cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Geometric methods in the study of irregularities of distribution

Letν be a signed measure on E d with νE d =0 and ¦ν¦Ed<∞. DefineD s(ν) as sup ¦νH¦ whereH is an open halfspace. Using integral and metric geometric techniques results are proved which imply theorems such as the following.Theorem A. Letν be supported by a finite pointsetp i. ThenD s(ν)>c d(δ1/δ 2)1/2{∑ i(νp i)2}1/2 whereδ 1 is the minimum distance between two distinctp i, andδ 2 is the maximum distance. The numberc d is an absolute dimensional constant. (The number .05 can be chosen forc 2 in Theorem A.)Theorem B. LetD be a disk of unit area in the planeE 2, andp 1,p 2,...,p n be a set of points lying inD. If m if the usual area measure restricted toD, while γnP i=1/n defines an atomic measure γn, then independently of γn,nD s(m −γ n)≥ .0335n 1/4. Theorem B gives an improved solution to the Roth “disk segment problem” as described by Beck and Chen. Recent work by Beck shows thatnD s(m −γ n)≥cn 1/4(logn)−7/2.
Preparation, Properties, and Reactions of Five-Coordinate Re(VII) Dioxo and Diimido Complexes

The reactions of aliphatic and aromatic 1,2-diamines, diols, and dithiols with CH3ReO3 (1), {CH3Re(NAr)2O}2 (2, Ar = 2,6-diisopropylphenyl), and {CH3Re(NAr)2S}2 (3) have been studied. Two of the reaction products, [CH3Re(O)2{1,2-(NH)2C6H4}]2{μ-1,2-(NH2)2C6H4} (4a‘) and CH3Re(NAr)2(SCH2CH2S) (5c), have been structurally characterized. The former is a binuclear species in which each rhenium is six-coordinate with a pseudo-octahedral structure. The bridging phenylenediamine ligand can be replaced by pyridine and its derivatives. Unlike the known catecholato complex CH3ReVII(O)2(1,2-O2C6H4)(Py), the ReV-benzoquinonediimine resonance form contributes noticeably to the overall structure of 4a‘. The five-coordinate diimido complex 5c does not interact with coordinating ligands such as pyridines. The initial reactions of 2 with catechol and ethylene glycol lead to CH3Re(NAr)2(1,2-O2C6H4) (5b‘) and CH3Re(NAr)2(OCH2CH2O) (5b), respectively. Further hydrolysis of 5b affords CH3Re(NAr)(O)(OCH2CH2O) (6b). Compound 3, ...
Petrology and Rb-Sr isotope geochemistry of intrusions in the Diablo Plateau, northern Trans-Pecos magmatic province, Texas and New Mexico

Shallow intrusive bodies in a 65-km-long belt consist of quartz-bearing and feldspathoidal syenite, trachyte, and phonolite, all within a narrow range of composition. K-Ar ages (35 ± 2 m.y.) and modal, whole-rock chemical, Rb-Sr isotopic, and mineralogic data suggest that all the intrusive rocks were derived from one magma reservoir. Nine intrusive rock types are divisible into two groups. The older group, commonly forming sills and laccoliths, is fine- to coarse-grained and has little or no flow structure, low Rb, high Sr, and initial 87Sr/86Sr ratios of 0.703 to 0.709. The younger group, tending to form discordant sheets, is finely porphyritic and has strongly developed flow structure, high Rb, low Sr, and initial strontium ratios of 0.705 to 0.712. The younger group shows more extreme compositional variation, including the most silica-oversaturated and the most silica-undersaturated rocks. Each group contains both quartz-bearing and feldspathoidal rock types. Fractional removal of plagioclase and biotite from mugearitic liquid progressively enriched the remaining liquid in sodium while depleting it in calcium, magnesium, and titanium. Later differentiation proceeded mostly by removal of alkali feldspar.
Unsteady aerodynamic characteristics of a dual-element airfoil

Unsteady aerodynamic behavior and load characteristics of a VR-7 slat/airfoil combination oscillating sinusoidally between 5-25 deg have been studied. The unsteady, compressible Navier-Stokes equations are solved on a multiblock grid using an approximate factorization finite difference scheme. In the case of a single airfoil, a massive flow separation and formation of a strong vortex is observed. The vortex-induced suction and the shedding of the vortex into the wake is responsible for high aerodynamic loads and the subsequent stall of the airfoil. In the case of a slat/airfoil combination, the suction peak at the leading edge of the airfoil is reduced significantly in comparison to the single airfoil. Flow separation is confined to the trailing edge of the main airfoil, and the formation of a strong vortical structure is not observed. The slat/airfoil combination does not experience a massive flow separation, and the aerodynamic lift does not undergo the characteristic deep dynamic stall hysteresis loops.
Lack of correlation between the steinbrocker staging of hand radiographs and the functional health status of individuals with rheumatoid arthritisx

