cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Grains, deformation substructures, and slip bands observed in thermosonic copper ball bonding

Abstract In integrated circuit manufacturing, bonding a copper wire of diameter 25–75 μm (1–3 mil) on an aluminum-metallized silicon substrate has been accomplished by the application of ultrasonic energy along with compressive force at 200 °C. Prior to the bonding, the wire tip was melted by electric sparking to form a spherical ball, which, when analyzed, displayed columnar grain growth. Microstructural study of the final bonding showed that the application of ultrasonic energy resulted in the subdivision of the grains of a few micrometers in size, giving rise to deformation substructures (or cells). In addition, slip bands were observed inside the cells. Microhardness studies showed that the ball bonds had a higher hardness (112 VHN) than that of the unannealed bare copper wire (102 VHN), suggesting that the applied ultrasonic energy strain hardened the copper ball by creating the deformation substructures and slip bands. Furthermore, the heat-affected zone above the copper ball clearly contained recrystallized grains along with deformation markings.
The “equilibrium distance” between two bodies immersed in a liquid

By virtue of the space occupied by at least one monomolecular layer of a liquid (3) separating continua of two identical (1) or two different materials (1) and (2), it could be argued that the minimum equilibrium distance d0123 and d0123 must be greater than the equilibrium distances d0123 or d0123 (all of which < 2 Λ) between two identical or ion-identical continua (liquid or solid) in the absence of a third, intervening liquid. As long as actual liquid molecules are intercalated between the two continua, that is indubitably the case. However, within the same thermodynamic model used for deriving the Hamaker coefficients A123 or A??? (using d0??? or d???), d*0??? or d*0??? (the asterisks serving to indicate the “equilibrium distances” as defined by the thermodynamic model) may be used for deriving A??? and A???, and within that framework it is postulated that all the above d0 and d*0 values may be taken to be of the same order of magnitude. The agreement among the experimental results obtained by a number of different approaches appear to confirm that all d0??? and d0??? are of the same order of magnitude. The agreement between A??? values found via surface tension measurements and the postulated d*??? and A??? values for the same systems derived via the Lifshitz approach, indicates that d*??? is indeed also of the same order of magnitude as d0??? and d0???. In real physical systems (e.g., antigen—antibody interactions of the van der Waals type) it can be shown that the interaction begins as one of the “132” type and then tends toward the “41” variety, accompanied by extrusion of liquid (3). However that process is seldom completed; the final equilibrium binding energy has a value intermediate between ΔF123 and ΔF13.
Magnetic ordering versus lattice distortion in very narrow bands

Abstract A simple criterion for antiferromagnetic ordering versus lattice distortion in very narrow band materials is obtained. The model describing these narrow band materials contains the Hubbard Hamiltonian, short ranged interatomic Coulomb and exchange interactions, and the electron-phonon interaction.
Dissociation kinetics on an alkali-metal-promoted surface: NO and K on Rh(100)

The effects of potassium precoverage on the kinetics of NO dissociation on Rh(100) have been measured directly as a test of the prevailing explanation of alkali-metal promotion; the activation energy for dissociation is reduced by a factor of two, but the dissociation rate shows an unexpected decrease due to a large reduction in the pre-exponential factor. Contrary to previous assertions, we conclude that in general an alkali-metal-induced increase in the overall dissociation probability is not necessarily due to an increase in the dissociation rate.
Incidence of breast carcinoma‐related lymphedema

BACKGROUND Of the 2 million breast carcinoma survivors, perhaps 15-20% are living currently with posttreatment lymphedema. Along with the physical discomfort and disfigurement, patients with lymphedema also must cope with the distress derived from these symptoms. METHODS To review the medical literature for the question of lymphedema incidence, a comprehensive, computerized search was performed. All publications with subject headings designating breast carcinoma-related lymphedema from 1970 to the present (116 reports) were found, and each summary or abstract was read. Of the 116 reports, 35 discussed the incidence of lymphedema. Of these, seven reports since 1990 from five countries with the most relevance to current patients were then chosen for greater analysis and comparison. RESULTS The incidence of lymphedema ranged from 6% to 30%. The source of patients, length of follow-up, measurement techniques, and definition of lymphedema varied from report to report. In general, reports with shorter follow-up reported lower incidences of lymphedema. CONCLUSIONS The definitive study to determine the incidence of lymphedema has not been performed to date. There has been no prospective study in which patients have been followed at intervals with accurate measurement techniques over the long term. Cancer 1998;83:2776-2781. © 1998 American Cancer Society.
The Politics of Antiracism & Social Justice: The Perspective of a Human Rights Network in the U.S. South

