cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A Description of the First Candida auris -Colonized Individuals in New York State, 2016-2017.

BACKGROUND Candida auris (C. auris), an emerging multi-drug resistant fungus, was first detected in New York State (NYS) in 2016. A person can be colonized with C. auris for months, contributing to environmental surface contamination within healthcare facilities (HCF) and increasing the likelihood of transmission. We describe characteristics of C. auris-colonized individuals (“surveillance cases”) in NYS HCFs to help target infection prevention recommendations. METHODS NYSDOH investigated all individuals with suspected or confirmed C. auris and conducted case finding for colonized individuals in HCFs. Specimens were tested for C. auris by polymerase chain reaction and culture. Surveillance cases had positive C. auris cultures without evidence of clinical infection. Hospital patients and nursing home residents (“facility-based surveillance cases”) were included in the analysis of demographic and clinical data. RESULTS Between 10/5/2016 and 11/7/2017, 114 facility-based surveillance cases were identified. The median age was 74 years (range 23-100 years). Facility-based surveillance cases had a median of three HCF admissions in 90 days before first positive culture (range 0-8). Ninety-three percent were from facilities in Brooklyn or Queens. Fifty-four percent had diabetes. During the week before first positive culture, 81% received mechanical ventilation, 80% had tracheostomy, and 70% had a percutaneous feeding tube. Thirty-four percent had no prior indications for Contact Precautions at time of first positive culture. To date only 9% had serial negative C. auris surveillance cultures. Sixty-two percent were known to be deceased. CONCLUSIONS NYSDOH identified many previously-unrecognized C. auris-colonized individuals in HCFs. They had medical comorbidities requiring invasive care and moved between multiple HCFs before their C. auris identification. HCFs should consider C. auris in their risk assessments and have a high index of suspicion for C. auris colonization among patients who have these characteristics.
Climate Change: Impact on Infectious Diseases

Climate change is the effect of global warming and carbon dioxide rise on weather conditions (surface temperature fluctuations, sea levels, heat waves, drought, storms, and hurricanes). Collectively these effects are predicted to both positively and negatively influence the geographic range and incidence of a variety of infectious diseases. Particularly affected are those infections which have seasonal incidence or depend on vectors present in soil or water. It is likely that rheumatologists will see increased infectious disease over the coming century and new infections in populations or geographic regions where they have not been seen before.
Why Undergraduates Leave STEM Majors: Changes Over the Last Two Decades

Our primary aim in revisiting Talking about Leaving (TAL) was to determine whether our sample of students in STEM majors at the same schools as the original study were prompted to switch from STEM majors by the same concerns as those identified in the 1990s. This chapter describes our overall findings in answer to this question. We compare and contrast the findings of both studies, noting what has changed: what has got better or worse, what new issues have arisen, and how the patterns of concerns relevant to the persistence of women and students of color compare with those expressed two decades ago.
Analysis of Media Concentration around the World

Who Owns the World’s Media? Around the world. people have been complaining about media concentration. At the same time, the Internet has opened media to pluralism and new voices. How do these counter-trends add up? This paper and presentation proposes to summarize a multi-year, multi-country, multi-industry, multi-author study on media ownership and concentration around the world. Earlier TPRC presentations reported work in progress. The study, to which over 60 researchers contributed (many of whom attend TPRC) is now in the process of publication at Oxford University Press. (2500 manuscript pages, 800 tables and graphs). I propose the presentation of a summarizing report. Even better, a dedicated plenary consisting of several of the country chapter authors, with summaries, outside commentaries, and policy discussions. Among the questions: A. What are the levels of media concentration? E. Are the world’s media becoming more concentrated? F. Have American media become more concentrated? G. Does the transition to internet-based media reduce concentration? H. What countries have particularly high media concentrations? I. Where is there a high pluralism of voices, and why? J. What are the factors for high national media concentration? K. What countries have particularly high cross-media ownership? L. What countries have a high foreign ownership of its media? M. What countries are high exporters of media? N. Do American media companies dominate the world media? Does Hollywood dominate content? O. Where is there a strong role of public (state) ownership in media concentration? P. Are there different market characteristics for media in the countries of the North versus those of the South? R. Are there trends of convergence among countries in media concentration? S. What are media industries with particularly high– and low –concentrations? What are the explanations? T. Is there a convergence in market structure among the various media industries? U. Who are the world’s most dominant media companies? V. Which companies dominate the attention for news? W. Who are the media owners, and what do they own? X. What are the priority problems? Y. What is the Outlook The conclusions of the study are often unexpected. And even where they are not, they provide empirical evidence to assertions. Problems identified are: The China Problem. The Media Crony Capitalism Problem The Google Problem The Comcast Problem The Internet Problem The US Content Industry Problem The Divergence Platform-Content concentration Problem. The Technology Drivers Problem The Globalization Problem And others. [enter Abstract Body]
Innovative approach to the medication verification process: Role of pharmacists in the minimization of confirmation bias

