cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Ultraconvergence of the patch recovery technique II

The ultraconvergence property of a gradient recovery technique proposed by Zienkiewicz and Zhu is analyzed for the Laplace equation in the two dimensional setting. Under the assumption that the pollution effect is not present or is properly controlled, it is shown that the convergence rate of the recovered gradient at an interior node is two orders higher than the optimal global convergence rate when even-order finite element spaces and local uniform rectangular meshes are used.
‘The tribunals of Christ and of man’: law and the making of martyrs in early modern England

The drama of martyrdom places emphasis on the moment of death, but equally important is the judicial interrogation or trial that precedes the martyr’s final, living moment on earth. In the case of ...
Molybdenum(VI) complexes of branched ligands with [N,O,O,O] and [O,O,O] donor sets. The crystal and molecular structures of [MoO2{HOC2H4N(C2H4)O2}], [(n-C4H9)4N]2[Mo2O4{(O2NCCH2O)3}2]·202NC(CH2OH)3, [(n-C4H9)4N][Mo2O5{(HO2CCH2N)(CH2CO2)2}2]·H2O and [n-C4H9)4N][Mo3O6(OCH3{(CH3OCH2O)3}2]

Abstract Reactions in methanol of [TBA]2[Mo2O7] with the appropriate branched polyhydroxylic and polycarboxylic ligands yielded the complexes [MoO2{(HOC2H4N(C2H4O)2}] (3), [TBA]2[Mo2O4{(O2NC(CH2O)3}2]·2O2NC(CH2OH)3 (4), [TBA]2[Mo2O5{(HO2CCH2N(CH2CO2)2}2]·H2O (5) and [TBA][Mo3O6(OCH3){(CH3CCH2O)3}2] (6) [where TBA = (n-C4H9)4N]. The deprotonation of 3 yields [Et3NH][MoO2{(N(C2H)4O)3}] (3a), while 4 was found to aggregate with additional molybdate to give [TBA][Mo3O6(OCH3){(O2NCCH2O)3}2] (4a) and [MO4O8,(OCH3)2{(O2NCCH2O)3}2] (4b). The structural interrelationship of this series of polymolybdate coordination compounds is discussed in terms of simple aggregation processes. Crystal data: 3, monoclinic P21/n, a = 10.688(2), b = 7.559(3), c = 11.386(7) β,A = 99.62(1)°, V = 905.2(5) A3, Z = 4,Dcalc, = 2.02 g cm−3; 1786 reflections, R = 0.0406. 4, triclinic P 1 , a = 10.965(2), b = 11.850(3), c = 13.247(3) A, α= 84.72(1), β = 89.52(2), γ = 66.95(2)°, V = 1576.4(7) A3, Z = 1, Dcalc = 1.40 g cm−3; 4718 reflections, R = 0.0389. 5, monoclinic P21, a = 10.735(2), b = 13.404(6), c = 19.257(6) A, β = 90.61(2)°,V = 2770.9(16) A 3, Z = 2, Dcalc = 1.36 g cm−3; 3212 reflections, R = 0.0380. 6, monoclinic P21/n, a = 10.908(2), b = 25.674(5), c = 13.059(2) A, β= 96.35(2)°, V = 3635.6(12) A3, Z = 4, Dcalc = 1.62 g cm−3; 3143 reflections, R = 0.0490.
Polyunsaturated fatty acids influence neonatal monocyte survival.

The n-3 and n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) are essential dietary constituents. They are potent modulators of the human immune response, and research has endeavoured to optimise the ratio of n-3 to n-6 fatty acids in the lipid emulsion component of total parenteral nutrition to harness their beneficial effects in the clinical setting. PUFAs modulate apoptosis of certain tumour cells and cell lines. Monocytes, which are major effector cells of the innate immune system, play a central role in the initiation, development, and outcome of the immune response. They are crucial in the defence against invading pathogens and are involved in the lysis of infected or malignant cells, wound healing, repair, and remodelling of tissues. In the present study we investigated whether PUFAs might evoke apoptosis in newborn monocytes. Purified cord-blood monocytes collected from uncomplicated full-term pregnancies were incubated for 24 h in complete medium in the presence or absence of one of the n-3 PUFAs docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic (EPA) or the n-6 PUFA arachidonic acid (AA). Following incubation, cells were triple-labelled with annexin V, CD14, and propidium iodide prior to flow-cytometric analysis to determine the degree of cell death. All experiments were performed in triplicate and data expressed as mean ± 1 S.D. (%). In the absence of fatty acids, 30 ± 4% of control cord monocytes underwent apoptosis or necrosis after 24 h incubation. At a concentration of 50 μM, none of the PUFAs had a significant effect on monocyte cell death, but at a dose of 100 μM, DHA resulted in 60 ± 4% cell death (P < 0.05) while the other PUFAs had no significant effect. In contrast, at higher concentrations (200 uM), all the PUFAs significantly increased monocyte cell death (AA: 70 ± 5%, DHA: 86 ± 2%, EPA: 70 ± 4%). PUFAs thus exert a potent influence on cord monocyte cell survival in vitro. Their effect is dose-dependent and DHA appears to be the most potent of the fatty acids tested. The influence of PUFAs on neonatal monocyte-cell survival suggests a novel mechanism whereby PUFAs may modulate the immune response.
Detritus processing and mineral cycling in seagrass (Zostera) litter in an Oregon salt marsh

