cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Pulmonary hypertension: a stage for ventricular interdependence?

Once considered an uncommon disease, chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH) is now recognized as a distinct clinical entity ([1][1]). Its pathophysiology may be related to recurrent embolic events, in situ thrombosis, effects of vasoconstrictive mediators, immune-related events, and
Definitions and Terminology of Dietary Fiber

In this chapter I outline a basis for the usage of the term dietary fiber and discuss the implications of this basis for the analysis of dietary fiber and for studies of its mechanism of action.
Structural, mesomorphic and time-resolved studies of biological liquid crystals and lipid membranes using synchrotron X-radiation

The prodigeous X-ray flux and tuneability of synchrotron radiation has proved an enormous boon in studies of the physicochemical properties of biological liquid crystals. Over the past several years synchrotron radiation has been used to advantage in investigations of the dynamics and mechanism of biological liquid crystal (lipid) phase transitions in bulk systems, lyotrope transport between and within bulk mesophases, X-radiation damage of lipid, lipid-lipid and lipid-lyotrope miscibility and of heavy atom location in Langmuir-Blodgett lipid films. A review of these disparate but related investigations is presented in this chapter.
Discursive Therapies as Institutional Discourse

An institutional discourse perspective is developed and applied to discursive therapies. The perspective focuses on the interactional and interpretive practices that organize therapist-client encounters. Ethnomethodology, conversation analysis, and Foucauldian discourse analyses are discussed as different but related orientations to institutional discourse. Each perspective highlights different aspects of the institutional discourse perspective and discursive therapies. The perspective is applied by reconsidering the concept of collaboration in discursive therapies. Three issues are discussed. They are the value of thinking about collaboration as a shifting achievement in discursive therapy interactions, power relationships that include the potential for client resistance, and sites for the negotiation of multiple—sometimes competing—discourses.
The role for resection of post-chemotherapy residual liver masses in the management of non-seminomatous germ cell tumor.

e16047Background: To evaluate the oncologic outcomes and histologic concordance of post-chemotherapy residual liver mass resection with post-chemotherapy retroperitoneal lymph node dissection (PC-R...
Unstructured Healthcare Data Archiving and Retrieval Using Hadoop and Drill

A healthcare hybrid Hadoop ecosystem is analyzed for unstructured healthcare data archives. This healthcare hybrid Hadoop ecosystem is composed of some components such as Pig, Hive, Sqoop and Zoopk...
Infections in Limbs, Integuments, and Face Transplantation

Both facial and upper extremity composite tissue allotransplants consist of heterogeneous tissues including skin, muscle, bone, fat, nerves, and lymph nodes. These tissues are extremely antigenic and necessitate an immunosuppressive regimen similar to that of solid organ transplants. Thus, the patient with a face or limb transplant has many of the same infection risks in individuals following kidney transplantation such as nosocomial and opportunistic bacterial, viral, fungal, and protozoan infections. However, due to the exposed anatomy, possibility for mucosal exposure, and differing donor microflora, recipients of face or limb transplant are also susceptible to invasive diseases due to several different types of microbes. Here we present a comprehensive review of infections frequently encountered in patients undergoing solid organ transplantation with special attention to the brief experience in the prophylaxis and treatment of infection following composite tissue allotransplantation.
Detour Ability in Infants and Toddlers

Detour ability—being able to get from A to B by a variety of routes when one or more routes are blocked, enables an individual to alter the relationship between the self and a goal through self-movement. Adults make detours via different modes of action, for example by reaching or locomotion, around barriers with different surface characteristics and in spaces both large and small. But how do infants, recently skilled in reaching and locomotion and in detecting the properties of surfaces become able to make detours in such spaces?
Sacrohysteropexy with Anterior and Posterior Attachment

Video Objective This video discusses patient selection, different surgical approaches, and outcomes data for sacrohysteropexy. We present a case presentation employing one of the approaches to sacrohysteropexy. Setting This video presents a case of a 40 year old female with Stage II uterovaginal prolapse who seeks a durable surgical repair. She does not desire future fertility and has risk factors for native tissue repair failure. Interventions The patient underwent a robotic-assisted laparoscopic sacrohysteropexy, bilateral salpingectomy, and posterior colporrhaphy. Conclusion Sacrohysteropexy is an effective and appropriate surgery for patients with uterovaginal prolapse and risk factors for native tissue failure who do not want a hysterectomy. Sacrohysteropexy can be performed with a posterior vaginal attachment only or with posterior and anterior vaginal attachments. The posterior only attachment is best for patients who may desire future fertility as it does not involve surgery into the broad ligament or anterior cul-de-sac. There are two approaches to sacrohysteropexy that also include an anterior attachment to provide anterior vaginal support. Both approaches bring anterolateral mesh arms through windows created in the broad ligament. One technique sutures these arms in addition to the posterior mesh's sacral arm to the sacral promontory. The other technique sutures the lateral arms to the posterior cervix leaving only the posterior mesh sacral arm to be attached at the sacral promontory. Overall sacrohysteropexy has been shown to have a symptomatic success rate of 90-95% and an anatomical success rate of 70%. Sacrohysteropexy has been shown to have reduced operative time, blood loss, hospital stay length, and to have greater vaginal length preservation than its hysterectomy with sacrocolpopexy alternative.
3-Methylglutaric acid in energy metabolism.