Abstract: Since 9/11 the sociopolitical and legal climate of the country has deteriorated, engendering a moral panic over national security and intensifying a longstanding trend of violating the human rights of a portion of the citizenry and immigrant population. These segments of the populace lived under de facto conditions of a police state long before the War on Terror and the USA Patriot Act. This repression implicates the War on Drugs and a racially- and class-biased system of criminal (in)justice with which Homeland Security intersects. Problems such as these have attracted the attention of both social scientists and activists mobilizing for social justice. Among the latter is a southeastern network of human rights organizers who map their region as part of the Global South. A multiracial group organized around the vision of three African American women, the Southern Human Rights Organizers Network promotes consciousness and praxis shaped by the vernacularization of international human rights discourse and the reclamation of the history of African American and broader Afro-Atlantic struggles for expanding the terms of what it means to be human.
Cellular responses to Sindbis virus infection of neural progenitors derived from human embryonic stem cells

Background Sindbis virus (SINV) causes age-dependent encephalitis in mice, and therefore serves as a model to study viral encephalitis. SINV is used as a vector for the delivery of genes into selected neural stem cell lines; however, the toxicity and side effects of this vector have rarely been discussed. In this context, we investigated the cellular responses of human embryonic stem cell (hESCs) derived neural progenitors (hNPCs) to SINV infection by assessing susceptibility of the cells to SINV infection, analyzing the effect of infection on cell proliferation and cell death, and examining the impact of SINV infection on hNPCs markers of stemness.
Complications of diagnostic laparoscopy in Dallas: a 7-year prospective study

The complication rate for diagnostic laparoscopy reported in the literature is very low (1.07%, 0.3%, and 0.03% for minor and major complications, and deaths, respectively). A prospective study of the complications of diagnostic laparoscopy by 17 gastroenterologists in the Dallas-Fort Worth metropolitan area is reported. In 603 laparoscopies performed during a 7-year period, there were 31 (5.1%) minor complications and 14 (2.3%) major complications requiring surgery or transfusion. These rates are five- and sevenfold higher ( p
Reproductive isolation in the Elegans-Group of Caenorhabditis

Reproductive isolation is the basis of the Biological Species Definition and can be a driving force of speciation. Theoretical studies have provided models of how reproductive isolation can arise within individual species. Genetic tests of these models are limited to populations in which reproductive isolation is present but not complete. Here, reproductive isolation in the Elgans-Group of the nematode genus Caenorhabditis is reviewed. Pre-mating barriers, assortative fertilization and post-zygotic barriers all have been observed in this clade. In some combinations of species, fertile F1 hybrids can be obtained. Therefore, the Elegans-Group of Caenorhabditis is poised to become an important experimental system for the study of reproductive isolation.
Infrared photothermal deflection spectroscopy for the study of surfaces

Abstract The new technique of infrared photothermal beam deflection spectroscopy (PDS) is outlined, and measurements made with an interferometer coupled with a detector which senses the photothermal effect by the deflection of a laser beam are described. PDS is a general technique and requires no sample preparation or sample cells per se. Consequently, thick surface layers can be examined in situ, even with very large objects. An example of the infrared examination of the corrosion layer on a massive strap from a lead storage battery is given. Infrared spectra can also be recorded of adsorbed species, and most significantly, this can be done under the rigorously controlled conditions normal to surface studies. Spectra are shown of cellulose chars, and of CO chemisorbed on a 50 wt% nickel-on-carbon catalyst, “black” samples which would be impossible to examine by conventional means. PDS is thus an important and versatile technique for surface studies.
Luckless Desert is Different Desert

Norvin Richards' argues that alleged cases of moral luck do not show that an agent's desert can be partially determined by circumstances over which he has no control. Rather, the differences in desert attributed in 'lucky' (meant descriptively) compared to 'non-lucky' situations reflects the epistemic differences of attributors in the two situations. Real desert, for Richards, is attributed to features of character. More precisely, 'behaviour which enacts a particular trait calls for, or "deserves", protective measures in proportion to the risk of future harms at which it puts other people'.2 The fundamental difficulty with Richards's account is his failure to appreciate that desert would be radically different under his construal. This failure is due to his simply assuming, unjustifiably I argue, that desert as he construes it would have the same shape as desert as presently apportioned in epistemically 'clear' situations (the 'lucky' ones). Without such justification, Richards misses the crucial issue generating the problem of moral luck, namely that there is an imperfect alignment of our ideals for attributing desert and the practices in which those attributions are rooted. At the end, I will briefly mention some reasons for doubting that desert as Richards construes it could remain both rooted in our practices, which he accepts, and identical with desert as attributed in the clear cases. Consider the case of the lorry driver who runs over a child. The problem of luck arises because a large part of our apportioning of desert appears to stem from the child's being killed, rather than solely the recklessness of the driving. However, the child's running out at that moment is not within the driver's control. Since Richards holds that it is solely to the recklessness that the desert attributed is attached, we are 'entitled to treat .. . as he deserves'3 any other equally reckless driver, accident or not. What 'he deserves' is not stated explicitly, but it is implied from what Richards says here and in related cases that he means it to be the desert we attribute to the driver involved in the accident. Now, I grant that epistemically we are usually in a better position to ascribe recklessness where there is an accident than where the driver continues without incident. But Richards has no right to assume that recklessness itself deserves just what is normally attributed to the driver in the event of an accident. For being in an epistemically better position to judge character (or character as enacted in behaviour) is not to be in the best attainable position so to judge character. A record of speeding tickets, for example, is much better evidence than an accident. However, Richards gives us no reason to believe that the desert attributed with the actual accident, even if epistemically a 'clear' case, will be the same as what would be attributed in cases where we attribute recklessness on epistemically better grounds (such as on the basis of the driving record). And, in fact, there is prima facie
Development of Gender Attitude Traditionality across Middle Childhood and Adolescence.