Abstract In estuaries where seagrass beds adjoin marshes, the import and decomposition of seagrass litter in the marsh provide a mechanism for retaining nutrients within the wetlands and preventing loss to adjacent oceanic waters. Several aspects of the influence of seagrass litter on an Oregon salt marsh were studied. The quantity of Zostera litter in the marsh vegetation depended on elevation and on the marsh-plant canopy structure. Litter decomposition was most complete in the seagrass bed and in the highest marsh area. At intermediate elevations decomposition was very low after 40% of the material was degraded. The respiration rates of dead-plant communities (DPC s) and the release rates of dissolved organic carbon into the tidal waters depended on the location of the DPC in the marsh. Seagrass litter contributed between 14 and 31% as much dead material to the total litter in the marsh as did the marsh plants. Decomposition of this litter could release 6–8% of the nitrogen required for the growth of the marsh plants.
Some characteristics of hypothesis sampling in concent identification

Two studies were conducted in which Ss solved a concept-identification problem whose solution was a hypothesis (H) recently tried, but which had been incorrect when it was tried. In both experiments, the difficulty of the final problem was linearly related to the recency with which the solution H had previously been sampled. When the solution was an H that S had not as yet tried, problem difficulty was approximately the same as when the solution was the H three back from the start of the final problem. Analysis of the H-sampling data revealed that Ss made only partial use of information from previous stimuli when choosing a new H to test. A tentative model of H sampling is presented which takes account of these and other data on use of memory while solving concept-identification problems.
Sample Preparation Techniques in Analytical Chemistry. Somenath Mitra, editor. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley-Interscience, 2003, 476 pp., $89.95, hardcover. ISBN 0-471-32845-6.

This book attempts the formidable task of covering the wide range of sample preparation techniques used in analytical chemistry. The book is divided into three major sections: ( a ) extraction and enrichment in sample preparation; ( b ) sample preparation for nucleic acid analysis; and ( c ) sample preparation in microscopy and spectroscopy. The first section, divided into four chapters, covers extraction of semivolatile and volatile organics from liquids and solids and sample preparation for metals analysis. After a solid discussion of the theoretical basis for extractions, the chapters on organics discuss a wide variety of approaches, from classic liquid–liquid and soxhlet extractions …
Interferon-β and adhesion molecules (E-selectin and s-intracellular adhesion molecule-1) are detected in sera from patients with retinal vasculitis and are induced in retinal vascular endothelial cells by Toll-like receptor 3 signalling

Retinal vasculitis is a major component of ocular inflammation that plays a role in retinal tissue damage in patients with idiopathic uveitis and Behcet's disease. Here we show that type 1 interferons (IFN alpha/beta) were not detected in sera from normal individuals but were identified in up to 46% of the sera from retinal vasculitis patients. The predominant form of IFN observed was IFN-beta, which was detected in 39% of Behcet's disease patients and 47% of idiopathic uveitis patients. Seven patients whose sera contained IFN-beta were monitored prospectively. IFN-beta was shown to be present for 6-12 months in all seven of the sera samples tested. Furthermore, the adhesion molecule profile identified in this study was strikingly different when Behcet's and uveitis patient sera were compared to sera from normal controls. Sera from Behcet's disease patients contained significantly elevated levels of the soluble adhesion molecules, sE-selectin and s-intracellular adhesion molecule-1 (sICAM-1), whereas sera from patients with idiopathic uveitis contained significantly increased sE-selectin. In vitro studies evaluating the cell source of these cytokines revealed that polyriboinosinic polyribocytidylic acid (poly I:C) activated retinal vascular endothelial cells produce sE-selectin, sICAM-1 and IFN-beta. Production of these molecules was inhibited by pretreatment with anti-Toll-like receptor 3 (TLR-3) antibody. In conclusion, IFN-beta, sE-selectin and sICAM-1 are elevated in patients with retinal vasculitis and are induced in retinal vascular endothelial cells in vitro by activating the innate immune system through TLR-3. Further analysis of innate immune signalling may prove to be a novel target for future studies on pathogenic mechanisms and therapeutic approaches in retinal vasculitis.
The sex chromosome that refused to die.

Chromosomes that harbor dominant sex determination loci are predicted to erode over time—losing genes, accumulating transposable elements, degenerating into a functional wasteland and ultimately becoming extinct. The Drosophila melanogaster Y chromosome is fairly far along this path to oblivion. The few genes on largely heterochromatic Y chromosome are required for spermatocyte-specific functions, but have no role in other tissues. Surprisingly, a recent paper shows that divergent Y chromosomes can substantially influence gene expression throughout the D. melanogaster genome.1 These results show that variation on Y has an important influence on the deployment of the genome. BioEssays 30:409–411, 2008. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
The diagnosis of late life hypogonadism.