3-methylglutaric (3MG) acid is a conspicuous C6 dicarboxylic organic acid classically associated with two distinct leucine pathway enzyme deficiencies. 3MG acid is excreted in urine of individuals harboring deficiencies in 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl (HMG) CoA lyase (HMGCL) or 3-methylglutaconyl CoA hydratase (AUH). Whereas 3MG CoA is not part of the leucine catabolic pathway, it is likely formed via a side reaction involving reduction of the α-s trans double bond in the leucine pathway intermediate, 3-methylglutaconyl CoA. While the metabolic basis for the accumulation of 3MG acid in subjects with deficiencies in HMGCL or AUH is apparent, the occurrence of 3MG aciduria in a host of unrelated inborn errors of metabolism associated with compromised mitochondrial energy metabolism is less clear. Herein, a novel mitochondrial biosynthetic pathway termed "the acetyl CoA diversion pathway", provides an explanation. The pathway is initiated by defective electron transport chain function which, ultimately, inhibits acetyl CoA entry into the TCA cycle. When this occurs, 3MG acid is synthesized in five steps from acetyl CoA via a novel reaction sequence, providing a metabolic rationale for the connection between 3MG aciduria and compromised mitochondrial energy metabolism.
Outcomes after stereotactic radiosurgery for CNS lymphoma

The standard of care for CNS lymphoma typically includes high dose methotrexate followed by whole brain radiation therapy, but there is an increased risk of neurotoxicity with this regimen. In our institution, we offered stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) for disease refractory to HD-MTX in a subset of patients. A search of the literature on this modality for CNS lymphoma was also conducted. Medical records of six patients who received partial brain radiation therapy for persistent CNS lymphoma were reviewed. SRS was given via 1–3 fractions to doses of 21 or 24 Gy. PubMed, SCOPUS, and Cochrane Library databases were systematically searched for articles reporting on outcomes for CNS lymphoma treated with SRS. Six patients (eleven lesions) were treated with SRS for CNS lymphomas. Median follow up was 15.6 months (range 3.3–37.8). Median RT dose per lesion was 21 Gy and median time to progression was 12.7 months. Median overall survival was not reached. Four patients had distant intracranial failure with two developing local recurrence. The search strategy yielded 16 studies of which only one was prospective and included a control group. 183 out of 256 evaluated lesions (69%) responded completely to treatment and 13 of 204 patients (6%) recurred within the treatment area at last follow-up. Overall, the treatment was well tolerated. SRS may provide favorable local control in patients with refractory CNS lymphomas. A prospective trial is warranted to validate the efficacy of such an approach.
Genetic Diversity and Drug Resistance of HIV-1 CRF55_01B in Guangdong, China.

Background HIV-1 CRF55_01B was first reported in 2013. At present, no report is available regarding this new clade's polymorphisms in its functionally critical regions protease and reverse transcriptase. Objective To identify the diversity difference in protease and reverse transcriptase between CRF55_01B and its parental clades CRF01_AE and subtype B; and to investigate CRF55_01B's drug resistance mutations associated with the protease inhibition and reverse transcriptase inhibition. Methods HIV-1 RNA was extracted from plasma derived from a MSM population. The reverse transcription and nested PCR amplification were performed following our in-house PCR procedure. Genotyping and drug resistant-associated mutations and polymorphisms were identified based on polygenetic analyses and the usage of the HIV Drug Resistance Database, respectively. Results A total of 9.24 % of the identified CRF55_01B sequences bear the primary drug resistance. CRF55_01B contains polymorphisms I13I/V, G16E and E35D that differ from those in CRF01_AE. Among the 11 polymorphisms in the RT region, seven were statistically different from CRF01_AE's. Another three polymorphisms, R211K (98.3%), F214L (98.3%), and V245A/E (98.3 %.), were identified in the RT region and they all were statistically different with that of the subtype B. The V179E/D mutation, responsible for 100% potential low-level drug resistance, was found in all CRF55_01B sequences. Lastly, the phylogenetic analyses demonstrated 18 distinct clusters that account for 35% of the samples. Conclusion CRF55_01B's pol has different genetic diversity comparing to its counterpart in CRF55_01B's parental clades. CRF55_01B has a high primary drug resistance presence and the V179E/D mutation may confer more vulnerability to drug resistance.
Laguerre Polynomials and Gradient Descent Approach for Linear Quadratic Optimal Control

This paper presents a computational approach for solving linear time invariant quadratic optimal control system problem. The proposed approach is classified as a direct method, which is utilized by applying state and control parametrization using a finite length of Laguerre polynomials as a basis function with unknown parameters. In addition, the stochastic gradient descent approach was used to estimate the optimal parameters. Furthermore, this paper provides numerical examples to demonstrate the proficiency of the proposed method. The results of this study showed that using the direct method along with the stochastic gradient descent techniques were effective in solving the linear time invariant quadratic optimal control system problem.
Compounding Racialized Vulnerability: COVID-19 in Prisons, Jails, and Migrant Detention Centers.

