cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Bacteremic urinary tract infection in older people

OBJECTIVES: To describe patients with bacteremic urinary tract infections, compare characteristics of young and older patients, and suggest appropriate empiric antibiotic therapy for this clinical condition. DESIGN: Case series, with an observation period of 3 years. SETTING: A large southeastern community hospital. PARTICIPANTS: One hundred eighty patients more than 18 years old (101 older than age 65) with urine and blood cultures simultaneously positive for bacterial organisms. MEASUREMENTS: Chart review-determined demographic characteristics, clinical data, bacterial organism and antibiotic susceptibility, number of medical diagnoses, use of a urinary catheter, admission source, and mortality. RESULTS: The 180 patients experienced bacteremias caused by 183 bacterial organisms. Sixty-one patients were aged 65 to 79 years, and 40 were 80 years of age or older; 63.9% of patients were female; 62.2% were black. Gram-negative organisms accounted for 80.3% of bacterial isolates, with Escherichia coli accounting for 54.1% of cases. Gram-positive organisms accounted for 19.7% of isolates, including Staphylococcus aureus (13.1%) and Enterococcus (5.5%). Older patients had a distribution of Gram-positive and Gram-negative organisms similar to that of younger patients. Men and patients with chronic urinary catheters had higher proportions of Gram-positive organisms and non-E. coli Gram-negative rods. Organisms showed excellent susceptibilities to commonly used antibiotics. In-hospital mortality was 16.1%, with higher mortality in patients with chronic urinary catheters, in patients who were admitted from nursing homes, and when a Gram-positive organism was identified. Advanced age was not associated with higher mortality. CONCLUSIONS: Concomitant illness and especially the use of urethral catheters, but not advanced age itself, are associated with a higher mortality from bacteremic urinary tract infection. Single agent empiric antimicrobial therapy such as ceftriaxone may be appropriate in older patients with presumed urosepsis, except in catheterized patients or those with other risk factors for Gram-positive or resistant Gram-negative infections. J Am Geriatr Soc 44:927–933, 1996.
Individual–collective primacy and ingroup favoritism: enhancement and protection effects

Abstract Individual–collective primacy refers to the extent to which people emphasize their individual interests (individual-primacy) vs. the interests of their ingroup (collective-primacy). This study examined the interactive effects of individual–collective primacy, ingroup performance, and outgroup performance on ingroup favoritism. Participants from two cultures completed a measure of their individual vs. collective-primacy orientation. Performance feedback (favorable or unfavorable) for themselves, their ingroup, and the outgroup were manipulated orthogonally. As predicted, greater collective-primacy led to more ingroup favoritism when the ingroup performed better or worse than the outgroup. However, when the ingroup and outgroup both performed well or both performed poorly, the relationship between collective-primacy and ingroup favoritism was not significant. Implications for analyses of ingroup favoritism and cross-cultural differences are discussed.
Selection of patients for direct myocardial revascularization

The high incidence of ischemic heart disease and its associated mortality, morbidity, and socioeconomic implications have stimulated a great deal of interest and controversy regarding the relative roles of surgical and medical therapy. There is general agreement that stable angina pectoris can be substantially improved or relieved by coronary artery bypass grafting in at least 80% of patients, and that stable angina not responding to medical treatment is a firm indication for this procedure if adequate distal vessels for grafting are present. The effect of myocardial revascularization on longevity in stable angina patients is not certain except in the presence of significant obstruction of the left main coronary artery, where improved prognosis has been demonstrated. Evidence appears to be accumulating that surgical treatment improves prognosis in disease involving 3 vessels and 2 vessels, particularly if reversible left ventricular dysfunction is present. The prognosis in single-vessel coronary artery disease does not appear to be influenced by surgical therapy.
A pentagonal number sieve

We prove a general “pentagonal sieve” theorem that has corollaries such as the following. First, the number of pairs of partitions of n that have no parts in common isp(n)2?p(n?1)2?p(n?2)2+p(n?5)2+p(n?7)2??.Second, if two unlabeled rooted forests of the same number of vertices are chosen i.u.a.r., then the probability that they have no common tree is .8705? . Third, iff,gare two monic polynomials of the same degree over the fieldGF(q), then the probability thatf,gare relatively prime is 1?1/q. We give explicit involutions for the pentagonal sieve theorem, generalizing earlier mappings found by Bressoud and Zeilberger.
Synergistic chiral separations using the glycopeptides ristocetin A and vancomycin.

