cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
In vivo exposure of human lymphocytes to technetium-99m in nuclear medicine patients does not induce deteetable genetic effects

Abstract Recent reports have demonstrated that exposure of nuclear medicine patients to thallium-201 does not result in a detectable increase in mutation at the hprt locus in human lymphocytes. In an effort to study further the potential genetic effects of medical exposures to low dose radiation, we have examined chromosome aberrations and mutations in peripheral blood lymphocytes from nuclear medicine patients exposed to clinical doses of technetium-99 m . Our results show that there is no exposure-related increase in chromosomal damage; furthermore, the data do not confirm earlier rep0rts of exposure-related increases in mutations induced by technetium-99 m .
Some geometrical algorithms for generation of field lines of a vector field—designed for high accuracy with calculations at only a few field points

Toward the goal of efficiently computing field lines for molecular vector fields, where each field-point calculation is computationally intensive, a few appropriate algorithms for calculating vector field lines are presented and compared for various representative applications. Among these algorithms are the first-order tangent-line method (TL), the fourth-order Runge-Kutta method (RK4), the infinite-order Bulirsch-Stoer method (BS), the second-order Taylor's series method (TS2), and the second-order “curvature-following” method (CF). The TL and the RK4 are well known. The TS2 and the CF are new. The RK4, The TS2, and the CF are appropriate for obtaining high accuracy with few field-point calculations. The TL is definitely not appropriate for this purpose, and the BS is so appropriate only at the highest level of required accuracy. The CF uses the value of the vector field and its gradient at the given field point in order to locate the center of curvature of the field line at that point and, thereby, to extrapolate the field line, as an arc of a circle, to the next field point. The TS2 uses the same information, but extrapolates the field line as a segment of a parabola whose vertex is at the field point. The BS is an infinite-order extrapolation on successively finer scale iterations of the lowest-order Runge-Kutta method. All of these methods are compared for the velocity field of a rotating disk, for the vector field of a point dipole, and for electric field of a high-speed orbiting charged particle. For all of these fields, the field lines are exactly expressible in analytic form, so the absolute errors of these different algorithms can be appraised. As several of these methods allow a rather large step size, it was found appropriate to use a continuous-(geometrical)-curvature interpolation scheme to interpolate between the field points on the generated field lines. One prefers this scheme to the use of cubic splines when the physical fields should have their “geometrical pictures” (even under approximation) invariant to an arbitrary change of the coordinate system used in the calculation. These methods have also been used to generate field lines for the approximate and the exact fields of a half-wave antenna. In this case, one sees very large differences in the structure of the field lines of the approximate and the exact fields, in the near-field region, and also sees the manner in which each of these differences diminishes to zero as the field point approaches the far-field region; features that would have been very hard to observe by purely analytical methods. It is hoped that these methods for field line generation might have application for the field lines of the gradient of the molecular density (as in Bader's theory of atoms in molecules) and for the field lines of the electric fields of nucleic acid molecules.
Fungal control of nitrous oxide production in semiarid grassland

Fungi are capable of both nitrification and denitrification and dominate the microbial biomass in many soils. Recent work suggests that fungal rather than bacterial pathways dominate N transformation in desert soils. We evaluated this hypothesis by comparing the contributions of bacteria and fungi to N2O production at control and N fertilized sites within a semiarid grassland in central New Mexico (USA). Soil samples were taken from the rhizosphere of blue grama (B. gracilus) and the microbiotic crusts that grow in open areas between the bunch grasses. Soils incubated at 30% or 70% water holding capacity, were exposed to one of three biocide treatments (control, cycloheximide or streptomycin). After 48 h, N2O and CO2 production were quantified along with the activities of several extracellular enzymes. N2O production from N fertilized soils was higher than that of control soils (165 vs. 41 pmol h−1 g−1), was higher for crust soil than for rhizosphere soil (108 vs. 97 pmol h−1 g−1), and increased with soil water content (146 vs. 60 pmol h−1 g−1). On average, fungicide (cycloheximide) addition reduced N2O production by 85% while increasing CO2 production by 69%; bactericide (streptomycin) reduced N2O by 53% with mixed effects on CO2 production. N2O production was significantly correlated with C and N mineralization potential as measured by assays for glycosidic and proteolytic enzymes, and with extractable nitrate and ammonium. Our data indicate that fungal nitrifier denitrification and bacterial autotrophic nitrification dominate N transformation in this ecosystem and that N2O production is highly sensitive to soil cover, N deposition and moisture.
Modified nodal cubic spline collocation for biharmonic equations

