cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Response to simulated traffic signals using light-emitting diode and incandescent sources

Simulated light-emitting diode (LED) traffic signals of different luminances were evaluated relative to incandescent signals of the same nominal color and at the luminances required by the specifications of the Institute of Transportation Engineers. Measurements were made of the reaction times to onset and the number of missed signals for red, yellow, and green incandescent and LED signals. Measurements also were made of subjects' ability to correctly identify signal colors and of their subjective brightness and conspicuity ratings. All measurements were made under simulated daytime conditions. There were no significant differences in mean reaction time, percentage of missed signals, color identification, or subjective brightness and conspicuity ratings between simulated incandescent and LED signals of the same nominal color and luminance. Higher luminances were needed for the yellow and green signal colors to ensure that they produced the same reaction time, the same percentage of missed signals, and the same rated brightness and conspicuity as a red signal at a given luminance. Equations fitted to the reaction time data, the missed signals data, and the brightness and conspicuity ratings for the LED signals can be used to make quantitative predictions of the consequences of proposed changes in signal luminance for reaction time, brightness, and conspicuity.
American Indians and the Politics of Recognition: Soifer on Law, Pluralism, and Group Identity

As the 20th century draws to a close, Americans find themselves in a bit of a crisis: not quite sure who they are, not quite sure why it matters, but sensing a void in identity and place. America is, after all, largely a society of immigrants. First-grade classroom teachers call on students to tell about their family "heritage," most often derivative of other places-England, Ireland, Italy, Iran, Germany, Japan. By fifth or sixth grade, however, history and social studies classes focus on our common heritage as "Americans" and emphasize our "American" values, such as liberty, democracy, and equality. The "melting pot" ideology of a century ago, which held out promise and opportunity to every immigrant, continues. Or so we are told. On college applications, prospective students are required to check boxes describing ethnicity. Minority student associations on college campuses struggle with definitions of "Hispanic" or "Black" and divide over whether to admit students of other ethnicities to membership. Voters are asked to identify themselves as residents of a certain state and members of a particular political party. Community groups fume over redistricting decisions that would dilute the minority vote or, alternatively, give minority groups a vote. It seems that group identity and differences are important, after all. And certainly, America would be out of the global mainstream not
Circulating methemoglobin and nitrite/nitrate concentrations as indicators of nitric oxide overproduction in critically ill children with septic shock

ObjectivesTo examine the relationship between circulating methemoglobin and nitrite/nitrate concentrations and to compare these markers of nitric oxide overproduction with clinical variables in children diagnosed with septic shock.DesignProspective, controlled, clinical study.SettingPediatric intens
Random forest classification of etiologies for an orphan disease

Classification of objects into pre-defined groups based on known information is a fundamental problem in the field of statistics. Although approaches for solving this problem exist, finding an accurate classification method can be challenging in an orphan disease setting, where data are minimal and often not normally distributed. The purpose of this paper is to illustrate the application of the random forest (RF) classification procedure in a real clinical setting and discuss typical questions that arise in the general classification framework as well as offer interpretations of RF results. This paper includes methods for assessing predictive performance, importance of predictor variables, and observation-specific information.
Physico-chemical characterization of NF/RO membrane active layers by Rutherford backscattering spectrometry

The physico-chemical properties of the active layer of nanofiltration/reverse osmosis (NF/RO) membranes were characterized by Rutherford backscattering spectrometry (RBS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). NF/RO membranes with active layer materials including polyamide (PA), polyvinyl alcohol derivative (PVA), PA–PVA, and sulfonated-polyethersulfone (SPES) were investigated. SEM and TEM images of membrane cross-sections confirmed the presence of a denser active layer supported by an asymmetric porous polysulfone structure but could only provide a rough estimate of membrane active layer average thickness. RBS provided an accurate tool to determine the elemental composition of NF/RO membrane active and support layers, and the thickness and roughness of the membrane active layer. The oxygen-to-nitrogen molecular ratio obtained for PA membranes was in the range of 1.1–3.0, which is consistent with the reported presence of unreacted carboxyl groups in the active layer surface of this type of membranes.
Active Site and Laminarin Binding in Glycoside Hydrolase Family 55

