Latent infection from Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) is widespread worldwide and has been associated with cognitive deficits in some but not all animal models and in humans. We tested the hypothesis that latent toxoplasmosis is associated with decreased cognitive function in a large cross-sectional dataset, the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). There were 4178 participants aged 20–59 years, of whom 19·1% had IgG antibodies against T. gondii. Two ordinary least squares (OLS) regression models adjusted for the NHANES complex sampling design and weighted to represent the US population were estimated for simple reaction time, processing speed and short-term memory or attention. The first model included only main effects of latent toxoplasmosis and demographic control variables, and the second added interaction terms between latent toxoplasmosis and the poverty-to-income ratio (PIR), educational attainment and race-ethnicity. We also used multivariate models to assess all three cognitive outcomes in the same model. Although the models evaluating main effects only demonstrated no association between latent toxoplasmosis and the cognitive outcomes, significant interactions between latent toxoplasmosis and the PIR, between latent toxoplasmosis and educational attainment, and between latent toxoplasmosis and race-ethnicity indicated that latent toxoplasmosis may adversely affect cognitive function in certain groups.

Significant new opportunities for astrophysics and cosmology have been identified at low radio frequencies. The Murchison Widefield Array is the first telescope in the southern hemisphere designed specifically to explore the low-frequency astronomical sky between 80 and 300 MHz with arcminute angular resolution and high survey efficiency. The telescope will enable new advances along four key science themes, including searching for redshifted 21-cm emission from the EoR in the early Universe; Galactic and extragalactic all-sky southern hemisphere surveys; time-domain astrophysics; and solar, heliospheric, and ionospheric science and space weather. The Murchison Widefield Array is located in Western Australia at the site of the planned Square Kilometre Array (SKA) low-band telescope and is the only low-frequency SKA precursor facility. In this paper, we review the performance properties of the Murchison Widefield Array and describe its primary scientific objectives.

Aminocaproic acid (ACA) and Premarin® (PRE) are used to treat exercise-induced pulmonary haemorrhage (EIPH) at the racetrack based upon their putative coagulation effects. We hypothesized that neither ACA nor PRE would reduce EIPH because the literature does not substantiate coagulation deficits being manifested in EIPH. Six Thoroughbreds were run from 4 m s− 1 until fatigue (1 m s− 1s × 1 min increments; 6° inclined treadmill) after being treated with placebo, PRE (25 mg) or ACA (5 g) at 2-week intervals in a randomized crossover design. Coagulation and exercise-related variables were measured at rest and maximal effort. EIPH and inflammation were quantified via bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) 30–60 min post-exercise. EIPH was not altered by either treatment (3.8 ± 1.7 (placebo), 4.6 ± 3.2 (ACA) and 2.4 ± 1.2 (PRE) × 106 RBC ml− 1 BALF; p = 0.12), nor was coagulation. However, inflammation was decreased (5.9 ± 0.9 (placebo), 4.4 ± 0.9 (ACA) and 4.2 ± 0.4 (PRE) × 105 WBC ml− 1 BALF; both p < 0.05). There was a trend for decreased time-to-fatigue (720 ± 27 (placebo), 709 ± 24 (ACA) and 726 ± 28 (PRE) s; p = 0.09 for placebo vs. ACA) and a reduction in plasma lactate (19.5 ± 3.0 (placebo), 14.7 ± 1.0 (ACA) and 17.6 ± 2.5 (PRE) mmol l− 1; p < 0.05 for placebo vs. ACA) following ACA administration. ACA and PRE were not effective in reducing EIPH, and ACA may be detrimental to performance. However, both may mitigate exercise-induced pulmonary inflammation.

