cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Evaluation of initial setup accuracy and intrafraction motion for spine stereotactic body radiation therapy using stereotactic body frames.

Abstract Purpose The purposes of this study were (1) to evaluate the initial setup accuracy and intrafraction motion for spine stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) using stereotactic body frames (SBFs) and (2) to validate an in-house-developed SBF using a commercial SBF as a benchmark. Methods and materials Thirty-two spine SBRT patients (34 sites, 118 fractions) were immobilized with the Elekta and in-house (BHS) SBFs. All patients were set up with the Brainlab ExacTrac system, which includes infrared and stereoscopic kilovoltage x-ray-based positioning. Patients were initially positioned in the frame with the use of skin tattoos and then shifted to the treatment isocenter based on infrared markers affixed to the frame with known geometry relative to the isocenter. ExacTrac kV imaging was acquired, and automatic 6D (6 degrees of freedom) bony fusion was performed. The resulting translations and rotations gave the initial setup accuracy. These translations and rotations were corrected for by use of a robotic couch, and verification imaging was acquired that yielded residual setup error. The imaging/fusion process was repeated multiple times during treatment to provide intrafraction motion data. Results The BHS SBF had greater initial setup errors (mean±SD): −3.9±5.5mm (0.2±0.9°), −1.6±6.0mm (0.5±1.4°), and 0.0±5.3mm (0.8±1.0°), respectively, in the vertical (VRT), longitudinal (LNG), and lateral (LAT) directions. The corresponding values were 0.6±2.7mm (0.2±0.6°), 0.9±5.3mm (−0.2±0.9°), and −0.9±3.0mm (0.3±0.9°) for the Elekta SBF. The residual setup errors were essentially the same for both frames and were −0.1±0.4mm (0.1±0.5°), −0.2±0.4mm (0.0±0.4°), and 0.0±0.4mm (0.0±0.4°), respectively, in VRT, LNG, and LAT. The intrafraction shifts in VRT, LNG, and LAT were 0.0±0.4mm (0.0±0.3°), 0.0±0.5mm (0.0±0.4°), and 0.0±0.4mm (0.0±0.3°), with no significant difference observed between the 2 frames. Conclusions These results showed that the combination of the ExacTrac system with either SBF was highly effective in achieving both setup accuracy and intrafraction stability, which were on par with that of mask-based cranial radiosurgery.
Computer Access for Motor-Impaired Users

Computers can be a source of tremendous benefit for those with motor impairments. Enabling computer access empowers individuals, offering improved quality of life. This is achieved through greater freedom to participate in computer-based activities for education and leisure, as well as increased job potential and satisfaction. Physical impairments can impose barriers to access to information technologies. The most prevalent conditions include rheumatic diseases, stroke, Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis, cerebral palsy, traumatic brain injury, and spinal injuries or disorders. Cumulative trauma disorders represent a further significant category of injury that may be specifically related to computer use. See Kroemer (2001) for an extensive bibliography of literature in this area. Symptoms relevant to computer operation include joint stiffness, paralysis in one or more limbs, numbness, weakness, bradykinesia (slowness of movement), rigidity, impaired balance and coordination, tremor, pain, and fatigue. These symptoms can be stable or highly variable, both within and between individuals. In a study commissioned by Microsoft, Forrester Research, Inc. (2003) found that one in four working-age adults has some dexterity difficulty or impairment. Jacko and Vitense (2001) and Sears and Young (2003) provide detailed analyses of impairments and their effects on computer access. There are literally thousands of alternative devices and software programs designed to help people with disabilities to access and use computers (Alliance for Technology Access, 2000; Glennen & DeCoste, 1997; Lazzaro, 1995). This article describes access mechanisms typically used by individuals with motor impairments, discusses some of the trade-offs involved in choosing an input mechanism, and includes emerging approaches that may lead to additional alternatives in the future.
In Search of Alternatives: Pro-Poor Entrepreneurship in Community Forestry

Abstract Community forestry is quite likely the most prominent form of development intervention in the present era. It has gained momentum since the 1970s, and now covers more than 25 per cent of the total forestlands globally. However, the introduction of commercialisation into community forestry, controlled by private capital, has not only undermined the livelihood requirements of poor people, but also swiftly deteriorated forest conditions. By unfolding the nature of commercialisation in community forestry in Nepal, this article argues that pro-poor entrepreneurship models of producing forest resources through a partnership between poor people and community groups could be an appropriate alternative to develop economic opportunities and forest conservation.
The Ebb and Flow of the Foreign-Born: Changing Conditions for Collective Identities

Winders’ Nashville in the New Millennium is a study of the local effects of the new immigration in areas that had historically experienced a paucity of immigrants and international culture. By employing a methodology based on participant observation, personal interviews, and oral histories, Winders demonstrates that a surge of immigrants in a local community can produce a complex challenge to epistemologies of collective identity based on historically entrenched ethnic categories and popular memories. Her research is a fresh addition to a field of scholarship that has produced illuminating interdisciplinary studies about the effects of the changing flows of immigrants on communities, generations, and minority groups.
Pyrotechnic aerosolization of imbibed liquids