The Carbohydrate Active Enzyme (CAZy) database indicates that glycoside hydrolase family 55 (GH55) contains both endo- and exo-β-1,3-glucanases. The founding structure in the GH55 is PcLam55A from the white rot fungus Phanerochaete chrysosporium (Ishida, T., Fushinobu, S., Kawai, R., Kitaoka, M., Igarashi, K., and Samejima, M. (2009) Crystal structure of glycoside hydrolase family 55 β-1,3-glucanase from the basidiomycete Phanerochaete chrysosporium. J. Biol. Chem. 284, 10100–10109). Here, we present high resolution crystal structures of bacterial SacteLam55A from the highly cellulolytic Streptomyces sp. SirexAA-E with bound substrates and product. These structures, along with mutagenesis and kinetic studies, implicate Glu-502 as the catalytic acid (as proposed earlier for Glu-663 in PcLam55A) and a proton relay network of four residues in activating water as the nucleophile. Further, a set of conserved aromatic residues that define the active site apparently enforce an exo-glucanase reactivity as demonstrated by exhaustive hydrolysis reactions with purified laminarioligosaccharides. Two additional aromatic residues that line the substrate-binding channel show substrate-dependent conformational flexibility that may promote processive reactivity of the bound oligosaccharide in the bacterial enzymes. Gene synthesis carried out on ∼30% of the GH55 family gave 34 active enzymes (19% functional coverage of the nonredundant members of GH55). These active enzymes reacted with only laminarin from a panel of 10 different soluble and insoluble polysaccharides and displayed a broad range of specific activities and optima for pH and temperature. Application of this experimental method provides a new, systematic way to annotate glycoside hydrolase phylogenetic space for functional properties. Background: SacteLam55A is a GH55 enzyme from highly cellulolytic Streptomyces sp. SirexAA-E. Results: Substrate-bound structures identify residues involved in binding, catalysis, enforcement of reaction specificity, and possibly processivity. Conclusion: Natural GH55 are exo-β-1,3-glucanases with a broad range of temperature and pH optima. Significance: Experimental annotation of GH phylogenetic space by use of bioinformatics, high throughput cell-free translation, biochemical assay, and structure determination is feasible.
THE SOCIAL DETERMINANTS OF GUN OWNERSHIP: SELF‐PROTECTION IN AN URBAN ENVIRONMENT

Based on a survey of 539 residents of Cincinnati, this study assesses various explanations of gun ownership. The analysis reveals that gender and childhood socialization into a gun culture are significantly related to protective and general (or ''sport'') firearm possession. In contrast, only protective gun ownership appears to be linked to crime-related factors. Conservative crime ideology and concern about the relative level of crime in one's neighborhood increase armament for defensive purposes, while informal collective security-the belief that neighbors will provide assistance against criminal victimization-reduces protective gun ownership.
Right Temporal Lobe Meningioma presenting as postpartum depression: A case report

Abstract Meningiomas are tumors which arise from arachnoid cells and can occur both in the brain and spinal cord. Meningiomas can present with psychiatric symptoms (such as depression, anxiety disorders, or personality changes) in the absence of any neurologic signs or symptoms. Literature review also shows few cases of postpartum depression seen in association with Frontal Lobe Meningiomas. Authors in this article present a unique case of Right Temporal Lobe Meningioma in a patient, who presented with chief complaint of postpartum depression. This presentation has never been reported to date. Routine use of neuroimaging in the evaluation of new onset psychiatric disorders has always been controversial but this case clearly underscores the value of a detailed history, careful physical examination, and consideration of other diagnostic studies in patients presenting for psychiatric evaluation. This case also provides an opportunity for clinical departments to improve and redefine its protocols and management strategies.
Evaluation of cyclic voltammetry for accelerated corrosion life tests of the PbO2 electrode

Abstract Cyclic voltammetry, electrochemical measurements at constant potential, and metallography were used to follow the anodic activity of chill-cast and wrought pure Pb and ternary PbCaSn alloys as well as cast and wrought PbSb. Cyclic voltammetry showed the formation of irreversible PbO 2 during a 1000 cycle test and also brought to light a diffusion or barrier-limited process during the cathodic discharge of calcium-containing alloys. Constant potential measurements could be correlated with corrosion behavior. The relative anodic activity was ranked for all samples tested. In general, chill-cast material showed less anodic activity than wrought materials, and ternary alloys less than pure lead, although in some cases the difference was very small.
Corticotropin-releasing factor receptors in rat pituitary gland: autoradiographic localization.

Abstract Corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) receptors were localized in rat pituitary gland by an in vitro labeling light microscopic autoradiographic technique using the radioiodinate ovine CRF analog, [Nle21, 125I-Tyr32]-CRF. Our data confirms the existence of CRF receptors in anterior pituitary and demonstrates the presence of specific CRF binding sites in the intermediate lobe of rat pituitary. The distribution of CRF binding sites closely resembles the clustering of corticotrophs in anterior lobe and the uniform distribution of opiomelanocortin-producing cells in the intermediate pituitary. These results suggest that endogenous CRF plays a physiological role in regulating secretion of pro-opiomelanocortin-derived peptides from both anterior and intermediate lobes of rat pituitary.
The Paramagnetic Susceptibility of Copper-Nickel and Zinc-Nickel Alloys

Alloys of nickel were prepared with 0 to 60 percent copper or 0 to 30 percent zinc. Their susceptibilities above their Curie temperatures were measured as a function of the temperatures using a Weiss-Fo\"ex magnetic balance at a field of 11,000. Plots of $\frac{1}{\ensuremath{\chi}}$ against $T$ showed that the Curie-Weiss law holds only in restricted ranges of temperature, the curve becoming concave towards the $T$ axis at high temperatures, especially for the alloys of low nickel content. The susceptibility at a given temperature decreases less rapidly than linearly with percent copper or zinc added. These results are discussed from the points of view of the Heisenberg and the Bloch models.
In Vivo Studies of HDL Assembly and Metabolism Using Adenovirus-Mediated Transfer of ApoA-I Mutants in ApoA-I-Deficient Mice†

