cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A refined methodology for modeling volume quantification performance in CT

The utility of CT lung nodule volume quantification technique depends on the precision of the quantification. To enable the evaluation of quantification precision, we previously developed a mathematical model that related precision to image resolution and noise properties in uniform backgrounds in terms of an estimability index (e’). The e’ was shown to predict empirical precision across 54 imaging and reconstruction protocols, but with different correlation qualities for FBP and iterative reconstruction (IR) due to the non-linearity of IR impacted by anatomical structure. To better account for the non-linearity of IR, this study aimed to refine the noise characterization of the model in the presence of textured backgrounds. Repeated scans of an anthropomorphic lung phantom were acquired. Subtracted images were used to measure the image quantum noise, which was then used to adjust the noise component of the e’ calculation measured from a uniform region. In addition to the model refinement, the validation of the model was further extended to 2 nodule sizes (5 and 10 mm) and 2 segmentation algorithms. Results showed that the magnitude of IR’s quantum noise was significantly higher in structured backgrounds than in uniform backgrounds (ASiR, 30-50%; MBIR, 100-200%). With the refined model, the correlation between e’ values and empirical precision no longer depended on reconstruction algorithm. In conclusion, the model with refined noise characterization relfected the nonlinearity of iterative reconstruction in structured background, and further showed successful prediction of quantification precision across a variety of nodule sizes, dose levels, slice thickness, reconstruction algorithms, and segmentation software.
Effective psychosocial treatments for children: A selected review

A number of recent professional developments are having an increasing impact on the provision of social work mental health services to children. Among these developments are the emergence of practice guidelines by the federal government and the disciplines of psychology and psychology, the growing body of empirical research evidence documenting the efficacy of selected psychosocial interventions, and the impact of managed care programs. Citing the right of child clients to receive demonstrably effective social work treatments, the author reviews some disorders for which credible research evidence exists pertaining to how to alleviate them. The article suggests these developments possess the potential to positively impact the delivery of social work services to children, at some cost in terms of professional autonomy.
Endoscopic treatment of craniosynostosis

We are entering a new era of craniosynostosis repair. When detected early, endoscopic skull remodeling, combined with a postoperative external skull-molding device, gives an excellent long-standing reconstruction of the cranial skeleton. This technique diminishes the morbidity of the operation and decreases the overall cost. It does not replace classic plate and screw cranial vault reconstruction in the older patient but is a useful weapon in the armamentarium of the craniofacial surgeon for the treatment of craniosynostosis in the neonatal period.
A simulation aided solution to an MCDM problem

A forest treatment problem arising in a Northern Arizona region is first formulated as a discrete MCDM problem, in which the payoff values are uncertain. This uncertainty is modeled by randomization considering the uncertain values as random variables with assumed types of distribution depending on the levels of uncertainty. A combination of discrete MCDM methodology and stochastic simulation is used to find the best treatment strategy with respect to criteria including water quantity and quality, wildlife, wood production, aesthetics and management costs.
Halophytic crops for cultivation at seawater salinity

Several hundred halophytes from salt marshes and salt deserts of the world have been evaluated in our laboratory at various degrees of intensity, and a few have been selected for development as crops. The development of the cultivars and the basic biology of the plants is being studied in Delaware in the United States. Agronomic testing, feeding trials, and development of the best agronomic practices are taking place in the saline desert at the American University in Cairo research station in Sadat City. Our present efforts focus primarily on three forages, one grain, and one vegetable. Sporobolus virginicus cultivars for both hay and pasture are being tested. A Distichlis spicata cultivar for hay has been identified, and Spartina patens is being evaluated as a hay as well. Although we do not yet have the data for a full year’s growth in Egypt, forage yields of these various cultivars, when harvested as hay crops, range to 6.9 or more tons per acre, depending on the salinity and other environmental conditions, and the crude protein content as indicated by the nitrogen content ranges from 6 to 10%. Cultivars having the most useful agronomic qualities have been identified and are being increased in quantity. The grain crop Kosteletzkya virginica is a perennial, producing a seed which resembles millet; its whole seeds contain approximately 25% protein and 15% oil. The yields of one of our better cultivars are about 1460 kg/ha (1300 lb/acre) when grown under 25‰ salinity. The vegetable Atriplex triangularis (similar to spinach) has been under mass selection for four years; a cultivar has been identified and seed is now being increased for this species.
Beta decay beyond the standard model

Abstract We review and discuss beta decay interactions in extensions of the Standard Model, and the role of beta decay experiments in obtaining information on them.
Cyclobutenone-Based Syntheses of Polyquinanes and Bicyclo[6.3.0]undecanes by Tandem Anionic Oxy-Cope Reactions. Total Synthesis of (+/-)-Precapnelladiene.

