cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
GENDER DIFFERENCES IN VASCULAR ACCESS IN HEMODIALYSIS PATIENTS IN THE UNITED STATES: DEVELOPING STRATEGIES FOR IMPROVING ACCESS OUTCOME

Abstract Background: Patients undergoing chronic hemodialysis (HD) require placement of permanent vascular access with the creation of an arteriovenous fistula (AVF), an arteriovenous prosthetic graft (AVG), or a tunneled central venous catheter. AVFs provide greater long-term patency, fewer complications, and lower infection rates than do either AVGs or catheters. Despite these advantages, women continue to be underrepresented among AVF patients, possibly because of concerns about smaller vascular diameters and higher rates of early primary fistula failure in female HD patients. The numerous clinical benefits of AVF suggest that a greater effort should be made to promote AVF placement in women. Objective: This review analyzes risk factors for AVF failure in women and describes clinical strategies to improve AVF utilization and success for female HD patients. Methods: English-language publications were identified through a MEDLINE database search from January 1997 to March 2007, using the search terms arteriovenous fistula, vascular access, hemodialysis, female, and gender. Reference lists of identified articles were also reviewed. Results: There are significant benefits to using AVFs instead of AVGs or catheters in HD patients: greater long-term fistula patency, superior flow rates, and fewer complications. Vascular anatomical differences between the sexes contribute to the underutilization of AVF in women. AVF placement rates can be improved if patients and staff are adequately educated and provided with the tools to facilitate AVF placement. Noninvasive preoperative screening is important to identify superior access sites in women. Intraoperative monitoring of blood flow is a reliable predictor of early radiocephalic AVF patency. Routine postoperative vascular monitoring may improve overall success with AVF, and exercise may improve vascular diameter and may be even more beneficial for women, who may have smaller preoperative veins. Conclusions: Concerns about smaller vascular diameters and reports of higher failure rates in women may prevent nephrologists and surgeons from considering AVF for female HD patients. The numerous advantages associated with AVF suggest that a greater effort should be made to increase its utilization in women. With appropriate motivation, care, and diligence by treating clinicians, the success of AVFs in women can approach the good results typically expected in men.
Interactions between edge lattice dislocations and Σ11 symmetrical tilt grain boundary: comparisons among several FCC metals and interatomic potentials

Interactions between edge dislocations and a symmetrical tilt grain boundary (GB) in face-centred cubic metals of Ni and Al are studied via a quasicontinuum method (QCM). A variety of embedding atom method potentials are used, and the results are compared to previous studies of Cu [W.S. Yu, Z.Q. Wang, Acta Mater., 60 (2012) 5010]. Different potentials do not significantly affect the edge dislocation–GB interactions in these metals. Edge dislocations can easily transmit across grain boundaries in Ni and Cu, even for a single incoming dislocation. However, slip-transmission in Al occurs only after the GB absorbs many incoming dislocations. Stable nucleation of grain boundary dislocations (GBD) in Cu and Ni plays an important role in the slip-transmissions. The slip transmission in Al is found to be difficult due to the metastable nucleation of GBD. The incoming leading and trailing partials in Al are absorbed together by the GB because of the larger values of (, and are the shear modulus, magnitude of Burge...
Formation, growth and mobility of technology-based firms in the US economy *

If different types of firms are flourishing in rural and urban areas, then it is appropriate to question whether both urban and rural economic development programs should focus on the formation and growth of the same type of firms. The product life cycle theory suggests that urban areas should garner the lion's share of new firm formations in newly-emerging industries, while rural areas will be the location for mature industrial manufacturing branch plants. This paper examines whether the anticpated rural/urban distribution of high-technology firms and branches are valid for the industry. Data taken from the US Small Business Administration's Small Business Data base for 1976 through 1986 show that high technology has been the high-growth industrial sector in the USA. Central to this growth has been a high rate of new firm formations which have been responsible for over 70% of new jobs formed in this sector. Contrary to expectations based on the product cycle, analysis by urban and rural employment growth...
Optically plugged quadrupole trap for Bose-Einstein condensates

We created sodium Bose-Einstein condensates in an optically plugged quadrupole magnetic trap. A focused, 532-nm laser beam repelled atoms from the coil center where Majorana loss is significant. We produced condensates containing up to $3\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{7}$ atoms, a factor of 60 improvement over previous work and a number comparable to the best all-magnetic traps, and transferred up to $9\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{6}$ atoms into a purely optical trap. We compare our observations with a simple model of evaporative cooling, concluding that a laser in the range of 1 W (rather than 5 W) may suffice.
Oxidative phosphorylation and respiration by mitochondria from normal, hypertrophied and failing rat hearts☆

