cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Cardiovascular risk factors among internal medicine residents.

Modification of risk factors can reduce the number of deaths due to cardiovascular disease (CVD). Internal medicine (IM) residents devote significant clinical time to help patients modify CVD risk factors but may fail to recognize the presence of such factors in their own lives. The prevalence of major modifiable risk factors was assessed in IM residents. Of 101 eligible residents, 56 completed at least 1 component of the study. None had symptoms or history of CVD, and 11 (20%) had ≥2 CVD risk factors. Of 39 subjects who had physical assessment, 3 had systolic hypertension and 13 had a body mass index ≥25. Of 38 patients with fasting lipid measurements, 13 had total cholesterol >200 mg/dL; 28 had low-density lipoprotein ≥100 mg/dL, with 7 >160 mg/dL; and 7 had high-density lipoprotein <40 mg/dL. Three residents smoked 10 cigarettes per day and 15 were sedentary. Training in IM should include strategies to increase awareness of modifiable personal risk factors for CVD, as well as strategies to reduce or eliminate them.
Effect of storage period and temperature on resistant starch and β-glucan content in cornbread

Abstract The objective of this study was to assess resistant starch development and β-glucan availability, as influenced by storage time and temperature. Cornbread was baked and freeze dried at −20 °C either whole or with the crust removed (crumb). Samples were stored in airtight containers at either 20 °C, 4 °C or −20 °C, for 2, 4 or 7 days, and analysed for resistant starch, β-glucans and starch damage. Resistant starch content in whole cornbread was 3.07 g/100 g [dry weight basis (dwb)] and 2.59 g/100 g (dwb) in the crumb. These levels increased with up to 4 days of storage, particularly at 4 °C. There was a decrease in resistant starch levels after 7 days of storage, with lowest levels at −20 °C. β-Glucan levels increased with storage. Starch damage percentage decreased with storage up to 4 days. These changes may be due to structural modification of components during storage.
Measuring intercultural effectiveness: An integrative approach

Abstract The present study examined the concept of intercultural effectiveness, which integrates five dimensions: language and interpersonal skills, social interaction, cultural empathy, personality traits, and managerial ability. The factorial structures of intercultural effectiveness were examined in reference to cross-cultural adjustment and job performance. The impact of background and situational variables on adjustment and job performance was also assessed. Seventy-four American business people in a foreign country (China) responded to the survey. The results show that effective cross-cultural adjustment and job performance are moderately correlated. The factorial structures of intercultural effectiveness differ in reference to cross-cultural adjustment and job performance. Cross-cultural adjustment emphasizes personality traits, whereas overseas job performance requires interpersonal skills. Marital status, presence of sojourners' family, and occupation of sojourners were found to influence adjustment and job performance.
Involvement of plasmids in saprophytic performance and sodium chloride tolerance of clover rhizobia W14-2 in vitro

Abstract Most information on the role of plasmids in the ecology of rhizobia in soil has been obtained using rhizobial derivatives lacking a single plasmid only. Rhizobium leguminosarum biovar trifolii strain W14-2 contains four plasmids (a, b, c, d). The role of plasmids in saprophytic characteristics and sodium chloride tolerance of W14-2 in vitro was investigated using a library of plasmid-cured W14-2 derivatives that includes derivatives containing only one plasmid and no plasmid, as well as complemented derivatives. Plasmid involvement in certain phenotypes such as swarming (plasmid a), utilization of glycerol (plasmid a), adonitol (plasmid b), rhamnose and sorbitol (plasmid c) was tracked to single plasmids and was not influenced significantly by the other plasmids present in the cell. Presence of plasmid b or c was necessary for the utilization of arabinose and raffinose, whereas presence of both plasmids b and d was required for tolerance to high levels of sodium chloride. The latter phenotype may correspond to tolerance to chloride toxicity or to osmotolerance. Plasmids influenced growth of the strain in liquid HP (peptone-yeast extract-tryptone), a complex medium that was investigated as it contains a wide range of carbon substrates. Positive contributions of plasmids a (shorter duration of the lag phase and increased maximum density of cells), b and c (shorter log-phase generation time) were shown. Plasmid d was detrimental to the strain in HP when it was the only plasmid present in the cell, especially regarding log-phase generation time. Similarly, the derivative with only plasmid d was more sensitive to sodium toxicity than any other derivative, including the plasmidless derivative. Interactions between plasmids influenced growth in HP broth and salt tolerance, and detrimental effects of plasmid d were little expressed if any when the cell contained one plasmid or more besides plasmid d. No plasmid-cured derivative grew better than the wild-type overall, suggesting that the extrachromosomal genome contributes to the saprophytic competence of W14-2 in soil.
Synthesis of Structural Symmetry Driven by Cost Savings

An engineer presented with a design challenge often creates a symmetric solution. For instance, consider a table (front-back and left-right symmetry), a car (left and right symmetry), a bridge (front-back and left-right symmetry), or the space shuttle (left-right) symmetry. These examples may not be 100% symmetric, but their overriding features are remarkably similar. The reasons for the design of symmetric structures is not always clear. In some cases, like the table, symmetry may be a tradition. Similarly, the symmetry may be for aesthetic reasons. However in automated design algorithms, especially stochastic techniques, the output is often largely asymmetric, One reason for this is that fitness functions are not rewarded for symmetry. A possible resolution to this is to add a reward function for symmetry. Unfortunately, this approach is computationally intractable as well as arbitrary. In this paper a Genetic Algorithm based method is presented that rewards re-use of parts. The method is applied to a simple, idealized situation as well as to real design case. The results show that in some situations, symmetry naturally emerges from the synthesis, but that it does not provide clear performance advantages over asymmetric configurations.Copyright © 2005 by ASME
Role of the telencephalon in color vision of fish.

