cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Variance of irradiance for saturated scintillations

A direct calculation of the normalized variance of irradiance for a beam wave of arbitrary aperture and focus in strong saturation employs a generalized function interpretation of the spherical-wave coherence function with the extended Huygens-Fresnel principle. The asymptotic limit is unity, and the limit of the probability distribution for the irradiance is exponential when the amplitude perturbation terms are neglected. Higher-order terms in the asymptotic series for a focused beam wave extend previously published results.
Benthic foraminiferal repopulation of the Mediterranean after the messinian (late miocene) event

Abstract The Pliocene repopulation of the Mediterranean after a 0.5 m.y. episode of bottom sterility during the Messinian salinity crisis was a remarkably rapid event. Deep-water benthic foraminiferal faunas appeared very soon after the initiation of Pliocene sedimentation and reached pre-Messinian levels of population structure within 0.5 m.y. after the onset of the Pliocene. The primary source of oceanic water during the Pliocene was the Atlantic but there is weak evidence that some of the Pliocene fauna may have come from the Indo-Pacific area. Migration patterns across the Mediterranean were primarily from west to east reflecting the Atlantic source. There are, however, some east to west migrational routes. These may be the result of faunas originating in the eastern Mediterranean and radiating outward, or of an eastern source of oceanic water and faunas. The most likely time for a oceanic influx from the east was mid-Pliocene (biostratigraphic zones MPl-3 and MPl-4). Barriers stood between the Pliocene basins and caused some faunal endemism which is detectable by quantitative comparisons of the basinal faunas.
The solubility of anhydrite (CaSO4) in NaCl-H2O from 100 to 450°C and 1 to 1000 bars

Abstract The solubility of anhydrite was determined at temperatures ranging from 100 to 450°C, pressures from 1 to 1000 bars, and in solutions ranging in NaCl concentration from dilute to 6 moles NaCl per kg of H 2 O. Inreased pressure causes the solubility of anhydrite to become greater at all temperatures and NaCl concentrations. The effect of temperature and NaCl concentration increase is more complicated; the solubility diminishes with temperature rise to a minimum value at elevated temperatures. The location of the temperature minimum depends on NaCl concentration and is at progressively lower temperatures in solutions of increasing NaCl concentration. The solubility of anhydrite as a function of NaCl concentration rises to a maximum, the NaCl concentration at which depends on temperature and pressure. The maxima become progressively less pronounced at higher temperatures and at about 180°C the solubility continuously becomes greater at a lessening rate with increasing NaCl concentration. At about 300°C, anhydrite solubility rises linearly with increasing NaCl concentration and above 300°C the solubility rises at an increasing rate with increasing NaCl concentration. In nature, most H 2 O and NaCl-H 2 O solutions saturated with anhydrite would become undersaturated on migrating surfaceward and supersaturated on moving downward. An important exception to this generalization would be solutions subjected to changes above the conditions at which solubility minima occur. At such elevated temperatures and pressures, upward rising solutions would tend to become supersaturated. Highly saline solutions would be more effective in depositing anhydrite at shallow depths in response to temperature and pressure changes than would dilute saline or simple water solutions. Solutions undergoing pressure drop at nearly constant temperature, as might happen to solutions moving from regions of lithostatic pressure (zones of nearly impermeable rocks) to regions of lower pressure (fractures, permeable beds or drill holes) could precipitate anhydrite. Specialized conditions are required in general for the deep-seated precipitation of anhydrite. Therefore, the presence of anhydrite in igneous rocks or ore bodies can be used as evidence of previous existence of unusual temperature-pressure-compositional conditions. Anhydrite in sedimentary rocks could have formed in many ways, ranging from direct precipitation from sea water to the action of externally derived solutions flowing through the rooks. Some anhydrite would tend to precipitate from connate brines as sediments are subjected to temperature and pressure changes accompanying progressive burial and lithification.
The effects of aminooxyacetate on the metabolism of glucose and glutamate by homogenates of guinea pig cerebral hemispheres

Abstract The metabolism of glucose and glutamate and the effects of aminooxyacetate were investigated in homogenates of guinea pig cerebral hemispheres. With the use of uniformly labeled substrates, it was found that the oxidation of the carbons, added as glucose and glutamate, accounted for practically all the respired carbon dioxide with glutamate carbons accounting for the major proportion. Aminooxyacetate was shown to inhibit the respiration and the utilization of glutamate by the homogenates. Aminooxyacetate increased the recovery of the 14 C of glucose-2- 14 C and decreased that of glutamate-1- 14 C and glutamate-5- 14 C as CO 2 . These effects appeared to be explainable on the basis of the inhibition of B 6 -dependent enzymes by aminooxyacetate.
STUDIES ON THYMUS FUNCTION : II. COOPERATIVE EFFECT OF NEWBORN AND EMBRYONIC HEMOPOIETIC LIVER CELLS WITH THYMUS FUNCTION

