cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Evidence on Research Transparency in Economics

A decade ago, the term "research transparency" was not on economists' radar screen, but in a few short years a scholarly movement has emerged to bring new open science practices, tools and norms into the mainstream of our discipline. The goal of this article is to lay out the evidence on the adoption of these approaches—in three specific areas: open data, pre-registration and pre-analysis plans, and journal policies—and, more tentatively, begin to assess their impacts on the quality and credibility of economics research. The evidence to date indicates that economics (and related quantitative social science fields) are in a period of rapid transition toward new transparency-enhancing norms. While solid data on the benefits of these practices in economics is still limited, in part due to their relatively recent adoption, there is growing reason to believe that critics' worst fears regarding onerous adoption costs have not been realized. Finally, the article presents a set of frontier questions and potential innovations.
Applied Optimization: Formulation and Algorithms for Engineering Systems

The starting point in the formulation of any numerical problem is to take an intuitive idea about the problem in question and to translate it into precise mathematical language. This book provides step-by-step descriptions of how to formulate numerical problems and develops techniques for solving them. A number of engineering case studies motivate the development of efficient algorithms that involve, in some cases, transformation of the problem from its initial formulation into a more tractable form. Five general problem classes are considered: linear systems of equations, non-linear systems of equations, unconstrained optimization, equality-constrained optimization and inequality-constrained optimization. The book contains many worked examples and homework exercises and is suitable for students of engineering or operations research taking courses in optimization. Supplementary material including solutions, lecture slides and appendices are available online at www.cambridge.org/9780521855648.
An Administrative Model for Relationship-Based Access Control

Relationship-based access control (ReBAC) originated in the context of social network systems and recently is being generalized to be suitable for general computing systems. This paper defines a ReBAC model, based on Crampton and Sellwood’s RPPM model, designed to be suitable for general computing systems. Our ReBAC model includes a comprehensive administrative model. The administrative model is comprehensive in the sense that it allows and controls changes to all aspects of the ReBAC policy. To the best of our knowledge, it is the first comprehensive administrative model for a ReBAC model suitable for general computing systems. The model is illustrated with parts of a sample access control policy for electronic health records in a healthcare network.
Metabolism of lipids in chylomicrons and very low‐density lipoproteins

The sections in this article are: 1 Early Studies 2 Lipoprotein Lipase Activity 3 Incorporation of Triglyceride Constituents into Adipose Tissue in Vitro 4 Incorporation of Triglyceride Constituents into Adipose Tissue in Vivo 4.1 Quantitative Aspects 4.2 Mechanism of Incorporation 5 Incorporation of Other Lipid constituents in Vivo
Towards Predicting Control of a Brain-Computer Interface

Individuals suffering from locked-in syndrome are completely paralyzed and unable to speak but otherwise cognitively intact. Traditional assistive technology is ineffective for this population of users due to the physical nature of input devices. Brain-computer and biometric interfaces offer users with severe motor disabilities a non-muscular input channel for communication and control, but require that users be able to harness their appropriate electrophysiological responses for effective use of the interface. There is currently no formalized process for determining a user’s aptitude for control of various biometric interfaces without testing on an actual system. This study presents how basic information captured about users may be used to predict their control of a brain-computer interface that is based on electrical variations in the motor cortex region of the brain. Based on data from 55 able-bodied users, we found that the interaction of age and daily average amount of hand-and-arm movement by individuals correlates to their ability in braincomputer interface control. This research may be expanded into a more robust model linking individual characteristics and control of various biometric interfaces.
Preparing Socially Conscious Teachers: A SoTL Study of Teacher Education Students Responses to Seven Scenarios

Two University of Wisconsin professors brought together by a Wisconsin system SoTL initiative, attempted to measure how preservice teachers changed over the period of a semester. A pre and post-test were given two semesters to students at two UW campuses. The surveys consisted of seven real world scenarios addressing different types of oppression. The findings were that students changed in most every area, and infusing diversity into every course is necessary to impact the lives of students not only as teachers but also as human beings.
Optimal foraging by an aphid parasitoid affects the outcome of apparent competition

Apparent competition is an indirect, negative interaction occurring between two or more host species, mediated by a shared parasitoid. Host species' population growth rates, parasitoid attack rates, and parasitoid population size can mediate the outcomes of apparent competition. It has also been suggested that optimal foraging by a natural enemy can influence the outcome of apparent competition, resulting in increased suppression of the optimal host. While this has been shown in theory, to date no studies have empirically tested the link between parasitoid optimal foraging behaviour and the outcome of apparent competition. The present study examined how optimal foraging behaviour influences the outcome of apparent competition in an aphid banker plant system. First, Aphidius colemani Viereck's preference for Myzus persicae Sulzer or Rhopalosiphum padi L., the non-pest host on the banker plant, was examined, and then the difference in M. persicae suppression in the presence and absence of R. padi was assessed. It was found that optimal foraging behaviour led female A. colemani to prefer M. persicae over R. padi, due to increased offspring survival and female size. Consequently, optimally foraging A. colemani parasitised significantly more M. persicae in the presence of both aphid hosts than in the presence of M. persicae alone. Understanding the interaction between optimal foraging and apparent competition has important implications for biological control of arthropod pests and could help to predict the outcome of biological control programmes.
Proportional contact representations of 4-connected planar graphs

