cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Rear Inflow in Squall Lines with Trailing Stratiform Precipitation

Abstract The relative airflow and accompanying precipitation structure of squall lines trailed by mesoscale regions of stratiform rain are examined with emphasis on the occurrence of “rear inflow,” i.e. the intrusion of environmental air into these storms across the trailing precipitation boundary. Three cases from Kansas and Oklahoma provide examples of “Strong Rear Inflow,” which crosses the back edge of the stratiform precipitation area at relative speeds exceeding 10 m s−1. The vertical profiles of relative flow at the trailing precipitation boundary of these three systems were remarkably similar, with the rear inflow confined to a jet-like layer centered at about 550 mb. Doppler radar data for two of these cases showed that the rear inflow jet occupied a continuous channel extending from middle levels at the back edge of the stratiform region to lower levels of the leading convective region, where it merged with outflow from convective downdrafts to bolster the leading gust front. Strong front-to-rea...
Microwave dispersion and absorption for a rotational transition in methanol

Abstract A method for displaying a microwave rotational transition in the dispersion mode is described and applied to the J = 4 ← 3, K = −1 ← 0, E-state transition in methanol. The effective linewidths in the absorption and dispersion modes are the same and δν/p = 18.9 ± 0.3 MHz/torr at 297 K.
The impact of cultural differences in U.S. business-to-business export marketing channel strategic alliances

Abstract Given slower growth and fierce competition in the domestic market, combined with increasing opportunities in many overseas markets, more and more U.S. companies are going international. While many doing so may initially use a direct exporting approach that relies on foreign channel members to distribute the product in the host country, over time, strategic alliances among distribution partners may form based on trust, commitment, and cooperation. For these alliances to succeed, the partners' perceptions of these variables need to be congruent so that expectations on each side of the dyad are reasonably similar. However, what happens when the cultural backgrounds of each channel partner are substantially different? This study empirically examines whether cultural differences do affect trust, commitment, and cooperation in international marketing channel alliances between U.S. exporters and their foreign distribution partners. Based on the survey responses from 149 U.S. exporters with marketing alliances abroad, cultural differences do affect trust, commitment, and cooperation. The greater the cultural differences between channel partners, the lower the levels of trust, commitment, and cooperation. Managerial implications are discussed, and study limitations are identified.
Formalism for the T(d, n)4He and 3He(d, p)4He reactions☆

Abstract The formalism required to describe the T(d, n)4He or 3He(d, p)4He reaction when all particles may be polarized is discussed. The relation among the various sets of spin-1 tensors is stated explicitly, so that the formulas applying to a particular experiment may be written easily in terms of any desired system.
Early evidence of an adverse selection death spiral? The case of Blue Cross and Blue Shield

Abstract This paper uses a unique data set from 1957 to examine whether or not Blue Cross and Blue Shield suffered from an adverse selection death spiral after for-profit commercial insurance companies entered the market for health insurance. Results suggest that moving to experience rating may have helped the Blues counteract adverse selection in the group health insurance market. Adverse selection posed a greater problem for the Blues in the market for individual health insurance, possibly because of differences in the way the Blues screened potential enrollees relative to commercial insurance companies.
A software system for real-time control of psychological experiments

This paper describes an all-purpose experimental system, “APES,” for use in a microprocessor-controlled behavioral pharmacology laboratory. APES is an assembly language program that can run on any of the DEC PDP-11 family processors under an RT-11 single-job operating system. Its main purpose is the real-time control of psychological experimentation. The capabilities of the system are: (1) system generation of all operant or Pavlovian conditioning paradigms, (2) collection and storage of both behavioral and physiological data in a machine-readable format for later statistical analysis, and (3) operation that can be accomplished by individuals who have no computer programming experience.
Percutaneous access of nondilated renal collecting systems.

Interventional radiology (IR) has seen an increase in the numbers of patients referred for urinary diversion in patients with ureteral leaks. This increase has corresponded to the increasing use of complicated surgical procedures for lower urinary tract tumors. These procedures are often relatively difficult to perform for two reasons: first, the renal collecting systems are typically completely decompressed due to the leak; second, many of these patients have recently undergone a significant operation via a ventral approach, making patient positioning difficult. The latter issue is relatively easy to control with the aid of anesthesiologists and the creative use of bolsters and pillows, although in the worst case scenario patients may have to be positioned in a lateral decubitus position (further complicating an already difficult procedure). The discussion below outlines the authors' procedural algorithm in gaining percutaneous collecting system access in this difficult patient population.
Molecular Dynamics Simulation Study of Phase Transformations in Transition Bimetallic Nanowires

Molecular dynamic simulations were carried out to study the thermal characteristics of Pd−Rh and Pd−Cu nanowires of approximately 2.3 nm diameter using the quantum Sutton-Chen potential function to...
High pressure NMR study of the prefactor anomaly in the lithium intercalation compound Li0.94TiS2

