cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
40Ar/39Ar geochronology and P-T-t paths from the Cordillera Darwin metamorphic complex, Tierra del Fuego, Chile

Ar/39Ar data collected from hornblende, muscovite, biotite and K-feldspar constrain the P-T-t history of the Cordillera Darwin metamorphic complex, Tierra del Fuego, Chile. These data show two periods of rapid cooling, the first between c. 500 and c. 325" C at rates 225" C Ma-', and the second between c. 250 and C. 200" C. For high-T cooling, 40Ar/39Ar ages are spatially disparate and depend on metamorphic grade: rocks that record deeper and hotter peak metamorphic conditions have younger 40Ar/39Ar ages. Sillimanite- and kyanite-grade rocks in the south-central part of the complex cooled latest: 40Ar/39Ar Hbl = 73-77 Ma, Ms = 67-70 Ma, Bt = 68 Ma, and oldest Kfs = 65 Ma. Thermobarometry and P-T path studies of these rocks indicate that maximum burial of 26-30 km at 575-625" C may have been followed by as much as 10 km of exhumation with heating of 25-50" C. Staurolite-grade rocks have intermediate 40Ar/39Ar ages: Hbl = 84-86 Ma, Ms = 71 Ma, Bt = 72-75 Ma, and oldest Kfs = 80 Ma. Thermobarometry on these rocks indicates maximum burial of 19-26 km at temperatures of 550-580" C. Garnet-grade rocks have the oldest ages: Ms = 72 Ma and oldest Kfs = 91 Ma; peak P-T conditions were 525-550" C and 5-7 kbar. Regional metamorphic temperatures for greenschist facies rocks south of the Beagle Channel did not exceed c.300-325"C from 110Ma to the present, although the rocks are only 2 km from kyanite-bearing rocks to the north. One-dimensional thermal models allow limits to be placed on exhumation rates. Assuming a stable geothermal gradient of 20-25" C km-I, the maximum exhumation rate for the St-grade rocks is c. 2.5 mm yr -I, whereas the minimum exhumation rate for the Ky + Sil-grade rocks is c. 1.0 mm yr-'. Uniform exhumation rates cannot explain the disparity in cooling histories for rocks at different grades, and so early differential exhumation is inferred to have occurred. Petrological and geochronological comparisons with other metamorphic complexes suggest that single exhumation events typically remove less than c. 20 km of overburden. This behaviour can be explained in terms of a continental deformation model in which brittle extensional faults in the upper crust are rooted to shallowly dipping ductile shear zones or regions of homogeneous thinning at mid- to deep-crustal levels. The P-T-r data from Cordillera Darwin (1) are best explained by a 'wedge extrusion' model, in which extensional exhumation in the southern rear of the complex was coeval with thrusting in the north along the margin of the complex and into the Magallanes sedimentary basin, (2) suggest that differential exhumation occurred initially, with St-grade rocks exhuming faster than Ky + Sil-grade rocks, and (3) show variations in cooling rate through time that correlate both with local deformation events and with changes in plate motions and interactions.
Boundary Conditions for Shape Memory in Ceramic Material Systems

Piezoelectric ceramics have excellent transduction capability in elastoelectric conversion and are widely used as both sensors and actuators for smart materials and systems. The very high authority in actuation (tons/in2) is limited in application by the very short throw (strains = 10-3) and there is urgent need to improve this strain capability. Since the polarization related piezoelectric and electrostriction constants in perovskites have a very limited range, to improve strain it is necessary to switch larger values of polarization. In this paper, phase change and domain switching systems which mimic the high strain of the metallic martensite shape memory alloys will be reviewed. Characteristic features necessary to ensure electrical control of the shape will be discussed and illustrated by three different families of perovskites. It is speculated that at very high switching speeds the electrostrictive domain strain may become 'uncoupled' from the polarization and evidence that this occurs in bismuth t...
Searching for wages and mothering from afar: the case of Honduran transnational families.

This article draws on data from a 2-year two-country study that included 157 people to explore the survival strategies of poor Honduran transnational families. I argue that transnational families defined as those divided between two nation-states who have maintained close ties depend on a cross-border division of labor in which productive labor occurs in the host country and reproductive labor in the home country. This article bridges the literatures on transnationalism and families. The transnationalism literature tends to focus on macro processes whereas the literature on families assumes proximity. This research helps fill the gap in both literatures exposing the ways in which processes of economic globalization have radically altered family form and function. (authors)
Administrative database research.