The addition of ethenyllithium derivatives to the carbonyl of dialkyl squarate-derived bicycloheptenones, e.g., 1a and 6a, initiates a low-temperature anion-accelerated oxy-Cope rearrangement to provide polyquinanes by a transannular aldol reaction of the intermediate bicyclo[6.3.0]undecadienone 4. Additional functionality is introduced by alkylation of the enolate 3 resulting from the oxy-Cope rearrangement. Phosphorylation or triflation of enolate 3 provides an entry into the bicyclo[6.3.0]undecane ring system. An application of this new methodology is demonstrated by the total synthesis of the sesquiterpene natural product (+/-)-precapnelladiene from diisopropyl squarate (10 steps, 12%).
The chemical and phase composition of aluminosilicate eefractoeies as a factor in their wettability with steel

The wettability of aluminosilicate refractories with steel grade Kh8N9 and Steel 20 increases with the percent glass phase in the refractory. Silica refractories are less readily wettable with the steels than refractories containing 5–15% Al2O3.
Recent vertical crustal movements from precise leveling surveys in the Blue Ridge and Piedmont Provinces, North Carolina and Georgia

Abstract Examination of two lines of repeated leveling in North Carolina and Georgia reveals 1. (1) apparent uplift at the Blue Ridge-Piedmont physiographic boundary (the AtlanticGulf drainage divide) relative to the Atlantic Coastal Plain on the east and the Valley and Ridge province to the west; and 2. (2) large tilts over short baselines superimposed upon the regional pattern in the vicinity of the nearby Blue Ridge—Piedmont geologic boundary (the Brevard fault zone). In the North Carolina profile a very pronounced correlation between topography and movement suggests possible systematic leveling error, but the observed movements appear to be larger than those normally attributed to leveling error. Thus, either refraction or rod errors are larger than expected, or the movement is real and strongly correlates with topography along this portion of the leveling line. Anomalously high stream-gradients over both resistant and nonresistant lithologies are found around the drainage divide in North Carolina, and may be associated with the relative uplift inferred from releveling. The drainage divide in Georgia, also characterized by relative uplift on the movement profile, approximately separates two different types of stream patterns. In both cases evidence presented here suggests that stream morphology may be responding to contemporary deformation as implied by the observed elevation changes. The relative uplift in North Carolina also correlates with a positive Bouguer gravity anomaly of 30–40 mGal in the midst of the regional Blue Ridge gravity low, although the significance of the correlation is unclear. The close spatial correspondence between the zone of maximum uplift and the drainage divide suggests that the vertical movements and geomorphic anomalies may result from the same mechanism, although the nature of such is unclear. One possible mechanism could be displacement at depth along the nearby Brevard zone. However, on the basis of dislocation modeling it appears that the geodetic observations cannot be adequately explained by surface deformation associated with any simple models of slip on the Brevard zone.
Gallium hydride and monovalent indium compounds that feature tris(pyrazolyl)hydroborate ligands.

The tris­(pyrazol­yl)hydro­borate compounds [tris­(3,5-dimethyl-1H-pyrazol-1-yl-κN2)hydro­borato]indium(I), [In(C15H22BN6)], abbreviated as [TpMe2]In, and [tris­(3-tert-butyl-5-methyl-1H-pyrazol-1-yl-κN2)hydro­borato]indium(I), [In(C24H40BN6)], abbreviated as [TpBut,Me]In, represent well defined examples of three-coordinate monovalent indium. In both compounds, the geometry at indium is pyramidal and natural bond orbital (NBO) calculations indicate that the indium lone pair occupies an orbital that is primarily 5s in character. The trivalent gallium hydride compound hydrido[tris­(3-tert-butyl-5-methyl-1H-pyrazol-1-yl-κN2)hydroborato]gallium(III) tetra­chlorido­gallium(III), [Ga(C24H40BN6)H][GaCl4], abbreviated as {[TpBut,Me]GaH}[GaCl4], is obtained via reaction of [TpBut,Me]Tl with [HGaCl2]2, and the Ga—H bond length of 1.49 (6) A compares favorably with the mean value of 1.50 A for structurally characterized gallium hydride compounds that are listed in the Cambridge Structural Database.
Olfactory bulbectomy, peripheral anosmia, and mouse killing and eating by rats

Seventeen rats which had not killed a mouse in 6 wk sustained bilateral olfactory bulbectomies. Fifteen of these started to kill after surgery, and nine consistently killed on the same day the mouse was introduced. Twelve nonkillers sustained surgical ablation of the olfactory receptors. None of these killed after surgery. Of eight spontaneous killers which consistently killed on the day a mouse was introduced, four sustained receptor ablations, and three, bulbectomies. One remained an unoperated control. All killed as quickly and as consistently as before. Most bulbectomized rats employed an “emotional,” messy style of killing, and bulbectomy-facilitated killers ate less of their prey than did spontaneous killers. Deafferentation had no effect on killing or eating. This is interpreted as evidence for irritable aggression on the part of bulbectomized rats, and for a nonolfactory role of the olfactory bulbs.
Influence of intravenous fat therapy on tracheal effluent phospholipids and oxygenation in severe respiratory distress syndrome

