cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Physician perceptions of sexual dysfunction related to benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) symptoms and sexual side effects related to BPH medications

In a large-scale epidemiology study, 50% of aging men reported erectile dysfunction (ED) or ejaculatory dysfunction (EjD), with lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) an independent risk factor for each of these conditions. In light of the shift from urologists (UROs) to primary care/internal medicine physicians (PCPs) for the initial management of men with LUTS associated with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), a survey was conducted to assess the perceptions of UROs and PCPs regarding sexual dysfunction (SD) in men with LUTS/BPH and the effects of BPH treatments (alpha(1)-adrenergic receptor antagonists (alpha-blockers) and 5alpha-reductase inhibitors (5ARIs)) on sexual function. The survey was mailed to 7500 UROs and 2500 PCPs, with 1275 (13%) surveys returned (1087 by UROs, 177 by PCPs and 11 by other specialty). Alpha-blocker monotherapy was the most common medication prescribed by both UROs (56%) and PCPs (47%). UROs estimated that 19% of their patients with LUTS/BPH experienced SD owing to their symptoms compared with the estimate of 27% by PCPs. UROs estimated that 19% of their patients experienced SD owing to their BPH medication compared with the PCP estimate of 24%. The incidence of EjD owing to BPH medications estimated by UROs (32%) was higher than that estimated by PCPs (22%); the rate of ED estimated by PCPs (34%) was higher than that estimated by UROs (23%). UROs were more aware than PCPs of the specific sexual side effects caused by alpha-blockers versus 5ARIs. These results suggest that physicians are underestimating the prevalence of SD in men with LUTS/BPH. As men with LUTS/BPH are at increased risk for SD, physicians should be especially cognizant of BPH treatment-related sexual side effects.
All-dry resist processes for 193-nm lithography

We report on two different all-dry resist schemes for 193-nm lithography, one negative tone and one positive tone. Our negative tone resist is an extension of our initial work on all-dry photoresists. This scheme employs a bilayer in which the imaging layer is formed by plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) from tetramethylsilane (TMS) and deposited onto PECVD carbon-based planarizing layers. Figure 1 shows SEMs of dark field and light field octagons patterned in projection on Lincoln Laboratory's 0.5-NA 193-nm Micrascan system. These 0.225-micrometers and 0.200-micrometers line and space features were obtained at a dose of approximately 58 mJ/cm2. Dry development of the exposed resist was accomplished using Cl2 chemistry in a helicon high-ion-density etching tool. Pattern transfer was performed in the helicon tool with oxygen-based chemistries. Recently, we have also developed an all-dry positive-tone silylation photoresist. This photoresist is a PECVD carbon-based polymer which is crosslinked by 193-nm exposure, enabling selective silylation similar to that initially reported by Hartney et al., with spin-applied polymers. In those polymers, for example polyvinylphenol, the silylation site concentration is fixed by the hydroxyl groups on the polymer precursors, thus limiting the silicon uptake per unit volume. With PECVD polymers, the total concentration of silylation sites and their depth can be tailored by varying plasma species as a function of time during the deposition. This affords the possibility of greater silicon uptake per unit volume and better depth control of the silylation profile. Figure 2 shows a SEM of 0.5-micrometers features patterned in plasma deposited silylation resist.© (1995) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Optimized dietary strategies to protect skeletal muscle mass during periods of unavoidable energy deficit

Interactions between dietary protein and energy balance on the regulation of human skeletal muscle protein turnover are not well described. A dietary protein intake above the recommended dietary allowance during energy balance typically enhances nitrogen retention and up-regulates muscle protein synthesis, which in turn may promote positive protein balance and skeletal muscle accretion. Recent studies show that during energy deficit, muscle protein synthesis is down-regulated with concomitant increases in ubiquitin proteasome-mediated muscle proteolysis and nitrogen excretion, reflecting the loss of skeletal muscle mass. However, consuming high-protein diets (1.6-2.4 g/kg per day), or high-quality, protein-based meals (15-30 g whey) during energy deficit attenuates intracellular proteolysis, restores muscle protein synthesis, and mitigates skeletal muscle loss. These findings are particularly important for physically active, normal-weight individuals because attenuating the extent to which skeletal muscle mass is lost during energy deficit could prevent decrements in performance, reduce injury risk, and facilitate recovery. This article reviews the relationship between energy status, protein intake, and muscle protein turnover, and explores future research directives designed to protect skeletal muscle mass in physically active, normal-weight adults.
Experimental atherosclerosis in rabbits: platelet aggregation, thromboxane A2 generation and anti-aggregatory potency of prostacyclin.

