cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Multidetector Computerized Tomography Urography as the Primary Imaging Modality for Detecting Urinary Tract Neoplasms in Patients With Asymptomatic Hematuria

Purpose: We determined whether multidetector computerized tomography urography is sensitive and specific for detecting urinary tract neoplasms when used as the primary imaging modality for evaluating patients with hematuria.Materials and Methods: A retrospective review was performed of the radiological, urological and pathological records of 468 patients without a history of urinary neoplasms who presented with hematuria. All patients underwent multidetector computerized tomography urography and complete urological evaluation, including cystoscopy. Laboratory urinalysis and cytology were done in 350 and 318 of the 468 patients, respectively. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed using the variables multidetector computerized tomography urography diagnosis, worst urine cytology, number of red blood cells per high power field, gross hematuria, age and gender to predict urinary tract neoplasm.Results: A total of 50 urinary neoplasms were diagnosed in 468 patients. Multidetector computerized...
Superconductivity in the two-dimensional Hubbard model: One-particle correlation functions.

The one-particle correlation functions of a ${\mathit{d}}_{\mathit{x}}^{2}$-${\mathit{y}}^{2}$ superconducting state in the two-dimensional Hubbard model are investigated within the fluctuation-exchange approximation. This approximation has been previously applied to investigate properties of the Hubbard-model normal state, including incipient instabilities. Results are obtained for the wave vector and temperature dependence of the one-particle energy gap. A miximum gap ratio 2${\mathrm{\ensuremath{\Delta}}}_{\mathit{k}}^{\mathrm{max}}$(T=0)/${\mathit{k}}_{\mathit{B}}$${\mathit{T}}_{\mathit{c}}$ of order 10 is obtained for intermediate coupling strengths and electron densities near one per site. The potential appearance of spin excitons in two-particle response functions is discussed.
Radiative Pion Capture and the Pion-Nucleus Vertex Function

We use the Kroll-Ruderman theorem and the elementary-particle treatment of the nucleus to calculate $s$-wave capture rate of pions by ${\mathrm{He}}^{3}$ and ${\mathrm{Li}}^{6}$. The results are compared with previous estimates and experiment. We also use the observed Panofsky ratio to study the $\ensuremath{\pi}{\mathrm{He}}^{3}{\mathrm{H}}^{3}$ vertex function.
Entropically driven surface phase separation in binary colloidal mixtures.

We investigate the phase diagram of mixtures of charge stabilized polystyrene spheres of two different sizes in the hard-sphere limit. We observe bulk phase separation into two disordered phases and find a new ordered phase located on the cell walls. The ordered phase occurs at volume fractions as low as 0.2, much less than the value of 0.49 for hard-sphere freezing in monodisperse suspensions, and is qualitatively explained with simple geometric arguments.
The coaxial collinear antenna: Current distribution from the cylindrical antenna equation

A theoretical model and computer simulations of the current on the coaxial collinear (COCO) antenna are presented. Comparisons between numerical results and measurements are made for 24- and 26-element COCO antennas at 50 MHz and for six- and eight-element COCO antennas at 915 MHz. The results show reasonable agreement between first-order theory and measurements.
Involvement of the INK4a/Arf gene locus in senescence.

Summary The INK4a/ARF locus encodes two proteins whose expression limits cellular proliferation. Whilst the biochemical activities of the two proteins appear very different, they both converge on regulating the retinoblastoma and p53 tumour suppressor pathways. Neither protein is required for normal development, but lack of either predisposes to the development of malignancy. Both proteins have also been implicated in the establishment of senescence states in response to a variety of stresses, signalling imbalances and telomere shortening. The INK4a/Arf regulatory circuits appear to be partially redundant and show evidence of rapid evolution. Especially intriguing are the large number of biological differences documented between mice and man. We review here the brief history of INK4a/Arf and explore possible links with organismal aging and the evolution of longevity.
Lateralized effects of ethanol on aggression and serotonergic systems in Anolis carolinensis

The lateralized effects of ethanol (ETOH) upon behavior and monoamine biochemistry in the lizard, Anolis carolinensis, were examined. Eight adult male anoles consumed solutions of 19% ethanol (ETOH) twice daily over the course of 18 days, while controls consumed water. ETOH decreased the use of the left eye/right hemisphere, but not the right eye/left hemisphere, during territorial aggression (p<0.05). During crossover (i.e., ETOH to water and vice versa) this effect was reversible and replicable. Biochemically, an asymmetry was observed in 5-HT levels in the raphe both in ETOH and controls. ETOH increased levels of serotonin (5-HT; p<0.05), and 5-HIAA/5-HT ratios (p<0.05) in the raphe; serotonin levels in several brain regions correlated with aggressive responses. These results suggest that ETOH boosts 5-HT levels in animals subchronically exposed to ETOH. They further suggest that asymmetry in endogenous 5-HT systems may account for the asymmetrical regulation of aggression generally, and may explain the behavioral effects of ETOH upon lateralized aggression.
Long-Term Outcomes of Patients With High-Risk Prostate Cancer Treated With HDR Brachytherapy Boost