In this issue, Parker et al. 4 report their analysis of data from a large multi-institutional source called the Premier Perspective Database. This database includes billing and discharge information from inpatient stays and outpatient visits at more than 600 US hospitals. More than 10,000 adults and 1770 children undergoing shunt insertion are included, and antibiotic-impregnated catheters (AICs) were used in about 10% (8.9% of adults, 12.9% of children). The authors found reduced infection rates with (vs without) AICs (adults 2.2% vs 3.6%; children 2.5% vs 7.1%). These results are similar to those reported for other nonrandomized studies, but the use of a large administrative database is relatively new to this field. It is therefore worthwhile to discuss some of the methodology issues that may arise. Data sets derived from billing and coding data have become readily available and often provide large numbers of patients and events. The large sample size in these studies results in a high power to detect treatment effects and allows multivariate adjustment for risk factors that is often not possible in smaller clinical studies. On the other hand, this method of data acquisition introduces new sources of potential error that have not been discussed much in the neurosurgical literature. Some of these limitations are described by the authors, but a few others are worth mentioning: 1. Data source. Usually the basis for administrative data sets is billing information. If a clinical event is not necessary for billing purposes, it may be missing or inaccurate. The more relevant the information is for the billing and coding process, the more likely it is to be included accurately. 1 Coders use the medical record to derive information and generate the billing codes. They are therefore dependent on the accuracy and completeness of the medical record, which is subject to all of the uncertainties and inaccuracies that we are familiar with from retrospective clinical research. In addition, when the data are obtained from insurance claims, information will be captured only for patients and events that are covered at that time. Patients and events will be missed if their insurance coverage lapses. 3 A description of the extent and consistency of coverage is therefore important in these studies. 2. Coding issues. Typically coders assign one primary and one or more secondary diagnoses. The choice of primary and secondary diagnosis can vary. For example, a child with a brain tumor and hydrocephalus could have either condition chosen as the primary diagnosis. The primary diagnosis may be brain tumor even when the child is admitted for a shunt revision. This choice can be made differently depending on the circumstances and can result in events being missed or
Experimental demonstration of an optical centrifuge for molecules

Summary form only given. Strong field molecular optics aims to control the position, velocity and acceleration, as well as the alignment, angular velocity and angular acceleration of a molecule. Molecular optics shares position control with atomic optics and optical tweezers. Rotation and dissociation are a distinctly molecular processes. Our experiments demonstrate that an extremely strong torque can be applied to a molecule, accelerating it to rotational energy sufficient to break it by the centrifugal force in just 50 ps. The physics on which the molecular centrifuge is based is the angle dependent Stark shift. For small molecules the well depth can exceed 50 meV. That is, even room temperature molecules can be trapped. Adiabatically rotating the laser polarization must rotate the trapped molecule. Accelerating the rotation of the laser polarization must accelerate the molecular rotation. We have studied three different molecules, Cl/sub 2/, O/sub 2/ and CS/sub 2/ with most work performed on Cl/sub 2/.
The distribution of homogeneously grafted nanoparticles in polymer thin films and blends

Polymer nanocomposites are an important and growing class of materials where nanoparticles are mixed in a polymer matrix. Much of the interest in polymer nanocomposites is derived from the nanoparticles' ability to impart properties to the polymer not commonly found in polymer materials, such as tunable optical, electrical, and mechanical properties. Grafting polymer chains to the surface of a nanoparticle is one of the most common routes towards promoting dispersion of nanoparticles in a polymer matrix. However, we only understand the thermodynamics of grafted nanoparticles in a polymer matrix in the simplest of cases, and this problem is exacerbated by the lack of theoretical and computational tools capable of efficiently predicting the structure of phase separated grafted nanoparticle/polymer blends. In this work, we extend a recently developed field theoretic framework to study the distribution of homogeneously grafted nanoparticles in homopolymer thin films and blends. We demonstrate that our method reproduces trends observed experimentally in homopolymer thin films, and then we examine how the nanoparticle size, grafting density, and the length of the grafted chains relative to the matrix chains affects the distribution of the grafted nanoparticles in phase separated polymer blends. We find that position of the nanoparticles relative to the interface in the blends is sensitive to the brush conformation, even when the nanoparticles are miscible in one of the two homopolymer phases.
Parametric effects on the induced voltages on overhead lines by lightning strokes to nearby ground

Outages of low-voltage overhead lines are caused primarily by lightning strokes to nearby ground. These lightning strokes are generally known as indirect lightning strokes. Because of the complex interaction among the various line and lightning parameters, predicting the worst possible severity of indirect lightning strokes on an overhead line is difficult. The paper discusses the effects of some of these parameters, based on the work previously presented. [1,2] The effects of the following parameters on the induced voltage are discussed: 1. Line parameters a. Height of the line above ground, and b. Distance along the line from the struck point. 2. Lightning-stroke parameters a. Return-stroke current, b. Return-stroke velocity, c. Perpendicular distance of lightning stroke from overhead line, and d. Height of cloud charge center. The magnitude of the induced voltage will be directly proportional to the height of the overhead line above ground. In general, the severity of an indirect lightning stroke is not a strong function of the height of the cloud charge center; however, the waveshape of the induced voltage changes considerably for low cloud heights. The analysis shows that the highest induced voltage on an overhead line by a nearby lightning strike to ground may not appear at the point directly opposite the stroke. This phenomenon has also been observed indirectly during field investigations where distribution transformers were damaged at points on the line away from the location of the lightning stroke to ground.
Infinite-horizon optimal advertising in a market for durable goods

In this paper we analyse the optimal infinite-horizon advertising policy of a monopolist firm in a market for durable goods, based on classic models by Vidale–Wolfe (Oper. Res. 1957; 5(3):370–381) and Nerlove–Arrow (Economica 1962; 29 (114):129–142). A set of necessary conditions for optimality generalizing previous results is provided for the resulting non-convex system. In addition, we establish local (and in some cases global) asymptotic convergence of an optimal trajectory towards the unique optimal steady state.
Nicotinic filtering of sensory processing in auditory cortex.