Abstract The effectiveness of using a mixture of the chiral selectors vancomycin and ristocetin A to achieve chiral recognition was examined in this study. The results of using the mixed chiral selector vancomycin and ristocetin A in capillary electrophoresis were compared with the results of using each chiral selector alone. Chiral separations were carried out using a coated capillary column to suppress electroosmotic flow and minimize interactions with the capillary wall. We employed a countercurrent process where the solute reaches the detection cell window after the chiral selector has cleared the window, minimizing the background absorbance from the chiral selector and improving sensitivity. Using a mixture of vancomycin and ristocetin A, separations were achieved which often exceeded the resolving power of either chiral selector when used alone. The effect of voltage on resolution was also studied, and the optimal voltage was found to be between −5 and −8 kV.
Age of acquisition ratings for 3,000 monosyllabic words

Age of acquisition (AoA) ratings made on a 1-7 scale for 3,000 monosyllabic words were obtained from 32 participants across four blocks of 750 trials (two blocks of 750 trials were completed in each of 2 days). These results, as well as those of the regression analyses and reliability and validity measures that were originally reported in Cortese and Khanna (2007), are summarized here. Here, we also report high interblock correlations across items, indicating that participants were consistent in their ratings across blocks. The norms for the 3,000 words are important for researchers interested in word processing and may be downloaded from the Psychonomic Society’s Norms, Stimuli, and Data archive at www.psychonomic.org/archive.
Associations between food groups, dietary patterns, and cardiorespiratory fitness in the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults study

Background: Few studies have investigated the association between overall diet and cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF). Objective: We aimed to investigate associations of food groups, a diet-quality score, and dietary patterns with CRF in black and white adults. Design: We included 2632 participants aged 38–50 y who attended the year 20 exam of the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults (CARDIA) study and Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults Fitness Study (CFS) conducted in 2005–2006. Diet was assessed by using a validated diet history. A dietary score and 2 types of patterns were included as follows: the a priori diet-quality score and meat and fruit-vegetable dietary patterns derived from principal components analysis. CRF was assessed by using a graded exercise treadmill test. Linear regression models regressed the treadmill duration on food groups and dietary scores and patterns overall and in race-sex subgroups. Results: Grains (whole and refined), processed meats, and beverages (coffee, meal-replacement drinks, beer, and wine) were positively associated with the treadmill duration overall; whole fruit (not juices), organ meats, fried meats and fish, and soy and nondairy products were negatively associated. The a priori diet-quality score was positively associated with the duration overall and in all race-sex subgroups (P <0.05) except black men. The meat pattern was negatively associated with the duration in white men and white women only. The fruit-vegetable pattern was positively associated with duration in white women only. Conclusions: Overall, the a priori diet-quality score was positively associated with CRF in this cohort of black and white adults, whereas the meat dietary pattern was negatively associated only in whites. The CARDIA study and CFS were registered at clinicaltrials.gov as {"type":"clinical-trial","attrs":{"text":"NCT00005130","term_id":"NCT00005130"}}NCT00005130 and {"type":"clinical-trial","attrs":{"text":"NCT00106457","term_id":"NCT00106457"}}NCT00106457, respectively.
Morphology of single-wall carbon nanotube aggregates generated by electrospray of aqueous suspensions

Airborne single-wall carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) have a high tendency to agglomerate due to strong interparticle attractive forces. The SWCNT agglomerates generally have complex morphologies with an intricate network of bundles of nanotubes and nanoropes, which limits their usefulness in many applications. It is thus desirable to produce SWCNT aerosol particles that have well-defined, unagglomerated fibrous morphologies. We present a method to generate unagglomerated, fibrous particles of SWCNT aerosols using capillary electrospray of aqueous suspensions. The effects of the operating parameters of capillary electrospray such as strength of buffer solution, capillary diameter, flow rate, and colloidal particle concentration on the size distributions of SWCNT aerosols were investigated. Results showed that electrospray from a suspension of higher nanotube concentration produced a bimodal distribution of SWCNT aerosols. Monodisperse SWCNT aerosols below 100 nm were mostly non-agglomerated single fibers, while polydisperse aerosols larger than 100 nm had two distinct morphologies: a ribbon shape and the long, straight fiber. Possible mechanisms are suggested to explain the formation of the different shapes, which could be used to produce SWCNT aerosols with different morphologies.
The Effect of Relational and Team Characteristics on Individual Performance: A Social Network Perspective

Increasingly, researchers in human resource management are recognizing the impact of relational characteristics of work design on performance outcomes. In particular, complex task interdependencies associated with loosely structured teams call for an approach to work design that incorporates interpersonal relationships and informal communication to help individuals adapt to changing demands. Taking a social network perspective, we propose that position in the structure of informal communication networks shapes the opportunities and constraints to action for individuals and determines their informal roles. We present a multilevel model in which the relationship between position within a social structure and individual performance was examined within the context of team performance and team tenure. Hypotheses were tested using network data collected from nearly 300 employees in 30 sales teams. Results indicated that individuals close to the core of a team outperformed more peripheral individuals, but only to the extent that teams were high-performing or had been together longer as a team. The article concludes with a general discussion of the implications for HR theory and practices targeted at improving individual performance outcomes.
Transitions in semicrystalline polymers. II. Polyoxymethylene and poly(ethylene oxide)

