cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Barotropic simulation of large-scale mixing in the Antarctic polar vortex

Theory and observations suggest that the Antarctic polar vortex is relatively isolated from midlatitudes, although others have interpreted the observations to indicate that there is substantial mixing from the interior of the vortex into middle latitudes. The equivalent barotropic model of Salby et al. is used to study quasi-horizontal mixing by the large-scale flow in the lower stratosphere during Southern Hemisphere spring, which is when the Antarctic ozone hole appears and disappears. The model is forced by relaxation to observed climatological monthly mean zonal-mean winds and by an idealized wave 1 or 2 forcing at the lower boundary. Mixing and transport are diagnosed primarily through Lagrangian tracer trajectories. For September, October, and November basic states, there is little or no mixing in the interior of the vortex. Mixing occurs near the critical lines for the waves: in the tropics and subtropics for a stationary wave 1, and in midlatitudes on the equatorial flank of the jet for an eastward-moving wave 2. For the December basic state, the wave 2 forcing rapidly mixes the interior of the vortex. Mixing of Lagrangian tracer particles can be significant even when the waves do not `break', as evidenced by the potential vorticity field. In the model there does not appear to be any significant transport of air out of the interior of the polar vortex prior to the vortex breakdown. The principal factor that leads to the vortex breakdown and mixing of the vortex interior is the deceleration of the jet to the point where winds in the interior of the vortex are close to the phase velocity of the wavenumber 2 forcing. The tracer transport is very similar to many aspects of the behavior of the total ozone field during the spring season.
Meso-Scale Oil Condition Sensor

With advances in vehicle electronics and instrumentation, there has become an increasing demand for sensors to monitor the various systems of vehicles. One fruitful area for exploration is oil condition monitoring. There are a variety of devices that have been researched and some commercial sensors based upon indirect measures of oil condition based upon temperature history and mileage. In this work, a meso-scale oscillatory device has been built to monitor the condition of oil while in use. Specifically, the device measures the viscosity, dielectric constant, and temperature of the oil. These measurements were chosen based on their importance to the function of oil. This is especially true of viscosity, which is known to be a major indicator of the overall condition of the lubricant. Tests showing the operation of the device, including measurements of oil samples from actual engines, are shown. Other tests include the detection of fuel contamination and metal wear particle presence. The device presented here could be easily incorporated into the onboard electronics of a modern vehicle in order to monitor the condition of the oil and determine when oil replacement is necessary.Copyright © 2011 by ASME
Mohs surgery is the treatment of choice for recurrent (previously treated) basal cell carcinoma

We reviewed all studies (since 1945) reporting recurrence rates for treatment of recurrent (previously treated) basal cell carcinomas (BCC) using surgical excision, radiotherapy, cryotherapy, curettage and electrodesiccation, and Mohs micrographic surgery. The 5-year recurrence rate for Mohs micrographic surgery is 5.6%. The recurrence rate for non-Mohs modalities of 19.9% is nearly four times higher. Individual recurrence rates for the non-Mohs modalities are 17.4% for surgical excision, 40.0% for curettage and electrodesiccation, and 9.8% for radiation therapy. There are no studies reporting 5-year data for cryotherapy. However, the recurrence rate is 13.0% for cryotherapy when the follow-up period is less than five years. The data support the following conclusions: (1) Mohs surgery is the treatment of choice for recurrent BCC; (2) if the patient is not a surgical candidate and the lesion is small, radiation therapy is an alternative that offers a better chance for cure than the other non-Mohs modalities; and (3) curettage and electrodesiccation should not be used to treat recurrent basal cell carcinoma.
Systems Integration for Total Quality Management

ABSTRACTThis paper presents guidelines for a systems approach to total quality management. The basic characteristics of a system as they relate to quality management are discussed. A procedure is described for implementing the Triple C principle of communication, cooperation, and coordination to facilitate total quality management throughout an organization. The role management should play in ensuring total quality management is outlined. Discussions are also presented on the concepts of continuous process improvement, continuous measurable improvement, and quality function deployment.
CO2 reduction potential of coal-to-liquids (CTL) process: Effect of gasification technology

Abstract Coal-to-liquids (CTL) is a process of producing synthetic transportation fuels from coal. The process involves gasification of coal to produce synthesis gas which is then catalytically converted to liquid fuels in a Fischer-Tropsch (FT) reactor. A major concern of CTL plants is their emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2) produced as part of the process. A significant fraction of the plant-level CO2 is produced in the gasification process, which needs to be separated before the syngas is fed into the FT reactor. In this paper, CTL processes using two different coal-feeding methods–slurry and dry–are studied for their effect on the performance, emissions and cost of a CTL plant. The slurry-fed and dry-fed systems are modeled based on the commercially available GE and Shell gasifier designs, respectively. Effect of implementing CCS or carbon constraints that impose a price or cost on CO2 emissions is also studied. The potential of the co-production configuration to reduce the overall CO2 emissions by displacing conventional pulverized coal power plants is also investigated. It was found that the process using a dry-feed Shell gasification is more efficient, emits less CO2 and has lower capital and product costs compared to a CTL plant using a slurry-feed GE gasifier. For both the cases, the costs of liquid product from both liquids-only and co-production plants are comparable to the crude oil prices seen in the past 2–3 years. Though co-production plants are much costlier than liquids-only configurations in terms of capital cost, because of the high electricity revenues, the cost of liquid product is lower than that of the liquids-only case, at market prices of electricity. Co-production is also much more efficient than the separate production of liquids and power and, the difference in efficiency increases with the addition of CCS.
Dephasing of Bloch oscillations in epitaxial superlattices