T w o COMPLICATIONS related to intravenous fat infusion that are of particular importance in the very-low-birthweight infant with respiratory distress syndrome are delayed plasma clearance I and hypoxemia z during fat infusion. Conversely, essential fatty acid deficiency may be noted within the first week of life in these VLBW infants? '4 Recently Friedman and Rosenberg s reported an association between essential fatty acid deficiency and altered fatty acid composition of pulmonary surfactant phospholipids, suggesting that this alteration may diminish lung function and contribute to the pathophysiology of RDS. We assessed the effect of intravenous fat emulsions on the production of lung phospholipid and on oxygenation as related to serum lipid clearance in premature neonates with RDS.
The Making of a Solution: A Simple but Poorly Understood Concept in General Chemistry

A primary goal in many general chemistry laboratories is to teach students to properly perform dilutions and make solutions. This article presents a simple exercise to test if your students have acquired this ability from their introductory laboratory exercises. Our results indicate that approximately 50% of the students cannot perform this task on their first attempt, but with guidance and additional attempts their success rate improves. Approximately 30% of the students still fail at this task after additional attempts, but this exercise does improve the laboratory technique of all students. Students used a variety of dilution strategies to achieve the same final concentration; but the most common strategy used by the students was the one deemed most logical by the professors.
Optic nerve sheath meningiomas: visual improvement after stereotactic radiotherapy.

Objective The management of primary optic nerve sheath meningioma (ONSM) is controversial. Surgery often results in postoperative blindness in the affected eye and thus has been abandoned as a treatment option for most patients. When these tumors are left untreated, however, progressive visual impairment ensues, which also leads to blindness. Recently, radiation therapy has gained wider acceptance in the treatment of these lesions. Experience with stereotactic radiotherapy (SRT) in the treatment of ONSMs is limited because of the rare incidence of this tumor. We present a series of patients with ONSM who were treated with SRT. Methods Five patients (three women, two men), ranging in age from 40 to 73 years, presented with progressive visual loss with decreased visual field, visual acuity, and color vision affecting six eyes (one patient had tumor involving both optic nerves). One patient also presented with proptosis and diplopia. Five eyes had functional residual vision (range, 20/20 to 20/40), and one eye was completely blind. All five patients were diagnosed clinically and radiographically to have an ONSM. Three were intraorbital, one was intracanalicular as well as intraorbital, and one was a left ONSM extending through the optic foramen into the intracranial space and involving the right optic nerve. The five functional eyes were treated with SRT by use of 1.8-Gy fractions to a cumulative dose of 45 to 54 Gy. Results Follow-up ranged from 1 to 7 years, and serial magnetic resonance imaging revealed no changes in the size of the tumor in all five patients. Four patients experienced dramatic improvement in visual acuity, visual field, and color vision within 3 months after SRT. One patient remained stable without evidence of visual deterioration or disease progression. None had radiation-induced optic neuropathy. Conclusion SRT may be a viable option for treatment of primary ONSM in patients with documented progressive visual deterioration, and it may be effective in improving or stabilizing remaining functional vision.
Tracheostomy placement in infants with bronchopulmonary dysplasia: Safety and outcomes

Optimizing the timing and safety for the placement of a tracheostomy in infants with bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) has not been determined. The purpose of the present study was to describe the data from a single institution about the efficacy and safety of tracheostomy placement in infants with BPD needing long-term respiratory support. We established a service line for the comprehensive care of infants with BPD and we collected retrospective clinical data from this service line. We identified patients that had a trachostomy placed using the local Vermont-Oxford database, and obtained clinical data from chart reviews. We identified infants who had a tracheostomy placed for the indication of severe BPD only. Safety and respiratory efficacy was assessed by overall survival to discharge and the change in respiratory supportive care from just before placement to 1-month post-placement. Twenty-two patients (750 ± 236 g, 25.4 ± 2.1 weeks gestation) had a tracheostomy placed on day of life 177 ± 74 which coincided with a post-conceptual age of 51 ± 10 weeks. At placement these infants were on high settings to support their lung disease. The mean airway pressure (MAP) was 14.3 ± 3.3 cmH2O, the peak inspiratory pressure was 43.7 ± 8.0 cmH2O, and the FiO2 was 0.51 ± 0.13. The mean respiratory severity score (MAP × FiO2) 1 month after tracheostomy was significantly (P = 0.03) lower than prior to tracheostomy. Survival to hospital discharge was 77%. All patients with tracheostomies that survived were discharged home on mist collar supplemental oxygen. In conclusion, the high survival rate in these patients with severe BPD and the decreased respiratory support after placement of a tracheostomy suggests that high ventilatory pressures should not be a deterrent for placement of a tracheostomy. Future research should be aimed at determining optimal patient selection and timing for tracheostomy placement in infants with severe BPD. Pediatr Pulmonol. 2013; 48:245–249. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Parental styles of narrative elicitation: effect on children's narrative structure and content:

Two contrastive studies of personal experience narration in two mother-child pairs are reported. The relationship between patterns of narrative elicitation and the children's developing narrative skill are investigated. Three sets of data were analysed: mother's utterances during mother-child elicitation, children's spontaneously provided contextual orientation in narratives elicited by a neutral researcher when the children were between 27 and 44 months of age, and the overall structure of the children's narratives at age 44 months. The two mothers differed substantially in the kinds of questions they asked: one focused on context (i.e., who, where, when, what and why), while the other emphasized event elaboration (i.e., what happened). The former's child was more likely to spontaneously include contextual orientation but showed less sophisticated plot structure. In contrast, the narratives of the second child showed better structural organization although she spontaneously included less contextual infor...
The hacker in your hardware.

