cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Thermal Ablation for the Treatment of Abdominal Tumors

Percutaneous thermal ablation is an emerging treatment option for many tumors of the abdomen not amenable to conventional treatments. During a thermal ablation procedure, a thin applicator is guided into the target tumor under imaging guidance. Energy is then applied to the tissue until temperatures rise to cytotoxic levels (50-60 °C). Various energy sources are available to heat biological tissues, including radiofrequency (RF) electrical current, microwaves, laser light and ultrasonic waves. Of these, RF and microwave ablation are most commonly used worldwide. During RF ablation, alternating electrical current (~500 kHz) produces resistive heating around the interstitial electrode. Skin surface electrodes (ground pads) are used to complete the electrical circuit. RF ablation has been in use for nearly 20 years, with good results for local tumor control, extended survival and low complication rates. Recent studies suggest RF ablation may be a first-line treatment option for small hepatocellular carcinoma and renal-cell carcinoma. However, RF heating is hampered by local blood flow and high electrical impedance tissues (eg, lung, bone, desiccated or charred tissue). Microwaves may alleviate some of these problems by producing faster, volumetric heating. To create larger or conformal ablations, multiple microwave antennas can be used simultaneously while RF electrodes require sequential operation, which limits their efficiency. Early experiences with microwave systems suggest efficacy and safety similar to, or better than RF devices. Alternatively, cryoablation freezes the target tissues to lethal levels (-20 to -40 °C). Percutaneous cryoablation has been shown to be effective against RCC and many metastatic tumors, particularly colorectal cancer, in the liver. Cryoablation may also be associated with less post-procedure pain and faster recovery for some indications. Cryoablation is often contraindicated for primary liver cancer due to underlying coagulopathy and associated bleeding risks frequently seen in cirrhotic patients. In addition, sudden release of tumor cellular contents when the frozen tissue thaws can lead to a potentially serious condition known as cryoshock. Thermal tumor ablation can be performed at open surgery, laparoscopy or using a percutaneous approach. When performed percutaneously, the ablation procedure relies on imaging for diagnosis, planning, applicator guidance, treatment monitoring and follow-up. Ultrasound is the most popular modality for guidance and treatment monitoring worldwide, but computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) are commonly used as well. Contrast-enhanced CT or MRI are typically employed for diagnosis and follow-up imaging.
New York City's Latino ethnolinguistic repertoire and the negotiation of latinidad in conversation

Latino collective politics has received greater attention from scholars and policy analysts than the micro-processes of everyday interaction among U.S. Latinos – the stuff with which collective efforts are constructed. In this article, I argue that latinidad – a sense of shared Latino identity – is best understood by taking into account the negotiations of collective identities in everyday, situated social practices. I ask: how do Latinos invoke latinidad in their everyday interactions, and to what end? In doing so, I present a conversation between two New York City Latinos, Roberto and William, who subtly invoke latinidad as they explore a possible business connection. Through discourse analysis of their exchange, I show that within one conversation two people can invoke latinidad through the adoption of different strategies of affiliation. Drawing on Benor’s (2010) ethnolinguistic repertoire framework, I show some of the linguistic resources that New York City Latinos access to index latinidad. I find that Benor’s framework could be expanded to account for the arsenal of distinctive linguistic features used by members of panethnic groups. For U.S. Latinos, such an arsenal includes features of multiple varieties of both Spanish and English. The results further suggest that shared Latino identity implies a basis for cooperation, in this case, cooperation with the potential to yield economic benefits.
Right-to-left Shunt Through Patent Foramen Ovale Complicating Right Ventricular Infarction: Successful Percutaneous Catheter Closure

A patient with right ventricular infarction and severe hypoxemia secondary to right-to-left shunting through a patent foramen ovale is presented. A balloon tip catheter was positioned in the left atrium and retracted against the atrial septum and the hypoxemia resolved.
The critical micellization temperature and its dependence on the position and geometry of the double bond in a series of sodium octadecenoates

Abstract The temperature-induced changes in the infrared spectra of a series of sodium octadecenoates have been used to investigate the temperature-induced micelle formation in deuterium oxide, and to compare the effect of the configuration and position of the double bond on this phenomenon. The critical micellization temperatures were determined from typical frequency versus temperature plots. For any given pair of geometrical isomers the difference between the cis and trans configuration is 29°C, the trans isomers having the higher critical micellization temperature. The relationship between the position of the double bond and the critical micellization temperatures of the sodium soaps on one hand, and the melting points of the fatty acids on the other hand, is different. Among the cis octadecenoates, sodium oleate has the highest critical micellization temperature while oleic acid had the lowest melting point among the cis octadecenoic acids.
Martian cratering VI: Crater count isochrons and evidence for recent volcanism from Mars Global Surveyor

