cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Climate Change, Public Health, and Policy: A California Case Study.

Anthropogenic activity will bring immediate changes and disruptions to the global climate with accompanying health implications. Although policymakers and public health advocates are beginning to acknowledge the health implications of climate change, current policy approaches are lagging behind.We proposed that 4 key policy principles are critical to successful policymaking in this arena: mainstreaming, linking mitigation and adaptation policy, applying population perspectives, and coordination. We explored California’s progress in addressing the public health challenges of climate change in the San Joaquin Valley as an example.We discussed issues of mental health and climate change, and used the San Joaquin Valley of California as an example to explore policy approaches to health issues and climate change. The California experience is instructive for other jurisdictions.
RF wave simulation for cold edge plasmas using the MFEM library

United States. Department of Energy. Office of Fusion Energy Sciences (Award DE-FC02-99ER54512 )
Comparison of Urine 4-(Methylnitrosamino)-1-(3)Pyridyl-1-Butanol and Cotinine for Assessment of Active and Passive Smoke Exposure in Urban Adolescents

Background: Many adolescents are exposed to tobacco smoke, from either active smoking (CS) or secondhand smoke (SHS) exposure. Tobacco-specific biomarkers of exposure include cotinine (detects use in past 2-4 days) and 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanol (NNAL; detects use for a month or longer). NNAL is expected to detect more intermittent tobacco exposure. We compared NNAL and cotinine as biomarkers of exposure to tobacco in urban adolescents and determined the optimal NNAL cutoff point to distinguish CS from SHS exposure.Methods: Surplus urine samples, collected from 466 adolescents attending pediatric well or urgent care visits at Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital in 2013 to 2014, were assayed for cotinine and NNAL.Results: Ninety-four percent of adolescents had measurable levels of NNAL compared with 87% for cotinine. The optimal NNAL cutoff point to distinguish CS from SHS was 9.6 pg/mL by latent class or 14.4 pg/mL by receiver-operating characteristic analysis. Cotinine and NNAL were strongly correlated, but the correlation slopes differed for active versus SHS-exposed adolescents. Among nonsmokers, NNAL levels were significantly higher in African American (median, 3.3 pg/mL) compared with other groups (0.9-1.9 pg/mL), suggesting greater exposure to SHS.Conclusions: Urine NNAL screening finds a large majority (94%) of urban adolescents are exposed to tobacco. African Americans are exposed to higher levels of SHS than other ethnic/racial groups.Impact: SHS is associated with significant medical morbidity in adolescents. Routine biochemical screening with NNAL or cotinine detects high prevalence of SHS exposure and should be considered as a tool to reduce SHS exposure in high-risk populations. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev; 27(3); 254-61. ©2018 AACR.
Smoking and Prostate Cancer–Specific Mortality after Diagnosis in a Large Prospective Cohort

Background: Prior studies of prostate cancer survivors suggest that smoking might be associated with higher prostate cancer-specific mortality (PCSM) after diagnosis with prostate cancer. However, most of these studies were small, and questions remain regarding this association's strength and whether it persists after adjustment for stage and Gleason score.Methods: This analysis included men diagnosed with nonmetastatic prostate cancer between enrollment in the Cancer Prevention Study II Nutrition Cohort in 1992-1993 and June 2013. Cigarette smoking was self-reported at enrollment and updated in 1997 and every 2 years thereafter. Analyses of pre-diagnosis and post-diagnosis smoking included 9,781 and 9,111 prostate cancer cases, respectively, with vital status follow-up through 2014.Results: There were 672 deaths from prostate cancer in analyses of pre-diagnosis smoking and 554 in analyses of post-diagnosis smoking. In multivariable-adjusted Cox proportional hazards regression models including stage and Gleason score, both current smoking before diagnosis [HR = 1.50; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.06-2.13] and current smoking after diagnosis (HR = 1.71; 95% CI, 1.09-2.67) were associated with higher PCSM compared to never smoking. Prostate cancer survivors who quit smoking <20 years before diagnosis were also at significantly higher risk of PCSM (HR = 1.29; 95% CI, 1.04-1.61).Conclusions: This large prospective study suggests that current smoking both before and after diagnosis of prostate cancer is associated with higher PCSM, even after accounting for stage and Gleason score.Impact: Our results provide evidence that smoking is a relevant prognostic factor for prostate cancer patients and that prostate cancer may be among the causes of death attributable to smoking. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev; 27(6); 665-72. ©2018 AACR.
Das Wesen der Symmetrie

In der Vorstellung der meisten Menschen handelt die Mathematik ausschlieslich von Zahlen. Fur sie sind Mathematiker Menschen, die den ganzen Tag rechnen: mit grosen Zahlen und noch groseren Zahlen, alle mit exotischen Bezeichnungen. Ich hatte das auch geglaubt, zumindest bis Jewgeni Jewgenjewitsch mich in die Konzepte und Ideen der modernen Mathematik eingefuhrt hatte. Eines davon erwies sich als der Schlussel fur die Entdeckung der Quarks: das Konzept der Symmetrie.
Sowing methods and mulch affect 1+0 northern red oak seedling quality