Abstract The present study was undertaken in order to determine the differences in mitochondrial respiration and oxidative phosphorylation of the myocardium from rats with monocrotaline pyrrole induced pulmonary heart disease. Experimental animals developed right ventricular hypertrophy and heart failure 6 weeks post monocrotaline pyrrole injection. Respiratory function of heart mitochondria in glutamate and succinate substrates was evaluated polarographically. Mitochondrial electron transport and phosphorylating efficiency increased slightly during cardiac hypertrophy, began to decline during impending cardiac failure, and was markedly impaired in congestive heart failure.
Crystallization and preliminary structure determination of an intact human immunoglobulin, b12: an antibody that broadly neutralizes primary isolates of HIV-1

An intact human immunoglobulin with a full-length hinge has been crystallized for the first time in a form in which all of the Ig domains are ordered. The IgG1 antibody b12 is one of only three known monoclonal antibodies described that potently neutralize a broad range of HIV-1 primary isolates. It binds to an epitope overlapping the conserved CD4 binding site on the viral surface antigen gp120. Hexagonal crystals corresponding to space group R32 were grown from 0.8 M ammonium sulfate, with unit-cell parameters a = b = 271.3, c = 175.2 A and one molecule per asymmetric unit. The crystals diffract to 2.8 A and a preliminary molecular-replacement solution indicates that all 12 Ig domains of the antibody can be resolved.
Building diverse community networks for sustainable food systems: Guiding philosophies of the Pennsylvania Association for Sustainable Agriculture

The Pennsylvania Association for Sustainable Agriculture (PASA) is a grassroots organization that facilitates the exchange of sustainable farming practices among its members, creates marketing opportunities for local farmers, and promotes consumer awareness and support for sustainable agriculture. Interviews with PASA's board members and staff, content analyses of PASA's literature, and a mail survey and spatial analysis of PASA's members-who include both farmers and members who do not farm-were used to examine members' characteristics, why they value being members, and the philosophies and strategies that guide the organization's successes. Results indicate that by embracing a broad definition of sustainable agriculture, PASA promotes profitable and environmentally sound farming practices to a diversity of farmers. Networking with a broad cross-section of local and regional organizations and institutions has enabled PASA to use the expertise of community leaders and share fundraising to develop marketing opportunities for farmers. Linking sustainable agriculture with priorities of community economic development has brought farmers to urban planning tables, increased inner city access to fresh, local food, and increased the economic viability of local farmers. PASA's experiences exemplify the opportunities and tensions involved with networking with mainstream institutions to gain greater support for the sustainable agriculture community. PASA provides one model of how sustainable agriculture organizations can play an integral role in supporting sustainable agriculture.
Simulation of electron‐excited X‐ray spectra with NIST–NIH Desktop Spectrum Analyzer (DTSA)

Desktop Spectrum Analyzer (DTSA) is a comprehensive software platform for the collection, simulation, processing, qualitative, and quantitative analysis of electron-excited X-ray spectra. Spectrum simulation is based upon solving the rigorous expression for inner shell ionization, integrated from the incident beam energy to the critical excitation energy, taking into account energy loss of the primary electrons and the loss of ionization power due to electron backscattering. The user can choose from a wide range of cross sections for K-, L- and M-shell ionization, as well as for the X-ray continuum. Both energy-dispersive and wavelength-dispersive spectrometers can be simulated. The simulated spectrum can be inspected at each stage of its generation, propagation through the specimen, propagation through the detector windows and structure, and after application of the detector-broadening function. The final spectrum is calculated on an absolute dose and spectrometer efficiency basis, permitting comparison to experimentally measured spectra. Correspondence for K-shell intensity within ±20% relative to experimental values can be achieved over a wide range of photon energy. Appropriate counting statistics can be applied to the simulated spectra, enabling the user to test the accuracy of peak fitting with multiple linear least squares or sequential simplex nonlinear procedures. Published in 2005 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The Isotopic Constitution of Silicon, Germanium, and Hafnium

The isotopic constitutions of silicon, germanium, and hafnium have been measured with a mass spectrometer by techniques which are described. Results for silicon are in good agreement with certain of the earlier determinations but are in poor agreement with the values adopted in the recent compilation by Bainbridge and Nier. Results for germanium do not differ significantly from earlier determinations. Results for hafnium differ only slightly from the one previous determination in which electrical detection was used, but in such a way as to suggest that determinations on hafnium which has been fractionally purified with respect to zirconium may not be faithfully representative of the true abundances. An upper limit of 0.003 percent has been placed on the abundance in nature of ${\mathrm{Hf}}^{182}$.
Variations in FEV₁ decline over time in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and its implications.

