cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
SU‐GG‐T‐474: Feasibility Study of MVCT Imaging Guided Adaptive Proton Therapy for Head and Neck Cancers

Purpose: Extending MVCT's potential for daily patient position and anatomy verification, we investigated the feasibility of using MVCT to assess the daily delivered dose for head and neck patients treated with proton beams. Method and Materials: A Rando head phantom was scanned on a Philips Brilliance Big Bore CTscanner to obtain the planning kVCT images. The corresponding MVCT images were acquired on a helical Tomotherapy unit. To establish CT‐electron density curves, a Gammex RMI 465 electron density phantom was scanned on both kVCT and MVCT scanners. A typical 4‐field plan was created for the phantom and dose distribution was calculated using pencil beam algorithm from the XIO treatment planning system. After MVCT and kVCT images manually registered, kVCT‐based treatment plan with structure contours and beam configuration including beam shaping devices was mapped to MVCT images for dose re‐computation. Dose map, isodose curves, dose profiles, gamma maps, and dose‐volume histograms were used for dose comparison. Results: Although the noise level in MVCT images is higher than that with the comparabl kVCT the dose distribution computed on MVCT image is comparable to the dose distribution computed on the kVCT images. The dose comparison showed an agreement of higher than 97% between the two plans given the criteria of 3% dose difference and 3 mm distance to agreement. The biggest dose difference between two plans occurred around the periphery of the target. There was negligible difference in the DVH comparison. Conclusions: MVCT images acquired for daily setup verification in image‐guidedproton therapy are feasible for assessment of daily deliveredproton dose distributions with accuracy comparable to that of kVCT‐based dose calculation. The original treatment plan based on kVCT can be transferred to the daily MVCT image set to evaluate the actual dose distribution for adaptive proton therapy.
Olivocochlear innervation of inner and outer hair cells during postnatal maturation: evidence for a waiting period

Reconstructions of the efferent innervation of the hamster (Mesocricetus auratus) cochlea were done during postnatal development. Efferent neurons were labeled via injections of biocytin and horseradish peroxidase into the crossed olivocochlear (OC) bundles using an in vitro brainstem technique. Such injections retrogradely labeled cell bodies in ventral periolivary regions of the superior olive consistent with their being medial OC neurons. Anterogradely labeled axons were traced to the cochlea, where they terminated on or below inner hair cells (IHCs) prior to postnatal day 5 (P5). After P5, labeled axons terminated on IHCs and outer hair cells (OHCs) and after P10, the majority of labeled axons terminated on the OHCs. In the electron microscope, small labeled terminals containing densely packed synaptic vesicles were found both adjacent to IHCs (axosomatic) as well as apposed to afferent and efferent fibers below IHCs prior to P5. By P10, large labeled terminals were axosomatic to OHCs and no longer found on IHCs. Consistent with previous reports, these data suggest that medial OC axons form part of an early primary innervation on and below IHCs before terminating on OHCs. This raises the possibility that OC neurons demonstrate a period of waiting below an intermediate target similar to that described in the development of thalamocortical projections.
Simultaneous study of karyotype and cell morphology in childhood erythroleukemia.

We followed a 2-year-old girl with erythroleukemia (EL) for 7 months, from the time of her initial diagnosis until her death. Immunophenotyping of bone marrow was negative for markers of myeloid and lymphoid lineages. Chromosome study of marrow at diagnosis revealed abnormalities in all mitotic cells, with a clonal karyotype of 48,XX,t(2;12)(p11.2; p13), + 6, + 21. Subsequent studies showed that the clone rapidly evolved and accumulated additional structural and numerical abnormalities, in spite of intensive chemotherapy during the final months. Simultaneous study of the karyotype and cell morphology of dividing bone marrow cells after 24 hours of in vitro culture, using a technique that preserves cell structure, showed that cells with the chromosome abnormalities were PAS-negative. The combined immunological, cytogenetic, and morphological data indicate that the original malignant cell type was neither myeloblast nor erythroblast but an early progenitor type that rapidly proliferated.
The use of intravenous sodium amytal in psychiatric feeding problems.

A method for feeding negativistic patients in institutions, which has been found to be superior, in many respects, to the customary methods, is presented here. This method was used in 64 cases with success in all instances.
An investigation of switching stresses in bimetal disks

Abstract Bimetal disks used for thermostatic control and over-temperature protection can undergo a drift in switching temperature with repeated thermal cycling. The switching action involves a sudden snap-thru and inversion of curvature. A detailed stress analysis associated with this switching (based on work by W. H. Wittrick) and a solution procedure were developed for bimetal disks. Stresses, strains and deflections were then calculated. including changes on snap-thru at switching temperatures. Experimentally determined switching strains were found to be in good agreement with the analysis. The analysis shows high cyclic and mean stresses in the disk. These stresses are considered to be the major contributing factor in the models proposed for the drift in switching temperatures during prolonged cyclic operation. A parametric study was carried out in which several disk thicknesses, diameters and differences in switching temperatures were considered. As a result of this study a simple procedure was discovered for determining graphically the stresses developed during switching, from which a new design procedure is proposed.
Nuclear data sheets for A = 60

