cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A signal calculation grid for quantum-dot cellular automata

The quantum-dot cellular automata (QCA) computing paradigm presents great promise as a potential strategy for future nanocomputing devices. Perhaps the greatest challenge facing the QCA architecture is finding a robust wire crossing strategy. In this paper, the recently introduced QCA signal distribution grid is extended to carry out generalized sum-of-products and product-of-sums calculations that are performed concurrently with signal distribution. The new signal calculation grid is capable of performing an arbitrary number of simultaneous programmable Boolean operations on an arbitrary number of inputs, and the time required to perform all of these parallel calculations is just seven clock cycles.
Immunohistochemical expression of β-catenin in solitary fibrous tumors

c Context.—Immunohistochemical staining for b-catenin may be used as an indicator of the integrity of the Wnt signaling and b-catenin degradation pathways. Among mesenchymal tumors, aberrant nuclear localization of bcatenin is seen in desmoid-type fibromatoses but has not been described for solitary fibrous tumors that may mimic the former lesions, especially in small biopsy samples. Objective.—To study the immunohistochemical expression of b-catenin in solitary fibrous tumors. Design.—We performed immunohistochemical staining for b-catenin in 12 solitary fibrous tumors, one of which showed histologic features of malignancy. Results.—All the tumors showed strong and diffuse reactivity for b-catenin. Four tumors (33%) showed nuclear staining for b-catenin, whereas the remaining tumors showed either a membranous or mixed membranous and cytoplasmic pattern of staining. The only histologically malignant tumor of the group showed a mixed membranous and cytoplasmic pattern of staining for b-catenin. Conclusions.—Immunohistochemical staining for b-catenin in solitary fibrous tumors does not show a consistent pattern, which may be due to differences in tumorigenesis. Larger studies with clinical follow-up are required for estimating the impact of the variable staining pattern on clinical behavior of these tumors. (Arch Pathol Lab Med. 2005;129:776‐779)
Fatigability of Medial Gastrocnemius Motor Units in the Cat

The physiological properties of motor units in cat medial gastrocnemius have been studied with particular reference to fatigue. A broad range of fatigability was encountered, particularly within the fast twitch group. These findings were consistent with the vascular and histochemical profile of this muscle.
Changing the Mindset of Children and Adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorders

In our therapeutic work with children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorders (ASD), a major goal is to change the negative, self-defeating mindset that directs their lives. The concept of mindsets has become an increasingly prominent area of study, especially with the emergence of the field of “positive psychology.” As examples, Carol Dweck authored a book titled Mindset (2006) in which she distinguished between a “fixed” and a “growth” outlook; the research and writings of Martin Seligman and his colleagues about “learned helplessness” and “learned optimism” as well as resilience (Reivich and Shatte, The resilience factor: 7 keys to finding your inner strength and overcoming life’s hurdles, 2002; Seligman, Learned optimism: How to change your mind and your life, 1990) have roots in attribution theory, which is basically a theory about mindsets, examining how we understand the reasons for our successes and setbacks (Weiner, Achievement motivation and attribution theory, 1974).
Caffeine accentuates emotional responses, not emotion regulation choice

Caffeine is the most commonly used behaviorally-active substance in the world. Caffeine reliably increases arousal, but it is unclear if and how it influences other dimensions of emotion such as positive versus negative feelings, termed affective valence. The present study documented whether caffeine influences emotion and emotion regulation. Participants included 48 adults (20 male, 28 female; 20.1±2.3 years; BMI 22.9±3.5), all of whom were low to abstinent caffeine consumers (maximum 100 mg/day, mean 26.8±25.6). Participants completed measures of emotion, including the State–Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) and the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS) before, 45-minutes after, and 75 minutes after consuming 400 mg caffeine or placebo in a within-subjects design. Participants also completed an emotion regulation choice task, in which they chose to employ one of two emotion regulation strategies, distraction or cognitive reappraisal, in response to low and high intensity negative pictures, and rate...
Stereotactic MR-Guided Online Adaptive Radiation Therapy (SMART) for Ultracentral Thorax Malignancies: Results of a Phase 1 Trial.