We show that the essential features of the decay of Bloch oscillations observed in epitaxially grown semiconductor superlattices subject to a dc electric field can be reproduced using a one-dimensional model of interface roughness (IR). As a result of IR, the electron dynamics can be characterized in terms of many discrete, incommensurate frequencies near the Bloch frequency. The interference effects associated with these frequencies cause a substantial decrease in amplitude of the signal after several Bloch periods. {copyright} {ital 1996 The American Physical Society.}
On the asymptotic solution of multi-point boundary value problems

We shall consider boundary value problems for certain homogeneous linear ordinary differential equations of order m on the x interval [0, 11. These equations depend on a small parameter E in such a way that the order of the differential equation will drop to n < m when E = 0. In addition, the differential order of the boundary conditions may also drop when E = 0. As previous studies have indicated, the solution y(x, E) will, under appropriate conditions, have a limit as E -+ 0 within (0, 1) which satisfies the reduced equation, i.e., the n-th order equation obtained when E = 0 (cf., especially, Wasow [9], [IO], ViGk and Lyusternik [S], and O’Malley and Keller [5]). Under further hypotheses, this limiting solution will satisfy n of the original m boundary conditions evaluated at E = 0. In addition to finding such limiting solutions, the object of this paper is to obtain a uniformly valid asymptotic solution for such problems. The boundary conditions allowed are much more general than those of analogous previous investigations. Moreover, the conclusions obtained are new even for two-point problems.
Quality of life following pelvic exenteration

Abstract Nineteen patients were interviewed postoperatively to assess their social, sexual, and psychological adaptation after pelvic exenteration. The data uncovered a negligible incidence of psychiatric disorders among these patients, a significant loss of sexual life, poor occupational recovery, and decrease of social activities. In spite of all these significant changes, patients appeared well adjusted and subjectively appraised the quality of their lives as good and revealed hope and optimism. The data are discussed and compared with previous research; thus this study contributes to a better understanding of the psychosocial impact of pelvic exenteration.
Determination of Fissile Loadings onto Monosodium Titanate (MST) under Conditions Relevant to the Actinide Removal Process Facility

Researchers at the Savannah River Site (SRS) have studied adsorption of uranium, plutonium, and neptunium onto monosodium titanate (MST) at conditions relevant to operation of the Actinide Removal Process (ARP) facility. This study measured actinide loadings at a large phase ratio of simulated wastes solution to mass of MST. The large phase ratio was designed to mimic the maximum phase ratio that would occur during a single process cycle of the ARP facility. Uranium and plutonium loadings measured in this study proved much higher than previous measurements at lower phase ratios.
Decomposing area of residence differences in multiple regression studies: the relative contributions of independent variables and model coefficients.

When rural/urban differences are found in health status or health care use, it is often desirable to identify those factors (such as age, social structure, income, etc.) that influence such differences. To this end, researchers often test rural/urban differences in age, social structure, income, etc., for statistical significance. Also, researchers commonly perform multivariate analyses (such as multiple regressions) to examine rural-urban differences in the influence of various independent variables on the dependent variable of interest. Frequently, researchers discover: (1) statistically significant rural/urban differences in the independent variables (such as age, social structure, income, etc.) and (2) statistically significant rural/urban differences in the effects of these independent variables (i.e., statistically significant rural/urban differences in regression coefficients). The analysis typically stops here, without addressing the relative contributions of (1) and (2) to the rural/urban differences in the dependent variable. This paper argues that the relative contributions of (1) and (2) have important implications for the way policy-makers address rural health problems. This paper presents a method for assessing the relative contributions of differences in the independent variables and differences in regression coefficients to observed differences in the dependent variable, and illustrates the application of the method by analyzing rural/urban differences in the risk of institutionalization.
Reachability Results for Nonlinear Systems with Ellipsoidal Initial Sets

Existing reachability and optimal control theory are applied to a class of nonlinear systems with ellipsoidal initial reachability sets. Analytical expressions for general state partition extrema are developed, yielding necessary conditions for reachability as well as tools for significant reduction in reachability computation. Similar relations for position and velocity reachability set surface computation are also developed and the computation implications discussed. Several examples are worked to illustrate results, and finally directions for future work are discussed.
Nonlinear Analysis and Scaling Laws for Noncircular Composite Structures Subjected to Combined Loads