Purpose of review This article reviews findings from longitudinal observational studies in both general and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) populations, as well as from intervention trials in COPD, in which the annual rate of decline in forced expired volume in 1 s (FEV₁) has been measured. The purpose of the review is to describe the individual variability in rates of decline in FEV₁ within these populations, explore the factors contributing to this variability and discuss its implications. Recent findings Individual rates of decline in FEV₁ have been found to vary considerably across participants with COPD in both observational cohorts and intervention trials from decreases as rapid as 150-200 ml per year to increases of up to approximately 150 ml per year, with mean rates of decline ranging from 33 to 69 ml per year. Aside from technical and biologic (e.g., time of day, season, weather, fatigue) sources of variation, other influential factors have included smoking status (most notably current versus former smoking), baseline smoking intensity, baseline lung function, airway hyperresponsiveness, exacerbation frequency, and, variably, age and sex. The presence of emphysema may also be a determinant, as well as certain biomarkers and gene variants. Summary The wide distribution of individual rates of decline in FEV₁ includes especially rapid and slow declines. Future research is needed to identify biomarkers that both are predictive of a rapid decline within individuals who might then be targeted for special intervention and might also serve as surrogate endpoints in interventional trials.
Remapping British Regional Policy: The End of the North-South Divide?

(1993). Remapping British Regional Policy: The End of the North-South Divide? Regional Studies: Vol. 27, No. 8, pp. 797-805.
The catalytic effect of Mg2+ and imidazole on the decomposition of 5-phosphoribosyl-α-1-pyrophosphate in aqueous solution

The rate of decomposition of aqueous solutions of 5-phosphoribosyl-alpha-1-pyrophosphate (PRPP) is greatly enhanced by the presence of certain divalent ions. High levels of Mg(2+) were shown to increase the rate of phosphate removal from PRPP by factors greater than 100-fold. The combined action of Mg(2+) and a nitrogenous compound (imidazole was employed in this study) increases the degradation rate constants by up to 1000-fold. The degradation of PRPP in neutral solutions follows two main paths, a pyrophosphate hydrolysis reaction yielding ribose 5-phosphate and an internal beta-phosphate cleavage yielding 5-phosphoribosyl-1,2 cyclic phosphate. The catalytic effect of Mg(2+) on PRPP degradation appears to suggest a connection between the observed rate enhancements and the dimagnesium form of PRPP. Rate enhancing effects of Mg(2+) are greatest at pH values (i.e. pH>7) which promote strong phosphate-Mg(2+) interaction.
The HECATE genes regulate female reproductive tract development in Arabidopsis thaliana.

Successful fertilization in plants requires the properly coordinated development of female reproductive tissues, including stigma, style, septum and transmitting tract. We have identified three closely related genes, HECATE1 ( HEC1 ), HECATE2 ( HEC2 ) and HECATE3 ( HEC3 ), the expression domains of which encompass these regions of the Arabidopsis gynoecium. The HEC genes encode putative basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) transcription factors with overlapping functionality. Depending on the amount of HEC function missing, plants exhibit varying degrees of infertility, defects in septum, transmitting tract and stigma development and impaired pollen tube growth. The observed phenotypes are similar to those reported for mutations in the SPATULA ( SPT ) gene, which also encodes a bHLH transcription factor required for development of the same female tissues. We show that the HEC proteins can dimerize with SPT in a yeast two-hybrid system, indicating that the HEC genes work in concert with SPT to coordinately regulate development of the female reproductive tract. Furthermore, when the HEC genes are ectopically expressed from the CaMV 35S promoter, some of the resulting transgenic plants show pin-shaped inflorescences, suggesting that the HEC genes are probably involved in auxin-mediated control of gynoecium patterning.
Politics, Policy, and Organization: Frontiers in the Scientific Study of Bureaucracy

Politics, Policy, and Organization: Frontiers in the Scientific Study of Bureaucracy. Edited by George A. Krause and Kenneth J. Meier. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press, 2003. 352p. $65. This text consists of papers originally presented at the Fifth Public Management Conference meeting at Texas A&M University in December, 1999. The editors in the introductory chapter aptly define the challenges facing contributors: “We know little about how bureaucratic (a) agencies make decisions … (b) structures affect responsiveness and performance … (c) agencies resolve goal conflict on a day-to-day basis, (d) external performance criteria affect bureaucracies and (e) organizations socialize their members” (p. 15).
Green Bay: Spatial variation in water quality, and landscape correlations

Abstract We conducted a high-resolution survey along the nearshore (369 km) in Green Bay using towed electronic instrumentation at approximately 15-m depth contour, with additional transects of the bay that were oriented cross-contour (49 km). Electronic sensor data provided an efficient characterization of a spatial pattern in water quality parameters. Nearshore water quality was correlated with adjacent landscape characterization. The regressions were able to explain over 80% of the alongshore variability for some parameters. The parameters with the strongest correlation were specific conductivity, beam attenuation, and chlorophyll. A clear feature of Green Bay is the loading introduced by the Fox River at the head of the bay. River loading sets up the conditions for a longitudinal gradient along the bay. Nutrient and chlorophyll gradients have persisted since first observed in monitoring surveys decades ago in spite of rapid flushing of the bay and efforts for remedial actions to restore areas of concern (AOCs). The water quality gradients were steepest in the 25-km closest to the mouth of the Fox River decreasing inversely with distance to where the bay opens to Lake Michigan. Summarized data from our 2010 tow and a concurrent National Coastal Condition Assessment (NCCA) survey compared to historical data (1971–1989) show a bay-wide rise in specific conductivity and chlorides, but only suggest highly variable total phosphorous and chlorophyll a in the inner bay. The tools employed (towed sensors, landuse characterization, and NCCA) can provide an efficient approach to a more regular and comprehensive bay-wide assessment.
Learning on the job: The acquisition of scientific competence

