cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Reflectance determination of optical spectral emissivity of metal surfaces at ambient conditions

Optical pyrometry requires knowledge of both spectral radiance and spectral emissivity to accurately measure temperature. No reliable compendium of spectral emissivity data currently exists for common metals in the optical and near-infrared spectral regions where pyrometry is typically performed. Here, we measure the spectral reflectivity of numerous common metals, with known surface finishes, between 400 and 1100 nm. The measurements are carried out under ambient conditions, near 300 K at an atmospheric pressure of ∼0.78 bar. We then calculate the emissivity as a function of the wavelength for each sample. We define and use the illumination and collection geometries most practical for applying these measurements to radiometric thermometry. We also examine the effect of surface finish upon the relative spectral emissivity of a given material and find qualitative guidelines for predicting the increase in emissivity with increasing surface roughness. These measurements can both improve the accuracy and precision of optical pyrometry and provide the necessary reference value for converting emerging diagnostic measurements of relative spectral emissivity under extreme dynamic conditions into absolute dynamic spectral emissivity.Optical pyrometry requires knowledge of both spectral radiance and spectral emissivity to accurately measure temperature. No reliable compendium of spectral emissivity data currently exists for common metals in the optical and near-infrared spectral regions where pyrometry is typically performed. Here, we measure the spectral reflectivity of numerous common metals, with known surface finishes, between 400 and 1100 nm. The measurements are carried out under ambient conditions, near 300 K at an atmospheric pressure of ∼0.78 bar. We then calculate the emissivity as a function of the wavelength for each sample. We define and use the illumination and collection geometries most practical for applying these measurements to radiometric thermometry. We also examine the effect of surface finish upon the relative spectral emissivity of a given material and find qualitative guidelines for predicting the increase in emissivity with increasing surface roughness. These measurements can both improve the accuracy and prec...
In Their Words: A Found Poem on the Experiences of Rural LGBTQ Youth:

This poem represents the qualitative findings from a study on the experiences of rural LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer) youth. LGBTQ youth engaged in in-depth interviews with the author, sharing their experiences about what life is like growing up in small towns in a Midwestern state, with a focus on the ways in which their communities did or did not support them. From these interviews, the author created a found poem. This poem is crafted from the words of the youth themselves carefully and intentionally arranged to tell their stories and to more authentically convey the power and emotionality of these youth’s experiences.
On simultaneous confidence intervals based on rank-estimates with application to analysis of gene expression data

Inferential methods based on ranks present robust and powerful alternative methodology for testing and estimation. In this article, two objectives are followed. First, develop a general method of s...
Geometric metamorphosis

Standard image registration methods do not account for changes in image appearance. Hence, metamorphosis approaches have been developed which jointly estimate a space deformation and a change in image appearance to construct a spatio-temporal trajectory smoothly transforming a source to a target image. For standard metamorphosis, geometric changes are not explicitly modeled. We propose a geometric metamorphosis formulation, which explains changes in image appearance by a global deformation, a deformation of a geometric model, and an image composition model. This work is motivated by the clinical challenge of predicting the long-term effects of traumatic brain injuries based on time-series images. This work is also applicable to the quantification of tumor progression (e.g., estimating its infiltrating and displacing components) and predicting chronic blood perfusion changes after stroke. We demonstrate the utility of the method using simulated data as well as scans from a clinical traumatic brain injury patient.
Gods and demons, Anatolia and Egypt: Obsidian sourcing of Mesopotamian amulets and cylinder seals using portable XRF

Abstract The corpus of sourced obsidian glyptic objects, like inscribed amulets and cylinder seals, is virtually nonexistent across the Near East. Here we report our findings for two obsidian amulets and two cylinder seals in the Yale Babylonian Collection and Metropolitan Museum of Art. We analyzed the artifacts using portable X-ray fluorescence, which is quantitative, nondestructive, and deployable virtually anywhere in the world. Our results establish that, for such objects, style is an unreliable predictor of obsidian source. Although the amulets are meant to protect against the same demon, they reflect different styles, skill in stone cutting, and knowledge of cuneiform, and their contexts of production must have considerably differed. The amulets' obsidian sources, however, are identical: the Komurcu outcrops of the Gollu Dag volcanic complex in Anatolia. The two cylinder seals exhibit typical Old Babylonian style and iconography, and the seals' obsidians are indistinguishable to the naked eye. One seal, however, matches the Anatolian “Bingol B" source, one of the most important sources in Mesopotamia. The other seal matches an obsidian source that is only known from a vessel fragment unearthed from the Egyptian site of Abydos. This is, to our knowledge, the first time that Egyptian-tied obsidian has been chemically identified amongst Mesopotamian, Anatolian, or Levantine artifacts. Our findings tantalizingly suggest that such artifacts likely had more complex origins than has previously been appreciated. These results also hint that such objects might have been produced closer to the context of their use rather than nearer the volcanic sources of the stone.
Concordance in advance care preferences among high-risk surgical patients and surrogate health care decision makers in the perioperative setting.

