cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Analytic-normal-mode frequencies for N identical particles: The microscopic dynamics underlying the emergence and stability of excitation gaps from BCS to unitarity

The frequencies of the analytic normal modes for $N$ identical particles are studied as a function of system parameters from the weakly interacting BCS regime to the strongly interacting unitary regime. The normal modes were obtained previously from a first-order $L=0$ group theoretic solution of a three-dimensional Hamiltonian with a general two-body interaction for confined identical particles. In a precursor to this study, the collective behavior of these normal modes was investigated as a function of $N$ from few-body systems to many-body systems analyzing the contribution of individual particles to the collective macroscopic motions. A specific case, the Hamiltonian for Fermi gases in the unitary regime, was studied in more detail. This regime is known to support collective behavior in the form of superfluidity and has previously been successfully described using normal modes. Two phenomena that could sustain the emergence and stability of superfluid behavior were revealed, including the behavior of the normal mode frequencies as $N$ increases. In this paper, I focus on a more detailed analysis of these analytic frequencies, extending my investigation to include Hamiltonians with a range of interparticle interaction strengths from the BCS regime to the unitary regime and analyzing the microscopic dynamics that lead to large gaps at unitarity. The results of the present study suggest that in regimes where higher-order effects are small, normal modes can be used to describe the physics of superfluidity from the weakly interacting BCS regime with the emergence of small excitation gaps to unitarity with its large gaps and can offer insight into a possible microscopic understanding of the behavior at unitarity. This approach could thus offer an alternative to the two-body pairing models commonly used to describe superfluidity along this transition.
The Structure of Social Support in Confidant Networks: Implications for Depression.

Social support differs for depressed and non-depressed individuals. However, the structural features of social supports, as represented via social networks and how they are related to depression, and its mitigation, are unclear. Here, we examine associations between personal support network structures and self-reports of depression and depression mitigation behaviors. Cross-sectional data were collected from participants (n = 1002 adults) recruited from a research volunteer website. Personal support networks were elicited by asking participants to nominate up to six people (i.e., confidants) that they talk to about interpersonal problems (e.g., unpleasant social encounters) and to indicate who knows whom among their confidants. Results show that the confidant networks of depressed and non-depressed participants did not differ in network size or in constraint—i.e., the degree to which confidants’ ties overlap with the ties of the participant. However, depressed participants’ confidants had significantly fewer average ties with one another (mean degree). Irrespective of depression diagnosis, lower network constraint and size predicted greater engagement in depression mitigation behaviors. That is, having relatively large confidant networks within which one can freely navigate one’s personal information can contribute to improvement in depressive outcomes. Implications are further discussed in the discussion section.
Characteristics of teach-back as practiced in a university health center, and its association with patient understanding, self-efficacy, and satisfaction.

Abstract Objectives The purpose of this research was to investigate the extent to which recommended characteristics of teach-back were employed by providers in a university Student Health Services department, and to evaluate its association with patient understanding, self-efficacy, and satisfaction. Method The study employed a causal comparative design. Audio recordings of 87 primary care interviews were transcribed and coded for presence and characteristics of teach-back. Patients and providers filled out post-encounter questionnaires. Results When teach-back was used, most recommended characteristics of teach-back were regularly employed. However, providers rarely placed the onus for understanding on themselves, and almost never “closed the loop” by asking patients to repeat back information until they got it correct. Teach-back was associated with higher patient self-efficacy, and high fidelity of implementation with better patient understanding of the reason for the treatment plan. Conclusions Findings add to existing evidence regarding effectiveness of teach-back. Additional benefits may be realized when implementation is true to recommended characteristics. More research is needed into the necessity of closing the loop and placing onus on the provider. Practice implications Given that neither patients nor providers accurately gauged the level of patient understanding in the medical encounter, teach-back may offer a simple, quick means of reinforcing provider health information and raising patient self-efficacy.
16S rDNA PCR for the aetiological diagnosis of culture-negative infective endocarditis.

Culture-negative infective endocarditis (IE) accounts for 7–31% of all cases. Metagenomics has contributed to improving the aetiological diagnosis of IE patients undergoing valve surgery. We assessed the impact of 16S ribosomal DNA gene polymerase chain reaction (16S rDNA PCR) in the aetiological diagnosis of culture-negative IE. Between January 2016 and January 2020, clinical data from culture-negative IE patients were reviewed retrospectively. Identification of bacteria was performed using 16S rDNA PCR in heart valve specimens. 36 out of 313 patients (12%) with culture-negative IE had their valve tissue specimens submitted for 16S rDNA PCR. 16S rDNA PCR detected and identified bacterial nucleic acid in heart valve tissue significantly more frequently compared to valve culture alone 25(70%) vs 5(12%); p < 0.05. Mean age was 57 years (SD 18) and 80% were male. Native and aortic valve were involved in 76% and 52% of cases, respectively. Streptococcus spp. (n 15) were the most commonly detected organisms, followed by bacteria of the HACEK group (Haemophilus parainfluenzae 2, Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans 1), nutritionally variant streptococci (Abiotrophia defectiva 2), and one each of Staphylococcus aureus, Corynebacterium pseudodiphtheriticum, Helcococcus kunzii, Neisseria gonorrhoeae, Tropheryma whipplei. 16S rDNA PCR may be a useful diagnostic tool for the identification of the causative organism in culture-negative IE. Efforts towards a shorter turnaround time for results should be consider and further studies assessing the clinical impact of this technique in culture-negative IE are needed.
Adolescent behavior and PTSD 6-7 years after the World Trade Center terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001.

