cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Surface modification of chitosan membranes by complexation-interpenetration of anionic polysaccharides for improved blood compatibility in hemodialysis

Chitosan membrane surface was modified by complexation and interpenetration of anionic polysaccharides--heparin and dextran sulfate--for improved blood compatibility in hemodialysis. Electron spectroscopy for chemical analysis results showed a characteristic sulfur (S) and sodium (Na) peaks after modification with dextran sulfate. The sulfur/carbon (S/C) atomic composition ratio increased from 0.03 to 0.08 when the bulk dextran sulfate concentration used for modification was increased from 2.5 to 10 mg ml-1. The permeability of urea and creatinine did not change significantly upon modification with heparin or dextran sulfate. Surface modification, however, did decrease the permeability coefficients of glucose, vitamin B-2, and vitamin B-12. Unlike Cuprophan, chitosan and surface-modified chitosan membranes did not significantly activate the complement system as measured by the serum iC3b concentration. Compared to forty and sixty fully-activated platelets present on control surfaces, surface modification with heparin and dextran sulfate significantly reduced the number of adherent platelets per 25,000 microns 2 area and the extent of platelet activation. Surface modification with anionic polysaccharides, however, did significantly shorten the plasma recalcification time leading to fibrin clot formation. The results of this study show that chitosan membrane surface can be modified by complexation-interpenetration of anionic modifying agents. The modified membranes do resist complement activation and platelet adhesion and activation.
Thermodynamics of the UO and Zr-systems and application to analysis of fuel liquefaction during severe accidents in light water reactors

Severe accident modeling requires knowledge of the heat effects accompanying simultaneous dissolution of UO2 and fusion of Zircaloy to form the UZrO melt. Estimation of the enthalpy changes must rely chiefly on data from the UO and ZrO binary systems. The partial molar enthalpies of oxygen in the pure liquid metals are determined by application of Sieverts' law. The Sieverts' law constant is obtained by deriving the complete relationship between the oxygen pressure, the OM of the solid or liquid phase and temperature from the pure metal M to the dioxide MO2. This assessment utilizes pressure p, over the entire composition range. Once the p-C-T relatnonship has been established, the enthalpy changes on dissolving UO2 and αZr(O) into the UZrO melt are computed. The heat effects of fuel/cladding dissolution in a severe accident are applied in a liquefaction model based on kinetic control by the available heat from fission product decay. In addition to the portion of the decay heat reaching the inner cladding surface, the rate of melting of the cladding depends on heat flow to its outer surface from steam oxidation or radiation from other parts of the core. Depending on the relative importance of these two heat inputs to the cladding, time to melting is from 100 to 400 s and the fraction of the fuel dissolved varies from 5 to 20%.
Fetal mouse lung in circumfusion system cultures

Fetal mouse lungs were cultivated, using the dual-rotary circumfusion system for tissue culture, and their histotypic development was surveyed for 75 days by phase-contrast and electron microscopy. Alveoli, terminal bronchioles and alveolar macrophages were photographed periodically with still and time-lapse phase-contrast microscopy. Their histotypic appearance was confirmed by electron micrographs of the 1- and 2 1/2-month-old specimens. These revealed typical alveoli surrounded by a basal lamina and composed of types I and II pneumocytes containing various lamellar-body forms within the type II cells, the alveolar lumen, and the alveolar macrophages. There was a shift from almost all type II cells in the 1-month-old alveoli to the presence of frequent type I cells as constituents of the alveoli in the 2 1/2-month-old cultures. The terminal bronchioles were tubules consisting of ciliated cells with Clara cells interspersed between them. The ciliated cells contained as many as 30 cilia or basal bodies per section and numerous microvilli. They were attached to each other and to the Clara cells by junctional complexes and accessory desmosomes which were generally in the apical ends of the cells. The Clara cells typically had glycogen granules interspersed between lamellae of the endoplasmic reticulum, contained numerous well dispersed mitochondria, occasional lysosome-like granules and crystalloid bodies which appeared to be tubular. Some Clara cells presented a moderatley dense secretory granule in the center of the whorl of the endoplasmic reticulum.
Sporadic contraceptive use and nonuse: age-specific prevalence and associated factors.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to characterize age-group specific patterns in the stability of contraceptive use and to evaluate whether factors that are associated with nonuse and sporadic use, compared with stable use, differ by age among women who are at risk for unintended pregnancy. STUDY DESIGN: We used data from the 2006-2010 National Survey of Family Growth to characterize the prevalence of stable and sporadic contraceptive use and nonuse by age over a 1-year period. We used polytomous logistic regression models to assess the odds of contraceptive nonuse and sporadic use vs stable use. Age-stratified models were used to show age-group differences in associated characteristics. RESULTS: Over a 1-year period, stable contraceptive use decreased across age groups from 80% for teens 15-19 years old to 74% for women 20-24 years old, and 70-71% for women 25-34 and 35-44 years old. Contraceptive nonuse increased across age groups from 5% for teens 15-19 years old to 9-20% for older women. By contrast, sporadic use was least common for women 35-44 years old (10% compared with 16-17% for younger women). Among teens 15-19 years old, a history of method discontinuation because of dissatisfaction was associated with nonuse. Among older women, intentions to have children in the future and reported difficulty achieving pregnancy were associated with nonuse and sporadic use. CONCLUSION: Because the stability of contraceptive use and associated factors differ by age, providers may need to consider these differences when talking to women about contraception. To address nonuse, helping teens identify a method that they are comfortable using may be especially important; for older women, discussing the potential for continuing fertility may be more important. To address sporadic use, discussing the benefits of user-independent methods may be helpful, with a particular emphasis on long-acting reversible contraceptives for younger women and teens who are less likely to have completed their desired childbearing and who have tended to rely on methods that are more difficult to use consistently.
Skill-Builders: Improving Middle School Students' Self-Beliefs for Learning Mathematics.