— This paper develops a methodology to establish absolute Martian ages by deriving isochrons on a plot of Martian impact crater density vs. crater diameter, calibrated by lunar crater/age data. The isochrons illustrated here are based on a Mars/Moon cratering ratio of 1.6 at constant size, but there is a factor of 2 to 4 uncertainty in this ratio and the consequent model ages. Martian crater diameter distributions are determined in several areas down to diameter D = 16–45 m; the shapes of the curves in young areas are found to be close to that of the predicted isochrons and close to the standard production function found by Neukum. The youngest areas studied here display the lunar-like production function down to D ∼30 m, where saturation equilibrium sets in. Model crater retention ages of several volcanic units are found to be a few hundred million years or less, with estimated uncertainties ranging from a factor of 2 lower to a factor of 4 higher. The results are consistent with Martian meteorite ages. Volcanism on Mars has probably persisted into the last 10 to 15% of the planet's history and is likely ongoing. Because surfaces as young as a few hundred million years have reached crater saturation equilibrium at D < ∼60 to 100 m, Mars is likely to have widespread impact-produced regoliths at least a few meters deep, and this may contribute to the widespread mobile dust and boulder fields of Mars.
Comparing genetic ancestry and self-reported race/ethnicity in a multiethnic population in New York City.

Self-reported race/ethnicity is frequently used in epidemiological studies to assess an individual’s background origin. However, in admixed populations such as Hispanic, self-reported race/ethnicity may not accurately represent them genetically because they are admixed with European, African and Native American ancestry. We estimated the proportions of genetic admixture in an ethnically diverse population of 396 mothers and 188 of their children with 35 ancestry informative markers (AIMs) using the STRUCTURE version 2.2 program. The majority of the markers showed significant deviation from Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium in our study population. In mothers self-identified as Black and White, the imputed ancestry proportions were 77.6% African and 75.1% European respectively, while the racial composition among self-identified Hispanics was 29.2% European, 26.0% African, and 44.8% Native American. We also investigated the utility of AIMs by showing the improved fitness of models in paraoxanase-1 genotype–phenotype associations after incorporating AIMs; however, the improvement was moderate at best. In summary, a minimal set of 35 AIMs is sufficient to detect population stratification and estimate the proportion of individual genetic admixture; however, the utility of these markers remains questionable.
Hadronic interactions at energies above 1019 eV

Abstract In this talk I discuss some aspects of high energy interactions and their implications for interpretation of giant air showers.
Effects of Short Term Phosphorus Deprivation on Laying Hens

An experiment was conducted to determine the effects on laying hens of ingestion of a phosphorus deficient diet for 6, 9, or 21 days. Four experimental groups consisting of 3 replicates of 5 Leghorn pullets averaging 90 percent egg production were maintained in individual cages. A diet containing corn, soy, and meat and bone meal was formulated to contain 0.39 percent total P on a 90 percent dry matter basis (LP). A normal P diet (NP), 0.64 percent total P, was obtained by supplementation with an inorganic P source. Group 1 (Control) was fed the NP diet for 21 days. Groups 2, 3 and 4 were fed the LP diet for 6, 9, and 21 days respectively. Groups 2 and 3 resumed consumption of NP diet after 6 and 9 days. Individual egg production and egg weight were recorded daily. Individual hen determinations of serum P, g. shell/cm.2 surface area, and feed consumption by replicate were made at 3 or 4 day intervals. The serum P of Group 1 averaged 5.01 +/- 0.31 mg./100 ml. over the 21 days. Serum P was significantly reduced after 3 days of consuming the LP diet. Serum phosphorus of Groups 2,3, and 4 were 2.95 +/- 0.18, 3.03 +/- 0.24, 3.13 +/- 0.32 mg./100 ml. respectively after 6, 9, and 21 days of consuming the LP diet. Serum P returned to control levels within 4 days after resumption of the NP diet by Groups 2 and 3. There were no differences in feed consumption, egg production nor any detrimental effects on egg weight or shell calcification despite the low serum P. Body weight gain of the hens fed the phosphorus deficient diet for 21 days was significantly reduced. At the end of the experiment femur density was determined; the hens which had consumed the phosphorus deficient diet for 21 days had reduced femur density (osteoporous) compared to the control group or the hens fed the phosphorus deficient diet for only 9 days. It is concluded that pullets in 90 percent production can tolerate this low P diet for at least 9 days without apparent detrimental effects.
The Form Factors of the Gauge-Invariant Three-Gluon Vertex