Although it has been known for decades that the drug nicotine can improve cognitive function, the nature of its effects and the underlying mechanisms are not well understood. Nicotine activates nicotinic acetylcholine (ACh) receptors (nAChRs) that normally are activated by endogenous ACh, presumably “hijacking” the cholinergic contribution to multiple cognitive functions, notably attention. Thus, studying nicotine’s effects helps to better understand a commonly used drug as well as functions of nAChRs. Moreover, nicotinic agonists are being developed to treat a variety of disorders that involve attention-related or age-related cognitive dysfunction. Studies have shown that nicotine can enhance processing of attended stimuli and/or reduce processing of distracters; that is, nicotine enhances attentional filtering. To examine potential mechanisms within sensory cortex that may contribute to cognitive functions, here we describe nicotinic actions in primary auditory cortex, where well-characterized neural “filters”—frequency receptive fields—can be exploited to examine nicotinic regulation of cortical processing. Using tone-evoked current-source density (CSD) profiles, we show that nicotine produces complex, layer-dependent effects on spectral and temporal processing that, broadly speaking, enhance responses to characteristic frequency (optimal) stimuli while simultaneously suppressing responses to spectrally-distant stimuli. That is, nicotine appears to narrow receptive fields and enhances processing within the narrowed receptive field. Since basic cortical circuitry and nAChR distributions are similar across neocortex, these findings may generalize to neural processing in other sensory regions, and to non-sensory regions where afferent inputs are more difficult to manipulate experimentally. Similar effects across sensory and non-sensory cortical circuits could contribute to nicotinic enhancement of cognitive functions.
Summary of my Work on Sulfur Compounds

Abstract From time to time, SULFUR REPORTS plans to invite distinguished chemists to summarize the research of their careers as it has related to sulfur chemistry. This contribution by Professor C. S. Marvel, the first such account, is an informal resume of his research with organic sulfur compounds that has occurred in a career spanning more than 60 years. Professor Marvel received his Ph.D. degree at the University of Illinois (Urbana) in 1920. He remained there on the faculty until he became Professor Emeritus in 1961 and relocated to the University of Arizona, where he has continued his research vigorously. His recognition as a towering figure in organic and polymer chemistry of the twentieth century is illustrated by award to him of the Priestley, Perkin, Nichols, and Gibbs medals, along with a host of named lectureships, honorary degrees, and other awards. He has been a member of the National Academy of Sciences (U.S.A.) since 1938 and has served as President of the American Chemical Society (1945) ...
Burst Switching Metro-Access Ring Integrated Network

Driven by the aggressive progress of optical access network development and deployment, we envision that the bandwidth upgrade in the metro-area network (MAN) will take place in the near future. Instead of upgrading the system performance independently in the metro and access networks, we propose a highly integrated metro-access network - the metro-access ring integrated network (MARIN). With MARIN architecture, the optical access network is integrated into MAN, such that the capacity upgrade in both networks can be achieved simultaneously without interfering the operation of existing MAN system. By interconnecting multiple access ring networks, all-optical path can be formed to route the MAN traffic between any metro hubs connected to MARIN. Fast tunable lasers are used in the central office of each access ring network to form a hybrid TDM/WDM access network architecture, and facilitate resource sharing, desirable network scalability, and routing efficiency of the metro traffic, which is the focus of this paper. wavelength routed optical burst switching (WR-OBS) is employed for route management of metro traffic. In MARIN, each access ring network emulates a distributed optical burst switch, controlled by the local central office. With WR-OBS for bandwidth and route allocation, the simulation results show that using multiple tunable lasers for simultaneous burst transmission and high-speed reconfigurable device at the joint node, the network performance of MARIN can be significantly improved.
Chemical bath deposition of vertically aligned TiO2 nanoplatelet arrays for solar energy conversion applications

We report a facile, scalable, and low cost chemical bath deposition of vertically aligned TiO2 nanoplatelet arrays on various substrates including fluorine-doped tin oxide coated glass substrates and their applications for photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting and dye sensitized solar cells. The TiO2 arrays consisting of single crystal rutile nanoplatelets with heights (film thicknesses) of up to 1 μm, lengths of up to 130 nm, and widths of ∼5 nm were grown via controlling oxidation and hydrolysis of TiCl3 at low pH (0.71–0.85) and low TiCl3 concentration (8–40 mM). As a photoanode for water oxidation in a PEC water splitting cell, the TiO2 nanoplatelets show excellent charge separation characteristics with a saturated photocurrent in 1 M KOH electrolyte under AM 1.5 G illumination of ∼0.4 mA cm−2 reached at an exceptionally low bias of −0.6 V vs. Ag/AgCl (0.4 V vs. reversible hydrogen electrode). Dye sensitized solar cells assembled using N719 dye sensitized-TiO2 nanoplatelet arrays also show promising performance with photoconversion efficiencies of 1.28% for as-synthesized (no thermal post-treatment) and 3.7% for annealed TiO2 nanoplatelets.
Use of intravenous immunoglobulin in severe Clostridium difficile-associated diarrhea.