Abstract In this study liquids were thermally disseminated as aerosol after incapsulation in loosely crosslinked polystyrene polymer. A stereochemical concept i
Plasma source ion implantation: A new approach to ion beam modification of materials

Abstract Plasma source ion implantation (PSII) is a nonline-of-sight technique for surface modification of materials which is optimized for ion implantation of non-planar targets in non-semiconductor applications. In PSII, targets to be implanted are placed directly in a plasma source chamber and are then pulse biased to high negative voltage (10–100 kV in our experiments). A thick ion matrix sheath forms around the target, and ions accelerate through the sheath drop and bombard the target from all sides simultaneously without the necessity of target manipulation. Compared with conventional ion implantation, PSII minimizes the problems of shadowing and excessive sputtering of the target material, which can severely limit the retained dose of the implanted ion species. PSII has demonstrated (1) efficient implantation of ions to the concentrations and depths required for surface modification, (2) dramatic improvement in the life of manufacturing tools in actual industrial applications, (3) acceptable dose uniformity on non-planar targets without target manipulation and (4) that such uniformity can be achieved in a batch-processing mode. An examination of the comparative economics of surface modification by PSII relative to conventional ion implantation indicates substantial reductions in operating costs, by virtue of the greater throughput possible with PSII.
Resonance to archetypes in media: There’s some accounting for taste

Abstract Modern mass media typically employ archetypes—prototypical characters—in their narratives. This research proposes that people’s affective reactions to and preferences for these characters in rich cultural media—their “resonance” to archetypes—may be an indicator of their own personality and life themes. In the first of two studies, a Rich Culture Archetype Scale (RCAS) was constructed based on media examples from popular music, movies, and classic art representing certain archetypes. In the second study, the RCAS was compared with other scales of personality and of archetypes. Results indicated that there exist five clusters of archetypes to which people resonate, and that people’s resonance predicts their personal life themes and media preferences.
Production of Lysine by Pyruvate Dehydrogenase Mutants of Brevibacterium flavum

Mutants with low pyruvate dehydrogenase (PD) activities were derived from a pyruvate kinase-deficient lysine-producing mutant of Brevibacterium flavum, No. 22. They were selected as prototrophic revertants of the acetate auxotrophs of strain No. 22. Among them strain KD-11 produced 55g/liter of lysine as its HCI salt when cultured for 72 hr in a medium containing lOOg/liter of glucose, soybean-meal hydrolysate and methionine. The lysine yield of strain KD-11 was the highest ever reported (55%). The mutant required a higher concentration of methionine for maximum production and gave a smaller amount of cell mass in cultivation than its parent. PD activity of strain No. 22 was stimulated by cysteine, stabilized by glycerol, and gave apparent Kms of 89, 22, 380, 83 μM for pyruvate, coenzyme A, 3-acetylpyridine adenine dinucleotide, and NAD, respectively, under standard conditions. The apparent Km for NAD of PD from strain KD-11 was 10-times higher than that from No. 22. When the concentration of NAD was low,...
Ensemble-space visualization improves perception of 3D state of molecular dynamics simulation

Large-scale molecular dynamics (GD) simulations are some of the primary applications running on today's supercomputers. These simulations frequently compute the interactions of millions of atoms over millions of time steps, and petascale simulations will target billion atom simulations in the near future. Visualizing the state of such large-scale simulations poses a significant challenge for both data reduction and perception. Standard tools for 3D visualization of MD simulations -- such as direct visualization of the molecules in their simulated physical arrangement -- eventually grow so dense (with more atoms than screen pixels) that only the volumetric shape of the simulation domain is apparent, rather than its detailed content.In this paper, we describe a method for visualizing simulations of a compound in bulk which we refer to as the ensemble display. An ensemble display is produced by superimposing molecular neighborhoods onto fixed reference molecules. This results in a 3D visualization which preserves inter-molecular distances and angles between pairs of molecules while greatly reducing the visual complexity. We performed human-subjects experiments to test the hypothesis that subjects could deduce a bulk physical property of the simulation (temperature) from the ensemble display more accurately than from other common visualizations of GD simulation. Our results show that temperature estimates under the ensemble display had the least error of the tested visualization techniques.
Solubility and Size Separation of Large Fullerenes in Concentrated Sulfuric Acids

We show that large fullerenes (LFs) are soluble in concentrated sulfuric acids. We employ a centrifugation technique in conjunction with ultraviolet−visible and near-infrared (UV−vis−nIR) spectroscopy to quantify solubility. The Beer's Law dependence of UV−vis−nIR absorbance of LFs in concentrated sulfuric acids between 400 and 1400 nm facilitates the construction of linear calibration curves for measuring LF concentration in acids. Centrifugation of concentrated dispersions of LFs in concentrated sulfuric acids results in a clear phase separation. UV−vis-nIR absorbance measurements on the less concentrated phase yield the solubility of LFs. Large fullerenes exhibit an unusually high solubility in sulfuric acids concentrated in the range of 88−96%. The solubility of LFs in 96% sulfuric acid is higher than the solubility of the smallest fullerene (C60) in many organic solvents. We find that the solubility of LFs grows with acid strength, as is expected for solubilization by a protonation mechanism. Moreove...
Effects of subchronic administration of clozapine, thioridazine and haloperidol on tests related to extrapyramidal motor function in the rat