Behavioral problems and psychopathologies were reported in children exposed to the World Trade Center (WTC) attacks in New York City within 2–3 y post-disaster. Little is known of subsequent 9/11 related behavioral and emotional problems. We assessed risk factors for behavioral difficulties and probable posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in 489 adolescent enrollees ages 11–18 y of age in the World Trade Center Health Registry cohort using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) and DISC Predictive Scales (DPS), respectively, as reported by the adolescents. Associations between parental PTSD and adolescent PTSD and behavioral problems were studied in a subset of 166 adolescent-parent pairs in which the parent was also a Registry enrollee. Nearly one-fifth (17.4%) of the adolescents, all of whom were 5–12 y old at the time of the attacks, scored in the abnormal (5.7%) or borderline (11.7%) range of total SDQ. Problems were more frequent in minority, low-income, and single-parent adolescents. Ab...
Prediction of Isokinetic Leg Strength From Anthropometric Dimensions in Male College Athletes

------------------. -----------------The purpose of this study was to determine the accuracy of predicting isokinetic knee extension and flexion peak torques from anthropometric dimensions. Male college athletes (N = 105) were evaluated for concentric isokinetic knee extension and flexion torques at 60, 120, 300, and 450 deg/sec using a Biodex dynamometer. Anthropometric dimensions included height, body mass, lean body mass (LBM), percent fat, age, and other various measured and derived leg indices. Multiple regression analysis on a validity sample (n = 80) selected midthigh cross-sectional area «(SA), height, and LBM to predict knee extension torques at 60, 120, 300, and 450 deg/sec (R = .70-.80); at 300 deg/sec, body mass replaced LBM in the prediction equation (R = .79). Muscle (SA was the only variable common to all prediction equations to estimate knee flexion torque at all speeds, although the multiple correlations remained comparable (R = .55-.80).
Efficient Replication of Large Data Objects

We present a new distributed data replication algorithm tailored especially for large-scale read/write data objects such as files. The algorithm guarantees atomic data consistency, while incurring low latency costs. The key idea of the algorithm is to maintain copies of the data objects separately from information about the locations of up-to-date copies. Because it performs most of its work using only the location information, our algorithm needs to access only a few copies of the actual data; specifically, only one copy during a read and only f+1 copies during a write, where f is an assumed upper bound on the number of copies that can fail. These bounds are optimal. The algorithm works in an asynchronous message-passing environment. It does not use additional mechanisms such as group communication or distributed locking. It is suitable for implementation in WANs as well as LANs. We also present two lower bounds on the costs of data replication. The first lower bound is on the number of low-level writes required during a read operation on the data. The second bound is on the minimum space complexity of a class of efficient replication algorithms. These lower bounds suggest that some of the techniques used in our algorithm are necessary. They are also of independent interest.
Thermodynamic Functions for Ideal Gases—Part I

In the computation of partition functions one relies heavily upon the results of quantum mechanics for the permitted energies. As stated in (4.1) the permitted translational energies for a molecule of ideal gas of mass m in a cubic container of edge a are given by $$ \in _i \, = \,(n_x^2 \, + \,n_y^2 \, + \,n_z^2 )h^2 /8ma^2 $$ (5.1) where the quantum numbers can have integral values from unity upwards.
Arabinose-inducible promoter from Escherichia coli: Its cloning from chromosomal DNA, identification as the araFG promoter and sequence

Abstract An arabinose-inducible promoter was cloned from Escherichia coli DNA, identified as the promoter of the araFG genes and sequenced. The cloning used a plasmid containing a tetracycline resistance gene lacking a functional promoter. Tetracycline resistance could be expressed from this plasmid by inserting a functional promoter in an EcoRI site that is located just in front of the tet gene. E. coli DNA digested with EcoRI∗ and ligated into the plasmid yielded 20 2000 transformants that were tetracycline resistant only in the presence of arabinose. Two different promoters were identified, the well-characterized pBAD promoter, and a new one. DNA containing the new promoter hybridized to a segment of DNA carrying the araFG genes, thus identifying the cloned promoter as pFG. Transcription directed by pFG is stimulated in vitro by araC protein and cyclic AMP receptor protein as it is in vivo. Despite the functional similarities between pBAD and pFG, they lack extended sequence homology.
Relevance of ketamine in the management of cancer pain.

