaussian radial distribution with FWHM = 0.13 cm. They were then used to simulate our TSEI with eight sets of energy degraders and flattening filters. Results: An energy degrader of a 0.6 cm‐thick PMMA plate, blacking a jaw‐shaped field (40 × 40 cm2) at 100 cm SSD, showed the best performance in terms of dose rate and uniformity. A flattening filter, consisting of a 12 × 12 cm2aluminum plate of 0.6 cm‐thickness and placed just behind the energy degrader was considered optimal. Such optimized combination produced a beam that was flat within ±3% up to 60 cm off‐axis distance, dropped by not more than 6% at a distance of 90 cm, and had an x‐ray of < 3%. The maximum dose of the rotating phantom occurred at the surface and was approximately 40% of the maximum dose (at 0.65 cm‐depth) of the stationary phantom. Conclusion: By evaluating the dosimetric performance of beam modifier designs for TSEI, the Monte Carlo simulations reduced the costly efforts that could, otherwise, result from constructing and measuring lots of prototypes.
Extracellular polysaccharide of Erwinia chrysanthemi A350 and ribotyping of Erwinia chrysanthemi spp.

Abstract Erwinia chrysanthemi spp. are Gram-negative bacterial phytopathogens causing soft rots in a number of plants. The structure of the extracellular polysaccharide (EPS) produced by the E. chrysanthemi strain A350, which is a lac Z − mutant of the wild type strain 3937, pathogenic to Saintpaulia, has been determined using a combination of chemical and physical techniques including methylation analysis, low-pressure gel-filtration and anion-exchange chromatography, high-pH anion-exchange chromatography, partial acid hydrolysis, mass spectrometry and 1- and 2D NMR spectroscopy. In contrast to the structures of the EPS reported for other strains of E. chrysanthemi , the EPS from strain A350 contains d -GalA, together with l -Rha p and d -Gal p in a 1:4:1 ratio. Evidence is presented for the following hexasaccharide repeat unit: Download full-size image All the Erwinia chrysanthemi spp. studied to date have been analyzed by ribotyping and collated into families, which are consistent with the related structures of their EPS.
Mg/Ca, Sr/Ca, and stable isotopes in modern and Holocene Protothaca staminea shells from a northern California coastal upwelling region

This study explores the potential of intertidal Protothaca staminea shells as high-resolution geochemical archives of environmental change in a coastal upwelling region. Mg/Ca and Sr/Ca ratios were analyzed by excimer laser ablation-inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) at sub-weekly temporal resolution in shells growing ∼1 mm per month. Growth patterns of a modern P. staminea shell from Humboldt Bay, California, collected in December 1999 made it possible to infer a lifespan from 1993 to 1998. Growth hiatuses in the shell may have excluded records of extreme events. Mg/Ca ratios appeared to be partly controlled by water temperature; the correlation coefficient between temperature and Mg/Ca was r = 0.71 in one of four growth increments. Significant year-to-year differences in the sensitivity of Mg/Ca to temperature in P. staminea could not be explained, however. Sr/Ca ratios appeared to be more closely related to shell growth rate. Oxygen isotopes, measured at 2-week temporal resolution in the same shell, did not show a clear relation to local temperature in summer, possibly because temperatures were higher and less variable at the King Salmon mudflat, where the shell was collected, than in the main channel of Humboldt Bay, where water properties were monitored. Negative shell δ13C values (<−0.5‰) marked spring and summer coastal upwelling events. The Mg contents of P. staminea midden shells dated to ∼3 ka and ∼9 ka were significantly lower than in the modern shell. This may have resulted from degradation of a Mg-rich shell organic matrix and precluded quantitative interpretation of the older high-resolution records. Elevated δ13C values in the ∼3 ka shell suggested that the individual grew in highly productive or stratified environment, such as a shallow coastal embayment or lagoon.
A SAS Algorithm for Computing Scheffe-Marascuilo Comparisons among Correlations