The effects of sowing depth, seedling density and mulches on northern red oak seedling survival and growth were evaluated in Wilson State Forest Nursery in southwest Wisconsin, USA. Sowing depths between 2.2 and 6.3 cm, combined with sowing densities of 75 and 150 acorns · m-2, made up five sowing method plots. Mulch treatments of ground corncobs aged 1 year, hardwood sawdust aged 2 years, and no mulch made up 3 subplot treatments. Treatments resulted in a range of densities from 18 to 148 seedlings · m-2. Mulch delayed emergence and increased seedling survival. Increasing sowing depth also delayed emergence. Corncob mulch increased root collar diameter; however, hardwood sawdust, aged for 2 years, decreased both root collar diameter and the number of permanent first-order lateral roots. Increasing sowing depth decreased root dry mass but increased shoot dry mass. Increasing density from 18 to 148 seedlings · m-2decreased root dry mass in this study.
Micromotor Pills as a Dynamic Oral Delivery Platform

Tremendous progress has been made during the past decade toward the design of nano/micromotors with high biocompatibility, multifunctionality, and efficient propulsion in biological fluids, which collectively have led to the initial investigation of in vivo biomedical applications of these synthetic motors. Despite these recent advances in micromotor designs and mechanistic research, significant effort is needed to develop appropriate formulations of micromotors to facilitate their in vivo administration and thus to better test their in vivo applicability. Herein, we present a micromotor pill and demonstrate its attractive use as a platform for in vivo oral delivery of active micromotors. The micromotor pill is comprised of active Mg-based micromotors dispersed uniformly in the pill matrix, containing inactive (lactose/maltose) excipients and other disintegration-aiding (cellulose/starch) additives. Our in vivo studies using a mouse model show that the micromotor pill platform effectively protects and car...
Becoming more holistic: A literature review of nonacademic factors in the admissions process of colleges and schools of pharmacy and other health professions.

Abstract Background The expanding role of pharmacists has influenced admissions committees to consider nonacademic factors other than grade point average (GPA) and test scores and has focused more attention on holistic admissions. Methods Database searches were conducted in PubMed, CINAHL, ERIC, and PsychINFO using keywords, “holistic admissions”, “holistic review”, and “pharmacy admissions” plus “critical thinking skills”, “extracurricular”, “communication skills”, “essay”, or “interview”. Overall, 64 studies were identified, 17 were excluded, and ultimately, 47 were reviewed. Results Holistic admissions is not an industry standard in pharmacy but more so in other health professions. For critical thinking skills, the Health Sciences Reasoning Test (HSRT) was not a good predictor of academic performance even though it was effective in ranking admission applicants. The California Critical Thinking Skills Test (CCTST) however, was a significant predictor for clerkship and practice-related courses. It is unclear whether pharmacy admissions committees are utilizing the Pharmacy College Admissions Test (PCAT) reading and writing scores, the interview, or other measures to evaluate communication skills. The Multiple Mini Interview (MMI) is an effective assessment tool for measuring noncognitive attributes; however, the efficacy of unstructured interviews in evaluating noncognitive skills was less clear. Implications Academic measures alone are not nuanced enough to predict success throughout the entire curriculum. An integration of factors, both academic and nonacademic, would be more relevant to predict success. Critical thinking skills and extracurricular experiences may be more significant for admissions selection and admissions ranking respectively, and more predictive of academic success during didactic and experiential stages of the curriculum respectively.
Is there any diagnostic value of anteroposterior chest radiography in predicting cardiac chamber enlargement

The anteroposterior (AP) portable chest radiograph is routinely performed to evaluate cardiopulmonary status, however heart size can be misrepresented by inherent technical factors. Our aim was to determine diagnostic accuracy of cardiothoracic ratio (CTR) on AP chest radiographs relative to echocardiography, as well as relative to axial computed tomography (CT) and frontal CT scout images in predicting cardiac chamber enlargement. 200 subjects with both chest CT and AP chest radiograph within 1 month were retrospectively identified. Patients with pericardial effusion or obscured heart borders were excluded. 130 of these subjects had also undergone echocardiography. Transverse diameters of the heart and thorax were used to calculate CTRs on AP chest radiograph, scout CT, and axial CT images. A second reader was used to verify measurement accuracy and reproducibility. Statistical analysis of CTRs for AP chest radiograph, CT scout, and axial CT images were calculated using echocardiography as gold standard. AP chest radiographs had higher CTR values than axial and scout CT images (by 0.075, p < 0.001), larger measured heart diameters by approximately 3 cm (p < 0.001), and larger thoracic diameters by approximately 2 cm (p < 0.001). CTRs on AP chest radiographs calculated with a cutoff of 0.50 had sensitivity of 86% and specificity of 32%. Sensitivity and specificity were 61% and 66% respectively when using a cutoff of 0.55, and 34% and 92% respectively when using a cutoff of 0.60. A CTR of 60% is more appropriate than 50–55% when evaluating an AP chest radiograph for cardiac chamber enlargement due to its much higher specificity.
Role of novel imaging in the management of prostate cancer

