cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Patient Willingness to Be Seen by Physician Assistants, Nurse Practitioners, and Residents in the Emergency Department: Does the Presumption of Assent Have an Empirical Basis?

Physician assistants (PAs), nurse practitioners (NPs), and medical residents constitute an increasingly significant part of the American health care workforce, yet patient assent to be seen by nonphysicians is only presumed and seldom sought. In order to assess the willingness of patients to receive medical care provided by nonphysicians, we administered provider preference surveys to a random sample of patients attending three emergency departments (EDs). Concurrently, a survey was sent to a random selection of ED residents and PAs. All respondents were to assume the role of patient when presented with hypothetical clinical scenarios and standardized provider definitions. Despite presumptions to the contrary, ED patients are generally unwilling to be seen by PAs, NPs, and residents. While seldom asked in practice, 79.5% of patients fully expect to see a physician regardless of acuity or potential for cost savings by seeing another provider. Patients are more willing to see residents than nonphysicians.
Reduction of pulmonary toxicity of Stachybotrys chartarum spores by methanol extraction of mycotoxins

The fungus Stachybotrys chartarum has been implicated in cases of nonspecific indoor air quality complaints in adults and in cases of pulmonary hemorrhaging in infants. The effects that have been described have been attributed to mycotoxins. Previous dose-effect studies focused on exposure to a single mycotoxin in a solvent, a strategy which is unlikely to accurately characterize the effects of inhaled spores. In this study we examined the role of mycotoxins in the pulmonary effects caused by S. chartarum spores and the dose dependency of these effects. S. chartarum spores were extracted in methanol to reduce the mycotoxin content of the spores. Then either untreated (toxin-containing) or methanol-extracted S. chartarum spores were intratracheally instilled into male 10-week-old Charles River-Dawley rats. After 24 h, the lungs were lavaged, and the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid was analyzed to determine differences in lactic dehydrogenase, albumin, hemoglobin, myeloperoxidase, and leukocyte differential counts. Weight change was also monitored. Our data show that methanol extraction dramatically reduced the toxicity of S. chartarum spores. No statistically significant effects were observed in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluids of the animals that were treated with methanol-extracted spores at any dose. Conversely, dose-dependent effects of the toxin-containing spores were observed when we examined the lactic dehydrogenase, albumin, and hemoglobin concentrations, the polymorphonuclear leukocyte counts, and weight loss. Our findings show that a single, intense exposure to toxin-containing S. chartarum spores results in pulmonary inflammation and injury in a dose-dependent manner. Importantly, the effects are related to methanol-soluble toxins in the spores.
Accelerated soil mineralization, nitrification, and revegetation of abandoned fields due to the removal of crop-soil phytotoxicity.

In an abandoned corn field, clear-cutting of crop vegetation increased the productivity, species richness, and nonannuals in the following years after abandonment, as compared to the control plots from which crop vegetation was not removed. The increase in plant growth was apparently due to the elimination of allelopathic chemicals from the soil, which normally are released from the standing crop. Removal of vegetation also increased the soil mineralization of Ca2+, Mg2+, K+, NH4+ and NO3−-N. This situation encouraged species having higher mineral requirements to rapidly invade the fields in the successive years. Clear-cutting also increased the nitrification process by removing the inhibitors of nitrification. The number ofNitrosomonas was always significantly higher in the harvested plots as compared to unharvested plots. Phenolic phytotoxins were isolated from the crop residue and soil. Further, these phytotoxins were significantly higher in the unharvested crops as compared to clear-cut plots, in most samples. Whatever the direct or indirect additional explanation for increased biomass, nonannuals and richness in successive years, it is clear that the removal of standing crop has a definite influence.
An experimental and analytical investigation of uncovered core heat transfer under high pressure, low heat flux conditions

Abstract Experimental and analytical results are reported from two series of high pressure core uncovering experiments. It was determined that the uncovered core is cooled primarily by convection and radiation to dry steam and that droplets are confined to the immediate vicinity of the mixture level. Spacer grids substantially increased heat transfer at and downstream of the grid. A simple heat transfer model is presented which accurately predicts uncovered core heat transfer at modified wall Reynolds numbers greater than 2000. Results are expected to be use in modelling small break loss of coolant accidents.
Physiological color change in squid iridophores. I: Behavior, morphology and pharmacology in Lolliguncula brevis

Cephalopods generally are thought to have only static iridophores, but this report provides qualitative and quantitative evidence for active control of certain iridescent cells in the dermis of the squidLolliguncula brevis. In vivo observations indicate the expression of iridescence to be linked to agonistic or reproductive behavior. The neuromodulator acetylcholine (ACh) induced dramatic optical changes in active iridophores in vitro, whereas ACh had little effect on passive iridophores elsewhere in the mantle skin. Bath application of physiological concentrations of ACh (10-7M to 10-6M) to excised dermal skin layers transformed the active iridophores from a non-reflective diffuse blue to brightly iridescent colors, and this reaction was reversible and repeatable. The speed of change to iridescent in vitro corresponded well to the speed of changes in the living animal. Pharmacological results indicate the presence of muscarinic receptors in this system and that Ca++ is a mediator for the observed changes. Although ACh is present in physiological quantities in the dermal iridophore layer, it is possible that ACh release is not controlled directly by the nervous system because electrophysiological stimulation of major nerves in the periphery resulted in no iridescence inL. brevis; nor did silver staining or transmission electron microscopy reveal neuronal elements in the iridophore layer. Thus, active iridophores may be controlled by ACh acting as a hormone.
Development of the amphibian pineal organ; cell proliferation and migration.