The SAS System was used to program an algorithm for constructing both simple and complex multiple comparisons among product-moment correlation coefficients. The statistical procedure is attributable to Marascuilo (1966) and is based on Scheff6's method (1959). This SAS program is applicable to designs with either equal or unequal sample sizes in the cells.
Using MICRO-SWEAT to Model Microwave Brightness Temperatures Measured during SGP97

Abstract MICRO-SWEAT, a soil–vegetation–atmosphere transfer scheme (SWEAT) coupled with a microwave emission model, was used to predict the microwave brightness temperatures (TB) measured at El Reno, Oklahoma, during the Southern Great Plains 1997 (SGP97) field experiment. Comparison with soil-moisture time series measured at four intensively monitored sites revealed the need for a substantially greater soil-saturated hydraulic conductivity than that estimated from soil maps. After revision of the hydraulic conductivity, the modeled and measured time series of soil moisture and surface energy fluxes showed excellent agreement with observations at these 4 sites and with the measurements of the surface soil moisture and TB at the remaining 11 measurement sites. A two-dimensional array of calibrated MICRO-SWEAT models was implemented at 200-m resolution for the El Reno area. There were noticeable differences between the spatial distributions of modeled and measured TB. These differences likely result from im...
The synthesis of nucleic acid constituents in the early chick embryo.

Abstract 1. Deoxyribose isolated from chick-embryo DNA was formed in part by reactions different from the direct reduction of ribose. The acetaldehyde plus glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate mechanism may account for the 14 C distribution found in deoxyribose labeled by [ 14 C]glucose. 2. Evidence was found to support the concept of separate pools of DNA and RNA precursors. Specific activities of deoxyribose samples derived from all substrates tested except [1- 14 C]ribose and [ 14 C 5 ]ribose were higher than corresponding samples of ribose. The labeling of purines by radioactive ribose, pyruvate, and acetate was noticeably different in RNA than DNA. These differences were interpreted as due in part to different extents of dilution of radioactive nucleic acids by the unlabeled nucleic acids and nucleotides present in the growth medium. 3. Evidence was found for differences in the nucleic acid synthesizing mechanisms between the embryo area and the membrane area of the chick embryo explant. Many of these differences were associated with changes in metabolism from the one- to the two-day explants.
Visual evoked potentials and the visuogram in multiple sclerosis

Visual evoked potential (VEP) latency to a sinusoidal grating pattern was measured in each eye of 103 patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) and compared with results in a control group of 56 patients hospitalized for other neurological conditions. Of the 50 patients classified as having definite MS, 90% showed prolonged latency (over 131 msec) in one or both eyes. In each eye of 24 of the MS patients, psychophysical measurement of the detectability of grating patterns was obtained. This test was abnormal in 11 of 13 patients with definite MS, 3 of 4 with probable MS, and 5 of 7 with possible MS. There was no concordance between prolonged VEP latency and visual impairment as revealed by the psychophysical test. Apparently pathways determining VEP latency and spatial contrast detection may be unequally affected in MS.
Securing feeding tubes in head and neck surgery: Septal suture or bridle technique