Abstract Experimental atherosclerosis in rabbits was associated with increased aggregation of their platelets to arachidonic acid, and with increased generation of thromboxane A 2 by their platelet-rich plasma. A heightened susceptibility of platelets to the anti-aggregatory action of prostacyclin against the ADP-induced aggregation was also observed. It is concluded that in advanced atherosclerosis the platelet system is hypersensitive to biologically active metabolites of arachidonic acid.
Increased groundwater to stream discharge from permafrost thawing in the Yukon River basin: Potential impacts on lateral export of carbon and nitrogen

[1] Arctic and subarctic watersheds are undergoing climate warming, permafrost thawing, and thermokarst formation resulting in quantitative shifts in surface water –groundwater interaction at the basin scale. Groundwater currently comprises almost one fourth of Yukon River water discharged to the Bering Sea and contributes 5–10% of the dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and nitrogen (DON) and 35–45% of the dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) and nitrogen (DIN) loads. Long-term streamflow records (>30 yrs) of the Yukon River basin indicate a general upward trend in groundwater contribution to streamflow of 0.7–0.9%/yr and no pervasive change in annual flow. We propose that the increases in groundwater contributions were caused predominately by climate warming and permafrost thawing that enhances infiltration and supports deeper flowpaths. The increased groundwater fraction may result in decreased DOC and DON and increased DIC and DIN export when annual flow remains unchanged.
Preparation of AgBr Quantum Dots via Electroporation of Vesicles

Electric field-induced transient pore formation (reversible electroporation) in the bilayer membrane of synthetic large unilamellar vesicles (LUV) is used as a novel method for the preparation of a...
Soybean yield response to reproductive stage soil-applied nitrogen and foliar-applied boron

Research on the effects of N and B applications on soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] yield is limited. Experiments were conducted to determine the effect of (i) application rate and reproductive stage timing of N or B on soybean seed yield and (ii) cultivar, row spacing, or planting date on the response of soybean to R3-stage N and B applications. Nitrogen was applied to the soil at 0, 14, 28, 56, 84, 112, or 168 kg ha -1 , or B was applied to the foliage at 0, 0.14, 0.28, or 0.56 kg ha -1 to either R3- or R5-stage soybean in the rate and timing experiments. Treatments for the cultivar, row-spacing, and planting-date experiments included 0 + 0, 56 + 0, 0 + 0.28, and 56 + 0.28 kg ha -1 N + B, respectively. In yield environments ranging from 2400 to 5300 kg ha -1 , application of N or B did not increase seed yield at any rate or application stage, nor did cultivar, row spacing, or planting date alter this lack of response. Analysis of leaf tissue taken at the R2 soybean development stage and before nutrient application indicated that N and B concentrations were above the minimum level required by soybean for maximum yields not limited by N or B. Lack of response to supplemental N or B suggested that N supplied via fixation and soil organic matter mineralization and native levels of B in soils are adequate for high yields in the Mid-Atlantic Coastal Plain soybean production region.
Preparation and characterization of silica-supported, group IB–Pd bimetallic catalysts prepared by electroless deposition methods

Abstract Electroless deposition has been used to synthesize a series of Au–, Ag–, and Cu–Pd/SiO2 bimetallic catalysts having incremental surface coverages and compositions of each group IB metal. Thermodynamically unstable, yet kinetically stable, electroless bath(s) were developed using metal bis-cyano salts of the group 1B metal and N2H4 (for Au and Ag) or DMAB (for Cu) as reducing agents. The times (∼1–2 h) and profiles (1st order in group 1B metal concentration) observed for complete deposition indicate good kinetic control of the electroless deposition process. The bimetallic catalysts have been characterized using selective chemisorption, atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) of adsorbed CO, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) techniques. Decreases in Pd surface sites with addition of IB metals confirm deposition onto the supported Pd nanoparticle surfaces. FTIR studies suggest that deposition of Cu and Ag are selective towards Pd(1 1 1) sites, while Au deposits non-discriminately on all Pd sites. Finally, XPS measurements for each family of bimetallic catalysts suggest a net electron transfer from the Pd to the deposited metal.
Multiple Bragg regimes exhibited by a chiral sculptured thin film half-space on axial excitation

Summary Axially excited chiral sculptured thin films (STFs) are shown to display the circular Bragg phenomenon in more than one wavelength-regime, owing to the dispersion inherent in their dielectric susceptibilities. With the assumption of the one-resonance Lorentz model for the constitutive parameters in a frequency-domain investigation, two Bragg regimes emerge: one pre-resonant, and the other post-resonant. A wavelength-regime of perfect reflection also appears. The pulse-bleeding mechanism previously shown to underlie the pre-resonant Bragg regime turns out to be responsible also for the post-resonant Bragg regime. Femtosecond pulse propagation in the post-resonant regime would be very likely affected by the existence of multiple Bragg and perfectly reflecting regimes.
Semi-automatic analysis of rapid eye movement (REM) patterns: A software package

Abstract This paper describes a collection of software programs interfacing a hardware sleep rapid eye movement (REM) automatic detection system with a general purpose digital minicomputer ( PDP- 8 e ) for the collection and further quantitative processing of sleep REM times of occurrence. The software to be described is divided into four categories: (a) acquisition of REM times, (b) REM burst detection and analysis, (c) density measurements, and (d) connectivity measurements.
Adjectives as indicators of subjectivity in documents

The goal of this research is to automatically predict human judgments of document qualities such as subjectivity, verbosity and depth. In this paper, we explore the behavior of adjectives as indicators of subjectivity in documents. Specifically, we test whether a subset of automatically derived subjective adjectives (Wiebe, 2000b), selected a priori, behaves differently than other adjectives. 3,200 documents were ranked by 100 subjects as being high or low in nine document qualities (Tang, Ng, Strzalkowski, & Kantor, 2003). We report a statistically significant correlation between the occurrence of adjectives in documents and human judgments of subjectivity. More importantly, we find that the subset of subjective adjectives is more strongly correlated with subjectivity than adjectives in general. These results can be used to identify document qualities for use in information retrieval and question-answering systems.
3-D structure-property relationships in rolltruded polymers. Part I: Mechanical property enhancement in three directions

