cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Induced Hypothermia in Patients with Cardiac Arrest and a Non-shockable Rhythm: Meta-analysis and Trial Sequential Analysis

Controversy surrounds utilization of induced hypothermia (IHT) in comatose cardiac arrest (CA) survivors with a non-shockable rhythm. We conducted a meta-analysis and trial sequential analysis (TSA) comparing IHT with no IHT approaches in patients with CA and a non-shockable rhythm. The primary outcome of interest was favorable neurological outcomes (FNO) defined using the Cerebral Performance Category (CPC) score of 1 or 2. Secondary endpoints were survival at discharge and survival beyond 90 days. A total of 9 studies with 10,386 patients were included. There was no difference between both groups in terms of FNO (13% vs. 13%, RR 1.34, 95% CI 0.96–1.89, p = 0.09, I2 = 88%), survival at discharge (20% vs. 22%, RR 1.09, 95% CI 0.88–1.36, p = 0.42, I2 = 76%), or survival beyond 90 days (16% vs. 15%, RR 0.92, 95% CI 0.61–1.40, p = 0.69, I2 = 83%). The TSA showed firm evidence supporting the lack of benefit of IHT in terms of survival at discharge. However, the Z-curves failed to cross the conventional and TSA (futility) boundaries for FNO and survival beyond 90 days, indicating lack of sufficient evidence to draw firm conclusions regarding these outcomes. In this meta-analysis of 9 studies, the utilization of IHT was not associated with a survival benefit at discharge. Although the meta-analysis showed lack of benefit of IHT in terms of FNO and survivals beyond 90 days, the corresponding TSA showed high probability of type-II statistical error, and therefore more randomized controlled trials powered for these outcomes are needed.
Patterning nickel for extreme ultraviolet lithography mask application. II. Hybrid reactive ion etch and atomic layer etch processing

A two-step plasma-thermal atomic layer etching (ALE) process that is capable of etching Ni with high selectivity with respect to the SiO2 hard mask and high anisotropy is evaluated in this work with a reactive ion etching (RIE) process to highlight the contrast between these two processes and the advantages of combining these two processes to tailor the sidewall profile with greater processing efficiency. The RIE chemistry leveraged the enhanced volatility of chlorinated nickel in the presence of hydrogen atoms. The hybrid RIE and ALE process achieved the desired sidewall profile, with no measurable residual halogen.
Using intravenous pump infusion data to optimize continuous infusion concentrations and reduce drug and fluid waste.

Purpose To outline a data-driven analysis involving use of intravenous (i.v.) pump data to identify optimal drug and fluid amounts for various continuous infusions, with the primary goal of minimizing medication waste. This methodology incorporates analysis of vial sizes, infusion rates, number of bag exchanges, and bag volumes to determine optimal concentrations that improve operational efficiencies and decrease drug and fluid waste. Methods A retrospective evaluation of i.v. infusion pump utilization data for continuous infusions of norepinephrine, phenylephrine, vasopressin, and cisatracurium was performed using data provided by 9 hospitals in North Carolina during January, April, and June of 2015. Results The recommended medication concentrations and fluid volumes were determined using a novel 4-step analysis, the VERB (Vial, Exchange, Rate, and Bag) analysis, which applied optimal practices for cost reduction, operational efficiency, and patient safety. The application of the VERB analysis to the i.v. infusion pump utilization data resulted in the following recommended medication concentrations: norepinephrine, 4 mg/100 mL (final concentration, 40 µg/mL) and 16 mg/250 mL (final concentration, 64 µg/mL); phenylephrine, 10 mg/100 mL (final concentration, 100 µg/mL); vasopressin, 20 units/100 mL (final concentration, 0.2 unit/mL); and cisatracurium, 200 mg/100 mL (final concentration, 2 mg/mL). It was determined that implementation of the recommended concentrations by the 9 study hospitals would result in significant medication cost savings and fluid volume savings. Conclusion Analysis of i.v. infusion pump data from multiple hospitals using VERB analysis resulted in standardized medication concentrations and bag sizes for continuous infusions that reduce drug and fluid waste and improve operational efficiencies.
Mete Tèt Nou Ansanm (Putting our heads together): Global health capacity building within short-term medical missions.

Short-term medical missions (STMMs) have the potential to increase local health care capacity in low resource settings. Few studies have examined capacity building within STMMs from the perspective...
The Changing Landscape: The Role of Civic Education on Political Efficacy Among Latina/os and Asian Americans

This paper examines the influence of civic education on political engagement across racial groups. While scholars focus on the political efficacy gap between Black and White students, we extend att...
Welfare Maximization: Samuelson's Analysis with Public and Private Goods

Samuelson (1955) and Bator (1957) have provided geometric techniques for deriving or illustrating the conditions for Pareto-optimality in exchange and production. Bator's approach merely serves to illustrate what the distribution of private consumption and of consumer welfare must be if it is to make any arbitrarily chosen output combination Pareto-efficient. Samuelson. on the other hand, derives the Pareto-efficient output configuration, given a constraint on the welfare of one of two individuals. Even though Samuelson's approach makes the better use of the geometry, Bator's demonstration was the first to be extended from private to public goods (by McLure, 1968). The reverse extension of Samuelson's model, from public to private goods, is attempted in this note.
A General Picture

