cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Role of the πσ* State in Molecular Photophysics

Photosynthesis, which depends on light-driven energy and electron transfer in assemblies of porphyrins, chlorophylls, and carotenoids, is just one example of the many complex natural systems of photobiology. A fuller understanding of the spectroscopy and photophysics of simple aromatic molecules is central to elucidating photochemical processes in the more sophisticated assemblies of photobiology. Moreover, developing a better grasp of the photophysics of simple aromatic molecules will also enhance our ability to create and improve practical applications in photochemical energy conversion, molecular nanophotonics, and molecular electronics. In this Account, we present a concerted experimental and theoretical study of aromatic ethynes, aromatic nitriles, and fluorinated benzenes, illustrating the important roles that the low-lying πσ* state plays in the electronic relaxation of these aromatic compounds. Diphenylacetylene, 4-dialkylaminobenzonitriles, 4-dialkylaminobenzethynes, and fluorinated benzenes exhi...
Multidisciplinary Management of Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Hepatocellular carcinoma is a leading cause of death in patients with cirrhosis. Management algorithms continually are increasing in sophistication and involve application of single and multimodality treatments, including liver transplantation, hepatic resection, ablation, transarterial chemoembolization, radioembolization, and systemic chemotherapy. These treatments have been shown to increase survival times. As many as 75% of patients with limited-stage disease who are given curative therapies survive 5 years, whereas less than 20% of untreated patients survive 1 year. Treatment can be optimized based on the patient's tumor stage, hepatic reserve, and functional status. However, because of the heterogeneity in presentation among patients, a multidisciplinary approach is required to treat hepatocellular carcinoma, involving hepatologists, surgeons, interventional radiologists, and oncologists. We present each specialist's viewpoint on controversies and advances in the management of hepatocellular carcinoma.
Genomic Instability and Tumor Stem Cells

Wang et al. point to the existance of a common progenitor tumor stem cell that gives rise to genomically unstable progeny in malignant melanoma. Although it is not known what creates this genomic instability, given the presence of testis antigens in melanoma, it is tempting to speculate that it is caused by a collision of meiotic and mitotic pathways.
Reality television and the hypertrophic celebrity in Victoria Beckham: Coming to America

Tom Mole argues that contemporary celebrity culture has undergone a ‘hypertrophic’ shift marked by the public's increasing fascination with the mechanics of celebrity production over individual celebrities themselves. This article examines reality television, more specifically what I call ‘celebrity-sanctioned reality television’, as a symptom of this broader shift. Both reality television and hypertrophic celebrity culture rely on the privileged access to the ‘real’ self while simultaneously offering heightened awareness of the processes of constructing that ‘real’, making the television genre an ideal vehicle for the promotion of the hypertrophic celebrity. The 2007 reality special, Victoria Beckham: Coming to America, is analysed as a celebrity-sanctioned use of reality television that explicitly aims to deconstruct the celebrity facade in a bid to re-articulate Victoria Beckham's celebrity image within the American celebrity system. The programme playfully and ironically weds the textual characteristi...
An Experimental Investigation of Liquid Jet Impingement and Single-Phase Spray Cooling Using Polyalphaolefin

Experiments on triangular and rectangular array jet impingement and single-phase spray cooling have been performed to determine the effect of both cooling techniques on heat transfer coefficient (h) and the coolant mass flux required for a given cooling load. Experiments were performed with circular orifices and nozzles for different H/D values from 1.5 to 26 and Reynolds number range of 219 to 837, which is quite lower than the ranges employed in widely used correlations. The coolant used was polyalphaolefin. The experiments simulated the boundary condition produced at the surface of the stator of a high power low-density generator or motor. For the custom fabricated orifices, commercial nozzles, and conditions used in this study, both cooling configurations showed enhancement of heat transfer coefficient as H/D increases to a certain limit after which it starts to decrease. The heat transfer coefficient always increases with Reynolds number. In keeping with previous studies, single-phase spray cooling t...
Fracture Toughness Variations of Injection Molded Long Fiber Reinforced Thermoplastics

The fracture toughness, defined as K c , of injection molded long fiber reinforced polypropylene with 50% E-glass and its variations is investigated. Rectangular plaques of different thicknesses at various sets of processing conditions have been fabricated. In order to assess the spatial variation of the fracture toughness, specimens aligned in the direction of the injection molding flow and perpendicular to it, have been obtained and tested at pre-selected locations. The morphology of the samples consisting of flow induced through-thickness layers was also evaluated experimentally and related to the fracture toughness, thus showing the effect of the part morphology on such mechanical property.
Screening for aortic injury with chest radiography and clinical factors

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness and efficiency of a chest radiograph-based detection algorithm for aortic injury and to determine if a previously developed clinical prediction rule would improve imaging efficiency. A 3-year single institution retrospective case–control study with 25 cases of aortic injury and 181 controls was conducted. The detection algorithm correctly identified 96% of all cases of aortic injury, and a definitive diagnosis was established within 6h for 80% of the patients. However, its efficiency was marginal, with only one in 400 chest X-rays leading to a positive diagnosis. The previously developed clinical prediction rule was not able to stratify patients into a clinically useful range of injury probability, and thus the prediction rule cannot be used to improve the efficiency of the existing detection algorithm.
Objective Diagnostics and the Madden–Julian Oscillation. Part I: Methodology