The development of gender attitudes in 402 youth (201 firstborn and 201 secondborn siblings) in 201 European American families was examined using data collected on seven occasions across 9 years. Pooling across siblings and using multilevel modeling, we examined gender attitude development from ages 7 to 19. Consistent with an ecological perspective, the combined effects of individual (i.e., sex, age, birth order) and contextual (i.e., parents' gender attitudes, sibling sex) characteristics predicted patterns of change. Although most youth declined in traditionality, the attitudes of firstborn boys with brothers and traditional parents became more traditional over time. No one longitudinal pattern captured the development of gender attitudes; trajectories varied as a function of contextual and personal characteristics.
Evolution of the master Alu gene(s)

A comparison of Alu sequences that comprise more recently amplified Alu subfamilies was made. There are 18 individual diagnostic mutations associated with the different subfamilies. This analysis confirmed that the formation of each subfamily can be explained by the sequential accumulation of mutations relative to the previous subfamily. Polymerase chain reaction amplification of orthologous loci in several primate species allowed us to determine the time of insertion of Alu sequences in individual loci. These data suggest that the vast majority of Alu elements amplified at any given time comprised a single Alu subfamily. We find that, although the individual divergence relative to a consensus sequence correlate reasonably well with sequence age, the diagnostic mutations are a more accurate measure of the age of any individual Alu family member. Our data are consistent with a model in which all Alu family members have been made from a single master gene or from a series of sequential master genes. This master gene(s) accumulated diagnostic base changes, resulting in the amplification of different subfamilies from the master gene at different times in primate evolution. The changes in the master gene(s) probably occurred individually, but their appearance is clearly punctuated. Ten of them have occurred within an ∼15-million-year time span, 40–25 million years ago, and 8 changes have occurred within the last 5 million years. Surprisingly, no changes appeared in the 20 milion years separating these periods.
Characterization of Nb SRF cavity materials by white light interferometry and replica techniques

Abstract Much work has shown that the topography of the interior surface is an important contributor to the performance of Nb superconducting radiofrequency (SRF) accelerator cavities. Micron-scale topography is implicated in non-linear loss mechanisms that limit the useful accelerating gradient range and impact cryogenic cost. Aggressive final chemical treatments in cavity production seek to reliably obtain “smoothest” surfaces with superior performance. Process development suffers because the cavity interior surface cannot be viewed directly without cutting out pieces, rendering the cavities unavailable for further study. Here we explore replica techniques as an alternative, providing imprints of cavity internal surface that can be readily examined. A second matter is the topography measurement technique used. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) has proven successful, but too time intensive for routine use in this application. We therefore introduce white light interferometry (WLI) as an alternative approach. We examined real surfaces and their replicas, using AFM and WLI. We find that the replica/WLI is promising to provide the large majority of the desired information, recognizing that a trade-off is being made between best lateral resolution (AFM) and the opportunity to examine much more surface area (WLI).
Changes in drinking before a mandated brief intervention with college students.

Objective: Little is known about the effects of alcohol-related infractions and resulting reprimands for invoking behavioral change among mandated college students. The primary aim of this study was to assess the extent to which students significantly reduce their drinking between the time of an alcohol-related violation and the sanctioned intervention. Method: Data came from 175 (70% male) students mandated to the Rutgers University Alcohol and Other Drug Assistance Program for Students because of infractions of university rules about alcohol and drug use. At intake, students reported on their alcohol consumption for the 30 days before the violation and the 30 days before the intake assessment. Results: Mandated students significantly reduced peak blood alcohol concentration (BAC) levels, total weekly drinks, and frequency of alcohol use after the violation before any intervention. Those students who had received a legal or medical referral (i.e., a serious infraction) reduced their alcohol consumption (...
Negative democracy and the distortion of american character

The managerial role in our society has done more to erode the development of American character than assist it. For public administration, a more appropriate role is based in the idea of governance. Governance puts the development of character as the first priority of public administration. Adopting this role does not necessarily require structural reform in public institutions or a dismantling of the market, but instead calls for a commitment to a changed disposition among public officials regarding the purposes of government and the potentialities of human relationship. The administrative role must move away from instrumental conceptions of management that focus our minds upon discrete decisions and achievements, to one that embraces life as an ongoing process of maturation in democratic community. In such condition, there is no place for industry; because the fruit thereof is uncertain; and consequently no culture on earth; no navigation, nor use of the commodities that may be imported by sea; no commo...
X-linked Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease and connexin32.