Abstract The role of the telencephalon in hue discrimination and interocular transfer of hue discrimination has been studied. Cardiac deceleration, a conditioned autonomic response, was used as the measure of discrimination in goldfish. Electric shock was the unconditioned stimulus. After occluding one eye, normal fish were trained to a red and a green stimulus selected to be of equal brightness. The naive or transfer eye was then tested on red and green stimuli of known brightness as perceived by these experimental animals. Normal fish and fish with the forebrain contralateral to the trained eye ablated demonstrated interocular transfer of a hue discrimination. Following ablation of the forebrain homolateral to the trained eye or bilateral forebrain ablation, operated fish demonstrated a loss in ability to make an interocular transfer to generalizations of hue. However, the ability to make an interocular transfer of a hue discrimination returns if a suitable period is allowed postoperatively. It was concluded that the telencephalon is not essential for color vision or for the interocular transfer of color vision in fish.
Contextualizing Single Parent–Preadolescent Drug Use Talks

This article aims to examine parent–child drug talks specific to African American single mothers and their preadolescent children who live in a inner city neighborhood. Thirty-two single mothers participated in 1-hr individual interviews describing how they communicated with their preadolescent (8–12 years old) about drug use. Three areas were addressed: why drug talks occur, how drug talks take place, and the content of these talks. The interviews revealed that parent–child drug talks were culturally and communally driven, taking place out of necessity, incorporating real life situations as evidence of drug use outcomes, and occurring quite frequently with open communication regarding drug use. The implications are discussed related to the design of parent–child communication strategies in preadolescent drug use prevention.
New Prescriptions for Growing Interstellar Carbonaceous Cauliflowers

It is suggested here that the interstellar carbonaceous "cauliflowers" are cumulates of dehydrogenated stacks of interstellar or circumstellar polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons with pentagonal as well as hexagonal carbon rings in their structures.
A risk-taking "set" in a novel task among adolescents with serious conduct and substance problems.

OBJECTIVE:: Adolescent patients' conduct disorder and substance use disorder symptoms are "risky behaviors" with unpredictable rewards and punishments. The authors asked whether such youths also take excessive risks in new situations without prior learning, peer pressure, or intoxication. METHOD:: Subjects were 20 adolescent patients in a program treating conduct disorder and substance use disorder and 20 controls. All were substance free >/=7 days; underwent substance-related, psychological, and social assessments; and performed the Balloon Analogue Risk Task: mouse presses inflated a computerized "balloon" image, each press earning 1 cent. The 30 balloons "popped" at unpredictable sizes; earnings from popped balloons were lost. A "Collect" response saved current earnings and advanced to the next balloon. RESULTS:: Mean number of inflating presses: patients, 1021 and controls, 705 (p = .001); group differences were stable from the task's beginning. Mean inflating presses before a "collect" response: patients, 38.6 and controls, 24.0 (p = .0005). Mean balloons popped: patients, 9.8 and controls, 6.3 (p = .001). Patients (versus controls) reported more aggressiveness and substance use and perceived less risk from substances. Patients' responses were significantly slower than those of controls. CONCLUSIONS:: From the beginning of this novel task, conduct disorder and substance use disorder patients (compared with controls) took more risks, indicating an initial risk-taking propensity, although patients' slower responses argued against "impulsive, thoughtless" behavior.
Leukocytic transfer of the immediate types of allergic reaction in man. II. The correlation of leukocytic transfer with other sensitivity factors.

Abstract In an eight-year study on D. G., an atopic patient with hay fever, an attempt was made to correlate the results of leukocytic transfer tests with his skin reactions, reagin titers, and symptoms. During the early years of observation, while D. G. was having ragweed hay fever and his skin reactions and serum reagin titers for this pollen were pronounced, his reactions to leukocytic transfer tests by both the suspension and the extract techniques were regularly positive. Then as the immunologic status of the patient changed and his skin reactions, reaginic titers, and hay fever symptoms diminished, the leukocytic transfer tests for ragweed became negative. Throughout the major part of this observation period, D. G. showed skin reactions and serum reaginic titers for timothy grass pollen which were as great as or greater than those for ragweed, but his leukocytes never transferred this sensitivity and he never experienced any symptoms attributable to this pollen. Hence, the leukocytic transfer tests more accurately reflected the status of D. G. with respect to his clinical sensitivities to both pollens than did his cutaneous tests or reaginic titers. The transfer principle in the leukocytic preparations bore a close resemblance to the atopic reagin. All findings pointed to the sensitizing substance as a derivative of the leukocytes rather than as a serum component absorbed or adsorbed by these cells.
Polyamines alter sequence-specific DNA-protein interactions