AbstractObjective. Clostridium difficile infection is an increasingly common cause of healthcare-acquired diarrhea. There remains substantial morbidity and mortality, even with current modalities of treatment. The aim of our study was to investigate the role of intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) on mortality in patients with severe Clostridium difficile-associated diarrhea (CDAD). Methods. A retrospective chart review of 21 patients with severe CDAD treated with IVIG in our affiliated hospitals from January 2000 to December 2012 was conducted. As a matching control group, we randomly selected 21 patients meeting the definition of severe CDAD from the same period. Data were compared between these groups using appropriate statistical tests. Results. Patients in the IVIG group were older (69.8 vs 60.9 years, p = 0.05) and had a higher severity score (5.4 vs 3.9, p = 0.02). Mortality was lower among those who received IVIG as compared to the group who did not receive IVIG; however not statistically significant...
Qijia and Erlitou: The Question of Contacts with Distant Cultures

This paper investigates the relationships between the Early Metal Age cultures of the Inner Mongolia and Gansu-Qinghai area with the Erlitou culture of the Central Plains region, and addresses the issue whether specific metal objects characteristic of these cultures may have their source of inspiration in areas as remote as southern Siberia and present-day Afghanistan and southern Turkmenistan. The proposal that China at the very beginning of its Bronze Age may have been affected by long-distance cultural transmissions depends upon recent reevaluations of the early history of the Eurasian steppe, in particular the advent of nomadic pastoralism and horse riding, and upon newly recalibrated carbon dates ascertained for specific Siberian sites and for the Bactrian-Margiana complex.
Comparative testing of new hemostatic agents in a swine model of extremity arterial and venous hemorrhage.

ABSTRACTObjective: To compare advanced hemostatic dressings: HemCon (HC), QuikClot ACS+ (advanced clotting sponge, and two granular agents: Celox (CX) and WoundStat (WS), with a standard field dressing in a swine model of extremity hemorrhage. Methods: We randomized 30 animals to treatment with a standard dressing or a hemostatic agent applied to a 2 × 6-mm injury in the femoral artery and vein after 45 s of free bleeding. Animals received 500 mL Hextend 15 min after the bleeding commenced without further resuscitation. End point was survival to 120 min or nonsurvivable blood pressure. Results: Survival to 120 min among treatment groups was 100% (WS), 83% (CX), 67% (HC), and 50% (ACS+). No control animals survived. Postinjury blood loss (mL/kg) was 4.6 (WS), 12.9 (CX), 10.0 (HC), and 15.8 (ACS+) compared to 27.0 for controls. Conclusion: All hemostatic dressings result in significantly less blood loss and improved survival over standard gauze dressing.
Evaluating equations estimating change in swine feed intake during heat and cold stress

The objectives of this study were to evaluate heat stress feed intake models for growing swine using a data set assembled from the literature and to develop a series of new equations modeling the influence of the thermal environment and interactions between the thermal environmental and other factors on feed intake. A literature survey was conducted to identify studies assessing intake responses to temperature. The resulting data set comprised 35 studies containing 120 comparisons to thermoneutral intake. Intake as a fraction of thermoneutral intake (FFI) was the primary response variable, where a value of 1 represented no change from thermoneutral intake. The FFI predicted by NRC and a recent model from a meta-analysis (Renaudeau et al.,) were compared to observed values. New parameters for the NRC equation (NRCmod) were derived, and a series of new equations incorporating duration of exposure (TD), temperature cycling (TC), and floor type (TH) were also derived. Root-mean-square prediction error (RMSPE) and concordance correlation coefficients were used to evaluate all models. The RMSPE for the NRC model was 23.6 with mean and slope bias accounting for 12.6% and 51.1% of prediction error, respectively. The TD, TC, and TH models had reduced RMSPE compared with NRC: 12.9 for TD, 12.6 for TC, and 12.9 for TS. Substantial improvements were also made by refitting parameters (NRCmod; RMSPE 13.0%). In NRCmod, TD, TC, and TH, random error was the predominant source, accounting for over 97% of prediction error. The Renaudeau et al. model was also evaluated. Renaudeau et al. had relatively low RMSPE (22.3) for intake but higher RMSPE for FFI (22.6) than NRC, NRCmod, TD, TC, or TH. Additional parameters were derived for the Renaudeau et al. equation to account for housing system and diet characteristics. This adjustment reduced RMSPE of predicting feed intake (16.0) and FFI (16.3) and reduced systematic bias in the equation. This evaluation of equations highlights the effects of novel explanatory variables on feed intake during heat stress, and the comparison can be useful when selecting a model that best explains variability in feed intake responses to heat stress given available input data.
Temporal Aggregation in Distributed Lag Models

