cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A primitive element theorem for fields with commuting derivations and automorphisms

We establish a Primitive Element Theorem for fields equipped with several commuting operators such that each of the operators is either a derivation or an automorphism. More precisely, we show that for every extension $$F \subset E$$ of such fields of zero characteristic such that there exists an element $$a \in E$$ such that E is generated over F by a using the field operations and the operators. This result generalizes the Primitive Element Theorems by Kolchin and Cohn in two directions simultaneously: we allow any numbers of derivations and automorphisms and do not impose any restrictions on the base field F.
Environmental Taxation and the

In recent years there has been great interest in the possibility of substituting environmentally motivated or 'green' taxes for ordinary income taxes. Some have suggested that such revenue-neutral reforms might offer a 'double dividend:' not only (1) improve the environment but also (2) reduce certain costs of the tax system. This paper articulates different notions of 'double dividend' and examines the theoretical and empirical evidence for each. It also draws connections between the double dividend issue and principles of optimal environmetal taxation in a second-best setting. A weak double dividend claim is that returning tax revenues through cuts in distortionary taxes leads to cost savings relative to the case where revenues are returned lump sum. This claim is easily defended on theoretical grounds and (thankfully) receives wide support from numerical simulations.The stronger versions contend that revenue-neutral swaps of environmental taxes for ordinary distortionary taxes involve zero or negative gross costs.Analyses numerical results tend to cast doubt on the strong double dividend claim.Yet the theoretical case against the strong form is not air-tight, and numerical dividend claim is dividend claim is rejected (upheld) are related to the conditions where the second-best optimal environmental tax is less than (greater than) the marginal environmental damages.The difficulty of establishing a strong double dividend claim heightens the importance of attending to and evaluating the (environmental) benefits from environmental taxes.
A Shift in Central Metabolism Accompanies Virulence Activation in Pseudomonas aeruginosa

The availability of energy has significant impact on cell physiology. However, the role of cellular metabolism in bacterial pathogenesis is not understood. We investigated the dynamics of central metabolism during virulence induction by surface sensing and quorum sensing in early-stage biofilms of the multidrug-resistant bacterium Pseudomonas aeruginosa We established a metabolic profile for P. aeruginosa using fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy (FLIM), which reports the activity of NADH in live cells. We identified a critical growth transition period during which virulence is activated. We performed FLIM measurements and direct measurements of NADH and NAD+ concentrations during this period. Here, planktonic (low-virulence) and surface-attached (virulence-activated) populations diverged into distinct metabolic states, with the surface-attached population exhibiting FLIM lifetimes that were associated with lower levels of enzyme-bound NADH and decreasing total NAD(H) production. We inhibited virulence by perturbing central metabolism using citrate and pyruvate, which further decreased the enzyme-bound NADH fraction and total NAD(H) production and suggested the involvement of the glyoxylate pathway in virulence activation in surface-attached populations. In addition, we induced virulence at an earlier time using the electron transport chain oxidase inhibitor antimycin A. Our results demonstrate the use of FLIM to noninvasively measure NADH dynamics in biofilms and suggest a model in which a metabolic rearrangement accompanies the virulence activation period.IMPORTANCE The rise of antibiotic resistance requires the development of new strategies to combat bacterial infection and pathogenesis. A major direction has been the development of drugs that broadly target virulence. However, few targets have been identified due to the species-specific nature of many virulence regulators. The lack of a virulence regulator that is conserved across species has presented a further challenge to the development of therapeutics. Here, we identify that NADH activity has an important role in the induction of virulence in the pathogen P. aeruginosa This finding, coupled with the ubiquity of NADH in bacterial pathogens, opens up the possibility of targeting enzymes that process NADH as a potential broad antivirulence approach.
Up in smoke: a content analysis of tweets during the vaping-related illness epidemic

Background: This study examined public comments on Twitter about vaping in the days following national news stories of the ‘vaping-related illness epidemic.' What began in August 2019 with eight ho...
Discussion of the Solar UV/Planetary Wave Mechanism. Introductory Paper

Of all the suggested mechanisms for solar activity influences on climate, the solar UV/planetary wave mechanism has been investigated most carefully in a manner that allows comparison with observations. Some historical background, the observations, and modeling investigations of this mechanism are briefly discussed in this review so that the following more detailed papers can be put
Social Attribution of Collaborative Outcomes: A Study of Status Dynamics in Jazz Music Industry

This study examines how social recognition of collaborative outcomes affects status gain of actors. While research on status dynamics suggests that actors may enhance their status by producing desi...
Nucleic Acid Probes

This unit describes the physicochemical structures of commonly used nucleic acid probes, classified into four groups based on their mode of nucleic acid binding. The unit provides an excellent background for the many protocols employing these dyes and should be a prerequisite for any studies involving nuclear probes.
Exploring the Effects of Perceptual Separability on Human-Automation Team Efficiency