Abstract Background Earlier studies have demonstrated poor concordance between patients’ advance care preferences and those endorsed by their surrogate health care decision makers in a medical setting. This study aimed to determine concordance in the perioperative setting among high-risk patients and to identify areas for improvement. Methods This was a prospective cohort study set in a preoperative clinic for high-risk patients. Patients (>55 y) and their surrogates (dyads) were eligible for participation. Dyads were surveyed on the patient’s desire for advance care preferences (cardiopulmonary resuscitation, mechanical ventilation, hemodialysis, artificial nutrition) and tolerance for physical disability, cognitive disability, and chronic pain. Concordance was defined as the surrogate correctly predicting patient preferences. Patients and surrogates were resurveyed for concordance 30 to 60 d after the index procedure. Results A total of 100 dyads (200 subjects) completed the survey. Median patient age was 68 y. Most patients were white (87%) and had an American Society of Anesthesiologists score of III (88%). The majority of dyads (59%) reported prior conversations about advance care preferences. Concordance specifically for cardiopulmonary resuscitation was 84%. In all other domains, Conclusion In all domains except cardiopulmonary resuscitation, concordance was
Differences in healthcare barriers based on racial and/or ethnic background for patients with psoriasis.

Background: Nonwhite patients have more severe psoriasis and poorer quality of life. A racial, ethnic, and/or cultural gap exists for patients suffering from psoriasis.Objectives: To assess whether the disparity in psoriasis care stems from differences in perception of psoriasis and/or healthcare barriers based on racial or ethnic background.Methods: An online survey was given to subjects with a self-reported diagnosis of psoriasis to assess healthcare barriers (n = 302). Subjects were randomized to receive one of two online surveys: mild psoriasis vs. severe psoriasis. Outcome measures were evaluated on a 10-point Likert scale between subjects with a self-reported race or ethnic background as white and nonwhite. Comparisons were analyzed using single-factor ANOVA, two-group t-tests, and chi-squared analysis.Results: Compared to the white population, the nonwhite population more frequently reported lack of culturally competent care as one of the largest barriers to seek psoriasis treatment (p=.01). The nonwhite population also reported high cost of care to be a more significant barrier to seek medical care (p=.02).Conclusions: If providers better understand the differences in perception of psoriasis and barriers to seek medical care based on racial and/or ethnic background, they can potentially improve the way they interact with patients and present treatment.
A generalized superstructure-based framework for process synthesis

Abstract We propose a general framework for the formulation of superstructure-based optimization models for holistic process synthesis. First, we redefine the fundamental problems of reactor, separation, and heat exchanger network synthesis, by presenting generalized problem statements, to make them amenable to seamless integration with each other. Second, we describe the general forms of models that can be developed to address these generalized problems and identify some key characteristics. Notably, for each system, we identify internal variables used only within the system, cost variables used in the objective function, and, importantly, coupling variables for the coupling between systems. Third, we outline some literature models that can be used to address the generalized problems and present new models to couple the three systems. Finally, we show how the individual components (systems and coupling models) can be integrated to formulate a single simultaneous reactor, separation, and heat exchanger network synthesis.
Evaluating Information Retrieval Systems for Kids.

Evaluation of information retrieval systems (IRS) is a prominent topic among information retrieval researchers--mainly directed at a general population. Children require unique IRS and by extension different ways to evaluate these systems, but as a large population that use IRS have largely been ignored on the evaluation front. In this position paper, we explore many perspectives that must be considered when evaluating IRS; we specially discuss problems faced by researchers who work with children IRS, including lack of evaluation frameworks, limitations of data, and lack of user judgment understanding.
Assessing the sensitivity of lower atmospheric characteristics to agricultural land use classification over the Lower Mississippi River Alluvial Valley

The Lower Mississippi River Alluvial Valley (LMRAV) is a key agricultural area within the USA, and although it receives a substantial level of annual rainfall, irrigation remains a requirement to sustain high productivity. Since a large percentage of irrigation comes from limited groundwater sources, predictions of surface and lower atmospheric characteristics associated with convective rainfall processes are critical for planning and managing water resources. While numerical weather models are a key tool in this prediction effort, there is considerable error in the models associated with the correct categorization of regional land use. This is especially true for the LMRAV, where most agricultural land is defined as dry cropland despite the extensive use of irrigation. To improve the accuracy of regional model simulations over the LMRAV, this study investigates the sensitivity of changing the dominate land use category from dry to irrigated cropland within a high-resolution Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model simulation. Based on a 5-month simulation (May–Sept. 2016) over the LMRAV, results of the study show that replacing dry cropland with irrigated cropland leads to substantial variations in the low-level thermal and moisture balances. In general, the northern LMRAV was shown to have the greatest increase (decrease) in latent (sensible) heat flux in August and September, with a corresponding increase in 2-m dew point temperature where latent heat flux increased. Additionally, boundary layer heights were shown to decrease over the northern LMRAV over the simulation, likely a result of decreased temperatures resulting from a dampened sensible heat flux.
Superelectrophilic aluminium(iii)–ion pairs promote a distinct reaction path for carbonyl–olefin ring-closing metathesis