This review summarizes novel imaging in the management of prostate cancer including multiparametric MRI, PET-CT scans with different radiotracers including 11C-acetate, 11C-choline, 18F-choline, 18F sodium fluoride, prostate-specific membrane antigen, and anti-1-amino-3-[18F] fluorocyclobutane-1-carboxylic acid (fluciclovine).
Feasibility of Using sCO2 Turbines to Balance Load in Power Grids with a High Deployment of Solar Generation

Abstract Solar photovoltaic power generation capacity is growing rapidly, increasing the need for dynamic load balancing when solar production dips. This balancing might be delivered using energy storage and/or advanced power generation cycles, that are compact, dynamic, and highly efficient, such as supercritical carbon dioxide (sCO2) cycles. Here, the load balancing capability of a sCO2 combined cycle plant was compared to open cycle and steam combined cycle gas turbines. A characteristic-based transient model was developed to evaluate the impact of machinery ramp rates, minimum part loads, and cycle efficiencies. High resolution demand and solar irradiance data from the University of Virginia campus, before and after installation of a major solar project, was used to represent low and high levels of solar deployment in the grid. The results suggest that under high deployment of solar power, sCO2 cycles and steam combined cycle systems with ramp rates greater than 5.75%/minute can balance load and provide comparable levelized costs of electricity ($0.057/kWh). Solar curtailment was driven by the minimum part load capabilities. A sCO2 cycle with a minimum part load of 30% was predicted to have a curtailment of 15% in the high solar scenario without a battery, and 4% with a 30 MWh battery.
Impact of total body weight on rate of acute kidney injury in patients treated with piperacillin-tazobactam and vancomycin.

PURPOSE Results of a study to determine whether obesity is associated with acute kidney injury (AKI) among patients receiving combination therapy with piperacillin-tazobactam and vancomycin are reported. METHODS A retrospective, single-center cohort study of patients who received combination therapy for at least 48 hours was conducted using data from the University of Kentucky Center for Clinical and Translational Science's Enterprise Data Trust. Patients with chronic kidney disease, baseline creatinine clearance of less than 30 mL/min, cystic fibrosis, or missing height or weight information were excluded. RESULTS A total of 8,125 patients were included in the cohort. Among the variables evaluated, total body weight of 91 kg or more was the variable most predictive of AKI. Patients with a weight of 91 kg or higher were more likely than lower-weight patients to have diabetes (39% versus 21%, p < 0.00001), hypertension (64% versus 47%, p < 0.00001), and heart failure (15% versus 13%, p = 0.007). The median daily vancomcyin dose was lower in patients with a weight of less than 91 kg (2,000 mg versus 3,000 mg, p < 0.00001); however, weight-based doses were lower in patients weighing 91 kg or more (25.5 mg/kg/day versus 27.9 mg/kg/day, p < 0.00001). AKI was more common in patients weighing 91 kg or more (24% versus 18%, p < 0.00001; adjusted odds ratio, 1.46 [95% confidence interval, 1.28-1.66]). CONCLUSION Increased total body weight increased the rate of AKI among patients concurrently treated with piperacillin-tazobactam and vancomycin independent of clinically important confounders, with an important breakpoint occurring at 91 kg.
ROY confined in hydrogen-bonded frameworks: coercing conformation of a chromophore

5-Methyl-2-[(2-nitrophenyl)amino]-3-thiophenecarbonitrile is a crystalline compound rich in conformational polymorphs largely owing to the flexible torsion angle that leads to distinct colors, earning it the moniker ROY (Red-Orange-Yellow). Guanidinium organosulfonate hydrogen-bonded frameworks form six crystalline inclusion compounds with ROY, described here, in which the framework limits conformational twisting out of plane. Three of the six inclusion compounds enforce greater planarity and π-conjugation than any of nine ROY polymorphs that have been characterized by single crystal X-ray diffraction.
Teaching Virtual and Cross-Cultural Collaborations: Exploring Experiences of Croatia- and U.S.-Based Undergraduate Students:

Two important characteristics of contemporary teamwork are working with colleagues from diverse cultural backgrounds and working in virtual teams. Hence, preparing students to successfully navigate...
Is Conversion TKA a Primary or Revision? Clinical Course and Complication Risks Approximating Revision TKA Rather Than Primary TKA.

Abstract Background Conversion total knee arthroplasty (convTKA) is associated with increased resource utilization and costs compared with primary TKA. The purpose of this study is to compare 1) surgical time, 2) hospitalization length (LOS), 3) complications, 4) infection, and 5) readmissions in patients undergoing convTKA to both primary TKA and revision TKA patients. Methods The American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Project database was queried from 2008 to 2018. Patients undergoing convTKA (n = 1,665, 0.5%) were defined by selecting Current Procedural Terminology codes 27,447 and 20,680. We compared the outcomes of interest to patients undergoing primary TKA (n = 348,624) and to patients undergoing aseptic revision TKA (n = 8213). Univariate and multivariate logistic regression was performed to identify the relative risk of postoperative complications. Results Compared with patients undergoing primary TKA, convTKA patients were younger (P Conclusion Conversion TKA procedures share more similarities with revision TKA rather than primary TKA procedures. Without a distinct procedural and diagnosis-related group, there are financial disincentives to care for these complex patients. Level of Evidence II.
Assessment of C-arm Confidence Among ASRT Graduate Bridge Program Members.

