cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Quality assessment of weekend discharge: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

PURPOSE Hospital bed utility and length of stay affect the healthcare budget and quality of patient care. Prior studies already show admission and operation on weekends have higher mortality rates compared with weekdays, which has been identified as the 'weekend effect.' However, discharges on weekends are also linked with quality of care, and have been evaluated in the recent decade with different dimensions. This meta-analysis aims to discuss weekend discharges associated with 30-day readmission, 30-day mortality, 30-day emergency department visits and 14-day follow-up visits compared with weekday discharges. DATA SOURCES PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Library and ClinicalTrials.gov were searched from January 2000 to November 2019. STUDY SELECTION Preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses guidelines were followed. Only studies published in English were reviewed. The random-effects model was applied to assess the effects of heterogeneity among the selected studies. DATA EXTRACTION Year of publication, country, sample size, number of weekday/weekend discharges, 30-day readmission, 30-day mortality, 30-day ED visits and 14-day appointment follow-up rate. RESULTS OF DATA SYNTHESIS There are 20 studies from seven countries, including 13 articles from America, in the present meta-analysis. There was no significant difference in odds ratio (OR) in 30-day readmission, 30-day mortality, 30-day ED visit, and 14-day follow-up between weekday and weekend. However, the OR for 30-day readmission was significantly higher among patients in the USA, including studies with high heterogeneity. CONCLUSION In the USA, the 30-day readmission rate was higher in patients who had been discharged on the weekend compared with the weekday. However, interpretation should be cautious because of data limitation and high heterogeneity. Further intervention should be conducted to eliminate any healthcare inequality within the healthcare system and to improve the quality of patient care.
FISH Diagnostics of Chromosomal Translocation with the Technology of Synthesis of Locus-Specific DNA Probes Based on Long-Range PCR

Detection of translocations in subtelomeric regions of chromosomes is a serious diagnostic problem, because they are difficult to determine by conventional cytogenetics with G banding. The aim of this work was the development of the technology of DNA probe synthesis for unique sequences of subtelomeric chromosome regions based on long-range PCR using the clinical case of determining the parental origin of unbalanced translocation between chromosomes 5 and 8. The unbalanced translocation der(5)t(5;8)(р15.33;q24.22) in a proband with physical, motor, intellectual, and speech development delay and in his sibling with speech and intellectual development delay as well, which was previously identified by array comparative genomic hybridization (aCGH), was confirmed by FISH. A balanced translocation 46,XX,t(5;8)(p15.33;q24.22) was detected in the mother’s karyotype using the created locus-specific DNA probe. This chromosome aberration was not detected by G banding of metaphase chromosomes. The father’s karyotype was normal according to FISH results. The method presented here makes it possible to create locus-specific DNA probes in a molecular cytogenetic laboratory using long-range PCR for the rapid diagnosis of cryptic chromosomal rearrangements.
Durable and chlorine rechargeable biocidal composite material for improved food safety

Food spoilage and foodborne diseases are caused by pathogenic microbial contaminations, which occur at multi-stages of the food supply chain. The development of materials with chlorine refreshable biocidal functions, which could be integrated with many current food processing procedures, are necessary for food contact surfaces, such as conveyor belts and food packages. Taking the advantages of biocidal activity and serviceability of a previously developed durable and regenerable biocidal antimicrobial cellulose fabric (DMH-g-Cotton fabric), we demonstrated a scalable strategy for fabrication of a chlorine rechargeable antimicrobial composite material consisting of the DMH-g-Cotton, serving as a reinforcement component and a reservoir of active chlorine, and an amine-halamine polymer (2,4-diamino-6-diallylamino-1,3,5-triazine) grafted poly(vinyl alcohol-co-ethylene, PVA-co-PE-g-DAM) as a coating component. The as-prepared halamine composite fabric (HCF) exhibited the integrated properties of a high content of active chlorine, ease of rechargeability, rapid biocidal efficacy even at high chemical oxygen demand condition, reduced cross-contamination risk, and desired mechanical properties. The halamine cellulose fabric played an important role to serve as a reinforcement material and active chlorine reservoir for the composite. Additionally, the incorporation of HCFs as a biocidal food pad was demonstrated to achieve the prolonged shelf life of prepackaged strawberries.
How the NLRB’s Decisions in Cases Involving Social Media Are Narrowing the Definition of Concerted Activity: Whether Employees ‘Like’ It or Not

Social media has infiltrated every aspect of modern life, including the workplace. As a result, the social media revolution has significantly impacted workplace relationships and the countervailing rights of employers and employees under labor and employment law. Social media has lowered the costs and obstacles for employees to communicate with one another and with the general public. This makes a positive contribution to labor relations and the economy because social media provides an efficient means for intra- and inter-firm employees to engage in concerted activity that is protected under the National Labor Relations Act. Simultaneously, social media can negatively impact firms by providing disgruntled employees instant access to vast members of the general public and affords such employees the ability to disseminate messages that have the potential to cause catastrophic harm to a firm’s reputation which may result in damages to a firm’s goodwill, net worth, and profitability. In extreme circumstances, this results in layoffs that affect innocent employees. This Article analyzes how the courts and the National Labor Relations Board are grappling with these contemporary issues: When is it permissible for an employer to sanction or dismiss a worker simply because it disapproves of an employee’s social media content (despite the fact it does not directly implicate the employer’s business)? An analysis of the seminal NLRB cases and rulings on social media activity discloses a pattern of a narrowing interpretation of concerted activity.
Segmentation and range sensing using a moving-aperture lens