The purpose of the current experiment was to examine the effect of perceptual separability on human-automation team efficiency in a speeded judgment task. Human operators in applied environments interact with automated systems via a visual display which contain both complex raw data and automated support, requiring both sources of information to be mentally integrated by operators. Participants performed a speeded length-judgment task with or without decisional cues issued by a reliable automated aid. The cue was rendered in the format perceptually separable (color) or configural (area) to raw stimulus information (length). Workload capacity measures quantified human-automation team efficiency. Participants responded more slowly following the onset of the aid’s decisional cue in the area display format in the form of limited-capacity processing than the color display format, which led to unlimited-capacity processing. The color display format can support unlimited-capacity processing without moderating operators’ response speed while the area display format may produce limited-capacity processing, delaying their responses. Automation and display designers should consider utilizing separable perceptual characteristics of display elements in visual interfaces to improve human-automation team efficiency in a speeded perceptual-cognitive task.
A machine learning based asset pricing factor model comparison on anomaly portfolios

Abstract We frame asset pricing linear factor models in a machine learning context and consider related comparisons of their predictive performance against ordinary least squares linear regression over a dataset of anomaly portfolios. Specific regression models involved in the comparison include regularized linear, support vector machines, neural networks, and tree based models among others. Performance metrics are presented on a model, portfolio group, and sequential basis, and the strongest predictors are recommended as alternative techniques for the problem of excess return forecasting.
Effects of an equity-focused PBIS approach to school improvement on exclusionary discipline and school climate

In efforts to improve outcomes for students, state education agencies have developed systems of school improvement to identify and provide support for schools that have persistently low educational...
Statistical consequences of staging exploration and confirmation

Abstract A number of methodologists have recently argued that it is inadvisable or even improper to use the same data for exploration (discovering effects) and for confirmation (validating the existence of effects). This has led to suggestions of a two-phased strategy: running an exploratory study (Phase 1) and then performing a Phase 2 validation/confirmation study (ideally pre-registered) that tests just the strongest effect(s) to emerge from Phase 1. Using simulations we ask a simple question: how does this phased strategy compare with the simpler alternative of running “one big study” that combines exploration and confirmation? At any given alpha level, two figures of merit trade off against each other, with the 2-phased strategy offering lower power and greater positive predictive value (PPV). However, a closer comparison of the results show that the “big study” option is strictly dominant in the sense that for any given alpha level used in the two-phased strategy, there is some alpha level for which the “big study” approach yields better power and better PPV. Bonferroni correction for multiple comparisons does not affect this result. The implications and their important limitations are discussed.
Demographic and substance use-related differences among high school adolescents who vape cannabis versus use other cannabis modalities

Abstract Background Vaping is the second most common modality of using cannabis following smoking. We examined differences in demographics and substance use behaviors between adolescent cannabis vapers and those exclusively using other cannabis modalities. Methods In 2019, 4875 students from six Connecticut high schools completed school-wide, online surveys. Past-month cannabis users (n = 931; 52.8% female, 16.38(1.27) years old, 44.9% non-Hispanic White) reported on cannabis modalities used (e.g., combustible, vaporizable, edible) and were classified as cannabis vapers or non-vapers. Cannabis vapers reported on device type used to vape cannabis: a cannabis-specific device or modified/hacked e-cigarette. Unadjusted and adjusted relationships were examined to identify demographic and substance-related differences between cannabis vapers and non-vapers. Results 56.3% of past-month cannabis users reported vaping cannabis. Cannabis vapers reported using both cannabis-specific vaporizers (91.9%) and modifying/hacking e-cigarettes (23.7%). Cannabis vapers, relative to other cannabis users, were more likely to be male, White, initiate cannabis use at a younger age; endorse past-month use of all cannabis modalities, alcohol, and e-cigarettes; and report smoking and dabbing cannabis more frequently; consuming more drinks per drinking day; and using e-cigarettes at a younger age and more frequently. Conclusions Relative to other cannabis modalities, vaping was associated with increased use of several cannabis products and other substances. Adolescent past-month cannabis users reported modifying e-cigarettes to vape cannabis. Findings suggest that regulations should be implemented to prevent e-cigarettes from being modifiable for use with cannabis and highlight the importance of assessing different cannabis use modalities, as vaping was associated with distinct substance-related risks.
Real-time, adaptive machine learning for non-stationary, near chaotic gasoline engine combustion time series