AbstractDiagnostics obtained as an extension of empirical orthogonal function (EOF) analysis are shown to address many disadvantages of using EOF-based indices to assess the state of the Madden–Julian oscillation (MJO). The real-time multivariate MJO (RMM) index and the filtered MJO OLR (FMO) index are used to demonstrate these diagnostics. General characteristics of the indices, such as the geographical regions that most heavily influence each index, are assessed using the diagnostics. The diagnostics also identify how a given field, at various geographical locations, influences the index value at a given time. Termination (as defined by the RMM index) of the October 2011 MJO event that occurred during the Cooperative Indian Ocean Experiment on Intraseasonal Variability in the Year 2011 (CINDY) Dynamics of the MJO (DYNAMO) field campaign is shown to have resulted from changes in zonal wind anomalies at 200 hPa over the eastern Pacific Ocean, despite the onset of enhanced convection in the Indian Ocean an...
Sediment preference in the asiatic clam (Corbicula fluminea) and viviparid snail (Campeloma decisum) as a response to low-level metal and metalloid contamination

Sediment preference experiments were performed with the asiatic clam (Corbicula fluminea) and viviparid snail (Campeloma decisum) to determine the potential use of clam and snail behavior as a response to low-level metal and metalloid contamination. Three sediment types with varying levels of metal contamination were paired in various combinations. Clams and snails were placed in aquaria along the interface between the sediment types. Daily location and burial status were noted for two weeks. Clams spent significantly more days in the uncontaminated sediment when paired with one of the contaminated sediments. Snails spent more days in contaminated sediments when paired with the uncontaminated sediment, but none of these differences was statistically significant. Clams moved fewer days in tanks with the two most contaminated sediment types. Burrowing of snails was relatively unaffected by sediment treatments. The behavior of clams was more sensitive than the behavior of snails to sediment metal contamination. Consequently, clam behavior appears to be a better behavioral indicator of metal contamination.
The intra-aortic balloon pump as an adjunctive therapy for severe myocardial contusion

The management of patients with post-traumatic myocardial contusion requires close electrocardiographic and hemodynamic monitoring. When complications such as cardiogenic shock occur, aggressive treatment using Swan-Ganz catheterization for monitoring of intravascular volume and cardiac inotropic support are necessary. Failure to restore hemodynamic stability using these measures is an indication for the use of intra-aortic balloon pump counterpulsation. A case of successful management of a patient with post-traumatic myocardial contusion complicated by refractory cardiogenic shock using intra-aortic balloon pump counterpulsation is presented. Use of the intra-aortic balloon pump improved cardiac output, eventually resulting in hemodynamic stabilization.
Acute chagas' disease presenting with a suprasellar mass and panhypopituitarism.

Although intrinsic pituitary lesions are the most common cause of hypopituitarism, suprasellar masses can produce similar symptoms. The differential diagnosis of a suprasellar mass includes cystic lesions, tumors, granulomatous disease, and infection. The etiology is not always obvious, and despite extensive work-up, may remain elusive. A 28-year-old Mexican man presented with complaints of headache and weakness for two weeks duration. He became increasingly lethargic and an MRI revealed a two centimeter suprasellar mass. Testing of the hypothalamic-pituitary axis suggested panhypopituitarism. He was prescribed treatment with hydrocortisone, DDAVP, and levothyroxine. Open craniotomy and biopsy of the hypothalamus revealed marked inflammation with plasma cells, histiocytes, and small lymphocytes. Light microscopy revealed macrophage-contained leishmania-like organisms although results were not immediately available. Pathological data was consistent with acute infection by Trypanasoma cruzi. Despite supportive efforts, the patient expired two months after presentation.
Nitric Oxide Potentiates Acute Lung Injury in an Isolated Rabbit Lung Model

Abstract Background . The effect of inhaled nitric oxide (NO) treatment on pulmonary function in the setting of adult respiratory distress syndrome is controversial. We examined the effect of inhaled NO on pulmonary function in an isolated rabbit lung model of oleic acid (OA)-induced acute lung injury. We hypothesized that NO would decrease pulmonary artery pressure and improve oxygenation. Methods . Rabbit heart-lung blocks were isolated, flushed in vivo, harvested, and immediately perfused with whole blood and ventilated with 50% oxygen (O 2 ). Pulmonary artery pressure was determined every 15 seconds for 60 minutes of perfusion. Oxygenation was determined by blood gas analysis of pulmonary venous effluent at 0, 20, 40, and 60 minutes after initiation of OA infusion. Rabbits were randomized into four study groups: saline control; OA control, which received a 20-minute infusion of 50% OA/ethanol solution; NO treatment (20 ppm NO inhaled before OA infusion); and NO control, which underwent NO (20 ppm) pretreatment, followed by saline infusion. Pulmonary artery pressure, oxygenation (arteriovenous O 2 difference), compliance, and wet/dry lung weight were determined. Results . Pretreatment with NO caused significant increases in pulmonary artery pressure (NO treatment versus NO control and saline control; no significant difference between NO treatment group and OA control group), and did not improve oxygenation in our model. Conclusions . Contrary to our hypothesis, pretreatment with NO potentiates acute lung injury in our isolated lung model. There was significant exacerbation of pulmonary hypertension and no improvement in oxygenation. Further investigation of the possible deleterious effects of NO in acute lung injury are needed, especially in the early acute phases of this process.
Interaction between cortical cylinder and epidermis during auxin-mediated growth in pea internodes