We formulate a modified nodal cubic spline collocation scheme for the solution of the biharmonic Dirichlet problem on the unit square. We prove existence and uniqueness of a solution of the scheme and show how the scheme can be solved on an N × N uniform partition of the square at a cost O(N2 log2 N + mN2) using fast Fourier transforms and m iterations of the preconditioned conjugate gradient method. We demonstrate numerically that m proportional to log2N guarantees the desired convergence rates. Numerical results indicate the fourth order accuracy of the approximations in the global maximum norm and the fourth order accuracy of the approximations to the first order partial derivatives at the partition nodes.
Aging Effects on Recollection and Familiarity: The Role of White Matter Hyperintensities

Previous studies have indicated that aging is associated with declines in recollection whereas familiarity-based recognition is left largely unaffected. The brain changes underlying these recollection declines are yet not well understood. In the current study we examined the role of white matter integrity as measured by white matter hyperintensities (WMH) on age-related changes in recollection and familiarity. Recognition was measured using a remember/know procedure (Experiment 1) and a source-memory process-dissociation procedure (Experiment 2). Robust age related declines in recollection were observed, but there was no evidence that white matter damage was related to the observed memory declines. Although future studies with larger samples will be necessary to fully characterize the role of WMH in normal age-related declines in different types of memory, the results suggest that declines in recollection are not strongly related to the brain changes indexed by WMHs.
Bonding in scandium monosulfide a NaCl crystal type

The transition temperature of an order-disorder transition in Sc/sub 0/ /sub 81/S (R anti 3m to Fm3m) occurs at 700/sup 0/C. A group of ordered sublattices on the NaCl-type lattice (Fm3m) was generated and a Madelung energy and configurational entropy were calculated for each sublattice assuming the ions to be Sc/sup 2/ /sup 48 +/ and S/sup 2 -/. Mean field and pair interaction approximations were used to model long-range and short-range orderings, respectively. The electrostatic model fails to predict the observed short-range and long-range orderings. The high temperature vaporization of ScP was investigated by mass spectrometry and target collection Knudsen effusion at 1767 to 2209K. The composition ScP/sub 1/ /sub 00/ vaporizes congruently to the gaseous species Sc, P, and P/sub 2/. A temperature independent third law enthalpy of atomization (..delta..H/sup 0//sub atom,298/ = 252.2 +- 2.8 kcal mole/sup -1/) has a value approx. 12 kcal larger than that reported for ScS. Nonrelativistic, nonself-consistent LAPW band structure calculations are reported for ScS. XPS and UPS measurements are reported for Sc/sub 2/S/sub 3/ and several compositions Sc/sub 1-x/S (0.0 less than or equal to x less than or equal to 0.2). The Sc and S 2p binding energies (XPS) obtainedmore » for the defect scandium monosulfides are very close to those found in the pure elements, suggesting covalent bonding. The Sc 2p energy region has an interesting satellite structure.« less
Event-by-event study of prompt neutrons from 239Pu(n,f)

Employing a recently developed Monte Carlo model, we study the fission of $^{240}\mathrm{Pu}$ induced by neutrons with energies from thermal to just below the threshold for second-chance fission. Current measurements of the mean number of prompt neutrons emitted in fission, together with less accurate measurements of the neutron energy spectra, place remarkably fine constraints on predictions of microscopic calculations. In particular, the total excitation energy of the nascent fragments must be specified to within 1 MeV to avoid disagreement with measurements of the mean neutron multiplicity. The combination of the Monte Carlo fission model with a statistical likelihood analysis also presents a powerful tool for the evaluation of fission neutron data. Of particular importance is the the fission spectrum, which plays a key role in determining reactor criticality. We show that our approach can be used to develop an estimate of the fission spectrum with uncertainties several times smaller than current experimental uncertainties for outgoing neutron energies of less than 2 MeV.
Hydrogen separation and the direct high-temperature splitting of water

Abstract The thermodynamics of several approaches to generating and separating hydrogen by direct thermal splitting of water is examined, and the major energy consuming step for each is evaluated. In all, 11 cases are studied, including gas quenching, injection quenching, high-temperature separation and catalytic reaction. It is shown that some of these processes will not break even with respect to energy consumption. The most effective separation strategies have overall process efficiencies in the range 0.1–6%.
Transmission of fatal herpes simplex infection through renal transplantation.