Abstract The relaxation phenomena of two semicrystalline polymers, polyoxymethylene and poly(ethylene oxide), were studied by a dilatometric technique in the temperature range—30 to 200°C. Polyethylene was also investigated, in order to compare property-structure relations. The premelting (Tαc) and upper glass [Tg(U)] transitions are observed in all three polymers. Comparison of our results with previous work, at higher frequencies in most instances, as well as thermal treatment of one of our samples (polyoxymethylene) allow us to make the assignments and calculate the activation energies for the relaxations. Certain characteristic quantities are given: [T < Tg(L)/Tg(L)/], Tg(L)/Tm, and Tαc/Tm, as well as ΔαTg and αΔg.
The timing of phenotypic suppression of an aggregation defect by an aggregation-stimulating factor from Polyspboadylium violaceum

Abstract A class of aggregation deficient mutants of Polysphondylium violaceum ( aggA ) had previously been shown to aggregate in the presence of an excreted, dialyzable product (D factor) prepared from wild type amoebae. We have characterized further the development of the aggA mutants in liquid culture. In the absence of an external source of D factor, aggA mutants never become aggregation competent. D factor must be added to the mutants in order for them to be able to aggregate when removed from liquid culture and plated on a surface. The ability of D factor to stimulate the development of aggregation competence can be illustrated with both the aggA mutant and wild type amoebae. D factor is only required by the aggA mutants at a late stage in development of aggregation competence and does not have to be present continuously during incubation. Wild type amoebae provided with additional D factor become aggregation competent earlier than amoebae incubated without additional D factor. These data suggest that the amoebae develop most of the biochemical functions necessary in order to aggregate and that D factor is necessary to trigger aggregation. One of these biochemical functions, development of aggregation-specific adhesion sites, has been shown to occur in the aggA mutant in the absence of D factor.
The Variant Meanings of Secularism in India: Notes Toward Conceptual Clarifications

Multiculturalism has a rather strange name in India. It is known as secularism and is a multifaceted expression, meaning different things to different people. "Secularism" seems incongruous in a land that is home to virtually all the major religions of the world. As a doctrine ad vocating the separation of church and state, it has little meaning in In dia. If it means "equal respect for all religions," as the Indian state de fines it, then the term is incorrect. How, then, did this expression become a part of the political discourse in India? Until the early part of the twentieth century, secularism remained relatively obscure as a political concept in India. It gained prominence in the 1940s, after the Muslim League demanded a separate homeland for the Muslims. The League predicated its demand on religious and cultural grounds, arguing that as followers of Islam, Muslims consti tuted a separate nation and a different culture. It expressed misgivings about the fate of Muslims in a Hindu-dominated free India. As the League's movement gained strength, with the tacit patronage of the British, the Indian National Congress (Congress, henceforth) contested its claims by pointing out the syncretic religious traditions of India. It also decried what it considered to be an illegitimate abuse of religion in politics and accused the League of indulging in the politics of commu nalism. To distinguish itself from the communal politics of the Muslim League, the Congress affirmed its faith in "secularism." It argued that unlike the "communal" League, it was wedded to secularism, by which it meant two things. First, it did not believe in misusing religion for ac
Occult spinal dysraphism: The clinical presentation and diagnosis

The natural history of the anomalies of occult spinal dysraphism is one of progressive and unpredictable neurological deficit. The current management is in the prevention of deterioration rather than the correction of an established disability. Early identification and diagnosis become of utmost importance in treatment. The clinical manifestations of occult spinal dysraphism that may be encountered before neurosurgical evaluation are reviewed.
Correlates of resident psychosocial status in long‐term care

Objectives This pilot study randomly selected five nursing homes, five assisted living facilities, and 16 family care homes from a South-Central state in the US to identify correlates of resident psychosocial status. Methods In-person and telephone interviews were conducted with administrators and resident-family-staff triads (n = 79) to gather information on setting, resident functional status, family involvement, sociodemographic context, and resident psychosocial status. Results Results indicated that type of facility, resident health conditions, resident race, and facility family orientation were significantly correlated with dimensions of resident psychosocial status. Conclusions The findings suggest that multiple informants are necessary to determine the processes that lead to residents' quality of life, and the consideration of diverse settings offers greater insight into how positive resident adaptation is achieved in long-term care. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Mechanism of wear at extreme load and boundary conditions with ashless anti-wear additives: Analysis of wear surfaces and wear debris