We evaluated the correlation between destructive changes seen on hand radiographs and disability in 54 patients with definite or classic rheumatoid arthritis. No statistically significant correlation was found between radiographic findings and patient disability as determined by patient and physician assessment or by the patient's score on the Arthritis Impact Measurement Scales questionnaire. These findings call into question the appropriateness of using hand radiographs as a determinant of disability or as a criterion for disability insurance benefits.
Valuation Waves and Merger Activity: The Empirical Evidence

To test recent theories that suggest valuation errors affect merger activity, we develop a decomposition that breaks M/B into three components: the firm-specific pricing deviation from short-run industry pricing; sector-wide, short-run deviations from firms' long-run pricing; and long-run pricing to book. We find strong support for recent theories by Rhodes-Kropf and Viswanathan (2003) and Shleifer and Vishny (2003), which predict that misvaluation drives mergers. So much of the behavior of M/B is driven by firm-specific deviations from short-run industry pricing, that long-run components of M/B run counter to the conventional wisdom: Low long-run value to book firms buy high long-run value to book firms. Misvaluation affects who buys whom, as well as method of payment, and combines with neoclassical explanations to explain aggregate merger activity.
An active role for tRNA in decoding beyond codon:anticodon pairing.

During transfer RNA (tRNA) selection, a cognate codon:anticodon interaction triggers a series of events that ultimately results in the acceptance of that tRNA into the ribosome for peptide-bond formation. High-fidelity discrimination between the cognate tRNA and near- and noncognate ones depends both on their differential dissociation rates from the ribosome and on specific acceleration of forward rate constants by cognate species. Here we show that a mutant tRNATrp carrying a single substitution in its D-arm achieves elevated levels of miscoding by accelerating these forward rate constants independent of codon:anticodon pairing in the decoding center. These data provide evidence for a direct role for tRNA in signaling its own acceptance during decoding and support its fundamental role during the evolution of protein synthesis.
PETROGRAPHY AND CHEMISTRY OF THE FAUCETT METEORITE, BUCHANAN COUNTY, MISSOURI

Nine, possibly ten, stones from northwestern Missouri are known as the Faucett meteorite. These stones are finds, but may be fragments of a large fireball seen in the area in 1907. The meteorite is an olivine-bronzite chondrite (H4) containing approximately 31% chondrules and 69% matrix. Modal analysis gives: olivine 43%, orthopyroxene 28.3%, oligoclase 5.9%, glass 1.2%, metallic grains (both nickel-iron and troilite) 19.7%, other minerals and unidentified grains 2.0%. The chemical analysis is typical of modern analyses of H-group chondrites with a total iron value of 26.59 weight percent.
Changing attitudes and habits to reduce risk factors in chronic disease.

Abstract Because individual attitude and behavioral patterns are strongly implicated in the causation and prevention of chronic disease, one must consider programs of behavioral change for adults, and preventive programs for children to reduce chronic disease risk factors. According to the concept of multiple causes, changing behavior requires that one understand the sequence of steps leading to change: exposure, understanding, change of attitude and action. Ways of actualizing these steps for behavioral change in adults are discussed for both mass media and interpersonal communication, and special attention is given to the doctor-patient relationship. The assumption that behavior is more easily controlled in children than adults underlies the emphasis on preventive approaches to health education. This assumption is analyzed with discussion of the lifetime stability of attitudes and habits, the appropriateness of early habits for later life, the comparative value of teaching specific habits versus general concept of health, and the biological and social factors that create difficulties in communicating with children and produce motives counter to those required for sound health practices. It is concluded that prevention may be as difficult and complex as changing behavior in adults. Since all behavior is a product of ongoing processes, education for positive health practices is a lifelong task requiring equal attention to early and later education, and to environmental and individual factors.
Association of alterations in energy metabolism with lead-induced delays in rat cerebral cortical development.

Abstract Fifteen day-old rat pups taken from dams exposed to 200 mg of lead (Pb) in drinking water were observed to have reduced synaptic densities in the cerebral cortex as determined by ethanol-phosphotungstic acid staining. Synaptic figures of animals in the Pb groups were also observed to possess a less mature synaptic profile. Cerebral cortical slices taken from pups of Pb-treated dams exhibited enhanced respiratory responses to a 3 to 30 mM increase in K+ concentration. This response was associated with a higher rate of glucose uptake by tissues of Pb-treated pups unaccompanied by a change in lactic acid output. Cerebral cortical concentrations of amino acids were not altered by Pb-treatment. Serum thyroid hormone levels were identical in 15-day old animals from the control and Pb-treated groups. These data further substantiate delayed cerebral cortical development as a result of low-level Pb exposures, and suggest that such delays may be associated with a direct effect of Pb on cerebral energy metabolism.
Phased‐Array Magnetic Resonance Imaging of the Carotid Artery Bifurcation: Preliminary Results in Healthy Volunteers and a Patient with Aherosclerotic Disease