In a contact representation of a planar graph, vertices are represented by interior-disjoint polygons and two polygons share a non-empty common boundary when the corresponding vertices are adjacent. In the weighted version, a weight is assigned to each vertex and a contact representation is called proportional if each polygon realizes an area proportional to the vertex weight. In this paper we study proportional contact representations of 4-connected internally triangulated planar graphs. The best known lower and upper bounds on the polygonal complexity for such graphs are 4 and 8, respectively. We narrow the gap between them by proving the existence of a representation with complexity 6. We then disprove a 10-year old conjecture on the existence of a Hamiltonian canonical cycle in a 4-connected maximal planar graph, which also implies that a previously suggested method for constructing proportional contact representations of complexity 6 for these graphs will not work. Finally we prove that it is NP-hard to decide whether a 4-connected planar graph admits a proportional contact representation using only rectangles.
15N2 formation and fast oxygen isotope exchange during pulsed 15N18O exposure of MnOx/CeO2

Pulsing 15N18O onto an annealed 1% Mn16Ox/Ce16O2 catalyst resulted in very fast oxygen isotope exchange and 15N2 formation at 295 K. In the 1st 15N18O pulse, due to the presence of large number of surface oxygen defects, extensive 15N218O and 15N2 formations were observed. In subsequent pulses oxygen isotope exchange dominated as a result of highly labile oxygen in the oxide.
Asthma complicated by recurrent spontaneous pneumothorax.

Abstract 1.1. Spontaneous pneumothorax in the apparently healthy is usually a benign disorder with a reasonably rapid return to health. Active treatment is seldom required and sequelae are rare. 2.2. Chronic or recurrent pneumothorax are rare but serious conditions which require definitive treatment. 3.3. X-ray examination and thoracoscopy are valuable diagnostic aids. 4.4. Exploratory thoracotomy with surgical treatment of diseased areas, or pleurodesis, preferably by silver nitrate, are alternative methods of treatment. 5.5. Spontaneous pneumothorax associated with asthma is rare.
Sa1428 EUS-Guided Transgastric Intrahepatic Portosystemic Shunt Using the Axios Stent

cases: upgrading to EAC in 12/70 (17%) and downgrading in 15/70 (21%). Similarly, in EAC patients, EMR resulted in a change in diagnosis in 15/35 (43%) cases: downgrading to HGD in 12/35 (34%) and LGD/IM in 3/35 (9%). Conclusions: Accuracy of EUS for T-staging of BE patients with HGD/early EAC is limited. Initial biopsy pathology and presence of visible lesions did not affect the overall accuracy of EUS. The role of EUS in BE with early neoplasia should be reevaluated and its overall impact on patient management should be assessed in future prospective trials.
Gene expression changes during HPV-mediated carcinogenesis: A comparison between an in vitro cell model and cervical cancer

We used oligonucleotide microarrays to investigate gene expression changes associated with multi-step human papillomavirus type 16 (HPV16)-mediated carcinogenesis in vitro. Gene expression profiles in 4 early passage HPV16-immortalized human keratinocyte (HKc) lines derived from different donors were compared with their corresponding 4 late-passage, differentiation-resistant cell lines, and to 4 pools of normal HKc, each composed of 3 individual HKc strains, on Agilent 22 k human oligonucleotide microarrays. The resulting data were analyzed using a modified T-test coded in R to obtain lists of differentially expressed genes. Gene expression changes identified in this model system were then compared with gene expression changes described in published studies of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) and cervical cancer. Common genes in these lists were further studied by cluster analysis. Genes whose expression changed in the same direction as in CIN or cervical cancer (concordant) at late stages of HPV16-mediated transformation in vitro formed one major cluster, while those that changed in the opposite direction (discordant) formed a second major cluster. Further annotation found that many discordant expression changes involved gene products with an extracellular localization. Two novel genes were selected for further study: overexpression of SIX1 and GDF15, observed during in vitro progression in our model system, was confirmed in tissue arrays of cervical cancer. These micro-array-based studies show that our in vitro model system reflects many cellular and molecular alterations characteristic of cervical cancer, and identified SIX1 and GDF15 as 2 novel potential bio-markers of cervical cancer progression.
Sociology and Development in the 1990s: Critical Challenges and Empirical Trends

Recent transformations of global economic structures have been accompanied by divergent national, regional, and local patterns of development, including severe socioeconomic crises for many Third World countries. At the same time, established conceptualizations of development processes have been called into question by divergent models of social change, such as those of world systems and postmodernist theorists. These phenomena present major analytical challenges for sociologists specializing in the study of development. New technologies and production processes, changing forms of international dependency, and the appearance of new social actors are among the most important topics for study. We argue that political economy, based on midrange propositions and comparative historical methods, constitutes the most fruitful approach to this task.
Reconstruction of large soft tissue defects of the lower torso with rectus abdominis musculocutaneous flaps

