cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Electoral and Partisan Manipulation of Public Debt in Developed Democracies, 1956-90

High and/or swiftly rising public-debt-to-GDP ratios (debt) became significant issues in many developed democracies in recent years. Figure 1 plots gross, consolidated, central-government debt for 21 OECD countries, 1948–97.39 Fairly commonly, debt declined dramatically from 1948–72± and equally dramatically reversed thereafter. In many countries, debt doubled or more from 1972–90; in some, it now exceeds 100%. Wide and rising public concern over these developments, and the number of theories emerging to explain them, are thus hardly surprising. Beyond the common trend, however, lie large differences in postwar debt experiences of OECD nations. Shared cross-time variation comprises only 16.6% of the total, with increasing divergence apparent since 1980 while persistent cross-national differences represent 56.4% of the total variation. Even removing shared temporal fluctuations and country averages, considerable country-time-unique variation, 27% of the total, remains.40
Going with the flow: pedestrian efficiency in crowded scenes

Video analysis of crowded scenes is challenging due to the complex motion of individual people in the scene. The collective motion of pedestrians form a crowd flow, but individuals often largely deviate from it as they anticipate and react to each other. Deviations from the crowd decreases the pedestrian's efficiency: a sociological concept that measures the difference of actual motion from the intended speed and direction. In this paper, we derive a novel method for estimating pedestrian efficiency from videos. We first introduce a novel crowd motion model that encodes the temporal evolution of local motion patterns represented with directional statistics distributions. This model is then used to estimate the intended motion of pedestrians at every space-time location, which enables visual measurement of the pedestrian efficiency. We demonstrate the use of this pedestrian efficiency to detect unusual events and to track individuals in crowded scenes. Experimental results show that the use of pedestrian efficiency leads to state-of-the-art accuracy in these critical applications.
Feather ornaments are dynamic traits in the Great Tit Parus major

In behavioural studies it has been common to quantify plumage colours or ornaments over a range of dates and link them to fitness characteristics without accounting for seasonal changes in these traits. Such changes are likely to be widespread among birds, yet we lack assessments of this variability within individuals. We studied both within- and between-individual temporal changes in Great Tit Parus major ornaments, specifically the melanin-based black breast stripe and the pigment-free white cheek patch. During the non-breeding season both ornaments varied. In juveniles and adult females, the area of the breast stripe first rose and then, from near the end of December, decreased. In adult males there was a linear decrease. In the cheek patch, the irregularity of the cheek borders showed either a linear (adults) or a non-linear (juveniles) increase as the season progressed. In individuals repeatedly sampled during the same winter, the decrease in the size of the breast stripe was larger for males than females and there was an overall decrease in the regularity of the cheek borders. There was no relationship between the size of the breast stripe and the white cheek patch irregularities or the cheek patch area. These results imply that more attention should be paid to quantification, within individuals, of the components of expression of phenotypic traits. In addition, we suggest that further research should focus on explaining the causes and functions of ornament change.
A Variation of the WTLS Authentication Protocol for Reducing Energy Consumption in Wireless Devices

Energy efficiency has been an important factor in protocol design in wireless networks where small handheld wireless devices rely solely on battery power. Security is also of great concern in wireless networks. Several security protocols adapted from wired networks have been used in wireless networks to provide identity authentication. Security protocols could contribute significantly to energy consumption, especially authentication protocols such as Wireless Transport Layer Security (WTLS) or Transport Layer Security (TLS) Handshake protocol that are based on computationally intensive public key cryptography. There have been many efforts trying to reduce cryptographic load and energy consumption at wireless devices. Some are complicated and others may not comply with existing WTLS/TLS standards. In this paper, we propose a simple variant of TLS Handshake protocol for mutual authentication and key exchange, which reduces energy consumption in wireless devices. The proposed protocol uses RSA and ECC algorithms differently to make the Handshake protocol more energy efficient. With our proposed protocol, we can save about 25% compared to 1024-bit RSA or 70% compared to 163-bit ECC Handshake protocol. Our proposed protocol can also be easily integrated into the standard WTLS protocol with small modification.
Association between PARP‐1 V762A polymorphism and cancer susceptibility: a meta‐analysis

Poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase-1 (PARP-1 catalyzes poly(ADP-ribosyl)ation to various proteins involved in many cellular processes, including DNA damage detection and repair and cell proliferation and death. PARP-1 has been implicated in human carcinogenesis, but the association between the most-studied PARP-1 V762A polymorphism (rs1136410) and risk of various cancers was reported with inconclusive results. The aim of this study was to assess the association between the PARP-1 V762A polymorphism and cancer risk. A meta-analysis of 21 studies with 12,027 cancer patients and 14,106 cancer-free controls was conducted to evaluate the strength of the association using odds ratio (OR) with 95% confidence interval (CI). Overall, no significant association was found between the PARP-1 V762A polymorphism and cancer risk. In the stratified analyses, however, it was found that the variant A allele of the PARP-1 V762A polymorphism was associated with an increased risk of cancer among Asian populations (VA + AA vs. VV: OR = 1.11, 95% CI: 1.01-1.23; P(heterogeneity) = 0.210), but a decreased risk of cancer (VA + AA vs. VV: OR = 0.89, 95% CI: 0.80-1.00; P(heterogeneity) = 0.004) among Caucasian populations, especially for glioma risk (OR = 0.79, 95% CI: 0.69-0.90; P(heterogeneity) = 0.800). This meta-analysis found evidence for an association of the PARP-1 V 762A polymorphism with increased risk of cancer among Asians, but decreased risk of cancer among Caucasians, particularly of glioma. Further well-designed studies with large sample sizes of different ethnic populations and different cancer types are warranted to confirm these findings.
Study of multi-scenario based technology roadmapping: Bayesian causal maps approach

