cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Slow blow-up solutions for the H1(R3) critical focusing semilinear wave equation

Given ν>1/2 and δ>0 arbitrary, we prove the existence of energy solutions of ∂ttu−Δu−u5=0 (0.1) in R3+1 which blow up exactly at r=t=0 as t→0−. These solutions are radial and of the form u=λ(t)1/2W(λ(t)r)+η(r,t) inside the cone r≤t, where λ(t)=t−1−ν, W(r)=(1+r2/3)−1/2 is the stationary solution of (0.1), and η is a radiation term with ∫[r≤t](|∇η(x,t)|2+|ηt(x,t)|2+|η(x,t)|6)dx→0, t→0. Outside of the light-cone, there is the energy bound ∫[r>t](|∇u(x,t)|2+|ut(x,t)|2+|u(x,t)|6)dx 0. The regularity of u increases with ν. As in our accompanying article on wave maps [10], the argument is based on a renormalization method for the “soliton profile” W(r)
Denominational Preference and the Dimensions of Political Tolerance

This study investigates the tolerance belief systems of members of different denominational categories. After controls for education are imposed, it is found that there exists a Christian consensus on the circumstances in which intolerance may be justified. The characteristics of the audience (adults versus preadults) affect tolerance belief systems to a much greater extent than does the political content of a particular message.
A novel defense mechanism against web crawlers intrusion

Web robots also known as crawlers or spiders are used by search engines, hackers and spammers to gather information about web pages. Timely detection and prevention of unwanted crawlers increases privacy and security of websites. In this paper, a novel method to identify web crawlers is proposed to prevent unwanted crawler to access websites. This new method suggests Five-factor identification process to detect unwanted crawlers. This work provides the pretest and posttest results along with a systematic evaluation of web pages with the proposed identification technique versus web pages without the proposed identification process. The outputs of logistic regression analysis for both treatment and control groups are provided to evaluate hypotheses and to answer the research questions. An experiment is performed with repeated measures for two groups with each group containing the same web pages. The main goal of this work was to address the challenge of identifying and preventing unwanted web crawlers by proposing a novel defense mechanism with identification process.
Head and neck sarcomas: epidemiology, pathology, and management

Sarcomas of the head, neck, and skull base represent a heterogeneous group of tumors with distinct prognostic features. There have been significant improvements in characterizing these sarcomas using traditional morphologic assessments and more recent immunohistochemical analysis. Surgery is the mainstay of treatment followed by radiation therapy. Treatment modalities have changed in select pediatric sarcomas, for which new chemotherapeutic combinations have improved survival statistics. The high rate of distant failure emphasizes the need for novel systemic and directed molecular therapies. Tumor grade, size, and margin status are key factors in survival.
Photoelectron spectroscopy of boron aluminum hydride cluster anions

Boron aluminum hydride clusters are studied through a synergetic combination of anion photoelectron spectroscopy and density functional theory based calculations. Boron aluminum hydride cluster anions, BxAlyHz−, were generated in a pulsed arc cluster ionization source and identified by time-of-flight mass spectrometry. After mass selection, their photoelectron spectra were measured by a magnetic bottle-type electron energy analyzer. The resultant photoelectron spectra as well as calculations on a selected series of stoichiometries reveal significant geometrical changes upon substitution of aluminum atoms by boron atoms.
Dinitrogen formation by oxidative intramolecular N - N coupling in cis, cis-[(bpy)2(NH3)RuORu(NH3) (bpy)2]4+

The (15)N-labeled diammine(mu-oxo)ruthenium complex cis,cis-[(bpy)(2)(H(3)(15)N)Ru(III)ORu(III)((15)NH(3))(bpy)(2)](4+) ((2-(15)N)(4+)) was synthesized from cis,cis-[(bpy)(2)(H(2)O)Ru(III)ORu(III)(H(2)O)(bpy)(2)](4+) by using ((15)NH(4))(2)SO(4) and isolated as its perchlorate salt in 17% yield. A 1:1 mixture of (2-(15)N)(4+) and nonlabeled cis,cis-[(bpy)(2)(H(3)(14)N)Ru(III)ORu(III)((14)NH(3))(bpy)(2)](4+) were electrochemically oxidized in aqueous solution. The gaseous products (14)N(2) and (15)N(2) were formed in equimolar amounts with only a small amount of (14)N(15)N detected. This demonstrates that dinitrogen formation by oxidation of the diammine complex proceeds by intramolecular N---N coupling.
Testing and evaluation aspects of integration of unmanned air systems into the national air space

Current developments show that the integration of Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) into the National Airspace System (NAS) is a process that will inevitably happen. Arguably, it may be viewed as one of the key milestones in the history of aviation. Whereas the majority of research and development efforts are being invested on developing the core technologies and regulations to enable such a leap, there are currently a number of gaps that need to be addressed to transition those new technologies to daily operations with no detriment to performance of the NAS and chiefly, to safety of the NAS. One of those gaps relates to the efficient Testing and Evaluation (T&E) methodologies and procedures that need to be applied to guarantee smooth integration of UAS with varying levels of autonomy. Another main gap relates to the performance metrics that need to be considered to support these new T&E processes. This paper elaborates on those two aspects and it shows examples of how to streamline T&E to accelerate UAS integration.
Laser-induced thermoelectric effects in an STM junction