Pain management in the context of progressive, faradvanced oncologic diseases continues to present new challenges for the treating physicians. The treatment goal of interventions in this patient population is to try to balance the analgesic effects with the adverse effects.
An Examination of How People in Romantic Relationships Use Communication to Manage Financial Uncertainty

Money is critical for financial and relational well-being, yet financial communication is often considered taboo, and most Americans receive little financial guidance. Not surprisingly, romantic couples experience financial uncertainty, which has been negatively correlated with satisfaction and trust. Through in-depth, semi-structured interviews of 40 individuals in married or cohabitating relationships and the lens of Uncertainty Management Theory (UMT), this investigation examines how people are (un)able to manage financial uncertainty. The study uncovers tangible ways individuals can negotiate financial uncertainty via uncertainty reduction, maintenance, and adaption, as well as information, communication, time-management, and/or sociocultural barriers that can impede uncertainty management. The investigation suggests the extension of UMT to consider the role of the dyad and offers practical implications for financial literacy and communication efforts.
Comparison of Profitability of Cross and Native Breed Cattle Fattening Farms in Turkey

Abstract Yildirim, I., Ciftci, K. and Ceylan, M. 2009. Comparison of profitability of cross and native breed cattle fattening farms in Turkey. J. Appl. Anim. Res., 35: 17–20. To compare cross and native-breed fattening farms focusing on the profitability, data of 2006 production period were collected from 44 crossbreed and 14 native-breed fattening farms. The daily live weight gain per cross-breed cattle (909.4 g) was higher than that of native-breed cattle (558.2 g.). The profitability rate was +21.3% for cross-breed fattening farms maintaining >26 cattle. It was negative for cross breeding farms maintaining less cattle or the native breed farms due to low daily live weight gain, high production costs, feed intake inefficiency and low sales prices. The total production elasticity of input of cross-breed cattle fattening farms was 1.034, which means there existed an increasing return to scale.
Completeness map evaluation demonstrated with candidate next-generation cardiac CT architectures.

Purpose: In this report, the authors introduce the general concept of the completeness map, as a means to evaluate the completeness of data acquired by a given CT system design (architecture and scan mode). They illustrate the utility of completeness map by applying the completeness map concept to a number of candidate CT system designs, as part of a study to advance the state-of-the-art in cardiac CT. Methods: In order to optimally reconstruct a point within a volume of interest (VOI), the Radon transform on all possible planes through that point should be measured. The authors quantified the extent to which this ideal condition is satisfied for the entire image volume. They first determined a Radon completeness number for each point in the VOI, as the percentage of possible planes that is actually measured. A completeness map is then defined as a 3D matrix of the completeness numbers for the entire VOI. The authors proposed algorithms to analyze the projection datasets in Radon space and compute the completeness number for a fixed point and apply these algorithms to various architectures and scan modes that they are evaluating. In this report, the authors consider four selected candidate architectures, operating with different scan modes, for a total of five system design alternatives. Each of these alternatives is evaluated using completeness map. Results: If the detector size and cone angle are large enough to cover the entire cardiac VOI, a single-source circular scan can have ≥99% completeness over the entire VOI. However, only the central z-slice can be exactly reconstructed, which corresponds to 100% completeness. For a typical single-source architecture, if the detector is limited to an axial dimension of 40 mm, a helical scan needs about five rotations to form an exact reconstruction region covering the cardiac VOI, while a triple-source helical scan only requires two rotations, leading to a 2.5x improvement in temporal resolution. If the source and detector of an inverse-geometry (IGCT) system have the same axial extent, and the spacing of source points in the axial and transaxial directions is sufficiently small, the IGCT can also form an exact reconstruction region for the cardiac VOI. If the VOI can be covered by the x-ray beam in any view, a composite-circling scan can generate an exact reconstruction region covering the VOI. Conclusions: The completeness map evaluation provides useful information for selecting the next-generation cardiac CT system design. The proposed completeness map method provides a practical tool for analyzing complex scanning trajectories, where the theoretical image quality for some complex system designs is impossible to predict, without yet-undeveloped reconstruction algorithms.
Enalapril Does Not Enhance Exercise Capacity in Patients After Fontan Procedure

Background Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors improve exercise capacity in adults with congestive heart failure by decreasing systemic vascular resistance and improving ventricular diastolic function. Patients who have undergone the Fontan procedure have decreased cardiac output, increased systemic vascular resistance, abnormal diastolic function, and decreased exercise capacity compared with normal people. Methods and Results To test the hypothesis that afterload reduction therapy alters hemodynamic variables and augments exercise capacity in patients after a Fontan procedure, we compared the results of graded exercise with maximal effort from 18 subjects (14.5±6.2 years of age, 4 to 19 years after Fontan procedure) in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover trial using enalapril (0.2 to 0.3 mg · kg−1 · d−1, maximum 15 mg). Each treatment was administered for 10 weeks. Diastolic filling patterns at rest were assessed by Doppler determination of the systemic atrioventricular valve flow velocity at the conclusion of each therapy. No difference was detected in resting heart rate, blood pressure, or cardiac index. Diastolic filling patterns were also similar. Exercise duration was not different (6.4±2.6 [enalapril] versus 6.7±2.6 minutes [placebo]). The mean percent increase in cardiac index from rest to maximum exercise was slightly but significantly decreased in subjects after 10 weeks of enalapril therapy (102±34% [enalapril] versus 125±34% [placebo]; P <.02). At maximal exercise, cardiac index (3.5±0.9 [enalapril] versus 3.8±0.9 L · min−1 · m2 [placebo]), oxygen consumption (18.3±9 [enalapril] versus 20.5±7 mL · min−1 · kg−1 [placebo]), minute ventilation (57.5±17 [enalapril] versus 55.4±19 L/min [placebo]), and total work (247±181 [enalapril] versus 261±197 W [placebo]) were not different. Conclusions We conclude that enalapril administration for 10 weeks does not alter abnormal systemic vascular resistance, resting cardiac index, diastolic function, or exercise capacity in patients who have undergone a Fontan procedure.
P44 Expression of calcium/calcineurin pathway-regulated transcription factor NFATc1 and chromatin-remodelling genes BRG1 and BRM in invasive breast cancer