Nuclear structure data available through April 1979 are compiled and evaluated. Adopted level and decay properties are given. The bulk of the data is presented pictorially for easy comparison. Experimental details, references, and additional comments, where required, are given in the text. All drawings, tables, and comments are reproduced from the Evaluated Nuclear Structure Data File (ENSDF). Any additions or corrections desired by the users should be addressed to the evaluators for maintenance and updating of the data file.
Evaluating security threats in mainframe and client/server environments

Abstract Recently, client/server computing has become a serious alternative to mainframe computing in industry. It offers some benefits, but it also exposes the computing environment to additional risks: the flexibility that makes it attractive can also make it more vulnerable to security breaches. This paper reports the results of a study that explored how companies that were moving from a mainframe environment to one that included client/server technology, evaluated and took measures to protect against potential information security threats. Apparently, although security measures in the mainframe environment have been well implemented relative to their perceived threat, the same cannot be said about the client/server environment. Certain critical areas in the client/server environment in which security exposure is likely are discussed. Organizations must become aware of these critical areas and ensure that appropriate security measures are implemented to reduce the possibility of loss.
Mapping HSA 3 loci in cattle: additional support for the ancestral synteny of HSA 3 and 21.

Homologs to genes residing on human chromosome 3 (HSA 3) map to four mouse chromosomes (MMU) 3, 6, 9, and 16. In the bovine, two syntenic groups that contain HSA 3 homologs, unassigned syntenic groups 10 (U10) and 12 (U12), have been defined. U10 also contains HSA 21 genes, which is similar to the situation seen on MMU 16, whereas U12 apparently contains only HSA 3 homologs. The syntenic arrangement of other HSA 3 homologs in the bovine was investigated by physically mapping five genes through segregation analysis of a bovine-hamster hybrid somatic cell panel. The genes mapped include Friend-murine leukemia virus integration site 3 homolog (FIM3; HSA 3/MMU 3), sucrase-isomaltase (SI) and glutathione peroxidase 1 (GPX1) (HSA 3/MMU ?), murine leukemia viral (v-raf-1) oncogene homolog 1 (RAF1; HSA 3/MMU 6), and ceruloplasmin (CP; HSA 3/MMU 9). FIM3, SI, and CP mapped to bovine syntenic group U10, while RAF1 and GPX1 mapped to U12.
Asymptotic stability of singularly perturbed systems that have marginally stable boundary-layer systems

A class of linear singularly perturbed systems with singular perturbation parameter µ > 0 is considered. To assure asymptotic stability of the full-order system for sm > 0 sufficiently small, it is customary to require that both the reduced-order system (µ = 0) and the boundary-layer system are asymptotically stable. Here we relax the requirement on the boundary-layer system to stability (i.e., stability, but not necessarily asymptotic stability) and show that, subject to one additional condition, the full-order system is asymptotically stable for sufficiently small µ. The result is illustrated by an application in which we consider the stability robustness of a feedback-controlled mechanical system with respect to an unmodeled flexibility.
Space Solar Cell Research: Problems And Potential

The value of a passive, maintenance-free, renewable energy source was apparent in the early days of the space program, and the silicon solar cell was pressed into service. Efficiencies of those early space solar arrays were low, and lifetimes shorter than hoped for, but within a decade significant advances had been made in both areas. Better performance was achieved through improvements in silicon single crystal material, better device designs, and a better understanding of the factors that affect the performance of a solar cell in space. Chief among the latter, particularly for the mid-to-high altitude (HEO) and geosynchronous (GEO) orbits, are the effects of the naturally occurring particulate radiation environment. Although not as broadly important to the photovoltaic community at large as increased efficiency, the topic of radiation damage is critically important to use of solar cells in space, and is a major component of the NASA research program in space photovoltaics. A brief overview of some of the opportunities and challenges for space photovoltaic applications is given, and some of the current research directed at achieving high efficiency and controlling radiation damage in space solar cells is discussed.
Investigation and Optimization of On-Column Redox Reactions in the Sorbent Extraction Separation of Americium and Plutonium Using Flow Injection Analysis

A flow injection (FI) system with on-line liquid scintillation detection has been used to investigate and automate the separation of americium and plutonium on a sorbent extraction column (Eichrom TRU-resin). The FI system delivers various reagent solutions under controlled conditions to perform reactions that control the speciation of Pu, adjusting it between the III and IV states on the column. Am(III) is eluted in hydrochloric acid, while Pu(IV) remains on the column. The Pu is then selectively eluted by an on-column reduction reaction to Pu(III), which is not retained in hydrochloric acid. Remaining tetra- and hexavalent actinides are removed from the column using complexing eluent. Studies of the on-column oxidation of Pu with nitrite revealed that nitrite is slightly retained and partially converted to other species, both processes influencing subsequent reduction reactions. Mild reducing agents such as hydroquinone effected a slow and incomplete reduction of Pu(IV) on the column; examination of sev...
On the Unique Solvability of Some Nonlinear Stochastic PDEs