The development of the pineal organ in the newt Taricha torosa has been studied utilizing cell counts and radioautography following single injections of tritiated thymidine. Embryos injected two weeks before hatching (series I) demonstrated a grain distribution pattern in the pineal organ and its underlying proliferation zone characteristic of continuous availability of isotope. Larvae injected at hatching (series II) or two weeks after hatching (series III) displayed the expected pulse label pattern for these same regions. With the possible exception of some mitosis insituin the youngest organs, pineal cells originate from a mitotically active cell population which comprises the pineal proliferation zone. After cell division some daughter cells migrate into the pineal organ, moving into the posterior part of the organ during the prehatching period, while from hatching onward the predominant migration is into the anterior part of the organ. Both the pineal photoreceptors and supportive cells arise in this manner with labeled cells of both types found in all three series, but in decreasing numbers from the youngest to the oldest series. Cell counts disclose an approximate ten-fold increase in the number of cells within the pineal organ from embryonic to adult stages, but the rate of cell addition slows with increasing age. Both photoreceptors and supportive cells show this increase in number with the photoreceptor population being maintained at a constant 14%-18% of the total pineal population over this entire five-year period.
Age-related changes in the iron spin state of testosterone-binding rat liver microsomal cytochromes P-450

The aging process is accompanied by decreased drug metabolism as well as lower levels of sex hormones such as testosterone. We examined the age-dependence of liver microsomal cytochromes P-450 from young (3 months) and old (24 months) male rats by absorption and ESR spectroscopy. Spectral perturbations by testosterone were used to identify testosterone-specific P-450 forms. Absorption difference spectra indicated that testosterone induced a greater conversion of P-450 to the high spin form in young rats than in old rats. ESR signals corresponding to total low spin P-450 were of higher intensity in the young rats and were increased by testosterone. Testosterone also interconverted one low spin P-450 species to another. These results demonstrate age-related differences in the types and amounts of testosterone-specific P-450's in rats.
CYTOTOXIC, ANTIVIRAL INDOLOCARBAZOLES FROM A BLUE-GREEN ALGA BELONGING TO THE NOSTOCACEAE

6-Cyano-5-methoxy-12-methylindolo[2,3-alpha]carbazole and 6-cyano-5-methoxyindolo[2,3-alpha]carbazole are responsible for most of the cytotoxicity and antiviral activity associated with the blue-green alga Nostoc sphaericum EX-5-1. The compounds are active against HSV II and show weak cytotoxicity against KB and LoVo human carcinoma cell lines.
The combined effect of pressure and oxygen concentration on piloted ignition of a solid combustible

Abstract There are a number of situations when fires may occur at low pressures and oxygen concentrations that are different than standard atmospheric conditions, such as in buildings at high elevation, airplanes, and spacecraft. The flammability of materials may be affected by these environmental conditions. Since ignition delay is a measure of material flammability and directly influences whether a fire will occur, experiments were conducted to assess the variation of the ignition delay of PMMA in sub-atmospheric pressures and elevated oxygen concentrations. Three sets of experiments were performed at different pressures and in air, in an atmosphere having 30% oxygen/70% nitrogen by volume, and in a “normoxic” atmosphere (constant oxygen partial pressure). It was observed that as the pressure is reduced, the ignition time decreased, reached a minimum, and then increased until ignition did not occur. Several mechanisms were considered to explain the “U-shaped” dependence of ignition time on pressure, and three regimes were identified each having a different controlling mechanism: the transport regime where the ignition delay is controlled by changes in convection heat losses and critical mass flux for ignition; the chemical kinetic regime where the ignition delay is controlled by gas-phase chemical kinetics; and an overlap region where both the transport and chemistry effects are seen. The results provide further insight about the effect of the environmental conditions on the flammability of materials, and guidance about fire safety in low pressure environments.
WATIN—A COMPUTER PROGRAM FOR GENERATING INPUT FILES FOR WATEQF

Abstract. WATIN is a FORTRAN 77 program for creating and modifying input files of analytical data for WATEQF, the aqueous geochemical speciation/saturation model. WATIN uses menus to display information about the data file and to accept new information from the user. In addition to providing basic editing functions, WATIN provides default values for WATEQF parameters and checks for errors and inconsistencies in the data file. WATIN simplifies and streamlines access to WATEQF for both researchers and students, and along with WATEQF, can be an important part of a geochemical data analysis system.
Correlation of Systemic and Developmental Toxicities with Chemical Component Classes of Refinery Streams