The effect of rolltrusion, a solid state deformation process, on the three dimensional mechanical properties of several polymers has been measured. Polymers studied included isotactic polypropylene (iPP), polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF), and propylene/ethylene block copolymers. It was found that mechanical strength is enhanced triaxially for all these specimens upon rolltrusion. Material stiffness also exhibits 3-D improvement, depending on the polymer type and processing conditions. These new results are discussed in regard to some structural models in the literature.
Another Moon for Jupiter

Stephen P. Synnott of the Voyager Optical Navigation Team at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena has reported finding yet another moon of Jupiter—its 15th. The new-found satellite, provisionally called 1979 J2, is estimated to be about 70 to 80 km in diameter and to have an orbit that places it between satellites Amalthea and Io, at a distance of about 151,000 km above the planet's clouds. The satellite circles the planet in 16 hours, 16 minutes.
Cytogenetic studies in hairy cell leukemia

Cytogenetic analyses were performed on cells from 17 patients with hairy cell leukemia stimulated with polyclonal B-cell activators (in 155 different cultures). No mitosis was obtained in samples from four cases (23.5%). Of 14 bone marrows, four (28.6%) showed mitoses, two with clonal abnormalities. All four samples from the spleen had mitoses with four clonal changes; eight of 13 (37.5%) blood samples had mitoses with three clonal changes. Of the polyclonal B-cell activators (PBA), lipopolysaccharide and protein A seemed to be effective for the detection of clonal abnormalities in hairy cell leukemia. Among the clonal aberrations, chromosomes #3, #10, and #17 were affected in two cases each; frequent numerical changes were monosomies of #10 and #17 and structural changes were deletions at band 3p21 (two cases), 6q-, and der(9)t(9;?)(p22;?). The chromosomal bands involved in structural changes were close to accepted constitutive fragile sites.
Lymphocyte effector functions Memory and unique subsets of lymphocytes

Liisa Selin’s research interests are directed at understanding T-cell responses during viral infections in both mouse and human systems, with particular emphasis on the impact that immune responses to earlier infections have on subsequent unrelated infections — heterologous immunity. Specifically, she examines the influence of heterologous virus infections on the development of cross-reactive T-cell responses, T-cell receptor repertoire and immunopathology. Abbreviations IEL intraepithelial lymphocyte TL thymic leukemia antigen TCR T-cell receptor
Measuring genetic diversity in ecological studies

There is an increasing interest in how genetic diversity may correlate with and influence community and ecosystem properties. Genetic diversity can be defined in multiple ways, and currently lacking in ecology is a consensus on how to measure genetic diversity. Here, we examine two broad classes of genetic diversity: genotype-based and genome-based measures. Genotype-based measures, such as genotypic richness, are more commonly used in ecological studies, and often it is assumed that as genotypic diversity increases, genomic diversity (the number of genetic polymorphisms and/or genomic dissimilarity among individuals) also increases. However, this assumption is rarely assessed. We tested this assumption by investigating correlations between genotype- and genome-based measures of diversity using two plant population genetic datasets: one observational with data collected at Konza Prairie, KS, and the other based on simulated populations with five levels of genotypic richness, a typical design of genetic diversity experiments. We found conflicting results for both datasets; we found a mismatch between genotypic and genomic diversity measures for the field data, but not the simulated data. Last, we tested the consequences of this mismatch and found that correlations between genetic diversity and community/ecosystem properties depended on metric used. Ultimately, we argue that genome-based measures should be included in future studies alongside genotypic-based measures because they capture a greater spectrum of genetic differences among individuals.
SHORT COMMUNICATION: Induction of donor-specific ACAID can prolong orthotopic corneal allograft survival in "high-risk" eyes

PURPOSE. To examine the effect of donor-specific anterior chamber-associated immune deviation (ACAID) induction on the survival of orthotopic corneal allografts in neovascularized graft beds. METHODS. To induce donor-specific ACAID in recipients, peritoneal exudate cells (PEC) from C57BL/6 mice were incubated overnight with transforming growth factor (TGF)-s. Cultured PEC were injected intravenously (iv) into BALB/c mice, and, 1 week later, these animals received orthotopic corneal allografts from C57BL/6 donors into neovascularized graft beds. Control mice received iv injection of syngeneic (BALB/c) PEC, cultured overnight with TGF-s, and then received orthotopic corneal allografts from C57BL/6 donors. RESULTS. All corneal allografts (15 out of 15) were rejected within 2 weeks after grafting in the neovascularized graft beds of control animals. However, only 6 out of 16 (37.5%) of corneal allografts were rejected in recipients in which donor-specific ACAID had been induced by injection of allogeneic PEC ...
Assessing the size of populations of adults of the red locust, Nomadacris septemfasciata (Serv.), in their outbreak areas by means of a helicopter