The polyamines are abundant biogenic cations implicated in many biological processes. Despite a plethora of evidence on polyamine-induced DNA conformational changes, no thorough study of their effects on the activities of sequence-specific DNA binding proteins has been performed. We describe the in vitro effects of polyamines on the activities of purified, representative DNA-binding proteins, and on complex protein mixtures. Polyamines at physiological concentrations enhance the binding of several proteins to DNA (e.g. USF, TFE3, Ig/EBP, NF-IL6, YY1 and ICP-4, a herpes simplex virus gene regulator), but inhibit others (e.g. Oct-1). The degree of enhancement correlates with cationic charge; divalent putrescine is ineffective whereas tetravalent spermine is more potent than trivalent spermidine. Polyamine effects on USF and ICP-4 result from increased rate of complex formation rather than a decreased rate of dissociation. DNAse I footprint analysis indicated that polyamines do not alter DNA-protein contacts. Polyamines also facilitate formation of complexes involving binding of more than one protein on a DNA fragment.
Cholecystostomy: A place in modern biliary surgery?

Cholecystostomy retains a place in the general surgical armamentarium. In this series of 115 patients undergoing cholecystostomy between 1967 and 1977, 68 percent had acute cholecystitis, whereas in the remaining patients biliary drainage was undertaken as part of another procedure. The in-hospital mortality rate was 6 percent for the group with acute cholecystitis and 37 percent for the other patients. Forty-five patients subsequently had elective cholecystectomy, 29 of these for radiographically documented retained calculi. Thirty-four patients without retained calculi remained asymptomatic for more than 1 year. On the basis of this experience and the literature cited, we recommend that subsequent to cholecystostomy, cholecystectomy be performed if the patient is in good general health and has a long life expectancy. Conversely,in the aged, ill patient without evidence of retained stones, cholecystostomy may be a lifesaving and curative procedure and the only one needed.
Activating the phosphate nucleophile at the catalytic site of purine nucleoside phosphorylase: A vibrational spectroscopic study

Difference Raman and FTIR studies complemented by vibrational analysis based on ab initio calculations show that the dianionic phosphate in the PNP·ImmH·PO4 complex is forced into a unique bonding arrangement in which one of the PO bonds is greatly polarized by enzyme active site interactions, such that it resembles a PO bond that is about one-quarter of the way toward forming a bridging P−O−C single P−O bond.
A RAZÃO E A LOUCURA: ANÁLISE SEMIÓTICA E ANTROPOLÓGICA DO CONTO O ALIENISTA DE MACHADO DE ASSIS

O ALIENISTA e um conto de Machado de Assis dividido em 13capitulos. Publicado em 1882, no livro Papeis Avulsos, narra a estoriade Simao Bacamarte, medico interessado em conhecer as fronteirasentre a razao e a loucura. Com esse objetivo se instala em Itaguai,localizado na regiao Fluminense, onde e recebido com todas as honraspela comunidade local. Mas a aprovacao cessa quando Simao recolhena Casa Verde pessoas cuja loucura a populacao nao compartilhava.O barbeiro Porfirio lidera uma revolta popular contra a cienciado alienista. A rebeliao e sufocada, mas Simao Bacamarte continuamultiplicando suas internacoes.Na tentativa de estabelecer os limites entre a razao e a loucura,o medico interna, numa primeira etapa, todos os individuos quemanifestam habitos ou atitudes que, embora discutiveis, sao toleradaspela sociedade: os politicamente voluveis; os sem opiniao propria,os mentirosos, os que vivem fazendo discursos ou versos empolados,os vaidosos, entre outros.
Phase separation in the t-J model.

A detailed understanding of the motion of 'holes' in an antiferromagnet is of fundamental importance for the theory of high-temperature superconductors. It is shown here that, for the t-J model, dilute holes in an antiferromagnet are unstable against phase separation into a hole-rich and a no-hole phase. When the spin-exchange interaction J exceeds a critical value Jc, the hole-rich phase has no electrons. It is proposed that, for J slightly less than Jc, the hole-rich phase is a low-density superfluid of electron pairs. Phase separation in related models is briefly discussed.
An Analysis of the Nutritional Requirements for Fatty Acids of Paramecium aurelia

SYNOPSIS. Axenically cultivated Paramecium aurelia, stock 299, required a fatty acid for growth. This need was satisfied by oleic acid and oleic acid-containing lipids. These included: TEM-4T (tartaric acid esters of tallow monoglycerides), certain phospholipids (crude as well as highly purified preparations), Tween 80, 85, Span 80 and glyceryl monoleate. High concentrations of oleic acid in the medium inhibited growth. This inhibition was partially released or annulled by certain mixtures of “non essential” fatty acids or by increasing the stigmasterol content of the growth medium. Definite but non-stoichiometric levels of oleic acid and sterol were required for optimal growth. Tween 60, a non-ionic emulsifier similar in its surfactant properties to Tween 80, stimulated growth in the presence of suboptimal amounts of oleic acid but failed itself to replace oleic acid as a growth requirement.
Polaron effects on the density of states for two-dimensional electrons in high magnetic fields

Abstract Starting from the Hamiltonian for electrons in a magnetic field, polaron effects on the electron spectral function have been studied and the relaxation rates were calculated for different Landau levels. Possible applications to the temperature scaling behavior of successive plateaus transitions in the QHE and the linear resistivity in high- T c oxide superconductors have also been considered.
On the Farrell cohomology of mapping class groups.