Abstract The interaction between cortical cylinder (cortex plus vascular tissue) and epidermis during auxin (indole-3-acetic acid, IAA)-induced growth of third internode sections from red light-grown pea seedlings ( Pisum sativum L. cv. Alaska) was investigated. A quantitative comparison of the relative effects of IAA on growth of intact and peeled sections showed that intact segments are nearly 20-fold more sensitive to IAA than peeled cortical cylinders. Tissue tension, determined with the ‘split section test’, was constant during IAA-induced growth of intact sections. Peeled sections also displayed a small amount of tissue tension, which was likewise independent of IAA. The incorporation of myo -[2- 3 H(N)]inositol ([ 3 H]Ins) into non-cellulosic polysaccharides in the cell walls was stimulated by IAA in both the cortical cylinder and the epidermis by + 70% and + 55%, respectively, after 4 h. A mich higher amount of incorporation was detectable in the epidermis than in the cortical cylinder on a unit weight basis. During a 4-h growth period in IAA the cortical cylinder lost about 50 μg of its initial dry weight per section whereas the epidermis increased in dry weight by about + 24 μg. We conclude that during IAA-induced long-term growth the cortical cylinder (1) provides the driving force for organ growth, (2) responds to IAA by an increase in matrix cell wall synthesis and (3) releases material, some of which is transferred to the attached epidermal cells.
Electrical transport and superconductivity in the (Y0.8Ca0.2)Ba2Cu3Oy system with variable oxygen content

Abstract The effect of oxygen content and thermal treatment has been studied in the (Y 0.8 Ca 0.2 )Ba 2 Cu 3 O y system. The introduction of Ca altered the normal state and superconducting properties substantially. Particularly intriguing is that Ca-doped samples with more oxygen-vacancy disorder have higher superconducting transition temperatures ( T c ) and lower resistivities, contrary to the non-Ca-doped system. The correlation between T c and carrier concentration cannot be described by the empirical relation observed in many high- T c oxides.
Clinical applications of IMRT to adenocarcinoma of the prostate: Portal dose verification and intensity modulated neutron radiotherapy

Intensity modulated radiotherapy(IMRT) provides an improvement in the conformality of radiotherapydose distributions. Its application to photonradiotherapy for prostate adenocarcinoma is well established. A quality assurance tool for verifying photonIMRT treatment and the potential application of intensity modulation to neutronradiotherapy (IMNRT) to prostate cancer are investigated here. This study evaluates the use of an amorphous silicon flat panel imager for dose verification of photonIMRT fields. Various correction factors were developed to allow accurate estimation of the absorbed dose using this portal imager. The ratio of the dose measured with the portal imager to that measured using an ionization chamber was found to be 0.991 ± 0.026 for 23 measured IMRT fields. The study also yielded an accurate estimate of the relative beamlet intensity (fluence) at the plane of the detector. The raw difference between the relative beamlet intensity predicted by the EPID and that of the planning system for 23 IMRT fields was found to be − 0.65 ± 2.69 . These results demonstrate the capabilities of this imager as a robust IMRTquality assurance tool. An in-house optimization algorithm was used to optimize forward planned segments for the treatment of prostate cancer using IMNRT. The applicability of two different algorithms was investigated for IMNRT dose calculation, namely, the differential scatter air ratio (DSAR) and the finite size pencil beam (FSPB) algorithms. Measured profiles and absolute point doses were compared to results calculated by the treatment planning system. Dual ion-chamber measurements were performed to determine the individual neutron and gamma doses and to estimate the whole body dose equivalent. IMNRT plans retrospectively calculated for five prostate cancer patients provided dose distributions superior to conventional fast neutron therapy. When normalized to provide equivalent target coverage, the volume of the rectum and bladder receiving 80% of the prescription dose in the IMNRT plans was reduced by an average of 16% and 13%, respectively. Measured and calculated profiles for IMNRT fields matched to within ± 3 % with the exception of the penumbral region. Absolute point dose measurements also agreed with calculated doses to within ± 3 % at various points within the modulated dose distribution. Whole body dose estimates for IMNRT plans generated in this study were only an average of 16% higher than conventional fast neutron therapy and no significant variations in RBE are expected based on current measurements. Based on the results presented here, clinical implementation of IMNRT is currently achievable.
Radiance and Polarization of the Earth's Atmosphere with Haze and Clouds