This article presents findings from a pilot study that examined the effect of a school counselor-led intervention, using the "Skill-Builders" curriculum, on middle-school students' attitudes toward mathematics learning. Results from the current study demonstrated that students who received the Skill-Builders curriculum had significantly higher posttest scores on a measure of attitudes toward mathematics learning, including self-confidence, value, enjoyment, and motivation. Females in the Skill-Builders group improved significantly more than their male classmates. Implications and directions for future research are discussed.
Surface plasmons at an inhomogeneous liquid metal/dielectric interface: evidence for a second branch dispersion curve

Abstract We have investigated the dispersion of surface plasmons at the surface of liquid Hg/Cs alloys. In addition to the expected dispersion branch, we find a second branch at higher energies which is understood in terms of the non-uniformity of the electron concentration at the liquid Hg/Cs surface.
SOLUTION TO A PROBLEM IN CONSTRAINED HARTREE--FOCK AND OTHER CALCULATIONS.

When using the method of Lagrange multipliers in constrained variational calculations, certain regions of interest have in the past been inaccessible. A modified procedure is proposed which, as is shown both algebraically and numerically, circumvents this difficulty.
Quantitating the impact of stage migration on staging accuracy in colorectal cancer.

Background The number of nodes retrieved is a powerful predictor of survival in node-negative colorectal cancer (CRC). Whether this is because of improved staging or improved surgery, or both, is unclear. We sought to quantitate the impact of stage migration in node-negative colorectal cancer. Study Design Between January 1994 and December 2003, 7,192 patients in Region 5 of the California Cancer Registry, diagnosed with node-negative or node-positive colorectal cancer, were reviewed. The number of nodes examined, node-positive rate, and disease-specific survival (DSS) were analyzed. Results The mean number of nodes examined was 9.3 (range 0 to 89 nodes). The 5-year DSS was 84.5% for N0, 65.2% for N1, and 46.8% for N2 disease. The 5-year DSS difference for those who had more than12 nodes retrieved was 87.3% (95% CI, 85.2% to 89.3%) and for those with 0 to 3 nodes retrieved, 83.7% (95% CI, 80.6% to 86.82%; p=0.0009). As the number of retrieved nodes increased, the risk of understaging patients decreased. For 0 to 3 nodes, 78.3% of patients were N0; for 4 to 7 nodes, 67.6%; 8 to 9 nodes, 62.1%; 10 to 12 nodes, 59.5%; and only 57.2% for more than 12 nodes examined. Using more than 12 nodes as the definition of an adequate lymphadenectomy and staging, for apparently N0 patients with 0 to 3 nodes retrieved, DSS survival would be affected by approximately 5%. Conclusions Differences in outcomes between CRC patients with limited numbers of nodes harvested and those with more than 12 nodes harvested are substantial. Stage migration alone can explain the entire DSS difference between patients with more than 12 nodes retrieved and those with smaller numbers of nodes retrieved.
Ischemic Preconditioning at a Distance: Altered Gene Expression in Mouse Heart and Other Organs Following Brief Occlusion of the Mesenteric Artery

Remote ischemic preconditionining (IPC) has been defined as a brief episode of ischemia/reperfusion in an organ that protects another remote organ from the damage induced by subsequent and prolonged ischemia. As yet, no study has been conducted with the purpose of elucidating a precise association between remote IPC and patterns of gene-transcription in cardiac tissue. In this study, using a cDNA microarray, we analyzed the gene expression profile in murine heart at 24h after brief cycles of occlusion of the superior mesenteric artery. The profile revealed that IPC induces significant levels of expression of many genes known to be associated with the stress response, redox regulation, growth and metabolism, DNA repair and other functions. The result of cDNA microarray profile from heart was also compared with those from other organs (lung, kidney and intestine). The genes identified in the expression profile may be associated with remote IPC induced late phase organ protection.
Seebeck coefficient of binary chromium alloys containing molybdenum or tungsten

Abstract The Seebeck coefficient (ifS) of Cr alloys containing 0.6, 3.2, 5.1, 6.9, 8.8 at.% Mo or 0.3, 0.7, 1.0, 3.4 at.% W has been measured as a function of temperature (T) between 50 ° and 350 °K. The Svs.T curves show large anomalies (increases in S) in this temperature range due to the transition from the paramagnetic to the antiferromagnetic state, made up of transverse spin density waves incommensurable with the chromium lattice. In the paramagnetic region Cr-Mo alloys approximately obey the Nordheim-Gorter rule. The Cr-W alloys do not obey this relation because of the anomalous behavior of the electrical resistivity with respect to the composition in the paramagnetic state. The increase in S, due to the onset of the antiferromagnetic state, can be approximately correlated with the increase in the electrical resistivity in Cr-W alloys. The Cr-Mo solid solutions show more complicated behavior.
PREAORTIC ILIAC VENOUS CONFLUENCE: 2-D AND 3-D CT FINDINGS