Fuel efficient Homogeneous Charge Compression Ignition (HCCI) engine combustion timing predictions must contend with non-linear chemistry, non-linear physics, period doubling bifurcation(s), turbulent mixing, model parameters that can drift day-to-day, and air-fuel mixture state information that cannot typically be resolved on a cycle-to-cycle basis, especially during transients. In previous work, an abstract cycle-to-cycle mapping function coupled with ? -Support Vector Regression was shown to predict experimentally observed cycle-to-cycle combustion timing over a wide range of engine conditions, despite some of the aforementioned difficulties. The main limitation of the previous approach was that a partially acasual randomly sampled training dataset was used to train proof of concept offline predictions. The objective of this paper is to address this limitation by proposing a new online adaptive Extreme Learning Machine (ELM) extension named Weighted Ring-ELM. This extension enables fully causal combustion timing predictions at randomly chosen engine set points, and is shown to achieve results that are as good as or better than the previous offline method. The broader objective of this approach is to enable a new class of real-time model predictive control strategies for high variability HCCI and, ultimately, to bring HCCI's low engine-out NO x and reduced CO2 emissions to production engines.
Taxation in Asia

This publication presents an overview of tax policy and tax administration issues—how countries in Asia and the Pacific compare with the rest of the world in main taxes, revenue collections, tax morale, and others. The implications of reducing reliance on customs tariff revenues and of using the value-added tax on a broader basis, especially in the services sector, have been analyzed. This note suggests an agenda for reform by discussing whether there is space to increase national revenue collections, how to improve tax administration and enforcement, and how these reforms interact with the decentralization paradigm. The individual country performances, the extent of the shadow economy, and lessons on reforming tax administration have been referenced.
Disparities in Health Risk Behavior and Psychological Distress Among Gay Versus Heterosexual Male Cancer Survivors.

Abstract Gay men have been found to have higher rates of cancer diagnoses than heterosexual men and poorer outcomes postcancer diagnosis. The two aims of this study were to examine rates of cancer diagnosis in a national sample of gay and heterosexual men, and to examine disparities in health risk behavior between gay and heterosexual men and gay and heterosexual cancer survivors. The current study utilized data from a total sample of 14,354 men, including 373 gay men, collected as part of the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System survey conducted in 2009 in the states of Arizona, California, Massachusetts, Ohio, and Wisconsin. This study replicated the finding that prevalence of self-reported cancer diagnoses differed significantly between gay and heterosexual men, with gay men 82% more likely to report a lifetime history of cancer diagnosis (p<0.05); however, this disparity became nonsignificant after controlling for a weakened immune system proxy variable (p=0.06). Gay men were more likely than he...
A More Modern Theory of Combustion Noise

Some of the newer concepts that have emerged in the theory of turbulent reacting flows are applied to the problem of combustion-generated noise. A general theory is constructed for noise radiation from a turbulent combustion region in the practical limit of low frequency and low Mach number. The theory is specialized to simple cases of premixed and nonpremixed jet flames radiating to a free field. Comparison with experiment is given for premixed flames. A new interpretation is given for the frequency content of combustion noise, which is in accord with experiment.
A Novel ATR-FTIR Technique for Identifying Colloid Composition in Natural Waters

Although understanding colloid composition has been frequently cited as essential to predicting contaminant transport in natural waters, most current methods to collect and identify colloid composition chemically alter the colloids prior to analysis and fail to identify colloid mineralogy and organic components. This paper presents a new, low-cost method employing attenuated total reflection Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR) to identify colloids including organic material in concentrated suspensions. The concentration method employing tangential ultrafiltration at a steady temperature prevents redistribution of dissolved phase and suspended sediments into the colloidal fraction through post-sampling reactions. ATR-FTIR allows for direct analysis of concentrated suspensions rather than requiring drying that may alter composition in the colloidal phase, for example, by precipitating carbonates in samples from karst waters. The ability of this technique to monitor variation in colloidal composition is demonstrated through the examination of colloids under two different flow conditions in a karst aquifer and the West Branch of the Susquehanna River in Central Pennsylvania. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Differential effects of vascular growth factors on arterial and venous angiogenesis.