Abstract The radiance and polarization of the earth's atmosphere with haze and clouds has been calculated for a realistic model which includes Rayleigh scattering from the atmospheric molecules, Mie scattering from aerosols which are distributed with height according to the Elterman model, and Mie scattering from water droplets in clouds. Two different size distributions are used for the water droplets: one for the haze C model and the other from the nimbostratus model. Multiple scattering from the atmosphere and planetary surface is included to all orders by a Monte Carlo technique. The exact scattering matrix for the aerosol haze C and nimbostratus models is calculated from the Mie theory. Solar radiation is assumed to be unpolarized and incident from the zenith. The radiance and polarization are calculated at λ = 0.4 and 0.7 μ for a model of a cloud in the real atmosphere and the results are compared to those for the cloud alone and for the atmosphere alone. Relatively large polarization values are obt...
Use of gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist trigger during in vitro fertilization is associated with similar endocrine profiles and oocyte measures in women with and without polycystic ovary syndrome

Objective To compare endocrine profiles and IVF outcomes after using GnRH agonists (GnRHa) to trigger final oocyte maturation in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) with other hyper-responders. Design Retrospective cohort study. Setting Academic center. Patient(s) Forty women with PCOS and 74 hyper-responders without PCOS. Intervention(s) GnRHa trigger. Main Outcome Measure(s) Number of oocytes. Result(s) Serum E 2 , LH, and P levels on the day of GnRHa trigger and the day after trigger did not differ significantly between groups. There were no significant differences in total number of oocytes or percent mature oocytes obtained between groups after controlling for age, antral follicle count, and total days of stimulation. The overall rate of no retrieval of oocytes after trigger was low (2.6%). Fertilization, implantation, clinical pregnancy, and live-birth rates were similar in the two groups. No patients developed ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS). Conclusion(s) The similar post-GnRHa trigger hormone profiles and mature oocyte yield support the routine use of GnRHa trigger to prevent OHSS in women with PCOS.
Testosterone and the work of firefighters: Fighting fires and delivering medical care ☆

The present study related personality and testosterone to the work of fighting fires and providing emergency medical service (EMS). One hundred ninety-five urban male firefighters completed questionnaires and provided saliva samples for testosterone assay and experts rated their firefighting and EMS performance. Preference for firefighting over EMS work was predicted by the characteristics of fearlessness, low communion, low openness, and low agreeableness. Firefighting performance was predicted by agency, fearlessness, extraversion, and low openness, and EMS performance was predicted by extraversion. Firefighting was also related to interactions of testosterone with extraversion and agency, and EMS performance was related to an interaction of testosterone with conscientiousness. Testosterone appears to facilitate the behavior of individuals along directions they are already inclined to take.
Semiprognostic Tests of the Arakawa-Schubert Cumulus Parameterization Using Simulated Data

Semiprognostic tests are performed against data simulated by a cumulus ensemble model to evaluate the Arakawa-Schubert (A-S) cumulus parametrization. It is found that the A-S cumulus parametrization is generally valid despite the existence of mesoscale organization in cumulus convection. The nondiagnostic and nondeterministic aspects of the A-S cumulus parametrization are examined by testing the sensitivity of the parametrization to the horizontal grid resolution. It is also shown that the inclusion of convective-scale downdrafts improves the results of semiprognostic tests.
Rotordynamic Force Coefficients of a Hybrid Brush Seal: Measurements and Predictions

Brush seals effectively control leakage in air breathing engines, albeit only applied for relatively low-pressure differentials. Hybrid brush seals (HBS) are an alternative to resolve poor reliability resulting from bristle tip wear while also allowing for reverse shaft rotation operation. A HBS incorporates pads contacting the shaft on assembly; and which under rotor spinning, lift off due to the generation of a hydrodynamic pressure. The ensuing gas film prevents intermittent contact, reducing wear and thermal distortions. The paper presents rotordynamic measurements conducted on a test rig for evaluation of HBS technology. Single frequency shaker loads are exerted on a test rotor holding a hybrid brush seal and measurements of rotor displacements follow for operating conditions with increasing gas supply pressures and two rotor speeds. A frequency domain identification method delivers the test system stiffness and damping coefficients. The HBS stiffness coefficients are not affected by rotor speed though the seal viscous damping shows a strong frequency dependency. The identified HBS direct stiffness decreases ∼15% as the supply/discharge pressure increases Pr = 1.7 to 2.4. The HBS cross-coupled stiffnesses are insignificant, at least one order of magnitude smaller than the direct stiffnesses. A structural loss factor (γ) and dry friction coefficient (μ) represent the energy dissipated in a HBS by the bristle-to-bristle and bristle-to-pads interactions. Predictions of HBS stiffness and damping coefficients correlate well with the test derived parameters. Both model predictions and test results show the dramatic reduction of the seal equivalent viscous damping coefficients as the excitation whirl frequency increases.Copyright © 2009 by ASME
Lipid metabolism mediated by adipocyte lipid binding protein (ALBP/aP2) gene expression in human THP-1 macrophages.