The diagnosis of late life hypogonadism is controversial. For the purposes of discussion, it is suggested that treatment of late life hypogonodism requires the presence of symptoms, a low level of circulating free or bioavailable testosterone level and a positive response to treatment. While this may appear to be a radical proposal, we believe it represents the most rigorous scientific approach to the diagnosis of late life hypogonadism at the present time.
Market Efficiency versus Behavioral Finance

Two prominent economists—one the author of A Random Walk Down Wall Street and the other a leading scholar in behavioral finance—debate the current validity of the efficient markets hypothesis (EMH). For over 30 years, the idea that capital markets are efficient and that stock prices reflect all publicly available information dominated academic thinking. But the bubble of the late 1990s and recent advances in behavioral finance have forced a re-thinking. Behavioralists argue that markets are at least “weakly” predictable. They also point to evidence that small investors —typically day traders—consistently lose money as a result of “loss aversion,”“overconfidence,” and other behaviors that are not part of the focus of EMH (though, as Malkiel notes, there is room for irrational investors in an EMH world provided there are enough rational investors to counteract and correct them). Proponents of EMH, of course, argue that neither individual investors nor active fund managers reliably outperform markets, so there is no point paying for active management. Yet these seemingly disparate views lead to important areas of common ground. In particular, both camps agree that individual investors should stick to broad-based, low-cost index funds. And retirement accounts—either 401Ks or social security accounts—should have limited investment selections in order to minimize the possibility that behavioral problems lead to investor mismanagement.
Kinetic study of collagen fixation with polyepoxy fixatives

A new biomaterial has been developed by fixing native collagen with a polyepoxy compound (PC) fixative. In this study, bovine internal thoracic arteries were fixed with PC under various conditions to help understand the kinetics of the collagen–PC reactions and optimize the fixation process. At predetermined time intervals, small samples were cut from the arteries to determine the quantities of the remaining unreacted amino acids in the collagen. Temperature, concentration, and solution pH were among the key parameters studied. The overall fixation rate was found to be reaction-rate controlled, as the rate of fixation was relatively slow compared with the rate of diffusion of PC. As might be expected, the reaction rate was favored by a higher temperature, concentration, and solution pH. A kinetic model, with a 2.5th reaction order with respect to the reactive functional groups of collagen and a first order with respect to PC, was developed that gave a good fit to the experimental data. Based on this model, the degree of fixation, X, as a function of time, t, is given by (1 – X)−1.5 = 1 + Kt, where K is a constant related to the intial concentrations and the reaction rate constant. © 1993 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Anomalous left coronary artery from the right pulmonary artery with aortic fusion.

CLINICAL SUMMARY A 3-month-old male infant was referred for elective repair of tetralogy of Fallot (TOF) with pulmonary stenosis. Echocardiography was consistent with a clinical picture of a ‘‘pink’’ TOF with normal coronaries. A total subannular repair of TOF with pulmonary stenosis was performed on cardiopulmonary bypass. During weaning, high left atrial pressures were noted with depressed left ventricular function. A transesophageal echocardiogram demonstrated satisfactory anatomic repair. Coronary anatomy was specifically examined. The left coronary artery appeared to originate from the left coronary sinus by both echocardiography and direct inspection. The patient was placed on extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO). Catheterization on ECMO the next day demonstrated an anomalous left main coronary artery (LMCA) arising from the RPA (Figure 1). At reoperation, careful dissection of the LMCA confirmed its origin from the RPA very close to the aorta. The ostium of the LMCAwas excised as a button, but the vessel 3 or 4 mm distally could not be separated from the aortic wall to which it was fused. No intramural segment could be detected through an aortic incision and by probing the coronary artery. The short length of the coronary artery between the RPA and the point of fusion to the aorta did not allow direct transfer of the coronary button without risk of kinking. Thus, it was sutured to the lateral edge of an opening made in the ascending aorta with pericardium used to roof the opening (Figure 1). A femoral vein homograft segment was interposed between the distal pulmonary
The mechanical response of the active human triceps brachii muscle to very rapid stretch and shortening

Abstract Very rapid, small amplitude, ramp-and-hold rotations were imposed on the braced forearms of three normal adult male subjects who were isometrically contracting their elbow extensors. By carefully accounting for inertial and viscoelastic coupling effects in the experimental system it was possible to compute the time course of the muscle-moment evoked by these mechanical perturbations. The muscle-moment responses, and their dependence on rotation amplitude and direction, as well as tonic contraction level, are described. These responses are also compared to the predictions of a simple muscle model which we have proposed previously on the basis of frequency-response tests. The results indicate that: (a) at a given tonic contraction level, triceps may be stiffer in an isometric state than in an oscillatory steady state, and (b) high frequency fluctuations in the myoelectric activity are very ineffective in generating corresponding muscleforce fluctuations.
Formation of metallic LiH

It is calculated that a metallic form of LiH will occur at a pressure of 1.1 Mbar, with a molar volume of 5.0 cm3 mole−1.
Intraosseous hibernoma: a potential mimic of metastatic carcinoma

Intraosseous hibernoma is a rare benign bone tumor, with only 3 cases reported in English literature. In this report, we describe a 50-year-old woman with a history of stage IIB breast cancer and posterolateral right hip pain. Imaging studies showed a sclerotic lesion in the right ilium, which was biopsied and showed mildly thickened bone trabeculae and multivacuolated brown fat cells replacing the normal white fat and hematopoietic elements, diagnostic of intraosseous hibernoma.
Multiple Input, Multiple Output Production Choices and Technology in the U.S. Wheat Region

