cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Assessment of radiofrequency ablation lesions by CMR imaging after ablation of idiopathic ventricular arrhythmias.

Objectives To identify and characterize ablation lesions after radiofrequency (RF) catheter ablation of ventricular arrhythmias in patients without prior myocardial infarction and to correlate the ablation lesions with the amount of RF energy delivered and the clinical outcome. Background Visualization of RF energy lesions after ablation of ventricular arrhythmias might help to identify reasons for ablation failure. Methods In a consecutive series of 35 patients (19 women, age: 48 ± 15 years, ejection fraction: 0.56 ± 0.12) without structural heart disease who were referred for ablation of ventricular arrhythmias, cardiac magnetic resonance imaging with delayed enhancement was performed before and after ablation. Ablation lesions were sought in the post-ablation cardiac magnetic resonance images. The endocardial area, depth, and volume of the lesions were measured. Lesion size was correlated with the type of ablation catheter used and the duration of RF energy delivered. Results In 25 of 35 patients (71%), ablation lesions were identified by delayed enhancement a mean of 22 ± 12 months after the initial ablation procedure. The mean lesion volume was 1.4 ± 1.4 cm3, with a mean endocardial area of 3.5 ± 3.0 cm2. The largest lesions (mean volume of 2.9 ± 2.1 cm3 with an endocardial area of 6.4 ± 3.4 cm2) were identified in patients in whom the arrhythmias originated in the papillary muscles. Ablation duration correlated with lesion size (r = 0.67, p Conclusions RF ablation lesions can be detected long term after an ablation procedure targeting ventricular arrhythmias in patients without previous infarction. Lesion size correlates with the amount of RF energy delivered and is largest when a targeted arrhythmia originates in a papillary muscle.
Beading instabilities in thin film lines with bamboo microstructures

Abstract Thin film interconnect lines with bamboo grain structures are theoretically analyzed to determine the microstructural conditions under which the line is stable against beading (island formation) induced by surface energy. The equilibrium grain shape is one which meets the substrate at the equilibrium wetting angle, meets other grains at the equilibrium grain boundary groove angle and has a surface of constant curvature. For any initial cross-sectional area, only one grain size satisfied these three conditions. The grain shape, grain size and resistance of the equilibrium thin film interconnect line are derived. Lines with grain sizes less than the equilibrium grain size may adjust by buckling or undergoing grain growth. However, lines with grain sizes in excess of the equilibrium grain size develop breaks or opens. While these changes in line microstructures cannot be prevented, they may be drastically retarded by slowing the rate of surface diffusion.
Functional Interactions between Retinoblastoma and c-MYC in a Mouse Model of Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Inactivation of the RB tumor suppressor and activation of the MYC family of oncogenes are frequent events in a large spectrum of human cancers. Loss of RB function and MYC activation are thought to control both overlapping and distinct cellular processes during cell cycle progression. However, how these two major cancer genes functionally interact during tumorigenesis is still unclear. Here, we sought to test whether loss of RB function would affect cancer development in a mouse model of c-MYC-induced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), a deadly cancer type in which RB is frequently inactivated and c-MYC often activated. We found that RB inactivation has minimal effects on the cell cycle, cell death, and differentiation features of liver tumors driven by increased levels of c-MYC. However, combined loss of RB and activation of c-MYC led to an increase in polyploidy in mature hepatocytes before the development of tumors. There was a trend for decreased survival in double mutant animals compared to mice developing c-MYC-induced tumors. Thus, loss of RB function does not provide a proliferative advantage to c-MYC-expressing HCC cells but the RB and c-MYC pathways may cooperate to control the polyploidy of mature hepatocytes.
A Generalized Quantile Estimator under Censoring.

Based on right-censored data from a lifetime distribution F0 a smooth alternative to the product-limit estimator as a nonparametric quantile estimator of a population quantile is proposed; The estimator is a "generalized product-limit quantile" obtained by averaging appropriate subsample product-limit quantiles over all subsamples of a fixed size. Under the random censorship model and some conditions on Fop it is shown that the estimator is consistent and has the same asymptotic normal distribution as the product-limit quantile estimator. A small Monte Carlo simulation study shows that there exist some values of the subsample size for which the estimator performs better than the product-limit quantile estimator in the sense of estimated mean squared errors.
Synthesis of sterols with modified side chains.