We studied 29 families with X-linked dominant CMT (CMTX1) neuropathy. Twenty-five families showed mutations in the coding region of the connexin32 (Cx32) gene. The mutations included five nonsense mutations, 17 missense mutations, two medium size deletions and one insertion. Most missense mutations showed a mild clinical phenotype and slowing of motor nerve conduction velocities. All five nonsense mutations, the larger deletion and the insertion showed severe clinical phenotype. Four CMTX1 families with mild clinical phenotype showed no point mutations of the Cx32 gene coding region. Two mutations of the non-coding region were identified. The first mutation was located in the nerve specific Cx32 promoter, the second mutation was located in the 5' untranslated region of the mRNA.
Black and White women's weight-related attitudes and parental criticism of their childhood appearance.

ABSTRACT Black (27%) and White (73%) women (n = 215) completed a survey assessing weight concern, ideal body size beliefs, body dissatisfaction, attitudes toward overweight body size, and parental criticism of their childhood appearance. Sixty-four percent of the women reported they were currently trying to lose weight and 63% desired a body size thinner than their own. High weight concern and negative attitudes toward overweight persons were reported, respectively, by 45% and 17%, of the women. The only significant difference found by race was weight concern as White women rated this significantly higher than Black women. No significant frequencies of choice were associated with the women's socio-economic level. Self-reported ratings of weight concernwere significant and positively associated with those for body dissatisfaction, negative attitudes toward overweight persons, negative attitudes toward one's own overweight, and criticism of childhood appearance by mothers or fathers.
Age at Cancer Diagnosis for Blacks Compared With Whites in the United States

Racial disparities exist in cancer incidence and survival, some of which may be explained by differences in cancer risk factors, screening, and treatment (1–3). For example, in the United States, blacks have higher mortality than whites for most common cancers and cancer overall (3). Additionally, studies have reported younger ages at diagnosis for blacks compared with whites for several cancer types. For female breast cancer, blacks have been reported to be five to 10 years (4,5) or even over 20 years (6) younger on average at diagnosis. A younger age in blacks has also been reported for prostate (7), lung (8), colon (9), rectal (10), head and neck (11), uterine corpus (12), and various hematologic cancers (13,14). Changes in screening guidelines and other clinical practices, targeted specifically to blacks, have been suggested partially on the basis of these apparent age differences (5,6,9,15). Reports of a younger age at diagnosis in blacks are typically based on comparisons of the mean or median age calculated among observed cancer cases, without consideration of the underlying populations from which cancer cases arise. Some have noted that these case-only comparisons may be biased, because the underlying population age distributions are different for blacks and whites (7,9,14,16–18). In the United States, there are proportionally fewer blacks than whites in older age groups (eg, 19.5% of whites are age ≥60 years old compared with 12.4% of blacks [19]) and cancer risk is greatest at older ages. Therefore, cancer cases that occur in blacks are inherently more likely to arise among younger age groups. A similar bias has been noted in other populations with different age distributions (20,21). In this study, we sought to assess whether there are racial differences in the age at cancer diagnosis after appropriately accounting for differences in population age structure between US blacks and whites. We hypothesized that correction for population differences might demonstrate that reports of a younger age in blacks are overstated for many cancers, and also potentially reveal true age differences that have previously been obscured.
Surface‐enhanced Raman spectroscopy coupled with dendritic silver nanosubstrate for detection of restricted antibiotics

Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) coupled with dendritic silver nanosubstrates was used in this study for rapid detection and characterization of restricted antibiotics. Dendritic silver nanosubstrates were prepared through a simple replacement reaction and stored in deionized water for months. SERS methods with near-IR excitation at 785 nm using silver nanosubstrates were evaluated for detection of three restricted antibiotics (i.e. enrofloxacin, ciprofloxacin, and chloramphenicol) prepared in standard solutions. SERS was capable of identifying and characterizing three antibiotics quickly and accurately. Silver dendrites exhibit satisfactory and consistent performance with an analytical enhancement factor of ∼104. The limit of detection and limit of quantification for antibiotics could reach the level of 20 ppb. Silver dendrites can be kept in deionized water for up to 6 months with no signs of degradation in SERS performance. These results demonstrate a great potential of using SERS coupled with silver dendrites for rapid detection, classification, and quantification of chemical contaminants. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The measure of interference in primary memory

The S s attempted to remember a minimally rehearsed serial association after attending to a sequence in which items were either ordered at random or repeated according to certain rules. The results indicate that, although a new and unpredictable item may displace an earlier one from primary memory, a recently presented and redundant one does not.
Multiple Imputation: Theory and Method