Abstract Objective: Angiogenesis, the development of new blood vessels, has become an area of increased interest for both scientific and clinical application purposes. Proangiogenic agents, such as vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and naltrexone, have been shown to effectively induce new blood vessel growth. Other growth factors, such as the endogenous opioid growth factor (OGF; [Met 5 ]-enkephalin) and retinoic acid, are inhibitors of angiogenesis. The differential effects on veins and arteries, however, by any vascular growth factor, have not previously been investigated. Methods: The chick chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) assay was used for the in vivo quantitation of angiogenesis. After 3 days of incubation, fertilized chick embryos were explanted, and a 3.2-mm methylcellulose disk containing either the known angiogenic stimulators VEGF (0.2 μg, 1.0 μg) or naltrexone (0.1 μg, 5.0 μg), or the angiogenic inhibitors OGF (1.0 μg, 5.0 μg) or retinoic acid (1.0 μg) was placed onto the CAM surface. An equal volume of distilled water served as a control. After 2 days of growth, the CAM arteries and veins were identified, and images were obtained with a digital camera. Quantitative analysis of angiogenesis was performed on a 100-mm 2 area surrounding the applied disk, and the number and length of the veins and arteries were measured. Results: The angiogenic stimulators VEGF and naltrexone markedly increased both the total number and length of all blood vessels as compared with control values. The mean length of blood vessels decreased, suggesting the induction of new vessel growth. VEGF and naltrexone proportionately increased vein and arterial angiogenesis, maintaining artery/vein ratios for vessel number and length that were unchanged compared with controls. The angiogenic inhibitors, OGF and retinoic acid, notably decreased the total number and length of blood vessels in the CAM preparations. However, these compounds had a disproportionately greater inhibitory effect on arterial angiogenesis as reflected in decreased artery/vein ratios for vessel number and length. Conclusions: The angiogenic stimulators VEGF and naltrexone induce development of veins and arteries in a proportional manner. In contrast, the angiogenic inhibitors OGF and retinoic acid demonstrated a greater inhibitory effect on arterial as compared with venous angiogenesis. Such differential effects on angiogenesis may be important in both defining mechanisms of action and designing therapeutic interventions. (J Vasc Surg 2002;35:532-8.)
The radioactive age of four Western Australian pegmatites by the potassium and rubidium methods

Abstract Age determinations using the K-A and Rb-Sr decay schemes have been made on mica and feldspar minerals from several Western Australian pegmatitic intrusions. The results suggest that Rb-Sr and K-A ages determined on micas generally yield consistent ages, although a case of low mica K-A age is reported. The K-A ages of the feldspars measured appear to be considerably lower than their corresponding Rb-Sr ages, but again an exception is noted. It is concluded, using particular values of decay-constants and K branching ratio, that the four pegmatites dated are contemporaneous, with an age of some 2800 million years.
New Caledonia – a conservation imperative for an ancient land

When Myers (1988) published his first overview of threatened hotspots for conservation of biodiversity world-wide, most of the 10 areas he selected (for example, Madagascar, the Atlantic Forest of Brazil, the eastern slope of the Andes) were already known to be critically important. However, one of his hotspots, the small island territory of New Caledonia in the South Pacific, was an unexpected inclusion in the global priority list. Although well known to botanists as a living museum of unique and ancient plants, and to marine biologists as the site of the world's second largest coastal barrier reef, New Caledonia had been largely overlooked by the international conservation community. None the less, it ranks as one of the world's most endangered biodiversity hotspots and requires an immediate and substantial commitment of conservation resources.
Rapid PCR-based detection of inserts from cDNA libraries using phage pools or direct phage plaques and lambda primers

Phage DNA isolation from genomic and cDNA libraries is time-consuming and cumbersome. Our work reports on the use of a pair of λ gt11 primers to amplify by PCR any insert DNA that is cloned into theEco RI restriction site. Using crude phage pools and direct phage plaques from a corn root cDNA library, we amplified and cloned DNA fragments. The amount of amplification products was similar when phage DNA and phage pools were used as templates. Amplified fragments could be purified, cloned and sequenced by a relatively simple procedure, thus allowing rapid detection and analysis of inserts in a large number of phage plaques.
A simple technique for constructing optimal complete diallel cross designs

A general construction technique is developed for complete diallel cross designs laid out as nested balanced incomplete block designs with sub-block size two. This technique is applied to balanced incomplete block designs with nested rows and columns to establish several series construction plans. Each of these plans yields a class of universally optimal complete diallel cross designs.
Study on the Effectiveness of a Weighted Pseudo Linear Approach to Emitter Localization

The problem of emitter localization is studied using a Weighted Pseudo-Linear Estimation (WPLE) approach. In certain localization applications, each angle-of-arrival (AOA) measurement also contains side information indicative of the quality of each measurement. Furthermore, a two-stage location approach allows the weighting scheme to also incorporate the emitter range. In this paper we apply and simulate the perfor- mance of a two-step approach for applying a Weighted Pseudo- Linear Estimation (WPLE) method toward the location of a fixed emitter for a specific geometric case. The weighting scheme allows the inclusion of both measurement quality and emitter range. A simulation study shows the unweighted estimates to be 4.8 to 6 times larger than the estimates produced by this two-stage WPLE process. Furthermore, the need for outlier mitigation is illustrated by simulation results where the presence of outliers significantly reduces the emitter location accuracy. I. INTRODUCTION
Independent and coordinate trafficking of single Drosophila germ plasm mRNAs