The spatial and temporal temperature distribution for a conical shape metal emitter under laser irradiance is obtained analytically using the Green function method. In this study the tip is modeled as an infinite cone of half angle θ0 which can vary between 0 and 12π. The full three-dimensional heat diffusion equation is solved simultaneously with the Fourier equation for the heat flux assuming no radiation losses. The general solution is obtained for an arbitrary temporal and spatial distribution of the irradiance. With uniform irradiance the temperature rise in the conical tip varies almost linearly with the laser intensity and heating time and depends strongly on cone angle and thermal properties. For a tungsten tip, the temperature increase is about 2–3 orders of magnitude above ambient for a typical laser intensity of about 1 MW/cm2 in a time of a few hundred nanoseconds. To study Joule heating and the Thomson thermoelectric effect in the STM junction we first obtained the current distribution inside the emitter. Using this as a volume heat source, we used the Green function method to solve the heat conduction equation. The resulting temperature gradient was then used to obtain the thermoelectric potential. For a tungsten tip at ∼ 1000 K the thermoelectric effect generates a bias voltage on the order of 10 mV.
BD-tree: output-sensitive collision detection for reduced deformable models

We introduce the Bounded Deformation Tree, or BD-Tree, which can perform collision detection with reduced deformable models at costs comparable to collision detection with rigid objects. Reduced deformable models represent complex deformations as linear superpositions of arbitrary displacement fields, and are used in a variety of applications of interactive computer graphics. The BD-Tree is a bounding sphere hierarchy for output-sensitive collision detection with such models. Its bounding spheres can be updated after deformation in any order, and at a cost independent of the geometric complexity of the model; in fact the cost can be as low as one multiplication and addition per tested sphere, and at most linear in the number of reduced deformation coordinates. We show that the BD-Tree is also extremely simple to implement, and performs well in practice for a variety of real-time and complex off-line deformable simulation examples.
A Comparison of Hand‐Held Isometric Strength Measurement with Isokinetic Muscle Strength Measurement in the Elderly

Objective: To compare hand-held isometric muscle strength measurement to an isokinetic muscle strength measurement in a healthy elderly population. Design: Cross-sectional survey. Setting: Retirement community in Southeastern Arizona. Participants: Thirty-two volunteers (16 men and 16 women) age 60 and over (mean age 70.3 years) who were free of musculoskeletal problems and did not have significant health problems. Interventions: None. Measurements: Isometric muscle strength was determined using a hand-held isometric strength device (Penny and Giles) for elbow flexion and extension and knee flexion and extension. Isokinetic muscle strength (average peak torque and average work per repetition) was measured on the same individuals using a Lido® isokinetic dynamometer. Results: Correlations between the strength measurement techniques were generally favorable with the lowest correlation being .72, (95 percent confidence interval .50–.86) and the highest being .85, (95 percent confidence interval .72–.93). However, there was substantial variability of hand-held strength reading at some levels of isokinetic strength. Conclusions: Hand-held dynamometry for strength measurement correlates strongly with measurement of strength using isokinetic dynamometry. Despite these high correlations, there is remaining variability of hand-held muscle strength readings when compared with isokinetic strength measurement at some levels of isokinetic muscle strength. Modification of the testing methodology or instrumentation used in this study is needed to improve the consistency of these measurements.
Materials for Reverse Saturable Absorption Optical Limiters

Systematic studies of the nonlinear optical properties of metallo-organic materials have led to the development of promising new phthalocyanine materials for optical limiting. Several heavy metal substituted phthalocyanines exhibit a strong nonlinear absorption that is useful for optical limiters in the visible. In fast optical systems, other mechanisms, such as the thermal refraction, contribute to the limiting. The spectral window for limiting can by modified by altering the molecular structure.
Neurodevelopmental outcome of extremely premature infants exposed to incomplete, no or complete antenatal steroids

AbstractObjective: To compare the neurodevelopmental outcomes at 18–22 months’ corrected age of extremely premature infants exposed to a complete course, an incomplete course or no dose of antenatal steroids (ANS).Methods: Retrospective chart review of extremely premature (<28 weeks gestational age) neonates over a 3-year period. Neurodevelopmental assessment at 18–22 months’ corrected age included a standardized neurologic examination and the Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler development II or III. Intact survival was defined as survival without cerebral palsy (CP), blindness or deafness and mental developmental index (MDI)/cognitive score ≥85. Neurodevelopmental impairment (NDI) was defined as any of the following: moderate or severe CP, MDI/cognitive score <70, deafness or blindness. Patients were categorized into three groups: (A) no ANS; (B) incomplete course and (C) complete course of ANS.Results: Outcome data were available for 134 (88%) patients of our cohort (n = 153). Severe intraventricular h...
Modelling of microstructure evolution in peritectic systems