CONTEXT: Carceral institutions are among the largest clusters of COVID-19 in the United States. As outbreaks have spread throughout prisons and detention centers, detainees have organized collectively to demand life-saving measures. Chief among these demands has been the call for decarceration: the release of detainees and inmates to prevent exposure to COVID-19. This paper theorizes the compounding racial vulnerability that has led to such a marked spread behind bars, mainly among race-class subjugated communities. METHODS: We use journalistic sources and administrative data to provide an in-depth account of the spread of COVID-19 in American correctional facilities and of the mobilization to reduce contagions. We also use two survey experiments to describe public support for harm reduction and decarceration demands and measure the effects of information about (a) racial inequalities in prison, and (b) poor conditions inside migrant detention centers. FINDINGS: We find that only one-third to one-half of respondents believe that response to COVID-19 in prisons and immigrant detention centers should be a high priority. We also find that Americans are much more supportive of harm reduction measures like improved sanitation than of releasing people from prisons and detention centers. Information about racial disparities increases support for releasing more people from prison. We do not find any significant effect of information about poor conditions in migrant detention centers. CONCLUSIONS: The conditions in prisons and migrant detention centers during the pandemic-and public opinion about them-highlight the realities of compounding racialized vulnerability in the United States.
Radiobiological studies with laser-driven protons at the BELLA PW

We established an experimental platform for the investigation of the radiobiological effects of stable few-MeV laser-accelerated ions at the BELLA Center using a peak laser pulse intensity of 2x1019 W cm-2 [1]. The focal spot size of laser pulses from the BELLA PW laser system is large compared to that found in typical laser-driven ion beamlines, which resulted in reduced divergence and increased ion numbers [2]. Such beams are ideally suited for subsequent capture and transport with an active plasma lens (APL) [3]. Combined with our high shot rate capability (0.2 Hz), around 1000 shots at ultra-high instantaneous dose rates (0.6 Gy/shot resulting in 107 Gy/s), with a uniform dose distribution over a 1 cm diameter lateral area, could thus be delivered to biological cell sample cups, located in air at 1.7 m distance from the laser-target interaction. The proton beamline was complemented by online (integrating current transformer and scintillator) and offline (radiochromic films) beam diagnostics for dosimetry. This assembly was used to investigate the differential sparing of healthy tissues versus the tumor response under reduced oxygen conditions. This talk gives details on the proton beamline, dosimetry as well as preliminary cell irradiation results. This work is supported by U.S. Department of Energy Office of Science, Offices of High Energy Physics and Fusion Energy Sciences, Contract No. DE-AC02-05CH11231 and LBNL Laboratory Directed Research and Development Grant, PI A. M. Snijders [1] K. Nakamura, et al., Diagnostics, Control and Performance Parameters for the BELLA High Repetition Rate Petawatt Class Laser, IEEE J. Quantum Electron., 53, (2017), 1200121 [2] S. Steinke, et al., Acceleration of high charge ion beams with achromatic divergence by petawatt laser pulses, Phys. Rev. Accel. Beams, 23, (2020), 021302 [3] J. Van Tilborg, et al., Active Plasma Lensing for Relativistic Laser-Plasma-Accelerated Electron Beams, Phys. Rev. Lett., 115, (2015), 184802
ADSORPTION KINETICS FOR THE REMOVAL OF METHYLENE BLUE AND METHYL ORANGE BY USING SUPER SAND

This study investigated the preparation of super sand substance and used it as an effective adsorbent for the removal of two different dyes methylene blue (basic) and methyl orange (acidic). The initial concentration range of dyes that were used in the adsorption process was (50−200) ppm with a temperature range (20−35) °C, the surface characteristics of graphite, graphene oxide, and coated sand were investigated by AFM test. Three adsorption kinetics models were applied to the experimental data in this study, pseudo−first order, pseudo−second order, and interparticle diffusion model. The result was showed that the experimental data corresponded with pseudo−second order kinetic model with confidence level R2= 0.99.
Does the Cognitive Fusion Questionnaire measure more than frequency of negative thoughts

Abstract Cognitive fusion is a psychopathological process that appears to be relevant to a wide range of disorders. This process is frequently measured with the Cognitive Fusion Questionnaire (CFQ). However, the construct validity of similar measures has been criticized for substantial overlap with distress. It is possible the CFQ may excessively measure the presence of unwanted thoughts, rather than fusion per se. Therefore, this study examined the discriminant validity of the CFQ relative to a measure of automatic negative thoughts (the Automatic Thoughts Questionnaire) in a college student sample (n = 389). While the two measures were highly correlated (ρ = 0.74), exploratory factor analysis demonstrated that they consistently loaded onto separate factors. The CFQ also demonstrated incremental validity in predicting distress and anxiety over four weeks when controlling for baseline automatic negative thoughts. Overall findings are consistent with the CFQ measuring its intended construct, rather than the mere presence of negative thoughts. Major limitations to generalizability include the use of a college student sample with minimal racial and ethnic diversity, and the lack of additional comparator measures.
Russia as “Pattern or Example”: John Milton’s A Brief History of Moscovia (1682)