Abstract Purpose Stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) is an effective treatment for oligometastatic or unresectable primary malignancies, although target proximity to organs at risk (OARs) within the ultracentral thorax (UCT) limits safe delivery of an ablative dose. Stereotactic magnetic resonance (MR)–guided online adaptive radiation therapy (SMART) may improve the therapeutic ratio using reoptimization to account for daily variation in target and OAR anatomy. This study assessed the feasibility of UCT SMART and characterized dosimetric and clinical outcomes in patients treated for UCT lesions on a prospective phase 1 trial. Methods and Materials Five patients with oligometastatic (n = 4) or unresectable primary (n = 1) UCT malignancies underwent SMART. Initial plans prescribed 50 Gy in 5 fractions with goal 95% planning target volume (PTV) coverage by 95% of prescription, subject to strict OAR constraints. Daily real-time online adaptive plans were created as needed to preserve hard OAR constraints, escalate PTV dose, or both, based on daily setup MR image set anatomy. Treatment times, patient outcomes, and dosimetric comparisons were prospectively recorded. Results All initial and daily adaptive plans met strict OAR constraints based on simulation and daily setup MR imaging anatomy, respectively. Four of the 5 patients received ≥1 adapted fraction. Ten of the 25 total delivered fractions were adapted. A total of 30% of plan adaptations were performed to improve PTV coverage; 70% were for reversal of ≥1 OAR violation. Local control by Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors was 100% at 3 and 6 months. No grade ≥3 acute (within 6 months of radiation completion) treatment-related toxicities were identified. Conclusions SMART may allow PTV coverage improvement and/or OAR sparing compared with nonadaptive SBRT and may widen the therapeutic index of UCT SBRT. In this small prospective cohort, we found that SMART was clinically deliverable to 100% of patients, although treatment delivery times surpassed our predefined, timing-based feasibility endpoint. This technique is well tolerated, offering excellent local control with no identified acute grade ≥3 toxicity.
Processing of complex-shaped collimators made via binder jet additive manufacturing of B4C and pressureless melt infiltration of Al

Abstract Complex collimator geometries are desired for custom neutron scattering applications. Boron carbide (B 4 C) is a suitable candidate collimator material because its high boron content results in a large neutron-absorbing cross section and it can be safely processed with powders and subsequent melt infiltrations. High-density collimator geometries of boron carbide-aluminum metal matrix composites were fabricated using binder jet additive manufacturing followed by pressureless melt infiltration with Al alloys. Infiltration of three different Al alloys was demonstrated and the effects of processing time on one alloy were analyzed. During processing, additional reactant phases were produced, and the resulting microstructure was analyzed. Collimator samples produced had high densities and hardness as well as favorable neutron scattering results.
Loss of hepatic PPARα promotes inflammation and serum hyperlipidemia in diet-induced obesity

Agonists for PPARα are used clinically to reduce triglycerides and improve high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol levels in patients with hyperlipidemia. Whether the mechanism of PPARα activati...
Effects of E-Cigarette Flavoring Chemicals on Human Macrophages and Bronchial Epithelial Cells

E-cigarettes utilize a wide range of flavoring chemicals with respiratory health effects that are not well understood. In this study, we used pulmonary-associated cell lines to assess the in vitro cytotoxic effects of 30 flavoring chemicals. Human bronchial epithelial cells (BEAS-2B) and both naive and activated macrophages (THP-1) were treated with 10, 100, and 1000 µM of flavoring chemicals and analyzed for changes in viability, cell membrane damage, reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, and inflammatory cytokine release. Viability was unaffected for all chemicals at the 10 and 100 µM concentrations. At 1000 µM, the greatest reductions in viability were seen with decanal, hexanal, nonanal, cinnamaldehyde, eugenol, vanillin, alpha-pinene, and limonene. High amounts of ROS were elicited by vanillin, ethyl maltol, and the diketones (2,3-pentanedione, 2,3-heptanedione, and 2,3-hexanedione) from both cell lines. Naive THP-1 cells produced significantly elevated levels of IL-1β, IL-8, and TNF-α when exposed to ethyl maltol and hexanal. Activated THP-1 cells released increased IL-1β and TNF-α when exposed to ethyl maltol, but many flavoring chemicals had an apparent suppressive effect on inflammatory cytokines released by activated macrophages, some with varying degrees of accompanying cytotoxicity. The diketones, L-carvone, and linalool suppressed cytokine release in the absence of cytotoxicity. These findings provide insight into lung cell cytotoxicity and inflammatory cytokine release in response to flavorings commonly used in e-cigarettes.
Defining Moments: The First One Hundred Years of the Hoover Institution: by Bertrand M. Patenaude, Stanford, Hoover Institution Press $49.95 (Hardcover), 2019, 154 pp., ISBN 9780817922740

Published in connection with the Hoover Institution’s centennial, this volume reveals how the institution’s history was entwined with that of the twentieth century; the Hoover was both a repository...
Developmental research on an interactive application for language speaking practice using speech recognition technology

This developmental research aims to (1) examine the design and developmental process, (2) investigate the nature and structure of the application, and (3) analyze the results of expert reviews and usability tests. Twenty-five participants, including a developer, an instructional designer, Korean language educators, educational technology researchers, human–computer interaction experts, and language learners, were involved in this study. This study was conducted in the following steps: (1) formulated design principles through the literature review of language instruction and learning theories, computer-assisted language learning, speech recognition technology, human–computer interaction, and scaffolding, (2) developed a functional software prototype that adopted the formulated design principles, (3) conducted expert reviews and learner usability tests, (4) revised and updated the application through the repetitive expert reviews and learner usability tests, (5) analyzed the results of the final expert review, usability test, and log data analysis, and (6) clarified the implications of the development research. The developed application shows an approach to addressing the challenges of second language classrooms that might cause a low-level of learner’s language speaking performance. This study specifically delivers knowledge about the design and developmental process of computer-assisted language learning software. This provides guidelines for educational technology researchers and practitioners who work on similar projects.
The preferences of women with ovarian cancer for oral versus intravenous recurrence regimens.