Consider any society. We find that within it many of the possible human interactions do not exist; for example, I have no contact whatsoever with any man living in San Francisco. Among the social interactions that do exist, many are quite casual and do not take up much time; others are more important. Of the important ones, some are direct bargains in which something is traded for money, products, service, and so on.
An L ∞ optimal performance approach to robust feedback control

This paper proposes a design technique to minimize a weighted L∞ performance measure over all disturbances in a given set. This disturbance set is also characterized by a weighted L∞ norm. The technique can accommodate hard constraints on regulated and manipulated variables. The main result is that each closed-loop mapping must lie in the `polar' defined by the disturbance set. The model reference transformation parameter Q is subsequently computed as a finite impulse response filter. The resulting closed-loop system will reject persistent bounded disturbance inputs. A novel method of computation is also outlined which formulates the optimal design problem as a reasonably-sized linear program.
Rheological studies on dispersions of uniform colloidal spheres

Abstract The study of aqueous dispersions of uniform colloidal spheres (I in this series) was extended to nonaqueous dispersions. These were prepared from aqueous crosslinked polystyrene latexes by two-stage solvent exchange dialysis, with methanol as intermediate solvent. Non-Newtonian relative viscosities ηr were measured in benzyl alcohol and m-cresol at volume fractions φ up to 0.50, for particle diameters from 0.15 to 0.43 μ. A single rheological equation ηr = f(φ, τr) was found to apply to nonaqueous dispersions in both media, and to aqueous dispersions the interparticle coulombic and van der Waals' forces of which are negligible. Here τ r = τa 3 kT is a reduced shear stress, in which r is the actual shear stress, a the particle radius, k Boltzmann's constant, and T the absolute temperature. The experimentally observed functional form of f was well fitted by Krieger and Dougherty's (1) modification of the Williamson equation, using their expression for the dependence on concentration of the high-and low-shear limiting viscosities.
GafChromic XR-QA film in testing panoramic dental radiography

The location and the field size of the incident X-ray beam in panoramic dental radiography most often cannot be ascertain visually. These parameters are needed for quality control testing and dosimetry determination. To alleviate this problem, GafChromic XR-QA film was tested on two panoramic systems. For each system, the dose-area product was computed with the length of a cross section image of the incident beam and the exposure measurement with a pencil ion chamber. The result was confirmed by direct analysis of a dose distribution on a film. Placement of the ion chamber was determined by these images. This version of radiochromic film has thus been demonstrated to be a useful complement to a pencil ion chamber in the testing of a panoramic radiography system.
Solutions for some bargaining games under the Harsanyi-Selten solution theory, part I: Theoretical preliminaries

Abstract Part I of this paper discusses the problem of how to model bargaining behavior, and outlines a few basic ideas of the Harsanyi-Selten solution theory. In particular, we discuss removal of imperfect equilibrium points from the game by using the uniformly perturbed game form. We also describe definition of the solution in terms of payoff-dominance and risk-dominance relations, and in terms of the net strategic distances, between the primitive equilibrium points. Part II of the paper will discuss the actual solutions our theory provides for some important classes of bargaining games.
AC Equivalent Circuit Modeling

Converter systems invariably require feedback. For example, in a typical dc-dc converter application, the output voltage v(t) must be kept constant, regardless of changes in the input voltage v g (t) or in the effective load resistance R. This is accomplished by building a circuit that varies the converter control input [i.e., the duty cycle d(t)] in such a way that the output voltage v(t) is regulated to be equal to a desired reference value v ref . In inverter systems, a feedback loop causes the output voltage to follow a sinusoidal reference voltage. In modern low-harmonic rectifier systems, a control system causes the converter input current to be proportional to the input voltage, such that the input port presents a resistive load to the ac source. So feedback is commonly employed.
Pharmacodynamics of ritodrine in pregnant women during preterm labor

We evaluated the relationship of ritodrine concentration to several maternal variables and to fetal heart rate in 17 women who received the drug for inhibition of preterm labor. Ritodrine was measured by high-performance liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection. Ritodrine increased maternal and fetal heart rate and decreased serum potassium in a dose-related manner, but wide variability was noted between patients and within individual patients. Tachyphylaxis of the maternal heart rate response to continuing treatment with ritodrine was seen in at least seven women. Maternal blood pressure, serum glucose concentration, and frequency of uterine contractions were changed by ritodrine treatment, but the changes in these variables were not closely correlated to the concentration of ritodrine (r less than or equal to 0.30 in all cases). The maximal infusion rate and the concentration of ritodrine in maternal serum after 4 hours of treatment were significantly (p less than 0.001) correlated with the frequency of uterine contractions prior to treatment. Successful inhibition of labor was achieved with serum concentrations of 15 to 31 ng/ml in 10 of 17 women; in six of the other seven women, labor could not be inhibited in spite of serum concentrations of 90 to 146 ng/ml. Side effects, such as hypotension, vomiting, chest discomfort, and shortness of breath, were most commonly observed when the infusion rate and concentration of ritodrine were increasing.
Preparation and characterization of a set of deoxyoligonucleotide 49-mers containing site-specific cis-syn, trans-syn-I, (6-4), and Dewar photoproducts of thymidylyl(3'-->5')-thymidine.