Scholars agree that Milton offers primarily a negative view of Russia in A Brief History of Moscovia, yet some have also identified positive descriptions of Russian czars, people, and church. Negat...
Issues, Non-Issues, and Cryptographic Tools for Internet-Based Voting

Arguments for and against deploying electronic voting technology are discussed. A simple cryptographic ballot design and voting protocol is shown. We argue that a multidisciplinary effort is essential to build, deploy, and evaluate the new technology
Analysis of an enhanced signaling network for scalable mobility management in next generation wireless networks

In order to support new personal communication services (PCS) in 2.5G and 3G networks, the underlying signaling network must support scalable and fault-tolerant mobility management. A mobility management architecture based on multiple home location registers (HLRs) and multiple gateway GPRS support nodes (GGSN) can meet both of these requirements. We consider an enhanced network architecture in which the mobility management databases, in particular, the HLRs, are interconnected by a TCP/IP network. The primary function of this additional network interface will be to support synchronization of the replicated and/or distributed HLRs. We outline the architecture of the converged signaling network and discuss the integration with the GPRS network. We then present analytical models to quantify the benefit of distributed HLR and replicated GGSN architectures. Our results show that a distributed HLR architecture can reduce the update and query delay. Finally, by appropriately load balancing the multiple GGSNs, the mean packet delay can be significantly reduced.
Health Well-Being

QOL researchers have addressed important issues in relation to health-related quality of life. Some of the research covered in this chapter addresses the following questions:
The Pragmatics of Analogical Transfer

Publisher Summary This chapter focuses on one variety of inductive recombination—the use of analogies to solve novel problems and form generalized rules. From the pragmatic perspective, the central problem of induction is specifying processing constraints ensuring that the inferences drawn by a cognitive system tend to be (1) relevant to the system's goals and (2) plausible. Induction is (1) directed by a problem-solving activity and (2) based on feedback regarding the success or failure of predictions generated by the system. The active goals of the system, coupled with an activated subset of the system's current store of knowledge, provide input to inferential mechanisms that generate plans and other types of predictions about the behavior of the environment. A comparison of predictions and receptor input yields information about the predictive successes and failures that trigger specific types of inductive changes in the knowledge store. Synchronic rules capture categorical and associative information, which is often represented in static semantic networks, whereas diachronic rules present information about the expected effects of the system actions.
Transparent fault tolerance for parallel applications on networks of workstations

This paper describes a new method for providing transparent fault tolerance for parallel applications on a network of workstations. We have designed our method in the context of shared object system called SAM, a portable run-time system which provides a global name space and automatic caching of shared data. SAM incorporates a novel design intended to address the problem of the high communication overheads in distributed memory environments and is implemented on a variety of distributed memory platforms. Our fundamental approach to providing fault tolerance is to ensure the replication of all data on more than one workstation using the dynamic caching already providedby SAM. The replicated data is accessible to the local processor like other cached data, making access to shared data faster and potentially offsetting some of the fault tolerance overhead. In addition, our method uses information available in SAM applications on how processes access shared data to enable several optimizations which reduce the fault-tolerance overhead. We have built an implementation of our fault-tolerance method in SAM for heterogeneous networks of workstations running PVM3. In this paper, we present our fault-tolerance method and describe its implementation in detail. We give performance results and overhead numbers for several large SAM applications running on a cluster of Alpha workstations connected by an ATM network. Our method is successful in providing transparent fault tolerance for parallel applications running on a network of workstations and is unique in requiring no global synchronizations and no disk operations to a reliable file server.
Physiology of Olivocochlear Efferents

Olivocochlear efferent neurons originate in the brain stem and terminate in the organ of Corti, thereby allowing the central nervous system to influence the operation of the cochlea. This chapter reviews the physiology and possible functional utility of mammalian cochlear efferents. Efferent physiology in a few other hair cell systems is also reviewed for the insight provided into mammalian efferent physiology. First a historical overview is presented, and then specific topics are considered in detail.
Functional Organization of the Visual System

The visual image is focused on the photoreceptors in the retina, and the retina converts signals about luminance into signals about contrast, motion, and color. The retina projects to the lateral geniculate nucleus and striate cortex in the primary visual pathway in two streams, the P pathway dealing with analysis of what an object is, through V1 and V2 to V4 and ventral cortex, and the M pathway dealing with where it is, through V1 and V2 to V5 and dorsal cortex. Various parts of visual cortex are specialized to deal in more detail with brightness, color, motion, depth, objects, and faces. Visual cortex then sends signals to parietal cortex to deal with attention, and frontal cortex, to deal with eye movements. An important component of the organization of cerebral cortex is the columnar system, where cells dealing with similar properties are grouped together within a column. For example, in V5, cells preferring the same direction of movement are in the same column, and so are cells preferring objects nearer than the point of fixation.
In Vivo and in Vitro Inhibition of Nicosulfuron Metabolism by Terbufos Metabolites in Maize