Seven large defects of the lower torso were closed with rectus abdominis musculocutaneous flaps: two large roin defects, three abdominal wall defects, and two open lateral pelvic wounds. Five of the flaps were inferiorly based and two superiorly based. The donor site was closed primarily unless a large skin paddle was taken, in which case the donor site was skin grafted. The central location, excellent blood supply (superior and inferior epigastric arteries plus abundant cutaneous perforators), and length and thickness of the rectus abdominis muscle make it a versatile flap for abdominal wall and lower torso defects.
Errors in the radiologic diagnosis of gastrointestinal lesions

There are ways of reducing the errors brought on by inattention and fatigue; one of the best is to use the spot machine, a device made to record fluorescent images on fihns. Those who depend solely on fluoroscopy have no way of checking their conclusions, but those who use the spot machine, which automatically makes films of all sections of the gastrointestinal tract, may continue the examination, re turning later to the film record for detection of patterns not originally recognized. Sometimes these patterns indicate a lesion. Usually, tile examiner can tell if tile films convey the true story, but in case of doubt, the patient should be re-examined. If the physician is alert at fluoroscopy, he may see the need for a re-examination because an occasional small food particle, increased muscular tone, or hostile attitude of the patient may adversely influence the appearance of the gastrointestinal tract, particularly the stomach. Not to re-examine the patient when in doubt is dangerous. More often than not, the physician who, for one reason or another, does not follow through with a re-examination, arrives at the correct diagnosis particularly if he "reads" the clinical findings into the films, but it is probable that eventually a serious mistake will be made. The peculiar shadow that was not checked by a second examination may be revealed in clinical pathological conference to be the clue to a symptomless ulcerating carcinoma.
Structural factors in HIV prevention: concepts, examples, and implications for research.

Introduction: HIV-prevention behavior is affected by the environment as well as by characteristics of individuals at risk. HIV-related structural factors are defined as barriers to, or facilitators of, an individual's HIV prevention behaviors; they may relate to economic, social, policy, organizational or other aspects of the environment. Impact of structural interventions: A relatively small number of intervention studies demonstrates the potential of structural interventions to increase HIV prevention in the United States and internationally. The promise of structural interventions has also been shown in studies of interventions to prevent disease or promote public health in areas other than HIV. Framework of structural factors: Frameworks help define and exemplify structural barriers and facilitators for HIV prevention. One framework developed at Centers for Disease Control and Prevention gives examples of structural facilitators in terms of the economic resources, policy supports, societal attitudes, and organizational structures and functions associated with governments, service organizations, businesses, workforce organizations, faith communities, justice systems, media organizations, educational systems, and healthcare systems. Frameworks should assist researchers and health officials to identify important areas for structural research and programming. Conclusions: A structural approach is timely and innovative. Despite limitations, including the challenge of a new perspective on prevention and the difficulty of evaluating their effects, researchers and public health officials are urged to pursue structural interventions to prevent HIV.
Purine Nucleoside Phosphorylase Targeted by Annexin V to Breast Cancer Vasculature for Enzyme Prodrug Therapy

Background and Purpose The targeting of therapeutics is a promising approach for the development of new cancer treatments that seek to reduce the devastating side effects caused by the systemic administration of current drugs. This study evaluates a fusion protein developed as an enzyme prodrug therapy targeted to the tumor vasculature. Cytotoxicity would be localized to the site of the tumor using a protein fusion of purine nucleoside phosphorylase (PNP) and annexin V. Annexin V acts as the tumor-targeting component of the fusion protein as it has been shown to bind to phosphatidylserine expressed externally on cancer cells and the endothelial cells of the tumor vasculature, but not normal vascular endothelial cells. The enzymatic component of the fusion, PNP, converts the FDA-approved cancer therapeutic, fludarabine, into a more cytotoxic form. The purpose of this study is to determine if this system has a good potential as a targeted therapy for breast cancer. Methods A fusion of E. coli purine nucleoside phosphorylase and human annexin V was produced in E. coli and purified. Using human breast cancer cell lines MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 and non-confluent human endothelial cells grown in vitro, the binding strength of the fusion protein and the cytotoxicity of the enzyme prodrug system were determined. Endothelial cells that are not confluent expose phosphatidylserine and therefore mimic the tumor vasculature. Results The purified recombinant fusion protein had good enzymatic activity and strong binding to the three cell lines. There was significant cell killing (p<0.001) by the enzyme prodrug treatment for all three cell lines, with greater than 80% cytotoxicity obtained after 6 days of treatment. Conclusion These results suggest that this treatment could be useful as a targeted therapy for breast cancer.
GATA Switches as Developmental Drivers

Transcriptional networks orchestrate complex developmental processes. Such networks are commonly instigated by master regulators of development. Considerable progress has been made in elucidating GATA factor-dependent genetic networks that control blood cell development. GATA-2 is required for the genesis and/or function of hematopoietic stem cells, whereas GATA-1 drives the differentiation of hematopoietic progenitors into a subset of the blood cell lineages. GATA-1 directly represses Gata2 transcription, and this involves GATA-1-mediated displacement of GATA-2 from chromatin, a process termed a GATA switch. GATA switches occur at numerous loci with critical functions, indicating that they are widely utilized developmental control tools.
Laboratory Infrared Observation of Linear C7S Carbon−Sulfur Cluster in Solid Argon

The linear carbon−sulfur cluster C7S has been generated by pulsed laser evaporation of a carbon/sulfur mixture, deposited in an argon matrix at 12 K, and studied by Fourier transform infrared spect...
Oscillations of cAMP with the cardiac cycle.

