cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Modeling the density-area relationship in a dynamic landscape: an examination for the beetle Tetraopes tetraophthalmus and a generalized model

Abstract The relationship between local population density and habitat area is an important factor in spatial population ecology. I examined how density dependence in the growth of local insect populations and their host plant patches, combined with patch birth and death, and insect dispersal affect the density–area relationship. I constructed a simulation model to examine the relationship for an insect herbivore, Tetraopes tetraophthalmus , inhabiting patches of its host plant, Asclepias syriaca . Given the observed growth of insect populations, patch growth, dispersal of insects, and change in the number of patches within the landscape, the model predicts that T. tetraophthalmus density should decrease with increasing A. syriaca patch size. The model also predicts moderate amounts of temporal variation in the relationship. A more general insect herbivore-host plant model was also developed to extend the results. The general model shows that density dependence in patch and insect population growth rates have large effects on the density–area relationship. The density–area relationship was strongly affected by density dependence in insect growth. Increasing density dependence in insect growth caused insect density to decrease with increasing patch size. Temporal variation in the relationship was most strongly affected by density dependence in patch growth. Variation in the density–area relationship increased as density dependence in patch growth increased. The results of this study show that density–area relationships can be variable and are not necessarily a species-specific trait. Application of density–area relationships, especially in dynamic landscapes, need to be aware of and account for factors that affect the size and number of patches as well as growth and dispersal of the target populations.
Molecular Definition of Pericentric Inversion Breakpoints Occurring during the Evolution of Humans and Chimpanzees

High-resolution G-banding analysis has demonstrated remarkable morphological conservation of the chromosomes of the Hominidae family members (humans, chimpanzees, gorillas, and orangutans), with the most notable differences between the genomes appearing as changes in heterochromatin distribution and pericentric inversions. Pericentric inversions may have been important for the establishment of reproductive isolation and speciation of the hominoids as they diverged from a common ancestor. Here the previously published primate karyotype comparisons, coupled with the resources of the Human Genome Project, have been used to identify pericentric inversion breakpoints seen when comparing the human karyotype to that of chimpanzee. Yeast artificial chromosome (YAC) clones were used to detect, by fluorescence in situ hybridization, five evolutionary pericentric inversion breakpoints present on the chimpanzee chromosome equivalents of human chromosomes 4, 9, and 12. In addition, two YACs from human 12p that detect a breakpoint in chimpanzee detect a similar rearrangement in gorilla.
Altered cardiovascular responses to glutamate and acetylcholine microinjected into the nucleus tractus solitarii of the SHR.

L-glutamate (GLU) or acetylcholine (ACh) injected into the nucleus tractus solitarii (NTS) of rat elicits a decrease in arterial pressure (AP) and heart rate (HR) similar to that seen with activation of the baroreflex. Both compounds may play a role in the mediation of the baroreflex at the level of NTS. The baroreflex may be disturbed in the spontaneously hypertensive rat (SHR). Thus we sought to determine if the dose-related responses to microin-jection (50 nl) of the two putative transmitters into NTS may be altered in
The process of hiring and managing a technical consultant

Abstract The demand for technical consultants has been growing explosively due to the phenomenal technical changes that have been taking place in industries. The process of hiring and managing a consultant should be approached in a similar way to that required for hiring and managing a staff employee. The first step in the consultant process is the validation of need through the development of the job description and job specification documents. Next, the most suitable applicant is evaluated, selected and hired through the recruitment and interviewing process. Finally, the selected consultant's work activities are managed to ensure compliance with the firm 's overall goals and objectives.
A mathematical model for first degree block and the Wenckebach phenomenon.

A simple mathematical model of first and second degree heart block is developed on the assumption that eachR wave, with its associated ventricular contraction, results in the release of a substance which raises the excitation threshold of the conducting tissue lying between theS-A andA-V nodes. The conduction pathway is represented by a chain of excitatory elements, the first member of which is acted upon by a regularly occurringP wave. The rate constant of the removal of this inhibitory substance, i.e., recovery rate, is the only constant necessary to be varied in order to pass from normal to first degree block to second degree.
Postural Hypotension and Postural Dizziness in Elderly Women: The Study of Osteoporotic Fractures

Background. — Postural hypotension and dizziness are common findings in elderly individuals. Although postural hypotension and postural dizziness are often perceived to be strongly associated entities, evidence to support this view is sparse. In addition, there is a lack of knowledge regarding the relationship of postural hypotension and postural dizziness to potential clinical outcomes, such as falls, syncope, and restricted activity. Methods.— We utilized a cross-sectional examination to study the prevalence and correlates of postural hypotension (drop in systolic blood pressure of ≥20 mm Hg after 1 minute of standing) and postural dizziness (self-reported dizziness on standing) in 9704 nonblack, ambulatory women aged 65 years and older enrolled in the multicenter Study of Osteoporotic Fractures. First, we examined postural hypotension and postural dizziness as outcomes of risk factors that included medical conditions, medications, and physical findings. Then, we examined falls, syncope, and impaired functional status as outcomes of postural hypotension and postural dizziness. Results.— Postural hypotension and postural dizziness were common findings, noted in 14% and 19% of subjects, respectively. However, they were not highly correlated with each other and did not share the same risk factors or associated outcomes. Postural dizziness was more strongly associated than was postural hypotension with history of falling (age-adjusted odds ratios, 1.32 vs 1.02), history of syncope (1.94 vs 1.35), and impaired functional status (1.95 vs 0.76). Conclusion.— Assessment of dizziness on standing appears to be more important than measurement of postural blood pressure change in ascertaining functional status and risk of falls and syncope in elderly individuals. Future prospective studies of postural dizziness are needed to confirm its value as a predictor of clinical outcomes. (Arch Intern Med.1992;152:1058-1064)
Health-Related Quality of Life in Children with Neurofibromatosis Type 1: Contribution of Demographic Factors, Disease-Related Factors, and Behavior