Significant immunological restoration of 45-day old, neonatally thymectomized C3Hf mice was obtained by the cooperation of syngeneic newborn or embryonic hemopoietic liver cells with thymic function. Thymic function or cells alone are almost ineffective or restore approximately 10% of the animals. Newborn liver cells are effective in association with thymus grafts or humoral thymic function (thymoma grafts and thymus or thymomas in diffusion chambers). Embryonic liver cells are ineffective, even in large numbers, when associated with humoral thymic function. On the other hand, embryonic liver cells are effective in the cooperative effect only in association with viable thymus grafts, preferably syngeneic, whether the grafts were placed subcutaneously, intraperitoneally, or under the kidney capsule. Dispersed viable thymic cells are ineffective in association with embryonic liver cells. Cells capable of cooperating with humoral thymic function start to appear to embryonic liver by day 19–21 of gestation and are detectable until day 5–6 postbirth. Embryonic hemopoietic liver cells from 12 to 18 days of gestation contain cells capable of cooperation only with viable free thymus grafts and not with humoral thymic function. A prethymic cell population of partially differentiated cells of hemopoietic origin, insensitive to humoral activity of the thymus but requiring thymic stroma and traffic through the thymus is postulated to explain our results. This population of prethymic cells can become postthymic through this process and eventually develop into competent cells. Postthymic cells are characterized by their sensitivity to humoral activity of the thymus and by their wide distribution in the lymphohemopoietic tissues of newborn and young adult mice.
Should we do more to improve oral contraceptive continuation

Oral contraceptives are commonly chosen methods whose contraceptive effectiveness is very user-dependent. Approaches to significantly improving oral contraceptive continuation have been largely unsuccessful. Long-acting reversible methods are the most highly effective reversible contraceptives, with the highest continuation rates, and should be the first-line methods offered to reproductive-aged women.
Comparison of Conventional Filtering and Independent Component Analysis for Artifact Reduction in Simultaneous Gastric EMG and Magnetogastrography From Porcines

In this study, we perform a comparative study of independent component analysis (ICA) and conventional filtering (CF) for the purpose of artifact reduction from simultaneous gastric EMG and magnetogastrography (MGG). EMG/MGG data were acquired from ten anesthetized pigs by obtaining simultaneous recordings using serosal electrodes (EMG) as well as with a superconducting quantum interference device biomagnetometer (MGG). The analysis of MGG waveforms using ICA and CF indicates that ICA is superior to the CF method in its ability to extract respiration and cardiac artifacts from MGG recordings. A signal frequency analysis of ICAand CF-processed data was also undertaken using waterfall plots, and it was determined that the two methods produce qualitatively comparable results. Through the use of simultaneous EMG/MGG, we were able to demonstrate the accuracy and trustworthiness of our results by comparison and cross-validation within the framework of a porcine model.
Increased fermentation activity and persistent methanogenesis in a model aquifer system following source removal of an ethanol blend release.

The increased probability of groundwater contamination by ethanol-blended fuel calls for improved understanding of how remediation efforts affect the fate and transport of constituents of concern, including the generation and fate of fermentation byproducts. A pilot-scale (8 m 3 ) model aquifer was used to investigate changes in the concentrations of ethanol and its metabolites (methane and volatile fatty acids) after removal of the contamination source. Following the shut-off of a continuous release of a dissolved ethanol blend (10% v:v ethanol, 50 mg/L benzene, and 50 mg/L toluene), fermentation activity was surprisingly stimulated and the concentrations of ethanol metabolites increased. A microcosm experiment showed that this result was due to a decrease in the dissolved ethanol concentration below its toxicity threshold (~2000 mg/L for this system). Methane generation (>1.5 mg/L of dissolved methane) persisted for more than 100 days after the disappearance of ethanol, despite clean air-saturated water flowing continuously through the tank at a relative high seepage velocity (0.76 m/day). Quantitative real-time PCR showed that functional genes associated with methane metabolism (mcrA for methanogenesis and pmoA for methanotrophy) also persisted in the aquifer material. Persistent methanogenesis was apparently due to the anaerobic degradation of soil-bound organic carbon (e.g., biomass grown on ethanol and other substrates). Overall, this study reflects the complex plume dynamics following source removal, and suggests that monitoring for increases in the concentration of ethanol metabolites that impact groundwater quality should be considered.
Reflections on the Global Dimensions of Rings of Continuous Functions

In the mid 1950s the theory of rings of continuous functions began a rapid development, most notably with the publication of Gillman and Henriksen’s two papers Concerning rings of continuous functions and Rings of continuous functions in which every finitely generated ideal is principal. These papers (which characterized von Neumann regular rings and Bezout rings of real valued continuous functions, respectively) can be seen as the beginning of a theory of rings of continuous functions, whose aim was to investigate the interaction between topological properties of the space X and algebraic properties of the ring, C(X), of continuous functions from X into ℝ, the ordered field of real numbers.
Rapid Formation of Reproductive Isolation between Two Populations of Side-Blotched Lizards, Uta stansburiana

Determining the factors that give rise to reproductive isolation is critical for understanding how species form. Observing reproductive isolation between closely related populations is especially interesting because it can show the factors initially involved in species formation. We studied two phenotypically different populations of Side-Blotched Lizards (Uta stansburiana), which diverged less than 22,500 years ago according to geologic evidence. The lava flow population has dark dorsal coloration for crypsis and is dimorphic for throat coloration used for signaling male mating type. The off-lava population has light dorsal coloration and is trimorphic for throat coloration. We tested whether there was reproductive isolation between these two populations in order to understand the factors that maintain the phenotypic differences between these populations. Our genetic crosses revealed evidence of reproductive incompatibilities because females from the dimorphic lava population produced fewer fertilized eg...
Cardiac transplantation can be safely performed using selected diabetic donors.