Abstract Theoretical models for directional solidification microstructures are largely developed for steady-state growth conditions. In the two-phase region of peritectic system, a rich variety of two-phase microstructures form in which the two phases often form under non-steady-state conditions and the microstructure evolution depends on the nucleation characteristics of the two phases as well as on the competitive growth of the two phases under dynamical growth conditions. Theoretical models, based on nucleation and diffusive growth, are presented to establish the mechanisms that lead to different microstructure formation in peritectic systems. The critical role played by nucleation in the selection of oscillatory microstructures is discussed, and experimental studies to select different nucleation sites are described. Experimental studies in the Sn–Cd system are carried out in thin capillary samples to minimize fluid flow effects that are dominant in most experiments. Critical conditions for the observation of composite microstructures are evaluated. These results will be presented to support the predictions of the models.
Improved Interpolation and System Integration for FPGA-Based Molecular Dynamics Simulations

FPGA-based acceleration of molecular dynamics (MD) has been the subject of several recent studies. The paper describes a new non-bonded force computation pipeline implemented on a 2004-era COTS FPGA board and its integration into the ProtoMol MD code. There are several innovations: a novel interpolation strategy; the introduction of a "semi-floating point" format; and various issues related to system integration. As a result, the authors are able to model far more particle types, without relying on complex buffering, and obtain higher accuracy than previously. A two pipeline accelerator has been implemented on a Xilinx VirtexII Pro VP70, integrated into ProtoMol, and tested with an enzyme inhibitor model having 8000 particles and 26 particle types. Despite performing all O(n) work on the host PC, as well as the data conversion and communication overhead, this implementation yields a 5.5times speed-up over a 2.8GHz PC, and with accuracy comparable to the serial code
Comparison of two head and neck immobilization systems

Purpose: Accurate and reproducible patient positioning is fundamental to the success of fractionated radiotherapy. Concurrent with the introduction of three-dimensional treatment planning capabilities at our institution, a head and neck immobilization system consisting of a standard foam rubber head support and three casting strips was replaced by a customized mask-based device. This study was performed to analyze the impact of the customized immobilization system on the reproducibility of patient setup during irradiation of head and neck and brain tumors. Methods and Materials: Patients treated from 1989-1991 were immobilized with the strip system while those treated from 1991- 1995 were immobilized with the mask. All treatment fields were simulated and were treated on a 4 MV (where the strip, but not the mask, system was fixed to the treatment couch) or 2 6 MV (where both the strip and the mask systems were fixed to the couch) accelerator. Port films were taken on the initial treatment day, routinely during treatment, and following shifts (requested). The number, magnitude, and direction of any isocenter shifts were retrospectively reviewed. A two-tailed chi square test was used to compare the differences in requested shifts in the strip and mask groups. Results: The study population consisted of 69 brain tumor (35 strip, 34 mask) and 71 head and neck (37 strip, 34 mask) patients. A total of 1575 port films representing 1070 isocenter placements were analyzed. No differences between the immobilization systems was seen on the 4-MV accelerator (where the mask system was not fixed to the couch). On the 2 6-MV units, the frequency of shifts was 16.1% versus 6.2% (JJ = 0.002) with the strips and mask, respectively. Almost all of the benefit was seen in the routine films, where the corresponding rates were 13.2% and 4.1% (p = 0.007). For the mask system, the rate of requested shifts on routine films was 4.1% (W197) for the 2 6-MV units and 14.5% (24/166) for the 4-MV unit @ = 0.001). Conclusion: Using the frequency of physician-requested isocenter shifts as an indicator of the accuracy of patient repositioning, the newer mask system appears to be an improvement over the previously used strip system, provided that the immobilization device is secured to the treatment couch. Increased accuracy of daily setup provides an opportunity to improve the therapeutic ratio both by increased likelihood of tumor control and decreased risk of normal tissue complications. 0 1997 Elsevier Science Inc.
Synergistic and additive effects of kinetin and ethrel on the release of seed dormancy.

Abstract Dormancy in scarified Indian rice grass seeds was partially released by kinetin. Germination percentage was highly dependent on the concentration of kinetin and peaked at 0.1 mM. Additional promotion, however, was observed in the presence of Ethrel. A synergistic or additive effect on germination by the two growth regulators was observed irrespective of whether they were applied in acetone solution or in water. ATP content, but not the activity of α-amylase or alkaline phosphatase, in the germinating seeds (24 hr) was enhanced by kinetin, ethrel or a combination of both. A synergistic effect of these two hormones on the release of dormancy in cocklebur seeds was also observed.
Breast Cancer and Oral Contraceptive Use in Asian-American Women

The relationship between oral contraceptive (OC) use and breast cancer was investigated among Asian-American women. A population-based case-control study of Chinese Japanese and Filipino women ages 20-25 years were interviewed. Results showed that women who had been in the West for 2-7 years had the lowest prevalence of use. About 15.0% were OC users and 1.4% had been OC users for more than 5 years. Asian-Americans born in the West had the highest prevalence of OC use. However there were only slight differences of OC use among women living in rural or urban areas while in the East. An inverse association is shown between the duration of OC use and breast cancer among migrants more than 8 years ago. There were no increased risks associated with the use of OC and the duration of OC use. Women who started using OC at an early age were not associated with an increased risk of breast cancer and with a decreased risk at the very onset of use (age <21 years). Recent OC use (last OC use during last 5 years) was not associated with an increased risk of breast cancer. Consequently women who had been in the US more than 8 years were at almost twice the risk of breast cancer [odds ratio (OR) = 0.67] as women who had been in the country 2-7 years (OR = 0.34). This study suggests that OC use cannot explain the elevated risk observed in Asian-American women who migrated more than 7 years ago.
Numerical study of the random dimerized XX spin-1/2 chain