The gauge-invariant three-gluon vertex obtained from the pinch technique is characterized by thirteen nonzero form factors, which are given in complete generality for unbroken gauge theory at one loop. The results are given in d dimensions using both dimensional regularization and dimensional reduction, including the effects of massless gluons and arbitrary representations of massive gauge bosons, fermions, and scalars. We find interesting relations between the functional forms of the contributions from gluons, quarks, and scalars. These relations hold only for the gauge-invariant pinch technique vertex and are d-dimensional incarnations of supersymmetric nonrenormalization theorems which include finite terms. The form factors are shown to simplify for N = 1, 2, and 4 supersymmetry in various dimensions. In four-dimensional non-supersymmetric theories, eight of the form factors have the same functional form for massless gluons, quarks, and scalars, when written in a physically motivated tensor basis. For QCD, these include the tree-level tensor structure which has prefactor {beta}{sub 0} = (11N{sub c}-2N{sub f})/3, another tensor with prefactor 4N{sub c} - N{sub f}, and six tensors with N{sub c} - N{sub f}. In perturbative calculations our results lead naturally to an effective coupling for the three-gluon vertex, {tilde {alpha}}(k{sub 1}{sup 2}, k{sub 2}{sup 2},more » k{sub 3}{sup 2}), which depends on three momenta and gives rise to an effective scale Q{sub eff}{sup 2} (k{sub 1}{sup 2}, k{sub 2}{sup 2}, k{sub 3}{sup 2}) which governs the behavior of the vertex. The effects of nonzero internal masses M are important and have a complicated threshold and pseudo-threshold structure. A three-scale effective number of flavors N{sub F}(k{sub 1}{sup 2}/M{sup 2}, k{sub 2}{sup 2}/M{sup 2}, k{sub 3}{sup 2}/M{sup 2}) is defined. The results of this paper are an important part of a gauge-invariant dressed skeleton expansion and a related multi-scale analytic renormalization scheme. In this approach the scale ambiguity problem is resolved since physical kinematic invariants determine the arguments of the couplings.« less
Theory and Application of Localized Vibration Control Strategy in Cable-Suspended Membrane Space Structures

The present study explores both structural and controller design to attenuate vibration in large membrane structures especially due to low-frequency harmonic excitations. It is very difficult for membrane structures to suppress the low-frequency vibration induced by flexible support structures, because a lightly pre-stressed membrane has extremely low mode frequencies and little damping effect. The present study proposes the use of web-like perimeter cables around a membrane, and the application of simple and lightweight active controllers only along the web cables. This strategy successfully suppresses the membrane vibration when the web-cable configuration is appropriately tailored. Both linear and nonlinear finite-element analyses exhibit a clear tradeoff between structural mass and control efficiency.© 2005 ASME
Enhanced stability of hafnia based coatings in a hot gas environment

Yttria stabilized hafnia (YSH) coatings have been fabricated by magnetron sputtering, a physical vapor deposition (PVD) method. Coatings of a mixed composition of hafnia (HfO2) and zirconia (ZrO2) (YSHZ) stabilized by yttria (Y2O3) were also fabricated in order to compare and contrast the resulting properties. The composition of the material was varied by varying the ratio of HfO2 and ZrO2 (4:1, 2:1, 1:1, 1:2 and 1:4) while keeping the Y2O3 stabilizer content constant at 7.5 mol%. Thermal and chemical stability along with the durability of the YSH and YSHZ coatings were evaluated by exposing the coatings to hot gases in a combustor rig. A nanoindentation technique was used to evaluate the mechanical properties. A diamond tipped, sharp nanoindenter with known geometry and mechanical properties was forced into the sample while both the force and indentation depth were recorded. Hardness (H) and Young's modulus were estimated for the YSH and YSHZ coatings. Atomic force microscopy was utilized to provide imagery of the indentation area on the sample surface. Residual stress analysis was performed using X-ray diffraction (XRD). The results from nano-indentation indicate that the YSH sample possesses values of hardness and Young's modulus as high as 18 GPa and 220 GPa, respectively. The residual stress estimated using XRD indicates very high compressive stress within the coatings. The stability and durability tests demonstrate the enhanced stability of YSH coatings in a hot gas environment created by burning natural gas with oxygen.
Identification of candidate genes in scleroderma-related pulmonary arterial hypertension.

We hypothesize that pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH)-associated genes identified by expression profiling of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from patients with idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension (IPAH) can also be identified in PBMCs from scleroderma patients with PAH (PAH-SSc). Gene expression profiles of PBMCs collected from IPAH (n = 9), PAH-SSc (n = 10) patients, and healthy controls (n = 5) were generated using HG_U133A_2.0 GeneChips and were processed by the RMA/GCOS_1.4/SAM_1.21 data analysis pipeline. Disease severity in consecutive patients was assessed by functional status and hemodynamic measurements. The expression profiles were analyzed using PAH severity-stratification, and identified candidate genes were validated with real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Transcriptomics of PBMCs from IPAH patients was highly comparable with that of PMBCs from PAH-SSc patients. The PBMC gene expression patterns significantly correlate with right atrium pressure (RA) and cardiac index (CI), which are known predictors of survival in PAH. Array stratification by RA and CI identified 364 PAH-associated candidate genes. Gene ontology (GO) analysis revealed significant (Z score > 1.96) alterations in angiogenesis genes according to PAH severity: matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP9) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) were significantly upregulated in mild as compared with severe PAH and healthy controls, as confirmed by real-time PCR. These data demonstrate that PBMCs from patients with PAH-SSc carry distinct transcriptional expression. Furthermore, our findings suggest an association between angiogenesis-related gene expression and severity of PAH in PAH-SSc patients. Deciphering the role of genes involved in vascular remodeling and PAH development may reveal new treatment targets for this devastating disorder.
Intermediate-term outcome of carotid endarterectomy with bovine pericardial patch closure compared with Dacron patch and primary closure

