cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Establishment of AIRS Climate-Level Radiometric Stability using Radiance Anomaly Retrievals of Minor Gases and SST

Abstract. Temperature, H2O, and O3 profiles, as well as CO2, N2O, CH4, CFC12, and SST scalar anomalies are computed using a clear subset of AIRS observations over ocean for the first 16-years of NASA's EOS-AQUA AIRS operation. The AIRS Level 1c radiances are averaged over 16 days and 40 equal-area zonal bins and then converted to brightness temperature anomalies. Geophysical anomalies are retrieved from the brightness temperature anomalies using a relatively standard optimal estimation approach. The CO2, N2O, CH4, and CFC12 anomalies are derived by applying a vertically uniform multiplicative shift to each gas in order to obtain an estimate for the ngas mixing ratio. The minor gas anomalies are compared to the NOAA ESRL in-situ values and used to estimate the radiometric stability of the AIRS radiances. Similarly the retrieved SST anomalies are compared to the SST values used in the ERA-Interim reanalysis and to NOAA's OISST SST product. These inter-comparisons strongly suggest that many AIRS channels are stable to better than 0.02 to 0.03 K/Decade, well below climate trend levels, indicating that the AIRS blackbody is not drifting. However, detailed examination of the anomaly retrieval residuals (observed minus computed) show various small unphysical shifts that correspond to AIRS hardware events (shutdowns, etc.). Some examples are given highlighting how the AIRS radiances stability could be improved, especially for channels sensitive to N2O and CH4. The AIRS short wave channels exhibit larger drifts that make them unsuitable for climate trending, and they are avoided in this work. The AIRS Level 2 surface temperature retrievals only use short wave channels. We summarize how these short wave drifts impacts recently published comparisons of AIRS surface temperature trends to other surface climatologies.
DOFETILIDE DOSING IN OBESITY

To date, there is no evidence comparing the dosing of dofetilide in obese vs non-obese patients. Dofetilide dosing requires adjustment by glomerular filtration rate (GFR) to maximize effectiveness and avoid adverse events, however the manufacturer recommends to use actual body weight when
Consequences of Undervaccination — Measles Outbreak, New York City, 2018–2019

Abstract Background Measles was declared eliminated in the United States in 2000, but the risk of outbreaks owing to international importations remains. An outbreak of measles in New York City bega...
What Is the Prevalence of Measles Immunity among Pregnant Women

Objective This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of measles immunity in a cohort of pregnant women in New York City and determine if there is a positive correlation of measles immunity with patient demographics, rubella immunity, number of measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine (MMR) doses received, and age at last vaccination. Study Design This is a cross-sectional study of pregnant patients seen at a single institution from January 2019 to May 2019. Patients were classified as measles and rubella immune or nonimmune using commercial immunoglobulin G (IgG) tests. Patient characteristics were compared using t-tests, Chi-square tests, or Fisher's exact tests as appropriate. The association of age at last vaccination with immunity status was assessed using multivariable logistic regression adjusted for age at presentation. The utility of rubella IgG for distinguishing measles immunity was assessed using receiver operating characteristic curve analysis. Results Serologic immunity for measles and rubella was obtained for 1,366 patients. Of these, 1,047 (77%) were measles immune and 1,291 (95%) were rubella immune. Patients born after 1989 were less likely to be immune to measles, while multiparity and private insurance were associated with increased measles immunity. Documentation of MMR vaccination was available for 140 (10%) patients. Of these, 44 (31%) were serologically nonimmune to measles and 9 (6.4%) were nonimmune to rubella. In patients known to have received one dose of MMR, 62% (24/39) were immune to measles with an improvement to 72% (69/96) among those who received two or more doses. Age at last vaccination was not associated with measles immunity. Rubella IgG level was a poor predictor of positive measles titer (area under the curve = 0.59). Conclusion Approximately one of every four pregnant patients is serologically measles nonimmune, even among women with documented MMR vaccination or documented rubella immunity. These findings raise concerns that relying on vaccination history or rubella immune status may not be sufficient to assure protection from infection with measles. If further suggests that measles serology should be added to routine prenatal laboratory testing to identify nonimmune patients that may benefit from postpartum vaccination. Key Points
Retrieving and processing agro-meteorological data from API-client sources using R software.