Objective Cardiac transplantation (OHT) using diabetic donors (DDs) is thought to adversely influence survival. We attempt to determine if adult OHT can be safely performed using selected DDs. Methods The United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) database was examined for adult OHT from 2000 to 2010. Results Of the 20,348 patients undergoing OHT, 496 (2.4%) were with DDs. DDs were older (39.6 vs 31.3 years; P P P P = .004) and more likely to have diabetes (18.9% vs 14.9%; P = .024). The 2 groups were evenly matched with regard to recipient male gender (78.0% vs 76.1%; P = .312), ischemic time (3.3 vs 3.2 hours; P = .191), human leukocyte antigen mismatches (4.7 vs 4.6; P = .483), and requirement of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) as a bridge to transplant (0.8% vs 0.5%; P = .382). Median survival was similar (3799 vs 3798 days; P = .172). On multivariate analysis, DD was not associated with mortality (hazard ratio [HR], 1.155; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.943-1.415; P = .164). As previously demonstrated, donor age, decreasing donor BMI, ischemic time, recipient creatinine, recipient black race, recipient diabetes, race mismatch, and mechanical ventilation or ECMO as a bridge to transplant were associated with mortality. On multivariate analysis of subgroups, neither insulin-dependent diabetes (1.173; 95% CI, 0.884-1.444; P = .268) nor duration of diabetes for more than 5 years (HR, 1.239; 95% CI, 0.914-1.016; P = .167) was associated with mortality. Conclusions OHT can be safely performed using selected DDs. Consensus criteria for acceptable cardiac donors can likely be revised to include selected DDs.
α-Interferon in myelofibrosis : a case report

A patient with advanced myeloid metaplasia was treated with alpha-interferon (29 months) with a remarkable response. He had anaemia, thrombocytopenia and hepatosplenomegaly with infarction. The initial bone marrow showed replacement with fibrosis with no evident haemopoietic cells. Post-therapy, the patient became asymptomatic, transfusion independent and had normal blood counts. The repeat bone marrow was 30% cellular with 1 + reticulin and no fibrosis. Treatment was well tolerated without appreciable side-effects. These results indicate that prolonged therapy with alpha-interferon can improve haemopoiesis and reverse marrow fibrosis.
Plate perforation by eroding rod projectiles

The penetration and perforation of stationary, oblique steel plates by hypervelocity tungsten-alloy projectilesisexamined here. Simulationshave been performed for L=D 10 projectilesagainst one- and twoplate target configurations. The plate thickness-to-rod diameter ratio t=D varied slightly, as did the plate spacing-to-plate thickness ratio tgap/t. For all simulations, t=DA½1:2; 1:6� and tgap=tA½0:7; 1� : Normalized line-of-sight perforation is one measure of performance, and archival test data are compared on this basis. The results presented reflect pre-impact aerodynamic pitch and yaw in the test data, but only pitch angle deviation in the numerical data. Simulation and test data are reasonably well correlated and the data suggest that a favorable pitch angle exists and may be related to impact geometry. By way of the numerical simulation, differences in perforation efficiency for one- and two-plate targets are noted and erosion mechanisms are explored. It is shown that projectile erosion between target plates depends, to an extent, upon plate spacing. Additionally, the data suggests that behind-plate residual erosion varies with the number of plates, decreasing as the number of plates increases. r 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.
THE RISKS OF CANCERS OF THE COLON AND RECTUM IN RELATION TO COFFEE CONSUMPTION

To assess whether recent coffee consumption is related to the incidence of large bowel cancer, the authors analyzed data from a multipurpose hospital-based case-control study of several cancers, conducted from 1978 to 1986 in Boston, Massachusetts, New York, New York, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and Baltimore, Maryland: 717 cases of colon cancer and 538 cases of rectal cancer were compared with 3,883 controls admitted for nonmalignant and malignant illnesses unrelated to coffee use. Relative risks were estimated by multiple logistic regression with allowance for age, sex, cigarette smoking, alcohol consumption, and several other potential confounding factors. Overall, relative to the consumption of one cup of coffee per day, the estimated relative risk of colon cancer for consumption of up to four cups per day in the period before admission was close to 1.0; for consumption of five or more cups per day, it was 0.6 (95% confidence interval 0.4-0.8). The results were consistent in men and women, and similar results were obtained whether the measure of consumption was use in the year before admission or use three years before admission. For rectal cancer, some relative risk estimates were elevated, particularly in men, but there was no consistent pattern of association, nor was there a trend of increasing risk with increasing consumption. The data suggest that recent coffee consumption is not related to an increased risks of large bowel cancer and that heavy coffee consumption may reduce the risk of colon cancer. A biologic rationale for such a reduction has not been established.
Function approximation via tile coding: automating parameter choice