A high resolution MR imaging technique using a custom designed flexible phased-array surface coil was developed to examine the wall of the carotid artery bifurcation in vivo. The phased-array consisted of two overlapping coils which increased the image signal-to-noise ratio at the depth of the carotid artery by approximately 70%, relative to a similarly sized single loop coil. The imaging protocol included a 2D T1-weighted (T1W) spin-echo scan and cardiac gated T2-weighted and proton density-weighted (PDW) fast spin-echo (FSE) scans. Images were obtained of six healthy volunteers and of one patient with known atherosclerotic disease several days before carotid endarterectomy. On T1W and PDW images of the healthy volunteers, the carotid arterial wall appeared to be comprised of two concentric rings; a high signal inner ring and a lower signal outer ring. The MR images of the patient revealed a calcified carotid bifurcation plaque which was confirmed during surgery. The endarterectomy specimen was imaged in vitro with MR and then sectioned histologically for correlation with the patients in vivo images. Our preliminary findings indicate that a high resolution technique may provide a noninvasive technique to study atherosclerosis of the carotid bifurcation.
Response to Biggs' Comments

Dr. B~ggs (ul press) suggests four possible explanations as to some of the fiidmgs in the Rose, Hd, Uolen, and Webster (1996) paper which appear incompatible with his previous research. Three of these explanations suggest possible errors in data collection, scoring, or reporting. A careful review of procedures used in collecting the data as well as the students' data sheets do not indicate any problems. Data were collected in the standard manner using the instructions presented in the Study Process Questionnaire developed by B~ggs (1979). The scoring was programmed to coincide with the procedures also outlined by B~ygs for each of the approaches of surface (SA), deep (DA), and achieving (AA). One error was found with the scoring of the over-all AA. A recheck of the initial analyses of the data identified an error in Table 2 as presented in Rose, et al. (1996). The same SPSS program was rerun in the Fall, 1996 and yielded very dfierent results for the means given in the Spring, 1995. The diEferences in means are presented here in Table 1. The means and standard deviations For both the SA and DA remain as reported previously. We have checked and rechecked the data, program statements, and talked with the SPSS consultant and no reasonable explanation has been found. Dr. Biggs (in press) was certainly correct in that the AA means were not "reasonable." This also resulted in changes in the multivariate analvsis of variance with sex and SAT level servine as the independent variables and scores on the three Study Process Questionnaire approaches serving as the dependent variables. Using Hotelling's multivariate test of significance, again there was no significant interaction between sex and SAT scores (F= 1.15, p= .33). The significant main effect For sex did not reach the .05 criterion (F=2.53, p= .06). The SAT scores gave a significant main effect (F=2.34, p=.03) and follow-up univariate analyses indicated both the AA and SA approach were significant (F= 3.54, p= .03, and F=5.06, p= .01, respectively). Follow-up analyses among the three levels of SAT performance and the two approaches for both the SA and AA indicated the lowest group differed significantly from the highest group with the midlevel not differing from either lowest or highest. The means were for achieving lowest 34.10, middle 35.66, and highest 38.35; and for surface lowest 28.94, middle 31.52, and highest 32.61. The question Biggs (in press) raises about the initial means for the SA sample were not founded as the means for the SA and DA were consistent; no errors in computation were found. Yes, these means are lower than those found in Australia by Biggs. We are also comparing two very Merent school systems between Australia and the southeastern USA. While research on the questionnaire has supported cross-cultural use of the over-all scale, the surface approach has been questioned (Kember & Gow, 1991; Niles, 1996; Wahs & Regmi, 1990). A previous study assessing the factorial structure of the questionnaire (Bolen, Wurm, & Hall, 1994) indicated support for the three primary approaches to learning, but the surface one was
Supersonic jet penetration /up to Mach 4/ into a Mach 2 airstream

Helium injection Mach number effect on supersonic jet penetration into Mach 2 air stream from flat plate determined from concentration measurements
The acquired immunodeficiency syndrome and nonmenstrual toxic shock syndrome.

Excerpt To the editor: We recently saw a patient with the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) in whom we have strong evidence to suspect nonmenstrual toxic shock syndrome, an association that...
On the tailward expansion of current disruption during substorms

Abstract Three possible models of the tailward expansion of current disruption during substorms are proposed. Two of the three are related to the tailward propagation of hydromagnetic waves; one is the rarefaction wave, and the other is an Alfven wave reflected at the ionosphere. The last model is based on the tailward expansion of a magnetic field configuration unstable to an instability which triggers current disruption. Each of the models is discussed, and is evaluated by comparing the expansion velocity expected from the model with that observed.
Semisynthetic and biotransformation studies of (1S,2E,4S,6R,7E,11E)-2,7,11-cembratriene-4,6-diol.