We have used adenovirus-mediated gene transfer in apoA-I-deficient (A-I-/-) mice to probe the in vivo assembly and metabolism of HDL using apoA-I variants, focusing primarily on the role of the C-terminal 32 amino acids (helices 9−10). Lipid, lipoprotein, and apoA-I analyses showed that plasma levels of apoA-I and HDL of the mutants were 40−88% lower than that of wild type (WT) human apoA-I despite comparable levels of expression in the liver. WT apoA-I and mutant 1 (P165A, E172A) formed spherical particles with the size and density of HDL2 and HDL3. Mutant 2 (E234A, E235A, K238A, K239A) generated spherical particles with density between HDL2 and HDL3. Mutant 3 (L211V, L214V, L218V, L219V) and mutant 4 (L222K, F225K, F229K), which have substitutions of hydrophobic residues in the C-terminus, generated discoidal HDL particles indicating a defect in their conversion to mature spherical HDL. Significant amounts of mutant 4 and mutant 5 (truncated at residue 219) were found in the lipid poor fractions after u...
Quantitative studies of Mn2+-promoted specific and non-specific cleavages of a large RNA: Mn2+-GAAA ribozymes and the evolution of small ribozymes

Manganese (Mn2+) promotes specific cleavage at two major (I and III) and four minor (II, IV, V and VI) sites, in addition to slow non-specific cleavage, in a 659-nucleotide RNA containing the Cr.LSU group I intron. The specific cleavages occurred between G and AAA sequences and thus can be considered Mn2+-GAAA ribozymes. We have estimated rates of specific and non-specific cleavages under different conditions. Comparisons of the rates of major-specific and background cleavages gave a maximal specificity of approximately 900 for GAAA cleavage. Both specific and non-specific cleavages showed hyperbolic kinetics and there was no evidence of cooperativity with Mn2+ concentration. Interestingly, at site III, Mg2+ alone promoted weak, but the same specific cleavage as Mn2+. When added with Mn2+, Mg2+ had a synergistic effect on cleavage at site III, but inhibited cleavage at the other sites. Mn2+ cleavage at site III also exhibited lower values of K (Mn2+ requirement), pH-dependency and activation energy than did cleavage at the other sites. In contrast, the pH-dependency and activation energy for cleavage at site I was similar to non-specific cleavage. These results increase our understanding of the Mn2+-GAAA ribozyme. The implications for evolution of small ribozymes are also discussed.
Cutting energy characteristics of Miscanthus x giganteus stems with varying oblique angle and cutting speed

Previous studies highlighted the need to develop efficient harvesting and size reduction equipment for miscanthus. This study investigated the effect of blade oblique angles and cutting speeds on cutting energy. Cutting blade speed, before and after severing a single miscanthus stem, was used to calculate the cutting energy. The cutting energy was determined at three oblique angles and three cutting speeds. A 60° oblique angle cut required the least energy to cut miscanthus stems averaging about 7.6 J whilst a 30° oblique cut averaged 8.7 J and a straight cut averaged 10.1 J. In general, the 60° oblique cut performed best since it required average lowest specific energy (energy per unit of stem diameter) of 741.9 J m−1 at an average cutting speed of 12.9 m s−1. The specific cutting energy was directly proportional to the cutting speed and cutting energy was proportional to the stem diameter. The results indicate that optimisation of cutting speed and blade oblique angle will result in significant energy savings and increased efficiency of miscanthus harvesting machinery.
Tools and techniques for rapid porting

Each of the four presentations in this special topic session focused on issues that arise in porting an information extraction system to a new domain or on specific tools that are used to accomplish this task.
Meson bound states in an SU(N) scalar model

Abstract A four-dimensional SU ( N ) model of scalar “quarks”, “antiquarks”, and “gluons” whose large- N structure closely resembles that of two-dimensional planar QCD is presented. The dominant self-energy and ladder diagrams in this model are summed to leading order in 1/ N . The Schwinger-Dyson equation for the “quark” propagator is solved for the propagator's spectral representation. The mass spectrum for “quark-antiquark” mesons is then numerically calculated from the Bethe-Salpeter equation. The large- N results are compared with bound state predictions from lowest-order perturbation theory and the Schrodinger equation in the nonrelativistic limit. The nonperturbative and perturbative spectra are found to differ significantly in the strongly interacting sector of the model.
Temporal aggregate size distributions from simulation of platelet aggregation and disaggregation

A modification of the Smoluchowski collision theory for platelet aggregation is proposed with additional kinetic terms to accommodate observed disaggregation behavior. This model, consisting of a set of coupled, nonlinear, first-order differential equations, approximates size distributions with time for normal human platelets in plasma after the addition of a stimulus. Parameters controlling the kinetics of the formation and breakup of aggregates are numerically investigated. The aggregation coefficient, predominant during the aggregation phase, is strongly dependent on both time and aggregating agent doses. For the disaggregation phase, the disaggregation rate constants are a function of aggregate size, with a time-dependent disaggregation coefficient. Numerical results generated by the model are compared with experimental volume-size distribution curves from the literature.
Highly sensitive gas sensors on low-cost nanostructured polymer substrates