Herpes simplex virus (HSV)* infections cause significant morbidity and occasional mortality following organ transplantation. The majority of these infections are believed to be reactivation of a latent and remote infection in the recipient (1–3). Rare cases of primary herpes simplex infection following renal transplantation have been reported but the source of infection in these is unknown (4, 5). Donor kidneys have been shown to be a source of cytomegalovirus infections (2) but evidence has been minimal regarding their role in HSV infections (6,7). We recently documented one instance of transmission of primary HSV-2 infection by renal transplantation but thought this was a rare occurrence (7), but 21 months after that we had a tragic experience in which two renal recipients died of disseminated herpes infection with fulminant hepatitis after receiving organs from the same donor. Liver and heart from that donor were also transplanted into different recipients. It is our intent in this report to present evidence that donor kidneys in this case also acted as a source of the herpes simplex infection.
Calculation of binary and multicomponent vapor—liquid equilibria with the two parameter Flory—Huggins equation

Abstract The two parameter Flory—Huggins equation is shown to account for physical and size effects on the concentration dependency of the activities in both high polymer solutions and low molecular weight solutions without strong chemical effects. When this equation is coupled with stoichiometric models of alcohol association and interaction with nonasociating solvents, the result is a quantitative description of the activity coefficients and heat of mixing of these solutions. Prediction of ternary vapor—liquid equilibria from binary data is shown to be successful with a total of only three to six binary constants depending on the type of system.
Temperatures of evaporating clusters

The fabrication of new forms of materials through sudden changes in their temperatures is a familiar, if mysterious, process. Thus, it is not known why some substances can be quenched to yield glasses, while others 'prefer' to crystallize. The appearance of quasicrystals in rapidly cooled metallic alloys further illustrates the surprises and challenges that continue to appear. One way to obtain rapid cooling is to isolate a small aggregate of matter: cooling then results as a consequence of the ensuing evaporation. The temperature attained in this process is apt, more than any other parameter, to provide an incisive index to other properties of interest. Here I show that these temperatures, as well as their property of scaling with Lennard-Jones parameters, may often be understood in terms of the 'evaporative ensemble' it is required only that evaporation be occurring.
Enteric glial cells. An upstream target for induction of necrotizing enterocolitis and Crohn's disease?

As a direct consequence of the sophisticated arrangement of its intrinsic neurons, the gastrointestinal tract is unique among peripheral organs, in its ability to mediate its own reflexes. Neurons of the enteric nervous system are intimately associated with enteric glial cells. These supporting cells do not resemble Schwann cells, the glial cell found in all other parts of the peripheral nervous system, but share many similarities with astrocytes of the central nervous system. Ablation of enteric glial cells in adult transgenic mice has demonstrated that these cells are essential to maintain the integrity of the small intestine. Acute loss of enteric glial cells induces massive pathological changes with similarities to necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) and early Crohn's disease. These human conditions share some mechanistic similarities. Identification of enteric glial cell dysfunction/loss as sufficient to induce necrotic/inflammatory bowel disease may be important to understand the pathogenesis of both NEC and Crohn's disease.
Transport and diagenesis of trace metals and organic matter in Palos Verdes shelf sediments affected by a wastewater outfall

Abstract Particles from the Whites Point/JWPCP outfalls operated by the Los Angeles County Sanitation District (LACSD) have been discharged onto the Palos Verdes (PV) shelf, Southern California, since the late 1930s. Since the early 1950s, they have made a significant contribution to the sedimentary deposits on the shelf. In order to study the transport and diagenesis of organic carbon (OC) and associated trace metals, replicate sediment cores were collected during 1996 and 1997 at four different sites at the ∼60 m isobath on the PV shelf, and analyzed for OC, Ag, Al, Cd, Cr, Cu, Mn, Ni, Pb, and Zn. We conclude from these results that a significant fraction of OC and associated heavy metals were transported laterally on silt particles from shallower environments. Cross-shelf transport of sediments caused multiple peaks in measured profiles of OC and trace metals at site 6C, 2 km away from the outfall. The same mechanism is likely to contribute to a concentration decrease that is smaller than that expected from decreases from the Whites Point outfall emissions. Based on Pb/OC ratios in sediments, deposited in 1971, and comparisons to the outfall from the same year, we estimate that 50±10% of the OC deposited in the early 1970s, now buried at 30–50 cm depth, had oxidized since that time, implying a half-life of about 26 years for the outfall-OC, as an upper limit. The average OC oxidation rate at peak depth (about 2 mg C cm −2 year −1 ) is, however, only about 10% of the present-day OC accumulation rate (20 mg C cm −2 year −1 ), which itself is adding not much more than 1% per year to the post-1950s OC inventory (∼1500 mg cm −2 ). We furthermore estimate that the OC inventory in PV shelf sediments in 1971 was equivalent to about 35% of that emitted by the outfall. OC and trace metal inventories did not decrease in the period 1981 to 1997, contrary to those of other contaminants such as DDTs and PCBs.
Lumley and Miller Student Scholarships Awarded to Ramos‐Garcés and Ahmed

As part of the strategic plan, AGU works to enhance engagement and involvement of students and early-career scientists with the scientific community and uses its position as a diverse and inclusive organization to build the global talent pool in Earth and space science. Student travel grants, awards, and scholarships are a few of the essential ways students and early-career scientists get involved in AGU every year.
14C UPTAKE BY THE MARINE ANGIOSPERM PHYLLOSPADIX SCOULERP