The increasingly important role of technology roadmap in today's business success is well established. The main reason for this is that technology roadmap is considered to reflect all the plans (technology and business performance) and as such build on rather than replace existing techniques in use within a company. Despite all the possibilities offered by the technology roadmap, it is subject to some limitations that stem from only consideration of straight-line projection or single scenario; thus, it becomes complex in the face of high volatility, rapid, systematic, and unanticipated changes. In order to overcome such limitations, this paper offers multi- scenario based technology roadmap using the approach of Bayesian causal maps. In addition to Bayesian causal maps, a systematic probability generation method is also used to compute conditional probability distribution that is needed to compute the prior and posterior probability of the variables in the maps.
Diffuse reflection (intensity reflectance model)

An intensity reflectance model is proposed for diffuse reflection originating from subsurface multiple scattering within inhomogeneous dielectric materials. One of the most common assumptions in computer vision from inhomogeneous dielectrics is Lambertian. The proposed model utilizes the subsurface intensity distribution predicted by modeling subsurface multiple scattering based upon radiative transfer theory. For an optically smooth surface boundary this subsurface intensity distribution becomes altered by Fresnel attenuation upon refraction into air, making it become significantly non-Lambertian. This resulting intensity distribution serves as a reflection law for individual optically smooth microfacets that compose an opaque rough surface, producing a physical unification of diffuse reflection with the Torrance-Sparrow specular reflection model. Experimental results that verify the accuracy of the model are presented. A relatively simple formula that approximates closely the true behaviour of diffuse reflection and can be used in place of a Lambertian term is presented. The non-Lambertian nature of the diffuse component becomes most significant near occluding contours and sometimes produces a previously unnoticed intensity effect that can aid in their detection. >
SSTDE: an open source semantic spatiotemporal data engine for sensor web

Recently, many tools have emerged to manage sensor web data using Semantic Web technologies for effective heterogeneous data integration. However, a remaining challenge is how to manage the massive volumes of sensor data in their semantic form, i.e., Resource Description Framework (RDF) triples. Our survey revealed that most semantic tools either do not have geospatial support, or have severe limitations on providing full GeoSPARQL support and good performance for complex queries. In this paper, we present an open source Semantic Spatiotemporal Data Engine (SSTDE), which incorporates both semantic tools and Geographic Information System (GIS) systems under a hybrid architecture. Our main contribution includes 1) introducing the sub-graph index to substitute the single node index, which results in significant performance gain for a spatiotemporal query; 2) developing a query optimization algorithm based on graph matching; 3) proposing a benchmark test for spatiotemporal query over triple stores. The spatiotemporal SPARQL query is intelligently decomposed and executed on different systems, which significantly improves the query performance by more than a hundred times comparing to other solutions.
Role of Structural Flexibility of cpSRP43 in Binding Substrates during Post-Translational Targeting

The ability of the chloroplast signal recognition particle (cpSRP) to post-translationally target light harvesting complex proteins (LHCs) to the thylakoid membrane relies on a chloroplast-specific subunit, cpSRP43. cpSRP43 is a multidomain protein that forms a heterodimer with the conserved GTPase, cpSRP54, and subsequently interacts with LHCP substrates to form a soluble targeting complex in the chloroplast stroma. Single-molecule Forster Resonance Energy Transfer (smFRET) and molecular dynamics simulations was employed to determine how the inter-domain structural dynamics of cpSRP43 is affected by binding to cpSRP54 to help address how the formation of the cpSRP heterodimer enables LHCPs to bind and adopt an insertion-competent transit complex. Our results reveal significant inter-domain dynamics (i.e. flexibility) in cpSRP43 across the whole protein with 3 major conformations being identified. Upon binding to cpSRP54, there is a reduction in the flexibility of cpSRP43 in certain regions of the protein. Using isothermal titration calorimetry, we found that the affinity of the L18 recognition site of LHCP to cpSRP43 increased when cpSRP43 was complexed with a cpSRP54 peptide, which corresponds to the cpSRP43 binding site on cpSRP54. These results support the model that cpSRP54 promotes transit complex formation by regulating the inter-domain structural dynamics of cpSRP43.
TGF-β signaling engages an ATM-CHK2-p53–independent RAS-induced senescence and prevents malignant transformation in human mammary epithelial cells