Results Discussion References Securing Feeding Tubes in Head and Neck Surgery: Septal Suture or Bridle Technique Samer Al-Khudari1 MD, Daniel Clayburgh2 MD PhD, Lisa Morris2 MD, Tammara Watts2 MD PhD, Mark K. Wax2 MD, Tamer A. Ghanem1 MD PhD 1Department of Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery Henry Ford Health System, Detroit, Michigan 2Departmet of Otolaryngology –Head & Neck Surgery Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, Oregon Objectives: To compare use of the anterior septal suture (SS) technique versus the septal bridle technique (BT) in securing nasogastric feeding tubes in head and neck surgery patients. Study Design: A multicenter prospective nonrandomized controlled study was conducted on patients undergoing head and neck surgery with postoperative need for a nasogastric feeding tube. Methods: Patients underwent either a septal suture or a bridle technique to secure the feeding tube intraoperatively. They were assessed by a standard questionnaire and physical exam administered at three time points postoperatively: days 1-5 (time-1), 6-9 (time-2), and day 10 or greater (time-3). The following factors were assessed: subjective assessment of overall pain, pain due to securing mechanism, route of pain control, local complications, and tube dislodgement secondary to securing method. To analyze pain at each time point a nonparametric two sample Wilcoxon test was used. To analyze the change in pain from time 1 to time 2 a Wilcoxon matched pairs signed rank test was used. Results: 74 patients were enrolled in the study. 29 patients underwent a septal suture technique and 45 underwent the bridle technique. No local complications were reported secondary to either securing method. No tube dislodgments occurred directly as a result of either securing technique. Overall pain did not significantly differ in both cohorts at each time point (p=0.196, 0.808, 0.469). Pain due to the tube securing method was significantly less for the bridle technique at time points 1 and 2 but not at time 3 (p=0.037, 0.021, 0.722). Overall pain and pain due to securing method did not significantly differ in patients primarily controlled on PO or IV medication at time 1 (p=0.744, p=0.909). When analyzing the change in overall pain from time 1 to time 2 in both cohorts there was a significant decrease in pain (p=0.001, p=0.001). When analyzing the change in mean pain due to the securing mechanism from time 1 to time 2 it was found to be significant in the SS patients (p=0.036) and approaching significance in the BT patients (p=0.078). Conclusions: The septal suture and bridle technique are both effective methods in securing feeding tubes postoperatively in head and neck surgery patients. In both cohorts no local complications were directly attributed to securing method and no tube dislodgments were reported directly related to the securing method.
SU-E-P-10: Imaging in the Cardiac Catheterization Lab - Technologies and Clinical Applications

Purpose: Diagnosis and treatment of cardiovascular disease in the cardiac catheterization laboratory is often aided by a multitude of imaging technologies. The purpose of this work is to highlight the contributions to patient care offered by the various imaging systems used during cardiovascular interventional procedures. Methods: Imaging technologies used in the cardiac catheterization lab were characterized by their fundamental technology and by the clinical applications for which they are used. Whether the modality is external to the patient, intravascular, or intracavity was specified. Specific clinical procedures for which multiple modalities are routinely used will be highlighted. Results: X-ray imaging modalities include fluoroscopy/angiography and angiography CT. Ultrasound imaging is performed with external, trans-esophageal echocardiography (TEE), and intravascular (IVUS) transducers. Intravascular infrared optical coherence tomography (IVOCT) is used to assess vessel endothelium. Relatively large (>0.5 mm) anatomical structures are imaged with x-ray and ultrasound. IVUS and IVOCT provide high resolution images of vessel walls. Cardiac CT and MRI images are used to plan complex cardiovascular interventions. Advanced applications are used to spatially and temporally merge images from different technologies. Diagnosis and treatment of coronary artery disease frequently utilizes angiography and intra-vascular imaging, and treatment of complex structural heart conditions routinely includes usemore » of multiple imaging modalities. Conclusion: There are several imaging modalities which are routinely used in the cardiac catheterization laboratory to diagnose and treat both coronary artery and structural heart disease. Multiple modalities are frequently used to enhance the quality and safety of procedures. The cardiac catheterization laboratory includes many opportunities for medical physicists to contribute substantially toward advancing patient care.« less
Raping Freedom: Pornography and Politics in the Satirical Journals of 1905-1906

AbstractEditors of a number of satirical journals deployed images of rape to illustrate their sense that the revolution was lost after the autocracy’s bloody reprisal against workers in Moscow in December, 1905, and subsequent proroguing of the first electoral Duma in June, 1906. Tapping into the Silver Age aesthetics of decadence and eroticism, they cast Freedom as a vulnerable virgin, but did not provide heroes to protect her. Instead, they drew monstrous villains from Russian folklore that in some cases made Freedom complicitous in her violent fate. The Russian male appeared willing to return to his historical impotence, the nineteenth-century’s “superfluous man,” because he did not know what to do with the abstraction of freedom that he had desired for so long.
Renal failure after embolization of a prosthetic mitral valve disc and review of systemic disc embolization.