Correlation of Systemic and Developmental Toxicities with Chemical Component Classes of Refinery Streams. Feuston, M. H., Low, L. K., Hamilton, C. E., and Mackerer, C. R. (1994). Fundam. Appl. Toxicol. 22, 622-630. Refinery streams are complex mixtures, but of a relatively few homologous series of hydrocarbons (paraffins, olefins, naphthenics, and aromatics). Studies were performed to determine if systemic and developmental toxicity were related to the presence and levels of certain classes of refinery stream components. We have performed systemic toxicology studies in the rat on 13 refinery streams: Clarified Slurry Oil, Coker Light Gas Oil, Distillate Aromatic Extract, Heavy Atmospheric Gas Oil, Heavy Coker Gas Oil (from three refineries), Heavy Vacuum Gas Oil, Light Catalytically Cracked Naphtha, Light Cycle Oil, Syntower Bottoms, Vacuum Tower Overhead, and Visbreaker Gas Oil. Rats were exposed via repeated dermal administration (daily) at several dose levels. Developmental toxicology studies were performed on these same streams with the following exceptions: only two Heavy Coker Gas Oils were tested and Visbreaker Gas Oil was not tested. End points for systemic toxicity (13-week) studies included skin irritation, body and organ weights, hematology, and serum chemistry; for developmental toxicity studies some of these same end points (excluding hematology) were considered, but they also included resorption and fetal body weight. In general, toxicity was correlated with concentrations of polycyclic aromatic compounds (PAC) composed of 3, 4, 5, 6, and/or 7 rings (decreased thymus weight, increased liver weight, aberrant hematology and serum chemistry, increased incidence of resorption, decreased fetal body weight), PAC containing nonbasic nitrogen heteroatoms (increased mortality, decreased body weight, decreased thymus weight, increased liver weight, decreased hemoglobin content and hematocrit level, decreased fetal body weight), and/or PAC containing sulfur heteroatoms (decreased red blood cell and platelet counts, increased sorbitol dehydrogenase.) A relationship between 2-ring PAC and skin irritation was demonstrated. Severity of effect was ranked against concentration of component class and statistical significance determined by the rank-order correlation of Spearman. For the 13 streams tested, the presence and severity of systemic and developmental toxicity were dependent upon the levels of PAC and nonbasic nitrogen PAC. These classes of compounds are also believed to be major contributors to the dermal carcinogenic activity of crude oils, certain refinery streams, and poorly refined lube oils.
On Geosynclinal Nomenclature

The geosynclines of North America were a subject of study and classification by the writer some twenty years ago. In the succeeding years, field studies have been directed toward solving some of the problems that appeared. The following is written to bring out the reasons why geologists from different regions, having differing experiences, reach conflicting opinions about relationships and terminology, and the history of the origin of some of the terminology has not been published previously.
President's page: The American College of Cardiology and National Health Policy

I used to be a physician whose only role was to take care of patients, teach cardiology and occasionally develop some new information in the cardiovascular area. I had little interest in or knowledge of national health policy and the organizations or individuals who were responsible for the formulation of policy. I no longer have the luxury of ignoring this issue. I have spent the last year as ACC President-Elect and the current year as President learning as much as 1 can about this complex subject. I suspect that many of you are as confused as I once was. During my initiation period, I found it useful to refer to a glossary of terms and acronyms that are used frequently by Congress, the Administration and the various agencies and organizations that are influential in shaping policy. Perhaps you will find these useful when reading publications about health care policy, federal health programs and third party reimbursement. What follows is aglossary reference that the ACC staff helped me prepare. Included are the most common abbreviations, their English translation and a brief description of issues associated with the listing. Also provided are the names and titles of several individuals who are frequently in the news in relation to health policy.
Terahertz Active Direct Detection Imagers

ABSTRACT We discuss several tradeoffs presented in the design of active imaging systems for the 100 to 1000 GHz frequency range, describe how we have addressed them in the design of a scanning, 95 GHz, bolometer-based imager for concealed weapons detection that is nearing completion, and describe how the system architecture can be modified to scale the operating fr equency to the 650 GHz atmospheric window. Keywords: Array, bolometer, concealed weapons, imaging, millimeter-wave, terahertz 1. INTRODUCTION Considerable interest has developed rece ntly in terahertz frequency imaging fo r applications in homeland security and defense 1 . While some applications are suitable for techniques such as time-domain spectroscopy, which are best adapted for small targets at close range, we focus here on systems operating with substan tial standoff distances (> 1 m) and substantial fields-of-view (> 1 m diameter). Much of the recent interest in terahertz imaging derives from the substantial prior work on mm-wave imagers. For several years we have worked to develop an active mm-wave imaging system, described in the prior years of this conference
Longitudinal field investigation of the moderating and mediating effects of self-efficacy on the relationship between training and newcomer adjustment

A longitudinal field study examined the moderating and mediating effects of self-efficacy on the relationship between training and the adjustment of newcomers during their 1st year of employment. The results provided some support for the hypothesis that initial self-efficacy moderates the relationship between training and adjustment. Training was more strongly related to posttraining self-efficacy, ability to cope, job performance, and intention to quit the profession for newcomers with low levels of initial self-efficacy mediates the relationship between training and adjustment; however, evidence of complete mediation was found only for ability to cope. Posttraining self-efficacy partially mediated the relationships between training and job satisfaction, organizational and professional commitment, and intention to quit the organization and the profession. Research and practical implications of these findings for the training and the socialization of newcomers are discussed.
Ethanol reinforced behavior assessed with a concurrent schedule.

