cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Effect of vaccine shortages on timeliness of pneumococcal conjugate vaccination: results from the 2001-2005 National Immunization Survey.

BACKGROUND. In September 2001 and again in February 2004, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced shortages in the supply of the pneumococcal conjugate vaccine. We describe the effects of the pneumococcal conjugate vaccine shortages in 2001–2003 and 2004 on the timeliness of vaccination uptake for quarterly birth cohorts affected by the shortages. METHODS. A total of 102478 19- to 35-month-old children were sampled by the National Immunization Survey between 2001 and 2005. Provider-reported vaccination histories were used to evaluate whether children had been administered ≥4 doses of pneumococcal conjugate vaccine by 16 months of age. RESULTS. Among successive birth cohorts affected by the first shortage, estimated coverage of ≥4 doses of pneumococcal conjugate vaccine by 16 months declined significantly from 28.8% to 18.2%. As the first shortage ended, estimated coverage of ≥4 doses of pneumococcal conjugate vaccine by 16 months increased steadily with each successive birth cohort to 40.2%. From the onset of the second shortage, estimated coverage of ≥4 doses of pneumococcal conjugate vaccine by 16 months declined steadily and significantly to 13.7%. As many as 27% of parents whose child was affected by the first shortage reported that their child9s vaccination provider had delayed the administration of pneumococcal conjugate vaccine doses. Of those parents who said that a pneumococcal conjugate vaccine dose was delayed and whose child was not administered ≥4 doses, 2.9% received a reminder notice from the provider to schedule administration of those delayed doses, and 0.2% had an appointment to receive those delayed or missed doses. CONCLUSIONS. Vaccine shortages can result in delayed or missed doses and can have a dramatic impact on the vaccine coverage of children. Vaccination providers need to communicate effectively with parents so that doses that are delayed or missed during a vaccine shortage are administered when the shortage is resolved.
Novel method using white spectral probe signals to measure Brillouin gain spectra of pure silica core fibres

The beat spectrum of white spectral probe signals and a pump laser are used to directly give the Brillouin gain spectrum on an RF spectrum analyser. The measured peak gain coefficient is about 2.3 × 10−11m/W and the Brillouin linewidth is 29 MHz which can be further broadened by the additional strain distribution.
Higher Practice Intensity Is Associated with Higher Quality of Care but More Avoidable Admissions for Medicare Beneficiaries

BACKGROUND The relationship between practice intensity and the quality and outcomes of care has not been studied.
Cooperativity in self-limiting equilibrium self-associating systems

A wide variety of highly cooperative self-assembly processes in biological and synthetic systems involve the assembly of a large number (m) of units into clusters, with m narrowly peaked about a large size m0 ≫ 1 and with a second peak centered about the m = 1 unassembled monomers. While very specific models have been proposed for the assembly of, for example, viral capsids and core-shell micelles of s-casein, no available theory describes a thermodynamically general mechanism for this double peaked, highly cooperative equilibrium assembly process. This study provides a general mechanism for these cooperative processes by developing a minimal Flory-Huggins type theory. Beginning from the simplest non-cooperative, free association model in which the equilibrium constant for addition of a monomer to a cluster is independent of cluster size, the new model merely allows more favorable growth for clusters of intermediate sizes. The theory is illustrated by computing the phase diagram for cases of self-assembly...
An Examination of the Association of African American Mothers’ Perceptions of their Neighborhoods with their Parenting and Adolescent Adjustment:

This study tested a conceptual model designed to explain the links between mothers’ perceptions of their neighborhood and the adjustment of African American adolescents. The association of mothers’ perceptions of their neighborhoods, parenting practices, and adolescents’ adjustment was examined among 85 African American mothers and adolescents. Findings revealed the more mothers reported that crime and physical deterioration were problems in their neighborhood, the lower was their adolescents’ self-reliance. Mothers’ perceptions of neighborhood physical deterioration were also negatively correlated with self-esteem. The more mothers reported that important social resources were accessible in their neighborhood, the higher were adolescents’ self-esteem and self-reliance and the lower were adolescents’ problem behavior and psychological distress. Also, the more mothers reported that neighborhoods were deteriorated, the more firmly they controlled their adolescents. The more mothers reported that resources w...
State legitimacy and terrorism

Studies that focus on the causes of terrorism often overlook the issue of legitimacy. Ehud Sprinzak first spoke about the relationship between legitimacy and terrorism to explain why mobilized groups transition from political opposition movements to terrorism. This study advances upon this analysis by assessing the relationship between a state's legitimacy and the occurrence of domestic terrorism. The data suggest that legitimacy is a robust predictor of terrorism and merits further investigation as a causal variable.
A study of dynamic embrittlement in bicrystals of Cu-7%Sn

Abstract In a kinetic model [1] for the phenomenon of dynamic embrittlement, the cracking rate is predicted to be proportional to the diffusivity of the embrittling species along the grain boundary. To test this model, bicrystals of Cu-Sn with Σ5 symmetrical tilt boundaries in which tin is the embrittling element are being used. The diffusivities parallel and perpendicular to the tilt axis are expected to be different, therefore, the crack growth rates in these two directions should vary in the same ratio as the diffusivities. Measurements of the crack-growth rate along the [100] direction in the Cu-Sn alloy bicrystal at 265 °C showed that the cracking occurred by decohesion along the grain boundary with almost no observable plasticity at a maximum crack growth rate of approximately 10−6 m s−1. A model for steady-state crack growth has recently been developed and is discussed here.
THREE-DIMENSIONAL DISTURBANCES IN A BAROCLINIC ZONAL CURRENT