Abstract Ashless antiwear additives have begun to find applications in automotive and heavy industry applications as sludge formation is reduced leading to improved efficiency. In this study, six different ashless antiwear agents, including an ashless neutral dialkyl dithiophosphate (DDP-1), an acidic dialkyl dithiophosphate (DDP-2), an alkylated triphenyl phosphorothionate (A-TPPT), a butylated triphenyl phosphorothionate (B-TPPT), a triphenyl phosphorothionate (H-TPPT), and an amine phosphate (AP-1) were studied. Conditions of tribotesting were chosen to simulate harsh boundary lubrication where extreme loads are applied and the anti-wear additives are stressed. These test conditions can potentially separate out high performing additives from ones that provide marginal protection. The mechanism of wear in the best-case scenario with acidic dialkyl dithiophosphate was associated with the formation of well-developed tribofilms even under the harsh conditions. On the other hand the neutral dialkyl dithiophosphate exhibited severe abrasive wear and premature failure. The amine phosphate, while it has a functioning tribofilm, also exhibited weak adhesion of the tribofilm resulting in stick slip behavior and extensive polishing wear. All the phosphorothionates exhibited poor wear outcomes with the alkylated triphenyl phosphorothionate being the best and the protonated triphenyl phosphorothionate being the worst. The mechanism of wear in the phosphorothionates was associated with polishing wear in A-TPPT and B-TPPT where wear debris trapped between contacting surfaces removes the tribofilms that form on the surface and abrasive wear in the case of H-TPPT. Transmission electron microscopy of the harvested wear debris indicated the formation of amorphous debris with embedded nanocrystalline particles that were identified as Fe 3 O 4 in most of the cases. The wear protection afforded by the anti-wear additive can be correlated with the number of the nanocrystalline oxide particles embedded in the debris with the ones with smallest number of oxide particles exhibiting the best wear performance.
China and the WTO: The implications of membership in historical context

China's accession to the WTO can be seen as the culmination of not just a 15-year negotiation but also of a process that actually began 150 years ago with the projection of Western imperialist power into the Chinese mainland. China now appears to have joined the global community on mutually agreeable terms. The commitments China has made are significant and, if implemented, will facilitate continued change in the nation's legal/regulatory structure for economic growth. WTO accession has many implications, both economic and political, for China and the rest of the world; it is important not to forget historical context and current realities in assessing them. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Long distance scrambling in Japanese

This paper examines the nature of scrambling in Japanese in the light of Webelhuth (1989) and Mahajan (1989). Webelhuth proposes that scrambling is uniformly movement to a third type of position, the non-operation/non-A position, and that this position has the binding properties of both A and A′ (operator) positions. Mahajan does not recognize the third type of position, and argues that clause-internal scrambling can be either A or A′ movement, while “long distance” scrambling is necessarily A′ movement. I argue in this paper that these two apparently inconsistent hypotheses are both necessary for the analysis of scrambling in Japanese. As evidence for Webelhuth's hypothesis, I show that unlike wh-movement, scrambling need not establish a semantically significant operator-variable relation. Then, I argue that Mahajan's hypothesis, based on the A/A′ dichotomy, is also needed to account for the distinction between clause-internal scrambling and “long distance” scrambling with respect to anaphor binding. Finally, adopting Tada's (1990) proposal that non-operator/non-A positions are licensed at S-structure but not at LF, I suggest that a modified version of Webelhuth's hypothesis applies at S-structure, and Mahajan's hypothesis applies at LF.
Mobility-Assisted Energy-Aware User Contact Detection in Mobile Social Networks

Many practical problems in mobile social networks such as routing, community detection, and social behavior analysis, rely on accurate user contact detection. The frequently used method for detecting user contact is through Bluetooth on smartphones. However, Bluetooth scans consume lots of power. Although increasing the scan duty cycle can reduce the power consumption, it also reduces the accuracy of contact detection. In this paper, we address this problem based on the observation that user contact changes (i.e., starts and ends of user contacts) are mainly caused by user movement. Since most smartphones have accelerometers, we can use them to detect user movement with much less energy and then start Bluetooth scans to detect user contacts. By conducting experiments on smartphones, we discover three relationships between user movement and user contact changes. According to these relationships, we propose a Mobility-Assisted User Contact detection algorithm (MAUC), which triggers Bluetooth scans only when user movements have a high possibility to cause contact changes. Moreover, we propose energy-aware MAUC (E-MAUC) to further reduce energy consumption during Bluetooth discovery, while keeping the same detection accuracy as MAUC. Via trace driven simulations, we show that MAUC can reduce the number of Bluetooth scans by half while maintaining similar contact detection rates compared to existing algorithms, and E-MAUC can further reduce the energy consumption by 45% compared to MAUC.
Improving Performance of Streaming Applications with Filtering and Control Messages