PURPOSE To identify the amount of C-arm preparation or instruction that recent graduates received in their radiography programs before starting clinical rotations and to determine whether completing more rotations increased their confidence in operating C-arm equipment. METHODS Members of the American Society of Radiologic Technologists' Graduate Bridge program who indicated a primary pathway in radiography received an invitation to complete the C-arm confidence survey and self-report their C-arm experiences during clinical education. RESULTS A third of the participants indicated they received preparation or instruction on C-arm equipment before beginning clinical rotations, with the majority of those indicating they had completed a C-arm laboratory. Almost half of the participants indicated that they were assigned to a minimum of 4 surgical rotations during their radiography program; nearly two-thirds indicated that they were not assigned additional clinical experience with C-arm equipment beyond those rotations. DISCUSSION Participants who completed 4 or more surgical rotations during their radiography clinical education reported significantly higher confidence levels regarding operating C-arm equipment compared with those participants who completed 3 surgical rotations (P = .005), 2 surgical rotations (P< .001), or 1 surgical rotation (P< .001). Those participants who completed more C-arm rotations reported significantly higher confidence in operating C-arm equipment than did those who completed only surgical rotations (P< .01). A Pearson correlation coefficient also revealed a significant positive relationship between participants' confidence levels after completing surgical and other C-arm rotations (P< .01). Participants' confidence levels increased after completing surgical rotations and other C-arm rotations such as in pain management and interventional radiography. CONCLUSION Program directors, clinical coordinators, and radiography educators should consider implementing specific instruction on C-arm use and assigning students to more clinical rotations to increase students' confidence in their C-arm skills.
Characteristics of current hospital-sponsored and nonhospital birth centers.

Objectives: (1) To describe contemporary birth centers in terms of the population served, organizational and financial characteristics, services provided, mission and philosophy, and planning and marketing techniques. (2) To compare hospital-sponsored and nonhospital models with regard to the above characteristics. Method: Data from the National Survey of Women's Health Centers conducted in 1994 are analyzed using /-tests and chi-square tests. Results: Contemporary birth centers serve a diverse population of women and provide a range of clinical and nonclinical services. Birth centers are both hospital-sponsored and nonhospital, with the former growing at a faster rate. Compared to hospital-sponsored centers, nonhospital centers serve a larger proportion of uninsured women, provide a broader range of clinical services, and are more committed to women-centered care. Centers utilize different marketing methods and are involved in a number of organizational changes to better position themselves in the changing health care environment. Conclusions: Birth centers offer an attractive option to consumers and are a viable model for delivering women-centered care. Given that all "birth center" facilities do not share the same philosophy and service mix, women need to have some assurance of what a "birth center" will, and will not, provide.
Bounded-Depth Frege Systems with Counting Axioms Polynomially Simulate Nullstellensatz Refutations

We show that bounded-depth Frege systems with counting axioms modulo m polynomially simulate Nullstellensatz refutations modulo m. When combined with a previous result of the authors, this establishes the first size (as opposed to degree) separation between Nullstellensatz and polynomial calculus refutations.
Enzymatic Synthesis of the Peptide in Bacterial Uridine Nucleotides V. Co++-DEPENDENT REVERSAL OF PEPTIDE BOND FORMATION

Abstract An enzyme from Bacillus subtilis which catalyzes the hydrolysis of UDP-MurNAc-pentapeptide to UDP-MurNAc-tripeptide and dalanyl-d-alanine has been purified. Heat-stable cofactors required for the hydrolysis were identified as Co++, ADP, and inorganic phosphate. The purified enzyme also catalyzes the ATP- and Mg++-dependent addition of d-alanyl-d-alanine to UDP-MurNAc-tripeptide, and the two activities were purified together. No synthesis of ATP was observed during hydrolysis in the presence of Co++, ADP, and Pi. The hydrolysis does not appear to be a simple reversal of synthesis. Studies on the mechanism of the hydrolysis are reported. Two other enzymes involved in the synthesis of peptide bonds in UDP-MurNAc-pentapeptide catalyzed hydrolytic reactions under similar conditions.
Income Distribution, Consumer Debt and Keeping up with the Joneses: Distribution, Debt and Keeping up with the Joneses

We extend Kaldor's theory of income distribution to include workers' debt accumulation and their motive to emulate rentiers' consumption. Our results show that (i) the interaction between income distribution and emulation can produce instability; (ii) instability is more likely when the workers' emulation motive is strong and bankers' lending decisions are highly accommodating; and (iii) a plausible assumption on the non-linearity of emulation behavior can generate a limit cycle. Our analysis provides an alternative perspective on the increase in household indebtedness for the decades before the recent crisis and the subsequent deleveraging process.
Mammary carcinoma in the light of new developments

The preceding chapter discussed the developments in general cancerology, especially in the latter half of the last century, so we will now examine the consequences which these advancements had for the diagnosis and nosology of breast cancer.
Classification based on speech rhythm via a temporal alignment of spoken sentences