Abstract Oscillations of cAMP with the cardiac cycle were demonstrated in the rat heart using a stimulator-triggered rapid freeze-clamp to decrease the temperature of the heart from 37° C to −80° C in 5 msec (20,000°/sec) at a predetermined phase of the cardiac cycle. The nucleotide, cAMP, oscillated 60% with the cardiac cycle during normal working conditions, the higher cAMP value occurring during systole.
LIGHT sensitizes IFNγ-mediated apoptosis of HT-29 human carcinoma cells through both death receptor and mitochondria pathways

LIGHT [homologous to lymphotoxins, shows inducible expression, and competes with herpes simplex virus glycoprotein D for herpes virus entry mediator (HVEM/TR2)] is a new member of TNF superfamily. The HT-29 colon cancer cell line is the most sensitive to LIGHT-induced, IFNg-mediated apoptosis among the cell lines we have examined so far. Besides downregulation of Bcl-XL, upregulation of Bak, and activation of both PARP [poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase] and DFF45 (DNA fragmentation factor), LIGHT-induced, IFNg-mediated apoptosis of HT-29 cells involves extensive caspase activation. Caspase-8 and caspase-9 activation, as shown by their cleavages appeared as early as 24 h after treatment, whereas caspase-3 and caspase-7 activation, as shown by their cleavages occurred after 72 h of LIGHT treatment. Caspase-3 inhibitor Z-DEVD-FMK (benzyloxycarbonyl-Asp-Glu-Val-Asp-fluoromethylketone) and a broad range caspase inhibitor Z-VAD-FMK (benzyloxycarbonyl-Val-Ala-Asp fluoromethylketone) were able to block LIGHT-induced, IFNg-mediated apoptosis of HT-29 cells. The activity of caspase-3, which is one of the major executioner caspases, was found to be inhibited by both Z-DEVD-MFK and Z-VAD-FMK. These results suggest that LIGHT-induced, IFNg-mediated apoptosis of HT-29 cells is caspase-dependent, and LIGHT signaling is mediated through both death receptor and mitochondria pathways.
A study of amorphous and crystalline phases in In2O3–10 wt.% ZnO thin films deposited by DC magnetron sputtering

Abstract We report on the processing, phase stability, and electronic transport properties of indium oxide (In 2 O 3 ) doped with 10 wt.% zinc oxide (ZnO) deposited to a thickness of 100 nm using DC magnetron sputter deposition at room temperature and 350 °C. We compare the optimum oxygen content in the sputter gas for pure In 2 O 3 and doped with (i) 10 wt.% ZnO and (ii) 9.8 wt.% SnO 2 . Amorphous IZO films were annealed at 200 °C in air and N 2 /H 2 and resistivity, Hall mobility, and carrier density along with molar volume change were monitored simultaneously as a function of time at temperature. We report that annealing the amorphous oxide in air at 200 °C does not lead to crystallization but does result in a 0.5% decrease in the amorphous phase molar volume and an associated drop in carrier density. Annealing in forming gas leads to an increase in carrier density and a small decrease in molar volume. We also report that when annealed in air at 500 °C, the amorphous IZO phase may crystallize either in the cubic bixbyite or in a recently observed rhombohedral phase.
Reliable detection of fluence anomalies in EPID-based IMRT pretreatment quality assurance using pixel intensity deviations

Purpose: This work uses repeat images of intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) fields to quantify fluence anomalies (i.e., delivery errors) that can be reliably detected in electronic portal images used for IMRT pretreatment quality assurance. Methods: Repeat images of 11 clinical IMRT fields are acquired on a Varian Trilogy linear accelerator at energies of 6 MV and 18 MV. Acquired images are corrected for output variations and registered to minimize the impact of linear accelerator and electronic portal imaging device (EPID) positioning deviations. Detection studies are performed in which rectangular anomalies of various sizes are inserted into the images. The performance of detection strategies based on pixel intensity deviations (PIDs) and gamma indices is evaluated using receiver operating characteristic analysis. Results: Residual differences between registered images are due to interfraction positional deviations of jaws and multileaf collimator leaves, plus imager noise. Positional deviations produce large intensity differences that degrade anomaly detection. Gradient effects are suppressed in PIDs using gradient scaling. Background noise is suppressed using median filtering. In the majority of images, PID-based detection strategies can reliably detect fluence anomalies of ≥5% in ∼ 1m m 2 areas and ≥2% in ∼20 mm 2 areas. Conclusions: The ability to detect small dose differences (≤2%) depends strongly on the level of background noise. This in turn depends on the accuracy of image registration, the quality of the reference image, and field properties. The longer term aim of this work is to develop accurate and reliable methods of detecting IMRT delivery errors and variations. The ability to resolve small anomalies will allow the accuracy of advanced treatment techniques, such as image guided, adaptive, and arc therapies, to be quantified. © 2012 American Association of Physicists in Medicine. [http://dx.doi.org/10.1118/1.4736821]
Rebound and residual in situ pavement displacements measured during NAPTF performance testing