Purpose/Objective(s): To report the long-term clinical outcomes of patients with high-risk adenocarcinoma of the prostate treated with pelvic radiation therapy followed by high-dose-rate (HDR) brachytherapy boost. Materials/Methods: 115 consecutive patients with high-risk prostate cancer ( cT3, Gleason (GS) 8-10, or PSA 20) treated between July 1997 and November 2005 were included in this study. All patients underwent whole pelvic radiation therapy to 45 Gy followed by HDR brachytherapy boost. HDR brachytherapy boost consisted of 6 Gy x 3 (38 patients) or 9.5 Gy x 2 (77 patients) to the prostate and seminal vesicles. 47%, 48%, and 5 % patients received long-term (>18 mos), short-term (4-6 mos), or no androgen deprivation therapy, respectively. Results: The median age at diagnosis was 64.8 yrs. 50 (43%), 90 (78.2%), and 24 (20.8%) patients were diagnosed with GS 8-10, cT3 disease, and PSA 20, respectively. Mean PSA was 14.94 (range 0.21-99.3). 21 patients (18.2%) had seminal vesicle invasion and 42 patients (37%) had at least 2 high-risk features. With a median follow-up time of 94 months, biochemical free survival as defined by the Phoenix definition was 78.2%. 4 patients (3.5%) failed locally as determined by biopsy without metastatic disease. Overall survival and disease specific survival were 84.3% and 95.7%, respectively. Six secondary malignancies (bladder 1 year posttreatment, colon, lung, melanoma, hepatocellular carcinoma) developed. One patient developed grade 3 ureteral stricture causing hydronephrosis and required stent placement. There were no other grade 3 or greater genitourinary or gastrointestinal toxicity. Conclusions: Pelvic radiation therapy followed by HDR brachytherapy boost is an effective treatment for high-risk prostate cancer with excellent long-term disease control and minimal toxicity. Author Disclosure: A.J. Chang: None. M. Roach: None. A. Gottschalk: None. A.J. Cunha: None. Z.A. Seymour: None. J.A. Johnson: None. D. Raleigh: None. K. Shinohara: None. I.J. Hsu: None.
Sterilization and care of surgical instruments and supplies

Adequate instrument handling and sterilization are important aspects of office surgery. Heat sterilization is the most reliable choice. The steam autoclave is highly recommended. Dry heat is effective but can pose some storage problems. Gas sterilization is useful for heat-sensitive materials but not practical for the private office. Cold "sterilization" is not reliable for incisional surgery. In addition to proper sterilization modality selection, the surgeon must observe important standards of instrument care, packing, and storage.
Frequency judgments and the spacing effect: Immediate and delayed performance

A study was conducted using a continuous paired-associate task varying the retention interval after one or two presentations of a pair of words. The lag between presentations was also varied. Half of the items were tested immediately, and all of the items were tested after a delay. Subjects were instructed to recall the response and to indicate the presentation frequency for each item. The results indicated a lag effect only for items correctly judged as repetitions at the time of test on both immediate and delayed tests. Overall responding was generally greater for items given an immediate test in contrast to those only given the delayed test. The role of variable encodings and the representation of frequency in memory is discussed.
Sex, Truths, and Audiotape: Anonymity and the Ethics of Exposure in Public Ethnography

This article discusses ethical issues confronted in The Stranger Next Door, my ethnographic study of a small town divided by a local ballot initiative against gay/lesbian civil rights. Seeking to intervene in public debates about the issue, I wrote a book that was broadly accessible, painting vivid portraits of local activists engaged in this conflict. When the pseudonymous community was “outed” by a review in the statewide newspaper, rightwing activists became incensed, and charged me with compromising their anonymity, among other offenses. Years later, as I reflect upon these accusations, I recognize that some of them have some credence. While public sociological work cannot and should not seek to avoid controversy, I question whether the quest for anonymity in ethnographic research always serves the interests of researchers and their subjects of study.
Effects of maternal drinking, smoking, size, and parity on parent‐offspring birth weight correlations

Parent-offspring birth weight correlations are presented by sex of parent and infant. They range from .14 to .16, except for the mother-daughter correlation, which is .32. This pattern of parent-offspring correlations varies when the parity of the infant, the size of the mother, and the mother's drinking and smoking status are considered. All parent-offspring correlations are higher when the infant is parity 2 or more. The mother-daughter correlations are significantly higher than mother-son correlations when the mother is above average in usual weight, height, or pregnancy weight gain. When the mother smoked before conception, all birth weight correlations except mother-daughter are essentially zero. The mother-son correlation is also very small if the mother was a regular drinker, independent of her smoking status. The complex relationships in this sample demonstrate that interactions with environmental variables must be taken into account in studies of familial aggregation of human birth weight.
Interplay between disorder and coulomb correlations in semiconductors

We investigate exciton dynamics in disordered quantum wells with optical two-dimensional Fourier transform spectroscopy (2DFTS). The lack of cross peaks in 2DFTS suggests that excitons localized in spatially separated regions are uncoupled.
Wavelength Dependence of Soft Infrared Laser Desorption and Ionization