The use of a novel motorized lens to perform segmentation of image sequences is presented in this paper. The lens has the effect of introducing small, repeating movements of the camera center so that objects appear to translate in the image by an amount that depends on the distance from the plane of focus. For a stationary scene, optical flow magnitudes are therefore directly related to three-dimensional object distance from the observer. We describe a segmentation procedure that exploits these controlled observer movements and present experimental results that demonstrate the successful extraction of objects at different depths. Potential applications of our approach include image compositing, teleconferencing, and range estimation.
Long-Term Creep-Rupture Behavior of Alloy Inconel 740/740H

To explore potential application of Ni-based alloys for power generation at the higher temperatures and pressures needed to achieve high thermal to electrical-energy conversion efficiency, an extensive creep-rupture dataset covering up to 875 °C and almost 70,000 hours for Inconel 740/740H was analyzed using Larson–Miller parameter and Wilshire approaches. The results were used to assess the relative effectiveness of the two analytical methods, both in describing the experimental data and, because of the breadth of the dataset, using analyses of its shorter-time data to make creep lifetime predictions for much more extended times, which were then directly compared to the measured rupture times. The respective methods were also used to predict creep-limited lifetimes relevant to power production (that is, 100,000 hours or greater). Despite the complexity of the precipitation-strengthened Inconel 740/740H alloy and the generalized parametric approach of these methodologies, the predictions based on such were reasonably accurate when the entire dataset was analyzed. However, when the analysis was confined to only data for conditions yielding creep-rupture times < 5000 hours (about 65 pct of the entire dataset), the Wilshire correlation yielded better prediction for longer time lifetimes due to the inherent instability of the specific Larson–Miller formalism used in this analysis when extrapolated significantly outside its analysis range.
Demographic, Clinical, and Mortality Trends of Law Enforcement–Related Trauma: A Trauma Quality Improvement Program Analysis

This cross-sectional study examines demographic, clinical, and mortality trends of law enforcement–related traumatic injuries using 2014 to 2016 data from the Trauma Quality Improvement Program.
Vestibular Migraine: Symptoms, Triggers, Exam Findings & Co-morbid Disorders (S20.009)

Objective: To investigate the ictal and interictal symptoms, psychiatric comorbidities, and interictal neuro-otologic examination findings in vestibular migraine (VM). Background: VM is the most common neurologic cause of vertigo that causes significant disability in adults, but remains an under-recognized and under-diagnosed disorder. Design/Methods: Retrospective review of patients seen between August 2014 until March 2018 at a tertiary neurology referral center for vestibular disorders to identify patients fulfilling the 2012 VM diagnostic criteria. Results: 131 patients (105 women) were identified for this study. Mean age of VM onset was 44.3 (±13.7) years. A history of migraine preceding vestibular symptom onset was present in 57.3%. A family history of migraine was reported by 50.8%; 28.1% reported a family history of episodic vestibular symptoms. Common ictal symptoms were triggered vertigo (visually-induced and head-motion) and spontaneous vertigo, accompanied by photophobia and phonophobia (90.1%), nausea (80.2%), auditory symptoms (60.3%), and headache (49.6%). Interictally, many experienced visually-induced dizziness (88.6%), head-motion dizziness (65.6%), and persistent dizziness (51.1%); and motion sickness (61.1%). Psychiatric comorbidities include anxiety (70.2%), depression (40.5%), insomnia (29.0%), phobic disorders (11.5%), and psychogenic disorders (8.4%). Common triggers were stress (39.7%), bright lights (26.7%), weather changes (26.0%), and sleep deprivation (26.0%). Interictal neuro-otologic examination was abnormal in 41.9%; common findings include hyperventilation-induced, head-shaking-induced, vibration-induced, and positional nystagmus. The most common balance test abnormality was impaired sharpened Romberg’s test (16.9%). Conclusions: VM typically affects women in their 40s, with a personal and family history of migraine. Typical ictal symptoms were triggered and spontaneous vertigo, associated with photophobia and phonophobia, nausea, auditory symptoms and headache. Interictal vestibular symptoms, and comorbid psychiatric disorders are common. Abnormal, albeit non-specific interictal neuro-otologic findings were frequent. Disclosure: Dr. Beh has nothing to disclose. Dr. Masrour has nothing to disclose. Dr. Smith has nothing to disclose. Dr. Friedman has received personal compensation for consulting, serving on a scientific advisory board, speaking, or other activities with Alder Biopharmaceuticals, Allergan, Amgen, Biohaven, electroCore, Eli Lilly, Promius, Supernus, Teva and Zosano. Dr. Friedman has received personal compensation in an editorial capacity for Neurology Reviews. Dr. Friedman has received research support from Autonomic Technologies, Inc, Eli Lilly, Merck, Zosano.
Bariatric Bypass Surgery Is a Risk Factor for Incomplete Colonoscopy Preparation.