Tobacco-derived (1S,2E,4S,6R,7E,11E)-2,7,11-cembratriene-4,6-diol (1) and (1S,2E,4R,6R,7E,11E)-2,7,11-cembratriene-4,6-diol (2) were first shown to display potential antitumor-promoting activity in the mid-1980s. However, very little is currently understood regarding the structural activity relationships of tobacco cembranoids. The aim of this present study was to explore antiproliferative activity of various derivatives of (1S,2E,4S,6R,7E,11E)-2,7,11-cembratriene-4,6-diol (1) using semisynthetic and biotransformation approaches. Derivatives of 1 include esterified, oxidized, halogenated, and nitrogen- and sulfur-containing compounds (3–17). Biotransformation of 1 using Mucor ramannianus ATCC 9628 and Cunninghamella elegans ATCC 7929 afforded the known 10S,11S-epoxy analogue of 1 (4) as the main metabolite. Biotransformation of the 6-O-acetyl analogue (3) using the marine symbiotic Bacillus megaterium strain MO31 afforded (1S,2E,4S,6R,7E,11E,10R)-2,7,11-cembratriene-4,6,10-triol (18). (1S,2E,4S,6R,7E,11E,...
HEREDITY OF THE Rh BLOOD TYPES II. OBSERVATIONS ON THE RELATION OF FACTOR HR TO THE RH BLOOD TYPES

1. The theory of six allelic genes is reviewed, using the new improved nomenclature, and data are summarized regarding the distributions of the eight Rh types among white and negro individuals in New York City. 2. Results are presented of tests for property Hr in a series of 239 white individuals and 49 negroes. Statistical analysis of these data yields results supporting Race and Taylor's hypothesis that anti-Hr sera react with the blood properties determined by the genes Rh2, Rh'' Rho, and rh, but not with the factors determined by genes Rh1 and Rh'. 3. The practical importance of the Hr factor is discussed.
Nitric oxide gas stimulates germination of dormant Arabidopsis seeds: use of a flow-through apparatus for delivery of nitric oxide.

Nitric oxide (NO) is a gaseous free radical that reacts with O2 in air and aqueous solution. NO donors have been widely used to circumvent the difficulties inherent in working with a reactive gas, but NO donors do not deliver NO at a constant rate for prolonged periods of time. Furthermore, some of the most commonly used NO donors produce additional, bioactive decomposition products. We designed and built an apparatus that allowed for the precise mixing of gaseous NO with air and the delivery of gas through sample vials at fixed rates. This experimental setup has the added advantage that continuous flow of gas over the sample reduces the buildup of volatile breakdown products. To show that this experimental setup was suitable for studies on the dormancy and germination of Arabidopsis thaliana seeds, we introduced vapors from water or sodium nitroprusside (SNP) into the gas stream. Seeds remained dormant when treated with water vapor, but gases generated by SNP increased germination to 90%. When pure NO was mixed with air and passed over dormant seeds, ∼ ∼30% of the seeds germinated. Because nitrite accumulates in aqueous solutions exposed to NO gas, we measured the accumulation of nitrite under our experimental conditions and found that it did not exceed 100 µM. Nitrite or nitrate at concentrations of up to 500 µM did not increase germination of C24 ecotype Arabidopsis seeds to more than 10%. These data support the hypothesis that NO participates in the loss of Arabidopsis seed dormancy, and they show that for some dormant seeds, exposure to exogenous NO is sufficient to trigger germination.
Economists as Advisers to Politicians and to Society

ECONOMISTS usually analyze and discuss unemployment with a cool detachment, having little personal fear of suering any. Therefore it is surprising to read O'Flaherty and Bhagwati (1997) raise the specter that newly ourishing research on political economy and the positive theory of economic policy will put normative economic policy advisers out of work. If a political ``game'' produces policies as preordained equilibria, they argue, there are no degrees of freedom for normative intervention. Therefore there is no room for a policymaker to make any choices, and no scope for an economist to give advice about policy choices. They call this the ``determinacy paradox,'' by analogy with famous philosophical paradoxes to do with free will versus determinism, like Newcomb's Paradox. Note the nature and the sweeping extent of their claim: they are not saying that in a politicized world economic advisers will give biased or bad advice, but that all normative advice will be impossible as a matter of pure logical necessity. They do ®nd a niche ± advice directed at society as a whole and for the long run rather than at the policy-makers of the day, in the tradition of Adam Smith, Marx, and Keynes ± which they claim economists can continue to occupy. I will argue that O'Flaherty and Bhagwati's interpretation of determinism of the political process is incorrect. Economists who want to give normative advice to politicians will continue to ®nd enough opportunities. This work may not be as elevated as writing for the ages, but it is more relevant for the vast majority of the profession, and more likely to have some immediate impact. But to achieve this aim, the advice must be based on reasoning that includes the political process; it must use game theory and political analysis as well as conventional economic analysis. O'Flaherty and Bhagwati make their argument for the ``determinacy paradox'' with number of analogies, of which the one they use frequently is that in a fully determined world, one has no freedom to choose what one will eat for breakfast. In my view that is a false parallel and a false paradox. The parallel is false because the economic world is large enough and competitive enough that any one person's choice of breakfast food makes a negligible dierence to the market outcomes, whereas in the political world many players are large enough for their actions to make a dierence. The paradox is false because a game yields an equilibrium outcome only when all players choose their equilibrium strategies. Far from removing the freedom of choice, game theory burdens ECONOMICS AND POLITICS 0954-1985
Precise numerical control for the thermal conduction module