Objective To investigate health-related quality of life (HR-QOL) in children with neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) with parental reports and children's self-reports, and to investigate the potential contribution of demographic factors, disease-specific factors, and problems in school performance or behavior. Study design In a prospective observational study, parents of 58 children with NF1 (32 boys, 26 girls, age 12.2 ± 2.5 years) visiting a university clinic, and their 43 children 10 years or older were assessed with the Child Health Questionnaire (CHQ). Potential determinants of domain scores were assessed in 3 explorative regression models. Results Parents reported a significant impact of NF1 on 9/13 CHQ scales, with moderate effect sizes on 8 (general health perceptions, physical functioning, general behavior, mental health, self esteem, family activities, role functioning emotional/behavioral, and parent emotional impact). Children report an impact on bodily pain, and an above average general behavior. Multiple CHQ scales were sensitive to demographic factors and behavioral problems, and 1 to NF1 severity. NF1 visibility and school problems did not influence HR-QOL. Conclusions Parents, but not the children with NF1, report a profound impact of NF1 on physical, social, behavioral, and emotional aspects of HR-QOL. Multiple HR-QOL domains were most sensitive to behavioral problems, which points to an exciting potential opportunity to improve HR-QOL in children with NF1 by addressing these behavioral problems.
Study and response time for the visual recognition of 'similarity' and identity

Four subjects compared successively presented pairs of line patterns for a match between any lines in the pattern (similarity) and for a match between all lines (identity). The encoding or study times for pattern recognition from immediate memory and the latency in responses to comparison stimuli were examined. Qualitative differences within and between subjects were most evident in study times.
Lifetime-Aware Hierarchical Wireless Sensor Network Architecture with Mobile Overlays

Recent technological advances have led to the emergence of small battery-powered sensors with considerable, albeit limited, processing and communication capabilities. Wireless sensor networks have gained considerable attention in applications where spatially distributed events are to be monitored with minimal delay. We present and analyze a hierarchical wireless sensor network with mobile overlays, along with a mobility-aware multi-hop routing scheme, in order to optimize the network lifetime, delay, and local storage size. Fixed event aggregation relays and mobile relays are used to collect events from the sensors and send them to a central base station. We analyze the effects of various system parameters on the network performance, and formulate a convex optimization problem for maximizing the network lifetime subject to constraints on local storage, delay, and maintenance cost. Network behavior is studied and analytical results are validated through simulations
Cystoscopy for lower urinary tract symptoms in urogynecologic practice: the likelihood of finding bladder cancer

The objectives of this study were to estimate the detection rate of lower urinary tract malignancy among women evaluated with cystoscopy for lower urinary tract symptoms and to determine whether microscopic hematuria is a reliable predictor of cancer risk. The study population included 1,584 consecutive women undergoing office cystourethroscopy in a single urogynecology center between 1991 and 2001. The overall rate of biopsy-confirmed bladder cancer was 0.63%, including nine cases of transitional cell carcinoma and one superficial squamous cell carcinoma. Among women with initial microscopic hematuria, the rate of bladder cancer was 1.7%, significantly higher than 0.45% among those without hematuria (p = 0.03). However, in absolute terms, the majority of bladder cancer cases (60%; six of ten) presented with normal initial dipstick urinalysis. These findings suggest that outpatient cystourethroscopy is an integral tool for the evaluation of lower urinary tract symptoms, facilitating early recognition of both benign and malignant conditions. However, its expense and inconvenience must clearly be weighed against its potential yield.
Mid-Miocene (Barstovian) environmental and tectonic setting near Yellowstone Park, Wyoming and Montana