Abstract We report the Cr diagnosis of a vascular anomaly of the iliac venous confluence. A preaortic iliac venous confluence is described as demonstrated on 2-D and 3-D computed tomography.
Separation of o-, m- and p-phthalic acids by high-field asymmetric waveform ion mobility spectrometry (FAIMS) using mixed carrier gases

Baseline separation of the three isomers of phthalic acid was achieved in a mixed gas system containing a 95 : 5 mixture of N(2) and CO(2), even though the acids could not be distinguished by high-field asymmetric waveform ion mobility spectrometry (FAIMS) when either pure N(2) or pure CO(2) was used as the carrier gas. Pseudomolecular anions of o-, m- and p-phthalic acids were generated by electrospray ionization and detected, following separation by FAIMS, using a quadrupole mass spectrometer. Addition of small amounts of CO(2) to an N(2) carrier gas also caused the compensation voltages to increase by as much as 12 V, accompanied by 2-7-fold improvements in the measured ion current and dramatic reductions in both adduct ion formation and parent ion fragmentation. Copyright 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The Miura transform and the existence of an infinite number of conservation laws of the cylindrical KdV equation

Abstract The cylindrical KdV equation, u t + 6uu x + u xxx + u 2t = 0 , is investigated. The Miura transform is obtained by a simple new method based on a “closedness” ansatz. By use of the obtained Miura transform, an infinite number of conservation laws are proved to exist.
MRI of adenocarcinoma of the pancreas

OBJECTIVE. CT is the established imaging technique for evaluation of pancreatic adenocarcinoma. MRI, however, can play a major role in this disease. The objective of this study is to illustrate the strengths of MRI for evaluating pancreatic adenocarcinoma.CONCLUSION. The superior soft-tissue contrast of MRI compared with CT is useful in the detection and characterization of non-contour-deforming pancreatic masses. MRI compared with CT may be more sensitive in the detection of distant disease, better for defining appropriate surgical candidates, and better for characterizing small liver metastases and peritoneal and omental metastases.
SRAM yield and performance enhancements with tri-gate bulk MOSFETs

Multi-gate devices are expected to enable continued scaling beyond the 32nm node in part due to their improved gate control of the channel versus planar MOSFETs. Static random access memory (SRAM) scaling, which requires increasing design margins despite decreasing layout area, may motivate the transition to a multi-gate architecture. Tri-gate bulk devices are an attractive multi-gate option because of their high compatibility with existing circuit designs and processes. In this work. SRAM cell simulations are used to quantify the expected yield improvements and design tradeoffs with tri-gate devices. We show that up to two standard deviations (sigma) of yield enhancement can be expected for both read and write margins, without penalty to cell area or access time. The tri-gate SRAM cell can be further optimized to simultaneously reduce cell area and minimum operating voltage, Vmin.
Increased RNA synthesis in nuclei isolated from rat liver tissue slices incubated with cyclic adenosine 3′,5′-monophosphate or glucagon

Incubation of rat liver tissue slices with cyclic adenosine 3′,5′-monophosphate (cyclic AMP) for 30 min results in a dose-dependent increase in RNA synthesizing capacity of nuclei prepared from these slices, with a doubling of synthetic rate observed at 10−7m cyclic AMP. The cyclic AMP effect is observed when RNA polymerase activity is measured either in the presence of Mg2+ and low ionic strength, or Mn2+ and high ionic strength. Experiments employing saturating amounts of exogenous bacterial RNA polymerase suggest that the cyclic AMP-induced stimulation occurs primarily at the level of template activity. Other cyclic nucleotides tested in the same manner are ineffective in stimulating RNA synthesis by tissue slice nuclei. In addition to cyclic AMP, adenosine 5′-monophosphate (5′-AMP) consistently produced small increases in nuclear RNA synthesis although never of the magnitude seen with the cyclic nucleotide. An increased capacity for RNA synthesis is also seen in nuclei isolated from liver slices incubated with glucagon at concentrations from 0.5 μg/ml to 50 μg/ml. A maximal stimulation of approximately twofold occurs at a glucagon concentration of 1.0 μg/ml. Liver slices incubated with optimal concentrations of cyclic AMP and glucagon simultaneously show that the effects of the two agents on RNA synthesis are not additive. The results indicate that cyclic AMP at physiological concentrations can stimulate RNA synthetic capacity in vitro, and that the effect mimics a similar response to glucagon. Since it is known that glucagon causes an increase in liver concentrations of cyclic AMP and a subsequent induction of some liver enzymes, it is suggested that cyclic AMP-mediated control of RNA synthesis may be involved in such regulation.
Thick film fabrication of ferroelectric phase shifter materials