Abstract Deoxyoligonucleotide 49-mers containing a central cis-syn, trans-syn-I, (6-4), or Dewar photoproduct of TpT were constructed for use in repair and replication studies by ligation of shorter photoproduct-containing oligonucleotides. A (6-4) product-containing 6-mer was prepared in 3.4% yield by 254 nm irradiation of d(AATTAA) and converted in nearly quantitative yield to the Dewar isomer by irradiation with Pyrex- and Mylar-filtered medium-pressure mercury arc light. d(CGAATTAAGC) containing a site-specific cis-syn or trans-syn-I dimer was prepared via automated solid-phase DNA synthesis utilizing photoproduct building blocks. The photoproduct-containing 49-mers were characterized by their susceptibility to base cleavage and a number of enzymes routinely used to map the sites of DNA photoproduct formation. 1 M piperidine at 90 degrees C cleaved the Dewar product faster than the (6-4) product, but did not cleave the cyclobutane dimers. The 3'-->5' exonuclease activity of T4 DNA polymerase was completely blocked by all the lesions except the (6-4) product, which it slowly bypassed. T4 endonuclease V did not cleave the (6-4) or Dewar photoproduct, but unexpectedly cleaved the trans-syn-I dimer at most 1% the rate of the cis-syn dimer in double-stranded DNA. The trans-syn-I dimer was cleaved at a 50-fold higher rate in double- than in single-stranded DNA. Escherichia coli photolyase was found to be specific for the cis-syn dimer at low concentrations. Implications of this work to methodology for mapping and quantifying DNA photoproducts are also discussed.
DCE Cells under Megascope: Pilgrim Insight into the Resource Status

Megascope is the Pilgrim utility for monitoring, reporting, managing, and presenting status information about the resources of computer systems and environment services in large, heterogeneous distributed environments.
Divalproex utility in bipolar disorder with co-occurring cocaine dependence: a pilot study.

Abstract Objective The aim of this open-label pilot study was to evaluate the utility of divalproex in decreasing cocaine use and stabilizing mood symptoms among patients with bipolar disorder with comorbid cocaine dependence. Method Fifteen patients enrolled in the study and seven met final inclusion criteria of DSM-IV/SCID diagnoses of bipolar I disorder and comorbid cocaine dependence with active cocaine use. Patients were started on open-label divalproex. After stabilization on divalproex sodium, weekly assessments were undertaken for 8 weeks. Subjects also attended dual recovery counseling. Results The results revealed significant improvement on % cocaine abstinent days, dollars spent on cocaine, ASI's drug use severity index, % alcohol abstinent days, drinks per drinking day, marijuana use and cigarettes smoking. They also had significant improvement on manic, depressive, and sleep symptoms and on functioning. There were no reported adverse events or increases in liver function tests. Conclusion The results of this open-label study point to the potential utility of divalproex in patients with bipolar disorder and primary cocaine dependence. Double-blind, placebo-controlled studies to fully evaluate the efficacy of divalproex in this high risk clinical population are warranted.
Electrostatic screening contributions to the vacancy binding energy in doped oxides

Abstract Linear Response Theory is used to estimate the relative magnitudes of the electrostatic contributions to the binding energy of an oxygen vacancy to a dopant ion in mixed oxides. The theory is further developed to yield the electrical conductivity activation enthalpy and pre-exponential factor in the ionic conduction regime. Experimentally observed trends in these quantities are not reproduced. The discrepancy is not removed by inclusion of polarization effects associated with the field-induced displacement of the screening cloud around the mobile vacancy or ionized dopant. Both of these are estimated to produce negligible changes. The same applies to the enhancement of the local field at the vacancy due to nearby vacancy—dopant pairs. It is concluded that some other physical mechanism is required to account for the variation in the conductivity activation enthalpy with dopant concentration.
Qualitative community stability determines parasite establishment and richness in estuarine marshes.

The establishment of parasites with complex life cycles is generally thought to be regulated by free-living species richness and the stability of local ecological interactions. In this study, we test the prediction that stable host communities are prerequisite for the establishment of complex multi-host parasite life cycles. The colonization of naive killifish, Fundulus heteroclitus, by parasites was investigated in 4 salt marsh sites that differed in time since major ecological restoration, and which provided a gradient in free-living species richness. The richness of the parasite community, and the rate at which parasite species accumulated in the killifish, were similar between the low diversity unrestored site and the two high diversity (10- and 20-year) restored marsh sites. The parasite community in the newly restored marsh (0 year) included only directly-transmitted parasite species. To explain the paradox of a low diversity, highly invaded salt marsh (unrestored) having the same parasite community as highly diverse restored marsh sites (10 and 20 yrs) we assessed qualitative community stability. We find a significant correlation between system stability and parasite species richness. These data suggest a role for local stability in parasite community assembly, and support the idea that stable trophic relationships are required for the persistence of complex parasite life cycles.
Host receptor site for the short tail fibers of bacteriophage T4D.