The effects of randomness and dimerization on the spin-1/2 XX chain are studied by a mapping to free fermions. Results are presented for the transverse and longitudinal components of the average and typical spin and string correlation functions. Contrary to previous numerical evidence, the decay exponents of all the above correlation functions are found to be in good agreement with the theoretical RG predictions for the random singlet phase. We also present cross-over functions for the above correlation functions in the random dimer phase. Disorder averages have been taken for system sizes up to N=1024, about ten times larger than in previous studies.
Vitamin C reduces spatial learning deficits in middle-aged and very old APP/PSEN1 transgenic and wild-type mice.

Alzheimer's disease is a progressive and fatal neurodegenerative disease characterized by a build up of amyloid beta (Abeta) deposits, elevated oxidative stress, and deterioration of the cholinergic system. The present study investigated short-term cognitive-enhancing effects of acute intraperitoneal (i.p.) Vitamin C (ascorbate) treatment in APP/PSEN1 mice, a mouse model of Alzheimer's disease. Middle-aged (12 months) and very old (24 months) APP/PSEN1 bigenic and wild-type mice were treated with ascorbate (125 mg/kg i.p.) or the vehicle 1 h before testing on Y-maze spontaneous alternation and Morris water maze tasks. Very old mice performed more poorly on cognitive tasks than middle-aged mice. Ascorbate treatment improved Y-maze alternation rates and swim accuracy in the water maze in both wild-type and APP/PSEN1 mice. Abeta deposits and oxidative stress both increased with age, and acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity was significantly reduced in APP/PSEN1 compared to wild-type mice. However, the short course of acute ascorbate treatment did not alter Alzheimer-like neuropathological features of plaque deposition, oxidative stress, or AChE activity. These data suggest that ascorbate may have nootropic functions when administered parenterally in high doses and that the mode of action is via an acute, pharmacological-like mechanism that likely modulates neurotransmitter function.
Stent enhancement using a locally adaptive unsharp masking filter in digital x-ray fluoroscopy

Low exposure X-ray fluoroscopy is used to guide some complicate interventional procedures. Due to the inherent high levels of noise, improving the visibility of some interventional devices such as stent will greatly benefit those interventional procedures. Stent, which is made up of tiny steel wires, is also suffered from contrast dilutions of large flat panel detector pixels. A novel adaptive unsharp masking filter has been developed to improve stent contrast in real-time applications. In unsharp masking processing, the background is estimated and subtracted from the original input image to create a foreground image containing objects of interest. A background estimator is therefore critical in the unsharp masking processing. In this specific study, orientation filter kernels are used as the background estimator. To make the process simple and fast, the kernels average along a line of pixels. A high orientation resolution of 18° is used. A nonlinear operator is then used to combine the information from the images generated from convolving the original background and noise only images with orientation filters. A computerized Monte Carlo simulation followed by ROC study is used to identify the best nonlinear operator. We then apply the unsharp masking filter to the images with stents present. It is shown that the locally adaptive unsharp making filter is an effective filter for improving stent visibility in the interventional fluoroscopy. We also apply a spatio-temporal channelized human observer model to quantitatively optimize and evaluate the filter.
Degree of conservation of HeLa interphase nonhistone antigens in metaphase and with chromatin from non-human cells

Immunological procedures were applied to determine the degree of conservation of the nonhistone proteins of HeLa interphase chromatin. Polyacrylamide gels were overlaid with antiserum to HeLa interphase chromatin, and 125I-Protein A was used to detect bound antibodies. With two-dimensional gels, more than 80 interphase species were found as components of metaphase chromosomes. The degree of conservation of HeLa nonhistone antigens with other chromatin sources was calculated through densitometry of autoradiograms and stained gels. Chromatin was obtained from chicken erythrocytes, Novikoff rat hepatoma cells, and mouse L cells, and the presence of one-quarter to one-third of the nonhistone antigens of HeLa chromatin was demonstrated.
Power allocation and waveform design for the compressive sensing based MIMO radar

By exploring sparsity in the target space, compressive sensing (CS) based multi-input multi-output (MIMO) radar systems achieve either the same localization performance as traditional methods but with significantly fewer measurements, or significantly improved performance with the same number of measurements. The work presented here investigates the performance gain of CS-MIMO radars, stemming from optimal power allocation among the transmit antennas, or optimal waveform design. In both cases, the optimization criterion is the minimization of the coherence between the target returns from different search cells, or equivalently, the coherence of the columns of the sensing matrix.
Studies on chicken actomyosin. I. Effect of storage on muscle enzymic and physico-chemical properties.