Clozapine, thioridazine (THIO) and haloperidol were administered for 14 consecutive days, and separate groups of rats were used to study the effects of these drugs on tremulous jaw movements and lever pressing. Rats were observed on day 13 for the ability of the antipsychotic drugs to induce jaw movements. Haloperidol produced a dose-related increase in jaw movements, while clozapine and THIO failed to induce jaw movements. On day 14, rats were challenged with 5.0 mg/kg of the anticholinesterase tacrine, which induces a very high level of jaw movement activity. Clozapine significantly reduced tacrine-induced tremulous jaw movements, while haloperidol did not. Although previous work had shown that acute THIO could suppress jaw movements, repeated THIO failed to do so. In order to provide an additional behavioral test for comparisons of the relative potencies of the antipsychotic drugs, rats were tested for the effects of these drugs on fixed ratio 5 lever pressing. All three drugs significantly suppressed lever pressing. Haloperidol showed sensitization with repeated injections, while clozapine showed tolerance. Data were analyzed by taking the ratio of the ED50 for suppression of tacrine-induced jaw movement over the ED50 for suppression of lever pressing on day 14. Clozapine reduced tacrine-induced jaw movements in a dose range slightly lower than that required for reduction of lever pressing. In contrast, THIO and haloperidol failed to affect tacrine-induced jaw movements even at doses that were 5–18 times the ED50 for suppression of lever pressing. Thus, tests of jaw movement activity and lever pressing after repeated administration may be useful for assessing atypical antipsychotic drugs.
The Vitamin B Requirement of Trout

Abstract Brook, brown, and rainbow trout were fed diets containing various levels of thiamin, pantothenic acid, and riboflavin. After a period trout were killed and their livers analyzed for the vitamin content. The diet causing maximum storage was considered to be the tentative requirement of the trout. No difference was found between the requirement of three species of trout and no difference was found between the two temperatures at which the experiment was run. The tentative requirement for riboflavin was established at between 0.44 and 0.68, pantothenic acid between 0.97 and 1.25, and thiamin between 0.150 and 0.186 milligrams per kilogram of body weight per day. The maximum storage was found to be between 18 and 20 micrograms of pantothenic acid, 15 and 16 micrograms of riboflavin, and 3.5 and 4.5 micrograms of thiamin per gram of liver tissue. A difference was found between the two series with respect to the level of stored pantothenic acid and thiamin. This difference may be a function of age or s...
Melanogenesis in frog skin

Es wurden die anatomische und subzellulare Verteilung der Tyrosinaseaktivitat im Integument und die Tyrosincarboxylinkorporation in Melanin beiRana pipiens undRana catesbiana festgestellt und gefunden, dass die Tyrosinaseaktivitat in der Bauchhaut hoher ist als in der Ruckenhaut, wahrend die Seitenhaut dazwischenliegende Werte liefert.
Educational inequalities in smoking: the role of initiation versus quitting.

The existing literature on educational inequalities in adult smoking has focused extensively on differences in current smoking and quitting, rather than on differences in never smoking regularly (initiation) by education in the adult population. Knowing the relative contribution of initiation versus quitting is critical for understanding the mechanisms that produce educational gradients in smoking because initiation and quitting occur at different points in the life course. Using data from 31 waves of the U.S. National Health Interview Survey (N = 587,174), the analyses show the relative likelihood of being a never versus former smoker by education, sex, and age from 1966 to 2010 and for birth cohorts from 1920 to 1979. The analyses also describe differences in the cumulative probability of quitting over the life course, and the role of initiation versus quitting in producing educational gaps in smoking. The results show that educational gaps in never smoking explain the bulk of the educational inequality in adult smoking. Differences in former smoking play a small and decreasing role in producing these gaps. This is true across the life course, whether measured at age 25 or age 50, and for both men and women. While the prevalence and age patterns of former smoking by education converge across birth cohorts, differences in never smoking by education increase dramatically. At the population level, educational gaps in adult smoking are produced by the combination of inequalities in initiation and quitting, with differences in initiation playing a larger role in producing the observed gaps. The portion of the gap explained by differences in quitting is itself a function of educational differences in initiation. Thus, educational gradients in adult smoking are tethered to experiences in adolescence. These findings have important implications for both understanding and addressing disparities in this important health behavior.
Palmitate alters neuregulin signaling and biology in cardiac myocytes