Protonated insulin molecules were formed by soft IR laser desorption ionization of a thin film of the protein on a silicon surface. Time-of-flight mass spectra were recorded at wavelengths between 2.8 and 3.6 μm and the efficiency of ionization was compared to the IR absorption of the protein thin film. Ionization efficiency was quantified by recording the minimum laser energy per unit area required to produce a detectable ion signal (threshold fluence). The ionization efficiency tracks the IR absorption spectrum of insulin between 2.6 and 3.8 μm in the region of OH, NH, and CH stretch absorption. The lowest threshold fluence and therefore the most efficient ionization was nearly coincident with the OH stretch absorption of insulin near 3.0 μm. An additional local maximum in ionization efficiency was observed at 3.4 μm, coincident with the CH stretch vibrational absorption. Comparison of the ionization efficiency with the IR absorption indicates that the protein and not the residual solvent is absorbing the laser energy. Scanning electron microscopy images of the bovine insulin thin films on silicon after laser irradiation show melting and indications of explosive boiling. Ionization occurs through the sacrifice of some of the protein molecules that absorb the laser energy and act as an intrinsic matrix.
Thresholds for requesting transfers to tertiary care were influenced by perceptions of the current illness and differences in perceptions of the initial hospital and tertiary care centre.

Dy SM, Rubin HR, Lehmann HP. Why do patients and families request transfers to tertiary care? A qualitative study. Soc Sci Med 2005;61:1846–53. [OpenUrl][1][CrossRef][2][PubMed][3][Web of Science][4] Q Why do patients or their surrogates request transfers to tertiary care? Qualitative interview study with ethnographic decision modelling. A large regional tertiary care centre in Baltimore, Maryland, USA. Purposeful sample of 32 patients 37–92 years of age (mean age 64 y, 53% women, 87% white) (or their surrogate decision makers) who were transferred to tertiary care. Exclusion criteria were patients transferred as part of a regionalised care system, including psychiatry, trauma, and neonatal intensive care patients; and patients transferred for insurance purposes. Semistructured interviews were conducted during the patients’ hospital stay at the accepting hospital within 2 weeks of transfer. Questions addressed patients’ roles in decision making, perceptions of the decision making process, reasons for transfer, and factors influencing the decision. Data collection and analysis used an iterative process. Ethnographic decision modelling was used to develop an influence diagram of the decision to request a transfer. The … [1]: {openurl}?query=rft.jtitle%253DSocial%2Bscience%2B%2526%2Bmedicine%26rft.stitle%253DSoc%2BSci%2BMed%26rft.aulast%253DDy%26rft.auinit1%253DS.%2BM.%26rft.volume%253D61%26rft.issue%253D8%26rft.spage%253D1846%26rft.epage%253D1853%26rft.atitle%253DWhy%2Bdo%2Bpatients%2Band%2Bfamilies%2Brequest%2Btransfers%2Bto%2Btertiary%2Bcare%253F%2Ba%2Bqualitative%2Bstudy.%26rft_id%253Dinfo%253Adoi%252F10.1016%252Fj.socscimed.2005.03.037%26rft_id%253Dinfo%253Apmid%252F15919143%26rft.genre%253Darticle%26rft_val_fmt%253Dinfo%253Aofi%252Ffmt%253Akev%253Amtx%253Ajournal%26ctx_ver%253DZ39.88-2004%26url_ver%253DZ39.88-2004%26url_ctx_fmt%253Dinfo%253Aofi%252Ffmt%253Akev%253Amtx%253Actx [2]: /lookup/external-ref?access_num=10.1016/j.socscimed.2005.03.037&link_type=DOI [3]: /lookup/external-ref?access_num=15919143&link_type=MED&atom=%2Febnurs%2F9%2F3%2F93.atom [4]: /lookup/external-ref?access_num=000231462700023&link_type=ISI
An electron microscope study of the cytology of the protozoan Euplotes patella.

1. Structurally the "sensory bristles" in Euplotes patella are typical cilia, but no ciliary rootlets connect their bases. 2. The "neuromotor fibrils" are composed of filaments 21 mµ in diameter. At the point of junction of the filaments with the peripheral ciliary fibrils a granular structure 65 to 90 mµ in diameter is seen which has dense central and peripheral zones separated by a less dense layer. Information on the interconnection of organelles is expanded. 3. A system of subpellicular fibrils is described. The external fibrillar system described by others could not be found. 4. The motorium is shown to be a mass of intertwining rootlet filaments. 5. The micronucleus is shown to have a spongy, dense material in a less dense material, all of which is surrounded by a double-layered membrane. 6. The double-layered macronuclear membrane contains annuli whose outside diameter is 70 mµ; the macronuclear bodies are sometimes closely applied to the membrane. In the macronuclear reorganization bands, the solution plane is a fine network, while the reconstruction plane is devoid of structure at the level of resolution observed. 7. The mitochondria are composed of tubules, only occasionally oriented, usually embedded in a surrounding material of lower density. 8. Microbodies whose diameters are 250 to 350 mµ are frequently observed in close association with mitochondrial surfaces. 9. The food vacuoles, contractile vacuoles, and ciliary vacuoles are bounded by single-layered membranes. In the food vacuoles, the bacteria are surrounded by membranes individually or in small groups. 10. Cytoplasmic rods localized in the oral region, and cytoplasmic granules dispersed at random, are described. No typical ergastoplasm, endoplasmic reticulum, or Golgi material was observed.
Spiro(benzoxasilole) catalyzed polymerization of oxetane derivatives