Abstract Objective To assess preferences of women with ovarian cancer regarding features of available anti-cancer regimens for platinum-resistant, biomarker-positive disease, with an emphasis on oral PARP inhibitor and standard intravenous (IV) chemotherapy regimens. Methods A discrete-choice-experiment preferences survey was designed, tested, and administered to women with ovarian cancer, with 11 pairs of treatment profiles defined using seven attributes (levels/ranges): regimen (oral daily, IV weekly, IV monthly); probability of progression-free (PFS) at 6 months (40%–60%); probability of PFS at 2 years (10%–20%); nausea (none, moderate); peripheral neuropathy (none, mild, moderate); memory problems (none, mild); and total out-of-pocket cost ($0 to $10,000). Results Of 123 participants, 38% had experienced recurrence, 25% were currently receiving chemotherapy, and 18% were currently taking a PARP inhibitor. Given attributes and levels, the relative importance weights (sum 100) were: 2-year PFS, 28; cost, 27; 6-month PFS, 19; neuropathy,14; memory problems, nausea, and regimen, all ≤5. To accept moderate neuropathy, participants required a 49% (versus 40%) chance of PFS at 6 months or 14% (versus 10%) chance at 2 years. Given a 3-way choice where PFS and cost were equal, 49% preferred a monthly IV regimen causing mild memory problems, 47% preferred an oral regimen causing moderate nausea, and 4% preferred a weekly IV regimen causing mild memory and mild neuropathy. Conclusions These findings challenge the assumption that oral anti-cancer therapies are universally preferred by patients and demonstrate that there is no “one size fits all” regimen that is preferable to women with ovarian cancer when considering recurrence treatment regimens.
Classification of Priorities Such That Deferred Acceptance is OSP Implementable

We study the strategic simplicity of stable matching mechanisms where one side has fixed preferences, termed priorities. Specifically, we ask which priorities are such that the strategyproofness of deferred acceptance (DA) can be recognized by agents unable to perform contingency reasoning, that is, when does DA have an obviously strategyproof (OSP) implementation (Li, 2017)? We answer this question by completely characterizing those priorities for which DA is OSP implementable. This solves an open problem of Ashlagi and Gonczarowski, 2018. We find that when DA is OSP implementable, priorities are either acyclic (Ergin, 2002), a restrictive condition which allows priorities to only differ on only two agents at a time, or contain an extremely limited cyclic pattern where all priority lists are identical except for exactly two. We conclude that, for stable matching mechanisms, the tension between understandability (in the sense of OSP) and expressiveness of priorities is very high.
Seasonal Variation of the D-Region Ionosphere Modelled using Machine Learning Based VLF Remote Sensing

This work improves upon a previously developed neural network modelling process that predicted waveguide parameters for the D-region ionosphere on two days [1]. The previous model was limited by manually determining the ideal set of transmitters (Tx) and receivers (Rx) and by computation time. An automatic quality assessment tool was developed to automatically evaluate the optimal network for each day [2]. We also obtained a 14x improvement in model training time by leveraging GPUs and improving the parallelization of the training process. These advancements allowed us to model 328 days across up to 21 paths. With this larger sample size, we show the model is capable of following expected seasonal trends. The model has also been adapted to be used with nighttime data, and is showing promising early results.
Attendance Dilemma in Two Culturally Different Contexts

Abstract This study will focus on attendance policies implemented at tertiary institutions of education and their impact on students. The role of all the stakeholders was considered to find the underlying causes of failure to attend classes, albeit attendance is a requirement in most institutions of higher education. Lectures, motives, and performance are interrelated. Therefore, the questionnaire designed to elicit responses from students is designed to seek how students feel about this correlation. Most research indicates there is a significant relation between lectures and motivation that leads to better performance. The main objective of this paper will be to see how the population of this study views this matter. It is a known fact that students’ perceptions of college attendance policies at times contradict those of the instructors. Therefore, the questionnaire will be administered to students in various contexts. Since cross cultural studies yield more comprehensive results, the population of this study will be comprised of students in the United States as well as in Turkey.
Effects of a systemic antibiotic on nasal bacterial ecology in man.