Objective Multiple studies have established that patch angioplasty following carotid endarterectomy (CEA) reduces the risk of subsequent stroke and restenosis compared with primary closure. Previous reports have also demonstrated bovine pericardium to be associated with similar rates of postoperative complications and restenosis compared with other patch materials. Due to favorable handling and sonographic properties, bovine pericardium has become increasingly popular as a patch option in recent years. However, the intermediate- and long-term performance of this material remains incompletely defined. Through a retrospective analysis of our carotid endarterectomy experience, we sought to compare the bleeding, infection, and pseudoaneurysm rates with bovine pericardium patch closure to those with Dacron patch and primary closure. In this study, 1331 primary carotid endarterectomies performed in our institution between 1996 and 2008 were grouped according to the method of arteriotomy closure: primary closure (PC) (216, 16.3%), Dacron patch angioplasty (DPA) (642, 48.2%), and bovine pericardial patch angioplasty (BPA) (457, 34.3%). Demographic variable and postoperative outcome measures collected real-time via a designated database manager were assessed by univariate and multivariate analysis. Results Mean follow-up for the entire cohort was 46.1 months. There were no statistically significant differences in rates of postoperative wound infection, hematoma, pseudoaneurysm formation, or 30-day stroke or 30-day mortality among the three groups. Combined 30-day stroke and death was significantly lower in the PC cohort (0.5% vs 2.3% DPA vs 2.4% BPA; P = .94, BPA vs DPA; P = .001, BPA vs PC; P = .001, DPA vs PC), while 5-year restenosis after both DPA (2.0% ± 0.6%) and BPA (1.1% ± 0.6%) was significantly lower compared with PC (5.2% ± 1.6%) (P = .03, DPA vs PC; P = .008, BPA vs PC; P = .14, BPA vs DPA). Five-year survival following BPA (77.9% ± 3.6%) was significantly improved compared with PC (66.9% ± 3.5%) and DPA (60.8% ± 2.1%) in univariate analysis (P = .24, DPA vs PC; P = .01, BPA vs PC; P = .03, BPA vs DPA), with statin use (P = .004) and male gender (P = .05) being positive predictors of enhanced survival on multivariate analysis. Conclusions This single-institution, retrospective review represents the largest reported experience with BPA after CEA to date and is the only report comparing outcomes after BPA to PC or to DPA. Our experience further demonstrates that patch angioplasty is protective against restenosis after CEA compared with PC. Equivalent rates of perioperative bleeding, infection, and pseudoaneurysm formation were seen with each closure strategy in this study.
CHARACTERISTICS OF CARBON FILAMENT FORMATION FROM THE INTERACTION OF COBALT-TIN PARTICLES WITH ETHYLENE

The effect of adding tin to a cobalt catalyst has been investigated using the decomposition of ethylene at 600 °C to form solid carbon, methane, and ethane as a probe reaction. These experiments have been carried out in a simple continuous flow system, where it was possible to monitor not only the gaseous product distribution but also the growth of filamentous carbon as a function of time. Particular attention was given to the modifications in the structural characteristics of the carbon filaments that accompanied the change in catalyst composition. These studies were performed using a combination of temperature-programmed oxidation, BET surface area measurements, and examination at high resolution in the transmission electron microscope. It was found that the introduction of as little as 0.5 wt % of tin into cobalt produced a dramatic increase in the catalytic activity of the bimetallic toward the formation of filamentous carbon. It is suggested that tin is responsible for inducing electronic perturbatio...
Ultrastructural localization of acid phosphatase in human buccal epithelium

Abstract Specimens from eight patients with buccal leukoplakia (hyperkeratosis) were studied for ultrastructural localization of acid phosphatase. Biopsies were obtained from both the leukoplakic lesion and adjacent normal-appearing mucosa in each patient. Intra and extracellular acid phosphatase activity was found in both normal and leukoplakic epithelium. The greatest concentrations occurred in the surface of unkeratinized epithelium and in the granular and low surface strata of keratinized epithelium. Intracellular activity was localized in the Golgi complex, endoplasmic reticulum and a variety of lysosomal bodies. Observations suggested a Golgi complex and endoplasmic reticulum origin of acid phosphatase with distribution in lysosomal dense bodies, microgranules, autophagic vacuoles, multivesicular bodies and residual bodies. Intercellular activity occurred as clumps and as homogeneous or striated plaques of material which appeared to be derived partly from microgranules. There was a greater amount of reaction product in leukoplakic specimens, indicating a possible role of lysosomes in keratinization.
Secondary-task effects on classification learning.