Oncogene-induced senescence (OIS), the proliferative arrest engaged in response to persistent oncogene activation, serves as an important tumor-suppressive barrier. We show here that finite lifespan human mammary epithelial cells (HMEC) undergo a p16/RB- and p53-independent OIS in response to oncogenic RAS that requires TGF-β signaling. Suppression of TGF-β signaling by expression of a dominant-negative TGF-β type II receptor, use of a TGF-β type I receptor inhibitor, or ectopic expression of MYC permitted continued proliferation upon RAS expression. Surprisingly, unlike fibroblasts, shRNA-mediated knockdown of ATM or CHK2 was unable to prevent RAS-mediated OIS, arguing that the DNA damage response is not required for OIS in HMEC. Abrogation of TGF-β signaling not only allowed HMEC lacking p53 to tolerate oncogenic RAS but also conferred the capacity for anchorage-independent growth. Thus, the OIS engaged after dysregulated RAS expression provides an early barrier to malignant progression and is mediated by TGF-β receptor activation in HMEC. Understanding the mechanisms that initiate and maintain OIS in epithelial cells may provide a foundation for future therapies aimed at reengaging this proliferative barrier as a cancer therapy.
Stabilities of hemoglobins A and S in dried blood spots stored under controlled conditions.

Abstract Objective We aimed to measure separately the contributions of heat and humidity to changes in levels of hemoglobins A and S in dried-blood-spot (DBS) samples. Design and methods We stored paired sets of DBSs at 37 °C for predetermined intervals in low-humidity and high-humidity environments. Hemoglobin A and S levels of all samples in each complete set were measured in a single high performance liquid chromatography run. Results During the one-month storage intervals, both hemoglobin species lost about 35% of initial levels in low-humidity storage and almost all of initial levels in high-humidity storage. Conclusions Minimizing both humidity and temperature in the transportation and storage environments of DBS samples is essential to maintaining the integrity of the hemoglobin tetramer molecules.
Erbium: Yag Laser Trabecular Ablation with a Sapphire Optical Fiber

Abstract The purpose of the study was to evaluate the effect of erbium (Er): yttrium aluminum garnet (YAG) laser trabecular ablation with a sapphire optical fiber on outflow facility. After obtaining baseline outflow facility using a computerized differential pressure perfusion system, human cadaver eyes were subjected to Er: YAG laser trabecular ablation using a sapphire optical fiber. Single pulses at varying energy levels (10 to 20 mJ pulse−1) were applied in a nearly contiguous fashion over four clock hours of meshwork. Post-laser outflow facility was then determined utilizing the same perfusion system and histopathologic analysis performed. Of the ten eyes, nine were perfused to steady baseline facility. One eye was excluded from the study because of a leak in our system during the initial perfusion. The mean baseline facility was 0.283±0.08 μl min−1mmHg−1. There was a significant increase in outflow facility after trabecular ablation, with a mean post-laser facility of 0.62±0.15 μl min−1mmHg−1(P=0.01). Eyes which received a sham treatment showed no increase or a minimal increase in facility. Histopathologic analysis revealed ablation into Schlemm's canal with some thermal damage to the outer wall at all energy levels. Er: YAG laser trabecular ablation with a sapphire fiber is capable of increasing outflow facility in human cadaver eyes.
Development of Two‐Phase Structure in Glasses, with Special Reference to the System BaO‐SiO2

Abstract : The technique of vapor deposition was used to obtain homogeneous glass films of several BaO-SiO2 compositions in the region of the metastable miscibility gap. The films were electron beam heated in the electron microscope and the process of phase separation was observed. At low BaO contents, the separation was characterized by the appearance of discrete, amorphous, second-phase particles. For compositions near the center of the miscibility gap, the separation process resulted in two continuously interconnected phases similar to those found in the corresponding bulk glasses. In the thinnest of these films the process was observed to proceed by the coalescence of isolated particles into the interconnected second-phase submicrostructure. At high BaO contents, rapid crystallization of the films prevented study of the separation process. Two processes which could lead to the coalescence of discrete second-phase particles into an interconnected submicrostructure are discussed. It is suggested that coalescence may take place when either of these processes results in the particles approaching within some small distance of each other. The results indicate that observations of final phase-separated morphologies are inadequate for specifying the processes by which those morphologies arose. (Author)
Dual Catalytic Apparatus of the Thiamin Diphosphate Coenzyme: Acid−Base via the 1‘,4‘-Iminopyrimidine Tautomer along with Its Electrophilic Role

It was recently reported (Jordan, F.; Zhang, Z.; Sergienko, E. A. Bioorg. Chem. 2002, 30, 188−198) that addition to the E477Q active-center variant of yeast pyruvate decarboxylase of (a) pyruvate on a rapid-scan UV stopped-flow, or (b) acetaldehyde or benzoylformate on a circular dichroism (CD) instrument, generates a new band with λmax near 300−310 nm. A chemical model demonstrated that the wavelength is appropriate to the 1‘,4‘-iminopyrimidine tautomer of the 4‘-aminopyrimidine ring in thiamin diphosphate. Herein, we report the formation of a new positive CD band centered at 305 nm when the Escherichia coli pyruvate dehydrogenase complex first E1 subunit and its variants are exposed to phosphonolactylthiamin diphosphate, a stable analogue of the covalent adduct formed between the substrate pyruvate and the C2 atom of thiamin diphosphate. The behavior of this CD band, whether it suggests saturation of the enzyme by phosphonolactylthiamin diphosphate, or its very existence (the band is not seen with the E...
Effects of vessels and swimmers on behavior of Hawaiian spinner dolphins (Stenella longirostris) in Kealake‘akua, Honaunau, and Kauhako bays, Hawai‘i