A spiro(benzoxasilole) catalyst, 3,3,3′,3′-tetrakis(trifluoromethyl)-1,1′-(3H,3H′)-spirobis(1,2-benzoxasilole) was used to polymerize 3,3-R,R′-oxetanes: BEMO (R, R′ = ethoxymethyl), AMMO (R = azidomethyl, R′ = methyl), NMMO (R = nitratomethyl, R′ = methyl), BAMO (R, R′ = azidomethyl), and BCMO (R, R′ = chloromethyl) with descending rates in this order. 31P-NMR of polymerization mixtures quenched using Bu3P are consistent with an oxonium ion propagating species. Water is not a cocatalyst because it increases the induction period which is not eliminated by the proton trap 2,6-di-t-bu-tylpyridine. The propagating chains were terminated by transfer with the ether oxygen of the polymer either intermolecularly or intramolecularly. The index of propagation to chain transfer, Kkikp/ktr, varies over more than three orders of magnitude for BEMO > AMMO > NMMO > BAMO. However, kp/ktr for the four monomers differ by less than a factor of five indicating the same factors are affecting propagation and chain transfer. Addition of benzyl alcohol and propandiol produced poly(BEMO) having one and two hydroxyl termini, respectively. These telechelic polymers can be used to synthesize linear triblock or multiblock copolymers of oxetane derivatives. © 1992 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
The Fragility of Goodness: Luck and the tragic emotions

Aristotle has a high regard for tragedy. Both in the Poetics itself and in the Politics discussion of the education of young citizens, he gives it a place of honor, attributing to it both motivational and cognitive value. Our discussion of his ethical views has brought us into contact with several features of his thought that help to explain this. The general anthropocentrism of his ethics and his rejection of the Platonic external ‘god's eye’ standpoint (Ch. 8) leads him to turn, for moral improvement, not to representations of divine non-limited beings (cf. Ch. 5), but to stories of good human activity. The value he attributes to emotions and feelings, both as parts of a virtuous character and as sources of information about right actions (Chs. 9, 10), naturally leads him to give another hearing to texts that Plato had banished on account of their representation of and appeal to the emotions. Then, too, since, in our aspiration to grasp ethical truth, the perception of concrete particulars is, for Aristotle, prior in authority to the general rules and definitions that summarize those particulars, since a detailed account of a complex particular case will have more of ethical truth in it than a general formula (Ch. 10), it will be natural for him to suppose that the concrete and complex stories that are the material of tragic drama could play a valuable role in refining our perceptions of the complex ‘material’ of human life.
CRUSH: controlled, scalable, decentralized placement of replicated data

Emerging large-scale distributed storage systems are faced with the task of distributing petabytes of data among tens or hundreds of thousands of storage devices. Such systems must evenly distribute data and workload to efficiently utilize available resources and maximize system performance, while facilitating system growth and managing hardware failures. We have developed CRUSH, a scalable pseudorandom data distribution function designed for distributed object-based storage systems that efficiently maps data objects to storage devices without relying on a central directory. Because large systems are inherently dynamic, CRUSH is designed to facilitate the addition and removal of storage while minimizing unnecessary data movement. The algorithm accommodates a wide variety of data replication and reliability mechanisms and distributes data in terms of user-defined policies that enforce separation of replicas across failure domains.
Development of a Fluorescence Quenching Technique to Detect Permeation of Chemical Agent Simulants through Protective Clothing Materials

This study involves the development of a new and simple analytical procedure based on a spectrochemical modification (SM) technique, namely fluorescence quenching (FQ) to monitor chemical agent simulants. The FQ technique is applied to evaluate permeation of these compounds through protective clothing materials.
IL-10 Is Induced in the Reperfused Myocardium and May Modulate the Reaction to Injury

Reperfusion of the ischemic myocardium is associated with a dramatic inflammatory response leading to TNF-alpha release, IL-6 induction, and subsequent neutrophil-mediated cytotoxic injury. Because inflammation is also an important factor in cardiac repair, we hypothesized the presence of components of the inflammatory reaction with a possible role in suppressing acute injury. Thus, we investigated the role of IL-10, an anti-inflammatory cytokine capable of modulating extracellular matrix biosynthesis, following an experimental canine myocardial infarction. Using our canine model of myocardial ischemia and reperfusion, we demonstrated significant up-regulation of IL-10 mRNA and protein in the ischemic and reperfused myocardium. IL-10 expression was first detected at 5 h and peaked following 96-120 h of reperfusion. In contrast, IL-4 and IL-13, also associated with suppression of acute inflammation and macrophage deactivation, were not expressed. In the ischemic canine heart, CD5-positive lymphocytes were the predominant source of IL-10 in the myocardial infarct. In the absence of reperfusion, no significant induction of IL-10 mRNA was noted. In addition, IL-12, a Th1-related cytokine associated with macrophage activation, was not detected in the ischemic myocardium. In vitro experiments demonstrated late postischemic cardiac-lymph-induced tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases (TIMP)-1 mRNA expression in isolated canine mononuclear cells. This effect was inhibited when the incubation contained a neutralizing Ab to IL-10. Our findings suggest that lymphocytes infiltrating the ischemic and reperfused myocardium express IL-10 and may have a significant role in healing by modulating mononuclear cell phenotype and inducing TIMP-1 expression.
Lunar Features — Northeast Quadrant