Abstract Embolization of discs from various prosthetic mitral valves produces fulminant cardiac failure with possible survival after emergent mitral valve prosthetic replacement. The embolized discs lodge in the aorta at various levels parallel to the blood stream and have not occluded distal flow. Some embolized discs have been left in the aorta for as long as 12 years. An embolized disc left in the abdominal aorta produced renal artery occlusion 5 years after embolization in the reported case. A previous case produced mesenteric ischemia after 1 month. Localization of embolized discs has at times been difficult with success and failure by plain x-ray films, ultrasound, angiography, and CT scans in some cases. Since embolized discs have not produced acute problems with ischemia, delay of retrieval after emergent mitral valve replacement does not seem detrimental. Late complications may occur as with the present case and removal of asymptomatic embolized discs seems advisable and prudent. (J VASC SURG 1985;2:697-702.)
Electrodissolution of Zinc in Acidic Chloride Solutions

Abstract The anodic dissolution of zinc in 1N KCl (pH=3) has been investigated. A potential pulse technique has been used to correct the anodic polarization for the ohmic potential drop. The corrected anodic polarization and the current follow a Tafel relation with a slope of 33 mV/decade up to 200 mA/cm2. The concentration of zinc ions at the zinc/solution interface during anodic polarization was determined by applying long duration cathodic potential pulses. The total charge accumulated is proportional to the anodic current when the current density is small, whereas at high current densities, it attains a constant value. The results at low anodic currents are interpreted in terms of diffusion layer concepts. This interpretation can also be extended to the case when migration effects are significant.
Cocaine catalytic antibodies: the primary importance of linker effects

Current treatments for cocaine addiction are not effective. The development of a catalytic monoclonal antibody (mAb) provides a strategy for not only binding, but also degrading cocaine, which offers a broad-based therapy. Hapten design is the central element for programming antibody catalysis. The characteristics of the linker used in classic transition-state analogue phosphonate haptens were shown to be important for obtaining mAbs that hydrolyze the benzoate ester of cocaine.
Optical detection methods for carotenoids in human skin

Resonance Raman spectroscopy and reflection spectroscopy are non-invasive optical quantitative methods for the measurement of carotenoid antioxidant levels in human skin in vivo. Since all tissue carotenoids are derived from the diet, optical monitoring in skin may serve as an objective indicator for fruit and vegetable intake, and more broadly also as an effective biomarker for integrative health. The two optical methods have already found enthusiastic application in the Nutritional Supplement Industry where they are used with large populations to measure skin carotenoid uptake upon consumption of carotenoid-containing dietary supplements. Applications in medical fields such as nutrition science and epidemiology have been awaiting rigorous correlation studies between the optical carotenoid detection methods and the established gold standard detection method of high-performance liquid chromatography, which requires excised tissue samples. In this article we review the principles of the methods along with the current status of validations so the reader can assess the merits of the optical methods in their respective fields of interest.
Refinement of thrust faulting models for the Central New Madrid seismic zone

Abstract We present the results of the joint relocation of events recorded during 1989–1992 by the PANDA network in the central New Madrid seismic zone. The near-surface material in the study area is a gently-dipping layer of poorly consolidated sediments with low P-wave velocity and high V p / V s (estimated values: 1.8 km s −1 and 3). The sediments are underlain by high-velocity Paleozoic rocks. Under the network the difference in sediment thickness is only 0.6 km, but because of the low velocities the location of the events using layered models is affected by errors. Application of the joint hypocentral determination (JHD) technique to a subset of 580 events shows that the single-event locations may be in error by as much as 1 km in depth, depending on where the events are located. Analysis of synthetic data generated for a realistic 3-D velocity model supports the JHD results. The analysis of synthetic data also suggests that a V p / V s ≤ 2.3 is more appropriate for the post-Paleozoic Mississippi embayment sediments. Based on the JHD locations we present a new interpretation of the seismicity, with two en-echelon SW-dipping thrust faults connected by a west-dipping thrust fault. These faults appear associated with the Reelfoot scarp and its northern extension, the Kentucky bend scarp.
Regulation of the Proestrus Surge of Prolactin Secretion by Gonadotropin and Estrogens in the Rat