SnO2 thin-film gas sensors have been successfully fabricated on nanospiked polyurethane polymer surfaces, which are replicated by a low-cost soft nanolithography method from silicon nanospike structures formed with femtosecond laser irradiations. Measurements revealed significant response to carbon monoxide (CO) gas at room temperature, which is considerably different from the sensors of SnO2 thin films coated on smooth surfaces that show no response to CO gas at room temperature. The high area/volume ratio and sharp structures of the nanospikes enhance the sensitivity of SnO2 at room temperature. This will greatly decrease the electrical power consumption of the gas sensor and the cost for calibrations, and has great potential for application in other sensing systems.
Diffusion control during synthesis of a supported organozirconium polymerization catalyst

The uptake of tetra(neophyl)zirconium by alumina during the synthesis of a highly active olefin polymerization catalyst was measured using infrared spectroscopy. The results are consistent with a model of the synthesis process where diffusion of the organozirconium compound down the pores of the support past the saturated surface is rate controlling. Using measured and estimated values for the parameters of the model, agreement with the data to within an order of magnitude was found. The model explains several observed features of this type of catalyst, including the dependence of catalyst activity on pore structure.
Increasing the IT Knowledge of Indiana High Schools

The purpose of this project is focused on enhancing the information technology knowledge and skills of Indiana high school teachers and their students in the biology, chemistry, physics, mathematics, computer science, and technology education disciplines. More specifically, this project focuses on information technology knowledge and skills in two areas critical to the Indiana economy: advanced manufacturing and biotechnology. Finally, this project focuses on basic IT knowledge and skills common and prerequisite to both of the specialty areas with a unique emphasis on information security, a specialized area that is becoming increasingly more important.
Serendipitous learning: learning beyond the predefined label space

Most traditional supervised learning methods are developed to learn a model from labeled examples and use this model to classify the unlabeled ones into the same label space predefined by the models. However, in many real world applications, the label spaces for both the labeled/training and unlabeled/testing examples can be different. To solve this problem, this paper proposes a novel notion of Serendipitous Learning (SL), which is defined to address the learning scenarios in which the label space can be enlarged during the testing phase. In particular, a large margin approach is proposed to solve SL. The basic idea is to leverage the knowledge in the labeled examples to help identify novel/unknown classes, and the large margin formulation is proposed to incorporate both the classification loss on the examples within the known categories, as well as the clustering loss on the examples in unknown categories. An efficient optimization algorithm based on CCCP and the bundle method is proposed to solve the optimization problem of the large margin formulation of SL. Moreover, an efficient online learning method is proposed to address the issue of large scale data in online learning scenario, which has been shown to have a guaranteed learning regret. An extensive set of experimental results on two synthetic datasets and two datasets from real world applications demonstrate the advantages of the proposed method over several other baseline algorithms. One limitation of the proposed method is that the number of unknown classes is given in advance. It may be possible to remove this constraint if we model it by using a non-parametric way. We also plan to do experiments on more real world applications in the future.
Optimal design of a composite-material plate to maximize its fundamental frequency

Abstract A rationale is presented for determining the optimal laminate design for a thin plate consisting of multiple layers of equi-thickness composite material. The optimal design criterion is maximization of the fundamental frequency of small-amplitude, free flexural vibration. The rationale is applied to simply supported rectangular plates of carbon-fiberre-inforced plastic (CFRP) as a function of plate aspect ratio. Furthermore, comparative optimal frequency data are given for plates of three practically important plate aspect ratios and laminated of four unidirectional filament-reinforced composite materials: all having epoxy matrices and fibers of boron (BFRP), carbon (CFRP), glass (GFRP) and organic fiber (OFRP).
Carbon Monoxide in Rainwater

Concentrations of carbon monoxide in rainwater collected at widely diverse locations show up to a 200-fold supersaturation relative to the partial pressure of the gas in the atmosphere. These results indicate the existence of an additional natural source of carbon monoxide not heretofore considered. Production of carbon monoxide in clouds is tentatively attributed to the photochemical oxidation of organic matter or the slight dissociation of carbon dioxide induced by electrical discharges, or both. Methane concentrations measured in the same rainwater show that the partitioning of this gas, unlike that of carbon monoxide, is very close to a state of equilibrium.
The role of cystourethroscopy in patients with previous pelvic surgery

Abstract Objectives: 1) To determine the frequency of lower urinary tract injury (LUTI) in patients with previous pelvic surgery and 2) to evaluate the role of routine cystourethroscopy (CUS) in these patients. Materials and Methods: The records of all women who had previous pelvic surgery without a documented intraoperative cystoscopy who later underwent postoperative office CUS at Montefiore Medical Center between January 1999 and May 2000 were retrospectively reviewed. All patients underwent a detailed urogynecologic history and physical examination, urine analysis, and urine culture. All patients then underwent routine office CUS. Results: Sixty-seven patients met the inclusion criteria. All but one had their primary surgery at other institutions. The mean age was 64 (range, 54–77). Previous surgical procedures included 35 abdominal hysterectomies, 5 vaginal hysterectomies, 1 hysteropexy, 9 suburethral slings, 10 anterior colporrhaphies, 2 retropubic suspensions, and 15 bladder repairs. The cystourethroscopic diagnoses were as follows: 54 with atrophic urethritis, 14 with interstitial cystitis, and 2 with intravesical sutures. The rate of LUTI was 3% (95% CI 0.2,7). Conclusions: The rate of LUTI is low. The use of CUS is essential to appropriate diagnosis and treatment for patients with lower urinary tract injury consequent to pelvic surgery. We suggest routine intraoperative CUS for patients undergoing pelvic surgery. Prospective studies are warranted.
A Most Convenient and Atom-Economic Preparation of a Highly Active Ring-Closing Metathesis Catalyst