Nerlove and Mundlak have shown that the estimated adjustment coefficient in Koyck-Nerlove models is generally larger in studies using longer unit observation periods. Results from quarterly and monthly food demand analyses are consistent with their conclusion, while results from quarterly and annual analyses are inconsistent with their conclusion. The most interesting explanation of the inconsistency leads to the following hypothesis. National annual consumption of foods is predetermined and price is endogenous. The coefficient of lagged annual consumption is biased away from zero if (a) current consumption is assumed endogenous, but is unbiased if (b) price is assumed endogenous. Estimated coefficients of lagged annual consumption will be significant more frequently in case (a) than in case (b). Annual food demand analyses accept this hypothesis. W HAT effect does aggregation over time have on the estimate of the adjustment coefficient in Koyck-Nerlove distributed lag models? This question has received some theoretical attention, but few empirical data have been brought to bear on it. This paper briefly reviews the theoretical arguments and presents relevant empirical results. The results confirm Mundlak's conclusion that results obtained from the model are sensitive to aggregation over time.' The results also suggest that the model is sensitive to aggregation over markets. Let qt represent current equilibrium demand, assumed to be a function of various xit, and let qt represent actual current demand. Specify
Evaluation of Miticides for Control of Paracalacarus podocarpi on Podocarpus

Paracalacarus podocarpi Keifer is the most important mite pest of Podocarpus macrophyllus (Thunb.) D. Don in nursery and landscape culture in Florida. Twenty-four miticides were evaluated in two experiemnts for control. Single applications of bromopropylate, cyhexatin, dicofol, dioxathion, fenbutatin-oxide, or oxamyl reduced populations below one mite per leaf. Two applications, 7 days apart, with carbophenothion, dialifor, diflubenzuron, or propargite also reduced mites to less than one mite per leaf. Mean populations of 361.1 and 314.7 mites per two-leaf samples were present on the plants before treatments were applied in the two experiments.
Three Moth Mites (Acarina: Mesostigmata) from Hawaii, with Description of a New Species

Three species of moth mites, Neocypholaelaps lindquisti , new species (Ameroseiidae), Proctolaelaps lobatus De Leon (Ascidae), and Blattisocius keegani Fox (Ascidae) are recorded from Hawaiian noctuid moths, and each is illustrated. N. lindquisti was taken from the pro-boscis of Achaea janata (L.), P. lobatus from that of an unidentified noctuid, and B. kcegani from the wing of a dead hawk moth.
Advanced time integration algorithms for dislocation dynamics simulations of work hardening

Efficient time integration is a necessity for dislocation dynamics simulations of work hardening to achieve experimentally relevant strains. In this work, an efficient time integration scheme using a high order explicit method with time step subcycling and a newly-developed collision detection algorithm are evaluated. First, time integrator performance is examined for an annihilating Frank–Read source, showing the effects of dislocation line collision. The integrator with subcycling is found to significantly out-perform other integration schemes. The performance of the time integration and collision detection algorithms is then tested in a work hardening simulation. The new algorithms show a 100-fold speed-up relative to traditional schemes. As a result, subcycling is shown to improve efficiency significantly while maintaining an accurate solution, and the new collision algorithm allows an arbitrarily large time step size without missing collisions.
Pb, Cu, and Zn distributions at humic acid-coated metal-oxide surfaces

Abstract Mineral surfaces are often coated by natural organic matter (NOM), which has a major influence on metal-ion sorption and sequestration because of the abundance of binding sites in such coatings and the changes they cause in local nanoscale environments. The effects of NOM coatings on mineral surfaces are, however, still poorly understood at the molecular level due to the complexity of these systems. In this study, we have applied long-period X-ray standing wave-fluorescence yield (LP-XSW-FY) spectroscopy to measure the partitioning of naturally present Cu(II) (0.0226%), Zn(II) (0.009%), and Pb(II) (∼0.0004%) between Elliott Soil Humic Acid (ESHA) coatings and three model single-crystal metal-oxide substrates: α-Al2O3 (0 0 0 1), α-Al2O3 (1 −1 0 2), and α-Fe2O3 (0 0 0 1). The competitive sorption effects among these metal ions for binding sites in the ESHA coatings and on the metal-oxide surfaces were investigated as a function of reaction time, calcium content, and solution pH. Pb(II) ions present in the ESHA coatings were found to redistribute to reactive α-Al2O3 (1 −1 0 2) and α-Fe2O3 (0 0 0 1) surfaces after 3 h of reaction (pH = 6.0, [Ca(II)] = 2 mM). Pb(II) partitioning onto these reactive metal-oxide surfaces increased with increasing reaction time (up to 7 d). In addition, the partitioning of Cu(II) and Zn(II) from the ESHA coating to the α-Fe2O3 (0 0 0 1) substrate increased slightly with reaction time (2.4% and 3.7% for Cu(II) and Zn(II), respectively, after 3 h and 6.4% and 7.7% for Cu(II) and Zn(II), respectively, after 72 h of reaction time). However, no changes in the partitioning of Cu(II) and Zn(II) onto the α-Al2O3 (1 −1 0 2) surface were observed with increasing reaction time, suggesting that these ions strongly complex with functional groups in the ESHA coatings. Similar results were obtained for Cu(II) and Zn(II) on the ESHA-coated α-Al2O3 (1 −1 0 2) surfaces in samples without the addition of calcium. However, the amounts of Pb(II) mobilized from the ESHA coatings onto the α-Al2O3 (1 −1 0 2) surfaces increased from 40% (no added Ca) to 58% (with 2 mM Ca) after 72 h of reaction time, possibly due to displacement of Pb(II) by Ca(II) from binding sites in the ESHA coatings. In contrast, Pb(II), Cu(II), and Zn(II) present in the ESHA coatings were found to be unreactive with the α-Al2O3 (0 0 0 1) surface. The observed reactivities of the three ESHA-coated metal-oxide surfaces with respect to metal-ion sorption are consistent with the trend observed for the uncoated metal-oxide surfaces: α-Fe2O3 (0 0 0 1) > α-Al2O3 (1 −1 0 2) > α-Al2O3 (0 0 0 1). In addition, Pb(II) partitioning onto α-Al2O3 (1 −1 0 2) surfaces increased with increasing pH from 4.0 to 9.0 as a result of the increasingly negative surface charge. These results show that intrinsic properties (nature of binding sites, binding affinities, and surface charge) of the ESHA coatings and metal-oxide surfaces, as well as external parameters such as pH and competing ions, are key factors governing the distribution and speciation of metal ions at complex NOM/mineral interfaces.
Comparative study of some physiologically important properties of six brands of disposable hydrogel contact lenses.