The article discusses tampering with or hacking of computer hardware including integrated circuits and microchips used as components in computer manufacturing. The article explains that contemporary circuits are vulnerable to viruses because of the many sources of complex component design used in their manufacture. If such a virus is implanted in a microchip program code, it can be activated by a time or date trigger after it is assembled into the hardware of an overall computer or cell phone system. Security measures that can be used to guard against such attacks are discussed. INSET: HOW TO STOP HARDWARE HACKERS.
Thyroid Deprivation and Replacement in Chickens

Abstract THERE is evidence that both the thiouracil fed chick (Wentworth and Mellen, 1961) and the radiothyroidectomized (RTX) chick (Mellen and Wentworth, 1962) produce small amounts of labelled thyroid hormones following the injection of I131. Nevertheless, the studies of Mellen and Wentworth (1962) and Snedecor and King (1964) are in agreement that the hypothyroidism produced by the RTX treatment is severe on the basis of body weight, oxygen consumption, testis weight and serum cholesterol. The reductions in body weight and gonad weight are comparable in extent to the changes caused by surgical thyroidectomy (STX) by Simmons (1943), Blivaiss (1947), and Morris (1951). Mellen and Wentworth (1962) reported one experiment in which RTX was compared with thiouracil (0.1% of food) feeding. Although the effects were the same on oxygen consumption, thiouracil did not depress body weight as much as did RTX either at three weeks (84.3 % vs. 79.1% of control) or…
Media evaluation of lactic acid repeated-batch fermentation with Lactobacillus plantarum and Lactobacillus casei subsp. rhamnosus

This paper describes a methodology to evaluate different fermentation media without interruption for long-term repeated batch fermentation by Lactobacillus casei subsp. rhamnosus or Lactobacillus plantarum. A repeated-batch fermentor was designed to evaluate various food byproducts as nitrogen source to replace yeast extract in lactic acid fermentation. Seven types of livestock- or marine-based byproducts were used in addition to corn steep liquor and yeast extract. Also, further enrichment of vitamins and minerals in the fermentation media was performed by the addition of 0.1% cane molasses. Data from lactic acid fermentation in duplicate were analyzed by analysis of variance and least significant difference. Marine hydrolysate BAP5301 supplemented with cane molasses resulted in a higher lactic acid production rate than that of yeast extract medium for L. plantarum. On the other hand, marine hydrolysate BAP5300 supplemented with cane molasses was the best for L. casei, which produced lactic acid similar ...
Quantitative information processing of nutrition facts panels

– Quantitative information on nutrition labels (nutrition facts panels (NFPs)) is often conveyed in the form of absolute weights (i.e. milligrams or grams) and reference values (i.e. per cent daily values (%DVs)) which provide information regarding nutrient levels within the context of a total daily diet. Some evidence suggests that %DVs are preferred over the weights and may be better at communicating nutrition information. However, age differences are often neglected in past work, thus limiting the understanding how effectively NFPs communicate quantitative information across adulthood. The paper aims to discuss these issues. , – Using eye tracking methodology, the present study examined age and preference differences in attention to weights and %DVs on NFPs during two healthfulness judgement tasks. The extent to which attention predicted judgement accuracy was explored and findings were compared to two additional predictors, prior knowledge and NFP numeracy skills. , – Although individuals paid attention to both types of quantitative information, attention to %DVs, but not weights, predicted accuracy, on both tasks. For older adults only, preferences for %DVs were related to %DV attention, and this in turn supported accuracy on the single-NFP task. , – These data show that %DVs are important for healthfulness judgements across age but that preferences for %DVs, together with attention to %DVs, are particularly important for older adults.
Does Acceptability of Violence Impact the Relationship Between Satisfaction, Victimization, and Commitment Levels in Emerging Adult Dating Relationships?