A new olefin metathesis catalyst has been prepared in situ by a one-step method utilizing an easy-to-prepare organic precursor and only 1 equiv of tricyclohexylphosphine ligand per ruthenium atom. The activity of the new catalytic system for the formation of five-, six-, and seven-membered disubstituted cycloalkenes via ring-closing metathesis under standard conditions is comparable to that of related highly active commercial catalysts.
Thermal stability of high performance poly(aryl ether sulfones) : structure/reactivity relationships in the pyrolysis of oligomeric model compounds

The model oligomers 2,2-bis[[4-(phenylsulfonyl)phenoxy]phenyl] propane (ISO) and 4,4'-bis[4-(phenylsulfonyl)phenoxy]-1,1'-biphenyl (BP) were reacted neat in argon at 425°C to compare the thermal stability of poly(aryl ether sulfones). Sulfur dioxide was the major gas product, BP generating a slightly higher evolution rate. The weight-average molecular weight increased with reaction time for both oligomers, but after 60 min, the rate of increase was higher for BP. A quantitative molecular level explanation of these observations focuses on the reactive isopropylidene link in ISO. Fission of the weak Ph-SO 2 -Ph bond produces phenyl radicals that abstract hydrogen and add to the oligomer backbone. The latter reaction results in increases in M w and a net weakening of the aryl-SO 2 bond, which leads to increased rates of SO 2 evolution. The value of the relative rate, R rel , of radical addition to H-abstraction was higher for BP than for ISO due to easily abstractable isopropylidene hydrogens
Rings of quotients of C(X) induced by points

We study two rings of quotients of C(X), the ring of continuous functions on the Tychonoff space X. The first, F(X), is the ring of quotients induced by the filter of ideals consisting of dense finite intersections of fixed maximal ideals. The second, C[F], is the ring of quotients induced by the filter of dense cofinite subspaces of X. After some preliminary information we explicitly describe in §2 and §3 the constructions of these rings of quotients. In the third section, we use F(X)and C[F] to define and study the class of h-points and h-spaces. In particular, we show that C-spaces and P-spaces are h-spaces. In the last section we construct an ideal of C(X)which will be used to give an ideal theoretic characterization of h-points.
Predictors of appropriate implantable defibrillator therapies in patients with arrhythmogenic right ventricular dysplasia

Background Arrhythmogenic right ventricular dysplasia (ARVD) is an inherited cardiomyopathy characterized by ventricular arrhythmias and sudden cardiac death. The risk factors for sudden death and indications for implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) placement in patients with ARVD are not well defined. Objectives The purpose of this study was to determine which clinical and electrophysiologic variables best predict appropriate ICD therapies in patients with ARVD. Particular attention focused on whether the ICD was implanted for primary or second prevention. Methods We enrolled 67 patients (mean age 36 ± 14 years) with definite or probable ARVD who had undergone ICD placement. Appropriate ICD therapies were recorded, and Kaplan-Meier analysis was used to compare the event-free survival time between patients based upon the indication for ICD placement (primary vs secondary prevention), results of electrophysiologic testing, and whether the patient had probable or definite ARVD. Results Over a mean follow-up of 4.4 ± 2.9 years, 40 (73%) of 55 patients who met task force criteria for ARVD and 4 (33%) of 12 patients with probable ARVD had appropriate ICD therapies for ventricular tachycardia/ventricular fibrillation (VT/VF; P = .027). Mean time to ICD therapy was 1.1 ± 1.4 years. Eleven of 28 patients who received an ICD for primary prevention (39%) and 33 of 35 patients who received an ICD for secondary prevention (85%) experienced appropriate ICD therapies ( P = .001). Electrophysiologic testing did not predict appropriate ICD interventions in patients who received an ICD for primary prevention. Fourteen patients (21%) received ICD therapy for life-threatening (VT/VF >240 bpm) arrhythmias. There was no difference in the incidence of life-threatening arrhythmias in the primary and secondary prevention groups ( P = .29). Conclusion Patients who meet task force criteria for ARVD are at high risk for sudden cardiac death and should undergo ICD placement for primary and secondary prevention, regardless of electrophysiologic testing results. Further research is needed to confirm that a low-risk subset of patients who may not require ICD placement can be identified.
Impact of the number of cautionary and/or unsuitable risk factors on outcomes after accelerated partial breast irradiation.