Background: NFATc1 is a transcription factor activated by the calcium/calcineurin pathway, which regulates several physiological processes. Evidence has also shown a role for NFAT transcriptions factors in oncogenesis. BRG1 and BRM are chromatinremodelling genes that are also regulated by calcium homoeostasis. Diminished expression of BRG1 is associated with poor prognosis in breast cancer, non-small-cell lung cancer, colorectal cancer, and prostate cancer. To understand the biological relationship between these two pathways, we examined the expression pattern of NFATc1, BRG1, and BRM in invasive breast cancer. Methods: Paraffin blocks of 150 cases of invasive breast cancer were retrieved from Kaiser Permanente Medical Centre database. Monoclonal antibodies against NFATc1, BRG1, and BRM were used, and expression pattern was determined as no expression, weak (1+ staining intensity), moderate (2+), and high expression (3+). Pearson Chi-Squared test was used for statistical analysis. Findings: NFATc1 was expressed in approximately 22% of the 150 cases of invasive breast cancer, whereas BRG1 was expressed in 56.7% and BRM in 52%. Both nuclear and cytoplasmic expression of NFATc1 was detected, with nuclear expression as the predominant feature. BRM1/BRM are predominantly expressed in the nucleus. Most cases expressing NFATc1 showed 2+ moderate intensity expression patterns. Statistical analysis showed that expression of NFATc1 was highly correlated with the expression of both BRG1 and BRM. Interpretation: Our preliminary data shows that NFATc1 is expressed in a subset of BRG1/BRM-positive invasive breast cancers. This correlation of two calcium homoeostasis-regulated pathways provides insight into the oncogenesis of breast cancer. Funding: Kaiser Hospital Foundation Community Benefit Grant. The author declared no conflicts of interest.
Phase Correlation Processing for DPIV Measurements: Part II — Spectral Domain Analysis

A novel Digital Particle Image Velocimetry (DPIV) correlation method is introduced which estimates the displacement using the phase content within the Fourier based cross-correlation. The use of weighted least squares and robust least squares estimation is introduced in order to improve the linear phase estimation of this technique. Spectral filters are constructed using the energy content of PIV images to define weighting functions for the dominant singular vector regressions. This performance of this technique is measured using Monte Carlo simulations of DPIV images. The resulting error analysis demonstrates substantially reduced errors for higher particle-image diameters for images containing low amounts of noise. For high noise images, the reduction in bias and RMS errors is not as drastic due to limitations of extracting the phase information. However, this correlation technique is able to eliminate peak-locking errors, shown to be a substantial source of error in noisy images, by directly extracting the displacement information in the spectral domain.Copyright © 2007 by ASME
Résultats du traitement endovasculaire des lésions ostiales des troncs supra-aortiques