Abstract Synthesis of sterols with side chain containing from four to nine carbons are described.
The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990: Assessing its Implementation in America's Largest Cities

The Americans With Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) has been heralded as the most comprehensive piece of federal legislation since the Civil Rights Act of 1964. To date, research on the ADA has been largely speculative and anecdotal. The present research helps to fill this gap by analyzing and reporting results from a survey of municipal governments encompassing all cities in the United States with a population of 50,000 or greater. The study assesses the state of implementation of the ADA across these larger municipal governments, with an emphasis on the personnel-related provisions of the act.
Dynamically induced fracture

Expressions are presented for the stresses generated in the vicinity of a crack tip when a plane transient tension-stress wave, which is incident under an arbitrary angle, is diffracted by the crack. The effect of ductility effects on the combined Mode I and Mode II fractures is examined by assuming that yielding is restricted to a thin strip in the plane of the crack. Within this zone of yielding the normal stress in a certain defined direction is set equal to a yield stress of the material. It is shown that for a step-stress wave the leading edge of the zone of yielding initially moves at a constant speed, which is computed. The time for rupture at the trailing edge of the zone of yielding is also determined.
Transposable elements in lepidoptera: hobo-like transposons in Heliothis virescens and Helicoverpa zea

In the present study, a PCR-based approach was undertaken to determine if members of the hobo-like family of transposable elements were identifiable within the genomes of a number of diverse species, including Heliothis virescens and Helicoverpa zea. The amplified products derived from both H. virescens and H. zea were cloned and characterized. Analysis of the DNA sequence and the single open reading frame found within these fragments clearly demonstrates that these elements are closely related to the hobo transposon from Drosophila melanogaster. In addition, amino acid sequence analysis of the members of this family defines consensus, specific amino acids found within similar regions of all members of this transposon family.
Transient Thermal Analysis for Heating a Translucent Wall with Opaque Radiation Barriers

The transient analysis of thermal behavior in translucent media including radiative transfer becomes computationally complex for a multiple-layer composite. A convenient method is developed here for analyzing combined radiation and conduction in a composite wall of translucent and opaque layers. The translucent layers transfer radiation by combined transmission, absorption, emission, and scattering. Metal layers can be required for strength of the composite or to protect ceramic surfaces from a reactive environment. Opaque layers within a translucent ceramic can be used to decrease radiant transmission that may degrade the ceramic insulating ability. The two-flux method is used to determine the local heat source produced by radiation in the translucent layers. The differential equation for the radiative flux in the two-flux method is solved with Green's functions that include the opaque or translucent boundary conditions of each translucent layer. Finite difference relations are derived for the transient energy equation, such that the calculated temperature distributions provide good accuracy for energy conservation during the transient. The solution technique is applied to illustrate radiation effects in a composite with one or two translucent layers, with and without opaque layers at the outer boundaries, or between the translucent layers.
Use of EDTA to minimize ionic strength dependent frequency shifts in the 1H NMR spectra of urine

The 1H NMR spectrum of urine exhibits a large number of detectable metabolites and is, therefore, highly suitable for the study of perturbations caused by disease, toxicity, nutrition or environmental factors in humans and animals. However, variations in the chemical shifts and intensities due to altered pH and ionic strength present a challenge in NMR-based studies. With a view towards understanding and minimizing the effects of these variations, we have extensively studied the effects of ionic strength and pH on the chemical shifts of common urine metabolites and their possible reduction using EDTA (ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid). 1H NMR chemical shifts for alanine, citrate, creatinine, dimethylamine, glycine, histidine, hippurate, formate and the internal reference, TSP (trimethylsilylpropionic acid-d4, sodium salt) obtained under different conditions were used to assess each effect individually. EDTA minimizes the frequency shifts of the metabolites that have a propensity for metal binding. Chelation of such metal ions is evident from the appearance of signals from EDTA complexed to divalent metal ions such as calcium and magnesium. Not surprisingly, increasing the buffer concentration or buffer volume also minimizes pH dependent frequency shifts. The combination of EDTA and an appropriate buffer effectively minimizes both pH dependent frequency shifts and ionic strength dependent intensity variations in urine NMR spectra.
Background subtraction for high-fold gamma-ray coincidence data

Abstract A method is presented for automatically performing background-subtraction for high-fold gamma-ray coincidence data. The method can be applied to any coincidence fold, and is correct to all orders. Some possible difficulties associated with the propagation of statistical uncertainties are discussed.
Polarity of Molecules: A New Approach for Freshman Chemistry

Polarity of molecules is one of the central concepts that is used for predicting or rationalizing a wide array of concepts in the undergraduate chemistry curriculum. These concepts include the physical properties of molecules at the freshman level, structure-reactivity relationships in organic and inorganic chemistry, and selection rules in spectroscopy. In all of the freshman chemistry textbooks that we examined, bond dipoles are assigned based on electronegativity differences, which are then added vectorially (sometimes implicitly) to obtain the net dipole moment for a given molecule. We have found that this approach, which relies on the students’ familiarity and comfort level with vector addition in three dimensions, works well only for a small fraction of our students. We present an alternative pedagogical method for conveying this important concept. This method does not invoke vector addition, relying instead on a simple, pictorial approach that is transparent to a majority of our students. This method applies not only to species with a clearly defined central atom but to substituted alkenes and substituted benzenes as well. In addition, it can also be extended to paramagnetic species, whose polarity is not generally discussed in most freshman chemistry textbooks.
On the radar cross section of a dipole