Purpose: This study examines the water content, refractive index, oxygen permeability (Dk), oxygen transmissibility (Dk/L), and lens thickness profile for six brands of disposable hydrogel contact lenses. Methods: Refractive index was measured with a Bausch & Lomb Abbe Model 3L laboratory refractometer. Water content was read from the scale in the refractometer eyepiece. Oxygen permeability and transmissibility were measured by a Rehder polarographic unit using the procedure described in International Standards Organization (ISO) Standard 9913-1.2. Lens thickness profiles were measured on a Rehder Electronic Thickness Gauge equipped with a rotating ball anvil. Results: Water content ranged from 38% to 62%. Lower water content lens materials had an oxygen permeability of about 7 x 10 -11 (cm 2 /sec)(mL O 2 /mL x mm Hg), whereas the permeability for the higher water content materials ranged from 20 x 10 -11 to 30 x 10 -11 . Conclusions: In theory, it is possible to design contact lenses of approximately the same transmissibility-when starting with materials of different permeabilities-by adjusting lens thickness. This was not the case with the six brands studied here. Some brands of contact lenses had significantly higher transmissibilities than others, but all had FDA approval. The clinical significance of different contact lens transmissibilities based on different definitions of thickness is discussed.
RUNX1-ETO Stimulates Wnt Signaling by Inhibiting the Function of ETO Family Member Proteins.

Abstract The t(8;21) is one of the most frequent chromosomal translocations associated with acute myelogenous leukemia (AML). This translocation generates a fusion protein, RUNX1-ETO, consisting of the N-terminus of RUNX1 fused to a nearly full-length ETO protein. The RUNX1-ETO fusion protein stimulates the expression of genes that are regulated by Wnt signaling. The Wnt signaling pathway plays a key role in embryonic development and aberrations to this pathway are frequently involved in tumor formation. Therefore, we sought to define the molecular mechanism by which RUNX1-ETO may stimulate Wnt signaling. We have demonstrated that the ETO family member, Mtgr1, functions as a corepressor for TCF4 and that the levels of the TCF-regulated gene, c-Myc, are upregulated in Mtgr1-null mice. Here we show that the Xenopus homolog of Mtgr1, XETOR, can impair Wnt signaling and induce ventralization in a Xenopus axis duplication assay, a classical assay used to define the hierarchy of components in the Wnt pathway. Specifically, microinjection of in vitro transcribed XETOR mRNA was performed in the marginal zone of both dorsal blastomeres at the 2 to 4 cell stage with increasing amounts of XETOR. Embryos were monitored through stage 26. Compared to control embryos, the embryos injected with XETOR mRNA were ventralized and failed to develop head structures. Conversely, although each of the ETO family member proteins associated with TCF4, RUNX1-ETO failed to bind to TCF4 in co-immunoprecipitation experiments. Mtgr1 was originally identified as a RUNX1-ETO-associated protein. Therefore, we tested whether the fusion protein impairs the action of Mtgr1 as a co-repressor for TCF4. RUNX1-ETO associated with Mtgr1, and Mtgr1 failed to associate with TCF4 when RUNX1-ETO was co-expressed. Thus, RUNX1-ETO appears to stimulate TCF-dependent transcription by interfering with the action of the ETO family of transcriptional corepressors.
Automated market making: theory and practice

Market makers are unique entities in a market ecosystem. Unlike other participants that have exposure (either speculative or endogenous) to potential future states of the world, market making agents either endeavor to secure a risk-free profit or to facilitate trade that would otherwise not occur. In this thesis we present a principled theoretical framework for market making along with applications of that framework to different contexts. We begin by presenting a synthesis of two concepts—automated market making from the artificial intelligence literature and risk measures from the finance literature—that were developed independently. This synthesis implies that the market making agents we develop in this thesis also correspond to better ways of measuring the riskiness of a portfolio—an important application in quantitative finance. We then present the results of the Gates Hillman Prediction Market (GHPM), a fielded large-scale test of automated market making that successfully predicted the opening date of the new computer science buildings at CMU. Ranging over 365 possible opening days, the market's large event partition required new advances like a novel span-based elicitation interface. The GHPM uncovered some practical flaws of automated market makers; we investigate how to rectify these failures by describing several classes of market makers that are better at facilitating trade in Internet prediction markets. We then shift our focus to notions of profit, and how a market maker can trade to maximize its own account. We explore applying our work to one of the largest and most heavily-traded markets in the world by recasting market making as an algorithmic options trading strategy. Finally, we investigate optimal market makers for fielding wagers when good priors are known, as in sports betting or insurance.
Far and Extreme Ultraviolet Spectroscopy of Hot White Dwarf Stars: A Laboratory for Element Diffusion