Exercise-induced pulmonary haemorrhage (EIPH) is a major health concern in performance horses, but the presence and severity of this condition in racing greyhounds has received little attention. While equids and greyhounds share many physiological attributes, there are important structural and functional differences that may help protect greyhounds from EIPH. We tested the hypothesis that greyhounds performing a simulated 503 m race would experience EIPH and that the time course of recovery would be similar to the horse, even though the severity or relative extent as indexed by the concentration of red blood cells [RBCs] in bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid would be lower in comparison with that demonstrated previously in horses. Greyhound dogs (n = 6) raced on two occasions (separated by 7 weeks) and BAL was performed 1 week before, 2 h after and each week for 4 weeks following each race to examine the [RBC], concentration of white blood cells [WBCs], WBC differentials and haemosiderophages in the lungs. Racing increased 10 min post-exercise venous blood [lactate] to 18.6 ± 0.4 mmol l− 1. No epistaxis or pink froth was observed at the nose or mouth of any of the dogs. The [RBC] in the BAL fluid was increased significantly 2 h post-race (baseline = 109.6 ± 11.7 × 103; post-race = 292.3 ± 69.9 × 103 RBC ml− 1 BAL fluid, P < 0.05) and returned to baseline 1 week post-race (149.2 ± 46.2 × 103 RBC ml− 1 BAL fluid, P>0.05 versus baseline). The number of haemosiderophages was not different for any of the measurement periods. The [WBC] in the BAL fluid decreased from baseline and race values at 2, 3 and 4 weeks post-exercise (all P < 0.05). Alveolar neutrophil concentrations were also decreased from baseline and immediate post-race values for 4 weeks post-race. The increased [RBC] in the BAL fluid post-exercise is consistent with the presence of EIPH in these greyhounds. However, the relative extent of EIPH in greyhounds (as indexed by [RBC] in the BAL fluid), as compared with that in the horse, was mild, and the lack of elevation of WBC suggests that, unlike their equine counterparts, inflammatory airway disease was absent.

Emission-line observations made with the Spitzer Space Telescope are used to test the predicted ionizing spectral energy distributions of various stellar atmosphere models.

In an effort to develop alternative single buffer layer technology for YBa2Cu3O7-δ (YBCO) coated conductors, we have investigated LaMnO3 (LMO) as a potential buffer layer. High-quality LMO films were grown directly on biaxially textured Ni and Ni-W (3%) substrates using rf magnetron sputtering. YBCO films were then grown on LMO buffers using pulsed laser deposition. Detailed X-ray studies have shown that both YBCO and LMO layers were grown with a single epitaxial orientation. Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy (RBS) analyses have indicated the ratio of La to Mn ratio is 1:1. SEM micrographs indicated that 3000-Å-thick LMO films on biaxially textured Ni (100) substrates were dense, continuous and crack-free. A high Jc of over 1 MA/cm2 at 77 K and self-field was obtained on YBCO films grown on LMO-buffered Ni or Ni-W substrates. We have identified LaMnO3 as a good diffusion barrier layer for Ni and it also provides a good template for growing high current density YBCO films.

The effect of late season insect infestation on seed yield, yield components, oil content and oil quality of two canola species (Brassica napus L. and B. rapa L.) and two mustard species (B. juncea L. and Sinapis alba L.) was examined over 2 years. In each year, ten genotypes from each species were evaluated with late season insects controlled with either methyl parathion or endosulfan insecticides, and without insecticides. Major late season insect damage in 1992 was caused by cabbage seedpod weevil (Ceutorhynchus assimilis Paykull), while diamondback moth (Plutella xylostella L.) and aphids (primarily cabbage aphids, Brevicoryne brassicae L.) were major insect pests in 1993. Insecticide application was very effective in controlling diamondback moth larvae and adult cabbage seedpod weevils, but only partially effective in controlling aphids. Higher numbers of diamondback moth larvae were observed on mustard species compared to canola species. S. alba was completely resistant to cabbage seedpod weevil and there was no damage due to this pest observed. Aphid colonization was observed on plants from all species, but infestation on S. alba and B. rapa occurred too late to have a major effect on seed yield. Seed oil content of canola species was significantly reduced by insect damage although oil quality (indicated by fatty acid profile) was not affected by insect attack. Uncontrolled insect infestation reduced seed yield of canola species by 37 and 32% in B. napus and B. rapa, respectively. Least yield reduction occurred in S. alba, where average yield reduction from plants in untreated control plots was <10% of insecticide treated plants. S. alba, therefore, has good potential as an alternative crop suitable for northern Idaho because it can be grown with reduced late season insecticide application.