The main purpose of this publication is to help users (students, researchers, farmers, advisors, etc.) of weather data with agronomic purposes (e.g. crop yield forecast) to retrieve and process gridded weather data from different Application Programming Interfaces (API client) sources using R software. This publication consists of a code-tutorial developed in R that is part of the data-curation process from numerous research projects carried out by the Ciampitti’s Lab, Department of Agronomy, Kansas State University. We make use of three weather databases for which specific libraries were developed in R language: (i) DAYMET (Thornton et al. in https://daymet.ornl.gov/ , 2019; https://github.com/bluegreen-labs/daymetr ), (ii) NASA-POWER (Sparks in J Open Source Softw 3:1035, 2018; https://github.com/ropensci/nasapower ), and (iii) Climate Hazards Group InfraRed Precipitation with Station Data (CHIRPS) (Funk et al. in Sci Data 2:150066, 2015; https://github.com/ropensci/chirps ). The databases offer different weather variables, and vary in terms of spatio-temporal coverage and resolution. The tutorial shows and explain how to retrieve weather data from multiple locations at once using latitude and longitude coordinates. Additionally, it offers the possibility to create relevant variables and summaries that are of agronomic interest such as Shannon Diversity Index (SDI) of precipitation, abundant and well distributed rainfall (AWDR), growing degree days (GDD), crop heat units (CHU), extreme precipitation (EPE) and temperature events (ETE), reference evapotranspiration (ET0), among others.
Increasing student engagement using an Amazing Race-style competition.

Background: Game-based learning is a successful strategy for teaching various concepts to students, from general orientations to more in-depth material. Pharmacy students in a first-year lab course were introduced to library and drug information resources through a lecture-style class in their first week of school, which was ineffective in terms of engagement. To combat this issue, the pharmacy liaison librarian advocated for moving this class session later in the semester and proposed a game-based activity to replace the lecture. Case Presentation: “The Amazing Race: Drug Information Edition” was inspired by a well-known TV competition that involves completing several stages (called “legs”) of challenges to finish the race. The librarian developed questions designed to make students use various parts of the library website as well as two drug information databases. Students competed in teams, and the first three teams to complete the race were awarded small prizes. The race was first implemented in 2018, and modifications were made to the 2019 iteration based on student feedback. Conclusions: Despite several challenges, the race was well received by both the students and the course instructors and increased engagement with introductory library and drug information material. The activity has enhanced the librarian’s relationship and collaboration with the course faculty and made a positive impression on the students.
Achieving success in engineering: A phenomenological exploration of Latina/o student persistence in engineering fields of study

This study explored the factors that precluded or enhanced Latina/o student persistence in engineering fields of study at Iowa State University (ISU). The study employed a phenomenological methodology. Nora’s (2003) Model of Student Engagement and Rendon’s (1994) model of validation were used as the theoretical framework. Focus group interviews were employed to explore the pre-college, academic, and social experiences of Latina/o engineering majors while enrolled at ISU. A Model of Latina/o Student Success in Engineering (Figure 5.1) was developed and characterized the three main determinants that facilitated student success in engineering fields of study. The three indicators of success were: (a) pre-college experiences, (b) academic experiences, and (c) social experiences. Precollege determinants that facilitated success included family support and institutional commitment. Academic experiences that facilitated success were academic engagement and validating interactions among students and faculty. Social experiences also influenced student success by engaging students in relationships of peer support and mentoring. Recommendations were offered to aid the higher education community in implementing student success in their engineering programs.
The changing pattern of nontuberculous mycobacterial disease

Nontuberculous mycobacteria are human opportunistic pathogens whose source of infection is the environment. These include both slow-growing (eg, Mycobacterium kansasii and Mycobacterium avium) and rapid-growing (eg, Mycobacterium abscessus and Mycobacterium fortuitum) species. Transmission is through ingestion or inhalation of water, particulate matter or aerosols, or through trauma. The historic presentation of pulmonary disease in older individuals with predisposing lung conditions and in children has been changing. Pulmonary disease in elderly individuals who lack the classic predisposing lung conditions is increasing. Pulmonary disease and hypersensitivity pneumonitis have been linked with occupational or home exposures to nontuberculous mycobacteria. There has been a shift from Mycobacterium scrofulaceum to M avium in children with cervical lymphadenitis. Further, individuals who are immunosuppressed due to therapy or HIV-infection are at a greatly increased risk for nontuberculous mycobacterial infection. The changing pattern of nontuberculous mycobacterial disease is due in part to the ability of these pathogens to survive and proliferate in habitats that they share with humans, such as drinking water. The advent of an aging population and an increase in the proportion of immunosuppressed individuals suggest that the prevalence of nontuberculous mycobacterial disease will increase.
New Approaches to the Synthesis of Addressable Microarray Molecular Libraries

Approaches for the synthesis of molecular libraries on addressable arrays of microelectrodes are presented. In each case, substrates are fixed to a polymer coating of the array in the regions proximal to the microelectrodes. Selected micro-electrodes are then used to synthesize chemical reagents that initiate reactions involving the substrates. The reagents generated at the electrodes are confined to the region of the array next to the selected electrodes by placing a second substrate that consumes the reagent in the reaction solution above the array. In addition, a strategy for characterizing the molecules synthesized in this manner, and a strategy for probing their biological activity are described.
The lack of a simple relation between physician's percutaneous coronary intervention volume and outcomes in the era of coronary stenting: a two-centre experience.