Studies of the influence of boat traffic on small cetaceans have shown that the animals exhibit behavioral responses, including changes in swimming speed, diving and aerial behavior, vocalization patterns, and movement patterns (e.g., Au and Perryman 1982; Janik and Thompson 1996, Constantine et al. 2004, Delfour 2007). Janik and Thompson (1996) cautioned that such disruptions could cause longer-term changes in behavior, ecology, or status of a population, including avoidance of certain areas or increases in mortality rates. In some cases, injury or death of dolphins (Stone and Yoshinaga 2000) and injury or death of humans (Shane et al. 1993, Santos 1997) have been reported. Recent studies have begun to discover dolphin avoidance of high-traffic areas (Lusseau 2004, 2005; Bejder et al. 2006a). Concerns have been raised about the effects of vessel and swimmer traffic on spinner dolphins (Stenella longirostris) resting in Hawaiian bays (Lammers 2004, Delfour 2007). Vessel and swimmer traffic in Kealake‘akua and other Hawaiian bays has increased (Ostman-Lind et al. 2004, Delfour 2007) since the original studies of Ken Norris and his colleagues (Norris and Dohl 1980; Norris et al. 1985, 1994). Spinner dolphins in the bays attract people, and dolphin disturbance as a result of increased swimmer and boat traffic needs to be assessed. Spinner dolphins use Hawaiian bays as havens in which to rest during the day (Norris et al. 1994), so disturbance by vessels and swimmers may affect their activity budgets and fitness. Concerns regarding dolphin disturbance have caused NOAA Fisheries to propose new regulations for interaction with Hawaiian spinner dolphins (Department of Commerce 2005, 2006). In response to these concerns, the purpose of our study was to document behavior of Hawaiian spinner dolphins in three bays with respect to vessel and swimmer traffic.
Effect of a dexmedetomidine substitution during a nationwide propofol shortage in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass graft surgery.

Study Objective. To assess the effect of substituting dexmedetomidine for propofol during a nationwide propofol shortage on postoperative time to extubation and opioid requirements in patients who underwent coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery. Design. Retrospective case-control study. Setting. Single-center cardiothoracic intensive care unit (ICU) in a tertiary academic medical center. Patients. Seventy adults undergoing isolated, primary, elective CABG who received dexmedetomidine between April 1 and June 30, 2010, during the propofol shortage (35 patients [cases]) or who received propofol between January 1 and March 31, 2010, or between July 1 and September 30, 2010 (35 patients [controls]) for postoperative sedation were included. Patients in the dexmedetomidine group were matched 1:1 to patients in the propofol group based on age, sex, weight, number of vessels bypassed, preoperative ejection fraction, cardiopulmonary bypass time, and aortic cross-clamp time. Measurements and Main Results. The primary outcome consisted of opioid requirements in the first 12 hours after arrival to the ICU in the dexmedetomidine- and propofol-treated patients. Secondary outcomes included the time to extubation (from ICU admission until extubation) and opioid requirements in the first 24 hours. No significant demographic differences were noted between treatment groups. Median opioid requirements in the first 12 hours, as measured by morphine equivalents, were 8.0 mg in the propofol group and 7.0 mg in the dexmedetomidine group (p=0.1). Similarly, at 24 hours, opioid requirements were 16.7 and 17.3 mg in the propofol and dexmedetomidine groups, respectively (p=0.4). The time to extubation demonstrated that patients in the propofol group were extubated at a median of 300 minutes and patients in the dexmedetomidine group were extubated at a median of 318 minutes after ICU arrival (p=0.5). Conclusion. No statistically significant differences were noted between the propofol and dexmedetomidine groups when assessing the outcomes of opioid requirements and the time to extubation. A multicenter, prospective, randomized, blinded study is needed to determine the optimal sedative after CABG surgery.
Construction a la cuisse et au membre supérieur de fistules artério-veineuses utilisant la veine fémorale

Le but de ce travail etait de determiner les resultats des acces par la veine femorale (VF) sous la forme soit d'une transposition a la cuisse de la VF soit d'une translocation de la VF au niveau du membre superieur. Il s'agit d'une etude retrospective de tous les malades en insuffisance renale chronique terminale (IRCT) qui ont eu un acces utilisant la VF a l'University of Colorado Health Sciences Center de Decembre 2004 a Mai 2007. Les donnees demographiques, le nombre d'acces prealables, la procedure d'acces pour dialyse utilisant la VF, les complications apres la procedure, le suivi moyen, les procedures secondaires en rapport avec l'acces et le fonctionnement de l'acces ont ete notes. Les complications ont ete divisees en complication au site de prelevement de la VF et en complication en rapport avec une ischemie. Dix neuf malades ont eu un acces utilisant la VF au cours de la periode d'etude : 10 ont eu une transposition a la cuisse et 9 une translocation au membre superieur. Le nombre median d'acces prealables etait de deux. La duree mediane de sejour hospitalier a ete de trois jours. Il n'y a pas eu de deces peri-operatoire. Huit malades ont eu des complications au site de prelevement : 6 lymphoceles, une infection de la FAV necessitant la ligature et un syndrome compartimental necessitant une aponevrotomie. Trois malades (16%) ont fait des complications ischemiques : un a necessite la ligature de la FAV et deux ont necessite une DRIL (Distal Revascularization Interval Ligation). Soixante dix neuf pour cent des malades avaient un acces fonctionnel avec un suivi moyen de 6 mois (extremes 23 jours et trois ans). Quatre acces arterio-veineux utilisant la VF ont necessite une ou plusieurs procedures endovasculaires pour maintenir une fonction satisfaisante a 12 mois. L'utilisation d'un acces par la VF dans l'IRCT est durable avec un suivi intermediaire mais a une morbidite significative. L'acces par la VF doit etre reserve aux malades a bon risque qui ont epuise les autres options autogenes.
THE CONVERSION OF MOLYBDENITE TO MOLYBDENUM DIOXIDE