Murchison, a 56 km (35-mile) wide ringed plain, has been almost completely obliterated by erosion. Its west walls seem detached; the east walls are low and also eroded, but fairly bright and easy to make out even in small apertures. Murchison has often been compared to the walled plain Julius Caesar, described in the previous chapter. Only the northeast wall is intact. Southeast of Murchison is Murchison A, a very deep hole in the lunar surface, only 8 km (5 miles) wide but fully 1000 m (3000 ft) deep. The Dresden surveyor and lunar observer Wilhelm Gotthelf Lohrmann (1796–1840) called this crater Chladni, and it is still designated as such on many lunar maps. Murchison A is situated in an interesting terrain, on a bluff surrounded by a number of isolated mountain masses and craterlets. To the southwest is a shallow ring dubbed Murchison E, first reported by the American astronomer Edward Singleton Holden after he observed it in 1891 with the great 36-inch (0.9 m) refractor of Lick Observatory on Mt Hamilton, California.
Dependence of albite dissolution kinetics on ph and time at 25°c and 70°c

Abstract The dissolution rate of albite has been measured as a function of pH and time at 25°C and 70°C in a single-pass flow-through leaching apparatus. Run times extended to 50 days in each experiment. Limited data were obtained at 25°C in the pH range 4–10. More extensive data were obtained at 70°C over the pH range 1.39–11.75. Dissolution rates were defined by release of Si, and in some cases also by Al and Na releases. Speciationsolubility calculations indicate the solutions were well undersaturated for all the likely possible secondary minerals. The fluid was maintained far from equilibrium with albite in all runs. Analysis of the data shows a general consistency with the transition state theory model of Helgeson et al. (1984). Feldspars leached at low and high pH at 70°C showed extensive development of prismatic etch pits demonstrating a surface reaction-controlled dissolution process.
The use of customized emphasis in text visualization

The paper presents a technique to allow quick evaluation of the relevance of documents to one's interests. It is designed primarily for presenting documents on the World Wide Web, but it can also be used in other situations. The idea is to automatically highlight selected keywords in Web pages as they are shown. Users maintain lists of keywords of interest to them. At any given time, a user can activate any such list and from then on all words in that list will be highlighted automatically, transparently, and efficiently in all documents. Users can change lists at any time and also control several other highlighting parameters (such as the number of selected words). Extensions of this scheme, where documents are automatically changed in other ways based on readers' preferences, are also discussed.
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, pollution, pulmonary vascular disease, transplantation, pleural disease, and lung cancer in AJRCCM 2000

1 -Antrypsin Deficiency (1) Risk Factors (7) Cellular, Molecular, and Anatomic Abnormalities (7) Lung Inflammation (7) Exhaled Markers (2) Nitric Oxide (1) Other Markers (1) Pathophysiology, Radiology, and Airway Narrowing (8) Pulmonary Vasculature (1) Control of Breathing and Exercise (9) Respiratory Muscles (3) Peripheral Muscles (3) Nutritional Status (3) Health Care Delivery (2) Drug Therapy (9) -Agonists (3) Glucocorticoids (5) Smoking Cessation (1) Other Therapies (9) Lung Volume Reduction Surgery (8) Expectorants and Mucociliary Clearance (1) Rehabilitation and Oxygen Therapy (1) Outcome (2) Air Pollution (19) General (11) Ozone (5) Diesel Exhaust (2) Environmental Tobacco Smoke (1) Pulmonary Vascular and Related Disorders (24) Pulmonary Hypertension (18) Secondary Pulmonary Hypertension (3) Molecular and Pathophysiologic Mechanisms (11) Treatment (4) Thromboembolic Disorders (2) Diagnostic Studies (1) Molecular and Pathophysiologic Mechanisms (1) High Altitude (1) Sickle Cell Disease (3) Lung Transplantation (13) Lung Preservation (2) Patient Selection (1) Obliterative Bronchiolitis (4) Animal Models (2) Cellular and Molecular Mechanisms (1) Early Detection (1) Rejection (3) Immunology and Biochemistry (1) In Cystic Fibrosis (2) Pleural Disorders (2) Diagnostic Techniques (1) Pleurodesis (1) Lung Cancer (4) Diagnosis (3) Molecular Mechanisms (1)
Water Solubility of Heavy Metals in Deposition Samples-Interpretation and Prediction of Bioavailability

The measured soluble and insoluble fractions of heavy metals in precipitation water and dry deposition samples are interpretated based on the theoretical equilibrium constants and the major composition of the ionic composition of the aqueous solutions. The results are that the soluble fractions of lead, cadmium and manganese’Consist of bivalent ions. Soluble chloro-, nitrate- and sulfo-complexes and hydrolised species are neglectible for the mean chemical composition in deposition samples. The soluble fraction of iron is a complex mixture of various hydrolised species, trivalent ions and sulfocomplexes. The dominating species for the pH range of pH 4 to pH 6 are the Fe(0H)2-complexes. Based on the knowledge of the composition of soluble fractions the chemical composition of the insoluble fractions can be estimated by the solubility products. Insoluble compounds are existing for manganese and iron in form of oxides and hydroxides. The measured insoluble lead and cadmium compounds in reality are adsorbed ions onto insoluble matter. The adsorption capacities of the adsorption onto manganese and iron-oxids are calculated. As the adsorbed toxic lead and cadmium ions are easily removable by a decrease of pH the determination of the soluble form of toxic metal is not sufficient for an assesment of the environmental hazards. The potential bioavailable compounds are gathered by an acidification to pH 3 prior to filtration of the samples.
Estimating fractional vegetation cover at the subpixel scale in a semiarid region using a statistical mixture model and remotely sensed data