How much information is contained in the rhythm of speech? Is it possible to tell, just from the rhythm of the speech, whether the speaker is male or female? Is it possible to tell if they are a native or nonnative speaker? This paper provides a new way to address such questions. Traditional investigations into speech rhythm approach the problem by manually annotating the speech, and investigating a preselected collection of features such as the durations of vowels or inter-phoneme timings. This paper presents a method that can automatically align the audio of multiple people when speaking the same sentence. The output of the alignment procedure is a mapping (from the micro-timing of one speaker to that of another) that can be used as a surrogate for speech rhythm. The method is applied to a large online corpus of speakers and shows that it is possible to classify the speakers based on these mappings alone. Several technical aspects are discussed. First, the spectrograms switch between different-length analysis windows (based on whether the speech is voiced or unvoiced) to ameliorate the time-frequency trade-off. These variable window spectrograms are fed into a dynamic time warping algorithm to produce a timing map which represents the speech rhythm. The accuracy of the alignment is evaluated by a technique of transitive validation, and the timing maps are used to form a feature vector for the classification. The method is applied to the online Speech Accent Archive corpus. In the gender discrimination experiments, the proposed method was only about 5% worse than a state-of-the-art classifier based on spectral feature vectors. In the native speaker discrimination task, the speech rhythm was about 15% better than when using spectral information.
Generation of phase-controlled accelerating structures in plasma

A novel mechanism for generating large (>1 GeV/m) accelerating wakes in a plasma is considered. We employ two slightly detuned counter-propagating laser beams, an ultra-short timing pulse and a long pump, which exchange photons and deposit the recoil momentum into the plasma electrons. A rapidly rising electron current is thereby generated, inducing an plasma wake with phase-velocity equal to the group velocity of the short pulse, which can be used for particle acceleration. It turns out that, by modulating the amplitude and frequency of the pump, one can generate periodic phase-controlled accelerating structures in the plasma ("plasma linac"). By the judicious choice of the duration of each segment of the pumping beam acceleration unlimited by the dephasing can be realized. The amount of transverse focusing can be also adjusted. The important advantage of this type of plasma accelerator over the conventional laser wakefield accelerator is that it requires modest laser intensities I/spl Lt/10/sup 18/ W/cm/sup 2/.
Characterization of a Mammalian Peroxiredoxin That Contains One Conserved Cysteine

A new type of peroxidase enzyme, named thioredoxin peroxidase (TPx), that reduces H2O2 with the use of electrons from thioredoxin and contains two essential cysteines was recently identified. TPx homologs, termed peroxiredoxin (Prx), have also been identified and include several proteins, designated 1-Cys Prx, that contain only one conserved cysteine. Recombinant human 1-Cys Prx expressed in and purified from Escherichia coli has now been shown to reduce H2O2 with electrons provided by dithiothreitol. Furthermore, human 1-Cys Prx transiently expressed in NIH 3T3 cells was able to remove intracellular H2O2 generated in response either to the addition of exogenous H2O2 or to treatment with platelet-derived growth factor. The conserved Cys47–SH group was shown to be the site of oxidation by H2O2. Thus, mutation of Cys47 to serine abolished peroxidase activity. Moreover, the oxidized intermediate appears to be Cys–SOH. In contrast to TPx, in which one of the two conserved cysteines is oxidized to Cys–SOH and then immediately reacts with the second conserved cysteine of the second subunit of the enzyme homodimer to form an intermolecular disulfide, the Cys–SOH of 1-Cys Prx does not form a disulfide. Neither thioredoxin, which reduces the disulfide of TPx, nor glutathione, which reduces the Cys–SeOH of oxidized glutathione peroxidase, was able to reduce the Cys–SOH of 1-Cys Prx and consequently could not support peroxidase activity. Human 1-Cys Prx was previously shown to exhibit a low level of phospholipase A2 activity at an acidic pH; the enzyme was thus proposed to be lysosomal, and Ser32 was proposed to be critical for lipase function. However, the mutation of Ser32 or Cys47 has now been shown to have no effect on the lipase activity of 1-Cys Prx, which was also shown to be a cytosolic protein. Thus, the primary cellular function of 1-Cys Prx appears to be to reduce peroxides with the use of electrons provided by an as yet unidentified source; the enzyme therefore represents a new type of peroxidase.
A (1+1)-dimensional example of Quarkyonic matter

Abstract We analyze the ( 1 + 1 )-dimensional QCD (QCD2) at finite density to consider a number of qualitative issues: confinement in dense quark matter, the chiral symmetry breaking near the Fermi surface, the relation between chiral spirals and quark number density, and a possibility of the spontaneous flavor symmetry breaking. We argue that while the free energy is dominated by perturbative quarks, confined excitations at zero density can persist up to high density. So quark matter in QCD2 is an example of Quarkyonic matter. The non-Abelian bosonization and associated charge–flavor–color separation are mainly used in order to clarify basic structures of QCD2 at finite density.
Vitamin D and falls—are intermittent, high doses better?