Messenger RNA localization is a conserved mechanism for spatial control of protein synthesis, with key roles in generating cellular and developmental asymmetry. Whereas different transcripts may be targeted to the same subcellular domain, the extent to which their localization is coordinated is unclear. Using quantitative single-molecule imaging, we analysed the assembly of Drosophila germ plasm mRNA granules inherited by nascent germ cells. We find that the germ-cell-destined transcripts nanos, cyclin B and polar granule component travel within the oocyte as ribonucleoprotein particles containing single mRNA molecules but co-assemble into multi-copy heterogeneous granules selectively at the posterior of the oocyte. The stoichiometry and dynamics of assembly indicate a defined stepwise sequence. Our data suggest that co-packaging of these transcripts ensures their effective segregation to germ cells. In contrast, compartmentalization of the germline determinant oskar mRNA into different granules limits its entry into germ cells. This exclusion is required for proper germline development.
Button cholecystostomy for management of progressive familial intrahepatic cholestasis syndromes

Abstract Background/Purpose Progressive familial intrahepatic cholestasis syndromes are characterized by impaired bile acid secretion resulting in pruritus, coagulopathy, diarrhea, and malnutrition leading to progressive liver failure and death in childhood. Partial internal or external biliary drainage can relieve symptoms and slow the progression of the disease. Objections to partial external biliary drainage include the need for a permanent biliary stoma with all the inherent complications of a stoma. We propose a novel approach to these diseases—placement of a "button" cholecystostomy tube. Methods Under general anesthesia and through a small right subcostal incision, a MIC-KEY button (Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc, Draper, UT) is inserted into the mobilized fundus of the gallbladder and secured with 2 purse-string sutures. Time of drainage is adjusted to relieve pruritus. Results Three children with progressive familial intrahepatic cholestasis achieved adequate bile drainage via the cholecystostomy button to relieve pruritus for 1, 2, and 2 ½ years postoperatively, with drainage periods of 12 to 14 hours per day. There were no episodes of cholangitis. Dislodged tubes can be replaced, or stones can be retrieved via the tract that is formed. Patient (parent) acceptance has been excellent. Conclusion Button cholecystostomy is simple to perform, relieves pruritus with intermittent (nighttime) drainage, avoids complications of a permanent stoma, avoids an enteric anastomosis, and is accepted by parents.
Children's perceptions of the sibling relationship in middle childhood: Connections within and between family relationships

Although sibling warmth and hostility have been shown to be statistically independent, they are intertwined in children's everyday experiences. We developed a multidimensional characterization of children's perceptions of their sibling relationships and examined differences in other family relationship measures as a function of different combinations of sibling hostility and warmth. Participants included 91 firstborn children between 10 and 11 years of age with younger siblings between 6 and 10 years of age. Children reported their levels of satisfaction, intimacy, and rivalry in their sibling relationships and their satisfaction with parent-child relationships. Parents rated their marriages. As compared with children in families with “affect-intense” sibling relationships (high hostility/high warmth), children in “hostile” sibling relationships (high hostility/low warmth) rated their sibling and parent-child relationships more negatively, and their parents rated their marriages more negatively. Results are discussed in terms of the role of hostility in sibling experiences and the importance of understanding multidimensional patterns in the sibling relationship.
Effects of kainic acid on the cochlear potentials and distortion product otoacoustic emissions in chinchilla

In absence of acoustic stimulation, the auditory nerve generates electrical noise with a spectral peak between 300 and 3000 Hz (Dolan et al., 1990). This electrical noise is eliminated when the dendrites of auditory nerve fibers are damaged by kainic acid (KA). We hypothesized that the KA-induced damage to the afferent dendrites might alter cochlear micromechanics or modify outer hair cell (OHC) electromotility. The KA-induced decrease in spontaneous electrical noise from the auditory nerve could conceivably reduce the spontaneous sounds recorded in the ear canal and the postulated change in cochlear micromechanics might alter distortion product otoacoustic emissions (DPOAE). To evaluate these hypotheses, we applied KA to the round window of the cochlea. KA reduced the spontaneous electrical noise recorded from the round window and significantly reduced the amplitude of the compound action potential (CAP) to tone bursts at 2, 4 and 8 kHz. KA caused only a slight reduction in the amplitude of the cochlear microphonic (CM) recorded from the round window: however, it had no effect on the spontaneous acoustic noise in the car canal or on 2 f1-f2 DPOAEs. These results suggest that the KA-induced reduction of electrical noise from the auditory nerve has no measurable effect on OHC electromotility as reflected in spontaneous otoacoustic emissions and that damage to the afferent dendrites has no effect on cochlear micromechanics as reflected in DPOAEs.
Modeling fault among accident--involved pedestrians and motorists in Hawaii.