The nasal flora of coagulase-positive staphylococcus carriers and noncarriers was studied in aerobic conditions in 17 individuals. Five hundred milligrams of cephalexin was given orally four times daily for 12 days, and its effects on the nasal bacteria were determined quantitatively before, during, and after treatment. The total count obtained before the drug treatment was 5.4 × 106 in carriers and 3.9 × 106 in noncarriers. The lowest total count observed was 3 days after the cessation of the drug. The increase in gram-negative rods was seen 9 days after antibiotic therapy, not during the greatest reduction of gram-positive bacteria. Coagulase-positive cocci and diphtheroids were most sensitive to drug treatment. After 36 days, the total count was restored to pretreatment level. Diphtheroids did not return to the original number and were replaced by a corresponding increase of resistant coagulase-negative cocci. An inverse relationship between coagulase-negative cocci and lipophilic diphtheroids was seen in the anterior nares of many individuals. No gross difference in nasal ecology to differentiate carriers from noncarriers was seen.
International dissemination of epidemic Vibrio cholerae by cargo ship ballast and other nonpotable waters.

In 1991 and 1992, toxigenic Vibrio cholerae O1, serotype Inaba, biotype El Tor, was recovered from nonpotable (ballast, bilge, and sewage) water from five cargo ships docked in ports of the U.S. Gulf of Mexico. Four of these ships had taken on ballast water in cholera-infected countries; the fifth took on ballast in a noninfected country. Isolates examined by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis were indistinguishable from the Latin American epidemic strain, C6707; however, they differed significantly from the endemic Gulf Coast strain (VRL 1984), the sixth-pandemic strain (569-B), and a V. cholerae non-O1 strain isolated from a ship arriving from a foreign port. On the basis of our findings, the Food and Drug Administration recommended that the U.S. Coast Guard issue an advisory to shipping agents and captains requesting that ballast waters be exchanged on the high seas before entry of ships into U.S. ports.
Nitrogen and Phosphorus Dynamics in the Biofloc Production of the Pacific White Shrimp, Litopenaeus vannamei

A study evaluating nitrogen and phosphorus dynamics was carried out using biofloc technology (BFT) systems employed to raise Litopenaeus vannamei juveniles. The study was carried out for 42 d in three fiberglass tanks with 210 L useful volume with no water exchange. Salinity, temperature, dissolved oxygen, pH, nutrients, suspended solids, and chlorophyll-a were monitored every 3 d. At the completion of the experiment, the shrimp had absorbed 39.1 and 35.0% of the total nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) inputs, respectively, while 39.0% of the N and 34.1% of the P remained in the system in dissolved forms. The dominant process of ammonium immobilization in the system was oxidation by nitrifying bacteria. On Day 42, the nitrate concentration represented more than 80% of the total dissolved inorganic nitrogen in all tanks. However, most of the dissolved nitrogen present in the tanks (80%) was organic. Phosphate and organic nitrogen and phosphorus continuously accumulated in the system throughout the experiment. The removal of these nutrients should be the focus of future studies because they may enhance the growth of harmful algae in tanks and in the water bodies that collect the post-crop wastewater.
Micro-scale flow cytometry-based and biochemical analysis of lipid signaling in primary B cell subpopulations.

B cell subpopulations in the spleen have been extensively characterized phenotypically; however, biochemical properties of these cell populations following B cell antigen receptor engagement have not been fully determined due to technical difficulties and limiting cell numbers. We therefore employed mini-scale protocols to assess lipid signaling, particularly that of diacylglycerol and inositol trisphosphate, with as few as 0.5×106 purified early (T1) and late (T2) transitional B cells. Additionally, utilizing flow cytometric techniques, we determined levels of phosphatidylinositol bisphosphate and calcium mobilization in T1 and T2 cells, as well as mature follicular and marginal zone B cells using less than 1×106 primary B cells. Thus, these biochemical and flow cytometric methodologies can be used to analyse signal-induced changes in phosphatidylinositol bisphosphate levels, diacylglycerol and inositol triphosphate production and calcium in each B cell population.
Farrier services at veterinary teaching hospitals in the USA

Summary Horse health is best served when farriers and veterinarians collaborate in the care of their patients. Veterinary Teaching Hospitals (VTHs) provide an environment that can nurture that collaboration. While VTH veterinary services are well known, VTH farrier activities are undocumented. To characterise farrier services at VTHs in the USA, 27 VTH Diplomates of the American College of Veterinary Surgeons and/or VTH farriers completed a multiple choice questionnaire characterising VTH farrier details, training, certification, remuneration method, and clinical, teaching and research responsibilities; and farrier service prevalence, facilities and financial viability. Questionnaire response rate was 81%. Eighteen of 22 (82%) responding VTHs had in-house farrier services. Twenty-one of 22 (95%) VTH farriers were male. Farriers' ages ranged from 50 years (n = 7, 32%). At 11 (61%) VTHs the farriers were paid by the client and at 7 (39%) by the VTH. Five farriers (23%) received a VTH salary. Eighteen of 22 (82%) farriers had a professional certification. At 5 (28%) VTHs the farrier service made a profit and operational costs were met at 13 (72%). Fifteen (83%) farrier services provided professional education in clinical settings and 13 (72%) in lecture settings. Nine (41%) VTH farriers participated in research activities. In the USA, VTH farrier services vary considerably in both nature and extent. The farriers' potential contributions to VTH operations are often recognised but not consistently exploited. VTH farriers are a valuable resource who can contribute effectively toward VTH patient care, veterinary education and research.
Clinical Use of a Rapid Collagen Binding Assay for von Willebrand Factor Cleaving Protease in Patients with Thrombotic Thrombocytopenic Purpura