Results from an analytical study of the response of a built-up, multi-cell noncircular composite structure subjected to combined internal pressure and mechanical loads are presented. Nondimensional parameters and scaling laws based on a first-order shear-deformation plate theory are derived for this noncircular composite structure. The scaling laws are used to design sub-scale structural models for predicting the structural response of a full-scale structure representative of a portion of a blended-wing-body transport aircraft. Because of the complexity of the full-scale structure, some of the similitude conditions are relaxed for the sub-scale structural models. Results from a systematic parametric study are used to determine the effects of relaxing selected similitude conditions on the sensitivity of the effectiveness of using the sub-scale structural model response characteristics for predicting the full-scale structure response characteristics.
Office-based dental rehabilitation in children with special healthcare needs using a pediatric sedation service model.

Purpose 1 ) To review our experience with office-based sedation/anesthesia for children with special healthcare needs who underwent dental rehabilitation at our institution. 2 ) To compare the cost to comparable patients who underwent similar procedures in the operating room. Patients and Methods Retrospective review of patients’ medical records and the sedation service database. Group CL: 114 patients who underwent office-based dental rehabilitation (135 procedures). Group OR: 23 patients who underwent dental rehabilitation under general anesthesia in the operating room for cost comparison. Outcomes: 1 ) Efficacy (procedure completion rate and unplanned admissions); 2 ) Safety (complications and interventions); 3 ) Comparison of mean hospital charges billed between groups. Results Demographics were similar in both groups. The most common specific underlying diagnoses were autism (38%), cerebral palsy/developmental delay (18%) and ADHD (4%) in both groups. Efficacy: procedure completion rate was 98.5% (2 aborted). There was 1 (0.7%) unplanned postanesthetic care unit admission due to an adverse drug event. Safety: 2 (1.5%) patients required invasive airway control. Eighteen (13.3%) patients developed transient hypoxemia. Twenty-three (17%) patients had airway obstruction needing simple intervention, and 1 (0.7%) patient had hypotension. There were no serious complications. Cost: mean total hospital charges were considerably higher in group OR ($6,126), versus group CL ($1,277), even after adjustment for inflation and length of procedure ( P Conclusion Office-based dental rehabilitation using a pediatric sedation service model in children with special needs is efficient, and can achieve average savings of $4,849 in hospital charges per patient.
Atmospheric physics: Chorus keeps the diffuse aurora humming

The origin of the diffuse aurora, whose beauty and intensity pale beside those of the famous aurora borealis, has remained controversial. A convincing explanation for this auroral display is now at hand. See Letter p.943 Earth's diffuse aurora, almost invisible from the ground, was discovered in images from the Isis-2 satellite in 1971 as a broad ring of light around the auroral oval. The diffuse aurora is the main source of energy for the high-latitude night-side upper atmosphere, and for many years there has been controversy over the mechanism causing the scattering loss of plasma-sheet electrons that powers it. Two distinct classes of magnetospheric plasma waves have been suggested: electrostatic electron cyclotron harmonic waves, and the more structured whistler-mode 'chorus' waves generated by electrons travelling through Earth's magnetic field. Thorne et al. report an analysis of satellite wave data that reveals that scattering by chorus is the dominant cause of the most intense diffuse auroral precipitation.
Electric power and energy engineering education in USA: A status report, issues and challenges

In order to promote power and energy engineering education and career opportunities and to meet the future needs and expectations of the power and energy industry in the 21st century, the curriculum and course contents must be very carefully designed and delivered. Preparing future generation of electric power and energy systems engineers is different than it was in the past and is a challenging task at best. This paper addresses the status of the undergraduate and graduate level education in power engineering in USA and provides some insight to the future needs.
FUNCTIONAL ASSESSMENT AND POSITIVE SUPPORT STRATEGIES FOR PROMOTING RESILIENCE: EFFECTS ON TEACHERS AND HIGH-RISK CHILDREN

The purpose of this study was to conduct an experimental analysis of teachers’ use of functional assessment (FA) and positive behavior support (PBS) for addressing challenging behaviors in young children. A group of 35 experimental teachers participated in professional development designed to provide step-by-step training and guided implementation of FA linked to PBS intervention planning for children identified with challenging behavior in prekindergarten through first-grade classrooms. A randomly designated group of 35 control teachers received neither training nor consultation for implementing FA and PBS. At post-intervention, experimental teachers reported increased resilience as evidenced in their significantly higher competence and self-efficacy along with greater utilization of FA and PBS practices compared with control teachers. Increased levels of resilience were also documented on multiple measures for experimental children with challenging behaviors who received FA and PBS. Specifically, experimental children demonstrated more positive behaviors and fewer challenging behaviors compared with control children at post-intervention. The findings offer empirical support for providing professional development in FA and PBS as a proactive strategy for promoting improved competence for teachers and, more importantly, for improving resilience among children with behavioral concerns. C � 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Peer social dysfunction in children with developmental disabilities: Empirical basis and a conceptual model