Probabilistic classification learning can be supported by implicit knowledge of cue-response associations. We investigated whether forming these associations depends on attention by assessing the effect of performing a secondary task on learning in the probabilistic classification task (PCT). Experiment 1 showed that concurrent task performance significantly interfered with performance of the PCT. Experiment 2 showed that this interference did not prevent learning from occurring. On the other hand, the secondary task did disrupt acquisition of explicit knowledge about cue-outcome associations. These results show that concurrent task performance can have different effects on implicit and explicit knowledge acquired within the same task and also underscore the importance of considering effects on learning and performance separately.
A Review of How States are Addressing Placement Stability

States are under increasing pressure to reduce the number of placements of foster children. Initial results from the federal Child and Family Service Reviews (CFSR) of 48 states found that only 40% of states met targets for placement stability. Consequently, many states have had to identify approaches to increase placement stability as a part of their Program Improvement Plans (PIPs). Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 44 state and county child welfare administrators, supervisors, managers, staff members, and/or foster parents from 33 states to gain an understanding of the range of approaches that states are using. Thematic analysis of the interviews revealed that states are using the following nine approaches to reduce the incidence of foster home disruptions: improving services to foster children, placement-matching, recruitment of foster parents, services and support to foster parents, training, consultation and collaboration, collaborative team approaches, involvement of biological parents, and prevention. Although 91% of states are using five to nine of these approaches to reduce placement disruption, few states are systematically evaluating the effects of these programs. More research is needed to focus on the effectiveness of the various approaches that states are using to address placement disruptions.
Control of migrating motor activity in the colon

One of the most significant developments in our approach to studying gastrointestinal motility over the past few years has been in the advent of genetic manipulation and the development of knockout animals. This means that it is possible to study motility patterns of specific regions of the gastrointestinal tract in which the development or synthesis of particular neurotransmitter substances or receptors has been prevented. The mouse has emerged as the model species for investigating the effects that genetic knockouts may have on gastrointestinal motility; therefore, an understanding of the mechanisms underlying the control of motility patterns of unaffected mice is crucial before we can apply this knowledge to knockout models. Major advances have been made in the past few years regarding the mechanisms underlying the generation of migrating motor complexes in the large bowel, particularly in the mouse colon.
The central bank and speculators in the foreign exchange market under asymmetric information: A strategic approach and evidence

Abstract This paper studies the central bank sterilized intervention in the foreign exchange market in an asymmetric information framework. The central bank has inside information of its target, and the speculators have private information of fundamentals. The model suggests that if market expectations are precise about the central bank's target, or about liquidity trades, the foreign exchange market will more likely move in the direction opposite to the central bank's intervention direction. Following the hypothesis of Diebold and Nerlove [Diebold, F. X., & Nerlove, M. (1989). The dynamics of exchange rate volatility: A multivariate latent factor Arch model. Journal of Applied Econometrics, 4, 1–21] regarding the relationship between preciseness of information and the market volatility, the model provides a possible theoretical explanation for Hung's [Hung, J. H. (1997). Intervention strategies and exchange rate volatility: A noise trading perspective. Journal of International Money and Finance, 16, 779–793] noise trading channel hypothesis. Empirically, the paper shows that actual daily intervention data of the Fed, the Bundesbank, and the BOJ generally support the theoretical implications.
‘A Contradiction in Democratic Government’: W. J. Trent, Jr., and the Struggle to Desegregate National Park Campgrounds

AbstractCamping began in the nineteenth century as an elite form of pilgrimage to the wild, but the arrival of inexpensive automobiles in the early twentieth century greatly expanded camping's soci...
Some physical and chemical properties of the Gulf of Corinth

Abstract The Gulf of Corinth is a silled embayment opening into the Ionian Sea on the west and through the Corinth Canal to the Aegean Sea on the east. Winter cooling of the nearshore waters results in convective overturn and renewal of the deep water of the basin. Renewal at the intermediate depths occurs when Ionian Sea water enters the basin over the sill. The basin acts as a slight nutrient trap.
On the constancy in composition of polystyrene and polymethylmethacrylate plastics.

Variations in the atomic compostion, and mass and electron densities of polystyrene and polymethylmethacrylate (PMM) plastics were assessed from experimentally determined mass attenuation coefficients for 125I and 137Cs gamma rays. The means and standard deviations in the mass densities of 16 samples of PMM and 10 samples of polystyrene were found to be 1.174±1.4% and 1.042±0.6% g/cm3, respectively. Based upon transmission measurements on various solutions of ethyl alcohol in water, the standard deviations in the effective atomic numbers of PMM and polystyrene were determined to be 0.77% and 1.3%, respectively. Based upon experimentally determined mass attenuation coefficients for 137Cs, the standard deviations in electron density for PMM and polystyrene were 0.5% and 1.2%, respectively. Similar measurements on tap water and two grades of distilled water failed to detect any differences in atomic composition.
The uncertainties involved in extracting amplitude and frequency of orbitally driven sea‐level fluctuations from shallow‐water carbonate cycles