Alors qu'un traitement endoluminal agressif des lesions occlusives des principales branches de la crosse aortique (tronc arteriel brachio-cephalique (TABC), carotide primitive gauche (CPG) et sous-claviere gauche (SCG)) est couramment pratique, les resultats a long terme dans cette population de malades ne sont pas clairs. Nous avons etudie les resultats a long terme du traitement endoluminal des lesions ostiales de la crosse aortique dans un centre medical academique de reference tertiaire. Une banque de donnees prospectives des malades ayant un traitement endovasculaire de lesions occlusives atherosclereuses des troncs supra-aortiques proximaux entre 1990 et 2004 a ete etablie et analysee de facon retrospective. Les malades ayant des lesions stenosantes ostiales des principales branches de la crosse aortique ont ete selectionnes et les arteriographies ont ete etudiees dans tous les cas pour preciser les caracteristiques des lesions. La permeabilite a ete appreciee par un examen clinique systematique et, dans le cas des CPG et des SCG, un controle par echographie-Doppler a un, 6 et 12 mois apres l'intervention puis tous les 12 mois par la suite. Les resultats ont ete standardises suivant les criteres actuels du Trans-Atlantic Inter-Society Consensus et de la Society for Vascular Surgery. Des analyses de Kaplan-Meier ont ete realisees pour apprecier les resultats en fonction du temps. Une analyse des facteurs a ete realisee en utilisant un modele de risque proportionnel de Cox pour les variables dependant du temps. Les donnees sont presentees sous la forme d'une moyenne plus ou moins la deviation standard. Quarante-quatre malades (âge moyen 64 ± 2 ans, 59% de sexe masculin) ont eu 26 interventions sur la SCG, 11 sur la CPG et 8 sur le TABC pour des indications d'ischemie du membre superieur (29%) et de prevention ou de traitement d'un syndrome de vol coronaire (29%) ou pour des signes et des symptomes cerebro-vasculaires (42%). Le taux de succes technique a ete de 98%, avec une mortalite a 90 jours de 0% et un taux de complications majeures de 2%. Il n'y a pas eu d'accident vasculaire cerebral ou d'evenement embolique au niveau des membres superieurs. La permeabilite cumulee a ete de 88 ± 8% a trois ans, avec un taux de reintervention de 7%. Le taux global de recidive des symptomes a ete de 4%. Aucun facteur local ou general n'etait associe a un mauvais resultat. Le traitement endoluminal par stent des lesions ostiales des branches de la crosse de l'aorte fournit d'excellents taux de permeabilite a long terme au prix d'une morbidite, d'une mortalite et d'un taux d'interventions secondaires faibles. Avec un succes technique global de 98%, nos resultats sont comparables a ceux concernant les lesions situees plus distalement dans les branches de la crosse aortique et sont en faveur de la poursuite de l'utilisation du traitement percutane pour les lesions atherosclereuses des branches de la crosse aortique.
Semiprime modules with maximum conditions

A module RM is semiprime if for each 0 ≠ m ϵ M there exists ƒ ϵ HomR(M, R) with (mƒ)m ≠ 0. In Section 1 semiprime artinian modules are seen to be isomorphic to finite direct sums of minimal left ideals generated by idempotents. Semiprime noetherian modules have endomorphism rings which are left orders in semisimple artinian rings; and necessary and sufficient conditions for the latter situation to occur are given in Section 3. Prime modules are defined analogously and are treated simultaneously; and the above results are actually considered in the broader milieu of Morita contexts. In Sections 4 and 5 the classical density theorem for rings with faithful minimal left ideals is generalized (with a weakened definition of density) to include semiprime rings possessing faithful finite dimensional left ideals. The method of proof covers the infinite dimensional case as well. As a consequence, the classical density theorem is extended to rings with faithful completely reducible left ideals. In Section 6, the endomorphism ring of a torsionless module over a dense ring of transformations is shown to be a ring of the same type.
Synthesis of polybenzimidazoles via aromatic nucleophilic substitution reactions of self-polymerizable (A-B) monomers

Abstract Self-polymerizable (A-B) polybenzimidazole (PBI) monomers have been prepared and converted to PBIs via aromatic nucleophilic substitution reactions. Thus, 2(4-fluorophenyl)-5(6)-hydroxy-benzimidazole (FHB) and 2-(4-fluorophenyl)-5-hydroxy-1-phenylbenzimidazole (PFHB) have been prepared and polymerized at 230°C to 250°C in N-cyclohexyl-2-pyrrolidinone (CHP) containing potassium carbonate. The imidazole ring in these monomers activated the fluorine atom for nucleophilic displacement by the phenate ion. The resulting polymers were soluble in N-methyl-2-pyrrolidinone (NMP) and had intrinsic viscosities that ranged from 0.6 to 2.6 dl g−1 (NMP at 30°C). The PBI obtained from FHB was semicrystalline with a glass transition temperature (Tg) of 365°C, while the poly(N-phenylbenzimidazole) (PPBI) obtained from PFHB was amorphous with a Tg of 278°C. Thin films of the PPBI polymer were tough and flexible, having tensile strengths as high as 100 MPa, while those of the PBI polymer were brittle. The PBI retained 95% of its weight to 460°C when subjected to thermogravimetric analysis (t.g.a.) in air, while the PPBI retained 95% of its weight to 535°C under the same conditions. In order to lower the Tg and also to improve the mechanical properties of the PBI, PFHB was copolymerized with FHB. The Tg values of the copolymers decreased from 342°C to 296°C as their PFHB content increased from 25 to 75 mol%, while the tensile strengths of thin films of the copolymers increased with increasing PFHB content. Random copolymers were also prepared from a self-polymerizable poly(phenylquinoxaline) (PPQ) monomer and FHB.
Apollo 14 very low titanium glasses - Melting experiments in iron-platinum alloy capsules