Objectives Effective colon cancer screening requires adequate bowel preparation. Anecdotal evidence has suggested that patients with a history of bariatric surgery are more likely to have inadequate preparation. This study aims to evaluate the role of bariatric surgery as a predictive risk factor for inadequate bowel preparation. Methods Data were collected retrospectively for consecutive colonoscopies between March 1, 2013, and November 15, 2017. Only the index colonoscopy for each patient within the review period, and those scored using the Boston Bowel Preparation Scale (BBPS) were included. Inadequate preparation was defined as any one or more colon segments with a BBPS score of less than two, and patients with a history of bariatric surgery were identified using ICD 9/10 codes. Multivariate logistic regression and propensity score matching was used to assess for independent factors predictive of inadequate bowel preparation. Results A total of 25,318 colonoscopies were included in the analysis. Two hundred 278 (1.1%) patients had a history of bariatric surgery, among which 171 (61.5%) had a history of bypass surgery and 107 (38.5%) had a history of restrictive surgical procedure. A history of bariatric surgery was predictive of inadequate bowel preparation in both univariate (OR: 2.87, 95% CI: 1.92-4.29, P = 0.0003) and multivariate analysis (OR: 2.16, 95% CI: 1.43-3.27, P = 0.0003) after controlling for differences in baseline characteristics. When evaluated separately, a history of bypass surgery was associated with inadequate bowel preparation (aOR: 2.96, 95% CI: 1.86-4.72, P Conclusions A history of bariatric surgery is an independent risk factor for inadequate bowel preparation. Furthermore, bypass bariatric surgeries had higher rates of inadequate preparation when compared to restrictive bariatric surgeries. Further quality improvement initiatives should be directed at identifying the appropriate bowel preparation regimen in this population.
Generalised algebra of elementary particles

Generalishing the well-known reault that the wave equations of the electron and the meson can both be put in the linear form —0 =1,1,3,4) it has been shown elsewhere." that, under suitable assumptions, (1) can also be taken as the wave equation for a particle of arbitrary spin. This is shown possible by postulating the relativistic invariance of (I), and that the spin operator r„--,„, satisfies in every case the equation
An unusual case of hypercalcemia associated with graves' disease and vitamin d deficiency.

Objective: To present a case of hypercalcemia associated with thyrotoxicosis in a patient with vitamin D deficiency and review biochemical changes during the course of treatment. Methods: We report a case, describe the changes in serum calcium, phosphorus, parathyroid hormone in Graves' disease and concomitant Vitamin D deficiency. We compare our findings to those reported in literature. Results: Our patient had hypercalcemia secondary to thyrotoxicosis alone, which was confirmed by low parathyroid hormone level and resolution of hypercalcemia with treatment of thyrotoxicosis. The case was complicated by a concomitant vitamin D deficiency. Serum calcium elevation in patients with thyrotoxicosis occurs secondary to hyperthyroidism alone or due to concurrent hyperparathyroidism. Hypercalcemia from thyrotoxicosis is usually asymptomatic and is related to bone resorption. Vitamin D deficiency can be seen in patients with thyrotoxicosis because of accelerated metabolism, poor intestinal absorption and increased demand during bone restoration phase. Coexistence of hypercalcemia and Vitamin D deficiency in patients with thyrotoxicosis is rare, but possible, and 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels should be checked. The definite treatment for hypercalcemia in thyrotoxicosis is correction of thyroid function. Conclusion: Hypercalcemia in thyrotoxicosis should be distinguished from concomitant hyperparathyroidism and confirmed by resolution of hypercalcemia with control of thyrotoxicosis. Patients with hypercalcemia and thyrotoxicosis may also have vitamin D deficiency and 25-OH Vitamin D levels should be checked.
Practical guidelines for the use of steroid-sparing agents in the treatment of chronic pruritus

Chronic pruritus in the adult patient is both an underappreciated and a difficult to treat condition. In the vast majority of cases, itch is the result of inflammatory skin disease and therefore may be responsive to systemic anti-inflammatory therapies. Urticarial dermatitis is an under-recognized cause of chronic itch in the adult population. Patients with this disorder are characterized by prolonged, prednisone-responsive pruritus, often in the absence of substantial cutaneous findings. Skin findings, when present, can range from subtle, persistent urticarial lesions to excoriated papules, often intermixed with urticaria, eczematous change, and lichenification secondary to chronic scratching. Hereby, we describe our algorithm for evaluation and management of adult patients with refractory pruritus (urticarial dermatitis in particular), including evaluation for other etiologies of pruritus, pre-immunosuppression workup, and the use of azathioprine and other steroid-sparing agents for treatment of recalcitrant itch.
Serum leptin concentrations in infants: effects of diet, sex, and adiposity