Production de poudre d'oxyde de molybdene a partir des sulfures de molybdene grilles a l'aide des residus de fuel et d'huile. Influence de la temperature sur le rendement de la reaction chimique
The Formation of Protostellar Disks. III. The Influence of Gravitationally Induced Angular Momentum Transport on Disk Structure and Appearance

Hydrodynamical two-dimensional calculations are presented for the evolution of collapsing, rotating protostars, including the effects of radiative acceleration and angular momentum transport. The initial cloud is assumed to be a uniformly rotating centrally condensed sphere with ρ ∝ r-2. Results are presented for masses of 1, 2, and 10 M☉, over times comparable to protostellar lifetimes. The calculations show how a warm, quasi-hydrostatic disk surrounding a central unresolved core forms, grows in mass and size, and accretes onto the central object. As a result of the accretion of material from the parent cloud, the disk is encased in one or two accretion shock fronts, located several scale heights above the equatorial plane. During accretion, the disks grow radially due to the effects of angular momentum transport, which according to our model arises from tidally induced gravitational torques. In this manner, quasi-static disks in excess of several thousand AU in radius can be produced. Accretion onto the central object slows down, however, and rather long timescales (M/ 107 yr) are reached while an appreciable fraction of the total mass (≈35%) is still in the disk. In order to further reduce the disk mass on a shorter timescale, processes not considered here must be invoked. Alternatively, if the initially selected angular momentum is significantly lower, smaller disk sizes would result. Frequency-dependent radiative transfer calculations at selected ages, including the effects of scattered radiation in the infrared and optical spectral regimes, show how the continuum spectra of the structure depend on the disk's orientation and age and how the observed isophotal contours vary with wavelength and viewing angle. Because of the strong dependence on viewing angle, continuum spectra alone should not be used to estimate the evolutionary stage of development of these objects. The infrared flux at ~10 μm can vary by orders of magnitude between pole-on and edge-on views, and the inferred total bolometric luminosity will vary by up to a factor of 30 as a function of viewing angle during much of the lifetime of accreting circumstellar disks. We conclude that near- and mid-infrared searches for disks will be strongly biased toward pole-on orientations because of this "flashlight" effect.
Microstructural evolution in thin films

Abstract This article reviews the topic of computer simulation of the various processes that determine evolution of grain structure in polycrystalline thin films. The evolution typically begins with the nucleation of individual crystals, which then grow until they impinge upon each other and form a continuous film. The microstructures created depend on both the nucleation conditions and the growth conditions. After impingement, the grain boundaries so formed may migrate, which leads to grain growth. If the grain size is small compared with the film thickness, then the grain structure and the grain growth process are three-dimensional. As the grains grow to become larger than the film thickness, so that most grains traverse the entire thickness of the film, the microstructure may approach the conditions for a two-dimensional description to apply. At this point, however, the surface energy associated with the two free surfaces of the film becomes comparable with the surface energy of the grain boundaries, and the free surface may profoundly affect the grain growth. One effect is that grooves may develop along the lines where the grain boundaries meet the free surface, pinning the boundaries against further migration and leading to grain-growth stagnation. Another possible effect is that differences in the free surface energy for grains with different crystallographic orientation may provide a driving force for the migration of the boundaries that is additional to that provided by grain boundary capillarity. Grains with favorable orientations will grow at the expense of grains in which a few grains grow very large by consuming the normal grains.
Nonlinear magnetic response of semiconducting Y1Ba2Cu3O6+x

Abstract We report the magnetization M as a function of magnetic field H at T =77 K for semiconducting Y 1 Ba 2 Cu 3 O 6+ x with x x =0 and T =77 K, there is a superlinear dependence of M on H , suggestive of spin-flop of the canted component of Cu ++ on the CuO 2 plane at a critical field. A strong hysteresis effect has been observed in M ( H ), indicative of first order transition at a critical field for the x =0 compound. For Y 1 Ba 2 Cu 3 O 6+ x samples of x =0.25 and 0.34, M is sublinear with H , in agreement with the presence of ferromagnetically ordered regions due to oxygen doping.
SU‐FF‐T‐289: Healing Well: A New Concept for Radiation Therapy of Breast Cancer