Summary The 2001 ACC/AHA guidelines recommend that percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) operators perform at least 75 procedures per year to maintain their competency. We performed a post hoc analysis of prospectively gathered PCI data, in the current era of ubiquitous stent use, at two tertiary cardiac care centres. Operators were assigned to a low (<50 cases per year), intermediate (50–74 cases per year) or high volume (≥75 cases per year) group. Complications evaluated were death, myocardial infarction, coronary perforation, emergent coronary artery bypass surgery and pericardial tamponade. Between 2000 and 2002, 51 operators performed 6510 PCIs. Stents were used in 79% of cases. Major complications occurred in 0.45% (7/1572 cases) for the low-volume group, 1.1% in the intermediate-volume group (16/1438 cases) and 0.86% (30/3500 cases) for the high-volume group. After adjusting for baseline factors, low- and intermediate-volume operators were not significantly associated with major complications. This study questions the relationship between operator volume and PCI complications in the current era.
A comparison of oocyte donors' and gestational carriers/surrogates' attitudes towards third party reproduction.

Purpose : This study was designed to compare levels of satisfaction for ovum donors and gestational carriers/surrogates (GCS), investigate attitudes, and explore beliefs about the role genetics, gestation, and environment play in various characteristics. Design : An east coast IVF center and two California-based agencies recruited donor and GCS candidates. Methods : Participants received mailed questionnaires that included sections on demographics, attitudes, and beliefs. Results : Both groups were highly satisfied with their participation. Donors were not willing to be GCS, and GCS were not willing to be donors. GCS thought about and disclosed their participation, felt children should be told about GCS, and desired future contact with the child(ren) more than did donors (p < 0.002). Donors did not indicate a preference about disclosure. Contact with recipients did not correlate with satisfaction. Conclusion : Women who chose to donate eggs or to be GCS hold distinct and different beliefs about the role of gestation and genetics.
The Impact of the US Food and Drug Administration Chlorofluorocarbon Ban on Out-of-pocket Costs and Use of Albuterol Inhalers Among Individuals With Asthma.

Importance The US Clean Air Act prohibits use of nonessential ozone-depleting substances. In 2005, the US Food and Drug Administration announced the ban of chlorofluorocarbon (CFC) albuterol inhalers by December 31, 2008. The policy resulted in the controversial replacement of generic CFC inhalers by more expensive, branded hydrofluoroalkane inhalers. The policy’s impact on out-of-pocket costs and utilization of albuterol is unknown. Objective To study the impact of the US Food and Drug Administration’s CFC ban on out-of-pocket costs and utilization of albuterol inhalers. Design, Setting, and Participants Using private insurance data from January 1, 2004, to December 31, 2010, we investigated the effect of the CFC ban on out-of-pocket costs and utilization of albuterol inhalers among individuals with asthma (109 428 adults; 37 281 children), as well as asthma-related hospitalizations, emergency department visits, and outpatient visits. We estimated multivariable models adjusted for age, sex, comorbidities, and mean out-of-pocket costs of albuterol inhalers in an individual’s drug plan. We analyzed whether effects varied between adults vs children and those with persistent vs nonpersistent asthma. Main Outcomes and Measures Pharmacy claims for albuterol inhalers, as well as asthma-related hospitalizations, emergency department visits, and outpatient visits. Results The mean out-of-pocket albuterol cost rose from $13.60 (95% CI, $13.40-$13.70) per prescription in 2004 to $25.00 (95% CI, $24.80-$25.20) immediately after the 2008 ban. By the end of 2010, costs had lowered to $21.00 (95% CI, $20.80-$21.20) per prescription. Overall albuterol inhaler use steadily declined from 2004 to 2010. Steep declines in use of generic CFC inhalers occurred after the fourth quarter of 2006 and were almost fully offset by increases in use of hydrofluoroalkane inhalers. In multivariable analyses, a $10 increase in out-of-pocket albuterol prescription costs was estimated to lower utilization by 0.92 percentage points (95% CI, −1.39 to −0.44; P P = .001) for children, with no difference between adults vs children and patients with persistent vs nonpersistent asthma and with no impact on asthma-related hospitalizations, emergency department visits, and outpatient visits. Conclusions and Relevance The Federal ban of CFC inhalers led to large relative increases in out-of-pocket albuterol costs among privately insured individuals with asthma and modest declines in utilization. The policy’s impact on individuals without insurance, who faced greater cost increases, is unknown.
Sub-nanosecond point-plane gas breakdown in a conical-shaped spark gap