Purpose To examine clinical outcomes of accelerated partial-breast irradiation (APBI) stratified by the number of American Society for Radiation Oncology consensus statement cautionary/unsuitable risk factors (RFs) present. Methods and Materials A total of 692 patients were treated with APBI at a single institution between April 1993 and January 2012 using interstitial (n=195), balloon (n=292), and 3-dimensional conformal radiation therapy (n=205) techniques. Clinical outcomes were evaluated by risk group and number of RFs. Results Median follow-up was 5.2 years (range, 0-18.3 years). Most patients were classified as suitable (n=240, 34%) or cautionary (n=343, 50%) risk, whereas 16% (n=109) were unsuitable. In patients with increasing total RFs (1 RF, 2 RF, 3+ RF), higher rates of grade 3 histology (10% vs 18% vs 32%, P P P P P Conclusions Patients with 3 or more cautionary or unsuitable RFs may be at risk for higher local, regional, and distant recurrence after breast-conserving therapy using APBI. Patients with 2 or fewer total RFs have 98% locoregional control at 5 years. Inclusion of total number of RFs in future risk stratification schemes for APBI may be warranted.
Reactions of methanol and higher alcohols over H-ZSM-5

Abstract The reaction of methanol to gasoline range hydrocarbons over H-ZSM-5 was studied as a function of time, temperature, total pressure and H2 partial pressure in a batch reactor. Total gasoline yields were studied as a function of these process variables. The gasoline yield was improved at higher pressures in inert He. The presence of H2 increased the gasoline yield and decreased the formation of polyaromatic compounds. The presence of H2 also led to less coking and lighter gasoline color. The methanol to gasoline (MTG) reaction was also studied over a composite catalyst containing H-ZSM-5 and mixed oxide (Cu–Co–Cr) alcohol synthesis catalyst. The use of segregated beds of zeolite + mixed oxide catalyst gave good gasoline yields whereas the use of a single well mixed bed containing zeolite + mixed oxide catalyst gave negligible gasoline yields. Other alcohols (C2–C4) were also studied for their reaction over H-ZSM-5. Higher alcohols were found to produce higher yields of gasoline compared to methanol. It was found that tertiary and secondary alcohols had an increased tendency to form aromatics compared to primary alcohols. A continuous flow reactor was employed to produce a sufficient quantity of gasoline so as to perform an engine knock test.
Interaction of hydrogen with crack-tip plasticity: effects of constraint on void growth

This study describes the results of finite element simulations to explore the effects of crack-front constraint variations on the distributions of hydrogen, stress, and plastic strain fields ahead of a blunting crack tip under plane-strain, small-scale yielding (SSY) conditions. Application of the non-singular T-stress in the SSY model provides a wide variety in crack tip constraint. The calculated near-tip fields drive the classical Rice and Tracey model for void growth that here couples the microscale effects of hydrogen on the local strain–stress values with this key mechanism of ductile fracture. The numerical results for a high solubility niobium system indicate that in the absence of hydrogen-induced softening, hydrogen-induced dilatation increases (decreases) void growth in low (high) constraint configurations—a result opposite of that in the absence of hydrogen. In the presence of hydrogen-induced softening, the relative resistance to ductile fracture of low and high constraint configurations depends on the initial hydrogen concentration and on the associated amount of softening. In all cases, the present model of hydrogen degradation by void growth argues for the existence of a fracture process strongly influenced by the plastic strain.
Hemorrhagic and interstitial pneumonitis with nephritis.

Abstract In seven patients, believed to have had hypersensitivity states as evidenced by glomerulonephritis in each instance and periarteritis nodosa also in four, hemoptysis was a prominent clinical feature. Pathologically, the consistent pulmonary lesion was an acute necrotizing alveolitis which bore similarity to pulmonary lesions described previously in hypersensitive animals and humans.
Chemical Vapor Deposition of Silicon Carbide Epitaxial Films and Their Defect Characterization

A chemical vapor deposition (CVD) system was designed and fabricated in our laboratory and SiC homo-epitaxial layers were grown in the CVD process using silicon tetrachloride and propane precursors with hydrogen as a carrier gas. The temperature field was generated using numerical modeling. Gas flow rates, temperature field, and the gradients are found to influence the growth rates of the epitaxial layers. Growth rates were found to increase as the temperature increased at high carrier gas flow rate, while at lower carrier gas flow rate, growth rates were observed to decrease as the temperature increased. Based on the equilibrium model, “thermodynamically controlled growth” accounts for the growth rate reduction. The grown epitaxial layers were characterized using various techniques. Reduction in the threading screw dislocation (SD) density in the epilayers was observed. Suitable models were developed for explaining the reduction in the SD density as well as the conversion of basal plane dislocations (BPDs) into threading edge dislocations (TEDs).
Temporal lobe epilepsy: When are invasive recordings needed?

Temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) is the most common type of medically intractable partial epilepsy amenable to surgery. In the majority of cases, the underlying pathology in temporal lobe epilepsy is mesial temporal sclerosis (MTS). Whereas historically invasive recordings were required for most epilepsy surgeries, indications have dramatically changed since the introduction of high-resolution MRI, which uncovers structural lesions in a high percentage of cases. No invasive recordings are required to perform a temporal lobectomy in patients with intractable epilepsy who have structural imaging suggesting unilateral MTS and concordant interictal and ictal surface EEG recordings, functional imaging, and clinical findings. Invasive testing is needed if there is evidence of bitemporal MTS on structural imaging and/or electrophysiologically, and additional information from functional imaging, neuropsychology, and the intracarotid amobarbital (Wada) test also does not help to lateralize the epileptogenic zone. Depth electrodes can be particularly helpful in this setting. However, no surgery is indicated, even without invasive recordings, if bitemporal-independent seizures are recorded by surface EEG and all additional testing is inconclusive. Other etiologies of TLE such as a tumor, vascular malformation, encephalomalacia, or congenital developmental abnormality account for about 30% of all patients who undergo epilepsy surgery. Epilepsy surgery is indicated after limited electrophysiologic investigations if neuroimaging and electrophysiology converge. However, approaches for resection in lesional temporal lobe epilepsy vary among centers. Completeness of resection is crucial and invasive recordings may be needed to guide the resection by mapping eloquent cortex and/or to determine the extent of the non-MRI-visible epileptogenic area. Specific approaches for the different pathologies are discussed because there is evidence that the relationship between the lesions visible on MRI and the epileptogenic zone varies among lesions of different pathologies, and therefore variable surgical strategies must be applied.
Estimation of model parameters for steerable needles

Flexible needles with bevel tips are being developed as useful tools for minimally invasive surgery and percutaneous therapy. When such a needle is inserted into soft tissue, it bends due to the asymmetric geometry of the bevel tip. This insertion with bending is not completely repeatable. We characterize the deviations in needle tip pose (position and orientation) by performing repeated needle insertions into artificial tissue. The base of the needle is pushed at a constant speed without rotating, and the covariance of the distribution of the needle tip pose is computed from experimental data. We develop the closed-form equations to describe how the covariance varies with different model parameters. We estimate the model parameters by matching the closed-form covariance and the experimentally obtained covariance. In this work, we use a needle model modified from a previously developed model with two noise parameters. The modified needle model uses three noise parameters to better capture the stochastic behavior of the needle insertion. The modified needle model provides an improvement of the covariance error from 26.1% to 6.55%.
Creating molecular barriers to acute platelet deposition on damaged arteries with reactive polyethylene glycol.

We report here a novel method for blocking acute platelet deposition at the site of vessel injury by molecularly masking thrombogenic vascular wall proteins with covalently attached polyethylene glycol (PEG). To evaluate this technique, blood containing 111In-labeled platelets was perfused over damaged human placental arteries for 2 min at a wall shear rate of 200 s−1. Denuded vessel segments were incubated for 30, 15, 5, and 1 min with a solution of either reactive PEG-diisocyanate (PEG-ISO) or nonreactive PEG-dihydroxyl (PEG-OH). Vessels treated with PEG-ISO for 1 min exhibited 87 ± 12% less platelet deposition (p < 0.01) than untreated control vessels, and this reduction did not vary significantly among treatment times, indicating that this reaction occurs rapidly enough to be clinically applicable. To investigate the duration of this thrombotic barrier, denuded pig carotid arteries were treated with reactive PEG-ISO for 1 min, perfused with plasma for 30 min, and then perfused with blood containing radiolabeled platelets. PEG-ISO-treated arteries exhibited 84 ± 9% less platelet deposition (p < 0.05) than untreated controls. These data demonstrate that damaged arterial surfaces can be rendered resistant to platelet deposition after short contact periods with reactive PEG. Molecular PEG barriers ultimately might find application following vascular procedures to sterically inhibit blood cell interaction with damaged vascular surfaces. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res, 41, 251–256, 1998.
Neurotoxic lesions of the nucleus basalis induced by colchicine: effects on spatial navigation in the water maze.

Abstract Neuronal loss in the nucleus basalis magnocellularis (NBM) has been consistently associated with learning and memory impairments. Previous studies have used excitotoxicants such as kainic acid or ibotenic acid to examine the behavioral consequences of NBM lesions. In the present study, rats were given bilateral injections of the neurotoxicant colchicine (1.0 μg/site) into the NBM and examined for changes in learning and memory. Unlike excitotoxicants, which can produce extensive subcortical damage, colchicine produced a lesion limited to the site of injection. Histological studies demonstrated that colchicine decreased the number of choline acetyltransferase (ChAT)-positive cells in the NBM, and resulted in a marked loss of cortical acetylcholinesterase staining. Separate neurochemical analysis showed that colchicine lesions decreased ChAT activity in the neocortex but not the hippocampus or caudate nucleus. Similar to previous studies, rats with NBM lesions showed a large deficit in a passive avoidance task. Lesions of the NBM impaired acquisition of a reference memory task in the Morris water maze. However, the deficit was transient and with continued training lesioned rats performed as well as controls. In a reversal test in the water maze the learning deficit reappeared. These data suggest that colchicine may be useful in producing lesions of the NBM, which primarily affects the rate of acquisition of a spatial reference memory task.
SONOGRAPHY OF THE NORMAL FELINE GASTROINTESTINAL TRACT