Reinforcement learning (RL) is a powerful abstraction of sequential decision making that has an established theoretical foundation and has proven effective in a variety of small, simulated domains. The success of RL on real-world problems with large, often continuous state and action spaces hinges on effective function approximation. Of the many function approximation schemes proposed, tile coding strikes an empirically successful balance among representational power, computational cost, and ease of use and has been widely adopted in recent RL work. This paper demonstrates that the performance of tile coding is quite sensitive to parameterization. We present detailed experiments that isolate the effects of parameter choices and provide guidance to their setting. We further illustrate that no single parameterization achieves the best performance throughout the learning curve, and contribute an automated technique for adjusting tile-coding parameters online. Our experimental findings confirm the superiority of adaptive parameterization to fixed settings. This work aims to automate the choice of approximation scheme not only on a problem basis but also throughout the learning process, eliminating the need for a substantial tuning effort.
Sensory gating impairment associated with schizophrenia persists into REM sleep

Physiological measures of sensory gating are increasingly used to study biological factors associated with attentional dysfunction in psychiatric and neurologic patient populations. The present study was designed to assess sensory gating during rapid eye movement (REM) sleep in patients with schizophrenia, a population bearing a genetic load for gating impairment. Auditory event-related potentials (ERPs) were recorded in response to paired clicks during separate waking and overnight sleep recording sessions in controls and schizophrenia patients. Suppression of ERP component P50 was significantly impaired in the patient group during both waking and REM sleep, whereas the difference between groups for N100 gating was dependent on state. These results suggest that REM sleep is an appropriate state during which to assess P50 gating in order to disentangle the effects of state and trait on sensory gating impairment in other clinical populations.
Coupled alkali-feldspar dissolution and secondary mineral precipitation in batch systems: 1. New experiments at 200 °C and 300 bars

article Batch reactor experiments were conducted to assess perthitic alkali-feldspar dissolution and secondary mineral formation in an initially acidic fluid (pH=3.1) at 200 °C and 300 bars. Temporal evolution of fluid chemistry was monitored by major element analysis of in situ fluid samples. Solid reaction products were retrieved from two identical experiments terminated after 5 and 78 days. Scanning electron microscopy revealed dissolution features and significant secondary mineral coverage on feldspar surfaces. Boehmite and kaolinite were identified as secondary minerals by X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy. X- ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis of alkali-feldspar surfaces before and after reaction showed a trend of increasing Al/Si ratios and decreasing K/Al ratios with reaction progress, consistent with the formation of boehmite and kaolinite. Saturation indices of feldspars and secondary minerals suggest that albite dissolution occurred throughout the experiments, while K-feldspar exceeded saturation after 216 h of reaction. Reactions proceeded slowly and full equilibrium was not achieved, the relatively high temperature of the experiments notwithstanding. Thus, time series observations indicate continuous supersaturation with respect to boehmite and kaolinite, although the extent of this decreased with reaction progress as the driving force for albite dissolution decreased. The first experimental evidence of metastable co-existence of boehmite, kaolinite and alkali feldspar in the feldspar hydrolysis system is consistent with theoretical models of mineral dissolution/precipitation kinetics where the ratio of the secondary mineral precipitation rate constant to the rate constant of feldspar dissolution is well below unity. This has important implications for modeling the time-dependent evolution of feldspar dissolution and secondary mineral formation in natural systems.
A Smoothness Theorem for Invariant Fiber Bundles

Invariant fiber bundles are the generalization of invariant manifolds from discrete dynamical systems (mappings) to non-autonomous difference equations. In this paper we present a self-contained proof of their existence and smoothness. Our main result generalizes the so-called “Hadamard–Perron-Theorem” for time-dependent families of pseudo-hyperbolic mappings from the finite-dimensional invertible to the infinite-dimensional non-invertible case.
Heterogeneous Multicore SoC With SiP for Secure Multimedia Applications

A heterogeneous multicore system-on-chip (SoC) has been developed for high-definition (HD) multimedia applications that require secure DRM (digital rights management). The SoC integrates three types of processors: two specific-purpose accelerators for cipher and high-resolution video decoding; one general-purpose accelerator (MX); and three CPUs. This is how our SoC achieves high performance and low power consumption with hardware customized for video processing applications that process a large amount of data. To achieve secure data control, hardware memory management and software system virtualization are adopted. The security of the system is the result of the cooperation between the hardware and software on the system. Furthermore, a highly tamper-resistant system is provided on our SiP (System in a package), through DDR2 SDRAMs and a flash memory that contain confidential information in one package. This secure multimedia processor provides a solution to protect contents and to safely deliver secure sensitive information when processing billing transactions that involve digital content delivery. The SoC was implemented in a 90 nm generic CMOS technology.
Risks and benefits of anticoagulant and antiplatelet medication use before cataract surgery