Abstract Reduced maize tolerance to nicosulfuron [2-(((((4,6-dimethyoxy-2-pyrimidinyl)amino)carbonyl)amino)sulfonyl)-N,N-dimethyl-3-pyridinecarboxamide], a sulfonylurea herbicide, occurred when the herbicide was applied following terbufos (S-[[(1,1-dimethylethyl)thio]methyl]O,O-diethyl phosphorodithioate) insecticide. To determine the mechanism of this interaction, the effect of terbufos on the metabolism of nicosulfuron was studied in whole plants and in an in vitro microsomal system from maize. Terbufos applied in the nutrient solution of hydroponically grown maize 36 hr prior to herbicide application increased nicosulfuron uptake 4% 48 hr after treatment. Nicosulfuron metabolism decreased by 10 and 15%, respectively, for the 0.45 and 4.5 μM terbufos treatments 24 hr after application. Plants grown in the presence of the terbufos oxidative metabolites, terbufos-sulfoxide (phosphorodithioic acid S-[(tert-butylsulfinyl)methyl]O,O-diethyl ester) and terbufos-sulfone (phosphorodithioic acid S-[[(1,1-dimethylethyl)sulfonyl]methyl]O,O-diethyl ester), had 22 and 55% reductions in nicosulfuron metabolism, respectively, at 24 hr after herbicide application. In microsomal preparations, terbufos-SO and terbufos-SF severely inhibited cytochrome P450 mediated hydroxylation of nicosulfuron while terbufos had a lesser effect. Terbufos-SF was more inhibitory in vitro than terbufos-SO. Terbufos-SO and terbufos-SF reduced nicosulfuron tolerance in maize by inhibiting the cytochrome P450 monooxygenases involved in nicosulfuron hydroxylation.
Encouraging the aesthetic impulse in young gifted children

Young gifted children can develop an aesthetic sense in an environment which provides opportunities to create and to interpret concepts and images.
From designer clusters to synthetic crystalline nanoassemblies.

Clusters have the potential to serve as building blocks of materials, enabling the tailoring of materials with novel electronic or magnetic properties. Historically, there has been a disconnect bet...
Utility of the Five-Factor Model of Personality in Psychotherapy Aptitude-Treatment Interaction Research

Clinical researchers for years have recognized the need for psychotherapy research that considers the interaction between patient variables and treatment interventions. One of the major impediments to this research effort is the lack of a comprehensive personality taxonomy that can be systematically used to define and organize trait variables. The five-factor model of personality has recently emerged as a comprehensive yet parsimonious representation of trait descriptors. The five-factor model can be used in aptitude-treatment interaction research as a conceptual reference point by which various constructs are defined and differentiated. Further, the five-factor model itself can be used to assess theoretically relevant aptitude variables that may differentially respond to divergent treatments. The specific applications of the five-factor model in aptitude-treatment interaction research are presented. Seit vielen Jahren haben klinische Forscher die Notwendigkeit anerkannt, im Rahmen von Psychotherapieforsc...
Measurement of the static dielectric constant of the InSb lattice via gyrotropic sphere resonances

Abstract By application of the recent solution to the interaction of an electromagnetic plane wave with a sphere of finite conductivity in a d.c. magnetic field, the resonance field positions of various microwave resonances have been utilized to provide a direct and accurate determination of the dielectric constant and carrier concentration in InSb. A value of 16.8 ± 0.2 is reported for the static dielectric constant of the InSb lattice.
Exploring molecular mechanisms of ligand recognition by opioid receptors with metadynamics.

Opioid receptors are G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) of utmost significance in the development of potent analgesic drugs for the treatment of severe pain. An accurate evaluation at the molecular level of the ligand binding pathways into these receptors may play a key role in the design of new molecules with more desirable properties and reduced side effects. The recent characterization of high-resolution X-ray crystal structures of non-rhodopsin GPCRs for diffusible hormones and neurotransmitters presents an unprecedented opportunity to build improved homology models of opioid receptors, and to study in more detail their molecular mechanisms of ligand recognition. In this study, possible pathways for entry of the nonselective antagonist naloxone (NLX) from the water environment into the well-accepted alkaloid binding pocket of a delta opioid receptor (DOR) molecular model based on the β2-adrenergic receptor crystal structure are explored using microsecond-scale well-tempered metadynamics simulations. ...
Encopresis: Its treatment and relation to nocturnal enuresis

