cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Fourier Transform Computers Using CORDIC Iterations

The CORDIC iteration is applied to several Fourier transform algorithms. The number of operations is found as a function of transform method and radix representation. Using these representations, several hardware configurations are examined for cost, speed, and complexity tradeoffs. A new, especially attractive FFT computer architecture is presented as an example of the utility of this technique. Compensated and modified CORDIC algorithms are also developed.
Stability of Holocene Climate Regimes in the Yellowstone Region

Abstract A 12,500-yr pollen record from Loon Lake, Wyoming provides information on the climate history of the southwestern margin of Yellowstone National Park. The environmental reconstruction was used to evaluate hypotheses that address spatial variations in the Holocene climate of mountainous regions. Loon Lake lies within the summer-dry/winter-wet climate regime. An increase in xerophytic pollen taxa suggests drier-than-present conditions between ca. 9500 and 5500 14 C yr B.P. This response is consistent with the hypothesis that increased summer radiation and the expansion of the east Pacific subtropical high-pressure system in the early Holocene intensified summer drought at locations within the summer-dry/winter-wet regime. This climate history contrasts with that of nearby sites in the summer-wet/winter-dry region, which were under the influence of stronger summer monsoonal circulation in the early Holocene. The Loon Lake record implies that the location of contrasting climate regimes did not change in the Yellowstone region during the Holocene. The amplitude of the regimes, however, was determined by the intensity of circulation features and these varied with temporal changes in the seasonal distribution of solar radiation.
Coseismic and postseismic slip from the 2003 San Simeon earthquake and their effects on backthrust slip and the 2004 Parkfield earthquake

[1] The 2003 M6.5 San Simeon earthquake occurred less than a year before and 50 km west of the long-awaited Parkfield earthquake of 2004. Aftershocks of the San Simeon event occurred not only on the presumptive rupture plane but also delineated subconjugate structures to the east (backthrusts). InSAR data show a complex pattern of deformation during the postseismic time interval and suggest that shallow postseismic slip may have occurred on the backthrust structures. In this paper we present a model inversion for slip during and after the earthquake from four interferograms and GPS data. We find that the data are well-fit when coseismic slip is allowed on two planes, the main rupture plane and a backthrust structure to the south. The backthrust structure accommodates slip amounting to about one third of the coseismic moment release. Shallow postseismic slip also occurred on the main rupture plane, updip from the coseismic slip, and on the southern backthrust. Postseismic slip on the more northern backthrust structure is not well-constrained and the data is fit nearly as well without including it. The areas of postseismic slip on the backthrusts correspond well with areas that experienced unclamping and little slip is found in regions of clamping. No value for the coefficient of friction below 1.0 results in a Coulomb Failure Stress field that matches the aseismic slip distributions better than the normal stress alone. We also investigate whether static stress changes from the San Simeon earthquake acted to encourage right-lateral strike slip on the Parkfield segment of the San Andreas fault. We find that the San Simeon earthquake's rupture planes were oriented in such a way that the maximum increase in Coulomb failure stress on the San Andreas fault occurred on the Parkfield segment. The 2004 Parkfield earthquake differed from its expected behavior by nucleating in the southern portion of the Parkfield segment; an area that experienced increased shear stress of 0.1–0.14 bars from coseismic slip in the San Simeon earthquake. Postseismic slip from San Simeon further loaded the southern portion of the Parkfield segment preferentially over the northern portion, though the size of the stress changes was small (0.03–0.04 bars).
Comparison of a generic to disease-targeted health-related quality-of-life measures for multiple sclerosis

Evaluation of the relative contributions of generic and disease-targeted measures to assessing health-related quality of life (HRQOL) for chronic conditions is needed to help in selection of appropriate measures. We administered a generic HRQOL measure (the Short Form-36 [SF-36]), three disease-targeted supplemental scales to the SF-36, and two disease-targeted HRQOL instruments to 171 adults with multiple sclerosis. Most scales yielded adequate variability, internal consistency reliability, and test-retest reliability. The relationship between each measure and four primary "criterion" variables were assessed: overall symptom severity in the prior year; ambulation status; days unable to work or attend school in the prior month: and a rating of overall quality of life. Results indicate that the disease-targeted scales provided unique information not captured by the generic measure. We conclude that if a generic measure of HRQOL is desirable for a given study of multiple sclerosis, additional information will be gained by supplementing that measure with selected scales.
On the minimization of the weighted number of tardy jobs with random processing times and deadline

Abstract We consider a stochastic scheduling problem where a set of jobs with random processing times are sequenced on a single machine in order to minimize the total weighted number of jobs which finish after an exponentially distributed common deadline. A simple sequencing rule is identified which minimizes the expected weighted number of tardy jobs. Sufficient conditions are determined for the existence of a sequence which stochastically minimizes the total weighted number of tardy jobs, and a sequencing rule is derived which stochastically minimizes the total number of tardy jobs. The equivalence of static and dynamic sequencing policies is shown for a large class of processing time distributions.
Pancreatic Enucleation: Improved Outcomes Compared to Resection