The saturated fatty acid palmitate alters normal cell function via disruption of cell signaling, and this effect has been implicated in the end-organ damage associated with dyslipidemia. Neuregulin-1beta (NRG-1beta) is a growth and survival factor in cardiac myocytes. We tested the hypothesis that palmitate alters NRG-1beta signaling and biology in isolated neonatal rat cardiac myocytes. Palmitate treatment inhibited NRG-1beta activation of the PI3-kinase/Akt pathway in myocytes. We found that the pro-apoptotic activity of palmitate was increased by NRG-1beta treatment. The effects of palmitate on NRG-1beta signaling and survival were reversed by the mono-unsaturated fatty acid oleate. Under control conditions NRG-1beta decreases p53 expression in myocytes. In the presence of palmitate, NRG-1beta caused an increase in p53 expression, bax multimer formation, concurrent with degradation of mdm2, a negative regulator of p53. Thus in the presence of palmitate NRG-1beta activates pro-apoptotic, rather than pro-survival signaling in cardiac myocytes.
A bis(amido) ligand set that supports two-coordinate chromium in the +1, +2, and +3 oxidation states

The amido ligand –N(SiiPr3)DIPP (DIPP = 2,6-diisopropylphenyl) has been used to prepare two-coordinate complexes of CrI, CrII, and CrIII. The two-coordinate CrII complex has also been used to prepare a three-coordinate CrIII iodide complex, which can be used to access a stable CrIII methyl species.
Quantitative studies of Bose-Einstein Condensation in a dilute atomic vapor

We observe Bose-Einstein condensation (BEC) in a dilute atomic gas cooled below 280 nK.87Rb atoms are optically trapped and pre-cooled, loaded into a magnetic trap, and then evaporatively cooled throughthe BEC phase transition. We present results of quantitative studies of condensate fraction, interaction strength, and excitations of the condensate in this system.
Theory of Tunneling Across Semiconductor Junctions

The theory of tunnel diodes is reviewed, and a method developed for calculating the direct tunneling current. The formulation follows Fredkin and Wanier, but since the crystal momentum representation is used, the final details resemble work of Keldysh and of Kane. The method is applicable when the field is not assumed constant throughout the junction region. The calculated transmission probability for an electron between states both sufficiently far from an energy extremum in the Brillouin zone agrees with the usual expressions; but in the case that either the initial or final state nears a band extremum, the transmission probability is found to go continuously to zero.
Racial and ethnic disparities in post-stroke depression detection.

Objectives Post-stroke depression (PSD) is common among stroke survivors and is associated with increased morbidity and mortality. Little is understood about racial/ethnic differences in PSD detection. This study assessed the racial/ethnic disparities in PSD detection in a national cohort of Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) acute stroke patients. Methods The study included VA patients who: received inpatient care for acute stroke within 2001; survived >60 days post-index hospitalization; had an index stay <365 days; and were confirmed VA healthcare enrollees. PSD was established if a patient had a depression diagnosis in VA or Medicare inpatient or outpatient files, or was dispensed an antidepressant with guideline recommended minimum daily dosage during the 12 months post stroke. A multivariate logistic regression model was fitted to estimate the effects of race/ethnicity on PSD detection, adjusting for sociodemographic and clinical factors. Results The study cohort (N = 5825) was comprised of 66% white, 22% black, 7% Hispanic, and 6% for all other racial/ethnic categories. Among these stroke patients, 39% had PSD. Black and ‘all other’ racial/ethnic categories were significantly less likely to be diagnosed with PSD than non-Hispanic whites, even adjusting for potential risk factors. Conclusion White, non-Hispanic VA acute stroke patients were more likely to be diagnosed with PSD, even controlling for sociodemographic and clinical characteristics. Whether these findings suggest racial/ethnic differences in symptom endorsement by patients or in symptom recognition by providers is not clear. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Short-term effects of an endotoxin on substantia nigra dopamine neurons

Abstract Inflammation has been implicated in the pathology of several neurodegenerative diseases, including Parkinson׳s disease (PD). Studies using the endotoxin lipopolysaccharide (LPS), a potent inflammogen, show that systemic insults can trigger prolonged microglial activation and pro-inflammatory cytokine production leading to degeneration of substantia nigra (SN) dopamine (DA) neurons, mimicking idiopathic PD. Because rapid effects of LPS on SN neurons had not been investigated previously, the focus of this study is to assess time-dependent alterations in SN neuroinflammation, DAergic neurons, and neuronal signaling cascades following LPS administration. LPS (5 mg/kg, i.p.) or saline (0.9% NaCl) was administered to 8-month-old male mice. At 3 h, 5 h, and 12 h post-injection, the morphology of the SN was assessed using antibodies directed against tyrosine hydroxylase (TH, DAergic marker), Iba-1 (pan-microglial marker), phospho-ERK, and phospho-CREB (signaling). LPS administration significantly reduced TH-immunoreactivity (ir) at all time-points with the greatest reduction observed at 12 h post-injection. Reduced TH-ir was accompanied by a significant increase in activated microglia at all time-points following LPS. By 12 h post-injection, LPS-treated mice exhibited activated as well as reactive microglia, which can result in neuronal damage. These data demonstrate that the initial reduction in TH-ir observed after an LPS injection was not concomitant with morphological alterations in microglial cells, even though a significant increase in phospho-ERK was observed in glial cells as soon as 3 h post-injection. It is possible that the initial alteration in DA phenotype (TH reduction) may perpetuate an inflammatory response that persists and leads to further DAergic damage.
LHD 8 Propulsion Machinery Control System Design and Integration