Abstract The composition and structure of the Escherichia coli B receptor for the short tail fibers on the baseplate of bacteriophage T4D has been partially characterized. Incubation of a partially purified preparation containing T4D short tail fibers with purified host cell lipopolysaccharide (LPS) resulted in the formation of a complex which was readily sedimented by centrifugation at 9000 g. The protein involved in the formation of this complex has been identified as the protein which makes up the T4D short tail fibers. Additional evidence for the binding of short tail fibers to purified LPS was obtained by mixing LPS vesicles with purified tail substructures of T4D. Vesicles were observed surrounding the distal end of about 10% of the tail substructures observed in electron micrographs. Short tail fibers could be seen extending from these tail substructures attached to the LPS. The tail substructures which had interacted with LPS all had contracted sheaths. Interaction between isolated short tail fibers and LPS-containing particles which had detached from the cell walls of E. coli B grown in media of high osmolarity was also observed in electron micrographs.
Lucinda among the bioethicists.

Imagine Lucinda Brady, a 70-year-old sociologist who has been diagnosed with an illness that will lead to dementia. Still lucid and intellectually curious, she looks into the bioethics literature t...
Pediatric skull base plunging ranula: Case report and review of the literature

Summary A plunging or cervical ranula is a mucous extravasation pseudocyst which arises from the sublingual gland and crosses the mylohyoid line into the neck. The definitive surgical treatment for plunging ranula is transoral excision of the ipsilateral sublingual gland. Plunging ranula is a rare entity in the pediatric population. To our knowledge, there are no reported cases of pediatric plunging ranula extending to the skull base. We present a rare case of a pediatric plunging ranula with extension to the parapharyngeal space and skull base as well as a review of the literature.
Packaging and Performance of a Piezo-Optic Voltage Sensor

There is growing interest in sensor technology that is immune to electro-magnetic interference. By nature, development of this technology covers multiple physical domains including electronics, optics, mechanics and materials. This paper discusses the design, fabrication and characterization of a piezooptic voltage sensor. The sensor utilizes piezoelectric fibers with interdigitated electrodes coupled to an optical wave guide via a dielectric matrix. The unknown voltage energizes the piezoelectric fibers to deform fiber Bragg gratings (FBGs) on the waveguide. Therefore, a measurable change in wavelength is related to the unknown voltage. The sensor is fabricated using a high quality, repeatable lamination process that does not require the handling of individual piezoelectric fibers. Characterization tests indicate the utility of the sensor in a simulated mission profile. Issues such as hysteresis, creep and optical polarization dependence were also identified.© 2007 ASME
Geometry of magnetosonic shocks and plane-polarized waves: Coplanarity Variance Analysis (CVA)

[1] Minimum Variance Analysis (MVA) is frequently used for the geometrical organization of a time series of vectors. The Coplanarity Variance Analysis (CVA) developed in this paper reproduces the layer geometry involving coplanar magnetosonic shocks or plane-polarized wave trains (including normals and coplanarity directions) 300 times more precisely (<0.1°) than MVA using the same input data. The CVA technique exploits the eigenvalue degeneracy of the covariance matrix present at planar structures to find a consistent normal to the coplanarity plane of the fluctuations. Although Tangential Discontinuities (TDs) have a coplanarity plane, the eigenvalues of their covariance matrix are usually not degenerate; accordingly, CVA does not misdiagnose TDs as shocks or plane-polarized waves. Together CVA and MVA may be used to sort between the hypotheses that the time series is caused by a one-dimensional current layer that has magnetic disturbances that are (1) coplanar, linearly polarized (shocks/plane waves), (2) intrinsically helical (rotational/tangential discontinuities), or (3) neither 1 nor 2.
Purification of Urinary Follicle Stimulating Hormone by Gel Filtration in the Presence of Sodium Dodecyl Sulfate

ABSTRACT Partly purified urinary FSH obtained from gel filtration was rechromatographed on Sephadex G-100 in 2.5% ammonium acetate at pH 6.0 containing 0.1% sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) for male and eunuch FSH and 0.25% SDS for postmenopausal FSH. This procedure effected a resolution of the proteins. In the case of the male urinary FSH, the FSH activity was located on the ascending limb of the first or major peak, with a total recovery of 87% of the starting potency and with a purification of 3.7- fold. The same protein elution pattern was observed for eunuch FSH; the total recovery of biologic activity averaged 72% and the gain in purity was 4.6-fold. The protein elution pattern for postmenopausal FSH was different. FSH activity was located in an area between the first 2 peaks; the gain in purity was 4.5-fold and the total FSH recovered was 90%. The potency of FSH obtained from the urine of men, postmenopausal women and eunuchs was 84, 378 and 599 International units/mg, respectively.
An overview of through-silicon-via technology and manufacturing challenges