Duality theory motivates a translog expected profit function consistent with multiple products, price uncertainty, preseason climate constraints, acreage control policies, and possibly nonhomothetic technology. Although multiple outputs are allowed, enterprise specific data is not necessary. Instead, time-series measures of output revenues and expected prices, input expenses and prices, and fixed input flows are employed. Appropriate measures of elasticities of choice, returns to size, and biases in technological change are derived. Results indicated decreasing returns to size, rather limited, though complementary, responsiveness of choices to price changes, and the nature of biases in technological changes.
The roles of predictions in science and religion

The usefulness of predictions within scientific contexts has long been recognized, though their precise status has been open to debate. When discussing astronomical theories, Descartes took a particularly strong position regarding their evidential significance. He suggested, ... we shall know that we have determined these causes correctly only when we see that we can explain in terms of them, not merely the effects we had originally in mind, but also all other phenomena of which we did not previously think. 1 A similarly optimistic spirit was expressed earlier in this century by the logical positivists, who were convinced that the epistemic link between scientific hypotheses and predictions was relatively straightforward. Under the guise of assorted verifiability or falsifiability theses, philosophers from this camp argued that hypotheses could be confirmed or disconfirmed simply by checking on predictive successes or failures. Some who were influenced by this position went so far as to suggest that the capacity to generate predictions by which to check the integrity of hypotheses provides the characteristic mark of scientific rigor. 2
Induction of abnormal fatty acid metabolism and essential fatty acid deficiency in rats by dietary DDT

Abstract Rats maintained on lab chow diet or on an essential fatty acid (EFA)-deficient diet were dosed with 5 or 500 ppm, o,p′ -DDT, 5 ppm p,p′ -DDT, or 100 ppm Kelthane for 30, 60, or 90 days. After 30 days all groups exhibited reduced body weights and increased liver weights, lipid contents of livers were elevated only in the group receiving 500 ppm o,p′ -DDT. No significant difference was found between the incorporations of tritium from T 2 O into liver lipids from groups fed 5 ppm o,p′ -DDT, p,p′ -DDT, 100 ppm Kelthane and control groups. The distribution of o,p′ -DDT among subcellular fractions paralleled the distribution of lipid content. The rates of desaturation and chain elongation of palmitate and desaturation of 20:3ω6 by liver microsomes were decreased significantly in the groups fed o,p′ -DDT. The fatty acid composition of phospholipids from liver microsomes revealed significantly diminished contents of ω6 metabolites, increased ω9 acids, and increased triene/tetraene ratios in the animals fed DDT in lab chow although the intake of linoleate was adequate (2%). Dermatitis of EFA deficiency was likewise observed in the DDT-fed rats. The desaturation and chain elongation of palmitate by normal microsomes in vitro were significantly inhibited by low concentrations of o,p′ -DDT added to the incubation medium.
Selection for the direct and maternal genetic effects for dystocia in Holsteins.

The effects of selection for the direct and maternal components of dystocia were estimated for first, second and later, and all parities. The effect of restricting maternal change to zero and the effect of selection for only the direct component were also examined. Gene flow procedure was used to compute economic weights as 1 and .347 for the direct and maternal effects, respectively. Genetic gain in aggregate genotype was the largest for first parity. For all parities all the gain in the aggregate genotype was accounted for by the direct effects. At the same time, a slight decrease in the genetic maternal effects was observed. For all cases, selection for both traits had almost no loss in aggregate genotype or accuracy compared with when maternal changes were restricted to zero. Total genetic gain and genetic gain for the direct effect of dystocia were greater and accuracy of selection was lower when selection was for the genetic direct effect only versus the index that included both direct and maternal effects. Selection for only the direct effects is not likely to produce any significant change in dystocia as a maternal trait.
Osteolineage cells and regulation of the hematopoietic stem cell

Over the last 10 years, progress has been made in understanding the relationship between hematopoietic stem cells and their microenvironment, or niche. Increased knowledge of the microenvironment and its effects on hematopoiesis and leukemogenesis based on murine models may lead to the identification of relevant new therapeutic targets for leukemia. In particular, the chemokine CCL3 has potential as a mediator of leukemia-induced microenvironmental changes, as it has been found to be increased in human acute myeloid leukemia.
Space Station Freedom attitude determination system utilization of star tracker capabilities

The Space Station Attitude Determination system (ADS) will utilize star trackers with CCD optical sensors and inertial sensor assemblies (ISA) with ring laser gyro (RLG) inertial rotation sensors. The ADS will manipulate star data from the star trackers--star position and magnitude--to autonomously initialize the space station attitude and to provide periodic updates to a Kalman filter during normal operation. This paper describes the functional interfacing between the star trackers and the Attitude Determination Function (ADF)--ADS central processor resident software--that provides for the exchange of data and commands between the star tracker and the ADF. This paper also describes the process whereby the data received from the star tracker is processed for generation of an initial attitude for delivery to the Kalman filter for an attitude update.© (1993) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Effect of pH in glucose infusions on development of thrombophlebitis

