cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The population prevalence of children receiving invasive home ventilation in Utah

Children requiring home mechanical ventilation (HMV) represent a select group of technology-dependent patients. We evaluated the prevalence of children using invasive HMV in Utah from 1996 to 2004. Residents of Utah, 16 years old and less ventilated via a tracheostomy between 1996 and 2004 were identified. Children ventilated in 1996 and 2004 were compared. Data including demographic information, diagnosis leading to HMV, and age at initiation were compared between the two groups. The prevalence of HMV in 1996 was 5.0/100,000 (95% CI: 4.4-8.1) and 6.3/100,000 (95% CI: 4.7-8.4) in 2004. Median age at initiation was 6.5 months (IQR: 1.3, 24.0). Sixty-one percent (n = 47) were male, 84% (n = 65) lived in an urban county, and 86% (n = 66) had public insurance. The most frequent diagnostic category was abnormal ventilatory control (n = 36, 47%), followed by chronic lung disease (n = 19, 25%), airway abnormalities (n = 12, 16%), and neuromuscular weakness (n = 10, 13%). Thirteen patients died (17%). The median length of HMV was 39 months (IQR: 15, 102). Diagnostic categories, age at initiation of HMV, and sex did not differ significantly over the 8 years. The prevalence of children requiring HMV differed very little between 1996 and 2004. Moreover, the diagnoses for which children received this therapy remained constant.
Amorphous Ge x Si 1-x and Ge x Si 1-x O y thin films for uncooled microbolometers

RF sputtered thin films of Si 1-x Ge x and Si 1-x Ge x O y were investigated by measuring their composition, electrical, and optical properties. As Si concentration was increased to the Ge to form Si 1-x Ge x films, the resistivity was increased while the activation energy and TCR both were decreased. For Si 1-x Ge x O y films, the addition of O 2 to the Si 1-x Ge x , increased the resistivity, activation energy and TCR. The TCR was measured to vary from -2.27%/K to -8.69%/K, while the resistivity varied from 4.22×10 2 Ω-cm to 3.47×10 9 Ω-cm. A good atomic composition of Si1-xGexOy to be used in microbolometers as the sensitive layer was found to have a TCR of -5.10%/K with a moderate resistivity of ~10 4 Ω-cm. Microbolometers using doped Si 0.15 Ge 0.85 and Si 0.15 Ge 0.85 O y thermometers have been fabricated using a polyimide sacrificial layer. The 1/f-noise is observed to be relatively high in the Si 1-x Ge x thin films and microbolometers.
Adiponectin levels are reduced, independent of polymorphisms in the adiponectin gene, after supplementation with α-linolenic acid among healthy adults

Our first aim was to determine whether an isocaloric intervention using alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) in the form of flaxseed oil would alter adiponectin levels among overweight, otherwise healthy, males and females, and our second aim was to test for any potential modification of this intervention by 2 single nucleotide polymorphisms (276 and 45) in the adiponectin gene. Subjects included healthy adult males and females (approximately 81% female; average age, 38 years) with increased waist circumference (mean, 99 cm) and body mass index (mean, 30 kg/m(2)) who were free of chronic disease, not taking medications, and sedentary. Subjects met weekly with a registered dietician for 8 weeks. The control subjects (n = 27) were instructed not to alter their habitual diet and the ALA group (n = 30) was instructed to follow an enriched ALA diet by using flaxseed oil capsules (increasing ALA to 5% of total energy intake) and to lower their dietary fat consumption by a commensurate amount. Diets were analyzed using the Food Intake and Analysis System (v. 3.0, University of Texas School of Public Health, 1998). Fasting blood samples were obtained before and after the 8-week intervention. We found significant decreases (P = .02) in adiponectin (10.12 microg/mL pre, 9.23 microg/mL post) in the ALA group as compared with the control group (7.93 microg/mL pre, 8.10 microg/mL post) after the intervention. We also saw a decline in adiponectin in all genotype groups with the greatest decline among those carrying the rare T allele of single nucleotide polymorphism 276. There were no significant changes in fasting insulin, glucose, or quantitative insulin sensitivity check index values as a result of this intervention. In conclusion, this study suggests that supplementing with ALA for 8 weeks may lower adiponectin levels among healthy individuals, and this effect appears to be independent of polymorphisms in the adiponectin gene. Although the change in adiponectin in response to the omega-3 fatty acids was not accompanied by any change in glucose, insulin, or quantitative insulin sensitivity check index, long-term implications of such a decrease should be considered in future studies.
A novel method for the determination of biliary clearance in humans.