Breakdown with sub-nanosecond delay time is of interest for high-speed low rep-rated switching and for plasma limiters to protect sensitive RADAR equipment from EM bursts. In order to apply fast high-voltage pulses to a test spark-gap without major pulse distortion, we use a coaxial transmission-line connected via a conical section to the spark-gap. Conventional gaps integrated into the inner conductor of a coaxial transmission-line with point-plane geometry suffer from major impedance mismatches as well as lumped capacitances. This limits the pulse risetime at the gap to at least one nanosecond. A gradual reduction of the inner and outer-conductor diameters was used in the conical section. This resulted in a voltage risetime across the gap of about 500 ps, where an original pulser risetime of 400 ps was used. Measured breakdown delay times, as a function of pressure in argon, show delay-time minima of less than 600 ps at a pressure of several torr and applied voltage amplitudes of 10 kV, for radii of curvature < 0.5/spl mu/m. Typical current amplification times, I/(dI/dt), are on the order of several 10/sup -10/ sec. Experiments with repetition rates of up to 1 kHz do not show any differences to single shot discharges at atmospheric pressures. At larger radii of curvature (10 /spl mu/m), corona-type discharges are observed with both point polarities, with currents smaller than 10/sup -4/ A, also without any differences between single shot and 1 kHz rep-rate.
Sequence Requirements of ATF2 and CREB Binding to the Human T-Cell Leukemia Virus Type 1 LTR R Region

Abstract We have identified crucial transcription factor contact sites within the distal portion of the HTLV-I LTR R region. Single base substitutions within this region greatly reduce formation of a complex which we previously described as a 70-kDa nuclear protein interacting with a CREB-like protein. Comparison of published sequences of HTLV-1 isolates obtained from scattered geographic locations revealed that clustered mutations in an 8-base segment near the U5 junction do, in fact, occur naturally. A single base substitution corresponding to a common naturally occurring mutation was introduced into the R region of an HTLV-1-LTR Cat construct. This resulted in derepression of the promoter in a cell line expressing high levels of the R region binding complex when compared to the wild-type LTR promoter. Affinity purification and electrophoretic mobility super-shift analysis identified a dominant 70-kDa DNA binding protein as ATF-2. Phosphorylated ATF-2 apparently interacts with CREB to form this downstream complex.
STUDIES OF ELECTRONIC PROPERTIES OF MEDIUM AND LARGE MOLECULES ORIENTED IN A STRONG UNIFORM ELECTRIC FIELD

Polarization spectroscopy of oriented gas phase medium and large molecules achieved via a uniform DC electric field provides a means to determine the direction of transition dipoles. In this article, the theoretical background of this orientation method, its characterization, and its application in studies of electronic transitions, will be presented. Mature gas phase spectroscopic methods have been developed for studies of small molecules, but studies of medium to large sized species are faced with special challenges. These challenges arise from differences between large and small molecules: large systems typically exhibit fast internal conversion, slow dissociation, and low translational energy release upon dissociation. Thus conventional gas phase spectroscopic techniques are not applicable to derive the direction of the transition dipole. DC induced orientation offers a solution to this problem. It is ideal for studies of systems with small rotational constants and large permanent dipoles, even when a detailed knowledge of the molecular structure, such as the direction of the permanent dipole in the molecular frame, is unknown. The degree of orientation can be calculated using the linear variation method, given the rotational temperature and the size of the permanent dipole. The associated experimental observables can be used to confirm the effect of orientation, or to determine the direction of a transition dipole. These observables include the ratio of excitation probabilities under different polarization directions and spectroscopic features. In some cases, the direction and size of the permanent dipole of the excited electronic state can also be determined. Examples of this type of polarization spectroscopy are presented for asymmetric tops such as diazines, acetelye-HF clusters, nitroaromatics and butyl nitrite. Illustrations of pendular states and its application in linear and diatomic molecules are also briefed. Applications of this method for studies of large molecules and potential pitfalls will be discussed.
A within-subjects study of variations in food pellet sucrose concentrations and steady state schedule-induced polydipsia

Two food-deprived female albino rats received 16% sucrose pellets under a fixed-time (FT) 60-sec food-reinforcement schedule, with water freely available in the test chamber. After water intake stabilized for each animal, subjects received either 6% or 32% sucrose pellets under the same FT 60-sec reinforcement schedule. This phase was followed by a replication of the initial 16% sucrose pellet condition for each animal. Water intake was found to decrease for each animal following an initial shift from 16% sucrose pellets to 0% or 32% sucrose pellets, but not following shifts from 0% or 32% sucrose pellets to 16% sucrose pellets. Adjunctive behaviors and shift-related elation-suppression effects were compared and discussed.
An Assessment of the Competency of Secondary School Teachers in in Consumer Education, Economics, and Personal Finance

This study investigated the competency of persons teaching consumer education in Oregon's public schools. A 50-item instrument, based on concepts outlined in The Oregon Personal Finance Education Guide, was developed and used for the assessment. A comparison of competency according to teachers' subject-matter backgrounds (business, home economics, mathematics and social studies) was made. Item difficulty indices calculated on 185 completed instruments revealed a need for teacher upgrading in each of the four subject-matter background groups studied. No significant differences were found in the total mean scores of teachers in the four groups. However, a significant difference between groups was discovered in the concept area dealing with money management.
Processor controller for the IBM 3081

The IBM 3081 represents an important step in the evolution of large-scale data processing systems. The incorporation of LSI technology in its design has resulted in a departure from the use of traditional support tools and techniques. Its increased processing capabilities and its dyadic organization have further accented the requirements for high availability and ease of operation. This paper describes the Processor Controller unit of the 3081 Processor Complex, which handles the functions of maintenance, monitoring, and control of the system. It discusses how this unit has dealt with these changes to keep pace with the demands of advanced technology and improved system availability. In providing the necessary test and support functions of reset and manual control, the Processor Controller exploits the level-sensitive scan design capability of the 3081 to obtain read/write access to all latches and arrays. This design approach, coupled with significantly expanded capabilities for error recovery, configuration control, and diagnostics, has significantly affected the structure and capabilities of the Processor Controller.
Can Pin-on-Disk Testing Be Used to Assess the Wear Performance of Retrieved UHMWPE Components for Total Joint Arthroplasty?