Abstract In the first part of this paper, the partial differential equations governing the three-dimensional large-scale disturbances in a baroclinic zonal current are derived by applying a semi-Lagrangian coordinate system. These equations are of second order and elliptic type, in not too low latitudes. Similar equations can also be obtained by assuming geostrophic approximations for the meridional velocity and the vorticity about the vertical, but this leads to the neglect of terms one order of magnitude smaller. The effect of viscosity is introduced by applying this approximation. A non-linear equation for the geostrophic wind-field is also obtained in the appendix. In the second part, the disturbances in a basic current increasing linearly with height but independent of latitude are discussed, and the results show that most of the disturbances are unstable and that the amplitude of the most unstable disturbances may be doubled within 24 hours. The structure of these disturbances is rather similar to t...
Regulation of human renin gene promoter activity: A new negative regulatory region determines the responsiveness to TNFα

Regulation of human renin gene promoter activity: A new negative regulatory region determines the responsiveness to TNF α . Background The renin-angiotensin system has been known to regulate blood pressure and body fluid homeostasis. Several lines of evidence have shown that renin gene expression and release are up-regulated by β -adrenergic stimulation, sodium depletion, and angiotensin converting enzyme inhibition, but down-regulated by cytokines. To further characterize the human renin gene (hREN) promoter structure, its regulation, and to identify an appropriate cell system for study, we examined five cell lines and investigated drug effects on the hREN promoter expression. Methods Using the hREN-luciferase reporter gene constructs in the DNA transfection assays, approximately 5kb of the hREN 5′ flanking region was assessed for promoter activity in five different cell lines. Regulation of the hREN promoter activity was investigated using Y-1 adrenal cells that were transfected with the hREN-luciferase DNA and were treated with forskolin, calcium ionophore A23187, phorbol ester, angiotensin II (Ang II), or cytokines. Results Transient transfection analysis showed that the 5kb hREN 5′ flanking DNA alone was able to confer significant promoter activity in Y-1 adrenal cells. In transfected Y-1 cells, luciferase reporter expression was induced by forskolin, suppressed by the calcium ionophore A23187, and phorbol ester in a dose-dependent manner, but was unaffected by angiotensin II (Ang II). However, when Y-1 reporter cells were transfected with human angiotensin II receptor type 1 (AT1) cDNA, hREN promoter activity was dose-dependently down-regulated by Ang II, which was blockable by losartan, an AT1-selective antagonist. Further studies also showed that hREN promoter activity in Y-1 cells was selectively down-regulated by TNF α . Deletion of the hREN promoter sequences between position -3916 and -2822 not only enhanced hREN promoter activity by approximately tenfold, but also caused a failure of down-regulation by TNF α . In contrast, neither interleukin (IL)-1 α , IL-1 β , IL-2, nor IL-6 exerted any significant effect. Conclusions Together the results suggest that TNF α is a negative regulator of the hREN expression in the adrenal cells, and that the TNF α responsiveness may be controlled by elements located between the positions -3916 and -2822 of the hREN promoter. Moreover, the Y-1 cell line may provide a valuable model system for studying renin gene regulation.
Growth and development: how safe is growth hormone therapy for children?

A study of nearly 55,000 children finds that growth hormone therapy is generally very safe, but orthopedic problems can occur, and survivors of childhood cancer are at an increased risk of a new neoplasm. Do current treatment strategies for some targeted patient groups need reevaluation?
Non-radiative decay of holmium-doped laser materials

Anti-Stokes fluorescence cooling has been demonstrated in a number rare earth doped materials. Ytterbium doped oxides and fluorides, such as ZBLAN, YLF, and YAG, were the first materials to exhibit cooling.1,2,3 These materials were originally developed as laser gain media and fluorescence cooling was eventually incorporated into the 1μm lasers to reduce detrimental thermal loading.4 Anti-Stokes cooling can offset quantum defect heating allowing laser power to be scaled to very high average powers. Since the early work in ytterbium, fluorescence cooling has been demonstrated in both erbium and thulium doped materials.5,6 These materials were also initially developed as lasing media and their fluorescence cooling could be used to increase laser powers at 1.5μm and 2.0μm. In this study we examine the radiative efficiency of holmium and ask the question, “Can anti-Stokes fluorescence cooling be extended beyond 2μm?”
A test of Moffitt's hypotheses of delinquency abstention

Criminologists have long noted that a small subset of the population will abstain from delinquent activity, even during adolescence, when such behavior is normative. Moffitt’s developmental taxonomy in particular hypothesizes that abstainers “skip” the maturity gap and are likely social isolates who do not associate with peers. The current study assesses this hypothesis by examining whether the maturity gap and peer associations are associated with abstention from delinquency. Findings are consistent with Moffitt’s hypotheses. Specifically, the maturity gap, the amount of time spent with peers, and the amount of contact with drug-using peers were significant predictors of abstention for males and females.
Polymeric ligands IV.1 Polyvinyl β-ketoesters