The FAA's National Airport Pavement Test Facility (NAPTF) was constructed to generate full-scale test data needed for the development of advanced airport pavement design procedures. In this paper, the comparative effects of six-wheel Boeing 777 (B777) and four-wheel Boeing 747 (B747) simulated landing gear loading on the multi-depth deflectometer (MDD) responses of two NAPTF low-strength subgrade flexible test sections are discussed. The results showed that the major contribution to surface rebound MDD displacements was the subgrade layer in both the test sections. Transverse response distributions showed that, in the vicinity of wheel loads, the net average residual MDD displacement was contractive, whereas at small offsets away from the wheel loads, the displacement was dilative which led to a continuous contractive/dilative permanent deformation pattern. The majority of the surface residual response came from the structural layers above the subgrade.
Insulin-like growth factor-binding protein 3 inhibits growth of experimental colocarcinoma.

Background. We have previously shown that an important cell growth regulatory protein, insulin-like growth factor-binding protein 3 (IGFBP-3) is depleted in peripheral blood after open-but not laparoscopic-surgery. We have also demonstrated that IGFBP-3 induces apoptosis of human colon cancer cells in vitro. We report here the effect of IGFBP-3 on the growth of colonic epithelial cells in vivo. Methods. Two tumor models were used: chemically induced carcinogenesis with azoxymethane (AOM) and inoculation of syngeneic colon cancer cells. In AOM-induced carcinogenesis, wild type (WT) and IGFBP-3 transgenic (IGFBP-3-TG) CD1 mice were injected with AOM and the number of aberrant crypt foci (ACF) in the colon studied. In the syngeneic model, BALB/c mice were inoculated with CT26 cells. The control group received saline, while the test group was administered IGFBP-3 weekly. Tumor weight was assessed 2.5 weeks after establishment. Results. The number of aberrant clypt foci was significantly lower in IGFBP-3 transgenic mice (1.3 ± 1.1) compared to WT controls (6.8 ± 6.0) (P <.001). Further, CT26 tumors were significantly smaller in BALB/c mice that received ICFBP-3 (0.364 ± 0.165 g) than in WT controls (0.742 ± 0.261 g) (P <.01). Conclusions. IGFBP-3 inhibits the development of colonic tumors in experimental models and may hold promise as an adjuvant therapy for patients with neoplasms. (Surgery 2004;136:205-9.
The effects of suppressing trauma-related thoughts on women with rape-related posttraumatic stress disorder

A hallmark symptom of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is the presence of intrusive thoughts that come to mind against an individual's will and are frequently accompanied by considerable distress. This investigation examined the effects of deliberate suppression of rape-related thoughts on female sexual assault survivors, in order to explore this facet of PTSD. Seventeen women with chronic PTSD following a sexual assault were contrasted with nineteen survivors without PTSD, using a thought suppression paradigm (e.g. [Wegner, Schneider, Carter, & White (1987) Paradoxical effects of thought suppression. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 53 5-13]). Results indicated that PTSD participants experienced a rebound in the frequency of rape-related thoughts following deliberate suppression, whereas non-PTSD participants did not experience a rebound. Reported level of perceived controllability over rape-related thoughts for the PTSD participants was significantly lower during the suppression phase (as compared with the expression phase) relative to the non-PTSD participants. PTSD participants were significantly more anxious, depressed and distressed throughout the procedure relative to non-PTSD participants, although mood changes did not parallel the rebound effect found with rape-related thoughts in the PTSD group. Results are discussed in light of the role that intrusive thoughts may play in the maintenance of PTSD.
Direct structure determination by electron crystallography: Protein data sets

Applications of the Sayre equation to the electron crystallographic analysis of protein structures are demonstrated. Starting with a lower-resolution basis phase set obtained from the Fourier-transform of an electron micrograph, it is possible, for example, to extend directly to the higher resolution of the electron diffraction pattern. Examples of such analyses include bacteriorhodopsin, halorhodopsin and the Omp F porin from the outer membrane of Escherichia coli. If a multisolution approach is taken, it may also be possible to carry out ab initio phase determinations, as demonstrated with low-resolution diffraction amplitudes from a negatively-stained membrane protein crystal.
A high strongly noncappable degree

An r.e. degree a ≠ 0 , 0 ′ is called strongly noncappable if it has no inf with any incomparable r.e. degree. We show the existence of a high strongly noncappable degree.
Evaluation of the impact of an HMO's varicella vaccination program on incidence of varicella

The impact of a varicella vaccination program on disease in a large HMO population during 1996-1999 was assessed by multiple cross-sectional analyses of automated database records of vaccinations and varicella diagnoses for children (0-18 years). The cumulative proportion of the population vaccinated reached 73% among 2-year-olds, and 22% overall. An overall 49.7% reduction in varicella incidence was estimated to be attributable to an 18.5% point increase in the proportion of the population vaccinated.
History of Construction, Engineering, and Management in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Penn State

At Penn State, the credit for broadening the Civil Engineering Department’s longstanding academic focus on analysis and design to include the construction phase must go to Dr. Harmer A. Weeden and his longtime associate Dr. Thomas D. Larson. Jack H. Willenbrock joined the Department as an Instructor in June 1968 and grew the construction program so that today about a fourth to a third of the civil undergraduates obtain employment in the construction industry. The program has awarded about 250 postbaccalaureate degrees.
Uncertainty incorporated beam angle optimization for IMPT treatment planning.