Abstract Various composites of BSTO combined with other nonelectrically active oxide ceramics have been formulated. In general, the composites have adjustable electronic properties which can be tailored for use in phased array antennas and other phase shifting devices. The dielectric constant and the loss tangents have been reduced to enhance the overall impedance matching and thereby lowering the insertion loss of the device. In addition, the overall tunability, the change in the dielectric constant with applied voltage, is maintained at a sufficiently high level. The thickness limitation of the bulk materials is around 3–4 mils which can be used up to approximately 15 GHz. In order to increase the operating frequencies of the phase shifters, thick films were fabricated using non-aqueous tape-casting. The tapes were electrically characterized and compared to bulk ceramics. Also, laminated stacks of high dielectric constant and low dielectric constant alternating layers were fabricated.
Interligand H⋯Si interactions in tungsten silyl trihydride complexes

The dichloride complex Cp∗(Am)WCl 2 ( 1 , Am = [(iPrN) 2 CMe] − ) reacted with the primary silanes PhSiH 3 , ( p -tolyl)SiH 3 , (3,5-xylyl)SiH 3 , and (C 6 F 5 )SiH 3 to produce the W(VI) (silyl)trihydrides Cp∗(Am)W(H) 3 (SiHPhCl) ( 2 ), Cp∗(Am)W(H) 3 (SiHTolylCl) ( 3 ), Cp∗(Am)W(H) 3 (SiHXylylCl) ( 4 ), and Cp∗(Am)W(H) 3 [SiH(C 6 F 5 )Cl] ( 5 ). In an analogous manner, 1 reacted with PhSiH 2 Cl to give Cp∗(Am)W(H) 3 (SiPhCl 2 ) ( 6 ). Complex 6 can alternatively be quantitatively produced from the reaction of 2 with Ph 3 CCl. NMR spectroscopic studies and X-ray crystallography reveal an interligand H⋯Si interaction between one W–H and the chlorosilyl group, which is further supported by DFT calculations.
Analysis of pH Gradients Resulting from Mass Transport Limitations in Engineered Heart Tissue

Transport limitations of critical nutrients are a major obstacle in the construction of engineered heart tissues (EHTs), and the importance of oxygen in this regard is well-documented throughout the literature. An indirect effect of cellular hypoxia is the shunt to the less-efficient glycolytic metabolism, which is accompanied by a reduction in extracellular pH. Image analysis of phenol red coloration in an experimental model of EHTs demonstrated pH gradients towards the center of the construct, which were dependent on experimental variables. Based on these observations, a four-species, 2-D diffusion-reaction mathematical model was developed to predict pH in a radial-diffusion model. The mathematical model predicted lethal values of pH (<6.5) in EHTs comprised of a nominal cell density of 10(6) cells/cm(3). pH predictions were moderately dependent on O(2) concentration, and strongly dependent on cell density, CO(2) concentration, and diffusion path length. It can be concluded from this study that hypoxia-induced acidosis is an important element in the mass transport problem, and future experiments measuring pH with more sensitive methods is expected to further elucidate the extent of this effect.
Towards high-throughput gibbs sampling at scale: a study across storage managers

Factor graphs and Gibbs sampling are a popular combination for Bayesian statistical methods that are used to solve diverse problems including insurance risk models, pricing models, and information extraction. Given a fixed sampling method and a fixed amount of time, an implementation of a sampler that achieves a higher throughput of samples will achieve a higher quality than a lower-throughput sampler. We study how (and whether) traditional data processing choices about materialization, page layout, and buffer-replacement policy need to be changed to achieve high-throughput Gibbs sampling for factor graphs that are larger than main memory. We find that both new theoretical and new algorithmic techniques are required to understand the tradeoff space for each choice. On both real and synthetic data, we demonstrate that traditional baseline approaches may achieve two orders of magnitude lower throughput than an optimal approach. For a handful of popular tasks across several storage backends, including HBase and traditional unix files, we show that our simple prototype achieves competitive (and sometimes better) throughput compared to specialized state-of-the-art approaches on factor graphs that are larger than main memory.
Development of hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis in triplets infected with HHV-8

Hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) is a rare disorder of immune dysregulation, characterized by end-organ damage from lymphocytic infiltration and macrophage activation. All known mutations associated with the HLH occur in genes critical in the perforin-granzyme pathway. Herein, we report HLH occurring in 2 female triplet infants who also had associated human herpesvirus type 8 (HHV-8) infections. The subjects had identical novel compound-heterozygous mutations in the Perforin alleles, resulting in undetectable perforin expression and NK-cell cytotoxicity. Both infants also had evidence of infection with HHV-8. These reports are, to our knowledge, the first cases of HLH in triplets and the first reported cases of HHV-8 infection associated with HLH in non–renal transplant and non–HIV-infected subjects.
Agency, invention, and sympatric design platforms

This project investigates the problems associated with course software platforms from the perspective of user-centered design, examining student agency and invention specifically in environments like WebCT, Wikis, and MS SharePoint 3.0. I argue for course design platforms that are structured on informed technogogies at the instructor and curricular levels. Drawing on concepts from biological evolution and anthropology, I propose that instructors, researchers, and administrators promote and create design platforms that are sympatric, that foster student agency and invention through user localization technologies that also embrace rhetorically complex social interaction. I further argue that researchers in Rhetoric and Writing Studies are particularly well positioned to write and/or co-create sympatric course platforms.
Fluorescence Lifetime Measurements and Spectral Analysis of Adamantyldiazirine