Copolymers were prepared by ester interchange of polyvinylalcohol with ethyl acetoacetate, ethyl benzoylacetate, and ethyl 4-nitrobenzoylacetate. Reaction of ethyl 2,4,6trimethylbenzoylacetate with polyvinylalcohol yielded a homopolymer. The polymers functioned as chelate ion exchangers. Ion exchange capacities were determined for the polymer derived from polyvinylalcohol and ethyl acetoacetate. (auth)
Ultrafast study of electron–phonon coupling in colloidal gold particles

Abstract The hot electron dynamics in 11±2 nm diameter Au particles has been examined by transient absorption and bleach recovery measurements. These experiments show that the timescale for energy relaxation by electron–phonon coupling decreases as the pump laser power decreases, and that the relaxation time is independent of the pump or probe wavelength at low pump power. The electron–phonon relaxation time measured in our experiments (∼650 fs) is very similar to the time constant obtained from experiments with bulk gold samples. These observations are explained using the two-temperature model for electron–phonon coupling.
QoS-Satisfied Pathover Scheme in FMIPv6 Environment

Using the application of bluck data transfer, we investigate the performance of QoS-satisfied pathover for transport layer mobility scheme such as mSCTP in FMIPv6 envirmonment. We find that existing scheme has some defects in aspect of pathover and throughput. Based on this, we make a potential change to mSCTP by adding QoS-Measurement-Chunk, which is used to take into account information about wireless link condition in reselection/handover process of FMIPv6 network, we proposed a scheme with an algorithm named congestion-oriented pathover (COPO) to detect congestion of the primary path using back-to-back RTTs and adapt change of the wireless link parameters. A demonstrate using simulation is provided showing how the proposed scheme provides better performance to pathover and throughput.
Ignition Delay and Heat-Release Rate for n-Heptane in a Direct-Injection Constant-Volume Combustion Chamber: Experiments and Computations

The purpose of this study was to characterize combustion behavior for n-heptane using experimental measurements in a direct-injection constant-volume combustion chamber (CVCC) to validate chemical-kinetic mechanisms. This work is focused on compression-ignition (i.e., diesel) combustion, primarily because mechanisms for larger-chain diesel-relevant species are not well developed and require significant attention.The CVCC used in this work can be pressurized and heated to create engine-relevant conditions that enable study of autoignition behavior. In addition, the chamber is equipped with a high-pressure, common-rail diesel injector, making the study of autoignition and combustion in this system highly relevant to modern diesel engines. By varying injection pressure and duration, it is possible to control global equivalence ratio as well. Chamber pressure during injection and combustion is measured using a piezoelectric transducer, and can be subsequently used to infer heat-release rates. Experimental measurements for n-heptane mostly displayed expected trends. As initial chamber pressure increased, ignition delay decreased and peak pressure increased. As injection duration increased, ignition delay decreased due to faster ignition of richer mixtures, and peak pressure increased due to higher total heat release. The effect of temperature on ignition delay, however, was more complex and suggested some amount of NTC (negative temperature coefficient) behavior. For all conditions, heat-release rates indicated entirely premixed combustion with no hint of mixing-controlled combustion.Experimental data were compared with results from CHEMKIN-PRO simulations. The model simulated zero-dimensional combustion using a detailed n-heptane mechanism developed at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. These computations were used to infer local equivalence ratio information, based on equivalence ratio required in the model to match experimental ignition delay. For most test cases, the model required an equivalence ratio that was at least ∼2× richer than the global value. In addition, equivalence ratios in the model ranged a full order of magnitude, from ∼0.6 to 6, suggesting that local mixture equivalence ratios varied considerably as experimental conditions were varied. Results suggest that improved models that include details of spray physics are required in order to properly predict local equivalence ratios and resulting autoignition characteristics.Copyright © 2013 by ASME
Characterizing spurious responses in radio receivers

Typically the performance of radio receivers is distilled to a few key parameters such as sensitivity, selectivity, image rejection, intercept point, and dynamic range. Unfortunately, this results in important key performance issues being overlooked. This paper looks at spurious responses in wide-coverage narrowband receivers that may be employed in sensor networks or for spectrum sensing in cognitive radio. A detailed measurement and graphical plot of all spurious responses from 100 kHz to 1 GHz is presented. This comprehensive assessment illustrates that receivers may show extensive false signal responses, even if they have relatively good classic specifications in areas such as selectivity and image rejection.
ATS-6 UCSD Auroral Particles Experiment

The University of California at San Diego (UCSD) Auroral Particles Experiment on the Applications Technology Satellite-6 (ATS-6) consists of five electrostatic charged particle detectors. The features which contribute to the uniqueness of the UCSD data include a rotation capability which often allows sampling very near the direction of the magnetic field, an energy range of five orders of magnitude with a lower extreme of less than 1 eV, and a very large geometric factor which results both from a postenergy analysis electrostatic lens and from the unique ovoidal shape of the analyzing plates. A preliminary look at a subset of UCSD magnetospheric data emphasizes those phenomena which are observed as a result of the new features described. These phenomena include intense magnetic field aligned auroral particles, a persistent and very low energy dusk region enhancement, and low energy 1-10-s fluctuations tentatively identified as Alfven waves.
Class noise vs. attribute noise: a quantitative study of their impacts