Abstract Oral ethanol (5% v/v) reinforced responding was studied in three rats using a concurrent fixed ratio (FR) schedule with water available at second lever. First, concurrent (FR8 FR8) responding on both levers for water presentation was established. Then a concurrent (FR8 FR8) water-ethanol presentation schedule was introduced and a food ration was placed in the chamber at the beginning of the session. Within 12 sessions, ethanol responding developed and within-session feeding was discontinued. When stable concurrent water-ethanol performance was achieved, average ethanol responding was 11 times greater than water responding, even when ethanol availability switched from one lever to the other. During the one hour session, in some cases, sufficient ethanol was ingested to produce blood ethanol levels between 30 and 50 mg/100 ml. As the ethanol FR requirement was increased for four sessions each to FR10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 40 and 50, rats continued to respond for ethanol, and in some rats, ethanol preference was maintained even when the ethanol FR was 50 while the water FR remained at 8.
Ultra High Data Rate Digital Recording

The efficient use of recording media in a magnetic recorder is the goal of advanced development efforts in longitudinal digital recording at RCA. The rotating head transverse scan (quadraplex) equipments utilized in broadcast television and wideband (4-15 mHz) instrumentation applications provide a prime example of the efficiency possible. The transverse scan equipments conforming to ASA standard C98.6 (1965) half track tape format record a 5.0 mil track with a 2.8 mil guardband which yields 128 tracks per inch of tape. When operating at 25 KBPI in-track packing density, these equipments obtain an area packing density of 3.2x106 bits per square inch. IRIG standard multi-track fixed head equipments conversely yield an area packing density of .07x106 bits per square inch when operating at the same 25 KBPI but only 28 tracks per inch.© (1973) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Self-Rated Adjustment and Sex-Typing on the Bem Sex-Role Inventory: Is Masculinity the Primary Predictor of Adjustment?.

Questions concerning the relationship between self-rated adjustment and the Bem Sex-Role Inventory (BSRI) were examined in two studies. In Study I, whether sex-typing was defined by Bem's original t-test criterion or the newer median-split criterion, superior adjustment was associated with androgynous vs. traditional typing only among women, not men. Also in conflict with the androgyny position, adjustment differences among sex-types were accounted for by differences in masculinity, not in femininity or androgyny per se. The greater contribution of masculinity vs. femininity to self-rated adjustment may be exaggerated because BSRI femininity includes items which do not load on a unidimensional femininity factor. In Study II, inspection of these unrelated items suggested that they reduce the desirability of BSRI femininity, thereby reducing its relationship to adjustment. Comparisons between standard BSRI scoring and an alternative based on unidimensional subscales revealed that the alternative femininity subscale was judged to be more desirable, and it reduced the degree of difference between masculinity and femininity in their relationships to adjustment. Superior adjustment, however, was again associated with androgynous vs. traditional sex-typing only among women, and adjustment differences among sex-types were again accounted for by differences in masculinity.
Axillary hyperhidrosis: Treatment with botulinum toxin A

Hyperhidrosis can be emotionally challenging and socially and professionally disruptive, and there are few effective treatments. This condition was successfully treated with botulinum toxin in two men who, since their early teens, had had excessive axillary sweating, requiring frequent shirt changes. They received bilateral axillary injections with 100 units of botulinum toxin type A, and within 5 days reported cessation of excessive sweating. Quantitative measurements before and 2 to 4 weeks after the injections demonstrated an average reduction of 71% and 76% (from 11.6 to 3.4 and from 2.5 to 0.6 mL/min m2) in axillary sweating during rest. A 96% reduction (from 42.9 to 1.7 mL/min m2) was seen in one patient during mental stress. No complications developed. This study quantitates the reduced axillary sweating achieved through chemodenervation with botulinum toxin A.
Novelty, Complexity, and Importance as Causal Determinants of Industrial Buyer Behavior

To successfully market their products, industrial vendors must determine who participates in an organizational purchase decision and what their influence is. Previous research has shown that partic...
What do adolescents exposed to Alcoholics Anonymous think about 12-step groups?