Rhizomes and attached leaves of Phyllospadix scouleri Hook. were collected in the intertidal zone along the central California coast and exposed to a solution of NaH'4CO3 in seawater under controlled laboratory conditions. Over a 90-min period roots and rhizomes absorbed very little 14C compared to leaves. Translocation during that time was minor. Plants pretreated with the photosynthetic inhibitor DCMU showed no 14C uptake, indicating that under normal circumstances the carbon which is absorbed by leaves is fixed and accumulates as photosynthate. The rate of gross photosynthesis was about 13 mg CO2 g dry wt-t hr-1. Gross photosynthesis of wet leaves exposed to 14CO2 in air was significantly less than leaves exposed to NaH14CO3. The effect of a leaf-grazing limpet (Notoacmea paleacea) on leaf anatomy and 14C uptake is discussed. PHYLLOSPADIX SCOULERI Hook., (surfgrass, Potamogetonaceae), is a perennial marine angio
Foxos around make B cells tolerable

B cell tolerance is achieved in part through secondary rearrangements that replace ('edit') exons encoding autoreactive antigen-receptor chains. New findings suggest that Foxo transcription factors are critical regulators of receptor editing by activating the transcription of recombination-activating genes.
Mechanistic and kinetic studies of crystallization of birnessite.

Kinetic and mechanistic features have been studied for the crystallization of birnessite in aqueous systems via different synthesis methods: the oxidation of Mn2+, reduction of MnO4-, and redox reaction between Mn2+ and MnO4-. For oxidation methods, a topotactical conversion from Mn(OH)2 to birnessite via feitknechtite (β-MnOOH) is observed. In reduction methods, birnessite evolves from the initially produced amorphous manganese oxide (AMO gel). For redox methods, both mechanisms exist, with the latter prevailing. A liquid mechanism is proposed to describe the reduction and redox synthesis, which comprises three stages: an induction period, a fast crystallization period, and a steady-state period. The redox method is accompanied by the formation and phase transformation of feitknechtite to birnessite. A method combining IR and XRD quantitation is proposed to detect nuclei in the induction period. Crystallization rates and apparent energies of activation of crystallization for reduction and redox methods...
The Good Funeral: Toward an Understanding of Funeral Participation and Satisfaction

This study posits a model of funeral satisfaction in which religiosity predicts general funeral attitudes, which predict levels and types of funeral participation, mediating the relationship between attitudes and satisfaction in a particular bereavement context. Over a thousand respondents rated their attitudes toward funerals in general and evaluated the most recent funeral they had actually attended. The resulting model indicated that religiosity and favorable attitudes, when enacted through participation and involvement, tend to predict funeral satisfaction, in combination with favorable comparisons, and when the deceased was close and the death unexpected or tragic. Evaluations of the funeral, in turn, independently influence a person's general attitudes about funerals. Theoretical and practical implications for understanding funerals and bereavement are explored.
Equivalent-circuit representation for stably propagating domains in bulk GaAs

It has been shown that the often-employed equivalent-circuit representation for a stably propagating domain is not consistent with the experimental observations of transient behaviour of Gunn diodes.
Differences in Cognitive Processes Among Handicapped and Average Children A Group Learning Approach

This study investigated the ability of LD, slow learning and average children to adapt learning strategies to different stimulus demands. Small group learning situations were used to encourage subjects to verbalize their strategies to each other and to create the expectation that, since other children have different approaches, the process of strategy selection is critical. Findings demonstrated a distinctly different pattern of strategy usage associated with performance in each of the three diagnostic categories as well as an ability in all three groups to differentiate among stimulus demands.
Elastic-Plastic Fracture of Circumferential Through-Wall Cracked Pipe Welds Subject to Bending

A methodology is proposed to carry out elastic-plastic fracture analysis of through-wall cracked ductile pipe weldments subjected to pure bending loads. It is based on deformation theory of plasticity, constitutive law characterized by Ramberg-Osgood model, and an equivalence criteria incorporating reduced thickness analogy for simulating system compliance due to the presence of a crack in weld metal. Closed-form solutions are obtained in terms of elementary functions for approximate evaluation of energy release rate and center crack opening displacement. The method utilizes material properties of both base and weld metals which are not considered in the current estimation methods. It is general and can be applied in the complete range between elastic and fully plastic conditions. Numerical examples are presented to illustrate the proposed technique. Comparisons of results with reference solutions from finite element method indicate satisfactory prediction of foregoing fracture parameters.
Consistency analysis among microwave land surface emissivity products to improve GPROF precipitation estimations