Purpose: To propose a new concept/device, termed Healing Well, dedicating to radiotherapy of breast cancer. This objective is motivated by the need to reduce overall treatment time and to reduce toxicity observed on patients with large breasts. Methods and Material: The basic idea of Heal Well is to use a cup‐shaped structure (well) with tens of collimated channels similar to the Gamma‐Knife. Unlike the Gamma‐knife, the source is provided through a HDR 60Co afterloader and the beams are not narrowly focused to a small spot. The device delivers low‐dose‐rate radiation with patient in the prone position and the breast placed inside the well by gravity. The EGSnrc Monte‐Carlo system was used to explore sample design and to compute dose distributions. A commercial 60 Co DHR source (Shimadzu Corp.) situated in the housing and collimating structure of the Healing Well was modeled with Monte‐Carlo. Dose distribution for a hypothetical 60Co ring source was calculated, and was compared with those of a 6MV and a 15MV parallel‐opposite pairs commonly used. Results: The Monte‐Carlo calculation for the 60Co HDR source showed that a dose rate of approximate 2 cGy/min was produced at a distance of 15 cm. This dose rate may be too low, thus, source strength should be increased. The calculation for the ring source shows that the 60Co is as penetrating as the 15 MV beam and produces even more uniform dose distribution than the 6 and 15 MV pairs, indicating that the 60Co in the Healing Well configuration has sufficient penetration for large breasts. Conclusion: This work propose a new concept/device that is dedicated to treat breast cancer by irradiating the breast inside a well. The technology has a potential to improve cosmetic outcome and/or quality of life for breast cancer patients, particularly for those with large, pendulous, breasts.
Radium-based estimates of cesium isotope transport and total direct ocean discharges from the Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant accident

Radium has four naturally occurring isotopes that have proven useful in constraining water mass source, age, and mixing rates in the coastal and open ocean. In this study, we used radium isotopes to determine the fate and flux of runoff-derived cesium from the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant (FNPP). During a June 2011 cruise, the highest cesium (Cs) concentrations were found along the eastern shelf of northern Japan, from Fukushima south, to the edge of the Kuroshio Current, and in an eddy ~ 130 km from the FNPP site. Locations with the highest cesium also had some of the highest radium activities, suggesting much of the direct ocean discharges of Cs remained in the coastal zone 2–3 months after the accident. We used a short-lived Ra isotope ( 223 Ra, t 1/2 = 11.4 d) to derive an average water mass age ( T r ) in the coastal zone of 32 days. To ground-truth the Ra age model, we conducted a direct, station-by-station comparison of water mass ages with a numerical oceanographic model and found them to be in excellent agreement (model avg. T r = 27 days). From these independent T r values and the inventory of Cs within the water column at the time of our cruise, we were able to calculate an offshore 134 Cs flux of 3.9–4.6 × 10 13 Bq d −1 . Radium-228 ( t 1/2 = 5.75 yr) was used to derive a vertical eddy diffusivity ( K z ) of 0.7 m 2 d −1 (0.1 cm 2 s −1 ); from this K z and 134 Cs inventory, we estimated a 134 Cs flux across the pycnocline of 1.8 × 10 4 Bq d −1 for the same time period. On average, our results show that horizontal mixing loss of Cs from the coastal zone was ~ 10 9 greater than vertical exchange below the surface mixed layer. Finally, a mixing/dilution model that utilized our Ra-based and oceanographic model water mass ages produced a direct ocean discharge of 134 Cs from the FNPP of 11–16 PBq at the time of the peak release in early April 2011. Our results can be used to calculate discharge of other water-soluble radionuclides that were released to the ocean directly from the Fukushima NPP.
Optical constants and interband transitions of Ge1−xSnx alloys (x<0.2) grown on Si by UHV-CVD

Abstract The development of manufacturable direct band gap materials on Si is crucial for optoelectronic devices integrated with silicon circuits. Ge–Sn alloys with varying metastable compositions ranging from 2 to 20% were grown by UHV-CVD using a deuterium-stabilized Sn hydride with digermane. We use deep ultraviolet spectroscopic ellipsometry (0.74 to 6.6 eV) to determine the optical properties of this new class of Si-based infrared semiconductors in the Ge 1− x Sn x system. Optical analysis of the energy-derivatives in comparison with analytical lineshapes shows that the E 1 and E 2 interband transition energies decrease significantly with increasing Sn content. Tunability of these high-energy gaps shows promise for a direct E 0 band gap in this materials system.
Exact Determination of the Run Length Distribution of a One-Sided CUSUM Procedure Applied on an Ordinary Poisson Process

Abstract The structure of a CUSUM procedure on an ordinary Poisson jump process is analyzed in terms of stopping rules based on linear boundaries. The total run length is composed of a random number of renewal phases followed by a terminal phase. The exact distributions of the length of these phases are derived, as well as the Wald type approximations. The distribution of the total run length and its moments is given in terms of the phase distributions.
Compressive behavior of wire reinforced bulk metallic glass matrix composites