A treatment procedure for the elimination of encopresis is described which involved (a) Full Cleanliness Training (FCT), (b) regular pant-checks and toileting, and (c) reinforcement for appropriate toileting behavior. Soiling was effectively eliminated in each of three children treated. Two of the subjects also exhibited nocturnal enuresis which was shown to be functionally independent of soiling in the present study. The use of a verbal statement that specifies the contingent relationship between FCT and fecal incontinence is recommended for future programs as a means of facilitating the training functions that FCT was designed to achieve.
Potential role of mantle-derived fluids in weakening the San Andreas Fault

[1] On the basis of both geomechanical and thermal data, the San Andreas Fault (SAF) has been interpreted to act as a weak plane within much stronger crust, allowing it to slip at very low shear stresses. One explanation for this weakness is that large fluid overpressures exist locally within the fault zone. However, mechanisms for generating, maintaining, and localizing pressures within the fault are poorly quantified. Here we evaluate whether realistic sources of mantle-derived fluids, proposed on the basis of high mantle helium signatures near the SAF, can generate localized fluid pressures within the fault zone in a manner consistent with a wide range of observations along the fault and in the San Andreas Fault Observatory at Depth borehole. We first calculate a reasonable estimate of the magnitude and location of a mantle-derived flux of water into the crust. This fluid flux results from dehydration of a serpentinized mantle wedge following the northward migration of the Mendocino Triple Junction and the transition from subduction to strike-slip tectonics. We then evaluate the potential effect of this water on fluid pressures within the crust using 2-D cross-sectional models of coupled fluid flow and heat transport. We show that in models with realistic permeability anisotropy, controlled by NE dipping faults and fractures within the country rock, large localized fluid pressures can be focused within a SAF acting as a hydrologic barrier. Our results illustrate a simple and potentially plausible means of weakening the SAF in a manner generally consistent with available hydrologic, thermal, and mechanical constraints.
Photodeposition of Diffraction Gratings in Glass: A Comparison of Lithographic, Laser Writing and Holographic Deposition

High-resolution holographic gratings with line spacings ranging from 8 to 50 μm have been achieved by 488 nm photolysis of porous glasses impregnated with Fe(CO)5. The interference pattern created with a Mach-Zehnder interferometer and Ar+ laser creates a pattern of well-resolved, parallel regions possessing a refractive index and optical density different from those of the bulk glass. Line spacings were calculated from the diffraction of a He-Ne laser and corroborated by optical microscopy. Comparing the optical performance of gratings prepared holographically with those produced by direct laser writing or photolithography establishes significant improvements in the uniformity of the deposited gratings and optical performance. Thermal consolidation of the porous glass at 1200 °C decreases sample volume and line spacing in direct proportion to the decrease in the dimension perpendicular to the grating lines. Consolidation not only improves optical performance by reducing line spacing, but encapsulates the grating within the glass matrix, thereby creating a grating that is unaffected by high laser powers, insensitive to UV excitation, and stable under a variety of environmental and chemical conditions.
Renal duplex doppler ultrasonography: A noninvasive predictor of kidney dysfunction and hepatorenal failure in liver disease

Hepatorenal failure, a well-recognized complication of established liver disease, is characterized by early renal hemodynamic changes (vasoconstriction) before clinically recognized kidney disease. This renal vasoconstriction (increased renal vascular resistance) should be detectable noninvasively by Doppler ultrasonography. We studied whether renal Doppler ultrasonography detects abnormalities in patients with nonazotemic liver disease and its prognostic value for subsequent kidney status. We observed by renal Doppler ultrasonography 180 patients who had liver disease without azotemia. A simple parameter, resistive index, was derived for each subject on the basis of Doppler waveform analysis. Traditional parameters used to assess patients with liver disease were also recorded at the time of Doppler ultrasonography. Subsequent kidney outcomes were kidney dysfunction (doubling of initial creatinine level to 1.5 mg/dl [133 mumol/L]) or more and the presence or absence of the hepatorenal syndrome. Abnormal results of Doppler examinations (elevated resistive index) were seen in 76 (42%) of the 180 patients. Kidney dysfunction developed in 55% (42/76) of the patients with an elevated resistive index and 6% (6/104) of those with normal results of Doppler study (p < 0.00005). Hepatorenal syndrome developed in 26% (20/76) of subjects with an elevated resistive index and 1% (1/104) of those with a normal resistive index (p < 0.00005). Cox regression analysis identified resistive index as a significant independent predictor of subsequent hepatorenal syndrome (p < 0.00005) and kidney dysfunction (p < 0.00005). Renal duplex Doppler ultrasonography can noninvasively identify a subgroup of nonazotemic patients with liver disease that is at significantly higher risk for subsequent development of kidney dysfunction and the hepatorenal syndrome.
Transport of solutes through unsaturated fractured media

Abstract A numerical model is presented to represent the transport of solutes through a highly fractured, unsaturated, porous medium. To accomplish this, the solute is tracked separately in two flow systems, a matrix pore flow system and a fracture network, with interaction terms. Compatible hydraulic equations for such a dual system are also presented to enable solution of the solute transport. The hydraulic equations chosen use the equivalent porous media concept. These equations can also be applied to a saturated medium without modification; however, many of the transport terms will be negligible for such an application. A brief sample calculation illustrates the method.
Nine to Five: Skepticism of Women’s Employment and Ethical Reasoning