The semiarid Sahel of West Africa has been subject to increased degradation in recent decades. In order to utilize remotely sensed data to monitor surface changes over time, it is necessary to develop and test methods for deriving quantitative information on surface components which typically occur as mixtures at the sub-pixel scale. In this preliminary study, the broad band spectra of surface components in the HAPEX-Sahel study area were analyzed for their potential affects on spectral mixture models of remotely sensed data. Non-linear spectral interactions between the woody canopy and substrate (soil and herbaceous layer) were also examined. >
An Environmental Analysis of Injection Molding

This environmental analysis of injection molding highlights a few important points. The choice of injection molding machine type (hydraulic, hybrid or all-electric) has a substantial impact on the specific energy consumption (SEC). The SEC values for hydraulic, hybrid and all-electric machines analyzed are 19.0, 13.2 and 12.6 MJ/kg respectively (including auxiliaries, compounding and the inefficiency of the electric grid). For hydraulic and hybrid machines SEC seems to exhibit a decreasing behavior with increasing throughput. This derives from spreading fixed energy costs over more kilograms of polymer as throughput increases. For all-electric machines SEC is constant with throughput. When the polymer production stage is included in the analysis, the energy consumption values increase up to 100 MJ/kg. The overall injection molding energy consumption in the U.S. in a yearly basis amounts to 2.06 times 108 GJ. This value is of similar magnitude to the overall U.S. energy consumption for sand casting, and to the entire electricity production of some developed countries
Soul made Light, and Sound

Writing for the filmic media has its hazards, some of which are shared with writing for the stage. Producers and directors inevitably come between the artist and the object of his imagination, and sometimes shortcircuit their connection. While the producers are charged with the problems of financial backing, they usually insure close cooperation with their directors by exercising their personal choices in selecting the personnel to fulfill this function; and the directors themselves may be given a free hand in the choice of performers.
Computational Puzzles as Sybil Defenses

We consider the problem of defending against Sybil attacks using computational puzzles. A fundamental difficulty in such defenses is enforcing that puzzle solutions not be reused by attackers over time. We propose a fully decentralized scheme to enforce this by continually distributing locally generated challenges that are then incorporated into the puzzle solutions. Our approach consists of an all-to-all broadcast of challenges, with a combining function to ensure this can be done efficiently. The combining function generates certificates that can be used to prove that each node's challenge was delivered to and used by each other node, therefore proving the freshness of each puzzle. We show how our distribution and verification mechanisms can be implemented on top of the the Chord in Stoica et al., (2001) overlay
Exploring the ‘Most Effective Pollinator Principle’ with Complex Flowers: Bumblebees and Ipomopsis aggregata

The 'most effective pollinator principle' implies that floral characteristics often reflect adaptation to the pollinator that transfers the most pollen, through a combination of high rate of visitation to flowers and effective deposition of pollen during each visit. We looked for the expected positive correlation between quantity and quality of visits in lpomopsis aggregata, whose red, tubular flowers are considered to be adapted to hummingbirds. Hummingbirds were indeed the most common floral visitors in 5 years of observation. However, long-tongued bumblebees deposited on average three-times as much outcross pollen per visit to virgin flowers, and elicited four-times as much seed production, as did hummingbirds. Hence visitors that are relatively infrequent, and unexpected given the 'pollination syndrome' of the plant, can be surprisingly good pollinators. One interpretation of this observation is that natural selection favours a specialized floral morphology that excludes all but a single type of visitor, but that there are constraints on achieving this outcome. An alternative is that selection favours some degree of floral generalization, but that flowers can retain features that adapt them to a particular type of pollinator in spite of this generalization. (C) 2001 Annals of Botany Company.
Association between serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D and nephrolithiasis: the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey III, 1988–94

Background The role of vitamin D in kidney stone disease is controversial. Current evidence is inconsistent and existing studies are limited by small sample populations. Methods We used the third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES III), a large US population-based cross-sectional study, to determine the independent association between serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] concentration and prevalent kidney stone disease in a sample of 16 286 men and women aged 18 years or older. A prevalent kidney stone was defined as self-report of any previous episode of kidney stones. Results Among 16 286 adult participants, 759 subjects reported a history of previous kidney stones. Concentrations of serum 25(OH)D were not different between stone formers and non-stone formers (mean 29.28 versus 29.55 ng/mL, P = 0.57). Higher 25(OH)D concentration was not associated with increased odds ratio (OR) for previous kidney stones [OR = 0.99; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.99-1.01] after adjustment for age, sex, race, history of hypertension, diabetes, body mass index, diuretic use and serum calcium. Furthermore, after we divided 25(OH)D concentrations into quartiles, or into groups using clinically significant cut-offs (e.g. 40 and 50 ng/mL), still no significant differences were found in stone formation in group comparisons. Conclusions High serum 25(OH)D concentrations are not associated with prevalent kidney stone disease in NHANES III participants. Prospective studies are needed to clarify the relationship between vitamin D and kidney stone formation, and whether nutritional vitamin D supplementation will increase risk of stone recurrence.
Soft constrained minimum variance beamforming