Abstract Disorders with broad implications for children's development will likely also impede social development. Research on the peer functioning of children with mental retardation, learning disabilities, attention deficit disorder, and physical disabilities was therefore reviewed with the conclusion that children with these developmental disorders are indeed at risk for experiencing problems in this area. It was also noted that peer problems may occur for different reasons in different children with different disorders. This led to the development of a conceptual model, emphasizing individual and environmental factors as playing a role in peer social dysfunction. It was argued that this model could facilitate both assessment of and intervention with peer problems in these populations. This was illustrated with several examples. Directions for future clinical and research efforts were discussed.
REGENERATION OF CFUs IN THE MARROW OF MICE EXPOSED TO 300 RADS AFTER HAVING RECOVERED FROM 950 RADS

Exposure to 950 rads 60Co radiation has been reported to cause long-lasting damage to the hematopoietic stroma (HS), although the size of the CFUs population recovers to pre-irradiation levels. In these studies HS damage was detected only after subcutaneously implanting the femurs of the irradiated mice into syngeneic hosts. To exclude the possibility that what was considered to be HS damage was merely caused by artifacts due to the process of implantation in a new host, we compared the rate of regeneration of CFUs in mice which had recovered from 950 rads prior to receiving 300 rads 60Co radiation (950 + 300 rads group) with that of mice which received only 300 rads (0 + 300 rads group). The CFUs population in the 950 + 300 rads group grew exponentially for 2 weeks at a rate which did not differ significantly from that of CFUs in the 0 + 300 rads group. However, the rate of CFUs growth reached a plateau before full recovery was achieved in contrast to that in the 0 + 300 rads mice. We therefore conclude that the incomplete regeneration of CFUs in the marrows of 950 + 300 rads mice was most likely caused by X-irradiation-induced damage to the HS rather than damage to the inherent repopulating potential of the CFUs per se.
Helpmates of the Rodeo: Fans, Wives, and Groupies

This article provides an ethnographic account of women as supporting agents for professional cowboys and the rodeo enterprise. This research draws from participant observation, field interviews, we...
Characteristic times for lean blowoff in turbine combustors

The purpose of this paper is to utilize a more complete set of new J85 lean blowoff data obtained at the Naval Air Propulsion Center (NAPC) and thus continue the validation of the model's application to annular combustors. A blowoff limit equation recommended here correlating data for two can combustors, as well as the GE and NAPC J85 data, suggests the model is able to characterize blowoff independently of combustor type.
Preemptive antiviral therapy is highly efficient in preventing cytomegalovirus (CMV) disease in CMV-positive heart transplant recipients

16 of the transplants displayed signs of incomplete RI confined to the anteroseptal wall, 13 pts were completely denervated. Within 24 hrs of PET imaging, all pts underwent radionuclide ventriculography(RNV)to determine LVEF at rest and during a standardized, symptom-limited Ex-test. 10 ageand gender-matched healthy volunteers served as control group. This study now reports about additional measurements of LVEF in the post-Ex state, determined 3 min after cessation of the stress test in subgroups of 26 transplant pts and 9 normals. Results for LVEF are summarized in the table. The increase during Ex was comparable between reinnervated pts and normals. Post stress, LVEF dropped in both groups. In contrast, in denervated pts, only a mild increase of LVEF was observed during Ex, followed by a mild further increase post Ex. In conclusion, additional data acquired after termination of Ex confirm that LV performance after HTx is significantly influenced by innervation status. Chronotropic and inotropic response during and after Ex parallels in reinnervated pts and controls. The different behavior in denervated pts with a further increase of LVEF after Ex, supports the notion that mechanisms other than direct innervation such as a (delayed) response to circulating catecholamines and the FrankStarling mechanism are responsible for regulation of the allograft inotropic state. † p 0.001 comparison with the control group ‡ p 0.01 comparison with the reinnervated group.
Lichens Collected in the Big Horn Mountains, Wyoming

Abstract. A checklist of lichens collected in the Big Horn Mts. in Wyoming in 2007 is presented. There were 202 species found as a result of 1400 collections at 40 localities within the Bighorn National Forest. The lichen flora is similar to those of the Black Hills and Rocky Mountains, but some unusual species were found, including Teloschistes contortuplicatus and Anaptychia ulotrichoides.
Image-based rendering method for mapping endoscopic video onto CT-based endoluminal views