This study attempts to help us better understand scientific competence and how it is acquired. We interviewed 10 associates at a company that produces unique technical products. Although none of the 10 had obtained degrees beyond high school, they all engaged in highly technical work that would be typical of a practicing engineer. These associates described to us their learning of science as they solved practical problems at work. Both what they learned and how they learned was task-driven. Contextual factors such as choice of tasks and social access to expertise within the company were important factors in their learning. The only influence outside work that was repeatedly named as significant on the acquisition of scientific competence was extensive tinkering experience. Understanding the successful acquisition of scientific competence within communities such as this one suggests that certain features of these communities may be useful for school science communities as well. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Sci Ed86:756–782, 2002; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/sce.10034
Heterogeneity of Reward Mechanisms

The finding that many drugs that have abuse potential and other natural stimuli such as food or sexual activity cause similar chemical changes in the brain, an increase in extracellular dopamine (DA) in the shell of the nucleus accumbens (NAccS), indicated some time ago that the reward mechanism is at least very similar for all stimuli and that the mechanism is relatively simple. The presently available information shows that the mechanisms involved are more complex and have multiple elements. Multiple brain regions, multiple receptors, multiple distinct neurons, multiple transmitters, multiple transporters, circuits, peptides, proteins, metabolism of transmitters, and phosphorylation, all participate in reward mechanisms. The system is variable, is changed during development, is sex-dependent, and is influenced by genetic differences. Not all of the elements participate in the reward of all stimuli. Different set of mechanisms are involved in the reward of different drugs of abuse, yet different mechanisms in the reward of natural stimuli such as food or sexual activity; thus there are different systems that distinguish different stimuli. Separate functions of the reward system such as anticipation, evaluation, consummation and identification; all contain function-specific elements. The level of the stimulus also influences the participation of the elements of the reward system, there are possible reactions to even below threshold stimuli, and excessive stimuli can change reward to aversion involving parts of the system. Learning and memory of past reward is an important integral element of reward and addictive behavior. Many of the reward elements are altered by repeated or chronic stimuli, and chronic exposure to one drug is likely to alter the response to another stimulus. To evaluate and identify the reward stimulus thus requires heterogeneity of the reward components in the brain.
Q-matrices and spherical geometry

Abstract A real n × n matrix M is a Q -matrix if the linear complementarity problem w − Mz = q , w ⩾ 0, z ⩾ 0, w t z =0 has a solution for all real n -vectors q . M is nondegenerate if all its principal minors are nonzero. Spherical geometry is applied to the problem of characterizing nondegenerate Q -matrices. The stability of 3 × 3 nondegenerate Q -matrices and a generalization of the partitioning property of P -matrices are rather easily proved using spherical geometry. It is also proved that the set of 4 × 4 nondegenerate Q -matrices is not open.
Particle Diffusion and Overabundances of Heavy Elements in Peculiar A Stars

IT is now known1,2 that diffusion in the photospheres of peculiar A (Ap) stars accounts for the observed anomalies in element abundances3,4, but here I shall ask whether the extreme overabundance of heavy elements (such as Eu and Hg) is also consistent with diffusion. Although many heavy elements in Ap atmospheres are overabundant by factors of 103, some such as Eu and Hg seem to be overabundant by as much as 105 (refs. 5–7).
Being a Librarian Isn't Enough: The Importance of a Nonlibrary Research Agenda for the Academic Librarian: A Case Study

Subject specialist college librarians can become producers and disseminators of knowledge by pursuing an active research agenda in their nonlibrary field. Research in an academic discipline can inform and enhance the college librarian's teaching, research, and collection development practices. Through such research, college librarians can elevate their personal status among their nonlibrary colleagues and students, as well as the prestige of their library and the library profession. Suggestions for managing traditional librarian duties and pursuing a nonlibrary research agenda are included.
Comprehensive approach to restoration of function in patients with radiation-induced pharyngoesophageal stenosis: report of 31 patients and proposal of new classification scheme.