The normal sonographic appearance of the stomach in various degrees of distension, the duodenum, the small intestine, and the large intestine was determined in awake and sedated cats. The mean stomach rugal fold thickness was 4.38 mm, and the interrugal thickness was 2.03 mm. No significant difference in stomach wall thickness was seen when the stomach was empty, half full, or full. The duodenal wall thickness was significantly greater than other parts of the small intestine, and this difference was accentuated by sedation (awake mean 2.4 mm; sedated mean 2.71 mm). The mean small intestinal wall thickness was 2.1 mm, and the mean colonic wall thickness was 1.67 mm. The five characteristic sonographic layers similar to that seen in the gastrointestinal tract of other species were routinely identified at all regions of the feline gastrointestinal tract.
A 32nm logic technology featuring 2 nd -generation high-k + metal-gate transistors, enhanced channel strain and 0.171μm 2 SRAM cell size in a 291Mb array

A 32 nm generation logic technology is described incorporating 2nd-generation high-k + metal-gate technology, 193 nm immersion lithography for critical patterning layers, and enhanced channel strain techniques. The transistors feature 9 Aring EOT high-k gate dielectric, dual band-edge workfunction metal gates, and 4th-generation strained silicon, resulting in the highest drive currents yet reported for NMOS and PMOS. Process yield, performance and reliability are demonstrated on a 291 Mbit SRAM test vehicle, with 0.171 mum2 cell size, containing >1.9 billion transistors.
Blacks, self-esteem, and delinquency: It's time for a new approach

For decades, sociology and social psychology has debated the nature of self-esteem and its role in determining behavior. More recently, race has been added to the mixture, as social scientists have sought to explain black self-esteem and the involvement of black youth in delinquency. The article reviews a number of studies to explore the relative importance of race as an explanatory factory. Questions of the validity of prior measures of self-esteem are raised, especially where racial comparisons of self-esteem and delinquency were made. This article identifies various conceptual and methodological problems inherent to studies of race, self-esteem, and delinquency. In doing so, distinctions are made among personal and group identity measures of self-esteem in an effort to further the cause of research in this area.
Adoptive transfer of immunity against Vibrio anguillarum in rainbow trout, Salmo gairdneri Richardson, vaccinated by the immersion method

Rainbow trout, immunized by the immersion method against Vibrio anguillarum, were used as donors of plasma and cells for transfer to unimmunized trout. Recipients were then challenged with a 20 min exposure to a virulent Vibrio anguillarum suspension, and the mortality was compared to that of trout receiving plasma and cells from unimmunized donors. Immunity was successfully conferred by plasma taken from immune donors 16 days post-immunization (PI), and by pronephros and spleen cells from Day 20 and 21 PI donors. Plasma was most effective in transferring vibriosis protection, followed by pronephros cells. Splenocytes gave variable results, while trials with thymus cells were negative in all cases.
Two-stage earth-to-orbit vehicles with dual-fuel propulsion in the Orbiter

Earth-to-orbit vehicle studies of future replacements for the Space Shuttle are needed to guide technology development. Previous studies that have examined single-stage vehicles have shown advantages for dual-fuel propulsion. Previous two-stage system studies have assumed all-hydrogen fuel for the Orbiters. The present study examined dual-fuel Orbiters and found that the system dry mass could be reduced with this concept. The possibility of staging the booster at a staging velocity low enough to allow coast-back to the launch site is shown to be beneficial, particularly in combination with a dual-fuel Orbiter. An engine evaluation indicated the same ranking of engines as did a previous single-stage study. Propane and RP-1 fuels result in lower vehicle dry mass than methane, and staged-combustion engines are preferred over gas-generator engines. The sensitivity to the engine selection is less for two-stage systems than for single-stage systems.
The relationship between chronic illness, chronic pain, and socioeconomic factors in the ED.

Abstract Objectives The study aimed to determine the prevalence of chronic illness and chronic pain in emergency department (ED) patients across demographic backgrounds. Methods This was a cross-sectional study at an urban, level I trauma center with 98 000 annual visits. This was a prospective sample of adult patients presenting to the ED during a randomized distribution of daily 8-hour periods between June 4 and August 26, 2007. Prevalence of chronic illness was compared to subject demographics using logistic regression, and prevalence of chronic pain was compared using ordinal logistic regression. Results Six thousand nine hundred sixty-one patients presented during the data collection periods; 3882 were eligible, and 3132 (82%) were enrolled (51.7% male; age, 41.1 ± 15.8 years; range, 18-98 years). Chronic illness was reported in 36.3% of patients and chronic pain in 34.9% of patients. Chronic illness was associated with homelessness (odds ratio [OR], 1.75; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.17-2.61), family income less than $25 000 (OR, 2.27; 95% CI, 1.60-3.22), and lack of access to primary care facilities (OR, 2.68; 95% CI, 2.25-3.21). Chronic pain was associated with homelessness (OR, 2.56; 95% CI, 1.79-3.64), family income less than $25 000 (OR, 2.54; 95% CI, 1.91-3.39), and lack of access to primary care facilities (OR, 1.47; 95% CI, 1.26-1.70). Conclusions Patient housing situation, family income, and perceived access to primary care medical facilities were associated with higher self-reported rates of chronic illness and chronic pain.