The objective of this study was to assess the suitability of using multidirectional pin-on-disk (POD) testing to characterize wear behavior of retrieved ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE). The POD wear behavior of 25 UHMWPE components, retrieved after 10 years in vivo, was compared with 25 that were shelf aged for 10–15 years in their original packaging. Components were gamma sterilized (25–40 kGy) in an air or reduced oxygen (inert) package. 9 mm diameter pins were fabricated from each component and evaluated against CoCr disks using a super-CTPOD with 100 stations under physiologically relevant, multidirectional loading conditions. Bovine serum (20 g/L protein concentration) was used as lubricant. Volumetric wear rates were found to vary based on the aging environment, as well as sterilization environment. Volumetric wear rates were the lowest for the pins in the gamma inert, shelf aged cohort. These results support the utility of using modern, multidirectional POD testing with a physiologic lubricant as a novel method for evaluating wear properties of retrieved UHMWPE components. The data also supported the hypothesis that wear rates of gamma-inert liners were lower than gamma-air liners for both retrieved and shelf aging conditions. However, this difference was not statistically significant for the retrieved condition.
Virus assembly: Imaging a molecular machine

A recent structural study of a double-stranded DNA bacteriophage has provided remarkable new insights into the assembly of a complex virus particle and ushers in a new era in the imaging of non-icosahedral viruses.
Introduction: perspectives on therapy with gay, lesbian, and bisexual clients.

The approach that mental health professionals have taken in working with gay, lesbian, and bisexual (GLB) clients has changed dramatically over the past 25 years. Once viewed as being pathological in nature-either a sociopathic personality disorder or a sexual deviation-homosexuality is no long conceptualized as a "disorder" and instead is viewed within the broader context of human diversity. Even with such changes, many mental health professionals nonetheless retain subtle biases against working with gay, lesbian, and bisexual clients, and often lack the necessary information for working with them effectively. This issue of In Session provides a series of articles designed to help practicing therapists to become better aware of those clinical issues if they are to work with GLB individuals-which they are likely to do.
UWB dielectric rod antennas

This paper reviews single-layer and multi-layer dielectric rod antenna design for ultra-wideband (UWB) applications. Different from “polyrod” antennas used for high gain over no more than an octave bandwidth, the UWB rod designs can have many octaves of bandwidth depending on the number of layers. The rod antennas discussed here were design to provide frequency-independent performance such as constant gain level, constant pattern, and constant phase center across the operating frequency band, not just impedance bandwidth.
Turbulence in Flocculators: Comparison of Measurements and CFD Simulations

constant). These results help explain the variation in flocculation per- formance in different scale systems or in same scale systems with different impeller geometries. However, the experimen- tal methods used to measure the fluid mechanics require so- phisticated and expensive equipment and a dedicated labora- tory. In recent years, major advances in computer technology and computational mechanics have made it possible to use com- putational fluid dynamics (CFD) to analyze flows. The intent of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a commer- cial CFD code in modeling flocculator fluid mechanics.
Isolation and characterization of temperature-sensitive mutants of simian virus 40.

Abstract Six temperature-sensitive (ts) mutants of Simian Virus 40 (SV40) which produce plaques at 33 but not at 40 C were isolated using either nitrosoguanidine or hydroxylamine as mutagens. One cycle of growth of the mutants at 40 C after infection with viral DNA was restricted, showing that the block to multiplication at 40 C is not due to failure in adsorption, penetration or uncoating. The mutants are more heat labile than wild-type virus, and are temperature-independent for synthesis of infectious viral DNA and for transformation. Four of the six mutants could be assigned to two complementation groups, and probably identify two genes for structural virion proteins, whose functions are not required for transformation.
Increased Radiation Sensitivity of Pertussis Vaccinated Mice

SummarySensitivity of pertussis-vaccinated mice to approximately one-half the LD 5030B for total body irradiation was markedly increased. Neither the sex of the mice, the type of pertussis vaccine, nor the daily administration of Neoantergan or Hydrocortisone seem to alter that increased sensitivity.
Development of anti-major histocompatibility complex class I or II antibodies following left ventricular assist device implantation: effects on subsequent allograft rejection and survival