Abstract The critical initiating event in atherogenesis involves the invasion of monocytes through the endothelial wall of arteries, and their transformation from macrophages into foam cells. Human THP-1 monocytic cells can be induced to differentiate into macrophages by phorbol myristate acetate (PMA) treatment, and can then be converted into foam cells by exposure to oxidized low-density lipoprotein (oxLDL). We previously reported that adipocyte lipid binding protein (ALBP/aP2) is a gene that is highly up-regulated in foam cells in response to oxLDL. Here, we showed that overexpression of the ALBP gene using a lentiviral construct in macrophage foam cells enhanced the accumulations of cholesterol and triglyceride, probably due to an increased expression of the scavenger receptor type AI (SR-AI), which plays an important role in cell lipid metabolism. Moreover, we determined that the expression of acyl-coenzyme A: cholesterol-acyltransferase 1 (ACAT1) gene was up-regulated by the overexpression of ALBP gene, and on the other hand, the ATP-binding cassette A1 (ABCA1) gene and hormone sensitive lipase (HSL) gene, which mediate separately cholesterol efflux and cholesterol ester hydrolysis in the macrophage cells, were down-regulated by the overexpression of ALBP gene in these cells. Finally, our data indicated that oxLDL regulates expression of ALBP related to two peroxisome proliferator-responsive elements (PPREs) which are located in ALBP promoter region. These results have determined that ALBP gene expression accelerates cholesterol and triglyceride accumulation in macrophage foam cells and affects some key gene expression for lipid metabolism, suggesting some pivotal roles of ALBP in lipid metabolism for macrophage foam cell formation.
A novel clonality assay based on transcriptional analysis of the active X chromosome

Abstract The clonal origin of malignancy and he-matopoiesis is a principal tenet of modern biology and medicine. This paper describes a highly specific and sensitive assay for the detection of clonality in cells and cell lineages suitable for studies in a large proportion of females. The specific ligase chain and/ or ligase detection reactions (LCR/LDR) are utilized at a polymorphic glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogen-ase (G-6-PD) locus for discrimination of the mRNA transcripts of the active X chromosome. This combination approach circumvents problems encountered with other currently used assays of clonality based either on peptide G-6-PD polymorphism or on DNA methylation differences between the active and inactive X chromosomes. The veracity of this assay was verified by analysis of 19 random healthy females as well as by the study of hemopoietic and nonhemopo-ietic tissues from a patient with clonal hemopoiesis/ polycythemia vera. Furthermore, we demonstrate that the G-6-PD locus used in our clonal assay does not display marked differences in methylation between the active and the inactive X chromosomes.
EVALUATION OF FLONICAMID AND ACETAMIPRID FOR APHID CONTROL IN HEAD LETTUCE, SPRING 2005

The objective of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of two new active ingredients, flonicamid and acetamiprid, as foliar sprays for control of aphids on spring head lettuce under desert growing conditions. Lettuce was direct seeded on 17 Nov at the Yuma Valley Agricultural Center, Yuma, AZ into double-row beds on 42-inch centers. Stand establishment was achieved using overhead sprinkler irrigation, furrow irrigated thereafter. Plots were two beds wide by 45-ft long and bordered by two untreated beds. Four replications of each treatment were arranged in a RCB design. Formulations and rates for each compound are provided in the tables. Foliar applications were made with a CO2-operated boom sprayer operated at 60 psi and 26.5 gpa. A directed spray (nozzles directed toward the plants) was delivered through three TX-12 ConeJet per bed. A total of three spray applications were applied on 18 Jan, 28 Jan and 9 Feb. The first spray was initiated at early aphid colonization (0.25 GPA/plant, 0.3 FGA/plant). An adjuvant, DyneAmic was applied at 0.125% v/v to all spray applications. Aphid populations were assessed by estimating the number of aphids /plant in whole plant, destructive samples at 10-14 day intervals following treatment (DAT). The final sample coincided with crop harvest. On each sample date, eight plants were randomly selected from each plot and placed individually into large 3-gal plastic tubs. Each plant was sampled by visually examining all plant foliage and counting the number of apterous aphids present. On the final sample (23 Feb), infestation levels of apterous aphids were estimated by randomly selecting 10 plants within each replicate, visually counting all aphids found within heads and wrapper leaves. Because of heterogeneity of mean variances, insect data were summed for each sample date and transformed [log(y+1)] prior to a 1-way analysis of variance. The mean values were then subjected to a protected LSD (P = 0.05) F test to distinguish treatment mean differences. The untransformed mean values for each life stage are presented in the tables.
Fatigue damage accumulation in nickel modified by ion beam surface microalloying