We report the first confirmed fluorescence lifetime measurement for a diazirine. We have obtained time-correlated single-photon counting fluorescence decays for adamantyldiazirine in a variety of solvents, over a wide range of temperatures (77−320 K) and across the diazirine absorption band (330−371 nm). The fluorescence lifetime of the primary decay component is on the order of 240 ps at ambient temperature and increases at lower temperatures. Arrhenius treatment of the fluorescence lifetime data indicates that the rate-limiting barrier for activated processes in the diazirine excited state is between 2.7 and 2.9 kcal/mol. Adamantyldiazirine's fluorescence lifetime appears to be unaffected by deuteration of the solvent, solvent polarity, or excitation energy. We also report and discuss the steady-state absorption and fluorescence emission spectra of adamantyldiazirine in a variety of solvents, as well as the infrared spectrum (KBr). We interpret the spectra with the help of ab initio (RHF/6-31G* and CIS/...
Evidence for the involvement of CYP1A2 in the metabolism of bromodichloromethane in rat liver

Bromodichloromethane (BDCM) is a drinking water disinfectant by-product that has been implicated in liver, kidney and intestinal cancers in rodents and in intestinal tumors and low birth weight effects in humans. BDCM is also hepatotoxic and requires metabolic activation for both toxicity and carcinogenicity. We have recently reported that CYP1A2 may participate in that metabolism and we now report experiments to support that implication. Induction of CYP1A2 in male F344 rats without inducing CYP2E1 or CYP2B1/2, using TCDD, increased the hepatotoxicity of BDCM when compared to earlier work conducted under similar protocols. Inhibition of CYP1A2, with isosafrole, reduced the metabolism and toxicity of BDCM in the previously induced rats. In addition, specific activities and Western blots for these CYP isoenzymes were measured 24 h after exposure. Activity data show that only CYP1A2 was inhibited by isosafrole; isosafrole forms a complex with CYP1A2 that persists for more than 24 h. Western blot results generally agree with the activity data except that isosafrole induced the protein for all isoenzymes measured. A physiologically based pharmacokinetic model, developed previously, estimated that BDCM metabolism was complete about 7 h after gavage dosing. It is noteworthy that the reduction in CYP1A2 activity was still measurable despite the production of additional CYP1A2 protein during the period of approximately 18 h after BDCM metabolism was complete. These results demonstrate that CYP1A2 does metabolize BDCM and does contribute to hepatotoxicity under certain conditions.
Evaluation of the role of prostaglandins E and FIN human choleycstitis

The role of chemical mediation by arachidonic acid metabolites of inflammation in human cholecystitis was evaluated by comparing gallbladder PGE and PGF formation to the degree of inflammation present. Twenty-five human gallbladders containing stones were operatively removed. A strip of fundus was used for histologic evaluation. In a blinded fashion, three pathologists quantitated the amount of inflammation present using a histologic scoring system. Gallbladder mucosal cells were separated from muscle wall by submucosal injection of EDTA and shaking in tissue culture media. Separated mucosal cells and finely minced muscle wall were maintained in tissue culture medium for 3 hours. Hourly PGE and PGF levels in media (extracellular) and mucosal cell and muscle tissue homogenate (intracellular) PGE and PGF concentrations were determined by radioimmunoassay. PGE production increased by both mucosal cell and muscle tissue with increasing inflammation. A significant positive linear correlation existed between the histologic score of inflammation and PGE production by gallbladder mucosal cells and muscle tissue. No correlation existed between the amount of inflammation present and PGF production by mucosal cells or muscle tissue. The results demonstrate an increase in PGE production by human gallbladder tissue with increasing inflammation and suggest that arachidonic acid metabolites may be important mediators of the inflammatory process in human cholecystitis.
Who wants to redistribute?: The tunnel effect in 1990s Russia

Abstract Support for governmental redistribution tended to be greater for the poor than the rich in a representative sample of Russian adults in 1996. However, support for redistribution is higher amongst those who expect their welfare to fall, and this effect is strongest amongst the currently well-off. A rising trajectory inhibits demand for redistribution. Support is also stronger in rural areas, amongst those with less schooling, those who fear losing their job, the elderly, and amongst women. Our results are consistent with Albert Hirschman’s idea of a ‘tunnel effect’, whereby prospects of mobility (in both directions) influence demand for governmental redistribution.
Skeletal muscle contractile and noncontractile components in young and older women and men

To examine the influences of age, gender, and habitual physical activity level on human skeletal muscle composition, we developed a relatively simple magnetic resonance imaging method for the quant...
Silicic calderas in arc settings: Characteristics, distribution, and tectonic controls