During the estrous cycle of the rat, plasma prolactin concentrations are increased significantly only on the afternoon and evening of proestrus. This proestrus surge of prolactin secretion can be inhibited by the administration of estradiol antiserum on the day before proestrus (diestrus-2). In the present study the role of gonadotropin secretion at diestrus-2 (D-2) in regulating this estrogen secretion and consequently the proestrus surge of prolactin secretion was studied using a rabbit anti-ovine LH serum (LH-AB). In vitro, the antiserum reacted strongly with radioiodinated rat LH, less with rat FSH and not at all with rat prolactin. All rats were bled on proestrus from an aortic catheter at 1–2 hr intervals and plasma levels of prolactin were determined by radioimmunoassay. In controls treated with normal rabbit serum, proestrus prolactin levels began to rise by 1300 hr, plateaued between 1500–2100 hr and returned to baseline by 0100 hr on estrus. Intraperitoneal injection of 0.1 ml of LH-AB at 1000 h...
Variation in Feminine Hygiene Practices as a Function of Age

Objective: To examine variation in feminine hygiene practices as a function of increasing age. Design: A nonexperi mental, descriptive research design with study sample stratified by age. Participants: Women over 18 years of age. Of 713 women who completed and returned the feminine hygiene practices questionnaire, 180 were younger than 41 years, 171 were 41–48 years, 184 were 49–57 years, and 178 were 58 years or older. All participants were members of a California professional home economics organization. Main Outcome Measures: A 40-item feminine hygiene practices questionnaire dealing with body cleansing practices, feminine products usage, and both general and specific menses collection and protection practices. Results: Significant age-related differences were found in several areas of body cleansing and feminine products usage, including sponge bathing and use of feminine and deodorant spray, wet wipes, and panty liners. In all age groups, 20–30% of women reported douching, even in the face of continued reports of the dangers in this practice. In addition, reduced numbers of women (n = 245) in all age groups reported washing hands before using tampons or pads, although more [n = 314) reported washing their hands afterward. Conclusions: Continuing education about proper feminine hygiene practices, especially regarding douching and handwashing before and after genitourinary contact, will be important across all age groups. JOGNN , 29 , 625–633; 2000.
Energy Landscape Analysis of Protein Dimers

Many cellular functions are carried out by proteins that are bound together in multiprotein complexes. The binding between two highly flexible proteins to form homodimers is studied here using energy landscape theory and simulations based on a perfectly funneled energy landscape. With the aim to survey the range of binding mechanisms, two sets of homodimers were selected based on the experimental knowledge of whether stable monomers are needed for binding to take place. We find that the binding mechanism can be predicted based on the structure of the complex subunits alone. On average, the theory predicts a lower stability for subunits that are less compact and less hydrophobic, indicating, in agreement with their experimental classification, that their folding will be coupled to their binding. On the other hand, when a monomeric intermediate is experimentally found, the predicted stability of the monomers is comparable to that of known folded proteins. Furthermore, when dimerization is coupled to monomer folding, the interface is more hydrophobic.
Hillock growth on aluminum and aluminum alloy films

Abstract The size distributions of hillocks formed on Al and Al alloy films were measured and related to their growth mechanisms. The compositions of these films were as follows: pure Al, Al–1.7wt.%Cu, Al–7.6wt.%Cu, Al– 15wt.%Cu, and Al–1.7wt.%Cu–
Perforating folliculitis and psoriasis