In outcrops, shallow-water carbonates often form thick, vertically stacked, metre-scale, exposure-bounded depositional packages, here called carbonate cycles. Because the facies within carbonate cycles can be tied precisely to water depths, they are considered ideal for reconstructing past sea-level changes. There is, however, increasing evidence that these depositional cycles are unreliable recorders of both the frequency and the amplitude of orbitally driven sea-level fluctuations. Carbonate cycles record only a fraction of the amplitude of a sea-level cycle: a portion of the rise and nothing of the fall. Cores through the Pleistocene cycles on Great Bahama Bank illustrate this shortcoming. Although the amplitudes of the last nine sea-level changes are each a hundred metres or more, the thickness of the cycles varies from a few metres to ca 15 m. The lack of correlation between sea-level amplitude and cycle thickness is not eliminated for cycles deposited during times of lower sea-level amplitudes, for example, the Cretaceous. Upper Cretaceous cycles on the Maiella platform margin document the irregularly filled accommodation space and the resultant variability in cycle thickness and frequency. Uncertainties in assessing the frequencies of sea-level changes from shallow-water carbonate cycles are caused by ‘missed beats’ and metre-scale oscillations of sea-level within highstands that potentially produce cycles of very short duration. The random amplitude variability during the last 57 glacio-eustatic sea-level changes illustrates the difficulty of assessing ‘missed beats’, where a sea-level fluctuation is not recorded because the sea-level rise does not reach the platform top. ‘Missed beats’ are also produced by the depositional topography that is created by irregularly filled accommodation space. As a result, variable numbers of cycles are deposited across the platform. Further complicating orbital frequency analyses are decametre-scale oscillations of the sea-level during highstands. The amplitude of these sub-orbital sea-level oscillations (up to 17 m within the last interglacial, Marine Isotope Stage 5e) are sufficient to expose shallow platforms like Great Bahama Bank and subsequently produce an additional depositional cycle with similar facies successions. The combined effects of missed beats and oscillations within highstands are likely to produce cycles and hiatuses of variable duration that are difficult to extract from the rock record. Consequently, estimates of the orbital forcing mechanisms and frequencies from ancient shallow-water carbonate cycles carry large uncertainties.
The influence of trichome density on the drying rate of alfalfa forage

Trichomes decrease water loss in some plant species, but their influence on water loss from alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) forage is unknown. A study was conducted which measured the water loss from field-grown, harvested forage of three erect, glandular-haired alfalfa germplasms, KS161, KS210 and KS224, the eglandular ‘Arc’ cultivar and the ‘Kenland’ cultivar of red clover (Trifolium pratense L.). Harvests were taken once in 1995 and 1997, and four times in 1996. Plant height, phenological stage, upper and lower stem diameters, leaf:stem ratio and apical stem densities of simple, procumbent glandular and erect glandular trichomes were determined. The drying rate constants of the forage were calculated by a combination of parametric and non-parametric modelling techniques. The harvest × germplasm interaction was significant for all parameters measured. The density of erect glandular hairs varied among entries for all harvests, while the drying rate of harvested forage differed among entries for three of the six harvests. Correlations between densities of erect glandular hairs and drying rate constants were generally low and non-significant, except for one harvest. Erect glandular hairs, at the densities measured in this study, generally did not influence drying rates of alfalfa forage. However, density of total trichomes was significantly and negatively correlated with drying rate for all alfalfa entries. The diameter of the stem had the greatest negative impact on drying rate.
Pump-Probe Imaging of Melanin Identifies Metastatic Potential of Melanoma

Two-color pump-probe microscopy produces chemical contrast between melanins in skin. Increased eumelanin fraction corresponds with worse melanoma prognosis. The spatial heterogeneity of the melanin fraction, both on a cellular and sub-cellular scale, also indicates malignancy.
Linking Collaborative Capacity to Performance Measurement in Government–Nonprofit Partnerships

This study uses the context of local government—nonprofit partnerships to test the potential influence of various partnership and organizational factors on collaborative outcomes, using two contrasting outcome measures. Although the structural qualities of effective partnerships are fairly well understood, many of their informal and interpersonal qualities have not been captured in “new governance” research. These include, potentially, the strength of shared goals and trust built on prior joint experience. This study finds that formal contracts and prior experience working with nonprofits and volunteers can increase at least a public manager’s perception of success, but the strongest association to real performance improvement comes from the intensity of shared goals and the level of investment in the partnership. The findings suggest the value in comparing multiple performance measures and also reinforce an understanding of the experiential, interpersonal factors that support collaborative success.
Biographic Correlates of Work Attitudes.