Summary In this review paper, we discuss the theoretical background of multiple imputation, describe how to build an imputation model and how to create proper imputations. We also present the rules for making repeated imputation inferences. Three widely used multiple imputation methods, the propensity score method, the predictive model method and the Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) method, are presented and discussed. missing data, and it avoids the complexity caused by the missing data. However, the uncertainties associated with the imputations need to be appropriately addressed because imputed values are not real observed values. Three types of uncertainties are involved in the imputation process: One is the uncertainty due to modeling the joint distribution of the response variables and the missingness indicators. The second is the uncertainty due to the sampling from a given imputation model assuming that the observed-data and the values of the model parameters are known. The third is the uncertainty about the values of the model parameters. This is the uncertainty for selecting the imputation model. In this paper, we present the theoretical background of multiple imputation and describe three widely used multiple imputation methods. In section 2, the definitions of missingness mechanisms are reviewed. In section 3, we discuss the properties of imputation models and explain how to build an imputation model. In section 4, the concepts of multiple imputation, especially proper multiple imputation, are presented, and the standard rules for combining the inference results from multiple imputations to make a repeated imputation inference are explained. Two multiple imputation
Germanium FET-A3- a novel element for low-noise preamplifiers

Abstract A preamplifier based on germanium FET's and having 0.3 keV resolution is described. assistance of W.LL. Crowder.
Wavelet-based deconvolution using optimally regularized inversion for ill-conditioned systems

We propose a hybrid approach to wavelet-based deconvolution that comprises Fourier-domain system inversion followed by wavelet-domain noise suppression. In contrast to conventional wavelet-based deconvolution approaches, the algorithm employs a regularized inverse filter, which allows it to operate even when the system in non-invertible. Using a mean-square-error (MSE) metric, we strike an optimal balance between Fourier-domain regularization (matched to the system) and wavelet-domain regularization (matched to the signal/image). Theoretical analysis reveals that the optimal balance is determined by the economics of the signal representation in the wavelet domain and the operator structure. The resulting algorithm is fast (O(Nlog22N) complexity for signals/images of N samples) and is well-suited to data with spatially-localized phenomena such as edges. In addition to enjoying asymptotically optimal rates of error decay for certain systems, the algorithm also achieves excellent performance at fixed data lengths. In simulations with real data, the algorithm outperforms the conventional time-invariant Wiener filter and other wavelet- based deconvolution algorithms in terms of both MSE performance and visual quality.© (1999) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Identifying trapping desorption in gas–surface scattering

Abstract Classical trajectory simulations are used to determine the energy transfer distribution function P ( E f ) for Ne-atoms scattering off the n -hexylthiolate self-assembled monolayer (SAM)/Au{1 1 1} surface. The form of P ( E f ) depends on the angles at which it is measured. Though trapping desorption is insignificant for this system, backward scattering and scattering normal to the surface give rise to a unimodal P ( E f ) in excellent agreement with the Boltzmann distribution. Forward scattering at large polar angles is bimodal with a Boltzmann-like component. These simulation results show that a Boltzmann component in P ( E f ) does not necessarily correspond to a trapping desorption intermediate.
Lung Transplantation: Selection of Patients and Analysis of Outcome

Lung transplantation is an important option for patients with respiratory failure and limited life expectancy. Herein we review the current indications for and outcome after lung transplantation. These results are compared with the natural history of various respiratory diseases, estimated from available databases. Candidates for lung transplantation are generally younger than 60 years of age, have a limited life expectancy because of end-stage lung disease, and have no other major organ dysfunction. Single lung transplantation is performed most commonly for emphysema, pulmonary fibrosis, and pulmonary hypertension. Survival after single lung transplantation is approximately 70% at 1 year, 60% at 2 years, and 40% at 3 years. The median duration of survival for patients with end-stage lung diseases ranges from approximately 2 to 6 years, with wide variation based on the diagnosis and severity of illness. Currently, prolongation of the average survival has not been clearly substantiated after lung transplantation. Further evaluation of outcomes, functional status, and quality of life after lung transplantation is necessary.
Implantation of scleral-fixated posterior chamber intraocular lenses

Abstract A surgical technique for implanting a posterior chamber intraocular lens (IOL) in eyes without capsular or zonular support is presented. A 10-0 polypropylene suture attached to a standard needle is tied to the apex of each haptic and passed transclerally through the ciliary sulcus to secure the haptics at the 3 o'clock and 9 o'clock meridians. This technique produced good visual results in six aphakic patients who were contact lens intolerant, two patients in whom capsular or zonular rupture at the time of cataract surgery precluded standard nonsuture fixation techniques, one patient who had intracapsular cataract extraction for a subluxated, cataractous lens, and one patient who had secondary IOL implantation in combination with penetrating keratoplasty for aphakic bullous keratopathy. Advantages over other techniques o£ posterior chamber lens implantation in the absence of capsular support include technical ease, avoidance of iris fixation, and more precise placement of scleral fixation sutures, thus minimizing IOL decentration.
Sarcopenic obesity and cognitive functioning: the mediating roles of insulin resistance and inflammation?