Introduction Pancreatic enucleation is associated with a low operative mortality and preserved pancreatic parenchyma. However, enucleation is an uncommon operation, and good comparative data with resection are lacking. Therefore, the aim of this analysis was to compare the outcomes of pancreatic enucleation and resection.
Continuous Enzymatic Modification of Proteins in an Ultrafiltration Reactor

The feasibility of producing protein hydrolyzates using an ultrafiltration (UF) reactor system was evaluated. Soy protein isolate is reacted with a soluble protease in a reaction vessel coupled in a semi-closed loop configuration to a hollow fiber UF unit. Reaction products are pumped past the membrane where hydrolyzate of molecular size small enough to pass through the membrane is removed as permeate. Enzyme and unreacted protein are recycled back to the reaction vessel. The effect of operational parameters such as flow rate (flux), reaction volume, substrate, and enzyme concentration on reactor product output and conversion were studied. The product is typically 91% hydrolyzed protein (N × 6.25) and 9% ash, dry basis, and contains at least four fractions of molecular weight 2500 or less.
A polyamide-silica composite prepared by the sol-gel process

A new kind of organic-inorganic hybrid composite was prepared by means of the sol-gel process. The polymer employed was a mixed-isomer aromatic polyamide having good solubility and thermal stability. The silica constituting the inorganic phase was produced by the hydrolysis and condensation of tetramethoxysilane. The bonding between the phases involved aminophenyl-trimethoxysilane, in which the amino group can react with the phthaloyl chloride end-capped polymer, and the methoxysilane groups undergo hydrolysis. The composition of these composites was varied by changing the linear polymer chain length and relative amount of tetramethoxysilane. The gelation time was found to range from a few minutes to several days. Thermogravimetric analyses showed that decomposition starts at approximately 450 °C. Thin films cast from materials having a relatively high silica content were opaque and rigid, but those with low silica content were flexible and transparent.
Signalling pathways mediating type I interferon gene expression

Type I interferon-alpha/beta play an essential role in immunity to viruses. While interferon-beta has been used as a model of a complex promoter, many of the signalling pathways leading to interferon-beta gene expression remain controversial. Recent milestones include the discovery of Toll-like receptors and RNA helicases that signal via a novel kinase complex composed of I kappa B kinase-iota/epsilon or TANK binding kinase-1. This review provides a timely summary of this rapidly expanding field, focusing specifically on the various viral RNA binding molecules and their associated signalling pathways.
γZ0 production and new physics in the TeV region

Abstract We discuss the experimental limits on compositeness that may come from a study of the γZ 0 final state at the future e + e − and pp accelerators. In the framework of the strongly coupled standard model, we present the effective interactions up to dimension six which contribute to the f + f →γ Z 0 process. We calculate the relevant cross sections and analyze the production rates at the LEP II and Tevatron I and II colliders. We give the values of the compositeness scale Λ which lead to the observable effects at those machines.
The Persistence of the Alcohol‐Disulfiram Reaction After Discontinuation of Drug in Patients With and Without Liver Disease

Fifty-two normals and 15 patients with liver disease were studied with a 5-g challenge dose of ethanol at various intervals after stopping disulfiram 24 hr previously. The reaction to disulfiram and ethanol does not persist beyond 24 hr in normal patients, but in patients with abnormal liver function, it may continue for as long as 96 hr.
Deposition of aerosol particles in fibrous filters

The collection efficiency of glass fiber pads was investigated with a super cooled liquid aerosol. A filter-velocity range of 0.02 to 20 ft./sec. was covered with filter pads having a bulk density ranging from 1 to 10 lb./cu. ft. and a fiber diameter ranging from 1 to 30 μ. For the aerosol employed the results showed a minimum collection efficiency at a velocity of 2 to 5 ft./sec., dependent on fiber size. At the lower velocities, where diffusion is controlling, collection efficiency increased with decreased velocity; at higher velocities, where inertia is controlling, efficiency increased with increased velocity. For purposes of generalization the data were correlated in terms of dimensionless parameters which allow for the combined effects of flow-line interception, inertial interception, and diffusinal deposition. Evaluation of the data in terms of existing theories of deposition indicated nominal agreement with the theory of Langmuir, as modified by Natanson, for diffusional deposition. For inertial deposition the measured collection efficiencies were considerably lower than would be predicted from the theoretical values reported by Langmuir and Blodgett for potential flow around the fibers, presumably because of the viscous-flow (low Reynolds number) conditions that prevailed in this study.
Echocardiography-guided Genetic Testing in Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy: Septal Morphological Features Predict the Presence of Myofilament Mutations