Display Omitted A comprehensive overview of through-silicon-via technology (TSV) is presented.TSV technology enables Moore's Law to scale vertically.We explore the challenges associated with running high volume TSV manufacturing.We explore the unit process issues in creating TSVs.We explore the design and yield challenges associated with TSV use. The idea of using through-silicon-via (TSV) technology has been around for many years. However, this technology has only recently been introduced into high volume manufacturing. This paper gives a comprehensive summary of the TSV fabrication steps, including etch, insulation, and metallization. Along with the backside processing, assembly, metrology, design, packaging, reliability, testing and yield challenges that arise with the use of TSVs. Benefits and drawbacks for using each approach to manufacture TSVs are discussed including via-first, via-middle, and the via-last process. Several applications for TSVs are discussed including memory arrays and image sensors.
On Inventory Abatement via Manufacturing Randomness Reductions

Under a continuous improvement framework, the policy of abating inventory via reductions in manufacturing randomness is considered. To explore this policy, a model of a real-world production-inventory system is developed, tested, and studied. The results suggest that manufacturing randomness reductions, even substantial ones, may not necessarily lead to inventory abatement, and paradoxically may lead sometimes to an inventory increase. In these cases, however, manufacturing randomness reductions will translate into higher customer service levels.
The influence of human capital investment on the exports of services and goods: An analysis of the top 25 services outsourcing countries

Abstract and Key Results With the rise of the global service economy, and understanding of the export competitiveness of nations is critical for managers seeking offshore export locations, and for government policy makers who wish to bolster the attractiveness of their nation as an exporting location. Services globalization — reflected in the growth of outsourcing and offshoring — calls into question the role of human capital investment, whose effect in past studies has been mixed. Drawing on human capital theory, we developed three propositions and analyzed the effect of human capital investment, infrastructure, and the business environment on the export of services and goods from 25 countries from 1989 to 2003. Human capital did have a significant effect on the exports of goods and services. However, contrary to the expectations of human capital theory, human capital was not significantly more important for services exports than for goods exports. In line with expectations of human capital theory, human capital investment had a greater effect in emerging Asia than in developed countries. These findings have important implications for managers and future research.
Bidirectional association of retinal vessel diameters and estimated GFR decline: the Beaver Dam CKD Study.

Background Recent cross-sectional studies have reported an association between retinal vessel caliber and chronic kidney disease (CKD), but the direction of the association between these 2 processes is not clear. In a prospective study with multiple measurements of retinal vessel diameters and serum creatinine, we examined whether baseline retinal vessel diameter is associated with future risk of decreased kidney function, or vice versa. Study Design Population-based cohort study. Setting & Participants 3,199 Wisconsin adults aged 43-84 years who were followed up prospectively for 15 years. Predictor Baseline retinal arteriolar and venular diameters for analysis 1 and baseline estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) categories for analysis 2. Outcomes & Measurements For analysis 1, incident CKD, defined as eGFR 2 accompanied by a 25% decrease in eGFR, during follow-up. For analysis 2, incident retinal arteriolar narrowing, defined as a central retinal arteriolar equivalent measurement 243.8 μm. Results Baseline retinal arteriolar and venular diameters were not associated with 15-year risk of incident CKD. After adjustment for age, sex, diabetes, hypertension, and other confounders, the multivariable HR of incident CKD comparing the narrowest with the widest quartile was 1.15 (95% CI, 0.74-1.80) for retinal arteriolar diameter and 1.05 (95% CI, 0.67-1.67) for retinal venular diameter. Similarly, there was no significant association between eGFR and 15-year risk of incident retinal arteriolar narrowing or retinal venular widening. Compared with eGFR >90 mL/min/1.73 m 2 (referent), the multivariable HR for those with eGFR 2 was 1.66 (95% CI, 0.93-2.96) for incident retinal arteriolar narrowing and 0.60 (95% CI, 0.17-1.85) for retinal venular widening. Limitations Lack of data for albuminuria and loss to follow-up. Conclusions Retinal vessel diameters and CKD may run together through shared mechanisms, but are not causally related.
Ferrous Ferricyanide: Aqueous Preparation

Abstract Ferrous Ferricyanide is not normally produced by adding a ferrous salt to a ferricyanide compound in aqueous solution, although it has been formed by vacuum pyrolysis of ferric ferrocyanide. An aqueous preparation is described here which yields ferrous ferricyanide. The most important condition is the maintenance of a reducing condition, such as excess potassium ferrocyanide, KI, or sucrose. Neither pH nor ionic strength play a significant role.
Personal Space, Sex of Experimenter, and Locus of Control in Normal and Delinquent Adolescents