Background. The treatment for upper aerodiges- tive tract malignancy with external beam radiation therapy and chemotherapy can result in a ''cure,'' yet result in pharyngoe- sophageal (PE) stenosis. To improve communication, compare therapeutic results, and assist in treatment planning, we devel- oped a new classification system to describe PE stenoses. Additionally, we analyzed our 6-year experience. Methods. The new classification system was defined and used to assess patient management. Results. Thirty-one patients underwent treatment for PE stenoses using: 4 rendezvous dilations, 3 regional, and 24 free tissue transfers. Overall success was based on airway status, speech, and swallowing outcomes. Conclusion. Classification of posttreatment stenoses has been applied to this patient group. It is effective in defining the problem and considerations related to treatment planning and surgical access when augmentation pharyngoplasty is required. Patients with an intact larynx have many issues that make recov- ery of function less consistent, despite segment restoration. V C 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Head Neck 00: 000-000, 2011
Graphs and nonnegative matrices

Abstract Results concerning generalized inverses of n × n matrices over the Boolean algebra of order two are applied to the study of directed graphs and nonnegative matrices. Maximal systems of directed graphs are discussed. Also, necessary conditions are obtained for a nonnegative matrix to have a nonnegative generalized inverse.
Inconsistencies and misperceptions putting college students at risk of HIV infection.

Abstract College students are often viewed as being at high risk lor human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection, due to their needs to engage in exploratory behavior and their needs for peers' social approval, and their sense of invulnerability. The proportion of adolescents who are sexually active is known to be relatively stable; however, the amount of unsafe sex taking place on the college campus is still in question, as well as the relationship between dating patterns and HIV-risk behavior. In this study college students' self-reports of sexual and dating practices were related to sexual frequency and condom use. The results highlight the amount of unprotected sexual behavior in the college group and the difficulty in assessing adolescents' risk of HIV transmission on the basis of self-reported sexual activity and dating behavior. Key issues to target in educating college students about HIV infection are the roles of planning and spontaneity in dating and the fact that inaccurate self-perceptions of monogamy ana abstinence may lead them to assume falsely that they are safe from sexually transmitted diseases.
Exposure of emergency medical responders to methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus

Background Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infections result in 19,000 deaths a year in the United States. Epidemiologic studies have shown that community-acquired infections are increasing dramatically, and strains typical of community infections are increasingly detected in hospital populations. Emergency medical responders (EMR) are exposed to both community and hospital MRSA patients, which, combined with their communal lifestyles in fire stations, results in higher risk of exposure. This study determined the occurrence and frequency of MRSA and other bacterial indicators on environmental surfaces in fire stations, training sites, and offices of EMR. Methods Handled sponges were used for collection of targeted bacteria from commonly contacted environmental surfaces at EMR facilities. Biochemical tests confirmed isolates as S aureus , and MRSA was confirmed by growth on selective and differential media. An initial set of 500 samples was collected at 9 fire-related facilities to identify areas of increased exposure. Subsequent studies targeted sites (n = 160) for repeat sampling that were MRSA positive. Results S aureus was isolated from 10.6% (17/160) of the sampled sites. The couch and the classroom desks were the most contaminated at 20% (4/20 and 2/10, respectively). Of the S aureus isolated, 64.7% (11/17) were confirmed as MRSA. Conclusion EMR have a high potential for exposure to MRSA, not only through patient and hospital contacts but also in the fire station environment. MRSA was isolated with the highest frequency on the couches and the class desks. Although the true health significance of these exposures is unknown, improved infection control practices, such as routine handwashing and surface disinfection, are warranted to reduce MRSA exposures.
On the fate of anthropogenic nitrogen

This article provides a synthesis of literature values to trace the fate of 150 Tg/yr anthropogenic nitrogen applied by humans to the Earth's land surface. Approximately 9 TgN/yr may be accumulating in the terrestrial biosphere in pools with residence times of ten to several hundred years. Enhanced fluvial transport of nitrogen in rivers and percolation to groundwater accounts for approximately 35 and 15 TgN/yr, respectively. Greater denitrification in terrestrial soils and wetlands may account for the loss of approximately 17 TgN/yr from the land surface, calculated by a compilation of data on the fraction of N(2)O emitted to the atmosphere and the current global rise of this gas in the atmosphere. A recent estimate of atmospheric transport of reactive nitrogen from land to sea (NO(x) and NH(x)) accounts for 48 TgN/yr. The total of these enhanced sinks, 124 TgN/yr, is less than the human-enhanced inputs to the land surface, indicating areas of needed additional attention to global nitrogen biogeochemistry. Policy makers should focus on increasing nitrogen-use efficiency in fertilization, reducing transport of reactive N to rivers and groundwater, and maximizing denitrification to its N(2) endproduct.
SU-FF-T-210: Performance Evaluation and Quality Assurance of Enhanced Dynamic Wedges