For Γ any group of finite virtual cohomological dimension and a prime p, we say that Γ is p-periodic, if there exists a positive integer k such that the Farrell cohomology groups Ĥ(Γ;M) and Ĥ(Γ;M) have naturally isomorphic p-primary components for all i ∈ Z and ZΓ-modules M . The p-period of Γ is defined as the least value of k (cf. [B]). For instance, if Γ is p-torsion free, then Γ is p-periodic of period one. The mapping class group, Γg, is defined to be the group of path components of the group of orientation preserving homeomorphisms of the oriented closed surface Sg of genus g. For instance, Γ1 ∼= SL(2,Z) and the cohomology is well known and easy to compute in this case. By writing SL(2,Z) as an amalgamated product of Z/4 and Z/6 over Z/2, one finds Ĥ(Γ1;Z) ∼= (Z/12)[x, x−1]
Value of the QRS complex in assessing left ventricular ejection fraction.

The relation between electrocardiographic findings and the angiographic left ventricular ejection fraction and the augmented ejection fraction after a premature ventricular contraction was investigated in 73 patients with documented chronic coronary artery disease. The patients were separated into four groups according to the presence or absence of abnormal Q waves. Twenty-four patients had diaphragmatic myocardial infarction, 21 had anterior myocardial infarction, 15 had both and 13 had no myocardial infarction. There were no statistically significant differences in cardiac index, left ventricular end-diastolic pressure or number of coronary vessels showing critical narrowing in the four groups. The sum of R waves (in mv) in leads aVL, aVF and V1 to V6 (ΣR) was correlated with the ejection fraction (EF) and the augmented ejection fraction (EFa). EF in percent = 6.6 ΣR mv + 9.4 (no. = 73, r = 0.61); and EFa in percent = 8.6 ΣR mv + 11.0 (no. = 73, r = 0.77). Among patients with ΣR of less than 4.0 mv, augmented ejection fraction was less than 0.45 in 73 percent; among patients with ΣR of 4.0 mv or more the augmented ejection fraction was greater than 0.45 in 93 percent (P < 0.001). Thus, the ΣR, calculated from six precordial and two augmented leads in patients with chronic coronary artery disease, correlated with both ejection fraction and augmented ejection fraction. The electrocardiogram in patients with coronary artery disease may prove useful as a simple, readily available and noninvasive guide in the assessment of left ventricular function in patients with coronary artery disease.
Characterization of Dominant-negative Mutants of the DEAH-box Splicing Factors Prp22 and Prp16

Saccharomyces cerevisiae Prp22 and Prp16 are RNA-dependent ATPases required for pre-mRNA splicing. Both proteins are members of the DEXH-box family of nucleic acid-dependent NTPases. Prior mutational analysis of Prp22 and Prp16 identified residues within conserved motifs I (GXGKT), II (DEAH), and VI (QRXGRXGR) that are required for their biological activity. Nonfunctional Prp22 and Prp16 mutants exerted a dominant negative effect on cell growth. Here we show that overexpression of lethal Prp22 mutants leads to accumulation of unspliced pre-mRNAs and excised introns in vivo. The biochemical basis for the lethality and inhibition of splicing in vivo was determined by purifying and characterizing recombinant mutant proteins. The lethal Prp22 mutants D603A and E604A in motif II and Q804A and R808A in motif VI were defective for ATP hydrolysis and mRNA release from the spliceosome, but were active in promoting step 2 transesterification. Lethal Prp16 mutants G378A and K379A in motif I; D473A and E474A in motif II; and Q685A, G688A, R689A, and R692A in motif VI were defective for ATP hydrolysis and step 2 transesterification chemistry. The ATPase-defective mutants of Prp16 and Prp22 bound to spliceosomes in vitro and blocked the function of the respective wild-type proteins in trans. Comparing the mutational effects in Prp16 and Prp22 highlights common as well as distinct structural requirements for the ATP-dependent steps in pre-mRNA splicing.
Hypothesis testing based on goodness-of-fit in the moving average time series model

Abstract Small sample properties of t-tests are compared with those of tests based on relative goodness- of-fit in the context of the first order moving average time series model. Monte Carlo experiments reported in the paper suggest that the actual size of these t-tests greatly exceeds theoretical large sample significance levels, while conformity of goodness-of-fit statistics to the appropriate chi-square or F-distributions is much closer. The evidence presented suggests that practitioners are well advised to employ goodness-of-fit tests as a check on results of t-tests particularly when the latter indicate ‘significance’.
A Suggestion for Sunflower Plots

Abstract Although sunflower plots are highly effective for displaying bivariate data with coincident observations, they possess certain disadvantages involving graphical perception of data. Moreover, sunflower plots for data that arrive “on line” can be updated only by completely redrawing the affected sunflowers. We propose a variation of the traditional sunflower plot that addresses these issues.
Stability of geodesic incompleteness for Robertson-Walker space-times.