Abstract Temperature variation of the 7Li NMR lineshape in Li0.94TiS2 was measured at pressures from 1 bar to 5 kbar at 70 MHz using Fourier Transform techniques. The quadrupole satellite peaks in the powder spectrum are independent of temperature and pressure, indicating a quadrupole coupling constant of e2qQ/h = 31.7 kHZ. Conversely, the temperature variation of the central transition in the motional narrowing limit shows a pronounced pressure effect. Analysis of the broadening behavior indicates a 50% increase in apparent activation energy and two order magnitude decreases in prefactor at 5 kbar. These variations are discussed in terms of recent theories for prefactor anomalies in superionic conductors.
Between the State and Indigenous Autonomy: Unpacking Video Indigena in Mexico

This essay unpacks the complex emergence of video indigena, or state-sponsored small media, at the height of official pluralism in Mexico in the early 1990s. A government video program created in a transitional institutional setting colludes with the indigenous autonomy movement---through the work and visions of individual video makers and cultural activists---to produce a social form and process that has gained international recognition while confronting particular challenges in indigenous communities.
Applications of an Envelope Simulator

There are many applications of the Circuit Envelope simulator. Primarily it is used for efficiently simulating non-steady-state, digitally-modulated RF signals and transient RF signals that are found in many communications circuits and systems. Amplifier adjacent-channel power ratio, error vector magnitude, power added efficiency, frequency or phase versus time, etc. can be simulated. Transient responses of phase locked loops and automatic gain control loops can also be simulated. IQ modulators can be simulated efficiently with baseband modulation signals or sine wave inputs. The performance of receivers with modulated input signals can be simulated as well. Designers are no longer forced to characterize their circuits with unmodulated sine waves. Now, performance can be simulated with the digitally-modulated signals that the circuits will see in operation. Here is a list of typical applications: amplifier adjacent-channel power ratio (ACPR), error vector magnitude (EVM) and power-added efficiency (PAE) with modulated signals; phase locked loop (PLL) simulations: frequency-versus-time transient responses, reference oscillator feedthrough and time-domain noise simulation; I-Q modulator simulations: ACPR, EVM, baseband-to-RF signal mapping, intermodulation distortion; receiver simulation with modulated signals and interfering tones; AGC (automatic gain control) simulation.
A fast flexible ink-jet printing method for patterning dissociated neurons in culture

We present a new technique that uses a custom-built ink-jet printer to fabricate precise micropatterns of cell adhesion materials for neural cell culture. Other work in neural cell patterning has employed photolithography or "soft lithographic" techniques such as micro-stamping, but such approaches are limited by their use of an un-alterable master pattern such as a mask or stamp master and can be resource-intensive. In contrast, ink-jet printing, used in low-cost desktop printers, patterns material by depositing microscopic droplets under robotic control in a programmable and inexpensive manner. We report the use of ink-jet printing to fabricate neuron-adhesive patterns such as islands and other shapes using poly(ethylene) glycol as the cell-repulsive material and a collagen/poly-D-lysine (PDL) mixture as the cell-adhesive material. We show that dissociated rat hippocampal neurons and glia grown at low densities on such patterns retain strong pattern adherence for over 25 days. The patterned neurons are comparable to control, un-patterned cells in electrophysiological properties and in immunocytochemical measurements of synaptic density and inhibitory cell distributions. We suggest that an inexpensive desktop printer may be an accessible tool for making micro-island cultures and other basic patterns. We also suggest that ink-jet printing may be extended to a range of developmental neuroscience studies, given its ability to more easily layer materials, build substrate-bound gradients, construct out-of-plane structure, and deposit sources of diffusible factors.
Taxonomic and ecological review of California Delphinium

A l'interior dels limits de California es troben la totalitat o parts de les arees de bona part dels Delphinium nadius de Nordamerica. Es reconeixen 28 especies de Delphinium a California; ultra llurs respectives subspecies nominals, es reconeixen 17 altres subspecies. Es presenten un a clau i les descripcions corresponents als taxons presents a California. Juntament amb les descripcions, s'hi inclouen comentaris sobre la distribucio, preferencies d'habitat, propensio per a ta hibridacio i abundancia de cada taxon. Alguns hibrids que es poden trobar (sovint com a resultat de pertorbacions causades per l'home) son separats a les claus.
Mexican oil spill: A toxicity study of oil accommodated in seawater on marine invertebrates

Abstract The Mexican Ixtoc oil well blew out on 3 June, 1979. Since then more than 3.5 × 10 5 tonnes of crude oil have entered the Gulf of Mexico. This is probably the largest oil spill in the world's history. Two months later (7 August, 1979), the spilled oil began moving to the Texas coastal waters and the well is not yet capped. Although laboratory tests showed that the aged oil was not acutely toxic to some marine invertebrates, further work needs to be conducted to determine its possible chronic effects on sensitive ecosystems such as the Laguna Madre.
Prevalence of latent alpha-herpesviruses in Thoroughbred racing horses