Catalytic carbonyl–olefin metathesis reactions represent powerful synthetic strategies for alkene formation. Successful approaches for carbonyl–olefin ring-closing, ring-opening and cross metathesis have been developed in recent years, but current limitations hamper the generality of these transformations. Stronger, more efficient catalytic systems are needed to further broaden the scope of these transformations while they prevent undesired reaction pathways. Here we report the development of an aluminium-based heterobimetallic ion pair as a superior catalyst that promotes carbonyl–olefin ring-closing metathesis via a distinct reaction mechanism and allows access to six- and seven-membered rings, which suffer from low yields and poor conversion under previously reported conditions. Mechanistic investigations support a distinct reaction profile in which two productive reaction pathways competitively form metathesis products. These insights are expected to have important implications in the catalyst design and development for carbonyl–olefin metathesis and enable future advances to ultimately expand the synthetic utility of these transformations. Carbonyl–olefin metathesis reactions are a valuable tool in synthetic chemistry, but there are still some limitations in scope. Now, a catalyst system allows the activation of previously unreactive substrates for such a reaction by aluminium(iii)–ion pairs acting as Lewis acidic superelectrophiles.
Delayed firm-paid general training

This article adds the empirically verified, but analytically neglected, fact of delayed worker training to a model of general training. By delaying training, firms can gain partial information on worker‐firm matches, generating wage compression. Analytical results differ from those of other training models. In the noncooperative regime, all firm‐paid training is delayed, all worker‐paid training is immediate. With no externalities to other firms, the cooperative result is Pareto‐optimal. In a continuous‐time extension, firms choose a probationary period after which workers are trained. With longer probations, fewer bad‐match workers are trained and wage compression rises. Government training mandates are also studied.
Conclusion: Don’t Tax Sin, Forgive It

This chapter summarizes the evidence for sin taxes and concludes that it is, at best, weak. Far too often, experts and other paternalists make the case for taxing things like soda, alcohol, tobacco, marijuana, meat, plastic bags, and more on the basis of exaggerated claims and weak social science. Instead, it appears that paternalism’s real goal is to raise government revenue and maintain a certain level of influence over individual choices. The objective is to expand progressivism, not—or not only—to improve public health.
Алгоритм управления малогабаритным беспилотным подводным комплексом

Purpose of research: The creation of water bodies monitoring systems makes it possible to evaluate environmental situation in various points of monitoring area quickly. One of the main stages of water quality research is sampling, which is currently carried out at stationary posts, which makes it impossible to ensure operational control in various areas of an observation site. The problem can be solved by using mobile robotic platforms. The purpose of this study is to create mathematical model and algorithm for controlling autonomous movement of an underwater robotic device for collecting water samples in a reservoir. Methods. The following problems were solved for this purpose: the structure of the device was developed, which consists of a power frame unit, units of screw electric drives, units of depth and direction rudders. On-board power supply unit, sensor unit providing interaction of underwater vehicle with environment were also developed. Control tasks are formulated. A scheme of device movement in a reservoir has been developed for this purpose. Results. Modular method of trajectory planning is proposed. It is based on a single motion cycle concept, which consists of 2 turns and 2 straight-line stages of 2R2P. A model of control algorithm is also proposed and reactions of apparatus to external disturbances are studied. General dynamics theorems, method of algorithm synthesizing according to inverse dynamics problem were applied when solving problems. Conclusion: As a result of conducted studies, the system response to disturbances acting in longitudinal direction is described, disturbance diagrams are also described, random type with normal distribution law and mass center deviation s from the given position are given.
Modelling Multilateral Trade Liberalization in Services

We examine the importance of various characteristics of services for the modelling of the effects of trade liberalization in services. We consider first the characteristics that our own computable general equilibrium (CGE) modelling framework has been designed to address: variety, scale, and competition. Modifying it somewhat so as to distinguish the separate roles of these characteristics, we find the characteristics to be relatively unimportant for the conclusions that one reaches about the effects of trade liberalization on the economy. We then consider other characteristics that may distinguish services from goods, and ask whether these also need to be taken into account in such modelling exercises. With one exception we conclude that these characteristics are unlikely to play an important role in future models of trade liberalization. The one exception is a characteristic identified by Ethier and Horn (1991), who saw producers of services as specializing their products to the particular needs of their customers. While it does not seem feasible at this time to incorporate this feature into a manageable CGE framework, we believe that it could have interesting and important implications for our understanding of the effects of trade liberalization if it were ever done.
Chapter 21 Intertemporal Welfare Economics and the Environment

I review the complex welfare economic issues that arise in environmental decision-making over very long periods, as in cases relating to climate change and biodiversity loss. I also consider the issues that arise in choosing a discount rate to apply to very long-run projects and indicate how such rates should be chosen.
Infusing Gender and Diversity Issues into Educational Leadership Programs: Transformational Learning and Resistance.