The chemical composition of the atmospheric layers of white dwarf stars is determined by diffusion processes. Hot hydrogen-rich white dwarfs (spectral type DA) present extreme photospheric chemical compositions. Their atmospheres are fully radiative and largely dominated by hydrogen with, in very hot stars (T eff > 50,000 K), small heavy element traces (Z 100) and DAO (Y = 0.01) white dwarfs. The absence of helium and the low heavy element abundance are explained in the context of chemical separation in the presence of a strong gravitational field (108 cgs) or gravitational settling. Small traces of heavy elements result from the interaction with the equally strong radiative field found in very hot stars [1, 2]. Ionic species with rich far-ultraviolet (FUV) or extreme-ultraviolet (EUV) line spectra (e.g., elements from the Fe group) should be the most abundant. Variations over two or three orders of magnitude relative to solar abundance have been observed with the International Ultraviolet Explorer (IUE) [9, 5, 3]. Highly ionized species of C, N, O, Si, and Fe, conspicuously absent from the optical range, are heavily contaminating the far- and extreme-ultraviolet spectra of the DA stars Feige 24, G191-B2B, and similar objects. As expected, Fe was found to be the most abundant trace element [5].
Subtenon Injections of Ranibizumab Arrest Growth in Early Recurrent Pterygium.

Importance Currently the only treatment for recurrent pterygium is surgery. This is a phase 1 trial investigating ranibizumab as a medical treatment for recurrent pterygium. Objective To assess the safety and efficacy of subtenon Ranibizimab for recurrent pterygia. Design Subjects with recurrent pterygium received subtenon ranibizumab and were followed for 1 year. Safety parameters were measured. Photographs were taken and quantitatively analyzed to measure the short-term (2 months) and long-term (5-26 months) response to treatment. Setting University of New Mexico Eye Clinic. Participants Eight subjects with recurrent pterygia. Interventions Subtenon delivery of 0.5 to 2 mg of ranibizumab, at day 0, month 1, and month 2. Main outcome measures Safety parameters included visual acuity, intraocular pressure, and assessment of ocular surface. Efficacy was assessed by comparing photographs taken at day 0 with a short-term follow-up photograph taken at month 2 and a long-term follow-up image taken at the final patient visit (range 5-26 months). Quantitative analysis of photographs was performed to measure vascularity in the treated zone. Results Four subjects had an arrest of pterygium growth with a visual reduction in vascularity and a quantitative reduction in the area of vascularization (average vascularized area in short-term follow-up images was 51% of the baseline photos at day 0, and in the long-term photos was 36% of day 0). The other four subjects had a less marked reduction in their vascularity in the short-term photos (69% of their baseline photos). This resulted in two subjects withdrawing from the study early. Long-term quantitative analysis for the two remaining "nonresponders," who completed the study, showed an average vascularized area that was 71% of that in their baseline photos. The long-term photos in these subjects did not appear to have a clinically relevant difference from the short-term photos. Conclusions In half of the subjects, subtenon ranibizumab appeared to arrest growth. Although the response is variable, this may warrant the drug's use when attempting to control growth of recurrent pterygia, and may prevent consecutive surgery for some patients.
Seasonal changes in the thermal regime and gastropod tolerance to temperature and desiccation stress in the rocky intertidal zone

Abstract The upper end of a species distribution in the rocky intertidal zone is determined by abiotic stress tolerance. Hobo probes recorded intertidal temperatures throughout the rocky intertidal zone every 5 min from March 2015 through May 2016. Probes were placed at + 2.0 m, + 1.5 m, + 1.0 m, + 0.5 m and 0 m above mean lower low water. Emersion duration and temperature increased as a function of probe height for the eastern and southern transect probes from May through August 2015 but were not significantly different between spring and neap tide periods. The maximum emersion temperature of intertidal probes during the summer of 2015 was 31.65 °C and the minimum air temperature was − 3.42 °C at + 1.5 and 2.0 m during the winter. Duration of exposure to freezing also increased with intertidal height. High temperature, freeze temperature and desiccation emersion tolerance of Nucella lamellosa ; N . canaliculata ; N . ostrina ; Littorina sitkana ; and L . scutulata were studied to examine the idea that upper distribution limits are set by abiotic stressors and different species along the intertidal gradient should exhibit differential sensitivities. Snail tolerances varied directly with their intertidal position. Emersion temperatures during the summer were well below species high temperature LT 50 values for the Littorines and N . lamellosa but near those of N . canaliculata and N . ostrina ; these latter two species may be physiologically stressed and utilize behavioral avoidance strategies. Emersion temperatures below freezing occurred in November and December 2015 and January 2016 at the 1.0, 1.5 and 2.0 m levels. Minimum freezing air temperatures in the intertidal zone were well above the freeze tolerance of low intertidal N . lamellosa , and high intertidal L . sitkana and L . scutulata but within the freeze tolerance range of mid intertidal N . canaliculata and N . ostrina indicating that they may be stressed and behavioral avoidance strategies may be operative.
Single-Incision Robotic Colon Resection (SIRC)