Purpose: Beam angle optimization (BAO) by far remains an important and challenging problem in external beam radiation therapy treatment planning. Conventional BAO algorithms discussed in previous studies all focused on photon-based therapies. Impact of BAO on proton therapy is important while proton therapy increasingly receives great interests. This study focuses on potential benefits of BAO on intensity-modulated proton therapy (IMPT) that recently began available to clinical cancer treatment. Methods: The authors have developed a novel uncertainty incorporated BAO algorithm for IMPT treatment planning in that IMPT plan quality is highly sensitive to uncertainties such as proton range and setup errors. A linear programming was used to optimize robust intensity maps to scenario-based uncertainties for an incident beam angle configuration. Unlike conventional intensity-modulated radiation therapy with photons (IMXT), the search space for IMPT treatment beam angles may be relatively small but optimizing an IMPT plan may require higher computational costs due to larger data size. Therefore, a deterministic local neighborhood search algorithm that only needs a very limited number of plan objective evaluations was used to optimize beam angles in IMPT treatment planning. Results: Three prostate cancer cases and two skull base chordoma cases were studied to demonstrate the dosimetric advantages and robustness of optimized beam angles from the proposed BAO algorithm. Two- to four-beam plans were optimized for prostate cases, and two- and three-beam plans were optimized for skull base cases. By comparing plans with conventional two parallel-opposed angles, all plans with optimized angles consistently improved sparing at organs at risks, i.e., rectum and femoral heads for prostate, brainstem for skull base, in either nominal dose distribution or uncertainty-based dose distributions. The efficiency of the BAO algorithm was demonstrated by comparing it with alternative methods including simulated annealing and genetic algorithm. The numbers of IMPT plan objective evaluations required were reduced by up to a factor of 5 while the same optimal angle plans were converged in selected comparisons. Conclusions: Uncertainty incorporated BAO may introduce pronounced improvement of IMPT plan quality including dosimetric benefits and robustness over uncertainties, based on the five clinical studies in this paper. In addition, local search algorithms may be more efficient in finding optimal beam angles than global optimization approaches for IMPT BAO.
Preparation and characterization of novel nanometer-scale platinum electrodes

Abstract Observation of the oxidation–reduction processes occurring at the nanoelectrode–solution interface demonstrates how electrochemical behavior depends upon nanoelectrode size. The use of a modified form of pulsed laser ablation as an improved method to synthesize nanometer-scaled electrode materials easily and consistently is reported. This method of fabrication enables platinum metal nanoparticles averaging 3 nm in diameter and approximately 5.0 × 10 11 particles/cm 2 to be deposited onto silicon substrates using optimum ablation parameters. A platinum silicide phase exists at the interface of the platinum and silicon as a result of the ablation process. Electrochemical results demonstrate the presence of a large number of isolated platinum particles (1.1 × 10 7 particles/cm 2 ), separated by an average edge to edge distance of 14 nm, which are electrochemically active nanoelectrodes.
Eosinophilic meningitis beyond the Pacific Basin: the global dispersal of a peridomestic zoonosis caused by Angiostrongylus cantonensis, the nematode lungworm of rats.