Silicic calderas represent the surface expressions of large silicic magma bodies. Although development of sizable volumes of granite, sensu lato, is considered key in stabilizing continental crust, the factors that contribute to its origin are debated. Based on a comprehensive literature review, we analyze the characteristics, tectonic settings, and spatial distributions of 108 large (≥5 km diameter), Quaternary, silicic (>63 wt% SiO 2 ) calderas in arc settings. Generally, arcs associated with trench-normal convergence rates between 70 and 95 mm/yr are more likely to host silicic calderas, indicating that a larger flux of basalt favors formation of evolved magma, although New Zealand is a notable exception. The nature of the crust controls the types of calderas that develop; large and rhyolitic calderas tend to occur on old, thick, continental crust near preexisting structures and/or areas under local extension. In continental margins, silicic calderas are distributed more widely behind the volcanic front than are typical arc volcanoes. In addition, arcs with greater caldera densities tend to be young or have migrated, suggesting that the overlying crustal column can be depleted of a low–melting-temperature component over time. These results allow geologists studying batholiths to use silica content, size, and distribution of plutons to infer the tectonic properties of ancient arcs.
Evaluating cues for resuming interrupted programming tasks

Developers, like all modern knowledge workers, are frequently interrupted and blocked in their tasks. In this paper we present a contextual inquiry into developers' current strategies for resuming interrupted tasks and investigate the effect of automated cues on improving task resumption. We surveyed 371 programmers on the nature of their tasks, interruptions, task suspension and resumption strategies and found that they rely heavily on note-taking across several types of media. We then ran a controlled lab study to compare the effects of two different automated cues to note taking when resuming interrupted programming tasks. The two cues differed in (1) whether activities were summarized in aggregate or presented chronologically and (2) whether activities were presented as program symbols or as code snippets. Both cues performed well: developers using either cue completed their tasks with twice the success rate as those using note-taking alone. Despite the similar performance of the cues, developers strongly preferred the cue that presents activities chronologically as code snippets.
Guangxi on the Precipice: Drug Abuser Behavior and the Nascent Spread of HIV in One Chinese Region

The Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region in south China is on the verge of a predicted HIV explosion. After reviewing the transmission environment in the region, the authors present the findings from their survey of 103 drug abusers undergoing detoxification treatment in Nanning, the capitol of Guangxi, and suggest broad policy changes in light of the analysis.
Convergence Estimates for a Linear Backward Euler Scheme for the Saturation Equation

In a previous work, stability and consistency results were established for a linearized Euler scheme for the saturation equation. In this paper we continue the mathematical analysis of the scheme, in preparation for its numerical treatment in a future work. We use the regularity results, obtained previously, to establish error estimates in L 2 (￻) for the linear scheme. This work is done with the degenerate nature of the saturation equation in mind, but it is also valid for the non degenerate case like the concentration equation. We show that, if the regularization parameter ￻ and the spatial discretization parameter h are carefully chosen in terms of the time stepping parameter ￻t , the convergence is at least of order O((￻t) ￻ ) for some determined ￻ >0 . Examples of choices of ￻ and h are given. We also establish a new (at our knowledge) regularity result for the continuous Galerkin formulation of the Saturation Equation and a new regularity result for the linear scheme. 2000 Mathematics Subject Classification. 35Q35, 65M06, 65M15, 65M60. 0)
Effects of diphenylhydantoin, phenobarbital, and diazepam on the metabolism of methylprednisolone and its sodium succinate.

The metabolic clearance rates (MCR) of methylprednisolone (MP) (no. = 13) and methylprednisolone-21-Na-hemisuccinate (MPHS) (no. = 6) were studied in normal humans using tritium-labeled steroids. The cumulative appearance of the labeled steroid was examined for the whole urine and for three major urinary fractions. The MCR, half-life, and volume of distribution were, respectively, 383 ± 72 (sd) liters/day, 165 ± 49 minutes, and 61 ± 12 liters for MP, and 234 ± 37, 160 ± 19, and 41 ± 6 for MPHS. Diphenylhydantoin (DPH) administered to 4 subjects increased the MCR of MP from 424 ± 71 to 977 ± 132 (P < 0.01), and decreased the half-life from 149 ± 44 to 69 ± 7 (P < 0.001). Similar effects were found with phenobarbital (PB). Diazepam (DZP) had no effect. Major increases in urinary metabolites after DPH and PB were in the unconjugated ethyl acetate fraction, and this suggests that MP metabolism is significantly altered by hepatic microsomal hydroxylation enzyme induction by DPH and PB, but not DZP. This could ...
Obturator Internus Muscle Abscess

In the December 1993 issue ofAJDC, Souid et al1describe a child with primary abscess of the internal obturator muscle. They present a review of the literature and indicate that this infection had not been previously reported. However, this admittedly uncommon clinical entity has indeed been described in the pediatric literature. Hakim et al2described two young children (aged 6 and 4½ years) with abscesses of the internal obturator muscle. In an addendum, they described an additional three children (aged 3, 12, and 15 years) with obturator or iliacus internus abscesses. We3also described primary abscess of the internal obturator muscle in a 3-year-old patient. These cases illustrate the diagnostic challenge presented by this infection. All of the children presented with fever, limp, and limited range of motion of the hip; leukocytosis and an elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate were also found. These findings mimic septic arthritis
CIGUATERA FISH POISONING: REVIEW OF CLINICAL MANIFESTATIONS

