cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Inequality and U.S. Public Opinion on Foreign Aid

I investigate how the level of inequality affects American public opinion on foreign aid. As the level of inequality increases across the United States, the majority of the public will be more like...
(7) Impact of a Targeted Educational Program for Delirium Screening & Prevention in Critically Ill Children

Purpose Delirium is a complex process characterized by an acute onset and fluctuating course of reduced awareness, impairments in attention, and changes in cognition. Historically delirium rates in pediatrics were ascertained solely by psychiatry consults. Improved awareness and validated screening tools for use in the PICU have provided a framework for investigating delirium in critically ill children. Delirium screening was not implemented in our PICU until adoption of the Pediatric Confusion Assessment Method for the ICU (pCAM-ICU) in July 2015 with the introduction of an online educational module. The …
Cross-national differences in women’s imprisonment rates: exploring the conditional effects of gender inequality and other macro-level factors

Prior research examined cross-national differences in imprisonment, yet few studies considered the specific nature of women’s imprisonment. The current study fills an important gap in the literatur...
Crack Sizing using Dual-Polarized Microwave SAR Imaging

A microwave surface-breaking crack characterization method using dual-polarized (e.g. transmitting and receiving two orthogonal linear polarization) wideband SAR imaging is described in this paper. A technique to extract the length of a detected crack using wideband SAR images is presented, using the measured resonant frequency of the crack. A method to determine the width of the crack is also discussed, in which the ratio of the SAR images made using polarization parallel and perpendicular to the crack length is used. Proof-of-concept simulations are performed, and a simple model is developed from the simulations that enables crack dimensions (width and length) to be estimated from the SAR image data. A crack sample with machined through notches of several widths and lengths was also designed, and subsequently used to successfully demonstrate the efficacy of this crack sizing technique.
Learning Control via Associative Retrieval and Inference

One of man’s greatest assets is his ability to acquire information from his environment and to make intelligent decisions on the basis of this information. It would be extremely desirable if man-made systems could be built with such learning capability. We understand that learning is not a mathematical operation, such as multiplication, differentiation and integration; nor is it an engineering process, such as computation, identification and control. Rather, it is a psychology term, which describes a complex dispositional property of behavior. Consequently, the mechanization of a learning process is by no means a trivial task. This paper introduces a new approach to learning control by making use of associative retrieval and inductive inference.
Assessment Methodology for Power-Cell based on High-Current 10 kV SiC MOSFET Half-Bridge Module

Rapid technology improvement of silicon-carbide (SiC) MOSFET transistors combined with their extraordinary characteristics are key drivers for their utilization in medium voltage (MV) applications. For typical MV modular converter applications, power-cell (pwr-c) is a critical piece. Pwr-c systematic assessment methodology is crucial to prevent destruction and to fully test exploring its capabilities, prior to implementation at the converter level. Thereby, this paper presents assessment methodology of an MV half-bridge pwr-c with dc bus rated voltage at 6 kV, based on XHV-6 high current 10 kV SiC MOSFET module. Critical considerations, challenges and solutions are presented as well as the detailed assessment workflow and limitations of the pwr-c. The pwr-c is validated through continuous operation at 6 kV, 84 Arms, 10 kHz exhibiting over 99.3% efficiency, switching with dv/dt up to 100 V/ns.
Differences in Steady-State Erythropoiesis in Different Mouse Bones and Postnatal Spleen

Adult erythropoiesis is a highly controlled sequential differentiation of hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) to mature red blood cells in the bone marrow (BM). The bones which contain BM are diverse in their structure, embryonic origin, and mode of ossification. This has created substantial heterogeneity in HSCs function in BM of different bones, however, it is not known if this heterogeneity influences erythropoiesis in different bones and different regions of the same bone. In this study, we examined steady state BM erythroid progenitors and precursors from different bones - the femur, tibia, pelvis, sternum, vertebrae, radius, humerus, frontal, parietal bone, and compared all to the femur. Trabecular and cortical regions of the femur were also compared for differences in erythropoiesis. In addition, mouse spleen was studied to determine at which age erythropoietic support by the spleen was lost postnatally. We report that total erythroid cells, and erythroid precursors in the femur are comparable to tibia, pelvis, humerus and sternum, but are significantly reduced in the vertebrae, radius, frontal, and parietal bones. Erythroid progenitors and multipotential progenitor numbers are comparable in all the bones except for reduced number in the parietal bone. In the femur, the epiphysis and metaphysis have significantly reduced number of erythroid precursors and progenitors, multipotential progenitors and myeloid progenitors compared to the diaphysis region. These results show that analysis of erythroid precursors from diaphysis region of the femur is representative of tibia, pelvis, humerus and sternum and have significant implications on the interpretation of the steady-state erythropoiesis finding from adult BM. Postnatal spleen supports erythroid precursors until 6 weeks of age which coincides with reduced number of red pulp macrophages. The residual erythroid progenitor support reaches the adult level by 3 months of age. In conclusion, our findings provide insights to the differences in erythropoiesis between different bones, between trabecular and cortical regions of the femur, and developmental changes in postnatal spleen erythropoiesis.
FORMULAIC LANGUAGE IN AERONAUTICAL ENGLISH – FRIEND OR FOE