This study examined the impact of acceptability of violence on dating violence victimization, relationship satisfaction, and relationship commitment. A survey administered to a sample of 155 male and 417 female college students showed that relationship satisfaction was significantly associated with relationship commitment, but that dating violence victimization was not. Moreover, acceptability of violence emerged as a significant moderator of the relationship between satisfaction and commitment in dating relationships when gender differences were assessed. Discussion of these findings and future research are included.
Study of energy vs misorientation for grain boundaries in gold by crystallite rotation method—I. [001] Twist boundaries

Abstract Small gold crystallites (~ 50–80 nm dia) were welded to thin film [001] single crystal gold substrates at a series of predetermined [001] twist angles in the range 0–45°. A pure [001] twist boundary therefore existed in each welded neck region which could be observed directly by transmission electron microscopy at normal incidence. Upon annealing, the crystallites rotated around [001] when the boundary energy varied with θ. The crystallites rotated into three misorientations corresponding to the special ∑1 and ∑5 misorientations and a symmetry related misorientation at θ = 45°. These results indicate the existence of grain boundary dislocation (GBD) related cusps on the boundary energy vs θ curve at ∑1 and ∑5. The rotations occurred conservatively by the motion of screw GBDs which could be observed directly by the transmission microscopy in certain regimes of θ. The results are relevant to recent calculations of the energies of [001] twist boundaries and the applicability of the GBD/structural unit model for grain boundaries.
Role of caloric homeostasis and reward in alcohol intake in Syrian golden hamsters.

Abstract The Syrian golden hamster drinks alcohol readily, but only achieves moderate blood alcohol levels, and does not go through withdrawal from alcohol. Because the hamster is a model of caloric homeostasis, both caloric content and reward value may contribute to the hamster's alcohol consumption. The current study examines alcohol consumption in the hamster when a caloric or non-caloric sweet solution is concurrently available and caloric intake in the hamster before, during, and after exposure to either: alcohol, sucrose or saccharin. In Experiments 1 and 2, hamsters were given access to alcohol (15% v/v) and water; once alcohol consumption steadied, a bottle containing an ascending concentration of sucrose (99–614 mM) or saccharin (2–10 mM), or water was added. In Experiment 3, hamsters were given access to alcohol (15% v/v), sucrose (614 mM), saccharin (4 mM), or a second water bottle for 14 days. After the second bottle was removed, measurements continued for 14 days. Sucrose exposure suppressed alcohol consumption at concentrations lower in calories than the alcohol solution. Saccharin exposure failed to suppress alcohol consumption. Exposure to sucrose and alcohol but not saccharin decreased food intake. Decreased alcohol consumption in response to a caloric sweetener and decreased food intake during alcohol exposure support that alcohol consumption by the hamster is mediated by caloric content. However, suppression of alcohol intake by a sucrose solution of lower caloric content and the equivalent intake of individual alcohol, sucrose and saccharin solutions support a role for reward value in alcohol consumption.
Considerations on a unified field theory

A geometrical formulation of gravitational and electromagnetic fields is presented for systems composed of point mass charged particles where the charge is small enough that electromagnetic radiation may be neglected. It is assumed that such charges produce a non-negligible contribution to the metric, and that their motion describes geodesics in the total metric which consists of that due to the charge itself and that due to the external environment of the charge. The above, together with several other assumptions yields the customary Einstein-Maxwell relations. It is demonstrated that this construction is not merely a re-statement of the Einstein-Maxwell theory in different terms.
The Auschwitz Analogy: Holocaust Memory and American Debates over Intervention in Bosnia and Kosovo in the 1990s

This article examines the use of analogies to the Holocaust in debates over the propriety and morality of American intervention in the Balkan crises of the 1990s. Both the proponents and the opponents of intervention invoked the Holocaust precedent, drawing very different conclusions about its applicability to Bosnia and Kosovo. The debates demonstrate how ostensible lessons from the Holocaust experience were deployed to mobilize public opinion behind a humanitarian intervention. On the other hand, they also show how the application of Holocaust analogies to a controversial public policy often resulted in gross simplification of a complex past. Consciousness of the Holocaust rose dramatically in the United States during the decade of the 1990s. This cultural shift was reflected in several developments: the opening of the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington and formidable (if smaller) Holocaust museums in New York, Los Angeles, and other cities; the popularity of high-profile Holocaust-related films—most notably Steven Spielberg’s Schindler’s List and Roberto Benigni’s Life Is Beautiful; the broad media attention accorded Daniel Jonah Goldhagen’s sensationalistic and controversial book Hitler’s Willing Executioners; 1 the establishment of university professorships specializing in the history of the Holocaust; and the creation of high-school and college-level Holocaust studies curricula. The reasons for this general trend, which has been labeled the “Americanization of the Holocaust,” are numerous and complicated, deriving from social and cultural developments within American Jewry as well as within the broader American public. A substantial scholarly literature has emerged to examine this phenomenon. 2 The present contribution explores one particular dimension of Holocaust consciousness in America: the use of comparisons and analogies with the Holocaust in debates over foreign policy, and, more specifically, in debates over the wisdom and morality of American and NATO intervention in the Balkans in the 1990s. Scholars of the history of American foreign relations have observed that Americans have a tendency to interpret complex situations around the world as confrontations between good and evil. One historian has characterized the predicament arising
Critical currents, magnetic relaxation and pinning in NdBa 2 Cu 3 O 7-δ films with BaZrO 3 -generated columnar defects