OBJECTIVE To examine the relationship among age, septal morphological subtype, and presence of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM)-associated myofilament mutations. PATIENTS AND METHODS Comprehensive mutation analysis of the 8 HCM susceptibility genes that encode the myofilaments of the cardiac sarcomere was performed previously in 382 unrelated patients with HCM. Blinded to genotype status, we used echocardiography to characterize the left ventricular morphological features. Multivariate regression was used to assess the relationship among morphological subtypes, clinical data, and genetic variables. RESULTS The mean ± SD age of the patients was 41.6±19.0 years, with 126 patients 50 years or older at initial diagnosis. The septal morphological subtype was sigmoid in 181 (47%), reverse in 132 (35%), apical variant in 37 (10%), and neutral in 32 (8%). The HCM-associated myofilament mutations were identified in 143 patients (37%). Multivariate analysis showed that the reverse curvature septal morphological subtype was a strong predictor of genotype-positive status (odds ratio, 21; P CONCLUSION In stark contrast to HCM in young patients, elderly patients with HCM display a predominantly sigmoid septal morphological subtype and uncommonly have perturbations of known HCM susceptibility genes. Independent of age, septal morphological subtype strongly predicts the presence or absence of HCM-associated myofilament mutations and may enable echocardiography-guided genetic testing for HCM.
Review: Rifaximin is equally or more effective than other antibiotics and lactulose for hepatic encephalopathy

Source Citation Lawrence KR, Klee JA. Rifaximin for the treatment of hepatic encephalopathy. Pharmacotherapy. 2008; 28:1019-32. 18657018
Enhancing the Modeling Capability of the FE-BI Method for Simulation of Cavity-Backed Antennas and Arrays

The modeling capability of the finite element-boundary integral (FE-BI) technique is expanded for the analysis and design of cavity-backed antennas and arrays consisting of complex, inhomogeneous, and anisotropic materials. The adaptive integral method (AIM) is implemented to accelerate the evaluation of the time-consuming boundary integrals. The modeling of anisotropic materials, impedance boundary conditions, and resistive boundary conditions is also addressed. Validation examples and comparison data are presented to demonstrate the acceleration and memory reduction achieved as a result of this enhancement.
Experimental and Computational Analysis of a Gas Compressor Windback Seal

A gas windback seals is similar to a labyrinth seal except the cavity is one continuous channel which winds around the shaft like a screw thread. One application is in gas compressors to isolate lubrication oil from the gas flow paths. A CFD based study of clearance, pressure ratio, and shaft speed has been performed. One seal geometry was experimentally studied to provide verification of the CFD accuracy. An empirical model for the leakage rate has been developed which fits the data with a standard deviation of 0.8%. The effects of pressure ratio and shaft speed upon the leakage rate are independent of each other. Analysis of the CFD results indicate that the kinetic energy carry over coefficient is substantially less for the windback seal operating at low differential pressures and gas densities than for a labyrinth seal operating under typical conditions.Copyright © 2007 by ASME
Changes in cardiovascular hospitalization and comorbidity of heart failure in the United States: findings from the National Hospital Discharge Surveys 1980-2006.

Abstract Objective This study aimed to update the long-term trend of coronary heart disease (CHD), cerebrovascular disease (CBVD), and heart failure (HF) hospitalization rates and HF comorbidity among adults aged 65 and older in the United States. Methods Data from the National Hospital Discharge Surveys between 1980 and 2006 were used. CHD, CBVD, and HF were defined using the principal (first-listed) diagnosis of disease at hospital discharge according to the ICD-9-CM code. Census estimated population data (2000) were used to estimate age and gender-specific hospitalization rates. Results Age-adjusted CHD and CBVD hospitalization rates have significantly decreased between 1980 and 2006, with an estimated annual decrease rate of 2.24% for CHD and 1.55% for CBVD in men, and 2.36% for CHD and 1.34% for CBVD in women. However, the absolute numbers of CHD and CBVD hospitalization continued to increase partly because of the aging population. Furthermore, HF hospitalization rates have significantly increased with an estimated annual rate increase of 1.20% in men and 1.55% in women between 1980 and 2006. Of six selected co-morbidities, about 50% in men and 40% in women with HF had a coexisting disease of CHD, followed by chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, diabetes mellitus, renal failure, and pneumonia. Conclusions While the burden of CHD and CBVD remains the major public health problem, HF has emerged as a new challenge in cardiovascular disease control, characterized by increased trends of HF hospitalization and increased comorbidities from major diseases.
Exsolution Enhanced Oil Recovery with Concurrent CO2 Sequestration

Abstract A novel EOR method using carbonated water injection followed by depressurization is introduced. Results from micromodel experiments are presented to demonstrate the fundamental principles of this oil recovery method. A depressurization process (1 MPa/hr) was applied to a micromodel following carbonated water injection (Ca ≈ 10-5). The exsolved CO2 in water-filled pores blocked water flow in swiped portions and displaced water into oil-filled pores. Trapped oil after the carbonated water injection was mobilized by sequentially invading water. This method's self-distributed mobility control and local clogging was tested in a sandstone sample under reservoir conditions. A 10% incremental oil recovery was achieved by lowering the pressure 2 MPa below the CO2 liberation pressure. Additionally, exsolved CO2 resides in the pores of a reservoir as an immobile phase with a high residual saturation after oil production, exhibiting a potential synergy opportunity between CO2 EOR and CO2 sequestration.
Insights from the POWER practice-based weight loss trial: a focus group study on the PCP's role in weight management.