Biliary excretion is an important route of elimination and the biliary tract is a potential site of toxicity for many drugs and xenobiotics. Quantification of biliary excretion in healthy human volunteers is logistically challenging and is rarely defined during drug development. The current study uses a novel oroenteric tube coupled with a specialized clinical protocol to examine the pharmacokinetics of99mTechnetium (Tc-99m) mebrofenin, a compound that undergoes rapid hepatic uptake and extensive biliary excretion. A custommade multilumen oroenteric tube was positioned in the duodenum of healthy human volunteers. Subjects were positioned under a gamma camera and 2.5 mCi of Tc-99m mebrofenin was administered intravenously. Duodenal aspirates, blood samples, and urine were collected periodically for 3 hours. Two hours after Tc-99m mebrofenin administration, the gallbladder was contracted with an intravenous infusion of cholecystokinin-8. Gamma scintigraphy was used to determine the gallbladder ejection fraction in each subject. Total systemic clearance of Tc-99m mebrofenin approximated liver blood flow (Cltotal 17.3±1.7 mL/min/kg), and 35% to 84% of the Tc-99m mebrofenin dose was recovered in bile. However, when the data were corrected for the gallbladder ejection fraction, 71% to 92% of theexcreted Tc-99m mebrofenin dose was recovered. This novel croenteric tube and clinical protocol provide a useful method to quantify biliary excretion of xenobiotics in healthy human volunteers.
Necklaces, symmetries and self-reciprocal polynomials

The connection between a certain class of necklaces and self-reciprocal polynomials over finite fields is shown. For n?2, self-reciprocal polynomials of degree 2n arising from monic irreducible polynomials of degree n are shown to be either irreducible or the product or two irreducible factors which are necessarily reciprocal polynomials. Using DeBruijn's method we count the number of necklaces in this class and hence obtain a formula for the number of irreducible self-reciprocal polynomials showing that they exist for every even degree. Thus every extension of a finite field of even degree can be obtained by adjoining a root of an irreducible self-reciprocal polynomial.
GPUs a closer look

A gamer wanders through a virtual world rendered in nearcinematic detail. Seconds later, the screen fills with a 3D explosion, the result of unseen enemies hiding in physically accurate shadows. Disappointed, the user exits the game and returns to a computer desktop that exhibits the stylish 3D look-and-feel of a modern window manager. Both of these visual experiences require hundreds of gigaflops of computing performance, a demand met by the GPU (graphics processing unit) present in every consumer PC.
Prognostic value of thallium-201 myocardial perfusion imaging in three primary patient populations

Abstract Knowledge of a patient's coronary anatomy alone is often insufficient to predict who will benefit from revascularization. Risk of cardiac events is related more to the presence of viable myocardium supplied by coronary arteries that are hemodynamically significant. Myocardial perfusion imaging with thallium-201 has been shown to reveal the presence and extent of jeopardized viable myocardium. In addition, thallium-201 imaging can demonstrate exercise-induced left ventricular dysfunction, manifested by increased lung uptake. Therefore, it is not surprising that thallium-201 myocardial imaging has important prognostic value in a wide spectrum of patients with coronary artery disease. The use of thallium-201 to predict cardiac events in patients with known or suspected coronary artery disease, in patients following myocardial infarction, and in patients undergoing noncardiac surgery is reviewed.
Extracting Functional Information from Single Particle Trajectories

Single particle tracking (SPT) experiments offer a powerful means of probing the diffusive characteristics of biomolecules. A common result from SPT is a globally averaged anomalous diffusion exponent. However, methods of calculating the average exponent are typically unable to determine the local, time-dependent characteristics. We have developed a simple classification algorithm to calculate the time-dependent anomalous diffusion exponent of single stochastic trajectories. Classification is based upon the behavior of a renormalization group operator rather than the commonly used mean-square displacement. We present both simulated and experimental examples of the proposed method. Furthermore, we hypothesize that time-dependent fluctuations of the anomalous diffusion exponent will correlate with functional activity in certain cases. We present preliminary results supporting this hypothesis.
Testing Gravity with Cold-Atom Interferometers

The current limits for gravitational-field measurements using atom interferometry are evaluated, and it is indicated how their sensitivity could be improved by two orders of magnitude.
Comparison of feed-forward and recurrent neural networks for bioprocess state estimation

Abstract The application of artificial neural networks to the estimation of bioprocess variables will be discussed. In fermentation processes, direct on-line measurements of primary process variables usually are unavailable. The state of the cultivation, therefore, has to be inferred from measurements of secondary variables and any previous knowledge of process dynamics. This research investigates the learning, recall and generalization characteristics of neural networks trained to model the nonlinear behavior of a fermentation process. Two different neural network methodologies are discussed, namely, feed-forward and recurrent neural networks, which differ in their treatment of time dependence. The neural networks are trained by backpropagation using a conjugate gradient technique, which provides a dramatic improvement in the convergence speed. The objective is to use environmental and physiological information available from on-line sensors to estimate concentrations of species in a bioreactor. Results of the neural network estimators are presented, based on experimental data available from the ethanol production by Zymomonas mobilis fermentation. The feed-forward and recurrent neural network methodologies are demonstrated to perform suitably as unmeasurable state estimators. Both networks offer comparable abilities of recall, but recurrent networks perform better than feed-forward networks in generalization.
Strongly ideal secret sharing schemes

We define strongly ideal secret sharing schemes to be ideal secret sharing schemes in which certain natural requirements are placed on the decoder. We prove an information-theoretic characterization of perfect schemes, and use it to determine which access structures can be encoded by strongly ideal schemes. We also discuss a hierarchy of secret sharing schemes that are more powerful than strongly ideal schemes.
Carbon−Carbon Bond Activation in Biphenylene. Effect of η6-Coordination to Manganese Tricarbonyl