The critical current density Jc and the magnetic relaxation (‘creep’) properties have been studied for a set of NdBa2Cu3O7−δ (NdBCO) films doped with BaZrO3 (BZO) nanoparticles to form columnar defects. The dependence of Jc on the magnitude and orientation of the applied magnetic field Happ (0–6.5 T) and temperature T (5 K–Tc) was investigated. The normalized flux-creep rate S =− dln(J)/dln(t) was determined as a function of T. The current dependence of the effective activation energy Ueff(J) was derived using the formalism developed by Maley. The results are well described by an inverse power law type barrier of the form Ueff(J) ∼ U0(J0/J)μ with fitted values for the pinning energy scale U0 and the glassy exponent μ. When comparing values for these parameters in the BZO-doped samples with those for their undoped control counterparts, the most striking difference is the larger scale of current density J0 in the doped samples (a factor of 2.4 higher), while the other pinning parameters do not differ strongly. In the BZO-doped materials, the pinning energy scale U0 increases with vortex density and J0 decreases, with both following simple power law dependences on the field.
Method for Measuring Thickness of Dielectric Films Using Microdielectric Fringe-Effect Sensors

A method for noninvasive thickness measurements of dielectric films using fringe-effect (FE) sensors is developed and experimentally validated. The fringing electrical field, created by electrodes microfabricated at the film substrate, depends on the film thickness and dielectric permittivity of the film under test (FUT). The unknown film thickness is estimated by matching the theoretical prediction of thickness-dependent sensor admittance with the measured value. In the case of FE sensors with spatially periodic, interdigitated electrode (IDE) configuration, the admittance prediction is simplified, which allows for the real-time measurements of changing thickness. The developed method can be used to continuously measure the changing dielectric permittivity of the FUT material, which makes it possible to determine the thickness of films of changing dielectric properties, caused by chemical or other transformations. The application of the developed method is demonstrated experimentally by measuring the thickness of silicon nitride film deposited in several increments on the quartz substrate of the IDE sensor. In the expected range of sensor sensitivity, the results show an excellent agreement with the independent thickness measurements.
System integration and performance of the EUV engineering test stand

The Engineering Test Stand (ETS) is a developmental lithography tool designed to demonstrate full-field EUV imaging and provide data for commercial-tool development. In the first phase of integration, currently in progress, the ETS is configured using a developmental projection system, while fabrication of an improved projection system proceeds in parallel. The optics in the second projection system have been fabricated to tighter specifications for improved resolution and reduced flare. The projection system is a 4-mirror, 4x-reduction, ring-field design having a numeral aperture of 0.1, which supports 70 nm resolution at a k{sub 1} of 0.52. The illuminator produces 13.4 nm radiation from a laser-produced plasma, directs the radiation onto an arc-shaped field of view, and provides an effective fill factor at the pupil plane of 0.7. The ETS is designed for full-field images in step-and-scan mode using vacuum-compatible, magnetically levitated, scanning stages. This paper describes system performance observed during the first phase of integration, including static resist images of 100 nm isolated and dense features.
Constraints on Awareness, Attention, Processing, and Memory: Some Recent Investigations with Ignored Speech

We discuss potential benefits of research in which attention is directed toward or away from a spoken channel and measures of the allocation of attention are used. This type of research is relevant to at least two basic, still-unresolved issues in cognitive psychology: (a) the extent to which unattended information is processed and (b) the extent to which unattended information that is processed can later be remembered. Four recent studies of this type that address these questions in various ways (Cowan, Lichty, & Grove, 1990; Wood & Cowan, 1995a,b; Wood, Stadler & Cowan, in press) are reviewed as illustrations. We conclude from these studies that (a) unattended information appears to be partially processed automatically, though attention enhances the processing considerably, and (b) the unattended information that is processed may not be retrievable in direct or many indirect memory tasks, though it remains possible that there is an automatically stored memory trace (e.g., one that could produce semantic priming).
Modeling of Millimeter Wave Backscatter of Time-Varying Snowcover — Summary

The temporal variation of millimeter wave backscatter signature of snowcover is studied based on a dense medium radiative transfer (DMRT) theory and a one-dimensional mass and energy balance model of snow named SNTHERM. The multilayer DMRT scattering model of snowcover developed in this work takes into account the reflection and refraction at the snow-snow interfaces. Appropriate boundary conditions, quadrature points and weights are selected for using the discrete-ordinate eigenanalysis method to solve the multilayer DMRT equations. It shows that the inclusion of reflection and refraction at the snow-snow interfaces may affect the model prediction. Cohesive spherical particles are applied to account for the clustering feature of snow grains. To model the time-varying behavior of snowcover, SNTHERM is employed to simulate the aging process of snow. SNTHERM provides pertinent snow parameters, such as grain size, density, liquid water content, and stratification with a high resolution in time and depth. The...
Percutaneous radiofrequency catheter ablation for supraventricular arrhythmias in children