The paper discusses formulaic language, its classification, function, and its role in Aeronautical English. On the one hand, using idiomatic expressions in aviation communication may lead to ambiguity, confusion and communication breakdown. On the other hand, teaching formulaic expressions to student pilots and air-traffic controllers can have positive effect on their fluency and help them develop their interactive communicative skills. Despite the fact that research on formulaic language acquisition has been modest, the paper suggests that it should be incorporated in an aeronautical English syllabus.
Globalization and Global Governance: Four Paradigmatic Views

Any adequate analysis of global governance necessarily requires fundamental understanding of the worldviews underlying the views expressed with respect to the nature and role of global governance. This paper starts with the premise that any worldview can be associated with one of the four basic paradigms: functionalist, interpretive, radical humanist, and radical structuralist. It argues that any view expressed with respect to global governance is based on one of the four paradigms or worldviews. It, therefore, discusses four views expressed with respect to the nature and role of global governance. The paper emphasizes that the four views expressed are equally scientific and informative; they look at the nature and role of global governance from a certain paradigmatic viewpoint. Emphasizing this example in the area of global governance, the paper concludes that there are opportunities for each paradigm to benefit from contributions coming from the other three paradigms if they respect paradigm diversity
Comparison of Outcomes in Percutaneous Fixation of Traumatic Fractures between Ankylosing Spondylitis and Diffuse Idiopathic Skeletal Hyperostosis

Study DesignRetrospective cohort study.ObjectivesThis study aims to analyze outcomes and complications of patients with thoracic and lumbar fractures in the setting of ankylosing spinal disorders (...
Book Review: Embracing Interfaith Cooperation: Eboo Patel on Coming Together to Change the World

Embracing Interfaith Cooperation: Eboo Patel on Coming Together to Change the World. By Eboo Patel with Tim Scorer. Denver, Co.: Morehouse Education Resources, 2012. 93 pp. $12.95 (paper). $39.95 (DVD: five chapters, ca. 30 minutes each).Eboo Patel is well known for strategies for interfaith collaboration that have proved useful well beyond the Interfaith Youth Core, which he founded and directs. Paul Chaffee, editor of The Interfaith Observer, has declared him "the preeminent voice of the interfaith movement." While Patel receives top billing on the cover, this resource is but one installment in a series developed by Canadian education and spiritual formation expert Tim Scorer. It employs Scorers method for group engagement with books that offer a potential for spiritual transformation. Embracing Interfaith Cooperation serves as a platform to invite discussion of Patels Sacred Ground: Pluralism, Prejudice, and the Promise of America (Beacon Press, 2012). Embracing's design presumes that a group will covenant to meet five times, an hour or more each session, to work their way through the DVD, guided by a handbook.Each video chapter follows a pattern. Scorer sets the stage and Patel then expounds for some fifteen minutes. In session 1, for example, he offers a history of interfaith cooperation in America, arguing for "making interfaith cooperation a social norm." He defines and encourages "interfaith literacy." Drawing on sociological research, he explains "the science of interfaith cooperation," delineates "the art of interfaith leadership," and describes specific roles for colleges, seminaries, and houses of worship as arenas of interfaith collaboration. The camera provides occasional glimpses of a diverse panelmostly Interfaith Youth Core alumni-giving him rapt attention. (The panel includes a Muslim, two Episcopalians, an Evangelical Christian, one who identifies Jain and Hindu roots, and one who states that-while she was raised Jewish-she "appears individually, not representing any organization, religious group, or association," a disclaimer that would seem to apply to all of the panelists.) After a brief transition provided by Scorer, the panelists respond to Patels lecture with comments, anecdotes, and questions. These fifteen-minute segments, while uneven, do succeed in a stated objective of this project: modeling "small group interaction that is personal, respectful, and engaged." Scorer closes each segment by encouraging his viewers to continue the conversation.And that is the ultimate intent of the DVD: to stimulate structured conversation. …
Student Perceptions of Using Instant Messaging Software to Facilitate Synchronous Online Class Interaction in a Graduate Teacher Education Course

This study investigated student perceptions of using instant messaging software for online interactive chapter discussions in a graduate teacher educational technology course. The criterion instrum...
Digital mobile technology facilitates HIPAA-sensitive perioperative messaging, improves physician-patient communication, and streamlines patient care