This paper describes two techniques that have been developed to produce Fe-Pt alloy capsules for hgh-pressure experiments, and reports liquidus-phase relations of the Apollo 14 very low titanium glasses determined using Fe-rich capsules (a/Fe/ approximately 0.6). The liquid is multiply saturated with olivine and clinopyroxene at equal to or greater than 22 kbar. The multiple saturation is at least 3 kbar higher than that determined using pure Fe capsules and corresponds to a source region at least 60 km deeper if olivine and clinopyroxene were the residual phases. However, independent data on iron activity or oxygen fugacity of the glasses are still needed in order to choose a container of optimum composition. Preliminary experiments in Fe-poor alloy capsules suggest that the valence state of iron and the crystallization sequence in the melt have changed, possibly as a result of oxidizing materials entrapped during the iron-plating processes. The FeO content of the charge decreases linearly with increasing run duration in experiments using pure Fe capsules. The observation that iron-rich globules grow with time suggests that the equilibrium Fe (bleb) + Fe2O3 (liq) = 3 FeO (liq) might be established in the liquid at high pressure. If this explanation is correct, an appreciable amount of 'FeO' in the liquid could actually be Fe2O3, and some natural lunar volcanic glasses may contain ferric iron as well.
The corrosion resistance of coated steel dowels determined by impedance spectroscopy

Abstract The corrosion resistance of coated smooth steel dowels in simulated pore solution with and without 3.5% sodium chloride solution is reported. The dowels are coated with a double-layer structure composed of a 180 μm of Nickel–Chromium–Boron (referred to as NiCrB) that is overlaid by a 20 μm inorganic layer made of silicon powder, silica fume, blast furnace slag, and combinations thereof. The composition of the synthetic pore solution is based on the composition of pore fluids expressed from Type I portland cement that is characterized by pH of about 13.4 and an ionic strength of 0.4. Alternating current impedance spectroscopy measurements conducted in the range of 10 mHz to 10 kHz were found to be instrumental in detecting any change in the resistance of the coatings. It was found that the NiCrB sub-layer provides a good corrosion resistance that outperforms that of the inorganic coating. Of the five inorganic compositions tested, the combination of slag and silica fume has the best performance. The protection against corrosion is attributed mostly to particle packing rather than densification of the matrix due to pozzolanic reaction.
Infections in Pediatric Patients With Hematologic Malignancies

Despite significant advances in supportive care, infection remains second only to malignancy as a cause of death in pediatric oncology patients, and infection accounts for a large fraction of treatment-related costs. Multiple risk factors contribute to infection-related morbidity, chief among them the immunosuppressive effects of leukemia itself and of cytotoxic chemotherapy, prolonged hospitalization and antibiotic use, and loss of barrier integrity associated with mucositis and the need for indwelling central access. While viruses are the most common causes of infection, bacteria are responsible for most life-threatening complications. Gram-negative bacilli are a concern for all patients undergoing treatment, while a subset of gram-positive organisms, particularly viridans streptococci, become significant pathogens in children receiving profoundly immunosuppressive therapy. Invasive fungal infections are also a serious risk for morbidity and mortality in this population. Availability of new antimicrobial agents has made it possible to treat infectious complications more effectively, but their availability is also leading to an increased prevalence of highly resistant pathogens. Future work in pediatric oncology will need to include measures to reduce the immunosuppressive effects of anti-cancer therapy, provide targeted treatment for infections, and better identify groups of patients at high risk for infectious complications, who may benefit from antimicrobial prophylaxis or more aggressive empirical therapy.
Isolation, sequence and differential expression of the p58 gene family of Babesia bigemina

Four copies of the gene encoding the merozoite surface protein p58 from the protozoan hemoparasite Babesia bigemina were amplified from genomic DNA by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) techniques, molecularly cloned and subjected to DNA sequence analysis. The amplified DNA (Bbg7, Bbg9, Bbg13, Bbg14) could be placed into 2 classes with respect to its size and the length of the open reading frame (ORF). With the exception of a single base substitution, the sequence of Bbg13 is identical to the cDNA sequence published earlier [1]. The Bbg7 and Bbg14 copies of p58 diverged from Bbg13 sequence at regions towards the 3' and 5' ends, respectively. In contrast, Bbg9 has incorporated both regions of divergence within its sequence. Using a cloned strain of B. bigemina, RNA-PCR and Northern blot analyses demonstrate the in vivo transcription of 3 of the 4 copies, although one of the 3 expressed copies is present in very low abundance. The relative abundance and size of the two p58 mRNA species detected are consistent with the 58- and 55-kDa proteins detected by in vitro translation of B. bigemina poly(A)+ mRNA by immunoprecipitation with an anti-p58 monospecific antibodies. These results indicate that the gene encoding p58 exists as a multigene family that appears to be differentially expressed in the blood stage of the parasite's life cycle.
The improved resistance of PDMS to pressure-induced deformation and chemical solvent swelling for microfluidic devices