Abstract The principal etiologic agent of human eosinophilic meningitis, Angiostrongylus cantonensis , was first detected in rats in Canton, China in 1933. The first human case was detected on Taiwan in 1944. Epidemic outbreaks were noted on Ponape (E. Caroline Is.) from 1944 to 1948. The disease may present as transient meningitis or a more severe disease involving the brain, spinal cord and nerve roots, with a characteristics eosinophilia of the peripheral blood and CSF. Since 1961 it has been known that human infections are usually acquired by purposeful or accidental ingestion of infective larvae in terrestrial mollusks, planaria and fresh-water crustacea. There is no effective specific treatment. The African land snail, Achatina fulica played an important role in the panpacific dispersal of the organism: it will be important in Africa in the future as well. Rats were, and will continue to be the principal agents of expansion of the parasite beyond the Indopacific area. During and just after WWII the parasite was introduced, and/or spread passively from South and Southeast Asia into the Western Pacific islands and eastward and southward through Micronesia, Melanesia, Australia and into Polynesia, sequestered in shipments of war material and facilitated by post-war commerce. In the 1950s numerous cases were identified for the first time on Sumatra, the Philippines, Taiwan, Saipan, New Caledonia, and as far east as Rarotonga and Tahiti. Then cases were detected in Vietnam, Thailand, Cambodia, Java, Sarawak, the New Hebrides, Guam and Hawaii during the 1960s. Subsequently in the Pacific Basin the disease has appeared on Okinawa, other Ryukyu islands, Honshu, Kyushu, New Britain, American Samoa and Western Samoa, Australia, Hong Kong, Bombay, India, Fiji and most recently in mainland China. The parasite in rats now occurs throughout the Indopacific Basin and littoral. Beyond the Indopacific region, the worm has been found in rodents in Madagascar ( ca 1963), Cuba (1973), Egypt (1977), Puerto Rico (1984), New Orleans, Louisiana (1985) and Port Harcourt, Nigeria (1989). Human infections have now been detected in Cuba (1973), Reunion Island (1974) and Cote d'Ivoire (1979) and should be anticipated wherever infected rats or mollusks have been introduced. Caged primates became infected in zoos in Hong Kong (1978) and New Orleans and Nassau, Bahamas (1987). The use of mollusks and crustacea as famine foods, favored delicacies and medicines has resulted in numerous outbreaks and isolated infections. Economic and political instability, illicit trade, unsanitary peridomestic conditions and lack of health education promote the local occurence and insidious global expansion of parasitic eosinophilic meningitis. The penetration of this host-parasite system into the tropical and subtropical areas of Africa, the Indian subcontinent, the Caribbean and the temperate Gulf Coast region of the United States is of considerable public health importance.
Solubilization and identification of human placental endothelin receptor.

Abstract Endothelin-1 (ET-1) receptor was identified on the membranes from human placenta and 66% of original binding activity in the membranes was solubilized with 0.75% ( w v ) CHAPS. Binding studies of the solubilized membranes using 125I-ET-1 indicated the presence of a single class of high-affinity binding sites with an apparent Kd of 760 pM and a Bmax of 1.8 pmol/mg of protein. The binding was inhibited by addition of unlabeled ET-1 and ET-3 in dose dependent manner. The Ki values of solubilized membranes were 84 pM for ET-1 and 250 pM for ET-3, whereas particulate membranes had weaker affinities (Ki=410 pM for ET-1, 2500 pM for ET-3). Calcium channel blockers such as nicardipine, verapamil and diltiazem did not affect the binding of 125I-ET-1. Affinity labeling of the particulate and solubilized membranes with CHAPS revealed a specific binding protein with a Mr of 32,000.
Nematode, fungi, and weed control using Telone C35 and colored plastic mulches

Abstract Methyl bromide controls three major problems in crop production: weeds, nematodes and phytopathogenic fungi. An alternative system was investigated that used various colored plastic mulches with Telone C35 (63.4% 1,3-dichlropropene, 34.7% chloropicrin, 1.9% inert ingredients). This alternative to methyl bromide was to investigate: 1) control weeds through wavelength selective plastic mulches, 2) control fungi by chloropicrin, and 3) control weeds and nematodes by 1,3-dichloropropene. These mulches control weeds by a thickness that prevented weed penetration, especially nutsedges, by retaining phytotoxic fumigant longer, or by allowing infra-red and red light to penetrate through the film while restricting other photo synthetically active wavelengths. Infra-red and red light changed the morphology of nutsedges from a hard plastic-penetrating point to a soft leafy structure that cannot tear the film. The mulches tested were blue virtually impermeable film (VIF), black VIF, black polyethylene film (PE), as well as blue, green, olive, brown, and metalized PE. Conclusions after a two-year study were: 1) that there was no direct correlation between the amount of light transmitted through colored mulch with tomato yield per plant, 2) that the use of fumigation with plastic mulches led to an average increase of 40% in crop yield compared to non-fumigated beds, and 3) finally, that if the grower decided not to use any pesticide, fungicide, or herbicide, then metalized PE mulch would maximize weed control and crop yield.
A parallel projection method for solving generalized linear least-squares problems

A parallel projection algorithm is proposed to solve the generalized linear least-squares problem: find a vector to minimize the 2-norm distance from its image under an affine mapping to a closed convex cone. In each iteration of the algorithm the problem is decomposed into several independent small problems of finding projections onto subspaces, which are simple and can be tackled parallelly. The algorithm can be viewed as a dual version of the algorithm proposed by Han and Lou [8]. For the special problem under consideration, stronger convergence results are established. The algorithm is also related to the block iterative methods of Elfving [6], Dennis and Steihaug [5], and the primal-dual method of Springarn [14].
Lessons on Stigma: Teaching about HIV/AIDS

Teaching about the sociology of HIV/AIDS involves teaching about the causes and effects of stigma. We describe a Sociology of HIV/AIDS course at the University of Alabama in which stigma reduction was assessed as a primary objective. The syllabus involved theory-based instruction, class visits, service learning, and student research on community attitudes toward HIV/AIDS. We report on how stigma affected the service learning and other elements of the course, calling for adjustments to our pedagogical approach. We also report how the course was evaluated in a pretest/posttest assessment on attitudes toward people living with HIV/AIDS [PLWHA] (enacted stigma) and hypothetical reactions to being diagnosed with HIV (felt stigma). The results indicated greater tolerance for PLWHA following the class but also greater awareness of HIV stigma and its outcomes. We offer recommendations to help instructors avoid stigma-related materials and events that could jeopardize service learning and course objectives for sensitive topics such as HIV/AIDS.
A study of methyl bromide emissions from automobiles burning leaded gasoline using standardized vehicle testing procedures