The Cauchy problem for 1-dimensional nonlinear stochastic partial differential equations is studied. The uniqueness and existence of solutions in $cH^2_p(T)$-space are proved.
Effect of 5 cm of Water Positive End-Expiratory Pressure on Arterial Oxygen Tension in Dogs During and After Thoracotomy

Thoracotomy in dogs often is associated with lower than expected arterial oxygen tensions (PaO2). Pulmonary collapse from opening the thoracic cavity is likely to be responsible for decreased PaO2 during thoracotomy. To examine whether positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP) is beneficial to dogs undergoing thoracotomy, PaO2 and hemoglobin saturation (SaO2) were measured in dogs randomly assigned to receive 5 cm of H2O PEEP (n = 7) or no PEEP (n = 9). During surgery in both groups of dogs, PaO2 progressively decreased (P < .001), but the decrease in PaO2 was significantly less in the PEEP group (P = .027). In both groups, PaO2 did not decrease enough to have a substantial effect on SaO2. Furthermore, application of PEEP during thoracotomy did not prevent moderate hypoxemia after surgery and discontinuation of PEEP. Application of 5 cm of H2O PEEP seems to attenuate the decrease in PaO2 observed in dogs undergoing thoracotomy, but routine application of PEEP does not seem justified.
Crime and religion: An international comparison among thirteen industrial nations

Abstract At the individual level of analysis, evidence has accumulated in support of the hypothesis that persons who are most religious commit crimes at lower rates than those who are least religious. This study examined the relationship at a societal level, based on 1990–1991 data from 13 industrial nations. Overall, the findings revealed that more religious countries have lower crime rates than less religious countries, at least regarding property crimes (as opposed to either aggressive or victimless offenses). As has been reported when comparing individuals, this relationship was more pronounced in the case of “overt” aspects of religiosity (especially church attendance and church membership) than in the case of any specific religious beliefs. The results were discussed in the context of four theories that predict an inverse religiosity-criminality relationship: control theory, rational choice theory, moral reasoning theory, and arousal theory. Findings from the present study seemed most consistent with moral reasoning theory and arousal theory.
Comparing the reinforcing efficacy of nicotine containing and de-nicotinized cigarettes: a behavioral economic analysis

Rationale: Smoking-related respiratory stimuli produced by de-nicotinized cigarettes may function as conditioned reinforcers, but behavioral data on such reinforcing effects are limited. Objectives: The present experiment compared the reinforcing efficacy of cigarettes that provided only smoking-related stimuli (de-nicotinized cigarettes) and cigarettes that provided both smoking-related stimuli and nicotine. Methods: Eight human subjects responded on a progressive-ratio schedule in which the number of plunger pulls required for standardized cigarette puffs increased across sessions. In one phase, the breakpoints, number of puffs earned per session, peak response rates, ratio producing peak response rates, and the elasticity of demand for cigarette puffs were compared for nicotine-containing and de-nicotinized cigarettes when each cigarette type was the only one available. In another phase, subjects chose between the two cigarette types at some of the prices examined in the previous phase. Results: Nicotine-containing and de-nicotinized cigarettes produced similar measures of reinforcing efficacy when each was presented alone, but there was a strong preference for nicotine-containing cigarettes when subjects were given a choice. Conclusions: These data support suggestions that smoking-produced sensory stimuli may function as conditioned reinforcers and that the relative reinforcing efficacy of cigarettes is determined by the combined effects of the nicotine/conditioned reinforcing complex provided by smoking.
Spring Defoliation to Improve Summer Supply and Quality of Switchgrass

The objective of this study was to determine if the major supply of switchgrass herbage could be delayed by use of partial spring defoliation and still maintain adequate herbage quality. Switchgrass plots were fertilized with 0 or 120 kg N ha −1 and defoliated at six time-intensity combinations. Yield and quality of initial spring and 6-wk regrowth were measured. We conclude that a short period of moderate defoliation of switchgrass in early to mid-June could benefit grazing programs by providing (i) some very high-quality switchgrass herbage during early to mid-June; (ii) a brief rest and regrowth period for the cool-season pasture; and (iii) relatively high summer yields of quality switchgrass when it is most needed
Binaural summation after learning psychophysical functions for loudness

Do response-related processes affect perceptual processes? Sometimes they may: Algom and Marks (1990) produced different loudness exponents by manipulating stimulus range, and thereby also modified the rules of loudness summation determined by magnitude scaling. The present study manipulated exponents by having a dozen subjects learn prescribed power functions with exponents of 0.3, 0.6, or 1.2 (re sound pressure). Subjects gave magnitude estimates of the loudness of binaural signals during training, and of monaural and binaural signals after training. During training, subjects’ responses followed the nominal functions reasonably well. Immediately following training, subjects applied the numeric response scales uniformly to binaural and monaural signals alike; the implicit monaural-binaural loudness matches, and thus the basic rules underlying binaural summation, were unaffected by the exponent learned. Comparison of these results with those of Algom and Marks leads us to conclude that changing stimulus range likely influences underlying perceptual events, whereas “calibrating” a loudness scale through pretraining leaves the perceptual processes unaffected.
Nonnegative matrices having nonnegative Drazin pseudoinverses