Literature references dealing with the radar cross section of a dipole target contain a possible source of confusion in that two definitions of cross section have been used. To clarify this situation, the radar cross section of a randomly oriented half-wave dipole is considered using both definitions.
Jahn - Teller Distortion in the Phosphorescent Excited State of Three-Coordinate Au(I) Phosphine Complexes

DFT calculations were used to optimize the phosphorescent excited state of three-coordinate [Au(PR3)3]+ complexes. The results indicate that the complexes rearrange from their singlet ground-state ...
Observation of an energetic neutral flux from a laser-produced plasma

Abstract Time- and space-resolved spectroscopy of line emission from a laser-produced carbon plasma in a helium atmosphere indicates the presence of a previously undetected energetic (4 keV) neutral component preceding the normal highly-stripped ion expansion. Identification of the slab target region as the origin is supported by similar boron data. Absolute emission measurements indicate a density of 3 X 10 13 cm -3 in the neutral expansion, for an equivalent current density of 40 A/cm 2 . Expansion of these neutrals in the helium gas is unattenuated, permitting identification ahead of the plasma blast wave.
Men who love women: Pro-feminist masculinities in the Millennium trilogy

Synopsis This article examines the different iterations of masculinity represented by different characters in Larsson's Millennium trilogy. By examining especially the case of Mikael Blomkvist, and his relationship to Lisbeth Salander, the article describes the promises and perils of a profeminist masculinity.
Geomagnetopause surface fluctuations observed by Voyager 1

Moving out of the dawnside of the earth's magnetosphere, Voyager 1 crossed the magnetopause apparently seven times, despite the high spacecraft speed of 11 km/sec. Normals to the magnetopause and their associated error cones were estimated for each of the crossings using a minimum variance analysis of the internal magnetic field. The oscillating nature of the ecliptic plane component of these normals indicates that most of the multiple crossings were due to a wave-like surface disturbance moving tailward along the magnetopause. The wave, which was aperiodic, was modeled as a sequence of sine waves. The amplitude, wavelength, and speed were determined for two pairs of intervals from the measured slopes, occurrence times, and relative positions of six magnetopause crossings. The magnetopause thickness was estimated to lie in the range 300 to 700 km with higher values possible. The estimated amplitude of these waves was obviously small compared to their wavelengths.
Renal interventions after abdominal aortic aneurysm repair using an aortic endograft with suprarenal fixation.

Abstract Background Our aim was to determine whether suprarenal fixation in endografts compromises renal artery (RA) flow and whether subsequent RA intervention is precluded by the stent struts. Methods Prospectively acquired data from 104 patients with endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR) of an abdominal aortic aneurysm using the Zenith endograft (Cook, Inc., Bloomington, IN) were analyzed. The Zenith device uses a 26-mm, uncovered, barbed Z stent for suprarenal function. Results No RA stenosis, occlusion, or infarction resulted from the suprarenal stent. In 3 of 104 (2.9%) patients, RA compromise (2 stenoses, 1 occlusion) was caused by impingement of graft material on the lowermost RA. The 2 RA stenoses were stented successfully at 1 and 7 months post-EVAR. Six of 104 (5.8%) patients developed late stenoses unrelated to the endograft: all were stented successfully from 19 to 36 months after EVAR. One patient with severe RA stenosis had balloon angioplasty pre-EVAR and then was stented electively 6 weeks post-EVAR. Conclusions Our data show that the suprarenal fixation of the Zenith aortic endograft does not cause RA stenosis, occlusion, or infarction, nor does it preclude post-EVAR renal artery intervention.
The Effect of Methodological Differences in the Measurement of Stapes Motion in Live and Cadaver Ears

Methodological differences in sound-induced stapes velocity (Vs) measurements in live and cadaveric ears were examined using fresh cadaveric temporal bones. On average, differences in preparation (sectioning the stapedius tendon, removing the facial nerve, and widely opening the facial recess) had statistically insignificant effects on measured Vs. Differences in the achievable measurement angle (with respect to the axis of piston-like stapes motion) had a significant effect on measured Vs below 2 kHz. These results suggest that much if not all of the differences in Vs measurements between live and cadaveric ears can be explained by the differences in measurement angle between the two preparations. Measurement angle was found to have minimal effect on measured Vs above 2 kHz. This demonstrates that the commonly used method of estimating stapes translational velocity by dividing the measured velocity by the cosine of the measurement angle is not valid above 2 kHz.
An Afrocentric Approach To Language Planning