This study measured CH3Br emissions directly from vehicular exhaust while operating under standardized dynamometer conditions, and generated response curves to see if the bromine content of the fuel could be correlated to and used as a predictor for tailpipe emissions. Four lead and bromine fuel concentrations were run in two non-catalyst automobiles using the standard Federal Test Procedure (FTP) driving cycle and exhaust samples were analyzed for CH3Br using Gas Chromatography-Electron Capture Detection (GC-ECD). Total FTP exhaust emissions of CH3Br produced a range of average values from below detection to 26 mg (kg fuel burned)−1. Total FTP Emission Rates were plotted and response curves demonstrated that fuel bromine content was indeed predictive of CH3Br emission rates. Overall average CH3Br mass emission factor was 2.4% (2.1 – 2.7%) which was lower than previous work. Emission results of this study were found to be about 10-fold lower than indirect methods.
Dehydration of the alkaline metal iodide in microwave

Dehydration of the alkaline metal iodide in vacuum microwave drying are studied. It is shown that dehydration of the salts under the action of microwave is caused more quickly in contrast with traditional thermal heating
Effects of juvenile hormone III on Reticulitermes flavipes: changes in hemolymph protein composition and gene expression

Termites express polyphenism during caste differentiation that is mostly undefined at the molecular level. Using the eastern subterranean termite, Reticulitermes flavipes Kollar, we wanted (1) to test juvenile hormone (JH) model assays for their ability to induce detectable molecular changes in worker termites and (2) to investigate hemolymph proteins and their corresponding genes during JH-induced soldier caste differentiation. Our results illustrate pronounced changes in two hemolymph proteins after JH treatment, as well as differences among several caste phenotypes. Significant increases in the expression of four genes encoding hemolymph proteins, including two vitellogenins and two hexamerins, were observed after JH exposure. These findings are the first to demonstrate such protein and gene expression changes during termite caste differentiation. These results also validate the utility of JH model assays for inducing detectable molecular changes in worker termites that have begun presoldier differentiation.
Visible light laser guidestar experimental system (Villages): on-sky tests of new technologies for visible wavelength all-sky coverage adaptive optics systems

The Lick Observatory is pursuing new technologies for adaptive optics that will enable feasible low cost laser guidestar systems for visible wavelength astronomy. The Villages system, commissioned at the 40 inch Nickel Telescope this past Fall, serves as an on-sky testbed for new deformable mirror technology (high-actuator count MEMS devices), open-loop wavefront sensing and control, pyramid wavefront sensing, and laser uplink correction. We describe the goals of our experiments and present the early on-sky results of AO closed-loop and open-loop operation. We will also report on our plans for on-sky tests of the direct-phase measuring pyramid-lenslet wavefront sensor and plans for installing a laser guidestar system.
The effects of X-irradiation on seedling tumor production in Nicotiana species and hybrids

Abstract Germinated seedlings of several Nicotiana species hybrids differed in their response to X-ray treatment. In two hybrids (a) N. debneyi x N. longiflora where the entire F 1 progeny was tumorous, and (b) N. glauca x N. longiflora which had a variable incidence of tumors, 2000 r of X-rays raised the seedling tumor frequency considerably. No tumors were observed in parental species following irradiation.
Design of a Gamma-Ray Spectrometer Using the Phoswitch Technique for Rejection of Charged Particles

The "phoswitch" technique may be used to construct a gamma-ray spectrometer that will not respond to charged particles. The theory and design of such a device is discussed and some preliminary data on its performance are presented.
On the structure and analysis of complex systems of first-order chemical reactions containing irreversible steps — III Determination of the rate constants

Abstract The use of parallel ray projection in the determination of the characteristic vectors and rate constants of first-order reaction systems containing both reversible and irreversible steps is described.
Multiscale Approach to Ablation Modeling of Phenolic Impregnated Carbon Ablators

A multiscale approach is used to model and analyze the ablation of porous materials. Models are developed for the oxidation of a carbon preform and of the char layer of two Phenolic Impregnated Carbon Ablators (PICA) with the same chemical composition, but with different structures. Oxygen diffusion through the pores of the materials and in depth oxidation and mass loss are first modeled at microscopic scale. The microscopic model is then averaged in set of partial differential equations describing the macroscopic behavior of the material. Microscopic and macroscopic approaches are applied with progressive degrees of complexity to gain a comprehensive understanding of the ablation process. Porous medium ablation is found to occur in a zone of the char layer, called ablation zone, whose thickness is a decreasing function of the Thiele number. The studied PICA materials are shown to display different ablation behaviors, a fact that is not captured by current models that are based on chemical composition only. Applied to Stardust’s PICA, the models explain and reproduce the unexpected drop in density measured in the char layer during Stardust post-flight analyses [Stackpoole, 2008].