Purpose – The purpose of this article is to consider the impact of incorporating a set of readings focused on issues of gender, diversity, leadership, and feminist thought into the curriculum of a statewide educational leadership doctoral program.Design/methodology/approach – Based data from open‐ended surveys, semi‐structured interviews, and reflection statements, the article presents a qualitative analysis of how students react to, learn from, and resist social justice‐oriented curricula and teaching strategies, particularly those related to gender issues.Findings – The analysis of the data collected in this research suggests that, after a year of exposure to readings and written assignments about gender and other diversity issues, few students had undergone significant transformations in their learning regarding gender issues. Moreover, it was found that many students demonstrated resistance to reading, reflecting on and discussing gender issues.Originality/value – Programs and professors that endeavor...
Infinite-dimensional vector bundles in algebraic geometry (an introduction)

Raynaud and Gruson showed that there is a reasonable algebro-geometric notion of family of discrete (infinite-dimensional) vector spaces. The author introduces a notion of family of Tate spaces ("Tate" means "locally linearly compact") and claims that it is local. The definition takes in account that the K_{-1} of a ring is not necessarily zero. However, we prove that K_{-1} always vanishes after Nisnevich sheafification. As a discrete counterpart of families of Tate spaces, we introduce the notion of almost projective module. We discuss the notions of dimension torsor and determinant gerbe of a family of Tate spaces. The above technique has two different applications. First, we clarify the structure of the ind-scheme of formal loops of a smooth affine manifold Y. This allows to define a "refined" motivic integral of a differential form on Y with no zeros, which is an object of a triangulated category rather than an element of its K_0 group. Second, we show that almost projective modules and families of Tate spaces appear naturally in the study of the cohomology of a family of finite-dimensional vector bundles on a punctured smooth manifold. The canonical central extension that comes from this cohomology allows to interpret the "Uhlenbeck compactification" of the stack of vector bundles on the projective plane as the fine moduli space of a certain type of generalized vector bundles.
Information Handling for the Hubble Space Telescope

We present an overview of the information flow at STScI by way of following an observing proposal through the system, end to end, describing the path it follows and the interfaces it traverses. As separate systems are encountered we describe their current functions, the rationale for them, how functions and interfaces have been changed and improved over the years, and where we plan additional enhancements or major revisions. We also highlight areas of HST operations which are sufficiently general in nature as to apply to other types of science operations facilities. The Institute’s approach to the development and maintenance of these systems and processes has evolved over the past 15 years, and promises to change further as we move into the second decade of HST operations and begin planning for the Next Generation Space Telescope, HST’s successor.
B vitamins and the aging brain

Deficiencies of the vitamins folate, B12, and B6 are associated with neurological and psychological dysfunction and with congenital defects. In the elderly, cognitive impairment and incident dementia may be related to the high prevalence of inadequate B vitamin status and to elevations of plasma homocysteine. Plausible mechanisms include homocysteine neurotoxicity, vasotoxicity, and impaired S-adenosylmethionine-dependent methylation reactions vital to central nervous system function. In light of this, it is imperative to find safe ways of improving vitamin B status in the elderly without exposing some individuals to undue risk.
Molecular Circuits of Resolution: Formation and Actions of Resolvins and Protectins

The cellular events underlying the resolution of acute inflammation are not known in molecular terms. To identify anti-inflammatory and proresolving circuits, we investigated the temporal and differential changes in self-resolving murine exudates using mass spectrometry-based proteomics and lipidomics. Key resolution components were defined as resolution indices including Psi(max), the maximal neutrophil numbers that are present during the inflammatory response; T(max), the time when Psi(max) occurs; and the resolution interval (R(i)) from T(max) to T(50) when neutrophil numbers reach half Psi(max). The onset of resolution was at approximately 12 h with proteomic analysis showing both haptoglobin and S100A9 levels were maximal and other exudate proteins were dynamically regulated. Eicosanoids and polyunsaturated fatty acids first appeared within 4 h. Interestingly, the docosahexaenoic acid-derived anti-inflammatory lipid mediator 10,17S-docosatriene was generated during the R(i). Administration of aspirin-triggered lipoxin A(4) analog, resolvin E1, or 10,17S-docosatriene each either activated and/or accelerated resolution. For example, aspirin-triggered lipoxin A(4) analog reduced Psi(max), resolvin E1 decreased both Psi(max) and T(max), whereas 10,17S-docosatriene reduced Psi(max), T(max), and shortened R(i). Also, aspirin-triggered lipoxin A(4) analog markedly inhibited proinflammatory cytokines and chemokines at 4 h (20-50% inhibition), whereas resolvin E1 and 10,17S-docosatriene's inhibitory actions were maximal at 12 h (30-80% inhibition). Moreover, aspirin-triggered lipoxin A(4) analog evoked release of the antiphlogistic cytokine TGF-beta. These results characterize the first molecular resolution circuits and their major components activated by specific novel lipid mediators (i.e., resolvin E1 and 10,17S-docosatriene) to promote resolution.
High-temperature resistivity and impurity (Mg, Pb or Sb) substitution effects of Bi 1 Sr 1 Ca 1 Cu 2 O y