Abstract Necessary and sufficient conditions for nonnegative matrices having nonnegative Drazin pseudoinverses are obtained. A decomposition theorem which characterizes the class of all nonnegative matrices with nonnegative Drazin pseudoinverses is proved, thus answering a question raised by several people. It is also shown that if a row (or column) stochastic matrix has a nonnegative Drazin pseudoinverse A(d), then A(d) is some power of A. These results extend known results for nonnegative group-monotone matrices.
Optimal state estimation for stochastic systems: an information theoretic approach

In this paper, we examine the problem of optimal state estimation or filtering in stochastic systems using an approach based on information theoretic measures. In this setting, the traditional minimum mean-square measure is compared with information theoretic measures, Kalman filtering theory is reexamined, and some new interpretations are offered. We show that for a linear Gaussian system, the Kalman filter is the optimal filter not only for the mean-square error measure, but for several information theoretic measures which are introduced in this work. For nonlinear systems, these same measures generally are in conflict with each other, and the feedback control policy has a dual role with regard to regulation and estimation. For linear stochastic systems with general noise processes, a lower bound on the achievable mutual information between the estimation error and the observation are derived. The properties of an optimal (probing) control law and the associated optimal filter, which achieve this lower bound, and their relationships are investigated. It is shown that for a linear stochastic system with an affine linear filter for the homogeneous system, under some reachability and observability conditions, zero mutual information between estimation error and observations can be achieved only when the system is Gaussian.
Using Web Search Results and Genetic Algorithm to Improve the Accuracy of Chinese Spam Email Filters

In recent years, many researches were focusing on developing effective spam email filters because spam emails became serious problems. Among all existing solutions, studies showed that the Naive Bayesian spam email filter was the best one because it could achieve the highest accuracy in filtering out English spam emails. However, how to filter out Chinese spam emails is still an open problem since it is difficult to correctly segment Chinese sentences. This paper presents a Web-Search-Results (WSR) based Genetic Algorithm (GA) Chinese sentence tokenizer which can automatically segment Chinese sentences. A fuzzy-splitting algorithm which helps GA handle longer sentences is also proposed. Besides, we show the implementation details of this tokenizer along with a standard Naive Bayesian email filter, and then we introduce the training and evaluation process. Evaluations on a real world spam email dataset "CCERT Data Sets of Chinese Emails" (CDSCE) showed that our approach effectively improves the accuracy of identifying Chinese spam emails.
Reservoir Targeted Vaccine Against Borrelia burgdorferi: A New Strategy to Prevent Lyme Disease Transmission

A high prevalence of infection with Borrelia burgdorferi in ixodid ticks is correlated with a high incidence of Lyme disease. The transmission of B. burgdorferi to humans can be disrupted by targeting 2 key elements in its enzootic cycle: the reservoir host and the tick vector. In a prospective 5-year field trial, we show that oral vaccination of wild white-footed mice resulted in outer surface protein A–specific seropositivity that led to reductions of 23% and 76% in the nymphal infection prevalence in a cumulative, time-dependent manner (2 and 5 years, respectively), whereas the proportion of infected ticks recovered from control plots varied randomly over time. Significant decreases in tick infection prevalence were observed within 3 years of vaccine deployment. Implementation of such a long-term public health measure could substantially reduce the risk of human exposure to Lyme disease.
Better off in the wild? Evaluating a captive breeding and release program for the recovery of an endangered rodent

The critical question for the success of all captive breeding and release programs (CBRPs) is the same: will the benefit of augmenting or reestablishing a population with captive animals outweigh the loss of taking individuals from the wild? Yet, few studies have simultaneously evaluated the impact of removal of animals for captive breeding on the source population and the potential contribution of the released animals to the augmented populations. We used the endangered Key Largo woodrat (Neotoma floridana smalli, KLWR) as a model system to simultaneously examine the effect of animal removal, captive breeding, and reintroduction on the dynamics and persistence of a wild population. We used mark-recapture and telemetry data, as well as zoo records from a recent CBRP for the endangered KLWR to parameterize a matrix population model and to simulate the response of the KLWR population to alternative captive breeding and release strategies. Our results suggest that a CBRP as practiced previously would not contribute to KLWR recovery; instead, removal of wild KLWR for captive breeding could harm the population. Captive breeding programs will not contribute to the recovery of KLWR unless survival of released animals and breeding success of captive individuals are improved. Our study provides a framework for simultaneous consideration of animal removal from the wild, breeding success in captivity and survival of released animals for a comprehensive evaluation of captive breeding programs.
The C161-->T polymorphism in peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma, but not P12A, is associated with insulin resistance in Hispanic and non-Hispanic white women: evidence for another functional variant in peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma.

