cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Automated tuning of an electron cyclotron resonance cavity to a microwave power source

One of the drawbacks to using an electron cyclotron resonance (ECR) plasma source in a production reactive ion etch tool is that, typically, the matching of the source load to the microwave power generator must be done manually, and hence is prone to error. This can lead to large variability in the power delivered to the plasma, that in turn may cause inconsistent etch results. In addition, if the reflected power due to mismatch between the generator and plasma is large enough, significant damage can be done to the equipment. This article documents an automated method for matching an ECR cavity to a microwave power generator. The algorithm is demonstrated on a Wavemat ECR high density source coupled to an AsTex S-1500i microwave power generator.
Illustrating the Root-Cause-Analysis Process: Creation of a Safety Net with a Semiautomated Process for the Notification of Critical Findings in Diagnostic Imaging

The ACR has set a standard for the communication of critical findings on imaging examinations. Despite this standard, for a variety of reasons, it remains possible that appropriate follow-up is not initiated. The authors review the theory and application of root-cause analysis to such a failure of communication within their institution, including the development and implementation of a semiautomated notification system for critical unexpected findings on imaging examinations.
Generalized petechial rashes in children during a parvovirus B19 outbreak.

Objectives: Human parvovirus B19 infection is associated not only with erythema infectiosum (fifth disease) but also, rarely, with purpuric or petechial rashes. Most reports of these atypical rashes describe sporadic cases with skin lesions that have distinctively focal distributions. During a community outbreak of fifth disease, we investigated a cluster of illnesses in children with generalized petechial rashes to determine whether parvovirus was the causative agent and, if so, to describe more fully the clinical spectrum of petechial rashes that are associated with this virus. METHODS: Systematic evaluation was conducted by general pediatricians of children with petechial rashes for evidence of acute parvovirus infection. RESULTS: During the outbreak, acute parvovirus infection was confirmed in 13 (76%) of 17 children who were evaluated for petechial rash. Confirmed case patients typically had mild constitutional symptoms, and most (11 [85%] of 13) had fever. Petechiae were typically dense and widely distributed; sometimes accentuated in the distal extremities, axillae, or groin; and usually absent from the head/neck. Most case patients had leukopenia, and several had thrombocytopenia. Parvovirus immunoglobulin M was detected in 8 (73%) of 11 acute-phase serum specimens, and immunoglobulin G was detectable only in convalescent specimens. Parvovirus DNA was detected in all 7 tested serum specimens, including 2 acute-phase specimens that were immunoglobulin M–negative. All case patients had brief, uncomplicated illnesses, but 6 were briefly hospitalized and 1 underwent a bone marrow examination. Two case patients developed erythema infectiosum during convalescence. CONCLUSIONS: During an outbreak of fifth disease, parvovirus proved to be a common cause of petechial rash in children, and this rash was typically more generalized than described in case reports. Associated clinical features, hematologic abnormalities, and serologic test results are consistent with a viremia-associated illness that is distinct from and occasionally followed by erythema infectiosum.
An empirical method for establishing positional confidence intervals tailored for composite interval mapping of QTL.

Background Improved genetic resolution and availability of sequenced genomes have made positional cloning of moderate-effect QTL realistic in several systems, emphasizing the need for precise and accurate derivation of positional confidence intervals (CIs) for QTL. Support interval (SI) methods based on the shape of the QTL likelihood curve have proven adequate for standard interval mapping, but have not been shown to be appropriate for use with composite interval mapping (CIM), which is one of the most commonly used QTL mapping methods. Results Based on a non-parametric confidence interval (NPCI) method designed for use with the Haley-Knott regression method for mapping QTL, a CIM-specific method (CIM-NPCI) was developed to appropriately account for the selection of background markers during analysis of bootstrap-resampled data sets. Coverage probabilities and interval widths resulting from use of the NPCI, SI, and CIM-NPCI methods were compared in a series of simulations analyzed via CIM, wherein four genetic effects were simulated in chromosomal regions with distinct marker densities while heritability was fixed at 0.6 for a population of 200 isolines. CIM-NPCIs consistently capture the simulated QTL across these conditions while slightly narrower SIs and NPCIs fail at unacceptably high rates, especially in genomic regions where marker density is high, which is increasingly common for real studies. The effects of a known CIM bias toward locating QTL peaks at markers were also investigated for each marker density case. Evaluation of sub-simulations that varied according to the positions of simulated effects relative to the nearest markers showed that the CIM-NPCI method overcomes this bias, offering an explanation for the improved coverage probabilities when marker densities are high. Conclusions Extensive simulation studies herein demonstrate that the QTL confidence interval methods typically used to positionally evaluate CIM results can be dramatically improved by accounting for the procedural complexity of CIM via an empirical approach, CIM-NPCI. Confidence intervals are a critical measure of QTL utility, but have received inadequate treatment due to a perception that QTL mapping is not sufficiently precise for procedural improvements to matter. Technological advances will continue to challenge this assumption, creating even more need for the current improvement to be refined.
A Test of the Measurement Assumptions Underlying Behaviorally Anchored Rating Scales.