Purpose: Medication errors may stem from confirmation bias, a type of selective thinking to support one’s own preconception rather than what is actually true. Our objective was to describe an innovative approach to the medication verification process that minimizes confirmation bias. Summary: In September 2014, our pharmacy team implemented a unique double-check method that limited confirmation bias within the medication verification process for the compounding of non-sterile oral products and sterile intravenous admixtures. Our innovative approach required the pharmacist to first check the constituents and the final product without directly viewing the label, and then double check against the final product label. A confirmation bias form was used to ensure adherence to the newly designed workflow. The primary factor contributing to confirmation bias was expectation. Over the 29-month study period, we observed an immediate reduction in escaped defects (30 pre- to 0-4 post-implementation). Most of the escaped defects were “potential” medications errors that were captured prior to leaving the pharmacy and did not reach the patient nor resulted in any harm. While this process improved medication safety, there was no change in pharmacy staff requirement, indicating its cost neutrality. Conclusion: The elimination of confirmation bias and incorporation of a double-check system during the drug verification process improved the safe use of medications without additional staffing cost.
Improved Utilization Following Conversion of a Fluoroscopy Suite to Hybrid CT/Angiography System.

Abstract Purpose To assess changes in operational utilization following conversion of a single IR suite to a hybrid CT/angiography (Angio-CT) system at an academic tertiary care center. Materials and Methods The total number of interventional procedures and diagnostic CT examinations performed in 29 rooms (20 diagnostic radiology, 7 IR, 2 shared between divisions) was calculated in the 24 months before conversion of an IR suite to Angio-CT and 12 months after conversion. The total number of IR procedures (global IR/month) and diagnostic CT scans per month (global CT/month) in both before and after conversion periods was calculated and defined as baseline institutional growth. This was compared against the change in the number of IR procedures performed in the before and after periods in the converted room (Angio-CT/month) as well as the number of diagnostic CT scans performed in the shared rooms (shared CT/month). Results The percent change in global CT and global IR from the before to the after periods was 39.2% and 3.1%, respectively. Shared CT per month and Angio-CT per month increased by 46.7% and 12.0% across the same time periods, respectively. The ratio of the percent increase in Angio-CT per month to percent increase in global IR per month was 3.87. The ratio of the percent increase in shared CT per month to percent increase in global CT per month was 1.19. Conclusions Operational utilization improved in both diagnostic radiology and IR sections following conversion of a conventional fluoroscopic IR suite to an Angio-CT room.
Oligo)metastasis as a Spectrum of Disease.

Cancer metastasis is the leading cause of cancer-related mortality, and most patients with metastases from solid tumors have historically been considered incurable. Here, we discuss the evolution of our understanding of the oligometastatic state with an emphasis on the view that cancer metastasis represents a spectrum of disease. We highlight several recently published prospective clinical trials demonstrating improvements in cancer-specific outcomes with the utilization of metastasis-directed local therapies. We discuss biological aspects of oligometastases, including genetic, epigenetic, and immune determinants of the metastatic spectrum. Finally, we propose future considerations regarding clinical trial design for patients with oligometastatic disease.
Trauma and police violence: issues and implications for mental health professionals

In this piece, the authors present the case of a young Black American man who experienced symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder after an episode of police violence. Through engagement with this case, the authors consider whether trauma-focused psychotherapies, particularly trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapies (TF-CBT), are equipped to attend to contextual factors relevant to traumatic experiences of police violence. The authors suggest further research to determine for whom and in what contexts standard forms of psychotherapy as well as alternatives to TF-CBT are effective, and augmenting provider education to include advocacy strategies aimed at reducing police violence—advocacy that is relevant in the context of nationwide protests occurring after the officer-perpetrated killings of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and others.
Dominance in Groups: How Dyadic Power Theory Can Apply to Group Discussions

Power is an integral part of group dynamics and when deception is involved, it affects the process of group decision-making as well as the outcomes of those decisions. We examined 95 groups playing a popular party card game called Mafia in which some players were randomly assigned the role of Spies, and others, the role of Villagers. Spies concealed their identity and deceived the other naive players (the Villagers), who were assumed to be truthful. Data were collected from University students around the world, including in Israel, Singapore, Hong Kong, Fiji, Zambia, and three locations within the U.S. The results revealed differences in the way that players from those different cultural locations exhibited dominance and rated the trustworthiness of other players. In general, more dominant players were seen as more trustworthy, although that was moderated by the cultural location. Spies (deceivers) were viewed as less dominant than Villagers (truth-tellers). Males were rated as more dominant, especially when in the Spy role. The implications for this study on the study of groups and power relations among group members are discussed.
What Happens When the Media Gets Ahead of Your Client’s Story? An Attorney’s Duty to Use Conscious Word Choice