Middle Miocene (ca. 10.5-16.0 Ma) deposits in the Greater Yellowstone region are confined to the newly defined Hepburn9s Mesa Formation in the Yellowstone Valley, Park County, Montana, and the Colter Formation in Jackson Hole, Teton County, Wyoming. The Hepburn9s Mesa Formation was deposited in and adjacent to a perennial saline lake, as shown by the mineral assemblage (clinoptilotite, smectite, calcite, halite, and gypsum) and sedimentary features (fine grain size, laminations, mud cracks, and mud flakes in pebble-sandstone lenses). Biostratigraphic dating indicates that the saline lake formed prior to 16.0 Ma and persisted until after 14.8 Ma. The presence of a saline lake and a fossil mammal fauna dominated by geomyoid rodents indicates an arid or semi-arid climate. Some of the abundant tuffaceous components of the Hepburn9s Mesa Formation may have blown from coeval volcanic vents represented by the Colter Formation in Jackson Hole. The Hepburn9s Mesa and Colter Formations suggest that both the northern and southern ends of the Greater Yellowstone region were reacting similarly to tectonism during the middle Miocene. (1) Erosion dominated between ca. 18 to 17 Ma. (2) Subsidence of the basins accompanied by extensional block faulting took place from at least 16.0 to 14.8 Ma. (3) After 14.8 Ma but before 8.6 Ma, uplift occurred in northern Yellowstone Park; strata in the Yellowstone Valley and Jackson Hole tilted and eroded, then subsided faster than they had prior to 14.8 Ma. Inasmuch as the chronology of extensional deformation and volcanism in the Greater Yellowstone region is so similar to that in the Northern Rocky Mountains, the Columbia Plateau, and the central part of the Basin and Range, all of these areas appear to be related by a common tectonic process.
The gastrointestinal tract ecology of Salmonella enteritidis colonization in molting hens

There is an interaction between feed withdrawal induced-molting and foodborne Salmonella Enteritidis colonization and invasion in susceptible laying hens. Less is known about the ecology of the indigenous microflora and their response to feed removal, the response of S. Enteritidis to feed removal (virulence expression), and the interaction between the gastrointestinal tract microenvironment and S. Enteritidis. Because the crop is the first host environment encountered by S. Enteritidis after ingestion, it can influence the survival and virulence of S. Enteritidis. Feed withdrawal alters the microenvironment of the crop by causing alterations in the indigenous microbial population along with lactate and short-chain fatty acids (SCFA) concentrations and an increase in pH. This altered crop environment is accompanied by increased S. Enteritidis colonization of the crop and ceca along with invasion of the spleen and liver. The observation that crop composition influences the virulence of S. Enteritidis has important implications for understanding the gastrointestinal factors necessary for protection against S. Enteritidis infection. Consequently, an important aspect for minimizing S. Enteritidis colonization during molting is to maintain the crop microflora and their fermentative activities as similar as possible to that of crop microflora and fermentation activities of birds with fully active gastrointestinal microbial populations.
Computational analysis of some properties associated with the nitro groups in polynitroaromatic molecules

Abstract It is shown, for a group of polynitroaromatic compounds, that the measured impact and shock sensitivities correlate well with the electrostatic potential at the midpoint of the longest CNO 2 bond, as calculated from the carbon and nitrogen atomic charges. The latter were computed from ab initio SCF wavefunctions, based upon crystallographically determined molecular geometries. The SCF orbital energies support an earlier assignment of the two peaks corresponding to the 1s electrons of the NO 2 nitrogens in the X-ray photoelectron spectra of several of these compounds. The main peaks are believed to be those at the lower binding energies, with satellites at the higher energies.
Police responses to wife beating: Five years later

In critiquing my 1984 article, “Police Responses to Wife Beating: Neglect of a Crime of Violence,” Alfred Choi made some serious blunders that are detailed in this response. Specific comments indicating that the data from the study should have been viewed as “preliminary” were ignored, and material from my article was repeatedly misquoted. Issues worthy of limited debate were overshadowed by those blatant errors. Mr. Choi's untimely critique does, however, draw attention to the impressive advances in research and policy development that were anticipated by the exploratory research reported in my article half a decade ago.
Nonhomogeneous large-deformation theory of ionic polymeric gels in electric and pH fields

Based on recent experimental observations on the behavior of ionic polymeric gels in the presence of pH and electric fields performed in our laboratories, a dual macroscopic theory is proposed for the nonhomogeneous large deformations of such gels. The proposed theory presents two distinct mechanisms for the nonhomogeneous reversible large deformations and in particular bending of strips of ionic polymeric gels in the presence of both a pH field and an electric field. It is concluded that direct voltage control of such nonhomogeneous large deformations in ionic polymeric gels is possible. These electrically controlled deformations may find unique applications in robotics, artificial muscles, large motion actuator designs, drug delivery systems and smart materials, adaptive structures and systems.
Left ventricular mural thrombi secondary to acute myocardial infarction: predisposing factors and embolic phenomenon

Twenty-five patients with acute myocardial infarction were examined for ventricular thrombi using two-dimensional echocardiography. Six of 10 patients (60%) with an anterior wall infarction had an apical or apical-septal thrombus within the first week of hospitalization. None of the fifteen patients with an inferior wall myocardial infarction had a mural thrombus. Although the size of infarction in the patients with a thrombus was not significantly larger than in those who had an anterior wall infarction without a thrombus (43% +/- 10% vs. 31% +/- 7%, P less than 0.1), the severity and extent of dyskinesia or akinesia were more marked in the former group. Left ventricular function as determined by the nuclear blood pool scan ejection fraction was also significantly less for the former group than for the latter group (21% +/- 6% vs. 40% +/- 11%, P less than 0.02). Three of six patients with an intracavitary thrombus on echocardiography had systemic embolic during their hospital course. Postinfarction ventricular thrombi tend to occur in those patients with an anterior wall myocardial infarction who have far advanced wall motion abnormalities of the affected area, and overall poor left ventricular function. Although the number of patients was small, the high incidence of systemic embolization in the infarction subjects with echocardiographically proven thrombi indicates that these patients are at increased risk for such events.
Characteristic-free representation theory of the general linear group