Dose-response studies with patient-specific outcomes rather than surrogate measures of efficacy are needed to determine the benefits of vitamin D supplementation in the elderly. A novel study from Australia now casts doubt on the usefulness of intermittent, high-dose vitamin D supplementation as a strategy to reduce falls and fractures.
Effects of acute carbon monoxide exposure on the energy metabolism of rat brain and liver

Abstract Anesthetized albino rats were exposed to 500 and 1000 ppm carbon monoxide in air for a period of 2.5 hours, during which time the surface oxygen tension of brain and liver were monitored continuously. At the end of the exposure period the brain and liver were frozen rapidly (liquid nitrogen and freeze-clamping, respectively), and after suitable preparation were analyzed for their concentration of ATP, creatine phosphate, lactate, and pyruvate. The changes in surface oxygen tension were more drastic than the chemical changes in the two organs, but by both criteria the metabolic effect of carbon monoxide was more severe in liver than in brain. The metabolic significance of surface oxygen tension measurements is questioned.
Doppler echocardiographic reference values for healthy rhesus monkeys under ketamine hydrochloride sedation

Cardiac ultrasound is a noninvasive technique that is commonly used to serially evaluate cardiac structure and function. Recent advances in Doppler-Echocardiography enable the ultrasonographer to perform a sophisticated noninvasive assessment of cardiovascular physiology. The Rhesus monkey is a frequently used non-human primate animal model of human cardiovascular disease because this species closely models human anatomy and physiology. However, while this species is frequently used in cardiovascular research, standardized echocardiographic values generated from large numbers of normal Rhesus are not available. In the present study, we performed cardiac ultrasound imaging on 28 healthy Rhesus monkeys to obtain normal reference values of cardiovascular structure and function in this species. Nomograms were generated from these data by plotting parameters of cardiovascular geometry and function with body weight. These normal reference data were compared to previously reported values obtained from prior studies that used noninvasive, invasive, and morphometric techniques.
Concepts in atom probe designs

Abstract Three new variants of the three-dimensional atom probe (3DAP), the parallel atom probe (PAP), the mapping atom probe (MAP), and the optical atom probe (OAP) are described. These three-dimensional atom probes permit the elemental reconstruction of a small volume of the specimen with near atomic resolution. The PAP detector consists of a pair of channel plates and a two dimensional array of either anodes or photodiodes with one timing channel per anode or photodiode. The MAP has a detector consisting of a Z-stack of channel plates and a square multianode array. In the MAP, both a timing stop signal and the accumulated electron charge is determined from each anode, thereby improving the spatial resolution over the PAP. The OAP is a serial version of three-dimensional atom probe that uses a digitized video signal of an imaging atom probe detector and a separate time signal from the phosphor screen to provide the x and y positions and mass-to-charge ratio of individual ions striking the detector.
A general BRDF/BSDF model including out-of-plane dependence

A semi-empirical reflectance/scatterance model has evolved over the years to represent a diverse set of materials from coated substrates to optical windows. This model separates the BRDF/BSDF into four basic components, specular, near-specular, diffuse, and Lambertian (random diffuse) terms. The specular and near-specular components employ a Gaussian phase function and the Fresnel power reflection coefficient. The Lambertian component uses Kubelka-Munk theory for the total integrated reflectance and transmittance. The model features wavelength, angle, and full hemispherical dependencies. It is applied to a variety of samples, from painted surfaces to transparent windows, with good success. This parameterized modeling approach is attractive because algorithms that use the model can be computationally efficient. Previous work has only considered in-plane effects. The present paper now explicitly takes into account the out-of-plane contribution and improves the total integrated factors.
Combining field methods in tourism research

Abstract Too often interviewing forms the only method of data collection in recreation and tourism research. It is maintained here that the research could profit from a combination and integration of different field methods and techniques. This is shown in the case of the European trips of young American and Canadian tourists. In this study, these travelers were interviewed, observed, and counted in various ways. The information gained through the different field methods proved to be complementary in nature and allowed counterchecks. The findings were useful both on a macro- and micro-level. A comparison of the methods introduced disclosed major advantages and serious shortcomings in each case. Participant observation proved to be a powerful heuristic tool; however, its uses also posed ethical questions.
Fixed-point error analysis of stochastic gradient adaptive lattice filters

A theoretical analysis is presented of the stochastic gradient adaptive lattice filter used as a linear, one-step predictor, when the effects of finite-precision arithmetic are taken into account. Only the fixed-point implementation is considered. Both the unnormalized and normalized adaptation algorithms are analyzed. Expressions of the steady-state mean-squared values of the accumulated numerical errors in the computation of the reflection coefficients and the prediction errors of different orders have been developed. The results show that the dominant term in the expressions for the mean-squared values of the numerical errors is inversely proportional to the convergence parameter. Furthermore, they indicate that the quantization errors associated with the reflection coefficients are more critical than those associated with representing the prediction-error sequences. Signals with high correlation among samples produce larger numerical errors in the adaptive lattice filter. The authors present several simulation examples that show close agreement with the theoretical results. They also show that the gradient adaptive lattice filters have better numerical properties than their transversal counterparts. >
Olfactory event-related potentials in normal human subjects: effects of age and gender