This study investigated the interrelationship of personal space, sex of experimenter, and locus of control in 28 delinquent and 28 normal adolescent males (13 to 17 yr. old). The personal space measure was the distance at which the subjective discomfort felt by the adolescent caused him to stop the approaching experimenter. The experimenter approached from the front, rear, left, and right side of the adolescent. Results indicated that: (a) these delinquents did not demand greater personal space than normals, (b) there was a significant increase in personal space from front to rear for both groups, (c) both groups allowed female experimenters to approach closer than male experimenters, and (d) while delinquents were more external than normals, this personality variable did not mediate personal space requirements. In general, delinquents were similar to normals on all personal space indices.
Learning about foreign markets: A study of Czech SMEs

Drawing on the organizational learning literature, our study examines the role of foreign market knowledge and firm emphasis on technological innovation in the internationalization of small, entrepreneurial firms in the Czech Republic. It is based on a sample of 168 SMEs representing a broad range of manufacturing industries that were founded after the fall of communism and as the Czech economy was transitioning to a more market-based economy. Findings indicate that emphasis on technological innovation is associated with greater acquisition of foreign market knowledge. In addition, our results indicate that emphasis on technological innovation directly and indirectly influences the performance of such SMEs in international markets. Our findings also suggest that foreign market knowledge partially mediates the relationship between firm emphasis on technological innovation and international performance. Implications of our findings from the perspective of theory and practice are discussed.
Vibration pressure hypothesis for electric repulsion

TWO ELECTRIC charges of the same sign have been observed, since the early experiments with frictional electricity and pith balls, to repel each other. An electrified pith ball is said to have an electric field, and a second one near it lies in that field and is repelled. The mechanical force is “action at a distance,” and standard books give no description or explanation of what causes the mechanical force or what is happening between the two charges to convey the action from one to the other. Such a description is not given by saying that there is an electric field at all points between the two charges — that is merely stating that a charge placed at any of the points will be repelled, always by action at a distance. Electrostatic repulsion is thus one of the mysteries of science.
W ± Z production in pp collisions at 7 TeV with ATLAS

The measurement of the W ± Z production cross-section in proton–proton interactions at $\sqrt{s}=7$ TeV is reported from the ATLAS experiment at the Large Hadron Collider using 1.02 fb − 1 of data. The measurement is derived from events with leptonically decaying bosons with electrons, muons, and missing energy in the final state. Limits on anomalous triple gauge boson couplings are derived.
Terminal acetylene-silver trifluoromethanesulfonate π complexes. Synthesis, stoichiometry, and activation of the terminal carbonhydrogen bond

Abstract Terminal acetylenesilver(I) trifluoromethanesulfonate π complexes have been isolated. They are of 1 : 1 stoichiometry in the solid state and solution with all carboncarbon triple bonds coordinated to silver ion. Their stability constants as measured by proton NMR are strongly solvent dependent and decrease in the order 1,5-hexadiyne > 1,7-octadiyne > 1-hexyne, 3-methyl-1-pentyne > 3,3-dimethyl-1-butyne. IR and NMR analysis indicates weakening and polarization of the terminal carbonhydrogen bond upon silver ion coordination. In solution terminal acetylenes π coordinated to silver ion undergo deuterium exchange approximately 10 5 times faster than uncoordinated acetylenes. The mechanism of deuterium exchange does not involve silver acetylides as intermediates.
The need for policy direction in the provision of care to the mentally ill: an interdisciplinary view

Abstract This paper argues that mental health care is underprovided, and that the role of nonprofit providers should be expanded for three major reasons. First, a positive externality exists since society, as a whole, benefits when those in need of mental health care consume care. External benefits include lower crime rates, lower unemployment, and less homelessness. Second, consumers of mental health care are mentally ill and often do not believe that they need care, underestimate their need, or believe that care is not worth the time or expense. Third, common law, to a large extent, is based on individual liberty, largely ignoring the benefits individuals receive from treatment. It is argued that government policy is needed to increase the supply of mental health care, through nonprofit agencies.
Application of fibrin sealant at the urethrovesical anastomosis in robotic assisted radical prostatectomy: does it enable earlier Foley catheter and Jackson–Pratt drain removal?

Leakage at the urethrovesical anastomosis in the post-operative period can result in morbidity including ileus. We examined the effectiveness of using a fibrin sealant at the anastomosis to limit urine leakage thereby facilitating earlier Jackson–Pratt drain and Foley catheter removal following robotic assisted laparoscopic prostatectomy (RALRP). Forty consecutive patients underwent RALRP by one surgeon at our institution. The first 20 patients underwent standard operation and served as the control group. The subsequent 20 patients underwent the same operation with addition of fibrin sealant following a running absorbable sutured urethrovesical anastomosis. The two groups were compared for age (60.5 vs. 58.2 years), pre-operative PSA (5.23 vs. 4.71), Gleason score (6.3 vs. 6.5), stage at resection, and prostate size at resection (51.7 vs. 47.7 g). Wilcoxon rank sum test determined no statistically significant differences in the groups. Patients in the fibrin sealant group had 1.3 versus 2.1 days with a Jackson–Pratt drain, 9.75 versus 12.1 days with a catheter, and an average of 38.6 versus 63.2 cc of drainage per shift. Catheters were removed when a cystogram demonstrated no extravasation of contrast. Two patients in the control group and no patients in the fibrin sealant group had large-volume leakage and ileus post-operatively. In patients undergoing RALRP, application of fibrin sealant at the urethrovesical anastomosis appears to facilitate sealing, thereby allowing earlier removal of the JP drain, by 0.8 days, and the Foley catheter, by 2.35 days, than in controls. No patients in the fibrin sealant group suffered post-operative ileus. This adjunct may be especially useful early in the learning process to reduce morbidity.
Interfacial effects during ion beam processing of metals