Populations of the red locust, Nomadacris septemfasciata (Serv.), can build up to large numbers in certain of the grass plains of south-central Africa. Adult populations are always under-dispersed, and estimates of their size can be made economically only by counting the locusts flushed on line traverses of considerable length. It is necessary, in such traverses, to determine the width of the strip swept, the proportion of the locusts in it that are flushed, and the accuracy with which these are counted. Investigations into the use of a three-seat Hiller helicopter for this purpose were carried out in south-west Tanzania in 1964–65. It proved possible to cause virtually all the locusts in a strip the width of the rotor blades to rise ahead of the machine, provided it was flown at a height of about 10 ft. and at less than 10 m.p.h. and neither in the early morning nor in the late evening. A comparison of estimates of the size of the population in a 1-sq.-mile plot made by Land-Rover traverses with those made by helicopter, both when the traverse strip was marked on the ground and when it was assessed from within the helicopter, showed no evidence of systematic errors in estimating from the helicopter either the number of locusts flushed or the width of strip. Further, two observers simultaneously counting locusts rising from one strip achieved very similar results. Thus, estimation of the size of a complete outbreak-area population by means of a helicopter is clearly possible.
Effect of prostaglandin E in multiple experimental models. VII. Effect on resistance to sepsis

Abstract The immunosuppression seen following burn injury has frequently been attributed to elevated prostaglandin E levels. We evaluated the contribution of elevated prostaglandin E levels on susceptibility to infectious complications utilizing multiple mouse models. The administration of 100 μg/kg of the long-acting derivative of prostaglandin E, 16,16-dimethyl-prostaglandin E, was found to improve survival in C3/HEN mice challenged with 1 × 10 8 Escherichia coli organisms intraperitoneally. The administration of indomethacin was found to decrease survival in the same model. With C3/HEJ (endotoxin-resistant) mice, indomethacin was found to increase mortality rates in animals challenged with 1 × 10 8 , 1 × 10 9 or 1 × 10 10 Escherichia coli organisms. These findings suggest that elevated prostaglandin E levels seen in burn patients may not be responsible for the postburn increased susceptibility to infectious complications.
Paying for Care Episodes and Care Coordination

The fee-for-service system of provider payment is increasingly viewed as an obstacle to achieving effective, coordinated, and efficient care.1 It rewards the overuse of services, duplication of services, use of costly specialized services, and involvement of multiple physicians in the treatment of individual patients. It does not reward the prevention of hospitalization or rehospitalization, effective control of chronic conditions, or care coordination. Pay for performance is one strategy for moving from payment based solely on the quantity of services rendered to payment based on the quality or efficiency of care.2 Such payment systems are now widely used in private health . . .
Computational knowledge and information management in veterinary epidemiology

Monitoring of infectious animal diseases is an essential task for national biosecurity management and bioterrorism prevention. For this purpose, we present a system for animal disease outbreak analysis by automatically extracting relational information from online data. We aim to detect and map infectious disease outbreaks by extracting information from unstructured sources. The system crawls web sites and classifies pages by topical relevance. The information extraction component performs document analysis for animal disease related event recognition. The visualization component plots extracted events into GoogleMaps1 using geospatial information and supports timeline representation of animal disease outbreaks in SIMILE2.
Dialect in Relation to Oral Reading Achievement: Recoding, Encoding, or Merely a Code?a

The Gates-McKillop Reading, the Illinois Test of Psycholinguis tic Abilities, and the Children's Apperception Test were administered to 30 Mexican-American children in grades 1 and 3. Also, a Language Background Scale was used to rate degree of bilingualism in their homes. Results indicated, at the third grade only, a significant negative correlation between degree of Spanish heard in the home and syntactic ability, and a significant positive relationship between syntactic ability and oral reading. But, the direct relationship between Spanish heard in the home and oral reading was not significant. The evidence supports the theoretical position that dialect tends to interfere in oral reading on the syntactical, but not on the phonological level. However, the interference for Mexican-American children is likely to be transitory, diminishing as more competence in English syntax is acquired. Dialect has been a prominent suspect for the past ten years as a causal factor in the disparity between achievement of the majority group (Anglo) and certain minority groups such as blacks and Mexican-Americans (Goodman, 1965; Baratz and Shuy, 1969; Brown, 1970; Wolfram, 1970; Baratz, 1971). These minority groups on the average achieve at a lower level than their Anglo peers, and the gap tends to increase with continued school experience (Tireman, 1948; Coleman, 1966; Singer, 1970; Carter, 1970).
Genomic predictors of patterns of progression in glioblastoma and possible influences on radiation field design