A 51-year-old man with a 10-year history of psoriasis presented with coexistent perforating folliculitis. Several perforating lesions were located within psoriasic plaques. This case is instructive from several viewpoints: (1) it is the second case to appear in the literature, to our knowledge, describing the coexistence of these two conditions; (2) several of the larger lesions resolved during topical therapy with retinoic acid; (3) it demonstrates the histologic difficulties encountered in attempting to classify the major perforating diseases. Possible mechanisms for the development of perforating disease in this patient are discussed, as are the reasons for its apparent response to topical therapy.
Connecting British Columbia (Canada) school libraries and student achievement: A comparison of higher and lower performing schools with similar overall funding

Research over time has established associations between components of the school library and student achievement. This study was designed to investigate these associations in schools in British Columbia (Canada) where the government provides equitable funding of public schools while allowing individual school districts and schools to determine individual funding priorities. Findings replicated what numerous previous studies have shown: higher student standardized test scores were associated with a school library that is more accessible, better funded, professionally staffed, managed, stocked, integrated and used. Findings moreover pointed to higher student achievement in those schools where greater resources, from the same limited allocation were assigned to school libraries. Results of this study are of practical interest to policy makers, school and library administrators, and educators with a vested interest in student achievement and the future of school libraries.
Global Land Cover Mapping and Characterization: Present Situation and Future Research Priorities

The availability and accessibility of global land cover data sets plays an important role in many global change studies. The importance of such science-based information is also reflected in a number of international, regional, and national projects and programs. Recent developments in earth observing satellite technology, information technology, computer hardware and software, and infrastructure development have helped developed better quality land cover data sets. As a result, such data sets are increasingly becoming available, the user-base is ever widening, application areas have been expanding, and the potential of many other applications are enormous. Yet, we are far from producing high quality global land cover data sets. This paper examines the progress in the development of digital global land cover data, their availability, and current applications. Problems and opportunities are also explained. The overview sets the stage for identifying future research priorities needed for operational land cover assessment and monitoring.
Role of endoscopic ultrasonography in screening and treatment of pancreatic endocrine tumours in asymptomatic patients with multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1

Background: Patients with multiple endocrine neoplasia (MEN) type 1 risk premature death from pancreatic endocrine tumours (PETs). Endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS) is the most sensitive imaging modality for small PETs. A screening and therapeutic approach for asymptomatic patients is delineated in which EUS plays a pivotal role. Methods: This was a retrospective study of 15 patients with MEN-1 but with no symptoms of a PET. All patients underwent serum hormone measurement, including gastrin, and EUS. The findings were used to facilitate operative treatment. Results: Six of 15 patients had a normal basal gastrin level and nine had a raised level. EUS demonstrated PETs in 14 patients and identified multiple lesions in 12. There was no predictive relationship between age or gastrin level and the number or size of PETs discovered. Thirteen patients have undergone enucleation or resection of PETs and two remain under observation. Nine of the 13 patients underwent transduodenal exploration to excise gastrinoma(s). One patient had lymph node metastases found at operation. There was no death. Self-limiting pancreatic fistula in five patients and biliary fistula in one. Conclusion: Early and aggressive screening using EUS identifies PETs in asymptomatic patients with MEN-1. Detection of tumours at an early stage, before the development of symptoms, lymph node metastases or liver metastases, may facilitate prompt surgical intervention and improve prognosis.
Regulation and Mechanisms of ATP-Binding Cassette Transporter A1-Mediated Cellular Cholesterol Efflux