Let (M, g) be a Lorentzian warped product space-timeM=(a, b)×H, g = −dt2 ⊕fh, where −∞⩽a −∞ and (H, h) is homogeneous, then the past incompleteness of every timelike geodesic of (M,g) is stable under smallC0 perturbations in the space Lor(M) of Lorentzian metrics forM. Also we show that if (H,h) is isotropic and (M,g) contains a past-inextendible, past-incomplete null geodesic, then the past incompleteness of all null geodesics is stable under smallC1 perturbations in Lor(M). Given either the isotropy or homogeneity of the Riemannian factor, the background space-time (M,g) is globally hyperbolic. The results of this paper, in particular, answer a question raised by D. Lerner for big bang Robertson-Walker cosmological models affirmatively.
Localized Rejuvenation of a Crystal Mush Recorded in Zircon Temporal and Compositional Variation at the Lassen Volcanic Center, Northern California

Zircon ages and trace element compositions from recent silicic eruptions in the Lassen Volcanic Center (LVC) allow for an evaluation of the timing and conditions of rejuvenation (reheating and mobilization of crystals) within the LVC magmatic system. The LVC is the southernmost active Cascade volcano and, prior to the 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens, was the site of the only eruption in the Cascade arc during the last century. The three most recent silicic eruptions from the LVC were very small to moderate-sized lava flows and domes of dacite (1915 and 27 ka eruptions of Lassen Peak) and rhyodacite (1.1 ka eruption of Chaos Crags). These eruptions produced mixed and mingled lavas that contain a diverse crystal cargo, including zircon. 238U-230Th model ages from interior and surface analyses of zircon reveal ages from ∼17 ka to secular equilibrium (>350 ka), with most zircon crystallizing during a period between ∼60–200 ka. These data support a model for localized rejuvenation of crystal mush beneath the LVC. This crystal mush evidently is the remnant of magmatism that ended ∼190 ka. Most zircon are thought to have been captured from “cold storage” in the crystal mush (670–725°C, Hf >10,000 ppm, Eu/Eu* 0.25–0.4) locally remobilized by intrusion of mafic magma. A smaller population of zircon (>730°C, Hf 0.4) grew in, and are captured from, rejuvenation zones. These data suggest the dominant method to produce eruptible melt within the LVC is small-scale, local rejuvenation of the crystal mush accompanied by magma mixing and mingling. Based on zircon stability, the time required to heat, erupt and then cool to background conditions is relatively short, lasting a maximum of 10 s–1000 s years. Rejuvenation events in the LVC are ephemeral and permit eruption within an otherwise waning and cooling magmatic body.
3H-thymidine mediated and delayed nuclear labeling in frog lens epithelium. Evidence for reutilization of DNA precursors.

After intraperitoneal injection of 3H-thymidine into frogs, substantial levels of radioactivity can be measured in the serum and aqueous humor for at least a week. Transplantation of non-radioactive lenses into 3H-thymidine injected frogs and, conversely, the reinjection of radioactive serum and aqueous humor into non-radioactive recipients produced nuclear labeling in autoradiographs of lenses for periods up to 3 days after injection. Gel-filtration and paper chromatography of serum from 3H- and 14C-thymidine injected frogs indicate that the labeling of dividing lens cells is mediated by free thymidine in the first 3 h after injection, and later by reutilization of a high molecular weight radioactive substance appearing in the serum from 6 h on. Demethylation of thymidine may occur in the frog. A review of the recent literature shows that reutilization of precursors derived from initially labeled DNA also occurs in mammals. Caution must be exercised, therefore, in interpreting autoradiographic studies of cell division, movement, and transformations since delayed labeling after injection of 3H-TdR appears to be a widespread phenomenon.
Corneal refractive surgery using an ultraviolet (213 nm) solid state laser

The authors demonstrate the use of a frequency multiplied Q-switched Nd:YAG laser to generate the fifth (213 nm) and the fourth (266 nm) harmonic frequencies to ablate porcine corneas and synthetic collagen materials. This new strategy is discussed for corneal refractive surgery using a solid state laser. The potential for spatially resolved refractive correction based on a 213 nm solid state laser is reviewed in light of new corneal imaging technology that can detect localized refractive errors of the eye. Finally, the authors discuss remaining problems that need to be addressed before this technology can be applied to clinical investigation.© (1991) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
An integrated approach for fusion of environmental and human health data for disease surveillance

This paper describes the problem of public health monitoring for waterborne disease outbreaks using disparate evidence from health surveillance data streams and environmental sensors. We present a combined monitoring approach along with examples from a recent project at the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory in collaboration with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The project objective was to build a module for the Electronic Surveillance System for the Early Notification of Community-based Epidemics (ESSENCE) to include water quality data with health indicator data for the early detection of waterborne disease outbreaks. The basic question in the fused surveillance application is 'What is the likelihood of the public health threat of interest given recent information from available sources of evidence?' For a scientific perspective, we formulate this question in terms of the estimation of positive predictive value customary in classical epidemiology, and we present a solution framework using Bayesian Networks (BN). An overview of the BN approach presents advantages, disadvantages, and required adaptations needed for a fused surveillance capability that is scalable and robust relative to the practical data environment. In the BN project, we built a top-level health/water-quality fusion BN informed by separate waterborne-disease-related networks for the detection of water contamination and human health effects. Elements of the art of developing networks appropriate to this environment are discussed with examples. Results of applying these networks to a simulated contamination scenario are presented.
ROSE: COMPILER SUPPORT FOR OBJECT-ORIENTED FRAMEWORKS