This study examined the influence of insulin resistance and inflammation on the association between body composition and cognitive performance in older adults, aged 60–69 and aged 70 and older. Subjects included 1127 adults from NHANES 1999–2002. Body composition was categorized based on measurements of muscle mass and waist circumference as sarcopenic nonobese, nonsarcopenic obese, sarcopenic obese, and normal. Using OLS regression models, our findings suggest body composition is not associated with cognitive functioning in adults ages 60–69; however, for adults aged 70 and over, sarcopenia and obesity, either independently or concurrently, were associated with worse cognitive functioning relative to non-sarcopenic non-obese older adults. Furthermore, insulin resistance accounted for a significant proportion of the relationship between cognitive performance and obesity, with or without sarcopenia. Additionally, although high CRP was significantly associated with poorer cognitive functioning in adults ages 60–69, it did not influence the association between body composition and cognitive performance. This study provides evidence that age-related physiological maladaptations, such as metabolic deregulation, which are associated with abdominal fat, may simultaneously contribute to lower cognition and muscle mass, reflecting a degradation of multiple physiological systems.
On the Four Block Problem and Simultaneous H∞ and L2 Suboptimization

Abstract In this paper we obtain a solution to the four block general distance problem which is suboptimal simultaneously with respect to the L ∞ norm and the L 2 norm. This generalizes some results of [C. Foias and A. F. Frazho, to appear; V. Kaftal et al. , J. Funt. Anal. , in press].
Effect of thiourea on copper dissolution and deposition

Abstract The effect of thiourea on copper was investigated in solutions of sulfuric acid. Weak interaction occurs at low concentrations of thiourea. At high concentrations of thiourea (>1 mM), strong effects were observed. Thiourea forms complexes with cuprous ions in solution which shift the open circuit potential of the copper electrode in a negative direction and causes copper to dissolve to cuprous species even in sulfate media. At more positive potentials, thiourea reacts with cupric ions and forms a complex. At a sufficient concentration of the cupric–thiourea complex, a sulfate complex film forms. The film can be formed reversibly upon cycling the copper electrode potential.
Ventricular dysrhythmias in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass graft surgery: Incidence, characteristics, and prognostic importance

To determine the incidence and characteristics of ventricular dysrhythmias (premature ventricular contractions greater than 30/min, ventricular tachycardia greater than or equal to 3 beats, and ventricular fibrillation) and whether a relationship exists between ventricular tachycardia and myocardial ischemia in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass graft surgery, we continuously monitored 50 patients for 10 perioperative days using two-lead electrocardiography. Electrocardiographic changes consistent with ischemia were defined as a reversible ST depression greater than or equal to 1.0 mm, or ST elevation greater than or equal to 2.0 mm from baseline, lasting at least 1 minute. Ventricular dysrhythmias developed in 10% of patients preoperatively and in 16% intraoperatively before bypass surgery. The highest incidence occurred postoperatively, with ventricular dysrhythmias developing in 66% of patients (22% to 44% of patients on any postoperative day 0 to 7). Premature ventricular contractions were greater than 30/hr in 6% of patients preoperatively, in 8% intraoperatively before bypass, and in 34% postoperatively (6% to 23% of patients on any postoperative day). Twenty-nine patients (58%) developed 76 verified episodes of greater than or equal to 3 beats of ventricular tachycardia. Ventricular tachycardia occurred in 6% of patients preoperatively (four episodes), in 8% of patients intraoperatively prior to bypass (four episodes), and 54% of patients postoperatively (5% to 21% on any postoperative day). No patient developed ventricular fibrillation. All postoperative ventricular tachycardia episodes (after tracheal extubation) were asymptomatic. Postoperatively, 48% of patients developed ischemia, compared with 12% preoperatively and 10% intraoperatively before bypass surgery. Only 5 of 68 (7%) postoperative ventricular tachycardia episodes occurred within 3 hours of an ischemia episode.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Design and evaluation of large-scale state estimation algorithms having information exchange

This paper considers the design and evaluation of large-scale state estimation algorithms which utilize information exchange over noisy communication channels. The role of the surely locally unbiased filter in evaluating the trade-offs between the cost of information transfer and filter performance is examined and an algorithm for the design of optimal information exchange is presented. The theoretical results are illustrated via an application to a power system model.
X-linked control of hemoglobin production in somatic hybrids of mouse erythroleukemic cells and mouse lymphoma or bone marrow cells