Foundational and outcome assumptions of behaviorally anchored rating scales (BARS) are reviewed. Two studies were then conducted to examine two untested foundational assumptions of BARS. The first study examined the assumption that the critical incident methodology produces behavioral specific incidents with which to anchor BARS. Qualitative and quantitative analyses were conducted. Contrary to this assumption about BARS, results indicated that there was considerable variation in the specificity of the behavioral anchors. The second study examined the assumption that the interpretation of critical incidents is invariant across nonstimulus bound developmental and the actual stimulus bound rating contexts. The assumption was not satisfied. Results indicated that the evaluation of critical incidents was significantly different across rating contexts. Implications are discussed.
Microcirculatory basis for the design of artificial blood.

Artificial blood or blood substitutes are being developed using molecular solutions of modified free hemoglobin. When these products are used and the red blood cell mass is reduced below the transfusion trigger, there is a condition of extreme hemodilution which is characterized by a significant reduction of blood viscosity and NO production, reflex vasoconstriction, decreased functional capillary density, and impaired microvascular function. This combination of events may be lethal because decreased NO availability may also increase the intrinsic oxygen consumption of the tissue. Current developments in the understanding of the physiology of the microcirculation in extreme hemodilution, and the physical events associated with the substitution of red blood cells with molecular hemoglobin solutions show that a viable “artificial blood” can be obtained from a new formulation of the product, where viscosity is such that when introduced in the circulation the resulting viscosity of blood is close to normal, t...
Interaction of triplet excitons with charge carriers in crystalline anthracene

Abstract The influence of a magnetic field on photo-enhanced hole and electron injected space charge limited currents in anthracene has shown the current enhancement is predominantly due to triplet-trapped charge carrier interactions. The observed current enhancement is too large to be produced by the production of one detrapped carrier for each annihilated triplet exciton. It is suggested that on detrapping the free carriers are in a quartet state, in which they gain energy from the applied field and then detrap further carriers themselves by scattering processes.
Using Parallel Iteration for Approximate Analysis of a Multiple Server Queueing System

This paper describes an iterative approach to the analysis of Markovian service systems. The method is approximate unless an assumption of independence among servers is valid. Nevertheless, useful results are attainable that hold intuitive appeal and provide a geometric reduction in the number of states hence, computation needed to obtain solutions. We demonstrate the usefulness of the procedure through an error analysis of a simple system. The practical utility of the approach is further justified in a comparison with simulation results for a police patrol model with over 50 million states.
Double-blind comparison of intravenous butorphanol (Stadol) and fentanyl (Sublimaze) for analgesia during labor

Abstract Objective: Our purpose was to compare the analgesic properties, effect on labor, and maternal-fetal side effects of intravenous butorphanol and fentanyl. Study Design: One hundred patients with uncomplicated term pregnancies were enrolled during early active labor. Each patient received standard doses of either fentanyl (50 to 100 μg) or butorphanol (1 to 2 mg) hourly on request in a double-blind manner. Pain was scored independently by the nurse and patient with a 10-point visual analog scale. Categoric and measurement data were collected for comparison of the effects on uterine activity, maternal and fetal well-being, and neonatal outcomes. Results: The fentanyl ( n = 50) and butorphanol ( n = 50) groups were identical with respect to maternal age, race, parity, and weight. Greater improvement in pain relief was found after the first dose of butorphanol than after fentanyl ( p p p Conclusions: Both drugs were equally safe and without effect on active labor. Butorphanol provided better initial analgesia than fentanyl with fewer patient requests for more medication or epidural analgesia.
The diagnosis of progressive pulmonary vascular disease in children with ventricular septal defects

In patients with ventricular septal defects, pulmonary vascular disease progresses inonly a small percentage, but it is important to identify these cases before they become inoperable. This study analyzes clinical and laboratory criteria to determine which of them best predict increasing pulmonary hypertension. Decreasing intensity of the systolic murmur and increase in the pulmonary component of the second sound correlated best with evidence of progressive pulmonary vascular disease obtained from catheterization studies.
Effect of Vetiveria zizanioides Essential Oil on Melanogenesis in Melanoma Cells: Downregulation of Tyrosinase Expression and Suppression of Oxidative Stress

The major objective of this study was to estimate the hypopigmentation function of the essential oil from Vetiveria zizanioides (VZ-EO). Our results indicated that VZ-EO exhibits potent lipid peroxidation inhibitory activity to moderate the bleaching of β-carotene and to maintain the cellular glutathione (GSH) levels. VZ-EO can markedly decrease melanin production and tyrosinase activity in α-melanin-stimulating-hormone- (α-MSH-) stimulated B16 cells. The effect of VZ-EO on melanogenesis is achieved by the suppression of cellular tyrosinase expression. The results demonstrated that the activity of VZ-EO on melanogenesis might be the result of its potent antioxidative ability, which was reflected in the decreased cellular oxidant and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels and the recovered activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GPX), and catalase (CAT) in α-MSH-stimulated B16 cells. The most abundant compound in VZ-EO is cedr-8-en-13-ol (12.4%), which has a strong capability to inhibit lipid peroxidation. Therefore, VZ-EO has the potential to become an ingredient in future hypopigmentation drugs, foods, and cosmetics.
Mercury in canned tuna: white versus light and temporal variation