Automated manufacturing processes have been developed and put into practice for the high-volume production of the thermal conduction module, the high-density circuit package used in the IBM 3081 processor models. The very precise work required on the ceramic surface required the solution of many problems. The small but significant residual distortions (warpage) which resulted from firing the multi-layer ceramic substrates made it difficult to locate tooling precisely for subsequent processes. A unique scheme for measuring the module and precalculating numerical control data has made it possible to achieve full automation. The nature of the problem, the attempts at a simple solution, and the algorithms finally used for numerical control data calculation are presented.
Modeling and simulation of a wind turbine system with ultracapacitors for short-term power smoothing

This paper describes the modeling and simulation of a Permanent Magnet Synchronous Generator (PMSG) based Wind Energy Conversion System (WCES). The model includes all components from wind to the grid. This model is used to study various control algorithms as well as integration of ultracapacitor energy storage aimed at reduction of output power variations. Ultracapacitors are placed on the DC bus of the double conversion system to avoid extra power conversion stage.
Water Treatment Units Residence-Time Distributions as Probabilistic Functions

A probabilistic approach to obtain theoretical residence-time distribution (RTD) functions for series of reactors with possible stagnation, bypassing, and recycle is presented. It is shown that most known RTD functions can be obtained from probability arguments alone, thus avoiding abstract Laplace transform mathematical techniques and providing additional physical insight. Several new RTD models for reactors in series are derived, based exclusively on using the binomial probability distribution to describe the passage of a particle through the treatment train with bypassing and stagnation possible at each individual reactor. The proposed RTD models are validated with travel time computer simulation of a large number of particles through the series of reactors. A MSExcel based computer procedure was programmed to obtain the nonideal flow parameters by minimizing the squared sum of the differences between tracer test data and the derived unit’s RTD function. The least squares parameter estimation procedure...
Science citation index and chemistry

Citation data have been collected for a large number of chemists at American universities. The principal objectives are to examine the use of citations as a tool in the study of sociology of chemical research and to determine the feasibility and accurancy of using automatically generated data. Past results in each of these areas, as well as a projection of future uses of citation data, are presented. First, a pilot study is described and some tentative conclusions discussed. The method used minimizes some of the most commonly-expressed criticism of citation data, such as multiple author, self-citations, etc. An effort has been made to establish the accuracy of automatically generated citation data. This project uses as a base for comparison the complete bibliographies of several thousand chemists. Several different citation indices are compared with other indicators commonly employed in discussions of the characteristics of the field of chemistry. The results generally support the idea that citations are meaningful. However, they also reveal some problems which require that great care be exercised in the use of citation data. The use of citation data to “observe” a chemistry subfield over time also is illustrated.
Efficiencies in multivariate paired experiments

Lower and upper bounds are given for the asymptotic efficiency of the paired T2 test relative to the two-sample T2 test in comparative multivariate experiments. Consistent estimates for these bounds are illustrated numerically and their relevance to small samples is discussed. Conditions are given such that each procedure dominates the other globally; when these fail the sets of alternatives are characterized at which each procedure dominates the other locally.
Climate science: The mysteries of Sahel droughts

Past variability in Sahel rainfall is closely linked to global sea surface temperature distributions in observations and models alike. Climate simulations for the 21st century suggest that additional influences may become important in the future.
Suicide and Homo Duplex an Interpretation of Durkheim's Typology of Suicide*

The four types of suicide that Durkheim distinguished are implicit in his concept of homo duplex and the view of socialization this entailed. The individual requires both repression of his passions and direction toward society; too much or too little of either of these two processes leads to suicide and each of the four types represents one type of such failure in socialization. Internal evidence from Suiciae is used to show that Durkheim did in fact derive the suicide typology from his view of man. From the standpoint of this interpretation, those by Parsons and Douglas and by commentators who equate the anomic and egoistic suicide types are reviewed and their misunderstandings noted. Finally, the interpretation given is used to shed light on other aspects of Durkheim's thought, especially some that are disputed in the secondary literature.
“I Am Not a Shelter!”: Stigma and Social Boundaries in Teachers’ Accounts of Students’ Experience in Separate “Sheltered” English Learner Classrooms

This study investigates how teachers interact with immigrant-origin youth in school-based contexts of reception that mediate youth's educational opportunities. One understudied context is sheltered instruction, where English learners (ELs) are placed into separate content-area courses to target their linguistic needs. This qualitative study highlights the unintended consequences of ELs’ placements by examining 3 teacher cases in depth. Teachers’ accounts reveal that EL content courses designed to increase access were, in fact, stigmatizing spaces where students made social distinctions and engaged in impression management to mitigate perceptions that they lacked intelligence because of their programmatic placements. Teachers also managed stigma in distinct ways, representing different orientations and communication strategies in response to students’ experiences of stigma. This investigation raises questions about the tensions embedded in how language status, race, and classification intersect with the ve...
Use of radiographs for movement analysis of the corn wireworm, Melanotus communis (Coleoptera: Elateridae).