Cleavage of a strained C−C bond in the four-membered ring in biphenylene (BP) is enormously facilitated by coordination of the electrophilic fragment Mn(CO)3+ to one of the aromatic rings. Thus, the weak nucleophile Pt(PPh3)2(C2H4) is inert toward free BP, but reacts within seconds with [(η6-BP)Mn(CO)3]+ to insert Pt(PPh3)2 into a C−C bond.
Collagen implant in management of perléche (angular cheilosis)

Perleche (angular cheilosis) is often caused by the presence of saliva on skin adjacent to mucous membranes. In some cases saliva escapes from the mouth through deep grooves that extend inferolaterally from oral commissures. If the sulci are secondary to a decreased vertical dimension of the lower one third of the face (determined by described measurements), corrective dental measures may be curative. When this approach is not practical and in other cases when the grooves are produced by other causes, the defects can be corrected by use of injections of collagen implant. This has been done successfully in two patients, and angular cheilosis has not reoccurred.
Metformin-induced resumption of normal menses in 39 of 43 (91%) previously amenorrheic women with the polycystic ovary syndrome.

In 43 amenorrheic women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), 31 (74%) with fasting hyperinsulinemia (> or =20 microU/mL), our aim was to determine whether Metformin (Bristol-Myers Squibb, Princeton, NJ), which reduces hyperinsulinemia, would reverse the endocrinopathy of PCOS, allowing resumption of regular normal menses. A second aim was to assess the effects of weight loss versus other Metformin-induced effects on ovarian function, and to determine if there were different responses to Metformin between those who lost weight and those who did not. A third aim was to assess associations between PCOS, 4G/5G polymorphism in the promoter sequence of the plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 gene (PAI-1 gene), and PAI activity (PAI-Fx). Of the 43 women, 40 (93%) had normal fasting blood glucose and 37 had normal hemoglobin A1C (HgA1C); onlythree (7%) had type 2 diabetes mellitus. Metformin (1.5 to 2.25 g/d) was given for 6.1+/-5.1 months (range, 1.5 to 24), to 16 patients for less than 3 months, to 12 for 3 to 6 months, and to 15 for at least 6 months. On Metformin, 39 of 43 patients (91%) resumed normal menses. The percentage of women resuming normal menses did not differ among treatment duration groups (P .1). The body mass index (BMI) decreased from 36.4 + 7 Kg/m2 at study entry to 35.1+/-6.7 on Metformin (P=.0008). Of 43 patients, 28 (67%) lost weight (1 to 69 pounds), with nine (21%) losing at least 12 pounds. On Metformin, the median fasting serum insulin decreased from 26 microU/mL to 22 (P=.019), testosterone decreased from 61 ng/dL to 47 (P=.003), and estradiol increased from 41 pg/mL to 71 (P=.0001). Metformin-induced improvements in ovarian function were independent of weight loss (testosterone decrease, P .05) between those who lost weight and those who did not, excepting Lp(a), which increased 4 mg/dL in those who lost weight and decreased 9 mg/dL in those who did not (P = .003). The change in response variables on Metformin did not differ among the five quintiles of weight loss, excepting fasting glucose (P or =22 U/mL, 28% v3%, chi(2)=10.1, P=.001). Metformin reduces the endocrinopathy of PCOS, allowing resumption of normal menses in most (91%) previously amenorrheic women with PCOS.
Gatekeeper training outcomes: enhancing the capacity of staff in substance abuse treatment programs to prevent suicide in a high risk population

There is a heightened risk for suicide among individuals currently in addiction treatments or who have a prior history of substance abuse. However, few professional and paraprofessional staff working in substance abuse treatment programs have been previously trained on how to intervene or to manage individuals who may also be experiencing a suicidal crisis. The aim of this pilot study is to examine the impact of an educational intervention for suicide prevention on the training outcomes of perceived self-efficacy and declarative knowledge of substance abuse professionals and staff. Fifty employees of a multi-site substance abuse treatment facility who attended suicide prevention training were surveyed upon completion of the training. Measures attained information for an educational needs assessment and on post-training outcomes. Eighty-eight percent of the staff had previous exposure to an individual at high risk for suicide. Significant training-related gains in perceived self-efficacy were demonstrated ...
Non-enzymic reactions of indoles with pyridine coenzymes and related structures.

Abstract Certain compounds with “onium”-bearing structures, including diphosphopyridine nucleotide, interact non-enzymically with various indoles, including serotonin and tyrptophan. The products of these interactions are most probably of the charge-transfer complex type. The dependence of these associations on various other groupings present in the interacting species have been studied. Such groupings include the ethylamine residue present in serotonin, the 6-aminopurine moiety of diphosphopyridine nucleotide and the phosphate and pyrophosphate radicals present in the pyridine co-enzymes. An insight into the mechanism of these interactions on the molecular level might be gained by studies of the influence of the composition of the medium (methanol-water, etc.) on the optical properties of N-methylnicotinamide iodide-tryptamine mixtures.
Volume-sensitive K-Cl cotransport in inside-out vesicles made from erythrocyte membranes from sheep of low-K phenotype.