There are abundant data and advisories for mercury levels in wild fish, but far fewer for commercial fish that compose a large majority of the fish most people eat. Until recently, relatively little attention has been devoted to examining mercury in canned tuna, despite its great importance in human diets. There is substantial media coverage of the benefits and risk from fish consumption, but few peer-reviewed data on canned tuna, the most commonly consumed fish in the United States. In this paper, we examine the levels of total mercury in canned tuna obtained from a New Jersey grocery store from 1998 to 2003, looking for temporal consistency within this data set and particularly for comparison with the Food and Drug Administration's 1991 study. We analyzed 168 cans individually for total mercury. All values are reported as parts per million (= microg/g) on a wet weight basis. In a subset of samples analyzed for total and inorganic mercury, the inorganic mercury was below detection levels; hence at least 89% of the mercury can be considered methylmercury. We found that white-style tuna had significantly more total mercury (mean 0.407 ppm) than light-style tuna (mean 0.118 ppm), presumably reflecting that "white" tuna is albacore, a species relatively larger than the skipjack tuna, which is commonly available as "light" or "chunk light." The maximum mercury in a can was 0.997 ppm, but 25% of white tuna samples exceeded 0.5 ppm. Data suggest a slight increase in levels since 1991, and mercury levels were significantly higher in 2001 than in other years. The mean level of mercury in white tuna (mean 0.407 ppm) was significantly higher than the mean value of 0.17 ppm currently used by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in its risk assessment and public information. There were no significant differences in mercury levels in tuna packed in oil compared to water. Draining contents had no effect on mercury levels, and the fluid, both oil and water, contained little mercury. These data indicate that people who eat canned tuna frequently can choose light tuna and reduce their mercury intake. Canned mackerel had much lower levels of mercury than tuna. Since cans of white tuna frequently exceed the FDA's original action level of 0.5 ppm, it would be prudent to continue some systematic monitoring of the nation's canned fish supply, particularly as the targets of commercial fisheries inevitably change as certain stocks become depleted.
Infantile and adult-onset metachromatic leukodystrophy. Biochemical comparisons and predictive diagnosis.

IN certain sphingolipidoses, the age at onset of the disease correlates with the amount of detectable activity of the disease-related enzymes. Brady1 has previously shown an inverse correlation bet...
Prisoner Behavior and Social System in the Nazi Concentration Camps

Until recently, American theory and discussion on prisoner behavior in the Nazi concentration camps differed in important ways from most European work. The American peculiarities stem from two main sources. First, there were gross reporting errors which added to the common difficulties in making sense of the camp system and genocide. Second, before the end of World War II and after, there was quick publication of poorly-grounded theories, reflecting concern with narrowly psychodynamic processes, rather than social processes.The present paper reviews study findings on the importance of human groups in the struggle for survival. Particular attention is given to the emergence of a prisoner social system and to the normative aspects of such a system. Along with references to the relevant work of others, the author deals at some length with his own early research, involving intensive interviews with fifty-two camp sur vivors who emigrated to the United States. In that study, data were gathered on changes with ...
Cryptosporidium in commercially produced turkeys on-farm and postslaughter.

Aims: To determine the presence of Cryptosporidium species in commercially produced turkey flocks on farm and postslaughter. Methods and Results: Three separate turkey flocks were sampled at a single farm and again postslaughter at a commercial processing facility. DNA was extracted and purified from faecal (farm) or caecal (postslaughter) samples and a fragment of 18S rDNA was amplified using a nested PCR approach. Amplified fragments were sequenced, aligned and a neighbour joining tree was constructed. Cryptosporidium meleagridis was not identified in any of the flocks tested. However, all flocks tested positive for Cryptosporidium parvum species. One of the flocks tested positive at the farm and postslaughter. Conclusions: While C. parvum was present in birds at the farm and postslaughter, turkeys at this facility are not likely to be a significant reservoir for this species. Significance and Impact of the Study: Cryptosporidium meleagridis infects avian and human hosts and is increasingly being recognized as a significant human pathogen. However, this study found no evidence of C. meleagridis in commercially produced turkeys at a single location.
Dynamic analysis and control of a tubular autothermal reactor at an unstable state

Abstract The dynamic behavior of an autothermal reactor with internal countercurrent heat exchange is represented by a relatively simple mathematical approximat which retains essentially all of the steady state and dynamic features of real reactors. The system of partial differential equations is discretized in space by the method of orthogonal collocation and the convergence of the eigenvalues of the linearized model is found to be extremely difficult to achieve in the unstable region near blow-off. Different model reduction techniques are investigated and compared. Modal control with state or output feedback and a single manipulated input is used an attempt to stabilize the system. A technique based on a low-order collocation model provides good control action, whereas most of the conventional, approximate methods fail to stabilize the unstable model of the reactor. The features of the stable, closed-loop system are confirmed through simulated reactor transient tests.
Selected child factors moderating the impact of maternal absence on children's behavior and development