Abstract Nineteen procedures were performed in 17 children, aged 10 months to 17 years, using catheter radiofrequency applications for the management of malignant or drug-resistant supraventricular tachyarrhythmias. Diagnoses were junctional ectopic tachycardia in 1 patient, atrioventricular (AV) node reentrant tachycardia in 4 and accessory pathway-mediated tachycardia in 12. Accessory pathway locations were left lateral (n = 4), posteroseptal (n = 3), left posterior (n = 2), right posterolateral (n = 1), right posterior paraseptal (n = 1), right intermediate septal (n = 1) and right anterior (n = 1). Ablation of accessory pathways was performed using 20 to 40 W of energy. The catheter was passed retrograde to the left ventricle in patients with a left-sided pathway and anterograde to the right atrium in those with a right-sided or posteroseptal pathway. In the 12 patients with an accessary pathway, radiofrequency applications were successful in 11 pathways and failed in 2. There were no recurrences of accessory pathway-mediated tachycardia. Atrioventricular node reentrant tachycardia was treated by AV node modification using 15 W of energy applied until first degree AV block occurred. After radiofrequency catheter ablation, there was a prolonged AH interval, tachycardia was not inducible and tachycardia recurred in one patient. For the patient with junctional ectopic tachycardia, 15 to 18 W of energy was delivered at the site of the maximal His bundle electrogram until sinus rhythm and normal AV conduction appeared. After a recurrence, a second procedure abolished tachycardia and AV conduction. In summary, radiofrequency catheter ablation was initially successful in 17 of 19 procedures and ultimately curative in 14 (82%) of 17 patients with no serious complications. Radiofrequency catheter ablation appears to be a safe and effective method for the management of supraventricular tachyarrhythmias in children.
Quantum statistical testing of a QRNG algorithm

We present the algorithmic design of a quantum random number generator, the subsequent synthesis of a physical design and its verification using quantum statistical testing. We also describe how quantum statistical testing can be used to diagnose channel noise in QKD protocols.
An automatic system approach to the problem of memory circuit testing & fault diagnosis

High product volume, diverse packaging configurations, and high-speed functional operation make memory circuit testing a difficult manufacturing problem. One solution to this problem is provided by the computer-controlled test system described here. Modular design of hardware, microprogram, and programming subsystems has met production requirements for speed, quality, and repair of assembly defects.
Active vibration control of cylindrical shell using smart materials

Theoretical analysis of active control of vibration in a cylindrical shell is presented in this paper. The forced vibration wave in a circular cylindrical shell is studied and the propagation of the vibration wave is controlled actively. The structural model considered is an infinite elastic circular cylindrical shell and excited harmonically by a primary force arranged in a line around its circumference. Active control is achieved by applying another line circumferential distributed force apart form the primary force. The input vibration power flow is theoretically studied and used to evaluate the performance of the active control method. Numerical simulation results demonstrate that it is possible to achieve a vibration reduction of 15 dB for only one control force. To realize this active control force, smart actuators such as the piezoceramic material can be used. It is hoped that the investigation will shed some light on the control of vibration propagation in such structures by using smart materials.© (2002) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Final state enhancement factors

The enhancement of production cross-sections and modification of energy spectra due to attractive Interactions between particles in the final state are theoretically dis cussed. The question of the final-state enhancement factor is considered in order to show that there is an alternative formula which may be used and to establish the negative conclusion that this alternative enhancement factor cannot alter significantly the existing interpretation by Watson. (N.W.R.)
Everyone Likes a Challenge: Getting Students' Attention with Interactive Games and Authentic Assignments

Most college students today have little trouble finding information through Google, Facebook, Twitter, and Wikipedia. They find it more challenging when asked to locate, evaluate, and ethically use the highest quality and most appropriate resources, which might require them to look beyond the first few hits in a Google search. Academic librarians are spending more time designing and delivering instruction to help students develop these important information literacy skills. How can librarians design their classes to promote the learning of these higher-order mental processes? How can they capture the attention of their students and engage them in the learning process? Adding games, activities, and authentic or problem based assignments to existing instruction sessions may be the answer. This article will discuss how librarians at Indiana University of Pennsylvania (IUP) Libraries have made instruction more engaging and effective by adding action to orientations and authenticity to assignments.
A Model of System Re-Configurability and Pedagogical Usability in an E-Learning Context: A Faculty Perspective

Course management systems CMSs enable institutions to engage users efficiently, increase enrollment without major facilities investments, and serve geographically dispersed student markets on an ongoing basis. The full benefits of technology cannot be realized if faculty do not adopt the new technology and use it to achieve their instructional design objectives. From a faculty perspective, pedagogical usability of the software is an important factor affecting technology adoption and effective implementation. Pedagogical usability is measured using Chickering and Gamson's seven principles of good educational practice. In a distance learning context, this paper provides an initial exploratory study of how faculty perceptions of CMS software characteristics like content re-configurability, interaction re-configurability, and modularity design help faculty implement good pedagogical principles. Additionally, a model is presented that links CMS software design characteristics like content re-configurability, interaction re-configurability, and modularity design with the pedagogical usability assessments of faculty. This model is tested using a sample of 56 faculty members using WebCT at a mid-western university.
Differential rates of NTP hydrolysis by the mutant [S69G]RecA protein. Evidence for a coupling of NTP turnover to DNA strand exchange.