One of the indicators of early lung cancer is a color change in airway mucosa. Bronchoscopy of the major airways can provide high-resolution color video of the airway tree's mucosal surfaces. In addition, 3D MDCT chest images provide 3D structural information of the airways. Unfortunately, the bronchoscopic video contains no explicit 3D structural and position information, and the 3D MDCT data captures no color or textural information of the mucosa. A fusion of the topographical information from the 3D CT data and the color information from the bronchoscopic video, however, enables realistic 3D visualization, navigation, localization, and quantitative color-topographic analysis of the airways. This paper presents a method for topographic airway-mucosal surface mapping from bronchoscopic video onto 3D MDCT endoluminal views. The method uses registered video images and CT-based virtual endoscopic renderings of the airways. The visibility and depth data are also generated by the renderings. Uniform sampling and over-scanning of the visible triangles are done before they are packed into a texture space. The texels are then re-projected onto video images and assigned color values based on depth and illumination data obtained from renderings. The texture map is loaded into the rendering engine to enable real-time navigation through the combined 3D CT surface and bronchoscopic video data. Tests were performed on pre-recorded bronchoscopy patient video and associated 3D MDCT scans. Results show that we can effectively accomplish mapping over a continuous sequence of airway images spanning several generations of airways.
Intracerebroventricular injection of dibutyryl cyclic adenosine 3′,5′-monophosphate increases hypothalamic levels of neuropeptide Y

Abstract This investigation examined in vivo the relationship between the nucleotide cAMP and hypothalamic levels of two peptides, neuropeptide Y (NPY) and galanin (GAL), which are known to potentiate feeding behavior. In brain-cannulated rats, third ventricular injections of N 6 ,2′- O -dibutyryl cyclic adenosine 3′,5′-monophosphate ((Bu) 2 cAMP, 25 μg), compared to saline, caused a significant increase in NPY levels in the arcuate nucleus (ARC) and medial parvocellular portion of the paraventricular nucleus (mPVN), while having no impact in other hypothalamic areas. These site-specific changes in NPY occurred in the absence of any alteration in circulating levels of insulin, corticosterone, aldosterone or glucose, or of changes in hypothalamic levels of GAL. These findings implicate cAMP as having regulatory functions within specific hypothalamic NPY-synthesizing neurons, projecting from the ARC to the mPVN, that are believed to be involved in energy homeostasis.
Error evolution in the dynamics of an ocean general circulation model

The problem of error propagation is considered for spatially uncorrelated errors of the barotropic stream function in an oceanic general circulation model (OGCM). Such errors typically occur when altimetric data from satellites are assimilated into ocean models. It is shown that the error decays at first due to the dissipation of the smallest scales in the error field. The error then grows exponentially before it saturates at the value corresponding to the difference between independent realizations. A simple analytic formula for the error behavior is derived; it matches the numerical results documented for the present primitive-equation ocean model, and other models in the literature.
SCHEUERMANN'S DISEASE

Scheuermann's disease is the most common cause of structural kyphosis in adolescence. The mode of inheritance is likely autosomal dominant and the etiology remains largely unknown. Indications for treatment remain controversial because the true natural history of the disease has not been clearly defined. Brace treatment appears to be very effective if the diagnosis is made early. Surgical treatment is rarely indicated for severe kyphosis (> 75 degrees ) with curve progression, refractory pain, or neurologic deficit.
Challenges in the diagnosis and management of Nocardia infections in lung transplant recipients.

Background. Nocardia infection occurs in 2.1–3.5% of lung transplant recipients, and may involve cavitary nodular pulmonary lesions, soft tissue infection, or other sites of dissemination. Nocardiosis can pose challenging clinical problems in the areas of diagnosis and treatment. Diagnostic delays may occur, and adverse reactions to therapy are common. This study reviews clinical and epidemiological aspects of nocardiosis in lung transplant recipients, with special attention to pitfalls in management. Clinicians should be alert for these possibilities in order to institute prompt therapy and to achieve successful outcomes. Methods. A retrospective cohort study was conducted of 577 lung transplant recipients from January 1991 to May 2007. Demographics, reason for transplant, recent rejection, time from transplantation, site of infection, hypogammaglobulinemia, and/or neutropenia shortly before onset, Pneumocystis jiroveci prophylaxis, Nocardia species, radiographic findings, extrapulmonary lesions, nature and duration of treatment, adverse reactions, and outcomes were recorded. Result. Nocardia infection occurred in 1.9% (11/577). Mean onset was 14.3 months after transplant (range 1.5–39 months). N. asteroides was isolated in 55% (6/11). Emphysema was the most common reason for transplant (7/11, 64%). Six patients were receiving trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (TMP-SMX) prophylaxis at the time of diagnosis. Three patients had immune globulin G levels <400 mg/dL and 2 were neutropenic in the 3 months preceding diagnosis. Diagnosis was made by bronchoalveolar lavage (55%), skin abscess culture (18%), open lung biopsy (9%), pleural fluid (9%), and sputum culture (9%). Definitive diagnosis required a median of 9 days and a mean of 13.6 days (range 3–35 days) from the time of diagnostic sampling. Soft tissue lesions occurred in 3 and central nervous system involvement in 1 patient. Adverse reactions to therapy occurred in 9/10 (90%) of patients for whom information was available. Nocardia-related mortality occurred in 2/11 patients (18%). Conclusions. Nocardiosis occurred in 1.9% of lung transplant recipients and was associated with a mean of nearly 2 weeks to diagnosis and frequent adverse effects on therapy. TMP-SMX prophylaxis on a thrice weekly basis did not prevent all episodes of nocardiosis. Despite utilization of protocol bronchoscopies with cultures for Nocardia, this organism remains a source of clinical complexity in the lung transplant population.
Cosmic ray diurnal anisotropy for a solar magnetic cycle