The formation, distribution, and surface morphology of persistent slip band (PSB) structures have been studied in polycrystalline nickel with ion beam microalloyed Ni-Al surface layers. Both supersaturated solid solutions of Al in Ni andγ-γ′ dual-phase structures were formed on surfaces of low cycle fatigue specimens by ion beam mixing vapor-deposited Ni and Al layers, using 1 × 1016 ions/cm2 of Kr+ at 0.5 MeV. When cycled to saturation at constant plastic strain ranges between 6 × 10-5 and 7 × 10-3, ion beam modified specimens showed a retardation in the appearance of PSB's at the surface, and a reduction in their numbers and intensities at cyclic saturation. Slip bands that eventually emerged at ion beam modified surfaces displayed morphological features which differed sharply from the PSB notch-peak topographies usually found in fatigued fcc metals. Further, it was found that subsurface strain localization occurred in the presence of the modified surface layer, generating PSB's in the bulk which extended to the underside of the layer, but did not penetrate it. This behavior may be understood in terms of the resistance of the surface layer to plastic deformation, and the localized stresses produced in the surface film as a result of subsurface strain localization.
Fast, adaptive summation of point forces in the two-dimensional Poisson equation

Direct summation of the velocity field introduced by point vortices tends to be time consuming since the velocity of each vortex is found as a sum over all other vortices. The resulting number of numerical operations is proportional to the square of the number of vortices. Here a relatively simple procedure is outlined which significantly reduces the number of operations by replacing selected partial sums by asymptotic series. The resulting number of operations appears to vary roughly in proportion to the number of unknowns, corresponding to a ''fast'' solver.
Hours of work offered by nurses

Abstract How do registered nurses balance the number of hours they work against their other commitments? This article begins by challenging the common assertion that “there is a nursing shortage.” This subjective “needs” approach ignores economic theory. Instead, two economic models are useful: Arrow-Capron and the Archibald Monopsony models. These models are applied to a survey of 644 nurses in Nebraska, concluding that there is a nursing shortage because hospitals do not pay high enough wages.
Application of wavelets to ultrasonic evaluation of thickness

ABSTRACT Thickness evaluation of materials via ultrasound can have special requirements which make theapplication of wavelets desirable. The thickness information is extracted from ultrasound echoes,and it is the distance between these echos which must be estimated. Due to typical rates involvedin real time applications, only a minimum amount of processing can been done. In this paper, the multi-scale analysis induced by the wavelet transform is employed, and compared against conventional techniques (matched filtering by direct and a FFT based approach) in termsof computational complexity. To meet the data rate involved, the fast wavelet transform is usedin a manner to obtain the necessary position information. Steps are taken to compensate for thetranslation variance of the wavelet transform. 1. INTRODUCTIONThe relationship ofwavelets to filter banks is well understood. The authors use this relationship and the resulting 0 (N) algorithm to implement a matched filter for an ultrasound thickness measuringapplication. The resulting technique is O(N log N) and through super-position of basic waveletshas general application. We discuss three distinct areas of the work:1. Application area and signal model.2. The implementation of a matched filter using the wavelet filter banks.3. The design of wavelets to fit the signal being matched.The major result of the work is the time cost analysis of the implementation of matched filtersusing the wavelets opposed to the use of the FFT. It will be shown that there is a speed up overthe FFT in certain instances, i.e., choices of wavelets.
The meta-production function approach to technological change in world agriculture☆

Abstract An alternative meta-production function for agriculture is estimated with the cross-section data for 43 countries and three years (1960, 1970 and 1980) constructed and used by Kawagoe, Hayami and Ruttan and Hayami and Ruttan in their studies. By allowing for country-specific efficiency factors and using a flexible functional form – the transcendental logarithmic production function – strikingly different results from those of Kawagoe, Hayami and Ruttan are obtained. In particular, it is found that elasticity of output with respect to machinery is variable and the degree of local returns to scale is not constant and increases with the usage of machinery.
Echocardiographic interventricular septal wall motion and thickness: a study in health and disease.

Abstract The interventricular septal wall thickness and motion was studied by echocardiography in 25 normal subjects and 43 patients with various cardiovascular disease proved at cardiac catheterization. The mean septal thickness was 7.2 mm. ± 0.7 S.D. in the normal subjects, 10,1 mm. ± 1.0 S.D. in 11 patients with left ventricular volume overload (P It is concluded that study of the interventricular septum by echocardiography provides a non-invasive technique with a high specificity but a lower sensitivity for identifying patients with left ventricular dysfunction.
Cognitive, Musical and Environmental Correlates of Early Music Instruction

This study investigated the effects of early music instruction on music perception skills as well as specific areas of cognitive development (non-verbal/spatial abilities). Participants were 29 chi...
Subjective and response-related determinants of CNV amplitude.

The effect on contingent negative variation (CNV) of varying the difficulty of obtaining reaction time (RT) feedback and the relationship of CNV and RT were studied. Subjects (Ss) were run in a reaction-time-foreperiod experiment with 4 conditions of varying RT feedback duration. Subjective reactions to the experiment were recorded by Ss on a questionnaire and were divided by the experimenters into two highly significant sets of mean CNVs based on the most “positive’ and most “negative’ responses to the conditions. CNVs and their associated RTs were analyzed, and a significant rank order correlation over all Ss showed there was a trend for individuals with faster RTs to have larger CNVs. Individual correlations were low and highly variable. Only the very slowest RTs were associated with small CNVs. The failure of explicit RT feedback to have any effect upon CNV amplitude is in agreement with previous studies, and the significant association of CNV amplitude with written reactions of Ss might prove a useful tool for further CNV analysis. The RT data indicated that CNVs and RTs reflect relatively independent functions and that very slow RTs may reflect qualitative changes in S's psychological state which affect both RT and CNV; and such trials might appropriately be eliminated from CNV data analysis.
A projectively natural flow for circle diffeomorphisms.