In streaming computing applications, some data can be filtered to reduce computation and communication. Due to filtering, however, some necessary information might be lost. To recover lost information, we use control messages, which carry control information rather than input data. The order between control messages and input data must be precise to guarantee correct computations. In this paper, we study the use of control message in suppressing data communication, which improves throughput. To ensure precise synchronization between control messages and input data, we propose a credit-base protocol and prove its correctness and safety. Results show that with the help of control messages, the application throughput can be improved in proportion to filtering ratios.
De Novo Transcriptomes of a Mixotrophic and a Heterotrophic Ciliate from Marine Plankton

Studying non-model organisms is crucial in the context of the current development of genomics and transcriptomics for both physiological experimentation and environmental characterization. We investigated the transcriptomes of two marine planktonic ciliates, the mixotrophic oligotrich Strombidium rassoulzadegani and the heterotrophic choreotrich Strombidinopsis sp., and their respective algal food using Illumina RNAseq. Our aim was to characterize the transcriptomes of these contrasting ciliates and to identify genes potentially involved in mixotrophy. We detected approximately 10,000 and 7,600 amino acid sequences for S. rassoulzadegani and Strombidinopsis sp., respectively. About half of these transcripts had significant BLASTP hits (E-value <10−6) against previously-characterized sequences, mostly from the model ciliate Oxytricha trifallax. Transcriptomes from both the mixotroph and the heterotroph species provided similar annotations for GO terms and KEGG pathways. Most of the identified genes were related to housekeeping activity and pathways such as the metabolism of carbohydrates, lipids, amino acids, nucleotides, and vitamins. Although S. rassoulzadegani can keep and use chloroplasts from its prey, we did not find genes clearly linked to chloroplast maintenance and functioning in the transcriptome of this ciliate. While chloroplasts are known sources of reactive oxygen species (ROS), we found the same complement of antioxidant pathways in both ciliates, except for one enzyme possibly linked to ascorbic acid recycling found exclusively in the mixotroph. Contrary to our expectations, we did not find qualitative differences in genes potentially related to mixotrophy. However, these transcriptomes will help to establish a basis for the evaluation of differential gene expression in oligotrichs and choreotrichs and experimental investigation of the costs and benefits of mixotrophy.
Middleware support for coordination in distributed applications

The current state of the art of existing middleware technologies does not support the development of distributed applications that need processes to complete a task collaboratively. We extend current middleware technologies with multiparty interaction rather than design a new distributed programming language for application developers. An object adapter for coordination running as a component provides support for the coordinated applications by isolating, encapsulating, and managing a component's interactions outside the component. Dynamic interface binding was designed to allow an adapter to examine the signature of the requested services at runtime such as operation names, parameter orders, parameter types, and parameter sizes. The interfaces of interconnecting components are bound at runtime. In addition, the interface language mapping allows an interface in a specific programming language to be automatically generated from an IP (interacting processes)-like IDL (IP-IDL) interface. The use of IP-IDL for coordination simplifies the development of distributed applications for coordination.
Are we there yet? Exploring with dynamic visualization

Interactive graphics practitioners have long understood that viewing a virtual object by controlling the viewpoint dynamically is more illuminating than viewing a still image or even a precomputed animation. Dynamic manipulation engages a viewer's kinesthetic sense in addition to his visual sense, adding an immediacy to the exploration experience. Finding the right way to represent data has been an active topic of much thought and discussion since the beginnings of visualization. To explore dynamic visualization's power, the author constructed a tool (Calico), for creating and manipulating bivariate color mappings using several different color models. Using Calico, she conducted two experimental studies of the effects of control over the color mapping on accuracy, confidence, and preference.
Aproximación a la hipotermia terapéutica

Despues de un paro cardiaco, la hipotermia terapeutica puede ayudar a prevenir lesiones neurologicas en ciertos pacientes
1808: The Flight of the Emperor. By Laurentino Gomes. (Guilford, CT: Lyons Press, 2013. Pp. 309. $28.95.)

The author of this study has produced a book that is enjoyable to read—so long as one does not possess too much detailed historical knowledge about the events depicted in its pages or a sophisticat...
Extra-Precise Iterative Refinement for Overdetermined Least Squares Problems

We present the algorithm, error bounds, and numerical results for extra-precise iterative refinement applied to overdetermined linear least squares (LLS) problems. We apply our linear system refinement algorithm to Bjorck’s augmented linear system formulation of an LLS problem. Our algorithm reduces the forward normwise and componentwise errors to O(ew), where ew is the working precision, unless the system is too ill conditioned. In contrast to linear systems, we provide two separate error bounds for the solution x and the residual r. The refinement algorithm requires only limited use of extra precision and adds only O(mn) work to the O(mn2) cost of QR factorization for problems of size m-by-n. The extra precision calculation is facilitated by the new extended-precision BLAS standard in a portable way, and the refinement algorithm will be included in a future release of LAPACK and can be extended to the other types of least squares problems.
Risk-based Capital for Financial Institutions