Abstract Background Previous reports have indicated that antibodies to HLA class I or II antigens develop in approximately 60% of patients following left ventricular assist device (LVAD) implantation, subsequent rates of allograft rejection are higher, and survival is adversely affected. Methods We performed an analysis of the incidence of antibody development to HLA class I or II antigens by panel reactive antibody (PRA) screening following implantation of the HeartMate LVAD in 38 patients from October 1, 1996 to March 1, 2000 (6 LVAD deaths excluded from study). The occurrence of vascular or cellular rejection of International Society of Heart and Lung Transplantation grade ≥ 3A, as determined by endomyocardial biopsy following heart transplantation (HTX), were compared for patients with ( n = 32, LVAD group) or without ( n = 68, control group) preoperative LVAD support. Results After LVAD implantation, 9 patients (28%) in the LVAD group developed IgG antibodies to class I ( n = 3), class II ( n = 5), or both antigens ( n = 1) with PRA > 10%. The remaining 23 patients (72%) had either no detectable IgG antibody development or IgG antibody development with PRA 10%. Only 3 patients (4%) in the control group had PRA > 10% at the time of HTX. The incidence of patients free from rejection at 6 and 12 months was 62% and 44% for the control group, and 49%, and 40% for the LVAD group, respectively ( p not significant). The mean linearized rate plus or minus standard deviation of allograft rejection from 0 to 6 months and 7 to 12 months was 0.13 ± 0.21 and 0.09 ± 0.14 episodes a month, respectively, for patients with no LVAD support, and 0.17 ± .25 and 0.06 ± 0.1 episodes a month, respectively, for those with LVAD support ( p = not significant). Post-transplantation survival at 1 and 2 years was 90% and 90%, respectively, for the control group, and 97% and 92%, respectively, for the LVAD group ( p not significant). Conclusion Patients with LVAD support before HTX do not appear to be at increased risk for significant allograft rejection in the first year or for death within the first 2 years after transplantation.
On the launch vehicle payload interface response

A method has been developed by which an estimate of the launch vehicle/payload interface response is derived from the interface responses obtained from missions with the identical launch vehicle but different payloads. This method requires knowledge of the launch vehicle eigenvalues, interface modal displacements, and the dynamic characteristics of the payloads. No other launch vehicle information is required. The organization responsible for the payload is able to perform loads and responses analysis resulting from a payload change without interfacing with the launch vehicle organization.
A Coupled Hydrophobic-Hydrophilic Model for Predicting Secondary Organic Aerosol Formation

The formation of secondary organic aerosol (SOA) results from the absorption of gas-phase organic oxidation products by airborne aerosol. Historically, modeling the formation of SOA has relied on relatively crude estimates of the capability of given parent hydrocarbons to form SOA. In more recent work, surrogate organic oxidation products have been separated into two groups, hydrophobic and hydrophilic, depending on whether the product is more likely to dissolve into an organic or an aqueous phase, respectively. The surrogates are then allowed to partition only via the dominant mechanism, governed by molecular properties of the surrogate molecules. The distinction between hydrophobic and hydrophilic is based on structural and physical characteristics of the compound. In general, secondary oxidation products, because of low vapor pressures and high polarities, express affinity for both the organic and aqueous aerosol phases. A fully coupled hydrophobic-hydrophilic organic gas-particle partitioning model is presented here. The model concurrently achieves mass conservation, equilibrium between the gas phase and the organic aerosol phase, equilibrium between the gas phase and the aqueous aerosol phase, and equilibrium between molecular and ionic forms of the partitioning species in the aqueous phase. Simulations have been performed using both a zero-dimensional model and the California Institute of Technology three-dimensional atmospheric chemical transport model. Simultaneous partitioning of species by both mechanisms typically leads to a shift in the distribution of products to the organic aerosol phase and an increase in the total amount of SOA predicted as compared to previous work in which partitioning is assumed to occur independently to organic and aqueous phases.
New Evidence from the Southeastern U.S. for Eustatic Components in the Late Holocene Sea Levels

Changes in Holocene sea level through time have been attributed to eustatic, isostatic, and neotectonic processes. Eustatic changes imply global expression through linkage in world climate, or changes in ocean water or basin volume, while isostatic adjustment and neotectonic distortion involve regional or local geophysical parameters which must be ascertained. A Holocene sea level curve is being developed for the southeastern United States through a study of marsh stratigraphy and archaeologic sites located in marsh and interriverine areas. The curve is evaluated in light of intensive investigations of regional and local tectonic elements. Both major and some minor trends in sea level change are shown to include significant eustatic components.
Immunological Responses as Indicators of Stress

Two important hormonal systems—the neurogenic and hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis—which together form the link between sensory input and control of the response to environmental stimuli, direct...
Optimized statistical modeling of MS lesions as MRI voxel outliers for monitoring the effect of drug therapy