Abstract Somatic cell hybrids were generated by fusion of mouse erythroleukemic cells (clone 745) to mouse lymphoma cells or mouse bone marrow cells. The erythroleukemic cells have been shown previously to have a low basal level of erythroid differentiation which is markedly amplified when the cells are grown in medium containing dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO). Hybrid cells were examined for hemoglobin production by benzidine staining. Many hybrid clones were found in which hemoglobin production in response to DMSO was either abolished or greatly reduced. From these hybrids, subclones were isolated in which hemoglobin production was restored. Karyological and enzyme analysis showed that the restoration of hemoglobin production was associated with the loss of an X chromosome contributed by the nonerythroleukemic parent. Other subclones which retained an X chromosome continued to be inhibited for hemoglobin production. Analysis of other hybrid lines capable of a limited degree of erythroid differentiation indicated a quantitative inverse correlation between the proportion of cells bearing an X chromosome and the proportion of cells able to form hemoglobin. Finally, four hybrid lines having many cells without an X chromosome were grown in medium containing DMSO. This procedure led to the selection of hybrid sublines having a nondifferentiating phenotype and concomitantly having a greatly increased proportion of cells bearing an X chromosome. Thus three lines of evidence suggest that a locus (loci) on the X chromosome is capable of inhibiting the DMSO-inducible hemoglobin production of the erythroleukemic cells.
Diagnostic yield of oesophagogastroduodenoscopy in children with abdominal pain

Summary Background Abdominal pain is the most common indication for oesophagogastroduodenoscopy (OGD) in children. However, existing studies examining the diagnostic outcomes of OGD in children with abdominal pain are limited. Aim To examine the diagnostic yield of OGD with biopsy in the evaluation of abdominal pain and to describe the endoscopic and histological findings in patients undergoing OGD for abdominal pain of unclear aetiology. Methods We performed a retrospective cross-sectional cohort study in children under 18 years of age who had OGD for the primary indication of abdominal pain, at Texas Children’s Hospital and Children’s Hospital of The King’s Daughters from 1 January 2002 to 30 June 2005. Results Overall, OGD was diagnostic in 454 (38.1%) of the 1191 procedures, including reflux oesophagitis (23%, n = 271), Helicobacter pylori infections (5%, n = 55), peptic ulcers (3%, n = 32), eosinophilic oesophagitis (2%, n = 25), celiac disease (1%, n = 9) and Crohn’s disease (0.5%, n = 7). Male gender, older age, elevated C-reactive protein and vomiting were associated with increased diagnostic yield. Conclusions Our findings suggest that OGD is valuable for the evaluation of chronic abdominal pain in children, with a diagnostic yield of 38%. The majority of alarm symptoms and routine laboratory tests are not significantly associated with diagnostic yield.
The Goodman spectrograph

The Goodman Spectrograph is an imaging, multi-object spectrograph for the SOuthern Astrophysical Research telescope (SOAR). It is one of the first designed to take advantage of Volume Phase Holographic (VPH) gratings by employing an articulated camera. This aspect of the mechanical design has had complicating effects on a number of usually simple systems, and has led to some unorthodox solutions. The spectrograph is also highly optimized for efficiency from 320 to 850 nm, and designed for rapid configuration changes, so that its throughput makes it competitive with instruments on larger telescopes. We present the high level requirements that have driven the mechanical and electronic systems, and show their implementation in the completed instrument. It is too early to assess the overall system performance, but tests of the modular subsystems show promising results. We discuss the expected overall performance and discuss mitigation strategies should that performance fall short of our goals.
Robotic Assisted Laparoscopic Ureteral Reimplantation in Children: Case Matched Comparative Study With Open Surgical Approach

Purpose: Surgical treatment may be required in some patients with vesicoureteral reflux. With the recent development of robotic assistance, laparoscopic treatment of vesicoureteral reflux has gained popularity. We sought to evaluate our initial experience with pediatric robotic assisted laparoscopic intravesical and extravesical ureteral reimplantation, and to compare outcomes with the open technique.Materials and Methods: A retrospective chart review was performed on all patients who underwent robotic assisted laparoscopic ureteral reimplantation between 2007 and 2010. Comparisons were made with a case matched cohort of patients who underwent the open technique. The groups were compared using t tests for numerical variables and chi-square comparisons or Fisher's exact test for categorical variables. A Kaplan-Meier model was used to compare success rates.Results: A total of 19 patients underwent intravesical and 20 underwent extravesical robotic assisted laparoscopic ureteral reimplantation during the stu...
Hydrogen Bonding to Transition Metal Fluoride Ligands: The Synthesis and Structure of the Bifluoride Complex Mo(PMe3)4H2F(FHF)

In this paper, we describe the synthesis and structural characterization of the bifluoride complex Mo(PMe{sub 3}){sub 4}H{sub 2} F(FHF). In summary, structural and spectroscopic data suggest that the hydrogen-bonding interaction in the bifluoride complex Mo(PMe{sub 3}){sub 4}H{sub 2}F(FHF) may be regarded as `strong`; however, as would be expected on simple electrostatic grounds, the interaction between the covalently bound Mo-F moiety and H-F is weaker than that between F{sup -} and H-F. 25 refs., 1 fig.
Divine weapons and «tejas» in the two Indian epics