High-temperature resistivity (R4) measurements of Bi1Sr1Ca1Cu2Oy (BSCCO) revealed that R4 increases almost linearly with temperature up to about 800°C and sharply increases above 870°C. The interface resistivity between BSCCO sample and electrodes (Pt) revealed anomalous increments at around 650°C and 800°C, a possible indication of some kind of crystal instability in BSCCO. Impurity (Mg, Pb or Sb) substitution effects were also studied. The superconducting properties of BSCCO are sensitively affected by Pb and Sb substitutions, but less sensitively by Mg substitution.
The effect of norethynodrel-mestranol pretreatment on hepatic metabolism of 7,12-dimethylbenz(a)anthracene in rats and hamsters

Abstract The effect of norethynodrelmestranol (“Enovid”) pretreatment on the metabolism of 7,12-dimethylbenz(a)anthracene (DMBA) was examined in vivo in rats and hamsters, and in vitro in hamsters. “Enovid” pretreatment caused a decrease in bile flow, and increased by 44% the amount of DMBA metabolites excreted in the bile of rats; however, such effects were not found in hamsters. In vitro metabolism of DMBA by hamster liver 10,000g homogenates was also not modified by “Enovid” pretreatment. Aroclor and 3-methylcholanthrene pretreatments were used as positive controls for induction. Aroclor induced in vitro DMBA metabolism in hamster liver homogenates, whereas 3-methylcholanthrene unexpectedly had no effect. Results for in vitro benzo(a)pyrene metabolism were similar to those for DMBA. These studies suggest that the reported enhancement by Enovid E pretreatment of DMBA mammary carcinogenesis in the hamster is not mediated by an effect on overall hepatic metabolic activation of DMBA.
Nodular primary localized cutaneous amyloidosis: Immunohistochemical evaluation and treatment with the carbon dioxide laser

Nodular primary localized cutaneous amyloidosis is an uncommon disorder for which there is no consistently satisfactory treatment. The amyloid fibrils are thought to have an immunoglobulin light chain derivation and systemic involvement must be excluded in all cases. We report a patient with a large scalp lesion of nodular primary localized cutaneous amyloidosis whose immunohistochemical evaluation revealed lambda light chain deposits and who thus far has no apparent systemic involvement. The lesion was treated by the carbon dioxide (CO2) laser with excellent cosmetic results and minimal morbidity.
Preliminary Orbit Determination of a Nontransmitting Satellite Using the DOPLOC Tracking System

A method is presented for predicting a preliminary orbit of a passive (nontransmitting) satellite, using tracking data collected during one passage of the satellite by a tracking system consisting of only one transmitter and one receiver of the DOPLOC network. Equations are derived which relate passive satellite Doppler tracking data to range, speed, and time parameters at closest approach. These determine an ellipsoid whose foci are the transmitter and receiver stations. The satellite lies on this ellipsoid, and its trajectory is tangent to the surface. This ellipsoid can be completely determined without using any angle information. The satellite position and velocity components at closest approach are then calculated on a digital computer using Doppler and limited angle information provided by the DOPLOC tracking system. Preliminary orbits determined in this way agree favorably with the refined orbits of Ballistic Research Laboratories and Space Track.
OCCURRENCE OF COLLAPSED AND EXPANDED CRYSTALS IN MONTMORILLONITE- DEXTRAN COMPLEXES*

X-ray diffraction patterns obtained from montmorillonite-dextran complexes prepared with either B-512F or Polytran dextran showed maximum oven-dry crystal expansions of about 5.3 A. X-ray diffraction patterns of individual complex preparations containing < 20 per cent dextran showed evidence of both expanded and collapsed crystals. The observation of expanded and collapsed crystals in individual preparations has not been previously reported and was apparently related to clay preparation. An estimate of the quantity of dextran which could be interacting with the silicate surface was obtained using polymer adsorption weights and volumes. At maximum adsorption almost all adsorbed B-512F could be in contact with the mineral surface, but only two thirds of the adsorbed Polytran could be in contact with the mineral surface.
Particle distribution for dilute suspension in flow.

Analytic expressions for the velocity profile and particle distribution of a dilute suspension in flow were obtained as functions of radial distance. Einstein's linear viscosity model and the hypothesis of “minimum energy dissipation” were used. The methods of variational calculus were applied during the mathematical development. A parabolic velocity profile, which is a modified form of that for Hagen-Poiseuille flow, and a uniform particle distribution were obtained. An attempt is made to explain the results in light of some of the widely held theories on suspension flow and the rather severe limitations of Einstein's viscosity model. A suggestion of future work is made for improving the results of the present.
Mismatch repair gene MSH3 polymorphism is associated with the risk of sporadic prostate cancer.