This paper presents the results of applying the modified deterministic annealing (DA) algorithm to simulated and clinical magnetic resonance (MR) brain data with multiple sclerosis (MS) lesions. Modified deterministic annealing algorithm is a very efficient segmentation algorithm for isolating MS lesions in the MR images when utilizing all the information contained in all modalities. To fully utilize the information contained in all the modalities, vector segmentation is carried out instead of unimodal segmentation. The vectors to be clustered are formed by multi-modal MR brain data. Through some arithmetic manipulations synthesized image data can be obtained which greatly alleviate the effect of noise and intensity inhomogeneity. Isolated multiple sclerosis lesions are outliers to the brain tissues. Even with noise level up to 7% the MS MR brain data can still be satisfactorily segmented. This method does not need a prior model, and is conceptually very simple. It delineates not only large lesions but small ones as well. The whole process is completely automated without any intervention by an operator, which can be a very promising tool for MS follow-up studies. Comparison between the segmentation results from the simulated MS brain data and from the clinical MS brain data shows that with the current high quality MRI facilities, images with noise above 3% and intensity inhomogeneity above 20% will usually not be produced. Segmentation results for the clinical data are much better and easier to obtain than the simulated noisy data. To get even better results for the MS lesions, inverse problem techniques have to be applied. Noise model and intensity inhomogeneity model have to be established and improved using the given MRI data during iteration.
Dissipation and fragmentation of low-Q 2 scattered partons in Au−Au collisions at RHIC

Two-particle correlations and event-wise fluctuations in transverse momentum p tare reported for Au−Au collisions at √s NN =62 and 200 GeV on pseudorapidity η and azimuth ϕ. Distributions of all pairs of particles (no leading trigger particle) reveal jet-like correlations, or peaks at pair-wise opening angles of order 1 radian or less. The width of this same-side correlation peak increases dramatically on pseudorapidity and decreases on azimuth for increasing collision centrality. Evolution of the same-side peak with centrality suggests dissipation of low-Q 2 partons via strong couplign to an expanding bulk medium. p t correlations, which provide access to temperature and/or velocity distributions in the colliding system, are also presented.
Analysis of a Compressed Thin Film Bonded to a Compliant Substrate: The Energy Scaling Law

We consider the deformation of a thin elastic film bonded to a thick compliant substrate, when the (compressive) misfit is far beyond critical. We take a variational viewpoint—focusing on the total elastic energy, i.e. the membrane and bending energy of the film plus the elastic energy of the substrate—viewing the buckling of the film as a problem of energy-driven pattern formation. We identify the scaling law of the minimum energy with respect to the physical parameters of the problem, and we prove that a herringbone pattern achieves the optimal scaling. These results complement previous numerical studies, which have shown that an optimized herringbone pattern has lower energy than a number of other patterns. Our results are different, because (i) we make the scaling law achieved by the herringbone pattern explicit, and (ii) we give an elementary, ansatz-free proof that no pattern can achieve a better law.
Adaptive Filter Modeling for Communication System Interference Rejection

The determination of communication system performance is necessarily constrained by received "front-end" signal-to-noise ratio (SNK), among other limiting system parameters. Currently, there exist two dual approaches for enhancing the system "front-end" SNR at the antenna output: adaptive array processing, in which the interference is reduced by steering a null in the direction of the jammer, and adaptive noise cancelling (ANC), in which a null is placed in the direction of the signal source in order to get an independent estimate for the interfering noise field. Traditionally, ANC's have employed tapped delay line (TDL) implementations and in this paper a rationale is provided for using an infinite impulse response (IIR) configuration in order to improve rejection of broadband jamming signals. It is also demonstrated that nominal finite impulse response (FIR) representations are designed to work quite successfully when the jamming source is intrinsically narrowband. Central to this discussion is the notion of moving average (MA) versus autoregressive (AR) filters used as estimators, for determining the nature of the process to be modeled. The approach in this paper is to discuss the filter estimation problem from the view point of examining the spectral characteristics of the interference process. It is demonstrated that the response of the AR estimator is quite good against broadband signals, when compared with the normal MA estimator. The "peaky" performance of the AR estimator bcomes quite "smooth" when sufficient numbers of data points are included for the broadband process.
Prescribing new medications: a taxonomy of physician-patient communication.

Physician-patient communication about new medications can influence patient medication adherence. Little is known about the detailed content of conversations about new medications, or about how physicians and patients word information when discussing new medications. Yet nuances in communication may influence patient comprehension and affect behaviour. A comprehensive coding framework delineating the intricacies of physician-patient discussions is needed to better understand the range of communication about new prescriptions. This study used analytic induction to analyse 185 audiotaped outpatient encounters, during which 243 new medications were prescribed by family physicians, internists and cardiologists in two healthcare settings. Seventysix codes were developed to demonstrate the range of physician counselling about information concerning new prescriptions, such as medication name, purpose, directions for use, side effects, acquisition and monitoring. The conversational content represented by the codes can be used to understand the breadth of conversations regarding new medications, identify sources of potential patient misunderstandings when medication instructions are conveyed, and inform recommendations for desired communication content. The coding system also can be used to measure the quality of new medication discussions for linkage to outcomes and can inform interventions to improve communication when prescribing new drugs.
Modeling of creep and shrinkage behavior of polymeric films used in magnetic tapes