Abstract One of the most significant etiological factors in the development of postinfusion phlebitis is the acidity of the infusate. Most currently used intravenous glucose solutions are required to have a pH of 3 to 6 by U.S.P. specification in order to prevent caramelization during the sterilization process. Glucose infusion solutions may be effectively neutralized by the addition of sodium bicarbonate prior to administration. The effectiveness of neutralizing the pH of intravenous fluids in reducing the histological evidence of phlebitis was shown in a control study using both hind legs of 16 dogs. Severe endothelial injury, inflammation of the vein wall, and intraluminal thrombosis may occur when unbuffered solutions are infused for 8-hour periods. These changes are mild, if they occur at all, when buffered fluids are infused. Longer periods of infusion produce more pronounced histological evidence of phlebitis.
TCT-793 Metformin Impairs Endothelialization After Placement of Newer Generation Drug Eluting Stents

Objectives: Metformin impairs endothelialization of drug eluting stents (DES) due to convergent signaling at the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathway. We assessed whether metformin will continue to adversely affect stent endothelialization despite design improvements in newer generation DES. Methods: Rabbit iliac artery stenting with newer generation DES was performed followed by 14 days of either normal chow diet or one with metformin (100 mg/kg/day) added. Scanning electron microscopy was used to assess stent endothelialization after sacrifice. Results: In the metformin-treated group there was significantly less endothelialization compared to the placebo-treated group. Paclitaxel-eluting stents in placebo-treated group had the greatest degree of endothelialization with significantly less in its metformin-treated counterpart and allelimus eluting stent groups. Conclusions: Metformin inhibited stent endothelialization in newer generation DES despite improvements in stent design. By impairing stent endothelialization, metformin may increase the risk for thrombotic complications after newer generation DES placement.
Averting a Sino‐U.S. space race

The United States and China are on the threshold of a space race that could radically influence international security, yet the incentives to cooperate remain woefully limited. Given the stakes involved, both sides should seek to avert, or at least to manage, this looming competition.
Asthma aggravation, combustion, and stagnant air.

BACKGROUND—The relationship between current concentrations of ambient air pollution and adverse health effects is controversial. We report a meteorological index of air stagnation that is associated with daily visits to the emergency department for asthma in two urban areas. METHODS—Data on daily values of a stagnation persistence index and visits to the emergency department for asthma were collected for approximately two years in Spokane, Washington, USA and for 15months in Seattle, Washington, USA. The stagnation persistence index represents the number of hours during the 24 hour day when surface wind speeds are less than the annual hourly median value, an index readily available for most urban areas. Associations between the daily stagnation persistence index and daily emergency department visits for asthma were tested using a generalised additive Poisson regression model. A factor analysis of particulate matter (PM2.5) composition was performed to identify the pollutants associated with increased asthma visits. RESULTS—The relative rate of the association between a visit to the emergency department for asthma and the stagnation persistence index was 1. 12 (95% CI 1.05 to 1.19) in Spokane and 1.21 (95% CI 1.09 to 1.35) in Seattle for an increase of 11 and 10 hours, respectively, of low wind speed in a given day. The stagnation persistence index was only correlated with one set of factor loadings; that cluster included the stagnation persistence index, carbon monoxide, and organic/elemental carbon. CONCLUSION—Increased air stagnation was shown to be a surrogate for accumulation of the products of incomplete combustion, including carbon monoxide and fine particulate levels of organic and elemental carbon, and was more strongly associated with asthma aggravation than any one of the measured pollutants.
Cardiac arrhythmias after subarachnoid hemorrhage: risk factors and impact on outcome.

Objective: Serious cardiac arrhythmias have been described in approximately 5% of patients after subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). The aim of this study was to identify the frequency,
Characterization and analysis of micro-fluidic VCSELs

A parametric study of micro-fluidic photonic crystal vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers is carried out which shows a larger fluid-induced wavelength shift with smaller lattice constant. An effective index model is developed which is consistent with measurements.
WSN13-4: Improving Channel Throughput of WLANs and Ad Hoc Networks Using Explicit Denial of Requests

A new multiple access control scheme for wireless ad hoc networks and WLANs is proposed. This scheme uses explicit denial of channel requests and a busy tone to improve channel throughput. Performance analysis shows significant improvement when the network is under heavy traffic load.
The Influence of Dietary Vitamin A on Atherogenesis in Japanese Quail

Abstract Two experiments were conducted to study the influence of vitamin A on atherosclerosis. In one experiment quail chicks (Coturnix coturnix japonica) were hatched and immediately placed on diets deficient in vitamin A (880 U.S.P. units/kg. of feed), normal in vitamin A (4,400 U.S.P. units/kg. of feed) or excessive in vitamin A (22,000 and 220,000 U.S.P. units/kg. of feed). In a second experiment, mature male quail were placed on the same diets as in the preceding experiment. All experiments were conducted for 10 weeks. At the end of 10 weeks on experimental rations, blood pressure was measured by cannulation of the carotid artery. The results indicate that birds fed low levels of vitamin A had the highest incidence of coronary atherosclerosis and most severe aortic atherosclerosis. It was determined that a minimum of approximately 15,000 U.S.P. units of the vitamin were needed to minimize atherosclerosis in the thoracic aorta in growing quail chicks. Blood pressure was not significantly altered by varying vitamin A in the diet.
The Lifeworld of Youth in the Information Society

Media is now central to how youth form their identities. Media also shapes the cultural background of much of young people’s action and decision making and the institutional framework of social int...
The effect of postoperative beam, implant, and combination radiation therapy on GI and bladder toxicities in female Medicare beneficiaries with stage I uterine cancer.