The LHD 8 machinery plant represents a significant departure from previous LHD class ships with a propulsion system that combines an LM2500+ and electric motor per shaft. The propulsion system integrates the first US Navy application of this gas turbine engine ultimately with the ship service electric plant. This complex system affords many advantages to the ship designers with respect to reconfigurability, survivability and maneuvering. However the design challenges the ability of the Machinery Control System (MCS) to maximize the effectiveness of this complex machinery plant. The MCS is a software-based distributed system utilizing a high bandwidth network. The system relies on the VME platform for control processing, data acquisition and operator control. The MCS design and architecture is presented. Decisions concerning network capabilities, distribution of control, and processing are considered. The impact of electric plant complexities upon the propulsion system requirements will also be addressed. The MCS architecture solution will describe LM2500+ integration issues with an electric motor.Copyright © 2006 by ASME
Studies of the kinetics of the interaction between N‐trifluoroacetlyl‐D‐tryptophan and α‐chymotrypsin by pulsed nuclear magnetic resonance

The Carr-Purcell experiment first used by Allerhand and Gutowsky for the determination of chemical exchange rates has been applied to the study of an enzyme inhibitor complex. Chemical shift and relaxation time data obtained by analysis of pulsed fluorine NMR data collected at 51 MHz are shown to be consistent with high resolution results assembled at 94° 1 MHz. The rate constants for dissociation of the N-trifluoroacetyl-D-tryptophan-α-chymotrypsin complex were determined to be 1 × 104 s−1 at 26°C and 2 × 103 s−1 at 6·5°C. The resonance position of the fluorine nuclei of the inhibitor is shifted downfield ∼1 ppm upon complexation to the enzyme, and the trifluoromethyl group suffers some restriction of molecular motion in the bound state as indicated by T1 and T2 data.
Inner-sphere mechanism for molecular oxygen reduction catalyzed by copper amine oxidases.

Copper and topaquinone (TPQ) containing amine oxidases utilize O2 for the metabolism of biogenic amines while concomitantly generating H2O2 for use by the cell. The mechanism of O2 reduction has be...
Formation and Characterization of Semiflexible Polymer Networks via Monte Carlo Simulations

The effect of chain stiffness and entanglements on deformation properties of end-linked networks was investigated using Monte Carlo simulations. Tetrafunctionally cross-linked monodisperse networks were prepared in the framework of the bond fluctuation model (BFM). The degree of entanglement in these networks was tuned by changing the initial polymer concentration at curing (Φ 0 ). The chain stiffness was controlled by using an adjustable bond angle bending potential. Continuum-space simulations of isotropic swelling and uniaxial deformation were carried out in isobaric and isostress ensembles, respectively. Both equilibrium swelling and stress-strain data indicate that the stiffer chain networks are more entangled, confirming previous simulation results on polymer melts. For such entangled networks, stiffer chains are associated with a higher elastic modulus and smaller equilibrium swelling; the opposite is true, however, for entanglement-free diamond networks. The elastic modulus determined from low-strain uniaxial deformations agrees with semitheoretical predictions for moderate chain stiffness, but not for very stiff chains. For the realistically cross-linked (and hence entangled) networks studied here, the theoretically predicted strain-induced discontinuous ordering transition was not observed, although the transition region becomes narrower for the least entangled networks made from the stiffest chains. Entanglement-free diamond networks do exhibit a discontinuous transition from a disordered state to a nematic-like state under uniaxial extension.
Enhanced neurite alignment on micro‐patterned poly‐L‐lactic acid films

The ability of the damaged central nervous system and peripheral nervous system to properly recover hinges on the regenerative mechanisms and functional reconnection to appropriate targets. Successful pathfinding of axons is controlled by a complex interplay of diffusible or substrate-bound biochemical and electrical cues. Physical guidance has also been shown to occur in vivo and in vitro, either via cell-cell or cell-extracellular matrix mediated contact. In the current study, we probe the role of contact guidance in facilitating neural regeneration and pathfinding. Using soft lithographic techniques, we have created thin films of poly-L-lactic acid polymer (PLLA) possessing periodic features approaching the nanometer regime. Rat PC-12 cells and chick sympathetic neurons were subsequently cultured onto these substrates and parameters, such as neurite emergence and orientation angle, neurite length, and neuronal architecture are characterized. Our results reveal that both PC-12 and chick sympathetic neurites can be effectively guided by unidirectional grooves as small as 100 nm in height and 1 microm in width. Moreover, sympathetic cells produced neurites that were longer on patterned substrata than on controls. The development of novel degradable micro/nanopatterned substrates for cell study will permit more in-depth analysis of contact mediated guidance mechanisms in addition to having applications in neural and tissue engineering.
Radiopharmaceuticals for studying cardiac metabolism.