On etudie systematiquement les Z-formes des representations rationnelles du groupe lineaire generale
Compensation effects in thermionic electron emission

Abstract It could be demonstrated that, as in the case of thermionic ion emission [Pederson and Vanselow, Surface Sci. 135 (1983) 553; Vanselow and Pederson, Surface Sci. 140 (1984) 123], thermionic electron emission can be described by j = ∗ j exp (φ/k ∗ T) exp (− φ/kT) , where j is the current density, ∗ j and ∗ T are the isokinetic coordinates ( ∗ T  isokinetic tempera-ture), and φ is the work function. This description is subject to the usual assumptions as to the nature of work function and reflection coefficient. Using the experimentally determined (apparent) Richardson constant, A a , and work function, φ a , one obtains ln A a = 2.69 − 2.5 ln ∗ T + α k dφ dT + φ a k ∗ T . The latter is of the form of the classical compensation equation, which means that if the work function of a crystal face with given orientation { hkl } is altered by adsorption or by an external electric field, or if, for a given metal, clean crystal faces with different surface structures (different work functions) are considered. In A a versus φ a plots should yield straight lines. Using appropriate experimental ( A a , φ a ) pairs, this dependence could indeed be verified for all above mentioned cases. The slope of such a plot allows the calculation of the corresponding isokinetic temperature, ∗ T . Using the maximum energy barrier height, φ a,max , for each homologous series, the corresponding entropy change, Δ ∗ S − exp = φ a,max / ∗ T , can be calculated and compared with the theoretical Sackur-Tetrode entropy, Δ ∗ S − theor ( for p = ∗ p = 1 dyn/cm 2 , T = ∗ T and G = 2) . It was found t in general, Δ ∗ S − exp ∗ S − theor , which may indicate an influence of the temperature dependence of the work function. However, in most cases the deviations are only about 4% and, therefore, lie within the limits of error. The entropy values are of the order of 40 eu. As to be expected, the isokinetic temperature increases with increasing φ a,max .
Boron availability to plants from coal combustion by-products

Agronomic use of coal combustion by-products is often associated with boron (B) excess in amended soils and subsequently in plants. A greenhouse study with corn (Zea mays L.) as test plant was conducted to determine safe application rates of five fly ashes and one flue gas desulfurization gypsum (FDG). All by-products increased soil and corn tissue B concentration, in some cases above toxicity levels which are 5 mg hot water soluble B (hwsB) kg−1 soil and 100 mg B kg−1 in corn tissue. Acceptable application rates varied from 4 to 100 Mg ha− for different by-products. Leaching and weathering of a high B fly ash under ponding conditions decreased its B content and that of corn grown in fly ash amended soil, while leaching of the same fly ash under laboratory conditions increased fly ash B availability to corn in comparison to the fresh fly ash. Hot water soluble B in fly ash or FDG amended soil correlated very well with corn tissue B. Hot water soluble B in fly ash amended soil could be predicted based on soil pH and B solubility in ash at different pH values but not so in the case of FDG. Another greenhouse study was conducted to compare the influence of FDG and Ca(OH)2 on B concentration in spinach (Spinacia oleracea L.) leaves grown in soil amended with the high B fly ash. The Ca(OH)2 significantly decreased tissue B content, while FDG did not affect B uptake from fly ash amended soil.
Hash-based routing for scalable datacenters

Most datacenter networks are based on specialized edge-core topologies, which are costly to build, difficult to maintain and consume too much power. We propose enhancements to layer-two (L2) Ethernet switches to enable multipath L2 routing in scalable datacenters. Our hash-based routing approach reuses and minimally extends hardware structures in high-volume switches, while exposing a powerful network management interface for multipath load balancing, QoS differentiation, and resilience to faults.
Hospital readmissions: A re-evaluation of criteria

A prospective study surveyed patients discharged from the Cardiology, Cardiovascular Surgery, and Gastroenterology services of the Cleveland Clinic Hospital during April and September 1987. The total number of hospital discharges during the study period was 5,349; the study population discharged during this period included 1,640 patients (30.7% of all hospital discharges). In the study population, 149 patients were readmitted (9.1%). The percentage of readmissions was similar for both months and similar to that reported in the literature. However, when readmissions were categorized into four subsets, significant differences were found. The four categories were: 1) complication of a previous admission (16.8% of readmissions), 2) recurrence of the disease process (11.4% of readmissions), 3) planned treatment (53% of readmissions), and 4) unrelated new diagnosis (16.1% of readmissions). The authors conclude that reviewing readmission rates without using these subdivisions can be misleading, and the results are inappropriate for evaluating the quality of medical care given in an acute care hospital. They recommend that these four subdivisions be included in future studies of readmission rates in acute care hospitals.
The impact of the corporate income tax: evidence from state organizational form data