BACKGROUND Despite U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommendations, few primary care providers (PCPs) counsel obese patients about weight loss. The POWER practice-based weight loss trial used health coaches to provide weight loss counseling, but PCPs referred their patients and reviewed their patients’ progress reports. This trial provided a unique opportunity to understand PCPs’ actual and desired roles in a multi-component weight loss intervention.
Effect of Certain Metabolic Inhibitors on Translocation of P32 in Bean Plants.

The objective of these studies was to isolate the phases of metabolism most closely associated with the transport mechanism. The basic technique utilized was to apply a P/sup 32/ solution to one primary leaf blade of a bean plant and subsequently measure the amount of the material which had moved through the petiole of the treated leaf into the stem. Various chemicals which might be expected to influence the metabolism of plant cells were injected into the treated leaf petioles. The translocation of P/sup 32/ was inhibited when dinitrophenol or sodium fluoride was placed in the vicinity of the phloem cells through which the transport occurred. There was no effect on translocation of P/sup 32/ from treatments with sodium fluoroacetate, 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid, indoleacetic acid, or triiodobenzoic acid.
Recent advances in systemic lupus erythematosus

Systemic lupus eq&ematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune disease in which high levels of serum autoantibodies lead to tissue injury, vasculitis and nephritis. This disease affects approximately one in 1000 humans and such di verse species as mink, mouse and dog. Murine models of SLE have been developed in which every member of a strain reproducibly develops systemic autoimmunity. Ongoing research is directed towards delining the contnbution of genetic and environmental factors to autoan tibody production. Analysis of these factors in humans has been complicated by differences in genetic makeup and antigenic exposure of individual patients as well as the difliculty in identifying and studying those immune changes which cause but precede the development of clinically recognizable disease. To circumvent these difficulties, murine models of SLE have been developed in which every member of a strain reproducibly develops systemic autoimmunity. The availability of these animals has permitted a detailed study of: (1) the nature of the autoantibodies which cause disease, and (2) the types of cells which contribute to autoantibody production. This review will focus on recent advances in these areas.
Regulation of sensitivity in vertebrate rod photoreceptors by calcium

Abstract Over the past decade and a half, there have been great advances in our understanding of how light is transduced into electrical signals by the retina; rod and cone photoreceptors in vertebrates. One essential feature of these sensory neurons is their ability to adapt to background illumination, which allows them to function over a broad range of light intensities. This adaptatio appears to arise mostly from negative feedback on phototransduction that is mediated by calcium ions. Recent work has suggested that this feedback is fairly complex, and involves several pathways directed at different components of phototransduction. From direct measurements of these feedback pathways in rods, it is possible to evaluate their relative contributions to the overall sensitivity of the cell. At the same time, these feedback mechanisms, as currently known, appear to be sufficient for explaining the change in sensitivity of rods during adaptation to light.
Drag coefficients of irregularly shaped particles

Abstract The steady-state free-fall conditions of isolated groups of ordered packed spheres moving through Newtonian fluids have been studied experimentally. Measurements of the drag coefficients are reported in this paper for six different geometrical shapes, including isometric, axisymmetric, orthotropic, plane and elongated conglomerates of spheres. From these measurements, a new and accurate empirical correlation for the drag coefficient, C D , of variously shaped particles has been developed. This correlation has been formulated in terms of the Reynolds number based on the particle nominal diameter, Re , the ratio of the surface-equivalent-sphere to the nominal diameters, d A / d n , and the particle circularity, c . The predictions have been tested against both the experimental data for C D collected in this study and the ones reported in previous works for cubes, rectangular parallelepipeds, tetrahedrons, cylinders and other shapes. A good agreement has been observed for the variously shaped agglomerates of spheres as well as for the regularly shape particles, over the ranges 0.15 Re d A / d n c
Radiative cooling performance of a converging liquid drop radiator

The liquid drop radiator consists of many directed streams of hot liquid drops that are cooled by passing through space and are then collected for reuse. To facilitate the collection of the cooled liquid, a converging geometry might be useful. As the streams converge toward the collector, the density and optical thickness of the droplet cloud are increased. The increase of optical thickness in the flow direction is shown to reduce the local emittance along the length of the radiator.
The Effect of Cycle Length on the Atrial Refractory Period

The effect of cycle length upon refractory period of the atria was measured in 34 patients. The effect of abrupt change in paced cycle length on atrial refractory period was measured by introducing after every eighth paced cycle (CLP) a test cycle (CLT) at an interval which was either 100 ms longer (CLT = CLP + 100 ms) or shorter (CLT = CLP - 100 ms) than the paced cycle. These findings confirm that: (1) atrial refractory periods shorten with decreasing cycle length during steady state pacing; (2) an abrupt change in paced cycle length results in a change in refractory period. This change is similar in direction but smaller in magnitude than the change which occurs in response to steady state pacing; and (3) there is no correlation between intraatrial conduction time and refractoriness.
On the frond of Sutcliffia insigns var. tuberculata