To understand the atmospheric phenomena such as rain rate, cloud liquid water, and total precipitable water from satellite microwave observations, the surface contribution should be accounted and be removed from the microwave signal. The objective of this proposed research is to develop a land surface emissivity that facilitates providing this information. The emissivity product will improve the Goddard PROFiling algorithm (GPROF) precipitation estimates. It makes use of microwave measurements from newly launched Global Precipitation Mission (GPM) Microwave Imager (GMI) sensor to produce an emissivity database for a range of frequencies from 6.9 GHz (C band) to high frequencies such as 183 GHz. The goal of this work is to inter-compare four global land surface emissivity products over various land-cover conditions to assess their consistency. The intercompared retrieved land emissivity products were generated over five-year period (2003–2007) using observations from the Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer — Earth Observing System (AMSR-E), Special Sensor Microwave Imager (SSM/I), The Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) Microwave Imager (TMI) and Windsat. First, all products were reprocessed in the same projection and spatial resolution as they were generated from sensors with various configurations. Then, the mean value and standard deviations of monthly emissivity values were calculated for each product to assess the spatial distribution of the consistencies/inconsistencies among the products across the globe. The emissivity products were also compared to soil moisture estimates and satellite-based vegetation index to assess their sensitivities to the changes in land surface conditions.
Maximum treadmill exercise electrocardiography in female patients.

Exercise testing has become standardized for the diagnostic and functional evaluation of male patients but little data is available regarding its specificity and sensitivity in the female. Therefore, maximum treadmill exercise (Bruce protocol) was performed on 98 consecutive females and compared to coronary arteriography. Using 50% obstruction as indicating coronary artery disease and 1 mm ST-segment depression (horizontal or downsloping) as positive for ischemia, 24 patients had coronary artery disease with seven false-negative results (sensitivity = 71%) and 74 patients had no coronary artery disease with 16 false-positive responses (specificity = 78%). Five of seven false-negative tests were in patients with single-vessel disease. Eleven of 16 false-positive responses were in patients on digitalis, diazepam, or methyldopa. In 39 patients on no drug therapy except for nitroglycerin there were no false negatives and only four false-positive tests. There were no false negatives and only two false-positive...
Quantifying carbon sources in the formation of authigenic carbonates at gas hydrate sites in the Gulf of Mexico

The northern slope of the Gulf of Mexico is known for extensive venting of methane and other hydrocarbons as related to active salt diapirism and associated fault conduits which link world-class subsurface reserves to seafloor seeps. These venting hydrocarbons fuel extensive micro- and macrofaunal cold seep communities. Of particular interest is the relationship between anaerobic methane-oxidizing archaea and sulfate-reducing bacteria. It has been suggested that sulfate-dependent anaerobic methane oxidation dominates carbon oxidation and attendant authigenic carbonate precipitation at these sites. To test this assumption, we have quantified the relative contributions of dissolved carbon dioxide (ΣCO2) from a variety of sources—specifically seawater, organic matter, methane, and non-methane liquid and gaseous hydrocarbons—using the carbon isotope compositions of authigenic carbonates and a simple isotopic mass balance. Our model, and a small but representative suite of data from the Gulf, demonstrates that methane is a contributor but is not the dominant source of metabolic energy at the sites of active venting. Instead, oxidation of non-methane hydrocarbons appears to be the primary source of carbonate alkalinity. The secondary role played by methane oxidation has been independently recognized by other workers from organic biomarker relationships and from disparities observed between measured rates of sulfate reduction and methane oxidation. Despite the domination of the carbon reservoir by non-methane sources, oxygen isotope data for the authigenic carbonates bear the mark of appreciable gas hydrate dissociation. This study, rather than being an exhaustive survey of Gulf of Mexico seeps, is intended only to provide a template for the investigation of the abundant authigenic carbonate deposits distributed throughout the geologic record. As in the Gulf of Mexico, many modern and ancient cold seeps are characterized by a complex interplay of carbon sources readily preserved in the δ13C values of carbonates.
The effects of petroleum hydrocarbons on lipid metabolism and energetics of larval development and metamorphosis in the american lobster (homarus americanus Milne Edwards)