Abstract Objectives: Referral to Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) and Narcotics Anonymous (NA) is a common continuing care recommendation. Evidence suggests some youth benefit, yet, despite referrals, youth participation is low. Little is known about adolescents' experiences of AA/NA. Greater knowledge would inform and help tailor aftercare recommendations. Method: Two clinical samples of youth (N = 74 and N = 377) were asked about their perceptions of, and experiences with, AA/NA with responses categorized by content into domains assessed for face validity and reliability. Results: The aspects of AA/NA youth liked best were general group dynamic processes related to universality, support, and instillation of hope. The most common reason for discontinuing was boredom/lack of fit. Conclusions: General group-therapeutic, and not 12-step-specific, factors are most valued by youth during early stages of recovery and/or degree of AA/NA exposure. Many youth discontinue due to a perceived lack of fit, suggesting a mism...
The effects of shared ATM networks on the efficiency of Turkish banks

This study investigates whether forming shared ATM networks has yielded positive benefits for banks in Turkey by increasing their productive efficiency. Using a Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) approach, pure technical and scale efficiency scores of Turkish banks are estimated and analysed for the period 2000–2003. The results suggest that although it is possible to realize positive effects through ATM sharing arrangements, there are multiple factors that determine which banks realize such benefits. The geographical distribution of shared ATMs between urban and rural markets and the level of competition between banks within urban areas are shown to be important determinants of differences in bank efficiency. This discrepancy between the gains associated with ATM sharing may have important implications concerning the adoption and sharing of new technology by banks in developing countries.
Relative inability of mother and child to convert phenylalanine to tryosine—A possible cause of nonspecific mental retardation☆

Abstract In order to test the hypothesis that hereditary deficiencies in nonessential amino acid synthesis might be an important basis of mental retardation, we looked for associated heterozygosity for phenyketonuria in mother-child pairs among 18 families with nonspecific mental retardation. Although no evidence of phenylketonuria exists in any of these families, 6 showed such association. This represents approximately 30 times chance association and suggests that heterozygosity for phenylketonuria may play a major role in the prenatal development of nonspecific mental retardation.
Distributed cognitive spectrum sensing via group sparse total least-squares

Dynamic re-use of licensed bands under the hierarchical spectrum access paradigm calls for innovative network-level sensing algorithms for spectrum opportunity awareness in the frequency, time, and space dimensions. Toward this direction, the present paper develops a distributed spectrum sensing algorithm whereby cognitive radios (CRs) cooperate to localize active primary user (PU) transmitters, and estimate their transmit-power spectral densities. The sensing scheme relies on a parsimonious linear system model that accounts for two forms of sparsity: one due to the narrow-band nature of PU transmissions compared to the large swath of monitored frequencies; and another one emerging when employing a spatial grid of candidate PU locations. Capitalizing on this dual sparsity, and combining the merits of Lasso, group Lasso, and total least-squares (TLS), a group sparse (GS) TLS problem is formulated to obtain hierarchically-sparse model estimates, and cope with model uncertainty induced by channel randomness, and grid-induced model offsets. The GS-TLS problem is collaboratively solved by the CRs in a distributed fashion, using only local message exchanges among neighboring nodes. In spite of the non-convexity of the GS-TLS criterion, the novel distributed algorithm has guaranteed convergence to (at least) a locally optimal solution. The analytical findings are corroborated by numerical tests.
Origins of the Ceboidea viewed from an immunological perspective

Abstract Ceboid origins were reviewed from the standpoint of immunodiffusion systematics. Computer processing of spur size data from several thousand trefoil Ouchterlony plate comparisons using rabbit antisera to proteins of various primate, tree shrew and elephant shrew species depicted antigenic distances among the various species. A least squares procedure (executed by a new computer program AJUST) corrected for nonreciprocity in the raw antigenic distance matrix. Another computer program (UWPGM) then produced a cladogram from the normalized antigenic distance matrix. Within the cladogram, tree shrews are closer to undisputed primates than to non-primates. The undisputed primates appear as a monophyletic assemblage, consisting of two major lineages: the Strepsirhini, including lorisoid and lemuroid branches, and the Haplorhini. Haplorhini divides into a tarsioid branch and Anthropoidea. The latter consists of two sister groups, Catarrhini (Hominoidea and Cercopithecoidea) and Platyrrhini (Ceboidea). Thus, this cladogram supports those hypotheses of ceboid origins which depict the phyletic line ancestral to the extant Anthropoidea as first separating from strepsirhine and tarsioid lineages before splitting apart into Platyrrhini and Catarrhini. Present evidence does not reveal if the most recent common ancestor of platyrrhines and catarrhines was morphologically still a prosimian or if it existed late enough in the Tertiary to have reached the simian grade.
Long-Term Effects of Creativity Training with Middle School Students:

The effectiveness of a creativity-training program was investigated. Two matched eighth-grade classes of high-ability students (N = 48) were chosen for the study. The experimental group spent three...
Tripodal pyrene chromophores for semiconductor sensitization: new footprint design

Abstract Large footprint tripodal linkers for metal oxide nanoparticle sensitization, substituted with pyrene as the dye, and three COOR binding groups in para or meta position, were prepared to study the effect of the anchoring group position and of the footprint size on the sensitization processes. Two tripods based on tetraphenylsilane, (1-pyrenyl-4-ethynyl-phenyl)-tris(4-carbomethoxyphenyl-4-ethynyl-phenyl)silane, and (1-pyrenyl-4-ethynyl-phenyl)-tris(4-(4-methoxybenzyloxycarbonyl)phenyl-4-ethynyl-phenyl)silane, decomposed during hydrolysis, while the tetraphenyladamantane derivative, 1-(1-pyrenyl-4-ethynyl-phenyl)-3,5,7-(3-carbomethoxyphenyl-4-ethynyl-phenyl)adamantane, was chemically stable and was readily converted into the corresponding acid and bound to TiO 2 films. The FT-IR-ATR spectrum of 1-(1-pyrenyl- p -ethynyl-phenyl)-3,5,7-(3-carboxyphenyl-4-ethynyl-phenyl)adamantane bound to TiO 2 nanoparticles showed bands characteristic of carboxylate bidentate bonds. The UV–vis absorption and fluorescence emission in THF solution at room temperature were typical of pyrenes substituted with oligophenyleneethynylene linkers.
Microbial treatment of sour gases for the removal and oxidation of hydrogen sulphide