For ever increasing high recording densities of magnetic tape drives, improved dimensional stability of the polymeric films used as magnetic tape substrates is required. During storage and use, creep and shrinkage occur simultaneously and it needs to be minimized. To obtain constitutive relationships for creep and shrinkage, these contributions need to be separated and modeled. A mathematical model based on Kelvin–Voigt models has been developed to characterize simultaneous creep and shrinkage behavior to obtain the constitutive relationships for creep and shrinkage. Experiments have been performed to separate out creep and shrinkage effects and this model has been used to compensate the effect of shrinkage on creep data and to get true creep data. The experimental creep and shrinkage data of various films have been modeled to obtain viscoelastic parameters. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 91: 78–88, 2004
Using Self-Assembled Monolayers to Model Cell Adhesion to the 9th and 10th Type III Domains of Fibronectin†

Most mammalian cells must adhere to the extracellular matrix (ECM) to maintain proper growth and development. Fibronectin is a predominant ECM protein that engages integrin cell receptors through its Arg-Gly-Asp (RGD) and Pro-His-Ser-Arg-Asn (PHSRN) peptide binding sites. To study the roles these motifs play in cell adhesion, proteins derived from the 9th (containing PHSRN) and 10th (containing RGD) type III fibronectin domains were engineered to be in frame with cutinase, a serine esterase that forms a site-specific, covalent adduct with phosphonate ligands. Self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) that present phosphonate ligands against an inert background of tri(ethylene glycol) groups were used as model substrates to immobilize the cutinase-fibronectin fusion proteins. Baby hamster kidney cells attached efficiently to all protein surfaces, but only spread efficiently on protein monolayers containing the RGD peptide. Cells on RGD-containing protein surfaces also displayed defined focal adhesions and organized...
Synthesis and structure of the monolayer hydrate K0.3CoO2·0.4H2O

Abstract The monolayer hydrate (MLH) K 0.3 CoO 2 ·0.4H 2 O was synthesized from K 0.6 CoO 2 by extracting K + cations using K 2 S 2 O 8 as an oxidant and the subsequent intercalation of water between the layers of edge-sharing CoO 6 octahedra. A hexagonal structure (space group P 6 3 / mmc ) with lattice parameters a =2.8262(1) A, c =13.8269(6) A similar to the MLH Na 0.36 CoO 2 ·0.7H 2 O was established using high-resolution synchrotron X-ray powder diffraction data. The K/H 2 O layer in the K-MLH is disordered, which is in contrast to the Na-MLH. At low temperatures metallic and paramagnetic behavior was found.
Promoter specificity of basal transcription factors

Regulation of expression of protein-encoding genes in eukaryotes is frequently mediated by sequence-specific transcription factors that control the activities of the basal factors and RNA polymerase II. Basal factors have been considered to be essential for all polymerase II promoters. Studies of the basal factor requirements for transcription from the immunoglobulin heavy chain gene (IgH) core promoter and the adenovirus major late gene core promoter (MLP) suggest that this paradigm is too simple. Basal transcription from the IgH promoter was reconstituted by TFIID, TFIIB, TFIIF, and polymerase, whereas basal transcription from the MLP is highly dependent upon TFIIE in addition to the above factors. Two novel protein activities, referred to as 700 kd and 90 kd, further stimulated the basal reaction from the MLP. Thus, these data indicate that not all basal factors are in fact general.
Determinant theory for fuzzy matrices

Abstract We study determinant theory for fuzzy square matrices, including some Boolean matrices and consider the Cayley-Hamilton theorem for these matrices. We prove that det(A adj(A)) = det(A) = det(adj)(A)A), where adj(A) denotes the adjoint matrix of a fuzzy matrix A.
Label-Free Biosensing Using Silicon Planar Waveguide Technology

We exploit the unique properties of the silicon-on-insulator material platform to demonstrate a new series of planar waveguide evanescent field sensors for biological / chemical sensing. These sensors, combined with state-of-the-art surface functionalization chemistries, offer a sensitive, label-free means for the specific detection of biomolecules, without the need for fluorescent tags employed in conventional fluorescence-based biochips. The use of silicon photonic wire waveguide technology allows sensors with extremely small footprint and small radius of curvature to be fabricated, facilitating the development of densely packed sensor arrays for multi-parameter analysis, particularly attractive for drug discovery, pathogen detection, genomics and disease diagnostics. We show that high index contrast silicon photonic wire waveguides not only provide the above stated advantages but also offer increased sensitivity over that of evanescent field sensors constructed on other common waveguide material platforms. This results from the unique properties of the optical modes of silicon photonic wire waveguides, which exhibit very large surface electric field magnitude and strong localization near the waveguide surface. We discuss the design and fabrication of silicon-on-insulator-based Mach-Zehnder interferometer sensors and experimentally demonstrate their performance to detect bulk solution refractive index change and to monitor the specific adsorption of streptavidin to biotinylated waveguides.