Author(s): Lonnerdal, B; Havel, PJ | Abstract: BackgroundLeptin, the product of the obese (ob) gene, is a regulator of food intake and energy metabolism. Immunoreactive leptin was detected recently in breast milk and it has been hypothesized that leptin may be absorbed and may contribute to differences in body composition between breast-fed and formula-fed infants.ObjectiveThe objective was to evaluate whether diet, adiposity, or sex affect plasma leptin in breast-fed and formula-fed infants.DesignVenous blood samples were drawn from healthy, exclusively breast-fed or formula-fed Swedish infants at 1, 4, and 6 mo of age (n = 193) and from 12-mo-old Finnish infants (n = 79). Anthropometric measurements were made and plasma samples were analyzed for leptin, insulin, and glucose.ResultsThere were no significant differences in plasma leptin between formula-fed and breast-fed infants at 1 and 4 mo of age, whereas formula-fed infants had significantly higher ( approximately 5%) leptin concentrations at 6 mo of age. Similar results were observed after correction for BMI. Plasma leptin was 15-25% higher in female than in male infants at 1, 4, and 12 mo of age (P l 0.05), also after correction for BMI. When all infants were analyzed together, a positive correlation (r = 0.34, P l 0.0001) was found between plasma leptin and BMI. Very low leptin concentrations were found in breast milk after centrifugation and the high concentrations reported previously were likely due to interference in the assay by milk fat.ConclusionsPlasma leptin concentrations are not higher in breast-fed than in formula-fed infants; however, sex and adiposity affect leptin concentrations even at this early age.
Learning Multi-Relational Semantics Using Neural-Embedding Models.

In this paper we present a unified framework for modeling multi-relational representations, scoring, and learning, and conduct an empirical study of several recent multi-relational embedding models under the framework. We investigate the different choices of relation operators based on linear and bilinear transformations, and also the effects of entity representations by incorporating unsupervised vectors pre-trained on extra textual resources. Our results show several interesting findings, enabling the design of a simple embedding model that achieves the new state-of-the-art performance on a popular knowledge base completion task evaluated on Freebase.
Cr-free Fe-based water-gas shift catalysts prepared through propylene oxide-assisted sol–gel technique

Abstract Chromium-free Fe-based water-gas shift catalysts were prepared through a gelation agent-assisted sol–gel route utilizing propylene oxide and citric acid as the gelation agents. Catalyst preparation using propylene oxide is a “one-pot” method that is cleaner, more eco-friendly and less time consuming over our previously developed sol–gel method for preparing Fe–Al–Cu and leads to comparable activities. The effect of Cu loading on the performance of Fe–Al–Cu catalyst was investigated using a syngas mixture as feed. The optimized Fe–Al–Cu formulation demonstrated stable WGS performance over a wide temperature range (250–400 °C). X-ray diffraction patterns revealed the role of promoters in the formation of maghemite phase and in controlling the crystallite size. The incorporation of copper in iron oxide matrix resulted in formation of maghemite phase over hematite, thereby causing a significant improvement in WGS performance. Diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform spectroscopy (DRIFTS) study of CO adsorption indicated the formation of formate species on the surface. The apparent activation energies for re-oxidation of the Fe–Al–Cu catalysts were found to depend on the copper content. Over the best performing Fe–Al–Cu catalyst, surface re-oxidation by water during WGS reaction proceeds at a much higher rate than surface reduction via CO oxidation, whereas for other catalysts of the series, surface re-oxidation was shown to be the rate determining step.
The effects of microelectrophoretically applied estrogen, cortisol and acetylcholine on medial preoptic-septal unit activity throughout the estrous cycle of the female rat.

The technique of microelectrophoresis was utilized to study the effects of 17β-estradiol hemisuccinate (17βE2S), cortisol hemisuccinate (CS), and acetylcholine (Ach) on medial preoptic-septal (mPOA-S) neurons throughout the estrous cycle in urethane anesthetized rats. A total of 23 cells were identified antidromically as having their projections to the arcuate-median eminence region of the hypothalamus, and 18 of these were tested with 17βE2S. Only four cells showed an inhibition to the gonadal steroid, while the remaining neurons did not respond. Twelve antidromically identified (AI) neurons were tested with CS, none of which responded, and 2 out of 16 AI neurons showed an excitation to Ach. Extracellular potentials were recorded from 273 non-antidromically identified neurons, 138 of which were successfully tested with 17βE2S. Sixty-two of these responded to the steroid. The predominant response on late diestrus I was excitation, and the majority of estrogen-sensitive cells showed an inhibitory response on late diestrus 2, proestrus and estrus. A Chi-square analysis showed that the response varied significantly throughout the estrous cycle. Cortisol hemisuccinate was tested on 154 non-antidromically identified mPOA-S neurons. The response to the corticosteroid also varied significantly throughout the cycle, but further analysis determined that the response was different from that of 17βE2S. Acetylcholine was also applied to 180 mPOA-S neurons, but no significant change in the response was found from one day of the cycle to the next. It is apparent from these studies that (1) 17βE2S can bring about direct and rapid changes in the firing frequency of neurons, (2) the non-antidromically identified neuron is a site for these effects, and (3) the response differs significantly throughout the estrous cycle.
On Least Squares with Insufficient Observations