Abstract Using a comprehensive database of police-reported accidents in Hawaii, we describe the nature of pedestrian accidents over the period 2002–2005. Approximately 36% of the accidents occur in residential areas, while another 34% occur in business areas. Only 41.7% of the pedestrian accidents occur at intersections. More pedestrian crashes occur at non-intersection locations—including midblock locations, driveways, parking lots, and other off roadway locations. Approximately 38.2% of the crashes occur at crosswalk locations, while proportionately more (61.8%) of the pedestrian accidents occur at non-crosswalk locations. Using this database the human, temporal, roadway, and environmental factors associated with being “at-fault” for both pedestrians and drivers are also examined. Using techniques of logistic regression, several different explanatory models are constructed, to identify the factors associated with crashes producing fatalities and serious injuries. Finally, two pedestrian models (drunk males and young boys) and one driver model (male commuters) are developed to provide further understanding of pedestrian accident causation. Drunk male pedestrians who were jaywalking were in excess of 10× more likely than other groups to be at-fault in pedestrian accidents. Young boys in residential areas were also more likely to be at-fault. Male commuters in business areas in the morning were also found to have higher odds of being classified at-fault when involved in pedestrian accidents. The results of this study indicate that there should be a combination of enforcement and educational programs implemented for both the pedestrian and drivers to show those at-fault the consequences of their actions, and to reduce the overall number of accidents.
Corrected structures of passicoriacin, epicoriacin and epitetraphyllin B and their distribution in the flacourtiaceae and passifloraceae

Abstract Three cyanogenic glycosides, passicoriacin, epicoriacin and epitetraphyllin B, have had their structures reassigned as epivalkenin, taraktophyllin and volkenin respectively, based on a reinterpretation of their spectral data.
Adenomyosis: a frequent cause of abnormal uterine bleeding

Abstract Objectives: To determine if there are identifying characteristics or risk factors associated with adenomyosis and to determine if routine ultrasonography identifies patients at risk for adenomyosis. Methods: A retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted of 182 premenopausal women undergoing hysterectomy for benign conditions from January 1, 1997, to December 31, 1998. The standard technique for the pathologic evaluation of the uterus (three sections) was used. No additional microscopic sections were obtained. Results: Sixty-four of 182 uterine specimens had adenomyosis discovered on routine histologic inspection (35.2%). Those with adenomyosis were 25–52 years old. Seventy-two percent of the women complained of menorrhagia. However, there were no significant differences in the characteristics or risk factors in women with adenomyosis and those without. Ultrasonography had a sensitivity of 10% and a specificity of 100% in women suspected of having adenomyosis. Conclusions: The incidence of adenomyosis at our institution was higher than that reported previously. Whereas menorrhagia was the primary complaint in 72% of women with adenomyosis, we were unable to identify clinical or radiologic characteristics or risk factors unique to adenomyosis. Routine ultrasound examination was not sensitive in predicting adenomyosis.
Research Spotlight: Three‐dimensional ash cloud observations could help aviation

[1] In the spring of 2010 the Icelandic volcano Eyjafjallajokull erupted, sending a towering column of ash floating above the North Atlantic Ocean. The ash cloud shut down air traffic over much of Europe, significantly affecting the European economy. Although Eyjafjallajokull was one of the more recent, prominent displays of the effects of volcanic ash, similar disturbances are felt in the shadows of active volcanoes the world over. To ensure the safety of both planes and passengers, regulators rely on ash cloud dispersal models to forecast areas that might be affected by an active volcano. The models use measurements of meteorological conditions and ground- or satellite-based observations of ash plumes to forecast the expected path and size of the cloud. Unfortunately, the two-dimensional plume observations used as inputs typically lack information that could significantly improve the forecast, such as details of the volcanic cloud's vertical extent. (Journal of Geophysical Research-Atmospheres, doi:10.1029/2009JD013162, 2010)
Effect of Spatial Dispersion on the Properties of a Semi-Infinite Dielectric

In this paper, we explore the properties of a model of a semi-infinite nonlocal dielectric to assess the effect of spatial dispersion on the reflectivity of the material and on the properties of surface polaritons. For the model, the nonlocal form of Maxwell's equations may be solved exactly. The additional boundary conditions follow from Maxwell's equations, and it is not necessary to introduce microscopic considerations to complete the theory. We exhibit closed expressions for the reflectivity of the material, for the case where the electric field is parallel to the plane of incidence, and for the case where it is perpendicular to the plane of incidence. At non-normal incidence, when the electric field vector is parallel to the plane of incidence, structure which owes its origin to spatial-dispersion effects appears in the reflectivity. We show that in the presence of spatial dispersion, the surface polaritons acquire a finite lifetime even in the case where the dielectric is lossless; i.e., in the presence of spatial dispersion the surface polaritons become virtual surface waves. In the quasistatic limit, we obtain an analytic expression for the dependence of the real and imaginary part of the surface-polariton frequency on wave vector in the long-wavelength limit. We then present the theory of frustrated internal reflection of radiation from a prism and crystal configuration similar to that employed in several recent experiments. In a final section, we present the results of some numerical calculations of the reflectivity of the crystal, and the width and position of the dip observed in the frustrated-internal-reflection method, for parameters characteristic of the fundamental exciton line in ZnSe.
Inflection and Extraction Systems at the Indiana University Cyclotron Facility