Purpose: The mismatch repair system is a DNA repair mechanism that corrects mispaired bases during DNA replication errors. Cancer cells deficient in MMR proteins have a 102 to 103-fold increase in the mutation rate. Single nucleotide polymorphisms of mismatch repair genes have been shown to cause a decrease in DNA repair activity. We hypothesized that mismatch repair gene polymorphism could be a risk factor for prostate cancer and p53 Pro/Pro genotype carriers could influence MSH3 and MSH6 polymorphisms.Materials and Methods: DNA samples from 110 patients with prostate cancer and 110 healthy controls were analyzed by single strand conformational polymorphism and polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism to determine the genotypic frequency of 5 polymorphic loci on 2 MMR genes (MSH3 and MSH6) and p53 codon72. The chi-square test was applied to compare genotype frequency between patients and controls.Results: A significant increase in the G/A+A/A genotype of MSH3 Pro222Pro was obser...
Hypothetical hard structures of carbon with cubic symmetry

In this work we performed ab initio pseudopotential, density functional calculations of the structure and electronic properties of two hypothetical carbon structures with cubic symmetry: ${\mathrm{C}}_{6}$ bcc, body centered with 12 atoms per cubic unit cell, and ${\mathrm{C}}_{20}$ sc, simple cubic with 20 atoms per unit cell. The former is semiconducting with an indirect gap of $2.5\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}\mathrm{eV}$---within the local density approximation to the exchange and correlation energy functional---while the latter is metallic. Both have similar zero-pressure densities of about one atom per $6.9\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}{\mathrm{\AA{}}}^{3}$, which is intermediate between graphite and diamond, and similar bulk moduli of about $350\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}\mathrm{GPa}$ at ambient conditions. Both are metastable with respect to graphite and diamond, and no phase transition is expected in the range of pressures studied.
Etoposide in leukemia, lymphoma and bone marrow transplantation

Etoposide, an epipodophyllotoxin structurally related to vincristine, is active in solid tumors. Trials of etoposide in hematologic malignancies, particularly leukemia and lymphoma, were initiated in 1973. Subsequent studies indicate that etoposide, either as a single agent or in combination with other drugs, is active in acute myelogenous leukemia, non-Hodgkin and Hodgkin lymphoma. Etoposide may be effective in acute lymphoblastic leukemia, but it is inactive in chronic myelogenous leukemia. The major toxicity of etoposide is myelosuppression. Non-hematologic toxicity is relatively mild at doses up to 2000 mg/m2. This feature favors its use in high dose regimens such as those employed before bone marrow transplantation. Preliminary studies of etoposide in autologous bone marrow transplantation in lymphoma and Hodgkin disease are promising. Studies of high dose etoposide in combination with other chemotherapeutic agents or in the context of bone marrow transplantation are in progress.
3D pulmonary CT image registration with a standard lung atlas

A 3D anatomic atlas can be used to analyze pulmonary structures in CT images. To use an atlas to guide segmentation processing, the image being analyzed must be aligned and registered with the atlas. We have developed a 3D surface- based registration technique to register pulmonary CT volumes. To demonstrate the method, we have constructed an atlas from a CT image volume of a normal human male. The atlas is registered to new images in two steps: (1) a global transformation, and (2) a local elastic transformation. In the local transformation, the image and atlas volumes are divided into small subimages called cubes. The similarity between cubes in the image and atlas is measured to find the best match displacement vectors. These displacement vectors are processed using Burr's dynamic model to give a smoothed deformation vector for each voxel in the image. This method has been tested by three intra-subject registrations and three inter-subject registrations from four different normal human subjects. The results show that lung surface-based registration can register the internal lobar fissures from the atlas to the image within about 2.73 +/- 2.05 mm for intra- subject registration, and 5.96 +/- 4.99 mm for inter-subject registration. This registration can be used as an initialization for additional segmentation processing.
Basis states for Hamiltonian QCD.

We discuss harmonic oscillator'' states on the SU(3) manifold and derive the matrix elements of operators in the QCD Hamiltonian in this basis. These states are favored by computer studies, and they permit the construction of a gauge-invariant basis.
Coming Full Circle in Standard Setting: A Commentary on Wyse.