Attorneys often grapple with the issue of what to do when the media gets ahead of their client’s case. Oftentimes, the media begins to shape the pretrial narrative, before attorneys even become involved, and sometimes continues to shape the narrative during and after trial. This is especially true in high profile cases. Unfortunately, in an effort to grab readers' attention, some news stories resort to sensationalism, while others are intentionally framed to influence the audience's opinion toward a particular direction. In short, the media may blame the victim and absolve the perpetrators from blame, or the media may blame the alleged perpetrator. In either situation, the attorney should be purposeful in choosing words to create an effective counter-narrative because the words the media uses to tell her client's stories may prime jurors and sometimes judges to form a particular opinion about that client’s case. However, attorneys have a duty to zealously represent their clients and based on, Dobbert v. Florida, should not rely solely on pretrial publicity to claim that a client was denied the right to a fair trial.
Community context matters for bacteria-phage ecology and evolution

Bacteria-phage symbioses are ubiquitous in nature and serve as valuable biological models. Historically, the ecology and evolution of bacteria-phage systems have been studied in either very simple or very complex communities. Although both approaches provide insight, their shortcomings limit our understanding of bacteria and phages in multispecies contexts. To address this gap, here we synthesize the emerging body of bacteria-phage experiments in medium-complexity communities, specifically those that manipulate bacterial community presence. Generally, community presence suppresses both focal bacterial (phage host) and phage densities, while sometimes altering bacteria-phage ecological interactions in diverse ways. Simultaneously, community presence can have an array of evolutionary effects. Sometimes community presence has no effect on the coevolutionary dynamics of bacteria and their associated phages, whereas other times the presence of additional bacterial species constrains bacteria-phage coevolution. At the same time, community context can alter mechanisms of adaptation and interact with the pleiotropic consequences of (co)evolution. Ultimately, these experiments show that community context can have important ecological and evolutionary effects on bacteria-phage systems, but many questions still remain unanswered and ripe for additional investigation.
Assessing past ecological tolerance of Pacific salmon (Oncorhynchus spp.) and saffron cod (Eleginus gracilis) in northwest Alaska using vertebra width and length reconstructions

Archaeological Pacific salmon (Oncorhynchus spp.) and saffron cod (Eleginus gracilis) remains were used to assess the past effects of warming and cooling climatic events on size and length of these two fish. It was predicted that climatic warming would result in greater overlap of the geographic ranges of salmon species, and increased saffron cod mean length. Ichthyofaunal remains were derived from two archaeological sites spanning 2000 years representing four temporal periods. Global and regional paleo-climactic datasets were used to define broad climatic trends for each period. Vertebral width was measured to group archaeological salmon specimens into three categories: (1) pink (Oncorhynchus gorbuscha) and sockeye (Oncorhynchus nerka), (2) all salmon species, and (3) chinook (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) and chum (Oncorhynchus keta). Saffron cod premaxillae were measured to reconstruct total length at capture. During the onset and peak of the Little Ice Age (AD 1200s–1800s), mean salmon vertebral width was smaller, and size classes primarily represented pink/sockeye salmon, which supports observations that climatic fluctuations influence current and past salmon distributions. Saffron cod measurements suggested that fisheries primarily targeted spawning adult populations, while mean total length did not coincide with periods of warming or cooling. This paper demonstrates the applicability of morphometric methods in assessing past species ecological tolerance in northwestern Alaska and adds further resolution to zooarchaeological taxonomic abundance values.
Analyzing Corrosion Prediction and Dose Optimization of Corrosion Inhibitor in Oil Field Production

Oil and gas field produced water disposal is very serious issue in hydrocarbon industry. Corrosion occurred by this produced water from oil industry is very difficult to be predicted. Produced water reinjection, treatment and disposal are a huge problem in onshore as well as offshore fields. As the reservoir depletes, mostly the water cut increases up to 90%, thus increasing the chances of corrosion of the surface and subsurface equipment. In this experimental work corrosion studies were undertaken on steel tubular at reservoir temperature. It is essential to remove the dissolved oxygen to control corrosion. The dissolved oxygen content in effluent was found to be high. The dose of sodium sulphite as oxygen scavenger after treatment of the injection water in the laboratory is optimized. Dissolved oxygen may vary from time to time; therefore the dose of oxygen scavenger may be changed accordingly for effective removal of oxygen. Sodium sulphide requires a catalyst like Cobaltous chloride. For dose optimization of corrosion inhibitor, laboratory treated effluent after filtration with 0.45-μ filter was used for this study. The water was treated with different concentrations of corrosion inhibitors (WIN). The rate of corrosion for different doses of corrosion inhibitor along with oxygen scavenger needs to be optimized. Corrosion plays a very important role in reducing the life of tubulars, Completion equipment, handling and treating equipment. Corrosion studies needs to be carried out in order to optimize the dose of oxygen scavenger and corrosion inhibitor. In this research work the corrosion studies were undertaken on N-80 steel tubular coupons at 88 °C. This paper discusses the laboratory fluid compatibility, scale and corrosion prediction analysis and treatment for injection water utilization while providing an insight into the potential impact of scale and corrosion risks associated with raw produced water.
Homogeneous Measures and Positive Alexandrov Curvature