Abstract The correlation of six biographic variables (sex, age, school grade, future plans, geographic location, and socioeconomic status) with work attitudes (measured by the Youth Opinion Questionnaire) was investigated for two large samples of high school students. Analyses included bivariate correlation, multiple correlation, reciprocal averages prediction, and canonical correlation. Bivariate correlations were generally low. The six biographic variables in combination were significantly, but only modestly, related to work attitudes. Sex was the major factor associated with work attitudes. Future plans was the only other significant factor. Implications of the findings are discussed.
FMRI brain activation in response to odors is reduced in primary olfactory areas of elderly subjects

Olfactory function is affected by aging and deficits often result in decreasing quality of life, health and safety. The present study investigated the cortical substrate of olfactory deficits related to aging with functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI), with a retronasal olfactory stimulation protocol using flavored aqueous solutions presented to the mouth. Activation was found in young subjects in the piriform/amygdalar region and in the orbitofrontal cortex and in other areas previously found activated in neuroimaging studies using odorized air, including insula and cerebellum. Activation was seen in similar areas in old subjects but the degree of activation was significantly lower in regions receiving primary olfactory projections (piriform cortex, entorhinal cortex, and amygdala). This result supports the hypothesis of dysfunction and/or degeneration in areas critical to olfactory processing as a major cause of olfactory deficits in the older population.
Gas‐phase ion‐molecule bimolecular and clustering reactions in dilute solutions of acetonitrile in xenon, krypton, argon, neon and helium

Gas-phase bimolecular and clustering reactions of acetonitrile in Xe, Kr, Ar, Ne and He were studied at high chemical ionization pressures in the new coaxial ion source at Auburn. With electron energies near the ionization threshold, the mass spectra are exceedingly simple and are comprised of [CH4CH]+ and clusters of [CH4CN]+ with various ligands such as H2O and CH3CN. At higher electron energies many other peaks appear. The intensities of the new peaks depend upon the ionization potential of the charge transfer gas, the ionizing electron energy and the ion source conditions, and are due to reactions of fragment ions. Residence time distributions at electron energies above the ionization threshold (∼ 30 eV) demonstrate that two molecular structures are present in the ion beam at m/z 42, one presumably is protonated acetonitrile ([CH3CNH]+) while the evidence indicates that the second species does not contain acidic hydrogens. With ionizing electron energies near threshold (∼ 10. 5 eV) only one structure is observed. Studies with electron energies near the ionization threshold under high-pressure chemical ionization conditions result in greatly simplified mass spectra and are possible only because of the coaxial geometry of the ion source.
Collaborative structure between Japanese high‐tech manufacturers and consumers

Purpose – This is a study that aims to explore a new conception of marketing management based on the analyses of the demand side in Japanese high‐tech industries. Currently, due to the rapid development of technologies, conventional marketing and management methodologies sometimes cannot explain why emerging technologies and new usage diffuse epidemically among consumers in a short time.Design/methodology/approach – As a major example of successful technological development, this study focuses on a collaborative structure between Japanese high‐tech manufacturers and two types of consumer communities, “otaku” and “kogal.” The paper explores a hypothesis that each of the two consumer communities gives a different type of feedback to the manufacturers, and thus Japanese manufacturers can develop and improve their products very efficiently.Findings – Japanese management has been understood as “kaizen,” – a management way to improve the efficiency of the supply side. However, today's Japanese high‐tech compani...
Raw soybeans and roasted soybeans of different particle sizes. 2. Fatty acid utilization by lactating cows.

Abstract This study was conducted to examine the effects of feeding whole raw soybeans and roasted soybeans of different particle sizes on utilization by ruminal bacteria and lactating cows. Five cows with ruminal and duodenal cannulas were used in a 5 × 5 Latin square design. Diets contained 55% corn silage and 45% concentrate. Treatments were control (Ca soaps at 4.24% of dietary DM), whole raw soybeans, whole roasted soybeans, cracked roasted soybeans, or ground roasted soybeans. All soybean diets contained 19.7% soybeans. Source of fat (Ca soaps vs. soybeans) caused more differences in utilization of fatty acids than did processing of soybeans. Ruminal bacteria harvested from cows fed roasted soybeans had higher fatty acid content than from cows fed raw soybeans. Different methods for calculation of ruminal biohydrogenation of fatty acids are discussed. Roasting tended to increase the total tract digestibility of fatty acids, and roasted soybeans tended to increase polyunsaturated fatty acids in milk compared with raw soybeans, primarily because of changes in concentration of C18:2. Change in particle size of roasted soybeans had minor effects on utilization of fatty acids. Decisions on processing of soybeans need to be based primarily on factors other than fatty acid digestibility.
THORIUM INTERACTION WITH THE SILANOL GROUP, WATER, AND NITRATE IN THE PORES OF SILICA GEL

Abstract Solvation of Th+4 is observed by measuring the exclusion of Th(C1O4)4 from 50% of the pore volume of a high surface area silica gel under conditions of no cation exchange. Competition between Th+4 ions for water molecules increases as the concentration is increased from 0 to 0.4 M. Enough water of hydration is removed from Th+4 hydrate by HC1O4 to increase the pore volume availability to 100% in 8 M HC1O4. If HNO3 replaces HC1O4 at 6–8 M acid, the size of the thorium species increases markedly, presumably owing to Th+4-NO3− interaction. If, however, HNO3 replaces HC1O4 at 1.5–2.7 M acid, any Th+4-NO3− interaction merely replaces Th+4-H2O interaction and a size change is not observed. The thermodynamic values for the exchange Th+4 + 4 SiOH ⇌ Th(OSi)4 + 4 H+ are: ΔF 0 298 = 8.3 kcal. , ΔH 0 = 11.0 kcal. , ΔS 0 298 = 9.1 e.u.
Choice between rewarding brain stimuli of differing length.