Full disclosure. For several years, I have taught a course in instrument development using Mark Wilson's Constructing Measures (2005) as the textbook. Most of my students are interested in construc...
Fabrication of Tissue-Engineered Cartilage Grafts With Anatomic Surface Contours for Repair of Large Focal Defects

Articular cartilage exhibits a poor healing response to injury that necessitates surgical intervention to repair or replace damaged tissue. Treatment options, however, are dependent on the location and size of the defect site. For small focal defects (<2 cm2), microfracture is the primary method of treatment [8] despite the production of biologically inferior cartilage. For lesions greater than 10 cm2 where the articular cartilage loss and morphology of the condyle is distorted, a fresh osteoarticular allograft is most likely to succeed [3], while posing a significant surgical challenge related to the technical demands in restoring congruency of the articular surface (i.e., attaining a flush fit of the graft with the surrounding host cartilage tissue). This requires matching of the donor joint size to provide grafts with similar anatomical surface contours. As there is insufficient supply of suitable cartilage grafts to meet the clinical demand, the development of tissue engineered osteochondral grafts would have significant clinical impact for treatment of cartilage lesions and eventually entire articular surfaces.Copyright © 2013 by ASME
Phoneme recognition with binaural cochlear models and the stereausis representation

The authors describe phoneme recognition experiments which use biologically motivated dual channel collection and processing of speech corrupted by noise. The signals are processed by head-related transfer functions to produce right and left side signals which are then used as input to cochlear models. The cochlear outputs are combined using the stereausis algorithm to produce feature vectors which are classified by a self-organizing feature map. Binaural collection and processing are shown to improve recognition rates over a single channel system for certain conditions and broad class speech sounds. >
Boundary conditions for subsonic compressible Navier-Stokes calculations

A systematic study of inflow and outflow boundary conditions for the numerical solution of the compressible Navier-Stokes equations is presented. Combinations of several representative inflow and outflow boundary conditions are applied in the solution of subsonic flow over a flat plate in a finite computational domain. These boundary conditions are evaluated in terms of their effect on the accuracy of the solution and the rate of convergence to a steady state. It is shown that errors in the data specified at the inflow boundary can produce significant errors in the computed flow field. It is also shown that a non-reflecting outflow boundary condition can significantly reduce the total computational time required.
Structure-activity relationships of substituted 1-pyridyl-2-phenyl-1,2-ethanediones: potent, selective carboxylesterase inhibitors

Inhibition of intestinal carboxylesterases may allow modification of the pharmacokinetics/pharmacodynamic profile of existing drugs by altering half-life or toxicity. Since previously identified diarylethane-1,2-dione inhibitors are decidedly hydrophobic, a modified dione scaffold was designed and elaborated into a >300 member library, which was subsequently screened to establish the SAR for esterase inhibition. This allowed the identification of single digit nanomolar hiCE inhibitors that showed improvement in selectivity and measured solubility.
The relationship between chemical and tracer diffusion coefficients of aliovalent ions in an ionic lattice

Abstract The theoretical model developed by Lidiard was extended to describe the relationship between the chemical and tracer diffusion coefficients of aliovalent ions in an ionic lattice. It is shown that the relationship between the chemical diffusion coefficient, D , and the tracer diffusion coefficient, D ∗ , is D = 2 D ∗ if the migration of dimers is the principal mechanism of transport and for the migration of trimers D = 3 D ∗ if the concentration of impurity ion is relatively small. These relationships are valid regardless of the charge of the aliovalent or lattice ions. The chemical diffusion coefficients of Cr 3+ in Cr-doped MgO were determined for three different temperatures, 1656, 1717 and 1768K, and for the concentration region 2.5×10 −2 −2.8×10 −1 mole% Cr 2 O 3 . Using previously determined values for the tracer diffusion coefficient of 51 Cr in Cr-doped MgO it was found that for the temperature and concentration region investigated D = (2.00±0.17) D ∗ which indicates that diffusion proceeds primarily by the migration of dimers.
Measurement of the glucocorticoid receptor: Relevance to the diagnosis of critical illness–related corticosteroid insufficiency in children

Abstract Diagnosis and management of critical illness–related corticosteroid insufficiency (CIRCI) in children continues to remain difficult and controversial in that no consensus for either exists among pediatric critical care physicians. Critical illness–related corticosteroid insufficiency is defined as a corticosteroid response that is inadequate for the severity of the illness experienced by the patient. Critical illness–related corticosteroid insufficiency manifests as an insufficient corticosteroid mediated down-regulation of proinflammatory cytokines, due to either corticosteroid tissue resistance and/or inadequate circulating levels of cortisol. The tissue resistance is likely due to alterations in the functionality of the intracellular receptor for corticosteroids, the glucocorticoid receptor (GR). This article details the role of the GR during critical illness with a focus upon the measurement of the GR, as a potentially important means by which to clinically assess the level of corticosteroid tissue–resistant in patients suspected of CIRCI. Measurement of the GR may be particularly useful as a means by which to determine the judicious administration of steroids, maximizing their therapeutic potential, whereas minimizing the morbidity that can be associated with their use.
SU-D-500-05: Comparison of Gating Algorithms in 4D-PET for Mobile Tumor Segmentation