We examine the geometry of the subspace of homogeneous probability measures in terms of the 2-Wasserstein metric on the space of all probability measures on Hilbert spaces of functions. We show that, on appropriate Hilbert spaces, the geodesics joining homogeneous measures stay in the space of homogeneous measures and, as a result, the homogeneous measures themselves form a space of nonpositive curvature in the sense of A. D. Alexandrov.
Valuation Alteration: Stimuli Increase in Value When Preschoolers Deliver Them to Peers

We tested the effects of the repeated delivery of metal nuts to peers on the establishment of them as preferred stimuli for 4 preschool children. Prior to the conditioning procedure, metal nuts were relatively nonpreferred stimuli for the participants, as indicated by responses to mastered and acquisition tasks. We used pre- and postconditioning tests of reinforcer effectiveness, which included an ABAB reversal design for a mastered task and an AB design replicated across 4 acquisition tasks, delayed across participants. During the conditioning procedure, the participants were instructed to deliver a metal nut to a peer at the sound of a beep while they were denied access to the nuts themselves. Conditioning sessions continued until the participants demonstrated a low rate of delivery. Postconditioning tests demonstrated that repeatedly delivering the metal nuts to peers resulted in the metal nuts functioning as preferred stimuli for all participants.
Shotgun Protein Sequencing

Despite significant advances in the identification of known proteins, the analysis of unknown proteins by tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) still remains a challenging open problem. Although Klaus Biemann recognized the potential of mass spectrometry for sequencing of unknown proteins in the 1980s, low-throughput Edman degradation followed by cloning still remains the main method to sequence unknown proteins. The automated spectral interpretation has been limited by a focus on individual spectra and has not capitalized on the information contained in spectra of overlapping peptides. Indeed, the powerful Shotgun DNA Sequencing strategies have not been extended to protein sequencing yet.We demonstrate, for the first time, the feasibility of Shotgun Protein Sequencing of protein mixtures and validate this approach by generating highly accurate de novo reconstructions of various proteins in western diamondback rattlesnake venom. We further argue that Shotgun Protein Sequencing has the potential to overcome the limitations of current protein sequencing approaches and thus catalyze the otherwise impractical applications of proteomics methodologies in studies of unknown proteins. We further describe applications of this technique to analyzing proteins that are not directly inscribed in DNA sequences (like antibodies and fusion proteins in cancer). This is a joint work with Nuno Bandeira (UCSD) and Karl Clauser (Broad).
Book Review of Hillel Frisch and Efraim Inbar (Eds.). Radical Islam and International Security: Challenges and Responses. Tamar Meisels. The Trouble With Terror: Liberty, Security, and the Response to Terrorism.

For several decades Israelis have produced analyses of and policy responses to the terrorist phenomenon. These reflect the divergent conceptions maintained among the inhabitants of this notoriously...
Association between Breastfeeding and Childhood Obesity: Analysis of a Linked Longitudinal Study of Rural Appalachian Fifth-Grade Children.

Abstract Introduction: Although breastfeeding is associated with improving numerous health outcomes for the child, its role in reducing childhood obesity is contested. Despite this controversy, both the CDC and the US Department of Health and Human Services promote breastfeeding as one of the strategies for reducing childhood obesity. Rural Appalachia has one of the highest rates of childhood obesity and low rates of breastfeeding, compared to rest of the nation. The aim of this study was to examine the association between breastfeeding and childhood obesity at 11 years in the rural Appalachian state of West Virginia (WV). Methods: The study used linked data from two cross-sectional data sets to examine this relationship longitudinally in fifth-grade WV children. The main outcome variable was BMI adjusted percent (BMI%) and the main exposure was defined as occurrence of breastfeeding. Mean BMI% of children who were not breastfed was significantly higher, compared to children who were breastfed. Results: T...
Noise limitations of the DC SQUID

The dc SQUID (Superconducting QUantum Interference Device) [1] is a very sensitive detector of changes in magnetic flux, and is becoming widely used as a magnetometer and as a voltmeter. This paper summarizes the noise limitations of the device, and makes projections of its ultimate performance. A more detailed account of this work is to appear elsewhere [2].
Comparative effects of cinnamaldehyde and cinnamyl-containing compounds on the viability of two human melanoma cell lines, SK-MEL19 and SK-MEL23 (LB611)

Trans-cinnamaldehyde (CA) is an α,β-unsaturated carbonyl compound, derived from cinnamon, and contains a “Michael acceptor” functionality capable of alkylating nucleophilic residues. Such Michael a...
Evaluation of Idiopathic Choroidal Neovascularization with Indocyanine Green Angiography in Patients Undergoing Bevacizumab Therapy