Real-world data is never perfect and can often suffer from corruptions (noise) that may impact interpretations of the data, models created from the data and decisions made based on the data. Noise can reduce system performance in terms of classification accuracy, time in building a classifier and the size of the classifier. Accordingly, most existing learning algorithms have integrated various approaches to enhance their learning abilities from noisy environments, but the existence of noise can still introduce serious negative impacts. A more reasonable solution might be to employ some preprocessing mechanisms to handle noisy instances before a learner is formed. Unfortunately, rare research has been conducted to systematically explore the impact of noise, especially from the noise handling point of view. This has made various noise processing techniques less significant, specifically when dealing with noise that is introduced in attributes. In this paper, we present a systematic evaluation on the effect of noise in machine learning. Instead of taking any unified theory of noise to evaluate the noise impacts, we differentiate noise into two categories: class noise and attribute noise, and analyze their impacts on the system performance separately. Because class noise has been widely addressed in existing research efforts, we concentrate on attribute noise. We investigate the relationship between attribute noise and classification accuracy, the impact of noise at different attributes, and possible solutions in handling attribute noise. Our conclusions can be used to guide interested readers to enhance data quality by designing various noise handling mechanisms.
Soliton chaos in the nonlinear Schrödinger equation with spatially periodic perturbations.

We perturb the one-dimensional nonlinear Schroedinger equation with a time-independent spatially periodic potential with a period large compared to the spatial width of solitons present in the system. A collective-coordinate approximation maps the system to a nonintegrable many-particle dynamics with an effective Hamiltonian, which we derive under the assumption that we can neglect three-soliton collisions as well as two-soliton collisions with vanishing relative velocity. We give an estimate for the power radiated by a single soliton in the presence of the perturbation and show that radiative effects can be neglected for perturbations with sufficiently small amplitude and large spatial period. We show that the nonintegrability of this perturbed nonlinear Schroedinger equation manifests itself already in the two-soliton sector. We use the effective many-particle Hamiltonian to investigate soliton depinning. The effective Hamiltonian results are compared with numerical simulations of the full perturbed equation.
Alcohol Dependence and Responsivity to an Ethanol Stimulus as Predictors of Alcohol Consumption

Summary Withdrawal symptoms during the previous 30 days were examined in relation to psychophysiological arousal, desire to drink, and operant behavior associated with alcohol consumption. The subjects were 16 male alcoholic patients and 16 control subjects that had been randomly assigned to either an alcohol or placebo condition. Alcoholics showed a greater desire to drink than their respective controls. There was also a significant correlation between autonomic arousal and desire to drink among alcoholics but not controls. There was some evidence that arousal was related to alcohol dependence among alcoholics. Placebo responding among alcoholics was also related to alcohol dependence. Of particular significance was that desire to drink, withdrawal symptomatology, and heart rate accounted for over 57% of the variance in predicting which alcoholics would choose the drink reward following the operant task. These results support the notion that disposition to drink in alcoholics should be examined in a multivariate context.
Solution Spectroscopic and Chemical Properties of the Complex Hydride [FeH(6)](4-).

Solution spectroscopic and chemical behavior was examined in the case of the homoleptic hydridic anion of iron [FeH6]4-. Examination of the UV−visible spectrum in THF revealed a LMCT band which occurs at 41 × 103 cm-1 (e = 1200 L mol-1 cm-1). A manifold between 470 and 500 nm was consistent with overlapping spin-forbidden transitions: 1A1g → 3T2g and 1A1g → 3T1g. The doubly spin-forbidden transition (1A1g → 5T2g) was not observed. Spin-allowed ligand field transitions, 1A1g → 1T2g and 1A1g → 1T1g, occurred at 28.2 (e = 356 L mol-1 cm-1) and 24.2 × 103 cm-1 (e = 414 L mol-1 cm-1), respectively. The latter data yielded the parameters ΔH− = 25 × 103 cm-1 and B = 310 cm-1, assuming C/B = 4. Thus, the position of hydride was established in the spectrochemical series of low-spin Fe2+ as well beneath cyanide (35 × 103 cm-1 ) yet well above bipyridine (18 × 103 cm-1 ). Titration of solutions of [FeH6][MgX(THF)2]4 (1.2 × 10-3 M), I (X = Cl, Br), with [MgCl2] ((1.8−45) × 10-3 M) did not perturb the ligand field ab...
Mercury in the Soil of Two Contrasting Watersheds in the Eastern United States