Research regarding how selected child factors might moderate the impact of maternal absence on the behavior and development of children are reviewed. These child factors include: [1] characteristics within the child such as age, sex, genetic factors, and temperamental style, [2] personal resources such as the child's cognitive abilities [e.g., intelligence, scholastic achievement, cognitive appraisal capacities, problem solving and coping skills], self‐esteem and self‐efficacy, [3] personal social supports including the remaining father, siblings, other relatives and adults, peers, and the latchkey phenomenon, [4] more formal social supports including institutions and adoption, foster care, day care, schools, and hospitals, [5] experiences including a multiplicity of concurrent and alternating stressors, and [6] past experiences including parent‐child relationships, task accomplishment, and preparatory programs.
The use of social media for citizen engagement: the case of SAPAS in la paz, Mexico

In this paper, we explore a local government water department's adoption of social media to engage with citizens. Specifically, we describe the use of a Facebook page, created by the Organismo Operador Municipal del Sistema de Agua Potable, Alcantarillado, y Saneamiento (SAPAS) in La Paz, B.C. Mexico, during its initial eighteen months of operation. Based on an analysis of the page posts, we note an increase in total posts over the study period. The dominant type of post (SAPAS and citizens combined) was announcement and this type of post was unevenly distributed with peaks at the beginning and end of the study period. We also observed a notable increase in the number of complaints submitted by citizens towards the end of the study period with the highest number of complaints falling in August and October 2012. We conclude with some observations about our initial results and an update on the current status of SAPAS Facebook page.
The attitudes of criminal justice workgroups toward intensive supervised probation

In spite of a growing body of literature on the attitudes of the public and selected groups toward crime and punishment, including communitybased corrections, intermediate sanctions, and intensive probation, very little is known about the attitudes of criminal justice workgroups toward intensive supervised probation. Understanding reactions to ISP by criminal justice workgroups is a requisite first step toward overcoming any obstacles or resistance to successful program implementation. This research reports on a survey of criminal justice workgroup attitudes toward ISP in Wyandotte County, Kansas.
Complex Species Interactions and the Dynamics of Ecological Systems: Long-Term Experiments

Studies that combine experimental manipulations with long-term data collection reveal elaborate interactions among species that affect the structure and dynamics of ecosystems. Research programs in U.S. desert shrubland and pinyon-juniper woodland have shown that (i) complex dynamics of species populations reflect interactions with other organisms and fluctuating climate; (ii) genotype x environment interactions affect responses of species to environmental change; (iii) herbivore-resistance traits of dominant plant species and impacts of "keystone" animal species cascade through the system to affect many organisms and ecosystem processes; and (iv) some environmental perturbations can cause wholesale reorganization of ecosystems because they exceed the ecological tolerances of dominant or keystone species, whereas other changes may be buffered because of the compensatory dynamics of complementary species.
Recent development of crosslinked NLO polymers for large bandwidth electro-optical modulations

A future polymer based electro-optical (EO) modulator has several advantages over a current commercial Lithium Niobate EO modulator, a key device that encodes electronic signals into optical signals. These advantages include larger bandwidth (over 100 GHz), lower drive voltage (less then 1 volt), more cost effective, etc. However, one major challenge for EO polymer development is materials stability, including short term and long term SHG (NLO chromophore orientation) stability. Since the modulator fabrication and packaging processes typically require heating temperatures of 200-250oC for up to 10 minutes, yet the SHG thermal stability of most NLO polymers developed so far only reach about 150oC. In order to overcome this challenge, either modulator processing temperatures are reduced, or SHG thermal stability of EO polymers be increased. Polymer crosslinking technique is one of the most versatile and effective methods for fabricating and stabilizing polymer nano structures at high temperatures. Among various NLO polymer crosslinking schemes developed so far, fumaryl chloride (FC) and maleic anhydride (MA) derived crosslinked polyester system seems to be a versatile and convenient scheme. This scheme also looks attractive for low loss applications at 1550 nm. FC/MA crosslinking systems also offer visible light photolithographic fabrication advantage during waveguide fabrication.
Prisoner reentry as myth and ceremony