A simple collagen binding assay (CBA) for measuring activity of the von Willebrand factor cleaving protease in clinical samples is described, and results of fifty masked plasmapheresis samples rom patients with TTP/HUS and other diseases are presented. There was 97.5% concordance between the CBA and a multimer gel assay. The CBA identified low protease activity in 78% of patients who had a clinical syndrome consistent with TTP/HUS and in 2 of 10 sick controls, giving it a positive predictive value of 0.94. The heterogeneity regarding the presence or absence of vWF protease activity in patients with TTP/HUS was confirmed by finding a low negative predictive value of 0.50 with the CBA. The CBA detected inhibitors of the protease in 26 of 29 patients (90%) with TTP/HUS and low protease activity levels. The CBA is a useful clinical assay for examining von Willebrand factor protease activity and detecting inhibitors against the protease.
School-age outcomes of infants at risk for autism spectrum disorder

Studies of infants at risk for autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have proliferated, but few of these samples have been followed longer-term. We conducted a follow-up study, at age 5.5-9 years, of younger siblings of children with ASD (high-risk group, n = 79) or typical development (low-risk group, n = 60), originally recruited as infants. Children with ASD were excluded because of the focus on understanding the range of non-ASD outcomes among high-risk siblings. Using examiner ratings, parent ratings, and standardized assessments, we evaluated differences in clinical outcomes, psychopathology symptoms, autism symptoms, language skills, and nonverbal cognitive abilities. After adjusting for covariates, the high-risk group had increased odds of any clinically elevated/impaired score across measures relative to the low-risk group (43% vs. 12%, respectively). The high-risk group also had increased odds of examiner-rated Clinical Concerns (CC) outcomes (e.g., ADHD concerns, broader autism phenotype, speech-language difficulties, anxiety/mood problems, learning problems) relative to the low-risk group (38% vs. 13%, respectively). The high-risk group with CC outcomes had higher parent-reported psychopathology and autism symptoms, and lower directly-assessed language skills, than the Low-Risk Typically Developing (TD) and High-Risk TD groups, which did not differ. There were no differences in nonverbal cognitive skills. For some in the high-risk group, clinical concerns persisted from early childhood, whereas for others clinical concerns were first evident at school-age. Results suggest continued vulnerability in at least a subgroup of school-age children with a family history of ASD and suggest that this population may benefit from continued screening and monitoring into the school-age years. Autism Res 2016, 9: 632-642. © 2015 International Society for Autism Research, Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Cancer Screening: The Importance of Foreign Birth as a Barrier to Care

CONTEXT: Racial/ethnic groups comprised largely of foreign-born individuals have lower rates of cancer screening than white Americans. Little is known about whether these disparities are related primarily to their race/ethnicity or birthplace.
A Case Study of Some Issues in the Optimization of Fortran 90 Array Notation

Some issues in the relationship of coding style and compiler optimization are discussed with regard to Fortran 90 array notation. A review of several important Fortran 90 array constructs and their performance on vector and scalar hardware sets the stage for a more detailed example based on the kernel of a finite difference computational fluid dynamics model, specifically the nonlinear shallow water equations. Special attention is paid to the optimization of memory use and memory traffic. It is shown that the style of coding interacts with the rules of Fortran 90 and the current state of the art of Fortran 90 compilers to produce a fairly wide range of performance levels. Although performance degradations are typically small, a few cases of more serious loss of effciency are identified and discussed.
Simultaneous determination of 5-hydroxytryptamine, 5-hydroxytryptophan, 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid, dopamine, and homovanillic acid in whole blood, using isocratic HPLC with electrochemical detection

A sensitive and a rapid procedure is described using high performance liquid chromatography combined with electro-chemical detection (HPLC-ECD), for quantification of whole blood biogenic amines and their metabolites. Serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine, 5-HT), its precursor 5-hydroxytryptophan (5-HTRP), and metabolite 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA), dopamine (DA) and its metabolite homovanillic acid (HVA), were extracted from an aliquot of whole blood. After precipitation of proteins with 20% zinc sulfate and centrifugation the clear supernatant was treated with 10% sodium hydroxide and centrifuged. The supernatant was filtered and injected into the HPLC system. Separation of the analytes of interest was carried out with a mobile phase containing sodium acetate, citric acid, sodium octyl sulfate, disodium-EDTA, dibutylamine, and 15% methanol, at a flow rate of 0.5mL/min and at a potential of +0.60 V. Peaks of each compound were identified by their respective retention times established separately with ea...
A quantitative method to determine the points of O-(2-hydroxypropyl) substitution in O-(2-hydroxypropyl)-guar