Graphical abstractDisplay Omitted We combined and modified previously isolated treatment processes to improve the properties of PDMS.The improved PDMS shows 860% less deformation compared to regular PDMS at same pressure conditions.Chemical swelling is also improved when the PDMS are in contact with toluene.Rhodamine B diffuses into the improved PDMS much less than the regular PDMS. We present a fabrication technique that increases the resistance of PDMS to deformation under pressure driven flow and chemical solvents swelling without the use of any foreign materials. This is achieved by enhancing the material properties of PDMS by coupling two previously isolated processes. First, the weight ratio of the prepolymer to the curing agent was increased from 10:1 to 5:1, with the latter showing 20% less deformation under pressurized conditions. Second, the cured PDMS was thermally aged at 200?C for a few hours, resulting in 140% less deformation for the thermally aged chip under the same pressure conditions. The combined processes benefit from a nonlinear coupling effect on improvement and show 860% less deformation under pressure driven flow in the enhanced PDMS chip compared to that in the standard 10:1 PDMS chip. The deformation of the standard and the enhanced PDMS microchannels under pressure driven flow is quantified using fluorescence microscopy. The compatibility of PDMS with nonpolar solvents was also explored by quantifying material swelling due to toluene absorption using brightfield imaging of the microchannel. The enhanced PDMS showed less than 10% swelling against toluene compared to 55% in the standard PDMS. The enhanced PDMS is also less permeable to the small hydrophobic molecule rhodamine B (RhB), as quantified by epi-fluorescence microscopy of the absorbed dye. The improved surface and material properties of the thermally treated PDMS are certainly beneficial in microfluidic applications that use this common soft lithography material.
Marginal analysis production planning

Abstract A forward looking with backward recourse production planning heuristic is developed using marginal analysis. In the search for a minimum cost solution, a set of rules derived by Kunreuther and Morton for determining planning horizons is employed. It is shown that the logic of the heuristic is similar to several dynamic lot-sizing models. The marginal analysis production planning (MAPP) heuristic is computationally more efficient than optimizing approaches and gives results that are generally less than 5% more expensive than the optimal solution. In addition, through the notion of level periods, the heuristic permits the user to easily investigate strategies where the work force size and daily production rate remain constant for a specified number of periods.
Innovation opportunities in critical results communication: theoretical concepts.

Failure in communication between health care personnel has been reported to account for over 60 % of root causes of sentinel events reported to the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations [1] and has prompted repeated calls from the Institute of Medicine for redesigning and error proofing health care delivery in order to improve communication and patient safety [2, 3]. In radiology, communication failures are particularly common [4–6] and are a leading cause of medical malpractice [7–9] as well as dissatisfaction among referring physicians [10]. With so much negativity surrounding conventional radiology reporting and communication practice, it is a wonder as to why innovation in practice and technology has been lacking for so long. The American College of Radiology has defined three categories of radiology critical results including emergent, discrepant, and unexpected findings, and requires the interpreting physician (i.e., radiologist) to expedite report delivery in a manner that ensures timely receipt of the findings [11]. The method of communication is largely left to the discretion of the radiologist, as long as “timely receipt” is ensured and documented. In the absence of specific and standardized communication standards, institutions and practitioners are often left to their own device, which can lead to differing expectations and practices on the parts of interpreting radiologists and referring clinicians. In the event that an adverse clinical outcome does result and communication is determined to be a contributing factor, contradictory claims are often made by involved radiologists and clinicians, as to the method, content, and timeliness of communication. In the absence of objective and reproducible data, establishing causality of the communication error is often impossible and this leads to the potential for repeating past mistakes. The ultimate goal is the creation of standardized communication databases which longitudinally record, track, and analyze all critical results communications and supporting data while simultaneously creating a method of qualitative and quantitative accountability.
Cryogenic fluid management technology requirements for the Space Transfer Vehicle

An in-house study was performed to design a cryogenic Space Transfer Vehicle (STV) for the late 1990s that can evolve with the demanding mission requirements of the manned exploration initiatives. An assessment of cryogenic fluid management technology issues associated with the STV was performed to identify technology gaps and propose advanced development activities.
Transdermal Drug Delivery - Problems and Promises

AbstractThe advantages of delivering drugs across the skin for systemic therapy are well documented (1-6), and transdermal drug delivery, on its own merits, has now become one of the fastest growing areas in drug development. The limitations and constraints of this mode of drug therapy have to be understood, however. This present article addresses such limitations and discusses the controversies surrounding these therapeutic systems. This is attempted with the hope that a good understanding and a rational approach to developing these systems will aid in early resolution of the problem(s).Under pressure from their marketing departments, pharmaceutical companies are moving hastily to produce transdermal devices. Only with well-planned development programs that take a careful and cautious approach, transdermal technology is expected to make a significant impact on the quality of patient care.
Aerosolized drug delivery: fractional deposition of inhaled particles.

ABSTRACT Delivery of drugs by aerosol is increasingly used as a means of providing therapy to both the lungs and to the rest of the body through absorption into the pulmonary circulation. The techn...
Fluorescence as a possible tool for studying the nature and water column distribution of DOC components

Abstract Seawater samples from the Hawaiian HOTS station (used in the DOC/DON intercalibration exercise), and from a depth profile from the Sargasso Sea were studied by fluorescence spectroscopy using excitation-emission matrices based on corrected spectra. Our results suggest that marine dissolved organic matter (DOM) fluorescence can be categorized into two distinct groups of fluorescing compounds. One group is distinguished by a protein-type fluorescence (excitation about 220 and 270 nm and emission about 300–350 nm) and the other group is characterized by a humic-type fluorescence (excitation about 230 and 310 nm and emission about 420–450 nm). Chemical evidence supports the interpretation that proteins and humic substances are mainly responsible for these two fluorescence types in seawater. At both the Atlantic and Pacific stations, protein-type fluorescence was dominant in the upper water column, while humic-type fluorescence was dominant in the deeper samples. These results suggest that fluorescence can be used to study the nature and distribution of two major DOM fractions, i.e. recent biochemical versus old humic substances, in the open ocean. The relevance of our results to the controversial ‘new’ or ‘missing’ DOC, as revealed by high temperature combustion oxidation DOC analyzers, is discussed.
Analysis and publication rates of Clerkship Directors in Internal Medicine (CDIM) annual meeting abstracts 1995-2005.