The carceral boom in post-Civil Rights America results not from profit-seeking but from state-crafting. Accordingly, we must slay the chimera of the “Prison Industrial Complex” and forsake its derived tale of the “Prisoner Reentry Industry.” This murky economic metaphor is doubly misleading: first, most released convicts experience not reentry but ongoing circulation between the prison and their dispossessed neighborhoods; second, the institutions entrusted with supervising them are not market operators but elements of the bureaucratic field as characterized by Pierre Bourdieu. Post-custodial supervision is a ceremonial component of “prisonfare,” which complements “workfare” through organizational isomorphism, and partakes of the neoliberal reengineering of the state. Reentry outfits are not an antidote to but an extension of punitive containment as government technique for managing problem categories and territories in the dualizing city. To capture the glaring economic irrationality and bureaucratic absurdities of the oversight of felons behind as well as beyond bars, our theoretical inspiration should come not from the radical critique of capitalism but from the neo-Durkheimian sociology of organization and the neo-Weberian theory of the state as a classifying and stratifying agency.
Orbital elements of Charon from speckle interferometry

The semimajor axis and the inclination are the two most important quantities presently determined from 56 well-calibrated speckle-interferometric observations of the position of Charon, which are presented in conjunction with an orbit solution that incorporates them. Both values in the best solution obtained are noted to significantly differ from earlier determinations. The new value for the semimajor axis represents a 2.7 percent increase over the previously accepted value; the mean density of the system, however, remains unaltered.
Free learning as a function of meaningfulness and encoding cues

Two experiments were performed in which encoding cues were presented with items of low or high meaningfulness in free learning. When the lists varied widely in meaningfulness, encoding cues were found to facilitate the low meaningfulness items but to decrease slightly learning of the high meaningfulness items.
Therapy for shigellosis. I. Randomized, double-blind trial of nalidixic acid in childhood shigellosis

We compared nalidixic acid, 55 mg/kg/day, with ampicillin, 100 mg/kg/day, both given orally for 5 days, in the treatment of children with dysentery caused by shigellosis. All patients entered into the study had illness of less than 72 hours' duration and no prior allopathic drug therapy. Treatment was randomized and administered in double-blind fashion. Patients initially treated with ampicillin who were infected with a Shigella strain resistant to ampicillin were considered as a separate group (ampicillin-R). All isolates were susceptible to nalidixic acid. Similar percentages of patients treated with nalidixic acid (26/32, 81%) and with ampicillin (17/22, 77%) were clinically cured by the end of therapy; the rate in ampicillin-R (3/14, 21%) patients was significantly lower ( p Shigella eradicated from their stool by day 3, compared with 77% (10/13) of ampicillin-R patients ( p
Microstructural and wear properties of sputtered carbides and silicides

Sputtered Cr3C2, Cr3Si2, and MoSi2 wear-resistant films (0.05 to 3.5 microns thick) were deposited on metal and glass surfaces. Electron transmission, electron diffraction, and scanning electron microscopy were used to determine the microstructural appearance. Strong adherence was obtained with these sputtered films. Internal stresses and defect crystallographic growth structures of various configurations within the film have progressively more undesirable effects for film thicknesses greater than 1.5 microns. Sliding contact and rolling element bearing tests were performed with these sputtered films. Bearings sputtered with a duplex coating (0.1-micron-thick undercoating of Cr3Si2 and subsequently 0.6-micron coating of MoS2) produced marked improvement over straight MoS2 films.
RENAL ADENOMA SIMULATING SIMPLE CYST

SUMMARY Delayed exploration of an intrarenal “cystic” mass revealed an adenoma with malignant potentialities. It is suggested that “benign” solid tumour be considered routinely in the differential diagnosis of the renal mass.
Compressed LED Illumination Sensing

Modern day light emitting diodes (LEDs) are capable of producing high intensity light across a wide spread of frequencies. Hence, they are becoming a common ingredient in many lighting systems. In order to obtain desired lighting effects efficiently, it is important to sense the light received across different target locations and estimate the unknown properties (amplitudes, frequency offsets and phases) of the modulating signals. This facilitates the design of the driving waveforms for the LEDs. This procedure is known as illumination sensing and it enables efficient and effective usage of light energy to achieve the intended effects. We propose a novel two step approach to perform this estimation using sparse modeling which exploits the fact that the measurements at the sensors are sparse in the frequency offset space and the phase space. Further, we employ compressive sensing to reduce the dimensions of the measurement vector, thereby reducing the complexity of the estimation algorithm. This will enable quick estimation which is essential to avoid any lag in attaining the desired illumination effects. Also, we demonstrate the performance of the proposed approach in the presence of a modeling mismatch.
The Comovement of International Asset Returns

Previous studies have analyzed the comovement of international stock returns during periods of fixed exchange rates[11, 15]. Results of these studies have indicated an increasing correlation between U.S. stocks and foreign stock returns. This paper explores the weekly comovement of international equity and long–term bond returns for nine industrialized countries—United Kingdom, United States, West Germany, Netherlands, Belgium, France, Switzerland, Italy, and Japan—during the period of floating exchange rates, 1973–1977. Results of this study indicate (1) a low correlations between U.S. and foreign stock and long-term bond returns; (2) The necessity for adjusting for exchange rate movement before analyzing relative between countries; and (3) the importance of percentage changes in money supply, prices levels, and real gross national products are in determining the unadjusted asset returns and exchange rate movement.
Adsorption of dyes from aqueous solution by coals, chars, and active carbons