Afrocentrism, as an ideology committed to the liberation of African people from the destructive grips of the West, involves the displacement of the European mode of thinking and being, and its replacement by concepts, attitudes, and behaviors in tune with African values and the ultimate interest of African people. Asante (1990), who deals more specifically with Africalogy, the implications of Afrocentrism for research on African people, suggests that it is necessary to "abandon ethnocentric and racist systems of logic and, therefore, to place the undiscussed in the center of discourse" (p. 140; italics added). The present article seeks to contribute to the Afrocentric debate by raising some usually unaddressed but nonetheless critical issues for African people within the particular academic discipline of linguistics. I will deal more specifically with language planning, a subfield of sociolinguistics. My focus on that particular field is dictated in great part by the relationship between language planning studies and the so-called Third World. Indeed, language planning studies developed in the 1960s as a result of the emergence of new states in Africa and elsewhere. Its aims were to address what was seen as the "language problems" of "developing nations" (Fishman, Ferguson, & Das Gupta 1968). Language planning itself, however, was simply the more recent application to the domain of language of techniques and practices of social control intricately linked to the rise of Western modernity (Escobar, 1992, p. 132). Two of the major assumptions of such activities are that human beings and nature are tools that can be
Negative and positive secondary ion mass spectra of organic acids

Abstract Organic compounds can be ionized by sputtering the solid sample. The resulting negative and positive secondary ions provide mass spectra which characterize both the molecular weights and the structures of the compounds. Ionization occurs either by direct ejection of charged species from the solid into vacuum or by electron or proton transfer. The sputtered secondary ions dissociate unimolecularly to give fragment ions. These reactions are identical to those which occur when the secondary ions are independently generated by chemical ionization, selected by mass and dissociated in a high energy gas phase collision. The negative ion SIMS spectra show molecular ions (M −. ) or (M-H) − ions as the dominant high mass species together with fragments due to decarboxylation, dehydration and losses of other simple molecules. Stronger acids show larger (M-H) − /M −. abundance ratios. The positive ion spectra are complementary and also useful in characterizing molecular structures. Attachment of cations to organic molecules (cationization) occurs much more readily than anion attachment and this makes negative SIMS spectra simpler than these positive ion counterparts.
The use of bioassay and associated tests in dredged material and disposal management

Plant bioassays and simulated rainfall-surface runoff tests have been developed and are being refined to assist in the evaluation of the environmental impact of dredged material disposal alternatives. Plant bioassay tests have been used to give appropriate information to describe the potential for contaminant mobility from dredged material into plants colonizing wetland and upland disposal environments. Index plants have shown elevated contents of Cd, Zn, Cu, Cr and Pb when grown on contaminated dredged material placed in a terrestrial disposal environment. Simulated rainfall-surface runoff water quality tests are being developed to determine the potential for contaminant mobility resulting from physicochemical changes in dredged material following upland disposal.
NGF enhances sensory axon growth induced by laminin but not by the L1 cell adhesion molecule.

Neurotrophins and cell adhesion molecules regulate axon guidance, but their potential coordinate interactions are not well defined. In particular, it has been difficult to define the role of signaling from different surface molecules in neurotrophin-induced axon growth because of the strong dependence of embryonic neurons on this class of molecules for survival. We have addressed this issue using Bax deficient neurons, which do not require neurotrophins for survival. The L1 neural cell adhesion molecule and laminin each supported NGF-independent axon growth of cultured sensory neurons from dorsal root ganglia of embryonic Bax(-/-) mice. However, nerve growth factor (NGF) stimulated additional axon growth of sensory neurons on laminin but not on L1 substrates. Inhibition of the small GTPase RhoA by the dominant-negative mutant RhoA(T19N) restored NGF responsiveness of axon growth on L1 to Bax(-/-) neurons. Constitutively activated RhoA(Q63L) did not affect axon growth on L1 but inhibited NGF-stimulated axon growth on laminin. Consistent with the concept that RhoA was downregulated by NGF in neurons on laminin but not L1, the RhoA inhibitor C2IN-C3 toxin stimulated axon growth on L1 in wild-type DRG neurons in NGF. These results demonstrate a novel substrate-dependent regulation of NGF-induced growth of embryonic sensory axons mediated by RhoA GTPase.
On the Fraction of Broad Absorption Line Quasi-stellar Objects

Recent evidence indicates that some, if not all, broad absorption line quasi-stellar objects (BAL QSOs) may have significantly attenuated continuum compared with normal (non-BAL) radio-quiet QSOs. This attenuation has important implications for the fraction of radio-quiet QSOs that show the BAL QSO phenomenon, implying a fraction of at least 30%, much larger than the canonical value of 10%. This also implies a covering factor for the BAL region of ≥30%. Constraints can in turn be placed on how many of the BAL QSOs are in fact heavily attenuated, if we make the reasonable assumption that scattering within the BAL region produces the polarization.
Causal Explanations of Defection: A Knowledge Structure Approach

Two experiments examined the construct of causal knowledge structure (CKS) in a social setting. The content, memorial properties, and judgmental consequences of subjects' CKSs regarding the defection of either Soviet citizens to the United States or American citizens to the Soviet Union were assessed through open-ended causal accounts (Experiment 1), intrusions in free recall, unsolicited attributions, open-ended attributions, and personality ratings (Experiment 2). Subjects tended to attribute the defection of Soviets to hardships their country imposed on them and the defection of Americans to characteristics of their personality. Memory intrusions indicated that subjects tended to falsely recall "problems" that Soviets had with their country and falsely recall personality "problem's that Americans had. An asymmetry between memorial and attributional effects was observed: Although memory intrusions occurred almost exclusively when subjects recalled the information after a week rather than immediately, th...
Positive direct antiglobulin tests at birth without demonstrable maternal antibody