Abstract In studies with larval stages of the American lobster ( Homarus americanus ) exposed to a sublethal concentration of South Louisiana crude oil, the normal patterns of lipid storage, utilization and synthesis during larval development and metamorphosis were altered with oil exposure. Increased rates of protein catabolism, delayed molting and reduced growth were also evident among oil-exposed lobster larvae and suggest either deficiency or immobilization of lipid reserves. From analyses of lipid class composition of control and oil-exposed lobster larvae, it is evident that oil-exposed larvae have consistently lower levels of triacylglycerols (the major energy store) and higher levels of sterols than control larvae. Decreased ratios of non-essential fatty acids (both saturated and unsaturated) and increased ratios of essential fatty acids were detected in the neutral lipid pools of oil-exposed larvae that suggest both decreased storage of fatty acids in energy reserves and decreased mobilization of essential fatty acids into phospholipid pools. The fatty acid distribution in the phospholipid pools of oil-exposed larvae, however, varied little from control values and reflects a tendency to preserve the integrity of these structural lipids. Increases in sterol levels may be related to decreased mobilization of cholesterol or other sterols and/or transformation of cholesterol into metabolic pathways including the biosynthesis of ecdysterone. Oil-exposed animals contained trace quantities of benzene, thiophene, toluene, alkylcyclohexane and alkylbenzenes, detected with GC-MS analyses. No naphthalene, dimethylnaphthalene, higher molecular weight aromatics or their phenolic derivatives were detected; their absence may be related to either the detection limits of the methodology used or extremely rapid metabolism and turnover of these components. Alterations in lipid metabolism may account for the developmental and energetic abnormalities observed in marine crustaceans. It cannot be ruled out, however, that decreased lipid utilization, synthesis and mobilization may be a defense mechanism against incorporating lipophilic components of petroleum hydrocarbons in metabolic pathways, and that disruption in energetics and development is a consequence of the reduction in energy available for growth and molting.
Comparison of Whole-Genome Sequencing and Molecular-Epidemiological Techniques for Clostridium difficile Strain Typing

We analyzed in parallel 27 pediatric Clostridium difficile isolates by repetitive sequence-based polymerase chain reaction (RepPCR), pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE), and whole-genome next-generation sequencing. Next-generation sequencing distinguished 3 groups of isolates that were indistinguishable by RepPCR and 1 isolate that clustered in the same PFGE group as other isolates.
The influence of the magnetic field gradient on the position and the polarization of a polarized particle in circular motion

This paper gives an estimate of the classical motion for a charged spin-1/2 particle with an anomalous magnetic moment moving in a magnetic field by including the effect of the first-order field gradient.
Effect of dephasing on transient and steady-state entanglement in a quantum-beat laser

We study the role of dephasing on entanglement evolution in a two-photon quantum-beat laser. We rigorously derived the pertinent master equation by taking into account dephasing, spontaneous emission, and cavity losses. The dephasing rate, in general, is lager than the rates of other dissipation processes and might influence the realizable quantum properties of the cavity field. We investigate the extent to which the dephasing rate affects the transient as well as steady-state entanglement between the cavity modes. We show that the coherence induced by initial coherent superposition of atomic levels leads to transient as well as steady-state entanglement, which turns out to be susceptible to decoherence. However, the entanglement created via coherence induced by a strong laser field exists for only short times and is relatively robust against decoherence.
Who should be treating adolescents and young adults with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia

Although several cancers have a peak incidence during adolescence and young adulthood, the patients in this age group are arbitrarily referred to either paediatric or adult oncologists and, consequently, treated on different protocols. Recent reports show that paediatric oncologists are more likely to enroll patients in clinical trials, and that adolescents who are treated on paediatric protocols have a better outcome than their counterparts who are managed by adult oncologists. These observations were also noted in adolescents with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL), a disease with a bimodal peak incidence in early childhood and late adulthood. Recently, investigators have become aware that patients in the adolescent and young adult age group might be falling through the cracks because of the rigid organisation of the medical care system. In this article, I present some of the current challenges in the treatment of ALL in adolescents and young adults and propose strategies to improve outcome in these patients.
The Surgeon and the Intensivist: Reaching Consensus in Intensive Care Triage

Background Decisions regarding admissions/discharges in the surgical intensive care unit (SICU) can potentially strain the relationship between the critical care team and the primary surgery service. We hypothesized that a multidisciplinary system of arbitration, led by an intensivist, is a safe and workable solution to SICU patient triage, which leads to consensus between critical care team and primary services. Methods Demographic, illness severity, readmission, and outcome data were collected prospectively on consecutive patients in a large academic center SICU. Arbitration was directed by an intensivist and a charge nurse, with regular meetings. Representation from various hospital departments (admissions, operating room, nursing, and housekeeping) was included. Decisions on patient discharge from the SICU were compared between the primary service (represented by the Chief resident) and the SICU arbitrator. Results A total of 289 patients were admitted to SICU during the 2-month study period, with 952 arbitration decisions. Good agreement exists between the primary service and the arbitrator regarding SICU patient suitability for discharge (Kappa = 0.85). Seventeen patients (5.9%) were readmitted, with 14 (82%) surviving to hospital discharge. None of the readmitted patients was originally discharged over the primary service objection. Day of discharge APACHE II scores of readmitted patients did not differ from those not readmitted (8.2 vs 7.7). Readmissions had longer hospital stays, equivalent SICU stays, and higher mortality (18%) than for patients overall (2.8%). Conclusions A dedicated intensivist, supported by a multidisciplinary team, can make arbitration decisions in the SICU that seem to be safe and generally concordant with the primary surgical team of the patient. Additional larger-scale investigation of arbitration in the SICU is warranted.
WAVELENGTH DEPENDENCE OF ULTRAVIOLET RADIATION‐INDUCED MORTALITY AND K+ EFFLUX IN CULTURED CELLS OF Rosa damascena