ROSE is a preprocessor generation tool for the support of compile time performance optimizations of general object-oriented frameworks. Within this work ROSE is being applied first to Overture, a serial/parallel object-oriented framework for solving partial differential equations in two and three space dimensions. The optimization of the interactions between objects within Overture is of particular interest since the Overture applications can be computationally large (many millions of mesh points and iterating over thousands of time-steps). Unfortunately, optimizations that might be obvious to the framework developer or application developer (e.g. cache based optimizations), due to the precise semantics of the framework's abstractions, are often lost through the C++ compiler's inability to recognize or leverage such semantics. Preprocessing steps can be used to introduce transformations using the semantics of a framework's abstractions, but the development of such a preprocessor tool is particularly complicated for a general object-oriented language such as C++. This paper shows how such framework specific preprocessors can be automatically generated. In this paper we briefly present Overture with some examples, and present our approach toward optimizing the performance for Overture and the A++P++ array class abstractions upon which Overture depends. The results we present show that the semantics of the abstractions represented within Overture and the A++P++ array class library can be used to generate a preprocessor using ROSE. The results demonstrate the performance of an Overture application with and without such a preprocessing step, the final performance with preprocessing is equivalent to that of optimized C and Fortran 77. By design, ROSE is general in its application to any object-oriented framework or application and is in no way specific to Overture.
Nuclear-Coulomb-excitation-normalized K X-ray yields for αk = 0 targets

Abstract Natural Dy and isotopic 161Dy targets were Coulomb excited by incident 1.00–3.00 MeV proton and 2.00–4.50 MeV He beams. The 43.8 keV level in 161Dy with αK = 0 deexcites to produce gamma ray yields comparable to the K X-ray yield. Photon spectra measured with a HpGe detector covered a 3–200 keV range to observe any significant cascade or higher excited nuclear state contributions. The Dy K X-ray production cross sections were normalized via integrated incident beam flux and Rutherford scattered ions as well as by the 43.8 keV gamma ray yield to check consistency among the various methods. The combination of enriched and natural Dy targets permits use of the X and gamma ray yields to correct for internal conversion contributions to the measured X-ray yields.
Midgut ultrastructure of Culex tarsalis (Diptera:Culcidae) before and after a bloodmeal☆

Abstract The midgut ultrastructure of raisin- and blood-fed female mosquitoes, Culex tarsalis Coquillett, was examined. The raisin-fed midgut is characterized by: (1) large nuclei, (2) small mitochondria, (3) short segments of rough endoplasmic reticulum, (4) rough endoplasmic reticular vesicles in the posterior midgut only, and (5) increased autophagic activity with age. Blood feeding elicits drastic changes in midgut epithelial structures: (1) nuclei are smaller, (2) mitochondria are much enlarged, (3) rough endoplasmic reticular vesicles disappear, (4) rough endoplasmic reticular whorls appear, (5) residual lyosomal figures are abundant, and (6) an intercellular accumulation of an electron-opaque material is noted. The significance of rough endoplasmic reticular whorls and vesicles in bloodmeal digestion is discussed. In addition, the concept of a functional host ‘gut barrier’ to infection by pathogens is examined as related to a possible by-pass mechanism.
The effects of the San Francisco Bay plume on trace metal and nutrient distributions in the Gulf of the Farallones

Abstract The distributions of particulate elements (Al, P, Mn, Fe, Co, Cu, Zn, Cd, and Pb), dissolved trace metals (Mn, Fe, Co, Cu, Zn, and Cd), and dissolved nutrients (nitrate, phosphate, and silicic acid) were investigated in the Gulf of the Farallones, a region of high productivity that is driven by the dynamic mixing of the San Francisco Bay plume, upwelled waters, and California coastal surface waters. Particulate metals were separated into >10 and 0.4–10 μm size-fractions and further fractionated into leachable (operationally defined with a 25% acetic acid leach) and refractory particulate concentrations. Dissolved metals (
Radiation Induced Catalytic Dechlorination of Hexachlorobenzene on Oxide Surfaces

Radiation induced catalytic dehalogenation of hexachlorobenzene (HCB) adsorbed to alumina (Al2O3), silica (SiO2), titania (TiO2), zirconia (ZrO2), and a commercially available zeolite has been stud...
Human papillomavirus concordance in heterosexual couples.