(1) Metabolism is the link between myocardial blood flow and physiological performance of the heart. (2) Metabolic myocardial radiopharmaceuticals have the potential to identify metabolic alterations unique to a given intrinsic cardiac disease (e.g. cardiomyopathies), to assess acute metabolic changes or in delineating a specific chronic metabolic defect (e.g. coronary artery disease). (3) Two approaches can be employed to evaluate in vivo myocardial utilization of subtracts: (a) use of radiolabeled "physiologic" substrates e.g. positron emitting 11C-palmitic acid was successfully employed for assessing the in vivo metabolic sequelae of myocardial ischemia, infarction and cardiomyopathies, and (b) use of modified tracers which enter known metabolic pathways. However, because of their unique structure, metabolism of the tracer stops at a certain state thus leaving the radiolabel trapped in the cell, e.g. [18F]FDG for measuring glucose metabolic rate in the human brain and myocardium. (4) Among the radiopharmaceuticals for planar and single photon tomography, the para and the ortho isomers of 123I-phenyl iodoheptadecanoic acids and their beta-methyl derivatives are the most promising tracers for myocardial metabolic studies. (5) Ortho-(123I-phenyl)-pentadecanoic acid (o-IPPA) human myocardial uptake was rapidly and markedly elevated in well perfused segments; myocardial turnover was strikingly prolonged, suggesting some "trapping" phenomenon, resulting in excellent scintigrams. This is in contrast to the relatively shorter clearance of the para isomer from the myocardium. (6) 11C-Palmitic acid and [18F]FDG are the most widely used for PET scanning for following myocardial metabolism. The most important clinical application of these agents is predicting viability of ischemic myocardium. (7) A significant proportion of fixed perfusion defects seen on thallium studies can be demonstrated to be viable myocardium on PET scans using metabolic agents. If the markers of perfusion alone are relied on to assess tissue viability, the extent of salvageable myocardium may be underestimated. The demonstration of myocardial viability is crucial in the decision of the optimal treatment of the disease.
Thomas More on Inquisitorial Due Process

In two treatises of 1533, Christopher St German accused the English bishops of grossly unjust prosecution of heresy suspects. Thomas More vigorously defended the prelates in his Apology and Debellation of Salem. Modern historians have concluded that St German had the better of the dispute, judging that he was only wanting fair trials for suspects, with More countering that this would flood the land with heretics. In fact, More asserted that the bishops consistently followed the requirements of canon law for criminal procedure in ex officio (inquisitorial) trials, notably the need for at least two witnesses, whose identity and testimony were to be made known to the defendant. More repeatedly challenged St. German to give historical instances of episcopal violations of these canons over the past century. A review of English heresy proceedings in the present article confirms More's judgment of the bishops’ adherence to due process. The 1534 Heresy Act with its insistence on two witnesses added nothing to the canonical procedure already observed.
Split-face comparison of the erbium micropeel with intense pulsed light

Background A variety of photorejuvenative techniques have been utilized to reverse the signs of cutaneous photoaging, including ablative and nonablative laser resurfacing as well as light-based devices. Objective The purpose of this split-face randomized prospective open-label trial was to determine the effectiveness of sequential erbium:yttrium-aluminum-garnet (Er:YAG) laser versus intense pulsed light (IPL) for the treatment of mild to moderate facial photodamage. Materials and methods Ten subjects (ages 35-63) with facial dyschromia and rhytides were enrolled. Study patients were randomized to the two treatment arms, Er:YAG (3.8 J/cm(2), 30% pattern overlap, 0% interpulse overlap, 15 microm per pass with no coagulation) and IPL (560-nm filter, 30 J/cm(2), 2.4/4.0-ms pulse with 10-ms delay), each receiving three sequential treatments spaced 1 month apart. Subjective and blinded physician evaluations were performed at baseline and 4, 8, and 20 weeks posttreatment using a nominal scale from 1 to 4. Erythema and adverse events were assessed 1 week following each treatment. Results Ten female subjects with mild to moderate facial photodamage were treated with one pass of either IPL or Er:YAG in a split-face fashion. Patients received three treatments each spaced 1 month apart. Nine of 10 patients completed the trial; 1 withdrew due to pain during the second Er:YAG treatment. Baseline subjective and blinded physician dyschromia and rhytid scores revealed no significant difference between the IPL and Er:YAG randomly assigned sides. Up to three IPL or Er:YAG treatments did not result in a significant improvement in rhytid scores. Subjective and blinded physician dyschromia scores improved 26 and 38%, respectively, 3 months after the final IPL treatment, but only by 7 and 29%, respectively, with Er:YAG. Subjective global facial appearance scores worsened by 5% while blinded physician scores improved by 16% 3 months after 3 Er:YAG treatments, but by 28 and 20% for IPL, respectively. The overall incidence of adverse events and subsequent downtime was increased for Er:YAG (1/10 patients experienced hyperpigmentation, 3/10 exfoliation, 1/10 blistering, and 5/10 discomfort) compared to IPL (1/10 exfoliation and 1/10 discomfort), although no permanent side effects were observed with either treatment arm. Conclusions While low-fluence erbium resurfacing has a modest effect on facial photodamage, patients preferred IPL because it resulted in less downtime. The authors have indicated no significant interest with commercial supporters.
Microstructure, composition and oxidation resistance of nanostructured NiAl and Ni–Al–N coatings produced by magnetron sputtering