Purpose. To examine the clinical implications of change in choroidal neovascularization (CNV) size on indocyanine green (ICG) angiography in subjects with idiopathic CNV undergoing bevacizumab therapy. Methods. The charts of subjects with an idiopathic CNV treated by a modified PRN regimen with intravitreal bevacizumab over a 12-month period were retrospectively reviewed. Results. There were 34 subjects included in the analysis. Baseline CNV sizes of less than 1.0 mm2 on ICG angiography correlated with complete CNV resolution (), fewer injections delivered (), and better Snellen visual acuity () at 12 months. Subjects that experienced a 33% or more reduction in CNV size on ICG angiography at 2 months had complete CNV resolution () and fewer injections () at 12 months compared to subjects that did not experience a 33% or more reduction in CNV size on ICG angiography at 2 months. Conclusions. Smaller baseline CNV size on ICG angiography resulted in better visual acuity and fewer injections at 12 months, and a reduction of 33% or more in CNV size after 2 months may predict a better clinical course in subjects with idiopathic CNV undergoing bevacizumab therapy.
Search for the Top Quark in Lepton Plus Jets Events at the Collider Detector at Fermilab

Tonnison, James Ian. Ph.D, Purdue University, August 1994. Search for the Top Quark in Lepton Plus Jets Events at the Collider Detector at Fermilab. Major Professor: Virgil E. Barnes. A search for the Standard Model top quark in the lepton plus jets channel in pp collisions at Nrs = 1800 GeV is described. The analysis was carried out on 19.3 pb -1 of data collected with the Collider Detector at Fermilab in the 1992-1993 run. Events were selected by requiring a high PT electron or muon, missing transverse energy, three or more jets, and a large global sum of transverse energy. To further reduce background processes in the final event sample, at least one non-isolated lepton was required to act as a tag for the b-quarks. The expected background rate in this analysis is 1.80 ± 0.17 events. 7 events survive all the cuts. The probability for the expected background fluctuating to > 7 events is 0.29% or 2.76a.
Water, heat, bombardment: The evolution and current state of (2) Pallas

Abstract Using recent constraints on the shape and density of (2) Pallas, we model the thermal evolution of the body as a function of possible formation scenarios that differ in the time of formation and composition assumed for the protoplanet. We develop possible evolution scenarios for Pallas and compare these to available observations. Our models imply two distinct types of end states: those with a hydrosphere and silicate core, and those where the body is dominated by hydrated silicates. We show that for an initial ice-rock mixture with density 2400 kg/m 3 , Pallas is likely to differentiate and form a rocky core and icy shell. If Pallas accreted from material with lower initial ice content, our models indicate that Pallas’s interior is dominated by hydrated silicates, possibly with a core of anhydrous silicates. We also investigate the possibility that Pallas’s initial density was similar to Ceres’, i.e., that it formed from an ice–rock mixture of density 2100 kg/m 3 . This implies that the object lost a significant fraction of its hydrosphere as a consequence of thermal oscillations and impacts, a distinct possibility given its density, evidence for impact excavation and current orbital parameters. Its blue spectral slope and observed surface variation may also be evidence for such a process (e.g. Jewitt, D.C. [2002]. Astron. J. 123, 1039–1049; Schmidt, B.E. et al. [2009]. Science 326, 275–279; Yang, B., Jewitt, D. [2010]. Astron. J. 140, 692–698). If Pallas still contains a thin layer of water ice, then that layer corresponds to the bottom of a former icy shell, and as such, could be enriched in non-ice materials such as organics. We evaluate the likeliness of each scenario and show the general magnitude of water loss processes for Pallas. Given a balance of observational and theoretical constraints, we favor a water-rich accretion for Pallas that implies that Pallas has lost a significant fraction of its initial water content through exogenic processes since its internal evolution ceased. We also discuss implications of this work to other hydrated asteroids.
Grain-size sensitive rheology of orthopyroxene

The grain-size sensitive rheology of orthopyroxene is investigated using data from rheological and microstructural studies. A deformation mechanism map is constructed assuming that orthopyroxene deforms by two independent mechanisms: dislocation creep and diffusion creep. The field boundary between these mechanisms is defined using two approaches. First, experimental data from Lawlis (1998), which show a deviation from non-linear power law behavior at low stresses, are used to prescribe the location of the field boundary. Second, a new orthopyroxene grain-size piezometer is used as a microstructural constraint to the field boundary. At constant temperature, both approaches yield sub-parallel field boundaries, separated in grain size by a factor of only 2–5. Extrapolating to lithospheric conditions, the deformation mechanism transition occurs at a grain size of ~150–500 µm, consistent with observations from nature. As the transition from dislocation to diffusion creep may promote shear localization, grain-size reduction of orthopyroxene may play a prominent role in plate-boundary deformation.
In vivo surveillance of tumorigenic cells transformed in vitro.