Rats were given a choice between rewarding brain stimuli of different duration. Brain rewards beyond about 1 sec are treated as equivalent.
The continuity of plastic strain rate

Abstract The question of plastic strain rate continuity during instantaneous changes in total strain rate is addressed. This issue has important implications for models of plastic deformation kinetics. The particular case of a total strain rate change represented by the start of a stress relaxation test is considered in detail. It is concluded from a theoretical analysis that extreme experimental precision is required to detect plastic strain rate continuity at the start of stress relaxation. It is shown that the degree of experimental precision required depends on both material and experimental variables. Supporting experiments confirm plastic strain rate continuity in aluminum, iron and 304SS.
Routing for a Just-in-Time Supply Pickup and Delivery System

An optimization-based approach is developed for routing a just-in-time (JIT) supply pickup and delivery system. The approach defines routes among suppliers serving a large JIT assembly plant, the timing of these routes, and the frequency that they are run (implicitly defining parts quantities picked up each visit). The solutions satisfy various operational constraints at the JIT facility, including requirements for high-frequency/small-quantity deliveries and limits on space for parts storage. The solution space we consider here is restricted by an operational discipline that the industry calls common frequency routing. Under this system we only consider routing designs where each part source is being served by a single route run at a fixed daily frequency instead of designs where multiple routes visit that supplier, each potentially run at a different frequency. This dramatically reduces dimensionality of the problem and is also known to provide both management and operational advantages in practice. In solving the formulation, column generation and tabu search strategies have been developed, the latter suitable for realistic-sized problems. The utility of the approach is illustrated through a number of examples.
Comments on Quasars and Quarks

In this paper we bring out several points in connection with the recent paper by Huang and Edwards. First, extraterrestial spectroscopic searches for quarks have been carried out since 1966 by several groups. Secondly, because of the crudeness of the available data, the criteria used for the identifications were not sufficient and thus it should be stressed that the assignments are quite tentative. Thirdly, order-of-magnitude estimates of relative abundances of the quarked species were not made, based on the identifications. Finally, several of the transition lines identified as ${\ensuremath{\lambda}}_{\mathrm{Q}1}$ or ${\ensuremath{\lambda}}_{\mathrm{Q}2}$ should have had related normal species ${\ensuremath{\lambda}}_{\mathrm{Q}0}$ in the visible region, yet the related ${\ensuremath{\lambda}}_{\mathrm{Q}0}'\mathrm{s}$ were not present except in one case.
Density-dependent fluctuations in membrane permeability in logarithmically growing cell cultures

Abstract The effect of population density on cellular uptake of adenine, leucine, thymidine, and uridine was studied in monolayer cultures of a mammalian cell line not subject to density-dependent inhibition of growth. Experiments were conducted during the logarithmic phase of the growth cycle using cultures of equal age but at different cell densities to avoid effects of aging or of the transition to stationary-phase growth. Results indicate that uptake of leucine is independent of cell density, whereas uptake of adenine, thymidine, and uridine vary inversely with density. At higher densities incorporation of radioactive adenine, thymidine, and uridine into cellular macromolecules is reduced to approximately the same extent as uptake suggesting that utilization is limited by entry into the cell.
Admittance of an Inhomogeneously Sheathed Infinite Cylindrical Antenna Immersed in an Isotropic, Compressible Plasma

The admittance of an infinite cylindrical antenna excited at a circumferential gap of nonzero thickness and immersed in a lossy, isotropic compressible plasma medium is obtained from numerical calculations, taking into account the inhomogeneous ion sheath which forms about a body at floating potential in a warm plasma. The admittance for the inhomogeneous sheath is found to be fairly similar to that for the sheathless case, with the exception of a rather sharp maximum or resonance in the admittance just below the plasma frequency which results from the sheath inhomogeneity.
NITRIC OXIDE BIOSYNTHESIS DURING PREGNANCY : IMPLICATIONS FOR CIRCULATORY CHANGES

SUMMARY 1. The biosynthesis of NO and its second messenger, cGMP, increases from pre-pregnant levels during rat gestation. An increase in plasma level and urinary excretion of cGMP is also evident during human pregnancy. However, the relative contribution of the maternal vasculature and other tissues to increased NO and cGMP biosynthesis during gestation is uncertain. Consensus is lacking about the contribution of NO to reduced maternal vascular tone and reactivity during gestation in various organ beds; clearly, further investigation is still needed. That NO may also regulate vascular smooth muscle behaviour during pregnancy by altering membrane potential is another intriguing possibility. 2. The syncytiotrophoblast of the human placenta expresses significant NO synthase activity, and along with the fetoplacental endothelium undoubtedly contributes to NO production during pregnancy. 3. Finally, it should be emphasized that vascular studies in gravid animal models need to be extended to pregnant women.