Purpose: Enhanced dynamic wedges have been used in clinical practice for many years. Obvious superiority of dynamic over physical wedges is accompanied by the increased overhead involved in verifying the accuracy and reliability of their use. Contrary to very limited quality assurance (QA) required to ensure proper functioning of the physical wedges,dynamic wedges, like any other dynamic treatment, require a robust quality assurance program. This work expands upon previous suggestions and describes a comprehensive QA program for Varian Enhanced Dynamic Wedges (EDW) and presents the results of a sixteen‐month evaluation of these wedges. Method and Materials: Daily, monthly, and annual QA procedures were devised for enhanced dynamic wedges on a dual energy Varian 21ex linear accelerator with seven wedge angles. These include daily constancy checks of the wedge performance as part of the morning QA procedure, monthly evaluation of wedge factors and profiles, and an analysis of dynamic log files generated by linac. Yearly performance evaluation includes measurement of a larger sample of wedge angles and profiles. In addition, individual treatment verification or “per patient” QA consists of visual inspection of the wedge direction at the conclusion of each treatment. Results: The daily constancy checks show a stable delivery of the wedged field with a variation of less than 1%. The monthly wedge factors measured have been within 1.5 % of the commissioning values. A comparison of beam profiles over the same time period shows a stable delivery of the wedged beams and good agreement with the expected segmented treatment tables (STT). Conclusion: An expended comprehensive QA of enhanced dynamic wedges is presented. Results of a sixteen‐month evaluation demonstrate stable and accurate delivery of these fields. Due to the dynamic nature of enhanced dynamic wedge deliveries, a comprehensive QA program is necessary to verify proper delivery of these fields.
Correlations of organ weights, hematocrit, and testosterone with sexual maturity of the male turkey.

A study was conducted with Large White breeder male turkeys to determine changes in blood constituents and organ weights associated with sexual maturity. Testicular samples from 8- to 32-wk-old turkeys were histologically examined and the changes in the seminiferous tubule epithelium associated with sexual maturity were correlated with changes in blood constituents and organ weights. Spermatozoa were first found in the lumina of the seminiferous tubules at 15 wk, and semen containing mature spermatozoa was first observed in the ductus (d.) deferens at 26 wk. Testes weights increased significantly between 20 and 22 wk and continued to increase until 30 wk of age. Testosterone concentration in the blood was .2 ng/mL at 16 wk, and steadily increased to 1.3 ng/mL at 34 wk. The increase in testosterone paralleled the increase in testes weights. The bursa of Fabricius weight reached a maximum at 16 wk, began to regress at 22 wk, and was completely regressed at 32 wk. Hematocrit values started to increase at 16 wk and reached a plateau at 22 wk. The association of the increase in hematocrit with the functional maturation of the testes suggests that the increase in hematocrit could be used to predict maturation of testicular spermatozoa in the male breeder turkey. However, semen production (semen accumulation in the d. deferens) did not start until 10 wk after mature spermatozoa were found in the testes.
The analytical reduction of panoramic and strip photography

Abstract Because of their high ground resolution, panoramic and strip cameras have proved very useful for aerial reconnaissance. However, if the internal geometry of such cameras can be determined, then, by employing analytical techniques, such operations as control extensions and topographic mapping may also be performed since such photography obeys the projective equations of photogrammetry. The basic concept utilized is that of reducing the panoramic or strip photograph to an equivalent frame photograph having the same focal length and tilt. The projective equations for frame photography can then be employed for performing such analytical photogrammetric reductions as resections, relative orientations, intersections, and even block aerial triangulations. With the advent of the analytical plotters, this same concept may also be employed for the plotting of maps directly from panoramic and strip photography.
Processing ground penetrating radar data from curvilinear interfaces

Ground penetrating radar investigations of buildings and other man-made structures often require data collection along curvilinear interfaces having various radii of curvature and geometry. Data collected along non-planar interfaces and containing multiple targets are often difficult to interpret without the application of migration. Migration is not commonly applied to surveys along non-planar interfaces because most published algorithms and available software assume data collection along planar interfaces. We provide a versatile imaging strategy that migrates data by using a kernel derived from the forward model. Modeled and measured data from columns are used to illustrate the utility of our imaging approach.
Shrinky-Dink microfluidics: 3D polystyrene chips

We present a novel approach for the ultra-rapid direct patterning of complex three-dimensional, stacked polystyrene (PS) microfluidic chips. By leveraging the inherent shrinkage properties of biaxially pre-stressed thermoplastic sheets, microfluidic channels become thinner and deeper upon heating. Design conception to fully functional chips can thus be completed within minutes.
Historians and Audiences: Comment on Tristram Hunt and Geoffrey Timmins

This comment praises the articles by Hunt and Timmins for their perceptive comments on the "supply side" of history—the social history that television and teachers provide. It argues, however, that we need to devote equal attention to the demand side, to our audiences. One of the key and understudied questions about public history is not the message or the messenger but how diverse audiences receive the message.
Implementation of a Multi-band Pulsed-OFDM Transceiver

A multi-band orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) ultra wideband (UWB) system is being considered for the IEEE 802.15.3a wireless personal area networks. An enhancement to this system, named pulsed-OFDM, has been proposed to reduce the complexity and power consumption of the transceiver without sacrificing performance. In this paper, we describe a detailed implementation of a pulsed-OFDM transceiver. The main focus of the paper is designing each section with maximum power saving and minimum complexity. Specially we design each section such that each part of the pulsed-OFDM transceiver has less or equal complexity and power consumption than the corresponding part in the original multi-band OFDM transceiver. Different options to implement encoder and decoder as well as modulator and demodulator (Inverse Fast Fourier Transform and Fast Fourier Transform) are examined. We also present the simulation results to choose appropriate resolution for analog-to-digital and digital-to-analog converters (ADC and DAC). Finally we investigate the effect of fixed point arithmetic in calculating FFTs and required resolution using simulation results.
C3H3+ Isomers: Temperature Dependencies of Production in the H3+ Reaction with Allene and Loss by Dissociative Recombination with Electrons