Soil represents the largest store of mercury (Hg) in terrestrial ecosystems, and further study of the factors associated with soil Hg storage is needed to address concerns about the magnitude and persistence of global environmental Hg bioaccumulation. To address this need, we compared total Hg and methyl Hg concentrations and stores in the soil of different landscapes in two watersheds in different geographic settings with similar and relatively high methyl Hg concentrations in surface waters and biota, Fishing Brook, Adirondack Mountains, New York, and McTier Creek, Coastal Plain, South Carolina. Median total Hg concentrations and stores in organic and mineral soil samples were three-fold greater at Fishing Brook than at McTier Creek. Similarly, median methyl Hg concentrations were about two-fold greater in Fishing Brook soil than in McTier Creek soil, but this difference was significant only for mineral soil samples, and methyl Hg stores were not significantly different among these watersheds. In contrast, the methyl Hg/total Hg ratio was significantly greater at McTier Creek suggesting greater climate-driven methylation efficiency in the Coastal Plain soil than that of the Adirondack Mountains. The Adirondack soil had eight-fold greater soil organic matter than that of the Coastal Plain, consistent with greater total Hg stores in the northern soil, but soil organic matter - total Hg relations differed among the sites. A strong linear relation was evident at McTier Creek (r(2) = 0.68; p<0.001), but a linear relation at Fishing Brook was weak (r(2) = 0.13; p<0.001) and highly variable across the soil organic matter content range, suggesting excess Hg binding capacity in the Adirondack soil. These results suggest greater total Hg turnover time in Adirondack soil than that of the Coastal Plain, and that future declines in stream water Hg concentrations driven by declines in atmospheric Hg deposition will be more gradual and prolonged in the Adirondacks.
Infiltrating Hepatocellular Carcinoma: Seeing the Tree through the Forest

Introduction Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide. It is traditionally difficult to cure, especially when discovered at later stages, making early diagnosis and intervention of paramount importance. HCC typically arises in the background of chronic liver disease and can have various morphologic appearances. One of the most difficult of these to recognize on early surveillance imaging is the infiltrative subtype, which can account for up to 13% of all HCC cases, and may be more closely associated with background hepatitis B infection.
The concept of international migration as reflected in data collection systems.

The problems of statistics relating to international migration have been well documented.3 It is an established fact that the concepts underlying those statistics vary considerably, not only betwee...
A General Method for the Modification of the 9-Position of N-Acetyl-neuraminic Acid (NANA) and the Synthesis of Its 9-Fluoroanalogue

Abstract Analogs of N-acetylneuraminic acid (1, NANA) are of considerable interest as potential modifiers of cell surface sialic acid. NANA is greatly responsible for the negative charge on cell surface, and plays an important role in cell-to-cell Interactions, immunogenic properties, and metastasis.1 Considerable difficulty has been encountered in the development of approaches for the modification of this molecule.2 The only fluorinated sialic acid which has been reported 1s N-acetyl-3-fluoro-neuraminic acid, a compound which was obtained in only 1% yield.3 A systematic approach to the introduction of protecting groups into NANA, a process which would make specific groups amenable for modification, has not been explored. In this communication we report a successful application of a protection-deprotection approach (Scheme 1) to the synthesis of N-acetyl-9-deoxy-9-fluoroneuraminic acid (7).
Fluorescence lifetime contrast in small animal imaging

Early detection of primary tumors is the key for effective therapeutic intervention and successful patient survival. Small animal models emulating human diseases are powerful tools for our comprehensive understanding of the pathophysiology of tumor formation and metastasis to distant sites. Our long-term goal is to develop a non-invasive, multiphoton-fluorescence lifetime imaging (MP-FLIM) modality that can precisely quantify these steps in animal tumor models at a very early stage. The specific hypothesis is that fluorescence lifetime can be employed as reliable contrast parameter for providing higher detection sensitivity as compared with conventional intensity-based tumor imaging approaches and therefore it is possible to detect smaller tumor volumes (early detection) than those achieved by other prevailing methods. We base this hypothesis on our recent observations that (1) fluorescence lifetime is "intrinsic" to the fluorophore and its measurement is not affected by concentration and/or spectral artifacts as in intensity-based methods, (2) multiphoton excitation can enable increased tissue penetrability and reduced phototoxicity and (3) MP-FLIM approach can discriminate background autofluorescence from the fluorescent proteins in thick tissues thereby achieving a ten-fold increase in signal-to-background ratio over the intensity-based approaches. We present our preliminary data to support this hypothesis in primary tumor detection in nu/nu athymic mouse models.
A hydrolase-related transport system is not required to explain the intestinal uptake of glucose liberated from phlorizin

Abstract The fate of [3H]glucose released from a wide range of [3H]phlorizin concentrations by phlorizin hydrolase has been studied under conditions where the Na+-dependent glucose transport system in hamster intestine is profoundly inhibited by the glucoside. At 0.2–2.0 mM phlorizin, the [3H]glucose uptake was a constant 11–12% of that generated by the enzyme and at the highest level, it was reduced to that of passive diffusion. Glucose liberated from 0.2 mM [3H]phlorizin is accumulated at a rate nearly equal to that found for 0.2 mM [14C]glucose when this free sugar uptake is measured in a medium containing 0.2 mM unlabeled phlorizin. Furthermore, without sodium, the accumulation rates of hydrolase-derived or exogenous glucose are both reduced to the rate of [14C]mannitol. Our results indicate that the glucose released from phlorizin enters the tissue via the small fraction of the Na+-dependent glucose carriers which escape phlorizin blockade together with a mannitol-like passive diffusion. It enjoys a kinetic advantage for tissue entry over free glucose in the medium by virtue of the position of the site where it is formed, i.e. inside the unstirred water layer and near normal entry portals. No special hydrolase-related transport system, like the one proposed for disaccharides, needs to be considered to account for our findings.
Lung-liver interactions in sepsis and multiple organ failure syndrome