Abstract The P12A variant in the peroxisome proliferator–activated receptor gamma (PPAR γ ) gene has been intensely studied for association with obesity-related or type-2 diabetes–related traits; however, the results have been somewhat inconsistent in different populations. We genotyped a large cohort of Hispanic and non-Hispanic white individuals from the San Luis Valley Diabetes Study for P12A and another common variant, C161→T, in the PPAR γ gene to determine if these sites were associated with fasting glucose, insulin, free fatty acid levels, insulin sensitivity, or body fat. There were no statistically significant frequency differences at these two sites between Hispanic and non-Hispanic individuals. No significant association with the metabolic phenotypes was observed for either of the polymorphisms in men; however, in women, significant associations were shown between the C161→T variant and fasting insulin ( P = .008) and the homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA IR; P = .007). After adjusting for age, smoking, fat mass, and skin reflectance, linear regression showed that C161→T explained 1.5% of the variation in both fasting insulin ( P = .031) and HOMA IR ( P = .028) whereas P12A contributed only 0.04% (fasting insulin, P = .268) and 0.02% (HOMA IR, P = .418) to the total trait variation. In the San Luis Valley Diabetes Study female patients, C161→T appears to be a better predictor of fasting insulin levels and insulin resistance than P12A although the effect of this variant is small. These results support the hypothesis that C161→T is in linkage disequilibrium with unidentified functional variation in PPAR γ or in a linked gene. This could explain some of the inconsistencies in the P12A association studies as the allele frequency and level of linkage disequilibrium of another functional polymorphism in the region could vary in different populations.
The Safety and Efficacy of PF-04958242 in Age-Related Sensorineural Hearing Loss: A Randomized Clinical Trial

Importance To our knowledge, this is the first study to assess the potential to pharmacologically improve auditory function in adults with age-related sensorineural hearing loss. Objective To explore the potential for the α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid potentiator mechanism to affect auditory function in individuals with mild to moderate age-related sensorineural hearing loss. Design, Setting, and Participants A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, single-dose, 3-way crossover study was conducted in 3 academic ear, nose, and throat clinics and 2 private clinical research centers between December 22, 2011, and February 26, 2013. Participants were 50- to 75-year-old men and women of nonchildbearing potential with mild to moderate sensorineural hearing loss. Interventions Three single doses of PF-04958242, an α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid glutamate-positive allosteric modulator, and placebo. Main Outcomes and Measures Pure-tone average, speech discrimination score, and speech in noise testing change from baseline at 1 and 5 hours after a single dose of PF-04958242. Results The treatment was safe and well tolerated. The estimates for the primary end point change from baseline in pure-tone average compared with placebo at 1 hour were –0.77 (95% CI, –2.14 to 0.59) and 0.37 (95% CI, –0.97 to 1.72) for 0.27 and 0.35 mg, respectively. At 5 hours the estimates were –0.57 (95% CI, –2.43 to 1.29) and –0.56 (95% CI, –2.45 to 1.33) for 0.27 and 0.35 mg, respectively. No significant change from baseline was demonstrated compared with placebo in the primary or secondary study end points at 1 or 5 hours after receiving treatment. Conclusions and Relevance To our knowledge, this clinical trial is the first study of a pharmacologic treatment for age-related sensorineural hearing loss and provides information with regard to study design, end points, variability, data characteristics, and operational feasibility to guide the design of future hearing loss trials. Trial Registration clinicaltrials.gov Identifier:NCT01518920
Radiocarbon--a low-impact tool to study nutrient transport by soil fungi under field conditions.

Summary • Here, we present a new in-situ method to study the uptake of amino acids by soil fungi. •W e injected 14 C-labeled glycine into a marshland soil and measured the rate and the 14 C signature of CO 2 respired from sporocarps of Pholiota terrestris over 53.5 h and 2 m. We also determined the incorporation of glycine-C into sporocarp tissue. The 14 C signature of the CO 2 and tissue was quantified by accelerator mass spectrometry. • After the label application, the rate of CO 2 flux and its 14 C signature from chambers with sporocarps were significantly higher than from chambers without sporocarps, and then declined with time. Postlabel, the 14 C signature of the sporocarp tissue increased by 35‰. •W e show that this approach can be used to study below-ground food webs on an hourly time-scale while minimizing the perturbation of competitive relationships among soil microorganisms and between plants and soil microorganisms. • Additionally we show that care must be taken to avoid confounding effects of sporocarp senescence on rates and radiocarbon signatures of respired CO 2 .
Batch- and continuous-culture studies of a methane-utilizing mixed culture.