The objective of this study was to detect and characterize latent equine herpes virus (EHV)-1 and -4 from the submandibular (SMLN) and bronchial lymph (BLN) nodes, as well as from the trigeminal ganglia (TG) of 70 racing Thoroughbred horses submitted for necropsy following sustaining serious musculoskeletal injuries while racing. A combination of nucleic acid precipitation and pre-amplification steps was used to increase analytical sensitivity. Tissues were deemed positive for latent EHV-1 and/or -4 infection when found PCR positive for the corresponding glycoprotein B (gB) gene in the absence of detectable late structural protein gene (gB gene) mRNA. The EHV-1 genotype was also determined using a discriminatory real-time PCR assay targeting the DNA polymerase gene (ORF 30). Eighteen (25.7%) and 58 (82.8%) horses were PCR positive for the gB gene of EHV-1 and -4, respectively, in at least one of the three tissues sampled. Twelve horses were dually infected with EHV-1 and -4, two carried a latent neurotropic strain of EHV-1, six carried a non-neurotropic genotype of EHV-1 and 10 were dually infected with neurotropic and non-neurotropic EHV-1. The distribution of latent EHV-1 and -4 infection varied in the samples, with the TG found to be most commonly infected. Overall, non-neurotropic strains were more frequently detected than neurotropic strains, supporting the general consensus that non-neurotropic strains are more prevalent in horse populations, and hence the uncommon occurrence of equine herpes myeloencephalopathy.
Automate the performance test of RNC using 3G tools GUI

RNCLG is a 3G simulator used for testing UMTS RNC. With RNC version updating more frequently, the originally RNCLG pattern can't fulfill all new requirements and challenges RNC testing brings. The paper propose an improved RNCLG pattern, mainly added a GUI component which integrated into whole RNCLG. The GUI has the functionality of automated files configuration, remote control of RNC testing, and shows more statistic and KPI on pages. The pattern had been successfully implemented and proved to be effective and effect for RNC testing. At the last part of the paper, we discuss the proposed enhancements to the tool, and give the evidence that the pattern can also be use as a reference for other related tools.
Taxonomy of the Common Dolphins of the Eastern Pacific Ocean

Delphinus bairdii Dall is a species of dolphin distinct from D. delphis Linnaeus, with which it has usually been synonymized. D. bairdii has a longer rostrum relative to the zygomatic width of the skull; the ratio of these measurements falls at 1.55 or above for bairdii and 1.53 and below for delphis. In the eastern Pacific Ocean, D. bairdii is found in the Gulf of California and along the west coast of Baja California, Mexico; D. delphis is presently found in the waters off California. Until approximately the beginning of the present century, bairdii occurred farther north in the eastern Pacific Ocean, at least to the Monterey Bay area of California. Restriction of bairdii to more southerly waters, probably as an indirect result of a change in water temperature, may have permitted delphis to move into inshore Californian waters. The Pacific population of D. delphis has a somewhat shorter rostrum than the Atlantic population, and is perhaps subspecifically different. A thorough analysis of the entire genus Delphinus is needed before the relationship of all the populations can be understood and names properly applied.
New Cytotoxic Cycloartane Triterpenoids From Desmos Cochinchinensis (Annonaceae)

Abstract Desmosinol, a novel cycloartane triterpenoid was isolated from the stem of Desmos cochinchinensis Lour. (Annonaceae). Its structure was established by spectroscopic methods.
Are we doing the right number of echocardiograms

I’d like to begin this Editor’s Page by stating, up front, that I do not know the answer to the question posed in the title of this month’s column. Nonetheless, I think it is a question of considerable interest, and not just to me. I must disclose that the perspectives that follow are my own, and not to be construed as reflecting any official position of the American Society of Echocardiography (ASE) or its Journal. A few weeks ago, in performing my ‘‘day job’’, I reviewed two echocardiograms. Late on a Friday afternoon, I was asked to interpret an echocardiogram done on a patient who had just been admitted with worsening shortness of breath thought to reflect a heart failure exacerbation. The echocardiogram clearly demonstrated diffuse left ventricular (LV) hypokinesis and an ejection fraction (EF) in the range of 30%. The other echocardiogram was performed in an elderly patient whose primary care physician had just detected— for the first time ever— a heart murmur. The echocardiogram demonstrated severe calcific aortic stenosis. Who would question whether or not it was right to perform these two echocardiographic studies? We will come back to this question. The topic of ‘‘right sizing’’ was discussed many years ago, and in terms easily understood, in a fairy tale first published in 1837 that has since become known as ‘‘Goldilocks and the Three Bears’’. As Goldilocks discovered, a chair that was too big, or one that was too small, was uncomfortable and ineffective. Bowls of porridge that were either too hot or too cold were neither appetizing nor nourishing. A bed that was too hard, or one that was too soft, did not provide rest and rejuvenation. But a chair, a bowl of porridge, and a bed that was ‘‘just right’’— well, those were (to mix metaphors) exactly what the doctor ordered! It has been said that the most expensive piece of medical equipment is the doctor’s pen, with which he or she orders diagnostic tests and treatments. As I will discuss later, ‘‘when to order?’’ is a question relevant to many medical procedures, tests, and treatments. However, my own interests drive me to discuss the issue from the perspective of ‘‘when to order an echocardiogram’’? In my view, we ought to be asking ourselves this question on a daily basis, and we need to learn a great deal more about this seemingly simple question. In part, this is because it is the right thing to do. However, it is also an issue of great interest to those who pay for medical services and who believe that (a) the current rate of growth in the cost of providing medical services is not sustainable and (b) one of the most important drivers of growth is the continuing increase in the use of diagnostic medical imaging technologies. Echocardiography, a widely used family of cardiovascular imaging procedures, is clearly on the radar screen of regulators who seem pressed to rein in the costs of providing care, and it seems to me that this is true for both government-backed systems (such as Medicare) and providers of private insurance. For that reason, and
A parameter estimation method based on aggregated data