Mobile device technology has revolutionized interpersonal communication, but the application of this technology to the physician-patient relationship remains limited due to concerns over patient confidentiality and the security of digital information. Nevertheless, there is a continued focus on improving communication between doctors and patients in all fields of medicine as a means of improving patient care. In this study, we implement a novel communications platform to demonstrate that instantaneously sharing perioperative information with surgical patients and members of their support networks can improve patient care and strengthen the physician-patient relationship. 423 consecutive patients scheduled to undergo elective surgical procedures were offered complimentary registration to a secure, web-based service designed to distribute perioperative updates to a group of recipients designated by each patient via Short Message Service (SMS) and/or email. Messages were created by attending surgeons and delivered instantaneously through the web-based platform. In the postoperative period, patients and their designated message recipients, as well as participating healthcare providers, were asked to complete a survey designed to assess their experience with the messaging system. Survey results were statistically analyzed to determine satisfaction rates. Of the qualifying 423 patients, 313 opted to enroll in the study. On average, patients selected a total of 3.5 recipients to receive perioperative updates. A total of 1,195 electronic messages were generated for distribution to designated recipients during the study period and delivered to recipients located around the world. There were no documented errors or failures in message delivery. Satisfaction surveys were completed by 190 users of the service (73 %). Respondents identified themselves as either patients (n = 48, 25.5 %), family/friends (n = 120, 63.8 %), or healthcare providers (n = 15, 12 %). Satisfaction with the service was high: 94.2 % of users “enjoyed this software” and and 94.2 % of family/friends “felt more connected to their loved ones during surgery.” 92.5 % would “recommend their loved ones sign up for this service". Ninety percent of patients who completed the survey reported “an improved hospital experience” Digital communications platforms can facilitate the immediate transfer of HIPAA-compliant data to patients and their designees. Such systems can greatly improve the level of communication between physicians, patients, and patients’ families and caregivers. All types of users, including healthcare professionals, patients, and their loved ones, recorded high levels of satisfaction. Based on these observations, we conclude that mobile digital communications platforms represent a way to harness the power of social media to enhance patient care.
Studies on the rate of spermatogenesis in Drosophila effects of X-rays and streptonigrin

1. The rate of spermatogenesis in adultDrosophila melanogaster was measured by use of tritiated thymidine as a radioactive tracer. Three experimental groups existed: control, irradiated, and streptonigrin-treated males. 2. A refined time schedule for normal spermatogenesis is presented and compared to schedules prepared by other investigators. 3. Evidence for a decrease in the rate of spermatogenesis induced by X-rays and by streptonigrin is tabulated. 4. The importance of this line of investigation to studies on the differential radiosensitivity of male gametes is discussed.
Changes in use of disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs for rheumatoid arthritis in the United States during 1983-2009.

Objective Use of nonbiologic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) and/or biologic DMARDs is generally recommended to improve the prognosis of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The objective of this study was to describe the changing trends in DMARD use for RA over the past 2 decades. Methods We analyzed data from an open longitudinal cohort of RA patients recruited from rheumatologists' practices in northern California. We examined baseline demographic and clinical characteristics of the participants and their long-term DMARD use through annual comprehensive structured telephone interviews. Results A total of 1,507 established RA patients were recruited through 5 enrollment periods between 1983 and 2009. Between 1983 and 2009, the use of any DMARD increased from 71% of all patients to 83% (P for trend < 0.0001). In 2009, 43% received a biologic DMARD, 34% were on both nonbiologic and biologic DMARDs, and 40% were treated with only nonbiologic DMARDs. The 4 most commonly used nonbiologic DMARDs in 2009 were methotrexate (49%), hydroxychloroquine (30%), leflunomide (13%), and sulfasalazine (7%). Etanercept (20%) was the most commonly used biologic DMARD in 2009, followed by infliximab (10%), adalimumab (9%), and abatacept (6%). Use of oral steroids was common (40–50%) and remained similar throughout the study period. Conclusion There has been a significant increase in the use of DMARDs for RA over the past 2 decades. However, 15% of the individuals with a clinical diagnosis of RA were not receiving DMARDs in 2009. Future research should focus on sociodemographic and clinical factors associated with DMARD use for RA.
Bedside Multimarker Testing for Risk Stratification in Chest Pain Units: The Chest Pain Evaluation by Creatine Kinase-MB, Myoglobin, and Troponin I (CHECKMATE) Study

Background—Earlier, rapid evaluation in chest pain units may make patient care more efficient. A multimarker strategy (MMS) testing for several markers of myocardial necrosis with different time-to...
Notes on the Plague Years: AIDS in Marseilles, Putting Risk in Perspective: Black Teenage Lives in the Era of AIDS, The AIDS Crisis: A Documentary History, and Global Responses to AIDS: Science in Emergency

Notes on the Plague Years: AIDS in Marseilles. Bernard Paillard (Berkeley Frank, trans.). New York: Aldine de Gruyter, 1998. xxx. 293 pp. Putting Risk in Perspective: Black Teenage Lives in the Era of AIDS. Renee T. White. Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, 1999. xii. 215 pp. The AIDS Crisis:. Documentary History. Douglas A. Feldman and Julia Wang Miller. eds. Westport, CT: Greenwood, 1998. xlii. 266 pp. Global Responses to AIDS: Science in Emergency. Cristiana Bastos. Bloomington: Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 1999. xx. 225 pp.
Plakoglobin Immunolocalization as a Diagnostic Test for Arrhythmogenic Right Ventricular Cardiomyopathy