A methane-utilizing mixed culture isolated from activated sludge by selective enrichment at 45°C was found to consist of three interacting species: a methaneutilizing bacterium, a citrate-utilizing bacterium, and a methanol-utilizing bacterium. All three species grew well at 45°C. Three different stable mixed cultures were reconstituted by various combinations of these pure cultures. The nutritional requirements and substrate ranges for each pure culture were determined. The nutritional requirements and substrate ranges for each pure culture were determined. The saturation constant for the methane-utilizing bacterium on methane (K CH 4) and for the methanol-utilizing bacterium on methanol (K CH 3OH) were 1.73 × 10-6 M and 4.51 × 10-7 M, respectively. The volumetric mass transfer coefficient for methane (KL a) was determined to be 65.6 hr-1 .
Perceived reasons for loss of housing and continued homelessness among homeless persons with mental illness.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to examine the reasons for the most recent loss of housing and for continued homelessness as perceived by homeless persons with mental illness. METHODS: A total of 2,974 currently homeless participants in the 1996 National Survey of Homeless Assistance Providers and Clients (NSHAPC) were asked about the reasons for their most recent loss of housing and continued homelessness. The responses of participants who had mental illness, defined both broadly and narrowly, were compared with responses of those who were not mentally ill. The broad definition of mental illness was based on a set of criteria proposed by NSHAPC investigators. The narrow definition included past psychiatric hospitalization in addition to the NSHAPC criteria. RESULTS: A total of 1,620 participants (56 percent) met the broad definition of mental illness, and 639 (22 percent) met the narrow definition; 1,345 participants (44 percent) did not meet any of these criteria and were categorized as not h...
Inverse problems for torsional modes.

Summary. We consider a spherically symmetric, non-rotating earth consisting of an isotropic, perfect elastic material where the density and the S-wave velocity may have one or two discontinuities in the upper mantle. We show that given the velocity throughout the mantle and the crust and given the density in the lower mantle, then the frequencies of the torsional oscillations of one angular order (one torsional spectrum), determine the density in the upper mantle and in the crust uniquely. If the velocity is known only in the lower mantle, then the frequencies of the torsional oscillations of two angular orders uniquely determine both the density and the velocity in the upper mantle and in the crust. In particular, the position and size of the discontinuities in the density and velocity are uniquely determined by two torsional spectra.
Strengthening Social Networks Intervention Strategies for Mental Health Case Managers

The enhancement of social support networks for people with chronic mental illness is an important thrust of case management services. However, despite the worthy intentions of the National Institute of Mental Health Community Support Program, the development of comprehensive, community-based social support systems for people with chronic mental illness remains an elusive goal. Case managers face many obstacles in their efforts to enhance the natural support systems of their clients, and they need specific training in social network interventions with individuals with mental illness to overcome these obstacles. This article presents conceptual framework of social network interventions and discusses obstacles to enhancing natural support systems. The need for community resource development, especially in the building of community ties, is highlighted.
Effect of IGF-I on placental thromboxane and prostacyclin release in severe intrauterine growth retardation.

Our recent findings that IGF-I inhibits placental thromboxane (TxB2) release (1,2) and that prostanoid release from placentas of certain pregnancies complicated by intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR) is decreased [Sorem KA, Siler-Khodr TM, Placenta, 16:503–515, 1995] led us to investigate the effect of IGF-I on prostanoid release from placentas of IUGR pregnancies. The placental response of 6-keto-prostaglandin F1a (6-keto-PGF1a) and thromboxane (TxB2) to IGF-I in severe IUGR (n = 5) was compared with the response in normal pregnancies (n = 6). Placentas were perifused with medium containing IGF-I at doses of 0, 5.2, 10.4, 20.8, and 83.3 ng/ml. In three of the five IUGR placentas (responsive group), incubation with IGF-I resulted in an inhibition of TxB2, attaining significantly greater inhibition at a lower dose of IGF-I than the normal placental response. However, in two of the five IUGR placentas (non-responsive group), the TxB2 was insensitive to the normal inhibitory action of IGF-I. The baseline ...
Mechanisms of Mechanically Induced Spontaneous Arrhythmias in Acute Regional Ischemia

Rationale: Although ventricular premature beats (VPBs) during acute regional ischemia have been linked to mechanical stretch of ischemic tissue, whether and how ischemia-induced mechanical dysfunction can induce VPBs and facilitate their degradation into reentrant arrhythmias has not been yet addressed. Objective: This study used a novel multiscale electromechanical model of the rabbit ventricles to investigate the origin of and the substrate for spontaneous arrhythmias arising from ischemia-induced electrophysiological and mechanical changes. Methods and Results: Two stages of ischemia were simulated. Dynamic mechanoelectrical feedback was modeled as spatially and temporally nonuniform membrane currents through mechanosensitive channels, the conductances of which depended on local strain rate. Our results reveal that both strains and strain rates were significantly larger in the central ischemic zone than in the border zone. However, in both ischemia stages, a VPB originated from the ischemic border in the left ventricular apical endocardium because of mechanically induced suprathreshold depolarizations. It then traveled fully intramurally until emerging from the ischemic border on the anterior epicardium. Reentry was formed only in the advanced ischemia stage as the result of a widened temporal excitable gap. Mechanically induced delayed afterdepolarization-like events contributed to the formation of reentry by further decreasing the already reduced-by-hyperkalemia local excitability, causing extended conduction block lines and slowed conduction in the ischemic region. Conclusions: Mechanically induced membrane depolarizations in the ischemic region are the mechanism by which mechanical activity contributes to both the origin of and substrate for spontaneous arrhythmias under the conditions of acute regional ischemia.
Galerkin-based analysis of bifurcation in a phase locked loop