We present a retrospective investigation of the role of genomics in the prediction of central versus marginal disease progression patterns for glioblastoma (GBM). Between August 2000 and May 2010, 41 patients with GBM and gene expression and methylation data available were treated with radiotherapy with or without concurrent temozolomide. Location of disease progression was categorized as within the high dose (60 Gy) or low dose (46 Gy) volume. Samples were grouped into previously described TCGA genomic groupings: Mesenchymal (m), classical (c), proneural (pn), and neural (n); and were also classified by MGMT-Methylation status and G-Cimp methylation phenotype. Genomic groupings and methylation status were investigated as a possible predictor of disease progression in the high dose region, progression in the low dose region, and time to progression. Based on TCGA category there was no difference in OS (p = 0.26), 60 Gy progression (PN: 71 %, N: 60 %, M: 89 %, C: 83 %, p = 0.19), 46 Gy progression (PN: 57 %, N: 40 %, M: 61 %,C: 50 %, p = 0.8) or time to progression (PN: 9 months, N:15 months, M: 9 months, C: 7 months, p = 0.58). MGMT methylation predicted for improved OS (median 25 vs. 13 months, p = 0.01), improved DFS (median 13 vs. 8 months, p = 0.007) and decreased 60 Gy (p = 0.003) and 46 Gy (p = 0.006) progression. There was a cohort of MGMT methylated patients with late marginal disease progression (4/22 patients, 18 %). TCGA groups demonstrated no difference in survival or progression patterns. MGMT methylation predicted for a statistically significant decrease in in-field and marginal disease progression. There was a cohort of MGMT methylated patients with late marginal progression. Validations of these findings would have implications that could affect radiation field size.
Hot spot cooling using embedded thermoelectric coolers

Localized areas of high heat flux on microprocessors produce hot spots that limit their reliability and performance. With increasingly dense circuits and the integration of high power processors with low power memory, non-uniform thermal profiles will become more dramatic and difficult to manage. Chip scale thermal solutions designed to keep hot spots below a critical temperature unnecessarily overcool the rest of the CPU and add to heat-sink load. Localized hot spot cooling solutions, even active systems that contribute some additional heat, can do a better job controlling hot spot temperatures when efficiently integrated with a heat spreader. Embedded thermoelectric cooling (eTEC) is a promising approach to reduce the temperature of highly localized, high heat flux hot spots generated by today's advanced processors
A new equivalent circuit extraction method for quasi-static regions

A new method for calculating the equivalent circuit of a quasi-static region based on scattered fields is presented. Two problems with a quasi-static region are chosen to validate the procedure. It is then shown that the geometry in the quasi-static region can be modeled accurately in Mininec as an equivalent circuit and that the computation times with the equivalent circuit are significantly less.
Questioning Assumptions about Race, Social Class and Crime Portrayal: An Analysis of Ten Years of Law and Order

Social researchers have paid significant interest to the portrayal of non-whites and members of the lower classes in both news broadcasts and the fictional crime drama. They have also explored whether social programming uses educational entertainment to positively sway public opinion or as propaganda to support the status quo. Little has been done recently to determine the representation of intra- versus interracial crime in the crime drama. Also, there is the underlying assumption that may be taken almost a priori by viewers that criminals are more often portrayed as poor and non-white and victims are more often portrayed as whites with more resources. This study utilizes the first ten year of Law and Order, an immensely successful crime drama. It explores both the portrayal of victims and perpetrators by race and social class as well as an examination of how these topics are framed and communicated to the public. Descriptive statistics are used to determine whether the portrayal by race and social class is reflective of crime rates during the decades. A content analysis is used to determine if topics that deal specifically with these factors are designed to educate, maintain the status quo, or perhaps accomplish both goals.
Magnetic resonance imaging-confirmed ablative debulking of the left atrial posterior wall and septum for treatment of persistent atrial fibrillation: rationale and initial experience.

LA Debulking for Atrial Fibrillation.Introduction: Though pulmonary vein (PV) isolation has been widely adopted for treatment of atrial fibrillation (AF), recurrence rates remain unacceptably high with persistent and longstanding AF. As evidence emerges for non-PV substrate changes in the pathogenesis of AF, more extensive ablation strategies need further study. Methods: We modified our PV antrum isolation procedure to include abatement of posterior and septal wall potentials. We also employed recently described image-processing techniques using delayed-enhancement (DE) MRI to characterize tissue injury patterns 3 months after ablation, to assess whether each PV was encircled with scar, and to assess the impact of these parameters on procedural success. Results: 118 consecutive patients underwent debulking procedure and completed follow-up, of which 86 underwent DE-MRI. The total left atrial (LA) radiofrequency delivery correlated with percent LA scarring by DE-MRI (r = 0.6, P < 0.001). Based on DE patterns, complete encirclement was seen in only 131 of 335 PVs (39.1%). As expected, Cox regression analysis showed a significant relationship between the number of veins encircled by delayed enhancement and clinical success (hazard ratio of 0.62, P = 0.015). Also, progressive quartile increases in postablation posterior and septal wall scarring reduced recurrences rates with a HR of 0.65, P = 0.022 and 0.66, P = 0.026, respectively. Conclusion: Pathologic remodeling in the septal and posterior walls of the LA helps form the pathogenic substrate for AF, and these early results suggest that more aggressive treatment of these regions appears to correlate with improved ablation outcomes. Noninvasive imaging to characterize tissue changes after ablation may prove essential to stratifying recurrence risk. (J Cardiovasc Electrophysiol, Vol. 21, pp. 126-132, February 2010)
Biodegradation of cis-Dichloroethene as the Sole Carbon Source by a β-Proteobacterium