Behavioral and electrophysiological testing of olfactory function was performed in 33 normal human male and female subjects, 18-83 years of age. Acuity for odor identification and odor detection was verified by standard psychophysical tests. For evoked potential testing, a constant flow olfactometer provided odorant stimuli (amyl acetate) or air control stimuli that were presented to the right nostril by a nasal cannula at a flow rate of 5 l/min, duration of 40 msec and random interstimulus intervals of 6-30 sec. The behavioral tests revealed no significant difference between males and females, whereas increasing age was associated with a decline in performance on the odor identification test. No reproducible evoked potentials were recorded in response to the air control stimulus. Potentials to the odorant stimulus consisted of 4 components named P1, N1, P2 and N2. A significant correlation was found between P2 latency and odor identification test scores, suggesting a relationship between the generation of the P2 component and olfactory processing. P2 peak latency increased significantly with age at 2.5 msec/year. An age-related decline in N1-P2 interpeak amplitude was seen in male subjects. Topographic differences were seen in the P2 peak amplitude and the N1-P2 and P2-N2 interpeak amplitudes such that their amplitudes were greatest at Cz and Pz. On average, N1-P2 interpeak amplitudes were larger in the female subjects than in the male subjects, possibly revealing a hormonal influence on the olfactory event-related potential.
SOFC Stack Model for Integration Into a Hybrid System: Stack Response to Control Variables

Due to the tight coupling of physical processes inside solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs), efficient control of these devices depends largely on the proper pairing of controlled and manipulated variables. The present study investigates the uncontrolled, dynamic behavior of an SOFC stack that is intended for use in a hybrid SOFC-gas turbine (GT) system. A numerical fuel cell model is developed based on charge, species mass, energy, and momentum balances, and an equivalent circuit is used to combine the fuel cell's irreversibilities. The model is then verified on electrochemical, mass, and thermal timescales. The open-loop response of the average positive electrode-electrolyte-negative electrode (PEN) temperature, fuel utilization, and SOFC power to step changes in the inlet fuel flow rate, current density, and inlet air flow rate is simulated on different timescales. Results indicate that manipulating the current density is the quickest and most efficient way to change the SOFC power. Meanwhile, manipulating the fuel flow is found to be the most efficient way to change the fuel utilization. In future work, it is recommended that such control strategies be further analyzed and compared in the context of a complete SOFC-GT system model.
Research opportunities at the proposed Los Alamos XUV-FEL user facility

Within the last several years a number of meetings and conferences have addressed the unique scientific opportunities which would result from the development of an RF-linac FEL user facilty accessing the XUV and mid-JR spectral regions. The capabilities of a number of linear and nonlinear spectroscopies would be enhanced by one or more features of the FEL output, e.g., its free tunability in these regions, transform-limited linewidth, high peak power and brightness, time structure, and the possibility of multi-color pump-probe experiments utilizing the coordinated output from more than one FEL oscillator. These advances would in turn benefit a variety of scientific areas. In the realm of basic science, experiments or measurements which either require an FEL or where increased sensitivity would be advantangeous can be found in quantum, atomic, cluster, molecular, and condensed matter physics, magnetic materials, surface science and catalysis, non-linear spectroscopy, and biophysics and -chemistry. Potential technological applications at such a facility include analytical chemistry and physics, advanced fabrication processes, medical applications, and others. These applications form the basis for the specifications of the FEL and for the design of the laboratories for the proposed FEL user facility at Los Alamos.
Use of a selone chiral derivatizing agent for the absolute configurational assignment of stereogenic centers.

Abstract Coupling of chiral selone a chiral derivatizing agent to D and L amino acids gives adducts which are characterized by 77Se NMR, UV, and circular dichroism spectroscopy and allows for the determination of the absolute configuration of the parent amino acid.
Properties of an acetylcholinesterase from the face fly, Musca autumnalis.

There is an acetylcholinesterase (AChE, 3.1.1.7, acetylcholine acetyl-hydrolase) in head homogenates of Musca autumnalis De Geer. Hydrolysis of acetylcholine (ACh) was inhibited by excess substrate; the optimum concentration was 3×10−3M. The Michaelis constant for the hydrolysis of ACh was approximately 3.7×10−3M, and the maximum velocity was 61 μmoles ACh hydrolyzed per nig protein per hour. Certain of the properties of the face fly AChE (substrate specificity, p H specificity, centrifugal localization, and sensitivity to certain organophosphate and carbamatc compounds) were similar to those of the house fly, Musca domestica L., AChE. There was no hydrolysis of methyl n -butyrate by the face fly brei, indicating that general aliesterase activity for the above substrate was absent.
Uses of pair energy techniques in molecular calculations: The ammonia molecule

Pair energy techniques are used for geometry determinations and calculation of the barrier height in ammonia. The results, when compared with configuration interaction results, are very encouraging.
Monte Carlo simulation of methyl chloride monolayer on the surface of graphite