Abstract Objective To estimate the risks and benefits associated with continuation of anticoagulants or antiplatelet medication use before cataract surgery. Design Prospective cohort study. Participants Patients 50 and older scheduled for 19,283 cataract surgeries at nine centers in the United States and Canada between June 1995 and June 1997. Intervention None. Main outcome measures Intraoperative and postoperative (within 7 days) retrobulbar hemorrhage, vitreous or choroidal hemorrhage, hyphema, transient ischemic attack (TIA), stroke, deep vein thrombosis, myocardial ischemia, and myocardial infarction. Results Before cataract surgery 24.2% and 4.0% of patients routinely used aspirin and warfarin, respectively. Among routine users, 22.5% of aspirin users and 28.3% of warfarin users discontinued these medications before surgery. The rates of stroke, TIA, or deep vein thrombosis were 1.5/1000 among those who did not use aspirin or warfarin and 3.8/1000 surgeries among routine users of aspirin and warfarin who continued their medication before surgery. The rate was 1 event per 1000 surgeries among those who discontinued aspirin use (relative risk=0.7, 95% confidence interval=0.1–5.9). There were no events among warfarin users who discontinued use. The rates of myocardial infarction or ischemia were 5.1/1000 surgeries (aspirin) and 7.6/1000 surgeries (warfarin) among routine continuous users and no different from those of routine users who discontinued use. Conclusions The risks of medical and ophthalmic events surrounding cataract surgery were so low that absolute differences in risk associated with changes in routine anticoagulant or antiplatelet use were minimal.
Comparison of Two Platelet Activation Markers Using Flow Cytometry After In Vitro Shear Stress Exposure of Whole Human Blood

Platelet activation is the initiating step to thromboembolic complications in blood-contacting medical devices. Currently, there are no widely accepted testing protocols or relevant metrics to assess platelet activation during the in vitro evaluation of new medical devices. In this article, two commonly used platelet activation marker antibodies, CD62P (platelet surface P-selectin) and PAC1 (activated GP IIb/IIIa), were evaluated using flow cytometry. Anticoagulant citrate dextrose solution A (ACDA) and heparin anticoagulated human blood from healthy donors were separately exposed to shear stresses of 0, 10, 15, and 20 Pa for 120 s using a cone-plate rheometer model, and immediately mixed with the platelet marker antibodies for analysis. To monitor for changes in platelet reactivity between donors and over time, blood samples were also evaluated after exposure to 0, 2, and 20 µM of adenosine diphosphate (ADP). Following ADP stimulation, the percentage of both CD62P and PAC1 positive platelets increased in a dose dependent fashion, even 8 h after the blood was collected. After shear stress stimulation, both CD62P and PAC1 positive platelets increased significantly at shear stress levels of 15 and 20 Pa when ACDA was used as the anticoagulant. However, for heparinized blood, the PAC1 positive platelets decreased with increasing shear stress, while the CD62P positive platelets increased. Besides the anticoagulant effect, the platelet staining buffer also impacted PAC1 response, but had little effect on CD62P positive platelets. These data suggest that CD62P is a more reliable marker compared with PAC1 for measuring shear-dependent platelet activation and it has the potential for use during in vitro medical device testing.
Enron: An In-Depth Analysis Of The Hedging Schemes

n the late 1990’s Enron held substantial investments in several high-tech companies. Many of these stocks soared in price after their initial public offering, which allowed Enron to report very large gains on its income statement. 1 However, the stocks could not be sold and the gains realized in cash because the investments were subject to lock-up agreements. 2 Enron’s Chief Financial Officer (CFO) and others realized it was likely these investments would experience significant drops in value before they could be sold, but the investments could not be hedged commercially. Therefore, the CFO designed transactions that would, from an accounting point of view, keep the anticipated losses out of Enron’s income statement.
A method of coupling the Paternò–Büchi reaction with direct infusion ESI-MS/MS for locating the CC bond in glycerophospholipids

Tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) coupled with soft ionization is established as an essential platform for lipid analysis; however, determining high order structural information, such as the carbon-carbon double bond (C[double bond, length as m-dash]C) location, remains challenging. Recently, our group demonstrated a method for sensitive and confident lipid C[double bond, length as m-dash]C location determination by coupling online the Paterno-Buchi (PB) reaction with nanoelectrospray ionization (nanoESI) and MS/MS. Herein, we aimed to expand the scope of the PB reaction for lipid analysis by enabling the reaction with infusion ESI-MS/MS at much higher flow rates than demonstrated in the nanoESI setup (∼20 nL min(-1)). In the new design, the PB reaction was effected in a fused silica capillary solution transfer line, which also served as a microflow UV reactor, prior to ESI. This setup allowed PB reaction optimization and kinetics studies. Under optimized conditions, a maximum of 50% PB reaction yield could be achieved for a standard glycerophosphocholine (PC) within 6 s of UV exposure over a wide flow rate range (0.1-10 μL min(-1)). A solvent composition of 7 : 3 acetone : H2O (with 1% acid or base modifier) allowed the highest PB yields and good lipid ionization, while lower yields were obtained with an addition of a variety of organic solvents. Radical induced lipid peroxidation was identified to induce undesirable side reactions, which could be effectively suppressed by eliminating trace oxygen in the solution via N2 purge. Finally, the utility of coupling the PB reaction with infusion ESI-MS/MS was demonstrated by analyzing a yeast polar lipid extract where C[double bond, length as m-dash]C bond locations were revealed for 35 glycerophospholipids (GPs).
The CARIBU gas catcher