Background A recent study using an anti-plakoglobin antibody and immunofluorescence methods in endomyocardial tissue specimens found that a marked reduction in plakoglobin staining was highly sensitive and specific for the diagnosis of arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy (ARVC). The purpose of our study was to determine the diagnostic utility of plakoglobin immunolocalization using more standard immunoperoxidase methods suitable for clinical laboratories. Methods Between January 2007 and October 2010, all patients at our center with suspected ARVC underwent noninvasive and genetic testing, right ventricular (RV) angiography, electrophysiologic studies, and endomyocardial biopsy from the RV septum. Several studies using anti-plakoglobin antibodies were performed using standard immunoperoxidase methods at concentrations of 1:50,000 and 1:75,000 after serial dilutions. Results Among 16 patients, nine patients fulfilled the clinical criteria for ARVC, and seven patients were found to have other cardiac diagnoses. In the initial study (1:50,000) only one of nine ARVC patients showed reduced plakoglobin signal while the others had normal staining. On repeat staining (1:75,000), reduced signal was observed in three of five of the ARVC patients compared to none in controls (four patients did not have adequate tissue for the repeat experiment). Conclusion These results confirm that abnormal plakoglobin staining can differentiate biopsies from patients with ARVC from those with other myopathies, but with low sensitivity. Further, each specimen must be studied at a particular concentration due to variable antibody reactivity. The necessity for such fine-tuning of the reaction, as well as the subjectivity involved in interpretation of the results, would make this method difficult to utilize in routine hospital laboratories.
Optical fiber Fabry-Perot cavities and recirculating delay lines as tunable microwave filters

The radio frequency or microwave responses of single-mode fiber Fabry-Perot cavities and recirculating delay lines are studied. It is shown that fiber Fabry-Perot cavities may be used as bandpass filters and the recirculating delay lines as bandstop filters at radio or microwave frequencies. These electric filters are tunable by electrooptic effects since the bandpass or bandstop characteristic changes when the cavity or the delay line length is varied by a few tenths of an optical wavelength. The ultimate limit on speed of tuning is set by the coherence time of the light source. The dependence of the filter responses on the spectral purity of light is studied. Examples are given to illustrate the tunability of these electric filters. The availability of various components required to build the tunable RF or microwave filters is reviewed. >
MRI-guided region of interest placement on emission computed tomograms

Abstract The reliability of the placement of regions of interest (ROIs) on emission computed tomograms (ECT) with a semi-automated magnetic resonance image (MRI)-guided method was compared with the reliability of manual ROI placement. MRI-defined regions were transferred to the registered, co-planar ECT image after accounting for inter-image differences in rotation, translation, and scaling. Six single photon emission computed tomographic (SPECT) scans of normal control subjects were rated for caudate perfusion using the radiotracer N -isopropyl[I- 123 ]-iodoamphetamine (IMP). The MRI-guided method had higher interrater reliability, lower variance of region location and lower variance of region activity than the manual method. The manual method recorded higher mean regional activity than the MRI-guided method, possibly due to sample bias inherent in the manual method.
MAGNETIC FIELD OF AN IN-PLANE VORTEX OUTSIDE A LAYERED SUPERCONDUCTOR

We present the solution to London's equations for the magnetic fields of a vortex oriented parallel to the planes, and normal to a crystal face, of a layered superconductor. These expressions account for flux spreading at the superconducting surface, which can change the apparent size of the vortex along the planes by as much as 30%. We compare these expressions with experimental results.
Status of Redband Trout in the Upper Snake River Basin of Idaho

AbstractRedband Trout Oncorhynchus mykiss gairdneri are likely the most abundant and most widely distributed native salmonid in the Columbia River basin, yet their current distribution and abundance across the landscape have not been well documented. We sampled 1,032 randomly distributed stream sites (usually 100 m in length) across more than 60,000 km of stream network to assess Redband Trout occupancy, abundance, and genetic purity in the upper Snake River basin of Idaho. Study locations were more often in dry desert subbasins (49% of sites) than in montane subbasins (20%), and 25% of the dry “stream sites” had no discernible stream channel whatsoever, indicating a lack of flowing water for perhaps millennia. Redband Trout were estimated to occupy 13,485 km of stream (22% of the total) and were captured more often (389 sites) than Brook Trout Salvelinus fontinalis (128 sites), Bull Trout Salvelinus confluentus (37 sites), or Brown Trout Salmo trutta (16 sites). Redband Trout were also the most abundant ...
Reputation for Resolve, Interests, and Conflict

Schelling’s work laid the foundation for a reputational theory of conflict behavior, claiming that a state’s reputation for resolve, as established through its past behavior, should provide it with bargaining leverage in future conflicts. This argument is scrutinized both theoretically and empirically in this study and also juxtaposed to an alternative framework that modifies the impact of “face-saving” stakes with those of a more inherent nature, such as the interests in a dispute. We advance an argument about the interplay between a state’s reputation from past behavior and its current interests in order to predict its crisis behavior. Our empirical expectations are subsequently tested in a quantitative analysis of deterrence crises for the period 1895–1985. The findings indicate that, while reputation matters, its impact is indirect at best and contingent on a state’s interests. Given the strong empirical support, we expect the interaction between reputation and interests as specified in our analysis t...
High Mobility 4H-SiC Lateral MOSFETs Using Lanthanum Silicate and Atomic Layer Deposited SiO 2

We report high mobility Si-face 4H-SiC MOSFET results via a novel interface engineering technique using a gate-stack consisting of lanthanum silicate (LaSiO x ) and atomic layer deposited SiO2. Peak field effect mobility of 132.6 cm $^{2}$ /V $\cdot $ s has been achieved while maintaining a positive threshold voltage (3.1 V). From the peak field effect mobility’s dependence on measurement temperatures, it has been found that the mobility of La containing MOSFET is limited by phonon scattering.
A comparative study of oxygen toxicity in the retina, brain and liver of the teleost, amphibian and mammal.