Abstract Microstructural changes of surfaces and interfaces were investigated at the atomic level by computer simulations. Molecular dynamics simulations were employed to examine the effects of self-atom bombardment of Au and Pt in the energy range 10–20 keV. It was observed that significantly more damage and atomic mixing were produced near surfaces than in corresponding recoil events in the bulk. Most damage is created by viscous flow of liquid metal onto the surface, although in some cases, micro-explosions were observed. Interfacial mixing and roughening during ion irradiation was simulated by Monte Carlo methods for multilayered structures of immiscible metals. It was observed that only few ballistic jumps relative to diffusion jumps are needed to roughen the interface, but that many more ballistic than diffusive jumps are needed to mix the layers.
Kinetic analysis of inhibition of brain and red blood cell acetylcholinesterase and plasma cholinesterase by acephate or methamidophos

Abstract In this investigation of two insecticides, methamidophos was at least 75 to 100 times more potent an inhibitor of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and cholinesterase (ChE) than was acephate. For brain samples, the bimolecular rate constant values ( K i ) in the presence of acephate and methamidophos were 0.06 and 6.3 μ m −1 · min −1 , respectively. The affinity (as measured by K a values) of acephate was greater than that of methamidophos to both the AChE and the ChE activesites. The difference in potencies of the two insecticides was entirely the result of a difference in the rate of their phosphorylation ( K p ) of AChE. The K p values in the presence of acephate and methamidophos for brain samples were 14.3 and 0.13 min −1 , respectively. The inhibition potency [as measured by K i and the concentration required to cause 50% inhibition in AChE or ChE activity (IC50 values)] of methamidophos, but not of acephate, increased by lengthening the enzyme-inhibitor incubation time. This increase in potency was the result of an increase in K p . The results indicate that brain AChE was relatively more sensitive than red blood cell (RBC) AChE to this insecticide. Variations in the sensitivities of brain and RBC AChE activities to these insecticides are because of differences in the affinity of insecticides to the enzyme's active site. The K i and IC50 values for plasma ChE were altered by changing the substrate. The differences in the sensitivities of acetylthiocholine (ATCh), butyrylthiocholine (BTCh), and propionylthiocholine (PTCh) hydrolyzing activities of plasma to exposure to methamidophos were because of differences in K a and K p values. However, differences in the sensitivities of BTCh or PTCh hydrolyzing activity of plasma to exposure to acephate cannot be attributed entirely to differences in K a and K p values.
A functional approach to boundaries in the context of environmental issues

In 1989, the Soviet Union fractured into its constituent republics. In the space of a very short time, the existing maps of the world became obsolete, and a whole new political-geographical perspective had to be developed. Though monumental in its implications, such a radical change in the geography of world politics is not as rare as some would believe. An excursion into the boundary politics of any geographical area reveals that boundaries do not exist as separate and independent entities, but persist only to the extent that they are reinforced through social discourse and practice. From this perspective, boundaries constitute important inputs to, and outcomes of, relations of power regarding territory and resources (see Foucault 1982 for a discussion the dynamics of power relations; see Taylor 1994 and Thomas 1994 for discussions of nation-state boundaries as manifestations of power). Thus, as border scholars are well aware, far from being drawn in indelible ink, boundaries are dynamic in time and space and are, in the last analysis, one of the primary ways in which we construct and reinforce geographies of difference. Because they are intimately connected with the exercise of power - and resistance - boundaries not only reflect the outcome of political contests but by their very existence stand ready to serve as important inputs to subsequent contests over the location, size and configuration of the defined and bounded space.
What Can Students Learn in an Extended Role-Play Simulation on Technology and Society?

In a small course on technology and society, students participated in an extended role-play simulation for two weeks. Each student played a different adult character in a fictional community, which faces technological decisions in three scenarios set in the near future. The three scenarios involved stem cell research, nanotechnology, and privacy. Each student had an active role in two scenarios and served as an observer for the third. At the beginning, students were apprehensive, excited, and uncertain. During the first and second sessions, they experienced some frustration, but by the end, they were generally satisfied with the outcomes. Over the two weeks, students changed their definitions of success: Initially they tried to convince others to agree with their positions; at the end, they felt that a consensus represented success. In their final reflective essays, students reported that the role-play experience helped them learn to understand the perspectives of others.
Effects of Dissolved Oxygen and Light Exposure on Determination of KOC Values for PAHs Using Fluorescence Quenching