Abstract The optimality of the method of least squares is reconsidered when multicollinearity is present. An analysis is presented of the relationship between estimability and identifiability. The criterion of best linear minimum bias is developed, and shown to be equivalent to that of best linear conditionally unbiased estimation subject to complementary (non-estimable) linear restrictions. Imposition of erroneous estimable linear restrictions is shown to lower variances of estimators if and only if it biases them. All these results rely heavily on the use of the generalized inverse of a matrix, for which a new proof of existence and uniqueness is presented from the viewpoint of duality in linear spaces. Finally, estimation by minimum mean square error is proposed, and this is shown to reduce to the least squares method when either (a) regression coefficients have infinite prior variances, or (b) least squares estimators have small sampling variances.
THE EFFECT OF BODY TISSUES OTHER THAN THE THYROID UPON THE BASAL METABOLIC RATE

During the past 20 years the role of the body tissues in regulating the basal metabolic rate of the organism as a whole has been thoroughly studied. Errors in technic and lack of careful controls have rendered much of this work unsatisfactory; but reports of great value are to be found in the literature. The thyroid gland has been more carefully studied than any other tissue, as it seems to be the gland of internal secretion which exerts the greatest regulatory influence on the rate of oxidation in the organism. So much has been written on this subject, and the reports have been so thoroughly summarized in recent articles (1) that the role of this gland will not be considered here. It must be understood, however, that the effects produced by extirpation of the thyroid and feeding of its active principle are usually of far greater magnitude than those ascribed in this article to other organs. Aside from effects due to the nervous mechanism (2), there are changes in the basal metabolic rate which are caused...
Magnons in spin glasses: The high-field limit.

A study is made of the high-field behavior of the linearized magnetic excitations (magnons) in spin glasses. A {plus minus}{ital J} Heisenberg spin Hamiltonian is postulated, and the applied magnetic field is assumed to be sufficiently strong to ensure alignment of the ground state. Numerical calculations of the density of states, the localization indices, and the zero-temperature dynamic structure factor are carried out for a simple-cubic lattice with nearest-neighbor interactions and the results compared with the predictions of a self-consistent theory based on a coherent-exchange approximation. A comparison is also made with the corresponding results obtained in zero applied field.
Identification of the Active Species in Photochemical Hole Scavenging Reactions of Methanol on TiO2

Molecular and dissociative forms of adsorbed methanol were prepared on the rutile TiO2(110) surface to study their relative photocatalytic activity for hole-mediated oxidation. Molecular methanol is the dominant surface species on the vacuum-annealed TiO2(110) surface in ultrahigh vacuum (UHV). Coadsorption of methanol with oxygen results in ∼20% of the adsorbed methanol decomposing to methoxy and OH. Subsequent heating of the surface to ∼350 K desorbs unreacted methanol and OH (as water), leaving a surface with only adsorbed methoxy groups. Using temperature-programmed desorption (TPD), we show that adsorbed methoxy is at least an order of magnitude more reactive than molecularly adsorbed methanol for hole-mediated photooxidation. Methoxy photodecomposes through cleavage of a C–H bond forming adsorbed formaldehyde and a surface OH group. These results suggest that methoxy, and not molecular methanol, is the effective hole scavenger in photochemical reactions of methanol on TiO2.
Some effects of 1 week's monocular exposure to long-wavelength stimuli.

Subjects wore a long-wavelength passband filter over one eye for 1 week. As a consequence, for that eye only, sensitivity to long-wavelength stimuli declined, unique yellow shifted to longer wavelengths, and scotopic stimuli acquired a strikingly bluish appearance. These results make it very likely that long-term exposure to a long-wavelength world can induce relatively prolonged (at least hours) postreceptoral adaptation.
Synthesis of Corannulene and Alkyl Derivatives of Corannulene

Synthesis of corannulene and alkyl corannulene derivatives has been accomplished using solution-phase chemistry. The key step in the synthesis is the coupling of benzylic bromides of 1,6,7,10-tetraalkylfluoranthene derivatives by low-valent titanium to construct the corannulene nucleus. The use of low-valent titanium represents a viable alternative to flash vacuum pyrolysis methods previously developed. Corannulene (1), methylcorannulene (8), three different dimethylcorannulenes (2, 3, 5), two different tetramethylcorannulenes (4, 6), acecorannulylene (7), C5h symmetric pentamethylcorannulene (9), and decamethylcorannulene (10) have been prepared using low-valent titanium carbon−carbon coupling chemistry and halogen for alkyl exchange chemistry mediated by trimethylaluminum and catalytic nickel salts.
Eugenic abortion, moral uncertainty, and social consequences

The proliferation of prenatal genetic testing likely to follow from advances in genetic science invites reconsideration of the moral status of abortion. In this article I examine arguments surrounding the moral status of the fetus. I conclude that secular philosophy should ultimately admit that the moral status of the fetus is uncertain, and that this uncertainty itself makes abortion morally problematic. While this does not imply that abortion is always morally wrong or that it should be legally prohibited, it does recommend a (moral) presumption in favor of preserving fetal life except in special circumstances. A relevant worry is that the rise of eugenic abortion gives new force to slippery slope arguments that we will be led down a path to a situation where more fetuses are terminated for relatively trivial reasons and that this will promote other bad social consequences. This might justify legislative discouragement of certain genetic interventions.
Numerical error in electron orbits with large Ω ce D t