Abstract A method is described for locating the O -(2-hydroxypropyl) groups in O -(2-hydroxypropyl)-substituted guar. Per- O -methylation of the O -(2-hydroxypropyl)guar yielded guar that was partially O -methylated and partially O -(2-methoxypropyl)ated. This polymer was hydrolyzed, to afford a mixture of partially O -methylated monosaccharides and partially O -(2-methoxypropylated), partially O -methylated monosaccharides. These monosaccharide derivatives were reduced, and the alditols acetylated, to give a mixture of partially O -acetylated, partially O -methylated alditols with partially O -acetylated, partially O -(2-methoxypropyl)ated, partially O -methylated alditols. These alditol derivatives were identified by gas-liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry, and quantitated by gas-liquid chromatography.
States of Transition: Slavic Studies Research Guides and Information Literacy

This article describes the Slavic studies research guides found on the library Web pages of the 17 universities that received funding under the United States Department of Education's Title VI National Resource Centers program for Russia and East Europe in 2006 and 2007. It compares and contrasts the guides' overall approach, organization, scope, content, and degree of interlinking to guides at other institutions. Based on this comparison, it explores how the guides relate to information literacy efforts in general, and to Slavic studies in particular, and suggests future directions for the guides, highlighting the possibilities for greater collaboration in the profession.
Molecular orbital calculations of ring opening of the isoelectronic cyclopropylcarbinyl radical, cyclopropoxy radical, and cyclopropylaminium radical cation series of radical clocks.

Detailed molecular orbital calculations were directed to the cyclopropylcarbinyl radical (1), the cyclopropoxy radical (2), and the cyclopropylaminium radical cation (3) as well as their ring-opene...
Practical strategies to circumvent and/or surmount six barriers in health disparities research: observations from a pilot project among Vietnamese Americans.

This paper describes six practical strategies to circumvent and/or surmount barriers encountered in community-based health disparities research, as illustrated within a pilot study on Vietnamese Americans’ perceptions of the US healthcare system. Health issues, including higher rates of cancer in this group, prompted the current study. These six strategies include the following: (1) identify a population with health concerns, (2) establish the role of the community partner early, (3) recruit an investigator who understands not only the language and culture but also the research process, (4) accept the exploratory nature of a study in an understudied group, (5) put in place the groundwork for recontacting community members, and 6) assemble a motivated research team. The descriptive experience reported here might enable other investigators to undertake and complete work in the field of health disparities in minority groups.
Electron impact studies of the tetrachlorides and tetrabromides of silicon and germanium

Abstract The chlorides and bromides of silicon and germanium were studied for low-energy electron dissociative resonance capture processes. The ions found were MX 3 − , MX 2 − , X 2 − and X − of which only the X − and MX 2 − were of sufficient intensity to measure the translational energy of the ions through the resonance process. Only for GeCl 4 were the other ions sufficiently abundant to permit detailed study of their formation. From these measurements it has been possible to determine the electron affinity of MX 2 , and an electronic transition energy for MX 3 . From the appearance potential data for the weaker ions lower limits for the electron affinity of MX 3 have been determined and upper limits for the electronic excitation of the MX 2 species.
Comparison of tagging single-nucleotide polymorphism methods in association analyses

Several methods to identify tagging single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) are in common use for genetic epidemiologic studies; however, there may be loss of information when using only a subset of SNPs. We sought to compare the ability of commonly used pairwise, multimarker, and haplotype-based tagging SNP selection methods to detect known associations with quantitative expression phenotypes. Using data from HapMap release 21 on unrelated Utah residents with ancestors from northern and western Europe (CEPH-Utah, CEU), we selected tagging SNPs in five chromosomal regions using ldSelect, Tagger, and TagSNPs. We found that SNP subsets did not substantially overlap, and that the use of trio data did not greatly impact SNP selection. We then tested associations between HapMap genotypes and expression phenotypes on 28 CEU individuals as part of Genetic Analysis Workshop 15. Relative to the use of all SNPs (n = 210 SNPs across all regions), most subset methods were able to detect single-SNP and haplotype associations. Generally, pairwise selection approaches worked extremely well, relative to use of all SNPs, with marked reductions in the number of SNPs required. Haplotype-based approaches, which had identified smaller SNP subsets, missed associations in some regions. We conclude that the optimal tagging SNP method depends on the true model of the genetic association (i.e., whether a SNP or haplotype is responsible); unfortunately, this is often unknown at the time of SNP selection. Additional evaluations using empirical and simulated data are needed.
Fast parallel shrinking to residues