Abstract By taxing the income of corporate firms at a different rate than non-corporate firms, taxes can play an important role in a firm's choice of organizational form. The sensitivity of the organizational form decision to tax rates provides a key indicator of the distortion created by the corporate income tax. This paper uses new cross-sectional data on organizational form choices across states compiled in the Census of Retail Trade to estimate this sensitivity. The results document a significant impact of the relative taxation of corporate to personal income on the share of real economic activity that is done by corporations and that the impact is many times larger than has been found in the previous empirical literature based on time-series data. The results show little impact, however, on the actual operations of firms such as their labor intensity, wages and the like. They do indicate that firms are able to exploit the progressivity of the corporate income tax system by dividing into numerous firms.
Effects of extinction and US reinstatement of a blocking CS-US association

Rats were used in a conditioned taste-aversion procedure to examine the effects of extinction of a blocking CS-US association prior to the compound conditioning trials. Rats were initially given a pairing of a vinegar flavor with LiCl. Some subjects then received three extinction trials with the vinegar flavor, and other subjects were given water. Subjects were then given compound stimulus conditioning trials in which a novel sucrose flavor, the target stimulus, was followed by vinegar and then a LiCl injection. The test on sucrose revealed a blocking effect for the subjects that did not receive the extinction trials, and blocking was attenuated for subjects that received extinction with vinegar. Also, prior to compound conditioning, some animals received a presentation of LiCl in the absence of any flavor—that is, US reinstatement. The results stemming from this treatment replicated a previous finding that US reinstatement treatment alters the ability of an extinguished CS to limit manifest learning about another association.
Addition of a histone deacetylase inhibitor redirects tamoxifen-treated breast cancer cells into apoptosis, which is opposed by the induction of autophagy

Modulation of estrogen signaling is one of the most successful modalities for the treatment of estrogen receptor (ER)-positive breast cancer, yet de novo and acquired resistance are frequent. Recent data suggests that the induction of autophagy may play a considerable role in promoting tumor cell survival and resistance to anti-estrogen therapy. Hence, bypassing autophagy may offer a novel strategy to enhance the anti-tumor efficacy of anti-estrogens. Histone deacetylases (HDAC) are involved in the regulation of steroid hormone receptor mediated cell signaling and their inhibition potentiates the anti-tumor effects of anti-estrogens. However, the mechanism underlying this anti-tumor activity is poorly understood. In this report, we show that the addition of an HDAC inhibitor redirects the response of ER-positive breast cancer cells when treated with tamoxifen from growth arrest to apoptotic cell death. This redirection requires functional ER signaling and is mediated by a depletion of Bcl-2 and an induction of Bax and Bak, manifesting in cytochrome C release and PARP cleavage. With combined treatment, a subpopulation of cells is refractory to apoptosis and exhibit a strong induction of autophagy. Inhibition of autophagy in these cells, using siRNA directed against Beclin-1 or treatment with chloroquine, further promotes the induction of apoptosis. Thus, supporting prior reports that autophagy acts as a survival mechanism, our findings demonstrate that HDAC and autophagy inhibition directs autophagy-protected cells into apoptotic cell death, which may impair development of tamoxifen resistance.
Water quality, fate of metals, and predictive model validation of a constructed wetland treating acid mine drainage

Abstract A 0.39 ha constructed wetland designed with 9 cells, including two anaerobic cells that were to stimulate dissimilatory sulfate reduction, was evaluated for its effect on water quality of a low-order acid mine drainage (AMD) stream in southeastern Ohio, U.S.A. Emphasis was on the uptake and fate of selected metals and the accuracy of a simulation model that predicted this specific wetland's behavior before it was built. pH and acidity showed little improvement through the study period despite the anoxic drain. Iron decreased an average of 166 mg/l to 32 mg/l and aluminum 83 mg/l to 56 mg/l from inflow to outflow. Typha latifolia above-water peak biomass averaged 502 g/m 2 and iron concentration in the biomass averaged 2.5 mg/g; plant uptake accounted for only 0.07% of the inflow of iron. Iron concentrations in the sediments averaged 14.3% of dry weight in the surface (10 cm) and 7.2% of dry weight in upper 30 cm with no apparent spatial pattern or relationship to vegetation. Simulations published prior to construction of the wetland predicted iron removal retentions of 50 to 98% and 6.1 g Fe m −2 day −1 . When actual field data for the same year were entered into a simulation model, the simulation generated a 3.60 g Fe m −2 day −1 iron retention. Both model estimates (pre-wetland simulation and simulation with 1993 data) bracket actual iron removal of 4.76 g Fe m −2 day −1 . Aluminum retention rates ranged from 0 to 90% removal; the model had predicted 0 to 60% removal.
A series-fed coplanar waveguide slot antenna array

In this paper a four-element, series-fed coplanar waveguide slot antenna array operating in the C-band is described. The array is fed from both ends using anti-phase signals in order to maintain broad-side radiation independent of the operating frequency. The meandered, coplanar waveguide section between individual elements is designed to provide equal phase and amplitude distribution to each slot. The array has a measured return loss bandwidth greater than 24% centered at 5 GHz, with a gain of 8 dBi. Simulated performance with a metal backing configuration is shown to provide increases in the gain of ∼2.5 dB.
'GVHD': graft-versus-host disease or graft-versus-Hodgkin's disease? An old acronym with new meaning.