Abstract Monte Carlo simulation of an all-atom model of a methyl chloride monolayer adsorbed on the surface of graphite reveals a striking degree of orientational correlations among the adsorbed molecules, both with respect to the tilt angle away from the surface perpendicular and the methyl rotor angle. The lowest energy configuration of the high density (HD) antiferroelectric adsorbate was determined. As the temperature is raised, a continuous drop of the tilt order parameter and a peak of the calculated heat capacity were found near 91 K, indicating a tilt order/disorder phase transition. The behavior of the tilt order parameter and heat capacity is consistent with the Ising model universality class. In the neighborhood of the phase transition domains of similarly tilted molecules could be identified. Two crystal structures proposed for the low density (LD) methyl chloride monolayer were studied. The configuration proposed by Morishige, Tajima, Kittaka, Clarke and Thomas was found to be lower in energy than an alternative structure proposed by Shirazi and Knorr. The first-order melting transition of the monolayer crystal was found to occur at about 90 K, in qualitative agreement with experiments. Above the melting point, short-range orientational order within the LD methyl chloride fluid phase was found.
The effects of work organization on the health of immigrant manual workers: A longitudinal analysis.

ABSTRACTThis analysis uses a longitudinal design to examine the associations of work organization and health outcomes among Latino manual workers. Participants included 247 Latino workers who completed baseline and 1-year follow-up interviews and clinical examinations. Health outcome measures were epicondylitis, rotator cuff syndrome, back pain, and depressive symptoms. Independent measures were measures of job demand, job control, and job support. Workers commonly experienced rotator cuff syndrome (6.5%), back pain (8.9%), and depressive symptoms (11.2%); fewer experienced epicondylitis (2.4%). Psychological demand was associated with rotator cuff syndrome; awkward position and decision latitude were associated with back pain. Decreased skill variety but increased decision latitude was associated with elevated depressive symptoms. Work context factors are important for health outcomes among vulnerable workers. Further research is needed to expand upon this work, particularly cultural perspectives on job ...
Application of Load‐Relaxation Techniques to Study Subcritical Crack Growth in Brittle Materials

The load relaxation technique was applied to double- cantilever-beam specimens for the determination of diagrams of the stress intensity factor (K1) vs crack velocity (V) for soda-lime glass. The effect of machine compliance was explicitly incorporated into the velocity equation. The data were in good agreement with published data from different techniques. It was shown that a hard machine (small compliance) is best suited for the load-relaxation technique. The use of a soft machine (high compliance) will lead to catastrophic failure during load relaxation. A single-edge notched-beam specimen in bending is unsuitable for the relaxation technique since catastrophic failure will occur during relaxation regardless of machine compliance.
Influence of lanthanum level and interactions with nitrogen source on early development of Juglans nigra

Rare earth elements have been used for 30 years in Chinese agriculture to improve growth and yield. Numerous scientific studies have shown improvements in physiology, mineral nutrition, and growth, though deleterious effects may also occur. Very few studies have been performed on woody species. We exponentially fertilized one-year old black walnut (Juglans nigra L.) seedlings with 0, 0.1, 1, 10, or 100 mg lanthanum (La) and 800 mg nitrogen (N) as NaNO3, (NH4)2SO4, NH4NO3, or no N. One month following final fertilization, growth, mineral nutrition, photosynthesis, chlorophyll, and nitrate reductase activity were assessed. Plants fertilized with the highest level of La had reduced fine root growth, concentrations of magnesium, calcium, nickel, and phosphorus, photosynthesis levels, and chlorophyll a content. Foliar La concentration showed an interaction effect, with three to four times greater concentration in plants fed at 100 mg La to those given 10 mg La for (NH4)2SO4 and NH4NO3 treatments. The results suggested no beneficial effects of La addition at levels used in this study and interactions between N source and La levels did not have an important impact on the growth, mineral nutrition, or physiology of black walnut seedlings.
The mental health/primary care interface in the United States: history, structure, and context

This paper, the first in a series commissioned by NIMH for the "Challenges for the 21st Century: Mental Health Services Research Conference," seeks to provide a broad perspective on the primary care/mental health interface in the United States. The manuscript examines both the care of mental disorders in medical settings, and also the medical care of the seriously medically ill. The first section provides a historical overview of the cycling patterns of growth and retrenchment of primary care medicine during the 20th century, and the how those changes have paralleled the care of mental disorders and the mentally ill. The second section examines the four core features of primary care -first contact, longitudinality, comprehensiveness and coordination -and their implications for these issues. An historical and system-level perspective can provide a crucial step towards improving care on the mental health/primary care interface.
A flexible high density multi-channel electrode array for long-term chronic implantation

The construction of a high density multi-channel fluid potential electrode array is described. The resulting electrode array which is flat, flexible and non-irritating, is designed for long-term chronic implantation over cortical surfaces of compound curvature, as well as over restricted regions, such as the visual areas located along the medial bank of the occipital cortex. Electrophysiological data and gross anatomy obtained from animals with implantation times of up to one year are displayed.
A Note on the Standard Strategy for Developing Loop Invariants and Loops

The by-now-standard strategy for developing a loop invariant and loop was developed in [1] and explained [2]. Nevertheless, its use still poses problems for some. The purpose of this note is to provide further explanation. Two problems are solved that, without this further explanation, seem difficult.