Abstract In constructing multiprocessor-based distributed process control systems, one approach is to use low-end processors to carry out direct control tasks at the local layer, while leaving more sophisticated tasks for high-end processors at the supervisory layer. For such a system architecture, reducing the data transmission on the communication link is a challenging problem. Hung and Lefkowitz proposed a data aggregation algorithm for compressing the original input/output data at the local layer before passing them to the supervisory layer. At the supervisory layer, however, there is a lack of an effective algorithm to perform the parameter estimation task based on the aggregated data. This paper describes a method which significantly improves the effectiveness of this task. Systems under control are assumed to be linear with distinct eigenvalues. Simulation results are included.
Photoelastic Properties Of Optical Materials

The tensorial nature of the photoelastic effect in optical materials is discussed. The commonly used photoelastic constants, the piezo-optic and the elasto-optic constants, are defined and the general form of these tensors is presented. The most commonly used methods for measuring photoelastic constants, interferometry, polarimetry, the acousto-optic effect and Brillouin scattering are discussed. In addition, the effect of wavelength dispersion is examined.
Observation of dark photovoltaic spatial solitons

We report on the observation of planar dark spatial solitons due to the bulk photovoltaic effect in lithium niobate, with intensities of the order of 10 W/cm2 and widths of approximately 20 \ensuremath{\mu}m. Photovoltaic solitons display a characteristic tensorial dependence on their direction of propagation, on their polarization, and on the orientation of the amplitude profile, with respect to the principal axes of the crystalline medium. The index perturbation associated with a dark soliton persists in the dark, and it can trap and guide a second beam.
Absence of growth hormone-releasing factor in the posterior pituitary lobe of the rat.

This study was performed to investigate whether growth hormone-releasing factor (GRF) is present in the posterior pituitary lobe of the rat. The assay for GRF activity consisted of measurement of the depletion of pituitary growth hormone (GH) of recipient rats following an intracarotid injection. Since the extracts from 8 rat posterior pituitary lobes contain over 800 mU vasopressin and this large dose of vasopressin depletes the pituitary of GH, an effort was made to inactivate vasopressin without affecting GRF activity. Thioglycollate solution, which destroyed the biological activities of vasopressin, also depleted pituitary GH in the recipient rat. This effect was counteracted by adding cystine or glutathione to the thioglycollate solutions before the injection. GRF activity of a purified GRF preparation from pig hypothalami and of a rat pituitary stalk-median eminence extract (SME) was not abolished by thioglycollate treatment. Posterior pituitary extract, equivalent to 8 posterior lobes, showed GRF a...
On the Kleinrock-Nilsson problem of optimal scheduling algorithms for time- shared systems

We seek to minimize the mean-squared deviation of a waiting time function from a desired response function over the class of waiting time functions satisfying the Kleinrock-Nilsson necessary conditions. We will characterize analytically the optimal policy as the minimum majorant in the appropriate class of the cumulative response to go. We will show that, in general, the monotonicity necessary condition results in optimal policies which depend in some sense on the future and are anticipating.
Magnon-drag Peltier effect in a Ni-Cu alloy

Peltier-effect measurements to an accuracy of 1% have been made on ${\mathrm{Ni}}_{66}$${\mathrm{Cu}}_{34}$ and ${\mathrm{Ni}}_{69}$${\mathrm{Fe}}_{31}$ at 1.3-4.2 K and magnetic fields to 5.5 T. The Peltier coefficient $\ensuremath{\pi}$ is proportional to ${T}^{2}$ as expected for electron diffusion. However, the absolute value of $\ensuremath{\pi}$ decreases by 7% in Ni-Cu and 4% in Ni-Fe when the field is increased from just above ferromagnetic saturation to 5.5 T, at 4.2 K. This decrease is consistent with a magnon-drag contribution to the Peltier coefficient, which is quenched by the field, at least in the case of Ni-Cu. The magnitude of the contribution, when combined with Hall data, indicates that the magnon gas drifts at a speed close to that of the $4s$ electron gas. Using a simple kinetic theory this implies that magnons relax faster on $4s$ electrons than on impurities. Interpretation of Ni-Fe data is not so clear.
A stakeholder analysis of U.S. marine aquaculture partnerships