Background: Abstracts presented at meetings may be a reflection of the meeting's quality. Summary: The goal is to determine purpose, content areas, research design, and subsequent publication rates of abstracts presented at Clerkship Directors in Internal Medicine's annual meetings. Abstracts presented in 1995–2005 were analyzed. A total of 201 abstracts were analyzed and coded. The purpose of the majority of the studies was description (155, 77%), 44 (22%) were justification studies, and 2 (1%) were clarification studies. In all, 109 (54%) assessed the relationship between teaching and student performance. Seven (4%) were studies about how students learn, study, solve problems, obtain medical knowledge, and think critically. Nineteen (10%) were studies about students’ noncognitive skills, professionalism, interpersonal skills, and well-being studies. In all, 29 (14%) were measurement studies assessing reliability or validity of assessments. Twenty (10%) focused on career or faculty development pertaining...
The rotten institution: corruption in natural resource management

Abstract Despite widespread evidence of bribery and illegal exchange in natural resource management, corruption is largely unexplored and unincorporated in theorizations and descriptions of the political economy of environment/society interactions. This paper offers the outlines of a theory of natural resource corruption, defining it as a special case of extra-legal resource management institutions, exploring the challenge corruption poses for sustainable use of natural systems, and providing an example of corruption in the case of forest management in India. I argue here that corruption is an institutionalized system of nature/society interaction forged from state authority and molded around local social power through systems of social capital formation. I further suggest that corruption though unsustainable, is not environmentally destructive in a general sense, but that it instead puts selective pressure on some elements of a natural system while bypassing others. The argument addresses not only the character of corruption but also the role of institutions in mediating the relationships between the state and civil society, more generally.
1,5-Anhydro-4-deoxy-D-glycero-hex-1-en-3-ulose and other pyrolysis products of cellulose

Abstract Uncatalyzed pyrolysis of cellulose provides a tar containing mainly 1,6-anhydro- d -glucose derivatives and some unsaturated products. The latter include a new enone that has been isolated by preparative column chromatography in 1.4% yield and identified as 1,5-anhydro-4-deoxy- d - glycero -hex-l-en-3-ulose. This compound is also formed by pyrolysis of other carbohydrate polymers. A mechanism for its production from internal units has been deduced from the experimental data. The pyrolysis products of cellulose also contain 3,5-dihydroxy-2-methyl-4 H -pyran-4-one, which appears to be an oxidation product.
Further Evaluation of Image Latency and Reported Clarity as Functions of Image-Complexity

Two experiments were conducted in which Ss imagined single common animals, animal pairs and animal triads on separate trials. As the number of to-be-imagined animals was increased, Ss took longer to form the image and rated the image as less clear. The results support the view that imaginal behavior is a proper domain of psychological study.
Assessment of the effects of dobutamine on myocardial blood flow and oxidative metabolism in normal human subjects using nitrogen-13 ammonia and carbon-11 acetate.

Abstract The dual purposes of this study with positron emission tomography were to measure the effects of dobutamine on myocardial blood flow and oxidative metabolism, and to compare carbon-11 (C-11) acetate versus nitrogen-13 (N-13) ammonia in quantitating flow in normal subjects. Flow was quantitated with N-13 ammonia at rest and at peak dobutamine infusion (40 μg/kg/min) in 21 subjects. In 11 subjects, oxidative metabolism was also estimated at rest and peak dobutamine infusion using the clearance rate of C-11 acetate, k mono (min −1 ). A 2-compartment kinetic model was applied to the early phase of the C-11 acetate data to estimate flow. The rest and peak dobutamine rate-pressure products were 7,318 ± 1,102 and 19,937 ± 3,964 beats/min/mm Hg, respectively, and correlated well (r = 0.77) with rest and peak dobutamine flows of 0.77 ± 0.14 and 2.25 ml/min/g determined using N-13 ammonia as a flow tracer. Rest and dobutamine flows estimated with C-11 acetate were highly correlated with those determined with N-13 ammonia (r = 0.92). k mono increased from 0.05 ± 0.01 to 0.18 ± 0.02 min −1 , and correlated highly with the increase in flows (r = 0.91) and rate-pressure products (r = 0.94). Thus, the increase in cardiac demand associated with dobutamine is highly correlated with an increase in supply and oxidative metabolism. C-11 acetate is a unique tracer that can be used to image both flow and metabolism simultaneously.