Abstract Unidirectional K ion effluxes were measured from inside-out vesicles prepared from erythrocyte membranes from sheep of the low-K phenotype. Total K efflux was 150 nmol per mg of protein per hr in a Cl medium of 295 mosmol/kg (with the Na/K pump inhibited). Cl-dependent K efflux (determined with methanesulfonate replacing Cl) was 54 nmol/(mg.hr). Cl-dependent K efflux (K-Cl cotransport) increased to 77 nmol/(mg.hr) with osmotic swelling of approximately 30% in 230-mosmol/kg medium and decreased to 13 nmol/(mg.hr) after shrinkage of approximately 60% in 430-mosmol/kg medium. Osmotically induced changes in transport and vesicle volume were reversible. K-Cl cotransport was enhanced by ATP. Nonhydrolyzable ATP analogues failed to substitute for ATP, indicating that phosphorylation is involved. However, in the absence of added ATP there was significant K-Cl cotransport, suggesting that phosphorylation is not essential for function. The results provide clues about the nature of the signals detected by the sensor of cell volume changes and demonstrate that inside-out vesicles from sheep erythrocyte membranes provide an advantageous experimental system for investigation of the volume sensor.
Color Doppler echocardiographic evaluation of patients with a flail mitral leaflet

Chordal rupture with a subsequent flail mitral valve leaflet is now the most common cause of pure mitral regurgitation. To describe the Doppler color flow findings in flail mitral leaflet and the determinants of these findings, Doppler color flow mapping and conventional Doppler echocardiography were performed in 31 consecutive patients presenting with a flail mitral leaflet. In the 23 patients with a posterior flail leaflet, a distinctive highly eccentric and turbulent jet directed toward the posterior wall of the aorta was noted. In the eight patients with an anterior flail leaflet, a jet directed toward the posterolateral left atrial wall was noted. Maximal regurgitant jet area was significantly larger in patients with a flail anterior leaflet (13.1 +/- 3.0 cm2) than in those with a flail posterior leaflet (5.8 +/- 3.0 cm2, p = 0.0001). Maximal jet area to left atrial ratio was also significantly higher in those with a flail anterior leaflet (0.56 +/- 0.16) than in those with a flail posterior leaflet (0.27 +/- 0.17, p = 0.0006). When systolic left atrial velocities encoded as red were incorporated into the maximal jet area measurement, 7 of the 8 patients with an anterior flail leaflet had a jet area greater than 8 cm2, consistent with severe mitral regurgitation, compared with 13 of the 23 patients with a flail posterior leaflet. There was no correlation between jet area or jet area to left atrial ratio and any hemodynamic variable. Patients with acute mitral regurgitation exhibited a trend toward smaller jet areas, but this did not reach statistical significance. Regurgitant fraction calculated from pulsed Doppler recording of mitral and aortic flow was consistent with moderately severe or severe mitral regurgitation in all cases and averaged 70%. Thus, patients with a flail mitral valve leaflet have distinctive Doppler color flow findings. A highly eccentric and turbulent jet directed posteriorly to the aorta may contribute to a systematic underestimation of severe mitral regurgitation by conventional Doppler color flow criteria. The use of pulsed Doppler ultrasound to calculate regurgitant fraction in patients with a flail mitral valve leaflet may be helpful in reliably assessing the degree of mitral regurgitation.
Radioimmunoassay of Estradiol-17β Without Chromatography

ABSTRACT Several radioimmunoassays for the estimation of estradiol-17β in serum have been reported. For the generation of antisera, the majority of these methods have used steroids conjugated to a carrier protein through sites on the A or D rings. The resulting antisera have shown considerable cross reactivity with related steroids necessitating the use of various chromatographic separation steps prior to the actual radioimmunoassay. The use of haptens in which the carrier protein was conjugated to a steroid molecule through carbon 6 on the B ring (1,2,3) has resulted in the production of highly specific antisera. Conjugation of the protein molecule to other positions which leave the A and D rings available for recognition by antibody should also result in the generation of antibodies with enhanced specificity. In this report, an antiserum was prepared to a conjugate of an 11β-hemisuccinate derivative of estradiol-17β to bovine serum albumin. The resulting antiserum appeared to be specific for 17β-estradi...
Reconstructing the good farmer identity: shifts in farmer identities and farm management practices to improve water quality

All farmers have their own version of what it means to be a good farmer. For many US farmers a large portion of their identity is defined by the high input, high output production systems they manage to produce food, fiber or fuel. However, the unintended consequences of highly productivist systems are often increased soil erosion and the pollution of ground and surface water. A large number of farmers have conservationist identities within their good farmer identity, however their conservation goals often need to be activated to rebalance the production-conservation meanings they give to their roles in society. In this paper we analyze US Cornbelt farmer interviews and surveys to trace how the performance-based environmental management process can be used to influence the farmer social identity and shift the overall good farmer identity towards a stronger conservationist standard. We find the continuous feedback loop in performance-based environmental management mimics the hierarchically organized feedback control processes of identity verification and can be used to help farmers activate their conservationist farmer identities at the person, role, and social levels to establish new norms for the practice of more sustainable agriculture.
A comparison of metal‐induced lethality and behavioral responses in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans

Behavioral changes are believed to be a sensitive indicator of toxicant exposure but can be very difficult to quantify. Using the free-living soil nematode Caenorhabditis elegans, a computer tracking system was used that measures several behavioral parameters for approximately 100 subjects on a real-time basis. Toxicant exposures can be performed in soil, on agar plates, or in aquatic media. Following the exposure period, the worms are transferred to a thin-layered agar slab for viewing in dark-field illumination by a video camera interfaced directly to a computer. Information can be obtained on a number of behavioral parameters including number of subjects moving, their individual rates of locomotion, and the frequency of change in direction. Exposure to five metals (Pb, Cu, Cd, Al, and Zn) were tested in this study to evaluate behavioral changes in the worm. The nematodes were exposed for 24 h to concentrations of an individual metal in aquatic medium representing the interstitial pore water within the soil. Under identical conditions, concurrent LC50 and BC50 (concentration at which movement is reduced by 50% compared with controls) values were determined for each metal tested. The results from computer tracking revealed significant changes in rate of locomotion at concentrations of less than 10% of the respective LC50 value.
NMR Analysis of Oxidatively Aged HTPB/IPDI Polyurethane Rubber: Degradation Products, Dynamics, and Heterogeneity

NMR spectroscopy experiments on thermally aged cross-linked hydroxyl-terminated polybutadiene (HTPB)/isophorone diisocyanate (IPDI) based polyurethane rubber indicated only a slight temperature dependence for the degradation products distribution but revealed the presence of chemical and dynamic heterogeneities. The samples were aged in sealed ampules containing either oxygen or 17O2 gas at temperatures ranging from ambient temperature to 125 °C. The 17O and 13C NMR spectra showed that alcohols are the dominant oxygen-containing degradation products (∼60%). Ester and acid functional groups were also detected, but there was no significant amount of ketones. Gel permeation chromatography (GPC) showed evidence of both chain scission and cross-linking during degradation. The dynamics in the rubber system was probed with wide-line 1H spectra, 1H spin diffusion measurements, and 2D wide-line-separation (WISE) experiments. Dynamic and chemical heterogeneities were detected in highly aged materials. The smallest ...
The Status of Multiple Comparisons: Simultaneous Estimation of all Pairwise Comparisons in One-Way ANOVA Designs

Abstract Recent work, spearheaded by Charles Dunnett (1980a), leads to the conclusion that the Tukey-Kramer (TK) method (popularly known as “Kramer's Method”) is the recommended multiple comparisons procedure for the simultaneous estimation of all pairwise differences of means in an imbalanced one-way ANOVA design with homogeneous variances. Nine other multiple comparisons methods are compared to each other and to the TK method using the criteria of conservativeness, narrowness of confidence intervals, robustness, and ease of use. The degree of superiority of the TK method over these methods, especially over the popular Bonferroni method, is sufficient to warrant recommending its use. Because of the lack of robustness of the TK method in heterogeneous variance cases, other methods are recommended.
Invasive squamous cell carcinoma of the skin: defining a high-risk group.

Unlike its more common non-invasive form, invasive squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the skin can be biologically aggressive and is prone to recur. The objectives of this study were to identify relevant clinicopathologic prognostic factors associated with the outcomes of patients with invasive SCC in order to define a high-risk group. We retrospectively reviewed the records of patients with invasive cutaneous SCC of the trunk or extremities who received surgical treatment at a tertiary care cancer center over the past 10 years. We examined the patterns of presentation, all known clinical and histological risk factors for recurrence, and their association with survival. 136 patients were identified, of whom 102 (74%) were male. Patterns of presentation included primary (n = 91), locally recurrent (n = 16), regional nodal (n = 24), and distant (n = 5) disease. Univariate analysis identified poorly differentiated carcinomas (hazard ratio [HR] = 2.92, P = .016), scar carcinomas (HR = 3.12, P = .008), tumor size > 2 cm (HR = 3.79, P = .006), and regional nodal disease (HR = 5.77, P < .0001) as significant risk factors for recurrence or death. On multivariate analysis, however, only regional nodal disease at presentation (HR = 7.64, P < .0001) was found to be significant. Patients with invasive SCCs metastatic to regional nodes constitute a group at high risk for recurrence and death. Such patients should be considered for adjuvant therapy trials.
A mass spectrometric investigation of the vaporization thermodynamics and vapor composition of cadmium oxide

Abstract Mass spectrometric Knudsen effusion vaporization experiments on CdO(s) were performed over the temperature range 886–1090 K. The results confirm directly that CdO(s) vaporizes by decomposition according to the reaction CdO (s) = Cd (g) + 1 2 O 2 (g) The equilibrium constant for this reaction was determined to be log 10 K = − (1.980 ± 0.016) × 10 4 T + (11.706 ±0.164) over the experimental temperature range. The second-law enthalpy change ΔH°(298.15 K) for the decomposition of CdO(s) derived from the present results was 92.82 ± 0.74 kcal mol−1 and the corresponding third-law value was 87.10 ± 2.03 kcal mol−1. Averaging the present third-law value for ΔH°(298.15 K) with third-law values derived from literature vapor pressures gave a recommended value for ΔHdg(298.15 K) of 87.89 ± 0.15 kcal mol−1. This result is in excellent agreement with ΔH°(298.15 K) = 87.92 ± 0.3 kcal mol−1 derived independently from the enthalpies of formation for CdO(s) and Cd(g). CdO(g) was not observed in the equilibrium vapor of CdO(s) for temperatures up to 1150 K. This result gave a revised lower limit for the enthalpy of formation for CdO(g), i.e. ΔH°f(298.15 K) ⩾ 27.2 kcal mol−1.
Weak polarization effects for an inclined crystal monochromator