Abstract Nanostructured NiAl and Ni–Al–N thin films were RF magnetron sputtered from a NiAl compound target in different argon–nitrogen atmospheres. The structure and stoichiometry of as-deposited coatings were studied using X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Differential thermal analysis (DTA) was also conducted to study the oxidation kinetics of the films at high temperatures. Microstructural and compositional changes of the coatings after isothermal oxidation were investigated using XRD, SEM, and Rutherford backscattering spectrometry (RBS). The results show that: (1) denser and more completely crystallized Ni–Al–N thin films can be tailored through controlled ion bombardment during deposition, (2) nano-composite NiAl–AlN thin films were synthesized with nitrogen atomic concentrations up to 30%, and (3) the NiAl and Ni–Al–N coatings exhibited good oxidation resistance even at temperatures above 1273 K. The addition of AlN to NiAl resulted in decreased activation energies for oxidation. The oxidation study also revealed different rate controlling mechanisms for NiAl and Ni–Al–N (21.4 at.% N) films isothermally oxidized in air at 1273 K.
Damage assessment of structures using static test data

An analytical method is presented for identifying the properties of structural elements from static test data. A set of static forces is applied to a set of degrees of freedom (DOF) and displacements are measured at another set of DOF. Utilizing this analytical method, the structural element stiffnesses are identified using the applied forces and measured displacements. This method is capable of determining changes in structural element stiffnesses, including element failure. The identified cross-sectional properties of the structural elements can be used for damage assessment and to determine the structure's load-carrying capacity.
A Review of Mathematical Methods in Sociometry

Current mathematical and computer methods for the analysis of group and organizational structures of communication and evaluation are reviewed. Sociometric data collection, the detection of cliques and subgroups, sociometric index construction, and computer methods in sociometry are discussed. Clique detection methods are classified as either linkage methods, in which sociometric data are treated as a linear graph, or as distance methods, in which data are treated as a configuration of points in a space. Several linkage and distance analysis methods are discussed and compared. It is suggested that some of the methods of numerical taxonomy could be applied to the analysis of group and organizational structures.
State Fiscal Responses to Welfare Reform during Recessions: Lessons for the Future

The 1996 welfare reform transformed open-ended matching grants to states to fixed block grants. This article considers whether, given the new regime, states will be able and willing to meet the need for public assistance during recessions. The accumulation of large balances of unspent federal welfare funds helped states weather the first year or so of the current recession without having to cut programs for needy families. While new fiscal rules promoted positive reform during a period of economic prosperity, they may be leaving states and their most vulnerable citizens at serious risk as the economic and fiscal slowdown continues.
Studies on the genus Leeuwenia Karny

Abstract The world species of Leeuwenia Karnya are reviewed with keys to the genera of the tribe Leeuwenini Priesner as well as to the various species of Leeuwenia. A new genus Takahashia and two species of Leeuwenia—L. vorax, sp. nov., and L. ramakrishnae nom. nov. (=L. karnyi Ramakrishna) are described.
Prospects for GRB detection with HAWC scalers

Abstract The High Altitude Water Cherenkov (HAWC) experiment is a high energy gamma ray observatory which is currently under construction in the Sierra Negra, Mexico, at an altitude of 4100 m. It will detect gamma-ray induced atmospheric particle showers on the ground. The water Cherenkov particle detection technique allows for full day observations of a large fraction of the sky. HAWC is the successor of Milagro. Because of the higher altitude, size and improved detector design, the sensitivity of HAWC will be ≈15× higher than the sensitivity of Milagro. Besides a triggered data acquisition system (DAQ) searching for individual air shower events, a scaler DAQ counting all signals in the HAWC photomultiplier tubes (PMTs) above a fixed threshold is available. The large sky coverage of about 1.5 sr and high duty cycle of HAWC increases its detection potential for transient sources like gamma ray bursts (GRBs). The sensitive energy range of the scaler DAQ overlaps at low energies with the energy range of the Large Area Telescope (LAT) aboard the Fermi satellite. We demonstrate that GRBs with a high energy spectral component ( E γ ≳ 30 GeV) seen by the LAT are also visible for the HAWC scaler DAQ. The properties of the GRB spectra at high energies provide information about e ± -pair attenuation inside of GRB jets, extra-galactic background light (EBL) absorption and the maximum energy to which particles can be accelerated in GRBs.
Low Allele Frequency of ADH1B∗47His in West China and Different ADH1B Haplotypes in Western and Eastern Asia

To the Editor: In their Letter to the Editor, Borinskaya et al.1 provide valuable new data and comments on our previous paper2 on the geographic distribution of the ADH1B∗47His allele. They believe that some of the previously published data we included are anomalous and probably the result of typing errors. They present new data to support their conclusion. We agree with this, because the best way to identify anomalous or erroneous gene-frequency data is to type additional relevant population samples, as Borinskaya et al.
Improved efficiency of betanin-based dye-sensitized solar cells