Abstract The CARIBU upgrade of the ATLAS facility provides radioactive beams of neutron-rich isotopes for experiments at low and Coulomb barrier energies. It creates these beam using a large RF gas catcher that collects and cools fission fragments from an intense 252 Cf fission source and transforms them into a low-emittance monoenergetic beam. This beam can then be purified, reaccelerated and delivered to experiments. This technique is fast and universal, providing access to all fission fragment species independently of their chemical properties. The CARIBU gas catcher has been built to operate at high ionization density and in the presence of the contamination from the source. A brief overview of the CARIBU concept is given below, together with a more detailed description of the CARIBU gas catcher and the performance it has now achieved.
MicrobiomeGWAS: a tool for identifying host genetic variants associated with microbiome composition

The microbiome is the collection of all microbial genes and can be investigated by sequencing highly variable regions of 16S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) genes. Evidence suggests that environmental factors and host genetics may interact to impact human microbiome composition. Identifying host genetic variants associated with human microbiome composition not only provides clues for characterizing microbiome variation but also helps to elucidate biological mechanisms of genetic associations, prioritize genetic variants, and improve genetic risk prediction. Since a microbiota functions as a community, it is best characterized by beta diversity, that is, a pairwise distance matrix. We develop a statistical framework and a computationally efficient software package, microbiomeGWAS, for identifying host genetic variants associated with microbiome beta diversity with or without interacting with an environmental factor. We show that score statistics have positive skewness and kurtosis due to the dependent nature of the pairwise data, which makes P-value approximations based on asymptotic distributions unacceptably liberal. By correcting for skewness and kurtosis, we develop accurate P-value approximations, whose accuracy was verified by extensive simulations. We exemplify our methods by analyzing a set of 147 genotyped subjects with 16S rRNA microbiome profiles from non-malignant lung tissues. Correcting for skewness and kurtosis eliminated the dramatic deviation in the quantile-quantile plots. We provided preliminary evidence that six established lung cancer risk SNPs were collectively associated with microbiome composition for both unweighted (P=0.0032) and weighted (P=0.011) UniFrac distance matrices. In summary, our methods will facilitate analyzing large-scale genome-wide association studies of the human microbiome.
The Shear Strength Between Atomically Smooth Surfaces

As surfaces slide over one another, work is done by the forces causing the motion and energy is lost. Origins of this friction behavior can be very complex and are still scarcely understood in molecular terms. Adhesion, plowing and asperity deformation, heat-induced chemical reactions, viscoelastic response of a sbustrate, and still other influences, can all dominate depending on the physical system in question. Conceptually it is convenient to group these many possible origins of energy dissipation into three categories: elastic and plastic deformation of the underlying substgrates, wear (i.e. degradation of the surfaces and substrates during the course of sliding, and surface mechanical properties of the interface itself. In favorable model systems a substantial degree of separation is possible. This paper is concerned with separating the surface chemical contributions to boundary layer friction from the mechanical ones.
US Foreign Policy and the Iranian Revolution: The Cold War Dynamics of Engagement and Strategic Alliance

Revolutions, like hurricanes, come as a surprise and defy prediction in the course of their development. The Iranian Revolution reveals the truth of this principle. Public resentment against the la...
Considerations for the Use of Pyrethroid Insecticides for Deciduous Fruit Pest Control in the U.S.A.

Rationale are presented for the careful introduction of pyrethroid insecticides into decidous fruit pest control programs and more specifically apple IPM systems. Factors emphasized are the cost-benefits of current IPM programs, the stabilization of resistance development among pests and the adaptation to chemical stresses of several beneficial natural enemy species relative to currently used, organophosphorus-based insecticide programs.
Defects and Morphology of Homoepitaxial Diamond Films on Natural Nonplanar and Isotopically Pure Planar Substrates

We have carried out diamond deposition by microwave plasma-assisted chemical vapor deposition (MPCVD) on planar and nonplanar diamond substrates at temperatures between 850° and 2000° C. The nonplanar and planar substrates were the polished (100) surfaces of type la natural diamond anvils and isotopically pure (99.95% 12C) type IIa synthetic crystals, respectively. The extremely low level of lattice and optical defects in the isopure substrates relative to natural crystals makes them ideal for optical characterization and defect studies, as well as high performance optical and electronic applications [1]. The goals of this effort were to observe and compare the film morphology and defect incorporation as functions of the substrate’s (1) geometry, (2) type (defect density), and (3) temperature. The phase purity and defect structure of the films were analyzed by micro-Raman and low temperature photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy. Optical and atomic force microscopy (AFM) were used to examine the surface morphology of the films. High temperature growth on the nonplanar anvil tip was anisotropic and extremely rapid (50-400 µm/ hr), with significant incorporation of optically active defects. A possible model for the observed rapid growth is discussed. The films grown at lower temperatures on planar isopure substrates showed a dense array of oriented, stepped, square growth hillocks with penetration twins at their tops, while those grown at higher temperatures exhibited reasonably smooth, oriented macrosteps. The higher temperature planar films showed a larger variety of incorporated optical centers than the lower temperature films.
A plaque assay for myxoma virus infectivity.