Any theory of surveillance against cancer requires that cells susceptible to host protective mechanisms exist as intermediates on the pathway from normal to cancer1. The failure to demonstrate a significant frequency of such intermediates as a result of chemical carcinogenesis has cast serious doubt on the validity of the surveillance hypothesis2. Here we report the conditions in which such intermediates can be identified as the major class of transformed cells resulting from in vitro chemical carcinogenesis of a cloned fibroblastic cell line.
Pulsed laser deposition conditions and superconductivity of FeSe thin films

We report the effects of growth conditions on the superconducting properties of FeSe films epitaxially grown on LaAlO3 substrates by pulsed laser deposition (PLD). Customary materials characterization techniques [X-ray diffraction (XRD), in-situ X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), in-situ ultra-violet photoelectron spectroscopy (UPS), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM)] revealed the films had a c-axis oriented tetragonal structure with lattice constants dependent on the growth temperature (varied from 100 to 600°C). The standard four-point probe method was used to measure the resistivity and superconducting transitions. Films grown at 400–550°C showed a clear superconducting onset but no zero resistance down to 2 K. The highest superconducting onset temperature ( $T_{\mathrm{c}}^{\mathrm{onset}}$ ) of 8 K was observed in films grown at 500°C and the onset temperature was clearly correlated to the ratio of the lattice constants (c/a). As the thickness of the FeSe films increased from 27 nm to 480 nm, $T_{\mathrm{c}}^{\mathrm{onset}}$ also increased as the strain in the system was relaxed.
On the realizability of pressure–strain closures

The realizability condition for statistical models of turbulence is augmented to ensure that not only is the Reynolds stress tensor positive semi-definite, but the process of its evolution is physically attainable as well. The mathematical constraints due to this process realizability requirement on the rapid pressure strain correlation are derived. The resulting constraints reveal important limits on the inter-component energy transfer and the consequent flow stability characteristics, as a function of the mean flow. For planar mean flows, the realizability constraints are most stringent for the case of purely sheared flows rather than elliptic flows. The relationship between the constraints and flow stability is explained. Process realizability leads to closure model guidance not only at the two-component (2C) limit of turbulence (as in the classical realizability approach) but throughout the anisotropy space. Consequently, the domain of validity and applicability of current models can be clearly identified for different mean flows. A simple framework for incorporating these process realizability constraints in model formulation is outlined.
ARE BOXER SHORTS REALLY BETTER? A CRITICAL ANALYSIS OF THE ROLE OF UNDERWEAR TYPE IN MALE SUBFERTILITY

AbstractPurpose: Elevation of testicular temperature may result in arrest of spermatogenesis, abnormal semen parameters and sterility. It has been proposed that brief style underwear may produce scrotal hyperthermia and lead to clinical subfertility. Although this idea is regarded as dogma by many in the lay community and the changing of underwear type is a therapy frequently recommended by medical practitioners, there is a paucity of data measuring scrotal temperature as a function of underwear type.Materials and Methods: Scrotal, core and skin temperatures were measured in 97 consecutive men presenting for evaluation of primary clinical subfertility. These cases were categorized by underwear type to boxer or brief group. Semen analyses were obtained in all patients. Individuals from each group were compared to ascertain differences in temperature when wearing and not wearing underwear. Baseline semen parameters also were compared. In 14 subjects (crossover group) underwear type was changed to the altern...
Mechanisms of memory

Recent studies of animals with complex nervous systems, including humans and other primates, have improved our understanding of how the brain accomplishes learning and memory. Major themes of recent work include the locus of memory storage, the taxonomy of memory, the distinction between declarative and procedural knowledge, and the question of how memory changes with time, that is, the concepts of forgetting and consolidation. An important recent advance is the development of an animal model of human amnesia in the monkey. The animal model, together with newly available neuropathological information from a well-studied human patient, has permitted the identification of brain structures and connections involved in memory functions.
A Splice Site Mutant of Maize Activates Cryptic Splice Sites, Elicits Intron Inclusion and Exon Exclusion, and Permits Branch Point Elucidation

DNA sequence analysis of the bt2-7503 mutant allele of the maize brittle-2 gene revealed a point mutation in the 5' terminal sequence of intron 3 changing GT to AT. This lesion completely abolishes use of this splice site, activates two cryptic splice sites, and alters the splicing pattern from extant splice sites. One activated donor site, located nine nt 5' to the normal splice donor site, begins with the dinucleotide GC. While non-consensus, this sequence still permits both trans-esterification reactions of pre-mRNA splicing. A second cryptic site located 23 nt 5' to the normal splice site and beginning with GA, undergoes the first trans-esterification reaction leading to lariat formation, but lacks the ability to participate in the second reaction. Accumulation of this splicing intermediate and use of an innovative reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction technique (J. Vogel, R.H. Wolfgang, T. Borner [1997] Nucleic Acids Res 25: 2030-2031) led to the identification of 3' intron sequences needed for lariat formation. In most splicing reactions, neither cryptic site is recognized. Most mature transcripts include intron 3, while the second most frequent class lacks exon 3. Traditionally, the former class of transcripts is taken as evidence for the intron definition of splicing, while the latter class has given credence to the exon definition of splicing.
Studies on the association of heat sprouting with rest period and maturing time in Irish potatoes

The studies herein reported were made to determine the degree of association of heat sprouts in Irish potatoes with time of maturing and rest period. The presence of heat sprouts was found to be in inverse ratio to the relative length of rest period. The greatest prevalence of heat sprouting was associated with a short rest period and the smallest prevalence with a long rest period. Heat sprouting was most prevalent in late-maturing plants. Plants that were intermediate in maturing were also intermediate in their tendency to produce heat sprouts. Only a very few tubers from the earlymaturing segregates formed heat sprouts.
Chromatin modifiers and carcinogenesis