Abstract We have found that running electrostatic particle codes at relatively large ω ce Δt in some circumstances does not significantly affect the physical results. We first present results from a single particle mover finding the correct first order drifts for large ω ce Δt . We then characterize the numerical orbit of the Boris algorithm for rotation when ϵ ce Δt ⪢ 1. Next, an analysis of the guiding center motion is given showing why the first order drift is retained at large ω ce Δt . Lastly, we present a plasma simulation of a one dimensional cross field sheath, with large and small ω ce Δt , with very little difference in the results.
Communication strategies for out-of-core programs on distributed memory machines

In this paper, we show that communication in the out-of-core distributed memory problems requires both inter-processor communication and le I/O. Given that primary data structures reside in les, even communication requires I/O. Thus, it is important to optimize the I/O costs associated with a communication step. We present three methods for performing communication in out-of-core distributed memory problems. The rst method, termed as the "out-of-core" communication method, follows a loosely synchronous model. Computation and Communication phases in this case are clearly separated, and communication requires permutation of data in les. The second method, termed as "demand-driven-in-core communication" considers only communication required of each in-core data slab individually. The third method, termed as "producer-driven-in-core communication" goes even one step further and tries to identify the potential (future) use of data while it is in memory. We describe these methods in detail and provide performance results for out-of-core applications; namely, two-dimensional FFT and two-dimensional elliptic solver. Finally, we discuss how "out-of-core" and "in-core" communication methods could be used in virtual memory environments on distributed memory machines. This work was supported in part by NSF Young Investigator Award CCR-9357840, grants from Intel SSD and IBM Corp., and in part by USRA CESDIS Contract # 5555-26. This work was performed in part using the Intel Touchstone Delta and Paragon Systems operated by Caltech on behalf of the Concurrent Supercomputing Consortium. Access to this facility was provided by CRPC.
Collaborative Supercomputing for Global Change Science

[1] There is increasing pressure on the science community not only to understand how recent and projected changes in climate will affect Earth's global environment and the natural resources on which society depends but also to design solutions to mitigate or cope with the likely impacts. Responding to this multidimensional challenge requires new tools and research frameworks that assist scientists in collaborating to rapidly investigate complex interdisciplinary science questions of critical societal importance. One such collaborative research framework, within the NASA Earth sciences program, is the NASA Earth Exchange (NEX). NEX combines state-of-the-art supercomputing, Earth system modeling, remote sensing data from NASA and other agencies, and a scientific social networking platform to deliver a complete work environment. In this platform, users can explore and analyze large Earth science data sets, run modeling codes, collaborate on new or existing projects, and share results within or among communities (see Figure S1 in the online supplement to this Eos issue (http://www.agu.org/eos_elec)).
Absorption of Infrared Radiant Energy by CO 2 and H 2 O, V. Absorption by CO 2 between 1100 and 1835 cm −1 (9.1–5.5 μm)*

Samples of CO2 at pressures up to 21.3 atm and with paths as long as 1067 m have been employed to measure CO2 absorption between 1100 and 1835 cm−1. Most of the absorption is due to the ν1 and 2ν2 bands. These bands are forbidden for the symmetric 16O12C16O and 16O13C16O molecules and, therefore, produce only pressure-induced absorption. The asymmetric 16O12C18O and 16O12C17O molecules produce bands that contain components of both intrinsic and pressure-induced absorption. The integrated-absorption coefficient for the intrinsic absorption is 1.08×10−22 (±10%) molecules −1 cm2 cm−1. The integrated pressure-induced absorption coefficient is 1.68×10−22 (±8%) molecules −1 cm2 atm−1 cm−1.
Transformational Leadership and Hospital Restructuring: A Descriptive Study

This article reports on a descriptive study conducted in late 2002 on the impact of middle nurse managers’ transformational leadership characteristics on hospital registered nurses’ sense of empowe...
MAGNETISM AND SUPERCONDUCTIVITY IN NANOSTRUCTURED Nb-Dy SYSTEMS

We have prepared Nb/Dy/Nb trilayers to study size effects on the magnetic and superconductor properties and to look at the influence of the magnetic layer on a superconductor layer in a nanoscale system. We find size effects on the magnetic properties of the Dy layer for thickness less than 10 nm and size effects associated with the superconductor layer for Nb layers of thickness less than 50 nm. In addition increasing the thickness the Dy layer reduces the superconductor transition temperature of the Nb layer.
The Copernicus grave mystery

When in 2005 Polish archaeologists led by Jerzy Gassowski found fragments of a skeleton tentatively identified as the remains of the 16th-century astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus, some doubts remained. Now, in this issue of PNAS (1), these issues are resolved with high confidence through DNA analysis.
Pension Schemes and Fixed Income Investment

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the role that fixed income securities should play in pension scheme investment. In this paper I look at the investment characteristics of the various bond asset classes, including the nature of the income streams produced. I also look at the relationships between the various asset classes and their stability over time. I then look at the usefulness of the asset classes in the context of a pensioner portfolio, considering both capital values and income streams. I look at skew and excess kurtosis in the distributions of asset returns and consider the effect of their existence on the decision making process. Given that most asset models are calibrated using historical data, I do not carry out any modelling and instead analyse past data. Finally, I discuss practical issues that need to be considered, particularly in a United Kingdom context.
Influence of sedimentation, local and regional hydrothermal circulation, and thermal rebound on measurements of seafloor heat flux