SummaryA plaque method of assaying myxoma virus infectivity on SRK and RK monolayer cultures has been described. The validity of this method was established by the demonstration of a linear dose-re...
Exploring the Heteroatom Effect on Polyelectrolyte Multilayer Assembly: The Neglected Polyoniums

Different positive polyelectrolytes having the same charge density, molecular weight, and molecular weight distribution were employed for polyelectrolyte multilayer (PEMU) assembly. The polycations differed only in the heteroatom on which the positive charge resided: poly(vinyl benzyl trimethyl ammonium) chloride, poly(vinyl benzyl trimethyl phosphonium) chloride, and poly(vinyl benzyl dimethyl sulfonium) chloride. While the ammonium repeat unit has been employed on numerous occasions for PEMU assembly, the phosphonium and sulfonium units are relatively neglected. The polyanions, poly(styrene sulfonate), PSS, or poly(acrylic acid), PAA, were typical pH-independent or pH-dependent polymers, respectively. All three polyoniums were quite similar in showing linear layer-by-layer buildup with PSS and exponential growth with PAA, under the conditions employed. Hydration and wettability were also similar between polyoniums.
KARSTIC: a sensitivity method for carbonate aquifers in karst terrain

Groundwater in karstic aquifers can be dangerously sensitive to contamination. Many cities in the western USA rely on karstic carbonate aquifers for municipal water supplies. For example, Rapid City, South Dakota, pumps more than half of its drinking water from wells in the Madison Limestone. This work examined the sensitivity of karstic aquifers to surface contamination in mountainous terrain. Where karstic carbonate aquifers are exposed at their outcrop areas, they are particularly susceptible to the introduction of contamination through diffuse recharge or through point recharge at swallow holes along streams. Residential developments in mountainous regions of the western USA are encroaching on the recharge areas of karstic aquifers. Many of these residential developments are served by onsite wastewater disposal systems such as septic tanks and drain fields, with the attendant danger of introduction of pathogens from malfunctioning treatment systems above fractured limestone which offers little filtering. Where streams disappear into karstic aquifers at swallow holes, microbial contaminants such as Giardia or Cryptosporidium are a concern, as well as potential spills, leaks, or accidents along roads near these streams. The KARSTIC method developed and modified in this work puts greater emphasis on karst features than previous sensitivity procedures such as the US Environmental Protection Agency's DRASTIC method. The modified method gives increased attention to highly sensitive areas of karstic carbonate aquifers by weighting the synergistic effects of fracturing, karst development, and swallow holes of recharging streams. In a field application, hydrogeologic maps of a watershed in the Black Hills, USA, were digitized into a geographic information system. The resulting sensitivity map and report can be used by planners, managers, and the public as a screening tool for assessing groundwater sensitivity in regions which include karstic aquifers.
The Biological Activity in Vivo of Recombinant Murine Interleukin 1 in the Rat

The present study summarizes the biological response of rats to infusion with recombinant murine IL-1 (rIL-1) cloned in Escherichia coli. Thirty-seven male rats (135-180 g) were infused over a 6-hr period with either 0.008 M guanidine hydrochloride (the vehicle) or E. coli product (both groups are controls) or 1000, 3750, 7500, 15,000, or 37,500 LAF units/hr of rIL-1. The controls and the group receiving 1000 LAF units/hr of rIL-1 did not exhibit a change in body temperature during the experiment. A mild fever was noted with 3750 LAF units/hr which became significantly elevated with 7500 and 15,000 LAF units/hr. At a dose of 37,500 LAF units/hr of rIL-1 (in 0.08 M guanidine hydrochloride) the rats became hypothermic and died. An equivalent dose of guanidine hydrochloride alone (0.08 M) was not fatally toxic although the rats did become hypothermic. Plasma zinc levels were significantly depressed and white blood cell count elevated at 6 hr postinfusion onset. Resting energy expenditure (REE) was significantly depressed during an infusion of 7500 and 15,000 LAF units/hr of rIL-1 despite a concurrent elevation in body temperature. Whole-body leucine kinetics were unchanged by infusion with rIL-1. Plasma fibrinogen and serum haptoglobin and copper levels were not altered by rIL-1. In conclusion, murine rIL-1 is similar to monocytic-derived IL-1 in that it produces a fever, hypozincemia, and leukocytosis; however, rIL-1 does not induce changes in protein metabolism.
Selection for pyrethroid resistance in the German cockroach (Dictyoptera: Blattellidae).