Access of gene regulatory factors to the eukaryotic genome is modulated by chromatin. The organization of this nucleoprotein complex is highly dynamic and tightly regulated. The control of wide-ranging nuclear processes through the configuration of chromatin is achieved by the concerted actions of ATP-dependent chromatin-remodeling complexes and histone-modifying enzymes, and by the incorporation of specialized histone variants. It is becoming clear that perturbation of these chromatin modifiers can lead to cancer. Recent findings illustrate the mechanisms by which chromatin influences cancer development, and aid understanding of the regulation of chromatin organization, cellular transformation and the connections between tumor suppressor and oncogene function.
Overview of the SIRTF mission

A revised baseline mission concept for the Space Infrared Telescope Facility (SIRTF) has been developed by the SIRTF science and engineering teams over the past year. This mission, which would be carried into solar orbit by a Delta 7920 launch vehicle, retains the key scientific capabilities of earlier mission concepts at a fraction of the mass and cost. We review the scientific and technical innovations which have enabled this development.
Mechanical properties and microstructures of Al-Mg-Sc alloys

The mechanical properties of Al-(Mg)-0.5Sc alloys have been investigated. Room-temperature tensile and toughness properties were found to reflect a superposition of the properties of Al-Mg and Al-0.5Sc alloys and are quite competitive with high-performance Al alloys. A combination of substructure refinement by Mg and stabilization by Al3Sc precipitates produces exceptional superplasticity as exemplified by superplastic forming (SPF) elongations in excess of 1000 pct at a strain rate of 0.01 s-1. Overall, these alloys demonstrate an extremely attractive combination of strength, toughness, density, and SPF fabricability.
An economic evaluation of prophylactic self-injectable epinephrine to prevent fatalities in children with mild venom anaphylaxis.

Background Mild (cutaneous) venom anaphylaxis is the most common presentation of systemic venom hypersensitivity during childhood. Guidelines recommend prophylactic self-injectable epinephrine for children with mild venom anaphylaxis. However, progressive venom-associated reactions are uncommon in this population. Objective To characterize the cost-effectiveness of prophylactic self-injectable epinephrine in mild childhood venom anaphylaxis from a societal perspective. Methods Cohort simulations were used, and the base case was represented by a 6-year-old child with a history of mild venom-associated anaphylaxis. Long-term survival was modeled using age-adjusted mortality from the 2002 US life tables together with the risk of venom-associated mortality. Model assumptions included market costs of self-injectable epinephrine; the prevalence of venom allergy; US census estimates; venom-associated fatality estimates by the Joint Council of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology (at least 40 deaths per year); and venom-associated mortality statistics from January 1, 1999, to December 31, 2003, provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Results The incremental cost of prophylactic self-injectable epinephrine for mild childhood venom anaphylaxis was $469,459 per year of life saved ($6,882,470 per death prevented). In sensitivity analyses, the strategy was only cost-effective when the annual venom-associated fatality rate exceeded 2 per 100,000 persons at risk. Conclusion Use of prophylactic self-injectable epinephrine to prevent fatalities in children with mild venom anaphylaxis is not cost-effective if the annual venom-associated fatality rate is less than 2 per 100,000 persons at risk.
Ultrastructural evidence of indirect and direct autonomic innervation of human Leydig cells: comparison of neonatal, childhood and pubertal ages.

Recent physiological studies have indicated an autonomic influence on the secretion of testosterone from Leydig cells in humans and laboratory animals. Furthermore, a few studies have shown enhanced autonomic control of Leydig cell function in immature, relative to mature, laboratory animals. In the current ultrastructural study of the human testicular interstitium the morphology of autonomic components is described from neonatal, childhood and pubertal ages. Autonomic nerve fibers and varicosities with neurotransmitter vesicles are described in proximity to Leydig cells. The observed autonomic terminals are classified by vesicle morphology into three general types: (1) Type I with predominately small agranular vesicles (30–60 nm) and occasional larger granular vesicles (100 nm). This type is morphologically consistent with being cholinergic. (2) Type II with predominately small granular vesicles (30–60 nm), as well as sporadic large granular vesicles. These are morphologically consistent with adrenergic terminals. (3) Type III which exhibit numerous large granular vesicles of mixed size. Evidence of autonomic terminals is encountered most frequently in childhood biopsies, age 3 to 10 years. The neonatal specimen (4 months) is noteworthy in that many of the Schwann cells appear immature and no adrenergic terminals are observed. In contrast, terminals morphologically consistent with being adrenergic are common in the childhood series of biopsies. Although the vast majority of the autonomic terminals are associated with Leydig cells indirectly as “boutons en passant”, separated by approximately 150 nm to more than a μm, evidence of direct contact (20 nm) of autonomic terminals with Leydig cells is presented. These findings provide morphological evidence of frequent indirect and rare direct contact of autonomic nerve terminals with Leydig cells in man.
How to calculate 35 640 O(α5) Feynman diagrams in less than an hour