Abstract U.S. states are increasingly using multi-stakeholder groups to advise on marine aquaculture policy and research development. Such groups typically include some mix of government (e.g., tribal, federal, state, or local) and non-governmental (e.g., private, non-profit, or university) stakeholders. The engagement of such multi-stakeholder groups in the marine aquaculture policy process allows governments to harness the expertise of vested policy stakeholders and ensure that policy solutions are contextually appropriate. Taking stock of the participants in these groups is an important first step in understanding the broader role they play in the aquaculture policy process. In this article, a stakeholder analysis of ten multi-stakeholder groups engaged in aquaculture policy development, referred to as aquaculture partnerships, is conducted based on conceptual guidance from the Advocacy Coalition Framework. In the context of these 10 partnerships, partnerships’ participant compositions as well as inter-sectoral differences relating to (i) aquaculture policy beliefs; (ii) problem perceptions; (iii) resources; (iv) trust perceptions; (v) coordination patterns; and (vi) factors based upon which individuals coordinate with others in their partnerships are identified. Results from the stakeholder analysis show that partnerships have substantial representation from government and non-government policy stakeholders, that leveraging expertise through the collaborative policymaking process is critical, and that even within these multi-stakeholder groups, government actors maintain a critical position.
Temperature dependence of strain in ZnSe(epilayer)/GaAs(epilayer)

A study of biaxial strain as a function of temperature in a ZnSe epilayer grown on a GaAs substrate is presented. The strains are determined by measuring the heavy‐ and light‐hole related excitonic transitions via photomodulated spectroscopy. The strain is found to increase with increasing temperature. The data are compared with a calculation using a previously determined elastic constant and thermal expansion coefficients. The temperature dependence determined here allows a comparison of various other optical measurements performed at different temperatures.
Bayesian small-sample estimation of misclassified multinomial data

Bayesian small-sample estimation of a multinomial distribution based on its apparent distribution and a matrix of misclassification probabilities is considered.
Interleukin-4-Independent Acceleration of Cutaneous Leishmaniasis in Susceptible BALB/c Mice following Treatment with Anti-CTLA4 Antibody

BALB/c mice are susceptible to progressive infection with Leishmania major due to the preferential development of CD4+ T cells that secrete Th2 cytokines. Although Th2 cell development and susceptibility are disrupted by blockade of CD86 function early in infection, CD28-deficient BALB/c mice remain susceptible to leishmaniasis. We therefore examined whether the alternative CD86 ligand, CTLA4, contributes to the expression of susceptibility. BALB/c mice treated for 2 weeks of infection with anti-CTLA4 monoclonal antibody developed more rapidly progressive disease than sham-treated mice, whereas normally resistant C57BL/6 mice were unaffected. The draining lymph node cells of anti-CTLA4-treated BALB/c mice produced up to sixfold more interleukin-4 (IL-4) and IL-13 than control mice in the first 2 weeks of infection, but IFN-γ synthesis was reciprocally decreased. Anti-CTLA4 treatment of BALB/c mice pretreated with neutralizing anti-IL-4 antibody or genetically deficient in IL-4 also caused significant worsening of leishmaniasis. Exacerbation in IL-4 KO mice was associated with increased IL-13 and decreased gamma interferon (IFN-γ) and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) mRNA expression in vivo. These data indicate that anti-CTLA4 antibody induced earlier and more-polarized Th2 responses in susceptible BALB/c mice infected with L. major. The mechanism of disease worsening was partially IL-4 independent, indicating that increased IL-13 and/or decreased IFN-γ production may have disrupted nitric oxide-based microbicidal responses. We conclude that CTLA4 significantly modulates Th2 development in murine leishmaniasis and that the Th2-polarizing effects of anti-CTLA4 treatment result in IL-4-independent exacerbation of disease.
Clustering, Pairing and Anisotropy of QSOs

Evidence for non-uniformity of the distribution of QSOs over the sky is reviewed. Topics discussed include associations of QSOs with galaxies, pairing of QSOs and the distribution of radio-detected QSOs over the sky. Periodic structure in the distribution of QSO emission-line redshifts is also discussed, and recent work on the surface density of QSOs at various apparent magnitudes is summarised. Very little compelling evidence exists at present against the view that QSOs are distributed uniformly across the sky and are unassociated with bright galaxies or with other QSOs.
Gonococcal Ascending Aortitis With Penetrating Ulcers and Intraluminal Thrombus

Neisseria gonorrhoeae is an uncommon pathogen causing bacterial aortitis. We describe a patient with a bicuspid aortic valve and known ascending aortic aneurysm who presented with fever and chest pain. Imaging demonstrated complex penetrating ulcers in the proximal ascending aorta. The patient underwent a modified Bentall procedure, resection of the ulcers, and ascending aortic reconstruction. Pathologic examination and culture of the aortic specimens revealed the infectious cause.
Root mean square fluctuation of a weak magnetic field in an infinite medium of homogeneous stationary turbulence.