A healthy 38-year-old white woman had two abortions and three live children. Red cells from each of her living children at birth had a strongly positive direct antiglobulin test. Detailed studies on the third child showed that the cells were sensitized by IgG. Maternal serum, tested by a range of techniques against reagent red cells and the husband's cells, showed no unusual antibody. Maternal serum and eluates prepared from red cells of the third child did not react with fresh cells from the older siblings (aged 7 and 10 years). Follow-up on the third child showed that the direct antiglobulin test was positive at 2 months, weakly positive at 4 months, and negative at 8 months. Red cells collected at 8 months of age did not react with the stored eluate prepared from the baby's sensitized red cells at birth. The most likely explanation of these data is that the children inherited a paternal antigen that is only present as a red cell surface-active structure during fetal development.
Oxygen consumption at the soil-water interface in a Delaware salt marsh

Oxygen consumption at the soil-water interface in A Delaware salt marsh was measured over the annual cycle. No significant difference between vegetation areas was detected, but summer rates were 2.5 times those in winter. Oxygen uptake by the cores of soil was relatively constant with seasonal temperature trends from 2 C to 20 C, but increased rapidly when the temperature rose to 30 C.
The Osteoclast as a Unicellular Proton-Transporting Epithelium

ABSTRACT Osteoclasts dissolve bone mineral by the vectorial secretion of hydrogen ion at their osseous attachment site. To accomplish this, the osteoclast employs a vacuolar H + ATPase that is polarized to the specialized proton-secreting plasma membrane domain, the ruffled border. Physiologically and biochemically, they resemble the specialized proton-secreting intercalated cells of the renal collecting duct, which also use a polarized vacuolar H + ATPase to effect trans-epithelial hydrogen ion transport. Studies on the mechanism of hydrogen ion transport by the kidney may therefore provide insights into the control of acid secretion by the osteoclast.
Role of the suprachiasmatic nuclei in the circadian timing system of the squirrel monkey. I. The generation of rhythmicity

The circadian organization of squirrel monkey (Saimiri sciureus) drinking behavior was evaluated before and after the placement of radiofrequency lesions which completely destroyed the suprachiasmatic nuclei (SCN) in 4 monkeys and partially ablated the SCN in another 4 animals. In continuous illumination (LL: 600 lux) prior to surgery, each monkey had a precise free-running circadian rhythm of drinking behavior with a period of 25.13 ± 0.21h(¯X±S.E.M.). By 4–6 weeks following the lesions, the temporal organization of drinking behavior had become disrupted, but a statistically significant free-running circadian rhythm was still detectable by time series analyses. Subsequently, the circadian organization of drinking behavior in 7 out of 8 monkeys gradually decayed with either no statistically significant rhythmicity or only weak circadian and/or ultradian rhythmicity detected by time series analyses by 10–92 weeks post-lesion. The remaining animal which maintained a statistically reliable free-running rhythm in drinking behavior received the least damage (<50%) to the SCN. Despite the major alterations in the temporal patterning of behavior, the overall amount of drinking behavior per 24 h was unchanged. The SCN are thus essential for maintaining the circadian organization of squirrel monkey drinking behavior However, the existence of residual circadian rhythmicity following SCN lesions and the gradual decay of circadian organization thereafter suggest that the SCN may coordinate the activity of circadian oscillators which lie outside its borders.
Effects of adrenocorticotropic hormone and dexamethasone on adrenal and hepatic α-tocopherol concentrations

Abstract Studies were done to determine the effects of ACTH treatment on adrenal α-tocopherol (α-T) concentrations in female rats. Administration of dexamethasone (DEX) to inhibit endogenous ACTH secretion increased whole adrenal α-T levels as well as the fractional amount in adrenal cytosol. Adrenal ascorbic acid (AA) concentrations were unaffected by DEX. DEX treatment also had no effect on hepatic AA content but decreased α-T concentrations in the liver. The subcellular distribution of α-T in the liver was not altered by DEX. Administration of ACTH to DEX-treated animals decreased adrenal α-T content and restored the pattern of subcellular distribution to that seen in controls. ACTH had no effect on hepatic α-T concentrations or subcellular distribution. ACTH treatment also had no effect on AA concentrations in adrenals or livers. The results demonstrate that ACTH has a role in the regulation of adrenal α-T but the mechanism(s) involved remain to be determined. The data also indicate that glucocorticoids such as DEX directly influence hepatic α-T levels independent of their effects on ACTH secretion.
Forest fuel reduction and biomass supply: perspectives from southern private landowners