The majority of patients with relapsed or refractory Hodgkin's lymphoma (HL) will not be cured with standard therapy. Relapse rates remain high even after autologous stem cell transplantation (SCT), particularly for patients with high-risk disease. Allogeneic SCT offers several potential advantages for patients with HL. It is feasible when autologous stem cells are not available and stem cell grafts will be tumor free. Perhaps a more important advantage is the potential to generate a graft-versus-Hodgkin's lymphoma (GVHL) effect. Unfortunately, although allogeneic SCT may cure some HL patients, treatment-related mortality has been unusually high, and superior survival, when compared to autologous SCT, has not been demonstrated. Nonmyeloablative conditioning and allogeneic SCT may induce a direct GVHL reaction with less conditioning regimen-related toxicity and ultimately may have the potential to improve cure rates and survival for advanced HL patients.
Developmental surveillance of infants and young children in pediatric primary care.

Purpose of review This article reviews the importance of appropriate developmental surveillance in early childhood, what is known about its effectiveness in current pediatric practice, and ways in which its delivery can be improved to optimize child outcomes. Recent findings Many infants and young children with developmental delays or risk factors for poor developmental outcomes are not identified by pediatric practitioners in a timely manner. When they are identified, they are often not referred to appropriate early intervention services or early childhood development programs. They are therefore denied the opportunity to benefit from programs documented to have long-lasting benefits for children. Structuring developmental screening around the use of validated parent questionnaires improves the rates at which children with developmental needs are appropriately identified. At the same time, lowering thresholds for referral improves the rates at which children with identified needs receive appropriate services. Summary Pediatric practitioners are uniquely positioned to improve children's developmental outcomes through early identification and referral of children with developmental delays or risk factors for poor developmental outcomes. Unfortunately, inappropriate screening practices, high thresholds for referral, misplaced concerns about causing parental anxiety, and unfamiliarity with local resources all diminish the effectiveness with which many practitioners conduct developmental surveillance. Recent studies show that small changes in screening and referral practices have the potential to greatly improve the effectiveness of developmental surveillance. This, in turn, has the potential to improve lifelong outcomes for children.
Effects of CVS Tunnel, Ambient and Instrument Dilution on Characteristics of Nano Diesel Particulate Matter Evolution

In 2007, U.S. certification standards for heavy duty on-road diesel engine particulate matter (PM) emissions were reduced from 0.1g/bhp-hr to 0.01g/bhp-hr, representing an order of magnitude reduction in pollutant level. The Tier 4 standards for nonroad diesel engines, being phased in from 2008 through 2015, also require similar level of reduction in PM. Most conventional diesel engines could meet these low PM standards, once equipped with a diesel particulate filter (DPF). However, accurate, repeatable measurements of this PM may pose significant challenges. Gravimetric PM measurement involves diluting exhaust, then collecting the resultant aerosol sample on approved filter media. Few data exist to characterize the evolution of particulate matter (PM) in dilution tunnels, particularly at very low PM mass levels. Data are lacking as well, for PM evolution in portable dilution instruments and in exhaust plumes downstream of the tailpipe. Size distributions of ultra-fine particles in the diesel exhaust from a naturally aspirated ISUZU C240 diesel engine, equipped with a DPF, were studied. Particle size distribution data, during steady-state engine operations, were collected using a Cambustion DMS500 Fast Particulate Spectrometer. The effects of dilution ratios, dilution rates, and residence times on the diesel particulate matter (DPM) size distributions were analyzed and discussed. Measurements were made for three dilution methods: dilution in standard primary and secondary-dilution tunnels with a full scale Constant Volume Sampler (CVS) system, instrument dilution with a Portable Particulate Measurement Device (PPMD), and ambient dilution at the post-tailpipe exhaust plume centerline. Gaseous emissions measurements were utilized as surrogate confirmation of adequate mixing at the various measurement locations, as well as an indicator of dilution ratios. Tunnel sample results indicated varying size distributions at tunnel cross sections where the flow was still developing. Evolution of particle-size distributions was observed even for fully mixed primary flow conditions. Size distributions at the end of the secondary dilution tunnel were observed to vary with different secondary-dilution ratios. Particle-size distributions of post-tailpipe and PPMD test results were analyzed and compared with those results collected from the full-flow tunnel. Results from post-tailpipe sampling indicate that nucleation was the dominant process when the exhaust plume was diluted along the post-tailpipe centerline. Results from PPMD dilution measurements indicate that change of particle-size-distribution curves, including number count and mass concentration levels, were not as strongly correlated to dilution ratios as were the results from the other two sampling methods. This study shows that particle-size distributions measured inside full-flow dilution tunnel can adequately mimic freshly emitted exhaust sampled immediately post-tailpipe.Copyright © 2012 by ASME
Quantifying PM2.5 Source Contributions for the San Joaquin Valley with Multivariate Receptor Models