The ALFA mission is designed to map the entire sky at frequencies between approximately 0.3 and 30 MHz with angular resolution limited by interstellar and interplanetary scattering. Most of this region of the spectrum is inaccessible from the ground because of absorption and refraction by the Earth’s ionosphere. A wide range of astrophysical questions concerning solar system, galactic, and extragalactic objects could be answered with high resolution images at low frequencies, where absorption effects and coherent emission processes become important and the synchrotron lifetimes of electrons are comparable to the age of the universe.

We report a principle that allows writing visible light emitting semiconductor patterns of arbitrary shape down to the sub-micrometer scale. We demonstrate that porous semiconductor growth can be electrochemically initiated preferentially at surface defects created in an n-type substrate by Si++ focused ion beam bombardment. For n-type material in the dark, the electrochemical pore formation potential (Schottky barrier breakdown voltage) is significantly lower at the implanted locations than for an unimplanted surface. This difference in the threshold voltages is exploited to achieve the selectivity of the pore formation process. Visible light emitting patterns of porous Si and GaAs have been created in this way. At present, the size of the structures is limited only by the diameter of the writing ion beam, and pattern diameters in the 50–200-nm range are possible.

It has been observed that the sheet resistance of a Ti-salicided polysilicon-gate electrode or source/drain region increases significantly as the dimension reaches the lower sub-micron range. The resistance of platinum and nickel silicide (PtSi and NiSi), however, does not increase with reduced linewidth. We have studied PtSi and NiSi films with deep sub-micron linewidths on single crystal or poly-Si substrates. In this study, the material properties such as sheet resistance, grain structure and surface morphology of these silicide films in confined geometries are reviewed and compared with TiSi2. Process windows for forming and maintaining these silicides are explored.

At the lowest radio frequencies (≤30 MHz), the Earth's ionosphere transmits poorly or not at all. This relatively unexplored region of the electromagnetic spectrum is thus an area where high resolution, high sensitivity observations can open a new window for astronomical investigations. Also, extending observations down to very low frequencies brings astronomy to a fundamental physical limit where the Milky Way becomes optically thick over relatively short path lengths due to diffuse free-free absorption.

Analyses have been completed which provide guidance for conducting radionuclide migration field experiments. Characterization of nonwelded tuffs and laboratory experiments defining dominant chemical phenomena were used to develop a model for describing migration in fractured porous rock. Criteria for obtaining optimum experimental conditions were developed in terms of the key variables dominating migration in a given rock type, namely the fracture aperture, distribution coefficient, and average fluid velocity. For simple dissolved species, which are reversibly sorbed, variations in fracture aperture and fluid velocity affect experiment results much more than variations in distribution coefficient. Therefore, the experiment should be designed to optimize hydrogeologic conditions rather than sorption properties.

Airborne observations of the Trapezium region of the Orion Nebula in the 60–300 μ range have been made from 13.7 km altitude using a Michelson interferometer with the Rice University 12-in. Flying Infrared Telescope. Fourier analysis of five interferometer scans provided spectra with resolution ranging from 7 cm–1 to 20 cm–1. These spectra were compared with lunar spectra taken with the same instrument at the same altitude to correct for instrumental and atmospheric effects. A weighted combination of these scans provides a low resolution spectrum. The radiation per unit frequency interval at 190 μ was found to be at least 40% of that measured between 75 and 90 μ. Neglecting possible features in the spectrum, its general shape is consistent with a blackbody near 70 K. The resolution is inadequate to resolve spectral lines.