The problem of shrinking the connected components of binary images to small residues is addressed. A new parallel algorithm is presented with the lowest known worst case time complexity as measured by iteration counts, i.e., ?(nc+nr)/2? iterations where the foreground of the image is contained within a rectangular region of size ncxnr pixels. The new algorithm also demonstrates superior average iteration counts in comparison with other shrinking algorithms on test images. The new algorithm uses a fully parallel application of an operator with an 8 pixel support. It reduces all connected components in any two-dimensional (2D) binary image to certain small 1, 2, or 3 pixel residues. It is potentially useful for component counting, as a fundamental step in connected component labeling algorithms implemented with fine grain realizations in 2D mesh computing architectures, and in other applications requiring preservation of foreground topology (connectivity).
Tripartition in the Spontaneous-Fission Decay of Cf 252

The long-range alpha particles associated with the spontaneous-fission decay of californium-252 have been studied by means of nuclear-emulsion techniques. The alpha energy spectrum was found to peak at about 19 Mev with a half-width of 10 Mev, and the preferential angle of emission was found to be slightly less than 90 deg with respect to the light fission fragment. These results support the view that alpha emission occurs at the time of scission and that the direction is determined by the extent of electrostatic repulsion by the fragments. A trend toward a more nearly symmetric mass division in fission accompanied by alpha emission is indicated. The frequency of occurrence of the long-range alpha particles was observed to be 1 in 415\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}10% binary fissions.Ternary events consisting of two heavy fragments and one light fragment of short range were observed, but the frequency with which these events occur was not measured. A parallel search was made for ternary-fission events in which fragmentation into comparable masses occurs.
eta production in peripheral heavy-ion collisions.

We estimate the impact parameter dependence of the production cross section for {eta}{sub {ital c}} and {eta}{sub {ital b}} mesons in peripheral heavy-ion collisions. Total and elastic {gamma}{gamma} cross sections are calculated in an equivalent photon approximation. {copyright} {ital 1996 The American Physical Society.}
Strongly Magnetized Antihydrogen and Its Field Ionization

Internal orbits of experimentally analyzed antihydrogen (H) atoms depend as much on an external magnetic field as on the Coulomb force. A circular "guiding center atom" model is used to understand their field ionization. This useful model, assumed in the theory of three-body H recombination so far, ignores the important coupling between internal and center-of-mass motion. A conserved pseudomomentum, effective potential, saddle point analysis, and numerical simulation show where the simple model is valid and classify the features of the general case, including "giant dipole states."
Strained-Layer-Superlattice Optoelectronic Devices

The Strained-Layer-Superlattice (SLS) is an important new class of semiconductor material. This new semiconductor material has many novel and tailorable properties that can be used to make new or improved optoelectronic (OE) devices. At Sandia National Laboratories we have fabricated and tested Light-Emitting-Diodes (LED's), Lasers, Detectors and other OE SLS devices. Data is presented on these devices. Novel infrared and photovoltaic device concepts are also described.
Induced embeddings in Steinhaus graphs

Fix any positive integer n. Let S be the set of all Steinhaus graphs of order n(n - 1)-2 + 1. The vertices for each graph in S are the first n(n - 1)-2 + 1 positive integers. Let I be the set of all labeled graphs of order n with vertices of the form i(i - 1)-2 + 1 for the first n positive integers i. This article shows that the function φ : S ➝ I that maps a Steinhaus graph to its induced subgraph is a bijection. Therefore, any graph of order n is isomorphic to an induced subgraph of a Steinhaus graph of order n(n - 1)-2 + 1. This considerably tightens a result of Brigham, Carrington, and Dutton in [Brigham, Carrington, & Dutton, Combin. Inform. System Sci. 17 (1992)], which showed that this could be done with a Steinhaus graph of order 2n-1. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J. Graph Theory 29: 19, 1998
Machinery selection using expert systems and linear programming

Abstract Information on a Farm-level INtelligent Decision Support system, FINDS, is presented. This system is desgined to aid in farm machinery selection through its use and interpretation of a farm management linear program (LP) which has been used in extension workshops to assist farm producers with farm-level decisions. Considerable expertise is required to interpret this farm management LP and it has not been used to its potential because there is a shortage of experts to work with individual producers. FINDS incorporates the expertise needed to use the LP for selecting farm machinery. The goal of FINDS is to help the user find machinery sets that can increase farm profit. The knowledge base of FINDS was structured using IF-THEN rules and LISP functions. With the rules and functions, FINDS automatically runs the LP model, extracts and interprets the relevant output, and recommends farm machinery changes that can increase farm profitability.
The effect of advertisement choice on attention

The purpose of this study was to assess the effect of advertisement choice on individuals' subsequent attention towards the advertisement. Participants in this study decided which type of advertisement to watch or they were not given a choice. Results of the study showed that advertisement choice significantly influenced female participants' subsequent attention towards the advertisement but not males'. This effect suggests that this marketing technique should be used in specific situations to target women predominately. These include marketing products predominately or universally used by females or during shows which are viewed by a large number of females.
Identification and Cloning of Putative Human Neuronal Voltage-Gated Calcium Channel γ-2 and γ-3 Subunits: Neurologic Implications