This article examines interactions between the lungs and the liver during microbial sepsis from four interrelated elements of host defense: (1) control of systemic endotoxemia, bacteremia, and vasoactive by-products of sepsis via hepatic mononuclear phagocytic (Kupffer's) cell clearance; (2) biosynthesis and export of cytokine and eicosanoid inflammatory mediators into hepatic venous blood; (3) metabolic inactivation and detoxification of these mediators by Kupffer's cell-hepatocyte interactions at the hepatic sinusoidal interface; and (4) cytokine-driven synthesis of acute phase proteins, including α 2 -macroglobulin, C-reactive protein, and lipopolysaccharide-binding protein, that are capable of modifying sepsis-related changes in metabolism and inflammation.
METACARPOPHALANGEAL JOINT IMPLANT ARTHROPLASTY

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) usually requires lifelong treatment and sometimes surgery. Metacarpophalangeal joint (MCPJ) implant arthroplasty is one surgical treatment for patients with severe RA malformation of the finger joints. Although not a cure, MCPJ implant arthroplasty can enhance patients' quality of life by improving their performance of independent activities of daily living. The silicone implant acts as a spacer until tendons and connective tissues are able to control the joint's functions. Comprehensive preoperative and postoperative patient teaching and aggressive physical therapy are needed to achieve optimal outcomes in patients who undergo this surgical procedure.
Analysis of 2-D Surface-Emitting ROW-DFB Semiconductor Lasers for High-Power Single-Mode Operation

A detailed analysis of 2D surface-emitting active-photonic-crystal (APC) lasers composed of a resonant-optical-waveguide (ROW) array and Pi-phaseshifted second-order distributed feedback/distributed Bragg reflector (DFB/DBR) gratings, made atop the ROW-array elements, is performed. Coupled-mode theory and the transfer-matrix method are used for analysis in the longitudinal direction, and 2D rigorous array modeling is used for analysis in the lateral direction. The gratings, beside their usual functions (i.e., feedback and outcoupling), act as strong lateral-mode (i.e., array-mode) selectors by exploiting the array-modes' different field-intensity overlap with the element regions, at the in-phase-mode resonance. The in-phase array mode is strongly favored to lase at and around its (lateral) resonance due both to better longitudinal-field overlap with the active-grating (i.e., DFB) region and to much lower interelement loss than the other array modes. The loss in the interelement regions that suppresses lasing of the nonresonant modes is due to strong absorption to both the metal contact (i.e., Au) as well as to the semiconductor/metal grating layers (i.e., GaAs-Au) in the element regions. The intermodal discrimination can be further enhanced by introducing strong free-carrier absorption in the interelement regions. For 20-element arrays with 700 mum/600 mum DFB/DBR gratings, emitting at 0.98 mum and of 100-mum-wide lateral dimension, the intermodal discrimination, DeltaJth, is high (~500 A/cm2) at the in-phase-mode resonance, and > 70 A/cm2 as the regrown interelement-region thickness t is varied (during fabrication) over a 0.02-mum range. The external differential quantum efficiency reaches 58%, and the guided-field intensity profile is virtually uniform in both the lateral and longitudinal directions. For 40-element devices, the projected CW power in a single, diffraction-limited lobe is 2.4 W at 10 x threshold. For 20-element arrays with intentionally introduced free-carrier absorption in the interelement regions, DeltaJth is very high (~6500 A/cm2) at the in-phase-mode resonance, and >70 A/cm2 as t is varied over a 0.035-mum range. The projected single-mode, diffraction-limited continuous-wave power, from 40-element devices at 10x threshold, is similar: 2.4 W.
Therapy for calciphylaxis: an outcome analysis.

Abstract Background Violaceous skin lesions that progress to nonhealing ulcerations and gangrene characterize calciphylaxis. These lesions, which are associated with secondary hyperparathyroidism, are resistant to medical therapy and may lead to amputation, uncontrollable sepsis, and death. Methods In this retrospective analysis, patient, disease, and treatment variables were obtained from the patients' medical records. Paired t-tests, chi-square analysis, and two-tailed Fisher's exact tests compared variables. Survival curves were generated using the Kaplan-Meier method; the log-rank test determined survival differences. Results From 1993 to 2001, 35 patients were treated; 26 (74%) were female and 20 (57%) were African-American. The cause of the renal failure was hypertension in 37% and diabetes mellitus in 26%. Twenty-three patients (66%) underwent a parathyroid resection involving 4 glands and autotransplantation in 12, 3 1 2 glands in 7, and 1 2 glands in 4. Median follow-up was 26 months (range 2 to 90 months). Surgical patients showed improvement in serum calcium, phosphate, and parathyroid hormone values (P Conclusions Parathyroid resection for calciphylaxis reduces serum calcium, phosphate, and parathyroid hormone values and improves clinical response and overall survival.
Pulsed laser deposition of solid-solution films using segmented targets