Abstract Sutcliffia foliar members have been found in Pennsylvanian coal balls from seven localities in the Illinois Basin. Large frond members appear to be very similar to those of Medullosa. With decrease in size, vascular bundles assume a bilateral arrangement and pinna rachises appear more similar to lyginopterid foliar members. No pinnules have been found attached but circumstantial evidence suggests Linopteris is the pinnule type.
bantam Is Required for Optic Lobe Development and Glial Cell Proliferation

microRNAs (miRNAs) are small, conserved, non-coding RNAs that contribute to the control of many different cellular processes, including cell fate specification and growth control. Drosophila bantam, a conserved miRNA, is involved in several functions, such as stimulating proliferation and inhibiting apoptosis in the wing disc. Here, we reported the detailed expression pattern of bantam in the developing optic lobe, and demonstrated a new, essential role in promoting proliferation of mitotic cells in the optic lobe, including stem cells and differentiated glial cells. Changes in bantam levels autonomously affected glial cell number and distribution, and non-autonomously affected photoreceptor neuron axon projection patterns. Furthermore, we showed that bantam promotes the proliferation of mitotically active glial cells and affects their distribution, largely through down regulation of the T-box transcription factor, optomotor-blind (omb, Flybase, bifid). Expression of omb can rescue the bantam phenotype, and restore the normal glial cell number and proper glial cell positioning in most Drosophila brains. These results suggest that bantam is critical for maintaining the stem cell pools in the outer proliferation center and glial precursor cell regions of the optic lobe, and that its expression in glial cells is crucial for their proliferation and distribution.
Antigens from Moldy Hay Involved in Farmer' Lung.

SummaryTrichloroacetic acid (TCA) extracts of moldy hay contained 3 antigens which produced precipitins with a typical farmer' lung serum. These antigens were fractionally precipitated with ethanol; antigens were present in the fractions precipitated between the limits of 50 to 60%, 60 to 70%, and 70 to 90% alcohol. Each of these alcohol fractions was further purified on diethylaminoethyl (DEAE-) cellulose and analyzed for sugars and amino acids. It is concluded that these TCA-soluble antigens involved in farmer' lung disease are composed of peptides and carbohydrates which were not separated by TCA extraction, alcohol fractionation, or by chromatography on DEAE-cellulose ion exchange columns.
Modeling population exposures to outdoor sources of hazardous air pollutants.

Accurate assessment of human exposures is an important part of environmental health effects research. However, most air pollution epidemiology studies rely upon imperfect surrogates of personal exposures, such as information based on available central-site outdoor concentration monitoring or modeling data. In this paper, we examine the limitations of using outdoor concentration predictions instead of modeled personal exposures for over 30 gaseous and particulate hazardous air pollutants (HAPs) in the US. The analysis uses the results from an air quality dispersion model (the ASPEN or Assessment System for Population Exposure Nationwide model) and an inhalation exposure model (the HAPEM or Hazardous Air Pollutant Exposure Model, Version 5), applied by the US. Environmental protection Agency during the 1999 National Air Toxic Assessment (NATA) in the US. Our results show that the total predicted chronic exposure concentrations of outdoor HAPs from all sources are lower than the modeled ambient concentrations by about 20% on average for most gaseous HAPs and by about 60% on average for most particulate HAPs (mainly, due to the exclusion of indoor sources from our modeling analysis and lower infiltration of particles indoors). On the other hand, the HAPEM/ASPEN concentration ratio averages for onroad mobile source exposures were found to be greater than 1 (around 1.20) for most mobile-source related HAPs (e.g. 1, 3-butadiene, acetaldehyde, benzene, formaldehyde) reflecting the importance of near-roadway and commuting environments on personal exposures to HAPs. The distribution of the ratios of personal to ambient concentrations was found to be skewed for a number of the VOCs and reactive HAPs associated with major source emissions, indicating the importance of personal mobility factors. We conclude that the increase in personal exposures from the corresponding predicted ambient levels tends to occur near locations where there are either major emission sources of HAPs or when individuals are exposed to either on- or nonroad sources of HAPs during their daily activities. These findings underscore the importance of applying exposure-modeling methods, which incorporate information on time–activity, commuting, and exposure factors data, for the purposes of assigning exposures in air pollution health studies.
Effect of cytomegalovirus infection on breastfeeding transmission of HIV and on the health of infants born to HIV-infected mothers