[1] We quantify the influence of environmental processes on measurements of seafloor heat flux with a new one-dimensional thermal model that includes time-varying sedimentation and boundary conditions, represents several scales of hydrothermal and transient conductive processes within basement, and allows fluid seepage through accumulating sediments. Variations in basement thermal conductivity, the extent of hydrothermal mixing in upper basement, and fluid seepage through sediments each influence seafloor heat flux by ≤2–8%. Conductive thermal rebound following the cessation of advective heat loss from the crust may lower seafloor heat flux values by ≥5–10%, even after several to several tens of million years. The new models indicate that thermal rebound takes much longer than suggested by earlier (analytical) calculations, mainly because earlier models did not account for the heat capacitance of the conductive lithosphere. Application of the new model to 3.5–3.6 Ma seafloor on the eastern flank of the Juan de Fuca Ridge suggests that anomalously low heat flux in this area is best explained by incomplete conductive thermal rebound in the last 100–200 ka, following the burial of numerous basement outcrops. Application of the new model to the eastern flank of the East Pacific Rise and extrapolation out to the age of some of the oldest remaining seafloor indicate that sedimentation corrections may be important even where accumulation rates are typical of global values. Model results also suggest that conductive thermal rebound through thick sediments may bias measurements made on moderate to old seafloor, even where there is little evidence at present for ridge-flank hydrothermal circulation.
The NMDA receptor 'glycine modulatory site' in schizophrenia: D-serine, glycine, and beyond

Schizophrenia is a severe psychiatric illness that is characterized by reduced cortical connectivity, for which the underlying biological and genetic causes are not well understood. Although the currently approved antipsychotic drug treatments, which primarily modulate dopaminergic function, are effective at reducing positive symptoms (i.e. delusions and hallucinations), they do little to improve the disabling cognitive and negative (i.e. anhedonia) symptoms of patients with schizophrenia. This review details the recent genetic and neurobiological findings that link N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) hypofunction to the etiology of schizophrenia. It also highlights potential treatment strategies that augment NMDA receptor function to treat the synaptic deficits and cognitive impairments.
Prevalence of allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis and atopy in adult patients with cystic fibrosis

Background Underestimation of allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis (ABPA) prevalence in the cystic fibrosis (CF) population is suspected due to nonuniform diagnostic criteria, nonspecific signs and symptoms, assessment during asymptomatic intervals, and physician nonaggressiveness in making the diagnosis. Objective To define the prevalence of ABPA in adult patients with CF, as the increased duration of bronchiectasis may increase the probability of Aspergillus fumigatus (Af) colonization. We also sought to determine whether atopy increases the prevalence of ABPA in adults with CF. Methods We examined a cross-sectional population of adult patients with CF at the University of Washington for 1 year. Results Information was collected on 53 of 65 (82%) patients. Fifteen of 51 (29%) had an immediate skin test reaction to Af, and 30 of 51 (59%) had at least one positive skin test. Increased total serum IgE (>450 IU/mL) was present in 0 of 53; increased IgE-Af and IgG-Af were found in 12 of 53 (23%) and 9 of 53 (17%), respectively; 24 of 53 (45%) had Af-precipitins. Peripheral blood eosinophilia was present in one patient. Eight of 49 (16%) patients' sputum cultures grew Af. ABPA-CB (ABPA-central bronchiectasis) was present in one patient and ABPA-S (ABPA-seropositive) in no patients. Atopy was present in 20 of 51 (39%). Conclusion There was a low prevalence of ABPA in the adult CF population despite frequent immunologic responses to Af. The prevalence of ABPA was too small to determine an association with atopy.
On the latency of heterogeneous MDS queue

Multi-tenant distributed storage systems (DSS) exhibit heterogeneity in several dimensions such as fault tolerance requirements, nature of job requests etc. However the primary focus in literature has been on homogenous models for DSS. In this paper, we investigate the impact of heterogeneity on the latency performance of multi-tenant distributed storage systems. Heterogeneity across multiple tenants is modeled via potentially different fault tolerance requirements and different job arrival rates. We consider a heterogeneous multi-tenant DSS with n servers that store the data of R distinct traffic classes. The data of each traffic class i is stored in the DSS using a different (n, fc?) Maximum-Distance-Separable (MDS) code. Depending upon the traffic class, the data may be frequently or infrequently accessed and is modeled using different job arrival rates for the traffic classes. We then present a queuing theoretic analysis of the proposed model and establish upper and lower bounds on the average latency for each traffic class for various scheduling policies. Using simulations, we verify the accuracy of the derived bounds and present qualitative insights on the impact of heterogeneity and scheduling policies on the mean latency of different classes.
Relationship building in the financial services marketplace: The importance of personal selling