UNMIX and Positive Matrix Factorization (PMF) solutions to the Chemical Mass Balance (CMB) equations were applied to chemically speciated PM2.5 measurements from 23 sites in California's San Joaquin Valley to estimate source contributions. Six and seven factors were determined by UNMIX for the low_PM2.5 period (February to October) and high_PM2.5 period (November to January), respectively. PMF resolved eight factors for each period that corresponded with the UNMIX factors in chemical profiles and time series. These factors are attributed to marine sea salt, fugitive dust, agriculture−dairy, cooking, secondary aerosol, motor vehicle, and residential wood combustion (RWC) emissions, with secondary aerosol and RWC accounting for over 70% of PM2.5 mass during the high_PM2.5 period. A zinc factor was only resolved by PMF. The contribution from motor vehicles was between 10 and 25% with higher percentages occurring in summer. The PMF model was further evaluated by examining (1) site-specific residuals between t...
Combined fluorescent and gold immunoprobes: Reagents and methods for correlative light and electron microscopy

Immunoprobes which incorporate both a fluorescent label and a 1.4 nm gold cluster compound were prepared by covalent conjugation to Fab' antibody fragments of the Nanogold cluster label followed by a fluorescent moiety. These new immunoconjugates allow the collection of two complementary sets of data, from fluorescence and electron microscopy, from a single labeling experiment. By using Fab' fragments, the entire probe is smaller than a whole IgG molecule. A simple fluorescence assay was used to investigate the fluorescence properties of the new probes. They were used to localize the pre-mRNA splicing factor SC35 in the HeLa cell nucleus by both fluorescence and electron microscopy, and also for labeling leukocyte microtubules; labeling was imaged using fluorescence microscopy and, after silver enhancement, by a variety of optical methods and by electron microscopy. Combined Nanogold and Texas Red, Cy3, Lissamine Rhodamine B, and AMCA probes were also prepared, and in preliminary experiments show similar properties to the combined fluorescein and gold cluster probes. The fluorescent and gold cluster probes enable a new degree of correlation between fluorescence and electron microscopy, and may also be used to check labeling of specimens before processing for electron microscopy.
A Barometric Survey of Dust-Devil Vortices on a Desert Playa

Dust devils, and other columnar vortices, are associated with local surface pressure drops that can be observed in time-series data on both Earth and Mars. High cadence measurements are needed to resolve these small structures, and we report a month-long survey (June/July 2012) on a Nevada desert playa using microbarographs sampled multiple times per second. Candidate dust-devil signatures are classified, with detections being robust at about one per day for pressure drops exceeding 0.3 hPa (roughly a 5:1 signal-to-noise threshold, where the observed noise level corresponds reasonably well with the dynamic pressure associated with the estimate convective velocity scale). The vortex population is evaluated and compared with those observed on Mars: a broken power law or a more convex distribution describes the terrestrial data. A single station observes about three events per week (for normalized pressure drops of 0.06 %), about three times fewer than Mars observations for the same normalized drop. We find evidence for clustering of vortex events in a pseudo-periodic manner with a 20-min period, consistent with the size of boundary-layer convection cells.
Characterization of Brazed Joints of C-C Composite to Cu-clad-Molybdenum

Carbon-carbon composites with either pitch+CVI matrix or resin-derived matrix were joined to copper-clad molybdenum using two active braze alloys, Cusil-ABA (1.75% Ti) and Ticusil (4.5% Ti). The brazed joints revealed good interfacial bonding, preferential precipitation of Ti at the composite/braze interface, and a tendency toward de-lamination in resin-derived C-C composite due to its low inter-laminar shear strength. Extensive braze penetration of the inter-fiber channels in the pitch+CVI C-C composites was observed. The relatively low brazing temperatures (<950 C) precluded melting of the clad layer and restricted the redistribution of alloying elements but led to metallurgically sound composite joints. The Knoop microhardness (HK) distribution across the joint interfaces revealed sharp gradients at the Cu-clad-Mo/braze interface and higher hardness in Ticusil (approx.85-250 HK) than in Cusil-ABA (approx.50-150 HK). These C-C/Cu-clad-Mo joints with relatively low thermal resistance may be promising for thermal management applications.
First principles calculation of mixing enthalpy of β-Ti with transition elements

Abstract The mixing enthalpy Δ H mix ( x ) of body-centered cubic (BCC) β-Ti with transition elements was calculated using first-principles methods based on density functional theory (DFT). The solid solution effect was treated by two different approaches, viz . special quasi-random structures (SQS) and the parametric method. The SQS- N method uses direct DFT to calculate energy of structures containing N atoms which approximate the correlation of an ideal solid solution up to some distance, whereas the parametric method employs a polynomial representation for Δ H mix ( x ) and the coefficients are calculated using DFT. Comparison of the two methods shows fair agreement for most alloys though differences as high as 40% can also be seen among some of the alloys. The trends in Δ F mix ( x ), obtained by adding entropy contribution from ideal solution model to Δ H mix ( x ) for 3d-, 4d- and 5d-transition series were analyzed in terms of e / a , the ratio of number of valence electrons to atoms. The early transition elements, between Group 4–7, was found to have very small Δ F mix ( x ) over a wide range of concentration. Stability of the alloys is analyzed by combining Δ F mix ( x ) with Hume-Rothery rules.
On the mean-value property of harmonic functions