A technique has been developed to simultaneously determine recombination rate coefficients, αe, and initial concentrations of ion types that coexist in a flowing afterglow plasma. This was tested using the H3+ + allene reaction in which two different C3H3+ isomers are produced. Use of an electrostatic Langmuir probe enabled the C3H3+ isomer branching ratios for propargyl and cyclic C3H3+ from this allene reaction and their αe to be determined over the temperature range 172−489 K. The study showed that the cyclic C3H3+ to propargyl C3H3+ branching ratios from the allene reaction varied from 50/50 at 172 K to 18/82 at 489 K. Over this temperature range, the αe for both isomers change only slightly. The room temperature αe values for propargyl and cyclic C3H3+ are (1.15 ± 0.2) × 10-7 and (8.00 ± 0.1) × 10-7 cm3/s, respectively. The data are discussed relative to current theories and in relation to fuel-rich flame chemistry, interstellar molecular synthesis, and modeling of Titan's atmosphere.
The Youth Lens: Analyzing Adolescence/ts in Literary Texts

Drawing from interdisciplinary scholarship that re-conceptualizes adolescence as a cultural construct, this article introduces a Youth Lens. A Youth Lens comprises an approach to textual analysis t...
The Importance of Land-Cover Change in Simulating Future Climates

Adding the effects of changes in land cover to the A2 and B1 transient climate simulations described in the Special Report on Emissions Scenarios (SRES) by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change leads to significantly different regional climates in 2100 as compared with climates resulting from atmospheric SRES forcings alone. Agricultural expansion in the A2 scenario results in significant additional warming over the Amazon and cooling of the upper air column and nearby oceans. These and other influences on the Hadley and monsoon circulations affect extratropical climates. Agricultural expansion in the mid-latitudes produces cooling and decreases in the mean daily temperature range over many areas. The A2 scenario results in more significant change, often of opposite sign, than does the B1 scenario.
Effects of delayed communication in dynamic group formation

We investigate how delayed communication affects the dynamic formation of groups in distributed systems, where all decision-making agents join the same group because each expects to improve its own performance. For example, distributed job schedulers may form a group to utilize the idle resources of other members within the group. Forming a group is a search problem and we examine agents that use the feedback mechanism of stochastic learning automata to carry out this search. Although a group formation may have the potential for synergy, the agents must successfully coordinate their actions within the group relevant to the application. For example, job schedulers who form a group must still balance the load among the shared resources; that is, the collective actions of the schedulers need to be coordinated and greedy schedulers who all pick the same processor may not be successful. Agents may find that working alone is more desirable since their actions need not be coordinated and the results of their own actions are more predictable. An additional challenge to the search problem is to cope with the delay in communication between the agents. The purpose of this study is to model systems where agents adaptively search for compatible co-workers, under the constraint of delayed communication. With insufficient communication, the agents decide to work alone (and receive a modest benefit) but, with sufficient communication, the agents make the more advantageous decision to work together. >
A three-year-old boy with X-linked adrenoleukodystrophy and congenital pulmonary adenomatoid malformation: a case report.

Introduction X-linked adrenoleukodystrophy leads to demyelination of the nervous system, adrenal insufficiency, and accumulation of long-chain fatty acids. Most young patients with X-linked adrenoleukodystrophy develop seizures and progressive neurologic deficits, and die within the first two decades of life. Congenital or acquired disorders of the respiratory system have not been previously described in patients with X-linked adrenoleukodystrophy.
Defining and Characterizing Approaches to Farm Management

Exploratory factor analysis was used to identify approaches to farm management based on a list of management questions posed to a sample of U.S. cash-grain farmers. Three approaches were identified by the factor analysis: price negotiation, long-term cost control, and input adjustment. Estimated factor scores regressed against farm and operator characteristics indicate a profile of producers using each approach that is closely related to stage-of-life of the farm operator and farm business. In addition to operator age and planning horizon, operator risk preference and farm organization and location were other important determinants of the approach to management.
The Influence of Loyalty Programs and Short-Term Promotions on Customer Retention

Abstract Despite the proliferation of loyalty programs in a wide range of categories, there is little empirical research that focuses on the measurement of such programs. The key to measuring the influence of loyalty programs is that they operate as dynamic incentive schemes by providing benefits based on cumulative purchasing over time. As such, loyalty programs encourage consumers to shift from myopic or single-period decision making to dynamic or multiple-period decision making. In this study, the author models customers’ response to a loyalty program under the assumption that purchases represent the sequential choices of customers who are solving a dynamic optimization problem. The author estimates the theoretical model using a discrete-choice dynamic programming formulation. The author evaluates a specific loyalty program with data from an online merchant that specializes in grocery and drugstore items. Through simulation and policy experiments, it is possible to evaluate and compare the long-term ef...
The machinations of the Majerteen Sultans: Somali pirates of the late nineteenth century?