Abstract Purpose Few studies have examined the relationships between sexual or hygienic behaviors and human papillomavirus (HPV) transmission. Our objectives were to (1) describe HPV concordance between the anogenital, oral, and palmar areas of monogamous heterosexual couples; and (2) determine sexual behaviors, hygienic practices, sexual histories, and subject characteristics associated with HPV anogenital concordance. Methods Couples were recruited from women who developed an incident HPV infection while being enrolled in a longitudinal HPV natural history study that recruited from two family-planning clinics. Men were their monogamous partners of at least 3 months. Samples were tested for HPV-DNA of 37 high- and low-risk genotypes. Questionnaires completed privately assessed health, sexual, hygienic history, and behaviors. Results A total of 25 couples enrolled between February 2006 and July 2007; none had received HPV vaccine. The average age was 25 years (SD, 6) for men and 23 years (SD, 3) for women. HPV-84 was the most commonly shared HPV type in the anogenital and palmar areas. HPV-16 was the only shared oral-HPV type. Sixty-eight percent of couples had type-specific anogenital concordance. Receiving finger-anal sex ( p = .05), sharing towels ( p = .04), longer time since last intercourse (women: p = .03, men: p = .02 men), and men washing their genitals after sex ( p = .03) were associated with decreased likelihood of concordance. Persistence of incident HPV types in women was associated with HPV in men ( p = .002). Conclusions Our findings show that certain hygienic and sexual behaviors are associated with anogenital concordance between healthy, monogamous, heterosexual couples. Future studies are needed to see whether these detections reflect contamination, transient, or established infections.
A case for an interleaving constrained shared-memory multi-processor

Shared-memory multi-threaded programming is inherently more difficult than single-threaded programming. The main source of complexity is that, the threads of an application can interleave in so many different ways. To ensure correctness, a programmer has to test all possible thread interleavings, which, however, is impractical.Many rare thread interleavings remain untested in production systems, and they are the root cause for a majority of concurrency bugs. We propose a shared-memory multi-processor design that avoids untested interleavings to improve the correctness of a multi-threaded program. Since untested interleavings tend to occur infrequently at runtime, the performance cost of avoiding them is not high.We propose to encode the set of tested correct interleavings in a program's binary executable using Predecessor Set (PSet) constraints. These constraints are efficiently enforced at runtime using processor support, which ensures that the runtime follows a tested interleaving. We analyze several bugs in open source applications such as MySQL, Apache, Mozilla, etc., and show that, by enforcing PSet constraints, we can avoid not only data races and atomicity violations, but also other forms of concurrency bugs.
Office Diagnostic and Operative Hysteroscopy Using Local Anesthesia Only: An Analysis of Patient Reported Pain and Other Procedural Outcomes

Abstract Study Objective To evaluate the effectiveness of a multimodality local anesthetic protocol for office diagnostic and operative hysteroscopy. Design Retrospective cohort study (Canadian Task Force classification II-3). Setting Academic community–based institution. Patients Five hundred sixty-nine women undergoing 639 office-based diagnostic or operative hysteroscopic procedures. Interventions Multimodality local anesthetic protocol addressing vagina, cervix, paracervical region, and endometrial cavity. Measurements and Main Results Primary outcomes were numeric pain scores and rate of premature termination because of pain. Secondary outcomes included procedure pain and parity, delivery route, menopausal status, procedure type, and cost effect on procedure delivery. The overall mean (SD) pain score across 535 evaluable procedures was 3.7 (2.5). Patients undergoing operative hysteroscopy had a higher mean maximum pain score than did those who underwent diagnostic hysteroscopy only (4.1 vs 3.2; p Conclusion Using a multimodality approach to local anesthesia, a broad spectrum of diagnostic and operative procedures can be performed successfully, comfortably, and inexpensively in the context of an office procedure room, without the need for procedural sedation.
Design of Signal Processors for Automatic Microwave Impedance Measuring Schemes Using Fixed Multiple Probes

As derived in a previous paper (IEEE-MTT, Dec. 1980, 1422-28), if three fixed, equi-distance, non-resonating probes are placed on a lossless waveguide terminated by an unknown impedance ZL as shown in Fig. 1, then the real and the imaginary components of the unknown reflection coefficient k? seen under the central probe can be expressed by the following equations: ku = e12 + e32 - 2e22 / 4(1 - cos ?) (1) ku = e32 - e12 / 4 sin ? (2) where e12, e22, e32 are square-law outputs of the three probes normalized with respect to the incident power. ? is the round-trip phase distance between the adjacent probes.
Effect of collimators on the measurement of diagnostic x-ray spectra.

One of the difficulties in the measurement of diagnostic x-ray spectra is the high fluence rate of the photons, which may exceed the capability of the spectrometer system. Pinhole collimators are often used which reduce the count rate to an acceptable level. The measured spectrum, however, may be distorted due to the penetration of photons through the collimator material. In this study, the effects of collimators on the measured spectra were evaluated. As an indicator of collimator performance, the authors determined the transmission equivalent aperture (TEA), through which a portion of the incident photons impinge on the detector. The dependence of the TEA on the geometry of collimation, pinhole area, collimator material and thickness, detector area and incident x-ray energy was investigated. The penetration correction factors (PCF) for the measured spectra were also derived. The authors obtained good correspondence between the theoretical spectra and the measured spectra which were corrected for collimator penetration by means of the calculated PCFs. These results indicate that diagnostic x-ray spectra generated at high tube current can be measured if one uses a collimator with a small aperture together with its PCF.
Scanned-wavelength diode laser sensors for harsh environments