The issue of risk-based capital for financial institutions is of considerable current interest. We discuss how the option pricing paradigm provides a theoretical framework for the analysis of this topic. The modern approach to option pricing which was inspired by the seminal work of Black and Scholes has revolutionized our approach to both the theory and practice of many aspects of investment finance and corporate finance.
Acidification, anoxia, and extinction: A multiple logistic regression analysis of extinction selectivity during the Middle and Late Permian

Patterns of taxonomic and ecologic selectivity are the most direct record of processes infl uencing survival during background and mass extinctions. The Guadalupian (Capitanian) and end-Permian (Changhsingian) extinctions have both been linked to environmental degradation from eruption of large fl ood basalts; however, the extent to which taxonomic selectivity conforms to the expected stresses remains incompletely understood because many of the relevant biological traits are mutually correlated. Here we use a large occurrencebased database to quantify extinction selectivity during background and mass extinction intervals from the Kungurian (latest Early Permian) to Changhsingian. Our multiple logistic regression analysis confi rms that the end-Permian extinction was a physiological crisis, selecting against genera with poorly buffered respiratory physiology and calcareous shells. Genera with unbuffered physiology also fared poorly in the Guadalupian extinction, consistent with recognition of a pronounced crisis only among protists and reef-builders and implying similar respiratory physiological stresses. Despite sharing a similar trigger, the end-Permian extinction was considerably more severe than the Guadalupian or other Phanerozoic physiological crises. Its magnitude may have resulted from a larger environmental perturbation, although the combination of warming, hypercapnia, ocean acidifi cation, and hypoxia during the end-Permian extinction likely exacerbated the crisis because of the multiplicative effects of those stresses. Although ocean carbon cycle and evolutionary changes have reduced the sensitivity of modern ecosystems to physiological stresses, extant marine invertebrates face the same synergistic effects of multiple stressors that were so severe during the end-Permian extinction.
Seasonality of clinical isolation of rapidly growing mycobacteria

Rapidly growing mycobacteria (RGM) are environmental organisms that have emerged as significant human pathogens. RGM infections show remarkable geographic variations. In this study, based on data from Houston, Texas, RGM were isolated from clinical cultures year-round, although peaks in the summer and autumn correlating with the seasonal variation of temperature and rainfall also were noted. These results may offer some explanation for the summer occurrence of RGM outbreaks at diverse locations.
Modelling a Regional Economic System: The Case of Lombardy

Baussola M. (2007) Modelling a regional economic system: the case of Lombardy, Regional Studies 41, 19–38. During recent years the demand for quantitative economic investigation to be used for policy analysis has grown rapidly. In addition, the European economic and monetary integration process has increased the economic impact of regional economies, thus calling for analytical instruments aimed at supporting the decision-making process. A regional econometric model of Lombardy's labour market was set up in which both labour demand and supply are endogenously determined and, thus, unemployment is determined by their interaction. Therefore, labour demand in both the industrial sector and in private services is modelled, while labour supply is split into two components that define, respectively, the participation rate and self-employment. The model simulations evaluate the response of the regional labour market, in comparison with the national one, to exogenous shocks depending on shocks in either demand or...
Optical bistability using prism-coupled, long-range surface plasmons

We consider an attenuated total reflection prism-coupling geometry used to excite surface-plasmon waves along a metal film, bounded by a substrate with an intensity-dependent dielectric constant. Nonlinear wave theory is developed in the infinite incident plane-wave approximation, assuming a dielectric constant proportional to the square of the electric field normal to the film. We calculate the intensity required to observe bistability in the reflected intensity by excitation of the nonlinear, long-range surface plasmon and find it to be 2 orders of magnitude less than that required for the nonlinear, single-surface plasmon. We compare the nonlinear wave analysis with other approaches and illustrate the effects of the sign of the nonlinearity and of a nonlinear coupling layer.
Empirical Evidence Against Varieties of Capitalism's Theory of Technological Innovation

How can one explain cross-national differences in innovative activity across the industrialized democracies? In this article, I examine the "varieties of cap- italism" ~VOC! response to this question+ VOC theory predicts that societies with liberal-market economies will direct their inventive activity toward radical techno- logical change, while societies with coordinated-market economies will direct their inventive activity toward incremental technological change+ I find that these predic- tions are not supported by the empirical data, and that the evidence offered by VOC proponents depends heavily on the inclusion of a major outlier, the United States, in the class of liberal-market economies+ My empirical investigation includes simple patent counts, patents weighted by forward citations, and scholarly publications ~both simple counts and citations-weighted!+ I analyze data covering all of the VOC coun- tries over the course of several decades, little of which reveals the innovative pat- terns predicted by VOC scholars+
Obese Children Who Are Referred to the Pediatric Endocrinologist: Characteristics and Outcome