ATP-binding cassette transporter A1 (ABCA1) plays a major role in cholesterol homeostasis and HDL metabolism. ABCA1 mediates cellular cholesterol and phospholipid efflux to lipid-poor apolipoproteins, and upregulation of ABCA1 activity is antiatherogenic. ApoA-I, the major apolipoprotein component of HDL, promotes ABCA1-mediated cholesterol and phospholipid efflux, probably by directly binding to ABCA1. ABCA1 gene expression is markedly increased in cholesterol-loaded cells as a result of activation of LXR/RXR. ABCA1 protein turnover is rapid. ABCA1 contains a PEST--proline (P), glutamate (E), serine (S), and threonine (T)--sequence in the intracellular segment that mediates ABCA1 degradation by a thiol protease, calpain. ApoA-I and apoE stabilize ABCA1 in a novel mode of regulation by decreasing PEST sequence-mediated calpain proteolysis. ABCA1-mediated cholesterol and phospholipid efflux are distinctly regulated and affected by the activity of other gene products. Stearyol CoA desaturase decreases ABCA1-mediated cholesterol efflux but not phospholipid efflux, likely by decreasing the cholesterol pool available to ABCA1. This and other evidence suggest that ABCA1 promotes cholesterol and phospholipid efflux, probably by directly transporting both lipids as substrates.
Opus: an overlay peer utility service

Today, an increasing number of important network services, such as content distribution, replicated services, and storage systems, are deploying overlays across multiple Internet sites to deliver better performance, reliability and adaptability. Currently however, such network services must individually reimplement substantially similar functionality. For example, applications must configure the overlay to meet their specific demands for scale, service quality and reliability. Further, they must dynamically map data and functions onto network resources-including servers, storage, and network paths-to adapt to changes in load or network conditions. In this paper, we present Opus, a large-scale overlay utility service that provides a common platform and the necessary abstractions for simultaneously hosting multiple distributed applications. In our utility model, wide-area resource mapping is guided by an application's specification of performance and availability targets. Opus then allocates available nodes to meet the requirements of competing applications based on dynamically changing system characteristics. Specifically, we describe issues and initial results associated with: i) developing a general architecture that enables a broad range of applications to push their functionality across the network, ii) constructing overlays that match both the performance and reliability characteristics of individual applications and scale to thousands of participating nodes, iii) using Service Level Agreements to dynamically allocate utility resources among competing applications, and iv) developing decentralized techniques for tracking global system characteristics through the use of hierarchy, aggregation, and approximation.
Conservation Surgery and Radiation Therapy for the Treatment of Breast Cancer: Hypothetical objections and historical perspective

The U.S. National Cancer Institute reports that approximately 76% of the 130000 women with new breast cancers diagnosed in 1987 will receive more extensive surgery than conservation surgery, i.e. a simple mastectomy, modified radical or radical mastectomy. That is, almost 100000 women will have their entire breast removed for breast cancer. Only 14%, approximately 10000 to 15000 women will have conservation surgery and radiation therapy (CS + RT). It is interesting to note that approximately 40 000 women or more could be candidates for this procedure, and the percentage of eligible patients increases yearly (8, 52). Presently, over 60% of the patients eligible for this approach will not receive it and in the future the eligible percentage may be even higher, thus it is important to establish the validity of the CS + RT approach for the breast cancer patient. The rationale for not treating more women who could appropriately be treated with CS + RT for the most part is based on a number of hypothetical objections. We will evaluate the major objections in this report.
Control-Relevant Models for Glucose Control Using A Priori Patient Characteristics

One of the difficulties in the development of a reliable artificial pancreas for people with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) is the lack of accurate models of an individual's response to insulin. Most control algorithms proposed to control the glucose level in subjects with T1DM are model-based. Avoiding postprandial hypoglycemia ( ;180 mg/dl) has shown to be difficult in a closed-loop setting due to the patient-model mismatch. In this paper, control-relevant models are developed for T1DM, as opposed to models that minimize a prediction error. The parameters of these models are chosen conservatively to minimize the likelihood of hypoglycemia events. To limit the conservatism due to large intersubject variability, the models are personalized using a priori patient characteristics. The models are implemented in a zone model predictive control algorithm. The robustness of these controllers is evaluated in silico, where hypoglycemia is completely avoided even after large meal disturbances. The proposed control approach is simple and the controller can be set up by a physician without the need for control expertise.
Sub-50 fs pulses from frequency comb generated by cascaded four-wave mixing in highly-nonlinear fiber