Abstract We present results of dynamical-diffraction simulations in the inclined geometry. This geometry appears promising for use in a high-heat-load monochromator for undulator radiation at the Advanced Photon Source. In the inclined geometry, the incident-beam wavevector, the reciprocal-lattice vector, and the surface normal are not coplanar. An unusual aspect of the inclined geometry is the lack of a unique plane of diffraction because different tie points on the dispersion surfaces lead to different diffraction planes. This implies that a unique definition of σ and π polarizations cannot be made. We have examined polarization effects using dynamical X-ray diffraction theory cast in matrix form. In recent years, an 8×8 matrix theory was developed that treated asymmetric reflections. The polarizations were defined as s or p. That is, polarizations for each beam outside of the crystal were defined with respect to the plane containing the beam wavevector and the surface normal. We have redefined the polarizations to approach the conventional X-ray diffraction definitions of σ and π polarizations. Instead of using the surface normal as a reference we used the reciprocal lattice vector as a reference. With these definitions we find only a very weak π component for pure σ incident radiation.
Estimating Seasonal ET from Multispectral Airborne Imagery: An Evaluation of Interpolation-Extrapolation Techniques

Irrigated agriculture in the Texas High Plains uses over 90% of the ground water from the Ogallala Aquifer. Efficient water use through improved irrigation scheduling is expected to moderate the aquifer decline rate and improve sustainability. Thus, an accurate estimation of spatial actual daily and seasonal evapotranspiration (ET) is needed. Remote sensing may be used for monitoring distributed actual ET. Therefore, during 2007, the Bushland Evapotranspiration and Agricultural Remote Sensing Experiment (BEAREX07) was conducted at the USDA-ARS Conservation and Production Research Laboratory (CPRL), Bushland, Texas. During BEAREX07, high resolution aircraft imagery (0.5 m pixel size in the visible and near-infrared bands and 1.8 m in the thermal band) were acquired during the cropping season using the Utah State University airborne multispectral digital system. Actual instantaneous ET was estimated using a two-source energy balance algorithm and extrapolation to daily values was performed using the evaporative fraction and the grass reference ET fraction (EToF). Cumulative/seasonal ET was estimated using EToF and cumulative grass reference ET. Data from four weighing lysimeters, in sorghum and corn fields, were used for evaluating ET predictions. Instantaneous ET was predicted with mean bias error (MBE) and root mean square error (RMSE) of 0.05 and 0.1 mm h-1 respectively. Daily ET was better extrapolated by the EToF method (error of 0.6±0.8 mm d-1, MBE±RMSE); while seasonal ET was slightly under-predicted for the short period of June and July by 8.9±30.4 mm. It appears that the aerodynamic resistance, in the soil sensible heat flux, has to be neglected under low biomass [leaf area index (LAI) ˜ 0.5 m2 m-2] and heterogeneous vegetation cover conditions. Furthermore, at LAI values around 5.0 m2 m-2, ET was over-predicted perhaps due to errors in estimating the fraction of LAI that is green, the clumping factor, the vegetation fraction, soil heat flux, and/or the soil resistance to heat flux term.
Class D current-driven rectifiers for resonant DC/DC converter applications

Analyses and experimental results are given for a family of three Class D current-driven rectifiers. The diode current is half-sine wave and the diode voltage is a square wave. The diode forward voltage and forward resistance are taken into account in the analyses. The basic performance parameters of the rectifiers are determined, such as input resistance, voltage transfer function, efficiency, and power factor. The ripple voltage is estimated, and some effects of the equivalent series resistance and equivalent series inductance of filter capacitors on the ripples are discussed. The experimental results were obtained using IR31DQ06 Schottky diodes at 1 MHz and 16 W output power. >
A Collection of Sermons Given in Paris C. 1267, Including a New Text by Saint Bonaventura on the Life of Saint Francis