The mean-squared error between the desired and actual response is constrained, resulting in a quadratic constraint on the weights. The constraint is purposely chosen to permit signal distortion with the goal of achieving improved interference cancellation, motivating the term 'soft constrained' beamforming. The soft constrained minimum variance (SCMV) philosophy represents a trade of bias (signal distortion) for reduced variance (interference power). A key result is a proof guaranteeing that under ideal conditions the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) is a nondecreasing function of the bound on the mean squared response error. This implies that by allowing the signal distortion to increase the beamformer can provide much better interference cancellation, such that the SNR improves or remains constant. The potential SNR improvement resulting from the use of soft constraints is greatest for systems operating at broad bandwidths. >
Impact of Assimilations of Dropwindsonde Data and SSM/I Rain Rates on Numerical Predictions of Hurricane Florence (1988)

Abstract Numerical experiments were conducted to assess the impact of Omega dropwindsonde (ODW) data and Special Sensor Microwave/Imager (SSM/I) rain rates in the analysis and prediction of Hurricane Florence (1988). The ODW data were used to enhance the initial analysis that was based on the National Meteorological Center/Regional Analysis and Forecast System (NMC/RAFS) 2.5° analysis at 0000 UTC 9 September 1988. The SSM/I rain rates at 0000 and 1200 UTC 9 September 1988 were assimilated into the Naval Research Laboratory's limited-area model during model integration. Results show that the numerical prediction with the ODW-enhanced initial analysis was superior to the control without ODW data. The 24-h intensity forecast error is reduced by about 75%, landfall location by about 95% (reduced from 294 to 15 km), and landfall time by about 5 h (from 9 to 4 h) when the ODW data were included. Results also reveal that the assimilation of SSM/I-retrieved rain rates reduce the critical landfall location forecas...
Integrated vapor-liquid-solid silicon mass sensors (Presentation Recording)

We present the results and progress of research to create a multiplex chemical sensor based on Au catalyzed vapor-liquid-solid (VLS) silicon nanowires deployed as resonant mass sensors. Each element of this sensor has a single VLS wire grown in close proximity to a Si photodiode. Together they create a Fabry-Perot interferometer that allows for the sensitive detection of the beam’s resonant motion. Small changes in mass on the cantilever that occur as a result of chemical absorption on the functionalized Au surface shift the resonant frequency. Our integrated approach will allow large reductions in system complexity for this sensor class.
Shareholder Proposal Rules and Practice: Evidence from a Comparison of the US and UK

We provide an in-depth comparison of US and UK shareholder proposal rules and relate the differences in rules to differences in proposing activities and performance, using comprehensive shareholder proposal data from both countries for 2000 through 2006. UK proposal rules are more onerous on proposal sponsors but UK proposals seem to be a more powerful governance device than US counterparts since they are binding and UK shareholders have the statutory right to call special meetings and elect directors. We observe most UK proposals are presented at special meetings and target board election. Institutions are the most active sponsor of UK proposals. As US proxy rules emphasize shareholder participation and protection rather than empowerment, there are a significantly greater number of shareholder proposals initiated in the US during the sample period, and small shareholders and social proposals dominate the proposing scene of the US. Our results suggest that shareholders can impact the corporate governance and firm performance but that the methods through which shareholders are empowered are important. We also argue that our results suggest that it may be appropriate to consider whether activist shareholders have additional responsibilities to the firm and other shareholders, including a duty to disclose their agendas or a fiduciary duty to other shareholders.
Dependent Competing-Risk Degradation Systems

The failure of many units or systems, such as components, parts, machines, can be generally classified into two kinds of failure modes: one is catastrophic failure in which units break down by some sudden external shocks; the other is degradation failure in which units fail to function due to the physical deterioration. There are a great number of such cases for this kind of competing failure modes in our real life.
Study of energy delivery and mean free path of low energy electrons in EUV resists

The relative importance of secondary electrons in delivering energy in photoresist films was assessed by performing large area exposures and by quantifying the inelastic mean free path of electrons in a leading chemically amplified positive tone EUV resist. A low energy electron microscope was used to directly pattern large (~15μm x 20μm) features with 15-80 eV electrons followed by analyzing the resulting dissolution rate contrast curve data. In the 40 to 80 eV regime the energy delivery was found to scale roughly proportionally with electron energy. In 15 to 30 eV regime however, this energy scaling did not explain the resist thickness loss data. The dose required to lower the resist thickness down to 20 nm was found to be 2-5X larger for 15 eV electrons than for 20, 25 and 30 eV electrons. Using scattering models from the literature including phonon scattering and optical data deduced electron energy loss spectroscopy and optical reflectometry, the inelastic mean free path values at energies between 10 eV and 92 eV range between about 2.8 and 0.6 nm respectively.
Aerodynamic Design and Analysis of High Performance Nozzles for Mach 4 Accelerator Vehicles