Cosmic ray diurnal anisotropy at high primary rigidities is extended for the 1980-1987 period. The computed values of the limiting primary rigidity for the period vary over the range 30 GV to 200 GV. For the previously studied 1965-1980 period, the mean value of the amplitude of the anisotropy is 0.5 percent. The amplitude of the diurnal anisotropy for 1965 and 1986-1987 is about 20 percent smaller. Very large amplitudes of diurnal variation are observed during the 1982-1985 period, at all primary rigidities. The value of the coupled variable lambda(parallel) x G(r) found to remain constant at about 1 percent for qA less than zero solar magnetic polarity epochs, independent of the primary rigidity. Its value is significantly lower for qA greater than zero epochs.
Exploring the role of ion solvation in ethylene oxide based single-ion conducting polyanions and polycations

Ionomers with short ethylene oxide side chains are synthesized by free radical polymerization; to systematically test effects of solvating anion and cation, including directly substituting the ion attached to the polymer with its counterion, without solvent. Dielectric relaxation spectroscopy is used to measure the conductivity and dielectric constant in these ionomers, and the electrode polarization at very low frequencies is used to assess the number density of simultaneously conducting ions and their mobility. Conducting ion content and room temperature conductivity are larger for polyanions than their corresponding polycation because the cationic counterion can be more effectively solvated by the ether oxygen atoms compared to the sterically hindered polycation. Changing ester linkages to amide linkages in polycations boosts conducting ion content and static dielectric constant at high ion content by –NH solvating the anionic counterion. Such findings point a clear path toward design of superior single-ion conductors for a myriad of energy materials applications.
Differentiation of lactate-fermenting, gas-producing Clostridium spp. isolated from milk.

Abstract Endospores of Clostridium spp. capable of producing gas in a lactate-containing medium were enumerated from 14 pasteurized milk samples from Wisconsin cheese plants. Concentrations of endospores of lactate-fermenting, gas-producing Clostridium spp. were between 5.0×10−2 and 1.7×100 MPN ml−1. Concentrations of presumptive C. tyrobutyricum endospores (defined by subterminal endospore position and lactate dehydrogenase activity) were lower, not exceeding 2.0×10−2 MPN ml−1. Based on subterminal endospore position, lactate dehydrogenase activity, and a carbohydrate fermentation profile identical to C. tyrobutyricum strain ATCC 25755, five isolates (Ct) were initially characterized as C. tyrobutyricum, a known cause of late-blowing in high-pH cheeses. Twenty-eight other isolates (Cx) produced gas from lactate, but differed from ATCC 25755 in either endospore position, lactate dehydrogenase activity or carbohydrate fermentation profile. When inoculated at high concentrations in Gouda cheese, strain ATCC 25755, two Ct isolates and 18 Cx isolates tested produced gas during ripening. Among the five Ct isolates obtained and two reference strains confirmed as C. tyrobutyricum, there were four qualitatively different volatile organic acid byproduct profiles. Each of the two confirmed C. tyrobutyricum reference strains and five Ct isolates had distinct quantitative cell membrane fatty acid (CMFA) profiles. The Cx isolates represented 14 different volatile organic acid byproduct profiles and each isolate had a unique CMFA profile. Pulsed field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) of DNA from the two confirmed reference C. tyrobutyricum strains, four Ct and three Cx isolates, showed a low degree of relatedness. The results of this study suggest that a heterogeneous group of lactate-fermenting, gas-producing Clostridium spp. may be found in milk. Gas chromatographic analysis of volatile organic acid byproducts or CMFA, and PFGE of DNA are highly discriminating methods for differentiating Clostridium spp. that may cause late blowing in high-pH cheeses.
New Physical Interpretation for Time in Scattering Theory

We show that the collision time may be interpreted as the time average of a flux-flux correlation function. This interpretation leads quantum mechanically to a complex time whose real part is identical to the usual definition as provided by F. T. Smith. The imaginary part is identical, in the semiclassical limit, to the imaginary time associated with tunneling.
A decision support system for horizontal directional drilling