BACKGROUND: Cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection can be acquired in utero or postnatally through horizontal transmission and breastfeeding. The effect of postnatal CMV infection on postnatal HIV transmission is unknown. METHODS: The Breastfeeding Antiretrovirals and Nutrition study conducted in Malawi randomized 2369 mothers and their infants to three antiretroviral prophylaxis arms - mother (triple regimen) infant (nevirapine) or neither - for 28 weeks of breastfeeding followed by weaning. Stored plasma and peripheral blood mononuclear cell specimens were available for 492 infants at 24 weeks and were tested with CMV PCR. Available samples from infants who were CMV PCR-positive at 24 weeks were also tested at birth (N = 242) and from infants PCR-negative at 24 weeks were tested at 48 weeks (N = 96). Cox proportional-hazards models were used to determine if CMV infection was associated with infant morbidity mortality or postnatal HIV acquisition. RESULTS: At 24 weeks of age CMV DNA was detected in 345/492 infants (70.1%); the estimated congenital CMV infection rate was 2.3% and the estimated rate of CMV infection at 48 weeks was 78.5%. CMV infection at 24 weeks was associated with subsequent HIV acquisition through breastfeeding or infant death between 24 and 48 weeks of age (hazard ratio 4.27 P = 0.05). CONCLUSION: Most breastfed infants of HIV-infected mothers in this resource-limited setting are infected with CMV by 24 weeks of age. Early CMV infection may be a risk factor for subsequent infant HIV infection through breastfeeding pointing to the need for comprehensive approaches in order to achieve elimination of breastfeeding transmission of HIV.
Age and psychological influences on immune responses to trivalent inactivated influenza vaccine in the meditation or exercise for preventing acute respiratory infection (MEPARI) trial.

Background: Strategies to improve influenza vaccine protection among elderly individuals are an important research priority. Mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) and exercise have been shown to affect aspects of immune function in some populations. We hypothesized that influenza vaccine responses may be enhanced with meditation or exercise training as compared with controls. Results: No differences in vaccine responses were found comparing control to MBSR or exercise. Individuals achieving seroprotective levels of influenza antibody ≥160 units had higher optimism, less anxiety, and lower perceived stress than the nonresponders. Age correlated with influenza antibody responses, but not with IFNγ or IL-10 production. Conclusion: The MBSR and exercise training evaluated in this study failed to enhance immune responses to influenza vaccine. However, optimism, perceived stress, and anxiety were correlated in the expected directions with antibody responses to influenza vaccine. Methods: Healthy individuals ≥50 y were randomly assigned to exercise (n = 47) or MBSR (n = 51) training or a waitlist control condition (n = 51). Each participant received trivalent inactivated influenza vaccine after 6 weeks, and had blood draws prior to and 3 and 12 weeks after immunization. Serum influenza antibody, nasal immunoglobulin A, and peripheral blood mononuclear cell interferon-γ (IFNγ) and interleukin-10 (IL-10) concentrations were measured. Measures of optimism, perceived stress, and anxiety were obtained over the course of the study. Seroprotection was defined as an influenza antibody concentration ≥160 units. Vaccine responses were compared using ANOVA, t tests, and Kruskal–Wallis tests. The correlation between vaccine responses and age was examined with the Pearson test.
Response of Japanese Quail to Restricted Lighting

RECENT publications on light response of the domestic fowl have directed renewed attention to the fact that a hen's reactions to experimental light stimulation depend, in part, on the conditions prevailing before a given light treatment1–4. Short-day lighting of immature pullets may lead to increased rate of egg production immediately following maturation, depending both on the length of pretreatment and light intensities used. Similarly, it has been shown that laying hens held in complete darkness will resume high rates of lay afterwards, even under light intensities considered insufficient when given without a preceding dark period5. The work in ref. 5 indicated that short but frequent doses of intense light may over-stimulate hens so that subsequent treatment with continuous light results in reduced rates of lay. A similar experiment with Japanese quail (Coturnix coturnix japonica) is reported here, in an effort to establish its usefulness as a pilot animal for the fowl.
Kinetics of photodegradation of 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin: Theoretical maximum rate of soil decontamination

Abstract Studies were conducted to provide kinetic information concerning TCDD photolysis. Further tests utilizing a simplified version of a soil decontamination situation proved that the transport/degradation rate for TCDD in a diffusion-controlled process could be easily calculated.
Moth diversity in three biofuel crops and native prairie in Illinois

The expanding demand for biofuel feedstock may lead to large-scale conscription of land for monoculture production of biofuel crops with concomitant substantial negative impacts on biodiversity. We compared moth diversity in light-trap samples from corn, miscanthus, switchgrass and native prairie, to determine whether there is an observable relationship between plant species diversity and moth abundance and diversity. Moth alpha diversity was highest in prairie and was higher in switchgrass than in the other two biofuel crops. Beta diversity generally was low among the biofuel crops, and prairie shared lower beta diversity with switchgrass than with corn or miscanthus. Analysis of variance showed no significant differences in moth abundance per species among treatments. The alpha and beta diversity index findings are consistent with those of other studies on arthropods in biofuel crops and provide evidence to suggest that large-scale conversion of acreage to biofuel crops may have substantial negative effects on arthropod biodiversity both within the cropping systems and in the surrounding landscape.
Realization of a Universal Patient Identifier for Electronic Medical Records Through Biometric Technology