Purpose: To quantitatively compare the accuracy of tumor volume segmentation in four different gating algorithms in gated 4D‐PET. Methods: Four acrylic spheres with inner diameters ranging from 1cm to 4cm were filled with a 11‐C solution and affixed inside a cylindrical bath of 18‐FDG. The system was attached to a robotic arm that underwent 1D motion according to large‐amplitude trajectories based on measured patient breathing trajectories. Two trajectories were used: one with and one without baseline drift. List‐mode data was split into two‐minute images at different source‐to‐background ratios (SBRs), which were gated into eight bins using two amplitude‐based (equal amplitude bins (A1) and equal counts per bin (A2)) and two temporal phased‐based gating algorithms. All gated images were segmented using a commercially available gradient‐based technique. Internal target volumes (ITVs), generated by taking the union of all eight contours per gated image, were compared to their respective ground truths. The ground‐truth ITV was defined as the volume subtended by the tumor model positions covering 99% of breathing amplitude. Superior‐inferior distances between sphere centroids in the end‐inhale and end‐exhale phases were also calculated. Results: Averaged over all sphere sizes, both trajectories, and high and low SBRs, A2 was the closest in accuracy of ITV segmentation, with a measured‐to‐expected ratio of 1.002 vs. 0.920 and 0.964 for temporal phase‐based methods (p<0.05). A1 consistently recovered the greatest volume and had the highest accuracy in the presence of irregular breathing, while A2 performed the best in accurately representing the smallest (1cm) sphere. Amplitude‐based methods consistently produced more distance between end‐inhale and end‐exhale phases than phase‐based methods (27.5% more on average), with A1 recovering up to 94% of peak‐to‐peak separation (p<0.01). Conclusion: Target volumes in images generated from amplitude‐based gating are more accurate, potentially at clinically significant levels, than those from temporal phase‐based gating. NIH R01 CA096679
A noninvasive electroacoustical evaluation technique of cartilage damage in pathological knee joints

The arthritides continue to be the most common cause of non-fatal, crippling disorders. They account for many hours of lost work time. Because of the preference for some forms of arthritis for the older age groups and the increasing longevity of our society, the need to develop tools for early detection and monitoring are becoming more urgent. However, at present there are no noninvasive, clinical tools available that would provide an objective evaluation of the condition of the articular cartilage during the progress of the disease. Unfortunately, articular cartilage is radiolucent and X-ray gives onlypost facto information. Recently, a noninvasive electroacoustical technique was developed which gives an objective measure of the degree of cartilage damage through the measurement of knee emitted acoustic power. The reliability of the procedure was verified throughin vivo modelling of the disease using animals. This technique is of immediate interest to clinicians who urgently need a more objective ‘tool’ in the determination of the efficacy of certain drugs and/or treatment programmes during the course of the disease.
Recent changes in solar radiation under cloudy conditions in Germany

Hourly data of global and diffuse solar radiation in combination with cloud type, cloud cover amount and sunshine duration records are analysed for two sites in Germany. The global solar radiation for overcast conditions at urban, maritime influenced Hamburg and at the rural mountain station Hohenpeissenberg decreased by an average rate of 8 per cent per decade between 1964 and 1990, whereas no significant trend was found under clear skies at either station. However, under partly cloudy conditions the diffuse portion of global solar radiation also declined. Although the total cloud cover amount changed little during the interval analysed, the frequency of cirrus cloud increased in Hamburg and Hohenpeissenberg by 12 per cent and 14 per cent respectively. This may have led to the decline of diffuse solar radiation in cloudy conditions. A shift from stratiform to more frequent convective clouds also occurred at both stations. At Hamburg and Hohenpeissenberg tile mean direct solar radiation income was 10 W m- 2 higher during hours with 100 per cent sunshine duration and observed clouds than during hours with totally clear skies. Possible reasons for the observed cloud changes include natural weather variability of convective and stratiform clouds, increase of aircraft traffic increasing the occurrence of cirrus clouds anti an indirect aerosol effect on the maritime stratiform clouds.
Rotavirus and Severe Childhood Diarrhea

Studies published between 1986 and 1999 indicated that rotavirus causes ≈22% (range 17%–28%) of childhood diarrhea hospitalizations. From 2000 to 2004, this proportion increased to 39% (range 29%–45%). Application of this proportion to the recent World Health Organization estimates of diarrhea-related childhood deaths gave an estimated 611,000 (range 454,000–705,000) rotavirus-related deaths.
Toward image-guided robotic surgery: determining intrinsic accuracy of the da Vinci robot

The use of robotics in medicine has been growing in recent years. The introduction of specialized robots for surgery such as the daVinci (Intuitive Surgical, Sunnyvale, CA, USA) has largely motivated this growth. The currently available robotic-assisted surgery systems rely only on direct vision through the use of a laparoscopic camera for surgical guidance. While these cameras provide a stereoscopic view of the surface, they are incapable of showing beneath the surgical surface. In other surgical developments, image guidance has become an integral part of navigation and planning, allowing understanding of the locations beneath the surgical plane. As an early step in the development of a robotic image-guided surgical (RIGS) system, the physical limitations of a surgical robot must be assessed. In this paper the accuracy and the precision of the daVinci surgical system are quantified. It is shown that the daVinci system can successfully localize a point with an approximate fiducial localization error (FLE) of 1 mm. This FLE value demonstrates that the daVinci is within the accuracy limits of the other commonly used surgical localizers.