Objective. The objective of this study was to characterize a population of obese children who were referred to a pediatric endocrinology clinic and to analyze the outcome of the referral. Methods. Children who were referred for obesity and seen at least twice between January 1984 and July 2003 were included in this retrospective study. Demographic, clinical, and, when available, laboratory (fasting glucose and insulin, random cholesterol, and liver function tests) and bone age data were abstracted from the medical record at the first and last endocrine evaluations. Self-reported parental height, weight, and family history of diabetes were also entered in the database. Records from the pediatrician were used to identify the age of onset of obesity. Results. The database included 587 children (mean age at referral: 9.5 years) with a preponderance of non-Hispanic white children (75.6%) and female gender (57.6%). Growth records in 251 children indicated that 80.6% of the children had become obese before the age of 6 years and were referred 4.3 ± 2.9 years after having become obese. At follow-up, 38% of the children exhibited a decreased percentage of overweight compared with the baseline visit, but only 5 children had an age- and gender-specific BMI below the 95th percentile. Cholesterol and fasting insulin were elevated in 174 of 311 and 72 of 94 children, respectively. Bone age radiographic records for 157 patients showed significant advancement in 46%. Half of the mothers and 57.7% of fathers were obese, and type 2 diabetes was self-reported in 11.4% parents. Conclusions. In the majority of this predominantly non-Hispanic white referred sample of obese children, overweight started in the preschool years. The referral to the endocrinologist, occurring after a prolonged interval from the obesity onset, was ineffective in treating obesity. Hyperinsulinemia and hypercholesterolemia are often present also at a young age. These obesity comorbidities in association with high prevalence of parental obesity and type 2 diabetes expose these youths to high risk for developing type 2 diabetes and coronary heart disease. Our data underscore the need for early family-based behavioral-lifestyle intervention programs to be made available to pediatricians, enabling them to target the “at risk for overweight” preschool children and their likely overweight parents.
Uptake of National AfterSchool Association physical activity standards among US after-school sites

Abstract Objective In 2011, the National AfterSchool Association (NAA) adopted standards to guide delivery of physical activity (PA). We assessed after school sites' uptake of the five PA standards. Method We conducted a descriptive study in fall 2013. NAA emailed 14,000 members requesting that afterschool site directors complete an online questionnaire regarding site characteristics, awareness and use of the standards, and implementation. We calculated implementation scores for each standard by summing points for their component best practices, and examined associations among site characteristics, implementation scores, and awareness and use of the standards. Results Among 595 respondents, 60% were aware of the PA standards and 43% used them for program planning. Awareness and use were significantly higher among NAA members and among sites that were accredited, licensed, or operated by a parent organization. PA content and quality scores were higher among those aware of and using the standards (p Conclusion We observed high recognition and use of the NAA PA standards in a national convenience sample of afterschool programs. Their uptake and use are promising lever for increasing the quality of PA in the afterschool setting.
Impact Strength of High Density Solid-State Microcellular Polycarbonate Foams

The effect of density (relative densities 0.33 to 0.90) on the impact behavior of microcellular polycarbonate (PC) was investigated. Cell size and foaming gas content were also considered. Flexed-beam Izod impact tests were conducted and the impact strength of these foams appears to be a strong function of both density and cell size. The impact strength was observed to improve over the unprocessed polycarbonate’s impact strength for foams with relative densities of 60 percent and above. In terms of cell size, the impact strength increased with increasing cell size at a given density. @DOI: 10.1115/1.1339004#
A probabilistic model for the arrangement of a subset of human chromosome territories in WI38 human fibroblasts.

There is growing evidence that chromosome territories have a probabilistic non-random arrangement within the cell nucleus of mammalian cells. Other than their radial positioning, however, our knowledge of the degree and specificity of chromosome territory associations is predominantly limited to studies of pair-wise associations. In this study we have investigated the association profiles of eight human chromosome pairs (numbers 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9) in the cell nuclei of G0-arrested WI38 diploid lung fibroblasts. Associations between heterologous chromosome combinations ranged from 52% to 78% while the homologous chromosome pairs had much lower levels of association (3–25%). A geometric computational method termed the Generalized Median Graph enabled identification of the most probable arrangement of these eight chromosome pairs. Approximately 41% of the predicted associations are present in any given nucleus. The association levels of several chromosome pairs were very similar in a series of lung fibroblast cell lines but strikingly different in skin and colon derived fibroblast cells. We conclude that a large subset of human chromosomes has a preferred probabilistic arrangement in WI38 cells and that the resulting chromosomal associations show tissue origin specificity. J. Cell. Physiol. 221: 120–129, 2009. © 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc
Classification and Evaluation of Recurrent Instability of the Elbow