Abstract 1. 1. Teleost retinal metabolism is not inhibited after 24 hr exposures to hyperbaric oxygen. 2. 2. Mammalian retinas when exposed to hyperbaric oxygen showed a marked decrease in oxidative carbohydrate metabolism. 3. 3. Elevated oxygen tensions resulted in deleterious metabolic effects in hepatic and brain tissue of the teleost, amphibian and mammal. 4. 4. The higher the metabolic rate of a tissue the more susceptible it is to oxygen toxicity. 5. 5. Decreasing temperature causes a lowered susceptibility to oxygen toxicity.
Rejection and redistribution of scattered radiation in scan equalization digital radiography (SEDR): simulation with spot images.

The anti-scatter grid has been widely used to reject scatter and increase the perceptibility of low contrast object in chest radiography; however it also attenuate the primary x-rays, resulting in a substantial loss of information and an increased relative noise level in heavily attenuated regions. A more dose efficient approach to scatter rejection is the slot-scan imaging technique. Another problem in chest radiography is the low transmitted x-ray intensity in heavily attenuating regions. It results in higher relative noise level and subject the contrast sensitivity to limitation by the system noises. A solution to this problem is through the exposure equalization technique with which the incident x-ray intensity is regionally modulated to compensate for the differences of x-ray attenuation due to the anatomic variation. We are in the process of implementing the scan equalization digital radiography (SEDR) technique which combines the advantages of slot-scan imaging and exposure equalization. However, associated with the use of exposure equalization is a re-distribution of scattered radiation at the detector which may impact on the benefit of using exposure equalization in conjunction with the slot-scan imaging geometry. In order to understand the scatter properties and their impact in SEDR, we have used spot collimated aSi FP images to synthesize simulated SEDR images with which scatter components, primary signals, and scatter-to-primary ratios (SPRs) were measured. Using a simple model for scatter effects, we have also estimated and compared the contrast-to-noise ratio degradation factors (CNRDFs). It was found that for quantum limited situations the slot-scan technique has resulted in a substantial improvement of the image quality as indicated by higher estimated CNRDFs. Compared to slot-scan imaging, SEDR resulted in higher SPRs in the lungs and lower SPRs in the mediastinum. In the sub-diaphragmatic regions, the SPRs remain about the same. This correspond to lower CNRDFs in the lungs, higher CNRDFs in the mediastinum, and about the same CNRDFs in the sub-diaphragmatic regions. It was shown that although SEDR has resulted in minimum improvement over slot-scan imaging in reducing the SPRs, it could improve the contrast sensitivity by raising the primary signal levels in heavily attenuating regions. This advantage needs to be further investigated in our continuing study of the SEDR technique.
Comparison of extrinsic and intrinsic neuromodulation in two central pattern generator circuits in invertebrates

There are many sources of modulatory input to CPGs and other types of neuronal circuits. These inputs can change the properties of cells and synapses and dramatically alter the production of motor patterns. Sometimes this enables the production of motor patterns by the circuit. At other times, the modulation allows alternate motor patterns to be produced by a single circuit. Modulatory neurones have fast as well as slow actions. In some cases, such as with GPR, the two types of effects are due to the release of co-transmitters. In other cases, such as with the DSIs, a single substance can act at different receptors to cause fast and slow postsynaptic actions. The effect of a neuromodulatory neurone is determined by the type of receptor on the target neurone. Thus a single modulatory neurone evokes a suite of actions in a circuit and thereby produces a co-ordinated output. Extrinsic and intrinsic sources of neuromodulation have different sets of constraints acting upon them. For example, extrinsic neuromodulation can easily be used for motor pattern selection; a different pattern is produced depending upon which modulatory inputs are active. However, intrinsic neuromodulation is not well suited to that task. Instead, it is useful for self-organizing properties and experience-dependent effects. One clear conclusion from this work and other work in the field is that neuromodulation by neurones intrinsic and extrinsic to CPGs is not uncommon (Katz, 1995; Katz & Frost, 1996). It is part of the normal process of motor pattern generation. As such, it needs to be considered when discussing mechanisms for neuronal circuit actions.
Conceptual formulation on four-dimensional inverse planning for intensity modulated radiation therapy