An aerobic bacterium capable of growth on cis-dichloroethene (cDCE) as a sole carbon and energy source was isolated by enrichment culture. The 16S ribosomal DNA sequence of the isolate (strain JS666) had 97.9% identity to the sequence from Polaromonas vacuolata, indicating that the isolate was a β-proteobacterium. At 20°C, strain JS666 grew on cDCE with a minimum doubling time of 73 ± 7 h and a growth yield of 6.1 g of protein/mol of cDCE. Chloride analysis indicated that complete dechlorination of cDCE occurred during growth. The half-velocity constant for cDCE transformation was 1.6 ± 0.2 μM, and the maximum specific substrate utilization rate ranged from 12.6 to 16.8 nmol/min/mg of protein. Resting cells grown on cDCE could transform cDCE, ethene, vinyl chloride, trans-dichloroethene, trichloroethene, and 1,2-dichloroethane. Epoxyethane was produced from ethene by cDCE-grown cells, suggesting that an epoxidation reaction is the first step in cDCE degradation.
Self-dual Chern-Simons solitons.

Recently discovered self-dual relativistic solitons in an Abelian Chern-Simons theory are discussed in detail. The model simultaneously supports topological and nontopological solitons.
Least Cost Path Extraction of Topographic Features for Storm Impact Scale Mapping

Abstract Hardin, E.; Kurum, M.O.; Mitasova, H., and Overton, M.F., 2012. Least cost path extraction of topographic features for storm impact scale mapping. A raster-based, spatially distributed implementation of the storm impact scale, designed to assess barrier island vulnerability, is presented. The two core topographic parameters of the scale, dune ridge and dune toe elevation, are extracted from a high-resolution, light detection and ranging (LIDAR)-derived digital elevation model (DEM). In addition, the beach slope, necessary to compute wave run-up, is extracted from the beach face. Innovative implementation of least cost path analysis and a physics-based model of an elastic sheet are used to map the dune ridge and dune toe. The robustness and efficiency of the topographic feature extraction method is demonstrated along 4 km of shoreline in Pea Island, Outer Banks, North Carolina.
Role of Microstructure on the Corrosion Susceptibility of UNS S32101 Duplex Stainless Steel

Abstract Effect of heat treatments and resulting changes in microstructure on general and localized corrosion susceptibility of lean duplex stainless steel UNS S32101 in caustic and chloride solutions was investigated. Results show that changes in the microstructure (ferrite phase/austenite phase ratio and inter-metallic precipitation) of the duplex stainless steel (DSS), due to different annealing and aging treatments, affect its general and pitting corrosion resistance. The role of DSS microstructure in localized corrosion susceptibility was found to be significantly different in the chloride environments as compared to caustic environments.
Intelligent model reference nonlinear friction compensation using neural networks and Lyapunov based adaptive control

Two approaches to eliminating nonlinear effects that would otherwise render the linear controllers designed for a plant ineffective are shown to work well experimentally. A neural network compensation scheme assumes no a priori knowledge as to the structure of the nonlinearity and, with suitable computational capability and sufficient training and data, allows 'inversion' of the undesirable nonlinear effects. Since the network is learning both a structure as well as parameter values, the computational load is high. A further problem is the lack of stability guarantees for the weight update procedure and the distinct possibility of the network converging to local minima in the error backpropagation algorithm, although these phenomena did not appear to be problematic in experiment. A Lyapunov-based strategy offers fast parameter estimation with vastly reduced computation loads and hence the capability of adapting to varying surface friction conditions in real time. >
Using spectroscopic ellipsometry for quick prediction of number density of nanoparticles bound to non-transparent solid surfaces

We report on the use of spectroscopic ellipsometry (SE) in predicting number density of nanoparticles bound to the surfaces decorated with either organic monolayers or surface-grafted polymers. Two systems are considered that comprise citrate-stabilized gold nanoparticles adsorbed on: (1) 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTES) self-assembled monolayer (SAM), and (2) surface-tethered polyacrylamide (PAAm). Number density of gold nanoparticles on the surface is varied systematically by gradually increasing either the concentration of APTES molecules in the SAM or molecular weight of grafted PAAm. The adsorption of gold nanoparticles on APTES gradient surfaces is monitored via atomic force microscopy (AFM), near-edge X-ray absorption fine structure (NEXAFS) spectroscopy, and SE. The partition of gold nanoparticles on PAAm gradient assemblies is characterized by AFM, ultraviolet–visible (UV–vis) spectroscopy, and SE. By correlating the results obtained from the various techniques on nanoparticle coatings, we derive an empirical linear relationship between the number density of nanoparticles on surfaces and cos (D) parameter measured in SE. Excellent agreement between nanoparticle number density determined experimentally from AFM scans and that predicted by SE proves the potential of SE as a quick, predictive technique to estimate number density of nanoparticles bound to solid, non-transparent substrates. � 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Development of the RIOT web service and information technologies to enable mechanism reduction for HCCI simulations

New approaches are being explored to facilitate multidisciplinary collaborative research of Homogeneous Charge Compression Ignition (HCCI) combustion processes. In this paper, collaborative sharing of the Range Identification and Optimization Toolkit (RIOT) and related data and models is discussed. RIOT is a developmental approach to reduce the computational of detailed chemical kinetic mechanisms, enabling their use in modeling kinetically controlled combustion applications such as HCCI. These approaches are being developed and piloted as a part of the Collaboratory for Multiscale Chemical Sciences (CMCS) project. The capabilities of the RIOT code are shared through a portlet in the CMCS portal that allows easy specification and processing of RIOT inputs, remote execution of RIOT, tracking of data pedigree, and translation of RIOT outputs to a table view and to a commonly-used mechanism format.
OH radical formation by photolysis of aqueous porphyrin solutions. A spin trapping and e.s.r. study