Phase measurements of a laser source based on generation of frequency comb in highly-nonlinear fiber were performed via line-by-line pulse shaping. Design optimization and compression of second order distortion allowed generation of sub-50 fs pulses.
Cardiorespiratory Fitness and Accelerated Cognitive Decline With Aging

Background. Growing evidence suggests that self-reported physical activity accounts for variability in cognitive function among older adults, and aerobic intervention may improve cognitive function in this population. However, much less is known about the longitudinal association between direct measures of cardiorespiratory fitness and cognitive function across the life span. The present study examined the prospective association between symptom-limited maximal oxygen consumption (VO2max) and longitudinal performance on a comprehensive neuropsychological battery.
Adrenergic Receptors: Biphasic Dose Responses

Agonists and antagonists of the adrenergic receptor system were assessed for their capacity to affect dose-response relationships across biological model, tissue and endpoint. U shaped dose responses were commonly reported, affecting multiple endpoints such as smooth muscle contraction/relaxation, memory, blood pressure, sexual behavior, platelet aggregation, and others. In six of the endpoints studied, mechanistic foundations of the biphasic nature of the dose response were established. The quantitative features of the dose-response relationships indicated that the maximum stimulatory responses, with but one exception, were less than twofold greater than the controls. The range of stimulatory responses was generally within 10- to 1000-fold, except for the platelet aggregation endpoint where the range was 103 to 105
Fun and friends: : The impact of workplace fun and constituent attachment on turnover in a hospitality context

Extending the growing body of research on fun in the workplace, this article reports on a study examinining the relationship between fun and employee turnover. Specifically, this research focused on the influence of three forms of fun on turnover – fun activities, coworker socializing and manager support for fun. With a sample of 296 servers from 20 units of a national restaurant chain in the US, coworker socializing and manager support for fun were demonstrated to be significantly related to turnover. In addition, constituent attachment was found to mediate the relationship between each of the three forms of fun and turnover. This research highlights that not all types of fun are equal and demonstrates that one of the key means through which fun influences retention is by facilitating the development of high quality work relationships.
Charge-exchange production mechanism for k*(890)

We present new results on ${K}^{\ensuremath{-}}p\ensuremath{\rightarrow}{K}^{\ensuremath{-}}{\ensuremath{\pi}}^{+}n$ at 5.5 GeV/c. We fit all the available $\frac{d\ensuremath{\sigma}}{\mathrm{dt}}$ and decay density-matrix elements for the ${K}^{\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}}N\ensuremath{\rightarrow}{K}^{*0}N$ charge-exchange reactions. The difference between the ${K}^{+}$ and ${K}^{\ensuremath{-}}$ reactions is explained successfully in terms of interference between a $\ensuremath{\rho}$ Regge pole and strong absorptive corrections to the $\ensuremath{\pi}$ Regge pole. This difference is related by vector dominance (VDM) to the ${\ensuremath{\pi}}^{+}$ and ${\ensuremath{\pi}}^{\ensuremath{-}}$ photoproduction cross sections and polarized-photon asymmetry data. The VDM predictions are only qualitatively successful.
Using Space and Attribute Partitioned Partial Replicas for Data Subsetting and Aggregation Queries

Partial replication is one type of optimization to speed up execution of queries submitted to large datasets. In partial replication, a portion of the dataset is extracted, re-organized, and re-distributed across the storage system. In this paper we investigate methods for efficient execution of queries when replicas of a dataset exist; we assume the replicas have already been created and do not target the replica creation problem. We propose a cost model and algorithm for combined use of space partitioned and attribute partitioned replicas for executing data subsetting range queries. We extend the cost model and propose a greedy algorithm to address range queries with aggregation operations. The extended replica selection algorithm allows uneven partitioning of replicas across storage nodes. Different replicas can be partitioned across different subsets of storage nodes. We have implemented these techniques as part of an automatic data virtualization system and have evaluated the benefits of our techniques using this system. We demonstrate the efficacy of the algorithms on parallel machines using queries on datasets from oil reservoir simulation studies and satellite data processing applications.