The generation of a magnetic field by statistically homogeneous, stationary velocity turbulence is considered. The generation of rms magnetic fluctuation is explicitly demonstrated in the limit of short turbulence correlation time. It is shown that the fluctuation associated with a growing or stationary mean field grows with time such that the ratio of the fluctuation and the square of the mean field tends to a steady value, which is a monotonically decreasing function of the growth rate of the mean field.
Experimental characterization of a SonoKnife applicator

The SonoKnife is a scan-able high intensity line-focused ultrasound device for thermal ablation (52 - 60°C) of superficially located advanced tumors or nodal disease in the head and neck. Based on preliminary simulation results, a prototype cylindrical section transducer operating at 3.5 MHz, with a 60 mm radius of curvature, an elevation of 30 mm and an aperture of 60 mm, was constructed for laboratory testing. The three-dimensional distribution of the acoustic field was measured in water and compared to preliminary numerical results. Ablation experiments were performed in gel phantoms, in porcine liver ex vivo and in live piglets. The experimental results agreed well with the theoretical simulations and showed that the SonoKnife transducer had a narrow acoustic edge and is able to ablate living biological tissues at practical power levels.
Integrating Dark Humor and Compassion: Identities and Presentations of Self in the Front and Back Regions of Hospice

In The Presentation of Self in Everyday Life, Goffman drew attention to the various ways that individuals present themselves across settings. One aspect of his discussion was the division of space into front and back regions. In this article, I use data from two years participant observation and forty-one interviews with hospice workers to examine the ways that workers identify as well as how they use those identities to account for discrepancies between front and back region behaviors. Front stage behaviors emphasize compassion, while backstage behaviors include dark humor, strategizing, and detachment. This article argues that workers create a hospice identity that emphasizes authentic emotional expression and enlightenment about death as a way to explain away discrepancies in behavior. This work challenges assumptions that fronts are only performances and that back regions are more authentic by showing how workers integrate the two into a professional sense of self.
An internal rate of return approach to investigate pharmacist supply in the united states

Internal rates of return were used to examine the status of pharmacist supply in the United States between the years 1987-1991. Age-earnings profiles were estimated for pharmacists, college graduates and high school graduates. Rates of return to pharmacists and college graduates were compared and a ratio of the pharmacist rate to the college graduate rate was computed for each year. Results suggest a shortage of pharmacists in the United States. Enrollments in pharmacy schools and adopted changes in the training of pharmacists are discussed in relation to their effects on the pharmacist labour market.
A component analysis of a parent‐conducted multi‐component treatment for food selectivity

Treatment packages including differential reinforcement of alternative (DRA) behavior and escape prevention in the form of a non-removal of the spoon procedure have been shown to successfully increase food consumption. However, when these treatment components are introduced simultaneously, the treatment component(s) responsible for behavior change cannot be determined. The purpose of this study was to conduct a sequential component analysis of the following treatment components: Bite fading, manipulation of reinforcer magnitude, and escape prevention. For two participants, food consumption did not increase until after escape prevention was introduced. For one participant, increased food consumption was observed after the magnitude of reinforcement was increased; therefore, escape prevention was not necessary. Results were maintained at a 12-week follow-up for all participants. Copyright # 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Photon emission as a probe of chaotic processes accompanying fracture

Photon emission accompanying the fracture of an epoxy and single crystal MgO is examined for evidence of deterministic chaos by means of the autocorrelation function, the Fourier transform, the correlation integral of Grassberger and Procaccia, and the fractal box dimension. A positive Lyapunov exponent is also obtained from the epoxy phE data. Each of these measures is consistent with a significant degree of deterministic chaos associated with attractors of relatively low dimension. A typical epoxy fracture surface was analyzed for fractal character by means of the slit island technique, yielding a fractal dimension of 1.32 ± 0.03. The fractal dimensions of the fracture surface and the photon emission data (box dimension) of the epoxy are in good agreement. These observations suggest that fluctuations in photon emission intensity during fracture reflect the production of fractal surface features as they are being produced and thus provide important information on the process of dynamic crack growth.
Hartree-Fock energies of 4De and 4D0 doubly excited states of the lithium isoelectronic sequence

Abstract Hartree-Fock energies of 1s2snd 4D, 1s2pnp 4D and 1s2pnd 4D0, n=3–5 of lithium isoelectronic sequence from Li to Ne+7 are reported. These results in conjunction with the energy of the lowest 4P and 4P0 states of the lithium isoelectronic sequence as calculated by Holoien and Geltman, are used to check some proposed assignments of lines obtained in beamfoil spectroscopy of Be(II), C(IV) and N(V).
Learning signals and systems with Mathematica

Mathematica, a computer algebra system that supports a sophisticated notebook user interface, which is useful for writing tutorials is discussed. Because of this interface, Mathematica was chosen to assist students in learning linear systems theory. Students interact with Mathematica at two different levels. The lower level is a collection of Mathematica routines known as the signal processing packages (SPP). These packages implement symbolic operations such as convolution and linear transforms and graphical operations such as pole zero diagrams and frequency response plots. The higher level of interaction is with a set of tutorial Notebooks on topics such as convolution and the z transform. The complete system will eventually support the theoretical aspects of a signals and systems curriculum from introductory courses through first-year graduate courses. >
Mortality in patients treated with flecainide and encainide for supraventricular arrhythmias