The technology exists for the migration of healthcare data from its archaic paper-based system to an electronic one, and, once in digital form, to be transported anywhere in the world in a matter of seconds. The advent of universally accessible healthcare data has benefited all participants, but one of the outstanding problems that must be addressed is how the creation of a standardized nationwide electronic healthcare record system in the United States would uniquely identify and match a composite of an individual's recorded healthcare information to an identified individual patients out of approximately 300 million people to a 1:1 match. To date, a few solutions to this problem have been proposed that are limited in their effectiveness. We propose the use of biometric technology within our fingerprint, iris, retina scan, and DNA (FIRD) framework, which is a multiphase system whose primary phase is a multilayer consisting of these four types of biometric identifiers: 1) fingerprint; 2) iris; 3) retina scan; and 4) DNA. In addition, it also consists of additional phases of integration, consolidation, and data discrepancy functions to solve the unique association of a patient to their medical data distinctively. This would allow a patient to have real-time access to all of their recorded healthcare information electronically whenever it is necessary, securely with minimal effort, greater effectiveness, and ease.
Ultrahigh-energy cosmic-ray spectrum

We analyze the evolution of the ultrahigh-energy cosmic-ray spectrum upon traversing the 2.7 \ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}K microwave background with respect to pion photoproduction, pair-production reactions, and cosmological effects. Our approach employs exact transport equations which manifestly conserve nucleon number and embody the laboratory details of these reactions. A spectrum enhancement appears around 6\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}${10}^{19}$ eV due to the ``pile-up'' of energy-degraded nucleons, and a ``dip'' occurs around ${10}^{19}$ eV due to combined effects. Both of these features appear in the observational spectrum. We analyze the resulting neutrino spectrum and the effects of cosmological source distributions. We present a complete model of the ultrahigh-energy spectrum and anisotropy in reasonable agreement with observation and which predicts an observable electron-neutrino spectrum.
Emulsion-liquid-membrane extraction of copper using a hollow-fiber contactor

A novel extraction technique using an emulsion liquid membrane within a hollow-fiber contactor was developed and utilized to extract copper using LIX 84 extractant. Emulsion liquid membranes are capable of extracting metals from dilute waste streams to levels much below those possible by equilibrium-limited solvent extraction. Utilizing an emulsion liquid membrane within a hollow-fiber contactor retains the advantages of emulsion-liquid-membrane extraction, namely, simultaneous extraction and stripping, while eliminating problems encountered in dispersive contacting methods, such as swelling and leakage of the liquid membrane. Mathematical models for extraction in hollow-fiber contactors were developed. The models satisfactorily predict the outcome of both simple solvent extraction and emulsion-liquid-membrane extraction of copper by LIX 84 in a hollow-fiber contactor over a wide range of conditions. Emulsion-liquid-membrane extraction performs exceptionally well when the extraction is close to equilibrium limit. It is also capable of extracting a solute from very dilute solutions. Stability of the liquid membrane is not crucial when used in hollow-fiber contactors; the surfactant in liquid membrane can be reduced or even eliminated without severely impairing the performance.
Self-assembly of 1D metalloporphyrin array within pseudo-hexagonal channels of polyoxometalates

Self-assembly of the robust Keggin cluster [SiW 12 O 40 ] 4− and metalloporphyrin building blocks [M(TpyPH n )] n + under hydrothermal conditions gives two new organic–inorganic hybrid solid compounds. The hydrothermal reactions of H 4 SiO 4 ·12WO 3 · x H 2 O, Cu(NO 3 ) 2 ·2.5H 2 O, meso -tetra(4-pyridyl)porphine (H 2 TpyP) and H 2 O at 200 °C for 72 h yield a solid compound [Cu(TpyPH 3 )] 2 [Cu(TpyPH 2 )][SiW 12 O 40 ] 2 ·8H 2 O ( 1 ). Using ZnCl 2 instead of Cu(NO 3 ) 2 ·2.5H 2 O in the syntheses leads to the crystallization of a compound [Zn(TpyPH 4 )(H 2 O)][SiW 12 O 40 ]·3H 2 O ( 2 ). Both compounds consist of discrete anionic α-[SiW 12 O 40 ] 4− clusters, cationic metalloporphyrins and crystalline water molecules. Hydrogen bonds, π–π aromatic interactions and CH···π interactions in these two new hybrid solids lead to the formation of 3D framework structures. Pseudo-hexagonal channels are formed by polyoxometalates and are occupied by one-dimensional metalloporphyrin arrays. Both compounds were characterized by single crystal X-ray, UV–Vis, IR spectroscopy and thermogravimetric analysis.
Environmental Ethics and Planning Theory

Environmental ethics addresses the basic questions of how we ought to use and manage the natural environment and the extent to which man must exercise certain moral and ethical constraints in his relations to the natural environment. More specifically, the subject of environmental ethics asks questions such as the following: Based upon what ethical criteria or principles should individuals and society make decisions about the use of the environment? What are acceptable levels of environmental risk or degradadation, and does society have an obligation to protect individuals from such risks? How should conflicts between social justice and environmental protection be resolved? Do we have moral obligations to non-human forms of life? Do we have environmental obligations to future generations? Do we have obligations to maintain the stability and integrity of natural systems? It is argued here that environmental ethics should be a legitimate and necessary component of planning theory. This article provides a cu...
Distributed, secure load balancing with skew, heterogeneity and churn