Radical changes have resulted in heightened consumer mobility and intense competition in the financial services industry. In order to create and maintain a competitive edge, today’s financial service firms must establish and maintain a highly integrative, customer-oriented sales culture based on building trust and relationship enhancement. Importantly, in the twenty-first century, financial service firms have to utilize technology effectively so as to provide easily understandable and usable employee and customer information. In this article, we suggest that traditional and non-traditional financial services firms will benefit from adopting technological methods from the direct selling industry. To this end, we offer managerial implications for successful implementation of technologically astute personal selling processes in the financial services marketplace.
Protein Nitration in Placenta – Functional Significance

Crucial roles of the placenta are disrupted in early and mid-trimester pregnancy loss, preeclampsia, eclampsia and intrauterine growth restriction. The pathophysiology of these disorders includes a relative hypoxia of the placenta, ischemia/reperfusion injury, an inflammatory response and oxidative stress. Reactive oxygen species including nitric oxide (NO), carbon monoxide and superoxide have been shown to participate in trophoblast invasion, regulation of placental vascular reactivity and other events. Superoxide, which regulates expression of redox sensitive genes, has been implicated in up-regulation of transcription factors, antioxidant production, angiogenesis, proliferation and matrix remodeling. When superoxide and nitric oxide are present in abundance, their interaction yields peroxynitrite a potent pro-oxidant, but also alters levels of nitric oxide, which in turn affect physiological functions. The peroxynitrite anion is extremely unstable thus evidence of its formation in vivo has been indirect via the occurrence of nitrated moieties including nitrated lipids and nitrotyrosine residues in proteins. Formation of 3-nitrotyrosine (protein nitration) is a “molecular fingerprint” of peroxynitrite formation. Protein nitration has been widely reported in a number of pathological states associated with inflammation but is reported to occur in normal physiology and is thought of as a prevalent, functionally relevant post-translational modification of proteins. Nitration of proteins can give either no effect, a gain or a loss of function. Nitration of a range of placental proteins is found in normal pregnancy but increased in pathologic pregnancies. Evidence is presented for nitration of placental signal transduction enzymes and transporters. The targets and extent of nitration of enzymes, receptors, transporters and structural proteins may markedly influence placental cellular function in both physiologic and pathologic settings.
Inactivation by plasma may be responsible for lack of efficacy of parathyroid hormone antagonists in hypercalcemia of malignancy

PTH-related protein (PTHrP) has been shown to be a major factor responsible for hypercalcemia of malignancy. PTHrP acts via the PTH/PTHrP receptor, and therefore, PTH antagonists might be expected to reverse the hypercalcemia in malignancy. In the present studies, the PTH antagonists [Tyr34]bovine (b) PTH-(7-34)NH2, [D-Trp12,Tyr34]-bPTH-(7-34)NH2, or PTHrP-(7-34)NH2, were administered to hypercalcemic athymic nude mice bearing a human squamous cell carcinoma of the lung in 60- to 500-fold molar excess of a dose of PTHrP-(1-34) known to produce hypercalcemia. The antagonists had no significant effect on serum calcium levels. In an adenylyl cyclase assay using the ROS 17/2.8 cells, a potent PTH antagonist, [Leu11,D-Trp12]PTHrP-(7-34)NH2 was rapidly inactivated in the presence of rat or human plasma. This inactivation by plasma was not blocked by common inhibitors of proteolysis (aprotinin, soybean trypsin inhibitor, and leupeptin). Preliminary studies demonstrated that inactivation of the PTHrP antagonist was caused by a plasma component with an apparent mol wt of 230,000 daltons. The knowledge of the structure of the PTH/PTHrP receptor combined with the identification of a hormone-inactivating plasma factor should facilitate the design of PTH-antagonists that are effective in vivo.
The Relationship between Fluids in Some Fresh Alpine-Type Ultramafics and Possible Modern Serpentinization, Western United States

Calcium hydroxide waters issue from four partly serpentinized Alpine-type ultramafic bodies in the western United States. The occurrence of calcium-hydroxide-type water is restricted to fresh Alpine-type ultramafic rocks. The calcium hydroxide waters are unsaturated with Mg end-member olivine and pyroxene but supersaturated with Mg end-member brucite and serpentine and thus have chemical potentials to cause Serpentinization. The calcium hydroxide waters are isotopically similar to the common magnesium bicarbonate meteoric waters peculiar to ultramafic rocks and serpentinites. Some Serpentinization is apparently a near-surface phenomenon occurring at present. The Serpentinization takes place at nearly constant composition, except for loss of CaO.
In utero intraventricular injection and electroporation of E15 mouse embryos.

In-utero in-vivo injection and electroporation of the embryonic rat neocortex provides a powerful tool for the manipulation of individual progenitors lining the walls of the lateral ventricle. This technique is now widely used to study the processes involved in corticogenesis by over-expressing or knocking down genes and observing the effects on cellular proliferation, migration, and differentiation. In comparison to traditional knockout strategies, in-utero electroporation provides a rapid means to manipulate a population of cells during a specific temporal window. In this video protocol we outline the experimental methodology for preparing rats for surgery, exposing the uterine horns through laporatomy, injecting DNA into the lateral ventricles of the developing embryo, electroporating DNA into the progenitors lining the lateral wall, and caring for animals post-surgery. Our laboratory uses this protocol for surgeries on E15-E21 rats, however it is most commonly performed at E16 as shown in this video.