Removing excess biomass from fire-hazardous forests can serve dual purposes: enhancing the health and sustainability of forest ecosystems and supplying feedstock for energy production. The physical availability of this biomass is fairly well-known, yet availability does not necessarily translate into actual supply. We assess the perception and behavior of private forestland owners in the southern United States with respect to thinning overstocked forests for bioenergy production. Landowner perception is then integrated with the USDA Forest Service's Fuel Treatment Evaluator to estimate the biomass supply from fuel treatments on non-industrial private timberlands in the region. Due to competing uses for lumber and pulp/paper products, only about one-third of this biomass could be used as bioenergy feedstock. Between 6 and 66% of landowners would consider thinning overstocked forests for bioenergy purposes depending upon whether financial incentives and technical assistance are provided. Accounting for comp...
High-precision beam alignment of electromagnet wigglers

The performance of Free-Electron Lasers depends critically on the quality of the alignment of the electron beam to the wiggler's magnetic axis and the deviation of this axis from a straight fine. The measurement of the electron beam position requires numerous beam position monitors in the wiggler, where space is at premium. The beam position measurement is used to set beam steerers for an orbit correction in the wiggler. The authors propose an alternative high precision alignment method in which one or two external Beam Position Monitors (BPM) are used. In this technique, the field in the electro-wiggler is modulated section by section and the beam position movement at the external BPM is detected in synchronism with the modulation. A beam offset at the modulated beam section will produce a modulation of the beam position at the detector that is a function of the of the beam offset and the absolute value of the modulation current. The wiggler errors produce a modulation that is a function of the modulation current. It will be shown that this method allows the detection and correction of the beam position at each section in the presence of wiggler errors with a good resolution. Furthermore,more » it allows one to measure the first and second integrals of the wiggler error over each wiggler section. Lastly, provided that wiggler sections can be degaussed effectively, one can test the deviation of the wiggler's magnetic axis from a straight line.« less
Theory of Stress‐Strain Relations in Anisotropic Viscoelasticity and Relaxation Phenomena

A thermodynamic derivation is given for the representation of a system having viscoelastic or relaxationproperties by means of a potential and dissipation function familiar in Lagrangian mechanics. This leads to modes of relaxation which are used as normal coordinates to derive general expressions for operational tensors relating stress and strain. A large variety of phenomena involving interaction of diffusion,chemical reaction, heat transfer, mechanical deformation, etc., is included in this theory.
A whole-farm profitability analysis of organic and conventional cropping systems

Previous studies have found that organic crop production in the midwestern United States can be more profitable than conventional crop production. However, these studies have failed to consider potential differences in farm size between the two systems. If an organic crop rotation cannot be managed on as large an area as a conventional rotation given the same resources, a per-hectare profitability advantage for the organic system would not necessarily translate into a whole-farm profitability advantage. This paper uses management data from a long-term cropping systems trial to estimate the maximum farm size for a conventional corn–soybean rotation and an organic corn–soybean–oat/alfalfa–alfalfa rotation, subject to appropriate yield penalties for management delays and three different machinery complement scenarios. Using these farm size results we estimate whole-farm net returns for each system and then compare the estimated distributions of net returns using stochastic dominance criteria. The results of the farm size model show that under the two largest machinery complement scenarios the conventional corn–soybean rotation can be managed on a larger area than the organic rotation, given equal labor endowments. The smallest machinery complement scenario results in equal farm sizes for both systems. Estimated machinery costs per hectare are lower and whole-farm net returns are higher for larger farms under both cropping systems. However, for each machinery complement scenario, average whole-farm net returns are higher for the organic system than the conventional system, despite the larger farm size under the conventional system for the two largest machinery complements. Stochastic dominance analysis for a baseline scenario with full organic price premiums and no reductions in observed organic yields indicates that risk averse farmers would prefer the organic rotation over the conventional rotation for each of the three machinery complements. Sensitivity analysis shows that reductions in organic yields from those achieved in the experimental trial and reductions in price premiums received for organic crops make the conventional rotation more competitive but still not dominant for all risk averse producers.
Diffusion studies of the systems water-succinic acid-urea and water-succinic acid at 25°C: The effect of complex formation on the diffusion coefficients of the ternary system

Sets of four diffusion coefficients at 25°C were obtained for four compositions of the system H2O-succinic acid-urea. The binary diffusion coefficients of succinic acid in water were also obtained at 25°C. The effect of possible complex formation between solutes on the diffusion coefficients of the ternary system is discussed.
A comparison of outcomes between open and laparoscopic surgical repair of recurrent inguinal hernias