Experiments were conducted to study the effect of storing broiler chicken muscle at 25°C on certain properties of actomyosin of the pectoralis major. Storage for 3 h or more resulted in the Mg2+-activated ATPase of actomyosin becoming less sensitive to inhibition by increasing concentrations of KCl and in an increased rate of superprecipitation of the complex. The analytical ultra-centrifuge pattern of the actomyosin of stored muscle differed from that of fresh muscle. Some evidence was obtained for the observed changes being partly dependent upon the pH of the muscle used as the source of actomyosin.
SNAPPS-Plus: An educational prescription for students to facilitate formulating and answering clinical questions

Purpose To analyze the content and quality of PICO-formatted questions (Patient– Intervention–Comparison–Outcome), and subsequent answers, from students’ educational prescriptions added to the final SNAPPS Select step (SNAPPS-Plus). Method Internal medicine clerkship students at the University of Minnesota Medical Center were instructed to use educational prescriptions to complement their bedside SNAPPS case presentations from 2006 to 2010. Educational prescriptions were collected from all eligible students and coded for topic of uncertainty, PICO conformity score, presence of answer, and quality of answer. Spearman rank–order correlation coefficient was used to compare ordinal variables, Kruskal–Wallis test to compare distribution of PICO scores between groups, and McNemar exact test to test for association between higher PICO scores and presence of an answer. Results A total of 191 education prescriptions were coded from 191 eligible students, of which 190 (99%) included a question and 176 (93%, 176/190) an answer. Therapy questions constituted 59% (112/190) of the student-generated questions; 19% (37/190) were related to making a diagnosis. Three-fifths of the questions (61%, 116/190) were scored either 7 or 8 on the 8-point PICO conformity scale. The quality of answers varied, with 37% (71/190) meeting all criteria for high quality. There was a positive correlation between the PICO conformity score and the quality of the answers (Spearman rank–order correlation coefficient = 0.726; P < .001). Conclusions The SNAPPS-Plus technique was easily integrated into the inpatient clerkship structure and guaranteed that virtually every case presentation following this model had a well-formulated question and answer.
DRAG REDUCTION WITH SUPERHYDROPHOBIC RIBLETS

Samples combining riblets and superhydrophobic surfaces are fabricated at University of Pittsburgh and their drag reduction properties are studied at the Center for Nanophase Materials Sciences (CNMS) in Oak Ridge National Laboratory with a commercial cone-and-plate rheometer. In parallel to the experiments, numerical simulations are performed in order to estimate the slip length at high rotational speed. For each sample, a drag reduction of at least 5% is observed in both laminar and turbulent regime. At low rotational speed, drag reduction up to 30% is observed with a 1 mm deep grooved sample. As the rotational speed increases, a secondary flow develops causing a slight decrease in drag reductions. However, drag reduction above 15% is still observed for the large grooved samples. In the turbulent regime, the 100 μm grooved sample becomes more efficient than the other samples in drag reduction and manages to sustain a drag reduction above 15%. Using the simulations, the slip length of the 100 μm grooved sample is estimated to be slightly above 100 μm in the turbulent regime.Copyright © 2012 by ASME
Death by a Thousand Cuts: The Fight over Taxing Inherited Wealth

Death by a Thousand Cuts: The Fight over Taxing Inherited Wealth. By Michael J. Graetz and Ian Shapiro. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 2005. 392p. 19.95 paper.Michael Graetz and Ian Shapiro ask an intriguing question: “Why would anyone who could see straight imagine that a tax paid by only 2 percent of the wealthiest Americans [the estate tax] could be abolished?” (p. 12). But legislation in 2001 did just that, at least temporarily. (If Congress does not act again, however, the estate tax, scheduled to expire in 2010, will revive in 2011.)
The Small Abnormal Parathyroid Gland is Increasingly Common and Heralds Operative Complexity

Over decades, improvements in presymptomatic screening and awareness of surgical benefits have changed the presentation and management of primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT). Unrecognized multiglandular disease (MGD) remains a major cause of operative failure. We hypothesized that during parathyroid surgery the initial finding of a mildly enlarged gland is now frequent and predicts both MGD and failure. A prospective database was queried to examine the outcomes of initial exploration for sporadic PHPT using intraoperative PTH monitoring (IOPTH) over 15 years. All patients had follow-up ≥6 months (mean = 1.8 years). Cure was defined by normocalcemia at 6 months and microadenoma by resected weight of <200 mg. Of the 1,150 patients, 98.9 % were cured and 15 % had MGD. The highest preoperative calcium level decreased over time (p < 0.001) and varied directly with adenoma weight (p < 0.001). Over time, single adenoma weight dropped by half (p = 0.002) and microadenoma was increasingly common (p < 0.01). MGD risk varied inversely with weight of first resected abnormal gland. Microadenoma required bilateral exploration more often than macroadenoma (48 vs. 18 %, p < 0.01). When at exploration the first resected gland was <200 mg, the rates of MGD (40 vs. 11 %, p = 0.001), inadequate initial IOPTH drop (67 vs. 79 %, p = 0.002), operative failure (6.6 vs. 0.7 %, p < 0.001), and long-term recurrence (1.6 vs. 0.3 %, p = 0.007) were higher. Single parathyroid adenomas are smaller than in the past and require more complex pre- and intraoperative management. During exploration for sporadic PHPT, a first abnormal gland <200 mg should heighten suspicion of MGD and presages a tenfold higher failure rate.
New techniques for exciting linearly tapered slot antennas with coplanar waveguide