Abstract It has been demonstrated that the bacterium Thiobacillus denitrificans may be readily cultured aerobically and anaerobically in batch and continuous cultures on hydrogen sulphide (H2S) gas under sulphide-limiting conditions. Under these conditions sulphide concentrations in the culture medium were less than 1 μM resulting in very low concentrations of H2S in the reactor outlet gas. The stoichiometries of both the aerobic and anaerobic reactions were determined and stable reactor operation demonstrated for up to five months. Maximum loading of the biomass was determined to be 5.4–7.6 mmoles H2S/h-g biomass under anaerobic conditions and 15.1–20.9 mmoles H2S/h-g biomass under aerobic conditions. Indicators of reactor upset were determined and recovery from upset demonstrated. Heterotrophic contamination was shown to have negligible effect on reactor performance with respect to hydrogen sulphide oxidation. In fact, growth of T. denitrificans in the presence of floc-forming heterotrophs produced a hydrogen sulphide active floc with excellent settling characteristics. A case study of the application of this technology to the removal and oxidation of H2S from biogas is presented.
Linear cyclic correlation approaches for blind identification of FIR channels

Blind fractionally spaced equalizers rely on output only samples taken at a rate higher than the symbol rate in order to estimate the channel taps. Simple methods for mixed phase FIR channel identification are developed by solving a linear system of equations formed by sample cyclic correlations of the received oversampled data sequence. In addition to computational simplicity over existing multivariate alternatives, the resulting linear algorithm is easily modified to yield asymptotically minimum variance weighted least squares channel estimators. A "deterministic" approach is also developed which requires only persistently exciting inputs and leads to closed form data based solutions. Comparisons and tools for performance analysis are also described. >
Identification and cloning of novel genes involved in epigenetic modifications in a non-human primate model of obesity

MODIFICATIONS IN A NON-HUMAN PRIMATE MODEL OF OBESITY KJERSTI AAGAARD-TILLERY (F), XINGRAO KE, ROBERT MCKNIGHT, WARE BRANCH, ROBERT SILVER, KEVIN GROVE, ROBERT LANE, University of Utah, Obstetrics and Gynecology, Salt Lake City, Utah, University of Utah, Division of Neonatology, Salt Lake City, Utah, Oregon Health & Science University, ONPRC Research Neuro, Portland, Oregon OBJECTIVE: We have previously demonstrated that maternal obesity affects fetal epigenetic determinants of chromatin structure in the primate fetal liver, such as acetylation of histone H3. Histone acetylation is a heritable form of epigenetic modification which alters gene expression. We hypothesized that chromatin immunopreciptation (ChIP) using antibodies to acetylated H3 would identify genes that enable the fetal liver to adapt to the altered millieu of maternal obesity. STUDY DESIGN: Pregnant macaques were fed a high-fat or control diet for two successive years, rendering maternal obesity in the absence of overt diabetes. On day 136 (term, 167 days) the infant macaques were delivered by cesarean and sacrificed. Liver tissue from the offspring of control (n=3) and obese (n=4) animals was harvested. ChIP with an antibody directed against a known epigenetically modified motif (acetylated H3 at Lys14) was used to isolate chromatin. DNA was extracted and subjected to degenerate differentialdisplay PCR, vector-based cloning, sequencing, and identification against a genomic database. 60 clones were identified. Corresponding cDNA’s of genes of interest were then cloned. mRNA was quantified with real-time RT-PCR, and DNA methylation was determined by bisulfite sequencing. RESULTS: Of specific interest to our phenotype, four genes were identified and further characterized: GPT2 (an alanine aminotransferase), DNAJA2 (an integral Hsp70 cochaperone), Rdh12 (retinol dehydrogenase 12), and NPAS2 (neuronal pas-domain 2, a member of the basic helix-loop-helix family of transcription factors which comprises the core apparatus regulating circadian rhythm, appetite satiety, and the metabolic response). CONCLUSION: We have identified and cloned fetal genes whose DNAhistone contacts are altered by maternal obesity. Each of these genes regulates key metabolic pathways or the CNS-mediated influence of these pathways. We speculate that in utero exposure to a high-fat diet results in a reprogramming of fetal gene expression by altering modifications to chromatin.
Optical properties of zinc-blende semiconductor alloys: Effects of epitaxial strain and atomic ordering.