Previous work suggests that gender attitudes are associated with different individual and organizational factors. At the same time, ethics research suggests that many of these same variables can influence ethical reasoning in companies. In this study, we sought to combine these streams of research to investigate whether individual skepticism of women’s employment is related to ethical reasoning in a gender-based ethical situation. The results of the hierarchical regression analysis indicated that skepticism of women’s employment was negatively related to the recognition that the gender-based dilemma involved an ethical problem, and that skepticism was also negatively related to judgments that the situation was unethical. These findings imply that companies should advance policies that increase tolerance for women’s employment, such as diversity training codes of conduct, and ethics training.
Bacteriophages and Endotoxin in Licensed Live-Virus Vaccines

In confirmation of recent reports, coliphages were found in seven of 19 unselected samples of the currently licensed live-virus vaccines. Coliphages and pseudomonas phage were found in 11 and 14, respectively, of the 20 bovine sera commonly used in the cell culture phase of virus vaccine production. The same lots of vaccine and serum were examined by the limulus assay for endotoxin, another product of bacterial contamination. Eighteen of 20 sera had detectable endotoxin-like activity. Our preliminary results suggest that endotoxin activity may serve as a sensitive indicator of residual products of previous bacterial contamination, including bacteriophages.
Screened Anderson model.

The occupation number ({ital n}{sub {ital f}}) of the impurity orbital ({ital f}) in the Anderson model is calculated as a function of the orbital energy ({var epsilon}{sub {ital f}}), taking into account finite values for the Coulomb interactions between the impurity and the conduction electrons ({ital G}) and between two electrons inside of the localized orbital ({ital U}). For small values of {ital G}, the transitions {ital f}{sup 2}{r arrow}{ital f}{sup 1}{r arrow}{ital f}{sup 0} occur, with a step at {ital n}{sub {ital f}}=1. By increasing {ital G} this step vanishes, with a direct transition {ital f}{sup 2}{r arrow}{ital f}{sup 0}, which is a typical result of an effective {ital U}{lt}0.
Application of a prediction rule to discriminate between aseptic and bacterial meningitis in adults.

AbstractIntroduction: Differentiating between aseptic and bacterial meningitis presents a difficult diagnostic challenge. Accurately ruling out bacterial meningitis may reduce unnecessary hospitalization, patient morbidity, and utilization of resources. This study applies a prediction rule previously developed in the pediatric population to an adult cohort. Methods: We performed a retrospective chart review of all patients admitted to an urban community hospital in the United States between 1994 and 2007. Results: One hundred eleven patients met the inclusion criteria. Twenty-two (20%) had bacterial meningitis and 89 (80%) had aseptic meningitis. The prediction rule generated a negative predictive value of 100% and a sensitivity of 100%, successfully ruling out all patients with aseptic meningitis. Conclusions: The prediction rule, previously validated in a pediatric population, was accurate in ruling out bacterial meningitis in an adult cohort. Prospective validation in an adult population is warranted.
Ironstone pods in the Archean Barberton greenstone belt, South Africa: Earth's oldest seafloor hydrothermal vents reinterpreted as Quaternary subaerial springs

Bodies of iron oxide to 200 m across in the 3.5–3.2 Ga Barberton greenstone belt, South Africa, have been interpreted as deposits of Archean seafloor hydrothermal vents and have provided what are arguably key observations about surface environments on early Earth. These bodies, termed “ironstone pods,” have yielded what are putatively the oldest-known complex organic compounds and have been used to estimate Archean surface temperature, ocean depth and volume, and seawater composition and to deduce relationships between hydrothermal activity and seafloor sedimentation. However, the pods are composed largely of goethite (a thermally unstable hydrated iron oxide mineral), show abundant still-open primary porosity, are undeformed in a terrane of highly deformed rocks, and show bedding and cavity-filling dripstone indicating formation with their present orientation. They are here interpreted to have formed as spring and shallow subsurface deposits of young (Quaternary) groundwater and/or low-temperature hydrothermal systems. Iron was derived by the dissolution of siderite in surrounding Archean sedimentary rocks. Along pod margins, goethite locally replaces Archean chert and silicified ultramafic rock. However, coarse vein and cavity-fill quartz was less susceptible to replacement and remains as disrupted masses and rare remnant veins in the ironstone. This quartz is of Archean age but contains no more information about the Archean surface environment than other late hydrothermal veins throughout the Barberton greenstone belt rocks. The presence of a well-preserved modern iron oxide spring terrace confirms that these are deposits of young subaerial springs and contain no record of Archean life or environments. They do, however, provide a unique view of a remarkable young iron-depositing hydrologic system.
Teaching Regressions with a Lagged Dependent Variable and Autocorrelated Disturbances