Two new techniques for exciting a linearly tapered slot antenna (LTSA) with coplanar waveguide (CPW) are introduced. In the first approach, an air bridge is used to couple power from a CPW to an LTSA. In the second approach, power is electromagnetically coupled from a finite CPW (FCPW) to an LTSA. Measured results at 18 GHz show excellent return loss and radiation patterns.
Secondary antibody-forming potential of mice in relation to age--its significance in senescence.

Abstract A primary antibody response profile analogous to a damped harmonic motion was observed when BC3F1 mice were injected i.p. with 1.5 × 108 rat red blood corpuscles when they were 1 month old and their agglutinin response was followed throughout their life-span. There were six cycles of rise and fall in titer, and the length of each in sequence was 3, 23, 24, 16, 24, and 16 weeks. The spleen cell mass, indicative of the total number of cells per spleen, increased exponentially between 1 week and 2 months after birth with a T2 of ∼1 month and then increased gradually throughout the life-span. The primary antibody-forming potential (PAFP) per spleen increased 10-fold to a maximum level between 1 and 4 months of age, remained at this level for the next 3–4 months, and then decreased slowly in apparently an exponential manner with a T 1 2 of ∼10 months until at least 31 months of age. When 1-month-old mice were primed with an adequate dose of antigen their secondary antibody-forming potential (SAFP) per spleen increased 32-fold during the first week after priming and another 3-fold to a maximum level during the subsequent 3 months. It then decreased in an apparently exponential manner with a T 1 2 of ∼10 months until at least 27 months of age. The SAFP per mouse also increased rapidly during the first month after priming and then slowly during the next 2 months to a maximum level. During this interval the SAFP per mouse increased 25-fold in contrast to a 100-fold increase in the SAFP per spleen. The SAFP per mouse remained at this maximum level for the next 2–4 months before it too began to decrease exponentially with a T 1 2 of 6 months until at least 27 months of age. The results are discussed in terms of a change in immunologically competent cells and homeostatic factors regulating the expression of these cells. A brief discussion is also made of the significance of senescence of immune potential to the life expectancy of an individual.
Detecting the adsorption of dye molecules in homogeneous poly(propylene imine) dendrimer monolayers by surface plasmon resonance sensor

In this work, we studied guest−host interactions between various dye molecules and the fifth-generation poly(propylene imine) (PPI-5) dendrimers in aqueous solutions using a surface plasmon resonance (SPR) sensor. The effect of the properties of guest and host molecules (e.g., charge and shape) and media (e.g., pH and ion strength) on affinity between guest and host molecules was investigated. Based on an immobilized homogeneous monolayer of PPI-5 dendrimer tethered to carboxyl-terminal self-assembled monolayers, the adsorption behavior of a group of dye molecules in PPI-5 was obtained. Results show that the strong affinity of PPI-5 to Rose Bengal and erythrosine B is attributed to the good match in charge and shape between the cavities of the dendrimer and the dye molecules. Maximum adsorption around a pH value of 7 was observed. The kinetic behaviors of different dye molecules in dendrimers were also studied. A fundamental understanding of guest−host interactions in dendrimers will guide the design of n...
Creating effective customer relationships in not‐for‐profit retailing: the Ten Thousand Villages example

This paper examines Ten Thousand Villages (a not-for-profit organization with retail operations in US and Canada that pays Third World artisans fair market value for their works) in terms of its retailing and customer relationship management (CRM) strategies. The authors present an analysis of one Ten Thousand Villages retail store to assess if and how CRM might be successfully implemented. The analysis considers the use of a volunteer retail sales force and how volunteers might successfully interface with customers. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
CVD of carbon nanotubes in porous nickel for anodes in lithium ion battery

Graphite materials are widely used in the commercialized lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) as anode materials. However, the capacity of graphite anode is relatively low and cannot afford enough energy density required in many emerging applications. Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) possess both high specific surface area and excellent electrical conductivity, which render them desired materials for the electrode of energy storage devices. In this short review article, LIB electrodes prepared by integrating three dimensional nickel structures and CNTs are reviewed. In addition, different methods of attaching CNT and hybrid-CNT on porous Ni are discussed.
The racial divide among American children in poverty: Reassessing the importance of neighborhood

Abstract Census data have long indicated that black and Hispanic children in the United States are approximately two to three times more likely than white children to fall below the official poverty line. Yet this well established statistic masks a much higher differential in the incidence of ecological poverty between white and nonwhite children. This paper examines the extent of this racial/ethnic divide through an alternative and new metric of childhood neighborhood poverty. Data from the 1990 and 2000 U.S. Census are used to estimate the percentage of white, black, and Hispanic children residing in high childhood poverty neighborhoods. Our results indicate that black children are up to 14 times more likely to live in a high childhood poverty neighborhood when compared to their white counterparts. In addition, for black children living below the poverty line, the majority will experience the double disadvantage of residing in a poor minority childhood neighborhood as well. Findings for Hispanic children are similar to those for black children, albeit slightly less pronounced.
Computational evaluation of the coupled oscillator model in the vibrational circular dichroism of selected small molecules