Radical production during the photolysis of deaerated aqueous alkaline solutions (pH 11) of some water-soluble porphyrins was investigated. Metal-free and metallo complexes of tetrakis (4-N-methylpyridyl)porphyrin (TMPyP) and tetra (4-sulphonatophenyl)porphyrin (TPPS4) were studied. Evidence for the formation of OH radicals during photolysis at 615, 545, 435, 408 and 335 nm of Fe(III) TPPS4 is presented. Fe(III) TMPyP, Mn(III) TPPS4 and Mn(III) TMPyP also gave OH radicals but only during photolysis at 335 nm. The method of spin trapping with 5,5-dimethyl-1-pyrroline-1-oxide (DMPO) and 4-pyridyl-1-oxide-N-tert-butylnitrone (POBN) combined with e.s.r. was used for the detection of OH, H and hydrated electrons. With the spin trap DMPO, photolysis generated DMPO-OH adducts under certain conditions but no DMPO-H adducts could be observed. With POBN, no POBN-H adducts were found. The formation of OH was confirmed by studying competition reactions for OH between the spin traps and OH scavengers (formate, isopropanol) and the concomitant formation of the CO-2 adduct and the (CH3)2COH adduct with both DMPO and POBN. The photochemical generation of OH radicals was pH dependent; at pH 7.5 no OH radicals could be detected. Photolysis (615-335 nm) of dicyanocomplexes of the Fe(III) porphyrins did not produce OH radicals. When corresponding Cu(II), Ni(II), Zn(II) and metal-free porphyrins were photolysed at 615 and 335 nm, no OH radicals could be spin trapped. These results tend to associate the well-known phenomenon of photoreduction of Fe(III) and Mn(III) porphyrins with the formation of OH radicals. This process is described mainly as the photoreduction of the metal ion by the ligand-bound hydroxyl ion via an intramolecular process.
Ant Venoms: A Study of Venom Diversity

Ant venoms appear to represent an almost untapped reservoir of information capable of adding several exciting chapters to the story of toxinology. Ants share with some bees and wasps the distinction of being the only truly social group of venomous animals. This fact implies that most of the venomous individuals belong to an essentially sterile class of worker individuals, and that survival of the species depends on colony rather than individual survival. Unlike social bees and wasps, which use their stings solely for defense, ant stings are utilized for a variety of additional functions, including prey capture and the elaboration of trail, sex, aggregation, and alarm pheromones. In parallel with the evolutionary development of varied stinging behaviors were major changes in the venom composition and the sting apparatus itself. This plasticity in form, function, and composition associated with the sting apparatus may be correlated with the success of ants in dominating most of the terrestrial environments.
Effect of sanitizer treatments on Salmonella Stanley attached to the surface of cantaloupe and cell transfer to fresh-cut tissues during cutting practices.

The ability of Salmonella Stanley to attach and survive on cantaloupe surfaces, its in vivo response to chlorine or hydrogen peroxide treatments, and subsequent transfer to the interior tissue during cutting was investigated. Cantaloupes were immersed in an inoculum containing Salmonella Stanley (108 CFU/ml) for 10 min and then stored at 4 or 20°C for up to 5 days. Periodically, the inoculated melons were washed with chlorine (1,000 ppm) or hydrogen peroxide (5%), and fresh-cut tissues were prepared. The incidence of Salmonella Stanley transfer from the rinds to the fresh-cut tissues during cutting practices was determined. A population of 3.8 log10 CFU/cm2 of Salmonella Stanley was recovered from the inoculated rinds. No significant (P < 0.05) reduction of the attached Salmonella population was observed on cantaloupe surfaces stored at 4 or 20°C for up to 5 days, and the population was not reduced after washing with water. Salmonella Stanley was recovered in fresh-cut pieces prepared from inoculated whol...
Breed Differences in Return to Estrus after PGF2 α-Induced Abortions in Swine

Fifty-seven Duroc, 41 Landrace and 38 Yorkshire purebred sows in d 10 to 53 of pregnancy were aborted to synchronize estrus by using prostaglandin F2 alpha (PGF2 alpha). Breed differences in time between injection of two 10-mg doses of PGF2 alpha and return to estrus were observed in these three breeds of pregnant sows during two breeding seasons. Duroc sows returned to estrus .9 d faster (P less than .01) than Yorkshire and 1.3 d faster (P less than .01) than Landrace sows. Seasonal differences were also observed. The mean days from injection to estrus were 1.8 d fewer (P less than .01) for the spring season than in the fall season. All sows expressed estrus 5 to 11 d after injection. Normal gestation, parturition and piglet survival were observed in the sows after the treatment. Genetic differences in response to induced abortion and return to estrus could have implications in planned breeding and farrowing systems.
What’s to argue? A comparison of opposing viewpoints in context to the updated points of view reference center, with a nod to the original points of view reference center