— The sensitivity of the colony-forming ability of rose-cell cultures (Rosa damascena L. cv Gloire de Guilan) to ultraviolet radiation has been measured for wavelengths from 240-334 nm. These cultures are much less sensitive than bacteria and animal cells in the region from 240-310 nm, an observation attributed to the presence in rose cells of ultraviolet-radiation-absorbing compounds. The effect of the same wavelengths on K+ efflux was also measured and compared to the spectrum for lethality. K+ efflux or damage leading to K+ efflux might contribute to lethality at wavelengths longer than 290 nm but not at shorter wavelengths.
Interpreting Y chromosome STR haplotype mixture

Mixture interpretation is a challenging problem in forensic DNA analyses. The interpretation of Y short tandem repeat (STR) haplotype mixtures, due to a lack of recombination, differs somewhat from that of the autosomal DNA markers and is more complex. We describe approaches for calculating the probability of exclusion (PE) and likelihood ratio (LR) methods to interpret Y-STR mixture evidence with population substructure incorporated. For a mixture sample, first, all possible contributor haplotypes in a reference database are listed as a candidate list. The PE is the complement of the summation of the frequencies of haplotypes in the candidate list. The LR method compares the probabilities of the evidence given alternative hypotheses. The hypotheses are possible explanations for the mixture. Population substructure may be further incorporated in likelihood calculation. The maximum number of contributors is based on the candidate list and the computing complexity is polynomial. Additionally, mixtures were simulated by combining two or three 16 Y-STR marker haplotypes derived from the US forensic Y-STR database. The average PE was related to the size of database. With a database comprised of 500 haplotypes an average PE value of at least 0.995 can be obtained for two-person mixtures. The PE decreases with an increasing number of contributors to the mixture. Using the total sample population, the average number of candidate haplotypes of two-person mixtures is 3.73 and 95% mixtures have less than or equal to 10 candidate haplotypes. More than 98.7% of two-person mixtures can only be explained by the haplotype combinations that mixtures are composed. These values are generally higher for three-person mixtures. A small proportion of three-person mixture can also be explained by only two haplotypes.
The CEBAF infrared free electron laser

Abstract The CEBAF infrared free electron laser is described through simulations of transverse mode propagation and longitudinal pulse evolution. Of particular note are the gain calculations in the case of a small filling factor.
Causes of Dissolution Among Spanish Nonprofit Associations

Voluntary associations play increasingly important roles in many industrialized societies. However, little is still known about why they die. This article attempts to fill this gap. It reconstructs the history of 41 closed Spanish voluntary associations of Madrid's metropolitan area through archival research and semistructured interviews to define the causes of their dissolutions. The conclusions indicate that the majority of the organizations dissolved due to mission completion (particularly goal fulfillment) and resource insufficiency. This article also uses central predictions of new institutionalism, population ecology, and resource dependence theories and shows that these three models provide valuable insights to account for these dissolutions. As each theory respectively predicts, those organizations with lower sociopolitical legitimacy, that were younger and smaller, or that were funded by only one source dissolved younger.
Converted-Cell Focus Formation in Culture by Strain MC29 Avian Leukosis Virus.∗:

SummaryInfection of chick embryo cell monolayers in high multiplicity with strain MC29 leukosis virus in conventional tissue culture induces rapid, massive morphological conversion within 4 to 7 days. Treatment of the cells in appropriately lower inoculation multiplicities results in the occurrence of infectious centers distinguished as foci of converted cells. When the infected cells are overlaid with agar, the number of foci occurring in 7 days is closely proportional to virus dose. This relationship is applicable to bioassay of strain MC29 leukosis virus with reproducibility and precision of results compatible with practical quantitative studies on the agent. The bioassay procedure and the rapid massive culture conversion make available a unique avian virus-tumor system for studies on cell-virus interrelationships in the induction of neoplasia.
Cognitive impairment in people diagnosed with end-stage liver disease evaluated for liver transplantation

Cognitive impairments are common in patients with end-stage liver disease (ESLD). The aim of the present study was to identify and characterize the neuropsychological deficits between groups of patients with a variety of causes of ESLD and to assess the impact of heavy alcohol use on cognitive functioning. Cognitive functioning in 300 consecutive outpatients presenting for liver transplantation evaluation was assessed using the Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neuropsychological Status (RBANS). All patients underwent a psychiatric interview and a physical and laboratory assessment. The prevalence of neuropsychological impairment was highest among patients with liver disease secondary to alcohol. Poor performance on neuropsychological testing was correlated strongly with the severity of liver disease as measured by the model for end-stage liver disease (MELD). After controlling for the linear effects of MELD in subsequent analysis, a group difference emerged in patients with cholestatic liver disease showing less cognitive impairment when compared to all other groups. After controlling for the severity of liver disease, those patients with a history of alcohol abuse or dependence were found to perform more poorly on neuropsychological testing than those patients without such a history. Furthermore, the presence of these cognitive impairments predicted disability independent of the severity of the underlying liver disease.
Successful coronary stenting in a 4‐year‐old child