Ciguatera is a complex clinical syndrome, caused by a marine biotoxin, which can affect nearly every system of the human body. The clinical syndrome has characteristic elements in its acute, chronic and recurring forms. The incidence of ciguatera is on the rise, and misdiagnosis is not uncommon. Appropriate identification, management and treatment of ciguatera is dependent on understanding the pathophysiology of the illness, determining the correct form of the illness, and applying the appropriate treatment modalities to that form. More research is necessary to clinically manage ciguatera and the clinical dilemmas it presents.
Gprof: A call graph execution profiler

Large complex programs are composed of many small routines that implement abstractions for the routines that call them. To be useful, an execution profiler must attribute execution time in a way that is significant for the logical structure of a program as well as for its textual decomposition. This data must then be displayed to the user in a convenient and informative way. The gprof profiler accounts for the running time of called routines in the running time of the routines that call them. The design and use of this profiler is described.
Serious bacterial infection in recently immunized young febrile infants.

Objective: The objective of this study was to investigate the prevalence of serious bacterial infection (SBI) in febrile infants without a source aged 6–12 weeks who have received immunizations in the preceding 72 hours. Methods: The authors conducted a medical record review of infants aged 6–12 weeks with a fever of ≥38.0°C presenting to the pediatric emergency department (ED) over 88 months. Infants were classified either as having received immunizations within the 72 hours preceding the ED visit (recent immunization [RI]) or as not having received immunizations during this time period (no recent immunization [NRI]). Primary outcome of an SBI was based on culture results; only patients with a minimum of blood and urine cultures were studied. Results: A total of 1,978 febrile infants were studied, of whom 213 (10.8%) had received RIs. The overall prevalence of definite SBI was 6.6% (95% confidence interval [CI] = 5.5 to 7.7). The prevalence of definite SBI in NRI infants was 7.0% (95% CI = 5.9 to 8.3) compared to 2.8% (95% CI = 0.6 to 5.1) in the RI infants. The prevalence of definite SBI in febrile infants vaccinated in the preceding 24 hours decreased to 0.6% (95% CI = 0 to 1.9). The prevalence of definite SBI in febrile infants vaccinated greater than 24 hours prior to presentation was 8.9% (95 CI = 1.5 to 16.4). The relative risk of SBI with RI was 0.41 (95% CI = 0.19 to 0.90). All SBIs in the RI infants were urinary tract infections (UTI). Conclusions: Among febrile infants, the prevalence of SBI is less in the initial 24 hours following immunizations. However, there is still a substantial risk of UTI. Therefore, urine testing should be considered in febrile infants who present within 24 hours of immunization. Infants who present greater than 24 hours after immunizations with fever should be managed similarly to infants without RIs.
Elimination of Escherichia coli O157:H7 from Alfalfa seeds through a combination of high hydrostatic pressure and mild heat.

Escherichia coli O157:H7 has been associated with contaminated seed sprout outbreaks. The majority of these outbreaks have been traced to sprout seeds contaminated with low levels of pathogens. Sanitizing sprout seeds presents a unique challenge in the arena of produce safety in that even a low residual pathogen population remaining on contaminated seed after treatments appears capable of growing to very high levels during sprouting. In this study, the effectiveness of high-pressure treatment in combination with low and elevated temperatures was assessed for its ability to eliminate E. coli O157:H7 on artificially contaminated alfalfa seeds. Inoculated seed samples were treated at 600 MPa for 2 min at 4, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, and 50°C. The pressure sensitivity of the pathogenic bacteria was strongly dependent on the treatment temperature. At 40°C, the process was adequate in eliminating a 5-log-unit population on the seeds with no adverse effect on seed viability. Three treatments carried out at reduced pressure levels and/or extended treatment time, 550 MPa for 2 min at 40°C, 300 MPa for 2 min at 50°C, and 400 MPa for 5 min at 45°C, were equally lethal to the pathogen. When all three treatments were compared in terms of their impact on seed viability, the process of 550 MPa for 2 min at 40°C was the most desirable, achieving final germination percentages and sprout sizes statistically similar to those of control untreated seeds (P > 0.05).
Shared decision making for prostate cancer screening: the results of a combined analysis of two practice-based randomized controlled trials.

Professional societies recommend shared decision making (SDM) for prostate cancer screening, however, most efforts have promoted informed rather than shared decision making. The objective of this study is to 1) examine the effects of a prostate cancer screening intervention to promote SDM and 2) determine whether framing prostate information in the context of other clearly beneficial men’s health services affects decisions. We conducted two separate randomized controlled trials of the same prostate cancer intervention (with or without additional information on more clearly beneficial men’s health services). For each trial, we enrolled a convenience sample of 2 internal medicine practices, and their interested physicians and male patients with no prior history of prostate cancer (for a total of 4 practices, 28 physicians, and 128 men across trials). Within each practice site, we randomized men to either 1) a video-based decision aid and researcher-led coaching session or 2) a highway safety video. Physicians at each site received a 1-hour educational session on prostate cancer and SDM. To assess intervention effects, we measured key components of SDM, intent to be screened, and actual screening. After finding that results did not vary by trial, we combined data across sites, adjusting for the random effects of both practice and physician. Compared to an attention control, our prostate cancer screening intervention increased men’s perceptions that screening is a decision (absolute difference +41%; 95% CI 25 to 57%) and men’s knowledge about prostate cancer screening (absolute difference +34%; 95% CI 19% to 50%), but had no effect on men’s self-reported participation in shared decisions or their participation at their preferred level. Overall, the intervention decreased screening intent (absolute difference −34%; 95% CI −50% to −18%) and actual screening rates (absolute difference −22%; 95% CI −38 to −7%) with no difference in effect by frame. SDM interventions can increase men’s knowledge, alter their perceptions of prostate cancer screening, and reduce actual screening. However, they may not guarantee an increase in shared decisions. #NCT00630188
Estrogens and women's health: interrelation of coronary heart disease, breast cancer and osteoporosis