Four-dimensional computed tomography (4DCT) offers an extra dimension of 'time' on the three-dimensional patient model with which we can incorporate target motion in radiation treatment (RT) planning and delivery in various ways such as in the concept of internal target volume, in gated treatment or in target tracking. However, for all these methodologies, different phases are essentially considered as non-interconnected independent phases for the purpose of optimization, in other words, the 'time' dimension has yet to be incorporated explicitly in the optimization algorithm and fully exploited. In this note, we have formulated a new 4D inverse planning technique that treats all the phases in the 4DCT as one single entity in the optimization. The optimization is formulated as a quadratic problem for disciplined convex programming that enables the problem to be analyzed and solved efficiently. In the proof-of-principle examples illustrated, we show that the temporal information of the spatial relation of the target and organs at risk could be 'exchanged' amongst different phases so that an appropriate weighting of dose deposition could be allocated to each phase, thus enabling a treatment with a tight target margin and a full duty cycle otherwise not achievable by either of the aforementioned methodologies. Yet there are practical issues to be solved in the 4D RT planning and delivery. The 4D concept in the optimization we have formulated here does provide insight on how the 'time' dimension can be exploited in the 4D optimization process.
Macrocytic anemia and leucocytosis of guinea pigs with muscular stiffness disease.

Summary1. Deficiency of the anti-stiffness factor in guinea pigs produced anemia characterized by decreased numbers of red cells, less hemoglobin per cell, and macrocytosis. The number of young red cells also decreased. The sedimentation rate was increased. 2. The white cell count rose markedly with an increase in all cell types. The differential count indicated a granulocytosis. The Kurloff cell disappeared in deficient males.
Public perceptions The stability of the public's endorsements of the definition and criminalization of the abuse of women

Abstract Recent reforms and policies developed in the area of domestic abuse have taken a harsher and more stringent approach in dealing with the abuse of women perpetrated by intimate male partners. One important research issue is whether the public's perception of the definition and criminalization of woman battering reflects the development of recent reform. The present study measured the public's perception of the definition and criminalization of wife abuse in 1986–87, 1991–92, and 1996–97. The findings of the study indicate that the public has a low tolerance for interpersonal violence directed at women and that the public's perception of the criminalization of wife abuse has become increasingly harsher over time.
Art of atmospheric monitoring

Road, Kansas City, Kansas 66115D.F. GurkaU.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Quality Assurance DivisionEnvironmental Monitoring Systems Laboratory, Las Vegas, Nevada 89119ABSTRACTThe Department of Chemistry at Kansas State University has been developing and testing a mobileFourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectrometer system. The main purpose of the mobile FT-IR spectrometersystem is for performing long-path atmospheric monitoring of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from avariety of emission sources.15Testing of the FT-IR system began four years ago with controlled release of VOCS at the Universityof Kansas (stage 1). The testing has culminated with monitoring of sites where uncontrolled releases of VOCSare occurring and the site itself has little or no precharacterization (stage 3).1
Encountering Ali Pasha on the London Stage: No Friend to Freedom?

On the evening of 19 October 1822 in the theatre at Covent Garden, John Howard Payne’s Ali Pacha; or, The Signet Ring premiered, capitalising on the notoriety of the title character, whose head had been publicly displayed in Constantinople just seven months earlier. Already known to London readers from his memorable appearance in Childe Harold’s Pilgrimage, he whom Byron described as ‘a man of war and woes’, whose ‘aged venerable face’ with its ‘hoary lengthening beard’ appears gentle and mild but whose ‘crimes that scorn the tender voice of Ruth’ have ‘mark’d him with a tiger’s tooth’ could now be viewed in the flesh. Spectators responded favourably; the playbill for the third performance announced that Ali Pacha, ‘having been received with the most enthusiastic expressions of delight, will be repeated every evening till further notice’. Playwright Payne made a smart move, George Daniel writes in a preface to the play, for ‘the dramatist acts wisely who avails himself of extraordinary characters and events, and transfers them to the stage’. Extraordinary characters, by implication, are such inherently theatrical beings that plays will virtually write themselves around the charismatic centre. Ali Pasha turned out to be a sure-fire tourist attraction for the grand theatrical spectacle of the Greek War of Independence. Cast as a colourful antagonist to the Greek independence movement and, by association, the cause of freedom itself, he became a potent symbol for justifying what has been termed the world’s first instance of humanitarian intervention. Cruel despot and clever diplomat, an enigmatic figure given to self-aggrandisement, works progress schemes, and regional massacres, his infamous exploits set him up as the epitome of the Oriental tyrant. It was only a matter of time before he took his place on stage as a melodramatic villain in the ‘crop of War of Independence dramas’ that Edith Hall and Fiona Macintosh identify as the ‘most conspicuous feature of the 1820s British theatre’. Byron’s and Hobhouse’s tales in Childe Harold’s Pilgrimage and Travels in Albania and other Provinces of Turkey in 1809 and 1810 were just two of the most famous accounts that firmly established Ali Pasha as a literary character; by the 1822 opening of Ali Pacha, his cult was well underway. Rife with contradictions, Ali Pasha was filled with dramatic potential, and many dramas played their part in contributing to the making of his legend, including Mordecai Noah’s The Grecian Captive; or, the Fall of Athens (1822), Mrs. Vaughan’s The Grecians (1824), and C. E. Walker’s The Revolt of the Greeks; or, The Maid of Athens (1824), as well as the plays that are the subject of this essay, John Howard Payne’s Ali Pacha; or, the Signet
On the evaluation of IR systems