This report describes a 4-yr-old with critical coronary artery stenosis acquired after surgery for congenital heart disease. The patient was treated successfully with coronary stenting after unsuccessful angioplasty.
Generation and diagnosis of focused ultrashort pulses of complex light

We present our current efforts to create pure transversal modes in ultrashort and intense pulses of 800 nm radiation (Ti:sapphire). Our longer-term goal is to investigate if and how optical orbital angular momentum affects intense-field excitation and ionization processes. For this purpose we need strong pulses in pure modes. Optical orbital angular momentum is present in Laguerre-Gaussian modes; in the past, we established a technique to create spatial-chirp free pure Laguerre-Gaussian modes using a pair of holographic gratings on film [ Opt. Express 13, 7599-7608 (2005)]. However, this technique is unsuitable for high intensity beams, and we are currently exploring the possibilities of a liquid-crystal spatial light modulator (SLM). After careful testing, we have found that our SLM, which we operate as a phase plate, withstands without any problem the full 10 10 W/cm 2 peak intensity of an amplified pulsed Ti:sapphire beam (< 50 fs pulse duration, repetition rate 1 kHz). Using the SLM, we have recently created a beam of ultrashort and intense pulses with a Hermite-Gaussian(1,0) profile and started to analyze this beam using optical and ionization methods.
NPOESS airborne sounder testbed interferometer (NAST-I) signal processing and initial flight test results

As a testbed to evaluate instrument specifications and data reduction techniques for future satellite atmospheric sounders, an airborne Fourier transform interferometer sounder has been developed for the National Polar-orbiting Operational Environmental Satellite System (NPOESS). The NPOESS Airborne Sounder Testbed Interferometer (NAST-I) collects atmospheric soundings from NASA's high-altitude ER-2 aircraft. Flown at a nominal 20km altitude, collected data is meant to simulate spaceborne atmospheric soundings. The NAST interferometer generates high quality interferograms over the 3.7 - 16.1μm infrared (IR) range with a resolution of 0.25cm -1 . Interferograms are collected in real-time by an embedded TI TMS320C32 digital signal processing chip housed in an industrial grade 133MHz Pentium PC. Three channels of analog interferogram data and one channel of telemetry data are acquired by four, 16-bit analog to digital (A/D) converters. Oversampling and decimation are then used to produce high-fidelity samples at a reduced rate and to relax analog filter design requirements. This paper focuses on the signal processing aspects of the instrument and discusses test flight data collected during the instrument's initial flight test.
The Correlation of Surface Defects and Reverse Breakdown of 4H-SiC Schottky Barrier Diodes

Surface defect characterization and the influence of selected surface defects on the reverse characteristics of 4H-SiC Schottky barrier diodes (SBDs) are investigated, with particular emphasis on comet and carrot defects. Premature breakdown caused by comets occurs at voltages below 250 V for an SBD with ideal parallel plane breakdown of 1,600 V. The location of comets relative to the Schottky contact ultimately determines the reverse characteristics of the device. The reverse breakdown voltage of SBDs with carrot defects can be more than 1,000 V, but the reverse leakage current is about two orders higher than that of a defect-free SBD. The SBDs of diodes with and without carrots are 1.01 eV and 1.44 eV, respectively. The SBDs, which catastrophically fail during reverse bias measurement, are investigated as well. The average breakdown voltage of SBDs, which failed catastrophically, is about 745 V. According to the experimental observations, catastrophic failures are not associated with obvious surface defects, crystallographic directions, or postimplant annealing time.
MODAFINIL EFFECTS ON COGNITIVE FUNCTION IN HIV+ PATIENTS TREATED FOR FATIGUE: A PLACEBO CONTROLLED STUDY

Both mild cognitive impairment and fatigue are common among people with HIV/AIDS. This study examined the efficacy of modafinil for HIV+ patients who sought treatment for fatigue in a placebo-controlled double-blind 4-week trial. A battery of standard neuropsychological tests was administered at study entry and Week 4, and change in performance was compared for 59 patients receiving modafinil versus 44 patients receiving placebo. A significant effect on fatigue was observed. In addition, cognitive performance, as measured by a global change score, improved more in the modafinil than in the placebo group although the effect was not specific to any cognitive domain.