Horizontal directional drilling (HDD) was pioneered in the US in the early 1970s. Through the integration of vertical oil well drilling technology with modern survey and steering techniques, horizontal directional drilling methods have the capability of undertaking a wide range of pipe installations, from large-diameter river crossings to small-diameter cable pipes. HDD has gained in popularity, as it is able to install underground pipes with minimum impact on society and the environment. Although HDD has been used for over three decades, it is necessary to evaluate the suitability and appropriateness of HDD methods on a project-to-project basis by considering a large number of factors that influence this decision-making. The lack of a systematic tool contributes to the difficulty of making effective decisions. This paper discusses the development of the framework for a decision support system (DSS) to assist in the selection of appropriate equipment/technique for HDD projects. Decision making criteria and rules are developed through literature review, analysis of field data compiled from the completed HDD projects, and investigations of ongoing projects. This DSS is most appropriate for use by contractors and asset managers at project planning stages.
Extensive air showers and Feynman scaling above 1000 GeV

Abstract We describe a method for using extensive air shower data to determine whether a Feynman scaling limit exists in the central region for inclusive cross sections. Preliminary analysis suggests that the shower muon to electron ratio is more consistent with a power law increase of pion multiplicity with energy than with the logarithmic multiplicity increase characteristic of a scaling limit, but an analysis of the intra-nuclear cascade is required to reach a firm conclusion.
Individual attributes versus composite scores of nerve conduction abnormality: sensitivity, reproducibility, and concordance with impairment

Composite scores may be more sensitive and reproducible than single attributes of nerve conduction for detection of peripheral neuropathy, but this requires validation in large patient cohorts. Also, the concordance of individual attributes versus composite scores with clinical measures of severity has not been tested. Here, we study these issues in prospectively studied cohorts: diabetic patients from Rochester, Minnesota (RDNS; n = 396); chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP) patients (n = 55); and multifocal motor neuropathy (MMN) patients (n = 18). With specificity fixed at the 97.5 percentile, we found that, in generalized polyneuropathies (diabetic and CIDP), composite scores (especially ones including conduction velocity, distal latencies, and F-waves) of individual or multiple nerves tended to be more sensitive than individual attributes. By contrast, for multiple mononeuropathies, some individual attributes or composite scores of individual nerves were more sensitive than composite scores. In diabetic polyneuropathy, composite scores tended to be more reproducible than individual attributes of nerve conduction. Highly significant correlations were found between individual attributes or composite scores and neurologic impairment in diabetic polyneuropathy and in CIDP; in general, correlation coefficients were higher for composite scores. These correlations were higher for amplitudes than for conduction velocities or distal latencies. We conclude that, with the availability of microprocessors and normative databases, electromyographers may increasingly seek to express nerve conduction abnormality also as composite scores of individual or several nerves.
Atomization and elongational viscosity of associating triblock copolymer solutions

Abstract Elongational viscosity and drop size distribution upon atomization are measured for a series of Kraton (styrene–butadiene–styrene triblock copolymer) solutions prepared with blended solvents of toluene and heptane. At a blend ratio of 25% toluene/75% heptane, the solvent quality becomes poor for the styrene blocks, resulting in micro phase separation and associative thickening of shear viscosity. Measurements conducted in an opposing jet elongational rheometer indicate that the elongational viscosity also exhibits associative thickening. However, the ratio of elongational viscosity to shear viscosity remains near the Newtonian value of three, indicating little or no enhancement of elongational viscosity due to viscoelasticity. Droplet size distributions for all Kraton solutions, including the solutions exhibiting associative thickening, follow a relationship between drop size and shear viscosity similar to a series of Newtonian oils of comparable surface tension.
Myocardial infarction, thrombolytic therapy, and stroke. A community-based study. The MITI Project Group.

Thrombolytic therapy used in patients with acute myocardial infarction may increase the risk of stroke. Scant information is available from community-based studies.Among 5,635 consecutive patients admitted with acute myocardial infarction to hospitals in Seattle and surrounding suburban King County, Washington, 116 (2.1%) experienced strokes during hospitalization. Of these strokes, 82 (71%) were ischemic and 34 (29%) were hemorrhagic, defined by a patient's having had a computed tomographic scan of the head that showed blood. Thrombolytic therapy was given to 1,413 of these patients (25%) and was associated with increased risk of hemorrhagic stroke but reduced risk of ischemic stroke. The relative risk of stroke with thrombolytic therapy was estimate using multiple logistic regression to adjust for potential confounding factors. The adjusted relative risk for hemorrhagic stroke was 3.6 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.7-8.0); for ischemic stroke, 0.4 (95% CI, 0.2-0.9); and for overall stroke, 1.0 (95% CI...
A Portable Spark Chamber Range Spectrometer and Data Acquisition System

Abstract A portable spark-chamber range spectrometer and electronic data acquisition system is described for acquiring spectral data on energetic charged particles. The instrument system consists of a uni-directional spark-chamber range telescope with pulse-height analysis of the specific energy loss ( d E d x of a charged particle that passes through a triggering telescope. The range telescope consists of a stack of sealed double-gap spark-discharge modules with absorbers sandwiched between them. A Cherenkov counter discriminates against electrons and muons. Cherenkov and d E d x signals are gated by the coincidence circuit. Data, either telemetered or recorded in situ, include the number of coincidences, a clock signal, system voltage levels, and the d E d x , Cherenkov, and spark-discharge module signals. Power consumption of the self-contained system is about 10 W at an event rate of 20 per second and 17 W at an event rate of 100 per second. The standby power is about 8 W. This instrument system can measure primary protons and alphas at balloon altitudes and secondary protons at lower altitudes. A particular configuration with a geometric factor of about 1 cm2 sr has been assembled for measuring atmospheric proton intensities and spectra in the range from MeV to 300 MeV and at altitudes ranging from the altitude of high-flying aircraft to balloon altitudes near the top of the atmosphere.
Oxygen levels and the regulation of cell adhesion in the nervous system: A control point for morphogenesis in development, disease and evolution?