ALMOST as if it had been contrived by its writer and the weight of centuries to suit the pristine Franciscan spirit, a most unprepossessing manuscript clad as it were in gray contains hidden treasures including a new source for the life of St Francis. Possibly the very unattractiveness of the manuscript explains in part why it has been all but overlooked, for not only is it drably bound, sloppily copied, erased, and marked up, but, what is worse, it is mutilated. Another reason, no doubt, is that it contains only a collection of sermons, a genre that too often has been regarded with indifference by historians. Such indifference is not surprising, for medieval sermons, without question, have their dreadful longueurs. Nonetheless, the cultural historian ignores them at his peril. Thus the sermon collection in the Munich manuscript Cim 23372 not only casts light on the daily life and culture of Paris in the last years of Saint Louis but contains a sermon by St Bonaventura for the feast of the translation of St Francis that proves to be a new source for understanding the two greatest Franciscans of the thirteenth century and probably of all time. As little interested as most scholars of the present age have been in medieval sermons, those of the nineteenth century were even less so. When the Royal Bavarian librarian Johann Andreas Schmeller (1785-1852) came to cataloguing Clm 23372 all he thought it necessary to say was: "membr. 4?. S. XIII. 98 fol. [sic actually 99] Sermonum de tempore pars (quaterniones VIII ad XX) cum proverbiis gallicis; f. 64 sermo magistri Johannis de Aurelian."' Had Schmeller merely added the fact that among the authors of the diverse sermons in the MS was St Bonaventura, a circumstance that should have sprung to his eyes from a cursory glance at the opening pages, such a notice would no doubt have attracted the attention of the subsequent editors of Bonaventura's Opera omnia (Quaracchi, 1883-1902), who did their best to include every known sermon of Bonaventura in their collection. The Quaracchi edition, however, ignores Cim 23372, and so it seems to have been ignored except for two passing references to it by the great Charles Homer Haskins (see n. 32 below) for a full century
Environmental effects on family size preferences and subsequent reproductive behavior in Nepal.

This study investigates the relationship between environmental degradation and men and women’s family size preferences and subsequent reproductive behaviors in Nepal. We draw on unique environmental data at the local level, household and individual-level survey data and individuals reproductive behavior over a 3 year time period in Western Chitwan Valley, Nepal. Results from Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) and logistic regression models show that poorer environmental quality and greater reliance on publicly owned natural resources are associated with higher family size preferences and higher rates of pregnancy. The analyses provide support for the “vicious circle” argument that environmental degradation can lead to rising population growth via positive effects on fertility. As environmental conditions decline and when households rely on public lands for natural resources, men and women desire larger family sizes and women are more likely to get pregnant in the near future.
Behavioural biologists do not agree on what constitutes behaviour

Behavioural biology is a major discipline within biology, centred on the key concept of ‘behaviour’. But how is ‘behaviour’ defined, and how should it be defined? We outline what characteristics we believe a scientific definition should have, and why we think it is important that a definition have these traits. We then examine the range of available published definitions for behaviour. Finding no consensus, we present survey responses from 174 members of three behaviour-focused scientific societies as to their understanding of the term. Here again, we find surprisingly widespread disagreement as to what qualifies as behaviour. Respondents contradict themselves, each other and published definitions, indicating that they are using individually variable intuitive, rather than codified, meanings of ‘behaviour’. We offer a new definition, based largely on survey responses: behaviour is the internally coordinated responses (actions or inactions) of whole living organisms (individuals or groups) to internal and/or external stimuli, excluding responses more easily understood as developmental changes. Finally, we
Social Area Networks: Data Networking of the People, by the People, for the People

In this position paper we explore a holistic approach for the integration of social and human-level concepts with all layers of the communication network. This integration is bidirectional - the social information can help inform and configure network-level parameters, while network information can contribute to the gathering and learning of social-level information. We review existing work and emerging trends in the area, as well as propose new ideas for socially-aware network applications. We present the motivations for a unified approach for integrating socially related information throughout the networking stack, and introduce the concept of a Social Area Network (SocAN), which encompasses network architectures built for and around people and their social relationships.
A practical, computationally aware vertex solution for checking robust stability of 'structured' convex combinations of matrices

This paper presents a practical, computationally aware 'vertex solution' to the problem of checking the stability of families of matrices described by convex combinations of Hurwitz stable 'vertex' matrices. The convex combinations resulting from the interval parameter matrix family are labeled as 'structured' convex combinations to distinguish them from the so called 'unstructured' convex combinations which are convex combinations of 'user specified' Hurwitz stable vertex matrices. A previously presented 'vertex algorithm' by the author for this tough problem is derived under the 'conceptual' assumption of a 'closed, connected complex plane'. Later, upon realizing that a 'practical' computational environment assumes an 'open, unconnected complex plane', a computationally aware vertex solution is offered which accounts for the 'discrepancy' in the results for some 'ill-conditioned' problems because the eigenvalues which are supposed to be residing in a closed, connected complex plane are calculated using methods meant for open, unconnected complex plane. This 'discrepancy' arises for some ill-conditioned problems because in an open, unconnected complex plane, the theoretically present coupling between real eigenvalues and complex (real part) eigenvalues, is destroyed. In this paper, this 'practical, computationally aware' algorithm is presented in its 'final' form by carefully highlighting differences between a 'conceptual' solution and the 'real world, practical' solution. This in turn clarifies the reason why this problem has been a 'tough nut to crack' over all these years. Several examples are given which clearly demonstrate effectiveness of the new algorithm, even for ill-conditioned problems. It is hoped that this 'final' solution paves the way for continued interest in the research related to this important area with many applications.
Coexistence of Vancomycin-Resistant Enterococci and Staphylococcus aureus in the Intestinal Tracts of Hospitalized Patients