Numerous proposals exist for load balancing in peer-to-peer (p2p) networks. Some focus on namespace balancing, making the distance between nodes as uniform as possible. This technique works well under ideal conditions, but not under those found empirically. Instead, researchers have found heavy-tailed query distributions (skew), high rates of node join and leave (churn) and wide variation in node network and storage capacity (heterogeneity). Other approaches tackle these less-than-ideal conditions, but give up on important security properties. We propose an algorithm that both facilitates good performance and does not dilute security. Our algorithm, k-choices, achieves load balance by greedily matching nodes' target workloads with actual applied workloads through limited sampling and limits any fundamental decrease in security by basing each nodes' set of potential identifiers on a single certificate. Our algorithm compares favorably to four others in trace-driven simulations. We have implemented our algorithm and found that it improved aggregate throughput by 20% in a widely heterogeneous system in our experiments.
Design and Analysis of Microstrip Bi-Yagi and Quad-Yagi Antenna Arrays for WLAN Applications

In this letter, the design of a microstrip bi-Yagi and microstrip quad-Yagi array antenna is presented. These designs are a derivative of the original microstrip Yagi antenna array and can achieve a high gain and a high front-to-back (F/B) ratio in comparison to the conventional microstrip Yagi structure first proposed by Huang in 1989. The proposed Bi-Yagi and quad-Yagi antenna arrays can also achieve a higher gain (3-6 dB) than the conventional microstrip Yagi array. Simple fabrication techniques can be used with these designs due to the placement of the feeding network on the same layer with the antenna elements. Furthermore, simulations and measurements demonstrate with very good agreement that the proposed arrays can achieve a gain as high as 15.6 dBi (compared to a gain of 10.7 dBi that is achieved by the microstrip Yagi antenna array) while maintaining an F/B ratio that is relatively high.
Deposition of contaminants on silicon media during wet processing

The introduction of contaminants on silicon media during processing can reduce the efficiency of photovoltaic (PV) cells and shorten their lifetime. One of the sources of contamination is process baths where media is dipped into water and/or chemicals for etching or cleaning. The sources of bath contaminants are numerous. They can arise from insufficiently pure chemicals or water. The tanks, silicon carriers and handling equipment may be constructed from industrial grade materials that desorb impurities thereby contaminating baths. Alternatively, the impurities could be extracted from common plastics used in industrial grade plumbing components or chemical containers. In this paper, we examine how a contaminated process bath may potentially deposit impurities on silicon media. Upon withdrawing a silicon wafer from a bath, a thin layer of liquid is left on the surface of the silicon. Any contaminants in the liquid layer will be deposited on the silicon when the liquid evaporates. This information will show that the biggest factor affecting deposition of impurities is the concentration of impurities in the bath. Other factors such as removal speed of the wafers from the bath and properties of the liquid including surface tension, density and viscosity are less influential.
ALICE'S ADVENTURES AT THE CARNIVAL

Imagine a story featuring a dreamy descent underground, grotesquely gigantic and dwarfish carnality, a prodigious pool of body fluid, cartwheels and pratfalls, cornucopian helpings of food and drink, antic playgrounds, riddling language and name games, repeated nonsense (re)verses, various negative capabilities, mathematical miracles, voyages of discovery, cycles of crowning and uncrowning, not to mention metalists like the previous catalogue in this sentence. It seems curious that this tangled tale, Lewis Carroll's in the Alices, has never been linked to the Carnival tradition typified by Francois Rabelais's Gargantua and Pantagruel (1532–64) even though our imagined story equally describes Rabelais's glorious epic. At least, it's never been linked much beyond Northrop Frye's suggestion that “[t]he Alice books are perfect Menippean satires, and so is [Charles Kingsley's] The Water-Babies, which has been influenced by Rabelais” (310) and Martin Gardner's note to Looking-Glass that Medieval and “Renaissance chess games were sometimes played with human pieces on enormous fields” as in “Gargantua and Pantagruel” (135, n. 2). And yet, to spin William Empson's memorable take on Freudian readings (357), one has only to tell Alice's story to make it a carnival tale.
Effects of Initiation Severity and Interest on Group Attitudes

Summary This experiment examined some conditions of the generality of the finding that a severe initiation leads to liking for a group. Sex, interest in joining a group, and severity of initiation were included in a 2 × 2 × 2 factorial design. It was found that females liked the group members most following a severe initiation, but this was not true for males. Males had the least interest in continuing with a group following a severe initiation, while the females' interest was almost unaffected by their initiations. Subjects who were most interested in joining in the beginning perceived the initiation as most severe. The perception of the meaningfulness of the initiation was influenced by all three independent variables in a triple interaction.
Reasons and Causes

: This paper argues for a causal-psychological account of acting for reasons. This view is distinguished from a more ambitious causal theory of action, clarified as far as possible, and motivated—against non-reductive, teleological, and behaviourist alternatives—on broadly metaphysical grounds.
Boresight Disturbance Modeling of a Space-Based Electromagnetic Rail Gun

Boresight disturbances during the operation of an electromagnetic rail gun considered herein arise from the coupling of the structural dynamics of the conducting rails with the electrodynamics of the plasma and rail currents. A simplified model of a rail gun is used here to size these effects on pointing accuracy, for purposes of fire control.