A laboratory technique is described in which “soft” radiographs are used to study wireworm, Melanotus communis Gyllenhal, movement patterns within a soil matrix. Advantages of this technique as compared with destructive sampling are discussed and examples of several possible applications are given.
Taxes, transactions costs and the clientele effect of dividends

Abstract This paper is an empirical investigation into the extent to which transactions costs and taxes influence individual investors' portfolios. Using actual portfolio and demoraphic data made available by the Individual Investor Research Project at Purdue University, this study finds evidence of a significant dividend clientele effect. Reasonable proxy variables used to measure time preferences and tax rates in part explain the cross sectional variability of investors' portfolio dividend yields. The variables that are most important in influencing the individual's dividend decision are age, and a measure of the investor's differential tax rate on dividends and capital gains.
Gonococcal infections of penile prostheses

The first two known cases of Neisseria gonorrhoeae infection of a penile implant are reported. The literature regarding periprosthetic infections is reviewed, and the mode of transmission of the gonococcal organism to the corpora is discussed.
NaCl Appetite in Two Strains of Rat Reported to Be Resistant to Mineralocorticoid- induced Hypertension

Both Long-Evans (LE) and Wistar-Furth (WF) strains of rat are known to be resistant to development of hypertension by mineralocorticoid (MC) treatment. MC-induced hypertension is, in part, mediated by the brain. We have examined another aspect of central MC action, the induction of NaCl appetite in these strains, by using the more common Sprague-Dawley (SD) and Wistar (WS) strains for comparison. In the first experiment, LE and SD rats were administered three treatments known to induce an appetite for NaCl solution in rats. Administration of deoxycorticosterone acetate (DOCA) increased the intake of 0.45 M NaCl in both strains, but the amounts consumed were about 2-fold greater in LE rats than in SD rats. Administration of captopril also increased NaCl intake, but there were no differences between LE and SD rats. NaCl depletion with furosemide induced NaCl appetite in both strains, but the amounts consumed were about 2-fold greater in LE rats than in SD rats. In the second experiment, adult male WF and WS rats were administered DOCA, enalapril, or furosemide and NaCl appetite was determined. Both strains showed comparable NaCl appetite during each of these treatments. However, during a 5-week regimen of DOCA with only NaCl-KCl solution to drink, uninephrectomized WF rats consumed less than WS rats. Thus, despite reported resistance to MC-induced hypertension, neither LE nor WF strains of rats showed correspondingly marked deficits in induced NaCl appetite.
Virology of the hepatitis A epidemic in Italy.

AbstractWe studied the virologic aspects of a hepatitis A epidemic that occurred among hemophilia patients in Italy between 1989 and 1992. Twelve lots of factor VIII concentrate manufactured by the solvent-detergent chromatographic technique and suspected of contamination by the hepatitis A virus (HAV) were analyzed by a two-step, nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) procedure. PCR was applied to 1-ml samples of factor VIII concentrate and 100-μl serial serum samples available from 2 patients. Particular care was taken to rule out the possibility of false-positive results during analysis. Results demonstrated PCR amplification of the 3′-region of the VP3 gene in 5 of the 12 implicated lots of factor VIII and in the serial serum samples of both patients. PCR amplification also revealed that the gene sequences detected in patients’ sera were identical to the sequences detected in the product they had received. In all, 3 VP3 sequences (found to be 96-99% identical) were amplified. Further characterization of the HAV found in the factor VIII concentrate and the patients’ sera was attempted by PCR amplification of the VP1/2A region. Successful amplification of this region was achieved in the serum of only 1 patient and in the concentrate he received. This fourth amplified sequence was identical in both serum and factor VIII concentrate. Attempts to transmit hepatitis A from the contaminated lots to 3 chimpanzees resulted in no signs of infection after 10 months of observation. Based on the Italian experience, persons with severe hemophilia who receive large-pool concentrate are at potential risk for HAV infection and should be vaccinated against HAV or use an alternative to solvent-detergent-prepared concentrate. Since June 1992, no cases of HAV have been reported in Italian hemophiliacs, most of whom have been vaccinated.
A Protozoon (Dileptus; Ciliata) Predatory upon Metazoa

Dileptus, a common holotrich, may function as a predator upon a variety of metazoan animals representing such varied phyla as Cnidaria, Platyhelminthes, Aschelminthes, Annelida, and Mollusca. Very young animals and wounded animals are especially vulnerable. Effective predation is directly related to the concentration of Dileptus to which the victim is exposed.
The Coal-Uranium Breeder: Uranium from coal

Abstract Evidence exists that much of the coal in the Western United States contains an appreciable amount of uranium. While not concentrated enough to be directly considered as a uranium resource, this uranium is enriched in the ash remaining after the coal is burned. Consequently, some coal ashes have concentrations of uranium which would classify them as intermediate-grade uranium ores (100–500 ppm). A combined facility, herein named a Coal-Uranium Breeder, which generated electricity or gas from coal and processed the ash to produce uranium could make available more nuclear energy than it consumed as fossil energy, depending on the reactor type and other variables. A considerable lessening of environmental impact is possible through the use of combined rather than separate coal plants and uranium mills. Potentially, a large fraction of U.S. uranium needs could be supplied at a reasonable cost and thus eliminate the apparent shortfall of sandstone uranium ores and delay the decision about the breeder reactor. More effort is needed to develop extraction techniques and to determine the uranium content of coals.
Outcomes of care of abdominal aortic aneurysm in Veterans Health Administration facilities: results from the National Surgical Quality Improvement Program