Abstract Adsorption of two acidic dyes (amaranth red and metanil yellow) and a basic dye (methylene blue) from aqueous solution has been studied using a wide range of American coals and chars. The adsorption capacity of coals and chars has been compared with commercially available active carbons. The amount of dye removed from solution by raw coals is made up of two parts, one due to interaction with some mineral constituents and the other due to adsorption on the porous surface. There are some indications that pyrite and soluble alkali salts are the reactive minerals. When the coals are washed by refluxing in distilled water for 8 h, reproducible adsorption capacity is obtained. With washed coals, good correlation between the nitrogen BET surface area and dye adsorption capacity is observed. Except for lignites, adsorption of dyes is not influenced by the oxygen groups on the surface. Chars show enhanced capacity over coals, where under the most favourable conditions adsorption approached 25% of the active carbon capacity. The initial rate of adsorption of dye from solution by coals, chars and active carbons has been found to be dependent on the square root of time.
Bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) Labeling and Subsequent Fluorescence Activated Cell Sorting for Culture-independent Identification of Dissolved Organic Carbon-degrading Bacterioplankton

Microbes are major agents mediating the degradation of numerous dissolved organic carbon (DOC) substrates in aquatic environments. However, identification of bacterial taxa that transform specific pools of DOC in nature poses a technical challenge. Here we describe an approach that couples bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) incorporation, fluorescence activated cell sorting (FACS), and 16S rRNA gene-based molecular analysis that allows culture-independent identification of bacterioplankton capable of degrading a specific DOC compound in aquatic environments. Triplicate bacterioplankton microcosms are set up to receive both BrdU and a model DOC compound (DOC amendments), or only BrdU (no-addition control). BrdU substitutes the positions of thymidine in newly synthesized bacterial DNA and BrdU-labeled DNA can be readily immunodetected 1,2. Through a 24-hr incubation, bacterioplankton that are able to use the added DOC compound are expected to be selectively activated, and therefore have higher levels of BrdU incorporation (HI cells) than non-responsive cells in the DOC amendments and cells in no-addition controls (low BrdU incorporation cells, LI cells). After fluorescence immunodetection, HI cells are distinguished and physically separated from the LI cells by fluorescence activated cell sorting (FACS) 3. Sorted DOC-responsive cells (HI cells) are extracted for DNA and taxonomically identified through subsequent 16S rRNA gene-based analyses including PCR, clone library construction and sequencing.
Diurnal rhythm in serum activity of wheat-germ lectin-precipitable alkaline phosphatase: temporal relationships with the diurnal rhythm of serum osteocalcin.

Serum levels of osteocalcin (S-OC) and lectin-precipitable alkaline phosphatase activity (S-LAP) are sensitive markers of osteoblastic activity. Diurnal variation has been found for S-OC but has not been reported for S-LAP. We measured S-LAP and serum total alkaline phosphatase (S-TAP) in samples drawn every 60 min during a 24-h study period in nine normal subjects and correlated the findings with the diurnal variation in S-OC. A significant (p<0.05) diurnal variation in S-LAP characterized by peaks at 1430 hours and 2330 hours and nadir at 0630 hours was found. Peak levels were 30% higher than nadir level (p<0.05). S-TAP also varied significantly (p<0.05) with nadir at 0630 hours, showing a difference of 23% between peak and nadir levels (p<0.05). Significant cross-correlation was found between S-OC and S-LAP and S-TAP when these lagged 4 h after S-OC: r=0.51 (p<0.02) and r=0.65 (p<0.003), respectively. In other words, changes in S-LAP and S-TAP preceded changes in S-OC by 4 h. There were no significant ...
Superconducting Quark Matter

In asymptotically dense quark matter, colored glue forces cause an unusual variant of superconductivity. Instead of pairing, the quarks clump in groups of six. We investigate the gap equation in the weak coupling limit, and find the leading behavior of the energy gap and the critical temperature as functions of the renormalized coupling constant.
Minimally Invasive Lumbar Interbody Fusion in Patients Older Than 70 Years of Age: Analysis of Peri- and Postoperative Complications

Background The number of spine operations performed in the elderly population is rising. Objective To identify and describe perioperative and postoperative complications in patients 70 years and older who have undergone minimally invasive lumbar interbody spine fusion. Methods A retrospective analysis was performed on 66 consecutive patients aged 70 years or older who underwent a minimally invasive interbody lumbar fusion. Electronic medical records were analyzed for patient demographics, procedures, and perioperative and postoperative complications. Results Between 2000 and 2009, 66 patients with an average age of 74.9 years (range, 70-86 years) underwent 68 lumbar interbody fusions procedures. The mean follow-up was 14.7 months (range, 1.5-50 months). The minimally invasive approaches included 41 cases of extreme lateral interbody fusion and 27 minimally invasive transforaminal lumbar interbody fusions. We observed 5 major (7.4%) and 17 minor (25%) complications. The 5 major complications consisted of 4 cases of interbody graft subsidence and 1 adjacent level disease. There were no intraoperative medical complications. There were no myocardial infarctions, pulmonary embolisms, hardware complications requiring removal, wound infections, major visceral, vascular, neural injuries, or death in the study period. Conclusion Minimally invasive interbody fusions can be performed in the elderly (ages 70 years and older) with an overall low rate of major complications. Graft subsidence in this population when not supplemented with posterior instrumentation is a concern. Age should not be a deterrent to performing complex minimally invasive interbody fusions in the elderly.
Histopathology of midgut of mass reared, irradiated boll weevils contaminated with Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus sp.