A new method for the growth of solid-solution thin films has been developed in which a pre-determined ratio of the components can be deposited by the controlled use of a single rotating target. This variable compositional control is achieved by altering the radial position of either the target, which incorporates wedge-shaped segments of the solid-solution components, or of the laser beam. The method was used to grow films of the solid solution KTa1−xNb1O3 for which the predicted and measured values of the ferroelectric transition temperature for selected Ta/Nb ratios were in excellent agreement. This approach is generally applicable to solid-solution systems and is not restricted to ferroelectric oxides.
Udang Field: A New Indonesian Development

Abstract The Udang field is located in the Natuna Sea, approximately 1,000 kilometers North of Jakarta. The discovery well was drilled in 1974. Udang field commenced production 18 January 1979. It now has 5 wells producing about 18,000 BOPD. A total of eleven wells are planned for the first platform. Facilities installed now consist of a 4,500-ton drilling and production platform supported on eight piles driven 320 feet into the ocean floor. The platform, biggest in Indonesia, is connected by a 400-foot bridge to a flare tripod. Producing facilities capable of processing 40,000 barrels per day of high pourpoint crude are installed on the platform. Processed crude is pumped through dual insulated pipelines to the Udang Natuna, a 93,000 deadwegiht-ton tanker which is permanently moored 6,100 feet from the platform by a single point mooring system. Export tankers breast moor alongside the Udang Natuna to receive finished crude. In spite of a tight schedule and the large scale of the project it was completed on time and within initial cost estimates. This paper summarizes the development of this remote field.
Efficiency Gained by Screening Segregating Soybean Progenies with Soybean Cyst Nematode Race 2 versus Race 5

Soybean cyst nematode (SCN) (Heterodera glycines Ichinohe) is a major pest of soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] in the USA and has many races. The use of SCN resistant cultivars effects changes in the ability of H. glycines field populations to parasitize these cultivars. The objective of this experiment was to determine if screening for race 2 resistance alone was sufficient to identify resistance for both races 2 and 5. Progenies of crosses involving 'Hartwig soybean were tested for resistance to either SCN race 2 or 5 in the F 2 generation and for resistance to both races in the F 2:3 generation in greenhouse studies. Individual plants were grown in soil infested with 1000 eggs of the appropriate race. Resistant plants were transplanted to the field for seed production. Progenies from the harvested plants were tested with both races in separate tests. All F 2:3 progenies resistant to race 2 were also resistant to race 5. Only 64% of F 2:3 progenies resistant to race 5 were also resistant to race 2. These results indicate that it is more effident to screen for race 2 resistance alone than to screen for resistance to either race 5 or both races when resistance to both races is sought from crosses involving Hartwig.
Estradiol and progesterone modulate the nitric oxide/cyclic gmp pathway in the hypothalamus of female rats and in GT1-1 cells.

Considerable evidence suggests that the nitric oxide (NO)/cGMP signaling pathway plays an important role in the expression of reproductive behavior and in gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) release from the hypothalamus The effects of the NO/cGMP pathway on GnRH release and gene expression have also been examined in GT1 cells. However, it is still controversial whether NO/cGMP signaling facilitates or inhibits GnRH release in these cells. The current study examined the effects of estradiol and progesterone on neuronal NO synthase (nNOS), soluble guanylyl cyclase (sGC), and NO-dependent cGMP production in the preoptic area (POA) and hypothalamus (HYP) as well as in GT1-1 cells. Ovariectomized female rats received vehicle, estradiol benzoate (48 h) and/or progesterone (3–4 h) before preparation of brain slices. GT1-1 cells were incubated with vehicle, estradiol (48 h), progesterone (3–4 h), or with both hormones. The combination of estradiol and progesterone increased the expression of nNOS protein in the POA and HYP. Hormones had little effect on the abundance of sGC. Estradiol and progesterone together greatly enhanced NO-stimulated sGC activity in HYP-POA slices. In GT1-1 cells, NO-stimulated sGC activity was significantly increased by estradiol and progesterone, alone or in combination, but sGC expression was not altered by hormones.
Proton and neutron alignments in negative-parity bands of 76Kr.

High-spin states in {sup 76}Kr were studied using the {sup 54}Fe({sup 28}Si, {alpha} 2{ital p}) reaction at 120 MeV. Two new level sequences with negative parity decaying to known states in {sup 76}Kr have been identified from prompt {gamma}-{gamma} coincidences. The observed band crossings at a rotational frequency of about 0.55 MeV/{h_bar} can be understood as a {ital g}{sub 9/2} quasiproton alignment in bands built on two-quasineutron excitations at near-prolate deformation, in contrast to the {ital g}{sub 9/2} quasineutron alignment at about 0.75 MeV/{h_bar} in the previously known two-quasiproton negative-parity bands.
Projecting the general cardiology workforce shortage.