This report describes outcomes of care for abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs), along with methods used by the Veterans Affairs (VA) National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (NSQIP) in tracking, monitoring, and improving surgical results in VA facilities. Since the inception of NSQIP in 1994, a continual drop in overall surgical mortality, along with decreased morbidity, has occurred. A parallel improvement in results of vascular surgery and AAA repair was also observed. Soon after introduction of endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR), with Food and Drug Administration device approval in 1999, robust electronic NSQIP records immediately began to capture individual facility performances and outcomes for both types of AAA repair. The NSQIP data center provided actual and risk-adjusted analyses for both procedures semiannually. These analyses have been used by its executive board to provide recommendations, often based on site visits, to improve outcomes. Requirements for reporting of facility-specific data and feedback, paper audits, and site visits appear to relate directly to improved AAA care. Veterans Health Administration (VHA) outcomes of AAA repair are comparable to those reported nationally and internationally and have continued to improve in recent years. National VHA initiatives, based on data feedback and active oversight, relate to some of the lowest AAA mortality rates available. This review describes past, present, and possible future NSQIP strategies to improve outcomes for AAA repair with general comments about recent alternative proposals.
Effect of various storage methods on the dielectric properties of compact bone.

In the study the effects of vanous storage environments on the dielectric properties of bone were evaluated. Fresh cortical bone specimens from canine femora and tibiae were prepared and divided into three groups, with one group maintained at room temperature (24°C), a second group stored in a refrigerator at 3°C, and a third group stored in a freezer at ≈10° to −20°C. In each group, both the resistance and the capacitance decreased with time, the percentage change being largest for the samples stored in the freezer. This suggests that storage of bone specimens in a refrigerator or freezer with repeated thawing at room temperature does affect the dielectric properties of bone, the effect being dependent on the method of storage.
Female users of internet-based screening for rectal STIs: descriptive statistics and correlates of positivity

Background Internet-based screening for vaginal sexually transmitted infections (STI) has been shown to reach high-risk populations. Published studies of internet-based screening for rectal STIs in women are needed. Our objectives were to describe the female users of a rectal internet-based screening intervention and assess what factors correlated with rectal positivity for STIs. Methods The website http://www.iwantthekit.org offers free STI testing via home self-sampling kits. Women could order vaginal and rectal kits, both containing questionnaires. Rectal and vaginal swabs were tested for Chlamydia trachomatis , Neisseria gonorrhoeae and Trichomonas vaginalis using nucleic acid amplification tests. Data were analysed from 205 rectal kits from January 2009 through February 2011. Self-reported characteristics of participants were examined, and correlates of rectal STI positivity were analysed. Results Of the 205 rectal samples returned and eligible for testing, 38 (18.5%) were positive for at least one STI. The women were young (mean age 25.8 years), mostly African–American (50.0%), and only 14.0% always used condoms. After adjusting for age and race, Black race (AOR=3.06) and vaginal STI positivity (AOR=40.6) were significantly correlated with rectal STI positivity. Of women testing positive for rectal STIs who also submitted vaginal swabs, 29.4% were negative in the vaginal sample. Conclusions Internet-based rectal screening can reach populations that appear to be at high risk for rectal STIs (18.5% prevalence) and led to the diagnosis of STIs in women who would not have been diagnosed vaginally. Black race and vaginal STI positivity were highly correlated with rectal STI positivity.
PCR detection of Bartonella bovis and Bartonella henselae in the blood of beef cattle.

Abstract Although an organism primarily associated with non-clinical bacteremia in domestic cattle and wild ruminants, Bartonella bovis was recently defined as a cause of bovine endocarditis. The purpose of this study was to develop a B. bovis species-specific PCR assay that could be used to confirm the molecular prevalence of Bartonella spp. infection. Blood samples from 142 cattle were tested by conventional PCR targeting the Bartonella 16S–23S intergenic spacer (ITS) region. Overall, Bartonella DNA was detected in 82.4% (117/142) of the cattle using either Bartonella genus primers or B. bovis species-specific primers. Based upon size, 115 of the 117 Bartonella genus ITS PCR amplicons were consistent with B. bovis infection, which was confirmed by PCR using B. bovis species-specific primers and by sequencing three randomly selected, appropriately sized Bartonella genus PCR amplicons. By DNA sequencing, Bartonella henselae was confirmed as the two remaining amplicons, showing sequence similarity to B. henselae URBHLIE 9 ( AF312496 ) and B. henselae Houston 1 ( NC_005956 ), respectively. Following pre-enrichment blood culture of 12 samples in Bartonella alpha Proteobacteria growth medium (BAPGM) B. henselae infection was found in another three cows. Four of the five cows infected with B. henselae were co-infected with B. bovis . To our knowledge this study describes the first detection of B. henselae in any large ruminant species in the world and supports the need for further investigation of prevalence and pathogenic potential of B. henselae and B. bovis in cattle.
An ecological analysis of pocosin wetlands development with management recommendations