Bulk metallic glasses (BMGs) possess a unique set of mechanical properties that make them attractive structural materials. However, when loaded without constraint, BMGs fracture catastrophically due to formation of macroscopic shear bands and this behavior reduces their reliability. To address this issue, BMG matrix composites have been developed. In this investigation, neutron diffraction was used during uniaxial compressive loading to measure the internal strains in the second phases of various BMG composites reinforced with Ta, Mo, or stainless steel wires. The diffraction data were then employed to develop a finite element model that deduced the in situ constitutive behavior of each phase. It was found that the reinforcements yielded first and started transferring load to the matrix, which remained elastic during the whole experiment. While the present composites exhibited enhanced ductility, largely due to their ductile reinforcements, they yielded at applied stresses lower than those found in W reinforced composites.
Making the best of those extra transistors

A new world for transistors may be on the horizon. The days of directly implementing custom functionality in transistors, and hence of designers creating their own chips, may be fading away. Prefabricated programmable platforms, considered grossly inefficient just a decade ago, may prevail, leading to lower costs, faster time to market, lower power, and other benefits perhaps not even foreseeable today.
Inhibition of the Hill Reaction by Tris and Restoration by Electron Donation to Photosystem II

Experiments in which chloroplasts were washed with tris and tricine buffers at different pH's indicated that the non-protonated (uncharged) form of tris was inhibitory to the Hill reaction while the protonated form of tris and the zwitterionic forms of tricine were non-inhibitory. Buffers analogous to tris and tricine gave similar results. Photoreduction of NADP could be restored to the inhibited chloroplasts by adding the reduced forms of p-hydroquinone, p-aminophenol, p-phenylenediamine, benzidine, semicarbazide, and dihydroxydiphenyl, all of which donated electrons to photosystem II. Photoreduction of ferricyanide was shown with those donor systems (benzidine and semicarbazide) which did not react chemically with ferricyanide. Photophosphorylation was also restored with all of the electron donors except semicarbazide.
Recruitment and habitat selection in the intertidal sea anemones, Anthopleura elegantissima (Brandt) and A. xanthogrammica (Brandt)

Abstract Juvenile sea anemones, Anthopleura elegantissima (Brandt) and A. xanthogrammica (Brandt), are common in intertidal mussel beds ( Mytilus californianus Conrad) on the outer coast of Washington state. Settlement of Anthopleura elegantissima also has been observed in rock crevices at sites in the San Juan Islands where mussel beds are absent. A massive settlement of A. elegantissima in 1972–1973 was monitored until 1976 by quadrat sampling at 42 sites on Tatoosh Island, Washington. The settlement was most dense in high areas of the mussel beds and in beds composed of large mussels. There was no evidence of recruitment in subsequent years. Mean size of individuals in the mussel beds increased over the 3-yr period and density doubled suddenly in 1975, probably by fission of existing individuals. Removal of anemones and patches of mussel bed at Tatoosh Island demonstrates that A. elegantissima can move out of the mussel bed and colonize cleared space below it. Settlement of A. elegantissima in crevices in the San Juan Islands occurred both in 1974 and in 1975 although not every monitored area received recruits. Two years' growth was sufficient for individuals to reach mean size of anemones in the local population. Newly settled A. xanthogrammica were not observed during 1972–1977. However, some mussel beds contained dense populations of very small juveniles, of a size (≤ 2 cm) not commonly observed in other intertidal habitats. Experimental areas cleared of all A. xanthogrammica were recolonized primarily by juveniles ( A. xanthogrammica into mussel beds, and subsequent downward migration into tidepools and surge channels, may be a mechanism by which offspring select habitats with sufficient prey resource (mussels) for adult growth and survival.
Selective blockade of spinal reflexes by ω-conotoxin in the isolated spinal cord of the neonatal rat

High-voltage-activated calcium currents can be pharmacologically separated into two components: omega-conotoxin-sensitive, dihydropyridine resistant (N-type) and dihydropyridine sensitive, omega-conotoxin-resistant (L-type). In the present study, omega-conotoxin completely blocked spinal monosynaptic responses and long-latency electrically evoked polysynaptic reflexes were 93% blocked. Short-latency electrically evoked and capsaicin-evoked polysynaptic reflexes were partially blocked (39 and 37% block, respectively). Nifedipine, a dihydropyridine type antagonist, had no effect on any evoked responses and Bay K 8644, a dihydropyridine agonist, only increased spontaneous firing. Dynorphin A blocks N currents, but its depressant effects were not altered by irreversible blockade of omega-conotoxin-sensitive N channels. These results demonstrate that omega-conotoxin-sensitive N channels play a major role in the synaptic transmission that mediates monosynaptic and electrically evoked slow polysynaptic reflexes, and a lesser but significant role in fast and capsaicin-evoked polysynaptic spinal reflexes. L-type channels play a minor role. Furthermore, dynorphin A depresses synaptic transmission by blockade of high threshold calcium channels that are distinct from the omega-conotoxin-sensitive N channel, or by a mechanism that does not directly involve calcium channels.
Inclusion complexes of tolnaftate with β-cyclodextrin and hydroxypropyl β-cyclodextrin