Abstract Objective The objective of the current study is to determine the risk of late gastrointestinal (GI) and bladder toxicities in women treated for stage I uterine cancer with postoperative beam, implant, or combination radiation. Materials and methods The Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) tumor registry and Medicare claims were used to estimate the risk of developing late GI and bladder toxicities by type of radiation received. Bladder and GI diagnoses were identified 6–60 months after cancer diagnosis. Cox-proportional hazard models were used to estimate risk of any late GI or bladder toxicity due to type of radiation received. Results A total of 3024 women with uterine cancer diagnosed from 1992 to 2005 were identified for analysis with a mean age of 73.9 (standard deviation (SD) ± 6.5). Bladder and GI toxicities occurred most frequently in the combination group, and least frequently in the implant group. After controlling for demographic characteristics, tumor grade, diagnosis year, SEER region, comorbidities, prior GI and bladder diagnosis, and chemotherapy, women receiving implant radiation had a 21% absolute decrease in GI toxicities compared to women receiving combination radiation (hazard ratio (HR) 0.79, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.68–0.92). No differences were observed between those receiving beam and combination radiation in GI (HR 1.01 (0.89–1.14)) and bladder (HR 0.95 (0.80–1.11)) toxicities. Conclusions Older women receiving combined radiation had the highest rates of GI and bladder toxicities, while women receiving implant radiation alone had the lowest rates. When selecting the type of radiation for a patient, these toxicities should be considered. Counseling older women surviving cancer on late toxicities due to radiation must be a priority for physicians caring for them.
Incidence of nausea and vomiting in outpatients undergoing general anesthesia in relation to selection of intraoperative opioid

Abstract Study Objective: To measure the incidence of nausea and vomiting in outpatients in relation to selection of, or withholding of, intraoperative opioid. Design: Prospective, randomized, double-blind control trial. Setting: University general hospital. Patients: 200 unpremedicated ASA status 1 and 11 patients, 8 to 80 years old, undergoing general anesthesia for ambulatory surgery. Intervention: Patients were randomized to four groups, three of which received equipotent doses of different opioids intravenously (IV) during induction of anesthesia. Group 1 received nalbuphine 0.25 mg/kg, Group 2, alfentanil 20 ug/kg; Group 3, fentanyl 2 ug/kg; and Group 4, normal saline. Measurements and Main Results: We evaluated (1) incidence and severity of nausea and vomiting in the postanesthesia care unit (PACU) and over the next 24 hours; (2) time to PACU discharge; (3) need for antiemetic therapy; and (4) need for analgesic rescue in the PACU. The incidences of nausea and vomiting were similar in all groups, as were time to discharge, antiemetic, and nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drug requirements. The highest incidences of nausea and vomiting occurred at 6 hours in all groups (23 % and 9.5%, respectively). Group 1 required lower rescue doses of morphine in the PACU but this result may have been an artifact due to employing the mixed agonist-antagonist opioid, nalbuphine, in this group. Conclusions: Opioid administration at the doses employed during induction of anesthesia does not promote postoperative nausea or vomiting, nor increase length of stay in the PACU.
Rapid Assessment of Contrast Sensitivity with Mobile Touch-screens

The availability of low-cost high-quality touch-screen displays in modern mobile devices has created opportunities for new approaches to routine visual measurements. Here we describe a novel method in which subjects use a finger swipe to indicate the transition from visible to invisible on a grating which is swept in both contrast and frequency. Because a single image can be swiped in about a second, it is practical to use a series of images to zoom in on particular ranges of contrast or frequency, both to increase the accuracy of the measurements and to obtain an estimate of the reliability of the subject. Sensitivities to chromatic and spatio-temporal modulations are easily measured using the same method. We will demonstrate a prototype for Apple Computer's iPad-iPod-iPhone family of devices, implemented using an open-source scripting environment known as QuIP (QUick Image Processing,
Artificial intelligence and expert systems: a technology update

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has entered center stage. In the last several years. AI has gained significant visibility in the business community, public domain, and academia. Expert Systems (ES), the dominant sub-field in the AI arena today, offers extensive commercial, scientific, and military applications. This paper introduces the concepts of AI and its six main divisions or sub-fields, and then focuses on the architecture and development of expert systems. Experience with specific ES applications in the U.S. Navy are discussed, along with practical recommendations for implementing AI technology. >
Magnesium sulfate and neonatal outcomes of preterm neonates