Abstract We present a powerful method for evaluating Feynman amplitudes involving fermions which interact through gauge bosons. Implementing our procedure on a computer, we have evaluated the O(α s 4 ) and O(α s 5 ) five- and six-quark scattering amplitudes required to predict exclusive hadron scattering amplitudes in QCD.
SOLID REACTIONS AT 1000° TO 1200°C BETWEEN MgO OR BeO AND Ni, Fe, Cr, Mn, AND THEIR OXIDES

The elements, Ni, Fe, Cr, and Mn, and their oxides, NiO, Fe2O3, Cr2O3, and MnO2, in a finely divided state, were brought into contact with granular fused MgO in loose form and in pressed disks and also into contact with slabs of high-fired MgO and BeO. The maximum temperatures reached were 1000°C, 1100°C, and 1200°C in air firings. The degree of reaction was noted by the extent of discoloration of the MgO and BeO near the contact material. Ni showed the least reactivity, Fe and Cr came next, and Mn showed the most reaction. The oxides gave the same order of reactivity, NiO, Fe2O3 and Cr2O3, and MnO2, the most. The elements in oxidizing caused more reaction than their oxides in all cases. There was less reaction with BeO than with MgO for corresponding contact material. Firings were also made with these elements and oxides in contact: with pressed disks of fused MgO but in a hydrogen atmosphere. Ni and Fe showed no reaction; Cr, a very slight reaction; and Mn, slightly more reaction. NiO and Fe2O3 were reduced to their elements without reaction, whereas Cr2O3 did not reduce and gave no reaction. MnO2 became semi-sintered and gave a very slight reaction. Other experiments were made by passing air or N2, dry or through water, into mixtures of granular fused MgO and Mn, MnO2, or Cr, respectively. At 1200°C, reaction was greatest with moist air.
Prolongation of isovolumic contraction time in left bundle branch block.

Abstract Phonocardiograms were recorded in 25 patients with chronic complete left bundle branch block (LBBB) and were compared with findings in 29 normal subjects of comparable age. Two additional patients with intermittent left bundle branch block served as their own controls. In left bundle branch block: 1. 1. The common auscultatory impression of diminished intensity of the first heart sound was demonstrated in patients with intermittent LBBB. 2. 2. The average Q-M 1 interval was significantly prolonged in chronic LBBB but was unchanged in intermittent LBBB. 3. 3. The average Q-A 2 interval was significantly prolonged, resulting in paradoxical splitting of the second heart sound in 84 per cent of patients. 4. 4. Isovolumic contraction time of the left ventricle was significantly prolonged and was mainly responsible for delayed aortic valve closure. 5. 5. Left ventricular ejection time was significantly shortened which may reflect a decreased stroke volume. Prolonged isovolumic contraction of the left ventricle is the most important alteration in the time relationships of ventricular contraction in patients with LBBB. It may be associated with asynchronous contraction which results in diminished force and velocity of contraction of an already compromised left ventricle in many patients.
Recursive PCA for adaptive process monitoring

Abstract While principal component analysis (PCA) has found wide application in process monitoring, slow and normal process changes often occur in real processes, which lead to false alarms for a fixed-model monitoring approach. In this paper, we propose two recursive PCA algorithms for adaptive process monitoring. The paper starts with an efficient approach to updating the correlation matrix recursively. The algorithms, using rank-one modification and Lanczos tridiagonalization, are then proposed and their computational complexity is compared. The number of principal components and the confidence limits for process monitoring are also determined recursively. A complete adaptive monitoring algorithm that addresses the issues of missing values and outlines is presented. Finally, the proposed algorithms are applied to a rapid thermal annealing process in semiconductor processing for adaptive monitoring.
Spatial interpolation of temperature in the United States using residual kriging

Abstract Temperature is one of the most important factors influencing every aspect of life. In response to the increasing greenhouse effect in recent years, the demand for understanding the spatial variability of temperature in the U.S. has risen dramatically. To meet this need, we developed a statistical model for constructing a gridded temperature dataset over the mainland United States. Based on the data collected from 922 meteorological stations in the U.S., temperatures at over 5000 unknown locations were predicted in January and July, 2010. This study utilized variables of latitude and longitude (model 1), and latitude, longitude and elevation (model 2) as inputs in a residual kriging method to interpolate the average monthly temperature. We also estimated temperatures at the same locations with the kriging function of ArcGIS and compared the performances of our models with that of ArcGIS. We found that, by adding an elevation factor, our model (model 2) had a better predicting performance than that of ArcGIS kriging function in both January and July. However, only estimation in July was not different from the observation. This suggests that our kriging model is capable of capturing the spatial variability of temperature, but it is sensitive to season. The successful interpolation of July temperature indicates that the accuracy of interpolation can be improved by adding appropriate variables. Seasonal models developed in future research can be valuable tools for meteorological and climatological research.