Pocosins--oligotrophic freshwater evergreen shrub bogs once covering nearly one million hectares on the North Carolina coastal plain--were developed by blocked drainage and peat accumulation over the last 10,000 years. Extensive drainage for agriculture, forestry and peat mining reduced the natural wetland area to 281,000 hectares by 1980. This development has resulted in (1) a shift of hydrologic output from evapotranspiration to runoff, (2) significant increases in carbon flux and phosphorus output, and (3) reduction in habitat for rare and endangered biota, while dramatically increasing the economic value of these lands. General management guidelines are suggested which are based on a balanced view of the resource problem (i.e., ecological, economic and ethical guidelines).
Specific heat of polysulfur nitride, ( SN ) x

Measurements of the specific heat of the crystalline metallic polymer ${(\mathrm{SN})}_{x}$ are reported for the temperature range $1.5\ensuremath{\le}T\ensuremath{\le}80$ \ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}K. The lattice contribution to the specific heat deviates from Debye behavior near 4\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}K, changing from ${T}^{3}$ to ${T}^{2.7}$ and then to a $T$ dependence as temperature increases. The anisotropy in force constants which cause this behavior is discussed in relation to the crystal structure of ${(\mathrm{SN})}_{x}$. From the electronic contribution to the specific heat we estimate an electron band-structure density of states at the Fermi level of 0.14 states/(eV spin molecule).
The built environment and collective efficacy

Collective efficacy, i.e., perception of mutual trust and willingness to help each other, is a measure of neighborhood social capital and has been associated with positive health outcomes including lower rates of assaults, homicide, premature mortality, and asthma. Collective efficacy is frequently considered a "cause", but we hypothesized that environmental features might be the foundation for or the etiology of personal reports of neighborhood collective efficacy. We analyzed data from the Los Angeles Family and Neighborhood Study (LAFANS) together with geographical data from Los Angeles County to determine which social and environmental features were associated with personal reports of collective efficacy, including presence of parks, alcohol outlets, elementary schools and fast food outlets. We used multi-level modeling controlling for age, education, annual family income, sex, marital status, employment and race/ethnicity at the individual level. At the tract level, we controlled for tract-level disadvantage, the number of off-sale alcohol outlets per roadway mile, the number of parks and the number of fast food outlets within the tract and within 1/2 mile of the tract's boundaries. We found that parks were independently and positively associated with collective efficacy; alcohol outlets were negatively associated with collective efficacy only when tract-level disadvantage was not included in the model. Fast food outlets and elementary schools were not linearly related to collective efficacy. Certain environmental features may set the stage for neighborhood social interactions, thus serving as a foundation for underlying health and well-being. Altering these environmental features may have greater than expected impact on health.
Human thymuses express incomplete sets of muscle acetylcholine receptor subunit transcripts that seldom include the δ subunit

In myasthenia gravis (MG) the muscle acetylcholine receptor (AChR) is the target of an immune response that might begin in the thymus. The thymus expresses binding sites for specific ligands of muscle AChR, a complex protein composed of alpha, beta, gamma (or epsilon) and delta subunits. The thymus expresses the AChR alpha subunit, but there is controversy regarding the expression in the thymus of the gamma, epsilon and delta subunits. We investigated the presence of messenger RNA (mRNA) for the different muscle AChR subunits in thymus tissue from 20 healthy subjects and 13 myasthenic patients. We detected mRNA for the alpha and epsilon subunits in all samples, for the beta subunit in all but one sample and for the gamma subunit in most samples although at lower levels than the epsilon subunit. Myasthenic thymuses expressed levels of gamma subunit mRNA similar to control thymuses but more abundant epsilon subunit mRNA. None of the myasthenic thymuses and only two control thymuses expressed detectable delta subunit mRNA. This supports the hypothesis that human thymus may express AChR proteins that do not include the delta subunit. Such receptors, which would have different antigenic structure than the muscle AChRs, might have a role in triggering the autoimmune response that causes MG.
Patterns of care analysis among women with ductal carcinoma in situ in North Carolina.

Abstract Background Ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) of the breast comprises approximately 25% of new breast cancer cases. The aim of this study was to delineate patterns of care for women with DCIS as related to age, tumor characteristics, and race/ethnicity. Further study goals included the identification of predictors of breast-conserving surgery (BCS), adjuvant radiation, and/or hormonal therapy, as well as breast reconstruction after mastectomy. Methods The North Carolina Cancer Registry was queried for primary DCIS treated in 1998 and 1999 (n = 1,893). Logistic regression analysis was performed to define the determinants of patterns of care. Results Thirty-five percent of the women in this study sample underwent mastectomy. Positive predictors of mastectomy included young age (age 2 mm vs 0–1 mm; OR, 2.43; 95% CI, 1.63–3.60). Approximately 48% of women who underwent BCS received adjuvant radiation therapy. Factors associated with receiving radiation therapy after BCS include younger age (age Conclusions Treatment strategies for primary surgical therapy for DCIS vary significantly by age. Inconsistencies exist surrounding the use of adjuvant radiation therapy after BCS in women with DCIS. Variations in approaches to reconstructive surgery after mastectomy may be related to age, ethnicity, and/or economic constraints.