Objective: To determine whether in utero exposure to magnesium sulfate was associated with increased neonatal morbidity and mortality among premature neonates, and secondarily to determine the relationship, if any, between duration of magnesium sulfate exposure and neonatal morbidity and mortality. Methods: We studied 401 neonates at our institution who were born between 23 and 34 weeks' gestation following preterm labor or preterm premature rupture of membranes. The population was stratified by exposure to magnesium sulfate and compared by various neonatal outcome variables. Similarly, the magnesium-exposed population was stratified by duration of exposure and compared for various neonatal outcome variables. Student's t test, χ2 test, Fisher's exact test and logistic regression were used for analysis. Results: A total of 190 neonates were exposed to magnesium sulfate, while 211 neonates were not. The magnesium-exposed neonates were delivered at a significantly lower gestational age compared to the unexpo...
ISOLATION OF MITOCHONDRIAL CYTOCHROME B GENE AND DEVELOPMENT OF A REAL-TIME QUANTITATIVE PCR ASSAY FOR DETECTING NEOPARAMOEBA AESTUARINA

Some Neoparamoeba strains are pathogens of fish and invertebrates and were implicated in lobster mortality in Long Island Sound in recent years. To better understand the dynamics of these pathogens and their potential linkages to the mortality of marine animals, the capability to specifically detect and accurately quantify these parasites in the environment and in affected organisms is essential. Molecular markers such as mitochondrial cytochrome b (cob) can be powerful tools. In this study, we isolated cob from N. aestuarina and developed species-specific primers. Sequence analysis showed that this gene was A/T rich. Variable regions were identified and used to develop a species-specific primer set for real-time quantitative PCR (RTQ-PCR). This primer set was demonstrated to be specific (with no cross-reaction to N. pemaquidensis and other protists) and sensitive (with a detection limit of 1 cell/30 mL). Further, the quantitative capability of the RTQ-PCR system was verified by a strong correlation between the threshold cycle number and the logarithmic-transformed cob copy number used in the amplification. Using the established RTQ-PCR assay, we estimated that each N. aestuarina cell contained approximately 707 ± 63 copies of cob. This assay was applied to Lugol-fixed water samples collected from Long Island Sound during August 2002 to September 2003, which showed no detectable N. aestuarina. The cob primer set developed will be useful for future environmental detection of N. aestuarina and provides a basis from which cob gene probes for other Neoparamoeba and Paramoeba species can be developed.
F4F: taint analysis of framework-based web applications

This paper presents F4F (Framework For Frameworks), a system for effective taint analysis of framework-based web applications. Most modern web applications utilize one or more web frameworks, which provide useful abstractions for common functionality. Due to extensive use of reflective language constructs in framework implementations, existing static taint analyses are often ineffective when applied to framework-based applications. While previous work has included ad hoc support for certain framework constructs, adding support for a large number of frameworks in this manner does not scale from an engineering standpoint.F4F employs an initial analysis pass in which both application code and configuration files are processed to generate a specification of framework-related behaviors. A taint analysis engine can leverage these specifications to perform a much deeper, more precise analysis of framework-based applications. Our specification language has only a small number of simple but powerful constructs, easing analysis engine integration. With this architecture, new frameworks can be handled with no changes to the core analysis engine, yielding significant engineering benefits.We implemented specification generators for several web frameworks and added F4F support to a state-of-the-art taint-analysis engine. In an experimental evaluation, the taint analysis enhanced with F4F discovered 525 new issues across nine benchmarks, a harmonic mean of 2.10X more issues per benchmark. Furthermore, manual inspection of a subset of the new issues showed that many were exploitable or reflected bad security practice.
Seasonal patterns of feeding by natural populations of Keratella, Polyarthra, and Bosmina: Clearance rates, selectivities, and contributions to community grazing1

Seasonal changes in individual clearance rates, selective feeding behavior, and population grazing rates of Keratella cochlearis, Polyarthra vulgaris, Polyarthra dolichoptera, and Bosmina longirostris were investigated in a eutrophic lake using five tracer foods (Aerobacter, Rhodotorula, Chlorella, Chlamydomonas, and Euglena) and by in situ radioisotope techniques. Clearance rates ranged from <O.OOZ to 13 ~1. ind-1 * h- L depending on type of cell and water temperature. Keratella and Bosmina ingested all foods; they preferred Chlamydomonas but differed in their preferences for other species. Polyarthra ingested only Chlamydomonas and Euglena. Significant direct relationships between clearance rates and temperature were found for Keratella, P. vulgaris, and Bosmina feeding on Chlamydomonas and for Keratella feeding on Rhodotorula. The clearance rates of Keratella and Bosmina were inversely related to the concentration of both tracer cells and natural particles (2.5-15-pm ESD). Temperature and food concentrations accounted for 87 and 89% of the seasonal variation in the clearance rates of Keratella and Bosmina. Although there were days and depths when Bosmina or Polyarthra populations dominated community grazing on Chlamydomonas-like cells, Keratella populations accounted for about 80% of the grazing pressure on such cells
Argus II retinal prosthesis malrotation and repositioning with intraoperative optical coherence tomography in a posterior staphyloma.