The author attempts to rectify the unsatisfactory textbook treatment of the finite-sample properties of estimators of regression models with a lagged dependent variable and autocorrelated disturbances. He contends that the bias of the OLS estimator of a regression model with a lagged dependent variable and autocorrelated disturbances is determined by two effects, the dynamic effect and the correlation effect, which may be reinforcing or offsetting. The implications of these two effects are explored within a theoretical and a Monte Carlo framework.
The system Ag-Sb-S from 600°C to 200°C

The system Ag-Sb-S was studied between 600°C and 200°C in evacuated silica glass tubes. Results from lower temperature runs require shifts in the stable tie-line configuration found by Barstad at 400°C. It is proposed that the configuration changes near 300°C, and that at 200°C the equilibrium assemblages correspond to those usually reported for minerals in ores. Most of the minerals of the system were synthesized. In addition, the synthetic phase Ag7SbS6 (antimony analogue of the arsenic mineral billingsleyite) is characterized, and the ease of its synthesis in the composition area bounded by argentite-pyrargyrite-sulfur suggests the probable existence of a mineral of this composition. The relatively common mineral stephanite (Ag5SbS4) was not formed as a synthetic product in the temperature range of this study. Combined DTA and X-ray data show that at 197±5°C stephanite decomposes in the absence of sulfur to form pyrargyrite plus argentite, whereas with excess sulfur the products are Sb-billingsleyite plus pyrargyrite. Pyrostilpnite (Ag3SbS3), the low temperature dimorph of pyrargyrite, is unstable above 192±5°C.
Tribology in Cold Metal Forming

The tribological aspects of cold metal forming processes is reviewed. Special attention is paid to rolling and stamping operations as these are typical of bulk forming and sheet forming processes, respectively, and are the most important commercial processes. It is shown that a better understanding of tribological fundamentals, as applied to cold metal forming, can result in better lubrication systems and process models.
Low-level radium retention by the human body: a modification of the ICRP publication 20 retention equation

Recently published rates of elimination of radium (in percentage of contemporary body content per year) demonstrated that human radium cases with low body contents lost radium more rapidly than predicted by the ICRP Publication 20 retention equation. In ICRP Publication 20, the apposition and resorption rate in compact bone is defined as 2.5% y-1, but in the derivation of the retention equation for radium a value of only 1.5% y-1 was used. In the present work, the retention equation was reevaluated by using the rate of 2.5% y-1. The revised equation was a good fit to the data for measured values of the body content of radium from environmental levels of radium in food and water. The equation also described the observed rate of loss of radium at long times after deposition for radium cases with low measured body burdens.
Knowledge Acquisition under Uncertainty- a Rough Set Approach

The paper describes knowledge acquisition under uncertainty using rough set theory, a concept introduced by Z. Pawlak in 1981. A collection of rules is acquired, on the basis of information stored in a data base-like system, called an information system. Uncertainty implies inconsistencies, which are taken into account, so that the produced rules are categorized into certain and possible with the help of rough set theory. The approach presented belongs to the class of methods of learning from examples. The taxonomy of all possible expert classifications, based on rough set theory, is also established. It is shown that some classifications are theoretically (and, therefore, in practice) forbidden.
The Arabidopsis SKU5 Gene Encodes an Extracellular Glycosyl Phosphatidylinositol–Anchored Glycoprotein Involved in Directional Root Growth

To investigate how roots respond to directional cues, we characterized a T-DNA-tagged Arabidopsis mutant named sku5 in which the roots skewed and looped away from the normal downward direction of growth on inclined agar surfaces. sku5 roots and etiolated hypocotyls were slightly shorter than normal and exhibited a counterclockwise (left-handed) axial rotation bias. The surface-dependent skewing phenotype disappeared when the roots penetrated the agar surface, but the axial rotation defect persisted, revealing that these two directional growth processes are separable. The SKU5 gene belongs to a 19-member gene family designated SKS (SKU5 Similar) that is related structurally to the multiple-copper oxidases ascorbate oxidase and laccase. However, the SKS proteins lack several of the conserved copper binding motifs characteristic of copper oxidases, and no enzymatic function could be assigned to the SKU5 protein. Analysis of plants expressing SKU5 reporter constructs and protein gel blot analysis showed that SKU5 was expressed most strongly in expanding tissues. SKU5 was glycosylated and modified by glycosyl phosphatidylinositol and localized to both the plasma membrane and the cell wall. Our observations suggest that SKU5 affects two directional growth processes, possibly by participating in cell wall expansion.
Drug deaths in St. Louis City and County: a brief survey, 1977-1979.

The vast majority of drug deaths in St. Louis City and County through 1977-1979 were of adults who ingested multiple drugs with suicidal intent. In this 3-year survey, seven deaths were due to accidental overdose of ethanol, seven to "over-the-counter" products or laboratory reagents, eight from "classic poisons," and only eight to drug abuse. The remaining 117 deaths (80%) resulted from ingestion of legally obtained prescription drugs. Sixty-two percent of all deaths were due to multiple drug administration. Only one child was fatally poisoned. Barbiturates, benzodiazepines, ethanol, propoxyphene, and tricyclic antidepressants were the most common agents encountered. Language: en