The clinical presentation, diagnosis, radiographic features, mechanism, pathologic changes, and treatment of elbow instability are understood better now. Elbow instability can be classified according to five criteria: (1) the timing (acute, chronic or recurrent); (2) the articulation(s) involved (elbow versus radial head); (3) the direction of displacement (valgus, varus, anterior, posterolateral rotatory); (4) the degree of displacement (subluxation or dislocation); and (5) the presence or absence of associated fractures. Posterolateral rotatory instability is the most common pattern of elbow instability, particularly that which is recurrent. Posterolateral rotatory instability can be considered a spectrum consisting of three stages according to the degree of soft tissue disruption. Patients typically present with a history of recurrent painful clicking, snapping, clunking, or locking of the elbow and careful examination reveals that this occurs in the extension portion of the arc of motion with the forearm in supination. There are four principle physical examination tests. The most sensitive is the lateral pivot-shift apprehension test, or posterolateral rotatory apprehension test, just as the anterior apprehension test of the shoulder is the most sensitive test for a patient with shoulder instability. Next is the lateral pivot-shift test, or posterolateral rotatory instability test. Reproducing the actual subluxation and the clunk that occurs with reduction usually can be accomplished only with the patient under general anesthesia or occasionally after injecting local anesthetic into the elbow. The third test is the posterolateral rotatory drawer test, which is a rotatory version of the drawer or Lachman test of the knee. The final test is the stand up test as reported by Regan. The patient's symptoms are reproduced as he or she attempts to stand up from the sitting position by pushing on the seat with the hand at the side and the elbow fully supinated. A lateral stress radiograph can show the rotatory subluxation.
Solution to the indexing problem of frequency domain simulation experiments

The authors discuss why the global simulation clock time is the most natural choice for the frequency-domain simulation experiment (FDE) oscillation index. The reasons behind the failure of past efforts to reference all the frequencies in a FDE to the global simulation clock are also presented. A novel methodology for performing frequency-domain analysis of discrete-event simulation experiments is proposed. This methodology is based on the Fourier (spectral) analysis of stochastic systems and uses the global simulation clock time as the oscillation index. The histogram method for implementing this methodology is discussed. Using this method, it is possible to analyze stochastic systems subject to nonstationary inputs, a difficult analytical problem. The effectiveness of this method is demonstrated by applying it to a single-server FIFO queue and a network of single-server queues. The method is efficiently implementable, resilient to noise, and lends itself efficiently to any simulation model being analyzed using frequency-domain methods. >
In-situ trace element analysis of monazite and other fine-grained accessory minerals by EPMA

Abstract Trace element analysis of high Z accessory phases by electron probe micro-analysis offers unique access to data unattainable by other analytical techniques, but also presents great challenges. The intimate relationships between beam conditions (voltage, current), spatial resolution, precision, and spectral complexity require the careful examination of all analytical parameters and their consequences, at a level commensurate with the sensitivity of the desired analysis. The high REE and actinide content, and resulting high Z of monazite, allows high direct analytical resolution (below 500 nm at 10 kV, depending on the realized beam diameter) due to limited electron range, but the high concentration of these elements will also produce significant fluorescence at a distance. The use of high accelerating potential in an effort to improve counting statistics is injudicious in most cases, as direct analytical resolution decreases, and high overvoltage on REEs and Th in monazite results in efficient production of energetic ionizing radiation (L-series) capable of fluorescing elements of interest, or interfering elements at remarkable distances (at least several 10 s of microns from the beam). Boundary fluorescence is a very significant problem in trace element analysis and in geochronologic analysis of monazite, as grains are commonly complex, with micro-domains that differ considerably in composition (especially Th/REE). In such instances, a 15 kV beam can produce fluorescence at a distance, leading to errors of 10 s of ppm within 5 μm of a compositional boundary. For trace element analysis, effects such as background curvature and minor interferences can result in very large errors, 50% or more for curvature alone for concentrations at or below 100 ppm. Strong background curvature is observed for all makes and varieties of spectrometers in the Pb-M region. In addition, for REE and actinide bearing phases such as monazite, the wavelength regions available for background determination are very limited, requiring routine, high-precision scanning and regression modeling to determine reasonably accurate background intensities. Two-point background interpolation methods are inappropriate for high sensitivity analysis in all cases. Without a direct means to verify the accuracy of low concentration analyses, great attention must be paid to analytical protocol and very detailed spectral analysis. The use of consistency standards to monitor changes is important, but caution must be exercised in the use of secondary “age” standards in the case of monazite EPMA because systematic error can result in cancellation effects when concentrations of both parent and daughter are proportionally incorrect. In all cases, caution in interpretation and integration of all available information is necessary if the potential of the method is to be realized.