INTRODUCTION The Argus II retinal prosthesis may improve visual function in patients with severe vision loss from retinitis pigmentosa. Optimal centration of the electrode array over the macula is important to achieve optimal visual results. Argus tack malrotation is a novel entity that may be encountered during placement, especially in patients with posterior staphyloma. METHODS Retrospective case review. RESULTS During tacking of the electronics array a clockwise rotation occurred resulting in malposition. We hypothesize this was secondary to undue rotation or posterior pressure applied during tack insertion in conjunction with placement over a previously unrecognized posterior staphyloma. Intraoperative optical coherence tomography, because of the cross-sectional images provided, was helpful in visualizing the distance between the electronics array and the retina, which was difficult to assess using the surgical microscope alone. Repositioning was achieved by adjusting the tack without removal. The patient experienced an improvement in vision as a result of the surgery. CONCLUSION Malrotation may occur when tacking the Argus II prosthesis, and the presence of a posterior staphyloma may increase this risk. It is important to differentiate malrotation from tack misplacement - the former may be addressed with array unrotation or partial tack withdrawal and the latter may require tack removal and reinsertion. Also, intraoperative optical coherence tomography may be helpful in characterizing electronics array position during surgery.
Crystallization micro-mechanism of near-eutectic amorphous Ni–P

Abstract Complementary characterization techniques are applied to understand the crystallization micro-mechanism of near-eutectic amorphous Ni–P prepared by ELD (electroless deposition). DSC (differential scanning calorimetry) reveals the isothermal crystallization kinetics. XPS (X-ray photoelectron spectrometry) provides core-level electronic signatures of Ni and phosphorus, which reflect the evolution of SRO (short-range order) during crystallization. TEM (transmission electron microscopy) provides high-spatial-resolution information on phase nucleation and spatial distribution of atom species, particularly the crystallography of the nucleating Ni3P and Ni. Generally, the microstructure of crystallizing phases resembles what would be expected for solidification of a eutectic melt. The results confirm earlier observations of barrel-shaped grains, containing radially oriented subgrains with small-angle misorientations. Two preferred Ni3P–Ni orientation relationships are identified, consolidating apparently contradicting observations in the literature. Considering energetic and kinetic constraints, preferred next-neighbor relations, and the “efficient cluster packing” model, we propose a model for the crystallization micro-mechanism that explains the observed microstructure of partially and completely crystallized Ni–P.
Multiple soliton solutions and multiple complex soliton solutions for two distinct Boussinesq equations

We investigate two Boussinesq equations where the fourth-order terms come with minus and plus signs. We show that the Boussinesq equation with minus fourth-order term gives multiple soliton solutions, whereas the model with the plus fourth-order term gives multiple complex soliton solutions. We show that the two models are characterized by real and complex dispersion relations, respectively. Moreover, we derive other solitonic, singular, and periodic solutions for each model.
Distributed algorithms for planar networks II: low-congestion shortcuts, MST, and Min-Cut

This paper introduces the concept of low-congestion shortcuts for (near-)planar networks, and demonstrates their power by using them to obtain near-optimal distributed algorithms for problems such as Minimum Spanning Tree (MST) or Minimum Cut, in planar networks.Consider a graph G = (V, E) and a partitioning of V into subsets of nodes S1, . . ., SN, each inducing a connected subgraph G[Si]. We define an α-congestion shortcut with dilation β to be a set of subgraphs H1, . . ., HN ⊆ G, one for each subset Si, such that1. For each i ∈ [1, N], the diameter of the subgraph G[Si] + Hi is at most β.2. For each edge e ∈ E, the number of subgraphs G[Si] + Hi containing e is at most α.We prove that any partition of a D-diameter planar graph into individually-connected parts admits an O(D log D)-congestion shortcut with dilation O(D log D), and we also present a distributed construction of it in O(D) rounds. We moreover prove these parameters to be near-optimal; i.e., there are instances in which, unavoidably, max{α, β} = Ω(D[EQUATION]).Finally, we use low-congestion shortcuts, and their efficient distributed construction, to derive O(D)-round distributed algorithms for MST and Min-Cut, in planar networks. This complexity nearly matches the trivial lower bound of Ω(D). We remark that this is the first result bypassing the well-known Ω(D + [EQUATION]) existential lower bound of general graphs (see Peleg and Rubinovich [FOCS'99]; Elkin [STOC'04]; and Das Sarma et al. [STOC'11]) in a family of graphs of interest.
A Comparison of Six Protein Quality Assays Using Commercially Available Protein Meals

Abstract The protein quality of 20 commercially available animal by-product meals (9 meat and bone meals, 6 feather meals, 3 fish meals, and 2 hair meals) was evaluated using chick protein efficiency ratio (PER), net protein utilization (NPU), pepsin digestibility, Tetrahymena furgasoni bioassay, dye-binding, and chemical score. The first limiting amino acid(s) in the animal proteins for chick weight gain were the total sulfur amino acids (TSAA) for both meat and bone meal and fish meals; however, methionine was the first limiting amino acid for the keratin proteins, feather, and hair meals. Each protein quality test produced different rankings for the animal proteins; however, the correlation coefficients between PER and NPU, relative nutrient value (RNV), pepsin digestibility, dye-binding, and chemical score were r = .922, .856, .910, .628, and .883, respectively, for the 20 animal proteins. The pepsin digestibility values correlated the highest with the chick growth assays, (PER and (NPU) suggesting the pepsin test may be a quick reliable method to evaluate protein quality in animal by-products.