Motivated by a simple iteration on polygons, we study a projectively natural flow on the space of diffeomorphisms of the circle. This flow, which is given by a nonlinear fourth order PDE, has long term existence an uniqueness, and evolves an arbitrary diffeomorphism into a projective transformation. The flow can have radically different behavior, e.g. finite time blow-ups, when it is defined relative to different projective structures on the circle.
Symmetric Matrix Fields in the Finite Element Method

The theory of elasticity is used to predict the response of a material body subject to applied forces. In the linear theory, where the displacement is small, the stress tensor which measures the internal forces is the variable of primal importance. However the symmetry of the stress tensor which expresses the conservation of angular momentum had been a challenge for finite element computations. We review in this paper approaches based on mixed finite element methods.
Morphology of the patent foramen ovale in asymptomatic versus symptomatic (stroke or transient ischemic attack) patients.

The clinical implications of patent foramen ovale (PFO) morphology are still debated. Quantitative analysis by transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) is helpful in characterizing PFO morphology. The aim of this study was to determine whether there were differences in the anatomy of PFOs on TEE in patients with and without recurrent cryptogenic stroke or transient ischemic attack. The results of TEE in 58 patients who had PFO closure for cryptogenic cerebrovascular accident (CVA) were compared with those in 58 consecutive asymptomatic patients with PFOs found incidentally on TEE. The data were analyzed for differences in PFO size (maximum separation of the septum primum and septum secundum), tunnel length (maximum overlap of the septum primum and septum secundum), the presence of atrial septal aneurysm (>11 mm mobility), the severity of shunting (mild, 3 to 9 microbubbles; moderate, 10 to 30 microbubbles; severe, >30 microbubbles), the prominence of the Eustachian valve; and the presence of Chiari's network. Patients with CVAs had larger PFOs (3.9 ± 1.6 vs 2.9 ± 1.4 mm, p
Incorporating end-of-life strategy in product definition

This paper presents the critical importance of integrating end-of-life strategies in the early stages of design, i.e., product definition. They begin with an overview of research and practice on design for environment (DFE) in the United States. DFE has been receiving increasing attention in US academia and industry, but the level of implementation remains low compared to Europe or Japan. The survey starts with a broad perspective on industrial ecology and proceeds to recyclability. The paper concludes with the authors' recent research on incorporating end-of-life strategies into product definition.
Perioperative influences on infectious morbidity in radical hysterectomy.

A series of 207 patients, who underwent radical hysterectomy with bilateral pelvic lymphadenectomy, is presented. Hospital charts were reviewed to determine perioperative influences on operative and postoperative morbidity. Performance of incidental appendectomy or prior conization did not affect infectious morbidity. Prophylactic antibiotics decreased the incidence of pelvic abscess and/or cellulitis. Use of "low-dose" heparin was associated with a significant increase in operative blood loss. One patient, reoperated on for bowel obstruction, died of pulmonary embolus. Ureteral fistulae occurred in 1.1% of patients not previously irradiated. Two bladder injuries and one ureteral injury were corrected intraoperatively; one postoperative ureterovaginal fistula was repaired surgically. Five-year survival for patients with stage 1B carcinoma of the cervix was 87%. Operative techniques are discussed.
The Animals in Chester’s Noah’s Flood

This essay analyses the catalogue of animals in the Chester Noah’s Flood play. The analysis demonstrates that the catalogue is created to conform to late medieval and early modern conceptions of the utility of animals (as food and as labour) as well as to gender roles (men handle animals, women handle birds). Moreover, Noah’s wife is deeply characterized by the specific creatures she brings on the ark; they are figures of disorder and illegality. Finally, the essay explores issues of animal/human relationships, arguing that the play (rather unusually for the time) promotes kindness to animals, perhaps in response to early Protestant ideas.
Analysis of in-situ etched and regrown {AlInAs}/{GaInAs} interfaces

We present the analysis of in-situ etched (using chlorine gas) and regrown AlInAs-GaInAs interfaces and the dependence of interface quality on etching temperature. Compared to GaAs-based materials, chlorine gas etching of In containing semiconductors like GaInAs and AlInAs requires higher etching temperatures (250-350°C) due to the low volatility of indium chloride which is a etch by-product. More important is the selection of an optimum etching temperature where the etch rates of both the group III etch by-products are equal. This is essential to achieve a smooth and stochiometric etched surface. The interface state density at the regrown interface depends on the morphology of the etched surface. A minimum surface roughness of to A is obtained at 275°C, which also corresponds to low interface charge density of 4.52 x 10 11 /cm 2 and mid-gap interface state density of 3 x 10 11 /cm 2 eV at the AlInAs/GaInAs interface. The dependence of interface quality on the etched surface morphology is explained in terms of disorder-induced gap state (DIGS) model as proposed by Hasegawa and co-workers. A comparison of the regrown interface with as-grown AlInAs/GaInAs interface shows only a minor degradation, indicating the suitability of this technique for in-situ processing in the AlInAs/GaInAs/InP material system.
Modular elements of geometric lattices