The determinants of blood levels of estrogen, estrogen metabolites, and relation to receptors and post-transitional effects are the likely primary cause of breast cancer. Very high risk women for breast cancer can now be identified by measuring bone mineral density and hormone levels. These high risk women have rates of breast cancer similar to risk of myocardial infarction. They are candidates for SERM therapies to reduce risk of breast cancer. The completion of the Women's Health Initiative and other such trials will likely provide a definite association of risk and benefit of both estrogen alone and estrogen-progesterone therapy, coronary heart disease, osteoporotic fracture, and breast cancer. The potential intervention of hormone replacement therapy, obesity, or weight gain and increased atherogenic lipoproteinemia may be of concern and confound the results of clinical trials. Estrogens, clearly, are important in the risk of bone loss and osteoporotic fracture. Obesity is the primary determinant of postmenopausal estrogen levels and reduced risk of fracture. Weight reduction may increase rates of bone loss and fracture. Clinical trials that evaluate weight loss should monitor effects on bone. The beneficial addition of increased physical activity, higher dose of calcium or vitamin D, or use of bone reabsorption drugs in coordination with weight loss should be evaluated. Any therapy that raises blood estrogen or metabolite activity and decreases bone loss may increase risk of breast cancer. Future clinical trials must evaluate multiple endpoints such as CHD, osteoporosis, and breast cancer within the study. The use of surrogate markers such as bone mineral density, coronary calcium, carotid intimal medial thickness and plaque, endothelial function, breast density, hormone levels and metabolites could enhance the evaluation of risk factors, genetic-environmental intervention, and new therapies.
Unsteady Combustor Physics: Hydrodynamic Flow Stability II: Common Combustor Flow Fields

This chapter continues the treatment initiated in Chapter 3 on the evolution of vorticity in flows. We now focus on specific flow fields and include the effects of heat release and external forcing. Hydrodynamic flow stability is a large, rich field; this chapter can provide only a brief introduction to the many fascinating instabilities that arise [1]. For these reasons, attention is specifically focused on high Reynolds number flows and several specific flow configurations of particular significance in combustor systems, including shear layers, wakes, jets, and backward-facing steps. The vorticity that controls the hydrodynamic stability features of the flow originates largely from the boundary layers in approach flow passages or other walls. The separating boundary layer characteristics serve, then, as an important initial condition for the flows of interest to this chapter. Discussion of the stability and coherent structures present in boundary layers is outside the scope of this book, but several important characteristics of boundary layers are summarized in Aside 4.1. This chapter starts with a discussion of free shear layers in Section 4.1, the most fundamental hydrodynamic instability of interest to practical combustors. It then considersmore complex flows that largely involve interactions of multiple free shear layers or of shear layers with walls. For example, two-dimensional wakes (Section 4.2) and jets (Section 4.3) are equivalent to two free shear layers separated by some distance, a , of oppositely signed vorticity. It is recommended that readers using this book as a text focus on Section 4.1, and then use the remaining sections as references for other specific flow configurations as required.
Radio transient following FRB 150418: afterglow or coincident AGN flare?

Recently, Keane et al. reported the discovery of a fading radio transient following FRB 150418, and interpreted it as the afterglow of the FRB. Williams \& Berger, on the other hand, suggested that the radio transient is analogous to a group of variable radio sources, so that it could be a coincident AGN flare in the observational beam of the FRB. A new observation with VLA showed a re-brightening, which is consistent with the AGN picture. Here, using the radio survey data of Ofek et al., we statistically examine the chance coincidence probability to produce an event like the FRB 150418 transient. We find that the probabilities to produce a variable radio transient with at least the same variability amplitude and signal-to-noise ratio as the FRB 150415 transient, without and with the VLA point, are $P_1 \sim 6 \times 10^{-4}$ and $P_1 \sim 2 \times 10^{-3}$, respectively. In addition, the chance probability to have a fading transient detected following a random time (FRB time) is less than $P_2 \sim 10^{-2.9\pm 1.3}$. Putting these together and assuming that the number of radio sources within one Parkes beam is 16, the final chance coincidence of having an FRB 150418-like radio transient to be unrelated to the FRB is $< 10^{-4.9\pm1.3}$ and $< 10^{-4.4\pm1.3}$, respectively, without and with the VLA point. We conclude that the radio transient following FRB 150418 has a low probability being an unrelated AGN flare, and the possibility of being the afterglow of FRB 150418 is not ruled out.