The fluorescence of some polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) has been observed to decline over time, potentially leading to overestimation of PAH−humic binding coefficients (KOC) determined by fluorescence quenching. This phenomenon was investigated using phenanthrene, anthracene, pyrene, triphenylene, and a soil humic acid. Fluorescence quenching experiments were conducted under ambient conditions and under conditions that minimized exposure of the samples to UV radiation and dissolved oxygen. All four compounds experienced decays in fluorescence intensity when exposed to UV radiation and dissolved oxygen, but anthracene and pyrene were affected to a much larger extent than phenanthrene and triphenylene. Baseline decays in fluorescence intensity were reflected in inflated apparent KOC values, particularly for anthracene and pyrene. For example, the apparent KOC for anthracene when no attempt was made to limit dissolved oxygen or exposure to UV radiation was 10.9 × 104 mL/g of C. When exposure to UV r...
Kinematics-free angular momentum trajectories. II. Yukawa-potential numerical examples

The kinematics-free angular momentum trajectory, called the ..gamma.. trajectory, is illustrated numerically in nonrelativistic potential scattering using Yukawa and exponential potentials of various strengths. The ..gamma.. trajectory, in contrast to the ..cap alpha.. (Regge) trajectory, is free of elastic kinematics and so is real for all energies above threshold and real for certain energies below threshold. Resonances are caused when the ..gamma.. trajectory passes through the resonance angular momentum at the resonance energy, and bound states are caused when the ..gamma.. trajectory passes near the bound-state angular momentum at the bound-state energy. Numerical illustrations of the following ..gamma.. trajectory characteristics are given: the reality of ..gamma.., bound-state and resonance production, threshold and high-energy behavior, and collisions of trajectories below threshold. In addition, general properties of ..gamma.. trajectories in the context of potential scattering are discussed.
Fractures of the tibia.

External skeletal fixation is useful for stabilizing various kinds of tibial fractures. Common problems associated with tibial fractures such as exposed bone, comminution, and osteomyelitis can be treated effectively with external skeletal fixation devices. External skeletal fixation also is ideal for stabilization of open tibial fractures and treatment of associated soft-tissue injuries.
Fast gradient echo MR imaging of the liver enhanced with superparamagnetic iron oxide

The purpose of this study was to develop a breath-hold technique for hepatic imaging using SPIO-enhanced gradient echo. Pre- and post-SPIO driven equilibrium fast gradient echo scans were performed on five healthy subjects. Scan parameters were established to emphasize large pre-/post-signal differences while maintaining a scan time conducive to breath-hold. Hepatic post-SPIO signal reduction was at least fifty percent with diagnostic image quality in all subjects. SPIO-enhanced gradient echo provides slightly less hepatic signal reduction to spin echo techniques but can be performed within a single breath-hold. This technique may be advantageous over SE in assessing hepatic pathology in subjects unable to lay motionless for prolonged intervals, such as children.
Homonuclear decoupled chemical shift anisotropy in doubly labeled peptides by selective-pulse solid-state NMR

Abstract We describe a new experiment for measuring homonuclear-decoupled anisotropic chemical shift patterns in doubly 13 C -labeled compounds under magic-angle spinning. The experiment combines a pair of selective and non-selective 180° pulses to suppress the 13 C – 13 C scalar and dipolar interactions. This is combined with the recently developed SUPER technique to recouple the chemical shift anisotropy. Demonstrations on 13 Cα and 13 CO -labeled amino acids and peptides show that accurate chemical shift powder patterns can be obtained. This permits the use of chemical shift anisotropy for conformational studies of suitably extensively 13 C -labeled peptides and proteins.
A double sequential immunofluorescence method demonstrating the co-localization of urotensins I and II in the caudal neurosecretory system of the teleost, Gillichthys mirabilis.

A double immunofluorescence method was devised to localize simultaneously urotensin-I (UI) and -II (UII) immunoreactivities in the caudal neurosecretory system of the goby, Gillichthys mirabilis. In a sequential fashion, sections of the posterior spinal cord and urophysis were treated with antiserum to corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) that cross-reacts with UI, fluorescein-conjugated sheep anti-rabbit IgG, biotinylated anti-UII and rhodamine-conjugated avidin. UI and UII immunoreactivities appeared to coexist in some neurons and in most fibers and urophysial tissue; the remainder of the fibers and urophysis and the majority of neurons were immunoreactive for CRF/ UI only. No convincing evidence of immunoreactivity for UII only was found. A few nonreactive cells were seen, but these may not be neurosecretory neurons. The two immunoreactive cell types were not segregated topographically, and the intensity of perikaryal immunofluorescence for CRF/UI was variable. To explain these results a hypothesis that all caudal neurosecretory cells may synthesize both UI and UII and that immunoreactive differences may reflect different states of cellular activity, is suggested. This sequential double immunofluorescence method offers several advantages over other techniques and is especially useful for co-localization studies when primary antisera from different species are not available.
The approach to equilibrium in nonlinear hydrodynamics

Couette laminar flow is used to study the approach to equilibrium in an unstable flow pattern. It is shown that previously derived equations for the wave number and equilibrium amplitude of the disturbances in the unstable flow are valid approximations in the non-linear Couette flow problem. (C.E.S.)