Abstract An improved separation technique employing medium pressure liquid chromatography is used to purify betanin from beet root for use as a sensitizer in a TiO2-based dye-sensitized solar cell. The use of a blocking layer and treatment by TiCl4 were explored in order to optimize the performance of the solar cell, resulting in energy conversion efficiencies as high as 2.7%, the highest yet recorded for a DSSC containing a single unmodified natural dye sensitizer. The fluorescence spectrum of betanin in aqueous solution is reported as a function of added colloidal TiO2, demonstrating efficient electron injection. Quenching of betanin fluorescence by TiO2 permits the observation of its resonance Raman spectrum, reported here for the first time and discussed in light of recent theoretical work on the electronic structure of betanin. We report the results of stability tests under continuous illumination and suggest ways to extend the lifetime of these solar cells.
Magnetization time decay in particulate media

We report on magnetization time decay data on several commercial and experimental tapes (γ-Fe 2 O 3 , Co-doped, and Co-Cr) measured at room temperature between 1s and 104s. We found that the decay of the magnetization with time does not follow a simple log t relation. We analyze our data with an empirical model which allows one to relate values of coercive field, H c , obtained with a 60 Hz B-H looper, to that measured with a slow VSM field cycle. The methodology we have developed appears to have promise as a means of correlating data over ten orders of magnitude of time from 10-6s to 104s.
Rational Univariate Reduction via toric resultants

We describe algorithms for solving a given system of multivariate polynomial equations via the Rational Univariate Reduction (RUR). We compute the RUR from the toric resultant of the input system. Our algorithms derandomize several of the choices made in similar prior algorithms. We also propose a new derandomized algorithm for solving an overdetermined system. Finally, we analyze the computational complexity of the algorithm, and discuss its implementation and performance.
Assay of anti-anginal agents. I. A curve analysis with multiple control periods.

The measure of an anti-anginal agent is its ability to decrease chest pain. Because of the subjective character of pain, extreme care is necessary in choosing patients upon whom anti-anginal medication is to be tested. We have used the double-blind technic and an initial control period to neutralize the many extraneous mental and physical factors, such as bias or the patient-physician relationship itself, that might interfere with an accurate appraisal. This study shows, in addition, that proper evaluation of an anti-anginal agent requires that its effect be measured against multiple control periods without medication throughout the various phases of angina pectoris.
A Component-Based Framework for Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics Simulations of Reactive Fluid Flow in Porous Media

The development of a framework to support smoothed particle hydrodynamics SPH simulations of fluid flow and transport in porous media is described. The framework is built using the Common Component Architecture CCA toolkit and it supports SPH simulations using a variety of different SPH models and setup formats. The SPH simulation code is decomposed into independent components that represent self-contained units of functionality. Different physics models can be developed within the framework by re-implementing key components but no modification of other components is required. A model for defining components and developing abstract interfaces that support a high degree of modularity and minimal dependencies between components is discussed in detail.
Characterization of the convulsant action of pregnenolone sulfate.

Abstract Pregnenolone sulfate (PS) is an endogenous neurosteroid synthesized by glial cells, which acts as a potent convulsant when injected intracerebroventricularly and intraperitoneally. PS is found in relatively high concentrations in the hippocampus. But its convulsant action in the hippocampus has not been characterized. A range of PS doses were infused directly into the right hippocampus of 42 rats, which were subsequently monitored for behavioral and electrographic seizures. At the highest dose (4 μmol), PS produced status epilepticus (SE) and severe behavioral convulsions. As the dose of PS was reduced, the fraction of rats having SE diminished (ED50 for SE=2.7 μmol). At doses lower than 300 nmol, PS infusion produced discrete electrographic seizures (ED50=68 nmol) associated with mild behavioral seizures. Both the behavioral seizure score (BSS) and the total number of seizures during the observation period changed in a dose-dependant manner. In separate experiments in cultured hippocampal neurons, PS enhanced NMDA-evoked whole-cell currents (EC50=16 μM). The results demonstrate that the hippocampus is highly sensitive to the convulsant effects of PS and that the enhancement of NMDA currents could contribute to the convulsant action of PS.
Factors affecting the reliability and precision of the spectroscopic determination of vitamin A

By means of simple statistical methods the effects of technique, laboratory equipment, solvents, temperature, and instruments on the precision and accuracy of the determination of the extinction coefficient at 328 mµ of fish liver oils are outlined. Methyl, ethyl, propyl and butyl alcohols give successively lower E-values. As the temperature increases, Beckman spectrophotometers tend to give lower values. The cells used to hold the solutions to be measured need to be individually checked. No suitable standards for spectrophotometers are yet available, but potassium nitrate, potassium chromate, and Bureau of Standard glasses are useful. By careful observance of all the variations discussed the determination of the E-value may be made with considerable precision; the value of σ, the standard deviation, is 0.22%.
Premotor and motor reaction time as a function of movement extent .

The effects of variations in extent of movement on fractionated reaction times (RTs) were studied in 18 male Ss. The means of total RT, premotor RT and motor RT (Weiss, 1965) did not change significantly under the two treatment conditions involving variations in extent of elbow flexion in response to a visual stimulus. These results supported earlier work of Brown and Slater-Hammel (1949), but apparently conflicted with recent data reported by Williams (1971). A differential effect of practice on the two tasks was identified and postulated as a possible factor contributing to the conflict among previous research findings.