A comparison is made between the predictions of the dynamic coupling or coupled oscillator model of vibrational circular dichroism (VCD) and those of the a priori magnetic field perturbation (MFP) theory as formulated by Stephens. For two independent formaldehyde molecules at reasonably large separations, both calculations are in agreement for the C=O VCD; but deviations develop at short separations. In addition, calculated results for seven different cyclopropane- or cy- clobutane-based molecules made chiral by trans-dideuterio substitution are presented. For identical C-H and C-D stretch oscillators, the hydrocarbons studied gave MFP computed VCD spectra that are qualitatively predictable with the coupled oscillator model, but the MFP magnitudes were uniformly larger and exhibited a progressive degree of inequality. However, the coupled oscillator model failed for some oxygen-containing molecules studied, implying that its application is far from universal.
Modification of ferritin during iron loading

Abstract Recombinant human ferritin loaded with iron via its own ferroxidase activity did not sediment through a sucrose-density gradient as a function of iron content. Analysis of the recombinant ferritin by native PAGE demonstrated an increase in altered migration pattern of the ferritins with increasing sedimentation, indicating an alteration of the overall charge of ferritin. Additionally, analysis of the ferritin by SDS-PAGE under nonreducing conditions demonstrated that the ferritin had formed large aggregates, which suggests disulfide bonds are involved in the aggregation. The hydroxyl radical was detected by electron spin resonance spectroscopy during iron loading into recombinant ferritin by its own ferroxidase activity. However, recombinant human ferritin loaded with iron in the presence of ceruloplasmin sedimented through a sucrose-density gradient similar to native ferritin. This ferritin was shown to sediment as a function of iron content. The addition of ceruloplasmin to the iron loading assay eliminated the detection of the DMPO- OH adduct observed during loading using the ferroxidase activity of ferritin. The elimination of the DMPO- OH adduct was determined to be due to the ability of ceruloplasmin to completely reduce oxygen to water during the oxidation of the ferrous iron. The implications of these data for the present models for iron uptake into ferritin are discussed.
Solitary Rossby Waves in the Presence of Vertical Shear

The effects of vertical shear on regular neutral mode Rossby solitons driven by a horizontal shear are investigated in light of the proposition that certain features in the Jupiter atmosphere may be explained by solitary Rossby waves. Consideration is given to a two-layer quasi-geostrophic model in which the motion in each layer consists of a different zonal shear flow, with vertical shear concentrated at the interface between the layers. In the case of a strong vertical shear, it is found that only a very restricted set of flows will admit Rossby neutral model solitons. For the more realistic case of a weak vertical shear, results indicate similar, but latitudinally shifted, wave patterns in each layer. It is noted that no such slant has yet been detected in the Great Red Spot.
A Randomized Controlled Pilot Trial of the Functional Assessment Screening Tablet to Engage Patients at the Point of Care

BACKGROUND Healthcare providers play an important role in encouraging healthy behaviors and improving health-related quality of life (HRQoL). They are most effective when they partner with informed, engaged patients.
Understanding jet quenching and medium response with dihadron correlation

A brief review of the pT dependence of the dihadron correlations from RHIC is presented. We attempt to construct a consistent picture that can describe the data as a whole, focusing on the following important aspects: (1) the relation between jet fragmentation of survived jet and medium response to quenched jets, (2) the possible origin of the medium response and its relation to intermediate pT physics for single hadron production, (3) the connection between the near-side ridge and away-side cone and (4) their relations to low energy results.
Parameter estimation for the 4-parameter Asymmetric Exponential Power distribution by the method of L-moments using R

The implementation characteristics of two method of L-moments (MLM) algorithms for parameter estimation of the 4-parameter Asymmetric Exponential Power (AEP4) distribution are studied using the R environment for statistical computing. The objective is to validate the algorithms for general application of the AEP4 using R. An algorithm was introduced in the original study of the L-moments for the AEP4. A second or alternative algorithm is shown to have a larger L-moment-parameter domain than the original. The alternative algorithm is shown to provide reliable parameter production and recovery of L-moments from fitted parameters. A proposal is made for AEP4 implementation in conjunction with the 4-parameter Kappa distribution to create a mixed-distribution framework encompassing the joint L-skew and L-kurtosis domains. The example application provides a demonstration of pertinent algorithms with L-moment statistics and two 4-parameter distributions (AEP4 and the Generalized Lambda) for MLM fitting to a modestly asymmetric and heavy-tailed dataset using R.
Double dipping: the case of the missing binomial coefficient identities