Diode laser absorption offers the possibility of high-speed, robust, and rugged sensors for a wide variety of practical applications. Pressure broadening complicates absorption measurements of gas temperature and species concentrations in high-pressure, high-temperature practical environments. More agile wavelength scanning can enable measurements of temperature and species concentrations in flames and engines as demonstrated by example measurements using wavelength scanning of a single DFB in laboratory flames or a vertical cavity surface emitting laser (VCSEL) in a pulse detonation engine environment. Although the blending of multiple transitions by pressure broadening complicates the atmospheric pressure spectrum of C2H4 fuel, a scanned wavelength strategy enables quantitative measurement of fuel/oxidizer stoichiometry. Wavelength-agile scanning techniques enable high-speed measurements in these harsh environments.
Modern erosion rates in the High Himalayas of Nepal

Abstract Current theories regarding the connections and feedbacks between surface and tectonic processes are predicated on the assumption that higher rainfall causes more rapid erosion. To test this assumption in a tectonically active landscape, a network of 10 river monitoring stations was established in the High Himalayas of central Nepal across a steep rainfall gradient. Suspended sediment flux was calculated from sampled suspended sediment concentrations and discharge rating curves. Accounting for solute and bedload contributions, the suspended sediment fluxes were used to calculate watershed-scale erosion rates that were then compared to monsoon precipitation and specific discharge. We find that, in individual watersheds, annual erosion rates increase with runoff. In addition, our data suggest average erosion rate increases with discharge and precipitation across the entire field site such that the wetter southern watersheds are eroding faster than the drier northern watersheds. The spatially non-uniform contemporary erosion rates documented here are at odds with other studies that have found spatially uniform long-term rates (10 5 –10 6 yr) across the pronounced rainfall gradient observed in the region. The discrepancy between the modern rates measured here and the long-term rates may be reconciled by considering the high erosional efficiency of glaciers. The northern catchments were much more extensively glacierized during the Pleistocene, and therefore, they likely experienced erosion rates that were significantly higher than the modern rates. We propose that, in the northern watersheds, the high rates of erosion during periods of glaciation compensate for the low rates during interglacials to produce a time-averaged rate comparable to the landslide-dominated southern catchments.
Handling Heterogeneity in Shared-Disk File Systems

We develop and evaluate a system for load management in shared-disk file systems built on clusters of heterogeneous computers. The system generalizes load balancing and server provisioning. It balances file metadata workload by moving file sets among cluster server nodes. It also responds to changing server resources that arise from failure and recovery and dynamically adding or removing servers. The system is adaptive and self-managing. It operates without any a-priori knowledge of workload properties or the capabilities of the servers. Rather, it continuously tunes load placement using a technique called adaptive, non-uniform (ANU) randomization. ANU randomization realizes the scalability and metadata reduction benefits of hash-based, randomized placement techniques. It also avoids hashing's drawbacks: load skew, inability to cope with heterogeneity, and lack of tunability. Simulation results show that our load-management algorithm performs comparably to a prescient algorithm.
Efficient Image Generation for Multiprojector and Multisurface Displays

We describe an efficient approach to rendering a perspectively correct image on a potentially irregular display surface that may be illuminated with one or more distinct devices. The first pass of the technique generates an image of the desired graphics model using conventional rendering. The second pass projects that image as a texture onto a model of the display surface, then re-renders the textured display surface model from the viewpoint of each display device. The algorithm scales with the complexity of the display surface, and is constant with respect to the complexity of the graphics model.
Signaling Mechanisms that Suppress the Cytostatic Actions of Rapamycin

While rapamycin and the “rapalogs” Everolimus and Temsirolimus have been approved for clinical use in the treatment of a number of forms of cancer, they have not met overarching success. Some tumors are largely refractory to rapamycin treatment, with some even undergoing an increase in growth rates. However the mechanisms by which this occurs are largely unknown. The results presented here reveal novel cell-signaling mechanisms that may lead to this resistance. The absence of TGFβ signaling results in resistance to rapamycin. Additionally, we observed that treatment of some cancer cell lines with rapamycin and its analogs not only potentiates mitogenic signaling and proliferation induced by HGF, but also stimulates the pro-survival kinase Akt. Together, the data show that the effectiveness of rapamycin treatment can be influenced by a number of factors and bring to light potential biomarkers for the prediction of responsiveness to treatment, and suggest combination therapies to optimize rapalog anticancer efficacy.
Abdominal compartment syndrome in a three year old child following a severe burn injury

Intra-abdominal hypertension (IAH) and abdominal compartment syndrome (ACS) are recognized complications of burn resuscitation in adults. The incidence, management and outcome of ACS in the pediatric population are less clear. The patient is a 3-year-old male who suffered an 80% total body surface area (TBSA) burn and inhalation injury. He underwent three burn excisions and graftings in addition to standard critical care over the first week. On hospital day 13, he underwent a major burn excision and grafting of approximately 36% TBSA. Postoperatively, he developed hypotension, tachycardia, worsening anemia, and coagulopathy. A bladder pressure was found to be 37 mm Hg. He urgently underwent a decompressive laparotomy in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU). Following decompression, his ventilatory status improved, and urine output returned to a normal rate. His abdomen was closed after six days. He went on to make a full recovery with no identifiable sequellae of ACS. Early recognition of abdominal compartment syndrome is crucial in all intensive care settings. Severely burned patients are at particular risk for the development of ACS due largely to the fluid requirement. Recognition of IAH and ACS should prompt changes in fluid management when possible. Decompressive laparotomy can be a live saving measure for patients with refractory ACS.