In this article, I discuss the hallmarks of hypoxia in vitro and in vivo and review work showing that many types of stem cell proliferate more robustly in lowered oxygen. I then discuss recent studies showing that alterations in the levels and the types of cell and substrate adhesion molecules are a notable response to reduced O2 levels in both cultured primary neural stem cells and brain tissues in response to hypoxia in vivo. The ability of O2 levels to regulate adhesion molecule expression is linked to the Wnt signaling pathway, which can control and be controlled by adhesion events. The ability of O2 levels to influence cell adhesion also has far-reaching implications for development, ischemic trauma and neural regeneration, as well as for cancer and other diseases. Finally I discuss the possibility that the fluctuations in O2 levels known to have occurred over evolutionary time could, by influencing adhesion systems, have contributed to early symbiotic events in unicellular organisms and to the emergence of multicellularity. It is not my intention to be exhaustive in these domains, which are far from my own field of study. Rather this article is meant to provoke and stimulate thinking about molecular evolution involving O2 sensing and signaling during eras of geologic and atmospheric change that might inform modern studies on development and disease.
Intrafractional motion of the prostate during hypofractionated radiotherapy.

Purpose To report the characteristics of prostate motion as tracked by the stereoscopic X-ray images of the implanted fiducials during hypofractionated radiotherapy with CyberKnife. Methods and Materials Twenty-one patients with prostate cancer who were treated with CyberKnife between January 2005 and September 2007 were selected for this retrospective study. The CyberKnife uses a stereoscopic X-ray system to obtain the position of the prostate target through the monitoring of implanted gold fiducial markers. If there is a significant deviation, the treatment is paused while the patient is repositioned by moving the couch. The deviations calculated from X-ray images acquired within the time interval between two consecutive couch motions constitute a data set. Results Included in the analysis were 427 data sets and 4,439 time stamps of X-ray images. The mean duration for each data set was 697 sec. At 30 sec, a motion >2 mm exists in about 5% of data sets. The percentage is increased to 8%, 11%, and 14% at 60 sec, 90 sec, and 120 sec, respectively. A similar trend exists for other values of prostate motion. Conclusions With proper monitoring and intervention during treatment, the prostate shifts observed among patients can be kept within the tracking range of the CyberKnife. On average, a sampling rate of ∼40 sec between consecutive X-rays is acceptable to ensure submillimeter tracking. However, there is significant movement variation among patients, and a higher sampling rate may be necessary in some patients.
Hospice, opiates, and acute care service use among the elderly before death from heart failure or cancer

Background Advances in heart failure (HF) treatments have prolonged survival, but more patients die of HF than of any type of cancer. Little is known about the current practice in end-of-life (EOL) care in HF. Methods Two EOL cohorts (HF and cancer) were identified using Medicare data linked with pharmacy and cancer registry data. We assessed use of hospice, opiates, and acute care services (hospitalizations, emergency department [ED] visits, intensive care unit [ICU] admissions, and death in acute care). Time trends and predictors of use were assessed using multivariate regression including demographics and cardiovascular and noncardiovasuclar comorbidities. Results Among 5,836 HF patients with median age of 85, 77% female and 4% black, 20% were referred to hospice compared to 51% of 7,565 cancer patients. A modest rise in hospice use over time was parallel in the 2 groups. Twenty-two percent of HF patients filled opiate prescriptions during 60 days before death compared to 46% of cancer patients. Use of acute care services in the 30 days before death was higher for HF (64% vs 39% for ED visits, 60% vs 45% for hospitalizations, and 19% vs 7% for ICU admission). More HF patients died during acute hospitalizations than cancer patients (39% vs 21%). Conclusion Patients dying of HF were less likely to be supported by hospice and opiates but more likely to die in hospitals than patients with cancer. Our study suggests that opportunities may exist to improve hospice and opiate use in HF patients.
Fully Fuzzified Linear Programming I

We first discuss the general fully fuzzified linear program in the next section. Then we study a max problem, the product mix problem, in Section 7.3. We have previously obtained an approximate fuzzy solution to this problem using an evolutionary algorithm ([1],[2]). In Section 7.4 we will apply our fuzzy Monte Carlo method to the problem to generate another approximate solution and then compare these new results to the evolutionary algorithm method.