Inguinal hernia recurrence after surgical repair is a major concern. The authors report their experience with open and laparoscopic repair of recurrent inguinal hernias. After institutional review board approval, a retrospective review was performed with the charts of 197 patients who had undergone surgical repair of recurrent inguinal hernias from January 2000 through August 2009, and the data for 172 patients who met the inclusion criteria were analyzed. Surgical variables and clinical outcomes were compared using Student’s t test, the Mann–Whitney U test, chi-square, and Fisher’s exact test as appropriate. The review showed that 172 patients had undergone either open mesh repair (n = 61) or laparoscopic mesh repair (n = 111) for recurrent inguinal hernias. Postoperative complications were experienced by 8 patients in the open group and 17 patients in laparoscopic group (p = 0.70). Five patients (8.2%) in the open group and four patients (3.6%) in the laparoscopic group had re-recurrent inguinal hernias (p = 0.28). Four patients in the open group (9.5%) and no patients in the laparoscopic group had recurrence during long-term follow-up evaluation (p = 0.046). In the laparoscopic group, 76 patients (68.5%) underwent total extraperitoneal (TEP) repair, and 35 patients (31.5%) had transabdominal preperitoneal (TAPP) repair. Postoperative complications were experienced by 13 patients in the TEP group and 4 patients in the TAPP group (p = 0.44). Two patients (2.6%) in the TEP group and two patients (5.7%) in the TAPP group had re-recurrent inguinal hernias (p = 0.59). This retrospective review showed no statistical difference in the re-recurrence rate between the two techniques during short-term follow-up evaluation. However, the laparoscopic technique had a significantly lower re-recurrence rate than the open technique during long-term follow-up evaluation. Both procedures were comparable in terms of intra- and postoperative complications. Among laparoscopic techniques, TEP and TAPP repair are acceptable methods for the repair of recurrent inguinal hernia. A multicenter prospective randomized control trial is needed to confirm the findings of this study.
A tensor product formulation of Strassen's matrix multiplication algorithm

Abstract Tensor product notation is used to derive an iterative version of Strassen's matrix multiplication algorithm.
Introduction: animal welfare education, a critical time in veterinary medicine.

One of the things veterinary educators do not want to hear is that another new subject needs to be added to the curriculum. We have had to look creatively at how to add information to our already crowded programs without adding another year. We have reduced hours in basic sciences, eliminated redundancy, repositioned courses for more effective learning, used electives to expand knowledge, and integrated some degree of tracking to juxtaposition both courses and clinical experiences. There is no more room.
Rheological study of carbon nanofiber induced physical gelation in polyolefin nanocomposite melt

Abstract The rheological behavior of nanocomposites based on elastomeric ethylene–propylene (EP) random copolymer (84.3 wt% P) and well-dispersed modified carbon nanofibers (MCNFs) with concentrations from 0.5 to 20 wt% were studied by oscillatory-shear rheometry at varying temperatures. At relatively low temperatures, the entanglement density of the polymer chains appeared to increase with filler concentration, ensuring strong MCNF–polymer interactions. At elevated temperatures, pronounced deviations from the ideal melt behavior in the low frequency domain (i.e. positive slopes of the tan δ ( ω ) curves) were observed, indicating the formation of a three-dimensional percolated network. Following the Winter–Chambon criterion, the transition from pseudo-solid-like to liquid-like behavior (i.e. the critical gel point) upon cooling was determined. The physical gelation induced by MCNFs is a thermo-reversible phenomenon and its origin can be traced to the interactions of nanofillers, where the percolation temperature decreases with filler concentration. Abrupt changes in the critical gelation temperature, the stiffness of the gel and the relaxation exponent were observed in nanocomposites with MCNF loading above 10 wt%. This behavior indicates a change of the mechanism of physical gelation at high MCNF loadings that can be explained by the concept of bridge formation of polymer segments between two adjacent nanofillers in concentrated nanocomposites.
Reply to Comment on ''Interpretation of relativistic dynamical effects in proton-nucleus scattering''

At issue is the identification of the physical mechanism that causes the distinction between the nucleon-nucleus scattering observables predicted by Dirac and Schroedinger implementations of the impulse approximation for the optical potential. We clarify the decisive role of an early variant of the Dirac approach in addressing this issue. Using this basis, recent conjectures concerning the physical mechanism are easily seen to be misleading. The elimination of apparent formal mathematical difficulties at high momenta, which arise from the noncompactness of local form factors, is also straightforward within this approach using well-known techniques in scattering theory.
The Role of Location-Related Factors in U.S. Banking Involvement Abroad: An Empirical Examination

This study examines the role of major location-specific advantages in the international branch banking involvement of U.S. banks. Using pooled time-series (1976-82), cross-sectional (thirty countries) regression analysis, this study finds that the U.S. business presence in foreign country has a strong positive effect on U.S. branch banking activity in that country. In contrast, the local market opportunity appears to have no significant effect. These results hold for the entire set of countries, as well as each of five subsets (developed, less developed, European, Latin American, and Asian countries). The openness of the host country to the establishment of new foreign bank branches does affect U.S. branch banking involvement. This effect is most pronounced in the less developed countries, particularly those in Asia.
Axon guidance in the mouse optic chiasm: retinal neurite inhibition by ephrin "A"-expressing hypothalamic cells in vitro.