The introduction of a stable, multitasking robotic platform to Laparoendoscopic Single-incision Surgery with its unique ability to intracorporeally cross and switch the two articulated instruments represents a paradigm-changing advance to conventional laparoscopic colon resection. The ideal patient for SIRC is one that is receiving the procedure for an elective indication, is not morbidly obese, is not actively inflamed, has no significant comorbidities, and does not have a history of prior abdominal surgery or radiation. A 4–5 cm umbilical incision offers improved cosmesis by having the incision hidden in the near vicinity of the umbilicus. The umbilicus is also the location on the abdominal wall with the shortest distance from skin to peritoneum; therefore, the majority of published accounts of SIRC described accessing the abdomen through an umbilical incision. The robotic camera trocar, two robotic arms, and an additional laparoscopic assistant trocar unique to SIRC are placed in a diamond configuration through a single-incision fascial access device. With limited literature on SIRC, our institutional experience found similar rates of postoperative complications as reported national averages for laparoscopic colectomies. Despite similar superficial surgical site infection incidence, an increased incisional hernia rate (10.2 %) in comparison with conventional multiport laparoscopic colectomy was observed among patients who underwent SIRC. Obesity appears to be the single most significant risk factor associated with development of incisional hernia following SIRC in our early case series.
Sustained Neurological Recovery After Stroke in Aged Rats Treated With a Novel Prostacyclin Analog

Background and Purpose— Targeting the prostaglandin I 2 prostanoid (IP) receptor to reduce stroke injury has been hindered by the lack of selective drugs. MRE-269 is the active metabolite of selexipag showing a high selectivity toward the IP receptor. Selexipag has been recently approved for clinical use in pulmonary hypertension. We hypothesized that postischemic treatment with MRE-269 provides long-lasting neuroprotection with improved neurological outcomes in a clinically relevant rat stroke model. Methods— Aged male Sprague–Dawley rats underwent transient middle cerebral artery occlusion and were randomly selected to receive either vehicle or MRE-269 (0.25 mg/kg) intravenously starting at 4.5 hours post ischemia. Accelerating rotarod and adhesive removal tests were conducted before and at 3, 7, 14, and 21 days after stroke. Infarct volume was quantified by magnetic resonance imaging at 48 hours and 21 days post middle cerebral artery occlusion. In parallel experiments, cerebral cortex samples from stroke and nonstroke sides from vehicle- and MRE-269–treated groups were collected at 18 hours post middle cerebral artery occlusion for molecular biology analyses. Results— Quantitative magnetic resonance imaging data showed that postischemic MRE-269 treatment significantly reduced infarct volume compared with vehicle-treated rats at both 48 hours and 3 weeks after stroke. MRE-269 treatment resulted in a significant long-term recovery in both locomotor and somatosensory functions after middle cerebral artery occlusion, which was associated with a reduced weight loss in animals receiving the IP receptor agonist. Postischemic MRE-269 treatment reduced proinflammatory cytokines/chemokines and oxidative stress. Damage to the blood–brain barrier, as assessed by extravasation of immunoglobulin G to the ischemic brain, was significantly reduced by MRE-269, which was associated with a reduction in matrix metalloproteinase-9 activity in the brain of stroked aged rats given the IP agonist at 4.5 hours after ischemia onset. Conclusions— Our data suggest that targeting the IP receptor with MRE-269 is a novel strategy to reduce cerebral ischemia injury and promote long-term neurological recovery in ischemic stroke.
Xanthogranulomatous osteomyelitis of the humerus in a pediatric patient with Alagille syndrome: a case report and literature review

Xanthogranulomatous osteomyelitis (XO) is an exceedingly rare disease characterized by infiltration of histiocytes and foamy macrophages. Both on gross examination and on radiographs, XO can mimic malignancy. We describe the case of a 5-year-old female with Alagille syndrome who presented with a pathologic fracture of the right humerus. Initial radiographs revealed multiple osteolytic lesions in the distal humerus while MRI showed a large soft tissue mass. Biopsy confirmed the diagnosis of XO, which has hitherto not been described in a patient with Alagille syndrome. The patient was admitted for IV antibiotics and taken to the operating room for an incision and debridement. Tissue cultures were obtained and grew Salmonella. Antibiotic therapy was tapered, and the patient responded to treatment. She was doing well at her 6-month follow-up visit. In the discussion section, we explore how osteopenia and immune dysregulation caused by Alagille syndrome can affect the development of XO. We summarize all previously reported cases of XO and conclude that XO presents as an osteolytic lesion that expands rapidly over the course of a few weeks. We highlight that XO can mimic sarcoma because of its mass effect but can be distinguished radiographically by the presence of surrounding sclerosis. Given the rapid onset of XO, we classify it as an acute osteomyelitis. We discuss how leukemia and Ewing sarcoma can present similarly to acute osteomyelitis. We then emphasize key features that can be used to distinguish these malignancies from acute osteomyelitis.