In a recent clinical trial, the class Ic antiarrhythmic drugs encainide and flecainide were found to be associated with an increased mortality risk in patients with new myocardial infarction and ventricular arrhythmias. The purpose of this study was to assess whether an increased mortality risk also accompanied the use of these drugs to treat patients with supraventricular arrhythmias. Data were obtained from the respective pharmaceutical sponsors on the mortality observed with each drug in United States and foreign protocols enrolling patients with supraventricular arrhythmias. Mortality in the encainide population (343 patients) and the flecainide population (236 patients) was compared with that in a research arrhythmia clinic, the Duke population (154 patients). Nine deaths occurred in the combined encainide-flecainide population and 10 deaths occurred in the Duke population; the follow-up periods averaged 488 days and 1,285 days, respectively. The 6-year survival functions of these 2 populations, estimated by the Kaplan-Meier technique, did not differ significantly (p = 0.62). The hazard ratio for the combined encainide-flecainide population relative to the Duke population was estimated to be 0.6 with a 95% confidence interval of 0.2, 1.7. These descriptive comparisons did not demonstrate any excess mortality when flecainide and encainide were used in patients with supraventricular arrhythmias.
Gender specificity of altered human immune cytokine profiles in aging.

Cytokine generation by T cells and monocytes was determined for 50 subjects aged 65 yr or older and concurrently studied young subjects individually matched to each old subject for sex, race, and national origin. Highly significant differences between cytokine levels of old and young subjects all were gender specific. For T cells stimulated with anti-CD3 plus anti-CD28 antibodies, mean ratios of IFN-γ generation for healthy old to young subjects were 0.22 for men (P<0.001; n=15) and 3.35 for women (P<0.001; n=13), and those of IL-17 were 0.30 for men (P<0.001) and no difference for women. CD8 T cells were the source of high IFN-γ in healthy old women. For old men with an inflammatory or immune disease (n=10), mean old to young ratios of T-cell-generated IFN-γ and IL-17 increased with disease severity up to 5.78 and 2.97 (both P<0.01), respectively, without changes for old women with similar diseases (n=12). For differentiated LPS-stimulated monocytes, old to young ratios of TNF-α and IL-6 generation were high only in women with immune or inflammatory disease (2.38, P<0.05 and 1.62, P<0.01, respectively), whereas ratios of IFN-γ-evoked IP-10 chemokine were low in all groups. Alterations in immune cytokine profiles with aging show significant gender specificity.—Goetzl, E. J., Huang, M.-C., Kon, J., Patel, K., Schwartz, J. B., Fast, K., Ferrucci, L., Madara, K., Taub, D. D., Longo, D. L. Gender specificity of altered human immune cytokine profiles in aging.
Egg Coloration and Recognition of Conspecific Brood Parasitism in Eastern Bluebirds

Individual eastern bluebird (Sialia sialis) females produce clutches of eggs with unique coloration and older females and females in better body condition lay more pigmented blue-green eggs. Conspecific brood parasitism in this species is not uncommon and bluebirds occasionally reject what appear to be normal eggs by moving them to the periphery of the nest. I used UV-visual reflectance spectrometry to objectively measure coloration of eggs and nest material. To estimate the conspicuousness of the trait, I calculated the contrast between eggs and background nest material. I found high achromatic and chromatic contrast between the coloration of eggs and of the nests, suggesting that bluebird eggs are highly conspicuous. To test the hypothesis that expression of blue-green coloration eggs facilitates recognition of eggs laid by conspecific brood parasites, I cross-fostered individual eggs into host nests during egg laying and monitored the fate of those eggs. I found no support, however, for the hypothesis that egg coloration facilitates discrimination of parasitic eggs from host eggs.
Harvest Date Effects on Biomass Yield, Moisture Content, Mineral Concentration, and Mineral Export in Switchgrass and Native Polycultures Managed for Bioenergy