Abstract The x-ray crystal structure of theEscherichia coli RecA protein indicates that the phosphate groups of the nucleotide cofactor are bound by a loop whose amino acid sequence (66GPESSGKT73) corresponds to a consensus phosphate binding loop sequence (GXXXXGK[T/S]) found in many NTP-binding proteins. As part of an investigation of the role of the P-loop in ATP hydrolysis, we prepared a mutant RecA protein in which serine 69 was replaced by a glycine residue. We have found that the [S69G]RecA mutation has a differential effect on the hydrolysis of various nucleoside triphosphates. The [S69G]RecA protein catalyzes the single-stranded DNA-dependent hydrolysis of rATP, ddATP, and dATP with turnover numbers of 10, 20, and 36 min−1, respectively. The wild type RecA protein, in contrast, hydrolyzes each of these nucleoside triphosphates with similar turnover numbers of 20–24 min−1. Significantly, the [S69G]RecA protein promotes strand exchange with all three nucleoside triphosphates, and the rate of strand exchange is directly proportional to the rate of hydrolysis of each of the nucleotide cofactors. These findings with the [S69G]RecA protein provide support for the existence of a mechanistic coupling between NTP hydrolysis and DNA strand exchange.
Bottom-up processing and low temperature transport properties of polycrystalline SnSe

Abstract A hydrothermal approach was employed to efficiently synthesize SnSe nanorods. The nanorods were consolidated into polycrystalline SnSe by spark plasma sintering for low temperature electrical and thermal properties characterization. The low temperature transport properties indicate semiconducting behavior with a typical dielectric temperature dependence of the thermal conductivity. The transport properties are discussed in light of the recent interest in this material for thermoelectric applications. The nanorod growth mechanism is also discussed in detail.
Preparation of biphenyl perfluorocyclobutyl (BP-PFCB) polyethylene glycol (PEG) copolymers by the formation of fluorinated arylene vinylene ether (FAVE)

A series of biphenyl per fluorocyclobutyl (BP-PFCB) polyethylene glycol (PEG) copolymers were prepared by nucleophilic addition the hydroxyl end groups of PEG to trifluorovinyl ether (TFVE) end groups of biphenyl perfluorocyclobutyl (BP-PFCB) oligomers. Upon addition, copolymers are linked through a new fluorinated arylene vinylene ether (FAVE) bond. Resulting copolymers were characterized by ATR-FTIR, 1H, and 19F NMR analysis. Gel permeation chromatography (GPC) showed a number-average molecular weights (M n s) of polymers from 9000 to 16,000. A moderated increase in M n s was observed compared to corresponding oligomers. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) thermograms revealed glass transition temperatures (T gs) from −25 to 127 °C. All copolymers showed one copolymer-specific T g. All T gs were compared to the theoretical values calculated from the Fox equation. Comparisons showed T gs became more agreeable at the lowest and highest PEG weight fractions. Thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA) studies showed a two-stage degradation in nitrogen and air that corresponded to copolymer weight percent. The onsets of degradations were from 343 to 360 °C for copolymers in air and from 333 to 343 °C for copolymers in nitrogen.
Games and Truths: Learning To Construct Social Problems In High School Debate

Although social constructionists have taken the process by which people learn to present social problems for granted, these skills are acquired in the course of socialization. Through high school d...
Comparative evaluation of a viscoplastic power-law and rate-independent crystal plasticity in channel die compression

Abstract General equations in (1 1 0) channel die compression are derived for a viscoplastic power-law, and comparative evaluations made with rate-independent theory and experiment. The latter theory has been shown in a series of papers (2007–2012) to predict well the finite-deformation experimental behavior (1966–2007) of fcc crystals in this family of orientations, and to give a rational basis for the elastoplastic transition that precedes the onset of finite multiple-slip. It is established analytically that, during this elastoplastic transition, the power-law equations in the limit of unbounded exponent n are identical with the rate-independent equations for lateral stress-rate and (very small) lattice rotation-rate. Moreover, results for aluminum and copper agree very closely for large n in four initial orientations investigated numerically. At the onset of finite deformation (in general when four or more systems are equally stressed) the respective results for stress-rate differ sharply, with the exception of the experimentally stable Brass orientation. When lattice elasticity is included in the power-law in this orientation (with an n of 100 or greater), it predicts results essentially indistinguishable from rate-independent theory for both aluminum and copper, in good agreement with experiment. In two orientations near the ends of the range, the power-law lattice rotation-rates at the onset of finite deformation for large n also agree closely with the rate-independent results. However, in the specific orientation from which there is large lattice rotation, the power-law significantly under-predicts rate-independent and experimental results after large strains, whatever the value of exponent n.