This article explores the history of Somali piracy in the nineteenth century. Focusing on the Majerteen Sultans, and especially the late nineteenth century rulers Uthman Mahmud Yusuf and Yusuf ‘Ali, who ruled over the coast of contemporary Puntland, I argue that Majerteen rulers used piracy as a political tool to consolidate their power over the Somali littoral in the face of colonial conquest. They used piracy to goad the European powers into signing treaties of mutual protection and channelled European patronage to buttress their rule over the Majerteen population. In contrast to the literature which frames piracy in terms of state collapse and maritime anarchy, I argue piracy was a diplomatic strategy to exploit inter-imperial competition. As well as offering a historical perspective on Somali piracy, the article takes a comparative approach, drawing on theories about non-state actors and violence to bring interdisciplinary and historical insight to bear on the topic of the Somali piracy.
H-2 effects on cell-cell interactions in the response to single non-H-2 alloantigens. II. H-2 D region control of H-7.1-specific stimulator function in mixed lymphocyte culture and susceptibility to lysis by H-7.1- specific cytotoxic cells

The relative immunogenicity of the H-7.1 alloantigen has been shown in a previous communication to be regulated by a gene in the D region of the mouse major histocompatibility (H-2) complex. The level of relative immunogenicity was inferred from survival times of H-7.1-incompatible skin grafts donated by donors with different H-2 haplotype origins of H-2D region genes. In this communication we report the results of an extension of these previous investigations into the possible role of H-2D region genes in controlling the capacity of H-7.1-incompatible lymphocytes to stimulate H-7.1-speciflc mixed lymphocyte culture proliferation and generation of cytotoxic effector cells. The results reported herein demonstrate that the H-2D genotype of H-7.1-incompatible stimulator cells determines the relative H-7.1-specific capacity of those lymphocytes to stimulate H-7.1-specific proliferation of in vivo primed responder T cells in secondary mixed lymphocyte culture. H-2D(b)-bearing, H-7.l-incompatible stimulators were significantly more effective in stimulating H-7.1-specific proliferation than H-2D(d)-bearing stimulators. As expected, H-2D(b), H-7.1-in-compatible stimulators were also more effective than H-2D(d) a stimulators in generating H-7.1- specific cytotoxic effector cells. Further, the susceptibility of (51)Cr- labeled, H-7.1-incompatible lymphoblast targets to H-7.1-specific lysis was similarly regulated by an H-2D gene. Reciprocal H-2 restriction (F(1) cells are capable of killing only the cells bearing the immunizing cell parental H-2 haplotype) observed by other investigators for cytolysis of non-H-2-incompatible targets was not observed. H-2D a-bearing, H-7.1- incompatible stimulators stimulated generation of cytotoxic effectors capable of detectably lysing H-2D(b) but not H-2D(a)-bearing, H-7.1- incompatible targets. The impact of these observations on the proposed models for H-2 restriction of non-H-2 histocompatibility antigen-specific cytolysis is discussed.
PATENCY OF THE UTEROTUBAL JUNCTION OF THE RABBIT: EXPERIMENTAL OBSERVATIONS WITH THE AID OF CO2 INSUFFLATION (RUBIN METHOD)1

THE FOLLOWING experiments were undertaken to obtain a clearer under′ standing of the mechanical and physiological factors involved in the patency of the uterotubal junction of the rabbit, as determined by uterotubal insufflation. The special object of this study was to find an explanation of the noninflammatory obstructions, so often encountered in clinical uterotubal insufflations. Though conditions in the rabbit are no entirely analogous to those in human beings, the degree of patency and the structure of the utero′ tubal junction are similar in many respects. The conflicting reports an theo′ ries so far presented warrant further study of this subject. The material for this study consisted of 48 mature rabbits, weighing from 2 to 4 kg. They were anesthetized by the intravenous injection of nembutal solution, 1 grain to 2.2 kg., and laparotomised. The genital tract was exposed, so that the exact time at which insufflated gas passed
Tongue-tie: Management of a Short Sublingual Frenulum

Tongue-tie, or ankyloglossia, historically has been believed to cause speech defects, as well as breastfeeding difficulties and dental problems. St. Mark wrote, "The string of his tongue was loosed and he spoke plain," and midwives in the 15th century reportedly kept a fingernail sharp to cut the frenula of all newborns in an attempt to prevent possible speech problems. Only within the last century has it become acceptable not to perform frenulotomy for children who have ankyloglossia. During early development the tongue is fused to the floor of the mouth. Cell death and resorption free the tongue, with the frenulum left as the only remnant of the initial attachment.