Spontaneous ordering of III-V alloys is known to cause a band-gap reduction \ensuremath{\Vert}\ensuremath{\Delta}${\mathit{E}}_{\mathit{g}}$\ensuremath{\Vert} and a splitting \ensuremath{\Delta}${\mathit{E}}_{12}$ of the valence-band maximum. Strain also leads to a valence-band splitting and, depending on the sign of the strain \ensuremath{\epsilon}, to an increase (for \ensuremath{\epsilon}0) or decrease (for \ensuremath{\epsilon}g0) in the band gap. We present a general theory explaining how the strain produced by lattice mismatch with the substrate interacts with ordering effects. We find for (001) strain and (111) ``CuPt'' ordering that (i) atomic ordering removes the cusp in the band gap vs strain curve of random alloys; (ii) epitaxial strain always leads to an increase in the ordering-induced valence-band splitting \ensuremath{\Delta}${\mathit{E}}_{12}$; (iii) atomic ordering reduces the slope of \ensuremath{\Delta}${\mathit{E}}_{12}$ vs strain; (iv) while (a) strain, (b) ordering, and (c) clustering can all lead to a band-gap reduction, we show here that the three effects can be partially distinguished on the basis of a \ensuremath{\Delta}${\mathit{E}}_{12}$ vs \ensuremath{\Vert}\ensuremath{\Delta}${\mathit{E}}_{\mathit{g}}$\ensuremath{\Vert} plot; (v) the wave-function type at the valence-band maximum (VBM) (and, hence, the cause of the splitting) can be further determined by measuring the polarization dependence of the intensities of the transitions between the VBM split components and the conduction-band minimum; (vi) we predict that ordering can significantly enhance the degree of spin polarization of photoelectrons emitted from the VBM. Ordered III-V alloys can thus be used as a good polarized electron source. These general results open avenues of band-gap engineering by combining epitaxial strain with atomic ordering. Specific experimentally testable predictions are presented.
Optimum mirror shapes and supports for light weight mirrors subjected to self-weight

A parametric design study of light weight mirror shapes with various support conditions was performed utilizing the finite element program NASTRAN. Improvements in the mirror performance were made based on the following design criteria: (1) minimization of the optical surface wavefront variations, (2) minimization of the self-weight directly related to cost of manufacturing, and (3) optimal location of support points. A preprocessor to automatically generate a finite element model for each mirror geometry was developed in order to obtain the structural deformations systematically. Additionally, a postprocessor, which prepares an input data file for FRINGE (an optical computer code) was developed for generating the optical deflections that lead to the surface wavefront variations. Procedures and modeling techniques to achieve the optimum (the lightest and stiffest mirror shape due to self-weight) are addressed.
Prediction of stable crack growth in surface cracked plate of Aluminum 7050 alloy

To simulate stable crack growth, three-dimensional finite element analysis using the constant Crack Tip Opening Angle (CTOA) fracture criterion was performed for a thin plate made of Aluminum 7050 alloy. The critical CTOA value was experimentally obtained by the Rubber Impression Method, which directly measures the three-dimensional crack profiles by inserting the gel-state silicon rubber into the crack, and taking out the solid-state rubber later. From the microscopic observation from the broken specimen, it was found that, as the crack extends, the amount of crack growth near the free surface is more than that in the depth/thickness direction, which creates the special tunneling, e.g., canoe-shaped crack extension. For the numerical simulation, the surface-cracked plate was analyzed by quasi-static elastic-plastic finite strain analysis with the node release and the reloading technique. Consistent with experimental observations, numerical simulation with constant CTOA fracture criteria produced tunneling of a surface crack, but the shape of the crack front deviated from the experimental crack front as the free surface was approached. To address the local crack tip constraint effect on the stable crack growth, various fracture parameters - crack tip triaxiality, equivalent plastic strain, and void growth ratio as the crack extends – were also investigated.
Strategies for Managing Cytomegalovirus in Transplant Recipients

Importance of the field: Cytomegalovirus (CMV) is the most important pathogen that affects transplant recipients, by directly causing clinical disease and by indirectly reducing patient and allograft survival.Areas covered in this review: This review provides a brief overview of the direct and indirect effects of CMV disease and the traditional and newly described factors that increase the risk of disease after transplantation. Newly acquired data in the diagnostics, prevention and treatment of CMV infection are discussed, with emphasis on guidelines for management as recently endorsed by the American Society of Transplantation and the Transplantation Society.What the reader will gain: The reader will gain up-to-date insights into the contemporary management of CMV after solid organ transplantation. Practical aspects of its diagnosis, prevention and treatment are discussed. Emerging concerns of late-onset CMV disease and antiviral resistance are also highlighted to emphasize the need to optimize CMV-preve...
Thrombopoietin and the mysteries of plasmacytoid dendritic cells

Dendritic cells (DCs) comprise a diverse system of antigen-presenting cells that are responsible for maintaining self-tolerance, and initiating innate or adaptive immune responses to pathogens, rejection of organ transplants, and graft-versus-host disease. DCs exist in low frequency in living
Change Trajectories: Children’s Patterns of Improvement in Acute-Stay Inpatient Care