AbstractTolnaftate, an antifungal agent, was found to form inclusion complexes with both β-cyclodextrin (β-CD) and hydroxypropyl β-cyclodextrins (HPBCDs) with two different degrees of substitution [HPBCD(A)-8% and HPBCD(B)-3%]. Complex formation in the solution state was studied using phase solubility and spectral shift methods. Solid complexes were prepared by the coprecipitation method. Solubilities and dissolution rates were determined for each solid complex, its corresponding physical mixture, and free drug. The increase in solubility of tolnaftate with added HPBCD was found to be significantly greater than with added β-CD. For both HPBCD(A) and HPBCD(B), over the concentration range 0–0.05 M. 1:1 complexes with stability constants of 1460 ± 139 M-1 and 1860 ± 165 M-1 were observed, respectively. Over the β-CD concentration range 0–0.02 M, a 1:1 complex with a stability constant of 1190 ± 105 M-1 was observed. At higher HPBCD concentrations, the increase in solubility was observed to show a positive d...
A statistical theory of compound nucleus formation and decay

Abstract The independence of formation and decay of the compound nucleus system in the region of strongly overlapping resonances is investigated within the framework of R-matrix theory. Use is made of generalized random sign rules based on the statistical distributions of reduced-width amplitudes and of resonance energies. The independence law, as expressed by the factored form of the average partial reaction cross section, is shown to be asymptotically valid to terms of order ( Γ λc D ) 2 in the limit D Γ → 0 and N (number of open channels) → ∞. The results are expressed in a form manifestly invariant with respect to transformation of the angular momentum coupling scheme employed in designating the channels. The usual assumption of complete absence of channel-channel correlations is weakened in the case of integrated cross sections to include only the absence of correlations between breakup modes. In the case of angular distributions the additional assumption of absence of l-value correlations is required for independence. The occurrence of an anomalous factor of two in the expression for the fluctuation cross section, as has been noted by Thomas and by Satchler, is verified and a simple approximate scheme for amending the transmission coefficients to include this factor while preserving unitarity is proposed.
Outcomes of unresected ground-glass nodules with cytology suspicious for adenocarcinoma.

Background: Five-year survival rates for resected stage I adenocarcinoma approach 100%. Given previous studies describing the prolonged indolent natural history of ground-glass lesions suspicious for early adenocarcinoma, our purpose in this study was to determine if outcomes were different among patients who were observed for radiographic and biopsy suspected early adenocarcinoma compared with those who were resected immediately. Methods: We identified 63 patients with no prior history of lung adenocarcinoma who had undergone computer tomography–guided fine-needle aspiration of ground-glass opacities with cytology concerning for new early adenocarcinoma between January 2002 and December 2011. We compared the clinical outcomes of patients who were resected after abnormal cytology results and those who opted for watchful waiting. Results: Sixteen patients elected to observe their ground-glass nodules despite having suspicious cytology results, whereas 47 opted for immediate resection. Of the 16 observed patients, six (37.5%) ultimately demonstrated growth or increase solid component of the ground-glass nodule. Five of these patients elected for definitive therapy by surgical resection or radiation. There were no occurrences of distant metastasis or lung cancer–associated deaths in the observed group. Of the 47 resected patients, two developed metastatic disease, five developed new cancers in remaining lung, and three developed progression in existing ground-glass nodules. Conclusions: Ground-glass lesions that were observed after biopsy did not demonstrate any increased rates of metastasis or cancer-related deaths and delayed resection does not seem to have a negative effect on outcomes.
Genome-wide high-resolution mapping of chromosome fragile sites in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

In mammalian cells, perturbations in DNA replication result in chromosome breaks in regions termed “fragile sites.” Using DNA microarrays, we mapped recombination events and chromosome rearrangements induced by reduced levels of the replicative DNA polymerase-α in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. We found that the recombination events were nonrandomly associated with a number of structural/sequence motifs that correlate with paused DNA replication forks, including replication-termination sites (TER sites) and binding sites for the helicase Rrm3p. The pattern of gene-conversion events associated with cross-overs suggests that most of the DNA lesions that initiate recombination between homologs are double-stranded DNA breaks induced during S or G2 of the cell cycle, in contrast to spontaneous recombination events that are initiated by double-stranded DNA breaks formed prior to replication. Low levels of DNA polymerase-α also induced very high rates of aneuploidy, as well as chromosome deletions and duplications. Most of the deletions and duplications had Ty retrotransposons at their breakpoints.
The asymptotic validity of invariant procedures for the repeated measures model and multivariate linear model

Fairly general sufficient conditions are given to guarantee that invariant tests about means in the multivariate linear model and the repeated measures model have the correct asymptotic size when the normal assumption under which the tests are derived is relaxed. These conditions are the same as Huber's condition which guarantees asymptotic validity of the size of the F-test for the univariate linear model.
The architecture of Montana: an open and extensible programming environment with an incremental C++ compiler

Montana is an open, extensible integrated programming environment for C++ that supports incremental compilation and linking, a persistent code cache called a CodeStore, and a set of programming interfaces to the CodeStore for tool writers. CodeStore serves as a central source of information for compiling, browsing, and debugging. CodeStore contains information about both the static and dynamic structure of the compiled program. This information spans files, macros, declarations, function bodies, templates and their instantiations, program fragment dependencies, linker relocation information, and debugging information.Montana allows the compilation process to be extended and modified [11]. Montana has been used as the basis of a number of tools [1,7], and is also used as the infrastructure of a production compiler, IBM's Visual Age C++ 4.0 [8].