Abstract A game of chance leads to the study of real sequences x and y with the remarkable property that the products of their differences are majorized by the differences of their product. Such sequences are said to form a double-dipping pair. The simplest examples: xn=(1 − p)n, yn=(1−q)n(n=0,1,2,…) with 0 ⩽p,q⩽1, arise when the game is played by tossing coins. The double-dipping property for these is the intriguing assertion (see Bennett, 1990) that the sum of any N terms from the set {pmqn:m,n=0,1,2,…} does not exceed 1+(p+q−pq)+⋯+(p+q−pq)N −1(N=1,2,…). Our purpose here is to prove the analogous inequalities that arise when the game is governed by sampling balls from urns, with various replacement schemes. This leads to the conjecture that x and y form a double-dipping pair whenever x N =( B−n b ) and y n = ( C−n c ) (n=0,1,2,…) , where B, b, C, c are non-negative integers with B⩾b and C⩾c.
The ex utero intrapartum treatment procedure: anesthetic considerations

The ex-utero intrapartum treatment (EXIT) procedure is an uncommon operation indicated for fetal lesions with the potential to cause life-threatening airway obstruction immediately after delivery. By maintaining utero-placental circulation, the fetal airway can be evaluated and secured prior to delivery. The anesthetic goals for the EXIT procedure differ significantly from a cesarean delivery and include profound uterine relaxation, fetal anesthesia and maintenance of the maternal-fetal circulation. We present a case of an uneventful EXIT procedure and include a discussion of the anesthetic goals for this operation.
A review of antioxidants and Alzheimer's disease.

Background In this article, we review a diverse body of research and draw conclusions about the usefulness, or lack there-of, of specific antioxidants in the prevention of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Methods The National Library of Medicine's database was searched for the years 1996-2004 using the search terms "Alzheimer's, anti-oxidants, antioxidants." Results Over 300 articles were identified and 187 articles were selected for inclusion based on relevance to the topic. Agents that show promise in helping prevent AD include: 1) aged garlic extract, 2) curcumin, 3) melatonin, 4) resveratrol, 5) Ginkgo biloba extract, 6) green tea, 7) vitamin C and 8) vitamin E. Conclusions While the clinical value of antioxidants for the prevention of AD is often ambiguous, some can be recommended based upon: 1) epidemiological evidence, 2) known benefits for prevention of other maladies, and 3) benign nature of the substance. Long-term, prospective studies are recommended.
Spatial Patterns and Regional Growth Among Classic Maya Cities

An objective methodology, based upon the rank-ordering and spatial patterning of Maya centers of the central Peten and central Yucatan zones, is used to infer developmental sequencing in the Maya Lowlands. If courtyard counts are employed as the basic measure of center importance, the Tikal and Calakmul regions each exhibit a size continuum of centers, consistent with the rank-size rule. The Rio Bec and Chenes regions exhibit a size distribution characterized by the existence of several large centers of nearly the same size, i.e., a situation of pluralism. These findings suggest that at the end of the Classic period, Tikal and Calakmul were dominant centers in economically mature regions, with a balance between external and internal growth forces. On the other hand, the later Rio Bec and Chenes centers appear to be in a state of growth redistribution or decline, their external ties truncated by the collapse to the south. Spatial patterning is less conclusive and suggests a relatively dispersed pattern of centers in all regions. The overall conclusion, especially from the frequency distributions of centers by size, is that the "periphery" (exemplified by Rio Bec-Chenes) developed first, reached a period of stasis, and developed further only on the collapse of the "core" centers (Tikal-Calakmul).
Comparison of action spectra for acute cutaneous responses to ultraviolet radiation: man and albino hairless mouse.

The hairless mouse has been used as an experimental model for photocarcinogenesis for about 20 years. Although the carcinogenesis action spectra for mice and man are not known, acute responses to ultraviolet radiation (UVR) in the biologically active UVB and UVC region (wavelengths below 320 nm) can be compared. Vascular response (predominantly edema) action spectra for monochromatic radiation in the Skh:HR-l (albino hairless) male mouse were determined. These action spectra were found to be very similar to the human erythema action spectrum that had been developed using the same monochromator. The accuracy of this experimentally derived action spectrum was tested with a series of polychromatic source spectra. The mice were exposed to radiation from a long arc Xe lamp filtered by varying thicknesses of Schott WG320 filters, which yielded a wide range of biologically effective spectra. Spectral irradiance measurements, when weighted with the mouse edema and human erythema action spectra and multiplied by the irradiation time required to elicit a threshold response (edema), yielded a constant weighted dose regardless of irradiation spectral quality. The integrated effective dose was approximately 200 J/m2 of 297 nm equivalent energy, agreeing with requirements for the monochromatic 297 nm dose in the mice as well as for minimal human erythema. These data suggest a commonality in the UVR chromophores of mice and men as they relate to the acute responses described, and a direct additivity of effectiveness from the UVR components in a polychromatic beam, at least over the portion of the UVR spectrum tested (λ > 295 nm).
The reaction of ethylene with tetraborane: The preparation, structure and properties of dimethylenetetraborane

Abstract The new compound, dimethylenetetraborane, C 2 H 4 B 4 H 8 , has been prepared in 70 per cent yields by the reaction of ethylene with tetraborane. Chemical and physical evidence indicate that it has a cyclic bridged structure which is unique in borane chemistry.