Bacterial contamination and irradiation cause rapid deterioration of midgut epithelium of Anthonomus grandis grandis Boheman. Staphylococcus aureus Rosenbach and Streptococcus sp. greatly accelerate the effects of irradiation, resulting in destruction of the tissues within a few days. The bacterial damage to the midgut causes premature mortality of the boll weevils.
Parkin and Hsp70 Sacked by BAG5

Loss-of-function mutations in the parkin gene, which encodes an E3 ubiquitin ligase, are the major cause of early-onset Parkinson's disease (PD). In this issue of Neuron, Kalia et al. show that the bcl-2-associated athanogene 5 (BAG5) enhances dopamine neuron death in an in vivo model of PD through inhibiting the E3 ligase activity of parkin and the chaperone activity of Hsp70.
A 30-watt wide-band potentiostat with high input impedance and IR compensation

Abstract A state-of-the-art potentiostat is described which is capable of delivering ± 3 A at ± 10 V with a rise time of 3 μs. The instrument has an input resistance of 10 12 Ω and also features a virtual ground, IR compensation and a highly stable built-in dc voltage source. The combined hum and noise is 35 μV, and the drift amounts to ±70 μV over a 24-h period. The circuit is analysed in terms of its internal resistance and its voltage regulation. The former is found to have a minimum value of 5 × 10 −5 Ω, the latter a value of 4.5 × 10 −5 . Both values agree with the calculated values within 20 and 10% respectively.
Image annotation under X Windows

A mechanism for attaching graphic and overlay annotation to multiple bits/pixel imagery while providing levels of performance approaching that of native mode graphics systems is presented. This mechanism isolates programming complexity from the application programmer through software encapsulation under the X Window System. It ensures display accuracy throughout operations on the imagery and annotation including zooms, pans, and modifications of the annotation. Trade-offs that affect speed of display, consumption of memory, and system functionality are explored. The use of resource files to tune the display system is discussed. The mechanism makes use of an abstraction consisting of four parts; a graphics overlay, a dithered overlay, an image overly, and a physical display window. Data structures are maintained that retain the distinction between the four parts so that they can be modified independently, providing system flexibility. A unique technique for associating user color preferences with annotation is introduced. An interface that allows interactive modification of the mapping between image value and color is discussed. A procedure that provides for the colorization of imagery on 8-bit display systems using pixel dithering is explained. Finally, the application of annotation mechanisms to various applications is discussed.
Reactive Pathways in the Chlorobenzene–Ammonia Dimer Cation Radical: New Insights from Experiment and Theory

Building upon our recent studies of noncovalent interactions in chlorobenzene and bromobenzene clusters, in this work we focus on interactions of chlorobenzene (PhCl) with a prototypical N atom donor, ammonia (NH3). Thus, we have obtained electronic spectra of PhCl···(NH3)n (n = 1–3) complexes in the region of the PhCl monomer S0 −S1 (ππ*) transition using resonant 2-photon ionization (R2PI) methods combined with time-of-flight mass analysis. Consistent with previous studies, we find that upon ionization the PhCl···NH3 dimer cation radical reacts primarily via Cl atom loss. A second channel, HCl loss, is identified for the first time in R2PI studies of the 1:1 complex, and a third channel, H atom loss, is identified for the first time. While prior studies have assumed the dominance of a π-type complex, we find that the reactive complex corresponds instead to an in-plane σ-type complex. This is supported by electronic structure calculations using density functional theory and post-Hartree–Fock methods and ...
Dawlish Warren, Devon: Late stages in sand spit evolution

Abstract Detailed recording of small-scale changes for more than a decade has made it possible to suggest reasons for the accelerating erosion of this sand spit across the mouth of the River Exe. It is suggested that the processes operating in this site are characteristic of those at similar sand spits in a late stage of development. Attempts to halt or slow down erosion are reviewed and possible touched upon.
Physical Properties of an Off-Center Impurity in the Tunneling Approximation. I. Statics

The present work presents the static properties of an off-center monopole impurity in a host lattice of octahedral symmetry. The energy levels of the lowest lying states were determined and classified for a model multi-well potential in the tunneling approximation. The effects of externally applied electric fields on the energy levels, specific heat, absorption spectrum, and induced dipole moment of the impurity are studied in detail for the model. The effects of uniaxial stress on the absorption spectrum are also studied.
Organophosphate residues in grasshoppers from sprayed rangelands