Les armes divines des deux epopees indiennes, le Mahābhārata et le Rāmāyana, jouent un role central partout dans les recits. Ainsi, sans une comprehension exacte de ces armes divines, on ne peut pas apprecier totalement ces epopees. Cependant, on ne peut pas non plus comprendre correctement les armes divines sans examiner le concept de «tejas» ou «energie brulante», son developpement et sa signification, ce par quoi commence cet article, qui poursuit par l'etude du concept des armes divines, leurs modele, controle, danger et leur perte.
Characteristic cycles of constructible sheaves

In his paper [K], Kashiwara introduced the notion of characteristic cycle for complexes of constructible sheaves on manifolds: let X be a real analytic manifold, and F a complex of sheaves of C-vector spaces on X , whose cohomology is constructible with respect to a subanalytic strati cation; the characteristic cycle CC(F) is a subanalytic, Lagrangian cycle (with in nite support, and with values in the orientation sheaf of X ) in the cotangent bundle T ∗X . The de nition of CC(F) is Morse-theoretic. Heuristically, CC(F) encodes the in nitesimal change of the Euler characteristic of the stalks of F along the various directions in X . It tends to be di cult in practice to calculate CC(F) explicitly for all but the simplest complexes F; on the other hand, the characteristic cycle construction has good functorial properties. The behavior of CC(F) with respect to the operations of proper direct image, Verdier duality, and non-characteristic inverse image of F is well understood [KS]. In this paper, we describe the e ect of the operation of direct image by an open embedding. Combining our result with those that were previously known, we obtain descriptions of CC(Rf∗F) and CC(f∗F) – analogous to those in [KS] – for arbitrary morphisms f : X → Y in the semi-algebraic category, and complexes F with semi-algebraically constructible cohomology. In e ect, this provides an axiomatic characterization of the functor CC, at least in the semi-algebraic context. Our arguments do apply more generally in the subanalytic case, but because statements become quite convoluted, we shall not strive for the greatest degree of generality. As a concrete application, we consider the case of the ag manifold X of a complex semisimple Lie algebra g. Here the Weyl group W of g operates,
Dividend and Taxes, Redux, … Again

In this paper we study the effect of The Job Growth and Taxpayer Relief Reconciliation Act of 2003 on dividend payouts of two types of firms. Using a sample of traditional (predisposed to paying dividends) and growth-oriented (paying dividends only to satisfy stockholders' demands) firms, we show that dividend payouts increased before the tax law changed and continued to rise, thereafter. In addition, the differences across the two types of firms disappeared, most likely because to increases in firm size. Thus, although the reduced tax rate on personal dividend income might have been a reason for the increase, there must have been other factors in play, too. We also conclude that the dividend decision not just varies, but that it also matters.
Variability of rainfall from tropical cyclones in the eastern USA and its association to the AMO and ENSO

Tropical cyclone (TC) rainfall along the eastern USA exhibits a high degree of variability with the potential to produce precipitation amounts in excess of 100 % of the annual mean at locations ranging from the immediate coastline to hundreds of kilometers inland. However, the spatiotemporal distribution of TC rainfall variability has not yet been fully characterized for this region, particularly with regard to large-scale climate teleconnections (e.g., El Nino-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) and Atlantic multidecadal oscillation (AMO)). The objectives of this study are to (1) assess temporal variability and trends in TC rainfall since 1960, and (2) characterize the spatial variability of TC rainfall during varying AMO and ENSO regimes. Kendall tau-b analysis highlighted the presence of statistically significant positive trends in TC rainfall at a number of locations. Principal components analysis revealed that AMO exhibited significant linkages to TC rainfall in northern New England as well as along the US Gulf Coast, while ENSO was most strongly linked to TC variability in Texas. Results illustrate the varied nature of TC rainfall across the eastern USA and the complex linkages to large-scale climate mechanisms at interannual and decadal time scales.
Age and Growth of Walleyes in Clear Lake, Iowa, 1935–1957

Abstract Interpretation of walleye (Stizostedion vitreum vitreum) scales by three investigators revealed some differences in detail, but the data derived appeared to be basically reliable. Most fish were collected in experimental gill nets. Lengths at annuli were calculated using straight-line relationship with an intercept of 3.26 inches, total length. Growth rate of a year class, as indicated by mean length at the third annulus, was negatively correlated with abundance of the year class (r = −0.78, 11 d.f.). Walford's growth transformation did not give an entirely satisfactory fit but gave a maximum length of 31.1 inches and a k of 0.836. Variations in these values with different treatment of the data were indicated. Fitting a Walford transformation to increments gave: Lt+1 = 28.8 inches (0.172) + 0.828 Lt. The correlation coefficient, r, between the annual increment indexes and the mean May to September temperatures was 0.565. Adding April and October temperatures lowered the correlation. Instantaneous...
Crossing borders: sleep reactivation as a window on cell assembly formation.

Learning is believed to be a result of plasticity in synaptic architecture, but few studies have shown this directly. A new paper explores a mechanism that shapes the formation of associative connections between neurons in behaving animals.