A Galerkin-based algorithm is used to analyze the bifurcation responsible for breaking the false lock state in a second-order, Type I PLL. The algorithm has two major components. The first deals with approximating the limit cycle associated with the PLL's false lock state by a number of harmonics. The amplitudes of these harmonics are formulated as unknowns in a system of algebraic equations. These equations depend on the PLL's detuning /spl omega//sub os/, and the value of this parameter at which bifurcation occurs is an additional unknown. The second component of the algorithm deals formulating an additional equation so that the unknown harmonics and /spl omega//sub os/ can be solved for simultaneously. >
Verifying Scientific Simulations via Comparative and Quantitative Visualization

This article presents a visualization-assisted process that verifies scientific-simulation codes. Code verification is necessary because scientists require accurate predictions to interpret data confidently. This verification process integrates iterative hypothesis verification with comparative, feature, and quantitative visualization. Following this process can help identify differences in cosmological and oceanographic simulations.
Antiretroviral release from poly(dl-lactide-co-glycolide) nanoparticles in mice

OBJECTIVES Free ritonavir, lopinavir and efavirenz injected intraperitoneally were compared with antiretroviral (AR) nanoparticles (NPs). METHODS This is a prospective study in BALB/c mice comparing the pharmacokinetics of free drugs with AR NPs. All animals received free drugs or AR NPs (20 mg/kg) in PBS. In vitro replication assays were used for determination of the anti-HIV efficacy of NP formulations. At specific times (free drugs 0.08, 0.125, 0.25, 0.33, 1, 2 and 3 days; AR NPs 0.125, 0.33, 1, 2, 4, 7, 14, 21, 28, 35 and 42 days) mice were euthanized and serum and organs were harvested for determination of AR concentrations by HPLC. Single treatment of monocyte-derived macrophages (MDMs) infected with HIV-1(ada) compared AR NPs (0.005-0.05 mg/mL) with free efavirenz or lopinavir/ritonavir (0.01-0.1 mg/mL), blank NPs and controls. Results are presented as means ± SEM. RESULTS Serum free AR drug concentrations peaked 4 h post-injection (ritonavir 3.9 ± 3.05, lopinavir 3.4 ± 2.5 and efavirenz 1.8 ± 0.63 µg/mL) and were eliminated by 72 h. Poly(dl-lactide-co-glycolide) NP animals had detectable ritonavir, lopinavir and efavirenz concentrations in all tissues for 28 days. Treatment of MDMs with AR NPs resulted in sustained inhibition of HIV-1(ada) replication. CONCLUSIONS AR drug concentrations from NPs are sustained for 28 days in vivo and anti-HIV inhibition was comparable to that of free drugs in vitro and could be a sustained treatment for delivery of AR drugs.
Modeling low energy x-ray interactions with biological material at the CUEBIT

Recent developments at Clemson University have established the need to model the production of x-rays using a highly charged ion beam generated by the Clemson University Electron Beam Ion Trap (CUEBIT). A Geant4 modeling environment has been developed on Clemson University's Palmetto2 supercomputing cluster to simulate the interaction of these x- rays with biological material. Preliminary results of the model have been obtained after performing initial simulations on the computing cluster. Future experiments using the CUEBIT as well as refinements to the Geant4 model are discussed.
In-situ prediction of RIE time to completion using neural networks

Reactive ion etching (RIE) in radio frequency glow discharges is perhaps the most popular means of achieving the level of detail necessary to pattern small geometry features in electronics manufacturing. However, the complexity of the RIE process has prompted the use of empirical models utilizing neural networks, which offer advantages in both accuracy and robustness over statistical methods. In this paper, a neural network trained to model the correlation between DC bias and etch rate was used to predict the time required to remove a specified thickness of silicon dioxide (SiO/sub 2/) in a CHF/sub 3//O/sub 2/ plasma. A real-time data acquisition system that transmits process conditions from a Plasma Therm 700 series RIE system was used to monitor DC bias during etching. A back-propagation neural network was trained to predict the amount of time required to etch the remaining amount of film while in the midst of etching. Inputs to the network included elapsed time during the etch run, the desired etch depth, gas flow rates, chamber pressure, and RF power. This network exhibited a 26-second RMS error on training data, and predicted the process endpoint on a set of test etch recipes with an average error of less than two minutes for a process time of about 25 minutes. >
EAST AFRICA ‐ POPULATION DISTRIBUTION

(1966). EAST AFRICA - POPULATION DISTRIBUTION. Annals of the Association of American Geographers: Vol. 56, No. 1, pp. 180-180.
Mutations in 12 genes for inherited ovarian, fallopian tube, and peritoneal carcinoma identified by massively parallel sequencing