Various local factors influence the decision of when to harvest grassland biomass for renewable energy including climate, plant composition, and phenological stage. However, research on biomass yield and quality related to a wide range of harvest timing from multiple environments and years is lacking. Our objective was to determine the effect of harvest timing on yield, moisture, and mineral concentration of switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.) and native polyculture biomass. Biomass was harvested on 56 unique days ranging from late summer (2 September) to late spring (20 May) spanning 3 years (2009 to 2011) and seven sites in Minnesota, USA. Biomass yield varied considerably by location and year (range = 0.7–11.7 Mg ha−1) and was lowest during the winter. On average, there was no difference in biomass yield harvested in early fall compared to late spring. Biomass moisture content was lowest in late spring, averaging 156 g kg−1 across all locations and years when harvested after 1 April. Biomass N concentration did not change across harvest dates; however, P and K concentrations declined dramatically from late summer to late spring. Considering the economic costs of replacing exported minerals and changes in revenues from biomass yield through time, biomass harvest should be conducted in late summer–early fall or late spring and avoided in winter. However, biomass managed for gasification should be harvested in spring to reduce concentrations of minerals that lead to slagging and fouling. Changes in biomass yield and quality through time were similar for switchgrass and native polyculture biomass. These biomass harvest recommendations are made from data spanning multiple years and locations and should be applicable to various growing conditions across the Upper Midwest.
The mystery of angiography and the "unawarded" Nobel Prize: Egas Moniz and Hans Christian Jacobaeus.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the circumstances surrounding why Egas Moniz was not awarded the Nobel Prize for his contribution of angiography, provide a synopsis of Moniz's political and medical careers, and present a biographical sketch of Hans Christian Jacobaeus, the neurologist who evaluated Moniz's Nobel Prize nominations, as well as to dispel long-standing misconceptions concerning Moniz's recognition and to acknowledge the contributions of other researchers. HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE: In 1936, Antonio Caetano de Abreu Freire Egas Moniz published the results of a radical treatment for mental illness, a surgical procedure he termed prefrontal leucotomy. Moniz achieved such remarkable results with mental patients who suffered from conditions previously deemed incurable that many physicians throughout the world immediately embraced the procedure. In 1949, the Nobel Prize Committee recognized Moniz's contribution with the Nobel Prize in Physiology and Medicine. Why Moniz's earlier major contribution to medicine, the discovery and development of angiography, was not acknowledged in like fashion has remained a mystery. Nobel Prize documents reveal that Moniz was nominated for the award on two separate occasions; both times, Jacobaeus, Chairman of the Department of Neurology at Karolinska Institute and a member of the Nobel Prize Committee, evaluated the nominations and recommended against awarding Moniz the prize. CONCLUSION: The development of imaging techniques was not isolated to any one individual's contribution. Several persons, including Walter Dandy and Jacobaeus, were leading figures.
Infectious Virions Produced from a Human Papillomavirus Type 18/16 Genomic DNA Chimera

The organotypic raft culture system has allowed the study of the differentiation-dependent aspects of the human papillomavirus (HPV) life cycle. However, genetic strategies to more completely understand the HPV life cycle are limited. The generation of chimeric viruses has been a useful tool in other virus systems to analyze infection and replication. To investigate the specificity of the interaction of nonstructural genes of one HPV type with the structural genes of another HPV type, we have replaced the L2 and L1 open reading frames (ORFs) of HPV type 18 (HPV18) with the L2 and L1 ORFs of HPV type 16 (HPV16). The resulting HPV18/16 chimeric construct was introduced into primary keratinocytes, where it was stably maintained episomally at a range of 50 to 100 copies of HPV genomic DNA, similar to that typically found in HPV-infected cells in vivo. The integrity of the HPV18/16 genomic DNA chimera was demonstrated. Upon differentiation in raft cultures, late viral functions, including viral DNA amplification, capsid gene expression, and virion morphogenesis, occurred. Chimeric HPV18/16 virions were purified from the raft cultures and were capable of infecting keratinocytes in vitro. Additionally, infection was specifically neutralized with human HPV16 virus-like particle (VLP)-specific antiserum and not with human HPV18 VLP-specific antiserum. Our data demonstrate that the nonstructural genes of HPV18 functionally interact with the structural genes of HPV16, allowing the complete HPV life cycle to occur. We believe that this is the first report of the propagation of chimeric HPV by normal life cycle pathways.
Metabolism of pipecolic acid in a Pseudomonas species. V. Pipecolate oxidase and dehydrogenase.

Oxidation of pipecolate to Δ1-piperideine-6-carboxylate is catalyzed by pipecolate oxidase, an inducible, membrane-bound dehydrogenase associated with the electron transport components of Pseudomonas putida P2. From the oxidase, we obtained a smaller particle containing flavine adenine dinucleotide (FAD) and cytochrome b, but no longer able to catalyze electron transfer to oxygen or to cytochrome c. Certain properties of this l-pipecolate dehydrogenase, an FAD-flavoprotein, are reported.
English Language Proficiency Among Older Hispanics in the United States

sidering the effects of immigration history and timing, educational and economic background, and residence in geographic areas with concentrated Hispanic populations. We conclude that a sizable minority of elderly Hispanics have limited proficiency in English, and that the inability to speak English well is strongly shaped by immigration history, socioeconomic status, geographic area of residence, and national origin group.
Did Capitalism Lead to the Decline of the Peasantry? The Case of the French Combraille

The growth of French cities made possible the growth of population in the Combraille that lasted from about 1730 until about 1830. After 1830 the growth of cities and the rise of industrial capitalism explain the decline in population in the Combraille. Permanent out-migration accelerated. Temporary seasonal migration and the rate of natural increase declined. But the economic situation of the peasants in the Combraille improved. By 1950 the size of the population of the Combraille had returned to its pre-1730 level, but the majority of the inhabitants were much better off than they had been 200 years earlier.
Energy-aware meeting scheduling algorithms for smart buildings

The increasing worldwide concern over the energy consumption of commercial buildings calls for new approaches that analyze scheduled occupant activities and proactively take steps to curb building energy use. As one step in this direction, we propose to automate the scheduling of meetings in a way that uses available meeting rooms in an energy efficient manner, while adhering to time conflicts and capacity constraints. We devise a number of scheduling algorithms, ranging from greedy to heuristic approaches, and demonstrate up to a 70% reduction in energy use, with the best algorithms producing schedules whose energy use matches that of a brute force oracle.