The potential for transfer of vancomycin-resistance genes from enterococci to Staphylococcus aureus exists when these organisms share an ecologic niche. We performed an 8-month prospective study to determine the frequency at which S. aureus and vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) coexist in the intestinal tracts of VRE-colonized patients and evaluated whether antianaerobic antibiotic therapy promoted increased density of S. aureus colonization. Of 37 patients colonized with vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium, 23 (62%) had S. aureus recovered from stool specimens and 20 (87%) had methicillin-resistant strains. There was no significant difference in the mean density (+/- standard deviation) of S. aureus during versus > or =1 month after discontinuation of antianaerobic antibiotic therapy (5.1+/-1.5 vs. 4.7+/-1.6 log10 colony-forming units per gram of stool; P=.34). No S. aureus isolates were resistant to vancomycin. S. aureus and VRE often coexist in the intestinal tract, providing a potential reservoir for the emergence of vancomycin-resistant S. aureus isolates.
The Evolution of Animal Weapons

Males in many species invest substantially in structures that are used in combat with rivals over access to females. These weapons can attain extreme proportions and have diversified in form repeatedly. I review empirical literature on the function and evolution of sexually selected weapons to clarify important unanswered questions for future research. Despite their many shapes and sizes, and the multitude of habitats within which they function, animal weapons share many properties: They evolve when males are able to defend spatially restricted critical resources, they are typically the most variable morphological structures of these species, and this variation honestly reflects among-individual differences in body size or quality. What is not clear is how, or why, these weapons diverge in form. The potential for male competition to drive rapid divergence in weapon morphology remains one of the most exciting and understudied topics in sexual selection research today.
The Effects of 5α-Reductase Inhibition on Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia Treated by Photoselective Vaporization Prostatectomy with the 120 Watt GreenLight HPS Laser System

Background We sought to determine whether the efficacy and efficiency of 120W GreenLight HPS (American Medical Systems, Inc) laser photoselective vaporization prostatectomy (PVP) is compromised in patients on chronic 5α-reductase inhibitor (RI) therapy. Study Design Our GreenLight HPS laser PVP experience in patients with and without long-term 5αRI was evaluated. American Urological Association Symptom Score (AUASS), quality of life (QoL) score, maximum urinary flow rate (Qmax), and postvoid residual (PVR) were measured preoperatively and at 1 and 4 weeks and at 3, 6, 12, 18, and 24 months postsurgery. PSA values and transrectal ultrasonography (TRUS) prostate volumes were determined preoperatively and at 3 months postsurgery. Results Fifty-seven patients were on either dutasteride or finasteride (5αRI+) and 124 were not (5αRI-). Mean prostate volumes were 67.1 ± 35.3 mL and 69.2 ± 41.9 mL (p = 0.646) and mean PSA values were 2.2 ± 2.4 ng/mL and 2.7 ± 2.6 ng/ml (p = 0.289), respectively. There were no significant differences in the parameters of laser use (13.6 ± 9.2 minutes and 13.4 ± 10.4 minutes, p=0.965) and energy usage (87.1 ± 62.4 kJ and 91.8 ± 69.6 kJ, p=0.623). The majority of patients were catheter-free at discharge for this wholly outpatient procedure. AUASS, QoL, and Qmax values showed significant improvement within each group (p 0.05). There was no significant difference in the degree of improvement between the 2 groups in all parameters (AUASS, QoL, Qmax, PVR, PSA, and TRUS volume). Conclusions The efficacy and efficiency of PVP with the GreenLight HPS laser are not negatively affected in patients on chronic 5αRI therapy.
Altered Expressions of VEGF mRNA Splice Variants During Progression of Uterine‐Peritoneal Adhesions in the Rat

PROBLEM: Postoperative pelvic adhesions contribute to infertility, pelvic pain, bowel obstruction, and difficult reoperative procedures. METHOD OF STUDY: In the present study, a rat uterine-peritoneal adhesion model was developed to study the progression of adhesion formation during a course of 7 days following pelvic surgery. The distal I cm of each uterine horn and its adjacent peritoneum was abraded by six scratches with a scalpel blade, producing punctate bleeding. The scratched portion of uterine horn and the peritoneum was then held with Vicryl 3-0 to promote adhesion. The uterine tissue and the portion of peritoneum, held with suture, were then excised from a group of four rats, each at 6, 12, 24, 48, 72 hr and 5 and 7 days following surgery. Total RNA was isolated from these tissues and the expression pattern of different splice variants of vascular endothelial growth factors (VEGF) was examined using relative abundance reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RA-RT-PCR) method. RESULTS: Three known splice variants of VEGF mRNA (VEGF 120 , VEGF 164 and VEGF 188 ), as well as an additional band (∼ 510 bp), were amplified from these tissues. The relative abundance of known VEGF isoforms demonstrated altered expression during adhesion progression. When compared with noninjured uterine tissues, VEGF 120 and VEGF 188 demonstrated up-regulation during early stages of adhesion formation, whereas VEGF 164 rather demonstrated down-regulation 24 and 48 hr following surgery. CONCLUSIONS: The up-regulation of VEGF isoforms during the progression of uterine-peritoneal adhesion may be a compensatory mechanism regulating angiogenesis in order to provide nutrients and oxygen to the injured tissues.