This study estimated classes of children’s acute-stay psychiatric acuity trajectories in terms of shape (i.e., linear, quadratic, cubic) and rate of change (slope). A total of 788 children served on three child units (ages 4–12) were studied. The Children’s Acuity of Psychiatric Illness (CAPI) was completed each weekday by trained frontline staff on the milieu. Latent class growth analysis was applied to the data, and seven acuity trajectory classes provided the most parsimonious fit. Four classes evidenced a significant quadratic term, one class a significant linear term, and two classes did not evidence a significant change in acuity. The classes varied in survival time to rehospitalization, in pre-treatment community service use and rates of seclusion, restraint, and emergency medications during the episode. Overall, the results suggest that acute-stay patients may have distinct and identifiable psychiatric acuity change patterns during their episodes and that some may experience non-linear (i.e., quadratic) acuity trajectories.
Dermal matrix remodeling after nonablative laser therapy

Objective Nonablative laser therapy is widely practiced for cutaneous rejuvenation. We sought to quantify dermal molecular changes after exposure of photodamaged skin to nonablative laser energy. Methods Nonablative laser therapy of forearm skin using either a 585-nm wavelength pulsed dye laser or a 1320-nm wavelength neodymium:yttrium-aluminum-garnet laser was performed. Serial biopsy specimens were obtained at baseline and various times after treatment. Results Statistically significant increases in type I procollagen messenger RNA expression occurred after exposure of photodamaged skin to each laser. Induction was 47% ( P P Limitations This study addresses molecular changes after a single laser exposure whereas clinically, serial treatments are often provided. Conclusions Nonablative laser therapy may result in quantifiable alterations in molecules associated with remodeling of the dermal matrix, although responses vary greatly among patients.
Age and apolipoprotein E ε4 effects on neural correlates of odor memory.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) affects 5.4 million Americans. Evidence suggests that individuals who are positive for the apolipoprotein E (ApoE) e4 allele are at higher risk for developing the disease. Studies have also shown that the e4 allele is linked to olfactory decline. Olfactory functioning may be investigated using olfactory event-related potentials (OERPs). The high temporal resolution of OERPs enables an understanding of the neural correlates of olfactory processing and functioning. This study investigated the effects of age, ApoE e4 status, response type, and electrode site on OERP latency and amplitude during encoding and retrieval in an odor recognition memory task. The 60 participants were equally divided into 3 age groups matched on e4 status: younger, middle, and older. Odors were presented using a computer-controlled olfactometer. Participants were notified during encoding that this was a task of odor memory. Results indicated differences in OERP activity as a function of age, ApoE e4 status, response type, and electrode site. These findings highlight the potential of OERPs to distinguish e4- and e4+ individuals and to contribute to an earlier diagnosis of AD.
Cardiovascular alterations in the parturient undergoing cesarean delivery with neuraxial anesthesia

During cesarean delivery with neuraxial anesthesia, maternal hemodynamic changes occur with prehydration of intravenous fluid, block onset and delivery of the fetus. The direction and degree of these hemodynamic changes is influenced by multiple interacting variables including the physiologic and anatomic alterations of pregnancy, maternal and fetal characteristics, comorbid conditions, the neuraxial technique, the amount of blood loss and fluid and drug administration. In this review, the influences of each of these variables, as well as the techniques used to evaluate, prevent and treat hypotension, are discussed to provide a comprehensive overview of the cardiovascular alterations in the parturient undergoing cesarean delivery with neuraxial anesthesia.
Risk Factors for Latent Tuberculosis Infection Among Children in New York City

Objective. Although identification and appropriate treatment of children with latent tuberculo- sis (TB) infection (LTBI) is considered critical to the control and elimination of TB in the United States, there are limited data on risk factors for LTBI in pediatric populations. Methods. To further improve targeted screening for LTBI, we performed a matched case- control study from September 1996 to December 1998. We actively surveyed 24 primary care clinics serving Northern Manhattan and Harlem twice monthly for case participants 1 to 5 years old with LTBI, defined as a child with a Mantoux tuber- culin skin test (TST) >10 mm and a normal chest radio- graph. Two age- and clinic-matched control participants with TSTs equal to 0 mm were enrolled per case. To determine risk factors for LTBI, a bilingual research worker reviewed the medical records of study partici- pants and administered a questionnaire to the parents of participants. Results. We enrolled 96 cases and 192 controls whom did not differ by age, gender, ethnicity, and race; overall, the mean age of participants was 2.9 years, 51% were male, 80% were Hispanic, and 9% black. Logistic regres- sion analysis demonstrated that contact with an adult with active TB, foreign birth, foreign travel, and a rela- tive with a positive TST were predictive of case status. In contrast, a history of a previous negative TST proved protective and BCG immunization was not an indepen- dent risk factor for a positive TST, suggesting that boost- ing was not important in this population. Conclusions. We identified several risk factors for LTBI in children that can be used to refine targeted surveillance for TB among Hispanic immigrant popula- tions in the United States. Pediatrics 2001;107:999 -1003; Mycobacterium tuberculosis, children, latent tuberculosis infection, latent infection, pediatrics.