• From the Division of Electrophysiology, Cardiovascular Institute, University of Pittsburgh, PA • Address for correspondence: Jeffrey L. Williams, MD, MS, PUH B535, Division of Electrophysiology, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, 200 Lothrop Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15213; e-mail: williamsJL4@upmc.edu www.lejacq.com ID: 7171 A model was developed to project the need for general cardiologists from 2005 through 2050 with Matlab (Mathworks, Inc, Natick, MA). The growth in need for general cardiologists was estimated by incorporating the effect of retirement, prevalence of heart disease, and patient per physician load. At the peak demand in 2038, the projected need is for 62,452 general cardiologists. Current training durations would result in 29,043 and fast-tracking would result in 32,533 general cardiologists, meeting only 46.5% of the projected need in 2038. This situation may result from a complex cascade of declining numbers of US medical graduates and of those matching in internal medicine residencies, combined with patients presenting with increasingly complex cardiovascular disease that require the care of multiple, distinct cardiovascular specialists. The American Association of Medical Colleges Center for Workforce Studies has reported on the growing evidence that the United States will face a physician shortage over the next 10 to 20 years and recommends a 15% increase in the number of US medical school graduates by 2015.1 Since 1987, the number of US medical school graduates matching in internal medicine residencies has dramatically declined: 26.5% of US medical school graduates matched in internal medicine in 19872 vs 19.0% in 2006.3 The 35th Bethesda Conference4 predicted an impending shortage of general cardiologists. However, the conference document did not make projections as to the degree or duration of the shortage. In this article, the author models the projected need for general cardiologists from 2005 through 2050 with current training program durations compared with that of a fast-track program for electrophysiology (EP) and interventional subspecialty fellowships.
The Caenorhabditis elegans peb-1 gene encodes a novel DNA-binding protein involved in morphogenesis of the pharynx, vulva, and hindgut.

Abstract Gene expression in the Caenorhabditis elegans pharynx is regulated in part by organ-specific signals, which in the myo-2 gene target a regulatory sequence called the C subelement. C subelement activity requires the organ specification factor PHA-4, a winged-helix transcription factor expressed in all pharyngeal cells. To identify additional factors involved in pharyngeal organogenesis, we performed a yeast one-hybrid screen for C subelement binding proteins. Here we describe the novel factor PEB-1, which is coexpressed with PHA-4 in many pharyngeal cell types, including muscles, epithelial cells, marginal cells, and glands, but is undetectable in the pharyngeal nervous system. PEB-1 is also detected outside the pharynx in cells surrounding the rectum and vulva, as well as in the germ line. Reduction of peb-1 function using RNAi results in morphological defects in the somatic tissues in which peb-1 is expressed. We have mapped the PEB-1 DNA-binding domain to a 158-residue region, which is unrelated to known DNA-binding proteins but shares some sequence similarity to the Drosophila Mod(mdg4) proteins. PEB-1 specifically recognizes a site in the C subelement that partially overlaps the PHA-4 binding site. Both the PEB-1 and the PHA-4 binding sites are necessary for strong C subelement enhancer activity in some cells in which these factors are coexpressed. In contrast the PEB-1 site is dispensable for C subelement activity in pharyngeal neurons. We propose that PEB-1 functions with PHA-4 to activate target gene expression in cells in which they are coexpressed.
High resolution functional photoacoustic computed tomography of the mouse brain during electrical stimulation

Photoacoustic computed tomography (PACT) is an emerging imaging technique which is based on the acoustic detection of optical absorption from tissue chromophores, such as oxy-hemoglobin and deoxy-hemoglobin. An important application of PACT is functional brain imaging of small animals. The conversion of light to acoustic waves allows PACT to provide high resolution images of cortical vasculatures through the intact scalp. Here, PACT was utilized to study the activated areas of the mouse brain during forepaw and hindpaw stimulations. Temporal PACT images were acquired enabling computation of hemodynamic changes during stimulation. The stimulations were performed by trains of pulses at different stimulation currents (between 0.1 to 2 mA) and pulse repetition rates (between 0.05 Hz to 0.01Hz). The response at somatosensory cortex-forelimb, and somatosensory cortex-hindlimb, were investigated. The Paxinos mouse brain atlas was used to confirm the activated regions. The study shows that PACT is a promising new technology that can be used to study brain functionality with high spatial resolution.
Reducing the number of mobile sensors for coverage tasks

Mobile robots provide new opportunities for research in environment sensing. By combining sensors and robots, we can develop applications to enhance security, search and rescue, and detect hazardous materials. One important problem is to use fewer mobile sensors to cover an area. This paper focuses on two problems in robot sensor deployment: speed management and detouring distance under energy and timing constraints. We determine the robots' traveling speed based on the remaining energy and remaining time before deadline. We use probabilistic models for environments with obstacles and propose an empirical analysis to estimate the extra traveling distance due to detouring. We compute the number of robots (fleet size) needed for cover an area and our approach reduces the fleet size. Compared with two simple heuristics, our method uses 21% fewer robots.
Several Different Cell Surface Molecules Control Negative Selection of Medullary Thymocytes

Repeated attempts to show that costimulation for negative selection is controlled by a single cell surface molecule have been unsuccessful. Thus, negative selection may involve multiple cell surface molecules acting in consort. In support of this idea, we show here that at least three cell surface molecules, namely CD28, CD5, and CD43, contribute to Fas-independent negative selection of the tolerance-susceptible population of heat-stable antigen (HSA)hiCD4+8− cells found in the medulla. The costimulatory function of these three molecules can be blocked by certain cytokines, IL-4 and IL-7, and coinjecting these cytokines with antigen in vivo abolishes negative selection; Fas-dependent negative selection, however, is maintained. The results suggest that efficient negative selection requires the combined functions of at least four cell surface molecules: CD28, CD5, CD43, and Fas.