Abstract The paper highlights the ever increasing complexity in the evaluation of IR systems which has arisen over the last decade. Relevance, cognition, user behaviour, interaction, and a changing view of the boundaries of the system are considered to be contributory factors. Issues such as laboratory versus operational systems, black-box versus diagnostic experiments, and qualitative and quantitative methods are discussed and supported by examples drawn from three groups of evaluative experiments: weighted searching on a front-end system, information-seeking behaviour and the use of OPACs, and the OKAPI experimental retrieval system.
Neutron spectroscopy in the 1–30 keV energy range

Abstract A spherical, hydrogen-filled, proton recoil neutron spectrometer (Benjamin detector) has been implemented for spectral measurements down to 1 keV in energy (with primary emphasis in the 1–30 keV range). It is generally acknowledged that gas-filled proton recoil spectrometers are capable of detecting neutron spectra down to an energy of about 1 keV, but few data are available which experimentally verify this claim. To confirm the capability of gas-filled proton recoil spectrometers to accurately measure neutron energies in this energy range, a system has been designed and tested. In the development of this system, careful attention has been given to gamma-ray discrimination techniques, fill-gas and quench-gas partial pressure, detector high voltage, and noise reduction techniques to obtain accurate spectra. Experimental measurements have been made of neutron beams and scattered neutron spectra in the 1–30 keV range to verify the accuracy of the detector system.
Renal artery revascularization: outcomes stratified by indication for intervention.

Objectives Application of endovascular therapy has led to increasing rates of renal artery intervention with unclear effect on hypertension (HTN) and/or renal salvage (RS). We evaluated the role of procedure indication on outcomes of both open (OR) and percutaneous (PR) revascularization. Methods Retrospective review of all consecutive renal artery interventions performed from January 1, 2002 to December 31, 2006 was conducted. OR patients were included for analysis only if independent renovascular indications for revascularization existed. Results Forty-seven OR and 203 PR (97% stent) patients were treated with 98% initial technical success. Patients with OR were younger (65 ± 11 vs 72 ± 9; P P P P P P = .9). Assisted patency was similar ( P = .6) at one (94% ± 2% PR vs 97% ± 3% OR) and three years (90% ± 3% PR vs 91% ± 5% OR). One year (97% ± 1% PR vs 97% ± 3% OR) and three year (93% ± 3% PR vs 91% ± 7% OR) freedom from reintervention was similar ( P = .8). Clinical outcomes showed patients with OR and PR having similar rates of cure or improvement in BP (76% PR vs 90% OR; P = .1) and favored OR with stable or improved renal function (97% vs 89%; P P = .2) in both groups with cure/improvement in BP in 74% of PR and 89% of OR patients at one year. OR remained durable in regards to renal salvage with 52% of OR patients having improved renal function compared with 24% of PR ( P P = .04) of those having PR. Renal function stabilized or improved in 16/19 (85%) of OR and 70/81 (86%) of PR patients when performed for RS ( P = .4). Conclusions PR and OR are similarly efficacious for treatment of HTN associated with renal artery stenosis. While immediate and long-term outcomes favor OR for RS, this may impart from the triage of patients more likely to benefit from renal artery revascularization to OR.
Development of gamma-ray emitting test sources for portal monitors

A new set of gamma-ray emitting test sources was designed by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) for testing of radiation portal monitors for homeland security applications. This paper provides a description of the construction and characterization of these new sources that were designed and built to meet the American National Standard Institute (ANSI) N42.35-2004 and N42.38 standards' requirements.
Intravenous phenytoin in the management of crescendo pelvic cancer—related pain

Rapidly progressive pain, or "crescendo" pain, can be a difficult management problem. A cancer patient is presented who experienced crescendo neuropathic pain due to progressive pelvic disease. This patient reported significant pain relief with the administration of intravenous phenytoin. The case illustrates the type of therapeutic approach that may be considered for crescendo pain and highlights a potential role for intravenous phenytoin in the management of patients with crescendo cancer-related neuropathic pain.
Changing trends in etiology of bacteremia in patients with cancer

The present study was conducted to determine trends in the quantitative bacterial load patterns of bacterial bloodstream infections (BSI) caused by various bacteria in patients receiving care at a comprehensive cancer center. Bacterial loads of all consecutive quantitative blood cultures performed during 1998 and 2004 were graded quantitatively. Gram-positive bacteria (GPB) were responsible for the majority of BSI episodes in both years studied: 740 of 1,055 (73%) in 1998 and 820 of 1,025 (82%) in 2004. Compared with GPB infections, a significant proportion of infections caused by Gram-negative bacteria was associated with a high bacterial load (HBL) (11 vs 28% in 1998 and 10 vs 30% in 2004; p 0.5). The spectrum of BSI continues to change and its prognostic implications in cancer patients needs further study.
Sensing as a service: A cloud computing system for mobile phone sensing