Properties of the magnetic and electrostatic elements which inflect beams into and extract from the injector and main stage cyclotrons at IUCF are described. Orbit separation is such that the assistance of orbit dynamical resonances is not employed. The beam stays in the median plane in all four systems. Inflection occurs after the beam has entered the cyclotron through one of the nearly field-free valleys; the beam crosses the central region and then experiences a bend of nearly 90° to enter the proper accelerated orbit. Extraction is accomplished by placing a substantial (~45°) bending magnet in one of the valleys just outside the region of circulating beam. Smaller elements upstream are then used to deflect the last turn so that it enters this magnet.
Dealing with the Initial Observation in the LM Unit Root Test

This article proposes a linearly weighted unit root test with a new weighting scheme which reflects the trade-off in power between the ADF and LM tests regarding the initial value of a time series. Simulation results indicate that the proposed test has better power performance and works better than other available tests in the literature for a range of initial conditions.
On the rate of dendrite arm coarsening

Approximate but simple expressions for the rate of isothermal coarsening of secondary dendrite arms are presented. Their derivation differs from previous work in that (a) focus is placed on growing dendrite arms, which simplifies the derivation, and (b) the effect of a finite volume fraction solid is taken into account. Expressions for isothermal coarsening are then integrated to predict the final dendrite arm spacing in a cast dendritic microstructure. Coarsening rates predicted for Al-Cu alloys, succinonitrile, and Fe-26 wt pct Ni agree with published experimental data within a factor of 2 which is within the range of variation of experimental data.
Percolation effects and sum rules in the optical properties of composities

The optical properties of binary composites may be affected by the presence or absence of infinite connected paths of either component. In a model composite of Drude metal and insulator, we find not only that the Drude peak in the real conductivity, $\mathrm{Re}{\ensuremath{\sigma}}_{\mathrm{eff}}(\ensuremath{\omega})$, disappears below the metal percolation threshold, but also that the metal plasmon peak in the energy-loss function $\ensuremath{-}\mathrm{Im}{\ensuremath{\epsilon}}_{\mathrm{eff}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}(\ensuremath{\omega})$ vanishes at the insulator threshold. The integrated strength of the percolation modes is found to vary near the percolation threshold in the limit of small damping, according to the conductivity exponents $t$ and $s$ as defined by Straley. These effects are illustrated by elementary calculations based on the effective medium approximation. Similar phenomena are found in other kinds of composites, and the possibility that these effects may have been observed in polarized transmission experiments is discussed. New sum rules, analogous to those of Bergman, are derived within the quasistatic approximation for $\mathrm{Re}{\ensuremath{\sigma}}_{\mathrm{eff}}(\ensuremath{\omega})$ and $\ensuremath{-}\mathrm{Im}{\ensuremath{\epsilon}}_{\mathrm{eff}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}(\ensuremath{\omega})$. These are used to make statements about the center of gravity of the impurity band in these quantities, and the way in which this is affected by percolation phenomena.
Coupled response spectrum analysis of secondary systems using uncoupled modal properties

Abstract A method of performing coupled response spectrum analysis of secondary systems is presented. The response spectrum specified at the base of the primary system is used as the input. The complex coupled mode shapes along with frequencies and damping values are calculated using an efficient and accurate perturbation scheme. The new method is applied to a 2 DOF secondary system coupled with a 6 DOF secondary system. The masses and the stiffness of the secondary system are varied to get nine different cases. The coupled system is subjected to El Centro (S00E, 1940) ground motion. It is shown that the response values from the present method are in good agreement with those from the coupled time history analysis. The conventional floor response spectrum method gives response values which are consistently much higher than the corresponding values from the time history analysis. It is concluded that the present method is sufficiently straightforward and efficient, and that it yields accurate response values.
A Modular Vector for Agrobacterium Mediated Transformation of Wheat

Wheat (cv Chinese Spring) tissues were transformed using Agrobacterium tumefasciens and a new plasmid modular vector, pMVTBP. We constructed pMVTBP with unique restriction sites connecting (1) the CaMV 35S promoter, (2) a Kozak sequence, (3) the FLAG epitope, (4) the (His)6 epitope, (5) a coding region (for wheat TATA Binding Protein, wTBP) and (6) the CaMV 35S 3′UTR. This vector thus allows easy exchange of different regulatory or coding sequences. Explants of either germinating mature seeds, or immature embryos, were induced to callus for up to two weeks, treated with virulence-induced bacteria for one hour, then regenerated into plantlets. Transient expression of a GUS reporter gene, assayed at about one week, occurred in 10–12% of calluses. Expression of the FLAG-tagged wTBP was also detected, by immunostaining. Stable expression, by selective growth on geneticin, and by GUS expression at about six weeks, occurred in 1–2% of calluses, quite comparable to that achieved by other methods.
Percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty or coronary by-pass surgery in the management of chronic angina pectoris