In the mammalian visual system, retinal axons undergo temporal and spatial rearrangements as they project bilaterally to targets on the brain. Retinal axons cross the neuraxis to form the optic chiasm on the hypothalamus in a position defined by overlapping domains of regulatory gene expression. However, the downstream molecules that direct these processes remain largely unknown. Here we use a novel in vitro paradigm to study possible roles of the Eph family of receptor tyrosine kinases in chiasm formation. In vivo, Eph receptors and their ligands distribute in complex patterns in the retina and hypothalamus. In vitro, retinal axons are inhibited by reaggregates of isolated hypothalamic, but not dorsal diencephalic or cerebellar cells. Furthermore, temporal retinal neurites are more inhibited than nasal neurites by hypothalamic cells. Addition of soluble EphA5-Fc to block Eph "A" subclass interactions decreases both the inhibition and the differential response of retinal neurites by hypothalamic reaggregates. These data show that isolated hypothalamic cells elicit specific, position-dependent inhibitory responses from retinal neurites in culture. Moreover, these responses are mediated, in part, by Eph interactions. Together with the in vivo distributions, these data suggest possible roles for Eph family members in directing retinal axon growth and/or reorganization during optic chiasm formation.
Hepatitis B vaccination and screening awareness in primary care practitioners.

Introduction. The goals of Healthy People US 2020 have called for increased screening and vaccination of high-risk groups for Hepatitis B (HBV). Methods. We performed a survey of 400 randomly chosen primary care practitioners (PCPs) in Wisconsin to assess their knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding screening and vaccination for HBV. Results. Screening rates of patients at risk of sexual transmission were low, with 61% of respondents stating that they screen patients who had more than 1 sex partner in 6 months and 86% screening patients with a history of sex with prostitutes. Screening rate for persons with a history of intravenous drug use was 94%. Children of immigrants were screened by 65%, persons on hemodialysis by 73%, and prison inmates by 69%. Screening increased with provider experience with HBV. Deficiencies in vaccination rates mirrored screening practices. Major barriers to screening were cost, someone else’s responsibility, time constraints, or lack of knowledge. Conclusions. Without improved education and practices of PCPs about HBV screening and vaccination, the goals of healthy people 2020 regarding HBV will not be met. Barriers to screening and vaccination need to be addressed. Cost-effectiveness of alternative strategies such as universal vaccination under the age of 50 should be explored.
Haloperidol challenge during copulation prevents subsequent increase in male sexual motivation.

Male rats manifest an increase in sexual motivation following sexual experience. The current experiment was devised to investigate the role of dopamine in this process by assessing whether sexual behavior occurring in the presence of the dopamine receptor antagonist, haloperidol, would continue to alter the subjects' subsequent sexual motivation. Four groups of male Long–Evans rats (total N=34) traversed an operant runway once per day for one of two goalbox targets: a nonestrous or estrous female. Following establishment of baseline run times (10 trials), all males received one ejaculation with a receptive female in a separate testing environment. Subjects were pretreated with vehicle or one of three doses of haloperidol (0.05, 0.075, 0.10 mg/kg) 45 min prior to being paired with the receptive female. All subjects successfully achieved ejaculation under these conditions. Subjects were then re-tested within the runway for their motivation to approach the two types of female targets (10 trials). Vehicle-treated subjects expressed the expected increase in sexual motivation following sexual experience, while haloperidol treatment dose-dependently attenuated this effect. Subjects that received the highest haloperidol dose subsequently manifested increased run times and intra-runway “retreat” behaviors, suggesting that female cues may have become associated with an aversive sexual experience. These results are consistent with the view that dopamine systems play a role in the rewarding or reinforcing consequences of male sexual behavior.
A time‐dependent difference theory for sound propagation in ducts with shear flow

A time dependent numerical solution of the linearized continuity and momentum equation was developed for sound propagation in a two dimensional straight hard or soft wall duct with a sheared mean flow. The time dependent governing acoustic difference equations and boundary conditions were developed along with a numerical determination of the maximum stable time increments. A harmonic noise source radiating into a quiescent duct was analyzed. This explicit iteration method then calculated stepwise in real time to obtain the transient as well as the steady state solution of the acoustic field. Example calculations were presented for sound propagation in hard and soft wall ducts, with no flow and plug flow. Although the problem with sheared flow was formulated and programmed, sample calculations were not examined. The time dependent finite difference analysis was found to be superior to the steady state finite difference and finite element techniques because of shorter solution times and the elimination of large matrix storage requirements.
The preparation, structure and reactions of some “malonyl-α-aminopyridines”

The reaction of several substituted 2-aminopyridines with diethyl malonate was studied. The “methylmalonyl-α-aminopyridines” were shown to exist in the same tautomeric form as “malonyl-α-aminopyridine”. Formylation of these compounds takes place in the 3-position and has led to the formation of a new tricyclic compound.