Sensors on (or attached to) mobile phones can enable attractive sensing applications in different domains such as environmental monitoring, social networking, healthcare, etc. We introduce a new concept, Sensing-as-a-Service (S2aaS), i.e., providing sensing services using mobile phones via a cloud computing system. An S2aaS cloud should meet the following requirements: 1) It must be able to support various mobile phone sensing applications on different smartphone platforms. 2) It must be energy-efficient. 3) It must have effective incentive mechanisms that can be used to attract mobile users to participate in sensing activities. In this paper, we identify unique challenges of designing and implementing an S2aaS cloud, review existing systems and methods, present viable solutions, and point out future research directions.
EXPERIMENTAL PERFORMANCE OF A HIGH-CURRENT-DENSITY CYLINDRICAL CONCAVE POROUS TUNGSTEN EMITTER FOR ION THRUSTORS

Performance of a high current density cylindrical concave porous tungsten emitter for cesium propellant ion thrustors
Characterization of Crystallization in Amorphous 2605 SC Alloy

Abstract The annealing characteristics, the crystallization sequence of precipitating phases and their geometry have been studied for the amorphous alloy 2605 SC through X-ray and reflection electron diffraction, scanning electron microscopy and field ion microscopy. The as-received samples were found to contain small domains of crystalline Fe 3 Si, Fe 23 (B, C) 6 and an oxide of iron (maghemite, Fe 3 O 4 ) on the ribbon surfaces. Samples annealed at 673 K for 10, 50, 100 and 1000 min reveal that there is a sequential difference in the crystallization of the ribbon surfaces and the bulk, the latter exhibiting the nucleation of α-Fe first. Moreover, in situ (in an electron microscope) continuous annealing of the samples indicates that, although formation of ferrite crystals occurs in the bulk, the initial crystallizing phase on the surfaces is the f.c.c. Fe 23 (B, C) 6 . Heat treatment at temperatures above 773 K, however, is seen to produce similar phase consistency, and thus diffraction patterns, from both regions. These structures primarily are seen to be composed of a dendritic α-Fe and the Fe 23 (B, C) 6 phases along with the as yet non-crystallized amorphous domains. The equilibrium Fe 2 B phase is not observed at the annealing temperatures (above 923 K) used.
Quaker constitutionalism and the political thought of John Dickinson

Acknowledgments Abbreviations Introduction Part I. Quaker Constitutionalism in Theory and Practice, c.1652-1763: 1. Bureaucratic libertines: the origins of Quaker constitutionalism and civil dissent 2. A sacred institution: the Quaker theory of a civil constitution 3. 'Dissenters in our own country': constituting a Quaker government in Pennsylvania 4. Civil unity and 'seeds of dissention' in the golden age of Quaker theocracy 5. The fruits of Quaker dissent: political schism and the rise of John Dickinson Part II. The Political Quakerism of John Dickinson, 1763-89: 6. Turbulent but pacific: 'Dickinsonian politics' in the American revolution 7. 'The worthy against the licentious': the critical period in Pennsylvania 8. 'The political rock of our salvation': The US Constitution according to John Dickinson Epilogue: the persistence of Quaker constitutionalism, 1789-1963 Bibliography Index.
Time-series intervention analysis of pedestrian countdown timer effects

Pedestrians account for 40-50% of traffic fatalities in large cities. Several previous studies based on relatively small samples have concluded that Pedestrian Countdown Timers (PCT) may reduce pedestrian crashes at signalized intersections, but other studies report no reduction. The purposes of the present article are to (1) describe a new methodology to evaluate the effectiveness of introducing PCT signals and (2) to present results of applying this methodology to pedestrian crash data collected in a large study carried out in Detroit, Michigan. The study design incorporated within-unit as well as between-unit components. The main focus was on dynamic effects that occurred within the PCT unit of 362 treated sites during the 120 months of the study. An interrupted time-series analysis was developed to evaluate whether change in crash frequency depended upon of the degree to which the countdown timers penetrated the treatment unit. The between-unit component involved comparisons between the treatment unit and a control unit. The overall conclusion is that the introduction of PCT signals in Detroit reduced pedestrian crashes to approximately one-third of the preintervention level. The evidence for this reductionis strong and the change over time was shown to be a function of the extent to which the timers were introduced during the intervention period. There was no general drop-off in crash frequency throughout the baseline interval of over five years; only when the PCT signals were introduced in large numbers was consistent and convincing crash reduction observed. Correspondingly, there was little evidence of change in the control unit. Language: en
Measuring electric fields from power lines. Part 1

The author discusses power line fields, ways to measure those fields, and some of the difficulties of those measurements. The author also tackled cancer in relation to power lines.
Constructive solution of the linearized Boltzmann equation: Vector BGK model

Abstract The temperature-density equation, a system of coupled, integro-differential equations derived from the Boltzmann equation by applying the BGK model, is studied. Full-range and half-range expansions are obtained by applying a modified version of the Larsen-Habetler resolvent integration technique. This development extends previous results by enlarging the class of expandable functions and has the added advantages of rigor and simplicity. Application is illustrated by analyzing the temperature jump problem. For the case of arbitrary accomodation an integral equation for the surface density is reported which has not previously appeared in the literature. This equation is shown to have a unique solution except perhaps at a finite number of values of the accomodation coefficient.