A pyrethrins-susceptible and a pyrethrins-resistant strain of German cockroaches, Blattella germanica (L.), were selected with either permethrin or fenvalerate over several generations to determine if resistance would occur. Large nymphs were left on treated glass surfaces until about half were killed each generation. The level of resistance was determined periodically by time-mortality testing. The VPI-susceptible strain served as the basis for comparison. The pyrethrins-susceptible strain developed resistance to pyrethrins in six to seven generations with either selecting agent. This strain also showed resistance to allethrin when fenvalerate was the selecting agent. The pyrethrins-resistant strain developed resistance to allethrin with both selecting agents; in addition, resistance to permethrin, phenothrin, and fenvalerate developed when fenvalerate was used. The synergists piperonyl butoxide and MGK 264 (2-(2-ethylhexyl)-3a,4,7,7a-tetrahydro-4,7-methano-1H-isoindolel, e(2H)-dione) largely negated resistance to pyrethrins, but neither they nor the esterase inhibitor DEF (S, S, S tributyl phosphorotrithioate) were effective after development of resistance to allethrin. While resistance to pyrethroids can easily develop in this species, both the selecting agent and the previous history of resistance appear to have a bearing on how resistance develops.
A new simplified method of optimizing cardioplegic delivery without right heart isolation. Antegrade/retrograde blood cardioplegia.

We report our initial experience with antegrade/retrograde cardioplegia using a self-inflating/deflating balloon cannula that allows rapid transatrial retrograde cannulation of the coronary sinus (10 to 15 seconds) without right heart isolation and permits routine single venous cannulation. We subjected 141 consecutive adult patients and nine children to antegrade/retrograde cardioplegia using rapid transatrial insertion of the Retroplegia cannula (Research Medical, Inc., Salt Lake City, Utah). Single venous cannulation was used in 116 patients having coronary artery bypass grafting or aortic valve replacement, or both. Initial antegrade blood cardioplegia caused immediate arrest (
Can Apulia's olive trees be saved?

On 21 October 2013, the Italian phytosanitary service notified the European Commission (EC) that the plant pathogen Xylella fastidiosa had been detected in olive trees near Gallipoli, a tourist destination in Italy's southern region of Apulia ( 1 ). This xylem-limited bacterium is spread by insect vectors and causes disease in crops such as grapevines, citrus, coffee, and almond; various ornamentals; and trees such as oaks, elms, and sycamores. Because of the risks of X. fastidiosa being introduced, established, and spread throughout Europe, this species is a regulated quarantine pest. Yet, X. fastidiosa has been left unchecked and has marched northward, leaving destruction in its wake (see the photo) ( 2 ). The establishment of X. fastidiosa in Italy has been an agricultural, environmental, political, and cultural disaster.
O31-3 Evaluating the connexion between healthcare worker and patient safety using the care bond framework

Objectives We developed a conceptual framework, called the Care Bond (CareBond), to describe the relationship between healthcare worker and patient safety during the delivery of care and how psychosocial, work organisational and other occupational safety and health (OSH) factors can impact this relationship. We applied the framework in a population of home care (HC) aides in order to: 1) determine whether the CareBond could be measured quantitatively and 2) test the hypothesis that OSH factors can influence the CareBond. Methods We developed the CareBond framework based on our previous studies and a review of the scientific literature. We evaluated the CareBond using a questionnaire in a cross-sectional survey of HC aides. Questionnaire responses used to measure dimensions of the CareBond were analysed using Principal Components Analysis; impacts of OSH factors on the CareBond were evaluated using Poisson regression. Results 1,249 HC Aides completed the questionnaire and contributed information on 3,484 patient care visits. Three major dimensions of the CareBond were identified: HC worker safety, patient safety and collaboration. OSH conditions that weakened the CareBond included lack of equipment for patient mobility, prevalence ratio (PR) = 0.94; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.90, 0.99; experiencing slip, trip and falling hazards during the patient care visit (PR = 0.68; CI = 0.57, 0.81); presence of uncontrolled pets (PR = 0.78; CI = 0.64, 0.94); catching a patient while falling (PR = 0.94; CI = 0.87, 1.02); caring for a patient on home dialysis (PR = 0.70; CI = 0.52, 0.95); requirement of mopping the floors during the patient care visit (PR = 0.94; CI = 0.89, 1.00); and exposure to faeces (PR = 0.90; CI = 0.84, 0.97). Conclusions The CareBond is a promising framework for characterising and quantifying the connexion between HC worker and patient safety. Factors that weaken the CareBond can be targeted for preventive interventions to improve OSH and quality of care.
Field Deflection-Measurement Techniques and Finite-Element Simulation for Large-Diameter Steel Pipes with Controlled Low-Strength Material

AbstractDeflection measurements and finite-element simulation were conducted for buried steel pipes that had been installed using a staged construction technique. The pipes were mortar lined, with ...
Long-Term Effectiveness of the Question, Persuade, Refer (QPR) Suicide Prevention Gatekeeper Training Program: Lessons from Missouri

Suicide in Missouri is a significant public health issue that has taken the lives of 8351 individuals over the last decade. The recognition of suicide as an imminent concern has led to the development of evidence-based prevention programs to decrease suicide-related mortality. One program, question, persuade, refer (QPR), has become the most widely-distributed gatekeeper training program in the world. This article presents both immediate and 2-year follow-up analyses of QPR trainees who work with youth, specifically examining changes in knowledge, self-efficacy, and help-giving behaviors. Results indicate both short- and long-term positive outcomes in knowledge and self-efficacy, supporting use of QPR.