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to provide an evaluative comparison of databases for argumentative/persuasive rhetoric. Design/methodology/approach – This paper reviews and compares the databases in terms of the organization, types of information included and the ease of use. Findings – To assist students in learning the rhetorical modes of argument and persuasion, some database vendors have developed proprietary electronic databases specific to this purpose. EBSCOhost’s Points of View Reference Center and Gale/Cengage’s Opposing Viewpoints in Context are two such databases. Which is better largely depends on the dominant user demographic of the educational institution. Both databases have strengths and weaknesses; therefore, the best results can be achieved by using them to complement one another. But if only one database can be selected, then that choice should most be influenced by the user demographic served. Research limitations/implications – These databases have value as primers and introductions to research and writing in the rhetorical mode(s) of argumentation and persuasion, but students taking advanced classes should supplement them with more sophisticated searches in standard aggregator databases, which are not examined in detail in this paper. Originality/value – This paper offers selectors an apples-to-apples comparison and analysis of two related resources, providing an insight about which can be used in the selection process.
AGGREGATE AND GENDER-SPECIFIC DIFFERENCES IN COST AND RESOURCE CONSUMPTION AMONG CARDIOGENIC SHOCK PATIENTS RECEIVING PERCUTANEOUS VENTRICULAR ASSIST DEVICES SUPPORT OVER AN EPISODE OF CARE

Percutaneous ventricular assist device (pVAD) support in cardiogenic shock (CS) patients has been associated with lower costs, shorter lengths of stay (LOS) and reduced readmissions when compared to extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) support. The hospital cost and utilization profile of an
Gall Bladder Function after Pancreatectomy

In the course of an extended series of observations on depancrea-tized dogs a number of questions arose in the interpretation of the data. Many other changes in body economy besides loss of insulin and loss of juice in the intestine have to be considered. Some questions have arisen concerning altered biliary function.The following experiments were performed in order to determine the functional activity of the gall-bladder in dogs after complete pancreatectomy. For this purpose the dye method of Graham, Cole and Copher1 was employed in 3 dogs which had been depancreatized 173, 242 and 287 days respectively. The animals were kept on a diet consisting essentially of cooked lean meat and glucose, supplemented by insulin.The experiments were conducted in the following manner: 0.15 gm. of sodium tetraiodophenolphthalein (iodeikon) per kilo body weight was injected intravenously. Eighteen hours afterward an X-ray of the gall bladder was taken. Then the dogs were given their ration of meat and glucose to which 40...
Preliminary Observations on Northern Fowl Mite Infestations on Estrogenized Roosters and in Relation to Initial Egg Production in Hens

Treatment of normal male Leghorn chickens with doses of estradiol ranging from .1 to 1.0 mg per week caused only a slight increase in resistance to infestation with northern fowl mites. The resistance phenomenon did not increase linearly with estradiol dose. Pullets were initially resistant to mite infestation; however, susceptibility was noted to increase markedly near the time of initial egg-production. These data indicate that sex hormones may be related to mite resistance in chickens, but that estrogen alone is probably not responsible for the difference in mite susceptibility between male and female birds.
Country Soul: Making Music and Making Race in the American South

Issues of race, royalties, and recognition flow throughout the past century of American popular music. From the earliest blues recordings to the most recent hip-hop hits, public awareness and acces...
Hybrid, Maturity, and Cutting Height Interactions on Corn Forage Yield and Quality

Corn (Zea mays L.) hybrids may show different silage quality responses to harvest date and cutting height because hybrids differ in neutral detergent fiber (NDF) digestibility. A brown midrib, leafy, and dual-purpose hybrid were harvested at early [280 g kg -1 dry matter (DM) content], medium (350 g kg -1 ), and late (420 g kg -1 ) harvest dates at 15-, 30-, and 46-cm cutting heights in 2001 and 2002 to determine optimum harvest management for each hybrid type. Most forage quality characteristics had hybrid × harvest date interactions as indicated by the 73 g kg -1 decrease in NDF digestibility of the brown midrib compared with 20 g kg -1 decreases of the other hybrids between the early and late harvest date. Milk per megagram, a forage quality index, declined (1523, 1487, and 1417 kg Mg -1 ), but DM yields increased (13.2, 13.6, and 14.1 Mg ha -1 ), so calculated milk yields were similar (20 333, 20 200, and 20 233 kg ha -1 ) at early, medium, and late harvest dates, respectively, suggesting a broad optimum DM content for harvest. The sharp decline in NDF digestibility, however, raises concern about harvesting the brown midrib hybrid above 350 g kg -1 DM content. Calculated milk yield had a hybrid × cutting height interaction, as indicated by no change in the leafy hybrid and a 13% decrease in the brown midrib hybrid as cutting height increased from 15 to 46 cm. This suggests that an increase in cutting height may be a good management practice for the leafy hybrid but not for the brown midrib hybrid.
Benign Rapidly Growing Ovarian Dermoid Cysts: A Case Series

Dermoid cysts are thought to be slow-growing tumors. This case series provides 2 clinical examples of sizeable growth of benign ovarian dermoid cysts in premenopausal patients. These patient cases ...
Head-Mounted System Software Development

In designing a graphical eye tracking application, the most important requirement is mapping of eye tracker coordinates to the appropriate application program’s reference frame.