The aerodynamic design and performance analysis of two exhaust nozzles considered for use on a vehicle following an accelerating flight profile to a maximum flight speed corresponding to Mach 4.2 is presented. The vehicle operational requirements were set by the Air Vehicle Baseline Study commissioned by the Office of Naval Research. An afterburning engine cycle was assumed in the design and analysis process. The two nozzles investigated here were an axisymmetric convergent-divergent (C-D) nozzle with variable throat and exit area and an isentropic plug nozzle with variable throat area enabled by a translating outer cowl. Computational fluid dynamics was used to assist in the design process and to investigate the installed performance of the two nozzles at flight points from Mach 1.2 to Mach 4.2. For both nozzle configurations, the nozzles could not achieve perfectly expanded exit areas at the highest Mach numbers in order for the nozzle exit area to not exceed the vehicle cross sectional area. At the lower Mach numbers, the installed performance of the C-D nozzle was higher than that of the plug nozzle while at the highest Mach numbers, the performance of the two nozzles was similar.
Clinical outcomes of conventional versus drug-eluting beads transarterial chemoembolization for neuroendocrine tumor liver metastases

Purpose To compare outcomes of conventional transarterial chemoembolization with drug-eluting bead (DEB) chemoembolization for treatment of neuroendocrine tumor liver metastases.
The Genus Underwoodia

The genus Underwoodia, consisting of the single species Underwoodia columnaris Peck, was founded by Peck (1890) on three specimens collected at Kirkville, Onondaga County, New York, in 1889. He dedicated the genus to Professor L. M. Underwood who had called the plants to his attention. The fungus is of exceptional interest on account of its peculiar form and structure. As it is generally regarded as one of the rarest of North American Discomycetes, the recent collection of a specimen at Ithaca, New York, aroused considerable local interest and stimulated the survey of the literature resulting in this paper.1 The fungus had been collected at Ithaca only once before, thirty-three years earlier, by a strange coincidence on the same day of the month of July. Fifteen collections of the species are mentioned in the literature. Five others, announced here for the first time, bring the total to twenty. Eight of these were made in New York, six in Michigan, one in Illinois, one in Iowa, and four in Manitoba. Data concern? ing these collections are assembled in as complete form as possible in the accompanying table. These show that the fungus has been reported from only seven rather widely separated localities during a period of forty-six years. It is possible of course that additional collections have been made of which we have encountered no record. Underwood searched the type locality in six successive years following the original discovery of the fungus, but found there only three additional specimens (1899). The species has been collected as early as May and as late as September. Ofhcial figures on rainfall for the years in which the fungus has been observed, would seem to indicate a correlation with periods of excessive precipitation. Double fruit bodies have
Synchytrium Borreriae, an Endophytic Alga

Synchytrium borreriae Lacy, whose thalli grow in the inter-cellular spaces of the host, causing lysis of their adjoining host cell walls, contain starch grains and their walls give cellulose reacti...
Sexual Risk Among African American Women: Psychological Factors and the Mediating Role of Social Skills

Prior research demonstrates a positive association between mental health problems and sexual risk for African American women. Using the social skills deficit hypothesis, we proposed that social skills mediate this relationship. African American women (n = 557, M age = 20.58) completed measures of depression, stress, emotional dysregulation, sexual risk behaviors, and perceptions of their social skills with their primary sexual partner. Social skills mediated the link between the mental health assessments and a composite sexual risk index. Theoretical implications of extending the social skill deficit hypothesis are discussed as well as implications for interventions.
Combinatorial Identification of Broad Association Regions with ChIP-seq Data

Motivation: Differentiation of cells into different cell types involves many types of chromatin modifications, and mapping these modifications is a key computational task as researchers uncover different aspects of that process. Modifications associated with heterochromatin formation pose new challenges in this context because we must define very broad regions that have only a moderately stronger signal than the rest of the chromatin. Lamin-associated domains (LADs) are a prime example of such regions. Results: We present Combinatorial Identification of Broad Association Regions (CIBAR), a new method to identify these types of broad regions. CIBAR is based on an efficient solution to a natural combinatorial problem, which adapts to widely variable yields of reads from ChIP-seq data and the associated controls and performs competitively with previous methods, including DamID, which has been used in many publications on LADs but cannot be applied in most in vivo situations.
Epidemiological Analysis on Varicella in Shunhe District of Kaifeng City during 2006-2009

[Objective]To understand the incidence and epidemiological characteristics of varicella in Shunhe District of Kaifeng City,and provide evidence for developing control measures.[Methods]Descriptive epidemiological method was adopted to analyze the epidemic data of varicella of the 4 years.[Results]A total of 859 cases were reported during 4 years,without death case and outbreak.The average annual incidence rate was 84.37/100 000.Most cases were in January,February,April,May,June,November and December,accounting for 81.96% of total cases;urban cases were more than rural cases,occupying 82.77%;the peak age of onset were 3～15 years;most were students and children,occupying 96.63%.The ratio of male to female was 1.33∶1.[Conclusion]Varicella has caused a serious impact on health,daily life and study of children in this district,which should attract more attention.
On Strategies of Culture Input in College English Teaching

Considering the relationship between culture and language,it is necessary to integrate culture into college English teaching,which is the basis to realize the goal of English teaching. So college English teaching should inspire students' cultural awareness and interest,design teaching activities of culture inputting,as well as enrich cultural teaching materials and construct cultural assessment system,in order to guide students to learn English culture consciously,improve their cultural quality,and enhance their intercultural communicative competence.