THEOREM. Let D be a simply connected plane domain of finite area and t a point of D such that, for every function u harmonic in D and integrable over D, the mean value of u over the area of D equals u(t). Then D is a disc and t is its center. PROOF. Let f(z) be any function analytic in D with finite quadratic integral ffD If(z) I 2dxdy; by the Schwarz inequality, the real and imaginary parts of f(z) are each (absolutely) integrable over D, and so
Segmental wall motion abnormalities in the absence of clinically documented myocardial infarction: Clinical significance and evidence of hibernating myocardium

To determine the frequency and significance of left ventricular wall motion abnormalities in patients without clinical evidence of myocardial infarction, we reviewed the two-dimensional echocardiograms of 252 patients who had no history or electrocardiographic evidence of myocardial infarction and who subsequently underwent coronary angiography. Seventy-seven patients (31%) had one or more segmental wall motion abnormalities. Sixty-six of the 77 patients (86%) had significant coronary artery disease (greater than or equal to 50% luminal diameter stenosis). Seventy-four percent of the patients with coronary artery disease had multivessel disease. The left ventricle was divided into anterior and posterior regions. In the 66 patients, there were 77 separate regions with wall motion abnormalities (49 hypokinesis, 22 akinesis, 6 dyskinesis), including 60 regions (78%) supplied by coronary vessels with greater than or equal to 70% stenosis. Thirty-two patients underwent coronary artery bypass surgery or percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty. Follow-up echocardiograms were obtained in 19 patients who had wall motion abnormalities involving 22 regions. Twenty of the 22 regions were revascularized. Wall motion improved in 17 of 20 regions (85%) and returned to normal in 15 regions (75%). We conclude that segmental wall motion abnormalities may be detected by echocardiography in up to one third of patients evaluated for suspected coronary artery disease without documented myocardial infarction. These abnormalities are associated with a high likelihood of multivessel disease as well as with significant narrowing of the artery supplying the region demonstrating abnormal wall motion. Improvement in segmental wall motion abnormalities after revascularization suggests that these areas represent regions of hibernating myocardium.
Natural selection on tail and bill morphology in Barn Swallows Hirundo rustica during severe weather

An unusual six-day period of cold, rainy weather caused mortality among Barn Swallows Hirundo rustica in southwestern Nebraska, USA, in May 1996. We compared birds that died during the cold to those still alive when the severe weather ended. Among males, survivors had significantly longer culmens and significantly less variance in outer-tail asymmetry than non-survivors. Among females, survivors had significantly longer outer tails and significantly less variance in outer-tail length, overall body size and outer-tail asymmetry than non-survivors. Larger birds in general and those with less asymmetry in wing and outer tail tended to be favoured during this weather event. Long tails may reflect condition in females and, along with high levels of symmetry in wing and outer tail, improve foraging efficiency during extreme conditions. Males with long tails did not appear to suffer survival costs. Larger size probably allows more fat to be stored and may confer thermal benefits to swallows during late spring cold snaps. Similar mortality events have apparently occurred in the study area on only one other occasion since 1875.
Analysis of orientation signals emitted by the CF-FM bat, Pteronotus p. parnellii and the FM bat, Eptesicus fuscus during avoidance of moving and stationary obstacles

1. The echolocative skills ofPteronotus parnellii parnellii andEptesicus fuscus were studied by measuring their ability in avoiding stationary and moving obstacles. 2. The frequency, repetition rate, duration and amplitude of the orientation signals emitted by the bat during three phases of negotiation of obstacles were studied. 3. During the avoidance of obstacles, both species of bats systematically shorten the duration, increase the repetition rate, and decrease the amplitude of their emitted orientation signals as they approach, negotiate and pass the obstacles. 4. Flying at different speeds inside the flight room during the avoidance of obstacles,Pteronotus parnellii parnellii appropriately adjust their emitted CF frequency according to the flight speed to accurately compensate for the positively Doppler-shifted echoes. 5. The frequency of the FM signals emitted at high repetition rate byEptesicus fuscus shifts downward as the bat enters into the final phase of negotiation of the obstacles. 6. The significance of the change in parameters of emitted signals in relation to echolocation is discussed. Presumably, the increase in the repetition rate of sound emission and the shortening of the sound duration is to monitor rapid changes in obstacle positions. The decrease in sound amplitude is either due to the difficulty in producing loud short sounds at the end of a long-held breath or to appropriately adjust the echo amplitude into the optimal range of sensitivity of the bat's ears.
Reply to Jascourt and Raymond

Jascourt and Raymond (1992; henceforth denoted by JR) raise som valid points regarding our paper "Chaos in Daisyworld" (Zeng et al., 1990; henceforth denoted by ZPE). However, much of their criticism is based on simple misunderstandings, and we welcome the opportunity to clarify these issues. DOI: 10.1034/j.1600-0889.1992.00008.x