Abstract Grasshoppers (Orthoptera) were collected in pastures that had been sprayed with malathion and acephate to estimate the secondary exposure of insectivorous birds to those pesticides. Residues of malathion were below 3 ppm at 30 and 54 hours after spraying and no malaoxon was detected. In contrast, acephate was found at 8 and 9 ppm 4 hours after spray; 3–5 ppm of the toxic metabolite methamidophos were also detected at that time. By 53 hours postspray, acephate levels declined to 2 ppm and methamidophos to less than 1 ppm. These results suggest that although malathion may not be a hazard to insectivorous species, acephate may be hazardous through metabolic transformation to methamidophos.
The ROC manifold of fused independent classification systems

A Classification system such as an Automatic Target Recognition (ATR) system with N labels (or decisions) will have N(N − 1) possible errors. The Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) manifold was created to quantify all of these errors. When multiple ATR systems are fused, the assumption of independence is usually made in order to mathematically combine the individual ROC manifolds for each system into one ROC manifold. This paper will investigate label fusion (also called decision fusion) of multiple classification systems that have the same number of output labels. The formula for the resultant ROC manifold of the fused classification systems which incorporates the individual classification systems will be derived. Specifically, given a fusion rule and two classification systems, the ROC manifold for the fused system is produced. We generate a formulas for the Boolean-like AND rule and give the resultant ROC manifold for the fused system. An example is given that demonstrates how this formula is used.
Prenatal depression restricts fetal growth.

Fetal growth restriction is a leading cause of infant morbidity and mortality(1, 2) that is associated with adverse neurodevelopmental outcomes(3), cardiovascular disease(4) and diabetes(5, 6). A number of risk factors have been identified for fetal growth restriction including pre-existing and current medical conditions (i.e. anemia, diabetes, hypertension, etc), sociodemographic factors (i.e. age, ethnicity, SES, etc), health behaviors (i.e. substance use, diet) and maternal psychological variables including prenatal depression(2, 7). It is estimated that depression affects 18% of all pregnant women (8). This prevalence is higher in lower SES and minority samples, with over 40% of women reporting elevated symptoms of depression during pregnancy(9). The high incidence of prenatal depression is troubling as prenatal depression is a potential risk factor for a number of adverse pregnancy complications including spontaneous abortion(10), preeclampsia(11) and premature delivery(12). Prenatal depression has also been shown to affect fetal development. Maternal symptoms of depression are related to smaller fetal head circumferences and lower fetal weights(13), and neonates born to depressed mothers are at greater risk for being low birthweight (< 2500 grams)(14, 15). Similarly, infants of prenatally depressed mothers are also more likely to exhibit growth retardation across the first year of life(16). Even though studies have examined the effects of prenatal depression on prematurity, birthweight and infant growth, a review of the literature failed to identify any studies that have assessed the effects of prenatal depression on the rate of fetal growth (MEDLINE, PsycINFO; English language; Human; 1872-2007). As such, the present study examined the effects of prenatal depression on fetal growth rates. The effects of prenatal depression on fetal development appear to be mediated by Hypothalamic Pituitary Adrenal axis (HPA) hyperactivation during pregnancy. For example, depression during pregnancy has been associated with elevated prenatal maternal cortisol levels, which have, in turn, been related to lower fetal weight, smaller fetal head circumference(13), lower birthweight(14) and premature delivery in humans(14, 17). Data from a wide range of animal studies further indicate that maternal HPA axis hyperactivation during pregnancy can lead to fetal growth restriction(18). In the present study, elevated maternal cortisol levels during pregnancy were explored as a potential mechanism for the effects of prenatal depression on fetal growth.
A Hotspot for Cretaceous Goniodromitids (Decapoda: Brachyura) from Reef Associated Strata in Spain

Goniodromitidae is an extinct family of primarily Jurassic and Cretaceous crabs that are found mainly in Europe. Herein, we report upon a diversity hotspot for goniodromitids from the Koskobilo quarry in northern Spain exposing mid-Cretaceous (Albian/Cenomanian) coral reef limestones. Five species of goniodromitid are described and discussed: Distefania incerta, D. renefraaijei n. sp., Eodromites grandis, Goniodromites laevis, and Navarradromites pedroartali n. gen., n. sp. Furthermore, Distefania centrosa is herein synonymized with D. incerta. Eodromites grandis was previously known only from the Late Jurassic, resulting in a time gap of 45 Myr. Other species of decapod with long time ranges are known. Additionally, the Spanish representatives of Eodromites grandis are the only Cretaceous specimens known from this genus. Species of the genera Distefania, Eodromites, and Goniodromites were predominantly found in coral/sponge limestones from the Jurassic and Cretaceous of Europe and were important for the survival of the family into the Cretaceous and indirectly into the Paleocene.
ASHP Therapeutic Position Statement on the Cessation of Tobacco Use

The American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP) discourages all use of tobacco products and supports evidence-based tobacco-control policies and activities that reduce the prevalence of tobacco use. ASHP strongly encourages health care providers to take an active role in promoting the