Inherited loss-of-function mutations in BRCA1 and BRCA2 and other tumor suppressor genes predispose to ovarian carcinomas, but the overall burden of disease due to inherited mutations is not known. Using targeted capture and massively parallel genomic sequencing, we screened for germ-line mutations in 21 tumor suppressor genes in genomic DNA from women with primary ovarian, peritoneal, or fallopian tube carcinoma. Subjects were consecutively enrolled at diagnosis and not selected for age or family history. All classes of mutations, including point mutations and large genomic deletions and insertions, were detected. Of 360 subjects, 24% carried germ-line loss-of-function mutations: 18% in BRCA1 or BRCA2 and 6% in BARD1, BRIP1, CHEK2, MRE11A, MSH6, NBN, PALB2, RAD50, RAD51C, or TP53. Six of these genes were not previously implicated in inherited ovarian carcinoma. Primary carcinomas were generally characterized by genomic loss of normal alleles of the mutant genes. Of women with inherited mutations, >30% had no family history of breast or ovarian carcinoma, and >35% were 60 y or older at diagnosis. More patients with ovarian carcinoma carry cancer-predisposing mutations and in more genes than previously appreciated. Comprehensive genetic testing for inherited carcinoma is warranted for all women with ovarian, peritoneal, or fallopian tube carcinoma, regardless of age or family history. Clinical genetic testing is currently done gene by gene, with each test costing thousands of dollars. In contrast, massively parallel sequencing allows such testing for many genes simultaneously at low cost.
Software Testing, Software Quality and Trust in Software-Based Systems

In our daily life we increasingly depend on software-based systems deployed as embedded software control systems in the automotive domain, or the numerous health or government applications. Software-based systems are more and more developed by reusable components available as commercial off-the-shelf components or open source components. The successful introduction of such integrated systems into businesses however does depend whether we trust the system or not. Trust and therewith the quality of software-based systems is determined by many properties such as completeness, consistency, maintainability, security, safety, reliability, and usability, among others. However during the development of software-based systems there are many opportunities to introduce errors in the different phases of the software development lifecycle. Testing is commonly applied as the predominant activity in industry to ensure high software quality providing a wide variety of methods and techniques to detect different types of errors in software-based systems.
Regional variations in average distance to public libraries in the United States

Abstract There are substantive regional variations in public library accessibility in the United States, which is a concern considering the civic and educational roles that libraries play in communities. Average population-weighted distances and the total population living within one mile segments of the nearest public library were calculated at a regional level for metropolitan and non-metropolitan areas, and at a state level. The findings demonstrate significant regional variations in accessibility that have been persistent over time and cannot be explained by simple population distribution measures alone. Distances to the nearest public library are higher in the South compared to other regions, with statistically significant clusters of states with lower accessibility than average. The national average population-weighted distance to the nearest public library is 2.1 miles. While this supports the use of a two-mile buffer employed in many LIS studies to measure library service areas, the degree of variation that exists between regions and states suggests that local measures should be applied to local areas.
Gene therapy in myotubular myopathy: promising progress and future directions.

X-linked myotubular myopathy (MTM; OMIM 310400) is a severe congenital myopathy that is classified as one of the centronuclear myopathies (1). MTM is estimated to affect 1/50,000 live born males and is due to loss of function mutations in MTM1 , which encodes myotubularin, a ubiquitously expressed lipid phosphatase (2,3). The function of myotubularin is still not entirely clear, but a picture is starting to emerge in which myotubularin is a critical maintenance protein of the myofiber sarcotubular system and has a role in excitation-contraction coupling (4-7).
Coastal Ocean Water Resources: Linkages with Terrestrial Freshwater Resources, Anthropogenic Influences and Climate Change

“The population of the world at mid-century was 2.5 billion; some time in 1987 it passed five billion. The increase in the past 40 years has equaled the total increase over the millions of years from when the human species emerged until 1950” (Keyfitz, 1989). This fact places in perspective the urgency for mankind’s attention to the changes occurring around us and, either directly or indirectly, effecting our collective lives. The magnitude of this problem and changes due to it will tend to overprint problems of a local to regional nature. Added to this is the potential for both natural and anthropogenic-induced climate change. Although a multitude of social, economic and environmental problems can, and are, resulting from our exploding population, and vary depending on whether we inhabit a developed or a developing nation, one irreplaceable need is common to us all: freshwater.
Hole‐Size Relationships in the Assembly of a Furandicarboxylate‐Based Metallolinker in Praseodymium Coordination Polymers Synthesized under Basic Conditions

Two new coordination polymers have been synthesized with 2,5-furandicarboxylic acid upon base modification. The resulting structures are dependent on the base added. When KOH was used as base, potassium was incorporated into the two-dimensional coordination polymer, acting as a metallolinker to give [Pr2K2(OH)2(C6H2O5)3(H2O)3]·H2O (1). Synthesis with other alkali hydroxides produced a three-dimensional metal-organic framework, [Pr8(OH)6(C6H2O5)9(H2O)15]·3H2O (2), and the alkali metal cations were not incorporated into the structure. Hole-size effects with bite-angle analyses indicate that metallolinker formation depends on the cation size. The resulting compounds were characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction, powder X-ray diffraction, elemental analysis, and thermogravimetric analysis.