The treatment modalities for patients with chronic stable angina have expanded since the introduction of percutaneous revascularization procedures such as percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty. In selected patients, these percutaneous procedures provide an excellent alternative to surgical revascularization; in other patients, percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty is an excellent alternative to medical therapy. Selection of the optimal therapy depends on the specific coronary anatomy, left ventricular function, clinical setting, and the need for complete revascularization. Also, the availability of bailout devices, such as stents for the dilatation procedure, needs to be considered in higher risk patients or higher risk lesions. Currently, randomized trials that are being completed will allow comparison of surgical versus angioplasty approaches and will improve our ability to tailor therapy for specific subsets of patients.
Comparison of a vectorcardiographically derived 12-lead electrocardiogram with the conventional electrocardiogram during wide QRS complex tachycardia, and its potential application for continuous bedside monitoring☆

Previous investigators published conflicting reports comparing a vectorcardiographically derived electrocardiogram (ECGD) with the conventional 12-lead one (ECG). Prior comparisons were obtained in adults during sinus rhythm, but never in patients with wide QRS complex tachycardia. The ECGD was evaluated during baseline rhythms in patients with varying cardiac diagnoses, and the diagnostic accuracy of the 2 methods was compared during 64 episodes of wide QRS complex tachycardia in 49 patients during cardiac electrophysiologic study. All leads of the 12-lead ECGD closely resembled the conventional ECG in baseline and tachycardia tracings, except leads V3 and V4. QRS voltages were less in the ECGD, resulting in an inability to detect left ventricular hypertrophy in one third of patients with that diagnosis. There was excellent agreement between the ECGD and ECG in diagnosing prior myocardial infarction (92%), ventricular preexcitation patterns (100%), bundle branch and fascicular blocks (100%), and axis deviation. The ECGD was equally as valuable as the ECG in the diagnosis of wide QRS complex tachycardia. There was perfect agreement between the 2 lead systems in application of the morphologic criteria differentiating supraventricular tachycardia with aberration from ventricular tachycardia in leads V1, V2 and V6, and for criteria requiring axis determination and measurement of RS intervals in the precordial leads. The ECGD tracings contained less muscle artifact during body movements (e.g., after direct-current defibrillation). In conclusion, the ECGD's close correlation with the ECG, and its technical superiority and simple 5 torso-positioned electrode configuration make it worth pursuing as an option for continuous bedside monitoring.
Managing bloodstream infections in patients who have short-term central venous catheters.

Catheter-related bloodstream infections can be complicated to manage, but a growing body of evidence supports specific recommendations. In 2009, the Infectious Diseases Society of America published updated guidelines for the diagnosis and management of all intravascular catheterrelated infections. Here we provide a focused review on the management of bloodstream infections in adult patients with short-term (not surgically implanted and not tunneled) central venous catheters, including peripherally inserted central catheters. This review should serve as a ready reference for providers (eg, hospitalists, surgeons, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, intensivists) managing adult patients with short-term central venous catheters in place.
The Bias and Error in Moment Estimators for Parameters of Drop Size Distribution Functions: Sampling from Gamma Distributions

Abstract This paper complements an earlier one that demonstrated the bias in the method-of-moments (MM) estimators frequently used to estimate parameters for drop size distribution (DSD) functions being “fitted” to observed raindrop size distributions. Here the authors consider both the bias and the errors in MM estimators applied to samples from known gamma DSDs (of which the exponential DSD treated in the earlier paper is a special case). The samples were generated using a similar Monte Carlo simulation procedure. The skewness in the sampling distributions of the DSD moments that causes this bias is less pronounced for narrower population DSDs, and therefore the bias problems (and also the errors) diminish as the gamma shape parameter increases. However, the bias still increases with the order of the moments used in the MM procedures; thus it is stronger when higher-order moments (such as the radar reflectivity) are used. The simulation results also show that the errors of the estimates of the DSD param...
Finite automata for caching in matrix product algorithms

A diagram is introduced for visualizing matrix product states which makes transparent a connection between matrix product factorizations of states and operators, and complex weighted finite state automata. It is then shown how one can proceed in the opposite direction: writing an automaton that ``generates'' an operator gives one an immediate matrix product factorization of it. Matrix product factorizations have the advantage of reducing the cost of computing expectation values by facilitating caching of intermediate calculations. Thus our connection to complex weighted finite state automata yields insight into what allows for efficient caching in matrix product algorithms. Finally, these techniques are generalized to the case of multiple dimensions.