Objective To identify human genes encoding neuronal voltage-gated calcium channel γ subunits corresponding to the γ subunit recently described in mice with hereditary epilepsy, confirm their expression in adult brain, and determine whether a γ subunit resides in human chromosomal regions with marker genes linked to convulsions. Material and Methods Human homologues of a recently described mouse γ subunit were sought by a computerized search of National Center for Biotechnology Information databases. Sequences of interest were mapped electronically to specific chromosomal regions. The proximity of these chromosomal regions to markers linked to convulsive disorders was determined by a MEDLINE search. Predicted γ subunit sequences were amplified by polymerase chain reaction from a human adult brain complementary DNA (cDNA) library and were subcloned, and full-length sequences were determined or confirmed. Secondary structure and transmembrane regions were predicted by using the TMpredict program. Results Two putative isoforms (human γ-2 and γ-3 calcium channel subunits) were identified, cloned, and sequenced. They mapped to chromosomes 22 and 16, respectively. A marker very close to the γ-3 gene gives maximal lod scores for an autosomal dominant syndrome of familial infantile convulsions and paroxysmal choreoathetosis. Conclusion Genomic DNA sequence data already existed in GenBank (partial for γ-2 and complete for γ-3) for the two putative neuronal calcium channel γ subunits that we identified. By cloning both of these molecules from a cerebellar cDNA library, we demonstrated for the first time their expression in human brain. The γ-3 gene is adjacent to a marker for a convulsive disorder. The convulsive phenotype of γ channelopathies occurring in mice makes the human γ subunit genes attractive candidate genes for hereditary convulsive disorders.
Quantitative fractography of mixed-mode fracture in an R-curve material

Mixed-mode fracture surfaces of an R-curve material were quantitatively assessed using fractography. The R-curve material chosen was a mica glass ceramic. Vickers indentation cracks of different sizes were introduced at the center of tensile surface of glass ceramic bars fractured in flexure. The bars were fractured in flexure by generating mixed-mode (I/II) loading conditions at crack tips by orienting indentation cracks at various angles with respect to the tensile axis. Quantitative fractography indicated that crack-to-mirror size ratios were a function of crack length and mode mixity. Stress intensity at branching for the mirror–hackle transition during mixed-mode (I/II) fracture condition was a constant and was less than the corresponding stress intensity at branching in mode I loading. An empirical relationship is derived for the effective geometric factors in mixed-mode fracture of ceramics from surface cracks in flexure.
Facing the threats to electronic commerce

Presidential Decision Directive 63 concerning critical infrastructure protection, was signed on May 22, 1998. This order created a Presidential Commission charged with formulating policy recommendations to the President on measures to protect the critical infrastructures of the USA from cyber‐based attack. These initiatives were advanced in the Bush Administration with Executive Order 13231 – Critical Infrastructure Protection in the Information Age, October 16, 2001. Critical infrastructures are defined as those that are so vital that their incapacity or destruction would have a debilitating impact on the defence or economic security of the country. Among these are finance and banking, and telecommunications, the pillars of commerce and the nascent electronic commerce (e‐commerce) industry. Subsequent to this, the new century began with the publication of Defending America’s Cyberspace: The National Plan for Information Systems Protection, the distributed denial of service attacks on Yahoo!, and other major sites, and the hundreds of millions of dollars in damage due to the Code Red and Nimda viruses. One month after the publication of The National Strategy to Secure Cyberspace was distributed for comments (September 2002), the core domain name system root servers were attacked. In spite of these events, the reality is that market forces will continue to fuel the interest in e‐commerce regardless of concerns over security. Additionally, it will also remain difficult to encourage private sector openness and investment in security solutions in the absence of a major commercial catastrophe even in the face of rising customer expectations in service, security, and privacy. This paper explores these issues as they affect e‐commerce and suggests strategies to limit the potential impact of the array of threats facing critical infrastructures and e‐commerce. In doing so the paper discusses the importance of e‐commerce, the critical infrastructures, the threats to e‐commerce, and policies for protecting the organizations’ e‐commerce operations.
Variability and the Locational Marginal Value of Energy Storage

Given a stochastic net demand process evolving over a transmission-constrained power network, we consider the system operator's problem of minimizing the expected cost of generator dispatch, when it has access to spatially distributed energy storage resources. We show that the expected benefit of storage derived under the optimal dispatch policy is concave and non-decreasing in the vector of energy storage capacities. Thus, the greatest marginal value of storage is derived at small installed capacities. For such capacities, we provide an upper bound on the locational (nodal) marginal value of storage in terms of the variation of the shadow prices of electricity at each node. In addition, we prove that this upper bound is tight, when the cost of generation is spatially uniform and the network topology is acyclic. These formulae not only shed light on the correct measure of statistical variation in quantifying the value of storage, but also provide computationally tractable tools to empirically calculate the locational marginal value of storage from net demand time series data.