Let L be a finite geometric lattice of rank n with rank function r. (For definitions, see e.g., [3, Chapter 2], [4], or [1, Chapter 4].) An element x s L is called a modular element if it forms a modular pair with every y e L , i.e., if a<~y then a V ( x A y ) = (a v x )Ay . Recall that in an upper semimodular lattice (and thus in a geometric lattice) the relation of being a modular pair is symmetric; in fact (x, y) is a modular pair i f and only if r (x) + r (y) = r (x v y) + r (x A y) [1, p. 83]. Every point (atom) of a geometric lattice is a modular element. I f every element of L is modular, then L is a modular lattice. The main object of this paper is to show that a modular element of L induces a factorization of the characteristic polynomial of L. This is done in Section 2. First we discuss some other aspects of modular elements. The following theorem provides a characterization of modular elements.
Insulin-mediated inhibition of the induction of tyrosine aminotransferase by dexamethasone.

Abstract Insulin-mediated regulation of glucocorticoid-induced expression of the liver-specific gene tyrosine amino-transferase was studied in a clone of the Reuber rat hepatoma cells. Insulin inhibited dexamethasone-induced chloramphenicol acetyltransferase expression from approximately 4 kb of TAT5′ flanking sequence. The degree of this inhibition was comparable to the response of the endogenous gene. A construct of approximately 3 kbp of 5′ flanking sequence exhibited no significant basal expression but retained sensitivity to glucocorticoids and to insulin inhibition of the glucocorticoid response. Results of further analysis of the insulin response in deletion constructs and constructs containing glucocorticoid responsive elements ligated to a heterologous promoter suggest that in addition to the glucocorticoid response elements a region close to the start site in the TAT promoter is necessary for insulin to inhibit glucocorticoid-mediated induction of expression.
Thermal transport properties of graphene nanomeshes

Using molecular-dynamics simulations, we study the thermal transport properties of graphene nanomeshes (GNMs) as a function of material density, pore morphology, pore edge passivation, and the lattice arrangement of the nanomesh pores. Relations for the density dependence of the GNMs' thermal conductivity are established. For GNMs with circular pores, we find that the thermal conductivity is an exponential function of the GNM's neck width with a very weak dependence on the pore lattice structure and pore edge passivation. For GNMs with elliptical pores, the thermal conductivity becomes anisotropic and this anisotropy becomes stronger with decreasing GNM density.
New results on multidimensional Chinese remainder theorem

The Chinese remainder theorem (CRT) [McClellan and Rader 1979] has been well known for applications in fast DFT computations and computer arithmetic. Guessoum and Mersereau [1986] first made headway in extending the CRT to multidimensional (MD) nonseparable systems and showing its usefulness. The present letter generalize the result and present a more general form. This more general MDCRT is an exact counterpart of 1DCRT. >
Application of the Variable Choice Logit Model to the British General Election of 2010

The chapter aims to estimate the modification of the classic spatial electoral model and to evaluate the convergence of the electoral system at the origin for the case when the assumption of irrelevant alternatives (IIA) is violated, and, hence, the standard multinomial logistic model is inapplicable. The work looks at the General British Election of 2010, in which the voters from Scotland and Wales could vote for Scottish National Party and Plaid Cymru, respectively, in addition to the parties common with the voters of England. To account properly for the presence of these additional parties, the theoretical model of Yamamoto (2011) for the varying choice logit (VCL) is implemented by applying Gibbs sampling. For the convenience of the analysis, the set of common parties is restricted to the three major parties, the Conservatives, Labour, and Liberal Democrats, that are of our main interest. In the end, we find that the electoral system diverges, because of the saddle location of Plaid Cymru. Meanwhile, conditional on the insignificance of this party, the system converges. A separate study of Scotland is particularly relevant because of the referendum on Scottish independence in September, 2014. The method deployed here is also relevant in many countries in Europe where there are regional parties, including Spain, Belgium, and Italy.
Applications of multi-transforms to 3-D spatial signal representation

Three dimensional spatial signal representation employing transforms is generally performed by applying a 2-D transform to the 2-D slices of the 3-D data or a 3-D transform for the entire data. Transforms such as DCT, Walsh and Haar are frequently considered because of their ease of computation. This paper develops a technique called the multi-transform technique for the efficient representation of 3-D spatial data. The main feature of the technique is that two or more transforms can be applied to represent the signal thus benefiting from the compression qualities of each of the transforms. The signal to noise ratio (SNR) of the reconstructed signal employing the proposed technique is higher than the SNR of the signal employing a single transform alone. Results are presented for a 3-D MRI signal representation using the 2-D and 3-D multi-transform techniques employing the DCT/Walsh combination. Comparisons with using DCT alone are made for both cases. >